Real Baking with Rose Levy Beranbaum

one of the new videos has piping, but only for stars, rosettes, and ladyfingers.

for my 4-Layer Moist Chocolate Genoise, i did not pipe a core.

also, i always use mousseline, it is very smooth to work with, i believe 'practice buttercreams' are a bit grainy, specially the confectioner's sugar variety.

good luck, and again, the best teaching for piping roses is practice.

Reply to this      Posted by: hector | October 14, 2009 10:24 PM #

Thanks for the tips, Hector. I made some practice buttercream today, so I'm ready to start my rose apprenticeship. I'm glad you mentioned that you didn't use a core. I couldn't tell from the photo if there were cores or not.

I have tried to check out all of Rose's videos. Is there one for piping?

Thank you.

Reply to this      Posted by: Kathleen | October 14, 2009 10:20 PM #

Kathleen, so glad you will pipe roses, yes, i learned from wilton, however the best technique is called practice, all my students took this advice and now are rose piping masters! i always pipe on a nail, then transfer with the tip of scissors to the cake.

for other of my 'rose' cakes where you see the roses independently separated (gaps between roses, or on individual cupcakes), i place a little piece of parchment on the nail, then pipe the rose on the parchment, then take the rose still on the parchment and refrigerate or freeze. when hardened, you peel off the parchment as transferring the rose to the cake. when i make parchment rounds, all the corners are cut into these little rose parchments.

you can also use a hardening point in between, do refrigerate/harden the roses, then allow it to sit at room temp for a few minutes till the outside petals soften, then apply them on the cake, works specially well when you want well defined roses, but with petals touching each other.

happy baking. hope to see some of your piped roses. note that on my roses that look more like camellias (not so tall like a bud), i don't use a plain tip to pipe the center core, there isn't a core.

Reply to this      Posted by: hector | October 14, 2009 2:53 PM #

Hector,

This cake (at the top of this page)has inspired me to learn how to pipe roses. The instructions in TCB and Wilton's instructions on line call for piping the roses on a nail. Is this how you did your roses, or were they piped directly onto the cake? Thank you.

Reply to this      Posted by: Kathleen | October 14, 2009 2:37 PM #

PS - I can't wait to get the DVD. Thanks so much Hector!

Reply to this      Posted by: ButterYum (Patrincia) | July 25, 2009 10:44 AM #

Oh my - what a delicious package of goodies!

Reply to this      Posted by: ButterYum (Patrincia) | July 25, 2009 10:34 AM #

http://www.myyellowkitchen.com/roselevy/chocolatesPalmiraLesperlesMilagrosGreenblackcocoa.html

i call this a $500 xmas in july. wonderful gift from chocosphere in oregon. just did a chocolate tasting with valrhona palmira 2008 64% vs dagoba milagros peru 68%

valrhona palmira is THE BEST fully flavored dark chocolate i've ever tasted. i could affirm this chocolate is best enjoyed by itself or with a fine wine or as a snack after a nice dinner or love making. to bake with it? i would be very careful as to not mask it, perhaps qualifies only for the oblivion torte? valrhona palmira is made with porcelana cacao pods. amedei chocolate brand also makes this chocolate and will try it next when the budget allows a 5 fold increase!

dagoba milagros is AWESOME. organic and fair trade certified, comes from cacao grown in my beloved Peru. it is a sweeter than usual dark chocolate, and still 68%, melts in your mouth. this would be the ideal chocolate for a dark chocolate lover who has a sweet tooth.

btw, as i've just announced, i have Rose's new bread DVD taped at General Mills. to get your copy, please write your name and address on a piece or paper or mailing label, and send it with a check for $10 to Hector Wong, 2888 ALA ILIMA ST, STE 2611, HONOLULU, HI 96818 or you can paypal to myyellowkitchen@gmail.com be sure to note bread DVD.

Reply to this      Posted by: hector | July 24, 2009 8:15 PM #

Speaking of reusing "mistakes" or leftovers, I have several too-short genoise in my freezer. Several of my family members, including my hubby, wouldn't know a genoise from a brownie--so even though I can't use these cakes as "cakes" (one piece missing so I could analyze the situation isn't going to make for a nice celebration cake), I cut them into individual sized portions and glaze with leftover ganache (is there such a thing?) and refreeze as treats for us! Perhaps not a perfect dessert, but most of my family has no complaints!

Reply to this      Posted by: Sherrie | June 25, 2009 12:07 AM #

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/BrowniesFromScrap.html

here my photos of what i name Scrap Brownies, and it doesn't get any more scratch baking (scrap baking?) than this!

really, all bakers should have a container in the freezer where you gather your cake crumbs, cake level offs, old cake, collapsed cakes, test cakes, nuts, nuts and bolts, etc. toast it a little if too moist, add some chocolate chips, nuts, eggs, cake flour, coarse sugar, until it has a soft cookie dough consistency. add butter if needed, chocolate ganache, too.

then bake it on silicone financier pans, high heat 450oF for short time (15 min or so).

and you have the most wonderful treats. underbake for a chewer soft center, overbake for a extra crisp crust. i love to eat my Scrap Brownies warm, but do freeze for a few minutes just to harden the outside and get perfect unmolding but keeping the inside warm.

isn't the above recipe so odd? so inaccurate? well.... electronic gram scale bakers like me deserve some freedom every now and then. and what a perfect way to reuse, redo, recycle.

i am singing, was really great. the financier molds are perfect to hold any cake structure you may come up with. the side supports are so narrow that any cake or dough batter would bake and rise and develop great structure. i am afraid if you bake this on a regular cake pan, you may end up with a cookie crust or a flat dense cake instead.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | June 22, 2009 6:24 PM #

can't say no more, but next time, please leave the ganache in the big pot all together and let time do its magic, you will get an even better ganache than when cooled in smaller batches =)

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | June 4, 2009 5:28 PM #

What delicious photos Hector! I should have warned you... when I made the ganache for the 3-tiered wedding cake, I ran into the same issue. It took much longer for the ganache to set up, but it eventually did. I sped things along by pouring the warm ganache into several smaller containers, and even onto a few sheet trays.

Reply to this      Posted by: ButterYum | June 4, 2009 4:35 PM #

when making my 3000 gr batch of dark chocolate ganache with the fantastic hawaiian chocolate, i puzzled why wasn't the ganache settling to frosting consistency as it cooled. for a moment i kept waking up every hour that night to see 'when will the ganache set!'

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/Chocolate-OriginalHawaiianChocolateFactoryb.html

but here it is, 22 hours later: SETTLED! the large 3000 gr batch took a long time to even reach room temperature, and from here, additional 18 hours went to set to frosting consistency. the result: NEVER had i ever before achieved such smooth texture and taste... and ohhh perfect icing consistency. my weather is 80oF and that night and following morning were particularly warm. the final test was to bring 2 little paper cups of 'liquid' ganache to my 72oF office and turn them on its side to see if it would drip or not. also, i could not resist to arm myself with my yellow ice cream spoon and make some ganache scoops. enjoy, good ganache takes time!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | June 4, 2009 4:26 PM #

What generous friends you have Hector!!!! I freeze my unused vanilla beans. They seem to last forever.

Reply to this      Posted by: ButterYum | June 4, 2009 2:32 PM #

Hi jeannette, vanilla beans are non perishable. Keeping them airtight in a canning jar in a dark and cool place will do. Because I need to use spent beans for this cake, I am scrapping all the seeds off and storing the seeds in a little bottle filled with vodka. The spent beans after the cake will be blanched in boiling water and stored in a larger glass mason jar with vodka, too. Both bottles will turn into the purest vanilla essence there can be, one with vanilla seeds which should work funtastic for creme anglaise or all recipes calling for vanilla seeds. It really is the year of vanilla for me.......... On top of all these vanilla beans, my friend Emily gave me a trio collection of nielsen-massey!

Reply to this      Posted by: hector | June 4, 2009 12:24 PM #

What are you going to do with all those beans, Hector? And how will you keep them from drying out? I will be interested to read your answer!!

Reply to this      Posted by: Jeannette | June 4, 2009 6:24 AM #

Julie, I tell you this, the smell was of REAL chocolate and not of a confection. Was earthy and a bit musk touch of fermentation. I made a 4 kilo batch of ganache which took near 24 hours to set at warm room temperature thus indeed resulted in excellent smooth tasting melt in the mouth ganache.

I am going to spoil a surprise now: Hawaiian Vanilla Company just sent me 180 beans. I asked for spent split beans that will be part of a vanilla bean cake to promote the vanilla industry, and instead I receive full new beans. I am loosing some sleep on needing to hire a police officer to guard this cake during transportation and display.

Reply to this      Posted by: hector | June 4, 2009 3:47 AM #

reeni, bob and pam cooper just emailed me and they would love to hear from you! i introduced your name.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | June 3, 2009 5:16 PM #

Aloha Reeni, I had a good feeling was you, what an honor.

and so sad to hear no Roys in NY.

Reply to this      Posted by: hector | June 3, 2009 12:21 PM #

How interesting, Hector! Love the photos of your chocolate- it looks satiny and attractive. Wish I could smell it!

Hawaii would be a wonderful place to take a foodie vacation... Looking forward to seeing your macadamia cake!

Reply to this      Posted by: Julie | June 3, 2009 12:16 PM #

this last post was me... don't know why it came up as anonymous..

Reply to this      Posted by: Reeni | June 3, 2009 10:07 AM #

long ago I was pastry sous chef of the New York Roy's (now closed) and tried sooo hard to get Hawaiian chocolate; I think that producer went out of business?
So glad that someone else has forayed into the market that is somewhat controlled by big Ivory Coast (with attendant human rights issues) and South American growers. It is a dream of mine to have a cacao plantation in my homeland, the Philippines, and produce world-class chocolate.
Hope the Coopers' chocolate will soon be successful nationwide!

Reply to this      Posted by: Anonymous | June 3, 2009 7:20 AM #

have the dark forces of chocolate taken you for the darker the better? of is it flavor that you wish for? do you know that "all" cacao is grown outside of the usa, except for a small production in hawaii? it is my honor and pleasure to mention that Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory (www.ohcf.us) is perhaps the only chocolate maker using cacao grown in the USA, right here in Hawaii. i've just got 5 lbs and honestly, impartially, now i have no reason to travel across the pacific and atlantic oceans to source chocolate made in europe with far flown grown cacao.

please give Pam and Bob Cooper a call for their lovely artisanal chocolate, made right at their home in Kona with single origin cru cacao grown in Hawaii. i will be interested to know what you think about 'our' chocolate vs all 'foreign' chocolate.

they ship nationwide, and their gift packs are lovely. for baking, i highly recommend their 1 lb bars, both milk and dark chocolate version. also, their upcoming criollo cru is literally out of this world, a light colored dark chocolate that seems to be milk chocolate but it is full of complex dark chocolate flavor and behavior. please don't be scared with the $40/lb price tag (or much more for criollo cru if available)... these are worth every penny.

the coopers flavor their chocolate with just a hint of vanilla, so when you bite into this... you really taste the cacao as fresh from the tree chocolate can be. it is plus-perfect for baking, ganaches, and everything desserts. also, they use no preservatives or enhancers, thus their chocolate bars aren't as shiny as expected, but don't be deceived by looks... the full flavor, uninterrupted, outshines shine.

i have never tasted anything like this, your taste doesn't travel from nutty to fruity, nor sweet to spicy, so characteristic of popular chocolates of modernity. instead you go straight to the taste of chocolate.

here is me =) last sunday at the whole foods seal of quality hawaii event, with proud hawaiian chocolate proud parents pam and bob cooper. be sure to click on the picture for more photos, including a fabulous ganache to be discussed later this year, a part of the ultimate chocolate wedding cake experience.

this is hawaiian gold. next week i will be posting about hawaiian 'liquid' gold (pure mac nut oil).

Reply to this      Posted by: hector | June 3, 2009 2:34 AM #

YES, and here is the progress. My new oven is as small as one half sheet flush on the very top brackets fitted without an oven rack! I managed to get perfect browning by preheating tiles for 1 hour. Here pictures as I made the Chocolate Cloud Roll.

Small apartment also means unusual use of space and resources. Enjoy my high.

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/MyChocolatePineCone.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | December 19, 2008 2:24 AM #

Hector, could it be something like the chocolate pine cone? All I can say is wow! When I saw the caramel sticks I was reminded of your bridge cake, so now my imagination is running away with pictures of a pine cone atop a caramel bridge...

Reply to this      Posted by: Julie | December 16, 2008 11:12 AM #

Come on, Hector put us out of our misery!

Reply to this      Posted by: Jeannette | December 16, 2008 4:49 AM #

at this point of my career, all I can say is that I can be scared of myself. i know I promised to take a break, but could not turn down my uncle charlie who turns 60 on sunday. time to open your Cake Bible and guess what cake I am making from these pictures:

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/_guess.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | December 15, 2008 10:39 PM #

Rozanne, u r welcome. Another one here:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4430921586905453932

nope, can't get the rights for baking magic, neither for johnson wales series.

however, the 1988 video producer is long gone, thus i can share that video.

heavenly cakes will have free video!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | June 19, 2008 9:30 PM #

Hector, thanks for posting this. I loved watching it. Have you had any luck getting Rose's Baking Magic series?

Reply to this      Posted by: Rozanne | June 19, 2008 8:40 PM #

I will, but maybe under another thread, as this blog post has over 400 comments already!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | June 17, 2008 7:59 PM #

What a delightful clip! I hope you will post a few more Hector!

Reply to this      Posted by: Matthew | June 17, 2008 7:57 PM #

Very good question, a spider allows the batter to go thru which creates more loss of air. I've tried it. The holes on the skimmer are just to create more friction on the surface of the "spatula," so folding is faster than without this friction holes.

I bought the video in Amazon.com. Was expensive!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | June 17, 2008 6:35 PM #

A - how in the world did you find this, and B - I wonder if a brass "spider" would work in it's place?

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | June 17, 2008 6:32 PM #

to everyone who asked about Rose's less angled slot skimmer to fold, here it is as good as it gets!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2136428742172128025&hl=en

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | June 17, 2008 5:59 PM #

Natalie, I had a feeling you were baking away in such intensity!

I would be curious to know does it compare baking cupcakes vs a 9" cake? I know cupcakes are easier to serve, but my suspicion is that cupcakes can't taste/feel as good as a slice of whole cake?

Kathy baked the Domingo in my 9" pan and texture was wonderfully perfect. Every time I eat cupcakes I can taste or smell the flavor of the cupcake cup! I am going to find you a set of silicone cupcake cups, reusable, no taste, easy to unmold; but a little hard to wash if you don't have a dishwasher (what I do is wash them with my laundry!)

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | May 20, 2008 1:50 PM #

Hello Rose and Barbara, THANK YOU for your SWEET comments about the brownie photo.

Barbara, here's what I tried:
#1 Midnight Chocolate Cake - June Honda
#2 Chocolate Cupcakes - Williams Sonoma
#3 Dark Chocolate Cupcakes - America's Test Kitchen
#4 Chocolate Domingo Cake - Rose Levy Beranbaum
#5 Brownie Cupcakes (photo) - Joyofbaking.com
All were slighty different and yummy according to my kind coworkers/taste testers. I don't have one favorite but have enjoyed the experience which I credit to my friends Hector, Janette, and Kathy. Their zeal for food and baking have been inspirational.

