JeanneCake

so much for the moral high ground; it didn't occur to them to change it UNTIL they had a chance to make more money with it ....maybe she'll donate a percentage of the proceeds to addiction recovery services.

This is kind of like the aprons thread.... I always wear one in the shop but not at home; and this reminded me that while I turn on the hoods at work almost automatically, I always have to be reminded by my husband to turn on the vent when cooking at home (because he can smell it, which is not a bad thing); but how ironic that I never do it automatically at home.....

You could do the sutures in melted colored chocolate, or you could use royal icing. I was also thinking white, so it would show against the dark but if the medical community recognizes blue or black as sutures, I'd do blue for all that my two cents' is worth 😂

Hmmmm. I wear one at work (in the bakery) but oddly enough I never wear one when cooking at home.

We use Amoretti compounds and extracts, in our buttercream for things like cotton candy or coconut but mostly in our cheesecake batters and they are terrific. You can get smaller quantities (e.g. 4 oz) to try and I think they started selling through amazon for some of the more mainstream flavors. Sign up for their mailing list because they offer promotions from time to time and usually have a huge sale around Thanksgiving. Sometimes the promotions are free shipping but you have to spend $300.

One possible option, if you don't mind the quality of the container, is to make your own tray from modeling (plastique) chocolate or chocolate (rolled) fondant. You would roll out the fondant or plastique, cut it to your dimensions, place the puzzle then cut a thin strip to go all around the outside edge. It's too tedious for volume work but until you find a mold or something (from a hardware store, it's amazing what you can repurpose from there, even a very thick block of wood or glass) to use it might work. I also want to say that PCB might have something but you've probably already looked there....

Come to the dark side kayb I also own several things I would not have normally bought had it not been for you all singing various praises of such things...an Instant Pot, a Breville Smart Oven Air .... an EZtemper ❤️ Truthfully though, it was the first post that taught me this device existed.... and I talked myself out of it. Twice. Then it was Rose Levy Beranbaum's IG post about brown butter that made me realize this was a useful thing to have and then WmSonoma put it on sale.... and the rest is history. Mine isn't getting delivered until May though, it's backordered so I'm living vicariously through all of you til mine arrives..... Thank you

maybe I will buy a second one now before they make any manufacturing changes....

And, it will allow the 20% professional chef's discount which brings it to $1200. So now my question for those of you who own one becomes, is this worth it? I'm thinking that from a reputable dealer (Williams Sonoma), the price won't get any lower and I'm not likely to chase around on eBay or other auction sites for one because I don't have that kind of time. It's backordered and won't ship til May but is the price point worth it?

For what it's worth, I got an email from Williams Sonoma today announcing they have it on sale for $1499. It's still an outrageous price; but better than the $1799 it usually retails for.

We use fruit powders to boost the flavors in our buttercream fillings (for cake) so we aren't making the buttercream too slack with so much puree; you might pulverize the freeze dried apples to add to the juice and get a flavor boost that way. Or the next time you order from AUI, you can try the cooked apple essence from Sosa?

Use fresh raspberries instead of a puree; you can split them and put them cut side up then spread the pastry cream over them as a cake filling. Use a dam of buttercream around the edge, then place the berries, then spread the cream over. You might want to use a little bit of gelatin if your pastry cream is very loose so that when you cut slices, the cream doesn't slide out all over. By contrast if your cream is very stiff you can add some softly whipped cream to it to lighten it up a little.

My name is Jeanne and I have an oreo addiction -- limited specifically to the dark chocolate ones. I bought six packages and have hidden them in the back of the freezer. But knowing they are there is the real problem...

I am SO happy with my first Bean Club shipment! I can't wait to start cooking I now have the best beans, in the house and an Instant Pot; there's nothing I can't accomplish!

@Shelby that recipe looks wonderful! Slab pie sounds good for at home; I will try to see if I can find some disposable pans to do them for the shop..... I like the sour cherry idea! Thanks

Our Super Bowl menu rarely changes in terms of the main course - the Havana Moon Chili from epicurious.com with some modifications (golden raisins, extra olives, no almonds); chicken wings, probably nachos, and other snack/munchy dip type things. This year at work though I'm wondering about putting together a dessert platter with team logo cookies, chocolate dipped gingerbread football cookies, bars of various types (and this is where all of you come in....) and teaming up (pardon the pun) with local carry out places to encourage impulse sales. You can buy a la carte or choose a small/medium/large dessert platter of 12/24/48 pieces. I'm thinking chocolate cheesecake brownies (because it's been years since I made them and they are fantastic; from Maida Heatter's book of great american desserts); cocoa brownies, a brown sugar fruit (apricots, dates, cherries, pecans) bar and .... what else? What would be your choice for a bar-type dessert for this kind of gathering? We are a peanut free bakery so nothing with peanuts What's on your Super Bowl menu this year?

I just opened a package of the dark chocolate oreos. YUM! I'm going to have to put these in the freezer so I don't scarf the whole (small) package at one sitting. and I now realize I'm going to have to buy more of these.

I too am grateful for your recall reports; thank you for thinking of us and helping to keep us informed. I learned about more recalls from your posts than anywhere else

This base cake is already available from the local supermarket, in a specific size and flavor. Most grocery stores are buying in frozen, pre-iced cakes that they put the finishing touches on in -store. So they will just sell the customer one of those cakes and the customer does the finishing. And personally, it's the finishing touches that separates the amateurs from the professionals. If you are going to provide a simple iced cake, you have to account for size and flavor and at that point, now you're into customization and that's what gets expensive - the substitutions and changes from the established menu. In the last 15 years, I've been asked only a handful of times (less than 10) to provide a client with a plain buttercream cake that they can finish the decorations on themselves.

the instructions have you using only 9 ounces of the dough for the crust; not the whole amount for one 9inch pie pan.... are they rolling it or pressing it into the pan?

I've had excellent products and service from Sunnyland Farms over the years; they have macadamias but they are roasted/salted SunnylandFarms Macadamia Nuts

YES YES YES! I just signed up and got my neighbors a gift subscription too Thank you for the heads up @Rotuts! So excited to join

Yes, fondant (or the modeling chocolate) will give you a smooth surface to work on and it will be less frustrating to work on; There are new edible paints available you might explore - there are a few different manufacturers making ready to use edible paints, this is one example: NYCake edible paint If you go with fondant, you have more options in terms of a painting medium - you can use straight color like the paints, airbrush color or tinted royal icing (look up brush embroidery techniques, Colette Peters is a master at this. The key with brush embroidery is the right brush shape, the right consistency in the royal icing and having the brush just damp enough but not too wet when you start making the petals.) The right brush will help make the job easier too; I've used as many as four different brushes before figuring out which one gave me the right look. Definitely give yourself as much time as possible to keep practicing to get the technique down which ever way you choose to go.

what @pastrygirl says! If you are thinking of making chocolate a long term career, consider the fact that a depositor will help preserve your hands over the long haul. Don't wait and buy one in three years after the damage is done to your wrists. Valentine's Day is coming, followed closely by Easter and Mother's Day... if you are able to do enough business during those holidays, target some of your revenue toward equipment purchases that will make your life easier and you more efficient in your production.

I'm a baker/cake decorator and have had carpal tunnel problems for years; during the worst of wedding season I wear the splints faithfully at night and it's a huge help. If I don't, I find that the pain/numbness can wake me from a sound sleep. I've also been told that Aleve works better on the extremities but I haven't had to use that yet.....