Chapter 9: White Rose and Black Rose Cookies

I promptly begin my preparations.

The first ingredient that I take into my hands is the fresh cream, made from the freshly squeezed milk that had just arrived.

Kurt-sama, what are you making? Tina, endlessly excited, is peering at my hands movements.

Its b.u.t.ter. Thats right, Ive never shown you how to make b.u.t.ter, have I?

I pour the fresh cream into a metal bowl, and whisk it fast. Ive asked Tina to make ice with her magic arte, adding ice cold water to it. By doing that, the fat layer gets solidified and becomes b.u.t.ter. To bake cookies, unsalted b.u.t.ter without any salt at all is the best. Adding salt will turn the b.u.t.ters color muddy. However, not adding salt will make it easily spoiled, so its a luxury item for an ordinary lifestyle.

The fresh creamy milk from this morning turns into b.u.t.ter right now. Its the best possible b.u.t.ter ever.

Awesome, really, white and smooth and it becomes b.u.t.ter. Its just like magic.

Cooking

is

magic. Taste it, fresh b.u.t.ter is just the best.

I scoop the fresh b.u.t.ter with a spoon, turning it to Tinas mouth, which she chomps on at once. Tinas face melts happily.

Wooow, it melts instantly, so mellow.

The new b.u.t.ter is light, but the flavor is strong and rich. Spreading it on some bread and eating as is will make a great breakfast. Fresh b.u.t.ter tastes a whole different level if eaten in thirty minutes from when its done.

The b.u.t.ter is done, Im going to start the dough.

Kurt-sama, its cookies this time, right? Why did you prepare four bowls?

To let the rose flower blooms, I need to make four different kinds of dough.

While chopping the almonds that Marquis Fernandes arranged for me, I put rose-dipped whiskey, eggs, b.u.t.ter, and brown sugar. As I bake them, the dough will turn a dark, deeper flavor This is separated into two parts of different ratios.

After that, I knead wheat flour, rose petal honey, then walnut oil that I brought from the village. As theyre baked, the dough will turn white, light flavored and brittle. Without using the eggs, theyll taste as fresh as they can be. I also separate them into halves with different ratios.

Ive made four different kinds of dough.

The contrast between the white and black dough is really interesting.

You havent seen anything yet, itll start getting exciting now.

I divide the well-kneaded dough into several parts, then press them each until thin. I made all the white and black dough into thick and thin rectangles.

Tina, freeze all the dough. Carefully, okay?

Yes, Kurt-sama.

The dough are getting frozen by Tinas hand. And then, I cut that frozen dough.

Okay then, lets put the finis.h.i.+ng touches.

I stack those thin rectangular dough in different sizes one on top of the other, layered up they get rounder. And then, with the remarkably large white dough layer, I roll them up to complete the dough.

Kurt-sama, what is this?

Youll understand when you see it.

Ive layered the dough one on top of another again and again into a cylindrical shape, then with my cake knife, I slice it evenly. The result is round-cut cookies.

Is that, rose? Tinas voice went a pitch higher in surprise as she looked at the cut cylindrical dough.

Youre right, its a rose.

The cut surface turns into a rose pattern! So you can do it this way. But Im b.u.mmed, it lacks a tiny bit of something, how regretful.

Its all good. The roses arent in full bloom yet. When theyre baked, theyll start blooming then.

Laying the round cut cookies, I insert them into the oven. Then, at roughly the same time as theyre baked, I arrange the remaining batch by stacking them up to the very end. This time, the black dough acts as the wrap instead.

The last one was black rose on a white canvas, but this time, its white rose on a black canvas! This is so pretty too.

Thats right, the reason I divided the dough wasnt for being eccentric or showing off. I was stacking the white and black layers of dough alternatively in order to draw the rose. Its the same technique as Kintarou candy. By stacking rectangle shaped ingredients and turning them round, a drawing will be made. With this, no matter how many times I cut them, I can make the exact same drawing.

But why did you divide it into four? You can make the rose pattern just by dividing it into two, right?

Thats no good. The roses deliciousness comes from the harmony between the white dough and the black dough. Drawing the black pattern and the white pattern will result in different ratios of black and white. Which ingredients to use, how much should I mix them together, their most suitable solution will be different. Thats why, the dough to make white rose and to make black rose, even though they look the same color, they actually are properly separated.

Youve considered that far

Doing it that far is the reason why it will become a superb pastry. I grin. A pastrys look is important, but the taste is also important. A ptissiers job is to make sure they both bloom. A compromise is unforgivable.

Itll finish baking soon. Tina felt b.u.mmed before that the rose didnt look good, right?

I- Im really sorry. That, uhm, I think theyre pretty, but I thought that something that looked like a drawing was not enough after all.

Its all right, that impression is correct. But, you know. My cookies have magic laid in them. Youll see what magic as soon as theyre baked.

I take the cookies out of the hearth. The smoke that blows out of it brought the scent of b.u.t.ter and roses into the air.

Kurt-sama, I can smell the roses fragrance!

So the smell is a success. Next is the look. Now, look at these cookies. I wont let you say that theyre awkward.

The smoke starts clearing out, and reveals what Ive taken out of the oven, which are

Such a beautiful rose pattern! In a l.u.s.trous light brown body as the background, theres a black rose! Im not b.u.mmed at all! Its like a picture painted by the most famous artist!

Cookies change form once theyre baked. I made the dough that will make you antic.i.p.ate if the change will occur when the dough is baked, as well as what the shape and color change will be.

Thats exactly my rose cookies magic. The required skill for artisan cookies.

How did you find out what was going to happen after they were baked?

It comes from my years of experience, and also intuition. Youve praised its appearance, but Im confident about the cookies taste too, you know?

My words make Tinas eyes sparkle as she looks at me. Her whole body conveys that she really wants to eat the cookie.

Tina, after weve baked the second batch, shall we have some tea?

Thats, something so delicious-looking being entrusted to me for later, thats just

While looking at Tinas entirely downhearted flatly pressed fox ears, I dont know whether to laugh or cry. However, this is a pastry that has the value to wait for. Im sure shell be happy.

A few minutes later, the two parts rose cookies, the white rose and black rose cookies, are completed. Tina and I take a sample. It gets a huge success rating from me, as well as from Tina. The last thing to do is to present this pastry to Marquis Fernandes and get him interested.

I told Marquis Fernandes servant that the pastry gift for the d.u.c.h.ess is done, and to tell his master that I wish he would taste the cookies soon.

With this, weve arrived at the real deal.