Category Archives: Brianna

My Spring Break Adventure

Posted on by
Reply
two adjacent cups of bubble tea

Image by: Nadine

Now, it is the last few weeks of the spring semester and while many are preparing to take their final as well as completing a couple last assignment before the summer break is officially here. Although, school has been on a recess for the past week and a half, school is now back in a full swing of things. I thoroughly enjoyed the spring recess by visiting many places in the city. Manhattan has such a vast amount of restaurants and shops that you can literally travel the world by just walking a few blocks. My grandmother had expressed her deepest desire of wanting to spend time with me and my sisters over the spring break. While we were struggling to figure out what we should do…going to Manhattan was the best bet. It had become a place that you can essentially do anything…there are so many activities to partake in…the choices are endless.

With my being in the hospitality management major, it has helped me to become more culturally aware and to gain a better appreciation for different cuisines all over the world. My grandmother was eager for whatever we had planned to do as long as we were spending time together. I think what most people do not realize is that New York really is a haven for everything; it just needs to be sought out. As I get older, I find that I only begin to appreciate New York City that much more, I am able to understand how great the city truly is and why so many people visit here. We finally decided to take our grandmother to one of the many places we used to readily visit when we were younger…one of the best spots in Manhattan…Union Square.

And the one thing that I absolutely love doing is trying new food but this time, it was my grandmother’s turn. We decided to take her to Asia for two days, every single thing that we ate was Asian inspired. Our first stop was bubble tea…my sisters and I have become lightly addicted to bubble tea which is Taiwanese and not just any bubble tea but Vivi’s Bubble Tea.  So we decided to take our grandmother there in order for her to experience it as well. She ordered the ginger milk tea with bubbles and I ordered the honeydew milk tea with bubbles while my sisters respective ordered the tiramisu slush with bubbles and Thai milk tea with bubbles. My grandmother loved the tea but wasn’t too fond of the bubbles. The bubbles that are used in the tea are actually boiled tapioca pearls. They are boiled in brown sugar and water then afterwards they are slightly cooled and can be added to the tea. My grandmother was not a huge fan of it but she did love the tea as she has always loved tea. She was a good sport about it even though the bubbles were not a favorite of hers. All in all, it was a great first stop on our trip. But the adventure seemed to have continued, and I couldn’t wait for what was in store next.

The Famed Confusion of the Macaron

Posted on by
Reply
an arrangement of French macarons

Image by: Elena Kovyrzina

There is a dessert that has taken the pastry world by storm in the last couple years and has been widely appreciated in America, resulting in a widely expanding population of pastry shops in the United States. I am talking about the art of the macaron which is one of the most difficult pastries to make and constantly confused for another dessert which is the macaroon.

Macaroons can still consist of ground almonds and are still considered meringues but usually are filled with coconut. Macaroons and macarons are similar but not synonymous as macaroons avoid certain stages that allow macarons to have the distinct delicate texture that most everyone enjoys. Still, there are two versions of macarons as macarons are meringue based; the versions vary based on the regional meringue recipe being used. A macaron can either be made by way of the Italian meringue and the French meringue; both create a different texture of macaron as the French meringue has more fat incorporated into it. Macarons are extremely difficult to make as they cake easily crack or deflate if the directions are not followed exactly as the recipe suggests.

When the macarons are piped, they are usually piped onto a silicone mat such as a silpat which will avoid the meringue from sticking during the drying and baking stage. After the macarons are piped, they are set to dry out to form a crust before they are baked accordingly. Macarons are typically piped into a circular shape but can be an array of other shapes as well like hearts or squares but those are more complex to pipe precisely.

The fillings typically used to sandwich between the two halves of a macaron are buttercream, caramel, ganache, as well as fruit fillings such as curd, jelly, and jam. The process of filling the macarons must be completed in a delicate manner as the meringues can easily crack. Usually, the fillings are piped onto the meringue half rather than being spooned onto it.

 

Basic Macaron Recipe

emoji macarons

Image by: Erika Low

Ingredients:

2/3 cup sliced blanched almonds

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 large egg whites, room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Jam or other filling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in lower third. Place almonds in a food processor; process until as fine as possible, about 1 minute. Add confectioners’ sugar; process until combined, about 1 minute.

Pass almond mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Transfer solids in sieve to food processor; grind and sift again, pressing down on clumps. Repeat until less than 2 tablespoons of solids remains in sieve.

