Spring Desserts with Jim Dodge
May 7 @ 12:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Join celebrated pastry chef and author Jim Dodge , as he shares four decades’ worth of experience and stories each month. The warmer days of spring bless us with a wide variety of local summer fruits. Fresh, sweet berries and tart rhubarb are at last in season, teasing us to create desserts that are both delicious and easy to transport, as they are not decorated with whipped cream. All three of the desserts chosen for this month’s class will last for several days, allowing you to have a treat available for guests or relatives, or just for your own special moment.
Rhubarb Custard Cake with Fresh Strawberries
Our seasonal rhubarb and strawberry cake is uncomplicated and relatively quick and easy fun to make. Jim will be sharing a few important tricks. If you’re not a fan of rhubarb, you can chose other fruits such as ripe apricots, plums, or summer apples. Since it is not frosted, it can be easily transported to friends, family, or spring picnics.
Chocolate Almond Financiers with Blood Orange Slices & Raspberries
Financiers are flavorful individual wonders. They can be baked in vintage pastry tins or simple mini muffin forms. Jim likes to crown them with ripe seasonal fruit. Blood oranges are sweet, tangy, and tart, so they amplify and complement the flavor, of sweet, ripe raspberries. A clear glaze enhances and secures the fruit on top.
Moist, Buttery Madeleines
Madeleines are becoming mainstream, the new hot pastry item. These delicacies are the perfect companion for your afternoon cup of tea or cappuccino. They are truly best the day they are baked. If properly stored, however they remain enjoyable for 2-3 days. We will discuss the all-important selection and preparation, of the pans and share the key techniques with you.
Techniques learned
Selecting springforms and tartlet & madeleines pans
Preparing springforms and tartlet & madeleines pans
Selecting and preparing fresh rhubarb
Selecting fresh berries
Washing and handling fresh berries
A new and simpler clear glaze recipe with easier steps
The proper way to cream butter
How to pour custard onto the hot cake without messy drips or spills
The art of piping batter with a pastry bag, using a plain tip
Proper cooling methods, so important for the final product
Cutting and serving the custard cake
The correct storage methods
Health & Safety Protocol
Masks and proof of vaccination are not currently required to participate in any courses at the Artisan Baking Center, masks are encouraged for any participants who wish to use them in order to stop the spread of infectious illness. Please stay home if you’re experiencing any symptoms of illness. Email us at [email protected] if this occurs to speak with a class coordinator.
JIM DODGE is an award winning pastry chef, cookbook author and restaurateur. He was twice featured on Julia Child’s Kitchen, and is now an advisor to the board of her foundation and jury chair for The Julia Child Award. He rose to national prominence as executive pastry chef at the Stanford Court in San Francisco, opened the award winning American Pie Pastry shop in Hong Kong, and taught baking annually for 10 years in Japan. He was senior vice president of New England Culinary Institute and more recently director of specialty culinary programs for Bon Appétit Restaurant Management Company, an on-site restaurant company offering full food-service management to corporations, universities, museums, and specialty venues.
Categories: Baking Class, Beginner, Cooking Class