Bavarois A La Framboise, Fruit Coulis, Panna Cotta Au Lait Battu, Salsa D'ananas, Fraises Et Menthe

Chef's Plated Islands

Today's class was not particularly exciting, but important nonetheless, as we go international to learn a different method of making desserts: setting with gelatin.

Bavarois, or Bavarian Cream, is a Swiss creation popular in early 19th century haute cuisine. A rich base of milk, egg yolks and sugar is scalded, sometimes flavored with fruit puree, before the addition of gelatin to help it set in the fridge.

Panna Cotta, Italian for cooked cream, is made in a similar fashion by simmering milk and sugar together before adding buttermilk and gelatin and set as above mentioned.

Mixing Raspberry Bavarois, Cooling Panna Cotta

 Pouring Creams Into Dariole Moulds

Salsa & Coulis On The Stove, Brunoised Fruits For The Salsa

For added color and flavor, a rich coulis and fruity salsa is cooked to accompany the rather plain creams, alongside some sugar and chocolate work for a more complete presentation.

For the coulis, we boiled raspberry puree and sugar syrup  until thick and set that aside to cool. The salsa is a lime and sugar syrup solution mixed with brunoised, or very finely chopped pineapple and strawberry pieces and mint leaves chiffonades (very very fine juliennes).

The Boys At Work, Chiffonading Mint Leaves

Chef Karen Rolling Chocolate Cigars

Piping Chocolate

 

 Sweet Sugar Angel

 

 Chocolate Cake From Cuisine

By Yours Truly

I like the clean look of my plated panna cotta. As for my bavarois, well, I would have liked to deviate more from my usual presentation style. More researching to do I guess.

The panna cotta was light with a twang from the buttercream, and so silky smooth it melts in the mouth. The bavarois was more robust and mousse-like in texture, though light in flavor it went beautifully with the sweeter, stronger coulis.

Erica's Amazing Work

 Now that girl comes up with some of the most amazing work in class, in my opinion.

Hellooo Sunshine