2010

I worked with someone that made fudge with Valrhona chocolate (that was sold in a shop) and it was a big hit! Specifically she used Caramelia (a milk chocolate with hints of toffee), Ivoire (white) and Caraibe 66%. I am not a big fan of fudge for the simple fact that it's too sweet for my palette. But trying fudge made with Valrhona chocolate took it to the next level.

I'm a little at odds as to go about doing this. I've collaborated with a local high-end chocolate shop to take orders for bespoke celebration and wedding cakes. This shop is strictly retail and is not a pastry shop, however the owner wants to expand the business to include custom made cake orders as she gets a lot of enquiries for cakes. She wants a 25% cut on all orders that come through the shop. I make the cakes at home. How should I go about pricing in order to make a fair profit for myself? Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

Which method of meringue is the best for making crisp meringue mushrooms? Way back when, I posted that I was making my first "official" wedding cake (meaning I'm actually getting paid!) and the bride would like meringue mushrooms as part of the decor of the cake. Her wedding is this month. I'd like to make these mushrooms a week before her wedding so they're done and out of the way. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Thanks again Kerry! I'm going to give your recipe a try. A few questions: Is it 180 grams of port or 180 ml? Would this be the same amount in fruit puree or compound if I wanted to change the flavour? very thick applesauce: should I cook homemade applesauce further to evaporate excess liquid? Would that be sufficient? I don't have a frame, would a parchment-lined sheet pan work? Thanks! highchef the first time I ever knew about the gelee layer in truffles was when I had Thomas Haas passionfruit truffle. The flavour literally bursted in my mouth. More intense passionfruit flavour than if it had been mixed into the ganache base, in my opinion. Plus the fact that it wasn't a round truffle, it was a square piece made for a different eating experience. He tops off each square with a coloured "plaque" to distinguish the flavours. http://www.thomashaas.com/ tammylc that sounds like another interesting way to do it.

Thanks for the info Kerry. I'll try and get a hold of his book but it's pretty slim pickin's here on the Isle of Wight (UK) for professional pastry reference material at the bookstores. Gawd I miss Chapters! Anyways, do you know how to go about making a gellee layer for truffles? I've always wanted to learn.

Someone has asked me to make some port truffles for them. I'm wondering if it's best to just flavour the ganache with the port or to make a port gelee layer on top of the ganache (which I'd be most interested in doing.) Does anyone have any suggestions and/or recipes? Thanks!

I've been doing a bit of research for interesting filling flavours for cakes and came across a cabernet cake on someone's site. It was a cabernet flavoured ganache that covered the cake. My question is, would the ganache be made with the wine in place of cream or, made as usual and have the wine added after? Any input would be great especially a recipe. Thanks!

Holy crap, (oops) sounds like I need to get this book. But how to get it in the UK? The bookstores here are so lacking in good pastry books. Oh how I miss Chapters (CAN) and Borders....

Wow! Thanks for all your advice and encouragement everyone! You're starting to put my mind at ease but I'm still nervous. One advice I keep reading is to not sell myself short. I'll keep that in mind as I meet my "clients" face to face. Will let you know how things pan out. Stay tuned....

Someone has referred me to a bride to make her wedding cake. Gawd I'm nervous! It's one thing to make wedding cakes (or other cakes) for friends and family but boy it's a whole other ball game when you make one for a complete stranger. Technically, I have made wedding cakes before (4 so far including my own) and I always swore the last one I make will be MY LAST ONE! But now I'm on the verge of a 5th one. This "someone" happens to be the bride's caterer and knows about me through another wedding he catered. I happended to make the cake for that wedding because the bride is friend of mine. Her cake was all chocolate and this bride wants an all chocolate cake as well in place of the traditional English fruit cake, (I'm currently living in the UK) hence the referral to me. I've never gone through the official routine of ordering a wedding cake. I made my own. People I've baked for just tell me what they want or don't want and let me do it. I never made anyone sign a contract. I've talked to the bride's mother and set up a meeting. (Like I really know what I'm doing) I know the date and how many people are attending. I also know the cake is going to be the main dessert. Could any experienced eG wedding cake makers, even brides who have gone through this process give me any advice. What I should know to ask the bride, how much to charge etc. Would really appreciate it. We're meeting in early March. Thanks

It's so simple and classic yet many variations out there. I'm seeking a recipe that's more banana cake vs banana bread-like and one that can be made in a tube or bundt pan. Any suggestiions?

