We are starting the chocolate unit in February, but first you can experiment with the chocolate chip cookie recipe. I have put a plethora (look it up) of ingredients on the demo table to experiment with, such as: chocolate chips, m&m's, marshmallows, coconut, oat flour, cranberries, orange zest. Only your imagination will keep you back. When documenting, remember to reflect on your experience; if you just follow the recipe, you are an emerging baker. If you take the ingredients and suggestions I make; you are an developing baker, and if you blow me away with your creativity; you are extending.
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I have always found it fascinating that at the beginning of a new year, we try to do better. What I mean by that is; eat better, make healthier choices, work out more, organize yourself. January in the baking class will be healthier recipes. We are going to start with an experiment replacing typical ingredients in our chocolate chip cookie recipe with alternative ingredients. We will discover if you can do a one to one substitution. I do know that replacing all ingredients will probably turn into a chemistry nightmare. Twelve batches of cookies will be made and you will get to try all of them, one will be a control batch, meaning it will not be altered. The ingredients we will be switching out are: eggs (replacer or flax), sugar (coconut sugar or truvia), flour (oats, almond flour, oat flour or gluten free), margarine (butter, oil or coconut oil).
What you will do for this lab is take photos, taste everything and do an evaluation on your blog. What went right, what went wrong? This year will be the 10th year my baking and catering classes participate in cookie exchange. So far all the classes have made the butter tarts and crinkle cookies, now each class will be making different recipes. The list includes, but not limited to ... Alfajores, shortbread, peppermint brownies, apple jelly squares, cranberry bliss bars, peanut butter balls and my former student Gabriela's favourite-cherry squares. Every baking block will be making the crowd favourite Crinkle cookies. This recipe is easy to make, although a little finicky. The dough starts out dry, if you add the flour gradually, it is easier to mix- the end product is a very sticky soft dough -almost a batter. We are putting them in plastic bags to rest overnight before baking. This step is extremely important! The cookies won't crack if the dough doesn't rest. Enjoy....a fudgey sweet tasty treat.
The most caloric time of the year is here again, the Holiday cookie exchange. Remember to bring a shoe box or larger plastic container for the 21 or 22 (day 1 or 2), we won't have boxes for you. The objective of this month long endeavour is sharing your holiday baking with those you love, family and friends. Please, please, please do not try and eat it all in one day, too many sweets and candies you will just feel sick. Recipes so far as follows. Chocolate crinkle cookies, eggnog blossoms, peanut butterballs and peppermint patty brownies. Soon to follow...buttertarts, shortbread, cranberry bars ...so many goodies.
It's the most wonderful time of the year! This year we have 4 culinary leadership students participating in the competition. Sofia, Merian, Rachel and Lisa have worked their little elf fingers to the bone. Kilos of gingerbread, icing sugar and fondant have made their way downtown. I am sure there were tears and a few fears were faced, I know a film of icing sugar still coats every surface. It looks easy but these ladies will tell you it's a whole lot harder than that. Head downtown and see them in person, make an afternoon of it. https://makeawishbc.ca/event/gingerbread-lane-hyatt-regency-vancouver-0
I should have phrased it gingerbread structure. You and a partner will be creating a 3 dimensional gingerbread structure, the theme is all up to you. Classic little A frame, cabin, a Palm Springs mid-century modern, Tiki hut, Giswald family house, Amsterdam canal? You are only limited by your imagination. We will supply everything for the dough and the icing. I have the recipe ready for you -and it works. What you need to bring is and candy, cookies or add on's (lights anyone?) The size can be no larger than 30cmx30cm x 30cm high. I also suggest you think about where you are going to store your pieces, five classes of 26 students is a lot of parts that can go missing.
Long story short- its going to be fun and crazy. Here is the slideshow from the Hyatt in 2015, watch for the Disney castle, Tower of London, Barnyard, Snoopy and the Up house. Every year I try to make an interesting fun recipe for Halloween.... this year we are making Candy Corn Cookies, I found the link from the PBS website, for class on Tuesday and Wednesday.... download and print the recipe, divide it in 1/2, this is day 1 of a 2 day lab.
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