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Do you sketch your sweets?


gfron1

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I spend weeks and months (sometimes years) thinking through a dessert, and when it finally starts to come together in my mind, I like to sketch it. Sometimes that sketch goes through many refinements before the batter hits the road. And while my sketches are no DaVinci's, I thought it might be fun to post some sketches and have others share theirs. Are you game?

Here's my first. Its for a very, extra special birthday this weekend. My thought was that all of the guests are adventurous eaters. All know the type of stuff I do and won't be scared to try anything, but it must be a sure thing. So, a choc mirror glazed cake with a cinnamon dacquoise, standard choc genoise, layered with mango mousse (Italian meringue), and topped with some chocolate tricks that I picked up from Kerry.

gallery_41282_4652_16803.jpg

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I do sketch some of my ideas. Especially when it comes to platings. Ideas for flavors (regardless of whether they end up being good or bad ideas) come fairly easy to me but figuring out how I want to plate them is sometimes a struggle and requires a sketch or three before deciding. I don't always do that, sometimes I just improvise and live with it, but those don't always turn out as nice. My sketches are very basic and not artsy at all, more of a blueprint than a picture. I have no problem sharing them except for the major problem that I don't save them so I don't have any to share.

It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

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I'll try to keep that in mind next time I plan something, Rob. Usually it's all stuck in my head.

On the other hand, I would love to see the outcome of your sketch :smile:

Mark

The Gastronomer's Bookshelf - Collaborative book reviews about food and food culture. Submit a review today! :)

No Special Effects - my reader-friendly blog about food and life.

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LOL I should have drawn up that mess of a cheesecake I made before I made it that is for sure

I dont draw a picture as a plan ..but I do something similar when I am working on foods or trying somewhere and want to recreate or even create differently

when I taste a dessert or sweet (actually any food) I will take a pen and even on a napkin and write the word first then some kind of shape or figure in the order of how it hits me flavor texture aroma visual whatever... (I hope this makes sense I will try to post a picture) next time I do this ... in order ..trying to capture the sensuality/personality on paper so I can learn it ...I suck with recipes ..for me ..this is a learning/layering tool ... ...it is not the same as drawing a picture or trying to capture a recipe ..someplace in the middle maybe? ... but in my mind it acts like a picture ...even when I am not with the food in my mouth ..if insipiration hits .. will pull the slip look at it and put a note on it ..a drawn visual guide to what I want to accomplish

...like if the first bite hits me with too much cardamom ..I will write the word cardamom and then draw a symbol that reminds me of how it hit me ...later I might look at it ..and think less cardamom and use some orange zest I will put a down arrow on the cardamom and draw a plus and tiny orange

does this fit here I think? I will take a pic the next time I do it or if I find one I have done show you ..

I think it is exactly the same but completely differant than what you do!

why am I always at the bottom and why is everything so high? 

why must there be so little me and so much sky?

Piglet 

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Sure. Occasionally the end product even resembles the original idea!

Rob, do you have the Notebooks of Michel Bras - Desserts? It's an interesting little book, with all of the desserts sketched just like yours. I don't have it with me here, but as I recall there are some unusual combinations and techniques. Brown butter ice cream?

http://www.amazon.com/Notebooks-Michel-Bra...07394459&sr=1-2

Edited by pastrygirl (log)
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Pastrygirl - thanks for the lead. I hadn't seen that one before.

Fanny - my birthday isn't until tomorrow, so the cake is in the freezer right now waiting for glaze and decoration. (Is it tacky that I'm making my own cake to take to a restaurant because theirs wouldn't be as good?) I'll post as soon as its done.

BTW, what motivated me to start this topic was thinking about the sketches from last year's Elizabeth movie with all that gorgeous food, and thinking about how the designers must have had a lot of fun coming up with historical and eye-feast sweets for the banquet scenes.

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At work when i am designing a new dessert of cake, i almost always sketch it, i do have an art backround but usually keep my sketches simple and rough, just to get thoughts in order. I also never keep them once the project is done, but i should start saving some and posting them.