Whisk egg whites and granulated sugar by hand to combine. Beat on medium speed (4 on a KitchenAid) 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high (6) and beat 2 minutes. Then beat on high (8) 2 minutes more.

The beaten egg whites will hold stiff, glossy peaks when you lift the whisk out of the bowl. Add flavoring and food coloring, if desired, and beat on highest speed 30 seconds.

Add dry ingredients all at once. Fold with a spatula from bottom of bowl upward, then press flat side of spatula firmly through middle of mixture. Repeat just until batter flows like lava, 35 to 40 complete strokes.

Rest a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch round tip (Ateco #804) inside a glass. Transfer batter to bag; secure top. Dab some batter remaining in bowl onto corners of 2 heavy baking sheets; line with parchment.

With piping tip 1/2 inch above sheet, pipe batter into a 3/4-inch round, then swirl tip off to one side. Repeat, spacing rounds 1 inch apart. Tap sheets firmly against counter 2 or 3 times to release air bubbles.

Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating halfway through, until risen and just set, 13 minutes. Let cool. Pipe or spread filling on flat sides of half of cookies; top with remaining half. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate.

Adapted from Martha Stewart

The Trend of the Meat Cake

Posted on by
1
diced red meat slabs on a cutting board with onions

Image by: Andrey Bodrov

Today, food has become so modernized these days and the traditional foods that were widely accepted are evolving. America has always and continually been inclusive of those cuisines and traditions from other countries. Many food practices that are being utilized and have gained such popularity in the United States have generally been adopted from other reginal areas. These new practices have allowed the normalized traditions in America especially in terms of food to be differentiated and more modernized with the latest trends that are being accepted. In Japan, they have created an entirely new way of celebrating birthdays. Gone are the days of birthday cakes that were sheet cakes frosted with insanely sweet and colorful amounts of frosting. Today, many are surprising their loved ones either friends or family with a modernized and savory version of the birthday cake which is the meat cake. It has changed the entire dynamic of cakes as there are not many versions of savory cakes that have become so popularized, accepted, or trendy in the culinary world.

a birthday meat cake with roses made out of red meat

Image by: jasonklapston

In the Japanese cuisine, they take the most expensive and best cuts of meat in order to uniform them into a cake-like shape. The cakes can be tiered or shaped in a particular look such as to look like a flower. Then it is usually decorated with an array of different vegetables that will complement the meat such as peppers, asparagus, or broccoli. Typically, the cake is made out of different versions of beef with the most expensive being the aged wagyu. But there are variances of these particular cakes styles that cake use different cuts of fish, poultry, and other meats such as veal or pork. When a meat cake is presented, it is usually reminiscent to that of a traditional birthday cake where there is a gathering of friends and family as the celebrated person is able to see their cake for the first time. Then, it is treated just like that of a typical frosted birthday cake in which the person gets to blow out the candles. And, afterwards, the meat is generously cooked and prepared in a way in which the person desires it.

Comment below on different and interesting cakes that you have either eaten or would like to eat in the near future.

The Beauty of Sugar Sculptures

Posted on by
Reply

Sugar is a centrical ingredient in the confectionary world. Being that I aspire to be a pastry chef, I am used to working with different types of sugar all the time. Each sugar can serve its own purpose in how it is utilized to create a particular dessert. There’s granulated cane sugar, turbinado sugar, light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, 10x sugar, pearl sugar, raw sugar, artificial sweeteners, and the list goes on. All of these sugar options are widely used to not only sweeten a dessert item but for its other properties as well. For instance when making sugar cookies, it is sometimes topped with granulated sugar and this is used to add crunch as well as more flavor to the cookies. If 10x sugar (also known as confectioner’s sugar) was used, it would essentially melt into the cookie causing it crackle.

a red basket made out of sugar

Image by: Brianna Vasquez

Sugar is so valued and readily used in the confectionary world that it is almost always present as an ingredient in every dessert. One of the most amazing ways that sugar is utilized is to create sugar sculptures. The art of creating sugar sculptures consist of composing the most elaborate artistic masterpieces that are completely made from sugar and its fellow derivatives. In order to make these sculptures that sugar must be broken down and heated to a high temperature to allow it to be molded or shaped into the desired appearance. The recipe for making pulled sugar is granulated cane sugar which is cooked with water and glucose which can also be substituted for high fructose corn syrup. Then, an acidic agent is added to prevent crystallization from occurring when it reaches the hard crack stage which occurs at 300 degrees which is when coloring can be added right before it comes off the heat to allow the water from the coloring to reduce.

