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Guild Meeting - Insurance in the Food Industry (March)

The March guild meeting is on the subject of Insurance.  Anyone who is running or interested in starting up a business from home or from a store will benefit from being at this meeting chaired by Allison Posen of CG&B.

Background and Areas of Specialization:

Allison had a brief stint as an underwriting assistant at Kingsway General Insurance and then decided she would like to deal with the clients themselves so moved over the broker side of things. 

Before joining CG & B, Allison worked for a couple of years as a personal lines broker, before making the change to the commercial lines side.  After spending a couple of years as a commercial lines broker, Allison decided to join CG & B. 

Allison started with CG & B in 2002 as an account manager in the small business department then moved up to the corporate commercial department after a few years.  In 2007, Allison joined the sales department at CG & B and although she deals with all different classes of business, she has decided to target the food industry due to her background in nutritional science.  Allison has most recently developed an exclusive program to CG & B for all retail and commercial bakeries across Ontario.

If you have a specific question or area of discussion that you would like Allison to shed some light on that you leave a comment below so that your information can be prepared in advance.  Allison will be checking these comments and may ask more specific questions in advance.

Modelling People From Gum Paste

This course will concentrate on making one figurine of a woman using part mold and part free hand, students will learn adequate skills to be able to make other figurines on their own.
For this course the supplies (necessary gum paste) is included in the course fee, students must bring their own tools and a list of necessary items will be sent to each participant.

March 25th 6.30pm to 9pm  -  One session only

Price:  $45.00 per student

History of Cake

Cake is a term with a long history (the word is of Viking origin, from the Old Norse kaka) and denotes a baked flour confection sweetened with sugar or honey; it is mixed with eggs and often, but not invariably, with milk and fat; and it has a porous texture from the mixture rising during cooking. It is not surprising that the frontiers between cake and bread, biscuit and bun are indistinct. The progenitor of all is bread in its simplest form. As techniques for baking and leavening developed, and eating patterns changed, what were originally regarded as froms of bread came to be seen as categories of their own and named accordingly. Certain Roman breads, enriched with eggs and butter, must have achieved a cakelike consistency and thus approached one of these indistinct frontiers.

Europe and places such as North America where European influence is strong have always been the center of cakes. One might even draw a line more tightly, fourn English-speaking areas. No other language has a word that means exactly the same as the English 'cake.' The continental European gateau and torte often contain higher proportions of butter, eggs and enriching ingredients such as chocolate, and often lean towaars pastry rathern than cake. Central and East European items such as baba and the Easter kulichare likewise different.

The western tradition of cakes applies little in Asia. In some countries western-style cakes have been adopted on a small scale, for example the small sponge cakes called kasutera in Japan. But the 'cakes' which are imporant in Asian are quite different from anything occidental for examples, see mooncakes andrice cakes of the Philippines.

The history of cakes, goes a long way back. Among the remains found in Swiss lake villages were crude cakes make from roughly crushed gains, moistened, compacted and cooked on a hot stone. Such cakes can be regarded as a form of unleavened bread, as the precursor of all modern European baked products. Some modern survivors of these mixtures still go by the name 'cake', for instance oatcakes, although these are now considreed to be more closely related to biscuits by virtue of their flat, thin shape and brittle texture.

Ancient Egypt was the first culture to show evidence of true skill in bakin, making many kinds of bread including some sweetened with hone. The Greeks had a form of cheesecake and the Romans developed early versions of fruitcakes with raisins, nuts and other fruits. These ended up in 14th century Britain. Chaucer mentions immense cakes made for special occasions. One was made with 13 kilograms of flour and contained butter, cream, eggs, spices, currants and honey.

Moulds, in the form of cake hoops or pans have been used for forming cakes since at least the mid-17th century. Most cakes were eaten accompanied by a glass of sweet wine or tea. At large banquets, elaborately decorated cakes might form part of the display, but would probably not be eaten. By the mid-19th century the French were including a separate "sweet" course at the end of the meal which might include 'gateau.'

During the 19th century, technology made the cake-baker's life much easier. The chemical raising agent bicarbonate of soda, introduced in the 1840's, followed by baking powder ( a dry mixture of bicarbonate of soda with a mild acid), replaced yeast, providing a greater leavening power with less effort. Another technology breakthrough was more accuate temperature controlled ovens.

In most of NW Europe and North America a well-developed tradition of home baking survives, with a huge repertoire of cake recipes developed from the basic methods. The abililty to bake a good cake was a prized skill among housewives in the early to mid-20th century, when many households could produce a simple robust, filling 'cut and come again' cake, implying abundance and hospitality.

