Tweety69bird

Good idea, and I have a friend coming over tonight who will fit the bill. Thanks.

Hi all, I made RLB's Chocolate Buttercream recipe, and didn't notice that I used salted butter for it! So, now that the recipe has been iced onto the cake, I tasted it and the first taste is salt! What can I do to remedy this? Make another batch of buttercream and ice it again, hoping the flavours will meld and the salty taste will mellow? Oh, no pressure either, because the cake is for my stepmother's 50th and the party, with 80 invitees is TOMORROW! Any help will be most appreciated.

So glad I could help! Happy cake making!

Maybe you could just make the hearts and write on them with edible markers?

I would think that as long as the stainless steel that is used is thick enough to keep it's shape, then you're ok. To me, that's the most important factor.

I'd love to see how you make chocolate too! Please endulge us.

andrewB, do you think you would be able to elaborate on how you used the nori and chocolate together? Did you make some sort of chocolate sushi? Thanks!

I bake chiffon in regular cake pans with no problem. As usual, no greasing, and turn upside down to cool once out of the oven.

No hard done... ... and no eclairs were hurt during this last segment....

Um... I really wouldn't advise someone to put a custard filled eclair in the window for a week!! Creme patissiere is something that is very susceptible to bacteria, and it has a refridgerated life of about 4-5 days..... I really wouldn't advise you to keep it longer than that.

I have almost finished building my sugar box. For the top and bottom, I used 3/4" wood, and the top has a groove cut into it to allow the lamp's cord to get through so it can hang down to the middle. It's also a 250Watt heat bulb. For the sides, I got 1 sheet of 1/8" plexiglass, and cut 13" widths, to make the 3 sides. To connect them together (this is the stage where I am now) I bought some long metal strips that are basically used as hinges, but they're way longer - they go the whole length of the 24" height of the plexiglass and what I am going to do is drill holes in the plexiglass that will match up with the metal holes and nut/bolt them together. Once the metal strip is attached to 2 pieces of plexi, they will then fold flat together. To attach a third side and have the whole thing collapsable, I am going to have to attach the metal strip on that piece to the opposite side of the plexi, so when the 3 pieces will fold down together, it will be in a Z shape. In other words, if the 1st flap of plexi folds "in" on the 2nd flap, then the 3rd flap will fold "out". Now, to put the whole thing together, I screwed metal pieces with a 90º bend in them back to back on the pieces of wood, leaving about 1/8" space between them all around what will be the perimeter of where the plexi will sit. I screwed these metal pieces on the top and bottom pieces of wood, maybe 8 sets each. When the plexi is set into these gaps and the top wood is placed the same way, it really sits nice and sturdy. It's a breeze to put together and take apart, and the testing I have done was done with the plexi pieces not even attached to each other yet, so once that's done Im sure it'll be more stable. I also bought some vinyl which I'm going to staple to a wooden crate that I have, for the sugar to sit upon when it's in the box. I figured this probably cost me about $80.00 CND to put together, as opposed to the lovely sugar box from chefette's post that cost $391.00 USD, and still has to be shipped to you! Once I finally get this put together, I can post pictures.

Thanks Sara, It really has been a pleasure to read your words and to get to know you better. Thank you for sharing your memories and thoughts with us all. We'll all be here if you want to stop by in the future. Once again, best of luck on PBS!! Karyn

Well, why don't we start a new thread and get all of our brilliant tips and tricks together?

I think the simplest way to explain this is that an entremet is a cake built in layers within a shaped mold that forms the perimeter of the cake. The mold holds everything together until it's all set up because there is a much higher ratio of filling to actual cake. Mainly, the cake layers are very thin and basically in order to separate layers. Mouse cakes and the like fall into the entremet category. Hope this helps.

I second (or third) the sugar and chocolate showpiece book and an indepth entremet book. Also, I would really like to see a book than contains all the little secrets that we pick up along the way, but may forget later on.... ie: That you can paint gelatin onto acetate and use it as ribbon when it dries. or... See. I can't remember now...

Now that my memory has been jogged, that's it, on Oprah where I saw the whole story unfold. Thank you for taking the time to answer my inquiry. I really do feel privelleged to have the chance to chat directly with you. I wish you great success on your new show on PBS, although you don't need any luck. Karyn

Sara, While I was reading the questions posed to you, I recalled that you had your lovely pepper mill collection when you were on Cooking Live. I remember also that someone had contacted you about where to get one, and you spoke about how there was such a long waiting list for them to be created by your friend, and at the end of the whole thing, you did give him one... or maybe it was your friend who gave him one. No, I think it was you. Anyway, all this to say that I was touched that you would go through that whole thing for a complete stranger. I think that it's that warmth that you have that makes your fans feel so connected with you. Does your friend still make those pepper mills, and can you provide contact information please if so?

Sara, I just wanted to take this chance to say that when I was able to catch the US version of TFN, it was always a pleasure to catch your "Cooking Live" show. Yours was one of the shows that I really did miss once we got the Canadian version of TFN, of which unfortunately, you aren't on. I am also very pleased that you will be making the move to PBS, as I'm sure all of your other Canadian fans are. We can get PBS up here, so I look very forward to seeing you again and I wish you the best of luck. Karyn

Woah!!! That is just B-E-A-U-Tiful!!! Very impressice!!! I have to go and find Rachel's recipe. I hope I can find it, is it in the RecipeGullet? Note: I've added the recipe to RecipeGullet, click here. - Rachel

Sam, your truffles look amazing! Great pics. Great imagination.

I just wanted to say that it's truly a pleasure to have the opportunity to just read this Focus. Sam, welcome and thank you for sharing with everyone.

I LOVE that idea of a free anniversary cake for a professional photo, I think I shall use that too. I did check the other threads before I postesd my question, but nothing that I read really made it clear enough for me to feel confident. I'm feeling more confident, but I'll be really working on it tonight, so tomorrow I should be better... hopefully!

Thank you so much SweetSide and K8memphis, the info that you guys provided will definately help me along. The bride is going to serve the top tier and there will be 2 flavours, so I will have to do some math, but am feeling more confident now. I think I have to keep in mind that I'm driving this train, and I have to convey my ideas to her with confidence. K8, I really like your cupcake method of measuring, it makes complete sense, and I see what you mean about buying the dress and about ME deciding what size the servings will be. Thanks again!

Does anyone have a clue? I need to figure this out for a wedding for 150 people, 3 tiers. I was hoping that 18+14+10 will be big enough, but depending on who's serving chart you use, there's many interpretations of how many servings I'll get... and that's only if they do the chart up to 18". Thanks in advance.

I'm so glad that I could help!! Happy non-smushing!