Hah! Have finally finished the new book despite losing all my photos for a day (me and electronics -we do weird things together!)
Actually it drives my husband mad. "How come the computer works fine for everyone else - you touch it and some message I've never heard of before comes up and it all goes blue"
Anyway he hunted around in cyberspace and seems to have found them again which is a relief as I have a particularly interesting wedding cake coming up...
Thursday, 19 May 2011
Monday, 9 May 2011
The Times
Am becoming media tart (pardon the patisserie pun!)
Am in today's edition of "The Times" in an article about stress!
There's a picture of me in my kitchen with some cakes and my washing machine, blurb about how I got to be in my kitchen with my cakes and my washing machine and even a plug for "Fabulous Party Cakes and Cupcakes."
I hope the publicity means the good folks at Tuttle won't be too upset that I'm a bit late finishing the sequel...!!!
Am in today's edition of "The Times" in an article about stress!
There's a picture of me in my kitchen with some cakes and my washing machine, blurb about how I got to be in my kitchen with my cakes and my washing machine and even a plug for "Fabulous Party Cakes and Cupcakes."
I hope the publicity means the good folks at Tuttle won't be too upset that I'm a bit late finishing the sequel...!!!
Friday, 4 March 2011
Christmas Came a bit Early!
Well there I am putting together a Christmas cake for the next book. As it's only March it's a bit early to get enthusiastic about Christmas so to get in the mood I had put on a Christmas hat and was playing Christmas music full blast.
Suddenly I realise the doorbell's ringing. I answer it - it's a delivery man and he's looking at me a bit strangely. I realise I'm still wearing the Santa hat and "Little Drummer Boy" is belting out of the kitchen.
He hands me a parcel. "Present for you" he says. We look at each other. He doesn't miss a beat. "Ho Ho Ho" he says totally deadpan. As I shut the door I see his shoulders in his van heaving with laughter.
I suppose it's nice that my work entertains people even if it's not in quite the way I'd intended!
I have now removed the Santa hat and am playing "Take That"!
Suddenly I realise the doorbell's ringing. I answer it - it's a delivery man and he's looking at me a bit strangely. I realise I'm still wearing the Santa hat and "Little Drummer Boy" is belting out of the kitchen.
He hands me a parcel. "Present for you" he says. We look at each other. He doesn't miss a beat. "Ho Ho Ho" he says totally deadpan. As I shut the door I see his shoulders in his van heaving with laughter.
I suppose it's nice that my work entertains people even if it's not in quite the way I'd intended!
I have now removed the Santa hat and am playing "Take That"!
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
Gelatin (Gelatine) Icing Recipe
Ingredients
5 tablespoons water
2 sheets (leaves) gelatine
2 teaspoons liquid glucose (you should be able to find this in the supermarket, if not try your local chemist/drugstore)
500g (1lb 2oz) icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
2-3 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)
Method
1. Place 5 tablespoons of water into a small heatproof bowl and stand inside a saucepan with about 2cm (1/2 inch) of water in the base.
2. Using scissors, cut the gelatin leaves into small pieces and place into the water in the bowl. Gently prod them to make sure all the gelatin is submerged.
3. Place the saucepan on a gentle heat and slowly heat the water. As it heats up, the gelatine should start to dissolve. Once it has dissolved completely remove the bowl from the heat.
4. Spoon two teaspoonfuls of liquid glucose into the gelatin and stir in.
5. Place the icing sugar (confectioner's sugar) into a large mixing bowl.
6. Tip the gelatin/glucose mixture into the centre and stir in.
7. When you can no longer stir, use your hand to mix the rest together. (It will seem quite lumpy at this stage.)
8. Sprinkle the cornflour over your work surface and place the gelating icing on top. Knead the icing adding more cornflour if necessary. You should end up with icing that feels quite silky and smooth.
9. Place into a plastic food bag (as it will start to harden very quickly )until you need to use it.
Gelatin icing can be used immediately and does not need to be refrigerated. If it gets difficult to handle you can try softening it by giving it a quick blast in the microwave (about 5 seconds)
5 tablespoons water
2 sheets (leaves) gelatine
2 teaspoons liquid glucose (you should be able to find this in the supermarket, if not try your local chemist/drugstore)
500g (1lb 2oz) icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
2-3 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)
Method
1. Place 5 tablespoons of water into a small heatproof bowl and stand inside a saucepan with about 2cm (1/2 inch) of water in the base.
