A Thread for all UK bakers!! - Page 155

heres the main website - http://www.bsguk.org/ you have to be a member first, which is about 23 pounds, plus the basic insurance for around 17, and both run from april to march every year no matter when you sign up but you can do it all online which is good. i received my certificates really quickly afterwards in the post.

thanks for your reply. I am relatively new to cake making and decorating so definately on a learning curve at the moment. regarding the swiss meringue butter cream I use it says in the recipe is good for 2/3 days. please excuse my ignorance but what is IMBC and what is the recipe? I would want the cake to be good for at least a week, giving me 3 days for decorating and person it is for another 3/4 days to eat it. So the buttercream you are using that is good for a week sounds great to me.

I do always sift my icing sugar and usually whip the butter till soft; maybe I should be whipping it for longer? could this resolve grittiness?

Wonderful thanks Jilly! I am now officially all, wel, official! Website is up and running, started a blog too.

Can I ask how people work out their pricing on cakes? I know exactly what each recipe costs and its packaging etc but how do you decide how much is suitable for your time?

Sorry to be a pain, but how do you find out how much of your utility bills you can claim back as expense ie water, gas and electricity?

This is the tutorial I use when making meringue buttercreams.

http://fromscratchsf.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/tutorial-swiss-meringue-buttercream/

In the comments she mentions shelf life,

"SHELF LIFE! I knew I was gonna forget something in this post great question. You should have no problem with this under fondant for 3 days assuming its not warmer then 75 degrees in your kitchen (actually, Id probably not want to get warmer then 72). After I make this I rarely refrigerate except when trying to firm it up to scrape it smooth (it does not crust so the best way to get straight edges is to smooth as best you can, pop into freezer for 15 minutes, or until you touch the buttercream and you dont leave a fingerprint, take it out and scrape the sides and top with a bench scraper) or if Im covering in fondant.
I have eaten this after its been left out for 7 days and noticed only a slight flavor staleness, but that could have been from the cake, since the cake was probably at the end of its life."

IMBC (Italian Meringue Buttercream) is the same as SMBC except it is made using different techniques.

I use this recipe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kdu7xn3x4Q

I whip my egg whites and heat my sugar syrup. I add the sugar syrup to the egg whites whisking it at high speed, as soon as the meringue mixture reaches a luke warm temperature I add all the butter. I then whip it on low until the buttercream is ready. Never had this recipe fail.

Re the shelf life: As with any food items it's always recommended you consume within 'x' amount of days. The daffodil cake in my photos, I told the person I made it for that the only day I could get it ready for them to collect was on the Sunday (working around my shifts at the Prison) but they wouldn't be cutting it until the Thursday. I started making it on the Thursday before and they said it was amazing. I've done experiments of leaving it out and eating it on cupcakes and I've never been ill or noticed any difference in taste.

I would try beating the butter for a bit longer, and when you have added the icing sugar just leave it running in the mixer for an extra 10 minutes or something like that.

I'm going to try making a chocolate frosting (butter + icing sugar + cocoa powder) in a couple of days. I don't like my IMBC recipe when it has chocolate added, or maybe I should try adding milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate. Anyway, more experiments coming up lol.

thanks Lisapeps that was really useful. will have to try mixing up the buttercreams again and do a taste test.

have we seen this cake pop maker, pricey at 180 pounds but if you make 100s of these it makes them easier to churn out i guess....http://www.thecakedecoratingcompany.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=338_347&products_id=3411

Does not look like its worth that amount of money I would rather get an edible printer

I seen in an earlier page someone talking about The Mat, I can't find it again. Can we get it in the uk.

I have another question, I currently make my cakes in two pans as I find when I make a deep cake it takes ages to cook so the crust is burnt and has to be cut away. I have only been doing this for 6 months, is there a secret I don't know yet or should I continue with two pans

I ordered mine from them on ebay
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Sweetwise-Cake-Supplies?_trksid=p4340.l2563

Hi
If your larger cakes are doing this then you either need to speed up the cooking of the centre or slow down the edges. I would suggest a cake nail or two (basically like a large very flat flower nail) there's a thread on here somewhere discussing them that will help you. To slow down the cooking on the edges you need to wrap your tin, I'd start by putting a collar of newspaper around the tin, as for cooking an old fashioned Christmas cake, if that makes a difference consider if it's worth your while to get bake even strips. If the top is darkening then once it is dark enough pop a piece of tin foil shiny side to the cake over the top.

HTH
If it doesn't make sense just ask.

Yours aye
Puss

Thanks I had been thinking about the strips. I hadn't heard of cake nails, ill have a look for them.

I will also look on eBay for the mat, it sounds great.

Thank you both for your help

Don't bother with the strips you can make your own. Get an old towel, cut it into strips which are long enough to fit around the circumference of your pans and about 3" tall (for 3" pans, 2 for 2 etc...). You soak them in water, ring them out slightly so they are still quite wet but not dripping, then wrap them around your pans and secure with a safety pin. Helps your cake bake level as well.

Great tip thanks, and a lot cheaper