DON'T FORGET TO TURN ON YOUR LOG TO RECORD OUR CHAT TONIGHT: TO DO:  AT THE
TOP OF YOUR AOL MENU, CLICK ON <<FILE>>, SCROLL DOWN TO <<LOG MANAGER>> CLICK ON OPEN LOG...... AND SAVE-AS ---ANY NAME ...CAKECHAT.LOG (ETC) IN A FOLDER (DIRECTORY) ... AFTER YOU EXIT AOL YOU CAN USE ANY WORD PROCESSOR TO OPEN AND READ IT.

THIS WEEK WE MUST USE OUR NEW NAMES APPOINTED TO US BY AOL.. DOLORES777 IS CCCHEFDOL AND PWD SUGAR IS CCCHEFPWD. THIS IS AN AOL THING. WE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. I LIKE THE NAME OKAY THOUGH : )

TOPICS: "OPEN FORUM - YOU ASK THE QUESTIONS AND WE WILL TRY TO GIVE YOU AN  ANSWER OR TO FIND A SOLUTION FOR YOU. " WE WOULD LIKE IT IF YOU WOULD ADD YOUR INPUT, PLEASE.. IN THE MEANTIME, YOU ARE MOST WELCOME TO ADD COMMENTS AND TO ASK QUESTIONS.

Before our chat...from CCChefMeg:
CHESS PIE This is so easy.
You need an unbaked 9" pie shell...
Mix together:
2 cups of sugar
1 tb flour
1 tb yellow corn meal
Stir into the dry ingredients:
4 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup
Melted butter,
1/4 cup milk
4 tb lemon juice
Pour into the pie shell and Bake 35-40 minutes in a 350f oven.

DO YOU USE A RECIPE PROGRAM? FOR WINDOWS? WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE ONE YOU USE?
I use Meal Master. It is DOS-based, but the best one and the easiest o use of any I have ever tried using.

Devonpeter: I use a database program called ACT- I can customize it that way
CCChefDol: Devon...interesting...is it a recipe database?
Devonpeter: It is not a recipe database I have just customized it into one
CCChefDol: I really like Meal Master a lot
CCChefPwd: Can you add your own recipes to the Meal Master
ShesACookn: Yes, Pwd you can
CCChefDol: PWD, but of course...I have thousands of recipes I've added :D

DO YOU HAVE ANY MOTHER'S DAY IDEAS FOR UNIQUE CAKES? Here are a couple:
BOX-OF-ROSES: We do my Box-Of-Roses cake more than any other...or my basket with lid cake. I will put my basket with lid in the next newsletter. It is really special. This is what I have my students do at the end of their 8th lesson. They are always proud and amazed at how pretty it looks. We just completed our 8th lesson last week. One student told me she has orders for 15 baskets at $25.00 each. They aren't all for one day. Good thing!

Tha503: where can you get boxes for the box of roses cake? do you sell them Dolores?
CCChefDol: Tha,,yes

Icing Wiz: what size cake 8" for $25?
CCChefDol: 8" isn't that much here in OH
VBHogan: I would think it would depend on the amount of decorating and
work put into the cake as far as the cost goes. That is how I price mine away
CCChefDol: I agree...amount of work
CCChefDol: VB...great if you can get it : )

