Kathryn Gordon — Chef-Instructor, Pastry & Baking Arts

Why the Creaming Method is Essential for Cookies

aday — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 17:42:36 +0000

Why the Creaming Method is Essential for Cookies aday Fri, 12/04/2020 - 12:42 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/creaming%20method%20header.jpg.webp?itok=Yks7armn Ever wonder why cookie recipes require room temperature butter? December 4, 2020

By Kathryn Gordon — Chef-Instructor, Pastry & Baking Arts

Pastry & Baking Arts Chef-Instructor Kathryn Gordon demonstrates the creaming method for cookies, a fundamental technique that can also be used for cakes and tart dough, using a recipe for pecan sablés from her second book "Les Petits Sweets."

When creaming sugar and butter by hand, temperature and timing are key when emulsifying, or mixing together, the fats and the water in butter and eggs. Chef Kathryn demonstrates how to make creamed butter and sugar by hand and turn a fluffy batter into perfect cookie dough, which can be frozen for up to two months to slice and bake when desired.

Pecan Sablé Cookies with Cinnamon and Orange

Recipe adapted from "Les Petits Sweets," co-authored with Anne E. McBride.

113 grams unsalted high-quality butter (I used cultured butter), room temperature
60 grams confectioners’ sugar (10X)
1/4 orange (2 grams), finely grated zest
1 large egg yolk (18 grams), room temperature, whisked
33 grams pecans, very finely chopped (to resemble almond flour texture)
100 grams all-purpose flour
1 gram ground cinnamon
0.5 grams baking powder
0.5 grams fine salt
50 grams pearl sugar
1 gram fleur de sel

In KitchenAid stand mixer, cream butter, confectioners’ sugar and orange zest with paddle attachment until fluffy. Slowly trickle in the egg yolk and mix until fluffy, stopping and scraping with a spatula as required. Add the pecans, flour, cinnamon, baking powder and fine salt.
Roll the dough into a log on parchment paper, using the pearl sugar to help you form a 2-inch diameter log. Wrap up and freeze for 20 minutes or refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm (or freeze up to 2 months).
Preheat oven to 400 F. Slice the log into 1/3-inch (1 cm) slices and place on parchment paper (using 2-inch wide rings if desired). Bake 8-10 minutes.

Watch more pastry demos on YouTube @iceculinary, and explore studying with Chef Kathryn in Pastry & Baking Arts.

Culinary Technique Pastry Arts Baking Arts Cookies Recipe ICE Instructors Video

Stand mixer, no.im

Submitted by Karen Swaine on December 8, 2020 6:57pm

I'm rather annoyed by all these recipes calling for a stand mixer. Cookies were around long before there were stand mixers. I'm never going to buy one and I'd like to know the suggested method for those of us without one. Small electric hand held beater? Wooden spoon?

From Chef Kathryn

Submitted by aday on January 29, 2021 2:41pm

A stand mixer is helpful if the batch is a big size, but certainly for 1 to 2-egg-size mixes, by hand with a spoon or with a handheld mixer works well.

It is more critically important to bring your ingredients to room temperature if mixing completely by hand, or it will be very difficult to incorporate the egg into the butter. If your butter and eggs are room temperature, it is easy to cream them by hand in a bowl. A wooden spoon is probably the easiest to get the butter soft and fluffy with the sugar. If you whisk your egg and add it in slowly, that works fine, but if it starts to look wet or clumpy (a broken emulsion), then beat the mixture a bit longer before adding more egg to allow it to incorporate better.

A handheld mixer also works fine if that's what you have. Some people might not like vigorously mixing with a wooden spoon and would therefore prefer a handheld mixer.

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Celebrate New Year’s with a Croquembouche

aday — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 15:16:25 +0000

Celebrate New Year’s with a Croquembouche aday Mon, 12/17/2018 - 10:16 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/croquembouche%20header_0.jpg.webp?itok=1RhNw6up The French pastry tower is a festive treat for celebratory occasions. December 26, 2022

By Kathryn Gordon — Chef-Instructor, Pastry & Baking Arts

If you get married in France, your wedding cake is traditionally a croquembouche (a cone-shaped compilation of choux pastry balls). American-style wedding cakes are coming to France, but the French still firmly believe in having a croquembouche for the celebration.

At the annual ICE Cuisine Course in France, which I have been running for almost 20 years, we have built croquembouches at a pastry shop, La Duchesse Anne, in Saumur. All ICE culinary and pastry students are taught the techniques required to assemble a croquembouche.

What is a croquembouche?

The literal translation of croquembouche is “to crackle in the mouth” because it is a tapered tower of petits choux (small cream puffs) filled with pastry cream that are “glued” together with caramelized sugar. Here, granulated sugar is cooked above hard-crack stage (320°F on a candy thermometer), often to a light caramel, and becomes solid at room temperature. So if you eat a choux (cream puff) as part of a croquembouche, it crackles in your mouth as you crunch on the hard shell into the crisp cream puff and soft pastry cream filling.

The first time I saw a croquembouche was when I was in pastry school in Washington, D.C. One of my classmates had to make one for our final buffet — decorated in traditional style with nougatine and royal icing.

