Jade8, an afterthought... there are imitation flavorings for many liqueurs. I think Lorann has a brandy. I think the alcohol contributed to the unique flavor.

Charmed, i have no experience with carving, but know that the book has 3 chapters on cakes: pound cakes, butter cakes and foam cakes. And then the buttercreams and fillings. Pound cakes might be good for carving? He's got a special one there called LCD that people rave about.

When I bake from his book, what I like the most is the way he simplifies everything. Get all the powders in one container, get all the liquids in another container, and all the creaming ingredients and flavors in another. Then do the mixing really fast. All his recipes are set up in this organized way.

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/book-review-cake-love-how-to-bake-cakes-from-scratch-090748

Ok, you all have made me want this book. Quick, where's my Borders coupon?!!!!

Peer pressue is crazy! lol. Good thing it's postive! Y'all just made me buy it on b&n.com. Too bad it's not offered on my nook, but it's ok. I'm so excited. I even signed up for a trial membership with them to the get the free express shipping.

I just started that free shipping too. I am a cookbook addict.

What exactly is half and half? I remember it from when I was in America, but don't know what it actually is. Is it half whipping cream, half trim milk? What are the two halves made of?

scp1127
thanks, i didnt think to use loranns.
zespri, here in canada half and half is about 10% mf in cream. it might be a bit higher elsewhere. i read somewhere that you can use equal parts whole milk and whipping cream to get half and half if you cant find it there.

Zespri,

http://www.finecooking.com/item/5403/half-and-half

Substitutes (to make 1 cup):

3/4 cup whole milk and 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream.

Or,

1 tablespoon melted butter and enough whole milk to equal 1 cup.

I thought once it would be equal parts of each liquid, but I read that it isn't because you would arrive at too high a fat content.

I've used the melted butter on milk because most of the time that's what I have.

thank you!

Good information, imagenthatnj

Most organic and or health food stores carry flavourings that have no alcohol in them.
There is a whole line.

I use the syrups that are flavored for coffees in place of liquors, side by side nobody can tell the difference.

Evaporated Can Milk has the same fat content of half and half or light cream is another lable for it.

I just bought my vanilla beans from Olive Nation. They were a good price and they were beautiful. Tomorrow I am getting a shipment of pure raspberry and strawberry extract. They had brandy flavoring. I will report on the quality of the extracts when they come in. I have a very low tolerance for alcohol abuse, so I like to think it was put here as a wonderful ingredient for food.

lelka, did you use the nibs in your chocolate buttercream? I made it today without them (didn't have any) and it was much lighter than the book color. The method and the final result were fantastic... pastry cream chocolate buttercream. But I do think the nibs are a must or exchange with more cocoa powder.

When I made it with nibs, my customers thought it had nuts in it. Although I did like it, I make it without them. I do add just a tad little bit more cocoa though. His coconut buttercream is luscious!!! But peanut BC has more peanut flavor, and I cant help myself and always add a couple of tbs of peanut butter to make it stronger. Oh, you can find nibs in Whole foods, just for somebody who is looking for them

Okay, I guess I have to purchase this book!!!!

Thanks, lelka. Iwill try the peanut butter buttercream next.

Lelka, you were right. The chocolate buttercream was voted better by all of my family of taste testers over a butter based chocolate buttercream and IMBC with fine chocolate. It's a winner! Thanks again!