FALL 2013
M A G A Z I N E
THE Information Source for Home Bakers & Sugar Artists
Sculpting Your Cake Career: Advice from the amazing Mike McCarey
Food Network Award Winner
Lauren Kitchens dishes on cake mix vs. scratch Learn to paint with cocoa butter:
Tips from groundbreaking artist Lisa Berczel
How-to projects from PLUS: Norman R. Davis and Zane Beg of
Norm & Zane The Sweet Life LLC
W W W. E D I B L E A RT I ST S N E T WO R K . C O M
Table of Contents FEATURES
10 I’ll Show You Mine If You Show Me Yours by Lauren Kitchens Learn about cake mixes vs the scratch cake with Lauren
16 On Cakes & Capitalism by Michelle Howard Words of Wit & Wisdom from Sculptor Mike McCarey
32 Websites 101 by Michelle Howard Every business these days has to have a website. Let Michelle teach you the basics.
54 Cake Pops for Production by Jennifer Cucci Learn how to “pop” your profits
69 Three Cheers for Cakenweenie! What happens when 100 cake artists collaborate to celebrate the birthday of an avant-garde icon? Cakenweenie!
DEPARTMENTS (in every issue) 4 From the Director 6 Cakegirls – Mary & Brenda Maher 45 Facebook Tips from Ken 46 Perfectly Perfect Cake Consultation by Jay Qualls 60 Ask Our Experts 68 Free Baked with Chef Charity 88 Edible Art of the Day 90 Edible Artist On the Rise by Gracie Prainito 92 What’s New and What’s Hot 94 Incredible Edible Art
TUTORIALS 6 Kitty Cat in a Pumpkin Cake - by Mary & Brenda Maher - Cakegirls
On The Cover This 3 foot tall Scooby Doo themed cake was done by Mike McCarey for an episode of Cake Challenge on the Food Network. SCOOBY-DOO and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and ©Hanna-Barbera.
24 Edible Photographs Cake Tutorial by Ted Scutti and Adam Starkey 36 Fall Fabric Flower Cupcakes - by Autumn Carpenter 40 Here comes Suzie Snowflake - by Norm R. Davis 48 Painting with Colored Cocoa Butter - by Lisa Berczel 62 Topiary Tree Tutorial - by Nicole Lang 72 Stenciled Holiday Cookies - by Carol Bova 76 The Art of Shoe Making - by Zane Beg 82 Gelatin Turkey - by Michaelle Stidham www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 3
From the Director
Fall 2013 Issue
www.edibleartistsnetwork.com
Editorial Joanne Prainito Creative Director & Founder joanne@edibleartistsnetwork.com Cheryl Naughton Publisher & Founder cheryl@edibleartistsnetwork.com Michelle Howard Editor info@edibleartistsnetwork.com Mary & Brenda Maher – Cakegirls Contributors Contributors Zane Beg Lisa Berczel Carol Bova Autumn Carpenter Chef Charity Jennifer Cucci Norm R. Davis Ken Fehner Lauren Kitchens Nicole Lange Ted Scutti & Adam Starkey Michaelle Stidham Jay Qualls Grace Prainito Editorial Offices P.O. Box 870614 Stone Mountain, GA 30087 Advertising Cheryl Naughton 404/838-8375 cheryl@edibleartistsnetwork.com Production Samantha Laskowski - Graphic Designer sam@samldesign.com Subscription Services
As the weather starts to change, summer has officially come to an end. What a fantastic summer it has been! We took the entire family to ICES in Lexington, Kentucky, where we were surrounded by incredible people. The time in our booth was amazing! We met so many of our readers and had a blast. Gracie was in her glory and filled her autograph book to the rim with celebrity autographs. And during our ICES journey, a new venture came to life.
We’re excited to announce the launch of our newest column, “Ask Our Experts,” which puts you in touch with some of the industry’s greatest leaders to get answers to your toughest questions regarding your sweet treasures. In this issue, you’ll meet our all-star cast: Kathleen Lange, Instructor/Master Cake Design Artist; Peggy Tucker, Professional Cake Designer and Certified Master Sugar Artist; Chef Mike E. Terry, Certified Master Sugar Artist and Retail Bakers Association Approved Instructor; and Sidney Galpern, Certified Professional Chocolatier, Cake Designer and Sugar Artist. Simply email your questions to experts@edibleartistsnetwork.com for your chance to have them answered in the magazine. Our team will review all submitted questions and collaborate with one another to decide which one(s) to address in the next issue. Don’t be shy – email us today! Now, off to my hometown – Chicago – for the Chicago Fine Chocolate and Dessert show. EAN is sponsoring this event and will be featuring an all-star lineup of FREE demonstrations throughout the weekend. Included will be demos by: Michelle Boyd, Good Gracious Cakes; Peggy Tucker, School of Cakeology; Alejandra Morin, The Marshmallow Studio; Mark Lie, A Piece of Cake; Jennifer Cucci, The Best Cake Pops; Diane Simmons, Cake Connection; Rebecca Wortman, Imagine Something Sweet; Chef Mike Terry, Certified Master Sugar Artist; and Chef Joshua Simpson, Twisted Fig INC. Oh, and I’ll be there demonstrating, too. Please come by and say hello! In addition to demonstrations, we’ll be showcasing an amazing sugar gallery at the Chicago show. Don’t miss this chance to stroll through it and see these awesome showpieces up close. The entire show will be an event you won’t want to miss! Plan to join us at Navy Pier, October 18 – 20. Visit http://www.chicagochocolatefestival.com/welcome.html for more details. See you soon, and stay sweet!
Joanne
To subscribe to the magazine please visit http://tinyurl.com/eansubscribe Edible Artists Network Magazine is published 4 times per year by Edible Artists Network, LLC., P. O. Box 870614, Stone Mountain, GA, 30087. Copyright 2013 by Edible Artists Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission. For reprints of any article please contact the editor.
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www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com Background Image © Konstiantyn - Fotolia.com • Pumpkin Image © Jenifoto - Fotolia.com
t a C y t t Ki in a What you need:
A Tutorial By: Mary & Brenda Maher, Cakegirls
e k a C n i Pumpk
2 - 1/2 Ball Cakes, Frozen Until Just Firm Swiss Meringue Buttercream 1 1/2 Lb. Orange Fondant 8 Oz. Yellow Fondant 8 Oz. Black Fondant
DOWNLOAD THE PDF
4 Oz. White Fondant 10” Round Silver Drum Copper Luster Dust Paintbrushes 18G Wire Offset Tapered Spatula #9 Oversized Open Piping Tip Piping Bag Flower Leaf Modeling Tool Craft Knife Ribbon
Cakegirls is an online D.I.Y. cake supply where you can find easy, modern how-to’s, products and inspiration to “make the cake and throw the party.” All the products/instructions seen in the project can be found at http://thecakegirls.com/projects.html
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THE E R A P E R STEP 1: P TAIL , Y T T I K , BOARD RN O C Y D N AND CA
Roll the yellow fondant as thinly as possible and larger than the cake drum. Brush the top of the cake drum with a thin coating of water and place the fondant on top. Trim the excess fondant with a craft knife.
1 Next, prepare the kitty cat head using 2 1/2 oz. of black fondant. Start by shaping the fondant into an oval ball. Gently pinch the top edges of the oval to create ears. Use your hands to smooth the surface of the face, slightly flatten the outer edges and to taper the head into a more finessed shape. For the eyes: Flatten tiny balls of yellow, black and white fondant into various size discs and layer them onto the face using a touch of water to adhere. For the nose: Use a very tiny pinch of orange fondant shaped into a triangle and attach with a touch of water. STAND THE HEAD UP TO DRY SO THAT IT HAS A FLAT SPOT ON THE BOTTOM WHICH WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO SET ON THE CAKE.
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Kitty Cainta
For the tail: Knead 1/2 oz. of black fondant and create a sausage shape. Continue to roll and smooth until the tail is 3” long or so. Clip a 4 1/2” wire and dip the end in water. Insert into the sausage, leaving 3” exposed. Continue to thin the end of the tail and curl to add more character. Set aside to dry.
Pumpkin Cake
Roll out 3 ropes of fondant in orange, yellow and white. Place them next to each other and brush with some water in between to stick them together. Let them sit for a minute to adhere and then roll them out into a 1/4 inch thick strip. Use a knife to cut them into triangles to mimic candy corns.
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KE & A C E H T E STEP 2: IC CREAM R E T T U B ADD TEXTURE
Remove the cakes from the freezer and use a knife to remove any over baked bumps. Cut a flat spot on the rounded side of each ball about 3 1/2” in diameter.
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3 Place the cake on an extra cardboard circle and sandwich the layers with buttercream. Roughly ice the cake.
Fit a piping bag with the #9 oversized tip and fill with buttercream. Pipe evenly spaced, heavy, vertical lines on the outside of the ball, extending just past the top of the cake and leaving space in between each line. Place the cake in the fridge until firm, 20-30 minutes. Once firm, remove the cake from the fridge. Wash your hands with hot, soapy water and dry. Then use the warmth of your fingers to smooth the buttercream, softening the ridges a bit and making the buttercream more integrated into the shape of the cake. This step may take 15 minutes or so.
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Next, use the offset tapered spatula to scrape out the eyes, nose and mouth of the pumpkin’s face. Make them proportionate to the size of the pumpkin and use your finger again to soften the edges. Place the cake in the fridge until firm.
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Roll out the orange fondant 1/8” thick and large enough to cover the pumpkin. Using your hands, drape and smooth the fondant on the cake, using your fingers to press the fondant into the creases and cavities of the cake to preserve the details. Remove any excess fondant at the bottom with a craft knife.
STEP 3: C OVER THE PUMPKIN IN FONDA NT & ADD DE TAIL
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2 Next, using the flower leaf tool, make vertical indentations between the bumps to give some character.
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Roll out some yellow fondant and cut a circle to fit the top of the pumpkin, adhering with a little water. Next, cut out the eyes, nose and mouth for the pumpkin face, retrim to fit as necessary and adhere. Dip a paintbrush in dry copper luster dust and dab off the excess onto a paper towel. Brush onto the crevices and creases of the cake to create dramatic shading. Continue to add more layers of dust as necessary. Flatten two small balls of orange fondant and place on the cake for the eyes. Refrigerate the cake for 20 minutes or so to firm up before transferring to the fondant board.
STEP 4: FINISH & ASSEMBLE Brush some of the glue on the bottom of the cat head and adhere to the top of the cake. (Prop with wire or toothpicks while it dries if necessary) Attach the tail in the same manner. Use two 1/2 oz. pieces of black fondant and shape them into paws and attach over the edge of the pumpkin with glue.
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1 Start by using a spatula to transfer the cake to the finished board, using a little buttercream to adhere. Next, make an edible glue by taking a pea sized ball of white fondant and mashing it with a few drops of water in a cup. Continue to add drops of water until the consistency is like thick glue.
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Finish the cake by adhering black fondant dots on the board, candy corns and a wire handle. Glue edge with ribbon.
e n i M u o Y I’ll Show s r u o Y e M w o h S u o Y If
Cake Mix vs. The Scratch Cake By Lauren Kitchens
(If you bake your cakes from scratch, this article is not for you.) Shortly after graduating college, in an effort to take my cake obsession to the next level, I got a job at a cake supply store. I ran the cash register, restocked cookie cutters, and listened to the mesmerizing conversations of the women who shopped and attended classes at the store. The one topic that always came up was the controversy over cake mix versus a cake made from scratch. The tone was always secretive, in an “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours” kind of way. At the time, around the mid-90’s, there was a lot of shame associated with cake mixes. If a cake decorator of any merit admitted to using a cake mix, the reaction was extreme. Either a frown of judgment or a sigh of relief would come from the person observing this secret information. As a budding cake artist, I never thought using Duncan Hines would be such a fatal flaw. “I’m a cake decorator,” I thought to myself. “I’m not a pastry chef.” I was on a mission to find an easy and fast way to bake my cakes so I could get down to designing and decorating, which is what I love about cakes in the first place. When I was starting out, baking a cake from scratch was tiresome and pricey with unpredictable results. The glorious cake mix was cost effective with reliable moistness and deliciousness. Why all the shame? I continued on my path of cake-discovery and attempted to bake a scratch cake. But time and time again, my clients preferred the soft, sweet cake mix. However if I ever told a client they were eating Duncan Hines cake doctored up with extra ingredients and decadent flavor compounds, they would probably cancel their order simply because it was a cake mix.
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And there was the cause of the Cake Mix Shame: the idea that © Magdalena Kucova - Fotolia.com
anyone can make a successful cake if using cake mixes. Why buy the cake if anyone can make it? Admitting to using a cake mix automatically devalues your work as a cake decorator, a sentiment I find absolutely ridiculous. On that same vein, can we say that a gold-medal winning cake designer who has entered prestigious competitions around the world isn’t as valuable or skilled or worthy because they decorated a Styrofoam cake? Nonsense. I remember a wonderful home-based cake decorator who I met years ago. After making hundreds of wedding cakes for countless brides, her words of wisdom still ring true: “If you crack an egg, then you’re baking from scratch.” Of course, this rationalization was a feeble attempt to lessen the cake mix guilt in all of us. But it does make sense. How far can we take this rationale? There are some commercial cake mixes that are a “just add water” cake mix. There are also some commercial bakeries that purchase sheets of frozen cake from food companies. What’s the limit? What’s the standard? But most importantly, what do you feel most comfortable with in the choices you face? Typically, American clients prefer a light, soft, and sweet cake. When I teach cake classes outside of the US, I show them two cake recipes in the class books, and they look at me funny when they see the word cake mix. “What’s that?” Lucky for me, I also include a wonderful chocolate buttermilk scratch cake recipe as well. I just assumed cake mixes were prevalent in every country. After
finding the opposite to be true, I began to question the history of cake mixes and why they seem to have such a heavy presence in America. After World War II, in the 1940s, food companies made an attempt to market fast and easy food products to their consumers. These were women pushed into the workforce for the first time in history while the men went to war. The food companies appealed to “Rosie the Riveter” by offering ready-to-eat foods like TV dinners, frozen waffles, and cake mix. The consumers bought. The Baby Boomers ate. And so did the subsequent American generations who followed. Americans are a culture raised on cake mix. That’s typically what we know to be the definition of cake. Soft, sweet, spongy breads slathered in sweet butter cream icings. To give a typical American the best scratch cake you’ve ever made in your life, the reaction might be mixed. Scratch cakes are made from simple ingredients with no preservatives or additives that help create the unrealistic fluffy sponge cake we have been hypnotized by for decades. Although cakes made from scratch are not dry, they are dense, not all palettes can make this distinction. In college, I lived in Italy for a few months taking classes, absorbing the sights, but mostly eating. Cake in Italy had a very different definition than the American counterpart. It was dense in texture, filled with candied fruits or nuts, and not as sweet, and never accompanied by icings. That being said, a big chunk of Italian Panetone cake and a cappuccino remains one of my favorite food memories of all time. But my definition of cake is still an American sensibility. www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 11
Even food experts have chimed in on the cake mix discussion. Tom Collichio of Top Chef was quoted as saying, “A A mix (will allow) them to turn out a decent product in a short amount of time. I wouldn’t advocate this in other areas – say, substituting prepared food from a deli case for freshly made.” Alton Brown of the Food Network puts more importance in the creation of fine fillings and buttercream icing. In his opinion the cake is secondary. This thinking may very well come from the idea of the cake as a very plain, sweet, white bread torted in thin sheets and filled with the finest flavors to create a more gourmet dessert. This is the sensibility of a professionally trained chef. Not right or wrong, just different. The difficulty comes from having no right or wrong answer here. And as the cake decorating community grows, cake mix has become a less taboo topic to discuss. The shame is lifting. And as decorators “doctor” their cake mix recipes with different flavor compounds and extracts, adjusting their egg counts and water measurements, all in an effort to create a cake taste that is truly their own, the one goal remains the same for all of us: decorating. Over the years the cake mix has seen many reinventions. The three main players, Duncan Hines, Pillsbury, and Betty Crocker, are not the only companies to produce a commercial grade product. Even cupcake franchises like Sprinkles have manufactured their own cake mixes. Cake celebrities, like Duff “Ace of Cakes” Goldman has his own wacky line of mixes. There are gluten-free mixes and organic cake mixes readily available at most grocery store chains. This is the dawn of a Cake Renaissance. In fact, it has become easy to find healthier cake mix alternatives that appear and taste more like a scratch cake. The demand of the cakebaking consumer to have the ease and consistency of a cake mix will never die. This principle alone will ensure a long life for the cake mix. And as the demand of Americans to eat healthier foods grows stronger, the cake mix, as we know it, will become extinct. Eventually a new cake mix made from real food ingredients will reign supreme.
