playing catch up!

It has been a busy two months. Mike came to visit and a week later my best friend came to visit and now I am prepping for my entire family's arrival in one week! It has been and is amazing. I love seeing everyone and am so happy they have come/are coming. Only problem is, it doesn't leave too much time for keeping up on my blog!

I was just going through my photos thinking.."what should I write about now?" and realized...holy motherload I have a lot to cover!

So I am going to play a game called "lets get you up to speed" and am going to throw together the past few weeks of school...well, bits and pieces.

I am in my final three weeks of classes. Can you believe it? I can't! This coming week we work with ice cream (YUMMM) and then plated desserts and then... c'est fini! It's gone quickly but I am going to enjoy these last few weeks with my classmates and my insane chef as much as I can.

 pate de fruit

 nougat

 mint marshmallows

 painting on pastillage

making praliné ...so good

 the mighty kouglof

 petit brioche

 focaccia

 Pain aux lait

 baba aux rum passion fruit and cassis

croissants

 bostock

almond croissants

All caught up? Phew, thank goodness! :)

i hate chocolate

Thats a lie. I love chocolate...eating chocolate.  I hate molding and tempering chocolate. Holy nightmares!

So here is the thing, tempering chocolate is now an easy-peasy thing that everyone uses machines to do. They put some giant blocks of chocolate into a machine and it spits out perfectly crystalized and tempered chocolate like magic. Think we got to use a machine? Hecks NO.

Lets take it back to pre-historic times when people used to do this thing called "tabling". I'll spare you the details of the "why" but all you need to know is it is probably the most frustrating, time consuming and ridiculous thing ever.

We spent three weeks working with chocolate and molding sculptures. It was a pretty infuriating few weeks but after coming out on the other side, I can say that I will never forget how to temper chocolate and my sculpture wasn't as hideous and I was prepared for it to be.

Even so, I'm glad chocolate week is behind me!

Also, I had to bleach my apron for literally two weeks to get this stain out. Clearly, I am a natural with this business!

 chocolate egg with marzipan roses

chocolate rose garden

roses and lace

 tabling

in progress

C'est Fini!! 

World's Best Candybar

REESE'S

I turned it into a cupcake!

My co-worker's birthday was a few weeks ago and her sweet treat from me was some reese's cupcakes. I had to make an extra "secret stash" for her because everyone else at work quickly devoured the majority of the cupcakes. 

I hope she enjoyed them and had a wonderful birthday!

What is your favorite candy bar? It can be my next undertaking!

RECIPE

From Ina Garten:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups good cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 17-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Frosting:

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

3-4 cups confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

In a stand mixer (or hand mixer) beat butter and peanut butter until smooth. On low speed, gradually add confectioner's sugar until smooth and completely combined. Change mixer to high speed and slowly add the milk. Beat on high speed for 3-5 minutes. Frost cupcakes and decorate as desired!

Project Hope and Snowmen

Since we were talking about Cameron I want to tell you another great thing that he has made happen since September. The weeks before he passed Cameron became very interested in a cause called Project Hope. He saw a HBO documentary called "Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County" that touched him. He decided that he wanted to help these children that are suffering in our own community. Amazing for a 20 year old guy right?


Unfortunately, he did not have the chance to help these children personally. That does not mean that he didn't help them. His family made sure to carry out his wishes of helping these children. The Bissins have raised over $12,000 for the Project Hope School in Orange County that has been donated in Cameron's memory. Christy, my mother and a few of their friends also volunteer every Friday morning to go be teachers and teacher's aides at the Project Hope School. They are there every week connecting with and guiding these children that are struggling everyday. Cameron would be SO proud and SO happy that these kids are getting help from him and his family and friends.


During the Holidays my creative ole' mother made some super cute snacks for the kids. I am sure they just LOVED them and had smiles and giggles on their face.

Check them out!

"Melty the Snowman!"

Get it? They are melting! Muahahaha!

I think these women are amazing for their efforts at Project Hope School...don't you? :)

Me and My Momma <3

A Day in OC

I experienced a slight miracle this week: I had two days off work in a row! For most of you, that is the norm but for me that is a rare occassion. So on my grand 42 hour sabatical from the hotel I drove up to Orange County to take advantage of my mom's large kitchen, my own big bed, Boomer Loomer and other lovely wonderfulness.

I spent most of my time baking and experimenting with new flavors. I'll explain these experiements to you all in due time (get excited!!). On top of that I made some peanut butter chocolate chip cookies for Mike's secret santa

and an incredible and easy to make recipe for candy bars that I got from my Godmother Mary. It is a mix of flavors that is to die for! Chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter, mallows...is just heavenly and impossible to stop eating. It is one of those things you find yourself cutting another peice from the fridge before you actually realize that you are doing it....dangerous stuff.

After surrendering from the kitchen I turn around to see my dog being a rebel and laying on the couch. He must have known that mom and dad were gone because he was reallyy livin' on the edge pulling that off. But really, who could be mad at this face??

It was also time to decorate for Christmas and I started going through our box of ornaments and found some of my most beloved belongs including some fabulous artwork by 5 year old Brittany.

What are you doing to celebrate the holiday season? I hope you are feeling the holiday spirit!



Meet My Apprentice

This is Jenna.

15 years old.

Horseback rider.

Asian eyes.

Smartie pants.

My sister.

Jen likes to bake and make creative little dittys too. Must run in the family. Yesterday at Thanksgiving she took the reins on dessert since I was working during the prime cooking time. Her creation was a homemade style reese's peanut butter cup. Ohh yaaa.

Now, did I mention that peanut butter cups are my absolute favorite candy ever made?? Well it is. Second place goes to York Peppermint Patties - I love the sound they make when you break them :)

Jen's peanut butter cups are just scrumptious! Thanks for sharing!

What does your family do for Thanksgiving? What are your traditions??

Oh, and what is your favorite dish on our oh so American holiday?

Mine? 1. Stuffing 2. Sweet Potato Casserole 3. Turkey

We had a great holiday with loads of yummy food, dessert and my favorite bottle of wine. Finishing it off with a competitive game of Taboo - my brother and I won of course. Would you expect anything less?

I hope your Thanksgiving was warm and fuzzy! 

Now get excited for Christmas music all the time!! YES!