SFBI! from Spring Happy What’S Rising San Francisco Baking Institute Newsletter ● Spring 2005

Happy Spring from SFBI! from Spring Happy What’s Rising San Francisco Baking Institute Newsletter ● Spring 2005 lamination: layers beyond imagination by Jeffrey Yankellow - Baking & Pastry Instructor South San Francisco, CA 94080 CA Francisco, San South 480 Grandview Drive Grandview 480 ften the difference between a good crois- Assuming the rest of the process is done properly, the better the San Francisco Baking Institute Baking Francisco San sant and a great croissant lies in the lamination, the better the pastry. Lamination is not difficult, but, just Odetails. A great artisan croissant has the as with any other part of the baking process, it is attention to detail flavors and aromas of long fermentation; smells that makes the difference. Ideal flakiness is created when many layers and tastes of high quality butter; and has a deep of dough are separated by thin layers of fat. The fat creates lightness Permit No. 855 No. Permit golden brown color. And, most importantly, a because the water in the fat creates steam, which helps “lift” the layers. San Francisco, CA Francisco, San great croissant is light and flaky. The thin deli- For un-yeasted laminated dough, such as puff pastry, steam is the sole PAID cate crust should be in balance with the moist, source of leavening. U.S. POSTAGE U.S. Jeffrey Yankellow honeycomb interior. The weight should be fairly Baking & Pastry Instructor PRSRT STD PRSRT light relative to the volume, and the layers of dough What a great idea! should be clearly visible along the rolled edges of There is no concrete evidence of when lamination became a standard the pastry. There are many factors that lead to the perfect croissant, bakery process. One of the most well-known laminated pastries, the starting with the choice of ingredients, mixing methods and fer- croissant, wasn’t originally made from a laminated dough. It origi- nated in Austria, but was not laminated until the 1920’s by French San Francisco Baking Institute mentation schedule. But the defining moment is often the one that pastry chefs looking to improve the quality. SFBI INSTRUCTORS Baking and Pastry Arts School for Professionals & Enthusiasts takes the most effort: the process of lamination. 480 Grandview Drive What is lamination? Lamination can be described as the process of It is also interesting to note that Western civilizations are not alone South San Francisco, CA 94080 layering fat and dough through a series of folds, to achieve a flaky in using lamination for pastry. One of the fundamental Chinese pastry phone 650.589.5784 fax 650.589.5729 structure and increased volume. The result is a light, flaky pastry doughs is a flaky pastry that uses lard or oil and a similar technique www.sfbi.com that is hard to match in terms of pure, simple goodness. Any type to accomplish the same goal of layering dough and fat to create a of dough can be laminated, but the most common and familiar are crisp and delicate encasement for a sweet or savory filling. croissant, Danish, and puff pastry. Brioche is joining that list but is Where to start often overlooked for its more traditional form. The best place to start to explain lamination is to establish some Jeffrey Yankellow Brian Wood standard principles. Laminated dough can be yeasted or non-yeasted, Baking & Pastry Baking & Pastry Instructor Instructor “The fine arts are five in number, namely: but the fundamentals are the same for both. Examples of the yeasted are croissant and Danish. Puff pastry is the most familiar form of ur talented instructors are dedicated painting, sculpture, WHAT’S RISING THIS SEASON ... non-yeasted. to providing a comprehensive learn- poetry, music, and ing experience that combines the O ● lamination: layers beyond imagination architecture, the Fermentation value of hands-on training with the equally It is important to note that for yeasted dough, good lamination will important experience of individual baking ● 2005 course calendar principal branch not replace the benefits of long fermentation. Bakers must start with creativity. Our class sizes are deliberately smaller of the latter a well-fermented dough that has had an extended first fermentation than most other culinary schools, so that we can ● recipe of the season: croissant with poolish or been made using a preferment. For convenience, try mixing a provide you with better opportunities for interac- being pastry.” straight dough and allowing it to ferment in the refrigerator over- tion with your instructor and fellow students. ● special offer on proofing baskets Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin night. This allows the fermentation to happen without the baker (1755-1826) having to wait during a shift. ● baker’s tip and more! continued on page 3 lamination, 2005 course schedule, seasonal recipe, baker’s tip, What’s Rising is designed and edited by Jennifer Donahue Marketing Communications what’s inside: special offer on proofing baskets and more ... www.jenniferdonahue.com 1 from michel: recipe of the season: croissant with poolish about us: the ethics of “poaching” �� sfbi Michel Suas, Founder/President �� ince 1996, the San “poacher” targeted Oftentimes, I receive calls for a baker’s �� Francisco Baking SFBI. Our head position opening and I know a lot of baker �� instructor, Didier “assistants” or “head bakers” who would fit �� A �� Institute (SFBI) has Rosada, got an offer he the job. However, I do not say anything S �� trained hundreds of profes- could not turn down, and, because I know that most bakeries, especially I must say, I would have smaller ones, depend on key staff members, �� sional and aspiring bakers taken the position, too. who are a big part of their operation, and �� Michel Suas �� Reading these lines, I do not necessarily have the resources and from all over the world. We �� am sure some of you will structure to immediately or effectively �� have acted as the unofficial think, “I should have offered Didier a job.” replace someone. f you enjoy a great croissant, try this �� However, you did not. I want to thank you training site for several �� A more beneficial exchange would help to variation with a poolish. Most bakers �� for it! �� award-winning Baking USA both promote good workers and provide Iuse a poolish for their baguette, and �� it works equally as well to produce an �� You know how much SFBI brings to the goals to entry-level bakers to show them �� Teams and hosted a variety irresistible croissant dough. Don’t stop baking industry by giving support to both how far they can advance. The next time �� smaller bakeries and larger ones. Besides, you, as a owner or chef, see an ad that could with the croissant; try using it for rum �� of international groups—from �� you know that taking a key staff member benefit one of your employees, share the raisin rolls or chocolate praline rolls, too! �� countries including Russia, from a small organization like SFBI could be information. Show that you are supporting �� China and Japan—interested viewed as unfair. Especially when flashing all their skills and hard work and education in the big dollar signs that SFBI cannot afford. the baking industry. in bringing artisan baking However, rest assured that the San Francisco Furthermore, if your employees show back to their homelands. Baking Institute is not in difficulty; we have potential, send them to seminars or similar SFBI is recognized within talented people in place. Our mission is still educational classes to polish their skills and “Blues is to jazz what yeast is to bread. Without it, it’s flat.” the same as it was at our inception. Our better themselves. They will be ready to take the baking industry as a place philosophy remains the same, too: independent, on new challenges within your workplace. Carmen McRae, Jazz vocalist and pianist (1920-1994) where artisan baking is open doors and commitment to education at any cost - raising the bar constantly by All that said, I do wish Didier good luck in respected, appreciated and listening to your needs. We have lots of his new endeavor. We support his success. I know we will see him again at the San celebrated. We are passionate exciting new ideas and commitments for baker’s tip: making the baker’s life easier 2005 and beyond. Francisco Baking Institute for visits and about sharing our knowledge various projects. He is addicted to us. by Jeffrey Yankellow, Baking & Pastry Instructor I would like to talk a little bit about “poach- --Michel Suas and enthusiasm with students ing.” Everyone can be a victim of it by a and clients in an effort to chef/owner or recruiter, who decides to eciding to own or even In a bakery that makes croissants, Danish, bear claws, go through the back door to tempt away career just work in a bakery has cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, and a variety of sweet raise the level of the craft. another company’s employees. I must

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