Reply to this      Posted by: Natalie | May 20, 2008 12:21 PM #

Happy belated b'day Hector!

Reply to this      Posted by: Rozanne | May 17, 2008 8:15 AM #

Oooh! I want one!

If Natalie has some comments or recommendations after trying all those recipes, I'd love to hear them.

Happy Birthday, Hector! And many happy returns -- with cake, preferably made by someone else!

Reply to this      Posted by: Barbara A. | May 16, 2008 10:40 PM #

My dearest friend Natalie, neighbor, graphic designer, and right hand cake assembler made these for me.

Natalie has been working diligently on chocolate cupcakes for the past 15 days. She has been baking everything from America's Test Kitchen chocolate cupcake recipe to Rose's Chocolate Domingo. Lucky her office workers for the samplings.

You won't believe how good it feels on your birthday, when you see good cake, and made by other than yourself!

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/NatalieBrownie.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | May 16, 2008 3:52 PM #

Reeni, I didn't watch the episode but from your description it sounds delicious. I tried to go onto your site in the hopes of finding a picture but I encountered the same problem Hector did.
I love to see a pictures.

Reply to this      Posted by: Rozanne | February 4, 2008 1:09 PM #

Reeni, good to hear from you! I made a point with everyone that was stuck on TV with me last night, that I bet Reeni won the taste award! I found very interesting that the other competitors had an array of tastes, if not all choices in the cake world, some towards traditional vanilla butter cakes, some towards contrast layers, and some towards wanna be pastry taste excellence.

I wish Food Network makes episodes for cake taste and pastry excellency. Most people today think that cake needs to be sugar sculptures!

Thanks for the Chiffon recipe, I am going to try it, as 'sponge' cakes is my specialty. Do you use baking powder? Rose's recipe for her Mexican Killer Kahlua Chiffon on Rose's Melting Pot, does not use baking powder, and to my amaze it rises beautifully. Chiffon was my Mom's best known cake for layer cakes, and my sister still uses it as her only cake to date.

You can send me a cake, as it is a permitted item as long as it doesn't include any raw/fresh whole fruits or meat! I would send frozen and add dry ice on it so it arrives frozen. US Mail Priority Mail is the most cost effective way, and it takes 3 days. I am hand carrying (with dry ice, 2 lb is permitted on board) 2 layer cakes to Palm Springs. I know cakes are strong but it swirls my heart to think of mistreatment.

Your gumpaste work is nice. Your website is down? It asks me for a login id and password to access it.

Regards.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | February 4, 2008 12:56 PM #

sorry, I forgot on the outside...
Chocolate plastic ribbons: milk chocolate and lavender-tinted white chocolate plastic run through a pasta machine.
Gumpaste: anemones in deep purple, pink rosebuds, white calla lilies.
Free-form hearts and scrolls in tempered milk chocolate, piped and chilled to set before applying.
This was all in November 2005, a little more than 2 years ago, but I still remember every detail because every so often it will replay and someone will ask me about it again!

Reply to this      Posted by: Reeni Espino | February 4, 2008 9:00 AM #

Thank you Hector. Not to disparage anyone else in the competition, but it was enough for me as a pastry chef to hear that my cake "was the star of the the tasting part" on national TV.
If I could be assured that it would travel to Hawaii, I would bake you a cake like this. As it was, they called me months after the contest because they wanted another cake to use for the interior shots and I had to send a 6" via next-day air. One of my students who works for Carymax said that it was also a favorite of the Food Network/filming crew!
Instead, a breakdown:
Orange chiffon cake, made very similar to TCB but with orange oil and equal number of whites and yolks, baked in a regular round cake pan (for the size in TCB, possibly a 10x3).
Grand marnier syrup -- equal parts simple syrup and Grand Marnier in a spray bottle
Wild blueberry compote -- blueberries (I used half fresh cultivated organic from the Greenmarket and half frozen wild), sugar, pectin, and freshly ground nutmeg.
Mascarpone cream -- mascarpone cheese, butter, orange blossom honey, a bit of creme fraiche
White chocolate ganache buerre -- 3 parts white chocolate to 2 parts cream, then 1 part butter whipped in.
Enjoy! even if it does not come out the same, it will be delicious.

Reply to this      Posted by: Reeni Espino | February 4, 2008 8:54 AM #

Reeni, I am watching Food Network's wedding cake competition. Your cake is my favorite, and I wish I could taste a slice of it. The orange chiffon grand marnier, white choc ganache, etc, really kept the judges taste buds happy!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | February 3, 2008 7:45 PM #

Some weekend pics.

Moist Chocolate Genoise 'cupcake' topped with chocolate kahlua mousseline buttercream. 25% whole wheat Basic Sourdough Bread, stilton and piave cheese dome. Golden Luxury Butter Cake dripped with grand marnier Creme Anglaise, Neve Nero scraps.

Enjoy!

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/WashingtonDC-and-AMERICAN-in-PARIS_2.html

star dish, orange ramekin, and cheese dome from Crate and Barrel.

the only thing baked at the moment was the bread, the rest came frozen from -10 degrees.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | October 15, 2007 2:33 PM #

Oh, sorry, Dora cake was posted here:

http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2007/09/another_hector_triumph.html#comment-67835

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | October 12, 2007 4:36 PM #

Everyone, here I am posting this link here again to share with you how wonderful Washington D.C. was to me!

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/WashingtonDC-and-AMERICAN-in-PARIS.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | October 12, 2007 4:34 PM #

Oh I'll love to see how you turn the bear into Dora! I made the same 3D bear with Golden Luxe and it was divine! Yes - welcome to the world of genoise - I especially love genoise made with part yolks or all yolks, and Rose's Golden Genoise is just lovely! Like a very light and eggy butter cake! Can't wait for your final pics!

I just made choc fudge cupcakes frosted with the glorious Sour Cream Ganache - simply lovely and what a wonderful texture to pipe!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | September 28, 2007 9:31 PM #

Hector:
Good for you. I have discovered the joys of Genoise about a year ago. I love them!. The golden genoise is exceptionally amazing. I have paired it with a Mouselline butter cream that was flavored with Amaretto and Coffee. YUM!

Reply to this      Posted by: Bill | September 28, 2007 4:47 PM #

I am intrigued Hector!

Reply to this      Posted by: Jeannette | September 28, 2007 3:55 PM #

I am in love again. With Golden Genoise that is! I find it very easy to whip and fool proof. Keep the eggs warm while beating, a water bath mixer attachment helps. When the volume has tripled, add the water (warm), and whip until the volume has almost quadrupled. Fold in the flour/starch and warm clarified butter without fear, it will deflate to 2/3, don't fear.

In a well preheated 350oF oven, the batter rises magically to double height! It is pure magic without chemical baking powder. I attribute this to the well whipped eggs, were warmth has almost cooked the eggs into air micro bubbles, these bubbles expand with heat in the oven, thus the rise. Allow plenty space in the oven, the heat should be quick and constant 350oF during the first half time so the cake can set w/o collapse.

The taste is pure butter and eggs, a refined version of yellow cake, superb smooth texture perfectly emulsified; golden. It is 'the cake' made of just a handful of very simple and natural ingredients.

Try it. These pictures will turn into a baby version of Dora The Explorer due next weekend. Will blog it.

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/DoraTheExplorer.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | September 28, 2007 2:45 PM #

Let me think, the flan is all about bubbles, meaning you want to prevent them. I used to mix the flan by hand for only a few minutes, then strain it without squeezing (pieces of whites and yolks would never mix in). But soon after I became the KitchenAid king in my group, I've decided to give it a try. The flat beater incorporates the less air (to none), and it must beat at speed 1 or stir to even more lower the chances of air incorporation. Why so long? I would just observe until there would be less egg unmixed. Initially, 15 minutes was reasonable, but one day I've got side tracked with other projects that I let the mixer go for over 1 hour. The speed is so low that the mixer is too quiet to hear unless you stand in your kitchen. And that time, I noticed an incredible improvement in texture. After beating for so long, I also noticed that the unmixed eggs would stick to the flat beater, so no straining needed. Straining incorporates air, too!

Now, if you want a lighter texture (I am using 100% evaporated milk), you could replace anything between 1/2 to 1/4 of it with fat free milk. It works. You can also try a white flan with just whites (equal weight as whole eggs), for the white flan, I would leave the 100% evaporated milk, as if fat free milk may thin it out just too much.

I stress the importance of making a good caramel. Don't burn it, the taste changes it completely. Honestly, many many times I burn mines, specially when I am not committing 100% of my attention to it (which is normally the case). I just throw it away and start clean with a new pot.

Very important too, to start with an non-preheated oven and water bath and bake at such low temperature, and later let the flan sit in the oven until completely cool. I've noticed that this gradual heating/cooling process would set the custard very nice and evenly. Again, I don't like flans with crust or with uneven textures as you dig into it (many flans I see, when sliced, have a nice top, and a bubbled out rough bottom). I criticize flan, that needs to be almost like a picture perfect prop, almost like making a fake flan just to make a nice photograph: if that is the case, I would make a caramel shell, then fill it with buttercream or bavarian cream, let it set and unmold, and photograph it, that is how the flan should look in pictures.

My homemade vanilla uses 1 vanilla bean cut in 1/2" pieces (I don't split them) and soaked in 1 cup of pisco for 1 month minimum. Pisco is grape vodka and it helps to cut off the "egg" taste of custard. Vodka works well, too. Or you could just keep adding used vanilla beans (split, seeds scraped out) to your natural vanilla essence, store bought. Regardless which one you use, it will give the same texture, so don't worry too much on this ingredient. The different flavors of different vanillas is unnoticed in flan, it is just a such dense, sweet, and fat dessert that the vanilla differences are overpowered; the caramel flavor is first (thus the name). Important though, to use the alcohol in the vanilla, as I do believe this alcohol helps with texture.

This is my original recipe, that I developed after many years of making flan, perhaps over 100 flans. I started from different recipes I gathered from my family. Once, I hosted a flan contest with my family, there were 7 or 8 entries, I became second place! My recipe is based on the recipe of my relative who won first place, her flan is excellent. She has it down to a science including the 50 year old flan tube pan which is almost falling apart, and she refuses to use any other pan. The pan affects the heating and cooking, so it is perhaps the main factor on texture. When she comes over with flan, I put mine's away.

I've been asked to make flan demonstrations at other people's houses. It comes out acceptable, but because of the oven, mixer, and pan differences, the textures are compromised! I am certain if you try my recipe in your kitchen, you will still NOT achieve my same flan =( But I am sharing as much thought and explanation, so hopefully you could adjust your setup and get a good one!

I do have a picture of the flan contest!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | September 5, 2007 1:23 PM #

Yep, looks like creme caramel to me! Amazing that it is beaten so long - how did you come to that, Hector?

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | September 5, 2007 11:49 AM #

Hector, how do you make your home-made vanilla? I have seen recipes that call for vodka and vanilla beans but what are the propotions? I'm dying to try out your flan recipe. Sounds interesting beating it for so long. Is it an original "Hector recipe"?

Reply to this      Posted by: Rozanne | September 5, 2007 10:08 AM #

Thank you Nushera, sure use the pic as wallpaper. I am so happy about the rose wreath too, like I said I spent countless hours on the design desk to come up with this arrangement. I measured the size of my cookie cutters and the size of the piped roses, and I asked the children to cut exactly how many little cakes of what size and color! Was fun to see them practice how to count.

No, I did not freeze my jelly roll sheets. They were just refrigerated airtight for 2 or 3 days.

Yes, I think creme caramel = to flan. I haven't tried the pressure cooker method.

Mines is smooth from top to bottom, no bubbles, no burned crust. The caramel doesn't really infuse into the custard, it mostly sits on top and drips down as you cut. Also, I make it rather tall, once I tried to use a shallower pan and the caramel would just infuse into the custard, which I don't like. Most ones I've seen locally at hotels and restaurants are made about 1 or 2 inches tall, mines is about 4 =)

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | September 5, 2007 3:10 AM #

Oh Hector- another brilliant n beautiful job from the Yellow Kitchen, bravo!
did u freeze the jelly roll sheets?

thanks for yr flan recipe, are flan and creme caramel same? yr egg-evaporated milk ratio is almost equal to that of my creme caramel recipe(i use 6 eggs + 2 cans of eva milk) but i do not beat that long. yet i get a satiny smooth finish coz i steam it in an old-fashioned pressure cooker(high heat till the first whistle, then 8 minutes on low, better not to open the cooker until cooled). Another point, if the pan's bottom is brushed with melted butter and chilled before pouring caramel, the finished top is more likely to be creamy n satiny, even if the caramel is a bit on the burnt side.

would u pls permit me to use yr beautiful rose wreath pic as wallpaper in my computer?

Reply to this      Posted by: nushera | September 5, 2007 1:41 AM #

Silvia, re: finding time. The buttercreams were made during my June/July baking nights to make the big cake; vacuum packed and frozen. About 2 weeks ago, I took 2 flavors each evening, microwave thaw, and piped them into roses. The jelly roll sheet genoise were baked early last week. The kids at my party made all the cut circles, placing, and topping.

King Kong, I don't know exactly what is made of. I know it is popular in Peru. Try google it =)

Flan recipe: heat on high 1 cup of sugar in a heavy sauce pan. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. When the sugar starts dissolving, you will notice a few darker caramel spots, stir them around. You must be in front of your stove, eventually all will melt and get a light gold color. When the gold turns into light brown, pour immediately on your flan tube pan. Under no circumstances let the caramel achieve a dark brown color, it will continue to darken as it cools, and it would taste burn. I usually throw away so many batches!

Mix at speed 1 or with the paddle attachment: 9 whole eggs, 1 cup of sugar, 4 cans of evaporated milk, for 45 minutes. Yes this long. Remove the paddle attachment carefully, it will have some egg clinging to it, discard. Stir 1 tablespoon of homemade vanilla essence. Pour on your flan pan (by now, the pan should have cooled down and cracking caramel glass broken noises should have been heard).

Place on a water batch, room temperature water, in a NON-preheated oven at 300oF for 60 minutes. Turn off your oven, do not open the oven door. Let the oven and flan cool completely before removing from the oven, usually overnight or 4 to 6 hours during the day.

Chill in the refrigerator, well wrapped for at least 24 hours, up to 1 week. Shorter time will not allow enough caramel from the pan to release.

Slide a non-serrated thin knife thru the outer and inner borders of the pan. Unmold upside down and leave the pan for about 15 minutes until the most caramel have detached. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled. Flan tastes better when it is at room temperature. Be sure to scoop a few spoons of dissolved caramel onto each serving plate.

It is important "your" 300oF does not boil the flan mix or water batch at any point, otherwise you will form bubbles in the custard as it sets. After 60 minutes the flan will still be fairly liquid, it will finish setting with the residual heat.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | September 4, 2007 11:36 PM #

Bravo - another breathtaking display by Hector "the rose man" Wong!

I Can't wait to hear about the flan too!

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | September 4, 2007 10:20 PM #

Oh Hector, I love the way you put together the 'cupcakes'! Piped roses do take your breath away! I agree that golden genoise is buttery yet lighter than butter cakes! That's a wonderful twist to cupcakes!

Do fill us in on the details of the flan.

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | September 4, 2007 9:41 PM #

I am always in awe when I see your presentation. The cupcake / flan wreath is really beautiful.

Reply to this      Posted by: Rozanne | September 4, 2007 9:25 PM #

Hector,
The rose wreath is very beautiful!