PICTURE TAKING:
Mtnmama104: Dee, is the cake on your website?
CCChefDol: Not yet...have never gotten a good pict
Mtnmama104: I agree about the pics.  You have to be or know a good photographer to show them well
Icing Wiz: Try a dark background behind your cakes they come out better
Devonpeter: White cakes turn out better without the flash
CCChefPwd: I had a photographer tell me that gray was the best background color to use
Mtnmama104: Thanks Devon - I've been setting them in my bay window and some come out pretty well
Icing Wiz: I noticed all my pics from convention were beautiful and they used black remember
CCChefPwd: Right Devon - but you have to have enough light
Devonpeter: They used a royal blue
GOOO8: Speaking of photography, can you just list the camera names you use and are pleased with?
Mtnmama104: I've been trying to let from the pics that are in catalogs and magazines
CCChefPwd: Lighting is usually very good at convention
Devonpeter: I love mine but I have to go check what it is-be back. I have a n Olympus infinity zoom 230
Icing Wiz: I had a Olympus but it got stolen in one of my classes
Mtnmama104: I have a Nikon and love it.  I'm really and amateur with it.
CCChefDol: what brand Nikon Icing??????????????
CCChefPwd: I really prefer the manual focus - I bought a new camera a couple of years ago
Icing Wiz: Olympus 35 mm cost my husband $100 on sale
CCChefPwd: It is only automatic and doesn't focus where I want it to.  It was very expensive and it sits in the box most of the time
VBHogan: Mtn I have an expensive camera even has all these auto-features and I am still awful with it
CCChefDol: BORDER AROUND THE 12 INCH CAKE. I can remember some VERY bad lighting at the ICES conv.
Bridal1: Yes, California lighting was terrible.
Icing Wiz: How much is that w/ zoom that is what I want
CCChefDol: right Bridal...and wasn't Richmond too?
CCChefPwd: Sometimes it is bad - but most of the conventions in the last few years have been better
Mtnmama104: VB - it's like cake decorating - PRACTICE, PRACTICE  hehe
Bridal1: I'm a Minolta fan.
GOOO8: This will give me some guidance as I shop for my purchase...thanks everyone.
Devonpeter: I don't exactly remember but around 300
Mtnmama104: My Nikon is a 2020 - You can use it manual or automatic
CCChefDol: Mtn...do you like it real well?
CCChefDol: Cameras...I've been looking at the new digital...not perfected yet quite enough for me
CCChefPwd: Me to Dol - GIve them a little longer to get them better
Mtnmama104: Sure do Dee
CCChefDol: would LOVE having one of those cameras for ICES!

BONNET : Another pretty Mother's Day cake is a "BONNET" cake.. Just bake a 12 inch round 1-layer cake and a 'ball' cake in half of the ball cake pan. Place the ball cake towards the back on top of the round cake. Ice the cake smooth in your favorite pastel color, or use a paper towel on the icing after it crusts for 5-10 minutes. With a 127 tip, pipe a ribbon around the ball cake and then add a bow with the same tip. For pretty touches, pipe small dots of icing over the cake. Add a bottom border around the 12 inch cake.

CarolA5238: I used the wonder mold for a hat cake too .works great.

Did you read my tip about how to keep the tiny little plastic figures standing UP on cakes? Just melt a couple of candy coating disks, color of choice... ('Candy Melts'- Wilton's brand is the same thing). Spoon onto waxed paper. Set the figure in the melted chocolate and let the chocolate harden. I did this same thing last week working with a wedding cake. The bride wanted the attendants placed between the iced tiers. No way would they stand up in the soft icing. I placed them in melted chocolate and let it set up. This worked great. Also is better for attaching plastic items to pillars, than using buttercream icing. (Like the angels that <almost> attach to the pillars), etc.

JWGPKG: I saw a cake a bakery did attaching ball players to top of cake. GLOBS of buttercream mound behind them; looked TACKY!
CCChefDol: JWG...right on, me too. We tried straws, but that is tacky too.
CCChefPwd: THat is all they know to do JWG - its fast and easy - although it doesn't look nice
CCChefDol: Really came in handy last wk when I had to set figures on iced wedding cake
CarolA5238: Dee, that sounds like a great idea, my figurines are always falling over.
CCChefDol: it really is Carol...and fast and simple too

EARLENE'S PART:
Mothers day is a really neat day to tell mom how special she is.  A cake from you 'no matter what the design'  will be special for her.  Does she have a special flower, a special color or a neat hobby that you can focus in on?   When your customers call for a special cake for their mom have some generic designs in mind as well as some of those really neat ideas that are more time consuming (charge them more for those).