Once at ICE several years ago, Chef Cathy Kaufman and I ran a Marie-Antoine Carême savory and dessert class in which one of the pièces montées (confectionery centerpieces) was a croquembouche with nougatine in the shape of a lute. The class ate dinner with traditional dishes originally created by Carême as he worked his way around Europe with his entourage of chefs, and then we demolished the desserts far more quickly than the time it took to create them all!

Study pulling sugar with Chef Kathryn in Pastry & Baking Arts.

ICE pastry students Elizabeth Frentz, Pragati Mitta, Gianna Sampogna and Alexa Ventura made a festive croquembouche with Chef Kathryn.

How do you make and decorate a croquembouche?

At ICE, Pastry & Baking Arts students finish their first module learning to make, pipe and bake pâte a choux (the dough used to make cream puffs). They also make pastry cream for the first time in the program and practice cooking caramel to glue a croquembouche together.

Pulled sugar ribbons and bows are often used in France to decorate wedding cakes. For some reason in America, this has become “approximated” with spun sugar or angel hair (which is too thin to be structural). I think it must be because some spun sugar or angel hair is inadvertently formed as you glue the croquembouche together — but for the croquembouche to “last,” spun sugar or angel hair should be carefully removed from the assembled tower.

However, spun sugar or angel hair is its own technique, and if done correctly, it can be beautiful. Overcooked, the sugar will taste bitter and burnt. If you want a snowy-white spun sugar for a wintertime effect, cook it only to 320°F. If you want golden spun sugar, cook the sugar to a medium caramel, something above 330°F but below 340°F. The caramel “glue” should not be too dark, and any spun sugar or angel hair decoration should not be dripping off of the croquembouche. The problem with this type of décor is it will not last long if it is humid — the sugar is so thin that it melts.

Another way to modernize a croquembouche is to use fondant for the outside of the choux (like on éclairs or religieuses, as described in my book “Les Petits Sweets”), but you will still have to glue it together with cooked sugar/caramel for it to be structurally sound. In these photos, we adapted a version of Chef Michael Laiskonis’ pâte sablée (shortbread dough) from the ICE curriculum and used sprinkles.

Using a Silpat (silicone baking mat) helps you to create some dimensional depth in a croquembouche. For example, the backside is a textured grid. If you dip the choux in the caramel and place it flat, you will get a flat-top on your choux versus a shiny effect. Both are good — you have to make some style decisions in planning your own tower.

Find your culinary voice through the craft of cake decorating

Timing

Croquembouche is served alongside Champagne at Le Moulin Bregeon in the Loire Valley.

In France, the croquembouche is a symbol for celebration, served on New Year’s Eve, for example. You can prepare the choux ahead of time and bake the day of the party because they leaven with steam and works even better if baked from a frozen state (a trick from my time working with Herve Poussot at Le Bernardin). The pastry cream filling will hold for about four days in your refrigerator. Choux can be dipped in caramel early in the day — just don’t dip your fingertips in the molten sugar.

Once you fill the choux with the pastry cream, they can start to get soft. Yet if you glue your tower together with caramel, it is generally not best stored in the refrigerator where the humidity can soften sugar and make your tower collapse. So making a croquembouche is more of a timing challenge rather than a technical challenge as it needs to be assembled the same day as you’re going to serve it.

I would not wrap your croquembouche in plastic wrap — it can sweat and soften. Just try to time it close to when you need it for guests. I have pre-dipped choux in caramelized sugar to be ready to fill with the cream last minute and stored them successfully in an air-tight container with a desiccant (drying substance).

To make the hollow wall of choux, some choose to buy a croquembouche mold, which is a metal hollow cone (think a traffic cone, but metal). You oil it up and get a completely different size croquembouche if you assemble the tower on the outside of the greased cone and slide the metal out, or you assemble the tower on the inside of the greased cone and twist the croquembouche out.

The best tip I've learned for cooked sugar to hold the longest is from Jacques Torres, who I worked with at Le Cirque. We used to make spun sugar clown hair for one of the signature desserts with 50/50 glazing fondant and glucose and cook it to hard crack stage. This will hold in an air-tight container with a desiccant and isomalt, which can be used but can turn into a laxative in large quantities. (Ergo, only glue a croquembouche together with isomalt when it is strictly for display.) Once I helped make five-foot-tall croquembouches at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, which were on display by the sweeping staircase from Thanksgiving to New Year’s.

Lastly, people sometimes wonder how to serve this crackling tower they’ve built and securely fastened together. It can actually be hard to break apart. Servers at The Rainbow Room once used two silver spoons to gently whack a serving of three choux to place on a plate. It works.

Here’s how to make (a hollow) one for yourself, and serve it to friends for your New Year’s celebration. Bonne année!

Croquembouche

Pâte Sablée

Adapted from Chef Michael Laiskonis

60 grams soft unsalted butter
60 grams confectioners’ sugar
60 grams all purpose flour
1 gram fine sea salt
powdered food color

Pâte à Choux

Adapted from "Les Petits Sweets," by Gordon/McBride, Running Press, 2016

4 large eggs
185 grams milk
85 grams unsalted butter
2 grams fine sea salt
115 grams all purpose flour

Matcha Pastry Cream

Adapted from "Les Petits Sweets," by Gordon/McBride, Running Press, 2016

3 large eggs
30 grams cornstarch
1 gram fine sea salt
300 grams milk
6 grams matcha tea powder
75 grams granulated sugar
30 grams unsalted butter
2 grams vanilla extract

Hard-Crack Sugar or Caramel

Attributed to Jacques Torres

200 grams glazing fondant
200 grams glucose

Step 1: Pâte Sablée

Cream butter and confectioners’ sugar on mixer with paddle until fluffy. Add flour, salt and powdered color, and mix until a dough forms.
Roll out dough thinly on lightly floured sheet of parchment. Refrigerate for a half hour, then cut into 1-inch disks to place on top of choux before baking. Keep chilled until ready to use.

