K8memphis

I'm curious, why just chocolate bundts, Rona? Margaret Braun calls these flavored simple syrup cake applications, 'splashes'. I mean you can flavor them with anything, extracts, oils, liqueurs, etc. The sky's the limit.

Yes or drizzle with a spoon or fork.

Well you don't have to blow it either--you just need to work it and keep it warm --you could just pull it to get a real thin shell. (duh, Kate) You need the 250 watt warming bulb--fifteen bucks at the hardware store for the ceramic outlet and $6-$7 for the bulb give or take a few.

This seems obvious so I must be missing something. You don't mean like blowing some sugar with a pump. I made a recipe yesterday in fact with corn syrup in it and it was so sticky I just wrestled and pulled and finally removed my hands from out of my latex gloves that were inextricably tangled inside the giant sticky mass of sweet lava with the spatula all glued to the fricken silpat. So I ventured back before too long and managed to get a nice blob together and blew some cool orbs and a fish too and had a great time. But it was wrestling a 500 pound gorilla for a while. I mean all you have to do is over cook it a little bitty bit land it's a beautiful caramel color. For my paraphenalia I have the hand pump dealie and the shaft from a bic pen (aka a thick straw) But key was the 250 watt warming bulb to keep things warm. I'm slowly adding to my arsenal of sugar tools, Just doing the best I can with what I have at present. I mean I'm just playing I'm not using this for any projects. You don't mean that right? I missed something right?

No no I was being a bit obtuse--I am referencing that bastard child of baking, the cake mix.

I just bought the kind of plastic wrap that Sam's or Costco had. It's the short commercial box with a ton of wrap in it. But I use a lot of wrap on cakes. I wrap it snug but not too tight. I double wrap them generally then stick them into those reynolds cooking bags that are made for cooking turkeys & roasts. I tape two together if my cake is too big. I don't use zip locks because they might squosh the cake. I'm careful not to squish--I wrap it snug though --less area to develop ice crystals is my hope. But I mean I use two lengths of plastic wrap to wrap the cake once because that wrap was not wide enough to cover all the way. Then it just overlaps in the middle. do that two times then into the bag so some of it is covered four times. You can't be too careful with it I think. In a perfect world I go straight to the freezer with my filled cakes then all I have to do is ice them. The frige is contorversial--it is said that the cakes dry more in the frige. However, I think that cakes made with butter do not relax enough when brought back to room temp so a nice moist cake will develop a 'hey this isn't melting in my mouth any more and it's scratchy down my throat' feel to it. So the cakes I freeze (wedding cakes that is) have to be made with those multi million dollar ingredients that can create such a stir on foodie boards. I like to 'season' my cakes at least over night in the freezer. When they thaw they reconstitute the moisture levels kwim. I avoid the frige as much as possible with cake. So that's how I do it. Freezing thoughts for you...hmm that was chilly.

See there's a good reason to stick to the canned variety. Would a potato peeler work or is the skin too tough?

Wow cool. I thought they grew in cans like pearls grow in oysters. Although I've never used fresh ones, I use them in endless salads and dressing/stuffing. And in tuna muffins: 2 large cans tuna drained 1/2 (tuna) can almond meal 4 eggs beaten well with a tid of water minced onions chopped water chestnuts chopped celery salt pepper bake 425-450 degrees until nicely browned about 25 minutes

No of course not. I don't know brides just think that the physical laws that govern every other day of the world will not apply on their big day. Sun and sand are not a factor for them. I say that the cake is guaranteed to be delivered to the cake table at the appointed time and therein ends my responsibility. Uneven tables, insects, the wind, birdies flying overhead making droplets, the heat including melting cake, as well as moving the cake after delivery are all out of my purview.

So for quarter cup each of water and sugar I'd use about a scant quarter cup of liqueur give or take--I just taste it to see if I like it. And that's about how much I'd use for one recipe or cake mix. All of the flavors I listed I think would go good with your cake. Grand Marnier is my default splash--raspberry or cherry flavor brandy or vodka or regular fruit flavor. It's the tenth picture in this thread. That shows about how much I use and the kind of squirt bottle. I mean some people brush it on. You wanna be careful to not let your cake get a hot alcohol spot. Some flavor splash ideas for you.

I put it on most all my cakes. I usually apply it when I torte and fill. You can do it basically any time you want for any cake you want. Did you put any flavor in there? That's another optional option. Vanilla, rum, GrandMarnier, Kaluha, amaretto or almond extract--the lorann oils etc. etc. or plain is ok too.

Add a little honey or agave? Sub for some corn syrup? Just a sweeter butterfinger thought for you.

Is it late in the evening? I mean if the cake is not used as the focal point of the reception and is kept indoors until serving it's much less stressful. You can make a mosquito netting thing for it to keep off insects similar to this. Just pray it's not windy. I think 7-minute icing is a gnat magnet and would be very difficult for me to consider because of the stickiness. A crusting buttercream is better. My motto is just say no to outdoor receptions or do it reasonable and just serve cake forget the focal part thing. Brides often choose cream cheese icing for outdoor weddings.

