Wendy DeBord

First...........I suspect that Papa Beard uses a mix to keep the product standard in all locations. So I do think that may prevent you from ever getting an exact duplicate of their cream puff. Well, unless you can buy professional mixes thru bakery sources. BUT you should be able to make an even better tasteing one, actually! Personally, I don't like to puncture and dry out my puffs. I'd rather see you bake them longer (your's are a bit pale, but nice looking) so the exterior crisps up more, yet the center remains somewhat moist.

I just wanted to bump this thread back up and see if anyone is knowledgable on Burdicks chocolates. I've never tasted them, myself. But I have to agree that I've never really heard them mentioned among American professionals when their talking about really good chocolates. Anyone?

Ah........good experiment Chiantiglace. Thats a good point, and it might be effecting some peoples whipped cream technique and how it lasts. There's still another group of people that aren't getting the cream whipped to the right stage. So theres more then one possible cause that's giving you problems. The thing I see most often when I watch other people whip cream is they really don't know when to stop the mixer. They don't really know when it's not enough or when it's too much........I've seen cream that falls into a puddle when scooped and the person making it thought that was stiffly whipped cream. (that's what they were taught) I think that one of the things that throws people off is being told that when you can see the whisk make clear cuts thru the cream it's done. Well technically, that will give you a very soft set whipped cream. You can see the whisks path thru softly set whipped cream. When whipping correctly, it's more like you can stop your mixer and the cream will stay in place leaving a clear path from where the whisk just cut thru. Then on the opposite end you have to over-mixers. They whip their cream until it's so over whipped it's turning into a chunky texture (not smooth, but not clumps). It's firm, it does leave a clean path with the whisk, but over mixed doesn't hold well either. It's beginning to turn into butter and your squeezing all the water out of the cream so the water wants to seperate......henseforth the cream weeps and doesn't hold. Properly whipped cream lasts for 2 days on cakes in the cooler, not a moment less and technically even longer. It lasts for 4 plus hours frosted on a cake sitting at room temp.. Whipped cream with added stablizer doesn't last any longer! Isn't any stronger, either! If your whipped cream can't hold on a cake for two days in the cooler with-out showing signs of sagging your not whipping your cream correctly. If your holding your whipped cream in a bowl as in Chiantiglaces above post mentions, and it doesn't hold..........you've got to be undermixing or not handling it right. Would anyone like to do a 'demo' thread on properly whipped cream? It wouldn't take too much effort and would be something very helpful. Please pm me if your interested.

I think the two links in Brownsugars post should help you out. I do want to restate this because theres always confusion. Yes, you can mutiply baking recipes with-out making ingredient adjustments. Typcially the adjustments you need to make are in how you make them in your mixing bowl. Working with too much batter in a bowl prevents you from following proper method. SO use a bigger bowl, bigger mixer, etc... DON"T change the way you make it/method. You still need to cream items that need to be creamed, etc... I'd like to clarify the last point in Baking 911's list. Baking times do change only when your using larger pans (*edit, please add: deeper pans or pans holding more volume of batter). If you make a recipe for a cake meant to be baked in a 9" round pan and mulitply it times ten (ten times your orginial recipe) and put the batter all in 9" round pans..........those cakes will all bake as the orginial recipe stated (*edited. please add: assuming you bake those cakes with-out leaving them out of the oven for any time period and that you don't over crowd your oven and that your oven bakes well and other minute variables) It's only when you take all that batter and put it in one or two huge pans that you need to adjust the baking time and or temp.. To adjust baking times and tempatures: Large items need to bake longer (pretty obvious) but sometimes it's best to bake them at a slightly lower temp. then what's called for. Maybe 25 degrees lower. Because when baking in such a large surface area the edges will set much faster then the center of the item.........so if you bring it all up together at a lower heat the sides are less likely to dry out. BUT, I have to tell you that I bake in huge quantities and it's VERY rare that I have to do this. If you need help or have any questions on specific recipes or items your making please feel free to ask specific questions.

The "trick" to straining seeded fruits in a chinois is to use a metal soup ladel and NOT a spatula to press down your puree. Also if your going to make pureed raspberries it's cheaper to buy them frozen then to purchase and use fresh. Last, I wouldn't suggest using raspberry preserves.........that would be too sweet and seem artifical compared to using a puree.

I agree with Patrick....it really can't be the mixer only the mixers operator (sorry). But sheesh I don't think I've ever made that small of a batch.........and I sure do know that some items are a royal pain to make too small. They can be just too small to handle properly. So I pulled out my Herme' book and I'll post what I did, that worked/works for me. 560 g almonds 960 g confectioners sugar Ground together until it's a powder. Whip together: 400 g beaten egg whites 1 g powdered egg white Herme instructs you to use 2/3 of "old" egg white and 1/3 fresh. I actually used all fresh and didn't leave my whites out to dry at any point. At the time I was making these I didn't know of that technique. That formula as written gave me the air pocket previously mentioned and it was just slightly too wet (probably because I had all fresh whites). So I played around a little and wound up adjusting the recipe a bit. This is what I use/used that worked for me: (sorry, I switched from grams to oz when I was experimenting) 10.20 oz egg whites .75 oz. powder egg white (not meringue powder) to the same amount of almonds and confectioners sugar listed above (560 g almond & 960 g xxxsugar) You can feel how the raw batter is just a little bit thicker/denser...........not likely to weep or deflate...........or as I described above "less wet". He instructs you to let them stand for 20 minutes before baking them ("so that light crust forms on the surface") if your using a convection oven. Bake off at 140C with open draught, but I didn't/don't have that option on my oven. For a standard oven he dirrects you to bake off at 475F for 2 minutes (to "seal") then turn your oven down to 375F and finish baking.

