I was looking at a brocure form the Notters school and they sell stencils to simplify making chocolate centerpieces. The photo shows what appears to be tempered chocolate with their stencils and an artist's exacto knive next to it. When I cut chocolate I use a warm french knive. What is the method for using an exacto with chocolate?

By jeee2 on Sunday, March 19, 2000 - 04:16 pm: Edit

I cut choc during the curing phase, juz run the point of a sharp knife thru it, sets quickly but remains waxy for quite a few minutes before fully hardening, you can also bend it during this phase. I make templates from large sheets of lithoplate aluminum (printers plate), this can also be spread with choc and curved.

By W.DeBord on Sunday, March 19, 2000 - 04:33 pm: Edit

I must be alot slower than you or I must be tackling too much. From the time you can start to the time it's too cool isn't that long. What surface do you use marble or metal table? When I cut something then bend it, it doesn't break as cleanly when set because the bend changes the clean cut, retouching the sides. How do you avoid that from happening?

Very interesting, how do you cut your own templates in metal?

By d. on Sunday, March 19, 2000 - 04:35 pm: Edit

I ordered his chocolate and sugar videotapes(work actually paid for it). After watching them I was dealing with inadequacy issues. Ewald Notter is one very talented fellow. I also saw those stencils in his brochure...wishing I had the time to fool around with them. Looks great.
In the video he demonstrates how he cuts stencils, he doesn't let the chocolate set too much( and I'm sure his kitchen's temp. is nowhere as hot as mine).

By jeee2 on Sunday, March 19, 2000 - 09:32 pm: Edit

Lithoplate can be cut with an exacto #11 blade, just scribe a line and keep following the line repeating the scribe, after cutting halfway thru you can bend it and it'll snap off clean.
Firm pressure on the blade and a straight edge yardstick when possible helps, masking tape over the curved parts with the pattern marked with ballpoint pen, once you have the initial scribe the blade should follow the groove ok.
Using scissors isn't a good way because it crimps the edge.

By jeee2 on Sunday, March 19, 2000 - 09:35 pm: Edit

I work on maple tables, that probably allows a bit more time . I don't like marble for choc, I gave my marble to Chef Charles when he visited last summer. I had no use for it and it was too nice to waste as window display.
After cutting the choc its often necessary to re-cut to keep the choc from reforming in the scarfe line. My hobby is model building, I make fibreglass molds and make metal parts on a small machinst lathe, its amazing how the skills cross over between epoxy or polyester resins and chocolate, they don't seem to taste the same though.

By W.DeBord on Monday, March 20, 2000 - 12:07 am: Edit

How can you recut chocolate curled around a dowel?

Where are you buying the Lithoplate aluminum? I've done lithography/etching, is that what your talking about?

Are you familar with making your own molds? I want to learn how to do these more modern methods I see in catalogs but I don't want to pay $700. for one class when I been able to teach my-self other techiques easily. I wish I could find a book or two that really covered the newest modern techiques, is any one aware of such a book?

Also want to know about silk screening choc.. Do you thin the chocolate?

By Doucefrance (Doucefrance) on Monday, March 20, 2000 - 06:58 am: Edit

For silk screening I use "pate de cacao" or "pate a glacer" from Barry, I never used anything else and these two products work out perfect.
Helene

By W.DeBord on Monday, March 20, 2000 - 09:41 am: Edit

Doucefrance, thanks I have to get some and try that! Do you know the answers to any of my other questions????

By Doucefrance (Doucefrance) on Tuesday, March 21, 2000 - 07:07 am: Edit

My reference book for chocolate work is by Joel Bellouet and Pascal Brunstein, it gives you all the basic techniques, check it out.
http://www.chipsbooks.com/artducho.htm
Helene

By W.DeBord on Tuesday, March 21, 2000 - 08:32 am: Edit

It's not translated in English. Does it have all the newest techinques? Then I could consider trying to understand it.