a red basket filled with fruits made entirely out of sugar

Image by: Brianna Vasquez

Hot sugar is divided into three separate categories which are pulled sugar, blown sugar, and cast sugar. Pulled sugar is when the sugar has been cooked into a liquid and poured usually over a Silpat which is a silicone rubber mat. The sugar is then pulled and folded repeatedly to incorporate air into the sugar which helps it to have a shine instead of being opaque. The sugar can then be molded into a variety of designs or shapes. Blown sugar is essentially pulled sugar that is blown into a shape with the help of a rubber pump. A portion of the pulled sugar is wrapped around the end of a rubber pump which is usually made out of wood or metal. Then, air is slowly pumped into the sugar to avoid it from cracking. Then, when the desired shape is achieved, the blown sugar is placed under a cool fan to allow it to harden to the shape. Finally, cast sugar is still a form of pulled sugar in which the hot sugar liquid is poured into molds this allows the pieces to harden into a desired shape that will be used as a base platform to hold you showpieces that have been blown or pulled.

The Edible Artform

Posted on by
Reply
representation of a pendulum by way of macarons

Image by: Matteo Stucchi

Baking is an artform, one that is never truly appreciated. The truth is that art is so subjective in that it can take place through many havens such as buildings, music, and paintings. But I find that the most talented of masterpieces are those that are edible and perhaps I am biased in the fact that I want to be a pastry chef. Still, to create the best desserts takes dedication, precision, and intricacy. It all begins with the simplest of ingredients such as sugar, flour, eggs and other items that are incorporated in such a way that it creates the delicate, rich, and delicious desserts. Pastry involves a certain elocution that culinary does not necessarily have in which you must follow every single instruction in the recipe in order to create the best product whereas in the culinary world, there is always room for adjustments and the addition of originality in terms of flavor concepts.

representation of construction workers placing pie dough on a pie

Image by: Matteo Stucchi

If even a single measurement or the temperature of the oven is incorrect, the entire baked item will be ruined. The pastry world is complex in that it requires a lot of patience and articulation to successfully create the most complicated desserts. The techniques that are often utilized convey the true talent that is paired with this artform. For instance, the technique of tempering is used when trying to incorporate eggs into a hot liquid usually milk. Tempering must be used in order to prevent the eggs from curdling or becoming scrambled into the liquid. Instead of adding the eggs all at once which will quickly cook the eggs, the hot liquid is slowly adding into the egg mixture in small portions to gradually incorporated the heat into the eggs so it won’t cook them when the egg mixture is heated enough the egg mixture is then added fully into the hot liquids to finish the cooking process. This is just one of the many techniques that is constantly used in the pastry world to make custards, pastry cream, pudding, or Crème Anglaise which is used as an ice cream base.

representation of a snow hill by way of meringues

Image by: Matteo Stucchi

Matteo Stucchi, a pastry chef from Sulbiate, Italy who is currently working at a catering company, enjoys making beautifully designed art with the addition of delicious pastries. He creates miniature worlds that are constructed with pastries as well as the use of toys to allow these worlds to look like a realistic scene. His goal is to show that food itself is artistic and should be viewed in that way. He feels that when food is suggested as being an art, it is only in culinary practices not confectionary so he is utilizing his Instagram platform to convey that pastries can be artistic as well just as anything else in the confectionary world.

27th Annual U.S. Pastry Competition

Posted on by
Reply
frosting flowers being piped onto a cupcake

Image by: Tony Albanese

New York is where dreams come true where the havens of the concrete jungle bring together the most talented of people from all over America. While there are so many things that this state has to offer that have not fully been appreciated or viewed, I wanted to share a beautiful piece of this city that has been happening for the past twenty-six years. One of the biggest havens in New York that host the latest and modernized innovations is at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. It has hosted the New York Boat Show and the New York International Auto Show but this weekend it is hosting the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York. This is the most prestigious pastry competition in America, it draws in competitors from all over the United States to present their best work to be judged and possibly awarded.

