by jessica yoon
It’s been quite an extraordinary year. Being in Paris and learning patisserie has been like living a dream that I never even dared to dream. I have so much to be thankful for and even more to look forward to in the next year. I have no idea what’s to come, where I’m going, or what I’ll be doing, but I’m excited to see how all those answers unfold!
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I recently discovered this speculoos spread that brought me back to my childhood in Korea. The sweet, spice filled flavors reminded me of a simple, rectangular biscuit cookie my mom had stashed in the cupboard for tea and snacks. I never found these biscuits to be particularly special; they were tasty but a bit everyday and mundane. However, now that I’m away from home, spending the holidays without my family for the first time, any flavor, smell, or object that reminds me of the familiar has become special.
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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.
Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate.
Lesson 6: Opera
Joconde sponge cake with layers of ganache and coffee buttercream.
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