Thursday, August 28, 1997 at 9 PM ET in the Kitchen Conference Room -- "Back to school idea cakes and techniques" 

HELLO KITCHEN THIS IS THE CAKE DECORATING CHAT HOUR WELCOME TO ALL NEWCOMERS TO OUR LIVE CHATS! WE ARE CHATTING ABOUT CAKE DECORATING..9-10PM EST... ...HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY. FEEL FREE TO JOIN THE FUN...

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ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Check out Pwd sugar's new WEB SITE at : http://members.aol.com/pwdsugar/private/index.html

NEW::: We now have a BULLETIN BOARD on my web site so that all of us around the country can make necessary announcements. If you need to know (OR KNOW OF) a DOS for your state or a special class, please email me ALL the particulars...date, time, cost, when, where, etc. SpecBySue: For those who like to learn through demos etc, check out your State's ICES Days of Sharing

Do you have the new issue of American Cake Decorating Magazine? Be sure to read the next part of Earlene Moore's BUSINESS article. Aka: Pwd sugar
OUR TOPIC: "Back to school idea cakes and techniques"

EARLENE'S PART

Since I don't really do birthday and back to school cakes, I thought I would give you a little food for thought.

The little darlings are back in school now. You have a little quiet time in your house. How about increasing your sugar skills. Get out or purchase one of the new 1998 Wilton year books and put yourself back in a learning position. I am using the Wilton yearbook as an example because I think this is probably the most accessible for all of you. Check out the many things that can be done with fondant. Lots of ideas in the yearbook this year. Many of this years cakes use some basic fondant skills - good ideas and practical uses for the rolled fondant. Most stores that carry the Wilton supplies will be carrying the ready made fondant for you. Use your paste food colors to tint the fondant and remember to knead some flavoring into the fondant. One of the oil flavorings and just a few drops will be sufficient to make it taste good.

I roll out my fondant on a very heavy sheet of vinyl. No dusting, no cornstarch and no moving it around. Just don't let your sheet of vinyl get creases or wrinkles in it. When I buy it at the fabric store I ask them to please roll it back up - don't let them fold it. When I get home I store it in a new piece of PVC pipe cut just a little longer than the vinyl. The PVC is 3" in diameter and each time I need the vinyl I just pull it out of the pipe and when I am through using the vinyl it is carefully cleaned, rolled back up and it goes back into the PVC storage pipe that lays on top of one of my storage units. When I am ready to use it I pull it out and lay it on one end of an 8 foot table with the curling side of the vinyl down. Dampen the table under it just a little with a damp paper towel - this keeps it from moving around on the table.

Knead your fondant until it is pliable - the color is right and the flavor is worked through your fondant. Try to keep from working air bubbles into the fondant. Work the fondant - flattening it slightly with all of the creases and seams on the top side. The smooth side down. Put this down on your vinyl and with your hands flatten the fondant and encourage it to become more rounded, square or oval depending on the shape you are going to want.

Then take your rolling pen and with firm even pressure continue rolling the fondant out until you have arrived at the shape and thickness you desire for your project. 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick seems to be acceptable in most cakes designs. Cover the fondant with saran wrap and ice your cake with buttercream icing. Remember to keep this fairly smooth (any lumps, bumps or cracks will show through your fondant) Have someone in your household help you and gently turn the vinyl upside down with the fondant hanging from the bottom side. - center it and lay the fondant over the cake. Gently peal the fondant away from the vinyl. Let this air dry for just a little bit. (when you first peal it away from the vinyl it is very moist and your hands may want to stick to the fondant.) Now smooth the top and work the fondant down the sides. Trim the excess away and continue smoothing. Fondant smoothers really help keep that fondant surface flat and beautiful.

The Wilton yearbook this year shows you many ways to use the rolled fondant - all of these ideas are basic. Fondant is not difficult - just different - maybe out of your comfort zone. We don't learn new things if we stay in our comfort zone.

I have been decorating over 35 years and I still try to take at least one class of some kind each year. More if I can work it in. None of us in this field of sugar art ever knows it all. We are constantly learning with each new cake order. Each new challenge is what keeps many of us in this field. We don't do the exact same thing week after week and day after day. It is never boring - tiring yes - but, never boring. When I have someone request a cake design that I have never done - when they leave - I look in the mirror and ask myself - Just how do you think you are going to do that. Sometimes I think that mirror image should be able to talk and it would probably say - "You are an idiot you can't do that out of sugar." LOL

But by the time that cake is due I have had the time to figure out a way to do a reasonable facsimile thereof. Sometimes I am really happy with it and other times I wish I could do it over and know what I know now. Back to school - doesn't mean I have to go somewhere else to learn - I guess I am home schooling now. LOL pull out one of those books from the shelf and try something you haven't done before. Learning is schooling.