I think I do know what Mel is referring to.........because I've experienced similar. Yes, there can be an air pocket between the top and foot of the macaroon. This makes them very fragile and not right. I know it didn't happen because of underfolding in my case. I had that happen when my batter was too wet.........and man there's a fine line there.........because your soooo close. A denser batter holds up better, pipes better and doesn't have air pockets (besides being correct). That's when I added a little more dried egg whites to Herme's recipe and discovered that that did the trick for me. I'd believe that this also is achieved by leaving your whites uncover out in room temp. well before using. I believe that your enviroment plays a roll in your formula for these cookies. I don't believe that one recipe fit's all, because of that. So you need to tweek the recipe to find your answer.

O.k............I have to admit this topic is something I've never understood. Regular whipped cream when done properly/well is extremely stable. When I began as a pc I bought into the whole needing to stablize it thing. I tried the different methods and purchased stablizers. NONE made any notable difference or ANY improvement. As far as I'm concerned any need to stablize whip cream is sort of a myth, a totally unnecessary step done out of fear. I'd sort of like to address this and any issues involved to persuede all that this is not a necessary additive. What's happening for you that you feel the need to stablize your whipped cream? What are you scared to use it on or do with it that compels you to want to stablize it?

As a pastry chef I love following other peoples recipes. It lets me walk in someone elses shoes, see the world thru someone elses palate and thoughts. You can't escape yourself, your likings and dislikings, your prejudices..........your always stuck in yourself. To learn someone elses style, method and opinion is auesome, I grow more from others then on my own. Isn't that why we are all here on a "foodie" site talking about food? The more I converse with others online the more I realize how hard it is to communicate well. I used to judge recipes and the author of the recipes harshly. If the recipe didn't work, it was their fault. The fact that they "don't work" might be the author just not communicating literally enough. I tryed to do a series of "BEST OF's", best chocolate cake, best white cake, best banana cake only to discover how cruelingly difficult it is to get people to follow the recipe and the instructions of the recipe. You do have to follow those points exactly to reproduce something as written by someone else. Everyone wants to zig when the recipe tells you to zag. "NO, ZIG with the recipe" I tried to dirrect everyone. Don't wonder off and subsitute grapes for raisins. Be literal. But our own experiences prevent us from blinding zigging when everything we've known to date taught us this is the time to zag. Dorie Greenspan comes to my mind when I think of a great writer of recipes. She writes so clearly and beautifully. She molds even other chefs recipes into words of art that guide the user to zig with the authors intent. The pay-off for following those recipes and instructions is bliss and thru that constant repetition of a blissful pay-off she manipulates people to follow her gentle teachings. That's brilliance! I'm certain I can never communicate that well..........heck I'm happy when I can get just one other person who follows what I was trying to write. Writing recipes well, is an art form. For some reason everyone thinks they can do this well. After all your JUST conveying information. But it's definately the childs game of telephone passing a message on...........rarely does it end up intact as meant. The game is fun and worth playing but you have to bring your skill as a learner to the table as well as the author did. I've become more forgiving of authors who's recipes "don't work", maybe it's not just them.

I've managed to collect a couple inexpensive chocolate molds.....thats what I've used for both balls on the cakes. The first cake photo I posted used to be my 'signature' b-day cake for my b-day cakes at a club. The one time I had the $$ behind the order to do a nice golf cake, I didn't have any free time at all. Usually I get the order in around lunch due for dinner..........where you just squeeze it into whatever else your doing. If you've got any photos of your golf cakes Anne, I'd love to see them?!!

Here's two really quicky golf cakes I've done at work. This one is out of a 8" round. I used left-over chocolate cake scraps to form the dirt around the sides of the cake. This time I used fondant on top for the green. Other times I've piped out the greens with two shades of green frosting to represent the mower patterns left in the grass. This one is in the cooler, before I placed a gum paste golf flag on it. It's a pretty large cake, it took me about a half hour to whip together for a golfers funeral.

I came across this older thread that's quite interesting.

Geniose should not be moist or chewy. In Herme's professional book he uses almond paste in his geniose to make it a better tasting cake...........the almond paste imparts flavor and some moisture so it isn't as neutral tasting as one made with almond flour. You can omit the emulsifier with-out harm (I have). His classic genoise recipe in Desserts works great. I like both recipes from him. Are you folding some batter into your butter before you add it to your mixing bowl of batter? That really changes the consistancy of the butter, so when you add it to your bowl of batter it easily incoporates. Also, I like using a whisk to fold in delicate batters verses a spatula. It doesn't seem to deflate your product as much as a spatula can.

