Baking & Pastry Skills Development: Great American Pie Bake-Off!

What do culinarians do when they learn how to perfect the baking of a pie crust? Of course, they challenge each other to a Pie Cooking Contest!

Out came Mama's recipe for cherry pie, Grandad's Thanksgiving Pecan Pie, and even Grandma's secret Apple Pie with secret Streusel. What's with all the secrets in the culinary world? Don't forget where we are.................the CIA remember.

Even though we had already learned how to make "the perfect pie crust," we still needed some instruction on how to make the All-American Lattice Top for our fruit pies.

But, some chose other toppings for their pies rather than the famous lattice. Like this Apple Pie with Peanut Butter Streusel.

Others chose nothing to top their pies other than the delicious ingredients they were filled with. Can't you smell those roasted pecans on top of this pie.

Like all contests, their must be a winner! Maybe it was the lattice top, or the perfectly flaky crust, or the tart but not too tart Montmorency cherry goodness inside, nonetheless the winner was well deserving and the pie was well....................devoured right after this picture.

Baking & Pastry Skills Development: Brioche!

Everyone loves Brioche!  It's great for French Toast, Sandwiches, or simply with a little jam............with a medallion of Foie Gras underneath. What? I still got a little bit of hot side humor in me after spending all these days baking bread.

 The Brioche spoils and all their splendor. Take your pick..........

........Brioche à tête (meaning: with a head). Sometime's one marvels at the beauty of an egg wash.

.......or maybe a Fresh Fruit and Blue Cheese Tart..............

.............or just a good old fashioned Loaf of Brioche for your Croque Madame or PB&J.

And just so you don't think that us Chefs-in-Training have mastered this baking thing, check out this Brioche à Tête that almost came out decapitated.  I will once again state my scottwalnofer.blogspot.com disclaimer: This blog is edited for delicious content only.

Baking & Pastry Skills Development: Breads of the World!

Anyone who is familiar with food knows that it isn't just the food that is specific to a region of the world.  In fact, the identity of most of the culinary regions of the world begins with their breads!

All the way from Germany (debatable), the Pretzel.

If you like Salty and Sweet, you gotta have a Berliner with your Pretzel while walking the streets of Berlin.

Sourdough is by far one of the oldest and most iconic breads in all the world. Here, we will give its origin to San Francisco since some of the world's most famous sourdough comes from just down the road. 

Almost everyone can identify Focaccia as a wonderful Italian bread. Stud it with roasted tomatoes, rosemary, and some fine olive oil for a delightful treat.

Lavash is Armenian in origin and is great along side a hummus dip of your choice. Try some Garlic and Paprika Oil Infused Hummus with Shredded Carrots and Sweet Paprika Dust.

The entire Middle East stakes claim to Naan. Fluffy, light and great for just about any topping or seasoning.

Heading all the way back to Germany, the Stollen fruit bread emerges as a classic Christmas time treat. Iconically made to resemble a baby Jesus wrapped in swaddaling clothing, this bread is about as Christmas as you can get.

While we are on the topic of Christmas, who hasn't seen a Panetone at their local grocery store. Enjoy with an Italian breakfast next time you are in Rome for Christmas.

Baking & Pastry Skills Development: Lean and Enriched Doughs!

Cookies and Pound Cake are fun, but it's time to rise above that level of baking (insert Yeast joke here!). Sorry, but I couldn't think of anything funny about baking.  This stuff is serious business!  There is no fix all with a pinch of this or an addition of that, it's pretty much one-way or the highway.

Artisanal baking requires a lot more technique and skill than I ever imagined. Here, master bread baker Chef Aaron Brown is giving instruction on how to create a 4-strand star braid of challah.

By the way, Challah is pronounced Holla.  Like Hola-back-now, or Holla-at-ya-boy, or I-ain't-no-Hollaback Girl as poetically put by Mrs. Gwen Stefani.

Enough pop culture, let's get back to the bread. From left to right: Soft Rolls (Epi, Cloverleaf, Parker House, Knot Rolls), Multigrain Bread, Classic French Baguette, Sunflower Seed Bread, and Ciabatta.

Ciabatta happens to be a very unique bread that derives its wonderful taste from a Poolish, or a pre-fermented wet starter consisting of one part flour and one part water with the addition of yeast. Let that baby ferment for about 15 hours and then throw it in to your new dough the next day. This is a quick way to add tremendous flavor without having a 150 year old starter. This is artisanal breadmaking after all.

All of the creations where on full display, and no one's eyes light up more than mine when I see this stuff.  I am pretty sure that baguette ended up in my jersey pocket for the afternoon bike ride. Next on the prodcution schedule, Brioche!

Baking & Pastry Skills Development: Creaming Method!

The hotside has its benefits but I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the bakery.  Maybe it is my insatiable appetite for all things bread or my cavity-riddled sweet tooth that sparks my desire to learn to bake. Those degrees in Food Science come more and more into play as specificity is the key to success in the bakery. 

Is their a better person to learn baking and pastry skills from than Chef Stephen Durfee? The 1998 James Beard Award recipient for “Pastry Chef of the Year” and also named one of the “10 Best Pastry Chefs in America” in 1999 by Pastry Art & Design and Chocolatier magazines. I think we all will be listening attentively!

What is the creaming method by the way? It is the process by which sugar and fat (butter) are combined to incorporate air. The crystalline structure of the sugar introduces thousands of small air cells into the fat where they are held throughout the mixing and baking process. As the batter is heated, these air cells expand to leaven the item. In short, whip the heck out of your butter and sugar before adding the eggs and flour. This is the basic technique for Pound Cake and Cookies.

Abundant variations exist with the creaming method. Don't like regular Pound Cake, cream up some Sour Cream Pound Cake.

If cake isn't your favorite, how about some cookies? Cherry-Chocolate Chip cookies, Macadamia Nut, or these classic Spritz Cookies. All developed by the leavening process of the creaming method. Need more leavening?  Let's grab some yeast and try some Lean and Enriched Doughs next!