Tips and Techniques
Candy Molds
Did you ever wonder why it is so necessary to dry your candy molds carefully? If you let them drip-dry especially the clear plastic molds, water spots will form. These marks then will be transferred to the surface of your chocolate or coating candies, marring the appearance. If you buff the molds first with a soft cloth, the finished candies will have a better shine. Also, if you use molds that still contain a bit of moishire, it could ruin your candy.
Did you know our candy molds are used in a lot of other ways. Gals are using them for paper art, Beeswax, soap, remolding used crayons (this is really fun!)
Food Coloring
Always use good quality colors: paste, liquid paste, or powder. Do not refrigerate colors, or add water to them. Store them tightly covered. You may thin the colors with glycerin if they seem too thick. Always stir the paste food colors before using them. Use a clean, dry toothpick for taking small amounts of color from the jars. When mixing blues, lavenders, and pinks, try to color only the amount that will be used immediately to help prevent fading. Milk used in the icing helps hold the color, also.
Add protein (meringue powder) to buttercream to help prevent fading of color - especially pinks and blues.
Powder colors do not bleed as badly as paste colors.
To get a deep color, mix your color and let stand for 24 hours. It will darken a lot when in a shortening-based icing.
Icings
A little bit of florist clay on your flower nail to hold waxed-paper square is less messy than using icing. Use a very small amount of clay.
Before using again, always reheat icing after it has set for better consistency and texture.
Fresh orange peel can be a thing of the past for you. Use our new product in its place. Fruitice will give all your fillings, candy centers, cakes, etc. a wonderful fresh orange flavor without scraped knuckles!!
For that extra bit of class, sprinkle edible glitter around the surface of your decorated cakes, or tip your roses with it for that special pizazz!
Prevent cheesecakes from cracking by increasing the humidity of the oven interior during baking. Place a shallow pan of water on the bottom shelf of the oven, and avoid the temptation of opening the oven door while the cake is baking.
Real Ease for greasing your pans, casseroles, baking sheets, etc. is the best thing since sliced bread. Simply grease your pan with Real Ease, bake your product, and cool for only five minutes before tipping out your cake crumb-free.
Powdered Sugar Replacement
For Sugar-Free Diet
2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
2 cups cornstarch
1 cup granulated sugar replacement
Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender. Whip until well blended and powdered.
Yield: 4 cups · Calories: 1/4 cup =81
HINT: Always check your candy thermometer before you start - Just insert your thermometer into at least an inch of water in a pan. Bring the water to a boil and let boil for 5 minutes. The thermometer should read 212 degrees within 1000 feet of sea level. If you are over 1000 feet sea level, water will boil below 212.
Reasons For Cake Failures:
Fallen cakes are the result of
(1) too much sugar, shortening or leavening
(2) oven too cold.
Coarse cake comes from
(1) too much flour or the use of ordinary flour where cake flour is required
(2) failure to sift flour properly
(3) overheating of egg whites in the cake of the angel food or sponge type
(4) insufficient creaming.
Undersized cakes occur when
(1) underbeaten or overbeaten eggs are used
(2) ingredients are over-mixed
(3) oven is too hot
(4) cake is removed from the pan too soon.
Tough crust comes from
(1) oven too hot
(2) overbeaten batter
(3) underbeaten egg whites.
Cracked top results from
(1) too much flour
(2) oven too hot.
Compact texture occurs when
(1) batter is overbeaten
(2) too little sugar
(3) too much shortening.
Cake falls apart when it is insufficiently mixed.
Bottom of cake is soggy when
(1) egg yolks are underbeaten
(2) insufficiently mixed.
HELPFUL HINT: Magic Strips insulate pans beautifully and give an even rise with pleasing cake texture. Try wetting the strips with Hot water. They will accept hot water very readily, especially in multiple baking situations when strips remain warm!
HELPFUL HINT: Need to suspend bells in a tiered cake? Use small window suction disc with a hook attached. It adheres to the upper plate and really works great!
Anytime you work with chocolate it is best to have paramount crystals or cocoa butter on hand to thin your chocolate. Overheating will cause chocolate to become thick and difficult to work with. Adding paramount crystals or cocoa butter will thin chocolate back to a working consistency. Dipping your centers will be easier and quicker with thinned chocolate.