CAKES MIXING AND BAKING

 Cakes are the richest and sweetest of all the baked products we have studied. Cakes are high in both fat and sugar. The baker’s job is to create a structure that supports these ingredients and yet to keep it as light and delicate as possible. Fortunately, producing cakes in quantity is relatively easy if the baker has good, well balanced formulas, scales ingredients accurately, and understands basic mixing method well.

Cakes can be presented in many forms, from simple sheet cakes in cafeterias to elaborately decorated works of art for weddings and other important occasions.

Mixing Cake

Three (3) main goals of mixing cake batters are:

 To combine all ingredients into a smooth, uniform batter.

 To form and incorporate air cells in the batter.

 To develop the proper texture in the finished product.

Five (5) factors can cause curdling:

 Using the wrong type of fat.

 Having the ingredients too cold.

 Mixing the first stage of the procedure too quickly.

 Adding the liquids too quickly.

 Adding too much liquid.

Types Method :

1. CREAMING METHOD PROCEDURE:

 Place butter in the mixing bowl. Using paddle attachment, beat the fat slowly until it is creamy and smooth.

 Add the sugar, cream the mixture at moderate speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.

 Add the eggs a little at a time. After each addition, beat until the eggs are absorbed before adding more.

 Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

 Add the sifted dry ingredients, alternating with the liquids. The reason for adding dry and liquid ingredients alternately is that the batter may not absorb all the liquid unless some of the flour is present.

2. TWO STAGE PROCEDURE:

 Sift the flour, baking powder, soda and salt into mixing bowl and add fat. Beat at low speed.

 Sift the remaining dry ingredients into the bowl and add part of the water or milk. Blend at low speed.

 Combine the remaining liquids and lightly beaten eggs.

 Scrape down the bowl.

 The finished batter normally quite liquid.

3. FLOUR-BATTER PROCEDURE:

 Sift flour and other dry ingredients except sugar into mixing bowl. Add fat. Blend together until smooth and light.

 Whip the sugar and eggs together until thick and light. Add liquid flavoring ingredients, such as vanilla.

 Combine the flour-fat mixture and the sugar-egg mixture and mix until smooth.

 Gradually add water or milk and mix smooth.

Ingredient Function: NO	CLASSIFICATION	FUNCTION	INGREDIENT
1	Toughener	Provide structure	Flour, egg
2	Tenderizer	Provide softness or shortening of protein fiber	Sugar, fats, chemical leavener
3	Moisteners	Provide moisture or water	Water, liquid milk, syrups, eggs and liquid sugar
4	Driers	Absorb moisture	Flours and starches, cocoa, milk solid

Chocolate Moist Cake Quantity	Unit	Ingredient
250	Gm	Cake flour
½	Cup	Castor sugar
300	Gm	Castor sugar
1	Cup	Cocoa powder
1	Cup	Full cream milk
6	Nos	Eggs
½	Tbsp	Vanilla essence
250	Gm	Butter
½	Tsp	Baking powder
½	Tsp	Baking soda

 ASSEMBLING AND DECORATING ICING

 Much of the appeal of cakes is due to their appearance. Cakes are perfect medium which a baker can express artistry and imagination. A cake need not be elaborate or complex to be pleasing. Certainly, a simple but neatly finished cake is better than a gaudy, over decorated cake that is done carelessly or without any plan for a harmonious overall design.

There are, of course, many styles of cake decorating, and within each style, hundreds or thousands of different designs are possible. This chapter is, in part, an introduction to some of the basic techniques for finishing cakes. The most important requirements for making effective desserts is hours and hours of practice with the pastry bag and paper cone. Even the simplest designs require a lot of practice and should be mastered. Only then should you proceed to the more advanced techniques presented in style manuals and cake decorating books.

A cake must be assembled and iced before it can be decorated.

ICING

Also called frosting- a sweet coating for cakes and other bakes product.

Functions

 Improves the keeping qualities by forming a protective coating around cakes.

 Contributes flavor and richness.

