Friday 29 July 2011

A week of Sugar and Cake

What a week. A whole week at Slattery for a sugarcraft course, and all I can say is that it was heaven. Bliss. Wonderful. I could have just stayed there forever. Just let me make cake and sugarpaste figures all day every day and I'll be happy forever. Pity they are so inundated with job applications they don't want any more applications for the waiting list.


The first two days were wedding cake style work. We made a 2 tier square cake by carving up a 16" x 14" sheet of genoese sponge (or 'Gen' as they call it in the industry. Check out my specialist knowledge, haha). We used an 8" and a 12" cake board as templates to cut out our cake which was about an inch and half deep and then stacked up 5 layers of Gen. The advantage is using sheet cake rather than cakes baked in the required size tin is that you can carve it really neatly and scrape of the crumb without losing size. Very cool. If only my oven was big enough for 16" x 14" trays...


The layers were filled with alternating layers of vanilla buttecream and raspbery jam, and then crumb coated with buttercream. Then we covered them with white sugarpaste (fondant) and sat them on the board, reinforcing the lower tier with plastic dowels. The decorating was so much fun. We were shown all sorts of techniques and as we applied them to our cakes the effectiveness of even simple royal icing piping was made evident. Although a lot of techniques need practice to refine, they are not difficult. Wonderful :)



Day three was a sat up Minnie Mouse cake. So stunning to look at but so simple in construction when you break it down step by step. The only gripe I had was that the red sugarpaste we were using started cracking even as I was rolling it out to cover the cake and make the dress, so by the time I placed my head on my Minnie, the dress had some nasty cracks. Karen said the quality of sugarpaste can really vary and the new EU colour regulations have changed a lot of recipes. Minnie's face is a little tricky, but now that I know the proper proportions, I think with some practice I should be able to replicate it in future. The end result is so effective and striking, it would be amazing for kids parties, and I hope I get a chance to make one some time soon. The same techniques can be used for Micky Mouse and other figures so the possibilities are endless :)



Day four and five were sugarpaste figures. Buzz Lightyear, Micky Mouse, a baby and a standing up woman. I loved Buzz. He is all nice block shapes and bright colours and as long as you get his pronounced chin right, he is the cartoon character in edible form. Awesome :) Micky was a sugar version of the Minnie cake but smaller and cuter. The baby was so, so simple, and so gorgeous it will be perfect for baby shower or christening cakes. I just need to practice painting for those tricky eyelashes and eyebrows. The standing up lady was great fun as we got to dress and style her as we liked, and although I was missing a nice piping nozzle for her hair, and her face is a little chubby, I like her and she is a foundation for making all sorts of figures in all sorts of poses. Also, she made it home without breaking and I am very happy she is still in one piece.



All in all a wonderful week, but now back to reality. Some work to be done, and dreams of having my own shop keep my mind occupied when I am not writing adverts or web content. Never a dull moment. But the point of a challenge is that its challenging, so bring it on :) And good news, I have been comissioned to do a golden wedding anniversary cake and dessert selection in August. That will be great, although I have to track down a Youtube video for making sugar sweet peas, but I have made sugar flowers this week so I know the basis, yay! :) I am also doing a market stall for the first time in August, so no dull moments here. Lots of planning. Little stress, but very exciting.

Orignal From: A week of Sugar and Cake

Friday 22 July 2011

Modelling chocolate, and new and sticky experience


As I try to teach myself new techniques and how to work with new mediums in my hopeful new field, I sometimes come across interesting and fun things. Like modelling chocolate. Its interesting. And its fun.




Making modelling chocolate is dead easy. Simple. Idiot proof. Me proof even. You melt some chocolate. You add some corn syrup (sourcing corn syrup in the UK is probably the hardest part of the whole exercise). You mix it together, and hey presto, you have modelling chocolate. Wow. It is truly a fascinating thing that just adding corn syrup to chocolate changes its properties so much. It becomes elastic and pliable and while it will soften enough to be workable in the heat of your hands, it does not melt. I am no chemist but this reaction is a wonderful thing.




Once you have your modelling chocolate you can use it to model whatever you like. I used it to make some chocolate roses for a birthday cake that I was making. Also a lot easier than you would think. I'm no artist or sculptor, but chocolate roses are relatively easy and so, so effective when placed on a chocolate cake, that the recipient will be ooh-ing and aah-ing for at least half an hour. Result :) If you'd like to try modelling chocolate or chocolate roses, the recipe is below. Now to upload the birthday cake to my new website. But where, hmmm...


 

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Modelling chocolate

What you will need: 
10oz chocolate
1/3c corn syrup

What to do:
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a simmering pot of water.
Add the corn syrup.
Mix well until the mixture stiffens and comes together in a doughey kind of way.
Place in a ziploc bag and leave for a couple of hours to set.
To work with the chocoalte, cut the big piece into smaller pieces and work with your hands until pliable.

Then watch an awesome youtube video on how to make chocolate roses. This chick is crazy awesome.

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Orignal From: Modelling chocolate, and new and sticky experience

Tuesday 19 July 2011

Spaghetti & Meatballs

 


Sometimes I eat too much sugar. I know this. I know its not healthy. I can't help it. I love baking.

When I have had an especially sugary day or two, I start craving salt and savoury, big time. And not just anything, something substantial, home cooked and flavourful. I had this particular craving the other day and after seeing the Barefoot Contessa's spaghetti and meatballs, and remembering how absolutely phenomenal my friend Sandra's spaghetti and meatballs were the last time she made them for me, I decided it was time. I had not made spaghetti and meatballs for like, a year? More? I can't even remember. I have made bolognaise and lasagne which I guess are in a similar vein, but don't have the mega meaty punch of the meatball.




