Lesson 1 Orientation Day

In this class we will be introduced to the process, chemistry, and techniques of basic baking. Products we will make, will include basic pastry dough, cookies, pastry cream, pie and tart fillings, and meringues. Instruction in the preparation and display of a dessert buffet is also introduced.

Today was our first day of class. We reviewed the rules and expectations. We learned about the basic ingredients and their functions in making a dough. And what are Lean Doughs.

Chef Knight reviewed with us the syllabus, when are we expected to deliver our homework, and what chapters of our book we need to read.

The Grading scale that Chef Knight will use and the expectation for us to always bring a full uniform to class.

We did a little tour to our lab, we have to washing sinks, a Freezer on the back, underneath our tables we have equipment that we will use such as mixers, convection electrical stoves, hotel pans and trays.

There are two refrigerators and 3 ovens, two are convection ovens and one is a dry out giratory oven called Geminy (by its brand).

Chef expects that we work with cleanliness and that we always sanitize our tables and clean the laboratory at the end of the day.

Review of Basic Ingredients:

GRAINS AND FLOURS

We learned that there are different types of flour because they are made using the different parts of the wheat grain.

The wheat grain is composed by layers. The outer layer is called Bran and it is composed mainly by fiber, the middle layer is the endosperm and contains a high amount of starch, and the inside of the wheat which is the Germ and that is the part of the grain that becomes a new wheat plant, it contains a high amount of fat.

The flour therefore has a different kind of color and texture depending on the part of the wheat used, and will have a higher or lower amounts of starch and Protein for the same reason.

Different kind of Flours:

Bran made with Whole Wheat is the flour with the highest content of protein and fiber, it has a very low content of starch.

Bread Rye Flour is made from the Rye grain, is low in protein and grayish in color.

All Purpose Flour is also known as restaurant and hotel flour, and is commonly used to cook and bake in a variety of dishes. It is a combination of hard and soft flours.

Durum Flour or Semolina comes from the durum grain and is commonly used to make pastas.

Cake Flour is low in protein and high in starch. White in color, soft and silky to the touch. It clumps when squeezed together in a fist.

Pastry Flour has a 9% of protein and is also high in starch content. Is creamy in color, fine and smooth to the touch it clumps when squeezed together in a fist.

There are also other grains used to make flours such as corn, spelt, oats, buckweath and pumpernickel.

Gluten.- Is a substance made of proteins present in wheat flour. It gives structure and strength to baked goods.

In order for gluten to be developed, the proteins must first absorb water. Then, as the dough or batter is mixed or kneaded the gluten forms long, elastic strands. As the docugh or batter is leavened, these strands capture the gases in tiny pockets or cells and we say the product rises. Whe the product is baked, the gluten, like all the proteins coagulates or solidifes and gives structure to the product.

Gluten is composed by glutenin, gliadin, liquid and kneading.