The International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York is a three-day long event in which the best and rising stars in the pastry world to show off their best work to compete for awards and prizes as well as the most coveted title of Pastry Chef of the Year at Paris Gourmet’s U.S. Pastry Competition. One of the oldest and most established chef associations in the world, the board members of the Societe Culinaire Philanthropique, will preside over the judging procedures. Contest awards will total over $10,000.00. The show begins on Sunday, March 5th and concludes on Tuesday, March 7th. The entire Jacob Javits Convention Center is transformed into this confectionary art gallery of the most amazing artists…pastry chefs from all over the United States. The showpieces will be judged from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm, with the awards ceremony at 4:00 pm.

an intricate layering of a napoleon

Image by: k_usinero

Last year’s theme was Magic & Illusions and even hosted The Junior Competition where six finalists were randomly selected from four culinary schools were able to compete alongside the professionals. The 2017 showpiece theme will be “Modern Masters Come to Chocolate”. All of the attendees of the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York are generously invited to view the illustrious showpieces that were created by America’s most talented and leading pastry chefs throughout the duration of the entire Show. The event allows leading pastry chefs to showcase their talents and confectionary abilities by creating advanced dessert and chocolate bonbon recipes that are elevated by sculpting chocolate and utilizing highly technical sugar techniques to formulate the most magnificent showpieces.

The World of Nutella

Posted on by
Reply
a newly opened jar of nutella

Image by: Marisina Vescio

Food in America has always been an issue since it has constantly been debated on the nutritional value of the foods being readily sold in a variety of supermarkets. I wanted to share this particular news because it shows the importance of food in America and how we as culinary professionals whether if this is the profession that you wish to pursue have the knowledge to educate the youth on better food systems. Personally, I aspire to be a pastry chef but the culinary techniques and information that has been taught to me will remain with me to be passed on through my way of cooking and what I share with those that I communicate with.

nutritional value breakdown of nutella

Image by: MirrorUK

The mass production of Nutella reminded me of the Art of Vegetarian course that I took with Professor Hoffman. In that course, Professor Hoffman constantly encouraged us to partake in our own cooking and talked about the importance of healthy eating in terms of knowing the ingredients that we are allowing our bodies to ingest. Something that has been widely and commercially broadcasted as being healthy for families to purchase for snacks and breakfast options. But after this viral photo showed the accurate portions of ingredients in Nutella, it has led to an angry outcry about the honesty of company’s advertisements. Nutella is now being shown as having mostly sugar and palm oil with only small amounts of hazelnuts, skim milk powder, and cocoa powder. Both sugar and palm oil have respectively been viewed as unhealthy as it can easily lead to obesity which can lead to other medical issues such as diabetes or cancer. This has created a huge panic especially in Italy where many places have stopped selling the spread and have even banned it due to the fear of its predicted unfortunate health effects. No matter what the circumstances, it is always better to make food from scratch rather than buying food pre-packaged.

Comment below on foods that you enjoy making from scratch.

The Best Week for a Sweet Tooth

Posted on by
Reply
heart shaped candies

Image by: Peace & Love

This week was Valentine’s Day…which is a holiday that celebrates love and happiness. Although, love shall be shared each and every day amongst each other, this particular day of February 14th has become this renowned holiday which is designated to showing love and appreciate for all the special people in our lives. This day is easily celebrated by way of cards, teddy bears, flowers, or most of all….with candy.

For those of us that received chocolates or other candies on Valentine’s Day as well as those that gifted those sweets to themselves may find that it can be difficult to get rid of. Though, you can snack on candy, it may become boring after a while. Instead of wasting all of that candy, I will share a few ideas to better make use to all the leftover candy from the holiday of Valentine’s Day.

chocolate frosted cupcakes with heart sprinkles

Image by: Janet Sumner

  1. Cookies

You can easily upscale your normal recipes for cookies by adding chopped pieces of leftover Valentine’s Day chocolate to the recipe. For instance, instead of putting the typical chocolate chips into the batter for chocolate chip cookies, you can incorporate chopped up chocolate candies.

  1. Truffles

These chocolate treats are very simple to make with ingredients that may already readily be in your home. Simply, melt some chocolate either by nuking it in intervals of thirty seconds at a time to stir in between or by a double boiler in which you will stir the chocolate constantly in a heatproof bowl that is over a boiling pot of water. Then, add some heavy cream or condensed milk before shaping it into balls and refrigerating. You can also roll the balls into chopped nuts, cocoa powder, coconut flakes, or sprinkles to add other flavors, textures, and to better the appearance of the truffles.

  1. Hot Chocolate

Since the most popular candy received on Valentine’s Day is chocolate, this recipe will put all the leftover chocolate that you have to use in this easy recipe. Simply, warm a cup of milk either by boiling it on the stove or by nuking it in the microwave. Then, put a few pieces of chocolate into the mug. Let this steep as the hot milk will slowly melt the chocolate. Then, stir the chocolate in accordingly until it thoroughly dissolves into a cup of hot cocoa.

