Mini Cake for Yoyo

On the last day of my work experience (practicum) at Luscious Creations, my classmate and I got to design and decorate mini 4" cakes... on the spot à la Food Network Challenge :) We decided to make ones for each other, which made this assignment even more like FNC where you have to design a cake for a client you'll meet just before the challenge begins!

This is the one I made for my classmate Yoyo. I wish I could have made a Transformer cake for her but there's no way I could make it without some reference to look at :( So I combined her favourite colours: pink & black, one of her favourite decorations on cakes: a bow, and "Frog Prince" :)

Lime-themed Cake

I had an opportunity to work on a "free reign" dummy cake during my work experience (practicum) at Luscious Creations. It was meant for some charity event and their theme colours include lime green. I took the word 'lime' literally and designed this very lime-ful cake.

Each tier is 'double-height' (approx. 6"-7" tall) and I had a hard time covering those with rolled fondant :(

Plated Dessert Diagram

This is my plated dessert diagram for the final practical test. I wish I could have taken a photo or two of the finished item :(

The red tuile was not a coil on the plate. It was more like a group of the big alphabet C's.

I used the Almond Glass recipe on Wild Sweets Chocolate which I love!

Please click on the above photo to read descriptions of the dessert...

Wedding Cake Ver. 4

The fourth and final wedding cake that I made at school was a part of the practical test. I gave myself a plenty of time (two hours, excluding time to make a batch of rolled fondant), and this time I swore to myself (as well as St. Honoré!) that I'd finish the decorating within the self-allotted time. No overtime. No mistake should be made again.

Just like the last one, there were quite a few criteria that needed to be met and, of course, the time constraint. I wish I could have a pastel-coloured cake with all-white decorations, but the cake itself had to be white. (Thanks for reminding me of the criteria, EU!) Besides, colouring rolled fondant takes long, and colouring rolled fondant the way I really want takes even longer; hence all white.

Trio of Summer Berries

Each student was assigned to present a summer-themed plated dessert to Ms. M, our instructor, as well as the entire class.

L to R: dark chocolate strawberry ganache, fresh strawberry slices, roasted almond slices, tuile rounds; white chocolate mousse, raspberry compote; mini fresh bluberry cake with lemongrass-flavoured whipped cream.

The recipe for dark chocolate strawberry ganache is from this awesome book called Wild Sweets Chocolate. (Thanks UW!)

I was aiming to achieve the flavour transition from rich ganache to lighter mousse to super light cake...

Wedding Cake Ver. 3

The third wedding cake that I worked on at school - all on my own this time. Well, this wasn't the first time to work on a wedding cake by myself, but I must say it was pretty challenging due to all the criteria to be met and the time constraint...

I'm happy with the crimped edges... (Thanks a lot for your books, Chiho!)

I'm happy with how the colours worked out, too.

There's always something to think "shoulda woulda coulda" about, but I had a great time overall :D

Banana Split, Reinvented.

From front to back: banana foster with walnuts (my very first flambé experience! FUN!), strawberry granita, mocha pot de creme in dark chocolate cylinder (with maraschino cherry on top, of course), white chocolate covered vanilla ice cream topped with candied pineapple chunks and mango coulis.

* didn't like the plate :( * white chocolate was so thick that nobody could eat/break it! * chocolate tempering took forever... ugh

(untitled)

White chocolate bavarois on rum-soaked ladyfinger base. Served with mango coulis, kiwi/pineapple mini cubes and white chocolate decoration. (The bavarois was actually leaning like The Tower of Pisa!)

Layers & Streaks

From top to bottom: chocolate decoration, raspberries, whipped cream, chocolate mousse, whipped cream, chocolate mousse, sweet short paste disk.

I wanted chocolate mousse rounds to be the same size (diameter) as other components :(

Mexican Feast for Two

Taco shells (sweet short paste), black beans (almond clusters), sour cream (whipped cream), salsa (strawberries), lettuce (mint leaves), & cheese (mango). Served with frozen strawberry margaritas (strawberry granita).

Spot the difference? The glasses were rimmed with medium sugar.

Tropical Duo

FRONT: Coconut & ginger sorbet in a cocoa-flavoured coconut tuille cup, with the inside brushed with white chocolate.
BACK: Créme caramel with a pineapple ring. Grill mark + green sugar pieces = pineapple-y look...?

No contrast in height or colour :(

Where's the coffee?

Chocolate mousse (cubes; hidden not shown) in a chocolate cup, topped with whipped cream and cinnamon. Served with a brandy roll.

There's nothing "coffee" about this dessert but it says "Café"...

Sphere Surprise

Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and pieces of ladyfinger are hidden inside the chocolate sphere. Served with warm créme anglaise.

* inspired by this beautiful recipe that I found online...
merci beaucoup :)

Vacherin, Reconstructed.

This is the reconstructed version of Vacherin I made a little while ago. Chocolate ice cream pyramid is masked with whipped cream, topped with two meringue hearts, sprinkled with chocolate shavings.

Marzipan Modelling

Bananas, eggplants, zucchinis, and tomatoes. All were made with marzipan.

I've always liked playdough since I was a kid, and I'll never grow out of it.

VCC Positive Space Campaign Cakes

Two full-slab carrot cakes decorated by me & Nicole for VCC's Positive Space campaign.

6 colourful squares and 1 big black square were made with marzipan. Letterings were made with rolled fondant...

times two.

Japonais Pastry & Almond Bars

Japonais (meringue with ground almonds) oval disks layered with praline buttercream and chocolate ganache, coated with ground almonds. They look like コロッケ before being deep-fried.

Piped Japonais sandwiched with chocolate ganache.

Vacherin

French meringue disks alternately layered with vanilla ice cream, decorated with whipped cream, meringue hearts & cocoa powder.

Wedding Cake Ver. 2

Here's the second wedding cake decorated in class. I teamed up with one of my teammates whom I worked together with on the first one.

Wedding Cake Competition

Wedding Cake Competition was held as a part of Congress 2009 by the BC Chapter of the Baking Association of Canada. There were many beautiful cakes by both professional pastry chefs and pastry arts students...(photos @ Flickr) and here's my cake:

I'm so ecstatic and humbled to come in third place in Student Division *hurrah* I'd like to thank Ms. B whose guidance and support I couldn't have done it without.

Here's to the happy couple!

update: prize & bronze (glass) medal