Step 2: Pâte à Choux

Whisk eggs in a bowl. Heat milk, butter and salt in a medium sauce pan until boiling. Add in the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon until a ball forms, pulls away from the sides of the pan, and a skin begins to form at the bottom of the pan.
Remove from heat and place on mixer with paddle. Stir ¾ of the eggs into the flour/milk mixture. Add additional egg until the mixture becomes clask, or begins to move if you draw the spoon through the dough.
Place in a pastry bag and cut a hole that’s ½-inch across. Pipe 1-inch mounds on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Top with rounds of pâte sablée. Bake in pre-heated 400°F oven for 10 minutes; lower heat to 375°F and bake 20 more minutes, until light and golden brown with a very crisp shell.

Note: Choux can be made ahead, piped and frozen. Place (frozen) in pre-heated oven and add 5 minutes to baking time.

Step 3: Matcha Pastry Cream

Whisk eggs in a medium bowl, and whisk in cornstarch and salt.
Whisk milk, matcha powder and sugar in a medium-large saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Whisk eggs into hot milk, stirring vigorously. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. The bubbles will subside, the mixture will thicken and begin to boil. Remove from heat after mixture boils 1 minute. Place in mixer bowl with butter and vanilla, stir cool with paddle.

Note: can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to four days when cool.

Step 4: Hard-Crack Sugar or Caramel

Place in a sauté pan. Bring to a boil, stirring gently. Use a calibrated candy thermometer to cook to 320°F for a shiny effect or to 330°F for a golden effect. Immediately stop the cooking by plunging the bottom of the pot into a bowl of ice water for 15 seconds.
Carefully dip the tops of the baked choux in the caramel. Use the caramel to “glue” together the croquembouche. Reheat over low heat as necessary to maintain fluidity.

Tips:

Cook more sugar for assembling your croquembouche than you think you need so the mass can help retain heat and let you keep decorating and creating your tower.
Be careful if you are cooking the caramel to glue together the croquembouche and re-heat the sugar as it will keep darkening. You do not want that to happen – it is better to recook sugar from scratch than overheat caramel and burn it. The croquembouche will also be darker as you glue the choux together, almost like a reverse ombre.
Remember, the easiest way to clean a pot of cooked sugar or caramel is to fill it with water and boil it out.

Study with Chef Kathryn in ICE's Pastry & Baking Arts program.

Pastry Arts Baking Arts Holidays Travel Global Cuisine Recipe

Ty chef Micheal

Submitted by Ronnie kulick on December 31, 2018 1:21pm

I cannot believe it's been almost 19 years since graduating ICE. After all of this time I really should have went to pastry arts. Jaques Torres was my inspiration to go, but I wanted to learn fundimentals and history of all. Worked with many in NYC. Learned much. I'm boArderline diabetic but I still have a passion for chemisty, art and love of sweets! Don't know if you would ever remember me. But I respected and listed to your guidance in thank you.

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Chai Lovers’ Cookies

ohoadmin — Mon, 16 Oct 2017 11:30:08 +0000

Chai Lovers’ Cookies ohoadmin Mon, 10/16/2017 - 07:30 Chai Langues-de-Chat with Blueberry Cream Filling October 16, 2017

By Kathryn Gordon — Chef-Instructor, Pastry & Baking Arts

In India, the mixture of spices in chai varies by region. Some chai blends contain various amounts cardamom — and some none at all. The same goes for ginger and black pepper; it all depends on regional tastes. During my travels throughout India, my favorite chai was a milky cup in Rajasthan, where the chai was ladled into a single-use clay pot, which was thrown onto the parched clay earth after using.

I have always loved chai. My favorite approach is, of course, to make it myself, rather than use one of the premixed packages that proliferate at coffee bars and are available at grocery stores (which often contain ingredients that do not belong in traditional chai). Surprisingly, it's not difficult to make, and you can personalize the spice blend to your liking.

Chai Langues-de-Chat with Blueberry Cream Filling (photo credit: Evan Sung)

When you’re ready to try your hand at homemade chai, feel free to experiment — you can try flavored honeys, non-dairy milks, or even steep the spices in water if you don’t like milk in your tea. If you want a spicier chai, just increase the amounts of spices or add the spices back into the chai to continue steeping after the tea is strained out.

But don't let the tea leaves steep for too long or you will get tannic after-tastes.

Once you conquer homemade chai, you should try baking with chai, too. Below is the recipe for Chai Langues-de-Chat with Blueberry Cream Filling from my book Les Petits Sweets. Langues-de-chat (French for “cat tongue”) are delicate cookies that break easily and absorb humidity — I’d recommend eating them the same day you fill them. These langues-de-chat cookies are filled with chai spices, which are balanced by a decadent, blueberry cream filling — it’s the perfect cookie for chai lovers.

