Hi guys!!!
Welcome back!!! Despite the grey sky clouding over early this morning, I am happy it's Monday. I'm sure more than half of you disagree, but a very interesting and busy week follows for me, both in the culinary world and business. On the menu this week (so far), are a couple of Lemon Meringue Roulades, Red Velvet cupcakes, an Apple Spice Cake and an interesting German Chocolate Cow Cake. This last one is sure to take some time, but it's a challenge I want to take on. So wish me luck!!!
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| Fondant in the making...much more coming this week!!! |
Last week flew by, I'm having a hard time remembering exactly what I did. Among the creations were a Strawberry-Lemon Cake, a Vanilla Caramel cake, mini Red Velvet Cupcakes, lemon square bites and chocolate mousse. For this last one, I made my way over to one of my favorite customer's house and prepared the chocolate mousse there. Because it was a bridal shower, the maid of honor decided to serve the mousse in champagne flutes, adorned with piroulines. I don't actually have the picture as I wasn't present during the unveiling of desserts, so I owe you that. All I know is that all three desserts (the mini cupcakes and lemon bites were part of the order as well) were well received and most appreciated.
**I promise to post the mousse recipe along with the picture next week!!!
I mentioned in my last post that macarons were going to be part of the creations, but the order was cancelled, so I did not venture into that, but I will in the near future so stay tuned. I've been meaning to try out certain recipes I've saved up. I have so many things I want to experiment with that the hours in a day and the days in a week aren't enough. Lately, my orders have shifted a bit and I've been journeying into the fondant world. I was asked this past week to make a baby's first birthday cake. The theme of the party was to be Cars from Pixar. A little skeptic on my overall abilities, I said yes to my friends. Thursday orders were done and my cousin agreed to deliver my Friday orders for me, as I spent the entire morning making, kneading, rolling and molding fondant and the early afternoon, the cake's decorations. While MUCH has improved since the Hello Kitty cake from last time, I could still spot certain flaws in the cake. Of course, a sturdier frosting might have helped, but my happy customers ordered a Carrot Cake, so I made a heavier version of my cream cheese frosting. I should have made it more of a buttercream style to reduce the visibility of layers, but the cake was a HIT!!! I felt absolutely proud of myself.
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| Not too shabby, eh? |
I don't do many fondant cakes yet...remember that I graduated in December and I mostly sell home-baked artisan cakes. People have only just begun to ask me for more elaborate cakes (hence my hesitations and small flaws) but like any other thing in the world, practice makes perfect. So while my fondant teachers spotted the flaws, my adoring customers and their faith in me saw past them and appreciated the cake for what it was: a delicious home baked carrot cake made with love and hard work. I learned much making the cake, like the amount of time I need to allocate for it (fondant making, fondant coloring, rolling, molding, fixing, "glueing"). The "little" details customers don't take into account when they ask you for a cake like this (cannot imagine for my life, how much time and effort those 3 to 5 tiered wedding cakes take...someday perhaps) and then ask for the price. While in dollars the amount seems belittling, it sounds quite steep in Honduran Lempiras, so not many are willing to pay the price. But hey, it happens. Thankfully, I haven't had disagreements on that side and many claim my prices are in fact too cheap. Maybe they're right, but for now, it works and my orders have increased substantially since January. So I guess I'm on the right track.
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| My lovely Chefs, whom I adore and miss. Proud of you girls!!! |
I, and my fellow culinary friends, have come a long way since December. While all of us are in different places, thousands of miles aways and in different continents, we still manage to keep in touch and I wish to congratulate them on their progress so far; new jobs, great experiences and daunting tasks ahead, we'll meet each other again someday soon. They shall teach me the art of plating a dessert (never got the hang of it) and perhaps, how things are going, I'll be able to fill in the gaps with artisan and fondant cakes hehehe.
Albert Schweitzer said "[i]n everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit." Thank you (old friends, new friends and fearless family members) for always believing in me, even when I didn't.
Be sure to come back next week to check out my Cow Cake...hahaha it sounds so funny.
Until next time.
xx
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