   If mom loves to sew -  lay out a pattern on the top of a cake  in miniature.
   If mom loves to garden - ice the top of the cake with chocolate icing and with a cake comb make rows.  Put some cake crumbs or Oreo cookies and pecan sandies in the blender to make dirt.  Pipe young green plants in the rows and sprinkle the edible dirt in the bottom of the rows.  Put a sign in the garden wishing her a happy mothers day.
   If mom loves to shop - make  her favorite stores shopping bag from cake
   If mom loves butterflies, hearts, angels and etc - make those from royal or rice paper and stand them up on her cake along with an arrangement of her favorite color flowers.
   Remember no matter what you do mom will love it so don't get yourself in a tissy trying to impress mom.  Just because she is mom she will love you no matter what you do.

ONE OF THE BAKERY MAGAZINES HAD THREE CUTE MOTHERS DAY IDEAS
   A hat box with a few flowers on top.   This was a two layer round cake with stripes piped on the sides and a colored lid to match.
   Hats of assorted styles and colors with flowers just above the brim.
   The brims here looked like large cardboard circles iced with buttercream and then the hat crowns were different shapes and iced to match
   A folded blouse with a fondant collar and cuffs.  A one layer sheet cake iced in the color of the blouse with 104 ruffles and other trims.  Lots of possibilities here.  Of course on fathers day this same idea can be used to do a dress shirt for dad.

I purchased some large plastic boxes from Wal-Mart to keep extra royal icing and gum paste flowers in.  If you have a heavy schedule ahead of you make up those flowers now and store them in covered plastic boxes until you need them.  Such as lilies, roses, petunias, daisies, and etc.   Those 80 hour weeks when it gets hectic are not fun so do anything you can ahead of time to give yourself a little breathing space.  Make life a little easier on yourself.   If possible

If you have a college or university that has a logo that you use over and over and over again.  Don't just make them up one at a time.  Make a dozen of them at once and when they are dry store them for later use.
The same for sport teams or high school logos.

Check your orders and cut and cover boards for future orders.  Anything you can do to lighten your load later is smart planning.

Many of us use the florist foil under our sheet cakes.  It comes in many colors and has a plastic film between two colors of thin foil.  It looks nice and is easy to work with.  But don't put your cakes directly on the foil.
   This is not tested to be food safe.  I cover a single cardboard the same size as the cake and cover that with white contact paper on the side that will be in contact with the cake and then my cake goes directly on that.  Just use a little of your buttercream icing between that board and your foil covered board will stick those two boards together.  This also gives you a little stronger board which should help with your icing on the top of your sheet cakes cracking.   If you only use one cardboard under your sheet cakes more than likely your icing on the cake will crack.  That is simply not strong enough to support the weight of your cake without it giving.  Cake is soft and therefore it also will give.  Your boards must be strong enough to support  all the way across the layer to keep it from cracking.  Masonite, plywood or several layers of cardboard will usually work.  The 18" cardboard circles i have access to right now are very thin.  Notice the grain in those cardboards.  Make the lines on the bottom one up and down and the next one up side to side and the next one up up and down.  Otherwise change the grain direction on each layer.  I have to use three of those 18" cardboards to feel like they won't give under that big a cake.

CCChefDol: <---wish I'd try the cloth covered like you do Pwd...so pretty
Mtnmama104: Pwd - I thought florist foil wasn't food safe??
GOOO8: It's okay to put your cake directly on that foil or are you speaking
of decoration only/base
VBHogan: Doesn't Wilton's sell a foil that is food safe ---never priced it I do mostly sheet cakes and just use aluminum foil

L2jlu2: Dol- why is meringue pwd used in icing?
CCChefDol: L2...its instead of egg whites, which would be raw and may be dangerous
L2jlu2: I mean in buttercream icing?
CCChefPwd: In buttercream or royal L2?
CCChefDol: L2...is suppose to take away some of the sweet taste and also acts as a stabilizer
Mtnmama104: I understand it's to help keep all ingredients bound together L2
Bridal1: Meringue would help flowers harden faster.
Devonpeter: L2 Meringue powder is used to make buttercream crust harder
CCChefDol: Wilton says...mer. p. is a stabilizer