Chai Langues-de-Chat with Blueberry Cream Filling

Yield: Makes about 50 (3-inch/7.5-centimeter-long) cookies or 25 sandwiches

For the Cookies

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons (36 grams) honey
1 teaspoon (1 gram) finely ground black tea
6 tablespoons (84 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (90 grams) confectioners’ sugar
3 large egg whites
1/2 cup (68 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (28 grams) cake flour
1/2 teaspoon (1.5 grams) ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon (2 pinches) ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon (2 pinches) freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Heat the honey and tea in a small saucepan over medium heat until the honey begins to boil, then remove from the heat and let the mixture cool completely.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir the egg whites into the honey mixture.
In a medium bowl, stir together the all-purpose and cake flours, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and pepper. Alternating between the flour and the honey mixtures, add the dry and wet ingredients to the mixer a little at a time, only mixing until just combined before adding more. Begin and end with the dry ingredients.
Spoon the batter into a piping bag fitted with a ½-inch (1.25-centimeter) round tip (alternatively, cut a ½-inch opening in the bag). Pipe the batter into 3-inch (7.5-centimeter) long ovals (cat tongues) on the baking sheet, 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) apart, until the batter is used up. If not all cookies fit on the prepared baking sheet, keep the batter in the bag until the first batch has baked, or use a second lined baking sheet.
Bake for 7 minutes, until the cookies are golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet. The baked cookies, without filling, can keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

For the Filling

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (120 grams) blueberry purée or fresh blueberries (boil for 1 minute and purée with an immersion blender)
1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) ground cinnamon
8.8 ounces (250 grams or 1 2/3 cups) white chocolate (preferably Opalys), finely chopped

Preparation:

Heat the blueberry purée and cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a rapid boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, pour in the chopped chocolate, and shake the pot so that the chocolate is submerged. Let sit for 1 minute, then whisk rapidly from the center of the pot outward in a spiral shape until the chocolate is fully melted. Pour the mixture into a shallow pan and refrigerate to let it set, about 1 hour.

To assemble:

When the mixture is firm, spoon the filling into a piping bag fitted with a ¼-inch (6-millimeter) round tip (alternatively, cut a ¼-inch opening in the bag). Pipe a strip of filling over the length of one cookie, and top it with another, slightly pressing the top cookie so that the sandwich is tight.
Once filled, eat cookies the same day.

Tips:

You can use a neutral honey, such as clover, but the spices can also take something stronger if you prefer baking with a more assertive honey.
To grind the tea, pulse your favorite black tea in a spice or coffee grinder until it reaches a fine texture. If necessary, first clean the grinder by pulsing a bit of white rice, which will get rid of any lingering coffee flavor. You can also use a mortar and pestle.
To cut down the sweetness of white chocolate, which can be sometimes overwhelming, I like using Opalys, a low-sugar-added variety made by Valrhona.
These cookies are great on their own, but you can also sandwich them with your favorite ganache recipe, or as suggested here, with a blueberry cream filling.

This recipe has been reprinted with permission from Les Petits Sweets © 2016 by Kathryn Gordon and Anne E. McBride, Running Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group. Have a passion for pastry? Learn more about ICE's Pastry & Baking Arts program.

Pastry Arts Cookies Recipe

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Advanced Pastry at ICE: Gale Gand

ohoadmin — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 15:41:18 +0000

Advanced Pastry at ICE: Gale Gand ohoadmin Fri, 04/01/2016 - 11:41 April 1, 2016

By Kathryn Gordon — Chef-Instructor, Pastry & Baking Arts

Best known as the host of Food Network’s Sweet Dreams, Gale Gand is the author of eight cookbooks, a partner in the Michelin-starred Tru in Chicago, an artisanal root beer maker and so much more. This spring, on May 16, we’re thrilled to invite this multi-talented entrepreneur to teach a “signature desserts” class at ICE, focused on an ingredient we often take for granted: vanilla.

What will you be covering in the CAPS class at ICE?

This will be a class all about vanilla—its complexities and uses. We’ll cover the four main varieties of vanilla beans, vanilla paste and vanilla extract, as well as how the plant is grown, dried, brought to market and made into extract—and, of course, how to use it in desserts.

Over the course of your career, you’ve worn so many hats successfully—from writing books to opening restaurants and making artisanal root beer. What's your favorite thing to do?

That's like picking which of my kids is my favorite! I love how I managed to cobble together a living from all of those various things. Each day is different, so I have to know how to juggle. I also get to do a lot of philanthropic work through my cooking, raising funds through food for charities. It all inspires me and seems to be part of the bigger picture of being a chef in this century. Flexible, multiskilled—as long as it involves food, I'm there!

What do you think has been the key to your success?

I have a few theories about that, but I have no way to prove it. But I think it's a combination of the following:

Always answer emails and return all your phone calls.
Always say "thank you.”
Be brave and honest enough with yourself to pick what you love for work.

My musician father always told me to pick a career for love, not for money. And he was right! Beyond that, I think a lot of it is luck and timing.

You previously opened a Michelin-starred restaurant in England. How did that experience differ from working in the U.S.?

It was a restaurant in a country house hotel in England, so it was breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, plus room service and banquets. The 500-year-old estate was originally owned by Lord and Lady Gretton, who owned the Bass Ale Company, so it was kind of like working at Downton Abbey! Working in England is different from the U.S., including the language, which you would think would be the same.

