Sunday, January 17, 2010

Wilton Course 3 - Fondant and Tiered Cakes


Life has so many ups and downs.. Sometimes it becomes to overwhelming for you that you don't know how to handle it.. But no matter what, you stil have to move on cause time waits for no man.. Time won't stand still.. Time won't go back to where you want it to be.. Go on.. Be strong.. That's what we should do..

I attended my Wilton Course 3 class yesterday.. I came like one hour late.. Some tragedy happened in the morning and I couldn't find a cab and I had to take bus.. And the bus was ultra slow and there was traffic jam.. and the traffic lights were not in my favour.. I hated yesterday except for the fact that I completed the cake...

Yes.. I made the cake above.. We did it halfway in class and I decided to complete it at home since I made some effort baking the cake and all.. Why not just enlarge my baking portfolio rite??

Inside in was a chocolate cake with layered with chocolate buttercream.. It was a really a perfect cake to be wrapped with heavy fondant cos it was dense and tasted nice enough.. But I won't put cinnamon agin the next time cos I think it's nicer without it.. Or maybe put lesser.. And remember, I always love the contrast of black cake with white cream.. Hmm.. I didn't take a picture of the inside though.. Sorry..

It was really fun and exciting to play with the fondant although the cleaning up part is the most dreadest thing.. I couldn't wait to complete the cake and take pictures of it.. It was like the most proudest moment for me to see the completed cake.. It was really really really pretty.. I can't believe I made it.. I could have made it more colourful though but I was lazy to mix the dough with other colours..

The next thing I couldn't wait was to cut and try it.. cos I always wondered how a fondant cake tasted like.. Okay.. It tasted kinda like sweet chewing gum.. texture-wise and taste-wise.. I think it's because of the gumtex/tylose that we put inside.. ate a bit and I didn't dare to eat more.. I should have rolled the fondant thinner to cover the cake.. Well.. All well for a first try huh??

I'm definitely sticking to a traditional tiered cream cake for my wedding.. or maybe  simple cupcakes.. I don't know.. I hate the thought of wedding actually.. :S

~So don't go away..
Say you want to stay
Cos I need more time just
to make things right~

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Boston Cream Pie Cupcake


Finally.. all the weddings that I know of has been gone through and ended as of today.. Haha.. Sometimes, it so tiring to go to weddings and to think of what to give and how much to give and what to wear and how to get there.. But it's really sweet to see two people in love getting together finally.. officially.. to see their happy faces..

I envisioned my wedding to be simple.. and at the beach.. it would be really cool.. David Tutera style.. hahahaha.. I hope it will come true anyway..

I made Boston Cream Pie and I totally fell in love with it.. The taste of the sponge cake is nice.. unlike a simple vanilla cake.. Okay, I'm not so good at describing actually.. But it's simple to bake the cake and it taste wonderful.. I llooooovvvee anything with custard.. And that's the basis of a Boston Cream Pie.. AND then coated with Chocolate Ganache.. Just awesome.. Simple awesome!! And it reminds me of my favourite childhood cake that I used to buy for 50 cents in primary school.. HIRO..

I made a 6" cake for the first try and found out that the ganache was to thin.. Hence the next attempt was a cupcake of course.. Cos I simply adore cupcakes.. I decided to make Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes and fill it with the custard filling and top it with dark chocolate ganache because I was not in the mood for anything too sweet... 

The funny thing was when I was making the ganache on my 2nd attempt at the recipe.. Okay, I had this packet of very strong bitter chocolate that was in the fridge and I have yet to use it.. I bought at the baking supply store.. The percentage of the cocoa was not stated.. And it was quite cheap.. Because of the low value of the chocolate, I didn't really believe that the chocolate very very bitter... Buuuuuut.. When I taste it after the ganache was done, it was so, extremely bitter.. I think it was like 80-85% cocoa.. hahaha.. Although I never tasted cocoa percentage that high.. Lol.. But I tasted 70% before.. It was definitely higher than 70%.. I had no choice but to quickly add confectioners sugar and mix it in.. Gosh~ Never underestimate a cheap strong bitter chocolate.. hahaha..    

I felt that even after adding quite an amount of confectioners sugar, it was still quite bitter when I ate the cupcake.. Buuuuuut, i tasted it the next day... and it was PERFECTO!! A-hah! It wasn't bitter like yesterday and it was not sweet at all.. I just llooooovvvee it.. I think you need to wait a few hours or overnight for the sugar to sink it.. I think.. Anyways... Enough of my stories..

Boston Cream Pie Cupcake (adapted from 500 cakes by Susannah Bake)
(my notes in red) (I got about 11 regular sized cupcakes)

CAKE
170g / 6oz butter, at room temperature
140g / 5oz caster sugar
3 eggs
140g / 5oz self raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract

CUSTARD
120ml / 4 fl oz milk
175ml / 6 fl oz single cream
3 egg yolks
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp vanilla extract

DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE (my own recipe)
4.5 oz dark chocolate chip or chopped into small pieces (or semisweet chocolate, if using semi-sweet, exclude confectioners sugar)

3 oz heavy cream
Confectioner's sugar (amount varies to your own preference)

Directions:
CAKE
1. Preheat oven to 180C /  350F / gas mark 4. Grease two 20cm / 8in round cake tins, then line with greaseproof paper (put cupcake liners into muffin tins if you're doing cupcake versions).

2. Beat together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy (around 3-5 minutes). Beat in the eggs one at a time.

3. Sift in the flour over the bowl, add the vanilla extract and stir until thoroughly combined (it says stir but I still used the standing mixer.. be careful not to overmix).

4. Spoon the batter into the cake tins and spread out evenly using the back when pressed lightly. (I filled the batter until 2/3 of the liners as it will rise quite considerably..but will shrink abit after cooling down).

5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and the cake springs back when pressed lightly. Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack, gently peel off the waxed paper and leave to cool.

CUSTARD (while the cake is baking, you may want to prepare the custard)
1. Warm milk and cream in a pan until almost boiling, then set aside.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until creamy, add the vanilla extract, then whisk in the flour.

3. Whisking constantly, slowly pour in the hot milk, then pour back into the pan. Heat gently, stirring, for about 2 minutes until thick. Pour into a bowl, press clingfilm over the surface, cool, then chill.

To serve, spread the chilled custard over one of the cakes, then place the second cake on top (for cupcake version, I used a Wilton Tip 230 to fill the cupcakes. Otherwise you may just cut a cone shaped  at the middle of the cake n fill the custard and cut a bit of the tip from the cone and place back to cover the filling).

GANACHE
1. Chopped the chocolate into small pieces and placed it a bowl.

2. Heat the cream until almost boiling, then por it over the chocolate and leave it to stand for 3-5minutes. Then stir until smooth. Allow to cool and thicken slightly.

3. Taste test and then add confectioners' sugar and mix thoroughly until the taste is right to you.

~These tears that I've cried
Want you by my side..

A perfect love story that we made
Cos you're my only one, you're the only light
Don't you ever fade away~