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Cake is cultural. Cake is also sentimental. It reminds us of our celebrations throughout life. And the type of cake we were raised with seems to define our personal definition of what a cake should be. As cake decorators, one goal is to please our family, friends, and clients with our skill, talent, and sense of style and design. But the final destination of a cake is in the mouth and on the tongue. And if you can find a cake recipe, be it cake mix or a scratch cake, one that has the ability to please the masses, then you are half way to creating the perfect cake.
You might be wondering what type of cake I bake. With almost 15 years of professional cake decorating experience under my belt, as an owner of a commercial kitchen having made countless wedding, groom’s, special occasion, and large-scale sculpted cakes for clients as well as competition cakes on Food Network, which one is it? Scratch or mix? My answer is simple…
I’ll show you mine if you show me yours. Cake mix vs scratch - a much discussed topic. Join Lauren Kitchens and Joanne Prainito in our new forum and share your secrets with us http://tinyurl.com/cakemixforum
Lauren’s Cake Recipes Cake From A Mix
Pour all ingredients in a bowl and mix for two minutes: • One box of Duncan Hines White Cake mix • 3 whole eggs • 1 cup water • 2 tbs oil • 1 box of instant vanilla pudding • 2 tsp of the extract flavor of your choice. Bake in a 9x13 pan or two 8” round pans at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Check for doneness by lightly pressing the center of the cake. If the cake springs back to the touch it’s done. Once the cake has cooled, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill completely in refrigerator before turning out of pan.
Chocolate Buttermilk Cake
In the Spring of 2002, award winning Food Network cake designer Lauren Kitchens started Fancy Cakes by Lauren, a boutique cake studio in Dallas, Texas. Inspried by gowns, art and textile, she quickly became the premiere wedding cake artist in the Dallas wedding industry by working personally with each client ad creating breathtaking cakes that mix contemporary and traditional designs. As an expert cake scultor, Lauren offers here clientele the “impossible” in 3-D cakes. And, as an internation cake instructor, she brings her knowledge of cake to all who want to learn. Lauren shares her expertise with cake professionals and enthusiasts all over the world with a selection of imaginative classes, demonstrations, DVDs and on-line classes from Craftsy.com Join her on Facebook or visit her blog for more information.
www.FancyCakesbyLauren.com
• 1 c. butter (2 sticks butter) • 2 1/4 c. sugar • 2 eggs • 1 tsp. vanilla • 2 c. buttermilk • 1/2 c. cocoa • 3 c. flour, sifted • 2 tsp. baking soda • 1 tsp. salt Cream butter; add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then add vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together and add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Pour batter into 3 (9 inch) layer pans, one a 9” x 13” sheet pan, which have been lightly greased and floured. Bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Check for doneness. Remove from oven and cool in pan. Wrap in seran and chill over night before turning out of pan www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 13
Have Fun with CakePlay’s
New Isomalt Nibs!
Now is the perfect time to try CakePlay’s isomalt nibs. They’re so convenient – decorators at every level of expertise can use them to create sparkling cake decorations in minutes. Just microwave the number of nibs you need, then have fun making gems, pretty dragonflies, flowers and more! CakePlay’s convenient nibs are pre-cooked and pre-colored to give you consistent results every time. No special equipment is needed, so our nibs let you get started right away using kitchen tools you already have on hand. Check out these fun, easy ideas: Pour beautiful butterflies and gems to add sparkle to any cake or pastry Create seasonal decorations, like leaves or hearts, to accent a special-occasion cake
Make a pretty bow and curlicues to create a pretty cake topper, or add realistic sparkle with engagement ring “gems” or elegant brooches.
Learn How with our Tutorials At CakePlay, we know it’s important to show you how to use our products. That’s why we’ve made free videos available on YouTube and on our website at www.cakeplay.com. Just click on our website’s “Information” tab to watch Certified Master Sugar Artist Peggy Tucker show you step-by-step how to prepare and use our isomalt to make stunning cake decorations like a professional.
www.cakeplay.com
CakePlay’s top-quality products and simple-to-follow instructions let you enjoy beautiful results quickly and easily. Discover the fun of playing with our new isomalt nibs. Visit www.cakeplay.com to learn more!
On Cakes & Capitalism:
Words of
Wit & Wisdom
from Sculptor Mike McCarey by Michelle Howard
If Mike McCarey wasn’t so busy churning out up to 1,000 cakes per year from his bustling Seattle-based business, Edible Artists might recommend he work as a career counselor for aspiring cake artists. This gregarious, down-to-earth and extremely successful entrepreneur is an open book, willing to relay his experiences and insight with anyone who asks. Tremendously humble despite his achievements, Mike happily shares his sometimes painfully-earned advice to help move others towards their goals more quickly and easily. “I learned about foundations through the school of hard knocks,” Mike says when asked how he developed the structural methods for his often gravity-defying cakes. “I don’t recommend it. It’s a hard school, and I haven’t graduated yet. I don’t know if I’m ever going to get my degree.” Mike did get a degree in culinary arts straight out of high school. He had inherited artistic interests and abilities from his mother, and at around the age of 15, Julia Child and Gourmet magazine sparked an interest in him for making desserts. When it came time to pick a career in high school, he was torn between going to art school or cooking school, but the opening of a new cooking school in his home state of Colorado helped him with his decision. “Art was great, but it seemed like it would be easier to find work and have a career if I was expressing my artistic side in the food world,” he comments. Though he entered culinary school with the intention Mike’s favorite cakes to make are his daughter’s birthday cakes. “I let her pick the subject, and then I get to do whatever I want within that subject,” he says. When Olivia turned 12, she was “obsessed” with zebras and one of her gifts was a ukulele, so Mike combined the two into one very charming cake.
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of becoming a general chef, his interests focused on pastry arts as his education progressed. “I had some classes with these two pastry chefs who were teaching at the school, and my artistic muse started speaking to me,” he explains. “I liked the artistic world of a pastry chef. The exact measurements, the science and physics of it interested me a lot more than working on a line in a restaurant somewhere. Back then, you couldn’t do a program focused exclusively on being a pastry chef like you can now, so I did the general two-year culinary program, but I knew that as soon as I got out of there, I was going to be a pastry chef.” After graduation, Mike worked for the Sheraton Corporation and the Westin, and soon learned that life as a pastry chef wasn’t for him. “Getting up at 5 in the morning and doing 500 danishes for the shriners was not really answering my artistic muse very well,” he explains. “It was quite a grind, and I was getting burned out.” Occasional breaks from the grind came when he had the opportunity to do a cake, but these opportunities were too few and far between. Eventually, Mike left the hotel world for restaurant and catering company work, where he was able to do more and more occasion cakes. “I sweated and designed every tiny thing on these cakes, and it was some of the most fun I’d had,” he remembers. “That woke me up to what I really wanted to spend time doing.” Mike was living in New York at the time, and after about three years there,
he was ready for a change. He’d been to Washington on vacation and loved the cool weather and lifestyle, so he decided to make it his next home. He took a corporate job making desserts at an AT&T cafeteria for six months, and then went to work for Great Cakes and Edible Monuments, which, he says, inspired his current business model.
Mike’s favorite ingredient is Massa Ticino™ fondant from Carma®. “I’m a huge, huge, huge ambassador. They should pay me – they should give me fondant!” he says, laughing. “For me, in my humble opinion, it’s the greatest fondant of all time. I make that stuff do a lot of weird things that I have not had any success having any others do. Because it’s expensive and doesn’t come in colors, I blend it 50/50 with Satin Ice®, and it works great. Massa Ticino is so stretchy and the table time is long, it’s made my life a lot easier.”
“I’d never worked in a place where it was just cake, where people came in by appointment and ordered what they wanted, and that’s what we produced,” he recalls. He worked there for about two-and-a-half years before opening his current business, Mike’s Amazing Cakes. “That was 17 years ago, before there were any television cake programs or social media,” he recalls, “and the vast majority of the cakes I did were not sculpted.” Sculpted cakes, however, were becoming his main passion. “The first time I’d seen a lot of sculptural elements in cake was in Colette Peters’ first book,” he says. “Colette got us all out of the ‘Wiltonesque’ pink cake box. She broke the sides and the top off that box and got us all thinking about how cakes could be a little bit different.”
But selling that “difference” to the average consumer was tricky. “I was doing some sculpted cakes then, but mostly it was just for my own fun,” he says. “People would see them and say, ‘That’s really weird. Are you the only one in the country who does this?’ And I would tell them no, but I couldn’t tell them where to go to see more of it. The only places you could see sculpted cakes www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 17
Mike’s favorite decorating tool is the enlargement machine at the FedEx office. “I’m probably in there two to three times a week,” he says. He uses the machine to enlarge reference images and create blueprints for his designs.
then were in cake magazines and books. I couldn’t get anyone to spend $200 on a sculpted cake to save my life.” That began to change slowly as more and more people learned about sculpted cakes, first as the word got around locally about Mike’s cakes, and then as more people saw sculpted cakes on the internet. What Mike says made the greatest difference, though, was Food Network Challenge.
“I was in the very first challenge, which was a wedding cake challenge, and everything was very traditional in a sense – tiered, stacked cakes,” Mike recalls. “And for the first few challenges, you’d be criticized if you broke out of that. The first real sculpted cake we ever saw in a challenge was when Elisa Strauss did her sock monkey. I judged that challenge and everybody was excited about that sock monkey but ultimately, it didn’t win.” Later, Mike participated again as a contestant in a challenge and sculpted a matador that was holding a traditional cake. “I got in a little bit of trouble because no one understood why the matador was holding a cake,” Mike laughs. “I said, ‘Because you guys don’t like sculpted cakes, and I have to sculpt, so I did a sculpted cake holding a traditional cake!’” That cake didn’t win either, but Mike says that as more people sculpted throughout the challenges, the tides shifted. “It got to the point where
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when a challenge ended, if you did a tiered cake, you could forget it — you weren’t going to win,” he says. “They didn’t want to see a tiered cake.” The gradual acceptance of sculpted cakes on television has been mirrored in the industry. “Everybody sculpts cakes to some degree now,” Mike comments. “They also do round and traditional cakes — that will never go away — but the amount and the desire to sculpt cakes has really come on since then, and I guess that cake TV is the biggest reason why.” While Mike is known today for his incredible sculpted cakes, he still creates a lot of traditional, tiered cakes at his shop. “We do anywhere from 600 to 1,000 cakes a year,” he says. “That includes basic 6-inch round birthday cakes up to elaborate wedding cakes that don’t look anything “Cars are always my biggest challenge, because you have to slow down to get the dimensions right,” says Mike. “As many as I’ve done over the years, it still takes me longer than I’d like, so I find that a little frustrating.”
like wedding cakes.” Though the sculpted cakes are the most fun to make for the artist, Mike says, “I’ll take as many four-tiered, plain ivory buttercream cakes with a real ribbon around the base that I can get in a day, because my labor is cheapest on that, and I actually make more money on that than I do on anything else.” Although he loves the art, Mike admits that making a living is his primary goal. “I’m a capitalist – I want to make as much money as I can,” he says. “We’re a volume shop, and my secret weapon is my assistant Lana, who has been working with me forever and was on all the cake challenges with me. Lana went to culinary school for two years and then went straight into a place with high production where they were doing 2,000 nineinch cakes a day. I don’t necessarily recommend that, but it gave Lana great production skills, and that can’t be undersold. Learning to do high production is crucial to having a life.” While Mike might not recommend that newcomers to the industry work in a 2,000 cake-a-day facility, he does suggest they work in a production-focused business to develop sound production skills. Conversely, he also recommends working in a shop where the focus is not on production, but on creating elaborate works of art instead. “Try to work for someone like Chris Russom, where the work is massive in scale and it’s not about volume,
but about the project itself,” he advises. “Working in both kinds of places will give you both skillsets – doing something really fabulous and involved and elaborate, and doing production, which will give you more of a life when you’re doing it for yourself.” As for schooling prior to on-the-job training, Mike says to consider what you want out of your career. “If you’re looking to do a lot of volume or do wholesale or want to have a retail component, culinary school probably wouldn’t be a bad idea,” he says. “The one warning I would have for anyone with goals like this is to understand that while artistic reasons might have led you to the field, the more evolved and volume-based your business becomes, the further away you get from your creative efforts.” For those preferring to focus primarily on design work and less on volume, Mike suggests learning as many techniques as possible. “Don’t worry so much about the diploma,” he says. “Take classes at Cake Camp or ICES or go on Craftsy or whatever to learn new techniques and sharpen your skills, from string work and hand painting on cake to working with fondant and making sugar flowers. Acquire these things and add them to your cake decorating gun belt one bullet at a time to expand yourself as an artist.” While cake classes are instrumental to learning cakespecific techniques, Mike also stresses the value of art classes for any cake artist. “I never took any fine art or sculpting classes beyond high school, and I wish I had,” he says. “I’d be a better artist if I took some painting and drawing classes. If I took an anatomy class, I’d be a better sculptor. Karen Portaleo is a great example of how much you can accomplish with an art background. She has a master’s in sculpture and clay, and you can see it in her work. She’s very ‘Leonardo da Vinci’ with her shapes. She looks at sculpture in a classically trained way as an artist with that kind of degree and pedigree. She sees the scale of a structure. She sees the skin going over the muscle and the muscle going over the structure, and this training is reflected in a much more complete, accurate and beautiful presentation.” www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 19
The most unusual cake Mike has been asked to do was for the 90th birthday of one of the two scientists who developed the theory of DNA. “There was a gathering of DNA scientists in San Diego, and they wanted to celebrate his birthday with a 10-foot cake representing a strand of his DNA,” Mike laughs. “It was a little creepy.” Honing one’s fine art skills for cake work needn’t cost a fortune, either. “Community colleges are brilliant at offering continuing education for adults,” he says. “And you don’t have to take a cake airbrush class to learn how to use an airbrush. I always tell students to find a store that sells airbrush supplies, and they’ll have information there on somebody who’s teaching an airbrush class. The same principles in that class will apply to cake. Any kind of art class you take will benefit you in your cake art.” When asked about his “school of hard knocks” for foundations again, Mike says, “I wish I’d paid more attention to physics in high school, because it certainly would be helping me now!” Instead, through trial and error, he has learned and developed a system based on four different foundations to support any type of cake he’s creating.
For even heavier cakes, Mike creates a sort of mechanical clamping device using screw rods, washers and nuts, with a board sandwiched in the middle. This provides added stability. “And if I’m not using that system,” he says, “I’ll use steel plumber’s pipe with a flange. I’ll screw the flange into wood and screw the pipes into the flange, and I’ll stem all of my work off of that.” This kind of system is essential to keeping Mike’s more complex sculptures intact. For projects with a lower profile, no hardware is required. “I’m going have a shoe class coming out on Craftsy early next year,” he says. “And the way I do the support for the shoe is I have a simple dowel in the heel. I make the platform out of art board or poster board, and I make an arch support using foam core to keep the toe up. There’s nothing used that requires a mechanical device to cut it.” Things get more complicated again, though, when it comes to shipping cakes. Mike ships an average of 100 cakes all over the country every year, and has developed a system that has yielded an
For cakes needing the least amount of support, he uses a dowel after decorating. “We’ll run a simple, single dowel down the middle of any cake that’s three tiers or more, after it’s done,” he says. “We’ll then countersink it so that it’s lower than the top level of the cake When Mike found out that and backfill the hole in. If the cake is going his first cooking idol, Julia downtown from our shop, it’s going to go Child, was doing a symposium down a hill that’s a 45-degree angle, so the in Seattle, he volunteered to dowel is needed to hold the cake together.” The next step up from that is a preset dowel Mike creates before decorating. “I make a hole in the board and glue the dowel in place before I do anything with the cake,” he says. “If I need more support than that, I can add right-angle brackets to the base of the dowel to give it more stability.” That keeps heavier cakes from leaning and falling over.
