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| By momoreg on Sunday, May 21, 2000 - 09:59 pm: Edit |
That's a great idea!! I have those in my basement now, but never thought to put it in the walk-in. Thanks for the tip, Panini!!
| By d. on Thursday, May 25, 2000 - 08:24 pm: Edit |
I'm also starting to use a lot of fondant. I made a banana cake with ganache wedding cake over the weekend. Client pulled the photo from In-Style magazine, quilted looking fondant with pearls and drapes. It was probably the best looking wedding cake I've done, but I was so nervous about the sweating. After I crumb-coated the cakes I chilled them a bit to firm up the buttercream. Then I pulled out each layer and covered and decorated them. After stacking them I was debating whether to leave outside or in our pastry walk-in. Leaving it outside was definitely not an option since our kitchen is too hot. So I wrapped it up and stuck it in our walk-in. When the cake was delivered to the party, I was amazingly surprised that not even one pearl fell off. Client and everyone were incredibly happy which makes me happy :)!
| By Citizen Mel on Wednesday, August 02, 2000 - 08:05 pm: Edit |
I almost exclusively use rolled fondant to cover my decorated cakes (filled with ganache, buttercream, and/or fruit fillings) and I have never had even one sweat! Perhaps that is because I would NEVER think of refrigerating the cake once it has been covered with the fondant. I have worked in extremely humid kitchens and it has never been a problem. The cake sits out (in or out of its box) for up to 24-36 hours while I finish decorating, it's delivered and displayed the whole time and finally cut and served. Freezing is fine for leftovers but DO NOT REFRIGERATE!
| By ChineseFiveSpice on Saturday, September 16, 2000 - 06:01 pm: Edit |
Ann Amernick (the pastry chef who's famous
for her beautiful pastillage paintings and
flowers) puts her fondant cakes in the fridge. I
went to school with a girl who works for her
and my friend says that it doesn't work in the
walk-in, but it does work in a regular fridge.
| By ChineseFiveSpice on Saturday, September 16, 2000 - 06:02 pm: Edit |
I've had good luck convincing my clients to
steer clear of fondant. I'm not very good at it
and to be honest, I don't want to be. From
what I have experienced, people want fondant
b/c they are attracted to its smoothness and
sterile hospital white color. Once I inform
them of how horrible it tastes, show them how
smooth I can make a buttercream cake, and
how ivory buttercream photographs much
better than white fondant, they quickly lose
interest. However, now that my cake
decorating guru, Colette Peters, had to come
out with another book, I'm gaining an interest
in fondant again. Gotta admit... it does have A
LOT of possibilities, especially when you see
what she can do with it. But why... WHY does
it have to taste so bad?
| By W.DeBord on Sunday, September 17, 2000 - 09:15 am: Edit |
ChineseFivespice have you tasted several brands of fondant? They don't all taste the same. If it's used properly (rolling it thin) it doesn't take away from the over-all taste of your cake slice.
Do you really like Peters new book? I did buy it but as I look and re-look I'll be hard pressed to actually use more than 2 ideas from it. It's alittle too thought-out with it's theme. Sticking with the theme too closely it became detail for the sake of detail. She's a brilliant decorator and it's interesting to see what she can do, but it's over-kill and forced looking in this new book. I think her older books are far more clever.
| By raine on Sunday, September 17, 2000 - 10:44 pm: Edit |
I agree, she is a fantastic decorator, but her designs are not suited for the real world. Her books, I think, are more of a motivational tool than any thing usable. Hey, if you got the skill why not show it off?
| By Sunny on Wednesday, August 29, 2001 - 03:50 am: Edit |
Hi everyone!, I am new to this site, but wanted to add my opinion on fondant. I am a cake decorator too. I use fondant, on most of my cakes. If you have never made it before, give it a try. It is very easy to make; I make it all by hand, no mixer. (Unless you have a lot, then use a mixer). Home made taste so much better since it doensn't have the perservatives. You can freeze a undecorated fondant cake. To thaw, unwrap the box and leave cake in the cake box and let it go through it sweating process. Then you can decorate it. I always bake my cakes a day or two in advance, fill with a non dairy filling, and coat my cake with buttercream made with crico. This can now set out for a day or two. When making homemade fondant, let it set overnight before rolling. It needs time to "do its thing", before rolling out. Give it a try..it is so much better than bought brands. I've have tried Wilton, Bakels, Regalice, pettinice. Home made is still the best.
| By chefspyke on Wednesday, August 29, 2001 - 08:12 am: Edit |
Sunny,
whats a non-dairy filling?
| By Chef.LA on Wednesday, August 29, 2001 - 09:05 pm: Edit |
Non-dairy filling? It must be jell-o.
fondant won't sweat if you just lay a lint free towel over it. Why on earth would you freeze fondant cakes? and why on earth would you make fondant? there are many good ones out there.
Come on, make and put the cake together, one day in advance, roll out fondant, put on cake, and decorate! You don't have to be a member of mensa to do this, when you let a cake sweat, and then dry, dos'ent it have different shades of color on it? Just my $0.07 cents.
| By momoreg on Wednesday, August 29, 2001 - 10:48 pm: Edit |
If you're making your own fondant for its superior flavor, and lack of preservatives, doesn't it defeat the purpose if you then use crisco in your cake?
| By Chef.LA on Thursday, August 30, 2001 - 07:39 am: Edit |
HaHaHaHaHa......I missed that.