SEPHRA has teamed up with Callebeaut to produce fondue chocolate specifically made for fountains that doesn't require the use of extra oil or cocoa butter. Here's the link: http://www.sephrafountains.com/sephra-fondue-chocolate.htm I couldn't fathom eating chocolate that is drowning in that much oil. YUCK!

I've just checked out their website. Do you have to put the squares together yourself, or is the pan assembled already? The raw batter won't leak out? I'm not too clear on this. ← If you zoom in closely at the picture of the pan, you can see that each individual square is composed of two "u"-shaped pieces that fit together to form the shape. All these squares fit neatly over a tray that hold them together for baking. You can even buy this to line each square for easy removal of the baked cakes. I have the mini set with the liners and square fondant template. I bought at Squires's sugar craft fair last year and the lady demonstrating the product assures me that leaks do not occur. It solves the problem of trying to cut a sheet cake into perfect squares. It's a great pan.

If you're inclined to order this from Squires, you'd have all your blocks the same size and shape and use this or this to cut out your fondant to cover the cakes. You could cut out all your fondant crosses, stencil in the letters and cover the cake blocks. If someone was willing to help you, you could probably even do it assembly line fashion. Hope this helps. Good Luck!

My favorites are: Afternoon Tea at The Prince of Wales Hotel at Niagra-on-the-Lake, Ontario Canada The Tea Palace in Nottinghill, London UK Pret-a-Portea at the Berkley Hotel London UK Mariages Freres in Paris, France

Here you go: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/068815654...8867269?ie=UTF8 Paillason *adapted from Dessert Circus by Jacques Torres, paraphrased by me. Serves 8 If you can't find shredded phyllo (kataifi), use regualr phyllo and cut into thin strips with a sharp knife. PAILLASON CREAM: 1 recipe crème brûlée (to follow) 1 large banana, peeled and sliced 5 large fresh strawberries, hulled and halved -Preheat oven to 200 F (93 C). -Prepare crème brûlée mixture. -Evenly distribute sliced banans and strawberry halves in the bottom of a 9" cake pan set on a baking sheet with 1"-high sides. Fill cake pan with crème brûlée mixture. Carefully set baking sheet in the oven. Fill baking sheet with hot water. -Bake until custard trembles only slightly when cake pan is gently shaken, about 45 minutes. If you detect any liquid under the skin, the paillason cream is under-baked. Put back in the oven and check it every 5 minutes until it is ready. -When done, remove cake pan from oven and cool on a wire rack, 30 minutes then refrigerate minimum 2 hours, best overnight. DISKS: 5 cups (5 ounces) shredded phyllo dough (loosely packed) 1/2 cup (3.6 ounces) clarified butter 1/2 cup (2.1 ounces) powdered sugar 3/4 cups (4 ounces) sliced blanched almonds *to shred phyllo dough yourself, stack 6 phyllo sheets and roll into a cylinder. Then slice finely with a paring knife. -Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). -Use a 4" plain round cutter as a guide to shape the phyllo disks. Place cutter on a parchment lined baking sheet and fill it with a 1/8 "-thick layer of shredded phyllo. YOu should be able to see a little bit of the parchement paper through the layer, yet it should be thick enought to hold together when baked. Pat down the shredded phhyllo and remove the cutter, being careful not to change the shape of the disk. repeat procedure to make a total of 24 disks. -If using a spray bottle, give each disk 3 full sprays of clarified butter, about 2 teaspoons. If you not using a spray bottle, apply butter with a pastry brush. -Place powdered sugar in a fine-mesh sieve and generously sprinkle each buttered disk with sugar. -Sprinkle center of each disk with 4-5 almond slices. (If your freezer will accomodate the baking sheet, disks can be stored in the freezer up to two days. Thaw at room temperature and bake no more than an hour before serving, or they become soggy.) -Bake disks until golden brown, about 5 minutes. -Remove from oven and let the disks cool completely before serving. GARNISH: 10-12 fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced raspberry sauce crème anglaise To assemble Paillason: -Immediately before serving, place 7-10 sliced strawberries in a circle in the center of each plate. The pointed ends of the strawberries should face out, like a star. Leave enough room in the center to place a phyllo disk over the strawberry circle. -Using a large spatula, gently remove the phyllo disks from the baking sheet and place in center of each plate. Using a large spoon, place a scoop of paillason cream in the center of each disk. Cover with a second disk and another scoop of paillason cream. Top with a third disk. -Decorate plates with the raspberry sauce and crème anglaise. Alternate drops of each and swirl them together with a wooden skewer. Crème Brûlée mixture 4 cups (32 ounces) heavy cream 1 vanilla bean 1 large egg 6 large yolks 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (6 ounces) granulated sugar -Pour heavy cream into a nonreactive 1-1/2 quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium heat. -Slice vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds from the skin. Place seeds and skin in heating cream. Scald cream by heatig it until bubbles form around edge of pan. Remove from heat. -In a large mixing bowl, whisk together whole egg, yolks and sugar until well blended. Continue to whisk while slowly pouring the hot cream into the egg mixture and whisk until mixture is smooth and homogenous in color. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup with a spout. -Proceed with recipe above.

