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Do you mind sharing your cocoa cake formula? I have been having some trouble with my chocolate cake lately and have been experimenting on different formulas. The recipe I have right now is good for cake layers, but not so good for cupcakes, a little dry for cupcakes, in my opinion. Thanks!

Hi all, I am looking for places that make custom made silk screens. I think that's what it is called. I have used them before in plated dessert situation where it's a piece of blue material that has you custom logo or image on it. You put it agaisnt your plate (flat surface), with some cocoa paste and a squegee, you transfer the image onto your plate. I have contacted a couple places that make them, but theirs are set in a wooden frame, and it needs to stay stretched in the wooden frame all the time. I am a little confused here, because the one that I've used before is just a small piece with the image on it, and it doesn't need to be stretch in a frame. I am pretty sure the chef called it a silk screen, or it is a different thing? Please help, thanks!

Thanks for the evaluation! I plan on doing a taste and performance test on different couverture after the holiday, should be a fun project... maybe I will have more question for you when the time comes...

I have recently been introduced to something called a coconut milk powder. It's a freeze dried coconut milk that's suppose to have the purest coconut flavor. It's a formula developed by Will Goldfarb and you can find this product on willpowder.net

I recently got into a conversation with a co-worker about chocolate and I am curious to find out which is your favorite chocolate to use and why. At our bakery, we have a few brands of chocolates for different applications. The reason for me to start this topic is when my least favorite chocolate turns out to be my co-worker's favorite chocolate. Is this just a matter of taste? Or is there somekind of ground rules on deciding what's a good chocolate. To me, it's the flavor and the texture (mouthfeel). I am not an expert on chocolates, but over the years have had enough opportunities to use a few different brands of chocolates on different applications to notice the difference in term of flavor and texture. Personally I like Callebaut/Cocoa Barry and Valrhona. I prefer Valrhona when making very chocolatey desserts, like a rich chocolate mousse. I like it's cocoa powder for a rich, chocolatey devil's food cake. If it wasn't for the cost, I would use Valrhona is a lot more applications. E. Guittard - I like it but I've only used it for candy making like ganache and enrobing. It has good flavor and good viscosity. Shaffenberger - I think this chocolate is a little too viscous and sometimes it get difficult to use. Des Alpes by Albert Uster - I am not too crazy about it's flavor, I think it's a little sweet and in my experience a little tempremental. I have difficulties tempering this chocolate on several occasions (that may just be my lack of skill in tempering). El Ray - I have only used this for tempering - for showpiece purposes. Peter's - Do not like the flavor at all and very viscous Cocoa Noel, Weiss, Michel Cluziel, Felchlin etc, just a few more out there that I haven't used before. What have you used and what is your experience with them? Thanks!

← What model badger airbrush do you have?

Thank you so much for such a wonderful report! Now I regret not registering for that class earlier... bummer!! For the chocolate glaze, did he use cocoa powder or couverture? The chocolate glaze that I use right now has gelatin in it and it holds its sheen pretty well, and it uses cocoa powder. I was just wondering if using couverture might give it a better taste and texture. Do you know where we can find the plexiglass circle? I use cardboard circle as leveler right now, the plexiglass circle looks like a good tool to have.

hmm... I have been trying to access the site using the link and also doing goggle, but everytime it says that the IE cannot display the page... hmmm... obviously none of you have any problems... what could it be?

I have been interested in requesting to stage to restaurant/bakery for a while now. I would like to go to some well established bake shops/restaurants primarily in New York City or Vegas to stage for few days or maybe even a week. My question is: how do I do it? Should I just write a cover letter along with my resume to those places? How long do people usually stage for? What do you expect at a stage and what do they expect of you? I am hoping that some you out there who has either done a stage or accepted a stage could give me some pointers. And if your bakery/restaurant would accept a stage, I would like to know too I am a passionate and dedicated pastry assistant, with over 6 years of professional baking and pastry experience, and always wanting to learn more! Thanks!

Thanks for all the answer. I am now able to explain to others a little clearer.

I am very interested in finding out more about this magazine, but having a hard time accessing the website. Would you be kind enough to provide the complete web adress? Thanks!

Are edible gold leaf really made out of gold? I have been asked this question many times, and everytime I can't explain it properly. I remember being told once that it's made out of real gold, and that gold is digestable. Does anyone out there know how it's made? Thanks.

does anyone has a good cider donut formula?

How was your experience at that class? I wanted to take that class with Norman Love, but registered too late and the class was full. I attended a class earlier this year and absolutely loved it. Eagerly waiting for the next year's schedule, I can see myself registering for a few... I just got back last night from Chef Norman Love's class on entremet, petits gateux and chocolate decor, and I think you said it very well, Alanamoana. I am not a professional, but a very serious, enthusiastic and skilled amateur. I spoke with Chef Love by phone before registering for the class, and I highly recommend that anyone with doubts do the same if at all possible. Only the Chef will know in detail what skill level he/she will be expecting of the students. The staff at the school, while well-meaning, just won't have more than a general sense of whether a class is "beginning" or "advanced." That said, I felt it was my responsibility as a relatively inexperienced member of the class to at least comport myself as a complete professional -- to pay close attention to the Chef, to work cleanly and as quickly as possible (and I was glad to note that I was not the slowest in the room), and to engage fully in the experience and give it my full commitment. I think I pulled it off well -- Chef did not coddle me, but he did keep an extra eye in my direction while we were working in teams, which I appreciated. At the end of the day, I don't think I was out of place in the class, and I don't think that Chef Love thought I was out of place there, either. It was an extraordinary experience for me, and I would hate to have missed it out of misplaced trepidation. ←

your lemon ricotta poppyseed muffin sounds delicious, care to share your formula?