Otherwise is there any other books in English that contain info. on the newest of techniques????? I bought the lastest addition Neoclassical Desserts from publishers of Chocolatier hoping to learn more techinque, I am soooo dissapointed! They don't even give the recipes for the garnishes used on each dessert like they did in their other books. I feel cheated!

By W.DeBord on Tuesday, March 21, 2000 - 08:32 am: Edit

It's not translated in English. Does it have all the newest techinques? Then I could consider trying to understand it.

Otherwise is there any other books in English that contain info. on the newest of techniques????? I bought the lastest addition Neoclassical Desserts from publishers of Chocolatier hoping to learn more techinque, I am soooo dissapointed! They don't even give the recipes for the garnishes used on each dessert like they did in their other books. I feel cheated!

By W.DeBord on Tuesday, March 21, 2000 - 08:33 am: Edit

It's not translated in English. Does it have all the newest techinques? Then I could consider trying to understand it.

Otherwise is there any other books in English that contain info. on the newest of techniques????? I bought the lastest addition Neoclassical Desserts from publishers of Chocolatier hoping to learn more techinque, I am soooo dissapointed! They don't even give the recipes for the garnishes used on each dessert like they did in their other books. I feel cheated!

By jeee2 on Tuesday, March 21, 2000 - 08:46 am: Edit

W.Debord ,

Wrapped around a dowel? I don't know if I'd do that, have you tried spreading it on plastic and twisting the acetate? or make plastic choc and twist it?

I make fiberglass molds, 6 foot long with complex curves , sometimes a reverse curve requires multi part molds to make removal possible.
You can make plastic molds with the right plastic too by making a wooden fram, nail it to the frame and place in 350 oven, when it sags place it over the shape to be molded and pull the frame down, push the plastic sheet onto the part (plug) to capture the detail. You can also buy a complete rig with a heater core and vacuum suction and do it the same way mold mfgers do.
For me its a hobby, I don't think theres much money to be made doing this.

By W.DeBord on Tuesday, March 21, 2000 - 05:36 pm: Edit

Gerard I thought I saw in a specialty supplier for our industry that they had mold making components listed in their catalog. Somehow I thought that to be a simple mix you added liquid to then set an item into it, to leave and impression. Pull out item then you have a simple mold. No???? I thought it wasen't too complex? I'd like to do this to make my own garnish ideas. Are we talking about the same thing?


I don't mean a small dowel, closer in size to a rolling pin.

By jeee2 on Wednesday, March 22, 2000 - 04:02 am: Edit

Latex is OK for small peices , I make much bigger molds and need rigidity so glass is better, its slightly flexible and you can twist it slightly to pop molded parts out.

Yeh, I've used the rolling pin with parchment paper but not to wrap and cut choc. I thicken the choc and pipe it on. Curved lace patterns.

By Doucefrance (Doucefrance) on Wednesday, March 22, 2000 - 06:41 am: Edit

I don't know what you call new techniques, the basic stuff seems to be the same to me all the time. They work a lot with plastic sheets and also make gelatin moulds for what I've seen. Now you can make your own silicone moulds and forms.
Helene

By Doucefrance (Doucefrance) on Wednesday, March 22, 2000 - 06:41 am: Edit

I don't know what you call new techniques, the basic stuff seems to be the same to me all the time. They work a lot with plastic sheets and also make gelatin moulds for what I've seen. Now you can make your own silicone moulds and forms.
Helene

By W.DeBord on Wednesday, March 22, 2000 - 07:27 am: Edit

Helene that's what I mean, is it hard to make your own silicone molds or forms? How do you?

The words new "New technique" for me are...
Silkcreening
Patterned silpat molds
Painting with food based "paint"
Making my own molds
etc...

Other techinques slip my mind this morning, but there others' that I'm not doing or using at this time. I don't own a flex pan yet....

