Matthew Kirshner

you can always send some my way if you need to get rid of a few pounds, lol!! I would make a ton of almond cream and use the rest for cookies.

I think my boss wants me to stay away from all animal base, including fish. I can ask him on Wednesday when I see him. do you remember the name of the product by any chance?

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I will try the cocoa butter idea. Has anyone use arrowroot?

Hi everyone, So hear is my dilemma, I was talking to my boss at work yesterday and I mention I wanted to get some gelatin in so I could make some fruit mousses. He informed me that I was not allowed to use any gelatin made from an animal base(Long story, don't ask Y?). after doing a little research, the closet thing to a vegetable base gelatin is Agar-Agar. Has anyone use this substitution before and if so is it equal amounts. Or if anyone has any other suggestions for replacing the animal base gelatin. Thanks!!

it's a French buttercream recipe, boil to 116^c. I don't know why but I have seen that in a lot of cookbooks where they don't mention the degrees for cook syrup.

Emmalish, those are some beautiful pictures, not to mention the treats look amazing!!

I was wondering if anyone stills measure out their batter for cake panning? I am in need for adjusting my formulas so there is no waste, nor shortage. I usually have a little too much so I normally take the rest and make cupcakes, but with no oven space those usually come out "weird" when they do come out of the oven. I usually make chiffon cakes. Knowing its a foam style cake, I was told for at least a 8" cake round, use 10oz batter. is that right?

when explaining feuillentine to customers I usually tell them its pieces of ice cream cones.

I have only used dried flowers and usually for hibiscus soup with guava sorbet. you could try infusing with cream both dried and syrup. The times I have seen the syrup I felt it was over sweeten in the syrup. I would be a little worried about the sugar content using the syrup, my two cents

After speaking with the client recently, she inform me of no liners. Now I have to figure out a way to present the cheesecakes on a tower, I was thinking of gold boards but I don't think they make small enough ones. Does anyone know where I could find any?

Hi everyone, I have been asked to make cheesecake cupcakes for a wedding in 6 months. I have made large cheesecakes in the past for jobs but not cupcakes. I have a few questions if anyone could answer: 1. The client wants liners, I know not to use foil liners, but would regular paper liners work without sticking to the cheesecake? 2. normally I would waterbath, should I waterbath for cupcake size? I have notice some articles and recipes they don't. 3. What would be a typical temperature and time? again I have only done big ones in large deck ovens. 4. this is more of I client preference, but any ideas for topping ex.. whipped cream, buttercream, ect.. something that can be presented on a tower. any thoughts would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

I normally do not put flour in the butter pats, but some people do. I have the norm 4oz bread flour per dough mix with the butter in the mixer. example: 4 croissant dough's...16oz flour for the pats

Try this next time around if you can make an extra dough to laminate: Laminate to 10-9mm for the folds(one double, one single. or 3 single) Make up: 3 1/2 -3 reduce butter to 25%(if you are adding flour to the butter pats, only add 4oz per dough) I think another problem is the butter when you laminate is getting too thin into the dough causing it to crack. Remember the butter is also a steam leavening for laminating dough's. Thank you for the comment on the kids, I need to update the photo, I have a daughter in the mix.

Normally I tend to stay with 25% butter into lamination. 3# butter into 8# dough seems to be a little too much, that's is closer to 38%?? Are you rolling these croissants out by hand or sheeter?, if you are using a sheeting what are the thickness you are sheeting to, both folds and make-up. In the past I have notice the thicker the sheeting the problems you have describe has happen.

Thank you HQ, that's it!!

Hi All, I have been going through my recipe notebooks and came across a morning pastry I have not done in a long time. It was taught to me from my Swedish Pastry Chef years ago, but the problem is someone(aka my kids) decided to draw in the book now I can not read out the name. This is the best way to describe it: It is a pate-a-choux piped in a round then a small round of sweet dough placed on top prior to baking. After the bake, we use to fill the inside with rasp. jam/pastry cream/vanilla whipped cream. If anyone has made or seen this type of pastry, please let me know what the name is. Have a Merry XMAS and Happy New Year!!

IMO, the more fancy you get with decorations such as transfer sheets or garnishes for mini tartlets, most people do not normally go for those items. Even thou you and your guess know it looks amazing and tastes amazing. The bottom line is if it is already paid for, does it really matter at the end. You went out of your way to make these treats, its there fault they did not have any. There has been times where I have random bonbons left over because people have mention to me "It looks to pretty to eat." That's why for wedding cakes I don't go over the top with décor. I want people to eat them, otherwise my wife eats them and yells at me for bringing them home. So please don't get discourage if this happens you again, take it as a complement. BTW, I understand the fish plate why most would send it back, foam is not appetizing to look at. Just my two cents. Happy Holidays Everyone!!

I have made ice cream with butter added in the past, I feel it can go one of two ways. The first (which usually happen to me) the added fat from the butter made it separate during the spinning process so it never churn properly. The Second outcome is you made Paula Deans day by adding butter to something that doesn't need it. This is base for a plain vanilla recipe. Just my two cents. I hope it works for you.

After a little over 8 years, my levain is still holding up great!! I was bored yesterday and my kids wanted to make something with me. So we decided cranberry/walnut sourdough. Although as a common mistake what I do at home, I forgot to lower the oven temperature midway through. The kids love it regardless.

So I have been asked by a special client for gluten free cupcakes for her daughter's wedding in three months. Even though I am not an expert in gluten free baking, I think I made it happen with these red velvet cakes. My wife and kids did not even notice a difference.

I was just wondering if this workshop is open to any eGforum member? I would love to participate in this workshop

I understand about wanting to have consistent appearance and size when you break the bark, I have the same issues when I make lavash for bagging, it can't always work out. For me I care more about the consistent taste then appearance for items such as bark, it's meant to be broken. Just my two cents.

the funny thing is I am a type one diabetic, I should hold all the answers, but I don't substitute anything for me... I just adjust with more insulin. As far as the client is concern, she requested agave syrup as replacement, as well as pecans instead of traditional walnuts. Panaderia, if you would not mind sharing your formula for the icing that would help, if you don't mind. I was also thinking of using raisin puree instead of the agave syrup? The client was pretty straight forward of what was needed, nothing else is to be replaced, just the sugar and nuts

Hi everyone, I am planning to make a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting for a client of mine, and she inform me that the guess of honor is a type one diabetic. has anyone ever taken out the 10x sugar from the frosting and used any other ingredients as replacement sugar. I am using agrave syrup to replace the sugar in the cake itself. Any suggestions?? matt

a second pic