K8memphis

It is used to whip up to make a cool whip type 'fake' whippped cream topping. It is like egg whites & real fine sugar & probably some other stuff. It's great in cake because the idea is you whip the batter and the egg whites kinda do their thing and the extra super fine sugar in there does it's thing and it really enhances the cake.

Yes I've done it. No you use it dry, as a powder. Eillee-een, Dream Whip is every bit as wholesome and natural as refined flour, refined cake flour, refined sugar and baking powder, buttermilk, vanilla extract, sour cream, etc. All of those so called scratch ingredients are either highly refined or totally processed and concocted. Don't you think??? And I like all of 'em, shortening too and lard. Let him who is without phyllo dough in the freezer cast the first cupcake. Or a box of crackers or a can of soup or quick oats or or or... Dream Whip does boost the sugar factor in the cake and generally fluffs it up, helps makes a great cake. When I used it, I was testing recipes and with my particular setup I did not see the same results you get when you add it to a mix--but I was in testing mode testing out scratch recipes. So it might have been the recipe itself. I was testing lots and lots and lots of stuff. I settled on Sylvia Weinstock's recipe for white cake. Awesome. I need to try it with Dream Whip & see what happens. Let me know your results. And I'll post mine next time I bake that cake.

I could not agree more. It was incredibly unfair. And could have been very easily remedied by allowing them more time in advance if it just had to be in Colorado. My cake-buddy, Mari, won second place. Yeah, it was cruel really, huh.

Oh Kim, you're doing great. I'm happy for you. Great pricing!

Just in the sense of playing fair, I think you should not charge less than the lowest priced bakery in the area, say $1.50 each for an example. Start there or higher. So you should really call around. If you low ball your initial order, it is very difficult to raise your price for a second order. I suggest starting out on the right foot. I mean no lower than the grocery store bakery either. You product will of course be much different than the grocery store cupcake, but it should not be lower priced. I understand that you are not setting out to bake for the masses. But I have over thirty years experience in & out of bakeries, etc. and my own home business. Hey, if you feel you must underprice, at least write up a legitimate sales slip with the $1.50 on there, then give a 10% discount or whatever. And do all the math so it can be seen so when you need to raise prices all you do is discontinue the 'grand opening special' discounts. But it's better to just price them outright where they ought to be priced. You are a pro if someone is paying you. So be a pro!

JeanneCake, do you think that those bubble straws are strong enough to hold up a 3 tier cake ie: 16 + 12 + 8? I wouldn't want to find out they're not strong enough when I do it!! ← Tweety, I do not chance it myself. I would use the bubble tea straws in the 12 to hold up the eight maybe. But another idea is to use regular straws inside the bubble tea if you want and to make it even more involved you can put bamboo skewers inside the regular straws. But I just usually use the big white plastic kinda fat hollow dowels from the cake store for bottom tiers & use straws or some combination thereof in the upper tiers. And bamboo skewers are cool because you can kinda nail the cake into the board a bit if you're using cardboard. And all those things are fairly easy to cut. Another thing you can use for big momma tiers is umm, pvc pipe. So nice & sturdy. A lot of my friends use the stress free support system--it's stainless steel and costs a fortune. The price and having to have them returned makes them muy stressful for moi. But a lot of decorators use them. I try to make everything disposable. Brides generally appreciate as few nagging details as possible to have to deal with. Hey, just like me.

Oh, how pretty, LittleIsland. I bet your Dad was delighted--beautiful work.

^^^ See what I mean???!!! God, that makes me sooo hungry for three square meals of sweets and talking about having leftovers for breakfast. I love sweets for breakfast!! Totally unlike my body which hates sweets for breakfast. I can't look--gotta wear shades Help help give me my sugar free jello quick quick~~but it's really good made with a tablespoon of rum. Love you guys but I must go back to abstaining from this thread. Oh wait, Oh no, there's a National Weather Alert for flooding in low lying areas from the drool pouring from my address. 'Bye

I don't keep up well with this thread because although I make my business in sugar I really can't eat much without gaining weight and this thread is dangerous to me--Patrick's & everyone photographs! sheesh But all that to say, sorry if you all have discussed this, but the orignal poster, Afterburner, has been absent from the board for almost a year. Isn't that interesting and kinda sad too. PS. Happy Birthday, Deborah.