By jeee2 on Wednesday, March 22, 2000 - 03:42 pm: Edit

W.Debord ,

New to you, not new in general.
We were doing food painting in the 60's and it was done decades before, Franciolo who was a pastry chef in Paris painted Queen Mary's portrait on an easter egg with food colors before you were born. His work is awesome and unmatched today, what passes for sculpture today is what the Monkey's were to the beatles.(yeh I LIKE the Monkees too). I have his book, its eye opening and shows how much we never imagined.

By jeee2 on Wednesday, March 22, 2000 - 03:52 pm: Edit

To make a good mold make a box to contain the mold resin(whatever medium you use) fix the part to be molded in the middle(glue it down or it'll float away). If necessary seal the bottom edges to the base with putty, this prevents the resin from seeping underneath. Use a lollypop stick to work the putty into the mold base to part joint.
Fill the mold box with resin of your choice, latex or whatever. I bake mine to make sure the epoxy resin goes off. If you did it right the mold will pop off, I have to wax the part to be molded with carnuba wax to seal any pinholes or cracks that would allow seepage and trap the plug in the mold forever. Plaster of paris is another method, build the molding box from balsa wood(ez to cut) seal corners with putty. Just play around with it and find what works for you.

By Douceffrance on Thursday, March 23, 2000 - 06:54 am: Edit

These techniques are far from new, maybe the different ways to make silicon molds are, but that's it. And indeed, if you get the chance to read Franciolo's book you''l be surprised. I have it and it is a wonderful work of art that started years ago...
Helene

By W.DeBord on Thursday, March 23, 2000 - 07:58 am: Edit

Painting on cakes isn't something I've seen in any bakery yet (In my small world of Chicago). I don't have any older books that show stenciling or graining with chocolate or cakes either.

Actually when I look at my older books (60's & 70's) the ability of the cake finisher was primitive compared to what's beeing shown in basic books today.

Being self taught my knowledge of baking has always been through books. That would be books published in English which limits my exposure. I do believe there are many American Pastry Chefs like me, who find these skills to be new to them.

By jeee2 on Thursday, March 23, 2000 - 09:03 am: Edit

Painting on cakes isn't a technique you would want to sell retail or sell at all, its show work, its ART and shouldn't be sold.
I speak of the good work not the silly airbrush mickey mousse rubbish we see everywhere.
Find Franciolo's book, its in French....buy it.
Just offchance, try contacting MORA in Paris, they are bakery suppliers and used to carry it, they don't speaka English but will get the jist if you say Franciolo. Also, the American Lambeth developed some good techniques for flowers and relief sculpturing in sugar, alas its also outta print but can be found, usually sells for $175.

By Panini (Panini) on Thursday, March 23, 2000 - 03:34 pm: Edit

HEY, there are some bakeries that paint. I just finished one today. It took me 1.5 hr.
The request was for a menorial cake for a bridge member who passed away. She wanted a Picaso like queen of hearts,with a club somewhere because the lady was a very nice player, but if you got her mad she throw a club.
I dried two rolled fondant cards6"x5. painted the queen and sliped the club under cattycorner.
I was honnered to do this for this customer,the charge 39. for 12" cake 75. for the decor.
She tipped me a dinner for 2 at a great restaurant.
You must be selective, but if its all work and know play it gets old.

By jeee2 on Thursday, March 23, 2000 - 04:37 pm: Edit

Panini,

Wouldn't you spend more than 1 1/2 hrs to do a competition level decoration?
I spent all night doing a pale blue pastillage water fountain decorated with white royal icing with 2 doves sitting on the edge. White choc roses in the middle.
Probably spent 6-7 hrs just on the fountain top.
I SHOULD have spent a week but it was a rush.
I wouldn't put a price on that because a customer wouldn't get appreciate it. Its art.
Won first prize entered under someone elses name and the photos didn't work, what a loser I am.
I really like to keep competition work seperated from art work, thats why we compete against other professionals and don't display our art work to the public. I only put viable retail artwork in the window...and regret doing so later when they order it. I've entered 2 competitions this coming spring because I want to collect photos of stuff I won't be doing again once we get into the catering.

