K8memphis

Jeanne, yes Fat Daddio's is anodized and they are made to perform at lower temperature is my undertanding. I was given a 6 inch pan that baked some brownies ok--but I have my sentimental favorites, which are sets of cake pans when I bake a big cake. So when baking a big cake it would be awkward to factor in a different temperature for a handful of pans. There's too much to think about as it is huh. Little Island--I did not know they made cookie sheets either. Surprise surprise. I went looking for the ones that Ultimate Cook's Dream used to make. PaulR--wow who knew. That's a weird photograph huh. The marketing department was having a bad day on that one. Finally I see it. It's three different sizes--whoa that was crazy.

Well here's a Magic Line one. Magic Line And Cook's Dream http://cooksdream.com is the site but they used to make their own. Now they just have Magic Line and Fat Daddio's. Fat Daddio's I don't know, those FD's look weird and they would shelter the heat too much with those giant wings on the sides I think for cookies. But I've never used 'em.

I don't like the insulated ones either. I use a shinry smooth aluminum sheet--pure flat edges on three sides and on the other edge, a fold up for a handle. No woggle--stays flat and secure--bakes pretty and level. Because this nice sturdy heavy duty pan also doubles as a tool for cake torting--to slide big whonking fragile layers onto and off of. I'm trying to remember this great place in Washington where I got mine online...

Way beyond totally awesome. Let's just call it well deserved bragging rights. Bravo!

Dude, Dude, take the $3100 Jackal just saved yah, go hog wild buying ingredients and go mix it up!!!

For sure. My point is that by comparison to improving land and building, installing lights, putting in ceiling tiles, hand sinks, flooring, cleanable walls, stoves, gas lines, hood, fire system, bathrooms, parking lot, mop sink, plumbing out the whazoo, yada yada yada, there is no 'risk' in purchasing equipment especially if you buy it used. Turning enough profit on bread is unlikely anyhow. Sill yet the most valuable commodity here is wanting it. Here's a new one for $3200. I mean dig a bit and you can do much better than that.

Maybe crystal colors? My cake buddies recommended these- I haven't tried them--I don't see these as being shiney though--they are matte as far as I can tell. But mix them with pearl dust and you have luster dust at least.

I mean we've all eaten our fair share of crayons, glue, dirt, dog biscuits, pure vanilla, cocoa powder, chewing gum, paint chips...wha-at?

You can get started much cheaper than that but you have to want to. I don't think you want to do this. I gave $600 for a used heavy duty Berkel 20 qt. I replaced all my cake pans for $800 (after a house fire) My speed rack was a hundred bucks. Sure, you could do it for half your estimate & have a cadillac set up. Still yet there's no risk. There's no risk buying equipment because you can sell it. You have no overhead and no improvement cost--gedotta here! I mean you could start by jacking up one credit card if you didn't want to go for any other financing. Not plan A but so doable. Your overhead to start is so low it's almost too good to be true. You need to decide what you want. Because a plan like this is many people's dream come true.

Wow, let me know if it ships. The stuff I use is too soft for that. It will hold texture but would definitely show dings. Maybe if it was real stiff?

What risk? If you are walking into a facility that is up and running. You have a willling captive audience awaiting your every move. I mean if you are worrying about the children you have yet to conceive, probably not a good plan for you. ? Determine your break even point and go start some relationships with vendors. I mean you could do this part time. What?

Yes Marsha Winbeckler wrote a little booklet about it~~it's here somewhere...

I've never heard of rolled buttercream either. Could it substitute for fondant? ← Not so much but maybe. I have an old booklet somewhere that advises to use this as a cake covering but I can't find the book and obviously it did not catch on. Works good an a flat surface like a cookie. I freeze it to handle it. It's just corn syrup, fat and sugar. I don't know anyone who uses it n place of fondant as a cake covering and I know tons of decorators. There's nothing to keep it from tearing from it's own weight.

Whoops! Didn't see this. Does rolled b/c get hard like royal? Can it be molded like gumpaste? ← Doesn't get hard like royal--but will hold texture. Y'know it's kind of on the order of the lofthouse cookies with the thick icing. Try it--I know you will want to incorporate it in some way. It's a soft bite too--really great for cookies. Modeling with it? I don't think so, not as is, but there are so many great modeling doughs. Beautiful cuppies!

Pastrygirl, rolled buttercream is equal parts corn syrup and shortening, some flavoring then add enough powdered sugar to make a doughy, rolling consistency. You can roll it out and texture it and cut it out with the same cookie cutter you cut your cookies out with. Put the cookies in the oven, put the rolled buttercream in the freezer. When the cookies come out and are hot, place the frozen rolled buttercream cut out on there~~viola. Would take edible glitter very well.

