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...
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EARLENE'S PART:
We had a wonderful working vacation. 10 days in northern Michigan near Charloivix. We got there just as the leaves were beginning to turn and were absolutely amazed at the changes that happened overnight. Oh how beautiful that area is in the fall. My husband went with me and we relaxed, acted like tourists and visited the fudge shops and local bakeries. We stayed with another cake decorators family in the woods in a beautiful big log cabin. Another cake decorator came in from North Dakota and we all went over to Mackinac island for one day. They had a wonderful butterfly house. (a special love) we spent at least an hour there and then strolled, hiked and climmmmmbed some hills. That island only allows horse and buggies or bicycles or you walk on the entire island. It was so neat visiting the little shops and walking the island. Our flat lander legs had to really work to climb those hills. Then Saturday night and Sunday was Michigan's DOS. I did two demos for that - buttercream stencils and the grooms cake demo. Monday through Wednesday I was teaching gumpaste flowers and fondant techniques and then it was time to get back home. My husband got to do a little fishing. He and Jeannies husband also did all of the cooking and cleaning up while we were up there. Pure heaven.
It is nice to be back home and back into my sugar world. I have been so blessed to be a part of this sugar world. I have been in almost all of the states and met so many wonderful people. One lady in Michigan was telling me she had driven 10 hours out of her way just to visit Dolores's cake shop. I told Dolores that she is now the 8th wonder of the world in the cake decorators eyes. LOL
NON-CAKE DECORATING EQUIPMENT ESSENTIALS WE CAN'T DO WITHOUT
VIVA PAPER TOWELS - for smoothing the buttercream icing instead of using the hot water method. Let the icing dry slightly and then lay the paper towel gently against the icing and with a fondant smoother gently (iron) rub the paper towel against the icing to smooth it.
WETOOLARGE: Ever use cornstarch with the paper towels? Sprinkle cornstarch on the paper towel, then shake off CarolA5238: I'm teaching my school age kids transferring rice paper images tomorrow. Dolores777: Carol...teaching rice paper to the kids...hows it going? CarolA5238: the kids are having a ball. Last week we made silly faces on the mini pumpkin heads, with candies. RachDminor: where do you get them .. the patterns? sources ... RiverRat58: Where can I find it? Cakestmper: Get patterns wherever you look, newspaper for logos, coloring books, greeting cards, wrapping paper, posters, you name it, River Dolores777: patterns...wiltom yearbook, coloring books...newspaper Vicake: The yellow pages of the phone book has great simple drawings, cars, buses, etc Bakerbear1: clip art books and programs are good for pics Dolores777: patterns...the computer!
HAIR DRYER - when you are making a pizza cake. Color buttercream icing the color of the cheese and then heat and blow it with the hair dryer and that makes it really look like cheese. If you are using ganache icing and it sets up a little too fast. The hair dryer will warm it up just slightly so it will be smoother - just make sure the blower is set on the low speed. Or you might have chocolate where you don't want it. Lol
PAGE PROTECTORS - cut a sheet of cardboard just a little smaller and insert into the page protector. Place a sheet of lace point patterns on top of the cardboard and pipe the lace points right on top of the sheet protector. I also keep patterns filed inside the sheet protectors in a notebook - they seem to be easier to find than in a folder in a box or drawer. I keep all of my brides order forms, fabric swatches, pictures, deposit checks, cash payments and etc. In the page protectors in a notebook - sorted by the months in another notebook. Easy to keep up with and when the wedding gets close I move them from the notebook to the front of the refrigerator so I can see at a glance just what I need to make and do next.
MAGNET CLIPS - are great for holding your orders on the refrigerator
A SHAKER WITH LARGE HOLES - is used to keep powdered sugar for sprinkling on top top of the cakes that must be transferred to another cake and stacked. The powdered sugar keeps the cake from sticking to the board or cookie sheet when you are trying to slide it onto the bottom cake.
PAINT COLOR SAMPLES - you can pick up at the lumber yards or paint stores - I keep these in an old photo album. When a bride doesn't bring me a color swatch then she uses these samples to give me an idea of the color she wants on her cake.
20 GAUGE SHEET OF VINYL - rolling out the rolled fondant icing and transferring the fondant to the cake. RachDminor: where do you get that vinyl? Pwd Sugar: Fabric Store - make sure you ask for 20 Gauge
FISHING TACKLE BOXES (metal) - for cake equipment storage when taking or teaching a class. I had a plastic sewing box I used for many years. One day as I was getting off of the elevator at JC PENNEYS to go teach a class the handle broke. Guess where the cake decorating equipment went? Everywhere!!!!!! All over the floor inside and outside the elevator and down the elevator shaft. I haven't used a plastic case since then.