By Panini (Panini) on Thursday, March 23, 2000 - 06:08 pm: Edit

Oh no,my competition days are over. If I enjoy my finished product thats all that counts. I say SELECTIVE because I pick and choose the orders that come in. If I feel the customer would like something I created for them and they give me creative freedom andI have the time, I do it.
I have a groom whos mother passed away 2 days before he was supposed to marry 6 mths. ago.
He asked if I would do something special for him. I'm making a chocolate wine press, blown or pressed sugar wine bottles and a cocoa painting of his mom.I'm honnored and I can't wait to start it. The appreciation from him will be greater that any judging chef. Art is only worth what the buyer will pay. My wife thinks I'm NUTS! I've price the the piece the same as his grooms cake.

By W.DeBord on Thursday, March 23, 2000 - 08:01 pm: Edit

I approach this from a slightly different angle, working at a country club I don't fill orders etc... I'm looking for creative ideas to be presented on my holiday sweet tables. Also since I was/am a professional artist cross over should be easy (I'm fairly good with a brush):)

I don't compete with my baking career (wouldn't even know how to go about it really) I compete with my-self only. Gerard I don't know anything about MORA, I've never traveled abroad and don't know French. I only learn about these things here at this site.

You just use clear vanilla as your water mixed with food coloring to change hues, right? Fondant and pastillage are most common what else works well?

By Panini (Panini) on Thursday, March 23, 2000 - 08:13 pm: Edit

I use vodka, anything with the higest alcohol content for evaporation.
Join the local chefs association, you'll get all the info there about competition and shows.
The powders I find best for dried fondant. Make sure you rub down the top with your hands,eliminate all the small cracks.They will seep and spiderweb. You'll also find that the surface will become tacky after multiple brushing.

By jeee2 on Thursday, March 23, 2000 - 09:43 pm: Edit

Try MORA on the internet, maybe they have a site now. Don't expect the book to teach you how to really do it, it just helps to see whats possible and how they actually did it.

By W.DeBord on Friday, March 24, 2000 - 07:31 am: Edit

Panini I don't have powdered color at work. Is there a really big difference, keeping in mind I know how to handle watercolors expertly? I understand bleed and over saturation etc...


What about stencils for cigarette paste? Has anyone come up with some clever patterns they didn't buy from suppliers? Some of the upscale bakery suppliers have some neat metal and plastic grates to use, but they can get up in the $200. price for 1! I couldn't justify asking my boss for that. I need to look around the hardware store, but I thought I'd ask if anyone else has some cleaver ideas that are cheap?

By Doucefrance (Doucefrance) on Friday, March 24, 2000 - 07:42 am: Edit

W.DeBord, you can find Franciolo's book on the french library site I gave to Panini, you can check in one of the older postings, and she sends all over the world. You don't need to speak french to understand Franciolo's work, the pictures speak for themselves.
As for painting on cakes, it is time consuming and I don't know if customers would pay for it, I used it mostly in competitions, usually powder or paste food colors diluted with gin or vodka.
Helene

By Doucefrance (Doucefrance) on Friday, March 24, 2000 - 07:42 am: Edit

W.DeBord, you can find Franciolo's book on the french library site I gave to Panini, you can check in one of the older postings, and she sends all over the world. You don't need to speak french to understand Franciolo's work, the pictures speak for themselves.
As for painting on cakes, it is time consuming and I don't know if customers would pay for it, I used it mostly in competitions, usually powder or paste food colors diluted with gin or vodka.
Helene

By Panini (Panini) on Friday, March 24, 2000 - 05:18 pm: Edit

W.DeBord,
You won't have any problems with the painting with you experience. I just find it quicker when the colors dry faster. Also overlapping of the wet colors don't always end up as normal paints would. I personally think the powders are better.The stroke is more of a watercolor where the gel is more like acrylic. Try this, you might find this really relaxing and better jet you can use it on your buffets!
What is cigarette paste?