Although the popularity of home baking and the role of cakes in the diet have both changed during the 20th century, cakes remain almost ubiquitous in the western world. They have kept their image as 'treats' and maintain their ceremonial importance at weddings and birthdays.

Source: The Penguin Companion to Food by Alan Davidson

Make It Bigger, Make It Better, Make It AWESOME!

Visit Canadian Cake Decorators Guild


As you all know by now, we are always striving to,  in the words of the infamous Duff Goldman "make it bigger, make it better, make it AWESOME"


We have quickly reached the stage where we have outgrown our blog (and the time it takes to keep it up to date) when there are so many talented members of our guild who could be helping us with these updates!  On the new site we can all blog our little hearts out!  The new area is called a COMMUNITY and is, in many ways just like one and as you explore the site more you will realize how great this could be for us to get to know each other by name and by face since we can all upload a picture of ourselves and our cakes...there's nothing like being able to put a cake to a face...er, we mean name to a face of course.
The comment boxes on the new blog are more visible and everyone can add pictures and files to their comments which is a really cool feature.  For the time being all the comments will be moderated until we have established the finer workings of the site, so your comments will take a while to appear.  We always publish all the members comments, but filter out the spam that can sometimes creep in (postings about viagara and erectile dysfunction hardly have their place on a cake blog).
For the time being we are continuing with our blog and our website as these are great tools for us to be found on line, you only have to look at the hit counters to know how many people are visiting us regularly.
The chat feature that we added recently has proved to be really helpful for everyone but extremely difficult for us to use (the log in/out keeps disappearing so it says we're out when we're in and vice versa, and only one person can be logged in at any given time, this doesn't work for us).  Our new hotline can be found on the main page of the new blog at the bottom of the page or by using the tab at the top CHAT.  Everyone logged in will be able to read the comments, but no one can log in without being seen.
Please be sure to JOIN the community, it's simple (just follow the instructions) you don't have to upload anything if you don't want to but please make full use of it's activities by becoming a member.  You don't have to make any of your information public.


Eventually our community will be password protected and for members only, currently we are leaving the site open to members and non-members.  Non-members are not able to use the 'hotline' service.

Edit Your Cake Photos

If you've been looking for a way to improve your photography and tried to find an easy, and free, editing software then you might want to give Paint.net a try.  This program works in the same way as Adobe Photoshop and it might take you some practice before you find out what all the little icons do, but this download is certainly a great tool.  Click HERE to find more information.

Tiffany Box Cake

Blue Tiffany Box Cake

Serves 30-35

INGREDIENTS:
CAKE
3	boxes (18.25 ounces each) classic white cake mix,Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe®
4	cups water
9	egg whites
1/4	cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
AMARETTO FILLING
1	package (8-ounce) cream cheese, at room temperature, Philadelphia®
1	stick (4-ounce) butter, at room temperature
2	tablespoons Amaretto di Saronno®
3 1/2	cups confectioners/powdered sugar
1	jar (16-ounce) apricot preserves, Smucker’s®
1	tablespoon water
FONDANT DECORATION
	Blue food coloring
	Confectioners/powdered sugar

Special Equipment and Ingredients: Disposable latex gloves; 2 boxes (24 ounces each) ready-to-use pure white rolled fondant, Wilton®; white ribbon (1 inch wide); gum arabic

Prep time: 35 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Cooling time: 45 minutes
Decorating time: 25 minutes

PREPARATION:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter and flour three 9-inch-square baking pans with 2 1/2-inch-high sides.
• Combine cake mix, water, egg whites, and oil in very large bowl.
• Beat for 3 minutes, or until well blended.
• Divide batter among prepared pans.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean.
• Cool cakes in pans on cooling racks for 20 minutes.
• Invert cakes onto cooling racks and cool completely.

For the Amaretto Filling:

• Beat cream cheese, butter, and Amaretto in large bowl until smooth.
• Gradually beat in confectioners/powdered sugar.
• Place 1 cake layer on serving platter.
• Spread half of filling over top of cake.
• Top with second cake layer.
• Spread remaining filling over top of cake; top with third cake layer.
• Trim any uneven sides or edges to make perfect square-shaped box.
• Stir preserves and water in small saucepan over high heat until beginning to boil.
• Strain preserves into small bowl.
• Brush preserves over cake to coat completely.
• Refrigerate cake.

