A Very Busy Day of Millefeuille Praline & Plated Desserts

This morning we started the day with an open lab and above is my second attempt of the headache-inducing Millefeuille Praline. The chef had prepared the dough for me before the open lab, so I decided to skip making my own dough and get started on the rest of the recipe to see if I could finish on time. I was at a distinct advantage over everyone else because they'd forgotten to mention which recipe they'd be using and there weren't enough doughs prepared ahead of time.

I ran into problems from the beginning with the dough - it was way too soft and the butter was too warm. I tried rolling it out for the first turn and butter started shooting out of the top and leaking from 5 different spots in the dough. So into the fridge it went and all the time I saved by not making my own dough was spent waiting on everything to chill enough.

Everything else went pretty well, though. I managed not to melt another spatula in the caramel and I even cooked the puff pastry fully this time. I was still a little on the slow side and finished everything a few minutes late, but I'm pretty satisfied with the results. Phil and I indulged in a slice of it after dinner and the longer baking time for the puff pastry really makes a difference. It's so flaky and delicious. 

After the open lab, we had a demo where Chef H showed us how to make plated desserts - something I've been dreading for so long. Decorating a cake is one thing, but designing a plated dessert really intimidates me. I look at the white plate and my mind just goes blank. 

Despite the misgivings, the practical was really enjoyable. We worked in teams and, since there was an uneven number in our group, we were on a team of 3. We just whipped through the recipes and had enough time to make a pistachio brittle - Jess' brilliant idea. It turned out really well and added a nice crunch to everything. 

I didn't get the best review on my plates... I always like to work in even numbers and love symmetry, but apparently that's not what you want for plated desserts. My kiwi cutting skills aren't good and my chocolate piping was a bit shaky.  But I think the biggest critique from Chef H was that I need to take more chances and risks. Definitely something I need to work more on...