By emily on Friday, March 24, 2000 - 05:24 pm: Edit

W. DeBord,

How about powdered color (or "dusting powder")mixed with gum arabic to prevent bleeding. You may be interested in the recipes for sugar art at www.silkpaint.com website. You "paint" with the thickened color in the cartridge of a tool called the "AirPen". The tool works well for drawing fine lines and dots and filling in small areas of color. Especially good for tiny decorations on truffles and small pastries.

By momoreg on Friday, March 24, 2000 - 05:35 pm: Edit

I was considering ordering one of those. It's good to hear a positive opinion of it.

By d. on Friday, March 24, 2000 - 10:58 pm: Edit

W., I plan to order pastry combs(for decorated sponge sheets using pate a cigarrette) as soon as I have my wish list together. I've been improvising just piping out the cigarrette paste onto parchment through a very small tip in swirls and twirls. Chill it and then lay the joconde or sponge batter over it and bake. My sponge batter may need some work because you can see too may large pores. Its tough to make straight parallel lines without a proper comb(width of a sheet pan). I'm looking in Matfer's catalogue, unless anyone has better suggestions.
Panini, cigarrette batter is tuile batter(butter, sugar, eggwhites and flour) used to imprint designs on thin layers of sponge.

By Doucefrance (Doucefrance) on Saturday, March 25, 2000 - 06:28 am: Edit

The Matfer combs are very expensive, but you can always try this: buy enough glue scrapers at home depot, the one with four different sides, and screw them onto pieces of wood the length of your sheet pan, it makes cheap combs but it works.
Helene

By W.DeBord on Saturday, March 25, 2000 - 08:10 am: Edit

I have the expensive comb and I can't get it to work cleanly at all! You have to figure out how to clamp your paper or silpat down really firmly, also I can't find a level enough of a surface so the comb doesn't skip. I recieved a catalog from a company (I can't remember the name right now (they have some really neat items) and they are selling the large comb with a clamping device. I'll post the name of the company you need to see their catalog before you invest $.

I've been able to put ANY design (not just lines)I want in my cigarette paste free hand. I'm getting quite good at it, it's become almost like painting (mutlicolor, figures/anything). Try Michel Roux's cigarette paste and sponge it's terrific!!!!

Coloring chocolate...I've done it with reg. food paste colors. It's hard to get anything but a muted color that way. The oil based colors your supposed to use, do they come out that much sharper?

Emily I haven't seen the airpen yet. Where did you buy it and was it expensive?

By Kathyf (Kathyf) on Saturday, March 25, 2000 - 09:08 am: Edit

Regular paste colors are water based and cause chocolate to seize. You can color white chocolate very bright or dark with the oil based food colorings. I'm also doing pastels for an Easter display.

By jeee2 on Saturday, March 25, 2000 - 11:23 am: Edit

I use frangipane with cocoa powder to stencil designs onto paper, no need to make special cookie formulas for that. You can use almost anything on hand thats spreadable.
Freeze the tray as you whip up some dense sponge.

I use a resin scraper from auto supply stores as a comb, being nylon it won't catch the paper.
Also made a small squeegee from a plastic bucket lid, it fits inside the long steel stencil. Clamping device ?, weights from the scale.
The lines across the tray don't need to be straight because you are going to cut across them.
The scraper I use is small, if absolute straight lines were needed(down the length of the tray) I'd use a yardstick as a guide against my hand.
Stencils are expensive but everything else you can whing on the cheap.

By MikeH on Sunday, March 26, 2000 - 02:12 am: Edit

I read an article by the Ritz Carlton (in Chicago, I think) saying that they ripped the metal screens from furnace filters to use as stencils.

By jeee2 on Sunday, March 26, 2000 - 06:30 am: Edit

Yeh, the alum sheet with holes in an airconditioning filter is good too.
Place the stencil on paper, grease the paper and dust with cocoa, the grease will hold the cocoa.