 Improves appearance

Types:

ü Butter creams

ü Fondant

ü Royal icing

ü Fudge

ü Foam butter cream

ü Glazes

ü Flat type icing

Technique of Preparation:  No	ICING	PREPARATION	TEXTURE/FLAVOR
1	Butter cream	Mixture of sugar and fat; can contain egg yolk or egg whites.	Rich but light, smooth, fluffy
2	Foam	Meringue made with hot sugar syrup	Light, fluffy; very sweet
3	Fudge	Cooked mixture of sugar, butter and water or milk; applied warm	Heavy; rich and candy like
4	Fondant	Cooked mixture of sugar and water, applied warm	Thick, opaque; sweet
5	Glaze	Powdered sugar with liquid	Thin; sweet
6	Royal icing	Uncooked mixture of powdered sugar and egg white	Hard and brittle when dry; chalky
7	Ganache	Blend of melted chocolate and cream; may be poured or whipped	Rich, smooth; intense chocolate flavor

1. BUTTERCREAM:

Butter, especially unsalted butter is the preferred fat for buttercreams because of its flavor and melt-in-the mouth quality. Icing made only with shortening can be unpleasant because the fat congeals and coats the inside of the mouth, where it does not melt. However, butter makes a less stable icing because it melts so easily. There are two ways overcome this problem:

 Use buttercreams only in cool weather.

 Blend a small quantity of emulsifier shortening with the butter to stabilize it.

Types:

i. Simple buttercream – made by creaming together fat and confectioners’ sugar. A small quantity of egg may be whipped in.

ii. Meringue type buttercream – are a mixture of butter and meringue. These are very light icings.

iii. French buttercream – beaten boiling syrup into beaten egg yolks and whipping to a light foam. Soft butter is then whip in.

iv. Pastry cream type buttercream – made by mixing together equal part thick pastry cream and softened butter. To give it the necessary body, a little gelatin is added.

v. Fondant type buttercream – make with only a few ingredients on hand. Simply cream together equal parts fondant and butter. Flavor as desired

2. FONDANT:

Is sugar syrup that is crystallized to a smooth, creamy white mass.

It is familiar for the icing of napoleons, éclairs, petit fours and some cakes. When applied, it sets up into a shiny, non-sticky coating.

3. ROYAL ICING

This icing also called decorating or decorator’s icing, is similar to flat icings except that it is much thicker and made with egg whites; which make it hard and brittle when dry. It is used almost exclusively for decorative work.

BASIC DECORATING TECHNIQUES

Tools

Palette knife or steel spatula, offset palette knife, serrated knife, icing screen or grates, turntable, icing comb, plastic or steel scraper, brushes, sugar dredger, cake rings or charlotte rings, cake card and doilies, parchment paper and pastry bag and tip.

Paper cone

Two factors are important if you are to be successful with both the paper cone and the pastry bag:

a. Consistency of the icing – icing must be neither too thick nor too thin. With the paper cone or the writing tube, the icing must be thin enough to flow freely from the opening but not too thin to form a solid thread.

b. Pressure on the cone or bag – pressure control is necessary for neat, exact decoration. Pressure must be kept steady and even.

Two methods are used to make decorations: the contact method and the falling method.

a. Falling method – cone is held above the surface, and the icing is allowed to fall or drop from the tip of the cone onto the surface being decorated. This method is used to make lines of even thickness on horizontal surfaces. The thread of icing is suspended in air between the tip of the cone and the surface being decorated.

Keep the pressure light and constant. To finish a line, lower the tip of the cone and touch the surface at the point where you want the line to end. At the same time, stop squeezing the cone.

b. Contact method – is used in two cases. 1. When you want to vary the thickness of the line, and 2. When you want to decorate a vertical surface, such as the side of a cake.

Hold the cone as you would hold a pen, with the tip in contact with the surface and at an angle of about 30-45 degrees. Draw a line as though you were drawing on paper with a pen. Control the thickness of the line by adjusting the pressure of your thumb.

OTHER DECORATION TECHNIQUES

i. Masking the sides

ii. Stenciling

iii. Marbling

iv. Palette knife pattern

v. Pipping jelly

vi. Adding fruits, nuts, and other items.

DECORATING SEQUENCE

i. Coat the side of the cake with nuts, crumbs or other coatings, either before or after decorating. If the top decorations are delicate and might be damaged if the cake is handled, mask the side first. However, if you are marbling the top of the cake or using some other techniques that disturbs the icing on the sides of the cakes, then mask the sides afterwards.

ii. If the cake is to have an inscription or message, such as a person’s name or a holiday or birthday greeting, put this on first.

iii. Add borders and paper cone design.

iv. Add flowers, leaves, and similar decorations made with a pastry bag.

v. Add additional items such as fruits, nuts, or candies.