Icing Wiz: I have a ?  I just took an order with disposable cake stand which has 3 levels it is white cardboard and
she wants satin draped anyone seen a picture like that or have any ideas?
CCChefDol: Icing...is that the 3 tier Bakery craft one with the white satin around base?
CCChefPwd: I haven't used a buttercream icing recipe with meringue pwd in it.
L2jlu2: meringue pwd in buttercream is it to keep flowers soft, or make icing less sweet?
Icing Wiz: it is bakery craft but plastic bottom.  It needs to be covered somehow
Devonpeter: Icing you could line them all up and drape it over all 3 or drape individually
CCChefDol: Icing...thats easy
Icing Wiz: But would I put cakes on top of draped satin?
Bridal1: Yes, Icing, that would work.
Devonpeter: yes on top of the satin
CCChefDol: It doesn't show this...just on the 3 tiers..if the one I think it is

Icing Wiz: cream cheese icing: I have a great recipe but it does not hold up well in humidity any suggestions
CCChefDol: Icing...we carry an artificial cr. ch icing and it tastes wonderful
CCChefPwd: Cut the amount of cream cheese you are using and substitute Crisco in the same quantity
Icing Wiz: I thought of the Crisco idea does it taste greasy? and how would I get ready made ?
Devonpeter: icing- do you use meringue powder in cream cheese icing?
CCChefPwd: The cream cheese is the predominant flavor - the Crisco just gives it a little more stability
Icing Wiz: I haven't Nicole But you know how soft that stuff is I don't know how much it would help
Devonpeter: In Florida I use meringue powder in all my icing to keep it from separating-even had air
GrtCook39: dev where do you buy that
Devonpeter: conditioning go out in car and everything was ok
CCChefDol: devon...that's what Wilton said would help
Mtnmama104: that's were I learned to use it also - Wilton
Icing Wiz: this is a 3 tier wedding cake basketweave it just seems to keep melting
Devonpeter: any cake store and some craft stores made by Wilton
GrtCook39: the meringue powder, we don't have it out here or at least I've never seen it
CCChefPwd: I set up a cake in 103 degree high humidity with the cream cheese icing and it held up great
CCChefDol: Icing...like Pwd siad. You are using too much cream cheese...she's the expert
CCChefPwd: But I use 2/3 Crisco and 1/3 Cream cheese
Mtnmama104: I'm sure you can order it from Dol, Grt - off her website
PAF428: i've never been lucky with cream cheese
CCChefDol: Grt...do you mean meringue powder?
CCChefDol: PAF...Pwd has THE correct formula
JuleeJohns: Can choc. buttercream be made stiff enough for roses?
Icing Wiz: thanks I wrote that down now how am I going to get those XXXXX flowers on the XXX cake? LOL
CCChefPwd: you bet Julee - chocolate roses work great
CCChefPwd: If your buttercream icing is a little too soft just add more pwd sugar for a firmer icing to make roses with.

ICES DOS (AND CAKE CLUB INFO) INFO:
Devonpeter: Where is DOS
Lizzzie P: Devon, that's the good side of the state, I'm in Melbourne.
CCChefPwd: One in Abilene, TX on May 3
CCChefDol: DOS for Ohio is THIS Sunday!!!!
Bridal1: Any Missourians or neighboring states coming to our DOS May 3?
Icing Wiz: Dolores any DOS in July?
Devonpeter: I think I will come Sheila
Lizzzie P: I wish I could come, when is it?
Icing Wiz: June 27 I can e mail info to you Lizzie OK
CCChefPwd: Summer months are to busy for us to do days of sharing
CCChefDol: Icing...ours is only Sept & Apr...darn : )
GOOO8: email me too Icing
Lizzzie P: Yes, please, IcingWiz.
Icing Wiz: I will G0008
Devonpeter: Sheila do you have info I will give it to our cake club
Icing Wiz: OK I will e mail everything and you can print it for them OK
Devonpeter: Tampa finally got a cake club yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!
Elies4: I would like to know, Is there a cake club in Maryland