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make a cake for her. He was able to present this whimsical “Julia Child’s Souffle-O-Matic” to her and explain all of its creative details. Though he laughs and says he doesn’t know if she “got it,” he remembers with fondness how nice and gracious she was.
The most challenging cake Mike was ever commissioned to do was an exact, scaled replica of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. “It was 10 feet long with incredibly complicated architecture and a monorail going through it,” he recalls. “We spent two solid weeks on it – the most time I’ve ever spent on a cake.” incredible success rate. “We set up accounts with Continental, United, Alaska and Northwest Airlines,” he says. “I paid about $500 each for them to send someone out to inspect my business to verify that we’re legitimate and that what we’re shipping is just cake. Then we have to do a certain amount of shipping each year to maintain our account.” The investment is well worth it. “I can ship a 24” x 24” x 24” box from Seattle to Miami for about $85 to $100, and it’s even quicker than overnight,” he says. “I take the cake down to the airport about an hour before the flight takes off. I get direct when I can, but that’s not always possible. Then about an hour to two hours after it lands, the client picks it up, so it’s same-day service in most cases, and it’s incredibly cheap compared to a service like Fed-Ex® that would charge me $300 to $500.” Careful planning is key to ensuring that a cake arrives at its destination in perfect condition. Extra steps are taken with every cake that will be shipped to secure it to its base. “The cake is going to go up the same ramp your suitcase does, so it has to be stable enough to go up a 45-degree pitch,” Mike explains. Once a cake is ready to be shipped, it undergoes a rigorous shake test. “We shake it hard for about 30 seconds to make sure nothing is going to come off of it,” Mike says. If it passes the shake test, it then goes into a container built especially for it by Mike and his team. Since the cake has been secured to its base and can stand on its own, packing material is not needed. The container is built featuring rigid acrylic windows on either side to allow light into the box, enabling people to see what’s inside. “This gets the attention of whoever is handling it along the way, and they tend to take better care of it,” Mike explains. www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 21
Of course, deliveries don’t have to be cross country to be disastrous. “We have a procedure in place for all local deliveries,” Mike says. “We have two to four people on our delivery staff at all times, and each one is taught to find the person in charge at every place of delivery, identify themselves and who the cake is for, and have the person accepting the cake sign a sheet and note the time on it.” Seattle, Mike notes, is the second biggest boating community in the country, and is host to a large number of dinner cruises. “There is a certain company that has a huge fleet, and all of their boats look exactly the same,” he explains. “One of my delivery guys took a wedding cake on board one of these boats, found the steward, said he was delivering for the Green wedding, and asked if he was in the right place. The steward said ‘yes,’ signed the sheet, noted the time, and my guy left. No matter how well a cake is secured and packed, though, shipping disasters still can happen. “We had a forklift go through a cake in the Atlanta airport, and another cake disappear into thin air there,” Mike says. “And we had a 12-inch round basketball cake arrive in Pittsburgh as nothing more than a pile of crumbs after being shaken by turbulence for 30 solid minutes. The molecular structure of the cake just couldn’t take it anymore, and it crumbled and fell apart.” To combat these kinds of disasters, Mike ships every cake three or four days before it’s needed. This not only helps in the case of flight delays due to weather or mechanical issues, it also provides time to make and ship a replacement cake, should the original get lost or damaged in transit. “We’ve had to ship a few cakes two times and a couple of cakes three times, but never more than three,” Mike says. “Of the 100 or so cakes we ship in a year, we probably only have problems with three or four of them. As much as we do it, though, we still get nervous every time. It’s hard on the blood pressure and the worst thing I do to myself,” he jokes. “I don’t recommend it.”
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“Now, we always deliver about two hours ahead of events so we have a window,” Mike continues with a smile. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get a call until about 10 minutes before the boat was supposed to take off, asking where the cake was. Somehow, I got ahold of the boat where the cake was delivered, and it had already left. To this day, I don’t know why the steward signed for it – there wasn’t even a wedding on board that boat – but there was nothing I could do. I gave my clients all their money back and we gave them a beautifully decorated anniversary cake the next year. Fortunately, they were very kind about it, but it was awful.”
Mike says the two people he would have loved to have done cakes for given the chance are Jim Henson and Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss). “It’s amazing to me how these worlds that these guys created out of their heads – 100 percent original – are still affecting kids today,” he says.
Though the school of hard knocks has dealt its share of blows to Mike, he continues to dust himself off and keep moving forward. The same creative drive that led him into the cake world years ago still motivates him, while pushing the sculptural boundaries of fondant inspires him to produce even bolder designs. “The most gratifying part of this business is it’s never boring,” says Mike. “Yes, we do a lot of plain buttercream wedding cakes, but that’s what pays the bills and allows us the freedom to do the really fun stuff.” And for this culinary capitalist who once created a cake with a chicken on it for his idol Julia Child, “the really fun stuff” and a positive cash flow make everything else worthwhile.
Want to Sculpt Like a Pro? Have a Dream Cake You’d Like to Make? Let Mike Show You How! Join Mike at his shop in Redmond, Washington for three life-changing days of personalized, hands-on instruction:
November 13 -15, 2013 or December 4 – 6, 2013 Tell Mike about the cake you dream of making, and he and his staff will help you make it a reality. These are the only two custom classes left in 2013, and only four students per class are allowed, so contact Mike’s Amazing Cakes now to reserve your spot! All skill levels welcome!
Call 425-869-2992 or email
cakes@mikesamazingcakes.com Registration: $2,000 per student www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 23
Edible
Photographs Cake Tutorial
The inspiration for this edible photographs cake technique came from a bride-to-be who was a serious amateur photographer. During her wedding cake consultation, the bride asked if it would be possible to place photographs around her wedding cake to tell the story of her courtship. From that request, we developed this edible photographs cake technique that is now a Sugar Sugar Cake Studio signature style.
Equipment Needed: Tailor’s Tape Printer Paper Trimmer Clear Tape Edible Image Printer See-through Ruler Rolling Pin Pasta Machine 2 Fondant Smoothers Scalpel
Materials Needed: Styrofoam Cake Dummies (to match the diameter & height of your cake) Royalty Free Photos Rolled Fondant White Cardstock Icing Sheets Ribbon Solid Vegetable Shortening Gum Paste
Ted Scutti and Adam Starkey are selftaught Sugar Artists. They own Sugar Sugar Cake Studio in Phoenix, Arizona. Their boutique bakery is renowned for luxurious one-of-a-kind wedding cakes. Their sugar art has been featured numerous times in national media. They teach handmade floral and sugar craft classes. Adam and Ted are also the Show Directors for the 39th Annual ICES Convention and Show that will be held July 30-August 3, 2014 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Please visit them at http://www.sugarsugarcakestudio.com
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DOWNLOAD THE PDF
For best results, complete Step 1 through Step 5 in advance. Some of these steps can be timeconsuming and it is best to complete them before the day that you need to decorate your cake.
Step 1
Measure the Circumference of the Styrofoam Cake Dummies
Use the tailor’s tape to measure the circumference of each Styrofoam cake dummy. To allow for the rolled fondant that will cover the real cake, add two inches to your measurement. For this project, the circumference of the top tier was 19 inches and 21 linear inches of photographs were planned. The circumference of the bottom tier was 28 inches and 30 linear inches of photographs were planned.
Step 2
Select the Photographs Select the photographs for each tier of your cake. Confirm that the photographs you plan to use are royalty-free. If a professional photographer took the photos, make sure that you have written permission to use the images to avoid any potential copyright infringement issues. Print the photos using a regular printer; black and white photographs are fine for this step. Use the paper trimmer to cut the excess paper from each photograph. This is an opportunity to crop each photograph to emphasize the portion of the image that you want to see on the cake. For each tier, group the photographs by subject and/or theme to tell a story. Line up the photos in a “filmstrip” for each tier. Look at the flow of the photographs from one to the next. If two dark photographs are next to one another, separate them with a lighter photograph for a more interesting and dynamic composition. Measure the length of the filmstrip to confirm that you will have enough photos to go around the circumference of each tier. Select the last photo with “extra” width on one side that you can crop as you decorate the cake. That extra width on one side will give you a margin of error. You will place the photo with extra width on your cake last to create a perfect fit.
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Step 3
Prepare the Filmstrips
Flip the photographs over for each tier. Keep the photographs in the final order from Step 2. Tape the backs of the photographs into a continuous strip with clear tape. This is now the “filmstrip” that you will use as reference when you decorate the corresponding tier. Number the photographs in each tier; for example, Tier 2 Photo 1, Tier 2 Photo 2, etc.
Step 4
Wrap the Filmstrips around the Styrofoam Cake Dummies
Wrap the filmstrip around the corresponding Styrofoam cake dummy. Confirm that your filmstrip overlaps itself by at least two inches because you added two inches to the circumference of your cake dummy to allow room for the rolled fondant on your real cake. It is desirable if your filmstrip overlaps itself by more than two inches. If your filmstrip does not overlap itself, you need to lengthen the strip. Secure the filmstrip in place with a small piece of tape on each tier.
Step 5
Align the Photographs from Tier to Tier
Stack your Styrofoam cake dummies wrapped in their filmstrips. Rotate the tiers until you find the most pleasing alignment of the photographs from tier to tier. For the front of your cake, it is best to center “whole” pictures from tier to tier rather than centering the “seam” where two photos meet on the front of your cake. Step back and confirm that the arrangement of the photos looks good from tier to tier. If your cake will be centered in the room, walk around it to make sure that the vertical alignment of the photos is pleasing all the way around your cake. Remove the filmstrips. Mark the center photo of each filmstrip so you will remember later which photo is the “front” of each tier.
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Step 6
Create the Cake Height Template
Cover your cakes in rolled fondant. Measure the height of your cakes. Ideally, all of your tiers will be the same height. If not, you will need to create a template for the height of each tier and you will want to label the templates for reference. Cut a piece of white cardstock to the exact height of your tiers using the paper trimmer. This will be your cake height template. Print the photographs for your cakes using the edible image printer and icing sheets. Allow the ink to dry on your photographs and then store the images in the airtight bag that the icing sheets were shipped in to avoid drying them out. Note: If you do not own an edible image printer, you may be able to have them printed for you at a local cake shop or via online vendors. Purchase at least two prints of each photograph in case of any errors.
Step 7
Trim the Edible Photographs for One Tier
Refer to the filmstrip for each tier as a guide to trim the edible photographs. Use a paper trimmer with a sharp blade to cut the edible photographs to size following the filmstrip. A paper trimmer will give you straight, clean edges. Be mindful of what will be cut off in the photograph before you trim it. Make sure that the subject will be properly framed in each edible photograph before you cut it. Use the cake height template to determine where to cut the top and bottom of each edible photograph. Place pieces of the ribbon that you will use to finish the top and bottom of the tier on the top and bottom of each photograph before you trim it to confirm that the image will appear as desired once cut out and framed by the ribbons.
Use the filmstrip as a guide to trim the edges of each edible photograph. Remember the last photo with “extra” width that you can crop as you decorate the cake. At this stage, do NOT cut the side of that photo with the extra width. You will trim the extra edge of that photograph as you decorate the tier. Note: If your photos are saturated with very dark areas (such as photographs taken at night), do not to touch the ink in the saturated areas. Your fingers can pick up the saturated ink and then you can leave fingerprints on the fronts of your photographs. Use a piece of clear plastic over the photos to protect them from fingerprints as you trim them.
Step 8
Trim the Edible Photographs for the Remaining Tiers
Repeat Step 7 for each tier. — Keep your photographs in order by tier following the numbering on the corresponding filmstrip. Store your trimmed photos in the airtight bag that the icing sheets were shipped in to avoid drying them out. Trim all of the photos for your cake before proceeding to the next step.
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Step 9
Mount and Apply the Edible Photographs Refer to the filmstrip for the tier of the cake that you are going to decorate. Lightly apply solid vegetable shortening to your work surface to prevent the gum paste from sticking to it. Roll the gum paste out with a rolling pin to the approximate size of the first photo on the filmstrip for the tier. Run the gum paste through a pasta machine on the first (widest) setting to insure consistent gum paste thickness for all of your mounted photographs. Return the gum paste to your work surface and flatten it again with a fondant smoother. Place your edible photograph over the gum paste to confirm that it is large enough. Lightly apply solid vegetable shorting to the top surface of the gum paste. Make sure that your work surface and hands are free of solid vegetable shortening before you handle your edible photograph to avoid smudging the image. To remove the backing from the icing sheet, place the photograph face down on the work surface and peel the backing up and away from the image to avoid tearing or stretching it. Note: If a photograph persistently stretches or tears as you attempt to remove the backing, it may be that the color in the image is either saturated or still fresh from printing. In either case, place your photograph face up on a work surface to dry in the open air for at least five minutes. Test the photograph every five minutes until the backing peels away cleanly as described above. Center the photograph face up onto the piece of smooth gum paste. The solid vegetable shortening will mount the edible photograph to the gum paste. Gently press the image into the gum paste with a fondant smoother. Be careful not to smear the extra solid vegetable shortening from the edges of the gum paste onto the edible photograph. Trim the excess gum paste around the edible photograph with a scalpel. If your hand is not steady, use a seethrough ruler as a guide. There should be no visible gum paste around the edges of the photograph.
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Lightly apply solid vegetable shortening to the entire side of your fondant covered cake, but do not bring the shortening up over onto the top of the tier. Pick up the mounted edible photograph and apply it to the cake starting at one edge and aligning the image to the bottom of the tier as you go. Take your time with this process. The solid vegetable shortening will adhere the gum paste under the edible photograph to the cake. Use a fondant smoother to gently press the edible photograph onto the side of your cake. Use the straight edge of a fondant smoother to insure that both edges of the applied photograph are straight and square. Use the fondant smoother to insure the top edge of the applied photograph is flat with the top of your tier. Repeat Step 9 for all the edible photographs on this tier except for the last photograph with the extra width. As you apply photos next to each other, use the fondant smoother to bring the photographs together with a tidy “seam.� Note: If you are decorating a chilled cake, the edible photographs will adhere very quickly to the side of your tier.
Step 10
Mount and Apply the Last Edible Photograph
Follow Step 9 to mount the last photograph for your tier onto gum paste. Except for the side with “extra” width, trim the excess gum paste around the edible photograph with a scalpel. Measure the width you need for this photo on the side of your tier with the tailor’s tape. Measure that same width on your last photo and add ¼” to the “extra” edge for a margin of error. Use a see-through ruler as a guide to trim the “extra” edge. There should be no visible gum paste around the edges of the photograph. If needed, lightly apply solid vegetable shortening to the remaining undecorated area on the side of your fondantcovered cake. Pick up the mounted edible photograph and apply it to the cake starting at the regular edge and aligning the image to the bottom of the tier as you go. The “extra” side will be the last you apply to the cake. If there is any overlap with this photograph and the one beside it, trim the excess with your scalpel. Use a fondant smoother to gently press the edible photograph onto the side of your cake and to smooth the seams on both sides. Use the fondant smoother to insure the top edge of the applied photograph is flat with the top of your tier. Note: Repeat Step 9 and Step 10 for each tier in your cake.
Step 11
Apply Ribbon to the Top and Bottom of the Tier
Complete the tier by applying ribbon to the top and bottom of each tier. The ribbons will further secure the edible photographs to the side of your tier, which is especially important if you need to transport your decorated cake for final setup. Repeat Step 11 for each tier. Note: For a cake using color edible photographs, select a color of ribbon that complements the images. For a cake using black and white edible photographs, use a black ribbon for contrast. When you stack the decorated tiers, refer to the filmstrips to make sure that you correctly align the center photograph on each tier.
Photography Credit
The wedding photographs that decorate the cake in this project are all by Tracy Kreck of Photographic Passion. The photographs were used with permission.
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Website 101 Building a site that means business.
Every business these days has to have a website. For a business centered on a visual product like cakes, an attractive, well designed and user friendly website is critical. Getting there, for those who prefer sugar flowers over software and piping over copywriting, can seem a daunting task. Fortunately, there are many do-it-yourself website building tools now available that simplify the process, even for those who are technologically challenged. Do a little research, find the website builder software package that fits your needs and budget, and check out user reviews and expert recommendations. Then, once you’ve decided on which one is for you, get to work with the following guidelines in mind.
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Images are everything!