Now, do you have someone in your area who teaches cake decorating classes. Learning in a class builds your skills faster. Maybe a visiting teacher from out of your area. Even if I think I already have the skills that teacher may be teaching - if I have the time - I try to take those classes. You always learn something - either from the teacher or from the other decorators sitting around you. I always get my moneys worth from those classes. Just being away from the phone, the fellowship with others who love the sugar arts and sharing of ideas gives me that revitalizing I need. When you work by yourself most of the time you do get very tired of the mess, the stress, the demands from the brides, the last minute fixes and etc. We all need a break occasionally and someone to refill our empty, drained brains. LOL take advantage of those classes offered and build your skills and refuel your brain.

SpecBySue: Cookie cutters and anything that embosses make great lay ons and textures in rolled fondant. 

DOLORES' PART

Back to school...what would the requests be just now? Cookies, Homecoming cakes before you know it, etc.

Have any of you tried the new COOKIE STAMPS? THE RAGE! Even Wilton has gotten into the excitement. Easy and fun. Use stamp for cookies, crafts and more. For use with your homemade sugar, peanut butter or gingerbread cookie dough. USE ANY COOKIE DOUGH RECIPE - TIP: If your cookies don't stay in shape while baking, chill in freezer for a few minutes first. HOW TO USE: Roll cookie dough into a ball; place on cookie sheet. Press with stamp to flatten and imprint cookie with design. Carefully lift stamp up to release. Bake following recipe directions. Dip tamp in flour before pressing to prevent sticking. Clean with hot soapy water and a soft brush; let dry thoroughly, dishwasher safe. TRY OTHER FUN WAYS TO USE THIS STAMP: Marzipan, Medallions in Ready-to-use rolled fondant or fun clay creations. Let the kids do it!

CAKE - 'AN APPLE FOR THE TEACHER' - Bake a book cake and a cake baked in the petite doll cake pan (the apple). On one page, draw a blackboard and 2+2=4 etc. Write a message. On the other page, have an 'apple.' APPLE: Ice the petite doll pan cake red, then go back over and ice it with red piping gel for shine. STEM: Color a bit of buttercream icing green. Add conf. sugar until it is stiff enough that it won't stick to your hands. Hand-mold a stem and place on the apple. For the bottom border I like to add a tip 104 ruffle with tip 5 straight line (like a book cover).

Have you tried rolled fondant yet? Don't be afraid. You may find it easier than icing a cake with buttercream and a spatula! Some people have told me they did find this easier. There is a real easy cake on page 3 of the new 1998 Wilton Yearbook. Don't make it difficult. Use your regular cake mix or recipe. The only thing you must do different is add something sticky on the bare cake so the fondant will stick. So here is an easy cake and a glaze you can use BOTH!

BISQUICK APRICOT-GLAZED POUND CAKE Heat oven to 350~. Grease tube pan, 10x4". Beat Bisquick, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1/2 cups flour, margarine, eggs, cream cheese, vanilla & salt in large bowl on low speed, scraping bowl frequently, 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed scraping bowl occasionally 4 minutes. Pour batter into pan. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 55-60 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Heat 1/2 cup sugar & the water to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 2 minutes; cool to lukewarm. Stir in liqueur. Slowly drizzle over cake. Press preserves through sieve. Heat preserves & 1/4 cup sugar to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Cool slightly; spread over top, allowing some to drizzle down sides.

Try a fondant mix so you won't need to learn so much at once. The cake in the picture could be used for many different occasions. You may get hooked. I really like rolled fondant icing because it isn't so sweet.

Dolores777: we use lots of fondant items we make for novelty cakes too....handy stuff and edible

Here is a cake recipe I found...someone asked for this a few chats ago: CAKE WITHOUT EGGS - 1908 1 ts Soda 1 cup Sour milk 1 cup Sugar 1/2 cup Butter 1 c Raisins 1 ts Cinnamon 1 ts Cloves 2 cups flour* see below Pinch of salt

Mix enough *Flour to drop from a spoon. Bake in slow oven 325-350 degrees. Thursday, September 4, 1997 at 9 PM ET in the Kitchen Conference Room -- Join Dolores777 and Pwd sugar for Cake Decorating - "Color-flo icing...some hints and tips for making this fun!" 

Pwd Sugar: Dee and I are both going to do a little of the vacation thing in the next month too. Just as long as we work it where one of us is here - LOL I'll be here when Dolores is gone and she will be here when I am gone 

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