Icing Wiz: I plan on forming a cake club soon
CCChefDol: Icing...for you I'll send you my cake club starting info if you want it?
Devonpeter: We have our second meeting May 1st have to vote on Prez hum??????
Icing Wiz: what is the name of your club Nicole?
L2jlu2: no cake clubs here in upstate, ny
ShariE1071: devon: how often does it meet?
Devonpeter: About one a month
VBHogan: None here in my area of NC either L2jlu2
Lizzzie P: Devonpeter, where do you live?
Devonpeter: Tampa FL
Icing Wiz: Hey Nicole can you come to DOS June 27
GOOO8: Devon ... I'm not far from you (Orlando)
Devonpeter: How many people are from Florida?
ShariE1071: I live in Ft Myers
Devonpeter: Karen Ramsey the ices rep for Florida is on AOL too- I talked to her too busy for chats

PAF428: has anyone ever made the basket of flowers with cupcakes?
CCChefDol: PAF...not me, but sounds interesting...HOW?
PAF428: Dol.. put buttercream flowers on cup cakes..put on lollypop sticks. I insert into baskets of real greens
CCChefDol: PAF...that's interesting...have you done it?
PAF428: yes  for showers, centerpiece and dessert. Kills two birds with one stone
CCChefDol: why 'real' greens and not icing ones?
CCChefPwd: Rolands way of making roses on skewers is great
Mtnmama104: How do you hold it onto the sticks PAF?
JWGPKG: Icing - there are a lot of Floridians in this room....
CCChefPwd: Leaving the Lollypop to build the rose around?
PAF428: Dol..because it looks like a real basket of flowers
CCChefDol: i see PAF....like using icing greens which are 'clean'...no insecticide if I can help it
PAF428: Pwd..the rose is on the cupcake. From a distance they look like real flowers
CCChefPwd: OK - I thought you might be using tootsie pops and building the roses on them and then they could eat the rose down to the pop
PAF428: PWD..that's cute too  :-)))
Mtnmama104: But PAF how do you keep the cupcakes on the sticks?
Devonpeter: Don't know yet need that too!
CCChefPwd: I did baskets of flowers made from vegetables for a banquet one time and it was fun to watch peoples faces when they realized that they were vegetables
PAF428: 104   I wrapped pipe cleaners under
JWGPKG: What if you coated the pop sticks with icing the way they do the spaghetti? Then add leaves and let dry?

CCChefPwd: Any more cake or icing questions?

VBHogan: Dol have you tried the pound cake recipe on the Duncan Hines box by chance I was wondering if it was any good?
no answers given

GOOO8: Yes, another question.  I am still having icing consistency problems. I split 2 layers into four and by the time it road to work in the car, the icing had pulled away from sides
Devonpeter: Icing consistency takes practice-that's what I tell my students
CCChefDol: GOOO...press really hard when crumb coating the cake
CCChefPwd: Hot in the Car?
GOOO8: I've tried softer, I've tried dryer.  For a two pound icing recipe, can anyone tell me amt.
CCChefPwd: Did you ice on frozen cake?
CCChefDol: GOOO, press REAL hard while crumb coating, then go right back over and ice thicker. I think the icing isn't 'stuck' well enough maybe...and use enough shortening. I use 1 cup to 2 pounds p. sugar
Icing Wiz: are you using meringue powder G0008
CCChefPwd: GOO are your cakes room temp or frozen when you crumb coat?
GOOO8: Room temp Pwd
CCChefPwd: The only times I have had the icing come off of a cake was when there was a big temperature change.  Out of the cool kitchen into a hot van in the summer
GOOO8: I've had it occur only a few times, on fresh and previously frozen cakes
GOOO8: Okay, well, I'll pay particular attention to temperature and see if that helps
Icing Wiz: G0008 are you whipping up Crisco and butter first then adding 10x and milk etc.
GOOO8: I put about 1 T water, the extract in, then the Crisco and butter and mix, then add the salt at that point
Icing Wiz: I don't use salt whip up the Crisco and butter first

