Contemporary pastry class by Chef Hans Ovando at Pastry by Ann

Entremet Bali (Mango Milk rice and Coconut)

I'm just coming back from Bangkok, after attending 3 days Contemporary pastry class which demonstrated by Chef Hans Ovando (Spanish Chocolate Master 2013) at Pastry by Ann in a center of Bangkok.

Funky Peach
(Wine, peach and red fruits)

We learned 13 special menus that he has created specifically for 2017: entremets, tartelettes, travel cake, and chocolate bonbons.

Sabarin
with Milk chocolate, rose ganache and raspberry

The class started on 8th to 10th of July, and yes, we had to make the pastry by ourselves, I love this kind of class, as I like to attend class that we have to put our hand into it, not just watching and imaging, ^^.

Tartlet "Red Chilli Peppers"
Two chocolates, pepper, tomato and strawberry

As there were 10 students, Chef divided us into 3 groups, and each group had to work together to create 3-4 menus, which most of them are hand on. Chef showed us how to do it first, then we followed his instruction with support from both chef and his assistants.

Hazelnut and gianduja, spiced mango and yogurt cake

Chef Hans Ovando is Spanish, but we didn't have to worry as there was a interpreter (Thank you Vanessa), and he can speak English (not fluently but we understood), so the class went on quite smooth (with lot of fun ^^).

Travel cake: "Sacher Raspberry litchie fruit"

My group took care of :
1. Entremet carrot cake

2. Hazelnut and gianduja, spiced mango and yogurt cake,

3. Sesame, 4 cheese, tomato, mozzarella, strawberry & Rucola tartlet

4. Coffee Bonbon

And making 1 glaze recipe for other group (as we didn't have menu that needs glaze but we NEED to know how to make it, hehe).

This class is Contemporary pastry class, it means we didn't have to make classic menu. The key is to help us (the students and yes, it's ME), open our vision on pastry making. By using new ingredients that usually not seen in pastry kitchen, such as red pepper, or some spice.
As you see in the photo, this tart made from roasted pepper paste, tomato and strawberry, and it's very, very delicious!

Sesame, 4 cheese, tomato, mozzarella, strawberry & Rucola tartlet
"This one is my favourite!!!!!!"

And we don't limit ourself to make only sweet dessert, savoury pastry is very interesting too. Sesame, 4 cheese, tomato, mozzarella, strawberry & Rucola tartlet made with cheese, tomato, strawberry and topped with salad and vinaigrette, the look is so refined.

Entremet Mandarin Carrot Cake

But contemporary doesn't mean turning away from classic, it can be the way that you rearrange the classic one with new flavour, new texture or the look, as you can see from Entremet Mandarin Carrot Cake that have mandarin in the list of the ingredient and elegance appearance.

Sri Lanka
(Earl Gray Gianduja & Mandarin)

You can create something from our experience, past or memory such as this one, Sri Lanka that chef create from the legend of his family, that his great Grandfather came from Sri Lanka and that place is famous for its tea.

Apricot Bonbon

Not only entremet, we learned how to temper chocolate (wow), and make 3 kinds of yummy chocolate bonbons.

Coffee Bonbon

Mixing the colour for preparing the mould, making ganache and cover it.

Raspberry Bonbon

They came out of the moulds bright and shine! I always fall in love with their shiny shell, haha.

I have to say thank you to Khun Ann, the founder of Pastry by Ann, for crating this workshops space, it's located in W District community mall (Sukhumwit 69-71), where you can come here by BTS or car (there are a lot of parking space).

The studio is not big (or you can say it's quite small) but it well equipped with all the things we need for making pastry (very large working tables, blast freezer, large commercial style oven, and etc.). I have to say that after attending this class, I really want to buy the blast freezer, haha, making entremet will be easier and quick if I have one!

As we had to make load of things in this class, they prepared lunch for us, and it's good, because we couldn't waste our time, with only 1 hour break, all we had to do is eating and ready for another 4.30 hours of non stop working.

