I first learned how to make an entremet (a fancy, layered cake built inside a metal ring, and containing contrasting components and flavors) during my studies at Le Cordon Bleu London. At Le Cordon Bleu …
Savory Blue Cheese, Leek & Walnut Hand Pies
Hand pies are one of my favorite pastries to make. They can be simple or fancy, sweet or savory, breakfast or dinner. In pastry school, we were taught to make a classic French version called …
Blackberry Cream Cheese Pastries
One of the best things about the start of summer is the sudden abundance of fresh, local berries. After eating subpar (and often flavorless) imported supermarket berries all winter long, it’s always a refreshing change …
Pastry School Diary – Superior Pâtisserie, Weeks 9-12
Hello, friends. It’s been awhile. It’s amazing how much things have changed since my last blog post. At this point, and after all that’s been happening, exams feel like a lifetime ago. (In reality, it’s …
Pastry School Diary – Intermediate Pâtisserie, Week 4
This week, we had demos and practicals for the first two of our four exam dishes: the opéra cake and the fraisier cake. It’s hard to believe that we’ve already arrived at week four and …
Mixed Berry Breakfast Pastries
These mixed berry breakfast pastries (a.k.a. fancy homemade pop tarts) are the perfect way to use up an excess of fresh summer fruit. While most homemade pop tart recipes call for a shortcrust pastry or …