Desperately Seeking Pudge

I'M DONE I'M DONE I'M DONE I'M DONE I'M DONE

2008-06-17T20:06:00.004-04:00

It's finally over. I gave you two pictures of my project so you could see my fountain! A cake is supposed to sit on top of it, but I hadn't put it on yet.

Then next picture is my kitchen!

oh and there's me with my friend Emily (to the left) and Reesha (to the right) in our chef toques.

My ceremony is tomorrow, so I guess you can start calling me Chef Clare from now on.

real wedding cake

2008-06-15T19:34:00.001-04:00

Wedding cakes....

2008-06-11T20:09:00.003-04:00

^that one is mine... what can i say, it was my first. and not easy.

This one was su-yon's it was the best and super cool

still stressed

2008-06-09T20:25:00.002-04:00

i'm fucking screwed. this last week of school its kicking my ass. and it just started. there was NO AC working in the kitchen today. oh also it was like 99 degrees today and all the ovens were on for our wedding cakes. i thought i was going to die. but too bad, i didn't. now i have to continue working. i haven't even had time to think about my written on thursday thats over EVERYTHING from day one. damnit.

Update

2008-06-01T22:14:00.002-04:00

Well tomorrow is the last normal day at school. On Tuesday I start my menu project, that lasts 3 days. Then on the 9th I start my wedding cake project which lasts 3 days also. THEN my final practical exam starts on the 12th and last 4 fucking days long... then I graduate on the 18th

but in between all of this I'm flying home on the 13th, and then on the 14th I'm making my cousin's wedding cake, then flying back to New York on the 15th. I'm going to need to get a little more than a few drinks that saturday night... any takers?

I'm extremely stressed out.

ps how many times can I say "then"?

blown sugar

2008-05-18T10:31:00.003-04:00

Trying to make fish

there, i did it

this was a group project. we had to make a famous art piece out of sugar. each group got together and debated why they should create their piece of art they chose.

We made the art piece that i brought in which was Franz Marc "hocken im schnee"

here's the original. hah! SO CLOSE!

well i did it

2008-05-16T20:46:00.000-04:00

i set the floor on fire today

and my hand.

no worries.

i'm really cool.

never thought i'd be excited about RIBBONS!!!

2008-05-14T16:27:00.003-04:00

blistering pulled sugar

2008-05-13T21:58:00.003-04:00

My Second Chocolate Project....

2008-05-07T16:12:00.002-04:00

Okay, so the theme was "I can't live without it..."

so what did you expect?

italian day, AND FRUIT SOUPS!!!

2008-05-07T16:01:00.004-04:00

Po's Panna Cotta with peach-nectarine-plum compote, peach-riesling granita, and a little cookie cup.

Tiramisu with mocha granita, cappuccino anglaise, chocolate sauce, chocolate cup, and cookie spoon

Exotic Fruit Soup with ginger lemongrass ice cream, and sesame seed wafers

Plum Broth with almond custard letters, orange cookie cup, and orange sorbet

back to plated desserts......ugh!

2008-05-06T17:17:00.004-04:00

Cake Stand

2008-04-23T23:02:00.003-04:00

Pastiallge Cake Stand!

2008-04-21T17:25:00.004-04:00

Project: Create an ALL EDIBLE cake stand made with pastiallge (similar to altoids or necco waffers) along with 4 small boxes.

Theme: Initials. Anything that has to do with your initials (like if my first initial was D I could make 4 dogs holding up a cake...)

Cake: Orange Sponge cake filled with a lime curd, crumb coated with buttercream, and covered with fondant

My Theme: Costume History Design (18th century...French hats)

Idea: Dress form holding up a large hat holding the cake with sugar flowers and feathers

Here's just the cake stand with the brim of the hat... I don't have the picture with the cake and flowers attached yet, but I should get them soon. Here's a preview anyway cause I'm excited.

Plated Desserts 3

2008-04-11T21:52:00.003-04:00

Plated Desserts 2

2008-04-08T16:00:00.003-04:00

Chocolate Marquise

w/ mint creme anglaise and raspberry compote

Chocolate Crepes filled with ganache

w/ caramelized pears, cranberry compote and cranberry swirl sorbet

Orange Crepes filled with orange pastry cream

w/ orange butter sauce, caramel, and blueberry sorbet

Plated Desserts

2008-04-07T17:13:00.002-04:00

Creme Brulee

Creme Caramel

CHOCOLATE!

2008-04-02T16:27:00.005-04:00

We've been working with ONLY chocolate this past week. Today we had to make our own chocolate candy stands!

Tempering chocolate sucks, but playing with it is fun.

Heres my piece

Special Occasion

2008-03-24T16:30:00.007-04:00

So today was our midterm. We had a looong written and then

we had to make a cake.