Marble rye--good symbolism. Cheese, ok. Since when is Kobe all Amercan? I guess American Kobe is American. Call me crazy but please don't offer tribute to me with beans of any sort. Honestly Michelle is more the carmelized onions and the baked beans are more melting pot. Whatever. They had me at marbled rye and lost me in Wisconsin. But the McCain burger tag lines are right on and funny!!!

Crystal colors are something new that I haven't tried yet but they come highly recommended by cake buddies. FDA approved matte flower dust. I don't see their pearl dust, but I'm told there is one. So if that's true you can mix these colors with pearl dust to make luster dust.

Yes edible glitter does dissolve hence the edibleness of it. I bet royal breaks down if it gets a brush of piping gel (so the sutff could adhere). But I can do eglitter on top of swiss meringue buttercream without noticeable dissolving. Does the edible glitter work with royal that's half set up? Yes I use the non-toxic luster and pearl dusts with whatever alcohol is on hand, everclear, lemon extract, vanilla, vodka, whatever. If it's too loose wait a few minutes and the liquid will evaporate, if it dries out just add more alcohol. It can be stored as is and re-used and re-used. So say I've finished putting all those logos on a Louis V purse cake for example so then I apply dry pearl dust to the dry surface of the fondant -- then chill the cake. The moisture generated by the cake coming back out to room temp works to advantage with the dust. And there is a steaming that often takes place with gum paste flowers to adhere the dusts. Just hold the dried flower into a steam mist for a brief few seconds and the dust deepens slightly and glimmers. (Over hot water or steam iron) How's about rolled buttercream or rolled fondant for your great cookies. Rolled buttercream makes incredible tasting cookies. I have a really touchy tummy and I bet if I ate disco dust it would not bother me. But I worry about using it for edible items for sale meself. You are creating art but it's also food. Well dragees are ok everywhere but California pretty sure.

It's non-toxic, not exactly edible. Sold as decor, it's not food, but it won't kill yah. I mean I love edible glitter--it's not as shocking as disco dust but does glitter it up some, made of gum arabic if memory serves. I would not put it on my products that will be eaten but on flowers or decor yes.

I recommend sealing the entire top of the cupcake with the icing. And watch the baking time more carefully. That will help. Lisa, oil based cakes do very well as wedding cakes. It's the support system that holds up the cake.

I don't know it looks good to me. Bake two of 'em to get your results. Not all recipes are created equal. Real fresh cake can be very crumbly. It doesn't look dry. One often removes the top crust. Torting cold cake is easier. No worries.

Yes for sure--just all brainstorming-- Maybe make a small fan of the quince strips and stick that into the marscapone.

Put your marscapone in a bag and pipe a rosette of marscapone. Could you cut a little stick of the quince and roll the tip in chopped pistachios and stick it into the center of the rosette? I'd apply the sauce to the plate in a spiraling swirl, place thin cut quince in a fan shape, place the round* cake at the base of the fan, put the marscapone rosette on the cake, put the stick with the pistachio on the end in the rosette, sprinkle the tips of the fan with the additional pistachios. *Use whatever shape cookie cutter you have, oval, heart, teardrop shape etc.

I knew you had a good reason for that. Watch your color choices--good stuff.

Often a cake is priced on the length of time to complete. A novice cannot charge as much as an accomplished caker but still needs to make something. I try to avoid nickel and diming the client so I tend to up the per serving price rather than charge for myriad individual components. If there was a gum paste orchid cascade, yes they pay extra for that, toppers yes, delivery always, tax, extra artwork, yes upcharge for that. If they are paying for the topper and they want a coupla those same flowers on the cake, naw no upcharge. If I'm using chocolate clay to make pearl borders no because the cake will be bordered anyway. It's hard to be more specific because each cake gets individual attention when it's conceived so you price each one different. Modeling--I mean again some decor is normal but it just depends on what it is. So to me the most important thing is to keep pace with the prevailing prices in your neighborhood. Match them or exceed them but never undercut the competition on the basics. But when you get into the artsy fartsy arena is when the prices can be more spontaneous and you need expertise to get it right. Actually after you screw yourself enough you start to catch on. Charge too much they won't buy. Charge too little you'll hate yourself. You need to know how long something will take to make by looking at it. So gum paste flowers are often charged by the stem same as a florist would charge. Dude, pricing is an art form in itself.