Sorry, yes you should follow the sieving instructions. If I recall correctly I was just pointing out the typical texture of purchased almond flour............which is no where near as fine as milled wheat. Mel, which if any other recipes for macaroons have you tried? Have your results been consistant regardless of which recipe you worked?

I believe you can buy it thru several online and over the phone sources. I'd contact: www.rubberchef.com and www.sweetart.de

It seems to me that you might need to make a small adjustment in your recipe or procedure Chromedome since your change of cheese. Perhaps you need a little more egg or less bake time? Cheeses can vary in tightness, density. Breaking.........seems like the cake is dry, to me. MAYBE it all depends upon where you live and what all the brand options are.......as to which cream cheese is "better". My chef buys a sysco kind of brand and no matter what you do, you will ALWAYS get small bits or lumps that won't break down into a smooth cream. So in comparision, for me I'd much rather have the Philly cheese which does break down into a smooth cream. Philly seems to me to always be consistant, where I can't say that about other brands I've had to use.

I write on the sides of cakes..........it's really the same as decorating work on the sides.........and it's something you should practice and get comfortable doing. What I do so I can work on the sides of a cake is get eye level with the sides. Either I'll prop up the cake on a box (if the cake is small) or with big cakes like wedding cakes I sit low so my eyes are even with the sides of the cake.

I find it much easier to do packages with chocolate plastic then rolled fondant. The chocolate doesn't stretch very easily so you can play with it longer, lifting up your flaps to cut out the bulk. Where as the fondant wants to stretch and tear. I have to cover the whole cake, bottom and all to get the look Elegant Cheesecake gets. But covering a whole cake in chocolate plastic isn't so edible to me as fondant. I sort of think Elegant Cheesecakes has this down to an art and when it comes to cutting their covering, maybe they aren't starting with a square or rectangle of chocolate plastic. I'd guess that they cut the chocolate to shape, cutting out knotches for the flaped sides before they wrap the cake in it. Also......less waste that way. Don't the admit they use a sheeter to roll out their chocolate? That's another factor making it much easier for them. CurlySue, I wouldn't say you "failed miserably" at all! It's not 'perfect' on the sides like Elegant Cheesecakes are...........but it's a dam_ nice looking cake!! I'd be thrilled to buy it or recieve it.

Sounds great! I'd love to see any photos you might have taken. Just a word of warning...........becareful not to upstage the chef too much..........it only leads to problems. If their quality doesn't match yours you might be in the wrong kitchen...........just be careful and down play the printing mistake that omited the chefs name. I doubt he'll find humor in it.

Welcome to The eGullet Society For Arts & Letters Kuri. Paula Wolferts advice seems to be the perfect answer for you question. Let us know how that method works for you.

Claire are you referring to this thread here? When I need a cake for carving I like to use the chocolate cake from our Best Chocolate cake thread here..........the recipe written by Scott Wooley Clark. I also like to use the almond cake in Baking With Julia. I believe the recipe is credited to Martha Stewart and it's the cake she used to demonstrate making a wedding cake in that book. The thing I look for is a moist dense cake. Those work best for me verses light chiffons or even cake mix cakes. Also the recipe Patrick posted in this thread should work well to carve.

First, welcome to The eGullet Society For Arts & Letters Arghavan. I'd like to mention that perfect macaroons even alude professional bakers. The most minute details effect macaroons. I personally can't address the specific recipe in this book because I'm not familar with it. BUT we can certainly talk more about the art of making macaroons on this thread if you wish.

Hum.............this could be hard to completely figure out seeing that your in Japan and their cream cheese could be slightly different. I do like the bigger name brand Philly cream cheese over other brands........I do think that brand is more consistant and easiest to handle. "Critty", leaves me dumbfounded. I can't think of how or why that would be. I can only think that it's your sugar that's not totally dissolving that seems gritty. Typically you want to keep this dough cold. Warming cream cheese shouldn't ripen it really...... It is sort of a plain dough.............really just about being a flaky neutral dough. Maybe it's the recipe your using? Do we have anyone that's got a killer rugelachs dough recipe they'd share?

Lovely!!! Thank-you so much for sharing this with us! I've never made my own cake stand for a wedding cake............but you've got me thinking about it. Did you use any center support for your cake stand? For people who think about making their own wedding cake can you figure out how many hours this took you to make? So others will have a realistic idea. On the day before the wedding and on the wedding day, how much time did you spend working on the cake?

I've made that specific recipe Oli. It's pretty good. As I recall though it has two slight problem areas. 1. It's soft, so it's really hard to cut and serve (both the cake and the filling are very soft). I wound up freezing it a bit to cut it. 2. The filling was thin, runny as written. So I suggest you drain your ricotta really well. If I recall correctly I wound up adding either pastry cream or cream cheese to thicken it. I think I finished mine with whipped cream. It's definately worth making..........just pointing out what my experience was. You could glaze it with chocolate too.