Reply to this      Posted by: Matthew | September 4, 2007 7:28 PM #

Hector, since I started baking brad, I have always burnt hands and forearms.
I am re- reading the NKB threads, there is so much information, it´s difficult to remember it.

¿what is King Kong? Alfajores are delicious!!!!!!!!! And FLAN, I LOVE flan!!!!!

Everything looks beautiful and delicious, as always, hector, I wonder how do you manage to find time for so much baking.

Reply to this      Posted by: Silvia | September 4, 2007 5:51 PM #

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/RoseCupcakeRingGenoise.html

Hope you enjoy this one. My friends have heard many things from me
about Rose, The Cake Bible, and the blog, so I made this tribute to
Rose with roses at my Labor Day grilling party.

I am becoming so fool of myself and so over my head, that I DO LOVE how these "cupcakes" were put together (yes, I spent days drafting this on my design board).

I baked 2 jelly roll sheets of Golden Genoise and of Moist Chocolate
Genoise. Had several mousseline buttercream roses frozen. My
friends' children were put into work by making little cake cutouts
with cookie cutters, placing them on the ring, and topping them with
roses! Kids were thrilled with these cupcakes, and I think their
vision of cupcakes has now changed forever after tonight! They loved
the design, and loved firsthand the leftover cutouts! It was a hysterical first hour of the party filled with joy (and lots of noise) coming from happy children, I am realizing that I do enjoy having children in the kitchen!

By most these are the mousseline buttercreams used on the big Hawaii
Way cake. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, pineapple caramel, red
cherry, raspberry, mango, and kumquat lemon curd. I found the perfect balance of moistness and fat between such thin layer of cake and thick amount of buttercream. This by using a rather drier butter based cake (a golden genoise instead of a traditional butter yellow cake), and for chocolate the moist chocolate genoise w/o the syrup. Also, by choosing mousseline buttercream which is one of the lightest and less-sweet buttercreams of all, plus a few lightened with fruit curds or conserve. I've asked my guests if they thought the chocolate genoise was too dry, they could not say so after biting together with the buttercream rose. I had near 50 guests!

This is real baking . . . with roses!

NOTE: below you can see under glass domes 2 confections imported from Peru: king kong and alfajores. Then, fruits from Hilo: strawberry papaya and white pineapple, sitting on a 'refrigerated' marble pastry tile (big cake pan filled with water and frozen). Last but best is the flan, it is a recipe that took me 3 years to develop and indeed it is simple.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | September 4, 2007 5:19 PM #

Hola Silvia,

whenever I bake free-form bread that I want to slice for sandwich or paninis (not facaccia or other flat ones), I ALWAYS use a dutch oven with a lid (closed as you mention). The sides of the dutch oven help to rise the bread.

You won't need to use ice cubes! place the lid on for the first 5 minutes, that will keep all the steam the bread needs =) I am sure you know this, you do need to preheat your dutch oven and lid.

Now, be careful when handling the hot dutch oven, use long oven mitts otherwise can get on your arms burned tattoos! I have a mark from the coiled spring of one of my dutch oven handles!

You can continue this discussion on this thread, a little more on the topic and already more information posted, plus pictures =)

http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2007/05/baby_no_knead_bread_encore.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | September 4, 2007 3:51 PM #

Rose and Hector, is it possible to bake any free-form bread in a closed dutch oven? I was tempted to try it with the hearth bread, but finally decided not to.
I used the skillet, because my oven looses so much temperature when opened to put the bread inside, I thought at least the skillet would be very hot for the dough to start baking...
Yes, hector, I also put the bread on the rack , w/o skillet, for the last 15 minutes or so.

Reply to this      Posted by: Silvia | September 4, 2007 3:40 PM #

Silvia, ud es tan linda! This triple chocolate cake was ordered by my dear friend Emily, I took $$$ but was somehow unhappy that I could not have a slice!

The cast iron skillet, preheated (takes about 1 hour to preheat all the way) is a great surface to drop your bread on for excellent oven spring! If you want to prevent an over browned bottom (burned), take cast iron skillet away after your bread has crusted; ideally placing the cast iron skillet on a rack under your bread, bread would be sitting directly on a rack above or on an 'any-kind' baking sheet

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | September 3, 2007 10:07 PM #

Hector, I have been lazy with cakes, but busy with bread, but after seeing the photo of your triple chocolate cake, I know I *have* to try it.
Outside it's raining heavily and it's cold and damp; your cake is exactly what one would love to have for coffee break, with a cup of steaming coffee!
I'm drooling over my keyboard...

Reply to this      Posted by: Silvia | September 3, 2007 6:05 PM #

Rose, last week I baked your Basic hearth Bread twice, and it was great!!!
I couldn't believe I had baked such a beautiful tasty bread by myself!!!
As I don´t have a baking stone and my oven sheets are too thin, I used my larger, preheated, cast iron skillet to bake the bread. Even if the oven's temperature dropped as much as 50 degreesF when I opened it to put the bread and pour the ice, the "boule" rose beautifully. There are some little details i still have to work out, but I am pleased aboutNo Knead bread and the sandwich loaf. Can´t wait to try a new recipe!!!

I know this isn´t the place to post this, but I don´t know where to find the index of topics....

Reply to this      Posted by: Silvia | September 3, 2007 6:01 PM #

Lovely cake, Hector!

Yep - one 9" makes 2 6" - great for Rose's cheesecake recipe too! I usually make 2 6" cheesecakes with 1 recipe - one for myself, and the 2nd is a great size for a nice present to a friend!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | September 2, 2007 9:00 AM #

Great info as always! Thanks, Hector, Joan

Reply to this      Posted by: Joan | September 1, 2007 11:26 PM #

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/TripleChocolateCake6inch.html

I've just made this 6" Triple Chocolate Cake. Everything was going perfect until I turned my hairdryer on high and a few praline sheets flew off! I had to cover the accident with "pretty" hazelnuts and a piped base border made of microscopic ganache beads!

Pointers for Success:

#1 When you roll chocolate praline sheets, use parchment folded in half. Spread against the folded edge, this straight edge would be your cake bottom. It fits perfect.

#2 For all of you syrup lovers, I have found a better solution than the 70 ml syringe. Use a bottle squeeze! The tip needs to be a 2 mm opening (a little larger than 1/16 inch). Don't squeeze, just let the syrup drop. You can aim pretty accurately even thru the edges of the cake. Pure magic!

#3 One nine-inch round equals to two six-inch rounds. So if you have a recipe calling for two nine-inch layers, you could half the recipe and bake two six-inch layers and enjoy a baby cake. The height remains the same, so it will be towering!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | September 1, 2007 10:19 PM #

I agree with Rozanne, Rose you're definitely our cake angel!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | August 30, 2007 7:51 AM #

I eyed at the parrish/magic line a long serrated knife, was about 14" long I think, at my local kitchen store. It was priced very low, I must go and steal it before the price goes up!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | August 29, 2007 6:35 PM #

Rose, you are so dedicated and committed to baking and helping those who are interested in it. You should have been a doctor. Imagine how lucky your patients would have been, but then the baking world wouldn't have had a great teacher like you. Have a good vacation!
Rozanne

Reply to this      Posted by: Rozanne | August 29, 2007 2:10 PM #

Joan - you are positively eloquent!

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | August 29, 2007 1:20 PM #

Oh Rose - You are just so marvelous. I'm sure that people in the 'outside world' would have just reacted with - "so, just buy another knife ---" It's wonderful how the 'TCB people' are so kind to each other, not impatient, wanting to help, never condescending, nothing too minute to be overlooked. It really restores one's faith in humanity! I always love it as our blog conversations go on and on, and then suddenly a twinkle and there appears a litle pink box containing a special remark, or bit of encouragement - from an Angel looking over our shouler! Happy vacation, and thank you so much! joan

Reply to this      Posted by: Anonymous | August 29, 2007 1:08 PM #

Joan, I'm so sorry you left your slicer behind. I have been using a cake saw for years, so I can't offer any advice, sorry.

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | August 28, 2007 7:13 PM #

Jen, I use mousseline buttercream, the petals remain standing up as I pipe them, never dropping. Hope this helps. Mousseline buttercream is very sturdy!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | August 28, 2007 4:06 PM #

hector,
how do you get your roses to stand up so nicely? when i pipe roses with buttercream they are always sorta flat.
any tips?

jen

Reply to this      Posted by: Jennifer Schmitt | August 28, 2007 4:00 PM #

Hi - I took my 14-inch wavy slicer with round tipp with me on vacation, and happily used it for layer cakes. Need I say more - I left it 'by the sea shore' where I was a guest in a rented house, and cannot retrieve it.
Albert Uster, Rose's source, is out of it, and I wonder what brand others like and are using? As always, thanks for your input. Joan

Reply to this      Posted by: Joan | August 28, 2007 12:04 PM #

Oh Hector... I can just see the look on your face when that person placed the cooler right side up. Huge flourescent sign next time!

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | August 27, 2007 12:30 PM #

Oh Hector, everytime I have to place a box of cake into a bag sideways, I always feel like something bad like what you've experienced will happen! I keep asking everyone not to carry the bag and can only heave a sigh of relief once it has been displayed! The things we go through for our cakes!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | August 27, 2007 5:09 AM #

Thank you. I also use The Bread Bible, The Pie and Pastry Bible, Rose's Celebrations, Rose's Melting Pot, and A Passion for Chocolate!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | August 26, 2007 10:56 PM #

Great idea Hector. I think the reason people are so impressed with your baking is because your presentation is phenomenal. Also not a lot of people bake these days, either they don't know how to or they don't have the time to. So what may seem effortless to you seems like a monumental task to a non-baker. Besides you use the Cake Bible and that alone is the biggest "wow" factor.
Rozanne

Reply to this      Posted by: Rozanne | August 26, 2007 10:27 PM #

Oh no, Lucky doesn't eat anything I bake, perhaps just a few raw fruit slices or veggies. Cooked or processed 'human' foods are bad for dog teeth and other ailments.

For the apricot and mango curd, I replaced the lemon juice with apricot or mango juice extract from my juice extractor. This juice was much more denser than lemon juice of course. The texture was 'fairly' similar with lemon curd, in fact locally people make and sell curds of just about any fruit!

I can't explain why people make so many Wows when they saw these 'cupcakes.' I spent about 1 hour answering questions on how I created them! Even the brown crusts on the top, bottom, and also the uneven brown sides was something to get exited about!

I have to share with you that I am so glad I took a photo before taking these to the party (a neighbors house nearby). I packed the cupcakes in an insulated bag / collapsible cooler. The bag was on its side. I placed the bag on the floor and someone decided to stand the bag up! Cupcakes went rolling and my heart was taken out of my chest! Things were still pretty cold/refrigerated that damage was fairly minimal, the buttercream roses are pretty tough when cold! I've heard many horror stories like this, and I think we bakers should take the responsibility. Next time, I will leave the cooler in my car, or put big signs saying DO NOT TOUCH.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | August 26, 2007 2:53 PM #

I love golden genoise - that must definitely taste divine! Love the cookie cutter idea - did Lucky eat the scraps?

BTW, Hector - how did you make curd from apricots and mangoes? What adjustment did you make to the sugar/egg proportions? Did the thicker juices/purees affect the texture of the curd?

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | August 26, 2007 9:35 AM #

That must be one tall cookie cutter :) I love your presentation!

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | August 25, 2007 8:17 PM #

Hi Patrincia, that was quick. I baked them on a 10" springform pan, then with a cookie cutter I shaped these 'cupcakes'

They are more delicious that what they look! I could not resist by eating the left over cutouts!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | August 25, 2007 7:58 PM #

Oh my goodness - way to cute! What pan did you use to make these in Hector?

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | August 25, 2007 7:49 PM #

I am certain my "next cake" will be Golden Genoise! Here are some 'Misses Cupcakes'

2.5 inches tall. Cake Bible says that "you could split Golden Genoise in two layers and use filling, but it is far more delicious to dig into one interrupted thick layer"

Rosed (of course) with fresh apricot curd Mousseline Buttercream.

Enjoy http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/GoldenGenoiseCupcakes.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | August 25, 2007 7:46 PM #

Well done, Jen! Wonderful work with the mousseline butter cream (who needs to make the guests "peel" the fondant and throw it into the bin or to the doggie when the host is not around?)

Reply to this      Posted by: nushera | August 15, 2007 2:01 AM #

Great job Jen. Very impressive.

Reply to this      Posted by: Rozanne | August 13, 2007 4:55 PM #

Jennifer, PERFECTION! well executed and what a match with the card design!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | August 13, 2007 3:18 PM #

Oh Jen, that's a really lovely and cheery kiddy cake! And really matched to the invitation!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | August 13, 2007 11:33 AM #

thanks everyone! :-)

the birthday girl was pink from head to toe from the icing!

Cake specs: simple white butter cake with mousseline buttercream. Mom wanted strawberry flavoring, but didn't want seeds, so I used straight strawberry extract. I thought it left a bitter aftertaste, but no one else tasted it. *shrug* The layers are 10, 8, 6 with the 8 and 6 divided into thirds and the 10 in 2 layers. The crown and wand were ghirardhelli (sp?) white chocolate, but i wish I had used candy melts because the crown fell over after an hour or so!

Oh I found a great jig for cutting the smaller layers: placed on a chinete paper plate, the edge was the perfect height for resting my knife on. So the layers were perfectly straight and even! A happy accident.

jen

Reply to this      Posted by: Jennifer Schmitt | August 13, 2007 11:25 AM #

Great job Jen - I love it! Was the party girl happy with it?

Give us the cake specs.

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | August 13, 2007 11:14 AM #

Wow - you matched it, Jennifer! What a great looking cake! (Love those cheerful colors on a gloomy Monday...)

Reply to this      Posted by: Theresa | August 13, 2007 10:43 AM #

Hi Everyone!

Just proud of a cake I made this week. My sister always asks for something that looks like her invitiation. This was for my niece.

I used real white chocolate for the wand and crown and it was super soft! otherwise, i was happy with the result.
jen

Reply to this      Posted by: Jennifer Schmitt | August 13, 2007 10:16 AM #

Cindy, indeed YES.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | August 9, 2007 8:23 PM #

Hector,In your last set of picture of chocolate cappucinno next to your processor bowl ,that was the slotted skimmer,wasn't it?

Reply to this      Posted by: cindy Chiu | August 9, 2007 7:54 PM #

Silvia, I am more HUMBLE PIE! Best wishes on your brother's belated b-day. I am making a few things this week. First TCB special carrot cake with special cream cheese frosting; I've just picked up the Tobler Narcisse good white chocolate. I am going to make a 2x recipe of the cake, perhaps the second will be special cupcakes. Second, making a few of PPB cream cheese flaky pie crusts for more mango Rose that is arriving from a friends yard, how can I resist. Bake your life away!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | August 8, 2007 3:14 PM #

Hector, last week was my brother´s birthday, and I forgot it, as I was deep in the baking bread business. I promised him I'd bake the expected cake for our next family gathering, so this week I'll print your advices and start putting them in practice. Looking at your cakes makes me enthusiastic. A joan says, you inspire us!