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Thursday 14 July 2011

Apricot Breakfast Crisp


I had been neglecting breakfast for a while. It had been ages since I had made some vanilla-ey, banana-ey porridge, and I was in the breakfast doldrums. Dry toast or cardboardey cereal was getting me down. So I went looking for inspiration. First in the greengrocer down the road. I had originally gone in there looking for an onion or something equally mundane, but I emerged with a large box of apricots.


I cannot remember the last time I had a fresh apricot. Sure, I've had dried ones in my granola on occasion, but real, fresh, tart little copper beauties, not for a very long time. So I grabbed them. The colour of them seduced me. Look at them, can you blame me? I was powerless to resist the loud orange call.



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Wednesday 13 July 2011

Pistachio Macarons



I have been beaten by the tricky macaron more times than I care to remember. There was the strawberry macaron mush incident, and then there was the lumpy chocolate macaron fiasco. But not one to sit down and take being beaten quietly (any more), and inspired by the brilliant bakery that is Paul's where I had a perfect pistachio macaron, I plucked up the courage to give the little devils another go.




It had to be pistachio as the perfect Paul's macaron was green and glorious and I just had to try recreate it in some way. So I pulled out a bag of the glorious petit green devils, and subjected them to the blades of the little blender, and the game was on.

 




The basic concept of the macaron is not a complicated one. Ground almonds (and pistachios in his case), sugar and egg whites. Egg whites airy and whipped, gently folded in ground nuts. Pipe into little circles, bake and hey presto, macaron bliss. Or not. So all the prep went smoothly. Consistency seemed right, colour was good, piping was perfect. They baked up rather pretty, although a little wonky I have to confess, but I blame the oven for that. But the consistency was just not right.


Paul macarons are heavy and dense with rich, sweet nuttiness. They are strong and pack a punch. Mine were weak and spineless. The dome of the macarons was hollow. They were empty. How does that happen? Only the macaron gods can tell me. And they aren't feeling particularly communicative at the moment. Rude and unfair I say. But what can one humble home baker do? They tasted nice, and nobody I fed them to complained at their hollowness. I think the pistachio buttercream helped make up for that.




I am sure that I will re-attempt them at some stage, when I am feeling brave and thick-skinned again. Until then, I am very busy with a project. A big one for me. Gone are the days of the office, and here are the days of self-employed uncertainty. I am starting up my own cupcake business and praying and hoping and wishing that it will take off a little. I'm not greedy, I am not out to be a millionaire, but just enough to keep me busy and keep me in sugar, butter, eggs and red wine. Wish me luck, and all fingers and toes crossed please :) I will post up the website URL when its ready to launch. Until then Sugarbird Cupcakes will remain faceless. Just a rumour on a little, insignificant blog...



Pistachio macaroons

What you will need:
55g pistachios
55g ground almonds
200g icing sugar
Pinch or so of green powder food colouring, or paste if you prefer
90g egg whites (about 3)
20g caster sugar

For the buttercream
55g pistachios
250g icing sugar
125g unsalted butter, softened

What to do:
I like to set my piping bag up in a tall glass so that I can easily transfer the macaroon mixture into the bag. (You'll need to fit it with a 1cm plain nozzle.
Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking parchment.
Grind the pistachios in a food processor to a fine powder then add the ground almonds, colour and icing sugar and continue to blend until the nuts and icing sugar are completely blended.
Don't wash up the blender as you'll need to grind more pistachios for the buttercream below.
Whisk the egg whites in a large, clean bowl to soft peaks. Slowly whisk in the caster sugar until stiff peaks form and the egg whites are glossy.
Now for the 'macronage': fold the nut and icing sugar powder into the egg whites until well combined. You'll end up with quite a thick paste. Be careful not to overmix!
Spoon the mixture into the piping bag and pipe 3cm circles, about 2cm apart onto the baking tray. Rather than pipe in a circlular motion, you need to squeeze the mixture out then whip the nozzle away. The macaroons should flatten out, however, if you're left with little 'peaks', flatten them with a wet finger.
Pick the trays up and carefully drop them onto the counter – this helps the macaroons develop characteristic 'feet'.
Leave the macaroon shells to dry out for at least 30 minutes. (They're ready when they're no longer sticky to the touch). Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170C.
Bake the macaroons for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely before you try to remove them. If they are really sticky and look hollow underneath, try baking them for 5 more minutes.

For the buttercream, blend the pistachios to a fine powder, then blend again with the icing sugar until you have a pale green powder.
Beat the butter until soft and fluffy then beat in the pistachio icing sugar. If you're using an electric whisk, I would beat the buttercream for a few minutes to make it really light and fluffy.
You can either spread the buttercream onto the macaroons using a knife or pipe it on for a clean finish.

Orignal From: Pistachio Macarons

Tuesday 5 July 2011

Rum & Raisin Chocolate Truffles


Rum + Raisin = Sublime

Rum + Raisin + Chocolate = Divine

These homemade Rum & Raisin Chocolate Truffles = Perfection


I have not done much chocolate making in my life, but I have been thinking a lot about chocolate and making things from home recently. Then the other day I happened to be watching an episode of the Barefoot Contessa that was based around all things chocolate, and she made some Rum and Raisin truffles. Needless to say I was smitten, and almost the second it was finished, I was in the kitchen, rummaging in my chocolate storage box for all the chocolate I could lay my hands on to start making a bounteous batch of these beauties. 
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