Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Feng Yifan slowly began his production, starting with kneading the dough.
Add lard to the dough and start kneading it like that.
Chen Xu stood aside, watching Feng Yifan's method of kneading the dough. His expression gradually became very surprised, and there was some awe in his eyes.
After watching for a while, Luo Yu recalled some of the things Chen Xu told her about traditional dim sum.
"Chef Feng, are you rubbing the puff pastry?"
After Feng Yifan mixed the lard and flour, he kept rubbing them back and forth on the chopping board with his hands, just like rubbing clothes on the chopping board, rubbing them with the palms of his hands.
Chen Xu heard Luo Yu's words and whispered to Luo Yu: "Well, rub it."
As a student of one of the top dim sum chefs in the country, Chen Xu is naturally no stranger to gratinated pastry.
Because among Chinese dim sum, especially those that can be called "crispy" dim sum, the key lies in the puff pastry.
The key to whether the puff pastry is good or not lies in the step of rubbing the puff pastry.
This step can be said to be the basic skill of the Huaiyang dim sum chef.
But this basic skill is also the most challenging thing for a dim sum chef.
If you don't rub it enough, you may not be able to achieve the crispy effect.
Chen Xu has also been learning from his master for a long time on this step, and now he can only be considered to have mastered it barely. But to be able to truly do it like his master? Maybe Chen Xu still lacks a lot.
Seeing Feng Yifan rubbing the pastry back and forth non-stop at this time, Chen Xu really admired him.
From Feng Yifan's techniques, Chen Xu already understood that Feng Yifan was a master.
In fact, if you just want to make snacks, you can buy that kind of puff pastry, and the results may not be very bad.
But if one wants to make the dim sum exquisite enough, any dim sum chef will definitely grate the puff pastry by hand.
This is the basics, and it also tests the conscience of a pastry chef.
Feng Yifan was rubbing the pastry there, Chen Xu had a look of admiration on his face, and Luo Yu next to him was also a little in awe.
Yu Quan in the kitchen was also observing very carefully.
Some other chefs don't pay much attention to this step.
But Feng Yifan ignored all that. He just did it himself, completing every step.
When the puff pastry is almost done, roll it into a ball and set it aside and cover it with plastic wrap.
Then Feng Yifan began to process the rest. In addition to the shortbread dough, he also needed to mix water, lard and flour together to make a water-oil dough.
Seeing this, Luo Yu asked Chen Xu beside him: "What kind of snack are you going to make?"
Chen Xu took a look and said, "It looks a little bit like a double sesame biscuit."
But when he said this name, Chen Xu couldn't help but feel a little confused.
Because among the Huaiyang white-case dim sum, Shuangma Su Bing is not actually a very high-level dim sum. It can be said that it can only be considered a very basic level at best.
But Feng Yifan called them here today. Was it just to impress the two dim sum chefs with these basic dim sum
Chen Xu felt that it shouldn't be the case. At least he and Luo Yu were both dim sum chefs with some fame.
However, Feng Yifan's subsequent steps are indeed not much different from those of making double sesame crispy cakes.
However, after the two doughs were kneaded and put aside, Feng Yifan made some changes.
He took the chestnuts that had been cooked and peeled beforehand, added water boiled with chestnut shells and sugar, and then blended them into a paste in a blender.
Seeing this step, Luo Yu was a little surprised.
She had never expected that Feng Yifan would use this method.
In order to make the chestnut flavor of Mont Blanc more intense, she had thought of a similar method before, but she roasted the chestnut shells to dry out the moisture, ground them directly into powder, and then mixed it into the chestnut paste.
That way, after adding some cream to the mix, the chestnut flavor will still remain strong.
But she didn't expect that after boiling water with chestnut shells, she could use the boiled water to make chestnut paste.
And Feng Yifan did not add any cream or butter, he just made a portion of chestnut paste like this.
After it was done, Feng Yifan spread the chestnut paste on the prepared dough.
First apply a layer, then fold it and roll it flat, then apply another layer.
This process is repeated over and over again until all the chestnut paste is used up.