Reply to this      Posted by: Silvia | August 8, 2007 2:41 PM #

I need to report to everyone, that the pictures of big cake day will appear under a new blog entry.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | August 2, 2007 3:09 PM #

Stupendous, Hector, as always. You are my inspiration! joan

Reply to this      Posted by: Joan | August 2, 2007 2:46 PM #

Apart from the low adrenaline days after big cake day, I am enjoying the aftermatch! I have recycled the paddle man into wonderful chocolate cappuccinos. Paddle man was made with dark chocolate and Illy coffee beans on an aluminum foil frame. There was so much good chocolate and coffee beans used that I could not just toss this after the party. So, I ran it thru my food processor and use my French press to make the extraction. The milk foam is done with the Aeroccino, of course (the same one Rose uses, search the blog for its review).

I hope you enjoy the picture of the chocolate cappuccino, it is served on a Bormioli glass, the plate is from Rose's creme brulee set, and the spoon is an Alessi heart demitasse.

Bonus picture of my camera's memory card, wrapped on parchment paper. That is how I carry these!

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PaddlersWYC/PetroglyphLife.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | August 2, 2007 2:41 PM #

I agree with you Rose! Here we have a whole cookbook on tofu dishes alone (though not as thick as TCB!). And I've come across recipes for Tofu Cheesecake, Tofu Chiffon Cake, Tofu icecream of course, Tofu pudding etc etc - you name it!

Anyway, that was a fun dream, Hector! Just goes to show how much your life evolve around Rose and TCB!!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | August 2, 2007 7:46 AM #

Hector, you´re torturing us with this suspense!

Reply to this      Posted by: Silvia | August 1, 2007 6:24 PM #

Ok bloggers, this has nothing to do with the topic, but I like to share.

They say you need to write your dreams within minutes of waking up otherwise you forget. Here it is:

Last night for dinner, I went to eat chinese food with my friend Craig, at a very good place I always take everyone to. Craig has so many favorite dishes that we ended up ordering 5 dishes just for the 2 of us. The bill came a little pricey (around $50) to our disbelief and it was written all in Chinese which I can't read (except for the numbers and about 20 other characters). We asked the waitress if that was our bill, and she said "you ordered 5 dishes, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, so about $50 bucks is the right bill! I swore that I will never go to eat with Craig unless we order only 2 dishes!

So I was full by the time I went to bed, and that always means dreams! I dreamed that a reporter was doing a segment about some well known baker. Apparently shot on location at Rose's apartment in NY, and I could identify a few of her kitchen equipment, assorted items I must have seen posted on the blog (the microwave/convection, the Zo, racks, etc). One of the rooms was a beautiful long room full of benches and drawers with the equipment lineup. Next to it was a oval bedroom, not many details on this. Then towards the end of the program, there was "Rose" talking, but she wasn't Rose, a look alike, and I was telling my brothers watching the same program that "she isn't Rose." The program was an interview to "Rose" because she just wrote The Tofu Bible. My brothers told me, who else would write a bible about something 'so short' like tofu?

No pun intended, that was my dream!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | August 1, 2007 12:06 PM #

I can't wait to see the other pictures. On Saturday I was telling my husband about your huge cake project and he said "you sound like you know him personally, like he is your brother". It was funny because my brother's middle name is Hector, my dad's middle name is Hector too and so was my grandfather's.
Rozanne

Reply to this      Posted by: Rozanne | August 1, 2007 8:17 AM #

Oh Hector, I'm already salivating looking at your 'trailer' pics!

Wish I cld get away with steamed dishes all the way! I have a choosy hubby - stirfry or fried a must (at least one dish), and he only eats steamed fish and steamed minced pork!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | August 1, 2007 8:05 AM #

Silvia, THANK YOU, and wait until you see the photos of July 28th!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 31, 2007 6:57 PM #

hector, you gave me an image to dream of tonight!! A whole refrigerator full of scrumptious cake, that´s almost too much!

Elicia:precisely, baking has been a great comfort to me! Even the days I cán´t use my hands very well, reading baking books and looking at the drawings (the BB's are awesome!)gives me such a great pleasure. And of course, you continue researching, reading... it' s better than swallowing pills!

Reply to this      Posted by: Silvia | July 31, 2007 5:17 PM #

Beautiful! Hector the cakes in the fridge do look so delicious. You are a true inspiration to me. Thank you!

Reply to this      Posted by: Machelle | July 31, 2007 3:08 PM #

And here one post party picture. I have saved a tiny bit of each mousseline buttercream for future use, perhaps for a cupcake party! the buttercreams should sit fresh in the freezer for years thanks to tilia's foodsaver! http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PaddlersWYC/FrostingMemories.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 31, 2007 2:16 PM #

much anticipation is boiling to see the big cake. patience please, my photographer is still working on the pictures, she took more than 200 and we need to agree on which ones to share! but here some pics I took myself, pre and post party day. Hope you enjoy them. I particularly love the refrigerator picture; when my friends saw it they were a bit worry that there will be no more dinner parties! http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PaddlersWYC/A%20Baker-s%20Dream.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 31, 2007 2:12 PM #

Elicia, my Mom used to do the following for all her 3 dish chinese meals: #1 steamed salted fish, #2 steamed brocoli with oyster sauce (or any veggie available, including lettuce!). The #3 dish was steamed chicken/beef/or/pork, she always had a huge batch of this sitting in the fridge to supply half week of meals! Does this help?

And if you absolutelly don't have time, replace the veggie with some dry herb or mushrroms, and the meat with some dry pork!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 31, 2007 1:57 PM #

Oh Hector, at least you haven't lost your sense of humour! You have a way of making the simplest food look good with photography! Wish I could serve just noodles in soup when I'm busy baking - my hubby gets pretty upset when I don't do the full chinese dinner with at least 3 dishes!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 31, 2007 9:53 AM #

Hector - glad to hear it went well. I can't believe you ran out of cake! Looking forward to the pictures.

Reply to this      Posted by: Theresa | July 31, 2007 9:49 AM #

It is Monday, and I decided to make a run to one of my favorite grocery stores: Costco Deli. You know my primary meal has been cake for the past 2 months, so today, everything looked so wonderful, the giant prawns, the fresh local fish, the fruits, the sack of onions, the mushrooms, the grape tomatoes, the fresh ginger, everything. I could not resist and picked a giant sack of big gold potatoes and a wonderful rotisserie chicken just fresh from the oven. The smell of food was so wonderful in my car, that I turned the bird into a drive thru meal: I was eating the chicken in the car while driving! All my recent cake frosting and piping (and individual coffee bean coating and placement) must have given my fingers certain accuracy that I was able to dig thru the bird without a mess while driving my car.

Arriving home, I put the bird away, and I fixed a quick supper. Here is my first meal since many moons ago: http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PaddlersWYC/First%20meal.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 31, 2007 3:07 AM #

I don't have all the photos taken on cake day yet, but here is a teaser: A Baker's Dream (refrigerator full of cake), and Frosting Memories (storing dabs of buttercream used in the cake).

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PaddlersWYC/A%20Baker-s%20Dream.html

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PaddlersWYC/FrostingMemories.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 31, 2007 2:51 AM #

Oh Silvia, so sorry to hear abt your hand. I hope you have since found enjoyment in other activities, eg baking?

Hector, I think you will have new projects coming your way very soon. Anyway, your mixers will need a little rest, right? Try some non-cake baking! I always make a small note of recipes I want to try next, and when I have nothing to bake, I go back and refer to that list!

Still waiting eagerly for your photos!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 30, 2007 11:03 PM #

Hector, please, do rest!!! Take good care of your hands (and the rest of your body, of course!). I had hand surgery three years ago, and my hand won´t ever be the same. All my life i have worked with my hands (as designer and illustrator), and the repetitive work has taken its toll on my neck, back, arms and hand. Anyway, I still want to hear from you and see the images. regards

Reply to this      Posted by: Silvia | July 30, 2007 4:31 PM #

Hector, we are waiting to hear your story and see your pictures!

Reply to this      Posted by: Silvia | July 30, 2007 4:10 PM #

My dear bloggers, just wanted to drop a line quickly in case you are worried that I have deceased buried under a possible cake fallout. The cake event went very well, no damage control needed. The attendance was phenomenal, and we ran out of cake by 9 pm, cutting cake non-stop since 6 pm. I had 4 people cutting cake (including myself), 3 people were cutting cake at all times (I only brought 3 cake knives), so imagine how much cake we served. I spent all Sunday washing the kitchen even if my hands and feet were in muscle pain.

Right now, I am suffering from baking withdraw. YES, there is such thing. Trying to go back from the 4 hour a night of sleep to 6 or to 8! All day long my ears had this ghost sound of my mixers running, and my friends are already saying "what are you going to do now with all your free time?" Normally, I have some next project in the works to report, but for some reason, this time I feel zero; my neurons are taking their time to re-synapse.

Pictures coming soon, taken by my photographer friend turned cake cutter that evening.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 30, 2007 4:10 PM #

Hector, are you still recovering from the big event??? How did it go?

Reply to this      Posted by: Theresa | July 30, 2007 7:13 AM #

Hector - I have been following your fabulous cake story! If available, please let us see a picture of the final masterpiece!

Reply to this      Posted by: Martha | July 28, 2007 10:03 PM #

Wow Cindy, I've never seen these black ones! I like them when their piping hot, crispy on the outside and soft inside!

Hector - great 'cake'! Remember, our hearts are with you no matter which part of the globe we are in!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 27, 2007 9:26 PM #

Everyone, thank you for your words of support. I won't be posting on the blog much for the next 48 hours. I apologize. Doing the final touches now, I am happy with these, very.

/H

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 27, 2007 8:03 PM #

Elicia,
I am not surprise that you like the "Chau Taufoo" (which is a very strongly flavoured fried bean curd snack)if you also like durian.I have tasted those when I went to Hu Nam (湖南)on a trip to JianJiaZhan(張家界). It is black in colour and have the strongest taste . Together with the chili sauce. Taste really exotic.

black chau tofu
Cindy

Reply to this      Posted by: cindy Chiu | July 27, 2007 7:55 PM #

Hector,
It is saturday morning in HK already. I shall be excited about your event all day. 加油!(add oil)
Cindy

Reply to this      Posted by: cindy Chiu | July 27, 2007 7:36 PM #

Hector - Very nice "cake" :)

Good luck tomorrow - I'll be rooting for you all day!

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | July 27, 2007 4:26 PM #

I made an additional cake for tomorrow. I hope people will enjoy a slice of it.

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PaddlersWYC/Cards.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 27, 2007 2:54 PM #

Hector, I just wanted to wish you ALL THE BEST for Sat, July 28. If anyone can successfully pull this off it is you. I admire your talent and patience.
I agree with Elicia about the Copper Topper cake for your interview. Afterall Rose herself said it was one of her best creations. How could you go wrong?
Rozanne

Reply to this      Posted by: Rozanne | July 27, 2007 2:53 PM #

Hector, I think you shld make the Copper Topper for your restaurant interview - maybe try to design individual portions!

Jen - hope you can upload pics of those lovely cakes, and let us know of the outcome!

Cindy - I live in KL - so do let me know the next time you drop by! I cook up pretty good laksa - Penang style! I was born in Penang, and they still serve up the best hawker food up north! BTW, the food in HK is also very delicious - I like the 'chau taufoo' incidently!

Try making a 6 or 7" round cake. You only need abt 2 cups of durian puree for a really thick filling - that's about 400g of flesh (1 durian shld suffice). The cake can keep for several days in the fridge.

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 27, 2007 9:16 AM #

Jennifer, your cakes sound delicious! Can't wait to see the pictures...

Reply to this      Posted by: Theresa | July 27, 2007 7:01 AM #

Oh Elicia, I hope I can try out a small one to share with my husband for we are the only 2 who llke durian at home. I am the only one to like lemon curd. Which part of Malaysia are you in? I have been traveling to Mal'sia for many times and been to places like KL , Melaka and port dickson to the south , and up along the east coast to as far as Terengganu and come down south through the Frase hill. I also went to Langkauwi on another isolated trip. Malaysia is big and connected by very good road so driving there is a pleasure.I did not tried cake there but I like the fruits and food such as satay and laska etc.Had met many nice people too.

Reply to this      Posted by: cindy Chiu | July 27, 2007 12:40 AM #

Hi Everyone,
I just had my tasting with some investors who want to help me and my sister start our bakery. It was a hectic few days because we wanted everything to be fresh. I want to thank everyone for posting pictures of your work. Your confidence gave me confidence and I have to say I am quite proud of my results! I did 3 cheesecakes including almond with amaretto cookie crust. A delish white cake with coconut buttercream and toasted coconut. My Ho Ho cake which is choc cake with mousseline buttercream covered in chocolate ganache glaze and about a dozen different cupcakes. Hubby hasn't emailed me the pics yet, but I can't wait to show them off!

jen

Reply to this      Posted by: Jennifer Schmitt | July 26, 2007 6:41 PM #

Hector, good luck with the "interview," too! Let us know how it goes ...

Reply to this      Posted by: Theresa | July 26, 2007 10:27 AM #

Thks everyone for 'admiring' the durian cake! It's a simple cake - I was more excited abt the lime curd - really lovely!

Cindy, if you love durians, you must try to make this cake. Use a genoise or biscuit, split into 3. Blend equal quantity of durian pulp to cream. Prepare the super-stabilised whipped cream, reserve abt 1.5 cups. Mix the durian puree with the balance cream and fill the cake (thick filling is nice - I like more durian inside the cake!). Then add the reserved cream to the balance filling and frost the cake. The lime curd topping is optional - I also like it with a layer of longans (canned is ok). For syruping, use a combination of longan syrup (from the can) and a little Grand Marnier. And if the durian pulp is not too firm, you can increase the gelatin a little for the whipped cream.

Oh Reeni, I love jackfruit too, and it's cousin the cempedak! Maybe I will make a cempedak cake next!

Hector, you shld really applaud yourself and take a good rest! The whole project is unbelievable! I think you have enough cake already to feed all those rowdy guests!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 26, 2007 7:48 AM #

Just wanted to comment on something. When my friends come to help, I don't think I get more work accomplished, instead, just about the same as doing it all by myself. But there is a benefit: my friends put the muscle, and I just direct. I don't feel as tired at the end of the day with my friends because they do all the measuring, whipping, stirring, cutting, carrying, etc. They even come with nice steaks to grill!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 26, 2007 4:14 AM #

Thank you Reeni. I have six 10" cakes, then the following one each: 14-12-12-10-9-9-7-6-6-4-3-3 (inches). All cakes are round and are 3". I have planned to do two more 10" cakes, but my design people say ENOUGH. I need to feed looselly 1000 people, there will be a lot of other foods and drinks, but no other desserts or cakes. Do you think I have enough? I calculated the big cake to feed 600 people, and each of the 10" cakes to feed 30 people. In any case, I will concentrate on the cake topper (a coffee bean sculpture), and will leave the last two 10" cakes for last. I am glad I have found the limit, this project seemed endless! Perhaps, I will frost the last two cakes on site, after all, it will be a 'piece of cake' !

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 26, 2007 3:23 AM #

Elicia - fantastic cake!

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | July 26, 2007 2:18 AM #

Oh ,Elicia, What an idea of conmbining Durian and lime. I love both fruits but cannot imagine how they go together. Yes, it is Durian season. I love iced durian and also durian ice cream. It is a very very subjective taste whether you like durian or not. The smell actually put a lot of people off. For me. I only like the fresh fruit but cannot take it when they are processed into something browish in colour and like a sausage.
What a peculiar fruit.
cindy

Reply to this      Posted by: Cindy chiu | July 26, 2007 1:57 AM #

I am sorry that I have posted the photo of my slotted skimmers to the sourdough starter thread. Please go and take a look and commmet if we are referring to the same thing.Thanks.