Coconut Agar agar

But what I love most is the dessert, delicious Thai dessert, and they were Yummy, so good that we wanted to learn how to make them too, haha.

Preparing the chocolate moulds

Each day, the class started at 9.00 am., and finished at 5.30pm. Luckily on the days that I attended the class it's the holiday, so I didn't have to face the traffic jam.

Entremets are here!

I know you might want to ask me more about the school, as it's not easy to find this kind of workshop in Thailand, and I'm so happy that I found one.

First of all, the staffs are lovely, Khun Ann (the owner), Nong Meaw (Thai chef assistant), Vanessa (the interpreter), plus Khun Pank (the photographer), they are willing to help and very friendly.

The only main problem that I found in this class is we had to waiting for some ingredients (the staff went out to buy it for us), or changed the ingredients to suit the one that we had, well I don't know why it might come from the preparation or etc., but in the end we're all got all the sweet that we came to learn. Beside from that it's only a small problem like the chocolate spray stopped working, and chef had to change plan on decorating the carrot.
But the only thing that I still wonder is what the taste of the dessert will be right if we use the ingredient exactly the same as in the recipe, ^^", I might have to recreate it again to find this answer, haha.

Chocolate for decorating

But for me problem is not the bad thing esp. when we're with experience chef, such as when one group forgot to bloom the gelatin before using, and chef told as how to solve this problem, and we didn't have to throw it away.

Caramelized Walnuts for carrot cake

The school offers a friendly atmosphere, all I remembered is a laughing sound plus we're tasting all the things that we made all the time, haha, it's fun.

Nong My's soaking the savarin in Rose syrup.

I found new friends from this class, they are friendly and helping, even the chef himself, it like you come to friend's home to baking together, no stress just a circle of good friends.

Not only having good time in the class, we (I means all of us + chef and his assistant), went to have dinner together, haha. Talking, eating and sharing, we enjoyed ourself very much with good friends and good food.

Savarin before assembling

The last day of the class was the most hectic moment, as we had to assemble all the dessert and decorate all of them.

Inside of the Sacher, the chocolate cream is in the center.

We finished our class quite late (at 7.30pm.), but for me it's not an unpleasant moment at all. As we had a chance to taste all the dessert that we made and taking a load of photos together.

Inside of the entremet carrot cake, the carrot jelly and crunchy nuts.

Looking at the photos you can see how complex each cake are, the texture, the taste, all the things that we spent our time making them, had been put into each cake, and they made each bites full of flavour or you can use word: Delicious, hehe.

Packing our hard work in to the box ^^.

Chef divided each kind of cake into pieces, and put them into the box for us, so we can enjoy them at home with the family.

Orange and Gianduja on top of Sri Lanka cake.

One of the thing that I love about this class is the decorating ideas, that I can use them in the future.

Inside of the Bali cake: milk pudding and mango mousse.

And if you ask me, do I like this class I have to say "YES", it's a good opportunity to learn from one of the best chef in the world in Thailand. It's not cheap, but it's cheaper than taking a plane to other country, having to pay for the accommodation and other things.

You will get most of the idea, and some of the experience on being with professional chef.

Note, note and note

I tried to write down all the things that I heard and saw but it's not easy, haha, there were too many, and the most important is I have to make, practice until I can remember it in my head without reading it again.

My group: P'Meaw, me and Nong Kung

Beside from the knowledge, you will get good friends, people who have the same interest as you.

YES, I Made it!: Hazelnut and gianduja, spiced mango and yogurt cake

But don't forget that if you don't start making it by yourself in your home, you won't be able to do anything.

Making Red wine glaze with supporting from Chef

Learning is one thing, practicing is what makes you perfect, but it's better to follow good guiding. And if you want to know what I'm thinking about right now. I want to create something delicious with all the know how that I got from the class.

Add finishing touch on Sesame, 4 cheese, tomato, mozzarella, strawberry & Rucola tartlet

And I hope you enjoy this post as I want to stop writing now, haha.

Ps: from here, they are photos from the class, that you can see how happy we're!!!!!!!!!