Well the cake went much better than the buttercream ones I'd done earlier this week so am really considering switching over to it now.  I've just asked the lady who I'm doing a cake for next week and she's more than happy to have ganache on there too so maybe its not going to be as much of a problem as I thought (fingers crossed anyway!)  I do think I need more practice to get it perfect but I'm going to watch some more videos on youtube to get a better finish with the ganache but its so much nicer to work with than buttercream isn't it.  Thanks again for all your help x

Hi Emma,

Here is the video I have followed to cover around the cakes with ganache, 

HTH. 

Can I ask please; when making ganache, what is the right cream to use (I've often read that the cream should have 35% fat content? How do you check this to see please?)

Say if I went to a supermarket like Tesco or Morrisons; would it be Whipping Cream? Or Double Cream?
Thanks you.

A

Hi, you can make ganache with whipping cream as well as double cream. But I prefer using double cream and I use Elmla which has a long best before date. :)

AI always use double. I tried elmlea once, it was weird!!

AI use double cream 2:1 choc to cream ratio, I buy my cream from Costco in 1l bottles for 1.99 from Costco and it has a fairly long date on it x x

A

Yes, it's much thicker than sainsbury's double cream. :D

AI personally always use whipping cream as that has a 35% fat content compared to double cream which is 48%. They both work and both make ganache, I know Paul Bradford uses double cream, but I prefer whipping cream. Personal preference I guess.

I use whipping cream as I get on better with it when making ganache and I went on a chocolate making course and was shown making ganache using it so it was what I've used since then.  

Thanks for the links bashnini I'm going to watch those later x

Thanks a lot for all your recommendations . I don't know if I'm not looking at it right; but I'm not sure where precisely to check for the fat content. My local store is Morrisons and when I look at the back of their cream tubs; I'm not sure exactly which is the fat content. I'll upload pictures of both the double cream and whipping cream tubs.

DOUBLE CREAM TUB:

WHIPPING CREAM TUB:

Going by those pictures; what are the fat contents in both please. Thank you

AWell the double is 50.5 and the whipping 38.7

It's per 100ml so that easily becomes percentages.

AGrams and ml only equate when it is water. If the substance is more dense (lipids = weight and viscosity) then the equality ratio grams:ml doesn't work x x x x therefore your percentages will be different xxxxx

ANot enough to worry about

Thanks to everyone who helped.

Hello Ladies, a quick hello from another UK girl here.  I have learnt so much just reading this forum, and watching some recommended tutorials online, and I have recently invested in an Eddie Spence book (so much that I want to try to do with RI from that book)...I was looking for cake decorating courses in my town, and there is a small business/shop who runs 'cupcake classes', and the local adult education centre runs a termly  (10 week) course for £92.50.  I much prefer doing cakes, and have attempted several different cakes with sugarpaste and even managed a figure for my husband's 40th, so probably am not a TOTAL beginner.

The adult course talks about this;

...This course is designed to cover basic techniques in cake decorating and flower modelling.
Each medium will be covered progressively, enabling students to learn professional techniques. These include:
Butter cream: Coating a sponge cake; using piping skills to include shell, scrolls, line work; swirls for cup cakes and piped roses directly on to the cake.
Sugar paste: Coating a cake: gaining knowledge of modern design; using texture techniques; using moulds and patchwork cutters; modelling figures.
Royal icing: Coating a cake; develop basic piping skills to include run out techniques; piped lace; cornelli work; brush embroidery.
Flower modelling: Using flower cutters: hand pulling flowers; understanding colouring techniques; assembling a spray of wired sugar flowers.
This is an ideal course for those who may be considering starting their own business from home, or wishing to learn for their own pleasure.
For more information contact...

Does £92 sound a reasonable cost as I'm not sure of the going rate nationally, there is also a second course run by the same person focussing solely on sugar flowers ( wiring etc.)...I'm not sure if she will be showing things I've already mastered, or if it would be useful to be shown the proper way and so consolidating my skills.  Do you think this sounds worthwhile for this price?

The other problem is my working shifts (NHS) I can't guarantee getting EVERY Weds evening free! So may end up missing a class or 2!

Morning Spireite,

I'd say that sounds quite cheap for 10 weeks.  I did a 1 day (about 4 hrs) chocolate course once and that was about £60 but they provided all the chocolate we were working with.  Maybe check exactly what they provide and what you are expected to bring?  If they provide all the fondant etc, I'd say it's a bargain!  It's difficult for long courses if you are self taught because there will inevitably be things you already know that are repeated so you have to work out if the stuff left over that you want to learn is worth it.  Even still, the instructor may show different ways of doing things which make your life easier!

Hope you enjoy it :-) x

Usually at college, you're expected to bring everything you need yourself.

I do think that that's a fantastic price - even bringing everything yourself....  you're paying the tutor under £10 per lesson!

Suzanne x

Hi, I'm a UK Expat from Leeds, now living in Granada Spain and had a bakery here for the past 13 years almost ready for retiring. You mention your paperwork, well I have use the 'CAKE BOSS' software which is advertised on this site for a few years now and find works absolutely fine. Keeps track of your recipes, ingredients, costs, Your labour costs, profit margins and discounts, delivery charges, and produces invoices, payment deposits and due settlement dates and much, much more. Well worth the small investment.

Regards

Mister Paul

I just got a text from a friend asking is I am able to do 2 colour piped icing as Mary Berry did on GBBO this evening!!! She found such a simple technique very impressive

AWhoever started this thread is amazing.

AHi, does anyone know where I can get this in the UK

[IMG ALT=""]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3137363/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

I can't see it properly - it's too small....  what cutter is it and what sort of size are you looking for?

AIt's a hibiscus cutter, will try to post a better photo[IMG ALT=""]http://cakecentral.com/content/type/61/id/3137381/width/500/height/1000[/IMG]

AThat's from Jennifer Dontz' website. http://www.jenniferdontz.com/Hibiscus-Large_p_1424.html I've ordered from her before and she is very helpful and makes it so the shipping costs from the US are reasonable. I would definitely recommend her.

AThe product is by cakes by ximena http://shop.cakesbyximena.com/product.sc?productId=134 I haven't ordered from her before.

AI visited her stand at the NEC on Friday and they were so disorganised and borderline rude. They have a cutter that I really wanted so I put up with it.

I attended a demo in the demonstration theatre with her and it was so bad. She was disorganised and made some comments that made my jaw drop.

1- She said customs officials in Australia were all stupid because they confiscated her sugar pieces when she went there to teach a class.(Um, it's her responsibility to find out what she's allowed to bring into a foreign country.)

2- Edible shellack (I can't remember what it's really called!) isn't allowed on planes because it's highly flammable, but if you pour it over into another container without a label it won't be confiscated because they won't know what it is. (Um, there's a REASON flammables aren't allowed on board a plane. Remind me to never get on the same plane as Ximena).

3- It's okay to use non-toxic pens and markers to write and draw on cakes because they're non-toxic. (I don't know what to say about this, really. I mean, how can someone be so dumb? Non-toxic does not mean edible.)

Now, when I think about it, I really wish I hadn't purchased that cutter and given her my business.

AThanks, will try Jennifer Dontz

AHi all, this may sound a daft question, i've looked at all the comments and people favour ganache under sugarpaste, but what about the colour?wouldnt it show underneath the white or light icing?

Nope.

Firstly, you could always use a white chocolate ganache under white sugarpaste if you were worried.

But I regularly use chocolate buttercream underneath white sugarpaste.  You're not rolling the sugarpaste sooooo thinly it would show.