 CHOCOLATE MAKING

TYPE OF CHOCOLATE

COMPOUND

•Compound chocolate is a less-expensive chocolate product replacement made from a combination of cocoa, vegetable fat, and sweeteners.

•Often used in lower-grade candy bars, compound chocolate is designed to simulate enrobed chocolate on a product. It costs less than chocolate, as it uses less expensive hard vegetable fats and tropical fats such as coconut oil and palm kernel oil in place of the more expensive cocoa butter as its fat source.

- Dark /Bitter /Plain

- Milk Chocolate

- White Chocolate

COUVERTURE

•Couverture chocolate is a very high quality chocolate that contains extra cocoa butter (32-39%). The higher percentage of cocoa butter, combined with proper tempering, gives the chocolate more sheen, firmer "snap" when broken, and a creamy mellow flavor.

•Couverture is used by professionals for dipping, coating, molding and garnishing.

•To have a desirable finished products, the covertures chocolate need to be tempered.

WHAT IS TEMPERING?

•Tempering is a process given to induce the desired stable fat crystal of cocoa butter in the chocolate which involves controlled cooling and shearing action.

THEORY OF TEMPERING

•Cocoa butter can form different types of fat crystal : alpha (), gamma (Y), Beta prime & Beta (), Beta (VI)/form VI

•Every fat crystal has different melting point

•The desired fat crystal is beta ()

•Beta () is formed by doing cooling and give shear stress to the chocolate (the tempering process).

Melting point of fat crystal :

• y 16 - 18°C

•  21 - 24°C

• ’ 27 - 29°C

•  33 - 35°C (Stable form)

WHO NEEDS TEMPERING?

•Real chocolate/couverture chocolate, which is using cocoa butter as the main fat ingredient NEEDS tempering

•Chocolate with CBE (Cocoa Butter Equivalent) substitution

WHY TEMPERING?

To form chocolate with :

•Better stability during storing process avoid fat bloom, better heat stability

•Good contraction which is needed for demoulding process

•Good appearance and texture glossy and snap

•Good melting behaviour (smooth texture in mouth and melt in body temperature)

TEMPERING TEMPERATURE

•30 -31 C

DARK CHOCOLATE

•28-30 C

MILK CHOCOLATE

•27-29 C

WHITE CHOCOLATE

TEMPERING METHODS

•Marble Table Method/Tablage/French Method

1. Melt the chocolate perfectly 40-45 C

2. Pour 2/3 of chocolate onto marble table

3. Fold the chocolate back & forward

•Seeding Method

1.   Melt the chocolate perfectly 40-45 C

2.   Add the chopped chocolate Composition 1:3 1 –chopped chocolate 3 – melted chocolate

3.   Stir well the chocolate until reach the right temperature 29-31 C (depend on chocolate type)

TEMPERING MACHINE

•Each compartment will bring the chocolate to a certain cooling stage at the beginning of tempering process

•At the final stage, the compartment will heat up the chocolate at a certain temperature to ensure the melting of the unstable low melting point crystal

INTRODUCTION OF STYROFOAM CARVING

History of Styrofoam Carving

Foam is made by mixing a number of chemicals and adding a "gassing agent" that makes bubbles that make the plastic cellular. Foamed plastics are heated from within- the heat comes from the chemical reaction. When the block of foam has finished rising, it's called a bun of foam. Theoretically, there are as many different kinds of foam as there are different kinds of plastics. But practically speaking, there are only three families of foamed plastic used for sculpting.

TIPS IN STYROFOAM CARVING

Cutting: STYROFOAM™ brand foam cuts easily with a serrated knife, hacksaw, floral knife or XactoÒ knife. Wax the knife blade with an old candle for easier, smoother cuts. To cut a thick piece, or several sheets stacked together, try using an old electric knife , as the saying goes, "it cuts like butter." 

Sanding: For smooth, rounded edges, "sand" the foam with another piece of STYROFOAM brand foam. To shape larger pieces, cut out the basic shape and then sand to the final shape.

Sculpting: Shape it with your fingers, carve it with a knife, roll it on a table, or texture it with tools. You can even roll it flat with a rolling pin.

Texturing: Cover foam shapes with plaster, wallboard compound, gesso, modeling paste or other coating materials. Then, smooth it or stucco it, swirl it or sculpt it.