Bakerbear1: i use a stackable drawer thingy that's made for the bathroom...not easy to carry, but fits perfectly on my baker’s rack
DEHYDRATOR - for drying lace points royal, gumpaste and fondant plaques - royal and gumpaste flowers etc.
PEG BOARD AND HOOKS - hanging measuring spoons and cups, spatulas, terry cloth strips for wrapping the pans, to hold bins that contain colors and tips - hang scissors, parchment holder, hemostats, tweezers, utility knife, masking tape and etc.
ILENE0617: I use the convection oven set at it's lowest setting to dry large pieces or large quantities
HEMOSTATS - placing gumpaste flowers on the cakes. Dolores777: PWD:::what IS a 'hemostat??? Pwd Sugar: Hemostats are a surgical tool. They look like scissors but work like really Bakerbear1: where would one get a hemostat...easily Dolores777: get at flea market or computer shows even Pwd Sugar: I DO Cakes found some even at a gun show Dolores777: I saw them at a computer swap meet in CA
MASKING TAPE - taping foil to the boards - reinforcing the parchment bag when using the 127 tip. To temporarily attach a smaller writing tip over a larger one. For instance you have a # 5 in your bag of icing and you need a number 2 for just a couple of details. Place the number 2 tip right over the # 5 tip and tape it on with masking tape. When you have the details done just remove the tape and the tip - wipe off the tip #5 and proceed as usual.
SKEWERS - marking your lattice patterns on the sides of your cakes. Insert skewers down through your bags of icing and through your tips to help unstop them.
PIZZA CUTTER - trimming the extra fondant from your fondant covered cakes. Cutting gumpaste ribbons
HEAVY QUILTERS thread - marking the squares on a sheet cake
CAR MAT - they have heavy lines - I cut a strip about 4 1/2 inches wide and when someone wants vertical lines on their cake sides I ice the cake and let the icing dry to a light crust. Press this mat against the icing and it makes wonderful straight up and down lines. Be sure and wash (scrub) this mat before using it on your cake. Coming from an auto shop it probably has had greasy hands on it.
RachDminor: Should submit that as an idea for a commercial for Dawn .. cleaning car mats for cakes ;)
COMPUTER - drawing lace points in one of the drawing programs. Draw only half of the lace point. Copy - paste - flip it horizontally and then move it to fit perfectly with the first half. Copy the whole lace point and then paste a whole line or several lines for your sheet of lace point patterns. Sure beats drawing them one by one on a whole sheet of paper. Who would have thought two years ago that we would have this wonderful communication tool to share our love of the sugar arts in these fun chats
PASTA MACHINE - I don't know how I would do without this machine anymore. I roll out all of my gumpaste for flowers, bows, plaques and etc. With the pasta machine. Chocolate fondant for leaves. They are always the thickness I want them and the pasta machine saves me so much time and energy
WARMING TRAY OR ELECTRIC SKILLET - for melting chocolate and keeping it at a low heat for molding. Did you know that you can lay your silicone molds on a piece of foil and warm them up and use them as chocolate molds. Such as for leaves, shells, and etc.
I am sure you can think of many more things that you use in your sugar world. Share with us what you use............
Pwd sugar is BACK!!! Nice to have you and we missed you. I want to give Diane Shavkin a special thank you for filling in for Pwd sugar while she was away...Pwd sugar...we hope you had a wonderful vacation
Have you been to my web site lately and seen my MESSAGE BOARD? This is a place where ONLY cake decorators visit to ask questions or give answers for one another. Check out all the 'teacher' retirement cake ideas one girl received. This board was my dream come true! My web site: http://w3.one.net/~proicer/index.html
On my BULLETIN BOARD - I have added a cake show. If you know of a ICES DOS, a cake show or classes upcoming...or any other 'happening' for cake decorating in your area, let me know and I'll be glad to post it here.
Check out Diane Shavkin's web site. She is working hard and it is getting really interesting. The URL is: http://members.aol.com/shavkin/index.htm
Pwd sugar's web site URL is http://members.aol.com/pwdsugar/private/index.html
MAC USERS - I ran into a nice girl on the web who has figured out what she needs to do to read my newsletters! Go to NEWSLETTERS on my web site and the info is there. You may need Microsoft WORD for MACs but no other word processor is easier...if you are in the market for one anyway. This girl can read my text and see my pictures too - in the newsletter.
