Snippet #1305722

Shiro slipped into her uniform for the day. She worked in a pastry shop on the edge of town near her house. It had a good communal considering and she could get her morning run done before work. The shop's name was Maison Blanc and they carried all sorts of items from chocolate shaped roses to cakes, cookies, and breads. She liked working there considering cooking was one of her talents and she wanted to be an aspiring patissiere.

Inside the shop she was doing her usual routine of making the famous light strawberry cake roll. She prepared the jelly roll pan lining it with wax paper and setting it to the side. Then she reached for her mixing bowl setting it on the table next to the pan. She poured baking powder and flour in at the right amounts watching and counting carefully. Moving to get the other bowl she put in the eggs, vanilla extract, and granulated sugar beating it with the electric mixer just enough until the mixture turned in a beautiful pale lemon color. She added a touch of water and beat it on a lower speed for several more seconds before getting the flour mixture and sprinkling it over the egg mixture slowly. This procedure took time and skill and yet what she found amusing was that the head chef put her in charge of making this cake. It pleased her yet made her think 'Wow, I'm getting better everyday!' Finished sprinkling she picked up the mixer and turned it to a very low mixing speed giving it about five seconds watching for when the two mixtures were just combined. She smiled setting the old equipment away so they could be washed by the other chefs. She got out her icing spreader and picked up the bowl. She began pouring the mix over the pan while spreading the batter evenly. She huffed picking up the pan itself and setting it in the already prepared oven. Now all she had to do was wait a few minutes.

She pulled the cake out of the oven and smiled at the crisp golden look. It looked refined yet delicious to even look at. She set the hot pan on the counter and sighed. Looking up to all the customers eagerly waiting for her cake whilst eating one of the bakery chef's or the chocolatiers items. They wanted to eat and she had to provide. Her heart fluttered in excitement like it did before a race. This is what she liked about the work place too, you could see the customers play and have fun as they could watch you bake the cake. Also it provided a way for customers to feel safe in what their eating. Going back to her work she set herself to pulling the edges of the cake off the pan and and setting the cake out on a cooking towel. She sprinkled with the one tablespoon confectioners' sugar and then rolling up towel and cake, jelly-roll style, starting from one of the cake's short sides. She set it to cool on a wire rack. Seventeen minutes later she unrolled the cake and removed the towel. She spread the cake with frozen yogurt and sliced strawberries, to within one half inches of edges then rolled the cake once more. She moved to set it in the freezer which would cool it down much faster. Usually it took four hours but if she put it in the freezer it would take only thirty minutes. Since she had time to waste she wandered out from behind the counter and sat down at one of the tables. Her co-worker Chikane who she had became fond of, brought some tea over and winked. "Thanks buddy. Now you get back to making that yummy bread. I want some after work." She laughed and Chikane smiled as she moved her hand to pat Shiro's shoulder. She wandered back to her station as Shiro took a sip of tea relaxing. "Hmm. Nice."