I have decided to join this online group, called the Daring Bakers. It's a top secret society, where in order to be a member, you just ask. You also need to follow a bunch of rules, and if you can keep them straight, then you're good to go. You don't need to be a pro, just a spaz who likes to bake, like me. If you want to learn more about the Daring Bakers, go here: The Daring Bakers Kitchen.
Every month a baking challenge is posted, and every one who is a member participates then blogs about it at the end of the month. This month's challenge was a caramel cake with caramelized butter icing and an optional challenge to make caramel candy. I was less than thrilled to find out that my first challenge would be CAKE. Argh. I'm sick of cake!
I'm sick of decorating cakes, I'm sick of baking them, I'm sick of eating them! And because I'm up to my neck in cake nearly 5 days a week, this challenge wasn't much of a challenge for me.....it was more like another day at work. But I whipped it out and made the caramels too, which was much more fun. I don't get to make candy much.
The caramel cake recipe was provided by Shuna Fish Lydon (one can't help but wonder how many people have nicknamed her "Tuna Fish"....I know I would if she worked with me.) I have actually baked this type of cake before, but under another name; Burnt Sugar Cake. I had a customer request it some time back, so I recognized this caramel cake as the Burnt Sugar Cake, popular in the 50's and 60's. Here is Shuna's recipe if you want to try it: Caramel Cake.
A word of warning though, this thing is SWEET, and I mean sweet. Didn't suit my taste, but the fam loved it, the sugar fiends that they are.
If you want to read Shuna's blog (she's a pro like me), here's the link: Eggbeater.
Anyway, here's the obligatory pics as proof of my participation in this month's challenge:
These are the caramels I made. They were yummy but also popped off one of my crowns. I will be sending my dental bill to the Daring Baker's liability insurance carrier. Oh, I kid....but these caramels cost me over $400! More, if my insurance didn't cover part of it.
This is the caramel cake. I made the wacky version by sticking caramel filigree and a spun sugar ball on top. I had them left over from another catered dessert I made earlier. I iced the cake "Betty Crocker Frosting in a Can Style" since all my decorating tools reside at work.
Did I have trouble making this? Nope. Like I said, just another day in the trenches.
Speaking of trenches, did you know that I'm a burnt out pastry chef? Why did I join the Daring Bakers? Because I can't help myself I suppose, and I really need to get a life out of the kitchen. But what to do? I know other pastry chefs who feel "stuck" too, because they can't imagine doing anything else, as do I. But I'm going nuts and my body is giving out. I can't do the hours I used to. My feet hurt, my arms hurt, my hands hurt, my brain hurts.
I need sugar.
Every month a baking challenge is posted, and every one who is a member participates then blogs about it at the end of the month. This month's challenge was a caramel cake with caramelized butter icing and an optional challenge to make caramel candy. I was less than thrilled to find out that my first challenge would be CAKE. Argh. I'm sick of cake!
I'm sick of decorating cakes, I'm sick of baking them, I'm sick of eating them! And because I'm up to my neck in cake nearly 5 days a week, this challenge wasn't much of a challenge for me.....it was more like another day at work. But I whipped it out and made the caramels too, which was much more fun. I don't get to make candy much.
The caramel cake recipe was provided by Shuna Fish Lydon (one can't help but wonder how many people have nicknamed her "Tuna Fish"....I know I would if she worked with me.) I have actually baked this type of cake before, but under another name; Burnt Sugar Cake. I had a customer request it some time back, so I recognized this caramel cake as the Burnt Sugar Cake, popular in the 50's and 60's. Here is Shuna's recipe if you want to try it: Caramel Cake.
A word of warning though, this thing is SWEET, and I mean sweet. Didn't suit my taste, but the fam loved it, the sugar fiends that they are.
If you want to read Shuna's blog (she's a pro like me), here's the link: Eggbeater.
Anyway, here's the obligatory pics as proof of my participation in this month's challenge:
Did I have trouble making this? Nope. Like I said, just another day in the trenches.
Speaking of trenches, did you know that I'm a burnt out pastry chef? Why did I join the Daring Bakers? Because I can't help myself I suppose, and I really need to get a life out of the kitchen. But what to do? I know other pastry chefs who feel "stuck" too, because they can't imagine doing anything else, as do I. But I'm going nuts and my body is giving out. I can't do the hours I used to. My feet hurt, my arms hurt, my hands hurt, my brain hurts.
I need sugar.
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