2. Using scissors, cut the gelatin leaves into small pieces and place into the water in the bowl. Gently prod them to make sure all the gelatin is submerged.
3. Place the saucepan on a gentle heat and slowly heat the water. As it heats up, the gelatine should start to dissolve. Once it has dissolved completely remove the bowl from the heat.
4. Spoon two teaspoonfuls of liquid glucose into the gelatin and stir in.
5. Place the icing sugar (confectioner's sugar) into a large mixing bowl.
6. Tip the gelatin/glucose mixture into the centre and stir in.
7. When you can no longer stir, use your hand to mix the rest together. (It will seem quite lumpy at this stage.)
8. Sprinkle the cornflour over your work surface and place the gelating icing on top. Knead the icing adding more cornflour if necessary. You should end up with icing that feels quite silky and smooth.
9. Place into a plastic food bag (as it will start to harden very quickly )until you need to use it.
Gelatin icing can be used immediately and does not need to be refrigerated. If it gets difficult to handle you can try softening it by giving it a quick blast in the microwave (about 5 seconds)
Gelatin (Gelatine) Icing
Gelatin icing is a type of icing that sets hard and brittle. I use it for all sorts of things including castle turrets, flags and plaques. It is not suitable for covering cakes as it would be difficult to cut. There are similar types of icing available that perform the same type of function - pastillage is one. There are numerous recipes available online. You can also buy ready made pastillage and pastillage powders that you mix up from cake decorating equipment stores.
I opted for using gelatin icing in my books because the ingredients are easy to get hold of and should be available in your local supermarket. However the books use powdered gelatin and in the UK at least something rather peculiar has happened to powdered gelatin.
It started with a couple of e-mails from readers trying to make their own gelatin icing and has now become a regular torrent. Instead of producing a smooth stretchy icing, the powdered gelatin is producing something dry, stringy, and completely unuseable. What have you done oh Gelatin manufacturers???
So to try and save any potential castle cake makers out there from dry stringy frustration, I have spent the last two afternoons experimenting with gelatin leaves (sheets). These are thin transparent sheets of gelatin that you should be able to find in your supermarket. As I was doing this it crossed my mind that you could cut these up to make glass for windows in a gingerbread house but hey I digress...
Recipe to follow!
I opted for using gelatin icing in my books because the ingredients are easy to get hold of and should be available in your local supermarket. However the books use powdered gelatin and in the UK at least something rather peculiar has happened to powdered gelatin.
It started with a couple of e-mails from readers trying to make their own gelatin icing and has now become a regular torrent. Instead of producing a smooth stretchy icing, the powdered gelatin is producing something dry, stringy, and completely unuseable. What have you done oh Gelatin manufacturers???
So to try and save any potential castle cake makers out there from dry stringy frustration, I have spent the last two afternoons experimenting with gelatin leaves (sheets). These are thin transparent sheets of gelatin that you should be able to find in your supermarket. As I was doing this it crossed my mind that you could cut these up to make glass for windows in a gingerbread house but hey I digress...
Recipe to follow!
Monday, 10 January 2011
Knebworth Wedding Spectacular
A quick wedding fayre update.
I will now also be displaying my wedding cakes at the Knebworth Wedding Spectacular on Sunday 23rd January 2011
http:www.theweddingguide.info/knebworth
I will now also be displaying my wedding cakes at the Knebworth Wedding Spectacular on Sunday 23rd January 2011
http:www.theweddingguide.info/knebworth
Monday, 3 January 2011
Wedding Fayres January 2011
Just in case anyone is interested I will be exhibiting my wedding cakes at two wedding shows in Hertfordshire this month:-
January 9th at Hanbury Manor near Ware SG12 0SD 11-4pm
January 16th at Ware Priory, High Street Ware SG12 9AL 11-3pm
January 9th at Hanbury Manor near Ware SG12 0SD 11-4pm
January 16th at Ware Priory, High Street Ware SG12 9AL 11-3pm
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)