Wendy DeBord

I've noticed your BAT Signal, but good god, I'm not bat women....maybe fat women, ha! Some answers: 1. I suggest you purchase those gum paste flower sprays instead of making them. They are an art, and time consuming. There are MANY sources where you can purchase these. (I'll post a few in a later response). 2. You can bake the cake several weeks before the date, but you must wrap it and freeze it well. The filling and assemble of layers you should do the day before the event. Stacking the layers together.........well everyone has different opinions on that. I'll only stack 2 cakes on top of each other for transport and then assemble the rest on site. Some people feel comfortable delivering the whole cake completely assembled. BUT you need to know what your doing before you attempt that. 2 (again, oops). Like ladyyoung98 mentioned two different ways it can be done. One with your butter cream or two-with rolled fondant. I think marzipan might be too difficult for you to roll out and pleat like that, I wouldn't suggest you do that. The rolled fondant sticks to your buttercream like it's glued. BUT if you have too much weight in fondant hanging on the sides of your cakes-they could fall off with gravity. 3. I don't deal with nut allergies. To the best of my knowledge you have to be very careful with all your equipment and not let something that touched nuts touch your non nut food. I think it's too much hassle. I'll make the whole cake nut free or not nut free. I can't cater to everyones individual needs.........thats a slipperly sloop. 4. Refer back to my answer in # 2. 5. Food coloring, pastes. You have to knead that into fondant. 6. Some people do refridgerate fondant covered cakes and some don't. It's up to you and your particular cooler. Some coolers have soooo much humidity in them everything becomes covered with dew over-night- thats a problem! I suggest you use all buttercream to create that look and it will be a far easier task then using rolled fondant.

I don't know if this fits your needs, but the honey cake recipe posted with the exotic orange cake is a really really nice cake. http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=48772

HUm...brioche doughnuts..........now thats a idea! I've never seen that in a book..........where does that originate? I also reccomend potato doughs, glad to see a like mind! But they aren't "light" either. Also.......just a thought (witchy at that), but something about a customer asking me for a recipe bothers me. Sometimes it doesn't-but in this instance it does. I guess you have to meet the person..........

Abra you don't have to make every component in the torte all on the same day.........even though it does sort of read that way. You can break this recipe down into sections/components and freeze each, then assemble it. Often on the job I'm freezing components ignoring or re-working the recipe into my schedule. Freezing components along the way before assembling also gives you that clean layered looking inside your torte when you slice it. If you didn't freeze some items seperately they'd blend together as you carried them to the cooler..........or you'd have to sit around all day waiting and watching until the first mousse has firmed up enough to begin the second mousse or component. Example: Make the cake in a 9" cake pan, unmold, cool, then- freeze it. On another day, make the passionfruit mousse-freeze it in a 8" cake pan (or you can use the same 9" pan you baked your cake in). Once frozen you can umold it and place it back in the freezer (well wrapped). Make the caramel mousse whenever-freeze it too in a 8"or 9" cake pan, unmold it too whenever you want. Then assembly day. (Which involves a little bit of method changing-but no serious harm will be done.)(I'm still building my torte upside down in the pan, so the bottom when unmolded will become the top.) Take the passion fruit mousse out of the freezer. If you froze it in a 9" cake pan you'll need to trim it 1" all the way around (with a knive), if it's in the 8" pan you don't need to trim it. Place that disk in the bottom of your 9" cake pan. (I don't have cake rings so I have to use my cake pans to assemble into) Set this back in your freezer while you: Then make your vanilla/orange bavarain/mousse. Take the pan out of the freezer and spread a layer of the vanilla/orange over the frozen passion fruit disk. Tap your pan on the counter lightly to release any air pockets making sure it fills in the 1" space between the pan and the passion fruit disk. Then place your caramel disk ontop of that (trim if necessary). Next, place more vanilla/orange on top of the caramel disk, again making sure it goes between the sides of the disk and the pan, tap again gently to release any air pockets. Next, trim aprox. 1/2" of the sides of your cake, so when it's in the pan the sides of the cake won't touch the pan. Soak your defrosted cake with the soaking syrup. Place that on top of the previous layer. Finish assembling by pouring the rest of vanilla-orange mousse ontop. There won't be much mousse left-over to do so (thats why I suggest making 2x the vanilla/orange mousse recipe per torte) it's a tight amount of mousse. Then you freeze the whole torte again.......when solidly frozen, unmold it. Turn it right side up and spray it with the white chocolate (covering the center disk of passion fruit) and you have pretty much the same thing. The only difference is the center isn't recessed and later filled with the passion fruit so your top layer of passion fruit will be flush with the vanilla/orange mousse. I hope that made sense and you were able to follow? The sprayed on white chocolate in my opinion is optional (I did, but probably wouldn't bother in the future). Flavor and texture wise it's more decorative then anything (I would have prefered the white chocolate on the bottom mixed into something crunchie like fellutine to support this mousse torte). I finished my torte by piping a whipped cream border on top and filling it with madarin oranges. I tasted this again today at lunch and I think the whipped cream and fruit added a nice contrast to this and helps you enjoy the orange contrast better then with-out the whipped cream.

