Cooking

Cake Decoration

Leave a Comment

IMAG0249audreyCakeIMAG0041

 

I found a technique for decorating cakes a few years ago I really like. Start with a picture you want to use. Open it up in an image editor, I use Gimp, and convert it to two or three tones (I’ll add instructions later, but you can find a tutorial online). Reverse the image and print it off, making sure the size is approximately right.

Now the fun part. I tape the image on the back of a cookie tray, then cover the whole thing with plastic wrap making sure it’s pulled tight and secured in place (more tape). Then I use melted chocolate (white, dark and a mixture of the two) to trace the image. I put the chocolate in a sandwich bag and snip off a little bit of one corner to make a poor icing kit. You wouldn’t want to use a real one, it would be a nightmare to clean up.

The back side that you’re working on will end up looking terrible, but the side that is down against the cookie tray will come out, well, like the pictures above. The best part is, unlike fondant, people actually want to eat chocolate.

Pizza Sauce

Leave a Comment

Good pizza sauce is magic. I started trying to make really good pizza at home a few years ago and this sauce is one of the keys. At it’s core, pizza sauce is tomatoes, garlic and oregano. Those three plus a little salt and you’ll have a better sauce than most store bought. The thing you really want to avoid is onions, that makes it taste like a pasta sauce. The rest of the seasoning I’ve played with over time and come to a balance I really like, but it will probably continue to change.

  • 2 T butter
  • 2 T flour
  • 1 can  tomato sauce
  • 1 can petite diced tomatoes
  • 4 t / 8 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 T oregano, basil, vinegar
  • 2 T honey
  • 1 t black pepper, salt, sugar, thyme, fennel seed
  • 1/2 t red pepper flakes

The cans should be 16oz. Try to find a sauce with no additives. Also, the petite diced tomatoes often have stuff added, get plain tomatoes. I like to use a wide, over sized pot. The large surface area lets the sauce boil down faster and the tall sides keep it from splashing.

Start by making a roux with the butter and flour, about 3 minutes on med-high heat, whisking the whole time. Add the tomato sauce and give it a quick stir. Then add everything else and let it simmer until it thickens, stirring occasionally.