Covering a cake with fondant

This cake was made specially for a girl at work on her birthday. A girl who has strong affection to everything purple. When she sees purple, her eyes sparkle.

Val is originally from Eastern Europe. She is the most positive thinking person I've ever seen. Being with her make me realize what is the positive energy. Have you ever feel drained when you're with someone? She would tell you because that person is sucking up your energy. Don't worry, she is not phychic or anything like that. She loves yoga and read books related to health, foods and well being. She would tell you life is good, life is beautiful, you're beautiful...

She is one of my favourite person in the office, and of course she is liked by many for her positive and playful characters.

Happy Birthday Valeriya and Many Happy Returns!!



How to cover a cake with rolled fondant.

1.  Prepare a cake by applying thin layer of frosting, this is called crumb coat. It seals in the moisture of the cake. Chill the cake in the fridge (or freezer) before you cover them with fondant for a few minutes.

2.  Roll fondant into a ball, kneading until it's soft and pliable. Using a toothpick, add dots of color in several spots.

3.  Knead color into your fondant ball. Continue kneading until color is evenly blended; add a little more color if needed to achieve your desired color.

4.  Knead it until it is a workable consistency. If fondant is sticky, knead in a little confectioners' sugar. Lightly dust your work station or mat and rolling pin.

5.  Roll out fondant sized to your cake. (for a 8"cake with 4" height, the optimal size will be a fondant circle about 17" across, with a thickness of about 1/8" - use rolling pin rings for consistent thickness)

6.  Gently lift the mat and fold the opposite side, and position on cake.

7.  Shape fondant to sides of cake with smoother (if you don't have smoother, use your hands, make sure you dust your hands with confectioners' sugar). Beginning in the middle of the cake top, move the smoother outward and down the sides to smooth and shape fondant to the cake and remvoe air bubbles. If an air bubbles appears, insert a pin on an angle, release air and smooth the area again.

8.  Trim off excess fondant using a spatula or knife.

9.  Your cake is ready for decoration.

  

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Ghee (clarified butter)

Ghee is a traditional Indian clarified butter used for cooking and baking. Traditional way of making ghee is from boiling raw milk to get cream, churn the cream to make fresh butter, and then boil the butter to make ghee. Over here, it is pretty easy, we just start from boiling butter  to turn into ghee.

Ghee is considered healthy choice in comparison with any other butter and cooking oil. Ghee is a saturated fat as it comes from animal fat. It is not good to eat in large quantities, or if you have high cholesterol or heart problems. However, ghee has no hydrogenated fat if made from pure butter, and is considered healthier for that reason, if eaten in moderation.

According to Ayurveda (a form of alternative medicine, originated from India), ghee aids digestion more than butter or any other cooking oil. It also helps boost the imune system. Ghee helps balance excess acid secretion in the stomach, and it is also more digestible for the lactose intolerant than butter, because milk proteins are removed when the butter is clarified.

Ghee is great for cooking because it cooks at high temperatures without burning. It gives you a rich, delicious taste than no other oil can, and just a little bit packs a punch of flavor. Try it and you'll know it :)

Note: Ghee can be stored at room temperature, due to its lack of moisture. Please be reminded, don't let any moisture get into your jar. That way, it can last forever!

(some of the information was adapted from Naturopath)

Ghee (clarified butter)

All you need is this

1 lb of unsalted butter (500g)

Heat the butter in a clean stainless steel pot at medium heat. When all the butter is melted, turn the heat to low. While boiling, the foam is formed on the top. Remove the foam (or leave it until the end).

Let it boil for 15 minutes. Do not cover. Milk solids will separate and settle at the bottom.

  



The translucent, golden liquid is ghee. Strain the ghee through a cheese cloth or fine sieve, and store it in airtight glass jar, at room temperature (or in your fridge).

The final product is creamy, light yellow.

Happy Bird-day Cake

My darling is turning 5 this month! Many moons ago, he already requested an angry bird cake for his birthday. After much googling, I found some really nice angry bird pictures. I downloaded the pictures onto my iPad.

Making this cake was nothing but time consuming! Can you believe, I took Friday off from work, just to work on the cake. After running some errands in the morning, I start working on mixing the colors. Getting the right color is actually harder than making the bird itself. After getting all the color I need for the birds, I call it a day.

I spend my Saturday baking and making birds. We are hosting a BIRD-day party for him on Sunday. This weekend I baked a total of 4 cakes and a kuih talam. Good thing we do catering, if not we'll have just cake party. If you know me well, you know I can't cook  :(( I like to bake, but I don't like to cook.

The cake was actually completed 30 minutes before our guest arrived. Not only I was pleased, all of our guest were impressed! After all the hard work, I deserve the compliments :))) **pat myself on the shoulder**



HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DARLING!



Things that you'll need:

Fondant

Gumpaste

Foodwritter (edible marker)

Color, lots of color

Pictures

iPad, optional.





Meet the casting crew

Happy BIRD-day!!!

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!!