My Pastry Course at the Ritz Escoffier School – Part 2

saucière-Ecole de cuisine Ritz Escoffier

Back to my pastry course at the Ritz Escoffier school! Last week, I left you with a mouth full of pancakes. I hope you got the chance to try the recipe. It is divine !

After 2 hours of cooking, it was time for a little break. We didn’t expect it at all, but the chef offered us to stretch our legs … by touring the kitchens of the Ritz ! At the moment we remained a little calm by muttering a little “ok” whereas deep inside we were in a state of totaaaaale excitement! It will also be an opportunity for me to warm up a bit because I’ve been freezing. (I learned that it’s normal ! A pastry chef’s kitchen must stay cold if he doesn’t want to see his pastries melt) Go ahead … send the beef bourguignon so I can warm up a little!

Everyone is super busy in the kitchen. We felt like groupies in a rock concert ! Every action is meticulous, running like a well-oiled machine. A true performance is being prepared before our eyes.

Alexis, the photographer with me disappears ! I then find him artistically capturing the tureens

Our eyes are filled with stars but it’s already time to leave this place and go back to mastering the deserts of French cuisine.

Time for Belle Hélène Pear renamed for this occasion …

– POIRE RITZ HÉLÈNE –

I will share the recipe with you…

Les poires pochées:

2kg of water
500g of powdered sugar
4 pears
4 vanilla beans

In a saucepan with a whisk, heat the water, sugar and vanilla beans, split and scraped. Using a peeler, peel and empty the pears. Lightly poach the covered pears for 30 minutes. Drain the pears and cut them with a 5cm cookie cutter. Cut the hat and the tail and set them aside. Empty the pears.

Using 2 rulers with the thickness of 1 cm, cut into two.

Le brownie:

125g of soft butter
150g of powdered sugar
100g of Extra Fresh Eggs
60g of flour Type 55
70g of chocolate Guanaja 70%

Preheat oven to 170 ° C. Melt chocolate and butter together in a bain-marie. Slightly blend the eggs and the sugar together with a whisk. Add the chocolate-butter mixture and mix again. Add the flour and mix with a spatula. Prepare a plate with silicone sheet. Pour 250g into a 16 by 16cm buttered platter with a thickness of 1 cm. Cook for 18 minutes. Using a cookie cutter, make 9 circles with a 5cm diameter.

Chocolate sauce:

210g of liquid cream
26g of milk
150g of powdered sugar
50g of cocoa powder
9g of gelatin sheet
60g of chocolate Tannea 40%

In a saucepan with a whisk, boil the cream, milk, sugar and cocoa. In a bowl, pour the chocolate milk and wrap the gelatin over it. Blend in the mixer then sift it. Put in the fridge to chill.

Cutting brownies ! A delicious smell filled the room. It’s the hot chocolate that awakens our taste buds. While we were all dying for a taste of a crumb falling from the mold, the chef pulls it back and sets it aside. But for Pol Bertholet :

It’s not necessary to always taste ! Pastry is made with great detail. If the recipe is followed carefully, the result will be met ! And it’s also a better way to limit the calories when you spend hours in the kitchen !!!

Okey for pastry chefs, but when it comes to cooking at home, I don’t agree at all ! I don’t know about you, but for me nothing in the world is better than the little face of my daughter coming out of a bowl of chocolate! Ah ah !

Vanilla Ice cream : (for 0,5 liter)

450g of milk
50g of liquid cream
1g of stabilising agent for ice cream
88g of sugar
1 piece of vanilla bean
120g of egg yolk

Time for editing and dressing !

Mount the pear with the 2 brownie. Alternate the 2 poached pears. Prepare the hats. In the microwave, inside a box, heat the chocolate sauce. Glaze the caps, then assemble them. Cut the brownie with a knife.

Place the pear on a large plate. Make small drips with the chocolate sauce. Place a quenelle of vanilla ice on the breaking brownie.

Finally, you can add a small gold leaf to the top !

Isn’t it cool ?

nd I must say the recipe is really easy to follow. We took the time to taste our creations over a cup of tea. I think I like dessert as much as I liked the Haviland tableware (a manufacturer of Limoges porcelain) chosen by the Ritz to compliment the dishes.

It’s already time for the third dessert. I will leave it as a surprise if you decide to try the experience, it is open to all ! As for me, I must say that I’m already blown away. I had a great time cooking, and most importantly sharing some time with the chef and my new Japanese friends. They promised to read from there!