TONIGHT'S TOPIC: "Non-Cake Decorating equipment that makes our jobs easier "
Pwd sugar created tonight's topic and at first I just couldn't relate to it. Then I started looking around...what DO I have that isn't cake-related but yet is vital to my business.
EXACT KNIFE - used to cut a stencil, cut window in a box when the box isn't tall enough, etc.
LAZY SUSAN - makes a great turntable
CORSAGE PIN - great to unstop decorator tips...Most of the time you can unclogged the tip easily, but sometimes, remove tip from bag and push whatever is clogging the tip through.
A PIECE OF CLOTH LACE - lay the lace along the edge of your iced cake and spray through it. You will have a 'lace' design on your cake.
DRINKING STRAWS - cut to height of cake and makes good supports for light-weight cakes that are stacked. I use straws in all cakes unless the cakes above will be very heavy. I always use straws in 3-4 tier cakes with no problem...BUT - it may be good to also wrap your cardboard with foil because this locks the straw into place straight up so it can't tilt.
BROWN SUGAR or CRUSHED COOKIES - make great 'dirt' on your outdoor scenery cakes. Great use for stale cookies. CAUTION: Don't use cookies that contain nuts on any cake you sell because someone may have an allergy to nuts.
GOLDEN FISH CRACKERS - make great little fish for a fisherman, a fishbowl cake, etc.
HERSHEY'S KISS - use on your rose nail for the center of the rose....yummy! Wonderful for Valentine's Day too.
BACKING FROM EDIBLE IMAGE - makes a sturdy stencil. Cut it out, place on cake and transfer the design using whatever method you prefer. (Next week: 'Pattern transferring')
SPONGE - dampen the sponge and dab it on the iced cake for a 'stucco' effect.
PAPER TOWEL - USE TO SMOOTH THE ICING ONCE IT IS SPREAD ON THE CAKE. To do: Let icing crust slightly, lay the paper towel on and rub over the towel in a circular motion. The best brand is Viva or some other with a 'waffle' pattern. Its hard to use p. towels that have a wavy design.
SERRATED KNIFE - for cutting cakes...to level the cake or cut shapes, etc. The cake won't tear or crumble nearly as bad as with a smooth-bladed knife.
CANDIES - Necco Wafers make a great sidewalk. Other small candies or candy sprinkles can be added to the borders. Kids love it. M & M's are a good type.
SUGAR CUBES - use for 'gifts'...add tip 1 ribbon. Use on the top of the 'castle' cake. Can be airbrushed color too.
GRAHAM CRACKERS - make great 'roofs' on a little 'house' cake - or we have made entire little houses glued together with buttercream icing...nice for a fireman...pipe icing 'fire.' Great 'shutter' on gingerbread houses too.
PRETZELS - small ones for: 'fence', 'railroad track' or place it vertically into cake and extend the bag over the pretzel with a tip 21 - apply pressure as you move the bag up. This is a good idea when piping elephants that sit upright or for a clown's legs when you want them up in the air.
GUM BALLS - make the 9x13 cake a pool table - gum balls make great pool balls.
VANILLA WAFERS - for a quick 'face' / pipe the body. OR - make them into 'balloons by dipping into coating chocolate.
COMPUTER - My favorite software to find good pictures for my cakes is PRINT ARTIST. It is easy to use and AOL has additional pictures to be added to the ones that come with it. You can use a graphics program for combining or removing parts of a picture, or for altering, enlarging etc. (I needed a guy riding a bull and I had a cowboy riding a horse, so I took the cowboy and added him to a bull).
Did you know....you can upload your cake photos which have been stored on your computer - to AOL? Just go to the COOKING CLUB/SOFTWARE LIBRARIES/ASCII TEXT COOKING LIBRARIES and click UPLOAD. Choose the file from your computer and fill in the necessary blanks. BE SURE to title it so that cake decorators know at a glance that it is of interest to us. You could also upload a text file right here too, telling how to do the cake. OR - you can upload a ZIP file which we would then download and unzip to read. This way you can zip 2 or more files together so someone can download both at once.
Tbabe333: I tried a quick easy cake made with twinkies this week it was a hit and took 15min to make and top with cool whip and marchino cherries Its great!!!!
Dolores777: If anyone knows of any cake shows or other info, please email me the details & I'll post it
NEXT WEEK: Thursday, October 23, 1997 at 9 PM ET in the Kitchen Conference Room -- Cake Decorating with Dolores777 and Pwd sugar - "Transferring pattern techniques"