Tomorrow is our last day in level 3, and I should’ve felt more panicked than I did today. But because of Hurricane Sandy, tomorrow’s midterm will be a mock midterm, which means we won’t be inviting former students to judge our dishes.

Shortbread cookies dipped in ganache and touched with a dollop of lemon buttercream

And I felt so calm and on top of my two dishes, I made shortbread cookies from the leftover dough I had from my lemon tart. In fact, I had so much time on my hands that I had enough time to make a second batch after I burned the first. (That’s what you get for putting cookies in the oven right before you have to present poached eggs covered with hollandaise sauce.)

And then the pastry class showed up with a double sheet tray of eclairs.

Eclairs and Paris Brest

Life is good. And heavy.

TIP OF THE DAY: Don’t have time to make a traditional buttercream? Just add room temperature butter to confectioners’ sugar and throw in some flavor boosters for an extra kick (think: lemon zest, vanilla, rum).