^^^Thanks for the link. I'd like to give it a try but oh, gin, not one of my favorite spirits. I prefer vodka martinis. I'll give it a try anyway. Thanks!

^^Yeah, now that I think about it, I keep adding water to my flowering teas and other black teas when the my pot gets low. I just thought of the times my mom (and she still does) dunks her tetley tea bags once into her cup and saves it for another cup another time. Yuck! I'm thinking the 'no-no' part of my experiment was actually re-brewing my already brewed tea over the used leaves. Not adding new water as I was trying to extract more flavour out of the leaves. It worked anyhow. I'll know better to just steep the tea as usual, but longer for a stronger taste.

Alright, I'll bite. Does anyone have a tea cocktail recipe they like worth posting? Thanks!

Thanks CDH. After much searching online, I haven't found this so-called tea latte machine. Maybe they were just pulling my leg. Anyways, tried making my first tea latte today. I decided to use my Italian stove top espresso maker, instead, filling it with loose Mariage Freres Marco Polo tea. (I had a Marco Polo tea latte at the Urban Tea Merchant). Brewed it like I would espresso. I didn't think the tea brewed was strong enough to stand up to a lot of milk so I dumped out the leaves into a Tazo tea press and re-brewed the already brewed tea. (I know, I know, re-brewing tea leaves and even coffee grounds is a no-no, but I'm experimenting and my MP tea is expensive to waste!) Nuked some milk in the micorwave, and frothed it with a whisk. Added my strong tea and voila! Tasted just like the tea latte I had in Vancouver without the expensive machine and the $4+ price for the latte. A little effort, but enjoying it just the same. By-the-way, thanks for the link to the frother. Cool toy.

Mar'tea'nis, Tea-nis, Tea cocktails, Tea-infused Vodka etc. How good are they? Has anyone tried any? Does anyone have recipes? Alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Thanks!

Hi All! I'm new to this section of eG (usually hang with the P&B crowd). Does anyone know of a machine, (home or commercial) dedicated to solely making tea lattes? I was in Vancouver earlier this month and there's a tea shop in West Vancouver called the Urban Tea Merchant that has such a machine. According to them, the only one being used in the country. Thanks

Thanks to the responses everyone! Macarons&Mozart I have trouble with their ordering page. How do you do it? And the English version doesn't work. naebody Thanks for the info. I'll try ordering through them if Mariage's website won't let me order direct.

Thanks Gethin! I'll give them a ring and find out. Here's hoping......

Hi everyone! My plans for visiting Paris this month fell through and I was hoping to pick up some of Mariage Freres Marco Polo tea jam for my trip home to Vancouver on the 25th. Is there anywhere in London that carries Mariage Freres products? Tea, Jam, Sables? I can't recall seeing them anywhere. Thanks!