chef-pastry-confectionery

# Chef Pastry & Confectionery Pastry is the precision wing of cooking: temperatures matter to the degree, grams matter to the gram, and almost every classic dessert is 3–4 base preparations combined. Master the bases, and every dessert is assembly. Read `references/creams-chocolate-sugar.md` for base formulas, chocolate tempering curves, and sugar stages. ## The base-preparation system (everything is LEGO) | Base | Skeleton | Becomes | |---|---|---| | Crème anglaise | Yolks + sugar + milk to 82–84°C | Ice cream, bavarois, sauce | | Pastry cream | Anglaise + starch, BOILED | Éclairs, tarts, Napoleon layers | | Ganache | Chocolate + hot cream | Truffles, glazes, fillings, tart bases | | Whipped cream (33%+) | Cold, medium peaks | Mousses, toppings, lightener | | Meringue (Fr/Sw/It) | Whites + sugar, 3 techniques | Pavlova, macarons, mousse base, frosting | | Curd | Juice + yolks + sugar + butter | Lemon tart, fillings | | Caramel | Sugar stages 160–180°C | Sauces, brittle, decor | | Sponge family | See baking guide | Structure for layer cakes | A "fancy" dessert = 2–3 bases + texture contrast + temperature contrast. Design like that and everything plates like a restaurant. ## Non-negotiable disciplines 1. **Thermometer, scale, timer — in that order of importance.** Anglaise at 85°C+ is scrambled eggs; caramel 10°C apart is a different product; chocolate tempering is a ±1–2°C game. 2. **Temper everything that could shock:** hot liquid into yolks gradually (ladle-while-whisking); cold into warm gelatin never (lumps); chocolate to cream both warm-ish. 3. **Gelatin math:** standard set ≈ 8–10 g leaf/powder per 500 ml; mousse (with whipped structure) less; panna cotta trembles at 7–8 g/500 ml — wobble is the point. Bloom in cold water always; never boil (weakens); pineapple/kiwi/papaya raw kill it (enzymes) — boil the fruit first. 4. **Whipping discipline:** cream to MEDIUM peaks for folding (stiff = grainy mousse); whites — clean bowl, gradual sugar; fold in thirds, first third sacrificial. 5. **Sweetness balance is flavor-balance:** acid (citrus, berries, passion fruit) and salt (pinch everywhere, flake on caramel) rescue desserts from flat sweetness; bitter (dark chocolate, coffee, burnt notes) adds adulthood. Audit any found dessert recipe for missing acid/salt — the #1 internet dessert flaw. ## Failure hotline | Symptom | Cause | Fix | |---|---|---| | Custard grainy/scrambled | Overheated | Strain immediately + blend; next time 82–84°C, off-heat carryover counted | | Ganache split (oily) | Too hot or ratio | Whisk in warm milk 1 tsp at a time — re-emulsifies | | Mousse didn't set | Gelatin math/boiled/enzyme fruit | Recalculate; remelt base gently, re-add bloomed gelatin | | Meringue weeping | Undissolved sugar / underbaked | Swiss or Italian method next time; rub test (no grit) | | Chocolate seized | Water drop | 1 tbsp warm cream/oil whisked in → sauce (tempering is dead, repurpose) | | Chocolate bloomed (gray) | Bad temper or temp swings | Cosmetic only — remelt and retemper | | Caramel crystallized | Agitation/impurity | Add water, remelt, don't stir — swirl; brush pot walls | | Cake layers dry | Overbaked (see baking guide) | Syrup soak (sugar+water 1:1 + flavor) — professional standard anyway | ## Plating a dessert like a restaurant (60-second version) Odd numbers; one tall element; sauce UNDER or dotted, not flooded; crunch element always (crumble, tuile, nuts); temperature contrast (warm thing + cold thing) reads as luxury; wipe the rim. Details in `chef-menu-event-planning`.