Looking at my weeks ahead i am started to look at a business plan. I have 3 orders for birthday cakes. I am working on my first order which is for the twins who are 3, they are wanting a lovely peppa pig themed cake. I have the models on my table as we speak and Peppa is looking right at me. It is my first time making them up from scratch so i had to do a bit of research of the characters. I was never that great when it came to modelling but i think i may have cracked it!
Pictures are coming up of all the cakes will be uploaded as i go along, so any feedback would be nice.
The 2nd which is coming up a week or so after Peppa pig, is a football themed cake and it is for Sheffield United. I have the logo to make and a few other things all drawn up so all i have to do is create them out of sugarpaste.
my 3rd is another peppa pig, so i should know the ins and outs of this one by then
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Always another book i want to buy.
I think i have a good selection of cooking and baking books but i can always do with just one more. I dont know about you but there is something about them that i find hard to resist, i especially love looking at the old ones, i have one that belongs to my mum called the cordon bleu cookery book from the 60/70s and it was what got me interested in food to begin with.
These days i read alsorts and i used the a couple to get me through culinary school. I often refer back to these as its a good standard to work from. I use professional chef level3 and advanced pastry chef and the fundamentals of baking all well rounded books to get you through.
These days i read alsorts and i used the a couple to get me through culinary school. I often refer back to these as its a good standard to work from. I use professional chef level3 and advanced pastry chef and the fundamentals of baking all well rounded books to get you through.
The best cupcake ever ???
I asked myself the other day what makes a great cupcake, to be fair i havent eaten a lot of cupcakes recently so i decided to go on a quest. To find the best cupcake out there recipe. These little things can be tasty and fun but barely promoted where i live so, i am jumping on the great bandwagon to see what all the fuss is about!
When i was around 8 when i started baking, i remember the first ones i made they were small sweet sponge cakes with water icing spooned on top then maybe a sprinkling of hundreds nad thousand for a bit of colour. Of course thesee came out of a premade mix so all i added water. As i grew older the sprinkles turned into the rice paper pictures of my favourite cartoon characters you can buy in the supermarket.
These days i have a variety of recipes that cover a few flavour combos but can cupcakes ever be high class? The hummingbird and a few other baker shops in the UK sell tto the top end of the market consumer but, what is there appeal?
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Masterchef 2008 in Cardiff
I had a great opportunity in my second year doing advanced patisserie. Chef took me and 6 other guys down to the fantastic Vale resort in Wales to help participate in the Masterchef awards. We managed to mingle at one point ans saw the welsh rugby team.!!
We were there for 2 days and at one point we were up at five am so we could finish on time for lunch!!!
We were there for 2 days and at one point we were up at five am so we could finish on time for lunch!!!
It was great fun, and experience to just turn up in an alien kitchen, jump stratight into working with a bunch of guys you didnt know and turn out great food.
Our first day at the Vale we arrived and changed in to our whites and were working from 1pm until 8 that day. Here we are making the langoustine canopes amongst others.
I also made up the overnight sponges for the bread that accompanied the meal and turned out over 80 loaves.
An overnight sponge is a percentage of dough made up the day before so it has time to ferment and improve in flavour before you add it to the the bread you are going to make. It is simple and straight forward. However, you will need a large enough bowl that will give your sponge room to expand.
Overnight sponge:
5g fresh yeast
130g water (cold)
150g strong flour.
5g fresh yeast
130g water (cold)
150g strong flour.
Disolve the yeast in to the water and then add it to the flour. Mix until it is blended and combined. Then you will need to cover the dough to prevent droughts getting to it. Leave over night.
Following day, make up the final dough with the following.
450g strong flour
5g salt
270g tepid water
15g butter
285g sponge dough.
5g salt
270g tepid water
15g butter
285g sponge dough.
You should be able to weigh up 285g of the overnight sponge, it will have a strong yeast/vinegar type smell it should have risen then at some point callapsed. Add this to the already weighed up ingredients. Just knead together until you have a soft dough that is elsastic and shinny in texture.
Place the dough in a clean bowl and rest covered for an hour. Meanwhile you should pre-heat your oven to 230c .
Once the dough has rested you can either make rolls or a loaf. the size of a standard loaf for me is 450g that way you can make 2 loaves with the dough mixture you have.
You will need to knock out the air and knead it lightly before shaping it. To make the plaits in the picture. Simply roll out the dough to ressemble an oblonge then make three incissions almost to the end of the dough, and then plait the strands together.
