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New Commercial is Full of Lovely Stuff

YumSugar — Thu, 24 May 2007 03:38:19 -0700

Before you ask why there's a picture of a car on YumSugar, you better take a closer look.

For a new 60-second commercial spot, car company Skoda hired a team of bakers, model makers and home economists to create a cake version of their new Fabia. The commercial, which reportedly cost around a million dollars to make, features the team baking the car cake from scratch. They used 180 eggs, 100kg of flour, 100kg of caster sugar, 30kg of almonds, 65kg of dried fruit, 180kg of orange sugar paste, 12.5kg of jam, a huge vat of chocolate and a whole lot of other delicious fixings. The car took 4 days to complete, and is incredibly detailed, down to the golden syrup "motor oil" and giant gelatin lights.

To check out the entire commercial (the pictures are cool, but the video is way better), read more

If you're curious to find out more, here is a step by step breakdown.

Source: Daily Mail via Spluch

World's Largest Cupcake Attempt Is a Sweet Success

YumSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:30:04 -0700

Another one to add to the list of highly unconventional cupcakes: This 1,224-pound behemoth of a baked good, which just knocked out a recent record contender for the title of world's largest cupcake.

The prodigious pastry, which composed of triple vanilla cake batter and topped with pink frosting, was more than eight times the size of the previous record holder in girth. It stood 4 feet tall and spanned 11 feet around, and was created by Manchester, NH-based GourmetGiftBaskets.com. It required 800 eggs, 200 pounds each of sugar and flour, five days of preparation, and 12 hours of baking time.
Slices of the cupcake were served over the weekend at the Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise Classic Car Show in Detroit, MI, in exchange for donations to breast cancer foundation Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Even though the cupcake contained an estimated 2 million calories, I wouldn't have been able to pass up this once-in-a-lifetime indulgence. Does the cupcake look appetizing to you?

Photo Courtesy of Charles Whitman

52 Weeks of Baking: Week 3 - Boston Cream Disaster

YumSugar — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 16:35:06 -0800

Last weekend I went to a friend's house for a small birthday party. I told them not to worry about the cake because I would take care of it. (After all, I like baking and this will be a great excuse for my 52 weeks of baking.) So when I asked what the birthday boy's favorite cake was, I was expecting it to be something standard like chocolate, carrot, coconut, you know, a normal "cake" flavor. I was not expecting Boston Cream Pie! I wasn't even sure I'd actually ever eaten one before, and I knew I sure as heck hadn't made one before. But, since I'm always up for a challenge, I said, "That sounds fun! I'll make one!"

That, my dear friends, turned out to be not such a great idea. I was doomed from the beginning and it turned out disastrously. I even contemplated not sharing this recipe with you guys, but no one's perfect (and I certainly am not), so here it is. To read about my Boston Cream Disaster, read more

Let me start by saying, I'm 100% sure it was me and not the recipe. I've heard of people having great results with this recipe, so if you try it, please let me know how it turned out. Second of all, I'd like you to know that today's baking experiment is really a demonstration of why proper planning, timing and equipment are CRUCIAL to a successful baking endeavor.

Having said that, let me get on with my story.
My friend's house is about an hour away, so I didn't want to make the cake, and have it sit in the car for hours (we had a few errands to run that were on the way there). In hindsight, this was my downfall (after all, it was cold enough) and the fact that I had to bring all the equipment and most of the ingredients with me, didn't really help either.

I ended up arriving at my friend's house at 6pm. Pastry Cream, for those of you that don't know, needs at least 3 hours to set up, if not longer. Unfortunately, it didn't get into the fridge until almost 7. Also, the fridge itself was packed (ie: not very cold) and the opening and closing for beers didn't exactly make for the best cooling environment in the world.

After the pastry cream was put into the fridge, I started on the Foolproof Sponge Cake. Sadly, I had forgotten the baking pans at home (the kitchen in this house is pretty bare) and ended up using a sheet pan instead. Luckily it worked out and I was able to cut the cake in half to make a rectangular layer cake instead.

Around 10 we decided that it was getting close to cake time, so I started on the glaze. When the glaze was ready, I went to take the cream out of the fridge, but WHAT!? it was still pretty liquid-y, like condensed milk. So I stuck it in the freezer for 30 minutes, but still no luck. At 10:45, I gave up and tried to assemble the cake anyway. There weren't any plates large enough to hold the cake, so I used a baking dish and thank goodness, because the pastry "cream" oozed everywhere.

