New Delhi, Nov 19
Most people who want to excel in the art of pastry making chose to go to Europe in order to train in award winning programs. However, The Academy of Pastry Arts - a pastry school of international repute with schools in six Asian cities including Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Bangalore - brings French dessert education to Asia.
It offers a well designed pastry program which aims at churning out budding pastry chefs and entrepreneurs.
Till recently, anyone who wanted to become a chef had to enroll in three/four years Bachelors of Hotel Management course. But at the Academy of Pastry Arts (AOPA) students can specialise in nine months time.
Chef Alisha who is a trainer at the academy says "We are training students to become industry ready and hence, the hands on training plays an important role. Each student has to make their own product and has to spend 40 hours in a week and do practicals, as when they go to industry, they do not feel strange. Skills that are imparted are so high that our students have represented the country in the World Junior Pastry Cup, Italy twice." Founded by Chef Niklesh Sharma, the academy boasts of a skilled team of pastry chefs who represent India in most of the national and international competitions like the World Pastry Cup 2017 held in France and Asian Pastry Cup 2016 in Singapore.
"As love is to express, product quality is to experience. Academy of Pastry Arts is one of the best and renowned pastry schools around the world... providing you the best experience of French desserts and many more delectable products," said a student at AOPA. And if you want to try out some of pastries, cakes or macaroons prepared by the students of AOPA head over to Enchante in Khan Market. They also deliver in Gurgaon.
Here is one recipe shared by the AOPA to see if you've got what it takes to become a pastry chef.
1. Chocolate Raspberry Tart
Preparation time 30 mins
Cooking time 35 mins
Total time 65 mins
Portion/size
Sugar Dough 1 recipe
Ingredients Quantity (Gr)
Flour 250
Butter 175
Cocoa Powder Callebaut 25
Icing Sugar 100
Eggs 50
Procedure
Mix flour, butter, and cocoa powder until the flour reaches a sandy texture (rub-in-method). Add icing sugar and eggs and knead until it formed A dough. Rest in the fridge for 1 hour. Bake in a tart ring at 170°C for approximately 20 minutes.
Flourless Chocolate Sponge 1 recipe
Ingredients Quantity (Gr)
Egg Yolk 150
Egg White 200
Sugar 240
Cocoa Powder Callebaut 75
Procedure
Whip egg yolk and 60g of sugar until thick and fluffy. Make a meringue with the remaining sugar and egg whites.
Fold cocoa powder into yolk mixture. Fold in meringue carefully and bake in a ring. Bake at deck oven at 170°C for approximately 20 minutes.
Raspberry Jam 1 recipe 4 students
Ingredients Quantity (Gr)
Ravifruit Raspberry Puree 250
Sugar 125
Glucose 125
Sugar 50
Pectin 2.5
Lemon Juice ¼ nosProcedure
Boil raspberry puree, glucose, and 125g sugar. Mix another 50g of sugar with pectin and pour over simmering raspberry mixture. Continue cooking until 104°C and add in lemon juice. Quickly transfer to another cold container.
4. Chocolate Chiboust 1 recipe 4 students
Ingredients Quantity (Gr)
Milk 200
Whip Whipping Cream 100
Egg Yolk 140
Custard Powder 16
Gelatin 9
Egg White 200
Sugar 200
Callebaut Dark Chocolate Madagascar 67% 325
Procedure
Dissolve gelatin with cold water. Boil milk and cream, pour over the premixed yolk and custard powder and then mix well. Bring the mixture to boil again (like to make pastry cream). Add in gelatin into the warm pastry cream.
Make a swiss meringue with egg white and sugar (Bain-marie egg white and sugar until 65°C). Fold meringue into pastry cream; lastly, fold in melted warm dark chocolate.
Finishing Spray with a mixture of 50.50% dark chocolate and cocoa butter with a small amount of red color, garnish with round choc decor disc.