When it comes to cakes, you can tell people you can create “anything their imaginations can dream up,” but seeing is believing. Even if every single cake you design is completely custom made, you need to show examples of your work (and plenty of them!) to entice potential customers to contact you. A prospective client’s buying decision starts with seeing what you create. Take well-lit, sharply focused photos of your work from various angles, and include close-ups. Make sure the software package you use offers a function that allows site visitors to automatically enlarge photos if they want a closer look. If visitors can’t see details, they’ll go elsewhere. Also, be sure you have photo editing software to do any needed touching up, cropping, brightening or color correcting to your photos prior to uploading them to your site. Don’t go overboard with photo editing, though. Keep dimensions the same as your originals so as not to distort your images, and don’t incorporate things like “soft focus” filters that will downplay the details you work so hard to create.
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When uploading images, save them at no higher than 100 dpi. Higher resolutions, while ideal for photo printing, are not conducive to web design, as they will cause your site’s pages to load slowly. If your pages load too slowly, visitors will lose interest quickly and leave your site, causing you to lose a potential sale. Finally, it should go without saying, but never, ever use photos of work that’s not yours on your site, even if it’s meant only to be an example of what you can do. If you want to show a type of cake on your site and you don’t have any pictures of it, make it! Either make a display cake with decoration only or, if you’re feeling altruistic, find a cause to donate the cake to so your creation has a dual purpose – providing an image for your website and philanthropy.
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Home Sweet Home
First impressions are always important, and the Web is no different. That’s why it’s critical that your website has a really great home page. Your home page is your chance to “grab” visitors with a traffic-stopping image, begin building your brand in their minds with your design identity, give them just enough info to entice them further into your website, and provide them with a quick and
easy way to contact you if they want to do so right away. Keeping a home page clean, concise and compelling is key. Don’t bombard visitors with too much at once. If they feel overwhelmed, they’ll go away. Give them a large, stunning image to look at (more if you use software that will scroll images across or rotate them for you), a quick description of your business that could include a brief welcome message or “mission statement,” and your website’s header and footer. Whenever possible, keep everything “above the fold,” so that all images and information can be seen immediately upon landing on the page, with no scrolling down necessary. No page on your website is more important than your home page. Spend some time perfecting it, as you would an important cake, and the return on your investment will be worth it.
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On Every Page
You wouldn’t create a flyer without including your business name and contact information, would you? Think of each page of your website as a single flyer. If a visitor is looking at any one page, they should know who you are and how to contact you immediately. Don’t make them hunt for this information – include your logo and a tagline for your business (if you have one) in the header for each site page, and your phone number and address either in the header or footer. If you ship your cakes, include a brief statement like “We ship nationwide” in your header or footer. Don’t count on website visitors reading the body text of any of your site’s pages to learn this important information – put it big and bold in the header or footer to grab their attention before they leave your site to go looking for a local baker. Your header also should contain the same navigation menu on every page
for visual consistency and user friendliness. The home page should be accessible from the navigation menu, as well as linked from your logo in the header. In your site’s footer, include icons for any social media accounts you have. Link these icons to your social media pages so that the social media pages open up in a new browser window, keeping your website open at the same time. Your footer also is a good place for your copyright notice and a link to your privacy policy. Your copyright notice could be something as simple as “Copyright © 2013, YOUR COMPANY NAME. All rights reserved.” Your privacy policy, linked from your footer to a separate page on your site, would outline the type of information collected from visitors to your site, as well as how you use that information, and how you safeguard it. It’s a good idea to consult your business attorney about copyrights and privacy policies to ensure that your work and your business are properly protected.
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Getting to Know You
Cakes are a personal affair. No one goes to the expense or effort to order a custom cake “just because.” Cakes are ordered for special occasions, and your potential customers want to trust that you have their best interests at heart to help make their special occasions everything they want them to be. To entrust you to potential clients, include an “About Us” page on your site. Incorporate photos of you and your staff to personalize it, along with a brief bio about yourself and any designers working for you. Include your mission statement or business philosophy, along with information about any charitable work you do. Position yourself as a design expert with a passion for your work and for others.
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Finders Keepers
Clear, easy navigation is essential to keeping visitors on your site for any length of time. If your site visitors are looking for samples or information they can’t find quickly, they’ll soon go elsewhere. Think carefully and completely about your site’s navigation before you build it. Make a list of the pages to include on the site, and determine which ones should be main pages, and which are logical subpages of the main pages. Create a site map on paper identifying all of these pages and subpages, and let it “marinate” for a day or two. Give yourself some time to make any adjustments you feel are needed, and consider getting a second and even third opinion on the map to ensure that things are categorized and organized in a manner others would find sensible too. When picking your navigation menu options, choose words that are short yet clearly descriptive. Being creative is certainly an option in the creative world of cake design, but avoid being so creative that menu options become obscure. “Our Story” and “Let’s Talk!” could be less common options for “About Us” and “Contact Us,” yet when used in a navigation menu, they still would paint a fairly clear picture of the kinds of pages those options would link to.
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Go Easy on the Eyes
Avoid patterned backgrounds on your web pages, and use fonts and type sizes that make copy easy to read. If you have great eyesight, ask someone who doesn’t to honestly critique the legibility of your site. If your text is difficult to read, visitors will give up and go away. Typically, it’s best to stay away from dark backgrounds on web pages as well. Some
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exceptions can be made if photos are playing the starring role, while text is kept large and to a minimum, and fonts are fairly simple. On pages where more than just a few lines of copy are needed, stick with a plain, light-colored background. Again, since your product is a visual one, use lots of photos throughout your site. If any pages call for a significant amount of text, break it up with images and, if possible, section headlines or subheads. This not only creates a more attractive page, it also enables your potential customers to find pertinent information more easily.
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The Contact Sport
In addition to having your phone number and location in the header or footer of every page on your site, you should have a separate “Contact Us” page with this information, plus a form that site visitors can use to send you an inquiry. Be sure the “send” button directs these inquiries to an email address you check regularly. While it might seem logical to publish your email address on your website, don’t . Doing so opens the spam floodgates, and you’ll spend precious time sifting through a sea of unwanted emails in search of legitimate ones.
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Increase the Value, Build a Database
A great way to add value to your site while building a database of potential clients is to publish a newsletter, blog or both in conjunction with your site. Even if you don’t feel you have the writing chops or the time in the beginning to devote to creating this content, you can start building your reader database with a “Coming Soon” sign-up button on your site. Of course, if you commit to “coming soon,” you have to deliver, so make sure you can before you make the promise. If you’d rather not commit to a full newsletter or blog, simply ask site
visitors to sign up if they’d like to receive news, sales announcements, class schedules, etc. from you.
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Keep It Fresh
Change is good. Embrace the fact that your website is an ongoing project. In today’s rapidly changing world, people bore quickly of things that stagnate. Fortunately, the very nature of your business requires constant creation, so as you churn out new designs, photograph them and add the best ones to your site. Rotate photos on your home page to show that you’re prolific, current and continually creating. All of this activity also will send a subliminal message that your client roster is lengthy and your work is in high demand.
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Talk About It
You can build it, but they won’t come unless they know about it. Talk up your new site on social media and message boards, and send a news release about it to bridal and parenting magazines. Make sure your web address is on everything you hand out, from business cards and brochures to client contracts and receipts. Anywhere you market your services, from conventions to county fairs, presents another opportunity for you to drive traffic to your site. Look into SEO practices to rank your site higher in search engines and when in doubt, hire an expert. The money you invest could be returned tenfold when it delivers more potential customers to the website you spent time creating.
Coming Soon a web design and marketing firm especially for artists
Fun ~ Focused ~ Affordable Ready to get started? Reach us at inquiries@abeandluna.com
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Fall Fabric Flower Cupcakes A Tutorial By Autumn Carpenter of Country Kitchen SweetArt
Autumn has written several books for cakes, cookies, and candy including her best-selling book, “The Complete Photo Guide to Cake Decorating”. She is co-owner of Country Kitchen SweetArt (www.shopcountrykitchen.com), a retail confection supply company. She also has a line of tools she has developed (www.autumncarpenter.com).
Supplies Needed: • Ivory rolled fondant • Chocolate brown rolled fondant • Teal rolled fondant • Terra cotta rolled fondant • Deep violet rolled fondant • Perfection strips • 3 11/16” or 4” round cutter #53-5357 • Baroque texture mat #CK-43400 • 12” pastry bag • Tip #1A • Buttercream icing • Piping gel #77-2664 • Sunflower/Daisy plunger cutter 70mm #43-615SD • Sunflower/Daisy plunger cutter 56mm #43-614SD • Sunflower/Daisy plunger cutter 43mm #43-613SD • Small Round Cutters 3/4”, 1 1/4” #MB-36001 • Easy Rose Cutter Set 3” and 2 1/2” #43-900FP • Easy Rose Cutter Set 1 7/8” and 1 5/8” #43-510FP • Carnation Cutter 2 1/2” #PME-CS269 • Flexible polyblade #NM-11052K • Flower former #43-9026 • Square cutter 2 1/4” #FR-3609 Background Image © Linusy - Fotolia.com
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Square 5 Petal Flower
Knead and soften deep violet rolled fondant. Roll thin (setting #4 on pasta attachment for Kitchenaid). Cut using 2 1/4” square cutter. Position the square in a diamond shape. Fold one side to the center. Do not crease the fold. The fold should be slightly puffed. Fold the other side to the middle. Pinch the center of the petal just below the center. Cut off the excess. Make four additional petals. Knead and soften teal rolled fondant. Roll thin (setting #4 on pasta attachment for Kitchenaid). Cut using 1 5/8” easy rose cutter.
Arrange the five violet petals. Press the center to join all the petals. Use piping gel if the petals are not sticking together. Lift the flower and place in the flower former. Gently press in the center to cup the center. Place a dot of piping gel in the center of the violet flower. Attach the teal flower to the center of the violet flower. Add a dot of piping gel in the center of the teal flower. Roll a small ball using terra cotta rolled fondant. Place the ball on top of the piping gel dot. Use a small tapered blade to shape the teal petals.
Patterned Layered 5-Petal Flower
Knead and soften chocolate brown rolled fondant thin (setting #2 on pasta attachment for Kitchenaid). Place the smooth, rolled side of the fondant on top of the texture mat. Firmly roll over the rolled fondant to texture. Flip over the mat and rolled fondant. Peel back the texture mat. Cut the brown textured fondant using the 3” easy rose cutter. Repeat making an ivory flower with the 2 1/2” easy rose cutter, a teal flower with the 1 7/8” easy rose cutter, and a violet flower with the 1 5/8” easy rose cutter.
Layer the flowers attaching them together with a dot of piping gel in the center of each flower. Place the layered flower in the flower former. Gently press in the center to cup the layered flower. Place a small dot of piping gel in the center. Roll a small ball using terra cotta rolled fondant. Place the ball on top of the piping gel dot. Use a small tapered blade to shape the petals.
Layered Petals with Ribbon Center
Knead and soften teal rolled fondant. Roll thin (setting #2 on pasta attachment for Kitchenaid). Place the smooth, rolled side of the fondant on top of the texture mat. Firmly roll over the rolled fondant to texture. Flip over the mat and rolled fondant. Peel back the texture mat. Cut the textured teal fondant using the 2 1/2” carnation cutter. Knead and soften brown and deep violet rolled fondant. Roll fondant thin (setting #4 on pasta attachment for Kitchenaid). Cut the brown fondant using the 2 1/2” carnation cutter. Cut the purple fondant in a 6” x 1/2” strip using the polyblade. Starting at one end, pinch the end and fold to create a ribbon rose. If the rose is bulky at the base cut the off the excess.
Place the textured teal flower in a flower former. Gently press the center to cup. Place the brown flower on top of the teal, adding a dot of piping gel to adhere. Add a dot of piping gel in the center of the brown flower. Add the violet ribbon flower.
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Swirled Daisy Flower
Knead and soften teal, brown, deep violet, and terra cotta fondant. Roll fondant thin (setting #4 on pasta attachment for Kitchenaid). Cut the brown fondant using the 70mm sunflower/ daisy cutter. Curve each petal to shape into a swirled flower. Cut the teal fondant using the 56mm sunflower/daisy cutter. Curve each petal to shape into a swirled flower. Cut the violet using the 43mm sunflower/daisy cutter. Curve each petal to shape into a swirled flower. Cut three circles from the terra cotta fondant. Cut grooves into the edges of the circles using the polyblade. Layer the three circles on top of one another using a dot of piping gel between the layers to secure.
Layer the swirled flowers, using a dot of piping gel between the layers to secure. Place the layered flower in the flower former. Press gently in the center to cup. Add a dot of piping gel in the center. Place the layered terra cotta circles on top of the swirled flower. Pipe a small dot of piping gel in the center of the layered terra cotta circles. Roll a small ball using terra cotta rolled fondant. Place the ball on top of the piping gel dot. Use a small tapered blade to divide the cuts and shape of the round layered circles.
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Folded 5-Petal Flower
Knead and soften terra cotta rolled fondant. Roll fondant thin (setting #4 on pasta attachment for Kitchenaid). Cut the terra cotta fondant using the 2 1/2” carnation cutter. Cut the terra cotta carnation in half. Start in the middle and fold in one side. Then fold in the other side to form a petal. Make a total of five petals this way. Arrange the 5 petals into a flower shape. Press the center to join all the petals. Use piping gel if the petals are not sticking together. Knead and soften teal rolled fondant. Roll fondant thin (setting #4 on pasta attachment for Kitchenaid). Cut three circles using teal fondant and the 1 1/4” round cutter. Cut grooves into the edges of the circles using the polyblade. Layer the three circles on top of one another using a dot of piping gel between the layers to secure.
Lift the terra cotta flower and place in the flower former. Gently press in the center to cup the center. Place a dot of piping gel in the center of the terra cotta flower. Attach the teal layered circle to the center. Add a dot of piping gel in the center of the teal circle. Roll a small ball using violet rolled fondant. Place the ball on top of the piping gel dot. Use a small tapered blade to divide the cuts and shape of the round layered circles.
Fall Fabric Flower Cupcakes
Covering a Cupcake with Texture Rolled Fondant Bake and cool jumbo cupcakes. Knead and soften ivory rolled fondant. Roll rolled fondant between 4mm perfection strips.
1
Place the smooth, rolled side of the fondant on top of the texture mat. Firmly roll over the rolled fondant to texture.
2
3 Flip over the mat and rolled fondant. Peel back the texture mat. Use a 3 11/16� round cutter and cut fondant. Fit a pastry bag with tip #1A. Fill the bag with buttercream icing. Pipe buttercream on the cupcake, piping nearly to the edge. Please note that the size needed of round cutter may vary depending on how the cupcake bakes. A cupcake with a slight dome may need a smaller cutter, while a cutter with a larger dome or a larger amount of icing may require a larger round cutter. Place the textured fondant disk on top of the iced cupcake. Gently press along the edge to secure the fondant piece.
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Here Comes
Suzie Snowflake by Norm R. Davis
These beautiful snowflakes can be completed on buttercream icing or rolled fondant. I used Choco-Pan™ rolled fondant.
Step 1: Cover your cake in buttercream or rolled fondant.
Norm is an award-winning Chocolatier and Pastry Chef and a Certified Master Sugar Artist. He is known for his White Chocolate Curl Cake and his threedimensional chocolate figurines. For more information about Norm and his amazing work please visit www.thesweetlife.com.
DOWNLOAD THE PDF
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Visit us at the Fine Chocolate show at Chicago’s Navy Pier October 18-20!
Step 2: I used a mix of Designer PrintsTM,
by LUCKSTM for The Sweet Life Series (The Sweet Life Snowflakes #48388 & #48389)
Step 3: Remove the snowflakes of your choice from the paper backing.
Step 4: Cut out the snowflake design with small scissors.
Step 5:
When placing the snowflake on a rolled fondant iced cake, I used CriscoTM, because it will not dissolve the snowflake paper but act as a glue to adhere the snowflake print to the rolled fondant. When placing the cut out snowflake to a buttercream iced cake you will not need to apply anything to act as glue. The wetness from the buttercream will adhere the snowflake image to the cake.
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The nice thing about using a rolled fondant iced cake over a buttercream is once the snowflake is placed on the cake you can still move it around. You cannot do this on a buttercream cake. On a buttercream iced cake once you place a design on it you are committed to that location.
Step 6: Accent the snowflakes with some piping. I find a little bit of piping goes a long way and it is best just to accent a few snowflakes.
