Sunday

SIts Sunday. It's a day to try to forget school before you have to get back to it. And yet, here I am writing about it. But that's probably because I can't get it off my mind. I spent another 9 useless hours yesterday working on my project; ( well okay, 11-2:30 in the morning on Friday night, and 9:30 to 4:30 yesterday). Why useless? Cause it's sugar class. I'm never going to willingly produced another sugar sculpture in my life (at least I better not); it's the most stressful, time consuming, unsatisfying thing you could ever do with pastry. I mean we even use clay and neoprene molds that are toxic if they were eaten, and making 3 ft. high, breakable structures that look great, but offer no flavor, no enjoyment. By now, readers, you know that i am not one to make things just for their look; never mind sit through a 4 hour demo to learn how to make one (yes, I'm serious; I had one on Tuesday and it just made things even more confusing and harder for everyone).
The Sundays of all Sundays.
Thursday cannot come fast enough for me.
So, I'm writing this post in a very weak attempt to try to be optimistic; I get to go home next weekend, I get to start a tasty bread lab a week from tomorrow (my favorite class; where the time you put into the craft produces great tasting, rustic-looking breads that you actually get home and share with friends); and in exactly 18 days, I get to go on a nice long break and take a plane to what is currently my favorite place in the world; Portland, Oregon.
So to sum up my life right now, all I can say is that time flies except when you want it to.

In closing, here are some pictures from the highlight of sophomore year so far: some tasty entremets that I wish I'd gotten a better taste of!

Chocolate Mousse Entremet: Light chocolate sponge dies and goes to heaven as it gets drunk on rum simple syrup and teams up with airy chocolate rum mousse. It all gets hidden by a smooth chocolate glaze and marbleized chocolate plaques that conceal all the hard work inside. A chocolate rose and naturalistic leaves, chocolate piping and spread chocolate garnishes make this dessert a beauty worth a pretty penny.

Raspberry Bavarian Entremet: This star princess in the entremet kingdom starts with vanilla sponge showed with love in the form of raspberry syrup, raspberry jam and fresh raspberries; then dressed in a fresh, substantial and empowering raspberry bavarian; adorned in a necklace of red and white almond sponge jaconde strip, glazed in a lotion of raspberry mirror glaze, and crowned with a chocolate lotus flower and more fresh raspberries in case there were any questioning glances.

Bamukuchen: The traditional German dessert gets striped of its origins as the cake gets baked in flat layers that become the wood-grain shell for the frozen yogurt mousse, fresh bananas, and vanilla sponge that lie inside.  The cake layers shine with the apricot glaze that brings the eye to rest upon the beautiful marzipan carnation and leaves, along with the chocolate sticks and branches.

Passionfruit Parfait Entremet: The colorful jaconde strip warns off all predators of this quickly melting treat consisting of frozen passionfruit parfait (made from light and airy cooked egg yolks and heavenly whipped cream in harmony with tangy passionfruit puree) being soaked up by soft vanilla sponge cake. Enclosing it is a delicate passionfruit mirror glaze, adorned by light chocolate spray paint and garnished with tropical baby coconut sleeping on a bed of pomegranate seeds.

Mudslide Torte: A bartender's delight: Rice Krispies cereal gets a warm wake-up with a dunk in praline paste and smooth, melted chocolate. Once hardened, white chocolate ganache gets a Bailey's high and is slathered on to the chocolate base. Chocolate rum mousse and kalhua-soaked chocolate sponge cake quickly follow, with vodka whipped cream topping off the assembly with a final kick. Surrounding the cake it an unsuspecting chocolate marble jaconde strip, complimented by the sprayed chocolate that allows only a glimpse at the punchy goodness inside. To entice consumers, chocolate sauce dabs across the cake, gold-dusted cocoa nibs and silver stars signal a gold-rush of flavor, and chocolate garnishes are the final blow that makes you cave in to all your cravings.

The long-awaited Tiramisu: Handmade with love; ladyfingers sheets wrap around the rich dessert and layer inside as they get soaked with powerful coffee syrup, heavenly chocolate mousse, and traditional, rich mascarpone filling. just in case you were tempted to cut this up into squares like your mom's version, cocoa and powdered sugar get dusted into a cup o' joe with a Chantilly cream saucer that lets you know you're in for something special!

Another raspberry entremet that is the not-so perfect queen of the kingdom. Inside lies a chocolate mousse layer resembling an unruly heart trying to rise to the top. Luckily, the fresh, powerful flavors of raspberry and Mother Nature's contribution of edible flowers and flowing curves of chocolate do not let evil rule, and a tasty treat of 86% niceness steps up to the podium.