Sweet Stuff

Ok, last I left you all, I was in the thick of cakes. There were a few that I had yet to finish.

First up was the Sachertorte. This is a chocolate sponge cake layered with apricot jam, Kirsch simple syrup, and then chocolate glaze. Super rich and tasty.

Next was the Kirsch torte. This is a good one. We baked japonaise discs for 24 hours than you slap some Kirsch syrup on them, layer them with some buttercream, and a cake, more buttercream and syrup. Then you wait 3 days before you can eat it. The japonaise and cake need to soak in the flavor from the syrup and frosting. Mmmm.... We waited and it was worth it.

We then made a Dobos torte. We cut circle molds and made 7 layers, 6 in the cake and 1 to cover in caramel and cut into triangles. The layers are the sponge cake and chocolate buttercream. The sides are masked in almonds. The triangles are supposed to make it look like a crown. It looks really pretty with all the layers and it tastes pretty good too.

For those of you who like coffee and chocolate, the Opera cake is for you. This one is all about the construction. You have 4 strips of roll cake. You layer one with coffee simple syrup and put chocolate ganache on it in a thin layer. Then you take another strip and put coffee simple syrup and coffee buttercream on it. Then you put coffee simple syrup on a third strip and put that, syrup side down on either the coffee buttercream or ganache. Then you stack that on the other frosted strip.  You leave one strip to the side. Take the 3 layers and cut them in half. You will need to syrup and alternately frost the top of one and then flip and top with the cut half.

Phew. Still with me?

Then you chill it for 20 minutes. Then you take out this narrow stack and cut it on the diagonal. You need a really straight cut. Then you syrup the strip that you set aside and place the cut pieces in the shape of a triangle on the strip, strips going vertically. Then you apply a crumb coat of the coffee buttercream. Chill it again. Then glaze the whole thing with chocolate ganache. Let it set. Then write the word 'Opera' in white chocolate/oil mixture. Done. Lots of work and tasty. Alan ate a lot of this one!

After all the fancy tradtional cakes, they want to train/test us on our piping skills. Here is where we had to make a celebration cake. The important part wasn't what kind of cake but rather what we did to it. We had some requirements, shells, roses, leaves, side decor, and inscription. Not being a very steady hand, this really tried my patience. As some of you know, I shake. All the time and for no reason. Well, this means my decorating skills are also a bit on the wobbly side. With practice it will get better but right now it is not pretty.

Just when you think there couldn't be any more cakes, there is the wedding cake. Now, considering I am a bride in 60 odd days, I should know about cakes. I don't. A friend, a really kind friend, from school volunteered to make us a 'cutting' cake in addition to the cupcakes we are having. Wedding cakes are crazy and very expensive. I had no idea the time involved. Now I do. I had to plan and make one. Three layers, 10", 8", and 6" diameter. We had requirements here too. Make rolled fondant/sugarpaste, cover all three cakes with it, hide the seams of the cakes with some sort of band, 5 3-d flowers, and the dreaded drop lace. We had 3 days in class to do it and it was tough. I just barely finished with 15 minutes to spare. It did not turn out like I had planned. I am still clumsy and awkward so I may want to be fancy but can't quite get there. It was a great experience though.

My design was supposed to be spring style mendhi. I went with dogwood flowers and fun swirls.

Next post, the candy week.