Reply to this      Posted by: Cindy chiu | July 26, 2007 1:47 AM #

Congratulations Hector on approaching Cake Day with so much accomplished. I am a bit jealous because I never have that many friends eager to help me with big projects!
Elicia, I must agree that durian is probably the most pungent-smelling fruit imaginable! I myself don't really like the taste; I prefer langka, or jackfruit. In front of our house in the Phils where I grew up we had a tree that had fruit the size of small pigs.

Reply to this      Posted by: Reeni Espino | July 25, 2007 11:02 PM #

Oh I don't think any of you wld want to 'smell' durians! I don't really fancy the fruit straight from the husk either - I don't like the 'after-scent' of eating it! But when lightened with whipped cream as a filling for cakes - it's really nice. I have a butter cake recipe for it (uses very little durian) and it tastes wonderful. If any of you come to M'sia, I'll treat you to some cake!

Theresa, durian is a large thorny fruit with yellow creamy flesh inside - sometimes even bittersweet which I like best. It is very popular in Thailand,M'sia and S'pore. When it's durian season, some households even buy a whole carload full and it's dinner! It has a very strong smell though - stays in the fridge, car, your fingers! It's even forbidden to bring it into hotels and airplanes! I've seen tourists trying it out of curiosity - I think 90% of them don't like it! If you ever get your hands on some, try diluting the taste by lightening with whipped cream or icecream!

Matthew,if you do try it - let me know what you think of it!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 25, 2007 9:57 PM #

Elicia, how lovely is your durian cake! I have heard a lot about durian (it seems to be a either you-love-it or you-hate-it fruit. I wish I could see , taste and *smell* real durians!! or, of course (and that'd be better), have a slice of your cake

Reply to this      Posted by: Silvia | July 25, 2007 1:55 PM #

Elicia, send me a slice! Lucky you to have FRESH durian! I think the frozen ones we find in the U.S. taste odd?

I have the paddles preserved in a bottle for future use. Will need to try the basic piped meringue instead with cocoa instead of the delicious chocolate I have in my cave.

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PaddlersWYC/NeveNero.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 25, 2007 1:24 PM #

Elicia, I've never been able to summon the courage to try durian, but your beautiful cake would be a good reason to start!

Reply to this      Posted by: Matthew | July 25, 2007 12:44 PM #

What a beauty, Elicia! Though I must confess I have no idea what durian tastes like - or even what it looks like! :)

Reply to this      Posted by: Theresa | July 25, 2007 12:26 PM #

Thank you Rose! I am going to toast these paddles for a few minutes at 350oF, after dehydrated, to give it a little darker color. It is so chicken skin color now! Just saw your posting about Rose's Heavenly Cake Strips. You have no idea how long I have been longing for this!

Yes, water freshly boiled is very hot but not simmering! I love using my copper fondue pot with a ceramic bowl on top that fits 1/8" loose so any steam escapes. The copper sides of the fondue pot conducts heat so well that not only the bottom of the ceramic bowl is heated (from the hot water), but also the sides are heated from touching the copper pot. But, you all need to try La Bomba from Lekue, all you microwave lovers, there is nothing better.

My name went accross a well known restaurant, they need new talent pastry chef on a very set menu they have for years. I think it will be worth to try even if that means making tiramisu daily and nothing else! I am meeting the owner and the referal contact for dinner and was asked to bring cake! I can't think of that right now.

Elicia, the picture was posted because I thought of you and the Matfer whisk! That 'heating lamp' is a white light I use to add light to my kitchen when I photograph. The meringues will be canister vacuum packed and transported that way, I won't be popping the canisters open until serving time. Hope that works.

I found an alternative solution to a problem I may have. I am unsure if the caterers will provide me with 1000 dessert plates, as I have requested and promised many times. So I am bringing a couple of boxes of pre-cut parchment paper that is used in the food industry (to wrap sandwiches, line plates, etc), and use these as the plates, perhaps folded in triangles. I think the idea is so cute, that even if the plates arrive, I will line them with a sheet of parchment!

I am running on 4 hours of sleep and are a bit grouchy today. But my mood is getting better because I just tole myself, this is to be expected.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 25, 2007 12:24 PM #

Here's a typical frosted genoise. Durian Cream Cake with Lime Curd topping. Actually, just want to show off Rose's lovely lime curd. The tangy curd goes well with the sweet and creamy durian flesh (mashed and mixed with super-stabilised whipped cream). It's durian season here now in M'sia, and this is my fave way to enjoy the 'pungent' fruit!

durian lime curd cake

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 25, 2007 12:14 PM #

OK Hector, I want to live in your kitchen now! Is that THE Matfer whisk sticking out? And do I see a heating lamp - what do you use it for?

Congrats on completing the last leg of 'The Cake'! But if you stop making biscuits, will miss those lovely pics of your 'perfect biscuits'! Love those paddles and the paddler - they look realistic enough - wonder how you are storing them though - meringues don't keep crisp very long in our weather!

Oh Cindy, the slotted skimmer doesn't allow batter thru the holes. But a balloon whisk is far more efficient - try it once (with your own KA or Kenwood whisk) and you'll just love the difference!

I also don't temper the choc - it's not like you'll be keeping the cake for a few weeks for bloom to develop. I like to use the microwave method - it's easy and allows the choc to melt gradually so tempering isn't really necessary (you have to melt some of the choc, remove from the microwave and melt the rest by stirring, the residual heat will gradually melt all the choc). It's explained as an optional method in TCB with much precision (as always!)

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 25, 2007 11:34 AM #

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PaddlersWYC/NeveNero.html

The hand craft is present, the labor of love, too. But I am uncertain if these chicken drumstick looking things will pass as canoe paddlers or paddles! I plan to put one piece on each dessert plate as the cake is served.

I've just piped these using Neve Nero (page 300 TCB). I can't wait to make the real S shapes with the nice ridges. Let me tell you, this is probably the best Italian Meringues you can taste, it was heavenly on my taste buds.

To make these canoe paddlers and paddles, I purposely over-folded the chocolate onto the meringue, so the piping will be more watery, it piped like a dream (my dream at least). I set these for 30 minutes at 140oF convection, and then overnight at 100oF convection. This low temperature prevents the meringue to expand.

I will report back tomorrow, to see if these are edible, and what my design committee says, they are coming over Wednesday night for a helping party.

I will dream that perhaps the flat side of these things will look less like chicken drumsticks!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 25, 2007 3:42 AM #

Silvia- when melting chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water ('freshly boiled' in Hector's word), make sure the bowl is dry nd clean. any moisture in the bowl will cause the chocolate to seize and harden as it melts. if this happens, simply add 1 to 2 tsp vegetable oil and stir until chocolate is smooth. the pan shouldnt be one with beak(s) as steam may come out and affect the texture of chocolate.
u can also melt chocolate in microwave using a DRY microwave-safe bowl. the time for melting may vary from 1 min to 7 mins for different types of chocolates and the temperature of the chocolate is also a major factor. but generally setting the power at 50% and checking at short intervals(firstly after 1min, then 30secs)is safe. u can take the bowl out when nearly half of the chocolate is melted. the inner heat is enough to melt the rest when stirred. melting chocolate in microwave is greatly labor-saving when u plan to pipe writings,string-like designs, chocolate swirls etc. just melt the chocolate directly in a microwave-safe steam-lock bag, then squeeze into one corner, twist bag and then snip tip! chocolate buttons are the best form of chocolate to melt (sp for piping writings directly on the cake) as the contents are likely to keep the melted form softer for a longer period.

Reply to this      Posted by: nushera | July 25, 2007 12:49 AM #

Cindy, Silvia, picture is on page #458 of TCB, under Slotted Skimmer. Not to be confused by the Angel Food Cake Folder (which in a way makes more sense but it isn't the one).

The batter of genoise of bds 'does' not go thru the holes of the slotted skimmer. The holds work just a surface tension.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 24, 2007 9:25 PM #

Oh Hector, Like Silvia,I also want to see the picture of a slotted skimmer. I thought I had one which I tried using but the batter did not pass through the holes.May be the holes need to be bigger . I shall try to post the photo of my "slotted skimmer" later.

Reply to this      Posted by: cindy Chiu | July 24, 2007 9:18 PM #

Cake Lover, sorry for the short reply, fixed. /H

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 24, 2007 9:09 PM #

Hector the picture for the 'dark red' flavor for tier #7 says "page not found"? I am dying to see it as I am following your incredible cake project daily!

Reply to this      Posted by: Cake Lover | July 24, 2007 8:51 PM #

Silvia, do a search re: my balloon whisk. JB Prince. Scroll up a little with all the source info, reposted links.

making chocolate pralines sheet is extremely easy, you don't need a thermometer. I never use a thermometer to temper chocolate. You need a glass, ceramic, or stainless steel bowl wide enough to sit above a pot filled 2" inches of hot water (not boiling, but freshly boiled). Make sure the water is never touching your upper bowl where the chocolate is. On the bowl, place your chocolate broken in pieces. With a rubber spatula stir, scrap and smash the chocolate, do this generously. You want all the smashing to soften the chocolate, and not getting it soft from heat . At the beginning you won't see much melting, but in a few minutes you the bowl sides will appear 'dirty' with melted chocolate. When the chocolate is 1/2 melted (there will be pieces of chocolate unmelted), remove the bowl from hot water pot, and continue to stir/smash until all is melted. The remaining heat in the melted chocolate will finish melting the unmelted pieces, and this is the best way to avoid loosing the temper (never keep the heat source all the way until completely melted).

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 24, 2007 6:32 PM #

Hector, where did you buy your balloon whisk? I could not find where to order one. Will it fit into my 4.5 qt KA’s bowl?

Rose, I was glad to read that somebody had been able to use the KA to fold in the ingredients. I have to try it!

Hector, do you have a picture or a link to a picture of a slotted skimmer? I am not sure if both of us call “slotted skimmers” to different things.

Yesternight I read the recipe for the Triple Chocolate Cake. Though no expert, the genoise and ganache (I’d prefer to use the white chocolate ganache as a filling, because of the contrast of colors) don’t make me nervous, but the chocolate praliné does.

My only experience with chocolate is filling plastic moulds with compound chocolate, to make little figures. I have never tempered chocolate, and the idea scares me, I don´t even have access to a decent thermometer!!! (Don´t know the reason, but really precise thermometers for cooking and baking are almost impossible to find…)

Rose, it is oissible in my situation to make the praliné sheets? Any suggestion for a substitution of them (sigh..., they´re so pretty...)

Anyway, I am thrilled with the idea of “my first real cake”!

Reply to this      Posted by: Silvia | July 24, 2007 4:59 PM #

Hector, next time I want to see the "before" picture of the dishes (i.e. the kitchen mess)! Congratulations on getting all the layers baked - you are on the home stretch now. I do love the look of the coffee beans; piping is beautiful, but this is a different kind of look - simpler and cleaner. It goes well with the petroglyph. And if Illy is contributing so much, you are right to feature their product.

Reply to this      Posted by: Theresa | July 24, 2007 8:09 AM #

Elicia, I hope you appreciate this picture, almost every piece of equipment I have is on display! Here is a picture of my sink after the cleanup washing.

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/THEYELLOWKITCHENTOO.htm

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 24, 2007 2:59 AM #

Just wanted to report, that tonight with great sadness I whipped my last batch of Biscuit de Savoie for the 11-tier cake project and perhaps for this year! I am ready to move on to another cake, perhaps Biscuit a la Cuilliere and start making conconctions with it (spooned tiramisu is ringing in my mind now).

Here is the photo of the last of the savoies! http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PaddlersWYC/LastBiscuitDeSavoie.html

The countdown clock has started, the 11-tier cake is for this Saturday July 28th. Everything I plan to do this week will have a plan B in case it doesn't fall thru. The major accomplishment I think I've done last week did not come from the oven, but from my writing pad: deciding to use the same chocolate covered coffee beans in between the cakes when I stack all the layers, this will give a more uniform look, I was planning to pipe buttercream instead. I am allocating 2 hours on site for this. My friends are knocking on my door to help me this week, sometimes I just want to be alone in quietness, for this task of bean coating will be perfect for them.

Also, I won't be making the cake topper out of caramel and almonds. This Hawaiian petroglyph paddler. Instead, I will line a wood or cardboard skeleton with coffee beans, yes, won't be too edible, but I think Illy will be happy to be so noticeable on the cake.

You may be asking yourself where will be my real work this week? Well, I will pipe Neve Nero in the shape of the Hawaiian petroglyph paddler. Page 300 TCB. Enough to lay around the cake table, and perhaps 1000 of them to top each slice of cake when served. THAT satisfies my complaint that this cake doe not much resemblance to paddling or yacht clubs. The shortbread cookie was a good option to make these, but I think I can pipe faster than cutting cookies. I will need to make lots of golden genoise with all the surplus of yolks!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 24, 2007 2:25 AM #

Oh yes, I live in the humid tropics too, and my digital scale serves me well. No problems at all!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 23, 2007 11:18 PM #

Thks Rose, I also assumed I might curdle it! Guess I'll just whip up another batch AFTER assembling the cake.

Oh Hector, you think of the most amazing things! I'll let my wrist take the strain for a while, haha! There is a shop that sells Matfer whisks here but most unfortunately they do not carry the large balloon whisk! The larger the whisk, the longer it is - which is what I don't need. I've examine their other whisks though, and the quality is exquisite and lightweight, so I told myself that only THE Matfer whisk will do! I did hint to the personnel at the shop that Matfer does carry a balloon whisk and wld be good if they can import it! Am keeping my fingers crossed!

I agree that the black forest isn't the most chocolatey chocolatey choice.

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 23, 2007 11:16 PM #

Dear Rose! You are so unbelievable! The hazelnut paste for the Creme Ivoire Praline is sitting right there on p. 430 at Uster. You are soooo sharp. best, joan

Reply to this      Posted by: Joan | July 23, 2007 10:11 PM #

Rozanne - Am having the same problem - today the eggs didn't look exactly right, but was afraid to go beyond 5' for fear I would overbeat them. I should have! Layer is 1 1/4'. It is light, and I syruped it, and will put buttecream on it. But will do another one tomorrow. I want that 1 1/2' like you. I did 2 choc.genoise the other day and same problem, but now am fiddling around with temp and new Chicago Metallic pans, so guess will just have to keep plugging along. At the price of Valhrona, I soon will hardly be able to afford gas! joan

Reply to this      Posted by: Joan | July 23, 2007 10:06 PM #

Rose - thanks for speedy response - am doing it in the a.m. best, joan

Reply to this      Posted by: Joan | July 23, 2007 9:36 PM #

Dear Rose, Once again re the praline paste: May I put it into Neoclassic buttercream [as in classic bc?] - or at all? The classic recipe calls for praline paste with 50 percent sugar. In Creme Ivoire, however, you call for the paste 'without' sugar. Yet, on p. 431, you state that you "prefer the 100 percent hazelnut and carmelized sugar variety." My jar simply came with hazlelnut/sugar - a Switzerland variety. It seems as if I will need several kinds? joan

Reply to this      Posted by: Joan | July 23, 2007 9:31 PM #

The triple chocolate cake sounds a better alternative than the dark Forest cake, to me (I *don´t* like the flavour of preserved cherries, the only ones you can find here). certainly, he' d trade the cherry for thehazelnut flavour, he also loves nuts (and so do I!). I doon´t know, though, if I can find hazelnut liquor here, it´s a matter of availability, not of alcohol content!!Tonight, I read the recipe, and I imagine, tomorrow I'lla ve fresh questions for you.
You have a really, beautiful, sweet sister!! and she must be very proud of such a skilled and caring brother (i'd be, I'm one of the ones that bakes their own birthday cakes). regards...

