Orange Chiffon Cake with glossy chocolate

Orange Chiffon Cake


You'll need:

6 large eggs, separated plus 1 (30 g) additional egg white

2 1/4 C (225 g) sifted cake flour

1 1/2 C (300 g) superfine sugar*

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 C (120 ml) vegetable oil

3/4 C (180 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice (2 - 3 large Navel Oranges)

2 tbsp (10 g) orange zest**

3/4 tsp cream of tartar***

Steps:

1. Separate the eggs and place the whites in one bowl and the yolks in another. Cover with plastic wrap and bring them to room temperature (about 30 minutes).
2. Preheat the oven to 325^oF and have ready a 10 inch (25 cm) two piece tube pan (ungreased).
3. In the stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, place the flour, sugar (minus 3 tablespoons (42 grams) for later use), baking powder, and salt.  Beat until combined. 
4. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the egg yolks, oil, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract.  Beat about one minute or until smooth. 
5. In a separate bowl, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy. 
6. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. 
7. Gradually beat in the remaining 3 tablespoons (42 grams) of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. 
8. With a large rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter just until blended (being careful not to deflate the batter). 
9. Pour the batter into the ungreased tube pan and bake for about 55 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. (When lightly pressed the cake will spring back). 
10. Immediately upon removing the cake from the oven invert the pan or place on a bottle or flat surface so it is suspended over the counter. Let the cake cool completely before removing from pan (about 1 1/2 - 2 hours).
11. To remove the cake from the pan, run a long metal spatula around the inside of the tube pan and center core. Invert onto a greased wire rack.

  

  

        

Note: 

*To make superfine sugar, process 1 1/2 cups (300 g) of granulated sugar in your food processor for about 30 seconds or until finely ground.  Superfine sugar is used as it dissolves easier in the batter.

**Orange Zest - The orange outer rind of the orange that contains the fruit's flavor and fragrant.

***Cream of tartar is tartaric acid and is a fine white crystalline acid salt which is a by-product of the wine-making industry. It is used in the whipping of egg whites to stabilize them and allow them to reach maximum volume. 

HAPPY BAKING!

Having fun with fondant 3 - Carla Lily

Different flowers carried different meaning. Carla Lily is one of my favourite flowers because of its simply white color and shape. It’s just simply elegant.

Like most flowers, the Carla Lily has a symbolic meaning. It is, ironically, associated with purity and magnificent beauty because of its white color. It is a trumpet-shaped flower, making it appealing and elegant.

You will need:

How to make the flower:


Roll out a small piece of white gum paste less than 1/16 in. thick using rolling pin with pink guide rings. Cut with Carla Lily cutter.

Move to thin foam. Use the ball tool. Set to thin edges. Hold the ball tool like a pencil and position it on the foam, just touching the edge of the gum paste. Slide the ball tool around the petal, keeping it mostly on the foam, to “outline” the petal. The ball tool should only touch the petal edge.

Dust Carla Lily former with confectioners’ sugar or cornstarch to avoid sticking. Position former over petal with the wide end toward the point of the petal and the pointed end of the former at the indented end of the petal.

Wrap one side of the petal around the former. Brush edge of rounded portion with gum glue adhesive.

Wrap the other side of petal so it overlaps the first petal and attach to make a cone-shaped flower. With finger tip gently curl the edge of the overlapping petal. Stand former upright and set aside to dry.

Cut out a small amount of yellow gum paste 1/8 in. thick (use purple guide rings). Cut a circle with medium round cut-out. Cut circle in half. Use one half to make the center. 

Roll into a ball and elongate to about 1 1/4 in. long for the Calla Lily center. 

Brush the top 3/4 of the center with gum glue adhesive and roll in yellow colored sugar. Set aside to partially dry.

Enjoy!!

Having fun with fondant 2 - Roses

You will need:

Gum paste tinted in desired color

Pre-made Rose Bases

Rose Cutter Set

Practice Board

Cutting mat

9in. rolling pin

White vegetable shortening

Ball tool

Thin and thick shapping foam

Spatula

Gum glue adhesive

Uncooked spaghetti

Dusting poach

Styrofoam cup

To make the rose:

• Spread thin film of shortening of the mat.
• Roll out gum paste paper thin (you should be able to read through it).
• Use largest Blossom Cutter to cut 3 blossom shapes.
• Place 2 blossoms under practice board flap while you work on the remaining blossom.
• Use spatula to cut a 1/2 in slit between each petal toward center of blossom. 

• Dust 'thin foam' with 'dusting pouch'.
• Place blossom on thin foam.
• Hold 'ball tool' like a pencil and position it on foam, just touching edge of the gum paste.
• Slide ball tool around petal, keeping it mostly on the foam to "outline" and thin petal edge.
• The ball tool should only touch the edge of petals.
• Dust 'Thick Foam' with dusting pouch.
• Move blossom to thick foam.
• Cup center by lightly pressing in center of blossom with ball tool.    