Step 7: I also used a few Silver Dragees to accent my design.
Step 8: Finish off the cake drum with matching ribbon.
For information on our teaching travels and new projects like us on FaceBook at www.facebook.com/pages/Norm-Zane-The-SweetLife-LLC/108810389174076 For information on Designer Prints™ please visit www.shop.thesweetlifeseriesonline.com.
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Simi Cakes & Confections, LLC
Sidney Galpern
• Crystal Clear & Ready-to-Use Isomalt Tiles • Unique Silicone Molds • Sugar Tools • Beginning and Professional Classes Pre-Cooked Isomalt Tiles Crystal Clear & Assorted Colors Just melt and go! “Simi Isomalt is wonderful to work with. The clear is as clear as glass. And the gold, silver, bronze and copper are fun and exciting!” Kathy Scott, CMSA, Owner of Sweet Expressions, ICES President
Visit our Website for a full list of Free Tutorials, Silicone Molds, Isomalt Tiles, Sugar Tools & Workshop Schedule!
www.simicakes.com 321-543-3492
Ken is the owner of The Social Gloo, a new media marketing company specializing in social media management for business. Visit Ken online at www.thesocialgloo.com
What is the best time to post on Facebook?
This is one of the most common questions I’m asked when discussing the use of Facebook to promote a business. In the past, I would have shared the wisdom I had gained through trial and error and by reading dozens of articles on the subject. The frustrating part to this equation was that some articles would say that their studies showed posting between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm was best. While just a few months earlier the article suggested that posts made in the morning were best. WHO DO YOU BELIEVE? Well, now thanks to Facebook’s new and improved Insights, there is actual data on when your customers are most likely to be on Facebook. If you have never used Insights, now is the time! There is more data than ever, and now you can actually see when your Fans are online.
By Ken Fehner
When Your Fans Are Online 1. Insights is just above your Cover Photo – Click on “See All” 2. Click on the “Post” tab 3. Click on “When Your Fans Are Online” I think you may be surprised to see when your fans are really online. In the screen capture below you will see that on Friday (blue line) most of my fans are online between noon and 11:00 pm. Yes, there is a little drop in activity between 6:00-9:00 pm, but it’s not enough to worry about. (FYI…the shaded area is the average for the whole week.)
If you’ve never given much thought to when you make your posts, this new data may help to change your mind. Especially when you consider that the average life of a post is less than a couple of hours and most interactions will come in the first hour.
Good luck and happy posting!
Background Image © Brad Pict - Fotolia.com
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What percentage of the clients you are meeting with are you closing the sale with? Do you know? What percentage of the clients who attend a tasting or design consultation call you back? Do you know? What percentage of the clients you meet with are meeting with other cake designers to compare prices? Do you know? Who is your competition? Do you know?
The
y l t c e f r Pe e k a C t c e f r e P n o i t a t l u s n o C by Jay Qualls
These are all questions a small business owner selling cake or desserts for profit should be able to answer. Approximately seventy-eight percent of my business is wedding cakes, fourteen percent would be groom’s cakes, and the other eight percente is special occasion cakes and donations. I am going to share with you some tips that served me very well when I incorporated them into my business model.
When doing my marketing plan, I went to my Chamber of Commerce and public library and did demographic research by zip code to identify my competition. I also sent secret shoppers posing as clients to understand fully the consultation, tasting, and sales experience at competitors I felt might pose a threat to my success. Once I identified my top five competitors, I began developing my marketing plan and designing my studio and cakes to reflect my design aesthetic. Remember, in order to be relevant in the marketplace and reach your target market, your designs need to be relevant, fashion-forward and “trendy” (I am not too fond of that adjective, but it is necessary). There is a basic and very simple business practice that can identify some essential key elements to setting up a successful consultation and tasting experience for your client. In my experience, it will almost ensure success in closing a sale. This tool is called a S.W.O.T analysis. When doing this activity, as when doing your business plan, it is imperative you be brutally, brutally honest with regards to your findings. Even if the truth hurts!
S = Strengths
W =Weaknesses
O = Opportunities
T = Threats
Divide a page into columns with each of these words at the top and list below them all the good, the bad, and the ugly of the findings of your research. You may have some repetition and overlaps in some columns. This is OK. Do not let this stagger your thought processes. Just remember to be brutally honest. It will serve you well.
Creating a memorable design and tasting consultation experience for your client:
Your website is likely the first place clients are going to see your work and make their initial decision to pick up the phone and call you to schedule a tasting and design consultation. I put a lot of thought into my website. All the
photos and content are directly relevant to creating a call to action for the client to call or email us. • Clients only see beautifully styled cakes photographed by a wedding photographer. These people understand the clients you are marketing to and why you are spending so much time making this perfect. • Do not be reluctant to list your base price per serving and the minimum number of servings you are willing to take on as a job. This is crucial to your success. Through your business plan, you should have identified your base price per serving or unit that must go out your door. This content gets two things across to your perspective clients: 1. If they are researching cakes solely based on price, you have informed them up front of the minimum price for which you are
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willing to work, and will weed out those clients who simply cannot afford you. 2. They will be well prepared should they make the decision to contact you for a tasting and design consultation. • Once your website is in place and reflects your brand, image, and the true depth of your skillset, it is time to prepare for client visits to your studio.
BE PREPARED
• Arrive early. • Prepare fresh samples. • Use real plates, water glasses, and tasting spoons. • Provide comfortable seating for yourself and at least four to five guests. • Create a beautiful and relaxing area for the tasting. For example, my studio has hardwood floors, chenille sofas and chairs, large area rugs, a fireplace, chandeliers, and soft music. Another nice touch is a well-produced branded looping slide show that clients can watch while you are preparing to meet with them. The content can be comparable to the
content from your website that inspired their initial decision to contact you. I have several large lighted display cases of my handiwork reflecting at least some styles that resonate with any client. (Trust me, your clients have done their homework) After five years in business, I have approximately one hundred cakes of all shapes, styles, and colors on display. • Always make the client and their guests feel warm and welcome. Shake their hand or give them a gentle hug and thank them for coming in and giving you the opportunity to share your work with them. • Create a dialogue where you can speak confidently about what will be accomplished over the next hour. • Start out by telling them a little bit more about yourself, your philosophy, and the importance you place on listening to them and capturing the essence of their vision for their cake and reception through this consultation process. • Be prepared to ask a series of questions that will give you a stepping-off point for creating a custom design just for her. Many times, a client will have seen a design on your website and have her mind made up when she gets to you. That is why it is so important to display the cakes from your website in your studio so she can see the size, workmanship, shape, and silhouette of her chosen cake in person. • Place beautiful calligraphy or printed tint cards on the shelf in front of each display cake showing the number of servings it provides. • For custom designs, be prepared to sketch and add color if necessary or possible so she will get a visual of her cake. • Please put away the lookbooks, photo-albums, etc.… Most of your clients are technology savvy and will be very impressed that you have integrated technology into the consultation process. • I use my iPad to sketch cakes, and can print or email the sketch to the client while sitting in front of her so that she =has it in her inbox almost immediately. You shouldn’t provide this unless she decides to pay you a retainer for your services to book her date. This prevents her from taking it to your competitor, who may underbid you by only $50 and cause you to lose the sale. • Use a reputable accounting system to create professional
estimates and invoices. This accounting software, if used properly, can be integrated into the everyday workflow of your business and be a very powerful tool to track expenses, reconcile bank accounts, and efficiently generate your payroll. • Last but certainly not least, CHARGE WHAT IT SHOULD COST!!! Many times, we undervalue our art because we are afraid we will lose business if we price it too high. Most of your clients are coming to you because they cannot get what they want from a supermarket. That comes with a price tag. And remember, not all business is good business. Know when to say NO! You are the expert! You can be busy twenty-four seven, exhausted, and still not make money. Well, I could sit at home for free and do nothing! There are people who will pay for your work. It does not matter what part of the country you live in. They will pay for good cake and good cake design. There are wealthy people in every city who get married and have lavish events and can afford a cake worthy of the occasion. This is your target market for this type of business. Also, I like to work with wedding and event planners, because these brides tend to have larger budgets and these professionals are more informed about what wedding cakes or special event cakes really cost. These are only a few tips of the many I have used and integrated into my business. Not all of them will work for everyone, but I have about a 97% close rate on sales. As many of you have heard me say before, “image is everything!” At least I find it is in the wedding and event industry.
Jay Qualls is owner of Maples Wedding Cakes, Jay Qualls Cakes and Jay Qualls Holding, LLC, and is creator of the Jay Qualls Fondant Fabric. He has studied under and worked alongside some of the greatest sugar artists in the industry, and has become one of the nation’s top cake artists to the stars. He has designed for a number of celebrity clients, and was featured in Martha Stewart Weddings 15th Anniversary Issue, as well as Southern Living Weddings, US Weekly and many other publications. Jay was also a top competitor on TLC’s Next Great Baker, and now teaches classes, demonstrates his unique sense of style and methods for cake design, and provides business consulting services to shop owners and home bakers throughout the U.S. and Canada. Background © Katia25 - Fotolia.com
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DOWNLOAD THE PDF
h t i w g n i t n i a P Colored r e t t u B a o c Co by Lisa Berczel This How-To updates classic painting techniques for the culinary artist using colored cocoa butter on wafer paper, edible printer sheets and fondant. Cocoa butter painting is almost old as chocolate and until recently we’ve had only traditional milk, dark and white chocolate for colors. Today’s culinary artist has over 100 colors to choose from including vibrant primaries, subtle pastels, opulent jewels and metallics. Our choice of tools have expanded from the classic animal hair to include responsive synthetic brushes, specialized texture brushes, sponges, palette knives, airbrush – virtually any tool used by modern painters.
If it will hold still long enough Lisa Berczel will airbrush it. From cars and motorcycles to cakes and even human beings, Lisa is known throughout the airbrush industry for her amazingly realistic style. Her striking imagery has been featured internationally in advertising campaigns, as well as book and magazine covers and even music videos. She is an artist/instructor who specializing in updating existing techniques and developing new ones. Please visit Lisa at www.battledress.biz
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Materials:
Tools:
Plain Cocoa Butter- This humble product is extremely
Brushes- This How-To uses 3 basic paintbrushes. They are synthetic bristle, medium size. • Script (size 0) - Long lines. Ideal for small leaves and accenting. • Shader/Flat (size 10) – Calligraphy. Use for bows, leaves and color filling. • Round (size 6) – Ideal for flower petals, leaves and color filling
Paint Surface- Paint-to-surface appearance can be unique
I use mostly synthetic brushes because of their responsiveness, durability and ease of cleaning. The handles are acrylic and will not split. It is best to dedicate a set of brushes to culinary use.
Cocoa Butter- A good starter selection includes Artisan collection colors like Artisan White, Eclipse Black, Cardinal Red, Aureolin Yellow, Regal Blue, Tropical Green and Chocolate Brown. Jewel colors suggested are White Diamond, Silver and Gold. versatile. It can be used as a color extender for creating a sheer water color-like washes, special painting effects, color changes or for cleaning paint brushes or airbrush. to each combination of products used and can have a deceptive impact on the artworks’ final appearance. Even so, I use wafer paper for practice. Wafer paper is inexpensive, translucent and interacts with cocoa butter in much the same way as fondant or gum paste. Because of this similarity, it is a cost-effective way to refining both brush strokes and design exploration. White fondant cake dummy and icing sheets are used for this project. However, a variety of rolled, sculpted or molded edible surfaces can be painted with cocoa butter including fondant, pastillage, gum paste, flowed icing, chocolate, isomalt and wafer paper.
Colored Cocoa Butter Colored Cocoa Butter is highly pigmented. A little really does go a long way. Care should be taken to work with clean surfaces, tools and hands as it is easy to transfer stains. Disposable gloves may be a good option. Solid at room temperature, cocoa butter and melts at 88 ̊F/ 31 ̊C. As with any paint, it is best to work with only what is needed and not to work out of the primary container. For artistic painting, it is important to experiment and recognize the three stages of cocoa butter: Too cool to work with, too hot to work with, and the relatively narrow zone of “just right” that falls in between the two extremes. Aim for the consistency of heavy whipping cream.
Brushes
The materials, shape and stiffness of the brush hair make a difference to the painted strokes of a brush. A firm, crisp edged brush will make a firm, crisp edged line that is optimal for calligraphy, scrollwork and flourishes. A soft, fluffy brush will make a hard to control line and is best suited to general coverage. A short, stubby brush will paint short, stubby lines and is best for dots and small, precise coverage. Medium sized brushes are recommended for learning basic strokes. It is easy to see line shapes and the brushes are still responsive to hand movement.
Background Image © Gizele - Fotolia.com
Paint Palette-Cocoa butter colors are easiest to work with
when they are melted and transferred into small individual ramekins or disposable salsa cups. Ceramics will retain heat and prolong work time.
Warming Vessel- Cocoa butter can be melted in a variety
of ways including in the microwave, buffet warmer trays, heating pads and hair dryers. However, a small coffee warmer is ideal for artisan use.
Getting Started
It’s best to only half-melt the colored cocoa butter. This creates a liquid edge that the paint brush can pick up color from. The still solid cocoa butter provides a base to drag the brush against to remove excess color and aid in maintaining the temper. Care must be taken to not overheat the cocoa butter or it will break temper. When this happens, the cocoa butter will be runny and separate from the oil from the pigment. It will take far longer than normal for broken tempered cocoa butter to solidify, affecting drying times and the ability to layer. Rushing and painting on un-solidified cocoa butter will result in the base layers merely being pushed out of the way by the brush, as opposed to building layers. The opacity of a
painted line will also suffer. Conversely, cocoa butter that is too cool can be thick, lumpy and hard to work with. This may be exactly the viscosity required for a dimensional technique like palette knife. However, painting clean, smooth lines and smaller details will be impossible. As with much in the art world, temperatures and text are a starting point, but facts on paper a poor substitute for practice. My favorite warmer is a candle or coffee mug warmer. The low setting is high enough to warm the cocoa butter, but cool enough not to burn. It has a Teflon surface that is perfect for warming the paint brush on by gently dragging the bristles across the surface.
Script and liner brushes have the longest brush hair length. These brushes are ideal for long lines. Lines can be consistent in width or thick and thin in graceful calligraphy swirls. Small leaves and graceful tear drops are also popular with this brush. Shader (flat) brushes are used for extreme thin-to-thick lines used for leaves, bows, ribbons and calligraphy. They are also good for color filling larger areas. Round brushes are more utilitarian. They are popular for flower petals, leaves and are good for color filling larger areas.
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Painting
Holding A Paint Brush
How the paint brush is held will affect the lines produced. The effect will be more pronounced with some shapes than others. Holding a brush like a pencil is and easy to begin with but will limit the hand’s range of motion.
Holding a brush with a vertical Chinese watercolor grip provides a great range of motion which allows for long, fluid lines and sharp calligraphy angles. The vertical grip also requires more practice to master for some.
The brush holding hand can be steadied with an extended pinkie finger braced on the paint surface. Or, the free hand can be used to brace and guide the painting hand when touching the paint surface is not an option. These strategies are useful when working with vertical tiers and strange angles.
Loading A Paint Brush There is a specific “feel” to a properly loaded paint brush. Paint is worked thoroughly into the brush so that the brush hairs act as a reservoir. When the brush is pulled against the paint surface, cocoa butter will flow down and through the brush hairs much like a fountain pen. The brush should glide across the surface being painted with just enough resistance to provide control. If it drags or skips, the brush does not have enough cocoa butter or the cocoa butter is too cool. If the brush has too much cocoa butter, or the cocoa butter is too hot, the paint runs off the brush and puddles. Each brush shape makes a specific set of brush strokes. Understanding the strength and weaknesses of a brush shape is essential to planning a paint design. Forcing a brush to paint a line that it is not designed for is possible, but control and consistency of line will be sacrificed. It is better to step up to a larger brush, or down to a smaller brush, or change to a different style as needed.
Round
Script
Brush pressure will affect line width. Script and round brushes are often used in a light-heavy-light pressure arc to produce leaves and swirls. A flat brush can be turned between the fingers like the wheel of a car while pulling in a straight line. This makes a thin-thick-thin line. For a script or round brush, a quarter-turn will help make a sharp finish point Long lines will often have to be painted in segments. It is best to trail off the first segment and overlap the start of the next segment by 2/3 or 3/4. Overlapping hides the segment transition and helps keep the line nice and smooth with no kinks.