Reply to this      Posted by: Silvia | July 23, 2007 8:10 PM #

Silvia, my yard fence has rotten, my wire screen door has turned brown from rust, and my brother's old truck has turned from white to cream, but my Soehnle digital scale remains fine!

Whisk:

http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2007/05/josephine_and_biscuit_de_savoi.html#comment-44237

http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2007/03/hectors_4layer_moist_chocolate.html#comment-48352

http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/2007/03/hectors_4layer_moist_chocolate.html#comment-48352

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 23, 2007 8:09 PM #

Silvia, the Triple Chocolate Cake is my favorite 'most chocolatey' cake. And I have baked this cake about 20 times!

If your brother doesn't mind a whipped cream that is chocolatey brown in taste and color, he will be happy with the Light Whipped Chocolate Ganache, which I describe it as a whipped cream with chocolate taste.

Let me attempt to paraphrase how Rose describes this beauty she invented: The beauty of this cake for chocolate lovers is that you will hit their palates with chocolate in 3 forms: chocolate genoise cake, chocolate ganache, and chocolate praline sheets, each is a different texture: spongy, creamy, and solid, respectivelly. Unless people could smoke or inhale chocolate, these textures will effectively hit your brother from all senses he can perceive for chocolate.

The cake is moistened with Frangelico (hazelnut liquor). Ask your brother is he would like hazelnuts which IS INDISPUTABLY the best compliment for chocolate. The taste of hazelnut goes so well with chocolate, that the alcohol in the Frangelico and the hazelnut taste itself go unnoticeable. In my opinion, the chocolate genoise becomes even more chocolatey with the frangelico liquor, that you can't tell about the alcohol or even hazelnut taste. It is like adding MSG to food, you only enhance the flavor!

You could perhaps, leave the praline sheets open faced, and fill the cake top over the ganache with large swirls of whipped cream topped each with a cherry. I made one similar open faced Triple Chocolate Cake, which my sister placed her Pooh candles on (see picture). Alternatively, you can overlay the sides and top of your ganache after it sets in the refrigerator with whipped cream (like the slice of cake in the picture of the little wedding cake described at the beginning of this blog entry)

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/TripleChocolate.html

I have more fun doing this cake in stages, and find impossible to do everything in one day or even from the prior evening. I would suggest you bake the genoise, moisten them, layer and fill with ganache, and freeze it. Then another day, make the hazelnut praline and store it at room temperature airtight. Then the day of your party, make the chocolate praline sheets, attach them to your cake, and top with whipped cream and cherries.

Bake your life away. /H

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 23, 2007 7:56 PM #

hechtor, I think you had a link to a photograph of your whisk, but I couldn´t find it. I want a friend of mine(who'll be visiting his sister in the USA) to get me one of these whisks. I also want a digital scale, but after reading about the problems some people've had with them, I'm a bit afraid. How much humidity can these scales stands? I won´t put the digital scale in a dishwasher, I promise ( I don´t even own one!), but the tropics can be really humid...

Reply to this      Posted by: Silvia | July 23, 2007 7:55 PM #

Silvia,

the BEST whisk is the JB Prince / Matfer 14.5" diameter balloon. Anything else should try to come close to it. The main characteristics of this whisk, that I can note are:

1- The diameter is perfect for a 5 or 6 qt mixer bowl. It handles areas of the batter very effectively, it grabs about 1/3 of batter at once. You don't want a smaller whisk that you would need to dig into the batter so many times, deflating more.
2- The wires are strong, sturdy, but they are also flexible at the base. It is very easy to shake the batter off from the whisk because these wires give in as you shake.
3- The total weight of the whisk is very very light, if you have a heavier whisk you can "smash" your batter. I have compared this whisk with other whisks this size, and these other ones are too heavy (mostly used in restaurants to mix huge buckets of pizza sauce, not to whip anything).
4- The separation between wires is perfect, a little on the wide spacing.
5- I am certain, Rose has tried many many other tools, and she prefers this exact whisk.

Finally, I would suggest, that if you can't find this whisk, continue to use your rubber spatula or a slotted skimmer. I get almost zero deflating with this whisk, and next to that is my slotted skimmer and rubber spatula. Any other whisk I have, deflates even more.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 23, 2007 7:28 PM #

As usual, the last unsigned letter is mine...
hector, I can find here bigger whisks, but perhaps not as wide (14") as yours.
I guess what makes them better to whisk is the diameter, not the longitude.
I have also used the whisk that comes with the mixer, but the lack of a handle made it difficult for me to whip. Your idea of attaching it to a pole sounds interesting...

Reply to this      Posted by: Silvia | July 23, 2007 7:03 PM #

As usual, last letter is mine...
hector, I can find here bigger whisks, but perhaps not as wide (14") as yours.
I guess what makes them better to whisk is the diameter, not the longitude.
I have also used the whisk that comes with the mixer, but the lack of a handle made it difficult for me to whip. Your idea of attaching it to a pole sounds interesting...

Reply to this      Posted by: Silvia | July 23, 2007 7:03 PM #

Rose and Hector, my brother asked for a cake, very chocolatey, filled with something chocolatey, with lots of cream and cherries. Doesn´t it sound a lot like dark Forest cake?? I'm flattered by hus confidence in my skill, but a bit afraid, this'll be my first time making a complex cake!! Kirsch is almost impossible to find in thr supermarkets, can I substitute it with another liquor (and brandy is much to expensive)??
I think I can bake moist chocolate genoise, fill it with white chocolate ganache and over with whipped stabilized cream (because of the heat). What do you all think!!

Reply to this      Posted by: Anonymous | July 23, 2007 6:55 PM #

Elicia, I thought of using the stand mixer whisk, too, and I think it will work. Perhaps you can attach a pole to it to turn it into a handle. Maybe you can find a metal or wood rod and end it like the mixer's plug with a little L movement locking mechanism and a spring!

But since you make so much genoise and bds, I think it will be worth the planning and effort to have someone bring you one. Actually, the one from JB Prince, is Matfer from France, so perhaps you can have it coming from the other half of this planet.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 23, 2007 2:38 PM #

Just one little question - can curds be warmed to pouring consistency if refrigerated? I want to be absolutely sure. I just made Rose's wonderful lime curd and had intended it as a glaze on top of a cake (which I've not made yet)! The curd's cooled and if being refrigerated. Was wondering if it is ok to reheat, like jam?

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 23, 2007 5:33 AM #

A little tip for all those who can't get their hands on the Matfer balloon whisk - if you have a stand mixer (either Kenwood or Kitchenaid) with the large balloon whisk attachment, you can use it to fold your biscuit/genoise batter too!

Of course, it will be a bit straining on the wrists as there is no proper handle, and if you are making a big cake, the whisk may just 'drown' in the batter! But I find that folding with a large balloon whisk is so much more efficient (less deflating of batter and no little 'pebbles' of flour) - it seems worth it! I'm still looking around for that large balloon whisk (JB Prince doesn't deliver out of US!) so the whisk attachment on my Kenwood will have to suffice for now!

Rose - thks for the tips on the Ricotta Loaf. I have to say it is a very flavourful loaf indeed and I just eat it as is!

Hector, I agree that piping bags shldn't be filled too full - it is difficult to squeeze and hurtful on the hands! I've started using parchment too - it gives a good grasp and definitely less warming on the buttercream!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 22, 2007 10:27 PM #

Dear Rose - I just received my praline paste. I see that you say re a Praline Ganache that it could be added to the chocolate before processing. Could the same thing be applied somehow to the Light Whipped Chocolate Filling and Frosting, or would it disturb the consistency, airyness, etc.? Thanks, joan

Reply to this      Posted by: Joan | July 22, 2007 3:53 PM #

It happened to me, too. The first time I attempted to make a parchment piping back, I didn't have time to read TCB.

Hint, you may want to take those triangles out of the box if they came rolled or folded, and store them flat. It is much easier to assemble a piping bag from a flat sheet of parchment than a curled one!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 22, 2007 2:12 PM #

Thanks friend! I knew TCB gave the instructions, but I was pressed for time and didn't want to look it up - my memory served me pretty well though.

Yes, it is early here 6:30am EST. I've been up working all night on a non-cake project. I'll take a very long nap later today!

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | July 22, 2007 5:31 AM #

Hi Patrincia. TCB has instructions on how to make parchment bags =) But I know what must be happening, there is so much info in TCB that one forgets where everything is at!

Posted your lovelly cake under Patrincia's Wedding Cake.

Is it early morning for you now? It is a bit past my bedtime here, so I am signing off.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 22, 2007 5:11 AM #

Hector - yep, I found a box of 100 15" parchment triangles for $5 at Wal-Mart. The only problem is the box didn't have any directions on it showing how to fold the cone - it just took me a minute to figure out, but printed directions would have been nice. I stapled my bag too - sometimes I staple together when making a large tier - who knew a stapler could be so handy in the kitchen?
Btw, did you get the photos of the cake I emialed to you?

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | July 22, 2007 4:53 AM #

Patrincia, parchment bags are the only thing I use to pipe buttercreams. I grew up piping whipped cream with a stainless steel gun, so I am not used to any heat transfer from my hands (although my sister suffers from warm hands much worse than me). I have those pre-cut parchment triangles 15” which makes rather “small” piping bags. These triangles I find a better value than having to make your own triangles out of a roll. For a 9” cake, I need to fill the bag twice. I used to stuff the bag as much as I could, because it could be just enough for a 9” cake, but after so much squeezing out from the top, I decided to just fill the bag half way, keeps cleaner, and to refill a cleaner bag is much easier than a messy one. Yes putting the parchment mess inside a regular piping bag is a nice method, too.

My regular piping bag is reserved for just really big jobs, or for garnishing meals (mashed potatoes, butter swirls, etc). I also use a regular piping bag for royal icing which squeeze pressure is so strong that it would just pop open a parchmet triangle bag!

I think it is much more environmental friendly to use these disposable parchment papers than all the washing you would otherwise need on the regular piping bags. Water is a resource that can be harder to renew than trees!

Regarding the ‘small’ 15” parchment triangles, I also use them to cut 9” or smaller circles to line my pans, and all the extra corners I save to skirt my cake when I frost! Nothing goes to waste. I found a pack of 100 triangles for around $6, when a roll of parchment can cost about $10 and does not have enough to make 100 triangles!

One last thing, I don't seem to find any tape that will attach to my parchment bags, so I can form them nicelly. I use instead staples! and it does a fast job!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 22, 2007 4:45 AM #

Joan, glad you found it! For Biscuit de Savoie, I put equal weight of syrup per the weight of the cake (crusts removed). For Genoise, follow that egg ratio in TCB. I've just read page 120, and it clearly says that the Genoise w/o syrup or with too much syrup is 'not a good thing'

I am exited for your new cake. Do share the after match.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 22, 2007 4:07 AM #

oops! just found the syrup proportions hidden under a sticky marker on p 120 - genoise classique. Thanks. joan

Reply to this      Posted by: Joan | July 22, 2007 12:11 AM #

Well, sorry, but back to the syruping again - I have blogged and googled and consulted TCB, and still can't bring up proportions. Somewhere I think I saw, maybe it was Hector, mention a ratio - sprinkle 2T per egg, or 1/4c for 8 eggs - I just can't find it, and don't remember. Don't want to ruin tomorrow's genoise. Thanks for help as always. joan

Reply to this      Posted by: Joan | July 21, 2007 11:55 PM #

Oh Hector - before I forget, I piped my buttercream by using parchment instead of the usual pastry bags (once I figured out how to make a cone that is). What a big difference it made by "insulating" the buttercream from my warm hands. I ended up holding and squeezing the parchment bag differently too (which was a nice change). I started by folding the parchment bag down from the top, crimping it little by little as the bag emptied (instead of the constant twisting and squeezing of traditional bags).

One possible drawback is the parchment bags can only be used once, but if you are a messy decorator like me, that could be a good thing - no matter how hard I try, I always seem to get some buttercream oozing out from the top of my pastry bag - it gets so slippery when that happens. A tip for those who have the same problem, just slide your whole slippery pastry bag, as is, into a new, clean, dry bag and proceed as usual.

I also found it's easier to remove the decorating tips from the parchment cones - I just cut the used bag all the way across, just above the metal decorating tip, then all you have to do is simply unroll the parchment that's wrapped around the tip. I haven't experimented with using a coupler in the parchment bags yet - maybe next time.

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | July 21, 2007 11:33 PM #

Thanks Hector - I'll send them right away.

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | July 21, 2007 10:14 PM #

Patrincia, that was me, I forgot to fill in my name.

Rose and Reeni, if we knew where you live, your doorstep will be filled with birthday cakes! In fact, there is special chapter in The Cake Bible on how to mail cakes!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 21, 2007 10:12 PM #

Patrincia, for emergencies, feel free to email me your photo, and I will post it in my link! hector@hawaiistationery.com (I think my email is very public by now!)

In other words, I can't wait to see a photo of your creations!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 21, 2007 9:33 PM #

Hmmmm - sounds like a Hector post to me! Great idea about sharing the cake with the restuarant staff! Btw, my tiny 2-tiered cake turned out better than expected. I'm busy packing for a trip, but I'll try to get a photo posted before I go. If not before, definitely after.

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | July 21, 2007 9:30 PM #

Patrincia, it is perfectly fun to enjoy your birthday at a restaurant, but do bring your own cake! I have started to bring cake to all restaurants I attend, birthdays, business lunches, or what not. The way to not get in trouble is to share cake with the restaurant staff.

I also find my way to personally bring a cake slice to the chef in the kitchen, believe me… I DO IT! One time, it was so cute that I forgot my cake knife, so the chef lended me a nice chef’s knife; it was so sharp (the knife and the gesture).

Reply to this      Posted by: Anonymous | July 21, 2007 8:45 PM #

Speaking of birthdays - seems we're all in the same boat - I'm the only one in this household who is willing to make a cake, but I haven't made one for my own birthday yet. The family used to get me an ice cream cake every year, but I'm not really a fan of those things so this year I announced I would enjoy my dinner at a local restaurant and order dessert to go. I chose vanilla bean cheesecake, but sadly it was terrible. Rose just has us all spoiled with her fantastic recipes.

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | July 21, 2007 7:45 PM #

I used to think it was only me. I baked my own birthday cakes for years because I knew what I wanted, but also felt very sad that nobody wanted to bake me cakes!
Now, I don't have much use for birthday cakes of the conventional sort because I don't have birthday parties (And being just my husband and myself eating a whole cake would last too many days! Our son can't eat much of the stuff that is in good cake, either.) We go to a restaurant for dinner and I have a plated dessert instead. Sometimes two.:D

Reply to this      Posted by: Reeni Espino | July 21, 2007 5:45 PM #

Oh Hector, Ironically I've not baked my own b'day cake yet! So I've always had to contend with poor tasting b'day cakes on my own b'days(store-bought that is!)!!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 21, 2007 8:07 AM #

Hi Rose, On the ricotta buns - wld you advise to butter-dip it as well? I was thinking of experimenting with a sweet filling (my kids like sweet 'soft' buns!) - so thought I cld use a 'remonce' (I think) sort of filling or maybe spread the 'remonce' and roll up like sticky buns! Any good advice?

