Pastry student projects show sculptural flair

Since you might not have had the opportunity to stroll past the Pastry labs to view the remarkable sugar centerpieces created by CState Pastry students, please enjoy the samples above and below.

The sculptural constructions were prepared by students in PAS 115, “Pastry Production and Design,” as end-of-semester projects.

• Photos were provided by the three course instructors for Spring semester: Pastry Program Chair and Chef Betsy LaSorella, Chef Michael Vanfleet, and Chef Graciela Contreras.

Chef LaSorella said students in PAS 115 are in their second semester in the Pastry degree or certificate program.

Some will complete the Pastry Arts Certificate in Spring or Summer, and some students will return in Fall to continue working toward the Pastry Arts associate’s degree.

Other course activities in PAS 115 included preparing and decorating cakes, cookies, petits four, and fruit-based desserts.

Construction materials for the centerpieces included:

• Pastillage – A paste made of powdered sugar, cornstarch, and gelatin that dries to become a very hard final product.
   
• Isomalt – A compound derived from sucrose, used as a dietary sugar substitute and as an alternative to sugar in decorative work.