By this point, the glaze had started to firm up. I had tried to keep it warm, but hadn't been keeping an eye on it the entire time, so it was no longer the best glaze in the world. It was thick and messy, and I think I used too much chocolate. In the end I literally slathered it onto the cake. It was more like a ganache frosting than a "glaze."

The end result looked horrible to me. I had this vision of a beautiful cake and ended up with slimy, sticky goo. However, it tasted pretty good and the folks ate it up, so I really can't call it a total failure.

Note: I told PartySugar about the whole thing and she said I should have served it in wine glasses. DANG! Where was she on Saturday night?! That would have made for an elegant boston cream parfait!

Boston Cream Pie
From Baking Illustrated

1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup light corn syrup
8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pastry Cream, chilled
Foolproof Sponge Cake, baked and cooled

Glaze:

Bring the cream and corn syrup to a full simmer over medium heat in a medium saucepan.
Remove from the heat and add the chocolate; cover and let stand for 8 minutes. (If the chocolate has not completely melted, return the saucepan to low heat; stir constantly until melted.)
Add the vanilla; stir very gently until the mixture is smooth.
Cook until tepid so that a spoonful drizzled back into the pan mounds slightly. (The glaze can be refrigerated to speed up the cooling process, stirring every few minutes to ensure even cooling.)

Cake:

While the glaze is cooling, place one cake layer on a cardboard round on a wire rack set over waxed paper.
Carefully spoon the pastry cream onto the cake and spread it evenly up to the edges.
Place the second cake layer on top, make sure the layers line up properly.
Pour the glaze onto the middle of the top layer and let it flow down the cake sides.
Use a metal spatula, if necessary, to completely coat the cake. Use a small needle to puncture any air bubbles.
Let the cake sit until the glaze fully sets, about 1 hour. Serve the same day, preferably within a couple of hours.

*Note: My experience was more of a Boston Cream Disaster, however I know someone who has used this recipe and had fantastic results.

Pastry Cream
From Baking Illustrated

2 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup sugar
pinch salt
5 large egg yolks
3 tbsp cornstarch
4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

- Heat the half-and-half, 6 tbsp of the sugar and the salt in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar.
- Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Whisk in the remaining 2 tbsp sugar and whisk until the sugar has begun to dissolve and the mixture is creamy, about 15 seconds.
- Whisk in the cornstarch until combined and the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds.
- When the half-and-half mixture reaches a full simmer, gradually whisk the simmering half-and-half into the yolk mixture to temper.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula; return to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a few bubbles on the surface and the mixture is thickened and glossy, about 30 seconds.
- Remove from heat, whisk in the butter and vanilla.
- Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl.
- Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
- Refrigerate until cold and set, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.

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Foolproof Sponge Cake
From Baking Illustrated

1/2 cup plain cake flour
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
5 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar

- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Grease pan and cover bottom with parchment or waxed paper.
- Whisk the flours, baking powder and salt into medium bowl.
- Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and add vanilla. Cover and keep warm.
- Separate 3 eggs, placing whites in the bowl of standing mixer, reserving the 3 yolks plus the remaining 2 whole eggs in another mixing bowl.
- Beat the 3 whites at low speed until foamy.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium and gradually add 6 tbsp of the sugar; continue to beat the whites to soft, moist peaks. (Do not overbeat.)
- Transfer the egg whites to a large bowl and add the whole-egg mixture to the mixer bowl.
- Beat the whole-egg mixture with the remaining 6 tbsp sugar.
- Beat at medium-high speed until the eggs are very thick and pale yellow color, about 5 minutes. Add the beaten eggs to the whites.
- Sprinkle the flour mixture over the beaten eggs and whites; fold very gently 12 times with a large rubber spatula.
- Make a well in one side the batter and pour the milk mixture into the bowl.
- Continue folding until the batter shows no trace of flour and the whites and whole eggs are evenly mixed, about 8 additional strokes.
- Immediately pour the batter into the prepared cake pans; bake until the cake tops are light brown and feel firm and spring back when touched, about 16 minutes for 9-inch cake pans and 20 minutes for 8-inch cake pans.
- Immediately run a knife around the pan perimeters to loosen the cakes.
- Place one pan on a towel and cover the pan with a large plate.
- Using the towel to protect your hands and catch the cake, invert the pan and remove the pan from the cake.
- Peel off the parchment.
- Reinvert the cake from the plate onto the rack.
- Repeat with the remaining cake. Cool cake layers to room temp before proceeding.

