Maui Culinary Students Bake Cakes in the Time of COVID

With at least 75% of the classes at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College taking place online, there are some courses that are successfully taking place face to face. With strict health and safety protocols in place, the award-winning Culinary Arts Program continues to move forward.

For the last two weeks, Advanced Baking 1 students have been working on Entremets. They are stunning multi-layered mousse-based cakes with various complementary flavors and varying textural contrasts.

French in origin – “entremets” is pronounced ‘ontra-may’ – they weren’t cakes at all in the 12th Century when the word referred to the entertainment served between the courses of a feast. They eventually evolved into small dishes served between savory courses. Today, they are desserts and a way for pastry chefs and their students to show off.

Entremets are complex cakes – they involve difficult techniques, advanced knowledge of flavors and textures and the construction is nothing short of architectural.

Culinary Arts Program Coordinator Pastry Chef Teresa Shurilla teaches this Advanced class herself and has decades of experience making these stunning cakes.

“They’re the best way to teach the foundation skills that are required for almost any complex cake or patisserie. Our students always love this project, especially when they see the beautiful results. And now,” she says, on to wedding cakes!”

There’s time to register for Spring 2021 semester. For complete information about the award-winning UH Maui College Culinary Arts Program, please visit http://maui.hawaii.edu/culinary/ And you can get information and assistance with financial aid at http://maui.hawaii.edu/financial/

Student Assistant Meili Jahja “mirror” glazing some of the cakes. PC: University of Hawaiʻi Maui College

Almond Liliko‘i Mousse Cake with an Almond Biscuit. PC: University of Hawaiʻi Maui College

UHMC Culinary Arts Student Pomai Kina working on her Pistachio Entremets. PC: University of Hawaiʻi Maui College

Raspberry White Chocolate Mousse Cake and Pistachio Mascarpone Mousse
Cake. PC: University of Hawaiʻi Maui College

Chocolate Caramel Mousse Cake with a Hazelnut Dacquoise. PC: University of Hawaiʻi Maui College

Entremets sliced. PC: Program Coordinator Pastry Chef Teresa Shurilla

UHMC Culinary Arts Student Jose Rodriguez Gomez putting mirror glaze on his
entremets. PC: University of Hawaiʻi Maui College

UHMC Culinary Arts Student Jose Rodriguez Gomez working on his Chocolate
Salted Caramel Entremet. PC: University of Hawaiʻi Maui College

UHMC Culinary Arts Student Sage Gomes sitting in front of her Raspberry White
Chocolate Mousse Cake. PC: University of Hawaiʻi Maui College

UHMC Culinary Arts Student Charlene Ramos adding Caramel Crisp Pearls to her
Almond Liliko‘i Mousse Cake. PC: University of Hawaiʻi Maui College

Pastry Chef Teresa Shurilla, UHMC Culinary Arts Program Coordinator. PC: University of Hawaiʻi Maui College