Pitty and Patisserie

We had Jersey "fixed" this week. It is so sad to see her in this huge cone. It is also very annoying. She is more in the way now than without it. We are constantly running into her cone and she "rests" it on my leg while I'm cooking. She runs into Spencer's leg with it and it really irritates him. Although, I really can't blame him, it is big for our little pup, but it has to reach past her nose so she doesn't tear open her incision. She looks pitiful doesn't she!?


It was really sad when the vet brought her out to me. She was scared stiff, literally. She wouldn't budge and every time she bumped the cone on the floor or a shelf or something, she would stop dead in her tracks and not move for a while.

This quarter I have a class called Patisserie. We learn how to do celebration cakes and plated desserts. Here are a couple of desserts that we have made so far.

The first one is in a style that is trendy right now. They deconstruct a classic dessert and make it more modern. This is a version of a Black Forest Cake:

In case you don't know, Black Forest Cake is like a cherry chocolate cake. We have flourless chocolate cake, pastry cream, chocolate sorbet, Kirsh pana cotta (cherry liquor flavored vanilla custard), cherries, and a little gold for accent.

This next one is actually a buffet type setup. I don't know if you have noticed, but the latest trend in restaraunts today is something they call a Verrine. A Verrine is a small sampling, or "shot", of dessert.

From left to right: chocolate brandy stuff (didn't try it), a lime custard (awesome), a raspberry-rose something (sinfull), and tirimisu (didn't try it since it had coffee in it, but this was the one that my table made). Then it just repeats.

This next picture is of the first dessert that we made this quarter. It was absolutely delicious. It is lemon sherbet with raspberry sorbet in the cone with a chocolate "cigarette", blackberry pate de fruit (blackberry gummie squares, but not so gummie like gummie bears), blown sugar ball, and a chocolate band with fresh fruit placed in it.

I have really enjoyed this class so far. I am really anxious to get into the cake decorating part of the class. Soon.