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MadMadamMalfoy · 07-29-2022, 10:05 PM

With the opera cake well underway, Desiree took advantage of the break to start on her croque monsieur. First things first, she preheated the oven to 425 F. While the oven was heating up, she’d make the bechamel sauce. Turning the front burner on medium, she heated half a stick of butter in a saucepan until it was all melted and foamy. Then she added flour, stirring continuously as it cooked for about three minutes. Next came the milk. She gradually poured that in, still stirring all the while. She kept a close watch on the sauce as it cooked, monitoring the consistency. When the sauce had thickened, she turned off the heat and added dijon mustard and a little bit of nutmeg and salt. A quick stir later, and the bechamel sauce was good to go!

Setting the pan aside for now, Desiree picked up a baking sheet and lined it with parchment paper. She placed several slices of French bread on the lined sheet, enough to make one sandwich for each judge and a few extras for her fellow contestants. She spread an even layer of bechamel sauce over each slice and topped them with Paris ham and gruyère cheese. Another slice of French bread went on top, with another layer of bechamel sauce spread atop that. She added a sprinkling of gruyère cheese and herbes de Provence (a spice blend including thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, marjoram, savory, oregano, and bay leaf). Then the croque monsieurs were ready to go in the oven, and not a moment too soon! As soon as she finished topping the last one, she heard the familiar click telling her that the oven was ready.

After placing the croque monsieurs in the oven and setting a timer for 12 minutes, Desiree was ready to start assembling her opera cakes. She removed the two chocolate croustillant-covered layers from the fridge and flipped them onto a baking rack so the chocolate sides faced down. Using a pastry brush, she topped each cake layer with a generous coat of coffee syrup. Then she spread a layer of coffee buttercream on top of that. She soaked two of the remaining cake layers she’d made earlier in the coffee syrup and stacked those on top of the chocolate-covered layers, then came a layer of ganache and the final sponge cake layers. She brushed another coating of coffee syrup on the top layers and spread more coffee buttercream on top of that to finish the cakes. When she was done, she had two square cakes, each consisting of three layers.

Usually the cakes would need to chill in the fridge for several hours, but Desiree didn’t have that kind of time! She’d have to use a cooling charm, or she’d never finish. Merlin, I hope I don't get disqualified for this! She thought to herself as she raised her wandl. More importantly, she hoped the spell would work right! She’d probably cry if she got this far, only to have a magical mishap destroy all her hard work! Okay, Des, confidence and concentration, just like Dad says, she thought, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. A look of intense concentration crossed her face as she cast the spell, and… She gingerly touched one of the cakes and found it cold as if it had been sitting in the fridge overnight. Yes! She did it!

By the time Desiree got the cakes assembled and cooled, the oven timer dinged, which meant the croque monsieurs were ready. She carefully removed the baking sheet full of sandwiches and set it aside to cool while she worked on the final component of the opera cakes, the chocolate glaze. After cleaning the double boiler she’d used earlier, she refilled the bottom pot with water and added 7 oz of dark chocolate to the top pot and put it on the stove. When the chocolate had melted, she added a couple tablespoons of canola oil and stirred the mixture. When it was ready, she poured the glaze over the two cakes, smoothing the coating with a spatula until she had a nice even layer.

Another cooling charm set the glaze, and then it was time for Desiree’s favorite part, the decorating! She poured the last of the chocolate glaze into a rose-shaped chocolate mold and set it aside to cool. Chocolate roses weren’t the traditional decoration for opera cakes, but Desiree wanted to put a bit of her own spin on the dish. She chose the rose shape to represent her mother, whose nickname was Rose, and her favorite Disney movie, which involved an enchanted rose. When the molds had set, she had two perfect dark chocolate roses, but she wasn’t done yet. She wanted them to look like the rose in the movie, so she used edible luster dust to paint the rose parts red and the stems green. When she was satisfied with the color, she carefully placed one chocolate rose atop each opera cake, positioning it perfectly straight. Now the cakes were done!

All that was left to do was slice and serve! Using a sharp knife, Desiree cut the edges off the cakes so that they were perfectly square and sliced each cake into portions. She retrieved a plate for each judge and placed a slice of cake on each one, saving a piece with a red rose for Professor Holden. Then she grabbed a spatula to transfer the croque monsieurs to the plates. When she was finished, there was one sandwich and one slice of opera cake on each plate. Desiree stepped back to admire her work with a satisfied smile. Not bad at all!