For the Fondant:

• Wearing gloves, knead food coloring, 1 drop at a time, into fondant until desired color is achieved.
• Wrap 1/4 of fondant in plastic; set aside.
• Sprinkle work surface and rolling pin with confectioners/powdered sugar.
• Flatten remaining fondant into square.
• Roll out fondant square into 26-inch square that is 1/4 inch thick, rotating to prevent sticking.
• Pierce bubbles that appear in fondant.
• Slide hands under fondant and drape over cake; smooth over surface.
• Trim excess fondant from around base of cake.
• Brush off excess confectioners/ powdered sugar.
• Form reserved fondant into long rope.
• Roll out fondant rope into band 25 inches long by 2 1/2 inches wide.
• Trim band to 2 inch width.
• Using gum arabic as glue, wrap fondant band around top edge of cake to resemble box lid.
• Wrap ribbon around cake to resemble gift.
• Tie remaining ribbon into bow; place atop cake.

From Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade

Lukka Sigurdardottir Designs Wedding Dress Made of Cake

Finding the perfect wedding gown is admittedly an extremely stressful, difficult challenge that most women face only after bracing themselves and making sure they have enough time for it, just in case. Brides looking for something a little more out of the ordinary can find inspiration in a dress designed by Lukka Sigurdardottir entirely out of cake, as the New York Daily News can confirm. 

The creation is far from practical but, to speak the truth, it gets major points for being highly original. From a distance, the dress looks like just any other, except with considerably less material.

The lower part, shaped like a bell is not made of cake: it is a wedding cake in its entirety. Assuming the bride can make it down the aisle in it, guests can probably have a piece of her dress at the wedding party.

Of course, that’s a big “if” right there, as the aforementioned publication also points out. “Here’s a way to have your wedding cake and wear it, too: a one-of-a-kind bridal gown with a full skirt made of – you guessed it – flour, sugar and loads of frosting. The wedding cake dress was created by Lukka Sigurdardottir and documented on the blog Gather and Nest in photos that show a woman wearing the whimsical creation as another person cuts out a delicate slice to reveal a rainbow-colored filling,” the NY Daily News writes. 

“Practical, this dress isn’t. It might not survive the bride’s walk down the aisle – unless she was carefully wheeled in on a cart – and would no doubt require her to stand very still during the reception. But as a work of art, it simply takes the cake,” the publication further mentions. Indeed, even if doesn’t score too many points for design / aspect, as a concept, it is a gown that simply knows no rival so far. 

It is unknown whether the bride is also wearing something else underneath the cake (that is, the lower part of her dress). As such, no one can tell what would happen if one actually wore this to her wedding, after guests have all had a taste of her dress. 

New York Cake Decorating Show

Looking For A Cake Decorator - Dundas

• Birthday
• Dundas
• February 13th, 2010
• Low budget
• Guests: 20
• Theme:  Hanna Montana

GUILD MEMBERS ONLY - please leave your request in the comment box and we'll forward the information to you.

Fifth Annual Police and Youth Unity Basketball Game

Would you like to represent the CCDG and donate a cake for this cause?  The intent of this event is to offer a wonderful opportunity for the community to come and strengthen the relationship between our Police Officers and the young people of the community.

If you would like further information, then please leave your comment and the details will be sent.

Cake For Boobapalooza - Donation

The Jurvinski Breast Screening Centre is having a function called Boobapalooza on February 13th.  I don't have details of size and shape (not sure if they want something 'interesting' here) but we're looking for a volunteer baker to represent the Guild for this worthy cause.

If you would like to do this, please leave your comment and we will send you the coordinates of the organizer.  Most organizations will give you a donation receipt for tax purposes, but you must ask.

Moms and Kids Class - Update

The first of our new Moms and Kids Class was tonight with a great turn out of eleven kids and their respective moms/aunts!  It was great to see three boys in the group, maybe the next Duff Goldman or Buddy Valestro among them.  The kids got to learn some of the do's and don'ts of the cake decorating world and to have some hands on experience with the piping bag.  Judging by the smiling faces and the laughter, we're all looking forward to doing it all again next week.

For anyone who didn't get the opportunity to sign up for this class (the class filled up so quickly) rest assured that we will be doing more kids classes in the future including fondant modelling and more.

What should you bring to the next class?

• Two layers of cake, any size
• One batch of white buttercream (use four tablespoons of water instead of the 2 tbsp called for in the recipe)
• All the equipment from the kit
• An apron
• A damp cloth
• A plastic bag to take home the used equipment
• A cake board or flat plate
• A box to carry your cake home in

Please contact Lynne if you have any questions and don't forget to forward to us the pictures taken during the class.

Moms, please let the kids know that we have a blog for under 16's

Over On Cake Central............

You are not going to want to miss this tutorial over on Cake Central  "How To Make A Sugar Bottle"  There are six video tutorials from Make Your Own Molds.com which we could post one by one here but it's much easier if you just click HERE and go to Cake Central.

