Foundations: Week Eight

My eighth week in the Culinary Foundations program at PICA further challenged our baking and pastry skills, with a focus on tarts, crêpes, choux pastry, and baked custards. We first grasped the foundations of tart crusts, creating savoury varieties using pâte à brisée such as an Alsatian onion tart and quiche Lorraine, followed by sweet varieties using pâte à sucrée like lemon meringue and fresh berry tarts. We also perfected techniques for crafting delicate crêpes and airy pâte à choux. The week concluded with a deep dive into baked custards, where we prepared crème brûlée and crème caramel using a bain-marie, emphasizing the critical role of precise temperature and timing. This week reinforced the importance of accurate formulas and attention to detail for achieving perfect baked goods.