07-29-2022, 10:05 PM	#20 (permalink)
MadMadamMalfoy Newbie Mod Alley Proprietor Mackled Malaclaw Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Hazbin Hotel Posts: 11,088 Hogwarts RPG Name: Norman A. Carton Graduated Hogwarts RPG Name: Sydney M. L. Masters Slytherin Third Year Hogwarts RPG Name: Maddox B. Buchanan Gryffindor Fourth Year Diagon Alley Proprietor: Caledon Roth The Leaky Cauldron	Dishes: croque monsieur and opera cake Rhibear ~ Madam Solo ~ Dark Brooding Girl ~ Accio Jedi ~ Gryffinclaw ~ Just a doll With the opera cake well underway, Desiree took advantage of the break to start on her croque monsieur. First things first, she preheated the oven to 425 F. While the oven was heating up, she’d make the bechamel sauce. Turning the front burner on medium, she heated half a stick of butter in a saucepan until it was all melted and foamy. Then she added flour, stirring continuously as it cooked for about three minutes. Next came the milk. She gradually poured that in, still stirring all the while. She kept a close watch on the sauce as it cooked, monitoring the consistency. When the sauce had thickened, she turned off the heat and added dijon mustard and a little bit of nutmeg and salt. A quick stir later, and the bechamel sauce was good to go! Setting the pan aside for now, Desiree picked up a baking sheet and lined it with parchment paper. She placed several slices of French bread on the lined sheet, enough to make one sandwich for each judge and a few extras for her fellow contestants. She spread an even layer of bechamel sauce over each slice and topped them with Paris ham and gruyère cheese. Another slice of French bread went on top, with another layer of bechamel sauce spread atop that. She added a sprinkling of gruyère cheese and herbes de Provence (a spice blend including thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, marjoram, savory, oregano, and bay leaf). Then the croque monsieurs were ready to go in the oven, and not a moment too soon! As soon as she finished topping the last one, she heard the familiar click telling her that the oven was ready. After placing the croque monsieurs in the oven and setting a timer for 12 minutes, Desiree was ready to start assembling her opera cakes. She removed the two chocolate croustillant-covered layers from the fridge and flipped them onto a baking rack so the chocolate sides faced down. Using a pastry brush, she topped each cake layer with a generous coat of coffee syrup. Then she spread a layer of coffee buttercream on top of that. She soaked two of the remaining cake layers she’d made earlier in the coffee syrup and stacked those on top of the chocolate-covered layers, then came a layer of ganache and the final sponge cake layers. She brushed another coating of coffee syrup on the top layers and spread more coffee buttercream on top of that to finish the cakes. When she was done, she had two square cakes, each consisting of three layers. Usually the cakes would need to chill in the fridge for several hours, but Desiree didn’t have that kind of time! She’d have to use a cooling charm, or she’d never finish. Merlin, I hope I don't get disqualified for this! She thought to herself as she raised her wandl. More importantly, she hoped the spell would work right! She’d probably cry if she got this far, only to have a magical mishap destroy all her hard work! Okay, Des, confidence and concentration, just like Dad says, she thought, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. A look of intense concentration crossed her face as she cast the spell, and… She gingerly touched one of the cakes and found it cold as if it had been sitting in the fridge overnight. Yes! She did it! By the time Desiree got the cakes assembled and cooled, the oven timer dinged, which meant the croque monsieurs were ready. She carefully removed the baking sheet full of sandwiches and set it aside to cool while she worked on the final component of the opera cakes, the chocolate glaze. After cleaning the double boiler she’d used earlier, she refilled the bottom pot with water and added 7 oz of dark chocolate to the top pot and put it on the stove. When the chocolate had melted, she added a couple tablespoons of canola oil and stirred the mixture. When it was ready, she poured the glaze over the two cakes, smoothing the coating with a spatula until she had a nice even layer. Another cooling charm set the glaze, and then it was time for Desiree’s favorite part, the decorating! She poured the last of the chocolate glaze into a rose-shaped chocolate mold and set it aside to cool. Chocolate roses weren’t the traditional decoration for opera cakes, but Desiree wanted to put a bit of her own spin on the dish. She chose the rose shape to represent her mother, whose nickname was Rose, and her favorite Disney movie, which involved an enchanted rose. When the molds had set, she had two perfect dark chocolate roses, but she wasn’t done yet. She wanted them to look like the rose in the movie, so she used edible luster dust to paint the rose parts red and the stems green. When she was satisfied with the color, she carefully placed one chocolate rose atop each opera cake, positioning it perfectly straight. Now the cakes were done! All that was left to do was slice and serve! Using a sharp knife, Desiree cut the edges off the cakes so that they were perfectly square and sliced each cake into portions. She retrieved a plate for each judge and placed a slice of cake on each one, saving a piece with a red rose for Professor Holden. Then she grabbed a spatula to transfer the croque monsieurs to the plates. When she was finished, there was one sandwich and one slice of opera cake on each plate. Desiree stepped back to admire her work with a satisfied smile. Not bad at all! __________________ Old voices I had thought long since dead whisper of another life I might have led If I could take that second chance, If I could make my life anew, If only dreams came true...