Over here, the buns are super-soft as bakeries use chemical 'bread-improvers'. So, I'm still trying to get them to like my homemade bread!

Sylvia, the moist choc genoise wld be a better option if you prefer a particular choc flavour. Simply because you can use your fave brand of bittersweet choc! I've made the genoise with different brands of semisweet and bittersweet chocs, and the tastes (and sometimes textures) do vary!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 21, 2007 8:02 AM #

Silvia, you are going to LOVE The Bread Bible. My non-baking friends love to read it, too. It is so informative. A good story book, if you may.

I think Rose can get a pHD disserting with The Bread Bible.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 20, 2007 8:16 PM #

Let me add one more thing, not that I haven't written enough, really.

Today, another friend mentioned me as "the guy that makes his own birthday cake"

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 20, 2007 8:13 PM #

Silvia, I think once you add the syrup the flavor will balance and become nice. My chocolate genoises are always like that (bitter, chocolatey, not so sweet). Both chocolate genoise in TCB are designed to be moistened with the indicated syrup. The syrup will add the ‘lack’ of sugar. The genoise itself has less amount of sugar than usual, so eating it w/o syrup will taste a bit unsweetened.

The #1 compliment I receive when I make one of TCB cakes is “glad it isn’t super-sweet!”

Tasting the crumb is not a good indication of how the cake tastes. The crumbs are often burned or too heavy and moist than the cake inside; the texture is completely different, denser. Maybe, you can cut a 1 to 2” hole in the middle of the cake and taste that. Cover it with foil, or parchment, and frost right over; or put an ornament or cookie or cherry on it! This lack of center in your cake will go unnoticed when you serve your cake cut in the traditional pie slices; actually, you slices will cut much nicer and cleaner, without the pointy end crumbling apart as usual.

One time, I changed the shape of my cake from round to hexagon, so I could taste the cake (cutting the hexagon left me with nice cake to try). This was so convenient than whenever I need an oval or a heart shape cake, I start from a round cake and do the same! I often freeze these ‘stolen treasures’ for later enjoyment or to share with friends at any ocassion.

Good luck on the moist chocolate genoise, it is my favorite. Try the light whipped chocolate ganache instead of the cocoa whipped cream, easy to do and perhaps more stable in warm weather! The moist chocolate genoise is on the unsweetened side, even with all the syrup, for the sweet ganache makes a good balance.

Are Genoise your favorite cakes now? Did you get the 14.5” circumference balloon whisk from JB Prince? Or are you the person with the small oven? I can’t recall my memory.

Cake making and baking in general are full of fun and surprises, that you need to experiment and adjust to your own taste each time you make your own design or creation. You need to experiment and find your own balance with the types of cake, the types of frosting, the textures, the sugar, the garnishes, etc. However, I can guarantee you from personal experience, that if you follow any of TCB recipes (or other books written by Rose) exactly as indicated on the recipe, you will have nothing short from perfection. The Triple Chocolate Cake, the Copper Topper Mountain, the Buttermilk Country Cake topped with home made Creme Fraiche, the Golden Cage, the Mexican Killer Kahlua Chiffon, the Plain Wonderful White Bread, the Basic Sourdough Bread, the Pizza, the Oven Dried Grape Tomatoes, the Cordon Rose Conserves, and etc, etc, are ‘ALL my favorites.’ I am a bit happy that Rose’s new book about cakes, is not due until Fall 2008, because I am still not thru all her previous books!

Please do report back how this chocolate genoise project goes for you.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 20, 2007 8:11 PM #

Again, I forgot to sign my letter, I beg your pardon

Reply to this      Posted by: Silvia | July 20, 2007 7:07 PM #

Rose, forgot to tell you that my family, who used to show little interest in cakes, now has adopted the Chocolate Bread, perfect Pound cake and Domingo cake as "the" family cakes. For special occasions, triple layer devil cake, with milk chocolate buttercream or ganache...The flavour and softer textures are very, very different to most of the cakes that you can eat here. And I'm also very excited, beacuse I ordered the Bread Bible. I can´t wait ti have it in my hands!

Reply to this      Posted by: Anonymous | July 20, 2007 7:06 PM #

Rose, I was also very surprised with my microwaved genoise. Actually, I did not syrup it , because I thought it’d be a waste!! And then, it was too late…we had almost eaten half the cake. But I’d never do it again, guessing the correct microwaving time is really difficult.

Hector, I baked the chocolate genoise . I still haven´t moistened it, but I had a crumb and it tasted a bit too bitter and chocolatey (and I’m a bitter-chocolate fan!). I have had the suspicion for a long time, that our natural cocoa is a bit too strong. Anyway, I have first to moisten and then taste it.

On Sunday I will try, finaly, the moist chocolate genoise, and perhaps fill and frost it with cocoa whipped cream. I will follow all of your suggestions!!!!

Reply to this      Posted by: Silvia | July 20, 2007 7:01 PM #

Deanna, thank you for the nice words! I am so sorry your cake cracked, I've been there! Instead of a cooling rack, you can use a cardboard lined with aluminum foil and place it suspended on something so air flows under the board. Also, you can line your oven rack with aluminum foil, and use this as your cooling rack!

I made my molded cake with scraps of Biscuit de Savoie, a butter-less sponge cake. I combined it with Mousseline Buttercream. You need to do the incorporation evenly but gently, avoiding excessive braking of crumbs that would otherwise turn into a paste. Line a cake pan with plastic wrap and pour this 'batter' in. Refrigerate overnight and unmold. Keep refrigerated, slice and serve the cake at refrigerated temperature, it is the refrigeration that holds the cake up by hardening the frosting.

Because this concoction uses a large amount of frosting compared to a normal cake construction, be aware to avoid excessive moisture or grease. I am suspecting your chocolate cake is butter based. I wouldn't do this concoction with buttercream, because it can be too heavy or greasy for your palate. Try using Super Stabilized Whipped Cream instead. And by all counts, if you can add a fruit conserve in it, it will lighten up the texture and the taste. Hope you dare to try it and do report back!

I have posted 'several' picture of the big cake on this entry, scroll up and look at the links. You will find also many other related cakes that are off-springs of the big cake. The big cake will be served on July 28th, and I am not finished yet!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 19, 2007 8:34 PM #

Hector... I haven't posted here yet but have been reading a lot and have a question for you. I am making a large cake (heart shaped, 3 tier, on pillars) and I've broken one of the bottom layers of chocolate cake... I didn't have the right size rack to cool it on and tried to make do... I'm so upset because it had to bake for so long and the cake has to be ready early Saturday. I guess for a cake that size w/o a rack the right size perhaps I should just cool it in the pan?

Anyway, I remember looking at your site and you had made this fabulous formed concoction with cake scraps. I now have a LOT of cake scraps :)... I just don't know what to do with them. Can you share how you made the cake scrap confection? (I can't even find a picture of it right now on your site.) And also I've tried to find a recent picture of your big cake you're working on and haven't found one yet... care to share? It's absolutely fabulous so far from what I've seen!! Thank you!

Reply to this      Posted by: Deanna | July 19, 2007 7:36 PM #

Hi Patrincia, no worries, I did not go chocolate untempered with the monstrosity =)

I plan to cut the tiers TCB way, that is how my Mom taught me. I like it because all slices come out pretty even, and you end up with a lovelly center little cake!

Elicia, the Ricotta Loaf sounds good, BB has many many breads! I've haven't tried it myself... but that is a yet.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 19, 2007 3:06 AM #

Theresa, I agree with Rose - the banana cake is really extremely moist (especially if you've used the max amt of sour cream as indicated in the recipe!). I topped it with toffee/caramel just so it can hold the praline powder (I wanted some crunch) and it was a bit gilding the lily!

Hector, strangely I'm quite bad at cutting cakes! I have a friend who is very good at it though, and she usually does the honour if she's around!

Mmm... continuing my BB exploration - made the Ricotta Loaf - ethereal and super-fast! BTW, shld be able to shape it into buns too right?

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 18, 2007 9:51 PM #

You are so funny ("lost your temper quicker than dark chocolate"). Yes, I usually make it known that I insist on cutting the cake myself, but since this was a surprise, I didn't make the usual announcement.

Please note I only called your 11-tier cake a monstrosity because of it's size (meaning exceptionally large; enormous). You know I think it's beauty is exquisite - I just love the colors and I especially like the chocolate covered coffee beans separating the tiers.

So how do you plan to cut the tiers... TCB way, or the "straight cut" method (don't know what it's called, but you cut straight lines like you would for a square cake)? I've done both, but I think I like the newer method better - it requires less turning of the tiers during the cutting process, plus I think it's a little faster.

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | July 18, 2007 9:34 PM #

Patrincia, what a horrible (and common) experience. Did I tell you that when I made the bunny cake, one of my lovelly dinner guests tried to help and put my 6" chef knife thru it? That is when I lost my temper quicker than dark chocolate!

Believe me, for the 11-tiered (please don't call it monstrosity), I will be doing all the cutting MYSELF! Something I can do rather quickly if I have all plates and spoons pass right under while I cut, and for that I have 3 assistants and a backup work shift!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 18, 2007 8:56 PM #

Hector - I looked at the Miele models but ended up with a Riccar (which I love). I use a Delonghi Scopa on my kitchen tile, but just wondered about the Roomba.

Anyway - I hope you will be taking a well deserved break after this mammoth cake is delivered.

I won't try to compete with an 11-tiered monstrosity like yours, but I'm doing a tiny 2-tiered cake this weekend - Rose's white butter cake with raspberry buttercream filling and mousseline buttercream frosting. This is actually the first cake that I've ever been asked to do for someone I don't know (I'm so excited!). The last cake I made was a surprise b-day cake that was supposed to be served at a cook-out. The cake was safely boxed and hidden in the kitchen awaiting it's big debut. Unfortunately, the hostesses husband wasn't in on the surprise, and he started cutting and serving the cake without our knowledge - you can imagine how shocked I was to see pieces of a very familiar cake walk past me on peoples plates. To make matters worse, he insisted on cutting my cake with a hamburger turner of all things! Needless to say, there was no happy birthday song, and I didn't get any photos of my once beautiful cake. Speaking of photos - the cake prior to that was covered in dark ganache, but the lighting in the room was so poor the photos didn't turn out. I'm determined to get a good photo of the cake this weekend though - I will post when I do.

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | July 18, 2007 8:17 PM #

Not at all, and that is the most asked question!

Roomba is intelligent and follows your walls or baseboards. It sweeps clean baseboard with it built in spindling little arm that sweeps thing out of the walls/baseboards into the roomba’s mouth!

The only thing that does accumulate is on the corners, but maybe just 1 inch. Roomba is round, and it can’t reach the corner to perfection. Again, only about 1 inch of your corners will remain dirty, that little spindling arm reaches almost to the corner.

Roomba does not push dirt around at all. I believe a standard vacuum cleaner pushes more dirt around with its exhaust air flow (unless you have a Miele which exhaust air flow is upwards!).

But, honestly, it takes me 10 minutes to vacuum one room with my Miele. Roomba takes about 40 minutes, unattended that is.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 18, 2007 6:38 PM #

Hector - funny tip on mopping the floor! Just wondering - did the roomba get all those little crumbs up against the cabinet baseboards? As for the cake I'm so sorry I will be out of town on your big day - I don't know if I'll have computer access, but I'm going to try. If not, I'll race home to my computer on the 31st to see how it all went!

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | July 18, 2007 5:03 PM #

Rose, thank you - I hadn't tried it yet. Based on your warning, I think I will go with the sour cream ganache frosting you recommend in the Cake Bible instead. Have to have that chocolate with the banana! (Though I have put cream cheese frosting on it in the past and liked that, too.)

Reply to this      Posted by: Theresa | July 18, 2007 3:00 PM #

Hector, sounds like the project is well in hand. (And yes, if I was there, I would be doing dishes. And I would certainly be available for any taste testing...)

Reply to this      Posted by: Theresa | July 18, 2007 7:08 AM #

Quickly, a time saver I like to share with you. If you have no time to mop your kitchen floors, attach one of those swifter wet towels on your feet bottoms and you will be cleaning your floors as you walk! Trust me, it works.

P.S. Pre-mopping: I used to have a Roomba, and I LOVED it. But after it died, Luca got the Miele portable-friendly canister vacuum. Miele ROCKS; not to mention that they are one of the finest kitchen appliance manufacturers.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 18, 2007 1:30 AM #

Hector, you're enjoying the 'leis' effect piping I see! Wow, transporting all those cakes will be quite awesome! I hope you have friends offering to transport the precious cargo!

Love that marble choc effect! You've really gone over-the-top with Biscuits! Even when the cakes are gone (eaten up) this major project will definitely be well-remembered!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 17, 2007 10:37 PM #

Theresa, I was replying to your post, but my computer froze. So here is a picture of what I typed!

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PaddlersWYC/blogPost.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 17, 2007 9:27 PM #

Theresa, I was replying to your post, but my computer froze. So here is a picture of what I typed!

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PaddlersWYC/ChocolateMarbleAndMangoRose6.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 17, 2007 9:26 PM #

Joan, that is great news! Thanks for sharing the source of your syringe. You will love the JB Prince 14.5" diameter ballon, I think they call it a 18" ballon (lenght).

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PaddlersWYC/ChocolateMarbleAndMangoRose6.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 17, 2007 9:25 PM #

Hi all: Today received my huge 14.5 balloon from J. Prince!
But, even more great: My wonderful 70cc syringe came. It is 'latex-free piston syringe,' well marked, with a thumb-ring pusher, and even has a separate little Luer tip that enables a smaller amount to come out - don't know if too small for syrup, but the regular nozzle will be fine to shake out syrup. It is a Bard [$4.07], and I got it from: Edgepark Surgical/1810 Summit Commerce Park/Twinsburg, OH/44087. Item #570038470 Their phone is: 800.321.0591 or 330 963.6996. However, I acquired mine from their website: www.edgepark.com. Joan

Reply to this      Posted by: Joan | July 17, 2007 8:51 PM #

Theresa:

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PaddlersWYC/blogPost.html

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PaddlersWYC/ChocolateMarbleAndMangoRose6.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 17, 2007 4:03 PM #

Good point, Hector - I can see where it would be helpful to have the cake on a rack, especially since the ganache is firmer than the usual syrup. I guess I could also do the bottom first (avoiding the sides) and let things harden up, then reheat the ganache and do the top and sides last (maybe put a fresh round of parchment on the bottom before turning it right-side-up again so it doesn't stick to the rack).

How is the yacht club project coming? Are you on schedule for the 28th?!!! Where are you storing the cakes? What is the role of the cookies?

Reply to this      Posted by: Theresa | July 17, 2007 7:13 AM #

Theresa, I used to syrup with the cake on its parchment or serving plate, and I have tried to serve the cake bottom side up, too. But now I syrup with the cake on a cooling rack instead placed on a big tray or sheet pan. It makes a 360 degree difference! You want all the drippings to fall under the cooling rack, not to accumulate on the bottom of your cake. Rest the cake for a few hours (wrapped in plastic) until all the drippings has fallen. Invert your cake, and syrup the other side, rest again to drip. Reuse the drippings.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 16, 2007 4:09 PM #

I haven't tried the ganache syruping yet, but was thinking about trying it on the Cordon Rose Banana Cake. (Chocolate and banana - YUM!) I happen to have one (unfrosted) in my freezer. Looking at the instructions, I can't help but wonder if the ganache syrup on top of the cake gets mussed, since you do it first (so that the pan and the parchment contain the syrup) and then turn it over and remove the parchment to put ganache syrup on the bottom. Or do you serve it "bottom" side up because of this?

