Holidays in the pastry world

I was grabbing a cup of coffee before work yesterday and the barista asked me how my three day weekend was. It took me a moment before realizing that Memorial day weekend, for a lot of people, means barbecue and an extra day off from work. I smiled and said fine, I knew he was just being polite and making small talk. Truth is I don't remember the last time I had a three day weekend; not that I really mind, I knew what I was signing up for.

My three day weekend was comprised of people wanting more and there not being enough hours in the day. Really nothing out of the ordinary for a holiday weekend. While I do desserts and pastries for most of the eateries in the casino my main focus is desserts for the buffet. Cakes, pies, individual servings of creme brulee, all of it delicious and all of it in large quantities. Sometimes you feel as though you've just refilled the tower of cookies, you turned around and everything is gone.

This is par for the course with most holidays. Christmas? New Years? Valentines? Don't bother making plans, you're working. The last holiday I had off was Thanksgiving and that was because my regular day off is Thursday. Sometimes I feel utterly helpless, like there's no way I can keep up with demand, but at the end of the day I see customers smiling. Every once in a while a customer will pop their head in my little area and tell me that my desserts were just perfection.

Really that's why we do it isn't it? To make people happy. Well that might not be the entire truth, there is something wonderful about creating sweet things. At the end of a 9 hour shift I might be covered in chocolate, flour and frosting; but it's heaven.

Must begin researching vanilla bean cremeux. Father's day is coming up.

Cheesecake Pie

I have to say Operation Cheesecake Pie was a success.

As I mentioned in my last post being in the culinary industry  leaves very little time for much else in your life; that being said I, for the most part, have difficulty finding much time to bake on my days off.  This cheesecake pie is delicious and saves quite a bit of time. I purchased one of those premade graham cracker pie crusts from the market, due to the aluminum tin I don't have to worry about getting my spring form pan out or that pesky water bath associated with cheesecake. Another upside to this cheesecake pie is that it only takes 35 minutes to bake! That is nearly half the time of most cheesecake recipes and like 1/4 of the time of my usual recipe. That's less time baking and less time between me and eating the thing. 

This was the first time I ever baked a cheesecake without sour cream and the first time I used evaporated milk in the recipe. The texture is not quite as smooth and rich as my normal cheesecake recipe but it is still delicious. Additionally, since the recipe is so easy I might have experiment with the flavors.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 9-inch graham cracker crust, baked

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs until thick and light yellow. Add 1/2 cup of sugar and the flour, beating until blended.Set aside.
3. In another bowl, beat cream cheese with a small amount of the evaporated milk until smooth.Do not forget to scrape the bottom! Add remaining milk, the lemon juice, and the grated lemon peel; beat until smooth and well blended. Pour egg mixture into the cream cheese mixture; beat just until blended.
4. Pour mixture into the graham cracker crust. Bake at 325° for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

I didn't top this particular experiment with anything but it's such a light and fresh flavor adding fruit would be delightful. Might have to try adding chocolate to this recipe.

The Pixie is still baking and eating

Has it really been over a year since I've posted?


I must say that it has in fact been a very busy year for this pixie. I've been baking up a storm, unfortunately being a professional baker doesn't leave much time writing. Have I mentioned that I'm a professional now? Isn't that a weird thought? Well, not professional in the way that Johnny Iuzzini is a professional but I do get paid to make desserts now.

A year ago I was recently graduated and a new intern for a casino (a somewhat big casino in california). I was so excited when they offered me full time employment in October. There were no openings when I left my internship so I found a job at a wonderful little cupcake shop known as Cupcake Love, the owner is a wonderful woman that is filled with love and creativity.Should you ever find yourself near Solana Beach I highly recommend their Peanut Butter Ecstacy cupcakes. I worked there for a few months but once the casino offered me a full-time position I knew I had to take it. Now I spend my days making creme brulee, cakes, pies, breakfast pastries, and even do molded chocolates.

So I'm still baking, eating and hopefully now I'll be making time to write as well.At this very moment I have a cheesecake pie in the oven, it is the first time I've ever made a cheesecake with evaporated milk instead of sour cream, cannot wait to taste it.