Petit Four Sec

February 20, 2012

Many grocery stores in the world carry machine made cookies/petit four/biscuits which are made with pure butter, good quality chocolate and natural ingredients. This certainly makes it more challenging for us in the pastry lab to produce these products which surpasses the competition. One advantage we have is that many of our cookies/petit four can […]

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Mendiants

February 6, 2012

Of all the chocolates Mendiants are one of the easiest and fastest to make and are very much appreciated by our clients. Traditionally they are made with dark chocolate and a variety of nuts and candied fruits but the ones featured here are made with Valentines in mind. Since many of our customers are not […]

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Chocolate mousse

January 30, 2012

When we think about Valentine’s Day the heart is what primarily comes to mind. For many years the only device we had to create a heart, was a heart shape cutter. Things have changed for the better and now we have access to 3 dimensional heart shaped Flexipan. Pastry Chefs the world over, like to […]

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Tuiles

January 23, 2012

We all know that many plated desserts can go from ordinary to extraordinary by simply adding an eye catching tuile. It is the reason why so many of us use them in our work on a daily basis. Made round, square, into long strips, curved, left flat, rolled, the possibilities are nearly endless. Besides being […]

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Candied kumquats

January 16, 2012

Kumquats are some of the quickest and least complicated fruits to candy. From start to finish, semi candied kumquats can be achieved within 40 minutes.  A drastic time difference compared to the preparation of candied orange peels which are blanched several times to remove bitterness from the peel and are then followed by an extensive […]

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Pâte à Choux with Streusel

January 9, 2012

Pâte à Choux topped with streusel or crumble has some real advantages.  One, a smooth rounded surface on profiteroles or éclairs is easily obtained. Two, the added flavor and texture of streusel is a welcoming factor to the rather bland flavor of Pâte à Choux. Three, profiteroles or éclairs expand much larger and more uniformly […]

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Hazelnut & Orange Chocolate Bar

January 3, 2012

  After talking to countless Pastry chefs and Chocolatiers who are in search of fillings for chocolates with an extended shelf life, I thought it was time to highlight such filling which may be of use to you.  This particular filling contains nougatine which adds a layer of complexity, but the good news is that […]

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Gianduja

December 27, 2011

  Gianduja is a highly desired filling for chocolates as it is both delicious and luxurious. Many recipes and methods to prepare Gianduja exist but all contain similar ingredients. These mainly include hazelnuts, sugar and chocolate and at times with lesser amounts, milk powder and cocoa butter. Some of us in the pastry lab also […]

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Chocolate Mints

December 12, 2011

There is something to be said to have chocolates in your repertoire which hold a long shelf life. It can make your work schedule a lot easier since you can make these types of chocolates well in advance of busy holidays.   One type of filling which will certainly keep fresh for at least 6 months […]

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Ginger Ice Cream

December 5, 2011

    Although ginger is used in the savory kitchen year round, it seems that most of us in the pastry kitchen (especially in the West) use it mainly during the fall and winter season.  One of the things that I like about ginger is that it can be very effective in creating an aura […]

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