We finished last week with fruit. First we had the fruit report, in partners we drew a fruit out of a hat (we got Kumquats) and then got an hour in the library to research that fruit so we could come back and give a report on it. I knew nothing about kumquats so it was actually really interesting. And, well, I’m not going to complain at getting an hour to sit and flick through books now am I *grins*

Then for the exam on Friday we had to make a fruit soup, with (here was the surprise) the fruit we had drawn for the report as the main item. We got lucky, since you can’t exactly sit and juice kumquats we were allowed to use oranges just as long as we had a kumquat on the plate somewhere!

We had to have 8 components, using a range of skills as this is the last ‘serious’ plate up.

So, I came up with a winter spiced orange soup (chilled), with poached blood orange, candied mint (surprisingly awesome), candied zest, candied kumquats (yes, lots of candying, but all in different ways), a vanilla panna cotta, an orange sorbet and a bubble sugar tuile!

My only downfall was the sorbet, it was a bit too icy so it needed more sugar.

DmentD and I had a nice relaxing weekend, we invited people round for dinner Saturday and made a huge pot of jambalaya which was delicious (I have the last of it for lunch today, can’t wait!), and on Sunday we pan roasted a chicken with a lemon, garlic and parsley stuffing.

We’re onto the final countdown in class now. We have the Holiday plate up today, mostly a bit of fun. I’m doing Valentines with heart shaped (hopefully) doughnuts and chocolate and raspberry dipping sauces and a chocolate baileys shake, with some tempered chocolate garnishes.

Then Wednesday and Thursday we have prep ready for the tea party on Friday. The chocolate competition on Saturday (I’m entering brownies) and then the final exam next week. Our final menu has to be in today. I’m kinda excited now as I can’t wait to try out my menu, but it’s still very nerve wracking, there are a lot of points resting on next week.

I’ll be making for my hot dessert a sticky toffee pudding with a date and brandy compote, a hot toffee sauce, almond pralines and a caramel almond ice cream. For the frozen dessert a blackcurrant aniseed parfait, blackcurrant coulis, aniseed tuile and a white chocolate liquorice ice cream. For the fruit dessert a raspberry orange cheesecake, a raspberry compote, raspberry coulis, basil sauce, candied basil, candied zest, an orange chip and a raspberry basil sorbet. My chocolate dessert will be another attempt at what I did for the chocolate plate up, trying to get it right this time. And for the mystery plate I’m planning a filo napoleon with lots of vanilla, simple flavours.

I had an interview yesterday, for a bakery near us. It went well, aside from my trousers ripping on the way there so spending the interview making sure my shirt covered it! Their going to let me know by the end of this week. And, this morning I got myself another interview at a place downtown for Thursday morning. I’m all excited.