Work has been intense and crazy. So I was thrilled when the executives decided at the last minute to build in a little break in the project timeline. As luck would have it, the break was the same week as the Viennoiserie 2 class at the San Francisco Baking Institute (SFBI). Viennoiserie 1 is offered a few times a year, but level 2 is offered only once a year. I wasn't able to take level 2 last year since it was fully enrolled when I tried to sign up, so I was happy to attend this year. A sane person would've gone to Bora Bora or Hawaii, but I chose to spend my vacation in a week long (40 hour) pastry class.
Here are some of pastries we made in class. These were just the tip of iceberg. We made a whole lotta Viennoiserie during the week. The lead photo (above) is gibassier which is an olive oil brioche with candied orange peel and anise seeds.
Hot Croissants
![croissant_rack](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7648/16185160244_d282d2ea87_m.jpg)
Panettone Cooling Upside Down
![panettone_hanging](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7282/16621378869_62948f0029_m.jpg)
A Single Day's Take Home (Everyday was like this!)
![bakery_boxes](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8679/16187589553_cca413d907_m.jpg)
Chocolate Panettone (Chocolate panettone dough made with Italian levain, mini chocolate chips, cocoa nib praline, topped with a chocolate glaze and sliced almonds.)
![chocolate_panettone](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7606/16807509095_be20630fd6_m.jpg)
Colomba de Pasqua (Easter dove. Topped with a hazelnut glaze and chopped hazelnuts.)
![colomba_de_pasqua](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8744/16620148310_55e1fa3c12_m.jpg)
Savory Kugelhopf (Bundt form and baking cups.Asiago cheese, parsley, thyme, raisins, walnuts.)
![savory_kugelhopf](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8752/16807508675_307e6ca678_m.jpg)
Pithivier (Inverted puff pastry, raspberry jam, frangipane.)
![pithivier](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7651/16830536555_6cccb782bf_m.jpg)
Traditional Croissants
![croissant](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8700/16806405691_09963b892a_m.jpg)
Chocolate Croissants
![chocolate_croissan](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8714/16620144550_26a98e732f_m.jpg)
Stollen
![stollen](https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7650/16187592753_24e91707d2_m.jpg)
Brioche Tropezienne (Brioche, almond streusel, rum diplomat cream.)
![brioche_tropezienne](https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8735/16804675976_b80f5e93d5_m.jpg)
Since the class was an advanced Viennoiserie class, almost everyone in the class was a professional baker. There were a few semi-professionals who sold their baked goods on the side while maintaining a full time day job, but they all hoped to open a bakery some day. I was the only non-professional in the class.When classmates asked if I planned to have a bakery or baking business some day, my answer was "No, I don't. I just bake for fun".
If they had asked me that question a year ago, my answer would have been "Yes, some day". It's a question that I have struggled with for many years. In the last year, I've done a lot of baking, as well as as lot of soul searching. Like many of the TFLers, I bake because I am passionate it about. I freely admit that it would be nice to turn my passion into a career, but I know that I will not be. My decision makes me happy. I don't have to wonder about "some day" anymore.
:) Mary