New Class

Well I start back at cake decorating on Wednesday this week to make a Mothers Day Cake.
So watch this space for my updates.

Christmas Cake - Week 10

I have to confess that I really have not updated since Week 4 so feel a little naughty.
However Week 10 was last Wednesday and unfortunately I was unable to make the last day of the course due to another engagement, however this did not stop me and I have soldered on at home in completing my elves and presents, so that I am able to put all the components together to complete my Christmas Cake.
Well it is Christmas Eve and I do feel a little bit chuffed that I have actually managed to complete this cake in time for Christmas, it was touch and go but thankfully I had a number of hours this afternoon spare to enable me to concentrate on nothing more.

Well now it's the time you have all been waiting for, the past 10 weeks have flown and I have learnt so much..... without further ado I give you...... My Christmas Cake

Week 4

Well the 2 weeks without cake decorating went very quickly and this week was an exciting hands on evening.

We were about to start to make the elves that will take pride of place on top of our cakes.

Firstly we coloured all of our icing with red, green, blue, yellow and flesh. This was quite theraputic and relaxing and quite funny at times with all the different shades of colours for the faces.

We made small balls in the flesh and placed these using our edible glue onto either dried spaghetti or cocktail sticks. Whilst these were drying slightly we proceeded by making their little red hats, we had to roll out using our fingers some red icing making sure that one end was wider than the other, then using one of our many modelling tools we created a hole in the inside of the icing, to enable the hat to sit nicely on top of the head.

Once done, we had to make 2 small round balls of flesh icing and sculpt these into ears and stick onto the head with the edible glue.  Then make an even smaller ball of flesh icing for the nose.

Here are my attempts at 4 elves.

Once finished my elves appeared to have slightly flat heads, so I might attempt to make some elves.

Everyone had fun this evening because our little elves seem to have their very own characters already!

Next week we are continuing make elves and attempting to make collars for our cakes, which might be very interesting as a number of ladies attempted this last year with not much success.  So watch this space.

Cake Decorating

I had no cake decorating tonight, as it's half term. So that 2 weeks has gone by quite quickly but I can't wait to get back to class next week and look forward to start making my characters for on top of the cake.

My fruit has been soaking in Brandy for well over 2 weeks now and I have been turning the fruit over daily to ensure that it gets a thoroughly good soaking.

My plan is to make the fruit cake at the end of next week, the fruit will be well and truly mature by then.

I will add photos when I do each stage of my cake.

Week 3

Well that's Week 3 done.  Only 7 more until I have a completely baked, iced and decorated Christmas cake, I am sure this isn't long enough!!
My fruit for my cake has been soaking since the weekend in Brandy, I am turning it every day to ensure that it is totally soaked ready for when I need to make my cake in 2 weeks time, so that I can take it to class in November ready to marzipan, by then the fruit should be very boozy!!
Firstly we had to trace our arches and arrows onto tracing paper, then transfer this onto our cardboard, and cut this out to make our templates.  This took me back in time to being at school, as I am sure I haven't used tracing paper since then!
We then had to roll out our flower paste and cut out using our templates, we needed 5 large arches, 6 small arches and 2 arrows this was a little difficult as I didn't seem to have the correct flower paste, mine appeared to be an off white colour as opposed to everyone else's pure white flower paste, we then had to press out the snowflakes and keep these separate as these will become part of the overall decoration.
The time went so quickly tonight 9pm came around too quickly as I was enjoying myself so much, my only compensation for the time was that I had actually run out of my flower paste and I was feeling rather tired.

Well here is my finished arches, arrows and snowflakes.

These are now being left to completely dry out with my cake board.  We have made extras in case any of them break.
I am thinking however about making some more in the correct pure White flower paste. Well I left a bit disappointed as we have no lesson for the next 2 weeks, as the school are having an open evening, and then the following week is half term.  So 2 weeks off, what am I going to do?.... Make my cake during half term, and make more of these but after that who knows...

Week 2

Week 2 is here and I am quite excited about tonight, as it's hands on time.
We all came in laden down with our bags heaving with all the supplies we need for this course. We were shown how to make mini piping bags from baking parchment (apparently this is better than greaseproof paper) which will be used for our forthcoming royal icing piping.
We then watched as we were shown exactly what we would be doing with our sugar paste and how this is applied to the cake board.
I was a bit apprehensive about starting out but soon got into the swing of things once I was kneeding and rolling the paste, then it was just a case of trying to roll the paste out to a big square big enough to cover our board, remembering to only keep it about 3mm thick. I was next painting my board a bit and trying to roll the rolled out paste onto my new rolling pin without it sticking!!
Whoopee this worked fine.  I then just had to try and trim the icing to fit the board exactly.
Once I was happy with my covered board I moved onto practising with the crimper's and embossers. Once I had the hang of this I then chose an embosser to cover the edges of my board with.
I think for a first attempt I am quite happy with my outcome.
This board is now stored for a few weeks to totally dry out.
Next week will see us making models.
Well this is me for tonight.  I really need to think about putting my fruit into soak with some Brandy.  Think I might even enjoy a little tipple!

Week 1

Well Week 1 was last Wednesday, this was a get to know you session.
We had break the ice questions to find out about our fellow cake decorators.
Health and safety advise and general information about this 10 week course.
A lot of paperwork was forthcoming my way and I am positive about the 9 weeks ahead.
Must start looking into making purchases for all my goodies before next week.