On the airpens? they offered me one to test last yr but I didn't bother take them up on it.
They are advertised on the web someplace.
It didn't strike me as something I would want to use.

Regards, Gerard

By Doucefrance (Doucefrance) on Sunday, March 26, 2000 - 07:05 am: Edit

Like Gerard I use scale weights to hold my silpat, it always worked and I use the back of a heavy plastic tray to get a flat surface.
A few years ago in Italy, I bought special food colors to paint on chocolate, they were wonderful, came in tubes like oil paint, you can really make art work with those. I got them from COVE, I'll have to check if they have a website.
Helene

By W.DeBord on Sunday, March 26, 2000 - 08:49 am: Edit

d. the catalog I wrote about is "World Cuisine,Inc." 2316 Cotner Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90064, ph. 310-445-0909. www.world-cuisine.com

Some of the items seem very reasonable and some look way over priced. They have several different combs at different price levels. I'm afraid the comb working table is insanely priced, but look at it to get an idea.

What they call decorating strips must be the take-off from airconditioning filters???

I like the chablon stencils. Gerard if you have a moment would you look at them? I'd like to know if you can make them out of the heavy aluminum you mentioned earlier (I use mat board and they don't last forever)?

P.S. Someone was looking for the wood graining tool before on another thread...they have them at World Cuisine.

Weird I've been able to use reg. paste color to color white choc.. I wish it wasen't so expensive to buy sets of colors (powder or oil), does anyone sell them in sets for a lower price?

By emily on Sunday, March 26, 2000 - 05:34 pm: Edit

W. Debord,
In answer to your question, I got my AirPen online from http://www.silkpaint.com. It was about $140, included the compressor. I've gotten lots of use out of it for drawing intricate flowers and painting tiny areas with royal icing. I also use it with chocolate, and anywhere very fine lines or detailed lacework is in order. There's suction in the tip to pick up dragees one at a time so you can place them precisely. A very useful and interesting tool.

By Panini (Panini) on Wednesday, March 29, 2000 - 07:11 pm: Edit

I lost something in the thread. You all use this cigarette paste to imprint on thin sponge? Please explain to me what you are talking about.Is this tuile like hippin?

By W.DeBord on Wednesday, March 29, 2000 - 10:42 pm: Edit

You can stencil, spread, comb, draw etc... "thru" or "draw on" a very thin layer (so it remains flexible after baking) of cigarette paste that was spread on parchment or silpat. The cigarette paste can be colored with food paste (you can use multi. of colors)or cocoa powder. Then it's frozen for aprox. 10 min. to retain pattern before sponge batter is spread over it then baked.

You can also buy "transfer" type sheets that do the same thing (imprinting a pattern on sponge cake), similar to transfer sheets we use for chocolate. You spread sponge batter over the transfer sheet eliminating the "creative process" of the cigarette paste, so it's fast and exact.

It's gives you a clever artistic sponge to line your ring mold with. There are also patterned silpats where you create a similar decorative sponge or relief pattern in the sponge.

By tj on Thursday, March 30, 2000 - 03:35 pm: Edit

w.debord
all the products i saw on world-cuisine web site
are made by matinox.the #1 pastry equipment in the world.and #1 in the high prices, but this stuff will out live all of us.it is made with superb presision and quality.all my decorating tools are matinox.i especialy like my 3 color comb that have a rod guide in one end so you drag it on the corner of your table and make super staight lines with it.i would not buy the table they sell for the sheet cakes. i just use someone in the kitchen to press the top corner of the silpats or just use
2 or 3 #10 cans (filled) for weight.one of the things i like is the adjustable spread comb that can be adjusted in hight and width.very useful not just for joconde but for chocolate cut out work as well.

By W.DeBord on Friday, March 31, 2000 - 08:13 am: Edit

I can't be sure about what I'm doing wrong with my comb. In order to get a clean drag-through the paste I have to press so hard it doesn't work. Could I be putting the rubber combs into the holder wrong (no instructions came with my purchase)(or I think I'm not on a perfect enough surface)? I realize the table clamp they sell is way too expensive, I would never buy it either. But my comb is useless to me until I get something figured out. Has anyone else had problems with their large rubber combs?

