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LucyInAust

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Posts posted by LucyInAust

  1. And here is the cake ... which nearly didn't end up at the wedding, and missed it's final adjustments (my poor boyfriend had to drive it for an hour, without me there) ... but tasted delicious!!!!!  The transfers were a bit of a mess ... but hopefully better than zero decorations!

     

    The IMBC had added cointreau;  the cake was a gluten free spiced chocolate cake (fresh grated ginger, fresh ground cinnamon, cloves, allspice and cardamom); and the ganache had orange zest infused cream.

     

    Thanks for all the advice ... one day I might get an eye for detail and want to perfect the look of things ;-) 

     

    Jenn Ron Wedding cake 20161112.jpg

    • Like 3
  2. Oh dear ... transfer fail ...

     

    And the chocolate plastic looks really rough and not nice ... cake is due this evening (in Australia ... so in about 9 hours from this post) ... thinking of having to abandon all hope!!!

     

    The cake itself looks fairly good for my first attempt at doing sharp edges ... thinking of finding some roses on the way down and plonking them somewhere?!!

     

     

    transferfail.jpg

  3. Eeekk .... getting closer to cake d-day!  Cake is due Saturday night!

     

    My sister has arrived from the USA .... WITH the chocolate transfer filmstrips!   Would have liked to know earlier ... as I bought cutters to make it out of chocolate plastic!

     

    I'm going to wait until I see the transfers to decide ...  if the filmstrip on the transfers are pure black ... then doing pure black on white chocolate around the bottom white IMBC will look odd (cream white chocolate colour, against the white) and around the dark chocolate top layer (black will make it look browner/dull?!)

     

    Still haven't decided if I should do chocolate ganache or chocolate plastic for the top layer!!  I'm worried that either of them will not looking shiny?

  4. Thank you for all the wonderful ideas.

     

    Thank you JeanneCake ... I'd forgotten I'd made a cake covered in chocolate plastic before ... and I was already considering it for the top layer of this cake ... so am going to try to make a small batch to see if I can create the film strip idea.

     

    I don't need images in the film strip ... just the blank film strip sort of look ...  I look for some cutters that I can use for the right shapes (and that's going to be fun doing all those tiny little holes and hope they are stable!).

     

    I really liked the idea of using the acetate or transfers as it would then by shiny rather than dull ... but I think it sounds a bit risky to be able to get the shapes just using acetate, and combining moving on to the cake without mushing it up!

     

    keychris - yes I've used Savour's transfers before, but the ones I was looking at (the film strip) don't seem to be available in Australia.  I have an actual temperer, not warmer ... so it's nice and easy!!  And it would be very appropriate to use tempered chocolate for this cake, as the cake is for the person who gave it to me!!  :D

     

    I have a friend who prints decorations for cakes but I've never used them before and am not quite sure if that would put me back at using fondant, also she is about 2 hours drive away so not an easy thing if I need more/change my mind/run into problems.

     

    I did see on a cake decorating site the other day something about shiny chocolate spray ... has anyone got some experience they could add about whether this would work on chocolate plastic?  As when I made the last cake it was quite dull.

  5. Hello,

     

    I've been asked to make a cake with an edible film strip style ribbon (NOT made of fondant) and I'm trying to work out a solution given limited time (2 weeks) and limited skills (a lifetime's worth of lack of decorating skills and attention to detail!).

     

    Ideally I'd love to use a chocolate transfer sheet ... but the only ones I can find are in the USA (I'm in Australia) and the shipping time makes that impractical.  I've been googling and not seen a decent alternative that I think I can do (actually I haven't even found something that is edible that I think looks good, even from professionals!!)!  Fondant would be the most obvious solution but I've been given the instructions of no fondant (but maybe they wouldn't notice a strip?!) ... but chocolate seems possible.

     

    Some ideas I've thought of and would love feedback ...

    • Could I use old film negatives as a transfer?  Cut out the frames and then use the strips?   (am I going to kill anyone with chemicals?!!)
    • Could I create acetone strips by trying to stamp/cut out something that sort of looks like a film strip?  Use it as a stencil instead?
    • Piping on to acetate using an image behind as a guide?  I can't say I have very steady hands so am thinking it would be very wonky?!!!
    • If I did the outline in dark chocolate would I need a white chocolate layer to make it transfer onto a buttercream cake?

     

    I have a chocolate tempering machine, most likely to be using Callebaut 54% but could use Lindt 70%/85%/90%.