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Thin-Thick-Thin Line
Painting Practice line control on wafer paper. We could use regular printer paper, but it absorbs the cocoa butter fats and doesn’t interact with the brushes the same way. Wafer paper is transparent and a good choice to “test drive” potential designs on. Overlay wafer paper on a design draft and paint to perfect line spacing and shape as well as color combinations. When we’re learning brush control, its best to paint with a single color until completely comfortable with cocoa butter, paint brushes, grip, pressure and paint surface. Layering cocoa butter colors needs to be done after the first layer of cocoa butter has completely solidified. Trying to paint a new color on top of a still liquid layer will smear the first layer.
Cleaning Use melted, plain cocoa butter to blot color from paint brushes. There is no need to completely clean brushes for every color change. Plain cocoa butter can also be used as a color extender for sheer washes of color. At the end of the painting session, brushes can be washed with warm soap and water and laid flat to air dry if needed. I just let the plain cocoa butter setup in the brushes.
Project
Background First the design is tested on wafer paper and approved by the Client if needed. Next a color palette is assembled. The flowers are to be the brightest element, so all support colors are mixed and tinted in order to produce a more muted range. The white fondant base is airbrushed with a gradient of creamy tan cocoa butter. After the cocoa butter sets, a stencil is used to create rows of smaller to larger circles. Next, a sponge is used with same color as the circle stencil. The sponge’s straight edges have been torn off so that there are no straight lines. Change the angle of the sponge with each dab. This helps ovoid creating a repeating tile pattern. Cocoa butter can be dabbed on heavier and thicker at the bottom of the tier. As less and less cocoa butter remains on the sponge, slighter and finer texture can be gradually worked up the tier. The result is a loose mechanical gradient. Changes in both opacity and texture should be clearly visible at this stage. Too much airbrush or sponging will over-work the design and the result will be a mush.
Middle Ground Next come hand painted flourishes can be almost free-form so long as they support the general shape and structure of the overall design. The first layer of hand painting is heavier, bolder and less structured than each subsequent layer. A round brush is used for bold, decisive swirls and comma strokes. A wisp brush is a specialty shape that can be used for hatch marks, grass, fur, and it this instance, an excellent choice for concentric, parallel arcs. The last part of the middle layer is painted with a script liner. This bit shows increasing control and structure. Dot accents are painted in order to bridge the stochastic airbrush background with the final splatter pattern. Choose a color that is both brighter than the background and a complement to the flower’s focal point.
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Foreground The final flourish layer needs to have the closest resemblance to the comp. For this reason, it is the most precise and controlled in execution. A repeating or mirrored design going all the way around the tier is common. The easiest and most accurate way to transfer the design is to make cocoa butter “carbon paper”. Print or photo copy artwork that needs to be precisely transferred to the fondant. Airbrush the back of the paper with the color that will be used to paint the final flourish set. Once the cocoa butter is set, work by holding the paper’s so hand-heat doesn’t melt the “carbon paper”. Pin or weight the “carbon paper” into position with the airbrushed side down. Scribe the basics of the design onto the fondant base. Now that the final flourish design is has been transferred, the last hand painted layer can be done. Each previous layer has built up depth and texture. The resulting surface is not flat or smooth. For these reasons, it is important to paint with enough force to fully engage paint bristles with the fondant. Too light a touch and lines will skip as the brush is diverted by the surface. If a lighter touch is required to make a finer line, drop down to a smaller brush size.
Splatter With the cake base done, it is time to bridge the top-most and bottom most layers. White fondant shows at the top of our base gradient, so white cocoa butter is splattered on the entire art surface. An airbrush provides fast splatter application as well as control over splatter size and spacing. Splatter is made by placing a craft stick along the base of the airbrush. The key is to spray cocoa butter onto the craft stick. Air pressure flicks cocoa butter globules off of the stick and onto the surface. The spray pattern can be affected by variables such as the angle of the stick to airbrush, distance from end of stick to airbrush nozzle and the distance between the craft stick and paint surface. Test spray patterns and stick placement till the desired texture is achieved
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Final Touches The final touch is the pink flowers. The flowers are cut out of a piece of edible icing sheet using an exacto knife. White the flowers are still attached to the icing sheet backing, the edges are airbrushed with princess pink. Once the pink is set, the cut flowers are lifted off the backing and glued onto the cake dummy with a dob of cocoa butter. Once the cocoa butter “glue” has set, the flowers are accented with the same color the final flourish layer. This center dot is the final touch. White is used to make the final bridge from the very front of the design all the way to the white of the fondant.
a o c o C r u o Y Butter Painting is Complete! www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 53
CakePops
by Jennifer Cucci Developer of the Easy Roller
for
Jennifer Cucci is the owner and developer of the Easy Roller. At the forefront of the cake pop craze and reaching her productivity capacity Jennifer set out to make a tool that would allow her to make her new found passion easier faster and more consistent. With a strong online presence she has established herself as a great resource for all things cakepops. Her cake pop roller and other time saving tools can be found on her website at www.thebestcakepops.com
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Production
With the explosion in popularity and with the likes of coffee shops and grocery stores around the world adding them to their menu of offerings, more and more bakers are coming on board to make those delicious, individually portioned desserts known as cake pops. Adding their own inspiring touches and bringing the masterful art of cake decorating to the cake pop world, these artists are adding credibility to the new found world of cake on a stick. But production frustrations exist for everyone. How do you make something so time consuming profitable without taking away from the beauty and simplicity that has made them ever so popular? My first piece of advice…forget what you know. Most recipes out there were not made with the idea of mass production in mind. It’s not feasible to produce cake pops efficiently by following the standard guidelines that are available, at least not while making a profit, and contrary to what some customers might think we are in a for profit industry. In these next few steps, we will review a few minor tweaks and adjustments that you can make, that will allow production to be easier, faster and more consistent across the board and giving you a way to “pop” your profits.
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Step One: Step by Step Hope is not a strategy. When facing high volume orders it is easier if you break the process down into sections and follow each step to completion before moving on to the next. The following is a suggested step by step process. Again these are guidelines, and should be treated only as a suggestion. By writing this I hope you become comfortable with the process enough to develop your own ways to be faster and efficient and to keep the cake pop revolution going! • Bake and crumble all of the cakes at once. • Roll all of the cake balls that you will need for the order. • Dip all of your cake pops. If using different colors do one color at a time from lightest to darkest, this way you may be able to use your previous color for the next. • Decorate. It is important that you decorate the pops at once as it will create a consistent look and feel • Bag and Tag. By sectioning each step out and not going back and forth between steps or colors you will ensure consistency and efficiency.
Step Two: Faster In... Faster Out The first step I take is to line my baking pans with tinfoil. This allows me and my limited oven capacity to easily take a baked cake out of the oven and out of the baking pan while not having to wait for it to cool. This allows you to re-use it for the next batch right away. The foil acts as a barrier and the cake mix never touches the pan, so there is no need for cleaning. Once I lift it out, I can easily realign the pan and add my next mix in, saving at least an hour in cooling and cleaning time per round.
Step Three: No “KNEAD” To Mix By Hand Most recipes out there will tell you to take your baked cake and crumble it up. Then add frosting or buttercream, and mix them together, kneading the mixture by hand until you have a perfect doughy ratio. When kneading by hand, you need the frosting or buttercream to act as a binding agent for your cake. This will hold everything together while you roll your balls. Although a simple process, it is ever so time consuming, especially if kneading more than one cake at a time. On the bright side you will receive a great hand and forearm workout that you can count towards your weekly gym routine. We suggest using a mixer or a food processor to do the work for you. Most kitchens already have one or the other. If using a mixer just be sure to use the paddle blade. We use a 14 cup food processor, and it doesn’t have to be a fancy one, and we can fit an entire box cake in it at once. The mixer/ processor method will bind the cake into a perfect dough consistency after about two minutes. We don’t add any frosting to our mix as the mixer will use the ingredients
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from the cake, the eggs and oils, to act as a binding agent. You can still add frosting if you would like, or any other additive that you choose to put in your mix, you will just need a lot less of it as now it is being used for flavoring purposes and not as a binder. The less frosting you add the firmer your pops will be. This will help prevent your cake pops from sliding down the stick as this is most often caused by an excess of frosting in the mixture. So rather than having 1-2 every dozen that droop, it will be 1-2 for every hundred or so. This will also eliminate much of the refrigeration time needed, as most people cool their cake pops in order to firm them up before dipping. The key here is less frosting, less cooling.
Step Four: Easy, Faster, Consistent! There are many different ways to roll a cake ball. This step is why most bakers will originally shy away from making them, until the demands of their customers force them into it. Still many choose to sub the work out rather than do it themselves as it is so time consuming and tedious. Some will eye it out and roll between their hands, to form a ball. Although this method can be quick, it lacks consistency as each ball has a different look and weight. Others will use some type of ice-cream scoop so they can get quasi same size portion in each one, they will then weigh each scoop at a time for consistency. It is not exact science but it is a lot better than eyeing it out. Still you are left with a portioned out piece of cake that you have to manually roll between your hands each and every time. This is by far the most time consuming way, although many out there have it down to a science and they just bite the bullet and keep rolling. If you are going to roll them by hand, my suggestion is to invest in a meatball scoop. They come in a variety of sizes. It is basically two half circles on the end of a scissor like handle. Think salad tongues with a circle clasp at the end. By scooping and squeezing you have the ability to get closer to the same size and weight cake pop each and everytime. You still have to manually roll the ball out as it does not come out of the meatball scoop a perfect sphere, but this process should be considerably shorter than the previous two methods I just discussed. Out of all the individual portioning methods, the meatball scoop is by far the closest you will get to consistent sizing. Finally there is the Easy Roller. A tool I designed because I was tired of rolling cake pops by hand and although I was getting pretty good at it in my own right, I had reached my productivity capacity. The Easy Roller allows you to roll 21 cake balls at a time. Not only is it faster, but it allows for product consistency as each ball is the same size and weight. It is also designed to be interchangeable so while it comes with a 1.25 inch round insert, there is a 1.5 inch round, a 1 inch round and a cupcake shape that is available. Each insert considerably speeds up production time, so whether you make a dozen at a time or several hundred, this tool may be what you are looking for.
Step Five: Dipping Ain’t Easy
Next to rolling, dipping your cake pops is the second most time consuming aspect of making these amazing treats. There are many different types of candy coatings available in the market that you can use to dip your cake pops. Personal preference and availability is usually the big difference maker. The purpose of this article isn’t necessarily to tell you what to use but how to use it. Regardless of product brand there are a few quick tips I wanted to suggest to help ease the dipping timeline. • Don’t dip the pops while they are too cold or frozen, this will cause cracking on the outer shell once it dries. • Make sure the chocolate has an easy stream to it before trying to dip; this will make the coating of the cake pops quicker and easier. If it is thick it is not hot enough and if clumpy the chocolate is too hot. You want to aim for the candy coating to be between 100105 degrees. • Dip the stick in the candy coating before you stick it in the cake pop. This will help form a bond to the cake. • Traditionally cake pops are made “pop up”, much like a lollypop. If you are making your pops this way, be sure to have a cake pop stand or Styrofoam that you can easily place the dipped pops in to allow them to dry. If you are using Styrofoam make sure have enough space between the pops so they are sure not to touch, and don’t place too many in there or the weight of the cake pops are likely to topple it over as it
dries. A better choice is a cake pop stand big enough to support your orders. You can easily find them online or make it yourself with a big piece of splinter free plywood and a drill! You want to make sure you have enough space for the pops you are making. Generally I have enough stand space to fit the pops I am making to ensure that I can complete each step at once and not have to go back and forth. • A faster way to make cake pops is “face down”. Meaning the pops are dipped then placed on their head, stick up. This method is extremely faster from a dipping and drying standpoint and easier for display in a bakery case as they are free standing and will not need something to place them on. While drying be sure to use some type of parchment paper to ensure the pop does not stick to the surface you are placing it on.
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Step 6: Decorating Fast and Furious These are just a few ways to decorate cake pops in a fast and easy manner. While the chocolate is still wet you can dip the pop in your favorite coating. Whether it is crushed Oreo, crushed Andes Mint, peppermint bark crumbs, peanuts, coconut flakes, crushed graham crackers, sprinkles or the new trends of thick sea salt or bacon chips, the possibilities are only capped by your imagination. Since you will be coating them anyway, my suggestion is to use the face down method. Another way to simplify decoration is to pipe a different color candy coat on the top of the pop as an accent color. You can do this while the pops are still in their stand/ Styrofoam you placed them in to dry. Another fast easy decorating technic (I like to use on Pop Down cake pops) is to take a piece of wax paper, lay it on your workspace, then take your piping bag full of your color choice of candy melts and quickly pass over the cake pop while twisting the pop in the other hand. The faster you go the straighter the lines will be! Don’t worry about dripping candy melts all over your workspace as that is what the wax paper is there for! Once all those candy melts are dry they can be easily lifted off the wax paper and put back into your piping bag to reuse. Use a small piping bag once the pop is dry and quickly draw crossed lines over the top. This gives it a cool abstract look. You can have the customer choose the color if they have a theme or pick one that you like the most, my favorite is purple!
Hopefully these six easy tips I have outlined will help you make your production faster, easier and more consistent. Each one offers their own unique twist and allows you to save time off the traditional methods of making these wonderful circular treats. Whether you choose to incorporate all of the suggestions I have outlined or just pick up one or two, the important thing is that you find a way that works for you to make them faster. Because the old adage is true, “Time is Money”!
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Teach Me, Simi!
Blown Sugar Bubbles & Hearts Sculpture
Announcing EAN hosted classes with Sidney Galpern, owner of Simi Cakes & Confections
Monday, Nov. 18th 9am - 1pm (Addison, IL)
Learn incredible pulled sugar/isomalt techniques and cast beautiful sculptures to create a a striking centerpiece. Class Cost - $95
Register now! http://tinyurl.com/eansugar
Chocolate Sculpture Class
Monday, Nov. 18th 2pm - 5:30pm (Addison, IL)
Cast freeform and molded chocolate sculptures, make bows, and use chocolate transfer sheets, luster dust and Icing Images to create beautiful color and contrast. Class Cost - $95
Save your seat today! http://tinyurl.com/eanchocolate
Pulled Isomalt Ruffle Roses & Fabric Pleats Tuesday, Nov. 19th 9am - 5pm (Addison, IL)
Learn pulled sugar/isomalt techniques to create the look of ruffle roses and pleated fabrics, plus cast beads and drops to make smaller versions of the cakes shown Class Cost - $175
A full day of learning! Don’t miss it! http://tinyurl.com/eanisomalt
Sign Up For all 3 and Save $15!
Certified professional chocolatier, cake designer, sugar artist and international instructor Sidney Galpern is paying a very special visit to the Windy City this November for a trio of EAN-hosted classes. Don’t miss this chance to learn from one of the best!
http://tinyurl.com/eanthree
Ever wish you could get your most pressing edible art questions answered by an industry expert? EAN is giving you the chance! Beginning with the next issue, we'll publish one or more reader questions with answers from our panel of pros, introduced below. Take advantage of this free opportunity to get advice from some of the sugar arts world's leading authorities! Simply email your questions to experts@edibleartistsnetwork.com for your chance to have them answered in the magazine. Our team will review all submitted questions and collaborate with one another to decide which one(s) to address in the next issue. Don’t be shy - email us today!
Here's to learning!
“ Edible Artists Network was founded on the belief that the industry needed a networking forum. This is another way of putting you in touch with the industry’s most knowledgeable and respected authorities, we look forward to putting you in touch with them in what will be a hugely informative resource. I’m thrilled with the opportunity to be able to work with such a talented group, can’t wait to roll up my sleeves and drive right in.” Joanne Prainito - Creative Director & Founder Edible Artists Network Joanne Prainito is a professional cake decorator based in Chicago, IL . Her specialties are 3D cakes and designer cookies. She’s a third generation baker and grew up with the smell of fresh baked bread in the morning. Joanne shares her talent as a Wilton Instructor along with a MeetUp group here in Chicago and teaches both public and private classes . Joanne launched her own cake decorating business in 2009 to gain traction on her ultimate challenge – Death by Chocolate Desserts. Since winning the TLC Cake Boss challenge, Joanne has turned her hobby into her full time creative dream. She founded Edible Artists Network with her sister, Cheryl Naughton, and serves as its creative director.