Everyone got different cakes they had to make, but you could flavor it whatever you wanted. You also got to choose any occasion/holiday to decorate your cake with.

obviously i chose halloween.

and this is what i did.

It's a chocolate cake with an orange buttercream and covered in chocolate glaze, yuuum.

notice the cats head thats ripped off.

things are getting serious

2008-03-24T16:24:00.003-04:00

Black Forest Cake

I don't remember which cake this was. Don't really care either.

covering cakes.

2008-03-19T17:26:00.003-04:00

Merry Christmas or something

2008-03-15T18:01:00.003-04:00

If you're hungry, don't look down.

2008-03-13T21:42:00.004-04:00

Let me expalin myself this is our petit four project. My partner and I created a tray of petit fours with a sort of traditional american theme to it. I'll name all of them starting from the left gingersnaps with orange zest, apple apricot dartois slice (kind of like apple pie..i did this one) lemon curd with a honey lavender meringue, brownies with cherry port balsamic compote, banana split barquettes (i did these), mini whoopie pies (mine), some crap my partner did, and then some chocolate strawberry swirl cookies (those are mine too)

keep in mind they are all no bigger than 2 inches (besides that one crap my partner made)

Petit Fours!!

2008-03-05T16:29:00.005-05:00

AN ARMY OF MACAROONS!!!

Sarah Bernharts

(they're not finished yet, I think we're glazing them tomorrow)

Gerbet Macaroons, Passion Fruit Curd Barquettes, Tuiles, Shortbead Cookies, Palets aux Raisins, Financier aux Noisettes, and Chocolate Macaroons!

At the end of each class we have to plate our own petit fours.

I have a feeling I'm going to be getting out late for the rest of the week.

great.

At least I know I get to see my Chicago friends this weekend..HI!

Outside of school...

2008-02-28T20:30:00.004-05:00

Here are some Cupcakes Annie and I made last weekend.

Monday we started the bread section. It's pretty cool. I made baguettes, irish soda bread, ciabatta, sweet potato brioche, croissants, pan au chocolat, banana bread, lots of other things too.

Tuesday we start petit fours! I'm so excited for that. I'm not excited for the bread written/practical.

although john's not here, i must keep baking

2008-02-20T16:30:00.004-05:00

Chocolate and White Mousse Cake!

Cassis Mousse Cake

(black current)

Dobos Torte

Sachertorte

Me and Estineh

untitled

2008-02-19T16:49:00.003-05:00

Cupcakes from my mom on Valentine's day

Sunday Brunch.

both hungover

unlimited mimosas

American Liquid Fat day at the FCI

Pecan Coffee Cupcakes

Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes

Carrot Cake

i got a new computer! Oh, and apparently winter just started. Part II

2008-02-13T16:23:00.003-05:00

Chocolate Ganache Cake...

I got a new computer! Oh, and apparently winter just started.

2008-02-13T16:09:00.003-05:00

Brooklyn Day

Brooklyn night

Angel Food

Marjolaine

You would not believe how complex this cake is...

Beehives.

2008-02-09T18:09:00.000-05:00

Apricot Brioche Tart!
This was so good especially with the pistachios on the crust.

Pannetone!

Chef's Beehive...

My Beehive!
It's got three layers of brioche in it, soaked in a honey lavander syrup. And there are layers of pastry cream in between the brioche, and of course the meringue on the outside with marzipan bees!

Chocolate Puff Pastry? crazy ol' mcgee

2008-02-03T16:54:00.000-05:00

Banana Tart
with peanut ice cream and chocolate sauce

Chocolate Napoleon

We ended the puff pastry section, tomorrow its BREAKFAST TIME!

Pate Feuilletee Inversee

2008-01-31T16:22:00.001-05:00

Dartios
It's filled with an apple and fig compote

Vol au Vents
These aren't filled yet. I filled one in class with goat cheese and a tomato sauce. mmmmm.

Mille-Feuille
NAPOLEONS! yum!!!

I get to come home for the weekend and I'm so excited!
So ya, I'll be around.

I really just want chocolate

2008-01-30T16:08:00.000-05:00

COOKIES!
no, I didn't make them

Gateau Pithiviers

Jalousie and little butterfly cookies

The reason I try not to take too many pastries home...

It used to be my birthdaiye.

2008-01-26T15:51:00.000-05:00

Well thats the Bubble Lounge

And this is the Toad

I think that pretty much sums it up.

I miss everybody so much and I'll be able to see some of you this weekend! WOO! :)

whoa.

2008-01-18T15:34:00.000-05:00

Chef Christopher's croquembouche.

My croquembouche

I know I have one in there somewhere. Please don't compare.

Austrian Dumplings. YUM!
As you can see, I already started eating them before I took the picture.

Three day weekend! WOO!

Then my birthday! WOO!

