I am in a Fight with Pastry Cream, Creme Brulee, and Creme Anglaise

Up to this point, I have to say, it's been pretty smooth sailing for the Aspiring Pastry Chef, until this past weekend, when I was tasked with making 1) frittata, 2) banana cream pie, and 3) a bonus item. As a super nerd, I spent at least 5 hours preparing and planning for Saturday's class and studying for our quiz. I had lofty ambitions of making not one, but two bonus items one each of lemon pie and pomegranate frangiapane. I wrote out, step by step, what I needed to do, not accounting for a mishap that screwed up my timing and my groove for the rest of the day.

There is an old cliche, "Don't cry over spilled milk." In pastry school, that more appropriate phrase is "Don't cry over curdled cream." Well I did, at least twice, possibly 3 times, when my pastry cream for the banana cream pie curdled, causing me to make another batch, which didn't have enough corn starch, which means it didn't set the second time, leading to me not being able to make the pie on my own, resulting in tears. (I ended up joining efforts with my classmate Jenn, who had her own disaster with her pie shell, so the two of us turned in 1 item). I have big plans to make another banana cream pie to show the pastry cream who's boss.

That one incident of cream curdling totally set me off and put me over the edge and I was unable to focus after being thrown off. It was really frustrating, and I attempted to get it together to throw in a bonus walnut tart, thanks to the dreamy Bill (the lone male in our class), who helped me get it together. Just when I thought it really couldn't get worse and my bad karma would last only one class came Monday...

Onion and Red Pepper Frittata Tart with Cornmeal Crust

Yolanda and her Eggplant Tarts (Yolanda, thanks for the mini massage on Saturday)

The goods from class, mainly Wendy's who is super awesome at pastry.