I make doughnuts. I hadn't in years, then just the past month or so I've had the chance to make them a couple times. Gotta admit I'm a bit rusty....but......... In my experience cake doughnuts aren't anything that could be described as 'light' compared to a yeast raised doughnut. When you use a freshly cleaned and filled frier- it might come across as 'lighter' in flavor compared to a frier that needs cleaning.......so thats one guess. I just can't help but wonder if they really mean a cake doughnut. I've seen people use the same name for different products. Like a 'scone' I think of as a baked sweet biscuit. But in Utah a 'scone' is a deep fried fritter like a doughnut served with syrup. A 'beignet' in New Orleans is a square piece of yeast raised dough deep fried......I first learned a 'beignet' to be a choux puff type batter with-out yeast. Your description of a doughnut absorbing alot of grease also could be what she means in heavy verse 'light'. Cake doughnut recipes I'm familar with look alot like a muffin recipe where you have your dry ingredients like flour & sugar and then you fold in milk or buttermilk with vanilla, melted butter and eggs (aprox.). I'm sure you could add whipped egg whites to lighten the batter......although I've never seen a recipe for cake doughnuts written that way. This could be something indigenous to SF. I also typically think of a 'lighter' item as more likely coming from a mix then from scratch...........like a cake mix verse a scratch cake. My best guess is, since she implyed that many places in SF had this similar item that it probably did come from a mix verses scratch baking. Perhaps brand X cake doughnut mix is more popular in SF and in your region another brand is more prevalent.

Yes, the recipe I have does mention using an apricot glaze and serving with fresh fruit. Who's recipe is it? Pillsbury?

This is my favorite rum cake recipe. I'm not sure where I got it from anymore I believe it might be from Pillsbury. They call it "Rum Ring Cake": 2 c. ap flour 1 c. sugar 4 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 c. milk 1/4 c. melted butter 1 tsp. vanilla 4 eggs Mix wet ing. into dry. Bake 350F in a well greased bundt pan. After it's baked while it's still warm, remove from pan-then replace in pan. Pierce cake all over with a screwer and pour the following hot syrup on the warm cake. Cool in pan for about 15 min. then remove or it will stick in pan. Soaking Syrup: 1 c. sugar 1 c. h20 1/4 c. rum

This recipe bakes up fine in any size layer cake...........just don't use a unusually deep pan...but than most cakes don't bake correct if the batter is too deep. I think it's pretty good as is, I use it for all my chocolate wedding cakes. Never has it been dry (it's almost too moist actually)..........so I don't know what happened for you Ling.

Yes of course. I have it a work.........will post tonight or tommarrow. Just a quick note: If you baste your cake in the pan as Cusina does (I do too sometimes)........I find it best to first completely unmold that cake so theres no chance of it sticking in the pan. THEN- put it back in the pan and soak it.

I bought this one. I've enjoyed reading it alot. I feel a real connection with the type of work he does as a pc. Although I don't have his average clientele of world leaders.........it seemed like we do similar work and in many ways have a similar outlook on our jobs. His book seems personal and I believe I'd greatly enjoy his company. I wish it had more photos........ALOT! Thats the only negative I've found in this book. He writes telling the reader his thoughts based on his experiences.......which is something other authors rarely include. He often (although I would have like even more opinions) explains why he prefers this over that. In fact he's changed my opinion on creme brulee'. I've always baked mine but after reading that chapter and making his champange creme brulee stovetop, I'm ready to become a convert to making brulee stovetop only. His book is geared a little more basic then my ideal book at this point in my life. But I'm still going to give several of his base recipes a chance to knock my favorites off. I think he knows a hell of alot more than I, and I'm going to take his advice on several things. Theres been times when I've chuckled to myself agreeing with his perspective and saying to hell with 'tradition' if it's not better. One shocker was him writing about pies. He uses all shortening (which he knows his countrymen would mutiney over) and he reasons it to what HIS client seems to prefer. Then he adds extra butter in his fillings to give back some richness. I'm looking forward to trying more recipes. If the rest turn out as well as his champange creme brulee did - I'd suggest you run to get this book.

Thank-you FWED for posting this recipe! I made it this past friday for my ala carte service. I LOVED the caramel layer and will be using that in many other recipes! The honey cake didn't really taste like honey-but it's a darn nice soft cake and I'll use that in the future too. All the recipes worked great, no problems. In the future, I probably would double the outter mousse-the orange and vanilla one because it ran pretty tight........and I think I'd put something crunchie on the bottom for more texture........both small changes.....otherwise it's a very nice torte. Thank-you again for sharing!!

I can ditto Matsu's reccomendation, because I've made that recipe before. I like my scratch cake version better........but for a simple easy cake that mix isn't bad.

I used to cann my own salsa. The whole mixture really does change when heated up properly to seal. What starts out as a great texture usually turns to mush. I over compensate by leaving everything in larger pieces than I would if serving fresh salsa and I do go pretty heavy handed with my seasoning. Also your cooking time effects the final product. I forget what time I was using but you don't need to boil it as long as a tomato sauce. I'm a little stumped about the cilantro issue because I didn't experience that issue myself. But I did use almost whole sized leafs through-out (because they shrivel up when boiled). I wonder if it could be as simple as not having enough salt to brighten the whole salsa taste?

