Have you ever seen a waiter carry a dessert to a table near you and you go "Wow - I want one of those".....This is the start of a six week block of Advanced Patisserie methods. The focus is on sauces, flavors, candies, chocolates, garnishes and plating techniques. From a sensory standpoint, we look at textures, colors, shapes, appearance and complimenting tastes. My instructor calls it the quest for the $10 plate. I'm currently in the $5 range.
We had our first "plate up" today and the star of the plate was custard. We had total freedom to create a plate and here is a picture of mine.... I baked a 3" round serving of bread pudding infused with cinnamon and served it cold. I made up some mint ice cream (fresh mint from the school garden). I candied some pistachios and included some fresh fruit. For sauces, there is some creme anglaise and raspberry coulis. There is also a honey flavored tuile (cookie) on top.
It was a lot of work for a single dessert but it turned out well. I'm starting to like making ice cream. Even though my plate called for a tablespoon sized serving, I made sure to make a 2 quart batch of mint ice cream. If you can't find me, I'll be in the freezer....
