Examen Blanc #3

The aftermath of practice test three.

Our challenge:

• 1 Saint Honoré
•  Sorbet fruit rouge
• 1 Charlotte à la poire
• Brioches individuelles aux pépites de chocolat noir
• Praline noisette et chocolat au lait
• 1 Oeuf chocolate noir avec inscription "bye bye grandma"
• 1 Tarte abricot 
• Present 1 slice of said tarte with a scoop of sorbet

Okay so even though this was just over a week ago, I can barely remember how it all went down. We've had a marathon of baking as we prepare for our final exam which is finally upon us. So in the last two weeks we've had two examan blancs.  I guess what I have learned is that when I need to, I can move quickly. I have also learned that for the most part, things turn out okay. But overall, I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.

Brioches aux chocolat

My brioche was a little dry due to me not wanting undercooked bread (mission accomplished). But it was still edible, so not the worst.

Tarte Abricot

My apricot tarte as we'd say in English was good. However, it could have been cooked even longer and had more apricots. But definitely edible.

Charlotte à la Poire

I don't know what you'd call this in English. The outside and middle insert is a fluffy biscuit that's a little bit sweet. The center is a pear flavored creamy mousse. This is not the most flattering photo, and I didn't get the angle where you could see that I over-whipped my cream which caused it to begin to separate. I thought I was okay when I filled the biscuit (all my ingredients were getting along), but by the time the judges got a taste, the fat from the cream had started to withdraw from the rest of the party and exposed my mistake. Note to self: whipped cream can and will throw you under the bus, so watch it.

Saint Honoré

 This is the quintessential French pastry, and I can't stand it. Ha. But this one turned out alright. The cream is called crème chiboust and is really easy to screw up. It's not all that difficult, but you have to be diligent with your timing, otherwise you'll end up with something that looks more like clumpy scrambled eggs. I don't mind making it but I don't love the taste. Neither flavor or aesthetic. So it's hard to get inspired. But it is challenging, and that's something I enjoy.

Praline Noisette et Chocolat au Lait

 That's a fancy way to say chocolate covered hazelnuts. You roast them, then give them a few layers of milk chocolate. It's pretty simple, just can't leave it til the last minute as the chocolate has to be stirred on in several layers.

D'un œuf Chocolat Noir

"Bye bye grandma." Yeah, I don't know. I think chef was trying to be funny. But this is a good example of humor getting lost in translation. For our final exam, we will draw one of three possible themes: St. Valentines, Music, or Grandmother's Day. So this egg has something to do with the last option.
Molding chocolate is something I've been lucky with. I don't think I'm particularly good at it, but I've just avoided any major mishaps. But it can happen, and when it does, it eats up all your time. And in these exams, time is an ingredient in short supply.

So there you have it. I'll be back with more pics of test four in a few....