JuleeJohns: Icing, are there gumpaste classes in Fla?
Devonpeter: Gumpaste in Tampa
Icing Wiz: Yes Julee when you move e mail me I go to Ft. Lauderdale and near Orlando for classes
Devonpeter: Sheila who in Orlando
JuleeJohns: That is fantastic icing!  The "stores" here are pathetic...cost too much for the companies, so they don't bother to keep a decent supply to ship
Devonpeter: Icing what store is that
ShariE1071: Icing: are there any good stores in Naples?
Icing Wiz: we have a real nice cake supply store in Naples Shari
ShariE1071: icing: where is it at?
Icing Wiz: well it is far for you it is on east US 41 S.E. Naples
Icing Wiz: Tues -Fri 10-4 'Peggy's Cake and Candy Supply'
JuleeJohns: What is the average cost of gumpaste classes?
Icing Wiz: Julee depends on teacher
Devonpeter: Supplies for gumpaste $$$$$$
Icing Wiz: Ft. Lauderdale Ruthy is $40 I love her, Mercedes is $70
Tha503: i am taking one in a few weeks, cost 30 dollars for 7 hr class
ShariE1071: icing: I've been going to the Chocolate Forrest in Cape Coral, but they're mostly candy
JuleeJohns: How long do the classes last?
ShariE1071: yes, I took her course 2
Tha503: plus supplies I haven't even gotten all supplies yet but have already spent 60 dollars!
L2jlu2: boy, you guys are lucky, here in upstate, ny i can't find classes
CCChefDol: gumpaste class...best to try the cheaper Wilton method before taking the pro class maybe
Mtnmama104: That's about what I paid for my gumpaste classes in Denver but were only 4 weeks
Devonpeter: I took basic with Lodge and now I figure out the flowers by myself

CCChefDol: next week we do a rolled fondant cake in Course 3!!!
GOOO8: Re Fondant:  have any of you observed that older people don't seem to
eat but very little of the icing..I think it's prettier than tasty.
JWGPKG: Thinking rolled buttercream better, I tried that on my cake.  Was told they didn't like it.
CCChefDol: why I never did the rolled buttercream...may as well make rolled fondant...easy to do
GOOO8: I found with my scratch rolled buttercream recipe, they didn't eat much icing either
Icing Wiz: I did a from scratch fondant recipe and added Hazelnut I couldn't stop nibbling
Lgjjyoung: is fondant easy to make from scratch
CCChefDol: Lgjj...people prefer the mix now, too in a hurry
Icing Wiz: sort of you have to do it a couple times to get the kneading action
CCChefDol: My daughter makes all kinds of things...bib, little dress etc - also made a tea party cake...made teacups etc...very cute
VBHogan: Just curious I have never used fondant but does it need flavoring of some kind even the pre-made stuff
GOOO8: I believe so VBH
CCChefDol: VB...like Icing said, she got raves with Hazlenut flavor
Tha503: how long are the flowers good for?
CCChefDol: Tha, forever if kept away from light and dust
CCChefPwd: The pre made fondant especially need some flavoring
VBHogan: Thanks will have to try the fondant soon
CCChefPwd: If you keep the flowers away from bugs, moisture and dust they will keep for years
CCChefDol: The premade fondant works very well
CCChefPwd: I love the lemon or orange oil flavoring added to the pre made fondant
VBHogan: Is fondant hard to work with for an amatuer
CCChefDol: Pwd...I'll try some of that in class Monday nght...let you all know
CCChefPwd: Not hard - just different
Mtnmama104: No VB I took one 3 hour class and have been hooked on it since
CCChefDol: VB...its more like a craft really, or pie dough
CCChefPwd: I don't like the strawberry flavoring - its too artificial and sweet
Tha503: I've noticed in past chats that people don't seem to like the taste tho
Mtnmama104: VB you can hand craft flowers and all kinds of things that will be edible
VBHogan: UH OH Pie dough??  I cake bake cakes I can decorate cakes but no good with pie dough and cookie dough LOL
CCChefDol: VB, I meant you drape over the cake like pie dough LOL
Mtnmama104: I was leary of it at first but found out it's easy as PIE  hehe
GOOO8: I made the Florida Gator in icing for my boss...he was quite impressed.
Icing Wiz: did you do it on cake or make the gator out of the cake?
GOOO8: I made the gator out of color flow. Added it to the cake at the last minute