Crazy Balls and Cakes (new bakery name? hmm? HHMM???)

2008-01-17T16:54:00.000-05:00

Cheese BALLS!! yum.

St. Honore Cake!

That cake really is crazy.

Tomorrow we're making a Croquembouche it's going to be insane.

PS All of you who were talking about how badly you wanted to eat this stuff...believe me, I'm eating enough for the both of us. So just be happy about that. And it's 6 days until my birthday! Whoa!

Pate A Choux

2008-01-16T16:38:00.000-05:00

Swans!

Paris Brest!

I know, still no pastry pictures...SORRY!

2008-01-15T22:15:00.000-05:00

Before...

After!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit.

OKAY! Pastries are on the menu for tomorrow's blog!
love you all! bye!

day 13

2008-01-15T08:34:00.000-05:00

Well I took my written and practical yesterday.
Each test had a number on it, 1-5. Whichever number was on your test there was a list of things you had to make. So there were about 4 people making the same combination of things.

I had to make a large French Nut tart, two Chocolate Ganache tartlettes, and 5 spritz cookies.
I was completely lost for about 3 hours. Seriously I blacked out and some how I got everything done and I didn't even make a mess. And everything turned out good...not great. One of my tarts wasn't cooked enough (it wasn't raw but as my chef says "its not correct") and my mini tarts were rolled just a little too thick. But I think I did good for the first test.

At 3:30 today I have an appointment with Sweety and Holdfast tattoos.
That's right I'm getting tatted.
I'll post a before and after picture like...tonight or tomorrow.

I KNOW I KNOW, this is a pastry blog, but I thought I'd also share some interesting tidbits from my life.

PS: I'm making Eclairs today.

I have my first exam/practical on monday

2008-01-11T15:50:00.000-05:00

We get lunch at school everyday...heres an example

Cowboy's and Coyote's shortbread cookies with candied orange/lemon peels and crystallized ginger! Oh and icing.

Linzer Torte!

I'm so happy it's Friday! I hope I do something fun tonight...

This will be brief.

2008-01-10T23:04:00.001-05:00

A mini tarte tatin (layers of caramel, then apples, then the dough...cooked and flipped over)
Delicious.

nevermind

PS: Please enlarge this photo for full effect.

PSS: I just bought a ticket home for Feb 1st - 3rd!!! HANG OUT WITH ME!!

Ah! Chocolate tarts!!!

2008-01-09T17:20:00.000-05:00

I got to school early today. I've never really been late but everyone else gets there at like 7AM and class doesn't start until 8:30. Bitch please, like I'm going to get there at 7:30 in the morning. Today i got there at 7:50...that's early enough.

I think I was just so excited to get to school because I knew that today was chocolate tart day! I was so happy. We made a Chocolate Bavarian tart and a Chocolate Ganache tart.

This is the Chocolate Ganache tart. I really wish I could have taken the other tart home too, but you can only take one!! BULL SHIT! It's a little blurry, just deal.

We made some shortbread cookies today with candied orange/lemon peel and crystallized ginger. We got to choose our own cookie cutters and I got a coyote and cowboy boots (with the spur of course). They aren't finished yet, we have to glaze them first.

ps this tart taste fucking amazing

Clafoutis sounds funny

2008-01-08T20:56:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I had my servsafe exam, it went okay. I'm pretty positive I passed.

"oooouch charlie
char-lie that really hurt"

enough blab

On the same day we made that Fresh Fruit Tart we made Tarte Bourdaloue. It's a poached pear tart and underneath it is a thin layer of creme d'amandes (almond cream...fucking great)

and today we made a French nut tart and... Tarte Au Citron
LEMON TARTLETTES!!!

I need to stop taking pictures in this apartment.

I need a social life. All I do is come home after class, lay on my couch and wait for the weekend. Oh and on the weekends I do the same thing, but longer! I guess I also stuff my face with pastries all day! :)

Soon it will be my birthday.

I moved into my room. Up until earlier this week I've been living on a couch and out of my suitcase. I won't lie, it's been hell. I also have no way of spending money right now. I'm not broke but a;slkdf i just don't want to explain it. Maybe I should just eat all those tartlettes...yes? okay.

Besides waking up at 6AM...school is pretty cool we've made so many things! I need to get MY OWN camera so I can take pictures of all the things I don't bring home. We'll see, it depends when I'm able to spend money again.

I wish I had a Dr. Pepper

Pudge: noun. a short fat person

2008-01-06T16:56:00.001-05:00

So heres my blog.

I decided to start one because this way I can tell everyone what I'm up to without having to contact people individually. I don't know who really wants to know what I'm doing in the big city but I'm bloggin' anyway.

So, heres one of the first tarts I made at school

Okay, so it's 1/4 of that tart that I made... it was just too good and I didn't get a chance to take a picture of it when it was whole.