     

    I've really only used transfer sheets directly on to dipped chocolate, and acetate to create random curls for decorations ... I'm wondering about the logistics of getting the chocolate on the strips, keeping it shaped for the cake (I think the cake is square ... but maybe it might be round?!) and also transferring them on to the cake?

     

    (back up plan ... plain ribbon!!!)

     

    Would love any advice!  Thanks!!

  6. Really pleased with how it turned out. Lots of back and forth from the fridge, especially making the flowers!!! The chocolate plastic was pretty easy to work with and I'd definitely use it again. Tasted delicious too (Callebaut).

    My sister helped me in the end ... and not only did we have to cope with heat, we also had to evacuate due to fires in the area!!!

    The photo is before it travelled!!

    Mum 70 cake.jpg

  7. I’ve been asked to make a birthday cake in slightly difficult circumstances: hot weather, a 5 hour drive … then handed to caterers but not served for another 7 hours … on a boat … and I wont be there.

    Temperature in the area (and for the drive) will be around 43degC (110degF)!!! Yes, a total nightmare for any form of cake!!!! Luckily it is family, who will forgive if it isn’t pretty but it must taste good (and as long as I don’t give anyone food poisoning!). For transport I have the option of a car fridge and once it arrives at the venue it is likely to be able to be placed in a fridge. Please help with any advice/experience!

    Cake is going to be an adaption of the Claudia Roden Whole Orange Almond Cake (no layers, so stable). Decorating (how I wish I could just serve plain cake but not possible) … thinking of topping with a chocolate mirror glaze and wrapping around the edge of chocolate plastic or plain chocolate with a transfer sheet??? – which is more stable? I’ve made all the components before so I’m not too worried about them … I’m worried about assembling/transport/temps.

    Is it worth freezing the cake before trying to decorate? Mirror glaze first or chocolate edge first? I’d normally use a frosting to attach the chocolate edge with but trying to avoid anything extra. Also trying to work out how to cover/carry it (my normal cake carriers I don’t think will fit in the car fridge).

    I know if the chocolate plastic is refrigerated it can develop condensation – so am not sure I want the cake to be kept very very cold. The car fridge I can choose the temperature and I was wondering would a slightly higher than normal fridge temperature reduce condensation? (say 15degC?) but then if the caterers place it in a fridge does this just counteract that anyway? (once it arrives at the destination it is either fridge or 43degC!). Could I instruct the caterers to take it out before serving time and it might dry out but not melt?!?!

    Oh … just remembered the added complication – I work … so it will need to be finished the night before!!! (when I was asked I really REALLY didn’t think I was going to have to do this … and it is due in less than a week).

    I’m sure a nice stable fondant would be more sensible – but I can’t use that and nothing else I can find that are chocolate coverings are going to stand up to heat anyway. I’m thinking of calling it a chocolate orange PUDDLE cake … then no one will be disappointed at what turns out!!

    Many thanks for any suggestions (I so hate Australian summers!!!)

  8. I've tried freezing yolks a couple of times ... doing them plain I just end up with lumpy revoltingness that is useless for anything other than scrambled eggs ... mixing them with salt or sugar, I get useable yolks (you just have to mark which you've done - sweet or savoury).

  9. I would jump to buy a thermomix if it could temper chocolate properly and maintain it at the right temp ... but my understanding of chocolate and temperatures is that it isn't accurate enough and doesn't have a low enough temperature setting.

    I am keen to start playing with chocolate as a hobby, doing gifts for family and friends etc.

    I am trying to find some time to fly down to Melbourne to do a few days at the Savour Chocolate School but wanted to have a few basic skills before I go.

    I've been to Savour ... don't worry too much about basic skills ... they work with big melters so even though they show you how to temper at home (a quick demo), you don't need to know in that setting as it is all pre-done for you.

    The other idea I had was to purchase a melting tank which I understands holds the chocolate in temper.

    Does that mean I still have to temper the choc before putting it into the tank or can I do the whole process in the one machine?

    Melters have different temperature settings ... so you can use the various methods for tempering - seeding, tableing, drop temp down/up, slow melt. Unlike an actual tempering machine which will vary the temps for you - melters just go to a certain temp.

    I keep drooling over melters but can't justify the cost for the small amount I want to do (especially since I mostly use molds so therefore want something big enough to cope with them). I have had great success getting a decent temper ... just never am able to keep it there long enough to do batches of dipping or molds - drives me batty!!

  10. Is there a particular reason for the 3 fillings? I've made a croquembouche before and most people are likely to eat max 2 choux and I doubt they'd want different flavours!

