pastrygirl

I rather enjoyed almond granita when I was in Italy a few years ago. I'm not sure how many almonds it takes to make, but at least it's refreshing.

For small runs of labels, I get blank, pre-cut sheets of labels from onlinelabels.com and print them myself. They come in a huge variety of sizes and have design templates. Order extra in case of paper jams! I used the silver foil at Christmas and my printer had a hard time with it, though the kraft and clear have been fine. Oh, except some truffles that have been frozen and thawed got smeared, but that might be my inkjet ink, not the paper. But fine for dry applications like chocolate bars.

A vendor contacted me looking for help launching a range of private label chocolate bars. I told him, sure, first figure out what molds you want to use, then how to package and label them ... easier said than done! (But hopefully the process will help him understand why small makers charge what we do) Do you want a thinner bar or room for inclusions or layers?

Obligatory disclaimer that canning is nothing to mess around with and consult your local Department of Agriculture, but ... I think as long as you have enough sugar there should be a way. Jarred caramel sauces are pretty common, I don't know at what point enough sugar makes up for it being low-acid. And milk products including ghee are canned so I don't think the butter itself is a problem. Looks like Trader Joe's ghee comes in a plastic jar, I doubt they're pressure-canning that!

I like the squared mold, but that propeller one looks like a nightmare to polish. What are the crispy-looking bits inside? Outer space is gorgeous!

Thanks for the link! I kind of like those, I'll check out that site more. Any other good cake supply websites I might not know about? I was looking at these clear pillars and plates: https://www.countrykitchensa.com/shop/assembly-display/9-clear-reg-locking-columns/53/537/1176/626811/ https://www.countrykitchensa.com/shop/assembly-display/8-clear-locking-round-separator-plate/53/537/1176/1092/ All I could find in the local stores was the white Grecian columns from Wilton, just too old school. The Roman ones are at least a cleaner look. The bride is white and her groom is Indian & Sikh, so they're doing a red, white, and gold color scheme but otherwise Western style reception. So we had talked about some fresh berries on the cake, maybe raspberries covering the top of the 9" tier. Any cake drums that show will be gold, I was also wondering if columns and plates could be spray-painted gold or if that would look even tackier than white plastic ...

I know, right? When the thought of getting older and more decrepit is too depressing, I just think of friends like Matt dying from colon cancer and John in a bike crash before they even got a chance to whine about turning 40, and suddenly it's not so bad. YMMV. Cheers!

@JeanneCake, I was looking at support systems just now, thinking better safe than sorry. If I have the bottom layer on a sturdy board, then pillars and separator plates for the 12" and 9", can I get away with the pillars separating the top 6" tier resting on the cardboard in the middle of the double-tall 9" tier? I don't really want separation between the lower layers but maybe I should have the structure. I do want to separate the top tier, but don't think there is a column longer than 9". Or is the wilton 2 plate system better for the top? I went to the craft store today and got some 12" plastic dowels, they would go all the way through the taller layer. However, I also kind of want clear columns, so that limits choices.

That's my thought as well. More nut oil will make it softer. You could even try adding a pure nut oil like this one http://a.co/9W2P81T And are you roasting your hazelnuts? I'll allow you your preference for raw pistachios, but hazelnuts are one that I think are vastly improved by a significant roast. Why is your praline paste so inconsistent, are you using different brands?

Looks a little pointy to be hibiscus, and dogwoods have 4 petals (I just googled). I don't assume all flower molds are botanically correct, but since this one has five petals I'll show my WA state pride and go with apple blossom YMMV.

I thought non-deodorized smelled like chocolate and that is why some white chocolates such as El Rey are more flavorful ... no?

So I never make the “kitchen sink” types because I don’t want to stand there stirring all day, but I agree that caramelizing the sugar on its own gives you control over the caramel flavor. You’re caramelizing the sugar directly instead of toasting milk proteins. I think that is why the other versions are so sweet - if you cook a soft caramel to 250f, that’s not hot enough to actually caramelize the sugar, which happens around 315f. At lower temps you’re browning the milk proteins and getting Maillard reactions but the sugar isn’t decomposing like it does at higher heat.

Perfect! That’ll be the plan, then - construct for easy and uniform serving. Thanks!

Thanks, both of you! It’s a large venue so i’m sure they cut a lot of cakes, though who knows with the staffing shortage everyone seems to have. Plus, a firm middle layer might make more sense to support risers for the top tier. I’ve only done a few tall stacked cakes, this is for my next door neighbors daughter so it’s kinda VIP - or at least people I’ll see again and want to make happy.

Cake construction question - I have a wedding cake order next month for about 175 people. I think it's going to be 14" round, 12" round, double-height 9" round, and a separated 6" layer with her great-grandma's cake topper. My question is about the double-height layer. Should I layer cake and filling as usual but just make it super tall, or will whomever has to cut the thing appreciate it if there's a goo-free zone of cake-cardboard-cake in the middle so they can separate it into 2 x 9" cakes or more easily cut it? I mean, I could make two regular layers with 5 layers of cake and 4 layers of filling, not frost the top of one and just stack the other on top, or I could make one giant cake with 10 layers of cake, 9 filling, and no cardboard in the middle. I almost never have to cut cakes so I don't know if it matters but I thought I'd ask. The filling will either be salty caramel or raspberry, and the icing will be meringue buttercream, not as sturdy to handle as a crusting icing or fondant. Or any other tips on giant wedding cakes? Thanks!

pate de fruits, frozen desserts, cookies, nougat

If you want a softer caramel, just cook it to a lower temp. Processing it would probably be a disaster! If I'm making chewy caramels, I cook them to about 259F, but if I only went to 240-something I bet it would be liquid enough to pipe once cooled. If I'm making a piped caramel center I make a thin caramel sauce and thicken it with chocolate.

Hot refers to things like pate de fruits that are poured into a frame then cut and dipped. Since you'd like to pipe your jelly instead, let it cool then liquefy it in a food processor.

Felchlin Sao Palme 60% because it makes me money! It's a well-rounded semisweet couverture at a decent price that goes with a lot of other flavors, and what I use most of in my chocolate business.

Even 2005, but few things last forever.

Have you tried straining it?

In my experience giandujas are more runny because of the added nut oil which is liquid at room temp, but the cacao butter solidifies if it's tempered. Depends on your ratio of course. I make a peanut butter gianduja that's 1 pb : 2 milk chocolate. It is quite runny at 89F but will break all the guitar strings if I wait too long to cut it. I find gianduja a little hard as a bonbon filling though - it's so nice to have that contrast of crisp shell and soft filling. When you add water and emulsify, the texture changes. A small amount of water will thicken it too much. That's why chocolate is so weird - accidentally get a tsp of water in your pound of chocolate and it seizes, but add a cup and emulsify and you have ganache. BTW, if anyone else wants the Notter book, message me. Mine's in good condition since I never use it - I keep Greweling in the kitchen and Wybauw at home, (plus others). And I mostly just make it up as I go along anyway

So all desserts are puddings, but not all puddings are desserts? No wonder we're confused! Mom would make Dutch Babies sometimes for Sunday breakfast, IIRC served with powdered sugar and lemon juice. I don't think I found them all that exciting.

brown paper bag, aluminum foil, duct tape ...

Ms Yoon recommends eating her bonbons within 10 days of purchase. So you can have super runny fillings like she does, or you can have shelf life. I think the only thing you're 'doing wrong' is having unrealistic expectations. If shell molding just doesn't work that well with thicker ganaches, try dipping or enrobing cut pieces or scooped balls instead.