So let's see... aka butta-cream

If I were you, it would be really annoying that I haven't posted in a while. After all, this blog is in it's culinary school format and I'm 7, wait- 6, weeks away from graduating. I've decided to just pick random things to show and talk about since my original plan hasn't been working. Although, I have taken pictures of everything I've done thus far so at least I have that. Like I said though, the posts will not be in any particular order relative to my program. I'm just going to start posting before it gets any more ahead of me.

Alright. So this exciting. I will post about my last class, which is decorated cakes and confectionary art. This is what most people think when you tell them you're in a baking and pastry program. We had several cakes we got to decorate. A lot of them where with buttercream which isn't easy to get perfectly smooth and pretty. Especially when it's August and the kitchen gets very warm... but, maybe that's a good thing. It forces you to get good at it. Nevertheless, I had a great time in this class. I could have sat and done this for hours and hours.

We learned how to shape marzipan roses, pipe buttercream roses, and make perfect corners on a square cake. FYI-it's definitely NOT easy to do that. We also learned floodwork, fondant, coloring fondant, coloring marzipan, and making and coloring sugar to make sugar pieces. Whew-busy busy class. It was incredibly fun...

Here are some buttercream cakes:




First time...





Hm-let's see.... I'm pretty sure this buttercream was mixed with a blood orange puree...it turned it pink. AND-if you want an example of what not to do, just take a look at that over whipped buttercream and know that it shouldn't look like that...not my best cake. Oh, and that's chocolate decor my chef demo'd for us that morning.



So this has colored marzipan pearls and roses on it...I love coloring. Out of this cake came some of my best layers yet...I was so happy to see improvement.



And, the following is probably one of my very favorite things I made. Just because it turned out how I wanted it. I seriously had so much fun making this. He-Man is mine, and props to my friend Meridith who did a lovely rendition of Babar (I loved Babar as a kid!)



And last but not least, here is my final project for this section of the class. We had to make that cake topper out of pastillage and royal icing. That stuff is so hard to work with if you don't know what you're doing and you don't work fast. It dries out so quickly.





Can you believe that this is only the culmination of a third of one class? That equals about one week, just in case you were wondering. Now you know how busy I am around here. I think I'll do fondant cakes next....





*by the way, it's gotten harder to take stuff home and take pictures with my nice camera, so I have to use a point and shoot. That's why the color and quality aren't as nice as I usually try to do with my pictures. Just so you know...