Viennese (Butter) Cookies

Viennese (Butter) Cookies

Our fourth baking assignment was Viennese or Butter Cookies.  These are cookies that you pipe onto a cookie sheet in order to get their shape.  Over all they were quite fun to make...however I still need to work on my piping skills :)

Mise en Place

Knife Skills - cutting the butter into 1 inch pieces to allow for better creaming

Mixing Technique - Creaming the butter and sugar together

Viennese Cookie Batter Preparation

Dough Preparation - Piping cookie dough onto cookie sheet

All Ready for baking

Heating Application - A nice Golden Brown color

Plating - Dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with powdered sugar

Butter Cream, Ganache and Red Velvet OH MY!

Today was a busy day...I am doing pastry school with a friend of mine and we decided that we will do the baking part together.

Today was the first day in the kitchen together...it was an experience.  Just learning how each other works and moves around the kitchen is like learning a new language, but in the end it was a lot of fun.

Below are several different pictures that go from start to finish...these are the pictures that I had to turn in for credit and grading and each have different requirements:

• Mise en Place / Timing - Work station is cleaned, all equipment is prepped and ingredients are weighed and measured out
• Knife Skills - Our ability to cut with a knife
• Mixing Techniques - Shows creaming method, stove top use, or other mixing methods...shows how all the ingredients were fully incorporated 
• Preparation - Preparing the batter for baking or decorating...placing in piping bag, cupcake pan, cake pans, etc.
• Baking Technique and Heat Application - shows what temperature/heating method was used and the product after the heat was applied
• Flavor Mastery / Texture - shows the texture of the final product
• Plating - the Final Presentation

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Butter Cream Icing

Mise en Place

Mixing Techniques

Preparation/Texture

Flavor Mastery/Texture

Plating

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Ganache

Mise en Place

Knife Skills - Chopping the Chocolate

Heating Application - Heating the Cream to 140 degrees

Mixing Technique - Mixing the warmed cream to the chocolate

Mixing Technique - add in the butter

Ganache Preparation

Flavor Mastery and Texture

Plating - Red Velvet Cupcake with Butter Cream Icing and Ganache

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Red Velvet Cupcakes

Mise en Place

Knife Skills

Mixing Technique

Mixing in the cocoa and red food coloring

Batter Preparation

Heating Application - Fresh out of the oven

Flavor Mastery / Texture

Texture

Plating - Red Velvet Cupcakes with Butter Cream Icing and Ganache

I still need to practice my piping techniques...:)

Next up is Viennese (Butter) Cookies...YUM!

Let me know what you think of the pictures or if you have any questions or comments!

Back in schoo again...Pastry School that is

Today I officially start my pastry schooling.  I am a bit nervous because I don't really know what to expect but I am truly excited to move forward.  Baking is a HUGE passion of mine.  I am excited to learn new techniques, how and why certain ingredients work and what is the best use of different ingredients, i.e. flour, sugars, etc.

Though out the course I will bake 30 different items including: pastries, breads, cakes, cheesecakes, cookies, brownies, sauces, and many more...

As I go though this experience I will post pictures of what I made and how it all went.

Wish me luck!