Jossa

Oh my! I would like . Alas I have no limoncello. Can you suggest a substitute? ← Hi Darienne, Limoncello is available from most supermarkets, I belive you can make it using vodka infused with lemons, it's supposed to be quiet simple although I've never tried it! You could use a good lemon cordial I suppose or perhaps just sweetened lemon juice? the method I use is as follows; flaked almond 1 large lemon Limoncello about 150g blueberries small tub of whipping cream small tub of creme fraiche small tub of mascarpone icing sugar corn flour water madeira cake cut the cake into about 1/2 inch cubes and place in bottom of a glass dish sprinkle with limoncello so cake soaks up the liquid. mix about 1 tablespoon of cornflour with some cold water then on the stove place blueberries and about a cup of water heating gently (you can add more water if needed) add the corn four mix a little at a time until the blueberries juices are thicken and coat the back of the spoon, try not to over cook they need to just release their juice but not burst, so you should then have a thick blueberry sauce with whole berries in it, you can add a little sugar if you have a sweet tooth but I never do. Spoon the blueberries over the madeira cake and add a few flaked almond is you like a crunch, I don't always it depends! cool in the fridge. Whip the cream and then add add about 2 tablespoons of creme fraiche and 1 tablespoon of mascarpone mix together and add icing sugar to taste, then add 1 tablespoon of limoncello and the rind of the lemon mix until light and fluffy, I do this so often I can't give exact amounts but you can add a little more of the mascarpone and creme fraiche if you think it needs it. Spoon over the blueberries and top with almonds. I also use the topping as a desert on it's own served with amaretto biscuits. thinking about it I suppose you could soak the cake in a lemon syrup made from the lemon juice as an alternative to limoncello and if you still wanted the boozy kick just add a little vodka!

My favorite is Limoncello and blueberry trifle, simple and easy and very delish! I'll post the recipe if you would like it.

Here's the finished cake, I thought you may like to see the results! http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=mo...lbum&album=6743

You could use royal icing and smooth it, then put your transfers on top.

I grew up with a grandfather who had a glut of soft fruit every year, my grandmother used to stew the gooseberries with a little sugar and we would have them warm with ice cream! Still brings back childhood memories! Gooseberry jam is another one she always made and always had a freezer full of fresh ones frozen straight from the bush.

Wow and I thought we were a nation of tea drinkers!! I'm a Tetley girl myself, sometimes like a raspberry and echinacea or ginger tea but mostly for medicinal purposes!! Tetley wins out for me every time.

Ha ha! Toad in the hole we call sausages in yorkshire pud and pigs in blankets are cocktail sausages wrapped in streaky bacon.

This link may help although it's for citrus oil i have used it in these quantities and it works. http://www.ochef.com/1002.htm Andrea

Hi, Your welcome! The recipe is very easy and the only advice I can give you for it to be successful is to add the flour slowly to the chocolate mixture and stir it in thoroughly a bit at a time, it stops the flour from going lumpy but takes a bit of elbow grease!! I add the eggs last after I've mixed everything else together. The dark chocolate recipe is below: I use regular cake pans that are spring loaded and alway line then with a folded upper edge. 17cm round 15cm square 17cm Octagonal 306g dark chocolate 225g unsalted butter 1tbs dry instant coffee 3/4 cup of water 3/4 brown sugar (firmly packed into measuring cup) 1 cup plain flour 1/4 cup self raising flour 2 eggs 1/4 cup coffee liqueur (I use Tia maria) Baking time 2 hours 1) Grease and line base and sides of cake tin with grease proof paper bringing paper 5cm above top of tin 2)melt chopped chocolate, chopped butter, coffee, water and sugar in a saucepan over a low heat until melted and combined, transfer mixture into bowl and cool for 15 minutes 3)gradually add sifted flours, lightly beaten egg and Liqueur. Pour into pan and bake for 2 hours or until knife comes out clean. If the cake starts to go dark and crusty to quickly cover with foil, the cake will get a thick sugary crust on top during baking. Keeps the same as the white chocolate cake. I've managed to bake all three of the cakes I need with a great result! I have managed to get them 3 inches thick by making enough mixture for a 20cm tin but using a 15cm tin! The same with the other sizes. So fingers crossed!! I'll be sure to put a photo on when they are done! I always let my cakes dry out for at least 24 hours especially if I have coloured the fondant. It tends to go very sticky and as I use a little vegetable fat to stop it from drying out while working with it, the drying time helps this to absorb. It's just the way my mother always taught me! I'm not sure it there is a difference between English and American fondant but If you eat a cake with newly iced fondant on it tends to be very stick and not hold up very well. While if it's left to rest it hardens slightly and cuts better.