L2jlu2: those are for royal flowers, how about buttercream how long do they last if made ahead?
CCChefDol: L2, I never make buttercream flowers over a week ahead....never
JWGPKG: L2 - you can make and freeze - don't know how long.
Icing Wiz: buttercream made ahead?
CCChefDol: they turn color etc
CCChefPwd: Buttercream I would throw away if I don't use them all. I make buttercream about two or three days before using them and just throw away the extras
Icing Wiz: I tried freezing but could only put 3 at a time they would melt
CCChefDol: Often I make my flowers directly for the cake while decorating...doing that tomorrow
CCChefPwd: You can do that if they all go on the top of the cake - but if they must cascade down

JWGPKG: My mom has already requested the cake on pg. 18 of 12/97 ACD!
JWGPKG: Don't know if I have the patience for it!
CCChefPwd: JWGPKG which one did she want
JWGPKG: It's the one by Caroline Haney - thick ruffles top edge and bottom, then "topped off"
Tha503: How much would you charge for the basket of flowers shown in the last ACD (if made w/8" not
with #2 in color on top of ruffles.
JWGPKG: It's pretty, but I don't think I'd use red, myself.
Devonpeter: I have trouble doing those ruffles
CCChefDol: Devon...have to twist your wrist a lot
GOOO8: Yes, I know what you mean Devon...I had some pull away from the cake after completion
JWGPKG: I imagine I will, too.  That's why I'm not looking forward to it.
CCChefDol: I make that ruffle too, but mine looks a LOT different
Devonpeter: mine never come out as delicate looking
JWGPKG: Do you like yours better, DOL?  (Silly question!)
CCChefDol: JWG...not better. Mine are more like the original Ohio ruffle. Everyone who makes that ruffle makes it dif.
JWGPKG: "Ohio" ruffle??
CCChefDol: I don't know if I have any cakes online with it or not - JWG...Betty England devised it many long years ago.

CCChefDol: <---made a shopping bag of chocolate...pour a little bag and dump it, chill and peel off on-side ...with goodies spilling out
CCChefPwd: The shopping bag - do it like it is laying on its side - not standing up
Elies4: So they sell the chocolate molds shaped like shopping bags.
CCChefDol: Elies, I haven't seen one...I used a real bag
Elies4: CCChefDol could you guide me on the info to make the shopping bags, it sounds neat.
L2jlu2: yes, dolores, do you use regular sandwich bags? how bout the handles
CCChefDol: L2, NO - use paper bags...the tiny brown ones - spray a bit so chocolate doesn't stick, but not too much

Mtnmama104: it was a heart mold (with hollow center) then filled hollow with silk undies and covered wit
a colorflow heart.  he cut it at work - was great!  You could use the same technique but put something nice in for Mother's day

Tha503: are there any good books with ideas , recipes for cookie bouquets?
L2jlu2: Tha - Dolores sells cookie bouquet bk it's great.  it helped me!
CarolA5238: Make a basket out of cake and put flower shape cookie pops on it, instead of using an old basket,