Aspiring chefs looking to excel in the art of pastry making, turn to Europe to enroll in award-winning programs. However, 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 aimed at creating talented pastry chefs and entrepreneurs.
Till recently, anyone interested in becoming a chef had to enrol in Bachelors of Hotel Management course that would take three to four years to complete. But at the Academy of Pastry Arts (AOPA) students can complete their specialisation in nine months.
Chef Alisha, a trainer at the Academy says, “Here, hands-on training plays an important role as we are preparing students to become industry ready. Each student has to make their own creation, spend 40 hours a week on both theory and practicals, so they don’t feel pressured when they gain employment in the hotel industry. Skills taught here are so intense 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 team of skilled pastry chefs who frequently represent India in numerous national and international competitions like the World Pastry Cup 2017 held in France and Asian Pastry Cup 2016, Singapore.
If one wants to sample some pastries, cakes or macaroons prepared by the students of AOPA, they can head over to Enchante in Khan Market, Delhi. They also deliver in Gurgaon.
Here are some recipes shared by AOPA; have fun trying it out!
Chocolate Raspberry Tart
Preparation time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 35 mins
Total time: 65 mins
Portion/size
Sugar Dough: 1 recipe
Ingredients Quantity (Gm)
Flour: 250
Butter: 175
Cocoa Powder Callebaut:25
Icing Sugar: 100
Eggs: 50
Procedure
Mix flour, butter, and cocoa powder until the mixture reaches a sandy texture (rub-in-method). Add icing sugar and eggs and knead until a dough is formed. Rest the mixture in the fridge for an hour. Bake in a tart baking pan at 170 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.
Flourless Chocolate Sponge:
Ingredients Quantity (Gm)
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, and fold in the meringue carefully and bake the mixture in the oven at 170 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.
Raspberry Jam:
Ingredients Quantity (Gm)
Ravifruit Raspberry Puree: 250
Sugar: 125
Glucose: 125
Sugar: 50
Pectin: 2.5
Lemon Juice
Procedure
Boil raspberry puree, glucose, and 125g sugar together. Mix another 50g of sugar with pectin and pour over simmering raspberry mixture. Continue cooking, and after some time add in the lemon juice. Quickly transfer to a cold container.
Chocolate Chiboust
Ingredients Quantity (Gm)
Milk: 200ml
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 in cold water. Boil milk and cream, pour over the premixed yolk and custard powder and mix well. Bring the mixture to boil again (to make pastry cream). Add in the gelatin into the warm pastry cream.
Make a swiss meringue with egg white and sugar. 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 colour, garnish with round choc decor disc.
IANS
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