I think I may have cracked it! Thankyou for all your advice I may not have got there without it!! Think of the solution not the problem...... I have doubled the mixture, turned the oven down and made the greaseproof 2 inches highr, when the cake has started to colour I put a double thickness of foil on top, it seems to have worked...so far the second cake is in and baking, only time will tell but it's 1am now and I have at least 1 and 1/2 hours to go!!! The recipie I use is as follows: For a 17cm round tin 15cm square 17cm octagonal 165g unsalted butter 100g white chocolate ( I use belgian white) 1 1/3 cups caster sugar (mine are 250ml) 2/3 cup of milk 1 cup plain flour 1/3 cup self raising flour 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence ( although I use extract) 1 egg Baking time1 3/4 hour on moderate slow oven, 160c, 325f,gas mark 3. 1) Grease and line baseand sides of cake tin with grease proof paperbringing paper 5cm above top of tin 2)melt chopped chocolate, chopped butter, milk and sugar in a saucepan over a low heat untill melted and combined 3)transfer mixture into bowl and cool for 15 minutes 4) gradualy add sifted flours, lightly beaten egg and essence. Pour into pan and bake for 1 3/4 hours or untill knife comes out clean If the cake starts to brown quickly cover with foil, the cake will get a thick sugary crust on top during baking. Cool in tin then turn out onto rack. The cake will keep uniced for 1 week in an airtight cotainer or well wrapped and frozen for 3 months.

I may be cutting my losses here and just make a rub through fruit cake that I can just marzipan and ice......and be damd with it!! By the by, Mud cake comes out like a rich sponge, it's really very nice if you want the recipe I'll happily post it.

The fondant needs to dry out and also I need (inbetween a full time job!) to decorate the cakes. They are not stacked but are separate on a floating stand and the bride wants lots of detail! I usually only work with fruit cakes on this scale so you can imagine I'm totally in the dark and trying to find the best route. The trouble is she was let down by her cake maker and approached me two weeks ago as she's seen other cakes I've done, her wedding is in August. I though chocolate mud cake would be the easiest as I know it freezes well and tend to taste better after defrosting. The only thing is they don't tend to be as deep as a fruit cake and I'm concerned that if I don't split and fill them they will look flat. I know they will be OK glazed and iced for a week but the idea of filling them is filling me with dread!!! I may just try to double the mixture and make deeper cakes.........but then I have the worry of timings and burnt out side of the cake!!

I have refrigerated fondant-covered cakes, no problem. Just try to avoid bringing them straight out of the fridge into hot climates; airconditioned room is best. ← Do you just wrap them tight in clingfilm? Are they ok for a few days? Thanks for the advise!

Hi Theresa! Thankyou so much! I was a bit worried about shop bought filling too! I'm a bit old fashioned that way and you really never know what's in them. I think I'll go for the first raspberry recipe, it's very similar to the blueberry sauce I use for Italian trifle so I should be able to do it with out to much problem!! Will this stand up to being out of the fridge? that is my biggest problem!!

Hello, I'm having a bit of a crisis, someone has asked me (on very short notice!) to make a three tiered wedding cake. I've decided on white chocolate mud cake but, I need a filling that will hold up at room temp without going off. I will need to fondant the cakes and let them dry out for about 5-7 days before the wedding so I won't be able to refrigerate them once iced! I've thought of using chocolate ganache but I'm still iffy on leaving it out in the air for longer than a day. I've also looked for ready made bagged fillings but can't seem to get them here in the UK. Can anyone out there PLEASE help me!!!

I'm wondering if I need to add more chocolate. I've had it out on the kitchen side and it's still very very hard, the short bursts in the microwave seem to just turn the centre very soft and leave the outside too hard the kneed, should I melt it back down and add say 200g more chocolate?

Thankyou, I'll give it a try, otherwise my horsey birthday cake won't have a nose!

Hi I wonder if anyone can help! I've made some chocolate paste for a birthday cake and it's my first time. I'm not sure if the chocolate has set too hard, as in it is rock solid after removing it from the fridge. I used the following recipe; 800g semi sweet dark chocolate 8 (british) tablespoons of liquid glucose I had to convert the recipe as I can't get corn syrup here I have tried the microwave for a short burst but, it just melts the centre to a semi liquified state leaving the outside rock solid. Have I added too much glucose or too little?