I'm glad to see you've got this figured out. Thanks for sharing the info. too!! What flavors next?

I believe what your doing now- networking with people similar to you and already working in the field-is probably the best exposure to possiblities your going to find. I beleive someone published a book on 'the making of a pastry chef' or something similar in title you could look up for more insight if your interested. Theres alot of people that sell cakes from their homes, legally and illegally. To do this successfully it takes savvy...........and finding a mentor who does similar would be a great asset to increase your knowledge. Personally speaking, if your serious about this avenue I don't think a culinary school would be your best education. Instead I'd invest in taking classes from many of the leaders in the decorating industry. We have at least one regular member here who does make a living doing cakes from home, and several others here that have related experience........not to mention a couple huge icons in the industry Kerry Vincent and Steve Klc. Rarely will you find so many talented decorators hanging out where you could ask them questions.........

I haven't baked these in months.......but I don't recall them being rubbery.........I think you hit the nail on the head, you probably over baked abit.

Yes McDuff, I freeze it.

The classes don't begin again until fall. So sometime then it should be posted. I have to add.........I bought the book Dessert University on Sunday and have been reading everynight after work. GREAT read! Anyway I had to chuckle big time because what he wrote on pie crusts was- that he uses all shortening for his pie dough!!! He knows that his countrymen would scream over that-but he does what he believes his American clients want-a very flakie crust. He then says he always heavily laces his fruit with butter to make up the taste. Side note: I'm loving his book! His personal notes of experience are fab.!

Oh god I remember those types of situations..............wait until your bakery is full and some idiot starts screaming about something completely off the wall. It's going to happen, it does to every business. Just in case you don't know how to handle it (I didn't until I saw someone else do so beautifully)....go up to them-talk softly and ask them to calm down and talk more quitely too. Keep engaging them, don't blow them off....just listen to their shit until the place clears out of reg. customers. Don't try to reason with them (you can't reason with the unreasonable), just keep them engaged quitely until the place clears out. Then tell them to leave or you'll be forced to call the police.

I gotta say I'm a bit supprised by how little media coverage there was of her passing. I thought she had a great impact, worthy of media attention. I didn't find out about her death until reading your post here bakerboy. I'd love to see Food Network do a huge special on her!

I just wanted to bump this thread up and see if we can get any responses for you MarkIsCooking.

Welcome to eg Loompa! Unforunately I didn't note which percentage I was working with, your right that makes a difference. Callebaut is a dense/vicosity brand of chocolate compared to many others. I don't like it for dipping chocolates or chocolate mousse.......its just too thick. I'm sure I could thin it down alittle but I'd rather just buy a ready to go brand.

From some of the things you wrote, you have me wondering how your making pastry cream and what your recipe looks like. Would you mind posting it? Some answers: Yes you can reduce the sugar, sugar has nothing to do with thickening. I beleive you can use splenda in it's place also. Beating your eggs and sugar before cooking is an unnecessary step. You can use either flour or cornstarch and or other thickeners. BUT you can't interchange them without making adjustments in your recipe. In other words 1/4 c. flour won't thicken the same as 1/4 c. cornstarch. I bring my pastry cream up to a boil. Many items don't reach their peak of thickening until they come to a boil. Cornstarch should be brought up to a boil. Creamy verses pastie......thats up to the recipe your using and how you make it. Good pastry cream shouldn't be pastie. It sounds over thickened if it's pastie. You could have too many eggs to liqiuid proportions or too much thickener-flour or cornstarch, etc.... You can fold in whipped cream or creme fraiche (and plenty other ingredients) into pastry cream to enhanse it. Pastry cream is a foundation/basic item that we traditionally build off of, turning into other more complex fillings/items.

Until recently I've used fexible pans mainly for molding or assembling, I then freeze and release. But I just bought some individual size fleximolds and I'm just learning how to bake in them. I made a coconut cake in my semi-speres and couldn't get them to release. I didn't spray the molds prior to baking. So I popped them in the freezer for 1/2 hour and they came out perfectly. I think it's all going to depend upon what item your baking as to how easily it releases with-out freezing. I think it could be easy to over-bake items as a crutch for releasing. I'm not an expert on these pans.........but I'm pretty sure they aren't meant to be sprayed or greased prior to baking.

Every recipe author will tell you something different. I've read recipes for pastry cream that tell you it only holds for 2 days.......thats rediculously wasteful. But then they might be talking about perfection, how long something remains perfect. (When in fact everything begins to deteriorate) You have to follow your own principals of quality and deside when something is bad or good. I personally keep pastry cream for a week, sometimes longer. Some p.c. recipes do keep better then others. Sometimes the liquids may begin seperating......sometimes you can stir it back together and it's fine for a couple more days.........sometimes when the liquid seeps out it really old and should have been tossed days ago. You can freeze pastry cream, but it can get funky. To use it successfully I suggest adding it to something else. Mix it up good or if it's thin, pour off the liquid and stir it up. Then you can bake with it or fold whipped cream into it or butter, etc....