And from there it's easy to see how it's such a freaking addiction. It's a huge pia to do this kind of stuff but there you are doing it again. And poof it's gone~eaten up. This is the real deal which is why it is so intriguing, pull you in enjoyable. Other sugar shows are 101's or highlight a different aspect of pastry. (yawn) The show is a TEN. Easily. My kids, school teachers, loved the show, can't wait for the next one. Another friend was over, loved it, he's a sports enthusiast. Just in my little world, people from different walks 'get it'. I love that Duff is a genuine person, and has a layman's size ego and a heart of gold. Mary Alice is the bombshabomb. Geof is amazing, a perfect alter ego to Duff as he said. The art work of "The Girls" priceless and breathtaking. Question, What does it take as an artist to showcase your employees work on national tv? Or ANYWHERE?! Duff is a ten, no he's a nine point ninety-nine--'cause he's not perfect and he's not on a pedestal and that makes him better than a ten anyday. Edited to say: the producers of competition shows are deliriously happy (read: orgasmic) when contestant's artwork gets 'dramatic'. I'm sure none of the accidents are staged (insert whistling & looking innocent smilie face). His web site states his per serving price for tier cakes starts at six bucks. Mary Alice's famous quote. "Well, we kinda specialize in not small and not simple."

Hey look what I found. Check the last item in the list. Two bucks.

Duff Goodman, Charm City Cakes

I could not have loved it more. He's a voice for cake-buddies everywhere. Shoot yeah, I need a Mary Beth was that the manager's name? She's awesome. "We don't do ordinary and we don't do simple." Rock on, Duff!! Whooo hooo And the cake delivery through the horse pucky was fabulous. Puts a whole new spin on tiptoe through the tulips. The only disappointment was temporary when I thought the building wasn't gonna have the weather vane--then he put it on at the end--far & away beyond way too cool. And when he/they got huffy with the bride who got huffy about her gonna do the cake herself. Yeah right. Brides can be total nutjobs if they listen to some of the nutjob weddhing advisohrs. I can point you to a New Jersey bride getting married in Puerto Rico who has requested my friend in PR to overnight cake samples to her for her approval. From PR to NJ. Overnight samples just to see if she likes them and if she wants to book. Duff was so right on to dismiss that customer. I loved every minute. His shop is awesome. And yeah, me too, the coolest cakes I get to do are the freebies--where I get to design whatever I want. I can't wait for the next episode. edited to say: Oops, no, her name is Mary Alice.

This may not be exactly on food topic but I would effing shoot my effing doctor. I daresay if I could find a friggin phone number where he was at, I'd call his sorry ass and politely request my results. How dare he go on vacation and leave anyone waiting--not to mention my cake-buddy. Ok ok << I mentioned food therefore I'm on topic kinda sorta

This could be an obvious question, so forgive me, but nevertheless, where do you get the lavender?

I used white (clear) battery powered lights in a wedding cake. I attached them to the stand though. They were not encased in cake. Whatever heat generated was not a factor. Check out the bridal area of the local Hobby Lobby or Michael's & see if they have those lights. I got a picture of it somewhere. That shows the dimensions of the little battery box to the handle of the scissors. Then they are just little bitty lights, ten of them if I am remembering correctly with an of off switch. The white thing is the stand I was placing them in--btw the black battery box is about maybe an inch deep. Easy peasy. No soldering. There are white battery boxes too, some with green wires. Cheap.

Thank you, Ling, mushroom quiche is a great idea. SeanDirty, thanks so much for the recipe & how to too. I really need to try to make these. I've made egg rolls before and I'm a child of the 60's so I know how to roll, wink wink I need to push out of my comfort zone & try these. I did not know they had noodles in them. Thanks so much. I love the do it yourself panini thing. I woulda never thougth of that too cool. Great idea. Thank you, Daniel. And I have a gazpacho I really like. I looked up Crab Louis and that sounds like something I would really love to make perfect idea. Thanks so much. I'm a saladaholic. Salad Nicoise! Why didn't I think of that?! Thanks for the great ideas, jgm. I love jam packed fruit salads. Good albacore. Umm, the stuff in the packages seems to be getting better and better--it used to be soo dry--it's actually good now. I like poached salmon too. Believe me, hot and humid describes Memphis to a T. For sure, fried chicken, I like my cornbread with nutmeg. Great ideas--thanks so much, bandregg.

