Recent content by jasonr

Well there's another pie in the garbage. I give up, I hate this oven. It's all well and good to say that you shouldn't be ruled by baking time, but it takes alot of skill to be able to figure out if something is done perfectly just by looking at it with no reference to time. Cakes are easier...

I guess I'm so used to baking times being at least somewhat accurate that it's very disconcerting when I can't rely on them at all! Oh well, I guess I know what I have to do... :glare:

I love my new gas range for cooking, but for baking, the oven is driving me crazy. I just threw a cake in the garbage after hours of work. Once again the center was underdone, even though I baked for the maximum amount of time called for in the recipe. I have calibrated this oven with a...

I measure with a ruler to the level I want to cut and insert toothpicks all around at that level. Then I use a serrated bread knife to cut around, removing the toothpicks as I cut using the holes as a guide. Then cut as best I can by hand. It's not perfect, but it works better for me than...

Whatever you do, don't use a candy bar. This is simply not appropriate for baking. Milk chocolate, as others have pointed out, does not have enough chocolate taste to work and will give you a weak-tasting cake. Unsweetened (baker's) chocolate is much stronger, but most of the stuff in the...

Unfortunately, there is no consistency between recipes when it comes to measure flour by volume. Some recipes expect you to spoon into the cups, others expect you to scoop. Volume measurement sucks. For a one-time investment of about $20 - $50 you can buy a little digital scale that will last...

Are you out of your mind? Appletart already mentioned botulism, which FYI produces the deadliest toxin on earth. For the love of God throw it out!

Yes there is. :mad:

Are you kidding? That stuff is gold. And it makes perfect sense. I am especially intrigued by the comment that I should not be using real buttercream for decoration. Do you recommend using a shortening based "decorator's buttercream" for both the writing and the frosting, or can I get away...

I like to use really expensive ingredients, like organic butter and El Ray chocolate, so it can get pretty pricey pretty quick. I also pack things pretty densely in there. The butter alone for that cake would have cost me nearly $20, lol. Thanks for the very good answer. I have suspected that...

I don't buy any ingredients; it's all from scratch. I used Pierre Herme's basic buttercream frosting recipe from his "Patisserie" book, with a vanilla bean to add flavouring. You basically prepare a custard with milk and egg yolks, cook to 81 degrees C, then mix in some softened unsalted butter...

Is there no way to learn the right techniques from books or at home? It's just so hard to find the time to take classes. But at this point I guess if I want to get better I have no other choice... nothing else has worked so far.

I have been making cakes for several years now. I keep practicing, refining my techniques, but I just feel like I'm banging my head against a wall. No matter how hard I try, I can never make a professional cake. Every cake I make has that "home made" look to it that I hate. Take the latest cake...

Sorry, I misunderstood you. When you said "flip" I assumed you meant flipping the already folded omelette over like you would if you were sauteeing an onion. Of course you have to fold it. But I just use a spatula for this. No need to "flip".

There's no reason to flip an omelette. A proper omelette can be made without flipping, and if done properly, there will be no browning. And 10" is huge. Much too big for a 2 or 3 egg omelette.