Thanks Gfron, i think this is a great topic idea, and love to hear/see that i am not the only who draws.

Eric

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I've never sketched the things I make before, mostly because I've never gone too into plating, or decorating. I love to drawing though, maybe more than baking. Next time I'm going to sketch out watch I make, and put more effort into decorating.

Happy birthday Gfron! I can't wait to see your cake, it sounds amazing and the sketch looks really awesome.

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Happy Birthday!

I definately sketch my dessert/chocolates ideas, I am a big doodler and I do love sketch my ideas all over the place, also displays, like I am doing it lately for an upcoming event ( I am going nuts too many ideas :wacko: )

Vanessa

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So today, i had time to finish a cake i started working on last week, all i needed to do was work on the finished look. So here are my Sketches followed by the finished Cake. This cake is just a proto-type cake, so i make tweek it a bit, but i like the overall finished product.

gallery_58569_5896_39598.jpg

So i started with four concepts

gallery_58569_5896_27001.jpg

and i picked this last one for the feeling i wanted for this cake, which is something more feminine which worked as well with the flavor profile

gallery_58569_5896_65302.jpg

Here is the final cake, this is the first time i have tried to make a flower like this and after i finished this one i did go on to refine my process for the next cake

Edited by Linzerbear (log)

Eric

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That's what I'm talking about - thank you for posting the before and after.  Beautiful!

Your Welcome, i have to say i do this all the time and was kind of fun to take the pictures since i never really keep the sketches. and thank you!

Eric

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So today, i had time to finish a cake i started working on last week, all i needed to do was work on the finished look.  So here are my Sketches followed by the finished Cake.  This cake is just a proto-type cake, so i make tweek it a bit, but i like the overall finished product.

gallery_58569_5896_39598.jpg

So i started with four concepts

gallery_58569_5896_27001.jpg

and i picked this last one for the feeling i wanted for this cake, which is something more feminine which worked as well with the flavor profile

gallery_58569_5896_65302.jpg

Here is the final cake, this is the first time i have tried to make a flower like this and after i finished this one i did go on to refine my process for the next cake

WOW!

John DePaula
formerly of DePaula Confections
Hand-crafted artisanal chocolates & gourmet confections - …Because Pleasure Matters…
--------------------
When asked “What are the secrets of good cooking? Escoffier replied, “There are three: butter, butter and butter.”

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Linzerbear, that is really one spectacular cake! How long did it take you to make it? I looks so perfect!

Thanks, The actual cakes ( i made 6 of them) just as a test for a new flavor combination took me perhaps an hour to put together.

It was then a few days as we got a bit busy at work, then the final finished cakes which i did the drawing and the photo, maybe took another hour from the time i picked out the sketch and produced the flower etc.

The cakes were a success I have to make a whole run this week,(which is about 18) we sold all 6 in two days.

This week the 18 will take less time, it always takes a bit longer when i am just testing and working out the recipe/method

Edited by Linzerbear (log)

Eric

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This is where my respect for the experienced pastry chef is at it's greatest. I see something like this and, feeling confident, think "I could do that". Then they come back and say "yeah, I did 6 of them in an hour and I'll be doing 18 more one day this week". Reality comes crashing down on me and I realize exactly where I'm not.

Actually I only partially thought "I could do that" in this case, flowers are not a skill of mine.

It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

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This is where my respect for the experienced pastry chef is at it's greatest. I see something like this and, feeling confident, think "I could do that". Then they come back and say "yeah, I did 6 of them in an hour and I'll be doing 18 more one day this week". Reality comes crashing down on me and I realize exactly where I'm not.

Actually I only partially thought "I could do that" in this case, flowers are not a skill of mine.

You could totally, do it, it may take a bit longer at home then it would in my work environment, but it is not as difficult as it looks, it is just a few simple steps put together. I could tell you how I did the flower also not as hard as it looks, if your interested.

:biggrin:

Eric

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