Exam Jitters and a Lost Profiterol...

AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Yes today was the day where I had to do my assessment for Prepare & Produce Pastries.... and boy was I jumpy. We had to do a theory exam of 20 questions in 1hour and 10 frangipane tartlets along with 6 eclairs and profiterols in 2.5hours.

Things got on to a good start... did my theory paper in about 30mins and got started on the 'hot' stuff. Got everything weighed and measured out, made everything quite well (if I do say so myself) and got them to bake.

First in the oven was the choux pastry for the eclairs and the profiterols. Luckily I still have a steady hand and managed to get all my 12 choux pastry items in a consistent shape and size; 6 nice straight eclairs about 5 inches in length and 6 profiterols in a well rounded shape.

After that was done, I headed off to weigh and measure for the frangipane tartlets. Had to make the pastry first so that it can be rested in the fridge for about 20mins before it can be rolled. In the mean time look into the choux pastry in the oven and make the filling for the tart.

Yippee ... was I glad that my choux pastry items came out of the oven nice and very deliciously golden in colour. Left that on the wire rack to cool and continued with the frangipane tartlet filling and rolling out of the pastry for that 10 to bake.

What I didn't notice is that someone had the nerve to pinch one of my profiterols from the wire rack!!! OOOOOOOOOOhhhhhhh.... I was so angry when I went to collect it from the rack and told my instructor. I asked her if she was going to pinalise me for that and she said no. It's not like I didn't make 6, the evidence of a profiterol being there in the first place can cleary be seen by the baking mark on the tray!

Oh well... after all was made and done for I brought the completed products up for judgement day. Nicole (my instructor) said I missed by 1 mark to get an A for my theory test and gave me a B... shucks. And for my products she gave me a C.

So I guess my overall should be a B?

This closes the chapter in pastries and next week sees me in cake production, my favourite! Stay tuned for more mishaps, calamities and yummie stories next week!

p/s - Second half of the day we made caramel cream and creme brulee.... yum yum yum....