Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Visit CKCA's New Website!


The Center for Kosher Culinary Arts, home of America's only kosher program in Baking and Pastry Arts, is proud to unveil the newest version of its website, visible at http://www.kosherculinaryarts.com. The new, fully-searchable site includes all of CKCA's classic recipes, as well as updated class schedules, announcements, chef instructor bios and special descriptions of our most exciting master classes. Updates to our popular date nights and other recreational classes can be found there as well.

Check out the new site today!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Chanukah Apple Fritters With Coconut Creme Anglaise


APPLE FRITTERS

1 lb 2 oz (approximately 6 cups)Pastry Flour
1.5 oz (approximately 1/3 cup) Fine Sugar
.25 oz. (approximately 1 and 1/2 tsp)Salt
.25 oz (approximately 1 and 1/2 tsp) Baking Powder
9 oz (1 cup plus one tablespoon) Eggs – beaten
1 pint Rice milk
1 oz (2 tbsp) Oil
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Lemon extract


Procedure:

Muffin method:
Sift together the dry ingredients. Combine the liquid ingredients.
Gradually stir the liquid into the dry ingredients. Mix until nearly smooth, but
do not overmix. Let stand at least 30 minutes before using.
Peel the apples and core them. Cut rounds about a 1/4 inch thick.
Dip the apples in the fritter batter and cook in a 375*F oil until golden brown.
Serve with coconut creme anglaise.

COCONUT CRÈME ANGLAISE

1 cup Coconut milk
1 cup MimicCreme or Non-Dairy Creamer
6 Egg yolks
3.5 oz (1/4 cup) Sugar
1.5 tsp Vanilla extract

Procedure:

In a saucepot, combine the coconut milk, MimicCreme and vanilla extract and bring to a boil. Separately, whisk egg yolks and sugar until slightly pale. Temper yolks mixture and add to remaining liquid. Stir during the cooking process. Cook until 180*F. Strain and cool in an ice bath. Drizzle over apple fritters and serve.

Happy Chanukah from CKCA



Chanukah is a wonderful time for frying and baking! With our best wishes for a happy Chanukah, CKCA is happy to share the following recipes to help you enjoy the holiday with family and friends.

Apple Cranberry Latkes
Sweet Potato and Leek Latkes
Classic Potato Latkes
Oven-Baked Latke Cups
Apple Fritters With Coconut Creme Anglaise

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

ONE WEEK MASTER CLASS IN BREAD BAKING



Delicious, crusty breads of all shapes & sizes—the kind that you CAN’T find in any kosher bakery. Learn to bake them up at CKCA!


Join CKCA and baker extraordinaire Lynn Kutner for a 5 day intensive class on artisan bread baking.

The students will participate in every aspect of this artisanal process including developing the starters, mixing, kneading, rising, glazing, and baking.

A bread baking workshop that is five days in a row is a great luxury. It allows the student to explore a wide variety of yeast doughs, some of which take a few days to develop. Many yeast breads benefit greatly in texture and taste if they begin with sponges and starters. Others can be made straight through the same day with excellent results.




Amongst the breads that we will be crafting are:


Sourdough Rye
Crusty Italian Boule
Classic Focaccia with Rosemary and Salt
Free-form Cranberry-Nut Whole Grain Bread
French Brioche and Variations
Old-fashioned Slow-risen Pumpernickel
Whole Grain Bagels
Traditional Potato Bread, both white and whole wheat
Swedish Limpa (orange-flavored rye)

Fougasse (a Provençal olive-herb-sesame seed bread)
CROWW Bread (a cinnamon-raisin-oatmeal-whole wheat loaf)

Course Tuition = $400
Including all supplies & Materials
Students will receive a Certificate of Completion upon successfully finishing the course.


Master Class in Bread Baking

December 26 – 30,
Mon – Thurs,
9 am – 1 pm


CALL TO REGISTER TODAY!

718.758.1339

TWO WEEK COURSE IN ADVANCED PASTRY TECHNIQUES




















IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING HOW TO CREATE AND DECORATE EXTRAORDINARY TIERED CAKES AND EXQUISITE PLATED DESSERTS, CKCA HAS GOT THE CLASS FOR YOU!


The Center for Kosher Culinary Arts and French Pastry Chef Philippe Kaemmerle will be hosting a two-week class on advanced techniques in pastry arts. The class will focus specifically on advanced presentation cakes and development of plated desserts and desserts presentations.

This class is perfect for graduates of our professional training program in culinary arts, working bakers, cake decorators and pastry chefs, or serious amateurs.