    I use pure pastry cream and to be a croquembouche IMO it has to have caramel!! Sure it makes a mess when served, but it is one of those desserts that looks pretty as a whole, once it is in the bowl it isn't going to look impressive anyway!

    Depending on the fillings and the room temperature ... most of it is going to go soggy (the caramel actually helps with crispness) and you'll have issues with creams going off.

  11. The recipe is here, dated September 2001. I am not a food researcher but this is the earliest reference I have found for a chocolate pudding that is liquid in the centre. Even if it's not the first, it's definitely the best recipe I have seen. It's the recipe I credit for not being single.

    Didn't Michel Bras and even Heston Blumethal's copy of that come way earlier?!?! Michel Bras call his a chocolate coulant - perhaps someone misheard 'coulant' as 'fondant'?

    This link says 1981!! http://www.finediningexplorer.com/rest_of_france/michel_bras_3.php

    I made this one when it first came out:

    http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Molten-Chocolate-Cakes-with-Mint-Fudge-Sauce-104604 ... dated January 2001.

  12. As another Melbourne-ite ... some good places to shop include "The Essential Ingredient" and "Savour School" (both have websites with further info). There are two good cooking shops on Elizabeth Street in the city as well (one up near Vic Market, one further down). I'm a home cook so not sure about commercial stuff!

    Slightly related to the lollypop topic ... I was making a caramel the other day ... in the toffee mix I had vanilla beans ... took them out and left them to set ... delicious toffee coated spiced vanilla beans! Yum!

  13. I've filled chocolate with lemon curd (egg based) ... I keep them refridgerated and make sure they are eaten within a week. I've also frozen them and once defrosted eaten within a couple of days.

    Could you make the pudding using cornflour instead of eggs and that might increase your shelf life?

  14. I made the chocolate nougat ... really happy with the outcome even though I couldn't get the chocolate liquor (I couldn't even get 99% - my normal shop totally let me down ... the highest % I could find was 85%!).

    I put in 250g blanched and toasted whole almonds and 110g cacao nibs ... only heated the second batch of sugar to 130 degC as I like soft nougat ... turned out beautifully! First time I've made nougat.

    nougat.jpg

  15. Thanks! Was wondering if 99% would be a "nearly good enough" replacement. I'd had a quick look on the Tava website but must have missed the liquor ... will check again anyway.

    Have to go down to Melbourne next week so I might add visiting Savour on the list!

    Richard - I'd read in the book about making the cutouts - but decided that I'd probably make a complete mess of it and doing 100 of them would drive me nuts!! Piping and dipping them is going to be enough of a test of my sanity!

  16. I'd like to make nougat from Greweling's book (have wafer paper to use up and a brand new kitchenaid mixer!) ... was thinking of the Chocolate Nougat. I have made his Soft Chocolate Nougat as part of the Sleeping Beauties previously, but wanted to try the other recipe. It requires chocolate liquor and I have no access to that (can't even find it on the internet to purchase!) ... I do have cocoa beans that I could process to create a form of cocoa mass but not sure if that is going to be the right thing or get the right texture.

    Has anyone else made the chocolate nougat and used an alternative?

    Otherwise I might make the soft choc nougat and add nuts etc ... would that work?

    Oh - whilst I'm asking :) ... where do people get the stencils to create chocolate disks? Ever since I got the book I've wanted to make the beehives!!! The silicone stencils I found googling are very expensive (I only do this as a hobby!) ... is there a cheaper alternative (under $50 would be nice!)? or source? (I am in Australia so need places that will ship internationally).

  17. sugarseattle ... interesting point ... I've given up treating my builders ... at the start I was doing something weekly ... but I've never received a thank you and they're taking forever anyway!! I did lots of savoury muffins, breads filled with cheese and spices (za'atar), brownies, pasties, chocolates, salty peanut cookies, cakes, cinnamon rolls ... I've got a batch of "reject" chocolates sitting in my fridge (from a lot I did for a wedding) - not sure I want to give them to them anymore! 7 months without a kitchen has really dampened my enthusiasm!!

  18. I loooove roast chestnuts ... but seem to buy quite a variable tasting lots (roasting myself). Some taste "green" and make my mouth feel awful .... the yummy ones are sweet and heavenly. Never quite worked out how you could have an unripe chestnut!!

  19. I make them using Nigella's food processor danish dough (easist dough for homemade croissants, pan au chocolat etc).

    I think they's be even better with a proper laminated croissant dough ... but that usually takes much longer and more effort!!

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