This week of plating desserts was focused on apples. Since we work a lot with chocolate and various other very sweet ingredients, it was nice to work so much with fruit throughout the whole week.
It was also interesting to see all the different ways to work with fruit, how to incorporate in cakes or how to use it simply as a decoration.
On schedule for this week was three different plate desserts focused on apples but as we always an excess of desserts, we try to figure out creative ways to use the left overs. Most times we think up a desserts to make with it, but sometimes we share with the French cuisine class. (They are always very happy about our generosity!) So this week, we worked with the left overs to make a "Pre-Dessert".
The First Dessert was a "Déclinaison autour de la Pomme"
Above is the "Tuile de Pomme"
Which is thinly sliced apples caramelised in butter and brown sugar.
It add a yummy crispy touch to this relatively soft dessert.
As simple as this looks, it contains five different aspects, which all seem to mesh together perfectly.
The first layer is a Clafouti aux Pomme. This is a cake soaked in sliced apples which were caramelised in butter and apple cider. This is then topped with a hazelnut strudel.
Inside the white foam, which is an apple cider emulsion, is a hidden ball of Tatin ice cream. Tatin is basically the flavour of apple and caramel together, it is a well known pie in France.
To decorate is the apple crisp. My personal favorite part of this dessert!
The second dessert of the week is a "Pain Perdu a Réglisse avec une Mousse aux Poires"
Once again, a very detailed dessert. This dessert contains eight different aspects to it.
At first when I heard that we were going to make a licorice flavoured French toast, I thought that would taste weird. And then when the Chef introduced the pain d'épice flavoured ice cream, I just though gross.
Man, was I wrong.
Though it was not my favorite of the week, it was still scrumotious!
The first layer is a layer of French toast, with a touch of licorice. Then a chocolate square, and then the pain d'épice ice cream. In between two other slabs of chocolate there are circles of pear mousse. Topped with a pain d'épice cookie!
On the plate we have a pear sauce, with pears sautéed in caramel, and crispy pain d'épice bread crumbs.
(can you tell I forgot how to say pain d'épice in English?! Can some one please remind me! Haha!)
CRUNCH! And it stilll looked cool as I ate it!
The "Pre-Dessert"!
In gastronomic restaurants, the clients are typically offered a dessert before their dessert, hence the name "Pre-Dessert". (Must be read with a French accent, it sounds fancier.)
So the "Pre-Dessert" on the menu was a milkshake au pain d'épice (made from the leftover pain d'épice ice cream!) Breaded (with sweet bread crumbs) dark chocolate ganache, (leftover for the Palais d'Or chocolate from the previous week) deep fried and dusted with icing sugar.
If you ask me, that was a complete dessert!
I wouldn't be able to have a whole dessert again after it!
... but then again, I'm sure I would be able to find room.
The third dessert of the week was a Mille Feuille au chocolat with a pecan nougat and kumquat sherbet.
What we have were is the chocolate mille feuille, topped with a milk chocolate chantilly sandwhiched in between pecan nougat crisps.
The kumquat sherbet in the background, with a chocolate caramel sauce to decorate the plate.
A fancy schancy sugar decorate pecan adds the final touch.
In my opinion, it was over all a good dessert. Unfortunately the group that worked on the chocolate mille feuille made a mistake in the recipe and it was a tad dry.
Also, the kumquat sherbet has a very particular taste, by te end of my scoop I still hadn't decided if I liked it or not. I have never tasted kumquat before and found it to be quite bitter/sour.
Chef didn't like my sauce line. He said that his nine month old daughter could do better.
It's okay I agree after taking a second look at his.
If you want perfection (which he does), the you have to be picky, (which he is!)
Goodnight readers!
xox
