I just finished my exams, holidays are set and I started planning on Christmas pastry menu. This is the time of the year that I really like.
Last week, I finished baking my Gingerbread Men Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies and Hazelnut Crescent Cookies. I'll upload the pictures later! They're still in my sister's camera. Today, I got a day off and I baked Panettone, the Italian Christmas bread. I put lots of effort in it but the result was not satisfying!!! I think it did not get enough proofing time and the texture was very hard. I got a little bit sad since I spent lots of time baking it and hoped that it taste would taste like the one that I tasted last Christmas. But this one, not even close!!
It's not my first failure in baking breads and I can say that I'm not a good baker at all. I haven't learned much techniques on baking since I concentrated mostly in pastry making. Earlier, I thought I would just abandon it and practice on chocolate modelling instead. Then I realize that it is not the right attitude! If I wanna be a pastry chef then I have to know how to bake breads too! I have to persevere and strive for excellence. So I've decided to try baking Panettone again tomorrow!! Wish me luck, everyone!! Hahahaha..
For the last several days, I've been reading the book that I borrowed from campus library, it's entitled "Baking and Pastry: Mastering the arts and crafts" by Culinary Institute of America. I had a copy of "Professional Baking" by Wayne Gisslen from Le Cordon Bleu and I think that the latter is much better since there are lots of pictures on the mixing, shaping and other processes. From these books, I learned a lot about the chemistry behind the pastries and breads that I've made, what creates the flavor, texture and color of the products. I gotta keep on learning, practicing and improving my skills. It's not an easy process but if it's what it takes to reach my dream, then I'll do it no matter what!
There are still lots of things that I wanna bake for Christmas like Stollen, Christmas Pudding, Lebkuchen, Minced Pie, Beef Wellington and Turkey, but my entire family is on DIET and there will be no one to eat my foods!!!