I had to write an American to British dictionary while I was over there to help our team. For example, in the U.K. they still use French terms like mange tout for snow peas and aubergine for eggplant. And the flour and dairy are totally different but great. It was a wonderful and interesting experience, and I returned to the U.S. a much more polite person after three years there.

What words of advice do you have for culinary professionals who are just starting out?

I always give the same advice: always wear comfortable shoes.

Learn more about desserts course at ICE.

Pastry Arts Interview Chefs

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The Showpiece Sorcerers — Karen Portaleo and Susan Notter at ICE

ohoadmin — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 19:22:41 +0000

The Showpiece Sorcerers — Karen Portaleo and Susan Notter at ICE ohoadmin Wed, 08/19/2015 - 15:22 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/Portaleo-Notter_Halloween-witch_1400x680.jpg.webp?itok=VTc8hSuD August 19, 2015

By Kathryn Gordon — Chef-Instructor, Pastry & Baking Arts

Cake designer Karen Portaleo and pastry chef Susan Notter first met in 2011 for the television series Halloween Wars on Food Network. Their inspired cake and sugar work earned them an incredible $50,000 prize, building on both chefs’ already impressive resumes. On October 18-20, we’re thrilled to invite them to reimagine the art of Halloween centerpieces in a Carved Cake and Sugar Showpiece workshop at ICE. We caught up with Chef Notter in advance of the class to learn what inspires her custom sugar work.

What's your favorite part of designing a sugar showpiece?

I would say designing the actual piece is the most challenging part, and I enjoy seeing how the sculpture develops from the basic sketch into a 3-D creation. Overall, the greatest challenge is to balance structural stability with the artistic interpretation of a theme.

How did you learn to thrive in competition environments?

Years of experience! After being in many difficult situations in competitions, you learn to think fast. The most important thing is to stay calm and not give up—there is always a way to succeed.

What's more important: practice or artistic ability?

One can have artistic talent, but without practice, that talent goes nowhere. It’s repetition that solidifies skills and provides chefs with a comfort level in the medium. I believe the same applies to any talent—in sports, music, arts, etc.

How do you recommend students start pursuing sugar work?

Don't try to build a three-foot sculpture without knowing the basics. The foundational skills are the most important. Once students master pulling and blowing, they can then take those skills and continue to learn. Unfortunately, the trend in sugar education today is simply to get a piece done—to capture the moment for Facebook or Instagram. As a result, ensuring that students have retained core skills becomes secondary. I am against this style of teaching and prioritize students’ skill development over the fleeting accomplishment of completing a full sculpture in class.

What will students be learning in your October CAPS class at ICE?

Students will learn how to prepare, pull, blow and cast sugar. They’ll also practice enhancing cake art with sugar to make exquisite pieces.

Click here to register for Portaleo and Notter’s upcoming workshop at ICE.

Watch the Halloween Wars finale to see Susan and Karen in action:

Pastry Arts Cake Decorating Halloween

Pastry Chef Turned Chocolatier: Interview with Roger Rodriguez

ohoadmin — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 16:24:45 +0000

Pastry Chef Turned Chocolatier: Interview with Roger Rodriguez ohoadmin Tue, 07/14/2015 - 12:24 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/cacao-pod-cut-in-half_1400x680.jpg.webp?itok=7Yi1v2Mj July 14, 2015

By Kathryn Gordon — Chef-Instructor, Pastry & Baking Arts

A graduate of ICE's professional Pastry & Baking Arts program, Roger started his career in the kitchens of Jean-Georges and Gucio Chocolatieri. He then worked for several years as the pastry sous chef of Gramercy Tavern, followed by a stint under Brooks Headley as Del Posto's pastry sous chef and chocolatier. In 2014, Roger became the head chocolatier at Cacao Prieto in Brooklyn's Red Hook neighborhood.

What sparked your move from pastry kitchens to focusing exclusively on chocolate?

I'm a pastry chef with a huge passion for chocolate. When I was working in restaurants, everyone was using the same chocolate companies, so I began an independent search for exclusive organic Dominican cacao, which no restaurants were using at the time. My search brought me to Cacao Prieto, a company that, for years, had been pioneering the "farm-to-bar" process, roasting single origin, organic cacao in their factory in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

What specifically attracted you to Cacao Prieto?

The quality of the cacao they were using was a revelation to me. The aromas and the consistency of the beans were simply superior to anything I had previously worked with. From there, I met Daniel Prieto, the CEO, and founder of the company, who had been looking for a head chocolatier to reimagine a line of chocolate reflecting the beans’ Dominican origin. For me, becoming the head chocolatier at Cacao Prieto was a return to the flavors, aromas and traditions of my native Dominican Republic. Ultimately, the decision was not a question of switching from restaurant chef to chocolatier. In the world of chocolate, there is the farmer, the broker, the chocolate maker and the chocolatier. By joining the team at Cacao Prieto, I'm involved in every step of the process. As a pastry chef, it offered me a different view of the product and an opportunity to go back to the basics.

Photo credit: Cacao Prieto

What’s next for Cacao Prieto?

There is a lot going on at present! We're working on releasing new products for our line of chocolates and couverture, as well as collaborations with other chefs. We’re also in our second year of distribution in Japan, and we’re predicting it to be a busy one—most notably, we have set up two new bean-to-bar factories overseas for clients of our sister company, Brooklyn Cacao.