Note* I made this cake at someone else's house. This was the only cake pan they had. It still turned out perfectly.

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All The News That's Fit To Eat - August 29

YumSugar — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 10:03:17 -0700

With laws, parents and schools cracking down on junk food, what's left for a kid to eat? Plus, be sure to check out this recipe for the perfect plum cake. - San Francisco Chronicle

Two men. One car. 16 clam shacks. Will they ever find the plump juicy clams of their youth? Also, don't miss this interesting article on edible films - like Listerine strips, only with food. - New York Times
Just what are the best wines for sushi? - Dallas News
Still looking for Labor Day ideas? Try these haute dogs and s'mores galore. - The Oregonian
Who says street vendors have to sell just hot dogs? The DC street scene is expanding with shawarmas, pizza, waffles and more. If you're headed that way, be sure to bring along this street vendor map. - The Washington Post
This weekend forget everything you learned in college. Translation: Don't go for a cheap keg when you can have an elegant one instead. - Los Angeles Times
Join in on the Janmashtami celebration with an offering of sweet, savory Indian dishes - including salt seedai, and rava kesari (a dense spongy cake). - Houston Chronicle
I love lemons. I love cake. I love pudding. Therefore I should definitely love this long-lost recipe for lemon cake pudding. Plus, flashback to another long-lost favorite: the strawberry aspic. - The Sacramento Bee

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Come Party With Me: Snow Picnic - Menu (Dessert)

partysugar — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:13:33 -0800

As much as I would love to serve a beautiful birthday cake at the snow picnic, it's just not practical. Instead, I'll offer guests an individual treat that is comforting and delicious. Apple turnovers are festive, fruity, and easy to pack. They don't require extra plates or silverware, making them the ideal picnic dessert. Bake just before leaving the house, and store in a heat-insulated container. Leave the turnovers in the car until ready to eat, to ensure they stay warm the longest. If desired, pass around fresh whipped cream for dolloping! For the recipe, read more.

Apple Turnovers
From Ina Garten

1 teaspoon grated orange zest
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/4 pounds tart apples, such as Empire or Granny Smith (3 apples)
3 tablespoons dried cherries
3 tablespoons sugar, plus extra to sprinkle on top
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch kosher salt
1 package (17.3 ounces, 2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine the orange zest and orange juice in a bowl.
Peel, quarter, and core the apples and then cut them in 3/4-inch dice. Immediately toss the apples with the zest and juice to prevent them from turning brown.
Add the cherries, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Flour a board and lightly roll each sheet of puff pastry to a 12 by 12-inch square. Cut each sheet into 4 smaller squares and keep chilled until ready to use.
Brush the edges of each square with the egg wash and neatly place about 1/3 cup of the apple mixture on half of the square.
Fold the pastry diagonally over the apple mixture and seal by pressing the edges with a fork.
Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
Brush the top with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, make 2 small slits, and bake for 20 minutes, until browned and puffed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 8.

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What's Yummy This Week: YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 26 May 2007 08:18:31 -0700

It's a long weekend, so get out and get your grill on! We've got a full Memorial Day BBQ plan for you, with great recipes, drink ideas and more!

I love blue cheese, but I'm not sure I would want to smell like it on purpose.
My favorite video of the week is definitely this Skoda Fabia commercial where they make an entire car out of cake.
TeamSugar members always impress me, this week I want to make sure you guys check out crispet1's triple layer chocolate fudge cake and mymaria's Asian stroganoff/drunken noodle dish.
Do you drink diet or regular soda? If you drink diet, would you drink 12 cans a day?
If you're looking for dessert, give these a try: simple vanilla pudding or a no bake sorbet with limoncello spiked fruit.
If you don't like plain water, you might want to pick up a Pur flavor cartridge.

Learn two ways to do a great American classic: macaroni and cheese for beginners and experts.
Can't get enough of Rachael Ray? Now you can get her on your cellphone too.
Want an exotic meal? How about one that's served by murderers and mobmen?
This week you can learn how to keep your lettuce longer, how not to overcook your veggies, and one more nifty trick for your egg slicer.

Everyone loves cupcakes! So why not wear them on your sleeves or how about your clutch?
And finally, this week we wanted to know:
- What time do you eat dinner?
- Do you make cocktails at home?
- How about boxed or screw cap wine?
- Do you grow your own herbs/veggies?