“I am very excited to share my love for confectionery arts and be involved with a wonderful team of sugar artists who feel the same!” Kathleen Lange - Instructor/Master Cake Design Artist Kathleen has been decorating and teaching confectionery arts since 1980. She is a highly regarded innovator and instructor, and is known internationally for her Lange/Lambeth Method, which combines the traditional Lambeth Method with her own techniques and a contemporary, romanticized and modernized flair. Kathleen founded Confectionary Chalet in 2006 to share her love for confectionary arts with the world. Learn more about her and her classes, and get her baking tips, at www.confectionarychalet.com.
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“I spend a good portion of my mornings each day answering emails and personal messages about Isomalt, Chocolate, fondant, Royal Icing and the list goes on. I believe this is going to be an amazing column due to the fact that so many people have so many unanswered questions.” Peggy Tucker - Professional Cake Designer & Certified Master Sugar Artist Peggy started teaching the sugar arts in 1999 and for more than six years, has specialized in creating beautiful art with Isomalt, and incorporating Isomalt into everyday cake designs. She has been featured on her local news stations and on Fox News and Food Network. Peggy has won a number of awards and enjoys competing, but takes even more joy in watching her students advance and win medals of their own. Learn about her classes at www.schoolofcakeology.com.
“With the world of edible art constantly growing and changing, it’s critical for artists – especially emerging artists – to get the right answers to their questions. I’m pleased to contribute to this column, as I believe the need for it is great.” Chef Mike E Terry - Certified Master Sugar Artist & Retail Bakers Association Approved Instructor Mike is an internationally known pastry artist, and has been a respected instructor for more than 25 years. He teaches at shows and conventions throughout the world, and is an eight-time winner of the North Carolina Food Dealers Show for sculptures and other edible works of art. He also has been a judge for many cake shows, pastry competitions, merchandising and marketing contests around the country. Mike appeared on TLC’S Ultimate Cake Off, Seasons 1 and 2, and stars in the videos “Fun with Flowers 101,” “Fun with Figures 201” and “Fat Buddies.” Learn more about him at www.bakerypros.com.
“I love teaching, sharing ideas and passing on the tips and tricks to help make cake decorating so much fun! I am happy to be involved with Ask Our Experts and share my love and knowledge of sugar.” Sidney Galpern - Certified Professional Chocolatier, Cake Designer & Sugar Artist Sidney graduated with honors from the prestigious Ecole Chocolat School of the Chocolate Arts and has the distinction of being the youngest student ever to complete the program. She trained and interned with top sugar artists and chefs in New York City, Orlando, and West Palm Beach. Her company was chosen for ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition “Space Coast.” For the last six years, Sidney has been teaching and demonstrating sugar and cake decorating throughout the world. She is a member of the Icing Images Design Team, and designs and manufactures her own line of sugar art tools. She also manufactures her own brand of Isomalt, and released her first instructional DVD last year. Sidney’s website is www.simicakes.com.
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Topiary Tr ee l a i r o T ut By Nicole Lang You Will Need: 2 Days ahead• 2 dozen — 2”, 3”, 4” pre-decorated assorted fall theme sugar cookies (Make extra for breakage!) • 6 — 1” Fondant Pumpkins • 12 — ½” Fondant Acorns • Urn or decorative Pot – 5” wide at the mouth • 12” Styrofoam Cone Topiary Form with a 6” base • Extra Styrofoam DOWNLOAD THE PDF • Ivory Colored Swiss Meringue Buttercream Icing • Large Icing Spatula • Piping Bag • 1M Star Tip • Craft Knife • Red Disco Dust • Floral Moss Optional Supplies • Wired Ribbon • Scissors About Nicole: I am an artist, cake designer, wife and mother of three beautiful children ages 9-13. I love creating custom cakes and cookies into works of art. I merged my passions for art and baking, and as a result, SugarMommas Custom Cakes was born!
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Step 1: Pr epar e tr ee for ur n
1. Trim base with craft knife if needed or add extra styrofoam 2. Place urn and secure by pushing down the foam- about 1-2� deep. The tighter the better.
Step 2: Ice The Cone
1. Using your spatula smear the cone with a generous amount of icing 2. Once iced, use up and down strokes creating a smooth, neat finish.
Background Image Š natasha_55 - Fotolia.com
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Step 3: Apply Cookies
1. Start with the larger 4” cookies. Adhere icing on the back of the cookie 2. Gently place cookie on the cone towards the base. DO NOT PRESS HARD- cookies will break. 3. Continue placing the 3” and 2” cookies, while rotating your tree. Your cookies can touch. You do not need to cover every area of the cone with cookies. Leave room for additional icing and your fondant pieces.
Step 4: Apply Mor e Icing & Add Fondant Pieces
1. Once all the cookies are in place, use your piping bag with the 1M Star Tip and pipe rosettes to fill in the gaps all around your tree, including the top. 2. Next, get your fondant pumpkins and acorns and place them in the center of your icing rosettes. Don’t forget to place a pumpkin on top!
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You Asked... We Listened!
We are now offering print subsciptions to M A G A Z I N E Enjoy both the print edition and the digital edition of the magazine for one low price!
Inspiration, Education and Motivation! • Published & distributed internationally four times a year • Every issue features 96 pages packed with step-by-step tutorials • Informative articles, must-try recipes • Captivating interviews with industry leaders • Gorgeous, detailed, full-color photography enchants and engages page after delightful page
Our digital issue allows you to access your favorite industry magazine on your iPad, mobile device or computer. With digital editions, you get the same great in-depth articles PLUS interactive features that let you experience your issue in a whole new way. Be the first to read industry news, announcements and more • Digital copies are available a week prior to print editions • Page-for-page replicas of the print issues • E-mail notification when each issue is ready • Read content instantly— no downloading required • Hotlink to advertiser websites
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To subscribe to the magazine please visit http://tinyurl.com/eansubscribe
Step 5: Fin ishing Touches
Sprinkle entire tree with red disco dust to make it sparkle. Next tuck the floral moss in the urn at the base of the tree. Be careful not to get moss on any icing.
3. Place any leftover pumpkins, acorns or cookies at the base of the tree to create a finished look. 4. (Optional) Place bow made with your wired ribbon. Photos in this tutorial were taken by: Karen Moriarty, Portrait Artist
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November 15 ~ 1 7, 2013 Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Centre Hotel SCHAUMBURG, ILLINOIS
All Your Cake Decorating Needs Under One Roof a n a h T e Mor w o h S g n i k Ba EXPLORE • DISCOVER • SHOP For exhibitor information:
info@americasbakingandsweetsshow.com
www.americasbakingandsweetsshow.com
Free Baking by Chef Charity
Free Baking! That’s what I call baking allergen free. There are SO many people affected by food sensitivities and food allergens these days! Then, you have the fad followers, that are trying-out going gluten free, dairy free, etc. to see if they feel better by removing certain things from their diet. Wading through the information out there can be daunting! I know! I’ve been cooking and baking allergen free for my family for the past 7 years. My daughter was diagnosed with CML, a type of Leukemia, when she was 7. She takes an oral chemo medication everyday because of this. The medication has created adverse reactions to many foods, including; gluten, soy, and eggs. She already had an allergy to yeast and was sensitive to dairy since birth. Yikes! Right!? My youngest son, who’s 8 (I have 3 kids) has an allergy to: peanuts, tree nuts, strawberries, pears, bananas, mangos, & kiwis. Kinda makes your head swim huh? Thank goodness I have a degree in Culinary Arts, Baking and Pastry! By default, I’ve become an expert at “free baking” and cooking. I’ve been forced to. Baking is straight up chemistry. Ever talked with a savory chef who back peddles when talked to about baking? It’s not for sissies! Guy Fieri even told me once, “What I bake, I burn! I steer clear of baking!” In baking we deal with proteins withIN grains, liquids, seeds, etc. Savory chefs mainly deal with animal proteins. It’s a very different ball game. Over the years, I’ve experimented with many different flours, grains, seeds, oils, alternative milks etc. If you’ve ever thumbed through a gluten free cook book, you’d see each recipe has at least 2-3 flours from different grains in requires. Yowzers! I started out like that….went out, and researched every grain I could find, bought over a dozen different ones, and tested recipe after recipe with different combinations. A whole lot of time, money and effort. I quickly lost patience with that ordeal, and experimented, instead, with the flour mixtures that are pre-made. Bob’s Red Mill, Pamela’s, even Bisquick and Pillsbury have various mixtures that
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Chef Charity is a Celebrity Pastry Chef and Cake Artist based in San Diego, CA. She specializes in chocolate and sugar art, with particular regard for wedding cakes, as well as specialty and extreme cakes. (Though sometimes wedding cake and extreme cake is redundant…) She also specializes in baking and cooking for those with food allergies and sensitivities. Please visit her at www.chefcharity.com
are good for different things. Who has room in their pantry, and freezer (because grains go rancid fast) for 12 + different flours? Not ME! I began using my regular recipes, and substituting a premade flour mixture for the wheat flour, making a couple other minor tweaks, and Voila! Awesome baked goods that my kid can eat….and more importantly LOVES! My real test of how good a baked item is….is if my boys go for it instead of the regular version. That’s the real measure of success for me. One very tricky thing when baking gluten free, is fiber. Gluten free baked goods, even crackers, breads, and the like don’t have squat for fiber content. GF foods are laden with white stuff…..white rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, which all covert to sugars in the body. A grown adult should get 40-44 grams of fiber a day in their diet. Wanna lose weight?? Increase your fiber intake. Simple. But if you eat a gluten free diet and buy lots of store bought items that are GF, you are liable to gain weight, NOT lose it. Why? You ask….no fiber in those products. What’s the answer then? Well, I’ve discovered some amazing fiber sources to easily add to your GF baking that can solve the fiber issue. Namely Coconut flour and Hemp flour. Both are great sources of fiber AND protein. As a cake artist and pastry chef, I have many clients that come to me for desserts and cakes made dairy free, gluten free, sugar free, vegan and any other “free” you can think of. I teach classes about how to make all these things, but very few people are able to get to the location of these classes. I want to help more people that are in the same position I found myself in 7 years ago. That’s why I’m writing this article, and why we are starting an “advice column” in the Edible Artists Network Magazine. Write to me with your questions about all things allergen based, food science questions and such. I will provide recipes, tips and tricks for free baking. Send your questions to info@edibleartistsnetwork.com.
Background Image © iadams - Fotolia.com
! What happens when 100 cake artists collaborate to celebrate the birthday of an avant-garde icon? Cakenweenie! This year, U.K.-based cake artist extraordinaire Tracey Rothwell set out on a mission to honor legendary filmmaker and artist Tim Burton with a birthday celebration as imaginative as the man himself. Tracey founded the “Burtonesque Bakers,” a network of cake artists from around the world who shared a love of all things Burton. The mission of the bakers? To bake 100 “burtonesque” cakes for Burton’s 55th birthday. Participating artist Sarah Myers of High Five Cakes in Ohio tells Edible Artists Network about the project. “It was Tracey’s goal from the beginning to get 100 bakers making cakes,” says Sarah. “She reached out to a few in the U.K. first, and then word spread by referrals all over the world.” Cake artists from as far away as Australia and New Zealand joined the Harry the Headhunter from Beetljuice by Sideserf Cake Studio
Adam Maitland from Beetlejuice. by High Five Cakes www.EdibleArtistsNetwork.com 69
project, with each designing a cake honoring a Burton character or creation. Atlanta-based artist Karen Portaleo of Highland Bakery created a cake depicting Burton himself. “From the very first time I was ever asked who I’d most like to make a cake for, my answer has always been Tim Burton,” says Karen on her page of cakenweenie. com, the site Tracey created to showcase the project and its resulting cakes.
Tim Burton by Karen Portaleo
Cakenweenie.com went live on August 25, Burton’s birthday, but the collaborative project had been in the making long before that. “We’d been working on it undercover since about February,” Sarah says. “We had a secret group on Facebook where we could all communicate privately with one another. We decided that on the day before launch, we would all post Tim Burton qauotes and artwork on our social media. We wanted people’s feeds to light up with Tim Burton quotes to tease them and build anticipation that something was happening.” Sleepy Hollow
Tree from Sleepy Hollow by Mrs Cake
Skeleton Boy from Corpse Bride By Tracey Rothwell Little Cherry Cake Company
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The teasers worked, and when Cakenweenie was revealed on August 25, people everywhere – including Tim Burton himself – took notice. “The main goal of the project was for Tim Burton to see it, and that mission was accomplished,” Sarah reports. “He shared it on his official page and thanked all of those who baked, and we were so excited. Then within 20 minutes of him sharing it, there was something like 700 shares and 4,000 likes. It Sweeney was awesome!” Todd from
Sweeney Todd
Edible Artists Network congratulates all by Man Bakes those involved – especially organizer Tracey Cake Rothwell – for a job well done. As evidenced by the awesome cakes included, Cakenweenie was Burton worthy! See all 100 cakes, and read more about the project, at Cakenweenie.com. Find us on Facebook: Facebook.com/Cakenweenie
Elsa from Frankenweenie by DeVoli Cakes
Mrs. Plum from Corpse Bride by Sweet Disposition Cakes
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A Tutorial By: Carol Bova
You Will Need: • Flat end stencil brushes • Powder colors • Clear alcohol or extract
• Paint palette • Paper towel or napkin
1
Start with a sugar cookie iced with royal icing. Tip: To make sure your cookie is flat, press the bottom of a second baking sheet over your tray of cookies after taking it out of the oven and before they cool.
2
Carol Bova has been designing and cutting decorative stencils for over 30 years. Designer Stencils®, her family run business, is one of the leaders in home décor stencils. In 2004, they introduced a line of culinary stencils at ICEs in Washington D.C., which has now grown into the primary global resource for quality, food grade culinary designs.
3 Spread royal icing that is mixed to a “marshmallow fluff ” consistency over the stencil. If the pattern runs or smudges, then thicken your icing. It is always good to test your stencil and icing out on parchment paper to make sure you have the right consistency.
Line-up your food-grade stencil over the cookie.
4 Holding the stencil down with one finger, draw your hand across the stencil. If you lift up your trowel mid-stream,the stencil will pull up with it, messing up your icing!
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4
Gently peel off the stencil. Let the icing dry.
5
1
Now it is time for your own creativity. Pipe additional details to make the decorating “pop”!
Stenciled Snowman Cookies Supply list on first page.
Stenciling directly on the royal icing gives your cookie a hand-painted look.
2
To load your brush with color, pour a drop or two of alcohol into your palette. Dip your brush in the powder color and then brush into the alcohol, working the powder into a paste and loading the color onto the brush.
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4
3 Dab or rub your brush onto a paper towel. This will remove any excess wetness or color, helping to prevent it from seeping under the stencil.
5
Here we use the edge of the stencil to create a “mask� to define the bottom of the snowman hat. This will protect the face area from any stray color and create a sharp line for the bottom of the hat.
6 Brush the color until solid.
7
Now, line-up your stencil and brush on the green color over the leaf cutouts using circular motions. Go back over the edges of the leaf openings to create shading.
8
You can add more dimension to your stenciling by using a darker color for tipping the edges of the holly openings. Here we dipped our green brush in charcoal powder and worked the brush into the green color on our palette.
the See how dds a shading n to io dimens il? c the sten
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Repeat with red for berries, then finish with facial features. If you do not want your colors to blend, use tape to cover the stencil openings next to the area you are stenciling.
Let’s add extra dimension to the snowman cookie!
1 Now let’s take the dimension one step further. Take your clean stencil, place it on parchment paper and trowel a thick layer of green royal icing over the leaves. To make sure your leaf edges are rounded, you may need to thin your royal icing so it flows down when you pull up the stencil.
2
Icing pieces are very fragile, so you may want to make extra pieces in case one breaks!
When dry, carefully lift off a leaf and set it in a dab of royal icing over the corresponding leaf on the hat. Repeat for other leaves.
3
Support the underside of the leaves as they dry.
Background © THesIMPLIFY - Fotolia.com
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by Zane Beg Zane is a shining star in cake decorating with no formal training, but with an unlimited creative sense. He loves to create cakes that have great movement and ow to them. He specializes in detailed, hand-painted cakes and molded chocolate. Visit Zane at www.thesweetlife.com.
