Friday, May 09, 2008
Book Review: Cake Art
The Culinary Institute of America has come out with yet another beautiful and useful book: Cake Art. If you've ever had an interest in interest in creating dramatic desserts, this is a volume for you, although I wouldn't call this a book for beginners. It starts with an overview of tools and components that I found myself wishing had a bit more to it: more individual photos of each item rather than trying to discern elements in group photos, more explanation of what to do and how to do it, and more tips.
However, it's not a paralyzing shortcoming, as you can get some of that from browsing online retailers, stores, and catalogs. Where the book really shines is in the techniques and instructions. For example, on page 31 there is a photo with three spoons of meringue, one stiff, one medium, and one soft-peaked. There are formulas for both hard and soft ganaches (Books often don't explicitly set the two side-by-side, and there's a big difference in the resulting texture and use.) as well as modeling chocolate. You can learn to make ribbons and coverings of fondant. Pipe a flower from buttercream (with a tip on how to reconstitute the mixture if it separates) or mold it from molding chocolate, marzipan, or fondant. In short, there is a lot to learn.
And that might be the big problem for many would-be cake decorators. Some of these techniques require practice, and a lot of it. If you go directly to the projects and try to work your way backward into the techniques, the results are going to be disappointing. If you want to undertake a given project (which, smartly, tell you how far in advance - weeks in some cases - to start different parts), then read through, write down the techniques that are necessary, and practice well in advance. You don't really think that pastry chefs start on this level of work their first day of class, do you? However, if you are willing to spend some time, this book should be well worth your while.
However, it's not a paralyzing shortcoming, as you can get some of that from browsing online retailers, stores, and catalogs. Where the book really shines is in the techniques and instructions. For example, on page 31 there is a photo with three spoons of meringue, one stiff, one medium, and one soft-peaked. There are formulas for both hard and soft ganaches (Books often don't explicitly set the two side-by-side, and there's a big difference in the resulting texture and use.) as well as modeling chocolate. You can learn to make ribbons and coverings of fondant. Pipe a flower from buttercream (with a tip on how to reconstitute the mixture if it separates) or mold it from molding chocolate, marzipan, or fondant. In short, there is a lot to learn.
And that might be the big problem for many would-be cake decorators. Some of these techniques require practice, and a lot of it. If you go directly to the projects and try to work your way backward into the techniques, the results are going to be disappointing. If you want to undertake a given project (which, smartly, tell you how far in advance - weeks in some cases - to start different parts), then read through, write down the techniques that are necessary, and practice well in advance. You don't really think that pastry chefs start on this level of work their first day of class, do you? However, if you are willing to spend some time, this book should be well worth your while.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Review: Trader Joe's Celebration Chocolate Cake
While visiting friends this last weekend, my wife and I had occasion to try an apparently new product from Trader Joe's: Celebration chocolate cake. It was dark cocolate with a fudgy/ganache-like frosting. Garnishing the top edge were bits of white chocolate tinted in various colors, like so much confetti, keeping with the theme.
The short take is that the cake was surprisingly good. The people assembled - particularly my wife and one of our family's friends, were discriminating and also accomplished in baking. The overall rating was an 8 out of 10, even if compared with home-made. If you compared it with take-out cakes, you hit a 10 and the results were a good sight better than many you'll find in bakeries. Although the size seemed small - maybe 7-inches - it easily could serve 8 to 10 and possibly as many as 12. The cake does come frozen, and as a result has a shelf life in months. You do need to let it defrost at least four hours ahead of time, but, jeez, it's not as though you need do anything serious to have a pleasing dessert on hand. I can recommend it highly.
The short take is that the cake was surprisingly good. The people assembled - particularly my wife and one of our family's friends, were discriminating and also accomplished in baking. The overall rating was an 8 out of 10, even if compared with home-made. If you compared it with take-out cakes, you hit a 10 and the results were a good sight better than many you'll find in bakeries. Although the size seemed small - maybe 7-inches - it easily could serve 8 to 10 and possibly as many as 12. The cake does come frozen, and as a result has a shelf life in months. You do need to let it defrost at least four hours ahead of time, but, jeez, it's not as though you need do anything serious to have a pleasing dessert on hand. I can recommend it highly.
Labels: cake, celebration, chocolate, review, Trader Joe's
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Traditional Approach to Pound Cake from Southern Cakes Book
A review copy of Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations by Nancie McDermott arrived. Although I haven't had a chance to test the recipes, there's a great tip on pound cakes. The traditional recipe is a pound of sugar, a pound of flour, a pound of eggs, and a pound of butter. But the question I always had was how do you get a pound of eggs? Crack five or six or seven (depending on the size), and you might get more or less a pound, but not on the money.
Here's the flash of the obvious - the important thing is equal proportions. So you weight the eggs first, and then you weigh out equal measures of everything else! Then you cream the sugar and butter, beat in the eggs, and mix in the flour. Bake in a floured and greased pan at 350 until a skewer put into the center comes out clean.
Here's the flash of the obvious - the important thing is equal proportions. So you weight the eggs first, and then you weigh out equal measures of everything else! Then you cream the sugar and butter, beat in the eggs, and mix in the flour. Bake in a floured and greased pan at 350 until a skewer put into the center comes out clean.
Labels: cake, cakes, McDermott, pound cake, southern
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Review: Namaste Foods
During a recent festival near where I live, I had a chance to try the results of some baking mixes from Namaste Foods, which specializes in foods free of gluten, wheat, potato, soy, corn, dairy, tree nuts, peanuts, and casein. I'm still trying to figure out what that leaves.
I didn't do the baking, but did get to try the results of the brownie and spice cake mixes and was duly impressed. Whatever they left out, what remained was tasty. If you've got any kind of food allergy, or entertain those who do, this is a great resource. They also have muffin, waffle, and pancake mixes, pasta meals, and bread and pizza crust mixes.
However, cheap it isn't. For example, a bread mix for one loaf is $5.29. Retail price for a single chocolate cake mix yielding 2 9-inch lawyers is $5.79. Add $6.95 shipping for orders under $30, and that's one expensive bag of ingredients - and you still add oil, water, and eggs.
It's good to know that the resource is available; it's just a shame that the prices are high enough to keep you from using it casually.
I didn't do the baking, but did get to try the results of the brownie and spice cake mixes and was duly impressed. Whatever they left out, what remained was tasty. If you've got any kind of food allergy, or entertain those who do, this is a great resource. They also have muffin, waffle, and pancake mixes, pasta meals, and bread and pizza crust mixes.
However, cheap it isn't. For example, a bread mix for one loaf is $5.29. Retail price for a single chocolate cake mix yielding 2 9-inch lawyers is $5.79. Add $6.95 shipping for orders under $30, and that's one expensive bag of ingredients - and you still add oil, water, and eggs.
It's good to know that the resource is available; it's just a shame that the prices are high enough to keep you from using it casually.
Labels: bread, cake, mixes, Namaste Foods
