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Salty Sweet Bakes Blog
Welcome to my baking journey! I decided in August 2022 to finally take the leap and go to pastry school. I'm currently enrolled at Houston Community College's Pastry program and am loving it.
My first class was Chocolate and Confections class. To sum up my experience in one word, "Great!" I'm learning new techniques and expanding my repertoire of treats.
Please follow along on my journey or for the recipes and directions. I'll post updates about the weekly classes and the recipes we make.
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You can also read my 100 Days of Corona Baking blog at www.coronabaking.wordpress.com.
* Your privacy is important to me! I will never share your contact information with anyone.
Chocolates and Confections Class
Week 1 - Chocolate Cognac Truffles
Today is the first day of the rest of my life! I started Pastry School, and my first class and first day was today. We made Traditional Cognac Truffles. The piped truffles are coated in either plain chocolate, toasted almonds, or in gold cocoa powder. It was so much fun! Read more ...
Week 2 - Earl Grey Truffles
Covid hit our home this week. I can't believe that after more than two years, I finally got it when I'm back at school and when each day counts.
We steeped Earl Grey tea leaves in heavy cream, strained the tea leaves, and then poured the hot flavored cream over chocolate to make the ganache. The ganache is left to set up until it's thick enough to pipe into the chocolate shells. Read more ...
Week 3 - Rocher Truffles
I was really bummed to miss last week's class because of covid. So I'm happy to be back in the classroom and learning. 😊
These Rochers Truffle Chocolates are made with hazelnut paste and chocolate and were delicious!
Week 4 - Dipped Chocolates:
Irish Whiskey Truffles and Palet D'Or
Wow, we went from 10 mph to 60 mph this week in learning new techniques. We learned how to set ganache between acetate, coat it in tempered chocolate, and then dip them and use transfer sheets.
Our teacher, sadly, was disappointed in our chocolates and sent us a message that no one would receive a grade. On my side, I was absolutely exhausted from concentrating so much and all the commotion in the classroom. Everyone was struggling and that permeated through the room.
Week 5 - Chocolate Box of Treats
We dipped chocolates again this week with much better success. Our teacher was pleased with the results. We made:
Butter Ganache Dipped Chocolates
Mendiants chocolate disks with walnuts, dried cherries, almonds, and pistachios
Earl Grey Truffles
Week 6 - Molded Chocolates
Week 6 of Chocolate Class was Molded Chocolates filled with vegan raspberry ganache (the horseshoe chocolates) and dried cherry pistachio mix (the envelop chocolates).
My partner and I chose Ruby Chocolate for this project since we've never worked with it before. According to Food Network, Ruby Chocolate was first discovered in 2017 and is the latest development since white chocolate in 1930.
Week 7 - Painted Chocolates
Cocoa Butter Designed Molded Chocolate with Passion Fruit Ganache and Peanut Butter Bonbons. These were ... So. Much. Fun! And the fillings were de-li-ci-ous!
I love the contrast of the bitter passion fruit with the sweet milk chocolate. And the peanut butter filling? Let's just say I was on the verge of licking the spatula before cleaning it. It was close but I didn't. I figured if I got caught, my teacher wouldn't think too highly of me. 🤣
Adult Twix Chocolates
Week 8 - Adult Twix Chocolates
AKA Adult Twix Chocolates. This class gets better and better!
After painting and coating the chocolate mold, they are filled with homemade caramel, topped with a tiny freshly baked crunchy cookie, and sealed with chocolate. (Click on the link to see the inside of the chocolate and the oozing caramel.) 😋
Week 9 - Marshmallows and Pate de Fruits
We've left chocolate behind in our pastry class and entered into the confections section. My partner and I made coffee flavored marshmallows and pate de fruits in two flavors - passion fruit and raspberry.
Week 10 - Chocolate Toffee with Toasted Pecans, Chocolate Flower and Scrolls
Coming soon!
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* Your privacy is important to me! I will never share your contact information with anyone.