PART 1 - ADVANCED PRESENTATION CAKES
















4 Day program with lecture, discussions, preparation, decoration and finishing of wedding cakes, birthday cakes, anniversary or special occasion cakes.

Students will be able to understand:

1. Selling the cakes/Type of cakes/Various themes
2. Planning, designing of cakes, organizing, transporting
3. Labor/cost issues of producing cakes & decorative items vs. purchase.
4. How to assemble any cakes.
5. How to construct using support dowels and columns
6. Difference between tiered & stacked
7. Decoration techniques/borders
8. Cake covering
9. Presentation

Technical Skills:

Royal Icing: Piping – Drop flowers – Borders – Fleur de Lys – String work etc…
Rolled Fondant: Cover cakes
Gum Paste: Various flowers & individual decorating items.
Marzipan (House made): Roses – Flowers – Leaves – Some figurines.
Modeling Chocolate (Chocolate Plastique). Various flowers – Ribbons etc...
Chocolate spray on cakes


PART 2 - DESSERT DEVELOPMENT & PLATING
















4 Day program with lecture, discussions, preparation, decoration, and plating of traditional/contemporary desserts.

Students will be able to understand:

1. How desserts are developed from concept through implementation.
2. Importance of fresh ingredients, seasonality, locality, availability, ripeness/shipping
3. Traditional flavors versus modern pairings
4. Plated dessert design: high-end restaurants, volume environments, etc
5. Labor, storage space and cost constraints
6. What is feasible/not feasible in different restaurant environments, and general implementation issues.

Technical Skills:

Demonstrate improved efficiency in dessert production techniques
Garnish desserts appropriately, execute a variety of sauce patterns and plate design
Develop a dessert concept within certain criteria (for example: a plate w/ something
hot/cold/frozen, crunchy/creamy, garnish and a main dessert, 2 sauces – made with different techniques, appropriate to main flavor of dessert)
Make quenelles - piping
Chocolate drawings on plate
Sugar Angel hair
Pull sugar – demonstrate pulling sticks for dessert garnish
Set up a service station and follow instructor orders for serving desserts

COURSE TUITION = $800
Including all supplies & Materials
Students will receive a Certificate of Completion upon successfully finishing the course.


Advanced Pastry Techniques
Dec 12 - 22, Mon - Thurs, 9 am - 1 pm

CALL TO REGISTER TODAY!
718.758.1339

Friday, November 18, 2011

A Special Thanksgiving Deal: $25 Cash Back Plus 10 Percent Off Recreational Classes






As part of America Express' Small Business Saturday, we invite you to purchase a gift certificate or sign up for any of CKCA's recreational classes currently offered, before November 26th, and get 10% off, plus $25 cash back on your American Express card. This offer is only good for American Express card holders. Gift Certificates are good for six months from the date of purchase. This offer is only valid while supplies last.

These gift certificates for classes such as date night or any recreational cooking class, make great gifts for every occasion and any simcha. These fift certificates for classes may be purchased in any denomination and are valid for six months from the date of purchase.

No need to worry about selecting the perfect class; the recipient will have the freedom to choose whatever class he or she wants!

A typical one session cooking class is $75.

The cost for a couple to attend a session of our beloved Date Night is $150 and makes a wonderful gift for a wedding present or anniversary.

If you’re looking to really impress, consider a five-class series for $375. Culinary Bootcamp is one of our most popular series and a great gift idea for kallahs, young aspiring chefs, or anyone who loves to cook and wants to take their kitchen prowess to the next level.

The recipient will receive an attractive package containing the following:

-Gift certificate—printed on antique laid paper and adorned with a CKCA embossed seal

-Current schedule of classes

-Full color brochure about CKCA

-Complimentary kitchen tool, engraved with our logo

In a rush? We can also email you the gift certificate for you to print
or send immediately.

Call Jesse Blonder at 718-758-1339 to purchase a gift certificate for yourself or as a gift. You can also visit the CKCA Website for more information and a listing of our recreational and date night classes being offered.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Mothers and Daughters Bake Together at CKCA!


Join us Sunday, November 20th, from 10:30 to 1:30pm for this unique class for moms and daughters!

Under the guidance of expert baker Lynn Kutner we will create a delicious assortment of specialty desserts. Menu to include: sky-high orange-lemon sponge cake with raspberry coulis, fresh fruit tarts with homemade pastry cream in a nut crust, and super chocolate cupcakes with coffee icing.

Special discounted price for each additional person.

$75 for first person
$50 for second, third, etc.

CALL TO REGISTER – 718.758.1339