Final Exam, Day 4

I know I skipped days two and three, but I didn't have too much to say. I still don't actually, but I feel bad neglecting my blog for so long. I didn't take photos after the first day because, well honestly, I forgot. So sorry, there won't be anything fun to look at until I finish my showpiece on Friday.

Even though things haven't gone exactly to plan, everything has gone pretty well and I'm happy with how much I have to do next class. I've baked and assembled my cakes--I've even done the basket weave decoration on them. All I have to do is pray that they don't get smushed before next class--I packed them incredibly carefully in my own plastic cake carrier, which I then wrapped in plastic wrap. Assuming they survive Thursday, I will just have to top them with some berries and my sugarpaste flowers (which I made today). My nougat is finished. I cut them and dipped them in tempered chocolate; they look delicious. I had more than enough lemon curd left over from filling the cake to use next class for the tarts. Speaking of tarts, my tart shells are made. Happily everyone is making different things and working with different schedules, so there is never any fighting over ovens and my cakes and tart shells baked off perfectly. My danish are shaped, they just need to be filled, baked, and glazed--all of which must be done the last day.

As for my showpiece, I've made the meringue mushroom tops and stems, I just have to put them together. All my pastillage is sanded and (thank goodness) nothing I needed broke. I even got my cake and candy stands "glued" together. My chocolate river, which I poured onto the base last class, looks great and completely covers two of the three cracks I got in my pastillage base. The pastillage base, unfortunately, took forever to dry (I made it the first class) because of the humidity, so it cracked a bit and warped more than a bit. Like I said, two of the three cracks are hidden and I know I can cover the third with decorations. The plywood base I bought and covered in white wrapping paper fits under my pastillage base perfectly and looks really clean.

I'm worried about getting everything done on time--we only have a few hours before the judging starts. At least I know the final products will taste good and--as long as no one jostles my cakes--I know that everything will look good as well.