Then fold the dough with layers of chestnut paste, roll it into long strips, cut it into small doughs, apply a layer of egg yolk liquid on the outside, and sprinkle some sesame seeds on it.
Small doughs are made one by one.
And in Feng Yifan's hands, the small doughs looked like sesame dumplings.
Afterwards, he heated a pot of oil and Feng Yifan demonstrated his skill in precisely controlling the oil temperature.
In full view of everyone, put all the sesame dumplings into the pot.
It seemed that the oil temperature was not high. After the dumplings were put into the oil, they all sank to the bottom. Feng Yifan didn't even touch them.
As the oil temperature rises, the dumplings in the pan gradually begin to crisp up and slowly float up from the bottom of the pan.
After floating up, Feng Yifan quickly picked them up one by one, without wasting even a minute.
As they were fished out one by one, the whole kitchen was filled with fragrance.
First there is the aroma of sesame, followed by the aroma of chestnuts mixed in with the sesame, and finally the aroma of some crispy oil, which really makes everyone drool when they smell it.
Even Luo Yu couldn't help swallowing and muttering, "It smells so good."
When Chen Xu heard the voice, he turned his head and glanced at Luo Yu.
Then he also said: "It smells really good."
Feng Yifan put it aside to let the excess oil drip off, and then continued to add one pot after another.
When the third wave was almost out, he pointed at the first wave and said, "Well, these should be ready to eat. Let's have a try."
Feng Yifan also said to Chen Xu and Luo Yu: "My chestnut crisps were inspired by you. Please help me taste them and give me some suggestions."
Hearing this, Chen Xu and Luo Yu looked at each other, and then both of them smiled bitterly.
Chen Xu said first: "Chef Feng, please stop joking with us. Just based on the way you wiped the pastry just now, we are not qualified to give you any suggestions, right?"
Luo Yu said: "Chef Feng, I didn't expect that you would learn some experience from my method and then improve it with a more appropriate method."
Feng Yifan smiled and said, "So, actually I was inspired by you. To be honest, you can be considered half of my teacher."
As he was speaking, Feng Yifan had almost finished scooping out the third pot.
In this way, today's snacks are ready.
Feng Yifan handed the first pot to everyone and said, "Okay, everyone can try it and see how this dim sum that combines Chinese and Western cuisine tastes."
Everyone was not too polite and came forward to grab a piece of chestnut cake.
When Luo Yu was about to eat, Chen Xu reminded her: "Don't be impatient. Have you forgotten that I taught you how to eat this kind of snack?"
When reminded, Luo Yu suddenly remembered and immediately used his other hand to support it from below.
At this time, someone had already taken a bite.
Click.
A very crisp sound was heard, and at the same time, the person who took a bite looked in surprise at the many crumbs that fell out instantly, and it was too late for him to pick them up with his hands.
When the others who hadn't eaten yet saw this, they also hurriedly followed Chen Xu and Luo Yu's example and used their other hands to catch the food below.
As the crisp "crunching" sounds came one after another in the kitchen, everyone tasted Feng Yifan's chestnut crisps.
The crispy biscuits have a rich chestnut aroma and sweetness, and the aroma of sesame leaves a lingering taste in your mouth.
The key is that this snack is not very sweet, and everyone who originally thought it was very greasy found that after eating it, it was not as greasy as imagined. It is really crispy, sweet and delicious. The rich chestnut sweetness after chewing gives people the feeling of eating a crispy chestnut.
Seeing everyone eating, there was no time to talk.
Feng Yifan packed up his things, packed up all the remaining chestnut cakes, and prepared to leave the kitchen.
Seeing Feng Yifan was about to leave, Chen Xu and Luo Yu hurried to follow him.
"Chef Feng, your chestnut crisps are really delicious."
"Yeah, I really can't find any room for improvement."
Feng Yifan smiled and said, "You two don't have to be like this. If you think there's something wrong, you can point it out and we can work together to make this snack more perfect."
Chen Xu and Luo Yu looked at each other after hearing this, and then they seemed to understand what Feng Yifan meant.
And at this moment, the two of them made up their minds.