Comment below on desserts that you make with leftover Valentine’s Day candy.

The Art of Taiyaki

Posted on by
Reply
soft serve ice cream in a fish shaped waffle cone

Image by: Brooke Davis

Out of all the desserts that can be consumed throughout the world, I am the biggest fan of ice cream. I find that ice cream can be prepared in so many ways that it can vary in flavor based on the region and its flavor options. Ice cream has evolved so much over the years that it can truly be created in a differing way. There is sweet and savory, store-bought and artisan as well as those that accommodate dietary restrictions such as vegan or gluten-free. I have such a love for ice cream because it is always changing to adjust to the modernization of ingredients.

Taiyaki is a Japanese fish-shaped cake which literally means baked sea bream. There are many variations to this Japanese delicacy which come with an array of fillings both sweet and savory. The most common filling is the red bean paste which consisted of sweetened azuki beans that is ground into a thickly smooth paste. Taiyaki is readily created by the use of waffle batter as well as pancake batter depending on the shop selling them. The batter in then placed into a mold that is shaped like a fish for each side after it is cooked lightly, it is then filled with the desired filling. Then, both halves of the fish shaped waffle is put together to closed the mold then it is cooked on both sides until golden brown. Usually after it is fully cooked is when the soft-serve ice cream is added to top the waffle.

Taiyaki is such a creative dessert as it truly evokes many different textures in one single dessert. The waffle itself comes from a recipe that is designed to be chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside then it is generously paired with the smooth, creaminess of ice cream that fills the entire waffle. Taiyaki has taken New York City by storm in that it has been added to the latest food trend craze. One of the most iconic places to purchase this particular dessert is at Taiyaki NYC which is located in Lower Manhattan and is very inexpensive in that it only costs about seven dollars to purchase an ice cream filled waffle. The flavors of ice cream is constantly updated which makes the experience all the more fun.

Comment below some of your favorite and most unique experiences with ice cream that you have tasted.

Cheesecakes for Change

Posted on by
Reply
fresh blueberries on top of a plain cheesecake

Image by: Simon

It is very apparent that I truly have a passion for food in all its forms and how it can be conveyed artistically. I thoroughly enjoy the labor involved to create beautiful desserts, but even more, I am visually captivated by the magnitude of precision included to reach that artistic perfection. As a food blogger, I find that I must utilize my platform in order to share the beautiful opportunities that food offers when presented in the utmost of ways. I am a firm believer that food can be an advocate in aiding many lives which only intensifies my passion.

Because even more so, I love when the production of desserts are utilized to benefit local charities that aim to raise awareness of life-threatening illnesses or to fundraise in order to better financially support the causes in particular. I find that this is a more innovative and beneficial way of baking in terms of the food world. I have so often shared and discussed these ideas with my past posts, such as the expansion of lemonade stands around the world through the participation with Alex’s Lemonade Stand or the charity, Cookies for Kid’s Cancer. Both of which were charitable causes to support the fight against childhood cancer with fundraising practices to afford certain research and benefits for struggling families.

Cheesecakes for Change is another organization which was founded in the beautiful state of New York and is costly stationed in Staten Island. The organization aims to benefit local charities by sponsoring a particular charity each month on a constantly rotating basis. Essentially, for each cheesecake sold, five dollars out of every purchase will be donated to that specific charity. The charities vary each month from a vast spectrum of causes. For the month of February, Cheesecakes for Change is sponsoring Second Chance Rescue NYC which is a nonprofit organization with the sole mission of offering a “second chance” to all animals. In order to better protect them by giving them safer environments to receive the love and care that they require instead of being further subjected to abuse, neglect and homelessness. With the help of many dedicated volunteers, the organization continues to flourish while offering veterinary services and spay/neuter programs. They also aim to be a rehabilitation facility for animals while ensuring that there will not be an overpopulation, as they aim for all of the animals to be adopted. Funds received help to further their outreach by establishing their presence for community support through pet food donations, as well as hopes for an expansion to be able to accommodate a greater number of animals.

The greatest incentive as a customer is to know that value of your charitable contribution…to understand the impact that your purchase has made. Cheesecakes for Change is also very accommodating to everyone’s palate and dietary restrictions. They offer specialize cheesecakes that are dairy-free as well as gluten-free options.