What will students learn at your CAPS class in September?

Everything chocolate: agriculture, the bean-to-bar process, and techniques for bonbon making and decoration.

What advice would you give to current ICE students and professionals looking to further their careers?

Develop a relationship with a kitchen mentor early in your career, and learn the basics because trends come and go.

Click here to register for Roger’s chocolate bonbons workshop on September 10-11.

Chocolate Culinary Arts Alumni Interview

The Pastry Prodigy: Chef Richard Capizzi

ohoadmin — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 20:35:13 +0000

The Pastry Prodigy: Chef Richard Capizzi ohoadmin Tue, 06/16/2015 - 16:35 June 16, 2015

By Kathryn Gordon — Chef-Instructor, Pastry & Baking Arts

In 2003, Richard Capizzi became the first pastry chef (not to mention the youngest) to ever sweep the awards at the U.S. Pastry Competition. From there, he honed his skills at the heart of Thomas Keller’s Restaurant Group, rising from a sous chef at Per Se to the executive pastry chef at both Per Se and Bouchon Bakery within a mere two years. Today, as the pastry chef for both Lincoln Ristorante and the Patina Group, Richard is known for translating the flavors of his Italian heritage into some of the country’s most inspired desserts.

This summer, ICE students will have the chance to train with Richard in a one-day master class at ICE’s Center for Advanced Pastry Studies on July 27. In anticipation of his class, we sat down with Richie Capizzi to talk about his career and passion for pastry.

Why did you decide to become a pastry chef?

Ever since I was about 10 years old I wanted to make cakes. Growing up in an Italian-American house, cooking was a part of daily life. Every weekend, we spent time with family eating and talking about food.

Each grandmother was known for making something special or bringing a specific pastry. I talked to my dad so much about baking that he finally shut me up by taking me into the local bakery and helping me get a job. I started at 16 as a porter and have been working my way up the ladder every day since.

I am so lucky that I knew what I wanted to do at such an early age. I believe that if you are born to cook for a living, it’s in your blood. Not a day goes by that I don’t feel like I have the best career—perhaps not the best hours, but still, the most inspiring job.

What period of your career had the greatest influence on your current style?

My time with the Thomas Keller Group (working at The French Laundry, Per Se and Bouchon Bakery) were the best days of my career in terms of influence. What we all did together—as a team—was unforgettable. Everyone was working for the same goal and achieving it was everything. Opening the first Bouchon Bakery in Yountville and creating items that were spoken about around the country was pretty cool! Then, opening Per Se and becoming the best of the best—that was it for me.

The feeling I had after working 14-hour days was so powerful. You don’t know it until you live it with your “band of brothers.” They were the reason I woke up in the morning. When you realize how much you depend on each other, you’re motivated to get in earlier and earlier, to work faster, just so no one falls behind. We never stopped moving forward; we kept pushing.

Budino All'Averna e Canoli di Ricotta e Cioccolato: Averna Chocolate Custard, Chocolate Canoli with Sheeps Milk Ricotta and Mascarpone Crema, and Candied Kumquats. Photo Credit: StarChefs

How do you develop your signature desserts?

I develop most of my desserts by researching traditional items from different regions throughout Europe—primarily Italy. I use pastries that I grew up with or others that I have read about or tasted during travels for inspiration.

I also like to use seasonal produce and/or chocolate to create different textures of satisfaction. Generally, I try to incorporate three flavors and five textures in any dessert I do. Once I have the flavor profile, I can build a modern take on any classic dessert.

Tell me a little about your current work.

I have been at Lincoln Ristorante since the opening in 2010, and this year is my fourth with Patina Restaurant Group. My team of six does all the pastries for the Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln and weddings at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. We are busy all year long.

Even on a slow day in the restaurant, we’re busy in the pastry department. Our philosophy is to be able to work as a team and motivate each person to try harder every day. Mistakes happen, but we learn from them, and if we treat every day as our last, we learn so much more. Nobody in this career will hold your hand. If you want something, you have to screw it up a few times before you get it right.

Click here to register for Chef Richard Capizzi's NYC master class on July 27 at ICE.

Pastry Arts Career Culinary Education Interview

The Craft of Cake Painting: Airbrush Artist Lisa Berczel

ohoadmin — Fri, 05 Jun 2015 14:07:48 +0000

The Craft of Cake Painting: Airbrush Artist Lisa Berczel ohoadmin Fri, 06/05/2015 - 10:07 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/lisa-berczel-airbrush_679401_1400x680.jpg.webp?itok=Lg4381Fs Courtesy of Lisa Berczel June 5, 2015

By Kathryn Gordon — Chef-Instructor, Pastry & Baking Arts

When it comes to the art of the airbrush, there’s little Lisa Berczel hasn’t tried. From painting cars to cakes and even the human body, Lisa is renowned for her genre-defying airbrush illusions and artwork. Read on to learn more about Lisa’s diverse industry experience.

What initially sparked your interest in airbrushing?

As soon as I could hold a crayon, I've had a go at just about every craft and art form there is. Airbrush inevitably had its turn. However, that was a long time before online videos or forums where you could ask about advanced techniques. Without easy access to good information, my airbrush just sat in a drawer for about 10 years. Then, I lost my corporate job as a result of a shoulder injury and picked up the airbrush again during my recovery. By then, it was the era of the how-to video and I’ve never looked back.

