Friday, September 30, 2011

Back to (Cake) School

After much anticipation, I finally got to take my first Baking Arts class a couple weekends ago, and I can't say enough good things about it.

The space was to die for - a bright and modern kitchen, with hardwood floors, set up in an airy loft apartment building in San Francisco's Soma neighborhood. Class size was small - only 5 people - so we didn't have to compete for space or attention. 







Owner/instructor Richard Festen was such a joy to learn from. Richard put us at ease with what he referred to as his "yoga voice," then after breaking the ice, revealed his naughty side. He had us all tittering as he described how to use your hands to smooth BC onto a carved cake (use your imagination.)


Like budduh






I learned a lot at Richard's "Pumpkin Cake" class... from how to make a round cake, carving tips, and airbrushing, which I was most excited about. But the most valuable part of the class was actually when he taught us how to properly handle fondant - I still struggle with that.











Here are a few more pictures from class:

Using a spoon as a carving tool


Crumb coating


  
Cake draped with fondant


Puckered bottom... nothing a few pumpkin leaves can't hide


Up close and personal with an airbrush


Stove top rigged to protect surfaces from airbrushing


 
Pumpkin, post airbrush, not looking so anemic any more


Hand-molded mice heads


FIN.

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