In addition to this self-study baking course that I have embarked upon, I am in the midst of an online Chocolatier course. This week I have been reading about cakes and frostings, researching local distributors of bulk chocolate and deciding on what my "signature chocolates" will be, reading about how to start my own bakery, baking a Devil's Food Cake and all the other normal day to day errands and tasks that one must complete. I am fortunate that I live near the beach and have started walking on the beach in the mornings, to organize my thoughts and get some exercise. Reading about food all the time makes me hungry and given that I am naturally hungry all the time, burning some calories is a good idea. The Chocolatier course is interesting, tons of reading about chocolate; history, cultivation (cacao trees only bear fruit near the equator), chemistry, flavor, recipes, production. By March 11, I need to decide on my "Signature Chocolates" and produce samples to photograph and submit along with the recipes. Once photographed the chocolates will need a home, anyone in interested in tasting please let me know.
As for the Baking; Did you know that 4 ingredients (flour, eggs, sugar, butter) combine to make 6 basic types of cake (sponge, butter, oil-based, yeasted, meringue-based, custard) from which we have created hundreds of variations through the addition of leavenings, fruits, nuts or other flavorings (chocolate would be my personal favorite, but who would have guessed that?). Last night and this afternoon I made a Devil's Food Cake (yum!), this is probably the most beautiful cake I have produced in my life. It had 4 layers filled with Whipped Ganache, which tasted just like the filling of an UNO candy bar (if you've never had one, seek it out) and was coated in the most delicious chocolate buttercream (really: butter, sugar, chocolate, how could it not be delicious). Amazingly it was level, my sister and brothers who might be reading this can attest that I have a knack for producing cakes that resemble the leaning tower of Pisa. Because of this it has been years since I have attempted to make a layer cake, instead I would make sheet cakes and cupcakes. Friday the Fedex man delivered the most beautiful Cuisinart Stand Mixer which was instrumental in the process of making the Ganache & the Buttercream. Lessons learned while making Ganache, if the cream is not hot enough, the chocolate doesn't melt, conversely is the cream is too hot it takes a long time to cool down and become whipped. I had far more Buttercream then I needed, this worried me, did I not put enough on the cake? Guess I will make have to make some cupcakes to use it up. I was thinking about taking a Wilton cake decorating course, has anyone else done this? Would you recommend it or is there another decorating course you would suggest? Up next; Monday I will make a Chocolate Hazelnut Cake with Chocolate Filling and Hazelnut Buttercream, any takers?
The devils food cake itself is rich and dense, the whipped chocolate ganache is heavenly and light and the chocolate buttercream frosting is so wonderful that I could eat it by itself. Because each element of this cake is made with bittersweet chocolate, it's not sweet. This is a cake that I could eat over and over again, thanks Michele! Jennyfer
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