I have designed this shoe without pre-made items and you will complete this shoe with no drying time. This shoe is a size 6 and it does not look like it was made for Herman the Monster!
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Step 1: Roll out gumpaste to 1/8” thick, I used a custom texture rolling pin with my name on it. Then cut out the top sole and paint it gold.
Step 2: Roll out gumpaste to 2/8” thick. Then cut out the cushion. Step 3: Roll out gumpaste to 3/8” thick. Then cut out the bottom sole
Step 4: You will place the cushion on top of the bottom sole. Adhere it with some water or gum glue.
Step 5:
Place the top sole on top of the cushion. Adhere it with some water or gum glue. Then trace it with a stitching wheel.
Step 7:
For this fall shoe I used Designer PrintsÔ by LUCKS for The Sweet Life Series (The Sweet Life Autumn # 48385). I used CriscoTM, the CriscoTM will not dissolve the Autumn leaves paper but act as a glue to adhere the print to the gumpaste heel. Cover the whole heel with the fall leaves print. TM
Step 6:
Place gumpaste into the heel mold, before you remove the gumpaste put a wood skewer all the way to the top. My heel molds are made with a slot for you to achieve this with no effort.
Step 8:
With some water or gum glue adhere the heel to the bottom of the bottom sole.
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Step 9:
Place heel and bottom sole on top of the foam ramp.
Step 10:
Roll out gumpaste to 2/8” thick. Place the Autumn fall leaves with CriscoTM on top of the toe then cut out the toe piece. Use a stitching wheel to trace the toe, do this on the top part only.
Step 12: Step 11:
Use a small amount of water or gum glue to adhere the toe piece to the bottom sole. You might need some fiber fill to hold the shape of the toe.
Roll out gumpaste to 2/8” thick. Place the autumn fall leaves with Crisco™ on top of the back heel top then cut it out. Use a stitching wheel to trace both the front and back of this top heel piece. I painted the back side gold.
Step 14:
Step 13: Use a small amount of water or gum glue to adhere the top back heel to the main base heel.
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Roll out a piece of gumpaste to 2/8” thick. Place the Autumn fall leaves with CriscoTM on top of the strap pattern, then cut out the top strap pattern. Use a stitching wheel to trace both the front and back of this top heel.
Step 15:
With a support adhere the top strap to the back of the top heel. Use a small amount of water or gum glue to attach the top strap to the back of the top part of the heel.
Step 17:
Then cut out a round scallop circle.
Step 19: On a soft foam board use a ball tool and soften the ends of the circle/petals.
Step 16:
For the ball flower take very thin gumpaste and place the Autumn fall leaves with Crisco™ on top.
Step 18:
Step 20:
Fold it in half and cut it into 6 sections cutting onlu half way to the center.
Fold it like you would a Carnation flower.
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Step 21:
Cut out a round disk and with some water or gum glue start placing the flower pieces onto the round circle.
Step 22:
Step 24: Step 23:
With some water or gun glue adhere the flower to the top of the toe.
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Make the flower full but keep some space for the center button.
Make a button center for the flower. Paint the center before you place it in the flower. I also hit the edges of the flower petals with some gold.
Step 25:
To finish off this sugar display I used Designer Prints™, by LUCKS™ for The Sweet Life Series (The Sweet Life Autumn # 48386). Remove the large Autumn leaves of your choice from the paper backing.
Step 26:
Roll out some colored gumpaste very thin and then used Crisco™ to act as glue, place the large Autumn leaves onto the gumpaste. The Crisco™ will not dissolve the large Autumn leaves.
Step 27:
Cut out the large Autumn leaves and place a small amount of fiber fill to give the leaves some shape. I thought by use the large Autumn leaves to accent my sugar display this would look like fall leaves on the ground.
For information on Designer Prints™, by LUCKSTM for The Sweet Life Series (The Sweet Life Autumn # 48385 # 48386, and the Shoe kit go to www.shop.thesweetlifeseriesonline.com For information on our teaching travels and new projects like us on FaceBook Zane Beg and our page Norm & Zane The Sweet Life LLC. Background Image © gudrun - Fotolia.com
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A Tutorial by Michaelle Stidham
(1:2 1/2 Ratio) • 1 Tbsp Unflavored Gelatin (Knox etc. - Not Jello) • 2 1/2 Tbsp Water • Food Colors (airbrush colors dissolve better)
• Place the gelatin in a microwave safe bowl • Sprinkle gelatin over top and stir together • Let sit for 3-5 minutes (will be very thick)
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Michaelle Stidham is now a retired ‘snowbird,’ living in Michigan during the summer and Florida during the winter. Michaelle has been decorating cakes for over 40 years, including being the head pastry chef for a local country club. She has competed in competitions across the US and had her work published in several national and international magazines. She has co-authored two gelatin art books and currently teaches at Oakland Community College while she’s in Michigan.
• Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes for the foam to rise to the top. • Gently scoop this away with a spoon
Place in microwave for 10 second intervals, stirring until all gelatin is dissolved. Tips: • Airbrush color works best if you have it as it is already liquid • Gelatin can be rewarmed as needed (do this in 5-10 second intervals). • You want the gelatin to be the consistency of nail polish when using (if too warm, it will be much thinner and if too cool, it will be thick and gooey. • Leftover gelatin can be save and reused... just make sure it ALWAYS gets fully warmed to a liquid state every 24 hours whether you are using it that day or not (to prevent mold). • Yellow food color tends to cause excess air bubbles... just scoop off the excess bubbles as you did when clarifying the gelatin. • Once dried, gelatin are pieces are good indefinitely.
• Using a small water balloon and a 9” balloon, blow the small up to 1” diameter and the large up to 5” diameter • Attach each to a stick or dowl rod for ease in dipping • Prepare gelatin mixture using a 1:3 ratio of gelatin:water, and color this the shade of brown desired for the body.
Gelatin is now clarified (clear) and ready to add desired food coloring.
• Dip each balloon and allow them to gel a few minutes, then dip again. • Repeat 5 to 7 times • Let dry several (6-8) days NOTE: The balloon dips will likely look lumpy and have air bubbles, but don’t worry as it will be covered.
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• With leftover gelatin, make 6 small feathers for front wings. • Use ratio 1:4 brown (same brown as balloon body) gelatin to paint 1 sheet each of Water & Wavy Lines texture sheets. • You need to spread two even layers of gelatin on each sheet, allowing the first layer to sit about 2 minutes before adding the second layer. • Drying time may take anywhere from 8-12 hours.
• Gently pop the balloon with a pin at the knot. • Start to pull gently on the balloon, then release pressure, and keep repeating this. • You will be able to see the balloon gradually releasing from the gelatin. • This takes a few minutes of playing until the balloon finally comes out. • Don’t worry about the hole - that is where the body is attached with gelatin.
• Prepare gelatin mixture using a 1:2 1/2 ratio of gelatin:water to paint feathers. • You want 3 distinct colors of brown. (To make different shades of brown: add yellow, orange, green or red to the brown gelatin.) Colors and numbers of feathers needed are: a. Lightest Shade - 12 Long Large b. Medium Shade - 12 Medium c. Darkest Shade - 12 Small d. Deep Red - 2 Small feathers for beak & gobbler e. Any Shade (can just mix all leftover gelatin together 18 small for the backside of the turkey tail
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Let dry, cut with tiny scalloped craft (scrapbook) scissors.
Use piping gel and markers or food colors to embellish each feather with color and glitter.
• Using your Wavy Lines texture gelatin sheet... • Prepare a food color and vodka mixture (about 50:50) • Paint an even layer on a piece of cardstock or thin cardboard (cake box works great) • Quickly lay the sheet of gelatin on top of the wet paint and use fondant smoother to apply even pressure to the sheet. • Lift the sheet off. • Repeat this until all areas of the sheet are covered
• Let this dry for a few minutes. • Using scalloped scissors, cut: - eight - 3 1/2” long feather shapes - six - 3” long feather shapes • These will be used for the wings on the side of the body.
• Using your prepare Water texture gelatin sheet (8”x12”), cut in half (8”x6”) then lightly spritz one of the half sheets with vodka. • The gelatin sheet will become slightly pliable. (If not, lightly spritz a second time). • Press the sheet around the bottom 1/2 of body to fit, then use warm gelatin as glue to adhere.
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• From other half sheet, cut a 3” x 3.5” piece to make the neck. • Spritz with vodka to roll the piece into a tube shape between the head and body, bending to look realistic. • Use warm gelatin to glue together.
• Use remaining portion of the sheet to cover the top of body. • You should have small scrap pieces left that you can use to cover the head.
Use food color mixed with a small amount of vodka to paint on eyes and accents.
• Use the 2 red feathers to make the beak and the gobbler. • Gobbler: cut one feather in half and make a loop, then use warm gelatin to glue onto neck. • Spritz the other red feather and shape into an elongated cone for the beak, then use warm gelatin to glue in place.
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Use warm gelatin to attach the body onto a plastic lid or plate in the position desired.
• Use warm gelatin to attach the 12 of each size trimmed and embellished tail feathers. • Start with the shortest feathers first, then medium size, then the longest. • Using warm gelatin as glue, attach 4 of the longer and 3 of the shorter hand cut/shaped feathers (with the white accents). • You may have to trim length slightly after you have placed them on the body.
Using the six small feathers you made from the same color gelatin as the body and head, attach three on top of these.
Using warm gelatin as glue, start adding tail feathers on the backside of the turkey’s fan tail until it looks full.
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Edible Art of the Day is dedicated to showcasing the best edible art from around the globe! We’re continuously inspired by the impressive talent of our members. To view all of our winners please visit http://www.edibleartistsnetwork.com/edible-art-of-the-day
vorites:
recent fa w fe a re a Here
Amanda Baquayee Cakes By Amanda Jane
Etty van Urk Wedding Cakes UK
Dorothy Klerck - Eat Cake Party
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Raewyn Read Cakes by Raewyn
Anna Garcia Designer Cakes by Anna Garcia Angela Bowden Sugar Art by Angela
Jo Orr Ciccio Cakes
Edible Artist on the Rise
Sugar Sculpting By Gracie Prainito
Coming home from ICES I was inspired. I met so many amazing artists, that until now, I had only read about, never, ever did I think I would be able to meet them. I met Norm Davis, Zane Beg, Lauren Kitchens, Marina Sousa, Kerry Vincent, Mike Terry, Peggy Tucker and so many more - but most of all – my huge sugar crush Sidney Galpern, of Simi Cakes & confections. I was able to stand side-by-side and watch her work – OMG I was so excited I had to pinch myself. She taught me so much that I was anxious to get home and start creating! Melt your isomalt in a microwave safe bowl – I used a
Step 1 Pyrex measuring cup. Melt for 30 seconds at a time
and keep checking the isomalt to ensure that all of it has melted. Isomalt is very hot – so please be careful. your 6” pan with cooking spray – be sure to coat Step 2 Spray the pan well. Pour enough isomalt into the bottom of
the pan to reach desired thickness. I made mine about a ¼” deep so that it would be sturdy. Make two of these, one for the base and one for the backdrop.
Gather your materials. • Isomalt • Silicone cups to melt the isomalt • Airbrush food coloring • 6” baking pan • Heart cookie cutters • Snowflake cookie cutter • Gatsby Jewel Brooch Mold by Marina Sousa (www.marvelousmolds.com) • Silicon mat • Small torch • Ball mold (www.simicakes.com) (I had plans to do some sugar bubbles but ran out of time, so please overlook the pump in the picture - maybe next time)
Step 4
Step 3 Add a little
airbrush coloring right away and swirl with a toothpick. You have to do this before the isomalt begins to set.
Step 5
Melt some more isomalt and add red airbrush coloring.
Add some disco to give it some bling!
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Note: I made the mistake of not greasing my mold properly the first time I did this and my isomalt would not come out of the mold. Thank goodness Mom was able reach Sidney and Michelle Galpern of Simi Cakes & Confections for a late night emergency call, and they were able to help. Their advice – grease the mold well and be patient.
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the Step 12 While feet are
Step 6
cooling make the brooch. I used the Gatsby Jewel Brooch Mold by Marina Sousa. Did I mention I was able to meet Marina – oh yeah good times.
Spray your cookie cutters with vegetable spray.
Step 13 Now you’re
Step 7
ready to put it all together. I added the feet to the bottom of my first disc by heating up the ball and the disc and adding a little bit of isomalt.
Pour the isolmat into the heart mold and let cool
Step 14
Step 8
Then I used a very hot knife to cut a straight line off the back drop.
Once cooled remove the mold. They should pop out easliy.
I heated up the backdrop Step 15 Then with the torch and held it in
back to Step 9 Head your base turn the
cake pan over on a padded surface like kitchen towels. Then heat with the blow torch until the isomalt pops out. Take your time and don’t rush or it will crack.
place on the base until it dried. I added the brooch to the snowflake and put it in place, and added the hearts for some extra height.
(be careful the pan will get really hot)
Step 10 Moving on to the snowflakes. Follow the same procedure as you did with the hearts. I added some air brush coloring to give mine some cool swirls.
Step 11
While the snowflakes are cooling move back to the base. Use your ½ circle ball mold to make the feet for my sculpture. Make four.
I added some isomalt curls – and stood back and admired my work. A very special thank you to Simi Cakes & Confection – they have offered to sponsor me on my sugar journey. All isomalt in my tutorial was provided by Simi Cakes & Confections (www.simicakes.com).
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s ’ t a h W New and
TieredCaker
by Calculated Cakes
www.calculatedcakes.com TieredCaker is for cake decorators, bakeries, caterers, and party planners looking to streamline the planning and serving of tiered cakes. Beginning cake decorators will love the instant knowledge they gain from TieredCaker about cake and serving sizes, and professionals will love the way TieredCaker speeds up the process of choosing what cakes to stack for that next order!
CakePlay Isomalt Nibs and Silicone Mold Sheets by CakePlay
www.cakeplay.com
Celebration by SweetWorks Autumn Mix Sixlets by Sweetworks
www.sweetworks.net Autumn Mix Sixlets® are a twist on classic Sixlets®, the candy coated chocolaty candies. Autumn Mix Sixlets has a luminescent range of beautiful fall colors, perfect for the Thanksgiving table, baking and crafts. They are available in peg bags and Shaker jars.
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Thinking fall? CakePlay’s new bow and loop silicone mold makes it easy to create fun fall decorations in just a few minutes. This high-quality mold and our convenient isomalt nibs let you make beautiful fall accents quickly and easily. Visit www.cakeplay.com for these and more great decorating ideas
Metallic Icing Sheets by Icing Images
www.icingimages.com/ sweet-accents-supplies
Metallic Premium Icing Sheets are Premium quality, luster icing sheets with metallic colors, perfect for fall. They come in silver, yellow gold, copper, and antique metallic gold.
Gingerdeadman Cookies by Gateaux Inc.
www.gateaux-inc.com Set comes with one cookie cutter, and three stencils. They’re adorable and super fast to make because they work on un-iced gingerbread cookies.
Teapot Cupcake Stands by Beryl’s Cake Dec & Pastry Supplies www.beryls.com
Elegant “teapot” cupcake stands for that very special occasion.
SugarEd Productions Online Sugar Art School by SugarEd Productions
www.sugaredproductions.com Online Cake Decorating and Sugar Art School. 24/7 access to an ever growing library of video and photo tutorials, recipes, articles, chat forums, photo galleries and more. New content is added weekly. Instruction for all skill levels on a wide variety of topics including cake decorating, cookies, candy, desserts, business, baking and photography. Your one stop spot for all things cake.
Bakery Emulsions by Lorann Oils
www.LorAnnOils.com
More flavorful than an extract! LorAnn’s Bakery Emulsions are water-based alternatives to extracts. When it comes to flavoring, professional bakers prefer emulsions over alcohol-based extracts. The flavors are more robust and won’t “bake-out” when exposed to heat. Use baking emulsions instead of extracts for better results in all your baked goods, icings, fondants and fillings.
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Incredible Edible Art
Given creative freedom, Karen Portaleo took two days creating this 200lb Chinese opera panda from 17 sheets of mandarin liqueur soaked cake with orange buttercream and mint chocolate gnash filling featured at Zoo Atlanta’s 2013 Jazzoo. To view more of Karen’s work, please visit www.karenportaleo.com or www.highlandbakery.com.
Background Image © meschike - Fotolia.com
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