Challah with Chef-in-Training Rosie

Pastry Chef-in-Training Rosie from Johnson and Wales
First year students wear green collars. Next year, she'll get a light green collar.

My friend Helen has three absolutely beautiful girls. Oops. They aren't "girls" anymore, but will forever be in my eyes. I met them shortly after the Northridge earthquake (yes, in California, we date things by earthquakes) when Helen and I worked together at Project Angel Food.

Holy Moly. Time flies. Rosie is the youngest and was 3 years old when I met her! 3 years old and, she is going to kill me for saying this, loving her binky. I have watched her and her sisters Emily and Alison grow up to be strong, independent, loving, laugh out loud funny and sincere women. I am so proud of them. Excuse me while I go wipe my eyes...

Anyway, Rosie just finished her first year at the prestigious Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island (Tyler Florence is an alum!). She made incredible - totally incredible - breads, chocolates, desserts in her first year in the baking and pastry arts program.

Since Rosie is home in Los Angeles for the summer, I hired her to teach a class at my house: The Carb Class. My friend Jessica and her brother Dominic and I made Challah and Cream Puffs with pastry cream filling. Delicious!

Everything is weighed or "scaled." Professionals weigh water, milk, eggs. Made things so much easier. I usually weigh dry ingredients, but will now try the wet ingredients too!

We made three loaves of six-braid Challah bread

Doing a six-braid isn't that hard...but it does take some talking to yourself..."this one goes over, bring this to the center..." You can find great videos on YouTube to help you out too.

While this Challah was rising, we went to the Counter for lunch. I'll post about that yummy lunch next week!

Challah!

Can't wait to make some French toast and bread pudding with my Challah!

Pastry Chef-in-Training Rosie with her students Dominic and Jessica

Rosie was a great teacher...explaining the science behind baking and showing great patience with us. She was selected out of a huge pool of candidates at her school to go to Yssingeaux, FRANCE and bake next year! Yes, she is that talented and awesome! It's a Major. Big. Deal. and Rosie simply rocks.

I'll finish our class with tomorrow's post about featuring the delightful Cream Puffs! And it'll be my 39 8/12 birthday giveaway! Come on back tomorrow to enter.