Do you think someone has to be a good artist to learn how to airbrush?

The airbrush is just another tool to be added to your creative arsenal. Understanding some basic technical information is all that is required to start incorporating it into a foundation of more traditionally executed designs. In fact, I find it's better to build up basic skills before getting too artsy with it.

How does your work with food materials relate to your past experience with airbrushed body paint?

My work as a makeup and body paint artist provided the perfect jumping off point to the world of food. I was already used to questions of safe practice in airbrushing, such as sanitation and choosing non-toxic, cosmetic or food grade products, which made the transition easier.

What techniques will be covered in the CAPS class?

The class is a comprehensive two-day boot camp. The first day will focus on understanding the airbrush, knowing which airbrush is the best fit for our needs and proper workplace setup. Students will learn and practice all the basic strokes, cleaning procedures and how to troubleshoot common issues. The second day we’ll introduce more advanced techniques, such as stenciling and painting on decorative items such as edible printer sheets, wafer paper, molded fondant and more.

Are there any emerging trends in the world of airbrush art?

Art trends move in cycles where everything old becomes new again. FDA-approved pigments remain relatively constant, but there is increasing attention paid to where those pigments come from. In particular, natural, plant-based colors are gaining popularity.

Why do you recommend participants bring their own airbrush for the class?

Each airbrush style has its own strengths and weaknesses. If a student has already purchased an airbrush set, it's best to train with it to get the most out of their investment. Demo equipment will be available so that everyone has the opportunity to try the different styles, and all students will come away with a complete understanding of the world of airbrush.

Click here to register for advanced pastry courses at ICE.

Cake Decorating Cake

Pastry Fusion: The Pan-Cultural Techniques of Chef Peter Yuen

ohoadmin — Wed, 13 May 2015 16:38:53 +0000

Pastry Fusion: The Pan-Cultural Techniques of Chef Peter Yuen ohoadmin Wed, 05/13/2015 - 12:38 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/Peter-Yuen-pastry-with-truffles.jpg.webp?itok=Vn9P1Xmm May 13, 2015

By Kathryn Gordon — Chef-Instructor, Pastry & Baking Arts

Chef Peter Yuen is a master of flaky pastry. Combining the best of classic French pastries and Asian baked goods, his bakery LaPatisserie P in Chicago is famous for Chef Yuen’s special lamination method, as well as treats ranging from croissants to pork buns. He has trained under master bakers in both America and Hong Kong, and placed first in the “Viennoiserie” category at the 2008 Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie.

In anticipation of his exclusive two day viennoiserie workshop at ICE on July 12-13, we caught up with Chef Yuen to learn more about his unique pastry philosophy.

As a specialist in laminated dough, do you remember your first experience with flaky pastry?

My first memory of eating flaky pastry was in Hong Kong: a curry beef puff. It was simply delicious—warm, crispy, buttery crust with a hot spicy filling! All those fantastic layers of crispy pastry really got me hooked, and I knew I had to learn how to make laminated dough.

Is laminated dough used differently by Asian and French chefs?

There are a great many differences between Asian pastries and their European counterparts, primarily in the choice of ingredients. However, there are many similarities in the preferences of textures.

In particular, crunchy or fried foods are appreciated by many cultures! I would go so far as to say the Chinese may have been the first to make fried laminated items, hundreds—if not thousands—of years ago.

What keeps you motivated in your career?

There are many things that I love about my job, from the sharing of knowledge to designing great baked goods. I particularly enjoy creating better techniques to accomplish certain processes. It is also a joy to travel frequently, mainly because I never took advantage of travel when I was younger.

Vanilla Buttercream Napoleon

Everything seems so new to me that I almost feel like a “kid in a candy store.” I like interacting with students and consulting clients because, in communicating with them, you can learn so much about yourself as well. I approach consulting as a form of teaching, though there is added pressure to perform.

The only part that is a turn off for me is that the measurement of success is often in dollars and cents. But regardless of the task, a day rarely passes that I don't learn something new. That is what keeps me motivated.

What words of advice would you have pastry chefs that are just starting their careers?

I always tell students that there are 5 levels of knowing:

You don't know what you don't know
You know what you don't know
You know what you know
You forgot that you know
You pretend that you don't know anything so that you can stay curious and keep learning what you don't know

Don't get stuck at level number 3! When you think you know it all, that is when you make the most mistakes. So be humble. As for other words of advice: only "perfect" practice makes perfect, and it takes a great amount of time and patience to reach a respectable level of competence.

What will you be covering in your CAPS class?

I will be sharing my knowledge of laminated dough with students—from theory to techniques and terminologies. Additionally, to highlight the unique approach that Asian chefs bring to savory flavors, I will select some of my all-time favorite items to showcase in the class.

Click here to register for our upcoming two-day workshop with Chef Yuen on July 12-13.

Chefs Pastry Arts

Heart, Head, Hand—The Pastry Philosophy of Chef Anil Rohira

ohoadmin — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 17:16:08 +0000

Heart, Head, Hand—The Pastry Philosophy of Chef Anil Rohira ohoadmin Tue, 03/31/2015 - 13:16 March 31, 2015

By Kathryn Gordon — Chef-Instructor, Pastry & Baking Arts

World-renowned pastry chef Anil Rohira has earned some of the industry’s most prestigious titles, from Pastry Chef of the Year to the winner of “Best Sugar Showpiece” at the Coupe de Monde in Lyon. Today, his grounded perspective and dedication to the craft has earned him a position as the Corporate Chef at Felchlin Switzerland, a world leader in premium chocolate production.