Cookie cutters: For a wide variety of fun shapes, press metal cookie cutters into a ½" thick sheet of STYROFOAM brand foam. Gently remove the shape from the cutter, "sand" any rough edges with another piece of foam, and you're done. Dip your shape in paint and stamp out greeting cards and wrapping paper; or, use the shape to decorate a Christmas tree, garland or wreath.

Curling: To create curls, cut out thin strips from a foam sheet by holding a knife vertically, pressing slightly against the sheet and carefully pulling the knife toward you.

Painting: Paint with water-based craft paint. Solvent-based paints may damage the foam (see paint manufacturer's instructions for details). For thorough coverage, try a stiff stencil brush and gently "scrub" the surface with the paint. Some spray paints are safe to use on STYROFOAM brand foam , read the label carefully to determine whether or not it's foam-safe. When spraying, rotate the shape for better coverage. For easier handling when painting, insert a floral pick or skewer into the foam shape to use as a handle. When done, insert the handle in a block of STYROFOAM™ or stand in a glass or can while paint dries.

Gluing: For a fast, sure bond, use a low-temperature glue fun. Hot glue guns can be used but the hot glue may melt a small portion of the foam. White craft glue is a tried and true favorite for STYROFOAM™ brand foam. For a better bond between two pieces, gently rub the pieces together before gluing; insert toothpicks or florist's picks between the pieces to hold them together while the glue dries.

Marking sections on balls and eggs: Marking off sections on a rounded surface can be tricky, but with the aid of a thick rubber band, you can measure even sections and draw smooth lines. For example, to divide a ball or egg into two equal sections:

Tools For Styrofoam Carving

1. Deluxe Hot Knives
2. Pro Hot Knives
3. Crafter Hot Knives
4. Hot Wire knives

DECORATIVE SUGAR ARTWORK

When syrups are boiled until nearly all the water is evaporated, the sugar becomes solid when cools. This process enables us to make decorative pieces out of sugar that is boiled to 149˚c or more and shaped while still hot.

Sugar that is boiled in a syrup undergoes a chemical change called inversion; which a molecule of double sugar combines with molecules off water and changes into two molecules of simple sugar (dextrose and levulose). Invert sugar resist recrystallization, and plain sucrose, (granulated sugar) crystallize easily.

The temperature to which syrup is boiled is also important. The higher the temperature, the harder the sugar will be. The temperature ranges recommended is 155˚-160˚c, and the actual temperatures used for the pulled and blown sugar was 160˚c.

Cooking the sugar to a higher temperature makes it harder and more brittle and thus more difficult to work.  Cooking to a lower temperature makes softer sugar that is easier to work, but the pieces may not hold up as well, especially in humid climate.

Guidelines:

         i.            Use pure white granulated cane sugar.

       ii.            Place the sugar and water in a clean, heavy pan. Place the mixture over low heat and stir gently until the sugar is dissolved.

      iii.            When the sugar is dissolved, raise the heat to moderately high and do not stir anymore. To prevent crystallization, use a clean pastry brushed dipped in hot water to wash any sugar crystals down the side of the pan. Do not let the brush touch the syrup.

    iv.            Always use a sugar thermometer.

      v.            Add coloring and tartaric acid solution at the temperatures specified in the recipes.

    vi.            Liquid colors in an acid solution should no be used. For the best results, use powdered colors and dissolve them in a little water or alcohol. Good quality paste colors can also be used.

TOOLS FOR SUGAR WORK:

Sugar lamp, sugar thermometer, rubber gloves, blowpipe, cut off wire whip, blow torch.

1.   Spun Sugar

Spun sugar is a mass of threadlike or hair like strands of sugar used to decorate cakes and showpieces. Spun sugar should be made just before it is needed because it does not keep well. It gradually absorbs moisture from the atmosphere and becomes sticky.

Procedure:

a.     Prepare the syrup. When the correct temperature is reached, remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to stand for a few minutes until it is slightly cooled and thickened.

b.     Dip the cut off wire whip in the syrup and tap lightly to remove excess. Wave or flick the whip vigorously over the wooden rod so that the sugar is thrown off in fine, long threads.

c.     Repeat until the desired amount of spun sugar is hanging from the rod. Carefully lift the mass from the rod.

d.     Coil the sugar, or shape as desired for decoration.

e.     If the syrup cools too much to spin, simply rewarm it over low heat.