• Use prepared gum paste 'Rose Base'.
• Brush the center of blossom with gum glue adhesive.
• Insert spaghetti into center of blossom and thread up to the bottom of rose base.
• Visualize the 5-petal blossom as a stick figure, with the petals corresponding to the "head", "arms" and "legs".  

• Brush the "head" petal with gum glue adhesive and wrap around rose base.
• Brush one "arm" and the opposite "leg" about halfway up with gum glue adhesive and attach to cover center wrap.
• Repeat with last 2 petals, centering them over seams of previous 2 petals.
• This is Rosebud. 

• Prepare next blossom as you did for the Rosebud.
• Move blossom to thick foam.
• Using ball tool, press 2 "arms" petals to cup.
• Turn blossom over and cup the "head" and 2 "legs" petals.
• Flip the blossom back over, cup the center.

 

• Brush center of blossom with gum glue adhesive and thread onto spaghetti.
• Brush 2 "arm" petals with gum glue adhesive about halfway up the attach, centering them over seams of 2 petals of the previous row.
• Brush remaining petals with gum glue adhesive about halfway up and attach, spacing them evenly around flower.

Note:  use a toothpick to punch a hold in a styrofoam cup and thread the spaghetti with the rose through the hole. This way the cup will support the petals while you working on the next blossom.


  

     

• Prepare the next blossom as you did for the first two layers.
• Move blossom to thick foam.
• Use ball tool to cup all petals.
• Turn over blossom and cup the center.  

                 

• Brush center and halfway up the petals with gum glue adhesive.
• Thread spaghetti through center of blossom.
• Invert the rose and let petals fall into place naturally.
• Gently press petals against base to attach. 

To make the rose calyx:

• Spread thin film of shortening on the mat.
• Roll out green gum paste less than 1/16 in. think.
• Cut with Rose Calyx Cutter. 

• Brush calyx with gum glue adhesive.
• Thread spaghetti through center of calyx.
• Gently press calyx up against sides to attach.
• Set aside to dry. 

                

Having fun with fondant 1 - Bow

So you want to impress your friends and family. Make a cake and otp it off with a lop bow. It's so easy!

I'm sure this simple loop bow will bring the "ooh" and "ahh" effect. 

Have fun!

Tools you'll need:

Rolled fondant (you can make your own fondant too!)

Gumpaste

Rolling pin

Cutter

Cardboard

Waxpaper or paper towel

Shortening

Gel color

Toothpick

Step-by-step instruction:

Rub shortening or vegetable oil on your hands, then roll a piece of fondant ball and gumpaste ball into the size of tennis ball. Be sure you have enough fondant and gumpaste for your bow, because it will be hard to match the exact color if you run short.

Dip a toothpick in the gel color and apply dots of coloring into the fondant and gumpaste balls. Use a fresh toothpick each time you dip, because dipping a used toothpick into your color will contaminate the gel color in the container. Add the color a little a time until you achieve your desired color.

To tint the color, begin with stretching and folding your fondant and gumpaste mix till it has developed a smooth finish and even color.

Roll a sheet of fondant about 1/8 inches thick. You don't want it to be too thin, or the loops won't be about to hold their shape when they dry.

I use Wilton ribbon cutter with 1" width. (ruler and pizza roller and any cutter work just fine). I cut out 15 strips of 1" wide and 5" length-wise bow loops. (you can always make a couple of extras in case of breakage).

Lightly brush one end with gum-glue* and adhere the other end together. Repeat for all loops. Carefully cut the end together.

Stand the loops on side to dry on a cardboard. Leave it to dry overnight, depending on the temperature and humidity in your area, it may takes up to 2 days to completely dry.

To assembling the bow:

Cut a small round circle for the base. Put it on top of a wax paper (I used paper towel).

For the first layer: Wet the round circle. Lightly brush each bow loops with gum-glue and arrange them in a circle. The bottom layer of this bow will have 6 loops.

For the second layer, stack 5 loops on top. Arrange in a circle.

For the top (3 loops) and center loop (1 loop), apply gum-glue to the pointy side of the loop. Arrange in circle and make sure you have good contact with the glue on the bottom.

Sometimes, during the assembly process, the loops start to work their way outward.  After assembled all the loops, gently put both hands around the bow and press inward to make the bow formation tighter.  This is done very gently.

Let dry overnight. 

Gently pick up your bow and slowly peel off the paper towel/wax paper.

Now you are ready to place the loop bow on your cake!

 * Break a small piece of gumpaste and add water. Gentle use the end of the brush to press it until the gumpaste is dissolved.