Here's why I love my library so much....they "borrowed" a copy of Pierre Herme's "La Patisserie"

M

marilynfl

Moderator
from a state college somewhere in Florida. I get to view it for 18 days. It's MINE! MINE! MINE! for 18 days.

Here's an example of one I'm going to try. Just LOVE the leaf crust:

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g166/Finer_Kitchens/Cake.jpg

I've been trying to find a copy of this book within a price range that does not make me hyperventilate. Amazon has a used copy for $219. (please...someone hand me a paper bag, QUICK!)

I just know that this book is sitting out there in a culinary school's bookshop waiting for me to buy it, but I haven't a clue how to find it. My online searches of CIAs across America are turning up a bust. But I'm not really finding anything other than new books by their own faculty.

 
Here's a technique that I want to learn--he uses it quite often

...making horizontal, vertical, and diagonal strips:
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g166/Finer_Kitchens/StripedCake.jpg

This striping technique involves "cigarette paste" (butter + sugar + egg white + flour + coloring tint) and a thin cake batter.

The colored paste is thinly spread on a piece of Silpat. Then it is "combed" to "remove" stripes of color and chilled. Then a thin layer of giocanda batter (something like a genoise or sponge cake) is spread over the colored strips, filling in the missing spaces. It's baked and then portions of it are cut to line the perimeters of cake pans.

Typically, round layers of other baked cake and mousse filling are stacked inside.

(By the way, that carnation in the middle is pure chocolate.)

 
Holy cow, that looks gorgeous! I've never attempted it myself but I've seen it done.

That would be an awesome skill as a feather in your pastry cap!

 
LOL! At over $150...no wonder I never bought that book. Marilyn, I have Pierre

Hermes "Desserts" and "Chocolate Desserts" books and they both, I believe, had Dorrie Greenspan involved in the writing. I'm thinking the directions and the ingredient list might be a bit better suited to the American audience. You can get both books used on Amazon for under $20 each.

 
Traca, that's an excellent idea...I can get both from my library and make a decision

From what I've read, he really covers the basics in this first book and then limits the variety in his later books. I'll only be able to do a few basic concepts anyway....

 
I'm thinking they're a nice place to get started. And from what I can tell

on the professional bakery side, you master the components and then just mix and match from there....Either or both of those books would be a good launching pad for that. While typically I'm not up for a dish that has 8 different components, it's fun to take an afternoon and give a few components a whirl. My books are packed away in storage but I need to fish them out again.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top