I graduated from Intermediate! I still can’t believe that I’m two thirds done with the program. These past couple of months have flown by in a blink of an eye. There are still so many things I need to learn, but I do feel like I’ve learned a wealth of knowledge since last June.
For our final demo the chef made millefeuille with a praline mousseline cream and crispy chocolate surprise. It’s a very nostalgic dessert for me as I grew up eating it at my grandparents’ house. The version we ate consisted of alternating layers of pastry cream and puff pastry with a white, striped fondant glazed top. As kids, my cousin and I used to fight over who got to eat the top, but I think now I much prefer it without the extra sugar.
A week after the final demo we had our practical exam. Although I was comforted by the fact that I already knew the format and process of the exam, I think I was even more nervous this time around. The recipes are harder and trickier. A lot of the recipes use similar components (ie. mousse), but are executed or finished in different ways. However, all in all I felt much better during and after the exam. It was a combination of knowing what to expect and working next to the three friends I always stand next to. In theory, chips are supposed to be chosen randomly, but our supervising chef didn’t care if we looked at which one we chose, so my friends and I picked the same color.
There was much speculation about which cakes would be featured on the test. In past semesters, the tarte passion framboise was a favorite along with the bavarois aux trois chocolats. But there were also rumors that the fraisier was a strong contender. In the end, the three cakes on the exam were: tresor vanille fraises des bois, plaisir, and bavarois aux trois chocolats. I made the plaisir, which would not have been my first choice but I much preferred over the bavarois. There were a couple of things I could have done better, a couple I did do better during the practical (ie. caramelizing the top), but overall I was pleased with my results.
It was a really good semester and I can’t wait to start superior in January.
Kathy says
Congratulations and enjoy your break before classes start back up in January!
Jessica says
Thanks Kathy!!! You’ve been such a great supporter on my blog!
Simran says
Congratulations on completing another successful semester. I hope to go to LCB one day, and reading your blog is really exciting – it’s as if I can imagine clearly what I will do when I get there!
Avanika (Yumsilicious Bakes) says
Congratulations on completing this. Like Simran, I hope to go too! We live vicariously through you for now!
Vivienne says
yay congrats! make the most of the break and the last semester! have fun in parissss! lucky girl 🙂 i think if i had taken the course, id be obese by now lol.
Emily says
Woooooohoo congrats Jess! I owe you an email. Hope you enjoy your break before the next section, can’t wait to see the new gorgeous pastries. Take care and happy thanksgiving!
Carolina Garofani says
I’m about to move to Italy to start an extensive (and apparently hard) patisserie course in January. I have no idea what to expect, I’ve taken a 6 month course in Brazil but it was… easy – no exams, nothing.
Your blog has been helpful – I’m a lot less anxious now, and so eager! Thank you Jessica!
Jessica says
Carolina- You’re welcome! I’m so glad you found it helpful. What is the name of your program? I’m interested to see what the curriculum is like! You’ll have to keep me posted.
hungry dog says
Congratulations! I am so impressed with your skill and determination–I can tell this is a very challenging program. But what fun, too, I’m sure! Hope you get to enjoy some time off for the holidays.
Anna K. says
Jessica! Your blog is fantastic and your life in la belle Paris sounds fabulous!
Crazy Sweet Life says
Congrats! And FYI…those millefeuilles look soooo delicious!
babycakes says
i need to play catch up with comments! tho i kno its kinda of an ocd thing so here goes the second round hahah- those millefeuilles look so good. its so funny how you ended up with the plaisir, i just bought a matcha plaisir from aoki a bit ago and it is actually really really good– sometimes though i wish the tea flavor comes thru stronger in some of their pastries.