The adjustable spread comb I had never seen, until recently. I'm not sure I understand how to use it? What does it do that other equpiment doesn't? It will let you put more than one pass of color thru chocolate, like your 3 color comb?

By tj on Friday, March 31, 2000 - 03:17 pm: Edit

the adjustable comb work like a frame for your joconde.you adjust the hight of it ,therefor adjusting the even thickness of the joconde sheet.
same goes to other types of sponge cakes, and also for spreading even layers of chocolate on plastic for cut out work.very usefull tool.you can put 10 silpats with designs side by side , and drag the adjustable comb with the joconde over 10 trays at one or two shots.(if you have a long table).
as for a clean drag for your comb, try making your decorating paste alittle thiner then usual(add some more egg whites).it will help alot i think.you should not use any force.just even regular presure while draging the comb in wavy or staight lines.

By tj on Friday, March 31, 2000 - 03:27 pm: Edit

the 3 color comb has two sides, one wide strip, one short strip,and a metal rod in one end.you spread one color of paste on the silpat,and drag straight lines with the thin line side of the comb,you do this at a corner of a table,so the rod guides the comb in a straight line. you chill it, then spread on the silpat the second color paste.you cover the whole silpat with it.drag the comb as befor ,at a corner of the table, this time with the wide strip side of the comb.so what you have is 2 straight lines with 2 diferent colors,and a space between them.you chill it again,and pread the joconde, so it covers the whole sheet.this is what makes the 3rd color (white or any colored joconde).so you have a cake strip with 3 different color lines.this i do also for chocolate cut out for tiles to decorate the side of cakes(white ,milk and dark chocolate strips)

By tj on Friday, March 31, 2000 - 03:31 pm: Edit

the 3 color comb is well used in bellouet`s book on chocolate ,as well as the book by pierre herme` which i like very much.get the bellouet book on chocolate ,the one he wrote with pascal brunstein.even if you dont read french.it is a very very good book.

By W.DeBord on Saturday, April 01, 2000 - 07:49 am: Edit

Thanks for the tips, I'll try that with my paste!

By jeee2 on Saturday, April 01, 2000 - 07:29 pm: Edit

It sounds like your paste might be too stiff.

By tj on Saturday, April 01, 2000 - 09:17 pm: Edit

did you ever tried using your fingers for making the paste design on silpats? it realy make very interesting paterns (like snakes) .also i put dabs of leftover colors and marble them lightly with a spatula , and make very colorful rainbow like designs on the silpat.another way is to use a very runny paste with more egg whites and color, and use a sponge to tap the paste on the silpat to get an interesting effect.you can do this with several colors to get a stone effect.another way is to use a dish towel, dipped in a runny paste and tap loosely on the silpat to get all kinds of effect. after working for over a decade with the combs and grills you get bord and look for new looks and ideas. by the way i got a few months ago the new 3 dimentional silicon tray to make the paste as a 3d impression with depth on the joconde. very interesting effect.but very expensive trays.

By W.DeBord on Sunday, April 02, 2000 - 05:58 pm: Edit

tj many of your techinques were used by folk artist to paint furniture and now decorators use them to paint on walls. You could really take your ideas further if you looked at two books..."Decorating with Paint" and "Paint Magic" both by Jocasta Innes, published by Harmony Books New York. You can find them in the craft or home decorating section of any book store.

There are many art techniques like what you mention that can be used by pastry chefs. The possiblities are endless, although sometimes it takes time to invent the equipment that will let us be more artistic in food. I learned silk screening 25 years ago and now we can use it in the bake shop.....

By tj on Monday, April 03, 2000 - 05:37 pm: Edit

yes , and they all work well with many food products... the real limit is your imagination.this is why i love pastry and chocolate work more then cooking.