On our second day of baking class, the recipes included meringues, lemon curd, and pastry cream. We started with a lot of practice separating eggs. We talked about yolks and whites, fat and protein, and how eggs can add richness, hold air or provide lift depending on how they are used.
This class had only three students, so we worked more as a group than in teams. Everyone still had a chance for hands-on practice. The egg whites were mixed until firm and glossy, and then we tested their doneness...
with the Julia Child, "But can you hold it over your head?" Test.
To Sweetheart G's relief it passed.
While the mounds of meringues baked, we cooked up lemon curd and the pastry cream on top of the stove. The two recipes made a good contrast of indirect (on a double boiler) and direct (on the heat) cooking. Half of the curd went home with them with some fresh fruit for pavlovas.
The remaining curd and pastry cream was reserved for the next day's class.