This came up once but we discarded the idea as change can be so difficult. kwim

I will second the motion for Ubuntu and Meadowood. They were both just so incredible you have to be there to get it. Plus Taylor's Refresher in St. Helena for lunch--I just fell in love with the place-muy casual. Chef Kostow at Meadowood was fabulous. We were seated on the heated yet open balcony overlooking the golf course for the sunset view over the mountain. I mean that alone was worth the price of admission. Then the food brought home the amazing ambiance. The service was pleasant and impeccable, comfortable. The wine pairing was a delicious treat. Plus now Chef has a new pastry guy. I hear he is pretty good. Chef actually offered me the job tableside one night. But they bake the bread throughout service. Meadowood was a rare delicious jewel for us. You will love it.

I wonder how cabbage would work out cooked like the roasted cauliflower? ← I don't know but I ate the whole thing. <burp>

Cabbage. I mean you can do a multitude of things with cabbage. But this is what I'm doing right now. I took off outer icky leaves, washed it, sliced off a section to expose the core, cut it in half from the core down. Then with one half, remove core, cut thin. So I've got half a head of cabbage sliced thin so they look like curly noodles. Got the iron skillet hot, turn the flame down, put in two tablespoons of oil, the cabbage & some salt. Mix it up a bit, let it sit for about 7 minutes so it starts to carmelize and look burned. Give it a stir and another 7 minute sit then stir and as many times as you want until it gets as carmelizely as you like. (Probably 3-4 more times.) Slap on the lid, turn off the fire wait 10 minutes. Killer! Freakin' awesome.

I dug around a little on ebay and I couldn't even find any A City--they might still be there but not near as prevalent. I did see A Plus.

Is A Plus the same as A City? My box should have been sold 'as is' rather than 'good working condition'.

I was looking for a box like they have in Starbucks where the cold drinks are in the bottom in the open front and the baked goods are viewable from the front but the doors are in the back. Then I wound up getting a used Coke box like they have in the grocery stores, curved glass doors in front, windows on the side, adorable box. Said to be in good condition. Needed it for drinks. So come to find out the thermostat was coiled up in the top of the box not even installed. The company I bought it from advised me to file a complaint with the shipper but they would help me fill out the paperwork. As if the shipper took the time to diddle with any of the mechanics in there (think it was the thermostat). The coil was nasty with ickbo-mojo (aka nasty sh*t) so the repair guy blew it out in the bookstore. Pretty sure that's why God invented vaccuums but I'm not a frige repair person. I got sick sick sick from the nasty air. The cover for the bulb inside needs to be replaced. The Coke company will not part with one. No way no how. The seal on one of the doors doesn't connect with the box. So other than that I had a great experience with A City in Atlanta Georgia. They are big on Ebay.

Angel Food is an option.

I did one that was shaped like half a watermelon. It was lime sherbet lining the bowl, then a thicker layer of vanilla then filled with raspberry sherbet that had been littered with mini chocolate chips for 'seeds'. And after it was all set up I drizzled green food color on the outside to mimic the striping. I mean it could get foodied up with vanilla bean vanilla and matcha sherbet and a killer red fruit sorbet. And you could easily pipe some chocolate to totally mimic seeds, nice and flat and oval to really blow people's minds. They are fun. Edited to correct the spelling of sherbet. Sherbert did look kinda funny. And~~And of course, we would want to line the bowl or brownie pan with plastic wrap first. No seriously, try the watermelon, very easy, lots of fun. Surprise yourself and do a sculpture.

You said you worked in a kitchen before. That's experience. Learn all you can through books and osmosis. You can do it. It's ok to be scared. Do it anyway but shoot for a big one. My little Mother lost her vision after she retired. Then she got her first computer. Then she started a support group for sighted people who lost their vision later in life and etc. In 1993 she was honored by the Mayor of Hammond Indiana "With the thanks of a grateful community..." "In recognition of her spirit and determination in overcoming obstacles to lead a productive life in service to the community." Nothing worthwhile is easy.

Fabulous! I sure started mine this morning.

I made some little star cookies filled with caramel from the book called In the Sweet Kitchen--by Regan Daley--I piped the caramel onto the cookies. I think piping solves many many kitchen issues. So if you could get a nice caramel and pipe it onto your bananas, let it set up, then dip in choco--or maybe even spoon the choco over--or hey I got it--pipe the chocolate. It's a user friendly caramel: 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 6 tablespoons condensed milk (which is one full quarter cup measure plus a half) 3 tablespoons dark corn syrup (spray the tablespoon first with Pam (Add a teaspoon of vanilla after you cook it and it stops boiling.) Put it all in a heavy saucepan and stirring constantly bring to a gentle boil then set the timer for two minutes while maintaining the boil and continuing the stirring. I add a drop of honey to prevent crystalization but you don't have to. Now then, set a piping bag in a tall glass*, tip down, the bag opened up. When the mixture cools some, pour it halfway up into the piping bag. Wait for it to be cool enough to handle or wrap a towel around it and pipe away. I use parchment and just clip the tip off. Otherwise you'd be using perhaps a 4 or a 5 tip give or take. So that would be several learning curves there and a bit of equipment to get but it's a nice caramel that you could mold easier than the other caramels I think. Another idea is to get a nice strip of banana dipped in chocolate and drizzle the caramel on that. This caramel sets up nice so if the chocolate holds up the banana strip, the caramel could just be real pretty drizzled on top, a few big grains of salt. mmm Caramel musings for you. Edited to say--*the tall glass is just to hold the piping bag for you while you pour or scoop the mixture into the bag.