Cookies Day 2
Formulas: Biscotti (Bar Method) Checkerboard Cookies (Icebox Method) Cream Scones (Biscuit Method) Sour Cream Muffins (Creaming Method) Streusel Topping Traditional Shortbread (Icebox Method) | Small Wares Needed: Sheet Pans Stand mixer, bowl, and paddle attachment Mixing bowls Scale Spatula Whisk Plastic cups Chef's knife Dough Cutter Sifter |
My Objectives:
Make & bake Biscotti.
Dock vanilla and chocolate Checkerboard Cookie dough, form strips, then form cubes. Cut, bake.
Assist group member with making Cream Scones.
Help out any other group member as needed.
Keep station clean and organized, dishes to a minimum.
Make & bake Biscotti.
Dock vanilla and chocolate Checkerboard Cookie dough, form strips, then form cubes. Cut, bake.
Assist group member with making Cream Scones.
Help out any other group member as needed.
Keep station clean and organized, dishes to a minimum.
Timeline: 7:00-8:00 Listened to Chef Elizabeth detail the plan for the morning. MEP Food & Equipment needed. Rolled out chocolate and vanilla Checkerboard Cookie dough into 1/2-inch thick rectangles, put in freezer. 8:00-9:00 Made Biscotti dough, put in fridge. Helped group member re-make Cream Scones. Docked and cut Checkerboard Cookie doughs into 1/2-inch strips, put back in freezer. Chef demo of Checkerboard Cookie formation. 9:00-10:00 Made Biscotti logs, baked one time. Formed Checkerboard Cookies by laying alternating strips on top of one another, layered with egg wash. Put back in freezer. 10:00-11:00 Cut Biscotti, baked a second time. Cut Checkerboard Cookies, baked. 11:00-12:00 Cleaned kitchen, whole-class critique, review & quiz on yeast breads and laminated doughs. | Prep List: Flours: All-purpose, Pastry, Almond, Hazelnut Unsalted butter Eggs Salt Cinnamon whole hazelnuts Baking powder Baking soda Half & Half Granulated Sugar What I prepared: Biscotti Checkerboard Cookies (Assist in Cream Scones) |
Summary & Personal Observations:
Today was a difficult day, but not because the formulas were difficult. It just seemed that many of my classmates weren't fully present today, so it made getting things done in a timely, efficient manner harder than other days. I could tell that several people in the class were frustrated as well, but there wasn't much to do to remedy the situation except try to do my best.
Despite this, I had an overall fun time making my formulas. The Biscotti was a colorful dough that smelled wonderful; I hadn't known before today that Hazelnut Flour and Almond Flour existed!
I learned how to handle Icebox Cookie dough: to work fast before the dough became too loose and to frequently add it back to the freezer to harden.
I thought cutting "on the bias" meant angling my knife at 45°, assuming the axis of the knife ran straight up and down. This made strange little crescent shapes that resembled French bread cuts, but was all wrong. Thankfully Chef came along and simultaneously embarrassed and schooled me on the correct way to cut Biscotti - diagonally. And for some reason the bottoms of all the Biscotti were too dark, but the tops were fine. I'm not sure if there was a hot spot in my oven, or if I just baked them too long the second time. The latter is probably the case.
The Checkerboard Cookies were so. much. fun. to make! My fastidious nature made for perfect little cubes of dough. I had an issue with baking them, though, because I understood "golden-brown" to be a bit darker than Chef said they needed to be. So I'll need to do some research on my own about the correct colors of those descriptors - as this has been an issue before with me.
Despite these small goofs, and in spite of the frustrations of working in a less-than-ideal environment (for the day), I had a productive learning day.
I just wish I had eaten more cookies.
Today was a difficult day, but not because the formulas were difficult. It just seemed that many of my classmates weren't fully present today, so it made getting things done in a timely, efficient manner harder than other days. I could tell that several people in the class were frustrated as well, but there wasn't much to do to remedy the situation except try to do my best.
Despite this, I had an overall fun time making my formulas. The Biscotti was a colorful dough that smelled wonderful; I hadn't known before today that Hazelnut Flour and Almond Flour existed!
I learned how to handle Icebox Cookie dough: to work fast before the dough became too loose and to frequently add it back to the freezer to harden.
I thought cutting "on the bias" meant angling my knife at 45°, assuming the axis of the knife ran straight up and down. This made strange little crescent shapes that resembled French bread cuts, but was all wrong. Thankfully Chef came along and simultaneously embarrassed and schooled me on the correct way to cut Biscotti - diagonally. And for some reason the bottoms of all the Biscotti were too dark, but the tops were fine. I'm not sure if there was a hot spot in my oven, or if I just baked them too long the second time. The latter is probably the case.
The Checkerboard Cookies were so. much. fun. to make! My fastidious nature made for perfect little cubes of dough. I had an issue with baking them, though, because I understood "golden-brown" to be a bit darker than Chef said they needed to be. So I'll need to do some research on my own about the correct colors of those descriptors - as this has been an issue before with me.
Despite these small goofs, and in spite of the frustrations of working in a less-than-ideal environment (for the day), I had a productive learning day.
I just wish I had eaten more cookies.