I gotta get a sprayer--those are amazing. And orange oil in the bavaroise--I missed that part somewhere. Umm, y'all are sure the Wagner paint sprayer is food safe??? Is there a comparably priced food one?? Probably not...? Here's one for $369. $266 Hmm, then we go into the full size stand alone model$. Geez that fifty dollar Wagner is looking better and better--but what about the food safety issue??

I invite people to have lunch with me on Tuesdays when I (volunteer) work as a receptionist. We sit in the big beautiful lobby behind the big desk and chow down. I have access to a microwave to reheat something and there's a frige. But what is something really cool to take this week for my guest?? I was thinking maybe my famous chicken apple walnut salad on a croissant but I can't remember if she likes it. I wanna make something really delicious and portable. If you were lucky enough to get an invite from me what would you like for me to bring that day??? For example last week I served chicken artichoke cheesey stuff on cream puffs, week before it was whooppee gourmet salads. ???

My friend ganached the top of her torte and it looked so pretty. I just thought it was too rich for any adornment, like you, cyd, but boy it really enhanced the whole effect with the pretty smooth ganache on it. Amccomb, didja get the recipe I sent?

I'm over 50. Everything pisses me off. ~~~~~~~ What do you think about the waiter sliding the napkin on your lap for you? I can't help but say it is creepy creepy creepy to me. eww eww eww

There's one in Nick Maglieri's book, Perfect Cakes, I can send yah...it's off to work I go right now though..can send it tonight.

My friend uses it for wedding cake with no problems. It does keep in the frige very well. It was on the menu in my ill-fated tea-room and it kept very well.

Good service is very important to me. Sometimes we have intense conversations pulsating over our dinners that are clumsily interupted by topping off an inch on a glass of water or asking for the umpteenth time if all is well. Opposite that is the time when my empty glass that I place on the end of the table for easy emphasis gets passed up time after time for a re-fill. The little white haired lady can't be too thirsty can she? Perhaps, but you'll need something to help you swallow my tip. I was in a (supposed to be) chi-chi place recently (it thinks it is). Kind of new place in town. Nothing had been served yet but the waiter slid my napkin across my lap. Eww, Eww, Eww, I felt like 1) a chastened child and 2) like I'd been mildly violated. The food was not that good. The duck confit absolutely reaked. I have no idea how or why my eating companion could even touch it with her fork. It had an everlasting 'aroma' that filled my nostrils the whole time we sat there with napkins dutifully across our laps like so many safety belts tucking us into the roller coaster wondering if there'd be confit hurled all over any minute. We ate at an even more chi-chi place once. The service was so good it was purely amazing. Our waiter said, "Let me put the white wine on ice and open the red so it can breath, (or is it the other way around?) and then let's start with some champagne" he exclaimed with twinkling eyes. Too cool, dude, and I don't even hardly drink. And I was allowed to do whatever I wanted with my dad gum napkin.

I just started thinking way too much about this That sounds amazing. For a garnish what about some nice sugared orange peel curlique/s??? Or a small pile of sugary orange peel (like shoestring) sticks would be a nice contrast to the solid cheesey figginess (I would give them a douse of saigon cinnamon too.) Too ordinary?? If you wanted to get crazy you could do a cool "M" for the name of the place in orange peel to stand up in the middle. Cut out the "M" and candy it, sugar it etc. I mean of course you would make a bunch and use your best ones. I mean you could do the m's in advance and bring them with you. Wonder what happens if you just touch the edge of the sugared "M" with the torch...hopefully that would make a cool border around it...maybe...or it might melt it down to an "N" too. But you would wanna make them with long legs so if they sink down a bit. I would have a bit of crumbled crust crumbs available to cover up any issues around the base of the "M". Just some brainstorm garnish thoughts... Chef-boy has done some awesome amuses with whoopee fancy cheese pate choux & stuff too. If I talk to him today I will pick his weedy brain for ideas. He's made a lot of cheesey savory pastry cream. Congratulations and how very very cool for you! Now, me, I would put the M in the middle and have fragile orange peel curliques radiating out & up over the edge of the dish. But that might be why I'm not a pastry chef (I would also arrange the crumbs under the M in a pattern and use a decorating tip on my finger to press into the edges of the crust before baking to hopefully leave an impression in the dough after it bakes. More than you ever wanted to know for sure! At least maybe that will inspire a thought or two on garnishing this or your next adventure You could make something interesting out of a bit of the dough too--an "M" to lay flat maybe... You could cut out & bake leaves and put one leaf on each tart. You could make a thousand leaves and use them as the fluting on the crust...