My Telford Pieces

Can't believe it's now a fortnight since the Exhibition and I'm only now getting round to Blogging my cakes.

First up is my Diamond Jubilee cake for the BSG Forum Users Table.  As I said last week, a great effort from a bunch of people, most of whom had never met.

The lettering was a Union Flag patterned paste which I will do a tutorial for, though it may not be any time soon!

The whole table looked fantastic and was a real mix of skills and work.

Next up my offering for the Table of Excellence.
This is a showcase for people who've been awarded a Gold in a BSG competition - I've got to be honest, I thought the letter had been sent to the wrong person when I opened it - and I wanted to do something that would reflect the three Gold awards I've had.  As one was a child's birthday cake, the second a pastillage card for a wedding and the third a wedding cake, it was quite a challenge.  As I'd entered the Wedding Cake Class at the Exhibition, I decided to combine the type of modelling found on a child's birthday cake with a pastillage card and try to create a birthday cake, 'before' and 'after' the dinosaur gets in on the act.

And finally my competition piece, a wedding cake adorned with patterned paste applique.  Instructions for the basic techniques can be found here.

BSG International Exhibition, Telford

Now where did the last week go?  One minute we're at Telford in the cold and the wet and the next it's hot, hot hot and the Exhibition's been and gone.

I didn't see much of the show as I was on the Demonstrator Training Stand most of the weekend but there was some fantastic work on show, including this Wild and Wacky Novelty Cake which won Gold and Trophy:

I also liked this cool rock star rhino which was awarded a Silver:

 Wirral BSG won Gold and Trophy with their take on Afternoon Tea:

 And I think the BSG Forum Members did a sterling job for a group of people who hardly knew each other and, in many cases, had never met:

I think special mention should go to all the children who entered the competition, including my son who was Highly Commended for his Fish in the Tots division:

 And finally, Best in Show was this beautiful Wedding Cake:

I wish I'd had more time to say 'hello' to my virtual friends, many of whom said afterwards that I was busy every time they walked by, and see a bit more of the show.  I hope you enjoyed this whistle stop tour, more photos are on facebook.

BSG International Exhibition

Not a lot to report this week.  I've been non-stop caking, preparing my pieces for the BSG International Exhibition at Telford next weekend.

Pleased to say that one piece is finished, one just(!) needs the piping and the third, well, I've cut the pastillage.  I'm hoping to be finished by this time tomorrow so watch this space, as they say!

More Chocolate!

I think I've got the bug!  I bought some more moulds and had another play.  It's very calming...

Anyway, a larger shoe:

A chocolate heart:

And some quick photos showing some of the steps:

I tempered some white chocolate and piped or drizzled it into the moulds 

Once that had set, I filled the moulds with tempered milk chocolate 

After a couple of minutes, I poured the chocolate out, leaving a shell.  This one has hardened as I photographed it later

I turned the moulds over and left the chocolate to set 

It's difficult to see but as the chocolate sets, it pulls away from the mould slightly

Once it was completely set, I gently twisted the mould (the small one cracked because I was impatient) and the moulded shapes dropped out.  Then I placed them on a heated baking tray for a couple of seconds, enough to melt the chocolate, and stuck the two halves together

Cake Craft and Decoration

Finally bought the May issue of CC&D today as my second article is on page 44.

"Come To The Party
Fancy dress is always popular for children’s parties and Kathryn Kelly has designed a fab two tiered birthday cake with lots of hand modelled children in fancy dress."

I'm in good company this month alongside Elaine Thomas's dragon in its lair as well as her talking about making the award winning flying dragon from Cake International 2011, Tracey Mann and Jane Barraclough.

Chocolate!

I had a great day on Saturday at the Bristol Sugar Madness Day.  Many thanks to Gill for organising, and for inviting me to demonstrate.  I hope everyone enjoyed my patterned paste techniques.

The other demonstrator was Mark Willis, 'Modelling Mark' to those of you who belong to the BSG and an amazingly talented chocolatier.  So after seeing his moulded chocolates demonstration, I thought I'd have a go.

I have a shoe mould for making sugar shoes, and following his instructions I placed some spots of oloured cocoa butter in the mould, tempered the choolate and poured it in.  Next time I'll take photos of the steps to show you.  After a couple of minutes, I poured the excess chocolate away and stepped away from the mould.

The result?  Well, I'm quite pleased with - and I know how I'll make it better next time!

Pinterest

I've been pinned - or rather the Patterned Paste tutorials have.

Hello and welcome to all those who are new to Kathryn's Cakes.  Why not have a browse round the website or join us on facebook?