This is a cool technique using isomalt (a type of sugar commonly used in cake decorating) and is perfect for a "guy cake" or something really cool for father's day.  You can blow everyone away with this!

Talking of father's day, on Cake Central they also have this great idea for a cake.  What guy wouldn't like to have this made for him (especially if there's a beer bottle or two to go with it!  Click HERE to find out how to make this cool cake.

Guild Meeting - Brush Embroidery Workshop

Alas we didn't get a picture of the last guild meeting but here is a picture of a previous one that wasn't posted earlier this was November's "buttercream flavours" meeting.

This month's meeting had even more attendees and we were happy to welcome four new members as well as one or two members who had not attended meetings before.  Seven of our regular attendees were not there for whatever reasons, making the February meeting the best attended yet despite all the non attendees!

Gordana's brush stroke demo was lots of fun, it is such a beautiful technique and one that is as we mentioned a great way of bringing lots of colour into a cake without adding tons of food colouring (especially black for instance).

The whole meeting was only made better by Fortura's wonderful chocolate profiteroles sparked by the posting all about choux pastry from two weeks ago.  We will most definitely have to post more recipes if it means that we get more goodies at the guild meetings!

We had lots of interesting questions and and a lively discussion about contracts, insurance, clients in general and other cake related subjects.  The discussion part of the guild meeting is really one of the most important aspects of the meeting, our lively discussions are (it would seem from the numerous e-mails that we receive) greatly appreciated by all.  Remember we welcome all cake/cake business related questions for discussion.

Please remember:

• Check this blog for Guild announcements and information this is our primary tool for reaching our members
• Leads are for members only
• Send us your questions for the Insurance Seminar for March's guild meeting
• Please submit your articles/findings/interesting bits and bobs to post on the blog
• All members who have websites: please let us know your web address so that we can put your link on the CCDG website make the most of this extra advertising for you
• We would love it if all members would link back to us, the CCDG logo is available on request so that you can put it on your website
• We welcome pictures of your best cake of the month, once we have enough cakes submitted regularly we will draw one of the names to win a prize each month

Crane Cake

If you choose a Hawaiian wedding theme, you will want to use props like sea shells, coconut shells and grass skirts to decorate your wedding event.
One of Hawaii's most popular wedding traditions since the 1960's is the origami cranes. These are usually made prior to the wedding day. They represent good luck, fortune, longevity, fidelity, happiness and peace.
For a bit of fun and laughter, you can get your wedding guests to try their luck at making folded origamo cranes. You can leave some decorative or colourful paper with instructions and they can make the crane at their own leisurely pace. It will keep your guest entertained and possibly invoke some interesting and playful responses. It also makes for a memorable keepsake that they can take home with them after the wedding.
Here's a step by step video tutorial on how to make a origami crane.

How To Make Royal Icing For Extension Work

Extension Work also known as stringwork or curtaining is a very delicate form of cake side decorations. There are many different forms of extension work. The simplest form consists of a bridge, which is formed by piping a series of dropped loops with subsequent rows piped exactly on top of this previous row.

Imperial	Description
1	Egg White (Large)
1/4 Tsp	Liquid Glucose (for Stretch)
8 – 10 Ozs	Powdered (Icing) Sugar (Sifted)
1/4 Tsp	Gum Arabic (For Strength)

• Place the egg white into a glass bowl.
• Slowly add the powdered sugar a teaspoon at a time while mixing with a pallet knife.
• Continue mixing until a soft peak has been achieved, only then add the gum arabic and mix well.
• Continue beating until a stiff peak has been reached.
• Add the glucose and mix until well incorporated.
• Take the knife out of the bowl and wrap the bowl with two layers of plastic wrap and turn bowl upside down on the counter with the plastic cover down. 

Note: If using a mixer, use the slowest speed

Looking For a Cake Decorator - Hamilton

• Birthday
• February 13th, 2010
• Guests:  15
• Theme:  Thomas The Train
• Comments:  Would like the cake to actually look like Thomas (3D) as opposed to the cake having the picture on a slab cake.

GUILD MEMBERS ONLY  - if you would like contact details, please leave your request in the comment box

Nicholas Lodge in Cambridge

 Classes at the Klara Johnson School of Cake Decorating in
Cambridge, Ontario, CanadaThursday & Friday, May 6 & 7 and
Monday-Wednesday, May 10-12
Nicholas will be teaching both a two-day and three-day class. For additional information or to register for one of these special classes, please contact the Klara Johnson School directly at 519-624-1187 or visit their website at www.klarajohnsons.com