My Christmas cakes

[Bolas De Fraile]

A few pics

[PrincessFiona60]

Those are beautiful Bolas!

[Bolas De Fraile]

I make them for close friends, my wife does most of the decoration she is a lot younger than me so her hand eye coordination is better.

Our wedding cake





I made this 11yrs ago.

[PrincessFiona60]

I can't decorate cakes, just bake them. I can write a poem, but trying to be artistic with medium from crafts to food is beyond me. I am in awe of those of you who can do it.

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by Bolas De Fraile

I make them for close friends, my wife does most of the decoration she is a lot younger than me so her hand eye coordination is better.

Our wedding cake I made this 11yrs ago.

It's beautiful. Is that Marzipan on the cake?

[Bolas De Fraile]

Originally Posted by PrincessFiona60

It's beautiful. Is that Marzipan on the cake?

Thank you,Yes that was made with ground almonds, I also make it with ground pistachio or cashew nuts to insulate different cake, also to stuff things like dates ect.

A simple Walnut cakeno skill needed

[PrincessFiona60]

Never thought to make marzipan with cashews or pistachios, Shrek, my husband, would love that!

Do you make the walnut cake with walnut flour?

[justplainbill]

Is it unusual for a cake baker to also be a bread baker?
Bon Appétit

[Bolas De Fraile]

Originally Posted by PrincessFiona60

Never thought to make marzipan with cashews or pistachios, Shrek, my husband, would love that!

Do you make the walnut cake with walnut flour?

I have never seen walnut flour, I just add some blitz walnuts to the sponge batter.The best place for marzipan is Barcelona at christmas, there are a number of shops that just sell all types of marzipan, it is a Catalan tradition.

[Bolas De Fraile]

Originally Posted by justplainbill

Is it unusual for a cake baker to also be a bread baker?
Bon Appétit

I like making both, patisserie is not cooking it is alchemy.Not to sound pompous but cooking is easy by comparison.

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by Bolas De Fraile

I have never seen walnut flour, I just add some blitz walnuts to the sponge batter.The best place for marzipan is Barcelona at christmas, there are a number of shops that just sell all types of marzipan, it is a Catalan tradition.

I make my own walnut flour, same as you do but I sift out the papery coating that has not become fine. My walnut cake is very dense, very little cake flour, about 2 walnut to 1 cake flour. It's lightly sweet from Lyle's Golden Syrup.

[Bolas De Fraile]

Originally Posted by PrincessFiona60

I make my own walnut flour, same as you do but I sift out the papery coating that has not become fine. My walnut cake is very dense, very little cake flour, about 2 walnut to 1 cake flour. It's lightly sweet from Lyle's Golden Syrup.

I will try that ratio, I do use 2 of flour to 1 of ground almonds when I make Sacher Torte, my favorite crepe as a child was with Golden Syrup and lemon juice.
I make a lot of petit fours for chrimbo, here is one of my favs, buy a pack of small de-stoned ready to eat prunes, make your marzipan and add a little brandy, slit the prunes and stuff with the marzipan then dip in the best melted dark chocolate you can afford, set on a cake rack.

This is a good cheats apple tart, life is to short now to laminate puff pastry.

Roll shop bought Puff very thin, cut into a circle and prick all over, place on a baking tray, cut thin slices of shop bought marzipan and cover pastry, peel and slice a good desert apple using a mandolin if you have, cover the marzipan, bake in the hottest part of your oven,take out glaze with a bit of sieved apricot jam.

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by Bolas De Fraile

I will try that ratio, I do use 2 of flour to 1 of ground almonds when I make Sacher Torte, my favorite crepe as a child was with Golden Syrup and lemon juice.
I make a lot of petit fours for chrimbo, here is one of my favs, buy a pack of small de-stoned ready to eat prunes, make your marzipan and add a little brandy, slit the prunes and stuff with the marzipan then dip in the best melted dark chocolate you can afford, set on a cake rack.

This is a good cheats apple tart, life is to short now to laminate puff pastry.

Roll shop bought Puff very thin, cut into a circle and prick all over, place on a baking tray, cut thin slices of shop bought marzipan and cover pastry, peel and slice a good desert apple using a mandolin if you have, cover the marzipan, bake in the hottest part of your oven,take out glaze with a bit of sieved apricot jam.

The apple tart sounds divine...copying the tip! Thanks.

I found the walnut cake idea on my searches for lower carbohydrate desserts that tasted good and did not use artificial sweeteners.