Pancakes Pancakes Pancakes
To make pancakes like you get in restuarants is easy. Up and down the United kingdon we vary how we make and eat them.
If your a savoury fan you can varfy the recipe with different flours and flavourings but, as i am a pastry chef i will use the sweet method instead.
You will need a small to medium fring pan, non-stick preferable, a laddle and some butter set aside for frying and a small bowl.
For the pancake mix:
110g plain flour, sifted
pinch of salt
2 eggs
200m milk
75ml water
50g butter
method:
Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it.start whisking the eggs into the flour then pour in the milk and water ensuring that you scarpe down the sides of the bowl as you do so.
The consistency that you are looking for is something along the lines of single cream without any lumps.
once you have made your mixture, you will need to get your frying pan hot, it should take around a minute both sides to cook you pancake over a medium heat.
Place your 50g of butter in to the pan allowing it to melt then pour out the excess in to the bowl you set aside previously. Use the laddle to estimate how much mixure you will need to make a 3mm thick pancake. As the pancake cooks the surface will start to bubble and set once it has set you can turn the pancake over to cook further. The colour should be golden brown.
If like me you make numerous amounts the best way of keeping them warm is in a warm over, cover the plate up with foil to prevent drying out until you serve them.
Serving suggestions- A favourite of one of my friends is fresh berries and whipped chantilly cream which is vanilla flavoured cream.
The classic is with a sprinkling of sugar and a squeeze of lemon.
If your a savoury fan you can varfy the recipe with different flours and flavourings but, as i am a pastry chef i will use the sweet method instead.
You will need a small to medium fring pan, non-stick preferable, a laddle and some butter set aside for frying and a small bowl.
For the pancake mix:
110g plain flour, sifted
pinch of salt
2 eggs
200m milk
75ml water
50g butter
method:
Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it.start whisking the eggs into the flour then pour in the milk and water ensuring that you scarpe down the sides of the bowl as you do so.
The consistency that you are looking for is something along the lines of single cream without any lumps.
once you have made your mixture, you will need to get your frying pan hot, it should take around a minute both sides to cook you pancake over a medium heat.
Place your 50g of butter in to the pan allowing it to melt then pour out the excess in to the bowl you set aside previously. Use the laddle to estimate how much mixure you will need to make a 3mm thick pancake. As the pancake cooks the surface will start to bubble and set once it has set you can turn the pancake over to cook further. The colour should be golden brown. If like me you make numerous amounts the best way of keeping them warm is in a warm over, cover the plate up with foil to prevent drying out until you serve them.
Serving suggestions- A favourite of one of my friends is fresh berries and whipped chantilly cream which is vanilla flavoured cream.
The classic is with a sprinkling of sugar and a squeeze of lemon.
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A burning desire
Today i have created my business cards, hopefully this will promote customers to someone who will make them a cake, dessert or pie with a lot of love and passion.
I recently made truffle favours for a small wedding. The original process was to sit down and see what the bride wanted. Susanne wanted something different and to her taste. She liked the idea of white chocolate with a raspberry filling and the other a milk chocolate with a salted caramel filling.
Oddly enough things didn't run smoothly and couldn't make up her mind over chocolate orange, but then changed her mind again to finally have as her two final options after much deliberation and tasting sessions. White chocolate and raspberry centre and a dreamy Baileys Irish whiskey chocolate centre.
Thankfully i have another couple of wedding lined up and look forward to seeing what they bring.
I try and use fresh seasonal ingredients where possible, to give a burst of flavour to what i make and i cover traditional as well as modern dishes.
I work with the customer to provide a personal service for customers who want that special cake and am more than happy to take on board any ideas and concepts to what they would like in the end product.
I recently made truffle favours for a small wedding. The original process was to sit down and see what the bride wanted. Susanne wanted something different and to her taste. She liked the idea of white chocolate with a raspberry filling and the other a milk chocolate with a salted caramel filling.
Oddly enough things didn't run smoothly and couldn't make up her mind over chocolate orange, but then changed her mind again to finally have as her two final options after much deliberation and tasting sessions. White chocolate and raspberry centre and a dreamy Baileys Irish whiskey chocolate centre.
Thankfully i have another couple of wedding lined up and look forward to seeing what they bring.
I try and use fresh seasonal ingredients where possible, to give a burst of flavour to what i make and i cover traditional as well as modern dishes.
I work with the customer to provide a personal service for customers who want that special cake and am more than happy to take on board any ideas and concepts to what they would like in the end product.
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