caffeine and creativity

This blog post may seem like a exact replica of last week's blog post due to the same featured projects: ice cream and pastillage. I apologize for the repetitiveness and assure you that this post contains more caffeine and creativity than last week.

Exhibit A: caffeine

Hazelnut coffee beans are a great choice for homemade coffee ice cream. If you don't like coffee, you probably won't like this ice cream. I have been a fan of coffee ice cream since I was a kid - and way too young to drink coffee on a regular basis. On my family's weekly trip to Atz's, I would always order a chocolate chip mint ice cream cone and then manage to convince my grandpa to trade me for his coffee ice cream cone. Apparently, I didn't feel adult enough to just order one myself. Lucky for me, he seemed to like chocolate chip mint ice cream.

Anyways, this ice cream gets its divine coffee flavor from steeping coffee beans in milk for at least an hour before making the ice cream custard base.

Exhibit B: beans-a-steeping

As a finishing touch to this ice cream, I recommend adding some chocolate covered espresso beans to the bowl. Come on - everyone's doing it.

I will be taking a short vacation from ice cream making, but will continue heating up the oven. I made a batch of Andes mint cookies and key lime pound cake last week. Gone and gone.

In class on Saturday, the artful design of pastillage continued. I had all of the pieces cut out and a blank slate to work with for my pastillage centerpiece. 

Exhibit C: the blank slate

My initial image of the final centerpiece became modified as I began painting pieces and putting them together. Everything was glued together with royal icing, which still amazes me, and I'm happy to say that my finished product made it home in one piece. 

The flowers are made from gum paste, which is very similiar to pastillage, and were really fun to make. The flowers and leaves are my favorite part of the piece.

Is this something I would want to do every day? No. But these centerpieces can be kept for years and this one will remain in my house until it meets an untimely break.

Exhibit D: one proud, creative chef

There is no class this weekend due to Super Bowl activities, however, I will be assisting with the high caliber Taste of the NFL event on Saturday night. I'll report back on celebrity sightings and chef encounters. There will be a chef at the event from every NFL city and I plan on rubbing spatulas with as many of them as I can. 


Exhibit 46: The Super Bowl arrives in Indianapolis