 |
| My first Beef Wellington |
While at home over COVID-19 pandemic winter, I decided to try out some time-consuming recipes. My first thought was Beef Wellington, and then I signed up for Bake With A Legend virtual classes to learn how to make sausage rolls, pork pies, profiterole stack, and eclairs under the tutelage of Great British Baking Show contestants!
Beef Wellington
As a Christmas gift for my family, I made Beef Wellington for dinner on our gift exchange night. Using Tyler Florence's recipe, I was able to follow it perfectly except for the green peppercorns in brine, so the sauce just got some fresh ground black pepper and still came out delicious.
 |
Preparing the duxelles and prosciutto layers
|
I started cooking at about 3:30pm and we ate at 7:15pm, the meat being larger than the recipe called for and taking extra time to cook (plus some tented foil to prevent the pastry burning).
 |
| Ready for the oven - decorations by Katie! |
It's definitely worth making again! I would use a smaller piece of meat and work better to eliminate the pastry seams next time so that it comes out neater!
 |
| Out of the oven with some split seams :P |
Sausage Rolls
In January 2021, I took a sausage rolls class from Howard Middleton. It was so fun to connect on Zoom with about 20 folks from around the world on a chilly winter afternoon to back together!
 |
| Making the dough for the first chilling |
 |
| The first rollout and folding of the rough puff |
 |
| Made a pear chutney for the first time as the dough chilled |
 |
| Assembling the sausage rolls - used a mix of pork and beef this time |
 |
| The final sausage rolls in a perfectly baked puff pastry! |
Pork Pies
In February, I joined Howard again to tackle this cute mini pork pies!
 |
| You have to work hot water crust pastry while it's hot, so I didn't pause for photos until the tin was safely filled with the bottom crust. |
 |
| As I rolled out the remaining dough for the tops, I was able to get the 12th pie too! |
 |
| After 30min baking in the muffin tin, they're sturdy enough to pop out and finish baking on a sheet to brown up the sides. |
 |
| They turned out perfect! Not as hard as I thought it would be! I want to make them with a veggie filling next. |
Profiterole Stack
Reunited with Howard, I made choux pastry for the first time, filled with vanilla whipped cream and drizzled with dark chocolate.
 |
| Choux pastry starts over a burner, then you slowly stir in beaten eggs until you get a 5 second drop from the spoon - Howard said my dough was the most magnificent he had ever seen on Zoom! |
 |
| I piped the choux out a bit messy... looked like poop emojis XD |
 |
| About 50 choux baked and cooling to be filled. |
 |
| Whipped up some cream and filled them - this was my batch to freeze. |
 |
| This was my yummy profiterole stack with dark chocolate sauce, yum! |
Eclairs
Took this class in March 2021!
 |
| Making choux again with Jane! |
 |
| Piping the choux and using a fork to make the signature texture on top. |
 |
| Making caramel. |
 |
| Assembly with caramel, chocolate, and piped cream! |
 |
| The finished product, yum! |
Danishes
Took this class in May 2021! This class with Rosie was so fast-paced that I didn't get many photos, haha!
 |
| Look at the layers in my pastry :O |
 |
| Assembly of 3 types of danishes - balsamic caramelized onion and goat cheese pinwheels, cinnamon swirls, and creme raspberry! |
 |
| I liked the flavor of the savory onion ones best, but the raspberry creme shape came out looking the most impressive! |
Item 50 Completed 12/28/20
31/50 items complete = 61%
Comments
Post a Comment