There you go, you must have started revising and tackling technical sheets. It's a bit intimidating at first, right? So let's take stock together on how to read a CAP technical sheet correctly and the tricks to avoid messing up your preparation.
A technical sheet (FT for those in the know) is a recipe whose process has been simplified to the maximum. Next to it, Mercotte's exam gives the feeling of an extremely detailed tutorial. Judge for yourself:
Classic entremet technical sheet
Technical sheets are given to you at the beginning of the practical exam. The first page always consists of the scheduling (but we'll talk about it a bit later) and the following pages of the 4 technical sheets of the preparations you will need to produce for the exam. There's not really an order even if generally the PLF is at the end.
A technical sheet is not very difficult to read but it's generally too summarized when you've never made the recipe in question. It's not decrypted like public recipes and it's more of a reminder than a real recipe. This is why you need to be solid on pretty much all the preparations because skipping one and counting on the technical sheet on exam day is a very risky choice (said the girl who never made a mille-feuilles in her life... ahem). You can find the FTs from old subjects by searching online to practice.
At the exam, you have a 90% chance of getting a preparation you've already done. If you're unlucky, it's a creation that came out of nowhere (like the Mascotte that came up the year I sat). But don't panic, whatever preparation you have to make, it will always be composed of elements you master. Sometimes it's a bit sketchy on the assembly but if you pay attention you'll get through it.
Decoding a technical sheet:
I've highlighted the information you need to check in the first place: the name of the entremet, the diameter requested, the theme, the ingredients, the progression and the diagram. It's true that it's basic when you put it like that but in exam conditions when 7 pairs of eyes are scrutinizing you looking for the slightest error, in a panic you can quickly make mistakes (especially in the size of the entremet, if you pour your 2 Joconde biscuits into a mold of 18 because you weren't paying attention and well it's done for!). So I strongly encourage you to take 5 minutes to study the recipe before you start. Normally you should have a good idea of the final result before you start weighing.
The recipe notebook, do I use it or not?
Depending on the centers you may or may not be allowed to use your recipe notebook. It's rather discouraged to use your own recipes because those on the technical sheet have been studied for the subject. If there's a problem with it (quantity, texture...) everyone will have the same problem and you won't be penalized. If you're the only one messing up with your recipe (much too much or not enough quantity for example) you will be heavily penalized.
How do I organize my recipe notebook?
I personally think it's not worth it. But if you prefer, you're allowed a recipe notebook with the ingredients (and only the ingredients!) for each preparation. Just like in the technical sheet, you sort the ingredients by order of use (which can be a small boost in case of a memory lapse).
The assembly
Let's now look at the subtleties of assembly. Did you notice that it's more or less implied in the process? Indeed, as I pointed out in the list of materials needed for the CAP, the entremet rings requested are 6 cm. The final entremet will therefore be 6 cm high* (without the decoration). For assembly, you are told in the process that the second layer of biscuit should be mounted at 3/4 of the ring. So on a 6 cm ring that's 4.5 cm (6 times 3 divided by 4 for those of you less math-inclined). It's good to know before filling the entire ring with cream and no longer having space for your biscuit, right? In general, I advise you to go really easy on the cream, 6 cm is really not high and we always struggle to fit biscuit+cream+biscuit+cream into 6 cm. In this recipe, remember to leave the necessary 1.5 cm to properly cover the last biscuit with cream.
Another subtlety: the diagram is not very clear (it's rarely the case) but we have a strip of biscuit that surrounds the entremet. It may be necessary to slightly trim the Joconde bottoms to allow inserting the strip between the ring and the biscuit bottom. Another piece of information: since the biscuit strip is between the 2 rings, you'll need to lay it at 4.5 cm height. And bam... Another thing to figure out that wasn't obvious at first glance!
And we go...
Normally we're pretty good now. We have a solid idea of what the final result will be and we'll be able to launch into weighing and go ahead merrily!
STOOOOOOP young padawan! Before you rush headlong into making your Joconde biscuit, did you notice the pitfalls in the ingredients list? No? Come on, I'll help you, it happens in the bavarian.
The recipe mentions gelatin. Knowing that it takes at least 15 minutes to rehydrate it, it would be pretty good to start the recipe by letting it soak in water, right? That will save you time when the moment comes when you have to incorporate it (especially since it goes into a hot preparation...).
Same for whipped cream, you need to whip it when it's nice and cold. Storing it in a stainless steel bowl for 15 minutes in the fridge (possibly with the whisk if you don't need it) won't hurt. That way, when it comes time to make the bavarian, all ingredients will be ready. By the way, I remind you that we weigh all the ingredients of a step before starting any mixing!
Well... finally it's less simple than it seemed at first glance, I'm already exhausted (and we haven't even started!). True, this technical sheet is particularly complicated (it's often the case for entremets) but I really encourage you to step back. In exam conditions we make blunders we don't make at home because we dive in head first, pressed for time. But know that thinking is never wasted time. It's as much possible to redo a tart shell that crumbles as it is if you realize at 2pm that there's a blunder in the entremet assembly it's done for! So take the time to think!
*note: I was pointed out that the height of the entremet ring was more often 4.5 cm at CAP. It's true that it's more common. But personally I see no way to assemble an entremet with this type of pastry bag in a 4.5 cm ring. Anyway the ring will be provided to you by the center, it's up to you to adapt the quantities to what you're given!