This spring, we’re thrilled to be hosting a three-day seminar featuring Chef Rohira’s finest techniques. In anticipation of his course, we sat down with him to hear more about his career and what we can expect to learn during his three days at ICE.

What inspired you to become a pastry chef? Did your time at culinary school alter your initial feelings on this career path at all?

I always felt inclined to join the hospitality industry. I was doing my hotel management program back in India (during which we were sent to work in hotels for real world experience) when I first felt an interest in pastry. On my first day at this hotel job, I remember that the Chef asked me if I could work in the pastry shop as they were busy with Christmas preparation.

I agreed and the minute I pushed open the kitchen door, that was the defining moment. Time kind of stood still. I saw chefs finishing cakes and eclairs, people working with chocolate. I knew instantly: this is my world; this is where I belong. Since then there was no looking back.

You've competed in and even judged several showpiece competitions. Why did you decide to take your career down the path of such stressful contests?

Quite simply, competitions played an important role in my career. It would not have been the same had I not competed. Professionally, the growth opportunity is amazing. You strive hard to put out your best work. In the process, you develop or enhance technical skills, work on your timing and learn to be cleaner and more organized.

My first competition was a local American Culinary Federation (ACF) event. I was nervous, of course, but ultimately I was happy with what I had pushed myself to achieve. I immediately knew I could do better and started working on getting ready for the next competition. Before I knew it, I was a proud member of the American national team for the Coupe du Monde.

Competitions have also helped me grow on a personal level. Under these challenging conditions, you realize your limits: physically, emotionally and in terms of temperament as well. The more you compete, the more these personal limitations will be in check. You learn to cope with pressure better. You also realize the contributions others make during this process, whether it’s the support of your family, your team and staff at work or the company you work for. It’s a beautiful journey, and I would recommend you take it.

Was there ever a situation where you were making a showpiece, and your work was altered drastically or ultimately ruined? If so, what happened and how did you deal with it?

Fortunately, I have not had a showpiece entirely ruined. However, there were times when things did not go as planned or when I've had to make adjustments. One time I remember quite clearly was in 2001, when I was trying out for the selection for the US Coupe du Monde team.

It was an intense competition: each person had to prepare entremets, plated desserts, entremets glacés and a showpiece (involving sugar, chocolate and pastillage). I had my structural piece standing to the side while I worked on other components when suddenly, it crashed and came down. There was sugar everywhere on the floor.

I will never forget that sound. Luckily, I had enough time to recast the structure and get back on track. I managed to finish the program on time and won the competition. Those are the moments where you realize why it's so important to practice your routine time and time again. You cannot overdo it.

You’ve remarked that you believe in the "heart, head and hand"—would you mind elaborating on what this means to you as a pastry chef?

Well, that is my philosophy about our craft, trade and a career in baking and pastry. The first thing that you must have is “heart,” meaning a strong interest, passion and love for the craft. If you do not, you won’t go very far. The industry is too demanding for you not to be committed to it.

Second is that this is as much an intellectual and creative process as it is physical. Just going through the motions of making pastry is not enough. You must be open in your way of thinking about what and why you do things. Making desserts is just the last step in the process.

The intellectual creation of a plan for your dessert—flavor, texture and appearance—is the most important part. This effort, in addition to constantly reading or taking classes to upgrade your knowledge, forms your “head,” which comes before the “hand,” meaning your technical skill.

In 2009 you were awarded Pastry Chef of the Year at the World Pastry Team Championship, an incredibly impressive feat. Would you consider that your most prized professional accomplishment or have there been others that meant more to you?

I have been very fortunate to have some amazing experiences. Pastry Chef of the Year among them, however, carrying the US flag at the 2003 Coupe de Monde was certainly right up there.

Currently you are the Corporate Pastry Chef at Felchlin Switzerland, which means participating in many seminars and demonstrations. Out of all your knowledge, what skills do like sharing the most?

I have a great job with Felchlin, which gives me the opportunity to travel around the world and interact with chefs, cooks, trainees, students, instructors, enthusiasts, media and others. The process of these various interactions gives me a chance to continue learning and to share the knowledge I have gathered over the years. It is the best feeling. Right now I'm specifically enjoying teaching the intricacies of couverture and its applications. In general, I believe in "knowledge parted is knowledge gained." If you can teach it, you know it.

On April 21-23 you will be teaching a three-session CAPS class at ICE. What will you teach and who do you think it will appeal to most?

I look forward to coming to NYC and teaching at ICE. This is a class for professionals, and it will focus on the science of ganaches and pralines, as well as processes for petits gateaux and entremets—the students and I will discuss, create and analyze each step in the process.

The material will cover the selection of ingredients, how to combine flavors and the presentation of various textures, as well as developing a plan for the plating and appearance of each dessert. Finally, we will create an amenity showpiece, in an effort to cover the principles and logic of creating showpieces for competition.

Click here to register for Chef Rohira’s class and to see the full CAPS line-up for 2015.

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