Chen Xu said, "Chef Feng, we accept your invitation. We are willing to follow you to Su Ji and become Su Ji's dim sum chefs. I hope you won't despise us for only knowing how to make dim sum."
Luo Yu was even more embarrassed and said, "Chef Feng, actually I only know how to make Western pastries. I'm still learning how to make traditional pastries."
Feng Yifan said: "You still call me Chef Feng? Shouldn't you change your name?"
The two were stunned at first, then looked at each other and said in unison, "Yes, chef."
Yu Quan watched Feng Yifan lead the two people away, and his eyes were full of envy. He was not envious of Feng Yifan for finding two such good dim sum chefs, but he envied Chen Xu and Luo Yu for being favored by Feng Yifan and being invited to Su Ji.
After tasting some food these days, especially after seeing Feng Yifan's cooking skills.
Yu Quan finally understood what it meant to be a true champion and what a top chef really was.
Feng Yifan has always been very easy-going since he appeared, and he never puts on airs with anyone. He even responds modestly to compliments from others.
But the cooking skills demonstrated by Feng Yifan, those wonderful techniques, really make people unable to help but be impressed.
Yu Quan, a chef who has worked in Shanghai for many years, knows very well that by working with a great chef like Feng Yifan, he will learn a lot and his cooking skills will be greatly improved.
But Yu Quan also understood that he had no way of following Feng Yifan.
First of all, he would not be invited by Feng Yifan. Secondly, and most realistically, he needs his current job, which is the key income for his family. If he follows Feng Yifan to Su Ji, a place that pursues ideals, Yu Quan does not think he can support it for his ideals.
Coming back to his senses, Yu Quan looked at everyone in the kitchen still savoring and discussing the chestnut crisps.
He understood that no one in the kitchen would want to learn from Feng Yifan.
Yu Quan clapped his hands and said, "Okay, let's get to work. Don't forget that you are still working. Dinner time is almost here. Don't just sit around."
Yu Quan is the chef after all, so his words are very effective and everyone immediately gets busy.
Those who were originally preparing to clean up the things left by Feng Yifan discovered that all the things used by Feng Yifan had already been cleaned and sorted out by him.
Seeing this, Yu Quan couldn't help but admire that this person is a top chef who truly loves cooking.
A top chef, no matter where he is, will never leave a mess for others to clean up after cooking.
They will clean up and organize things themselves to ensure the kitchen is clean and tidy.
This is exactly what has been passed down from generation to generation by traditional domestic chefs.
Feng Yifan led Chen Xu and Luo Yu out of the kitchen. When they took the elevator upstairs, he did not forget to continue asking the two people some questions about the chestnut crisps.
Chen Xu and Luo Yu also conducted a serious evaluation, and then they actually found some directions for improvement.
Luo Yu first said: "Chef, you can actually use my chestnut shell powder as well. This will further enhance the chestnut aroma and make the crisp taste more like chestnut."
Feng Yifan nodded: "Well, this is a good idea, but you still have to add it in moderation."
Chen Xu gave another suggestion: "Chef, do you think that if we add some other nuts, mix them with sesame seeds, and sprinkle them on the surface of this shortbread, will the taste be more complex?"
Feng Yifan laughed when he heard this: "Sure, look, now we have some new ideas after our discussion, right?"
Feng Yifan went on to say: "And I have another bold idea, that is, it can be made not only with chestnuts, but also with some other nut pastes, so that it can be made into a nut series, or it can also be made with fruits."
Chen Xu and Luo Yu smiled and nodded to indicate that it was indeed possible.
In fact, both Chen Xu and Luo Yu, probably because of their own shops, fell into a vicious circle of only using chestnuts and were unable to make better use of other dim sum ingredients.
After Feng Yifan saw this, he began to give them more guidance so that they would not simply get stuck on the chestnuts.
As they were talking, the elevator arrived at the floor and Feng Yifan led the two of them out of the elevator and into the room.
At this time, Feng Ruoruo, Chen Yaofei and Yang Xiaoxi had just woken up. The three little girls were chattering in the room and were looking forward to snacks from Feng's father.
Feng Yifan pushed the door open, held up what he was holding and said, "I'm back. Let me try some new snacks."