2.      Poured sugar

Poured sugar also called cast sugar, is boiled sugar that is allowed to harden in various shapes. Usually it is cast in flat sheets like glass, although like nougatine, it can be bent and shaped while it is hot and pliable. The syrup can also be colored before it finishes cooking.

An easy way to make a mold of any shape is to roll heat resistant plasticine into a rope and work it to the desired shaped on and oiled marbled slab or silicone ma. Whatever mold used, it should be lightly oiled to prevent the sugar from sticking.

Once the edges of the sugar shape have hardened enough, remove the mold. When the entire shape has hardened enough, slide a palette knife under it to detach it from the work surface.  To bend cast sugar, remove it from the work surface while it is still soft enough to be pliable. If it gets too hard, simply place it on an oiled baking sheet and heat it in an oven just until it is pliable. Then bend as desired, or use and oiled mold to shape it.

Procedure:

a.     Prepare the syrup as in the formula. Color the syrup as desired.

b.     When the syrup reaches the proper temperature, briefly plunge the base of the saucepan into cold water to stop the cooking. Let stand for a moment.

c.     Place a lightly oiled mold on a sheet of parchment. Pour the hot syrup into the mold to the desired thickness.

d.     Before the sugar cools, it can be marbled with another color.

3.      Pulled Sugar

Pulled sugar is a sugar that is boiled to the hard crack stage, allowed to harden slightly, then pulled or stretched until it develops a pearly sheen.

After it has been heated to the proper temperature, it must again be pulled and folded until it is cooled to a workable temperature and even in texture. Test the sugar by pulling a bit from the edge of the ball with thumb and forefinger and attempting to break it off. If it breaks off cleanly, the sugar is ready. This pulling and folding procedure is called pearling. If this is not done, it will not be possible to work the sugar properly.

Tools For Pulled Sugar:

a.     Sugar thermometer, for accurate control of the temperature of the boiling syrup.

b.     Sugar lamp or other warmer, to keep the stock of sugar warm and soft.

c.     Scissors and knife, lightly oiled, for cutting the sugar.

d.     Alcohol lamp, for melting sugar in order to fasten pieces together.

e.     Blowpipe, for blowing sugar; a pipe with a bulb for inflating is easier to use than one that is blown with the mouth.

f.        Silicone mat or oiled marble slab, for pouring out the cooked syrup.

g.     Hair dryer or fan, for cooling sugar items.

h.     Rubber gloves, to protect from burns when handling hot sugar.

Stages Of Doneness In Sugar Cooking:

STAGE	TEMPERATURE (˚c)
Thread	110
Soft ball	115
Firm ball	118
Hard ball	122-127
Small crack	130-132
Crack	135-138
*Hard crack	143-155
caramel	160-170

Pulled Sugar

Quantity	Unit	Ingredient
500	Gm	Sugar
250	Gm	Water
100	Gm	Glucose
A few drops		Strawberry essence
A few drops		Red coloring
A few drops		Banana essence
A few drops		Yellow coloring
60	Gm	Icing sugar
60	gm	Potato starch

Method:

1.      Bring sugar and water to boil to dissolve the sugar.

2.      Add glucose, bring to boil over medium high heat.

3.      Divide the syrups into 3 saucepan to color them.

4.      Allow to boil without stirring until it reach 132˚C.

5.      Remove from heat immediately and pour each color into different silicone mat.

Spun Sugar

Quantity	Unit	Ingredients
300	Gm	Sugar
150	Gm	Water
60	Gm	Glucose
A few drop		Coloring

Method:

1.      Bring sugar and water to boil to dissolve the sugar.

2.      Add glucose, bring to boil over medium high heat.

3.      Allow to boil without stirring until it reaches 132˚C.

4.      Remove from heat immediately.

Pour Sugar

Quantity	Unit	Ingredients
500	Gm	Sugar
250	Gm	Water
100	gm	Liquid glucose
A few drop		Coloring

Method:

1.      Make syrup of the sugar, water and glucose.

2.      Boil to 125˚c and add coloring if desired.

3.      Continue to boil to 165˚c. if desired, a few drops of another color could be added at this point without mixing to create a marbled effect.

4.      Stop the cooking immediately by plunging the base of the pan into cold water. Remove from the cold water and allow to stand for 2-3 minutes to thicken slightly.

5.      Pour into desired mold until approximately 5mm thick.

6.      Once edge has set enough, remove rings. Score lightly with an oiled knife.

7.      Use a little reheated sugar as glue to attached pieces together.