Reply to this      Posted by: Theresa | July 16, 2007 10:56 AM #

Cindy, the 2" cut into 1" will be satisfactory. There is a picture of the slotted skimmer in TCB, it is a common utensil.

I level the batter on the cake pan carefully with a spatula, I make sure the batter is touching the pan sides a few milimiter higher than the center of the batter! For this, I spindle the pans, so the centrifugal force pushes the batter to the sides a bit higher. The BdS rises evenly with a very small dome, the extra batter on the sides compensates. This dome flattens in a few minutes during the cooling process.

I don't know, ALL my baking-powder-less cakes bake VERY even flat. I think there is an explanation somewhere in the blog.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 16, 2007 2:30 AM #

Cindy - its one of those ladles with holes that you use to drain deepfried food! Find one that is wide and flat and you will need to straighten the handle angle a bit.

Hi Rose, I read about that lovely choc chiffon wedding cake you made and I can't wait for the book! Choc syrup is heavenly and I believe your version will be doubly heavenly!!

I love the poppyseeds in the lemon butter cake. Can also use it on top of buns instead of seeds and nuts, right?

Hector, I have a set of those pastry star tips too! Great for piping mousse/fillings into tartlets and large borders. Will try your 'leis' technique next time!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 15, 2007 11:33 PM #

Hector,
I want to have 2" BdS for my oven can only accomodate one 9" pan . I shall slice the 2" into two 1" layerand assemble into one cake. I have tried that during the weekend, the result was satisfactory. How can you make your top so smooth,do you level it with some tool?
BTW, a slotted skimmer, I am not sure what exactly it is. I have one that I use to drain the ingrdient of the soup which is like a ladel with holes to allow the water to pass through but it is flat with holes of 0.5 cm diameter. Is that close to it?
Thank you for your input.
Cindy

Reply to this      Posted by: cindy Chiu | July 15, 2007 9:49 PM #

Thanks so much Rose - you will make a baker out of me yet! joan [today my lesson has been to read all of your prior comments on ganache condensation since it happened to mine - I looove this blog.]

Reply to this      Posted by: Joan | July 15, 2007 5:40 PM #

Rose - re poppyseeds: new jar and neew cake. I think the jar may have had too long shelf life. Will try again very soon. Loved the cake! joan

Reply to this      Posted by: Joan | July 15, 2007 4:15 PM #

Re the lemon poppyseed, cake - it did, indeed, have a delicious lemon sticky, but when my poor husband cut a slice he was aghast, saying there was blue mold all inside, and refused to eat it [didn't stop me] - I used Morton & Basssett poppyseeds and, while I did notice a slight blue cast to them in the bottle, I just ignored it. I have never seen this before What do you think? joan

Reply to this      Posted by: Joan | July 15, 2007 1:58 PM #

Elicia,

I used a large star tip (pastry size, open star). I piped as doing scalloped borders, but I pulled the tip completelly away after each 'star' was piped.

Another way to explain this: a series of individual stars piped with the tip angled 45o and not the traditional straight 90o.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 15, 2007 5:23 AM #

Nushera, THANK YOU for the Viennese Fingers recipe!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 15, 2007 5:16 AM #

Elicia, I saw the grape jam in the Ball canning book, but I used the recipe from Cordon Rose Strawberry Conserve. I brought the preparation to 220oF, for the jam geled very well. I am getting better with canning, bought new lids, and all

I can't wait to try Rose's cherry jam!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 15, 2007 5:12 AM #

Haha! Mudcakes have mud - that's a funny one! From the pics in the recipe books, the mudcakes look like a rich, dense (finecrumbed) butter cake, not puddinglike. Haven't tasted one yet though! I think mudcake is a popular term used in Australia?

Grapes! What will you think of next, Hector? I thought the borders look like leis too - not exactly shell. How did you pipe them? A cross between shell and star?

I just bought a 30ml/1oz syringe from a pharmacy - big enough for me to use for syruping! Can't find any bigger ones!

I believe the choc ganache syruping works for choc butter cakes. For choc genoise, alchohol and sugar syrups (more liquid) works better. I've syruped a choc genoise with a cocoa syrup though - a recipe from another book - cocoa is cooked with water and sugar to make the cocoa syrup.

Syrup shld penetrate very well with genoise - make sure top and bottom crusts are removed as Hector said!

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 15, 2007 2:15 AM #

one more treat for the bloggers

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PaddlersWYC/ChocolateCoffeeBeanMouds.html

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 15, 2007 1:57 AM #

thks Joan, i sometimes use the large marinade syringe which i bought from a chinese variety store(it's easier to say what they dont sell) for Aus$2.

Reply to this      Posted by: nushera | July 15, 2007 1:38 AM #

Hector- here is a recipe of Viennese Fingers (shortbread-type biscuit) that u can pipe. pre-heat oven at 180'c or 350'F. Line 2 baking trays. cream 100gm unsalted butter + 40gm icing sugar until light n fluffy. gradually add 2egg yolks nd 1.5 tea sp vanilla essence and beat thoroughly. sift in 125gm plain flour. using a knife mix until all ingredients are just combined and mixture is smooth. spoon the mixture into piping bag fitted with 1cm(0.5") fluted piping nozzle. pipe wavy 6cm(2.5") length on the trays(makes 20). bake for 12 min or until golden brown. cool slightly on trays, then transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely. traditionally the biscuits are half-dipped into melted dark choc-butter mixture(100gm dark chocolate + 30 gm unsalted butter; of course melted on a double boiler or in low-microwave).
i think u can dip what the petroglyph
would be holding in his hand:-)
btw, quoted the recipe from an old issue of the Australian Women's weekly, and the photograph seems promising!

Reply to this      Posted by: nushera | July 15, 2007 1:32 AM #

http://www.hectorwong.com/roselevy/PaddlersWYC/CrowdControl3.html

In searching of a 'dark red' flavor for tier #7, I made this red grape conserve; the color is right! Next, a more finished version of the paddler cake; and just now looking at the photo on my computer I think those thick borders look like leis... And bonus 2 photos I took today, source of my inspiration. Enjoy!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 15, 2007 1:11 AM #

Thanks Rose for support, and for half-pan comment. Thanks Rozanne for info and advice - feels good to know I guessed right. joan

Reply to this      Posted by: Joan | July 14, 2007 11:09 PM #

Elicia - just yesterday I was researching recipes for Blackout Cakes (choc cake w/choc pudding). According to some, Blackout Cakes are sometimes referred to as "Mud" Cakes (at least in places outside of NY). I wonder if the mudcakes you are talking about are similar?

Reply to this      Posted by: Patrincia | July 14, 2007 10:19 PM #

Joan, I don't think the ganache will work to moisten the genoise, you will have to use a fruit / liqueur syrup. The genoise is dryer than a butter cake and needs the extra moisture.
Rozanne

Reply to this      Posted by: Rozanne | July 14, 2007 10:03 PM #

Joan, the person (Helen) who posted the question to Rose was talking about the Perfect All-American Chocolate Butter Cake. It is on pg 54 of the Cake Bible.
Rozanne

Reply to this      Posted by: Rozanne | July 14, 2007 9:56 PM #

Elicia and all - Re the ganache syruping discussion a while back - Chocolate Fudge cake was mentioned as turning out beautifully. Rose [to Helen] makes reference to it being lovely for 'my chocolate cake' - do you know which cake that was? Would this chocolate ganache glaze be overwhelming for the chocolate genoise cakes or are they better with liquor and fruit syrup? I think it sounds wonderful, but want to use it where it is best. Thanks, joan

Reply to this      Posted by: Joan | July 14, 2007 8:58 PM #

oops - not 79cc, but '70cc' sorry. j

Reply to this      Posted by: Joan | July 14, 2007 7:56 PM #

Nushera/Silvia - Rose speaks to this syringe use on page 460 of TCB - 70cc. I just ordered a 79cc one from Bard on the internet. They are readily available. I just ordered a syringe alone, not the needle, for less than $10. joan

Reply to this      Posted by: Joan | July 14, 2007 7:54 PM #

I think mudcakes have mud! It may be just a restaurant fanciful name, that's all.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 14, 2007 7:30 PM #

Silvia, thank you for spectacularizing my cakes! I am still trying to find myself and establish a niche unique to me, been TCB the biggest tool.

I am certain the clay ovens bake well, WISH I HAVE ONE. Clay dissipates and maintains heat very evenly! It is something, we 'modern oven users' try to replicate (see my posting about the tiles lined in my oven). Of course, I think it is a little more cumbersome to light that clay oven as oppose to turning a electronic switch!

The whisk I have is extremely light, you will be surprised that this giant is feather weight!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 14, 2007 7:27 PM #

Silvia, adding syrup depends on the type of cake, and for Rose's Moist Chocolate Genoise IT IS REQUIRED. Be sure to remove/discard the top and bottom crusts of the cake, these would absorb most of the syrup and turn into a pasty mess, which also prevents the syrup to penetrate into the cake.

If your layers are about 1 inch, the syrup will penetrate all the way. If your layers are thicker you may want to syrup the top, then flip your cake, and syrup the bottom.

Do leave them wrapped in the fridge for 24 hours, for the syrup to migrate evenly, there is just no other way for gravity to work and get an evenly moist cake

Be sure to use the correct amount of syrup, too much or too little is bad. GOOD LUCK.

P.S. I don't have the 70 cc syringe yet, as doctors seldom use such big size anymore, but my biochemist friend is getting me one really soon. I am sure it will be a great syruping tool because Rose said so!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 14, 2007 7:22 PM #

thks, Silvia. i couldnt have baked better if Rose didnt write TCB. Hector used a medical syringe of 60/70cc to inject syrup in his genoise, so far as i can remember.

Reply to this      Posted by: nushera | July 14, 2007 6:56 PM #

I'm sorry, I didn´t sign the last two letters.
regards, Silvia

Reply to this      Posted by: Silvia | July 14, 2007 11:14 AM #

Hector, I plan to bake the moist chocolate genoise for my sister´s birthday. I want to know if you always use syrup with genoise, and how do you manage to avoid the cakes from becoming soggy. Usually, I try to avoid using syrup, because I get a soggy outer surface, but a dry interior (it happened, for example with the lemon poppyseed cake). Perhaps if I inject the syrup into the cake...?
if I bake the layers one day before, do I have to moisten them before wrapping, or shoul I moisten them just before assembling the cake?
Thanks for your help

Reply to this      Posted by: Anonymous | July 14, 2007 11:03 AM #

Nushera, it´s encouraging to learn that we are not alone in our pursuit for better cakes!!!! One of the best things with Rose's book (or *the* best thing), is the solid theoretical basis that she teaches, which enables us to know , use and adapt better the resources we have at hand.
Anyway, whenever I see hector's spectacular cakes I wish I could bake something similar. I have to tell myself, it´s a matter of time and practice.
My first genoise ever was Rose´s Classique genoise. It was really easy to make (though many people say genoises are difficult to master), following the book's instructions and using the balloon whisk (not as big as hector's,it would be too heavy for me). I microwaved it (the oven was broken that night), and the texture was so exquisite and light, that we ate it just at it was, without syrup or any buttercream.
here, in the country, some people still use their round clay ovens to bake evertyhting. it's just a matter of experience, I guess

Reply to this      Posted by: Anonymous | July 14, 2007 10:57 AM #

Thks Theresa!

I must say TBB is an interesting read - its more than a cookbook, its a great reference on the know-how of breadmaking! Kudos to Rose for her most meticulous observations and experiments, and putting all these knowledge into the book!

Yes, the Banana Loaf is pretty much a very flavourful, light and moist sandwich loaf - the banana flavour is really subtle. It makes a great healthier substitute for commercial sandwich loaves!

Over here I can get bread flour but almost impossible to find 'unbleached' ap flour! I ended up buying organic unbleached flour - the only ones available! So am feeling very 'healthy' when I eat my homemade bread!

Oh and did I say the Banana Sourcream Butter Cake is just so moist and soft (I made it with the maximum 1/2 cup sourcream) - very different from the classic banana pound cake which is moist and dense but more chewy.

Oh Hector, with so many bananas, you may also want to try Rose's banana CreamCheesecake. It is just heavenly! As for pixs, so sorry as everything seems to be gobbled up already!

On greasing - try Wilton's Cake Release - superb release and perfect crumb with just a little of it. I sometimes don't even grease/flour for genoise, but always make sure the base is lined with parchment! And without a large balloon whisk, the slotted skimmer is definitely the next best option!

BTW, just wondering - what's the diff between mudcakes and moist butter cakes? I see a lot of recipes for choc or white choc mud cake - the ingredients look pretty much like a choc fudge cake. What really sets a mudcake apart? Can anyone enlighten me?

Reply to this      Posted by: Elicia | July 14, 2007 6:35 AM #

Cindy, use a slotted skimmer slightly bent so it is less angled, or use a super large silicone spatula. A 2.5" diameter whisk WILL NOT DO.

Lets compute: 1 recipe of BdS is for 3 1" layers. That is a total of 3" of cake. If you want 1 2" then 2/3 will do! I've tested it.

Why do you want a thick 2" BdS? I find 1" layers much yummier since it likes lots of fillings. Thinner layers also syrup better.

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 14, 2007 12:28 AM #

Thank you Hector, I actually only want to make one B de S of 2 " high . I shall try to use 2/3 the TCB recipe and make one . See if it can turn out like eyours. For this smaller amount , do you think an ordinary 2.5" diameter whisk will work? Thank you.

Reply to this      Posted by: cindy Chiu | July 13, 2007 9:52 PM #

Cindy,

The 3 biscuit de savoie, 2" high, were baked by using a near double recipe of TCB. I used a 15.6 eggs recipe (or 292 grams of yolk and 467 grams of whites, factor the rest of the ingredients accordingly).

TCB recipe is for 3 biscuit de savoie, 1" high. It calls for 8 eggs (or 150 grams of yolk and 240 grams of whites).

You will need a 5 qt stand mixer to whip the yolks, and a 6 qt stand mixer to whip the whites, or have 2 bowls (one bowl must be 6 qt). During folding, first, I add 1/3 of the whites onto the yolks, then pour this yolk and white mix to the 6qt bowl where the other 2/3 whites remain. There is no way you can add all the whites into the 5 qt bowl.

I (and Rose) give heavy importance to the 14.5" giant balloon whisk to do the folding. I am uncertain if you could use a spatula to fold such large quantities of biscuit de savoie batter.

Fill your pans 1/4" to 1/2" inch full.

Good luck!

Reply to this      Posted by: Hector | July 13, 2007 9:13 PM #

Hector,
Are the 3 biscuit de savoie that you baked at one time made with the amount of ingredient specified in TCB? Each of them is 2" high. I can only bake one at a time due to oven capacity . I made the B de S by measuring one third of the ingredients and the biscuit was like 1" high only. What could be the problem ? not enough beating of the white?
Any comment ? Thank you!

Reply to this      Posted by: cindy Chiu | July 13, 2007 8:57 PM #