Into The Fun Stuff

 Whew, what a week! I have to say, being away from home has its hard days, but I am loving being so focused on cake and The SweetSide for a few weeks.

Class was mostly focused on design and décor aspects this week (Yay, the fun stuff!!).  Unfortunately, this girl was so busy in class, she didn’t take many photos (fail), but I created a cake yesterday and wanted to share it with  y’all (I am allowed to use that word, lived in TX for 10 minutes).

Before we get to the cake porn, I want to give you a little insight into the way that my creative process sometimes works… Last week I was catching up on a few of my favorite blogs and came across this photo:

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Photo from Here

The pages of this book grabbed my eye and I couldn’t help but fall in love with the pattern that was being created. My brain was spinning with ideas and I knew I had to figure out a way to put this look onto a cake. After some resistance from my instructors, I decided to tackle it yesterday. Knowing I was headed to a ladies networking potluck, I decided to lighten up the colors and make it a little more fun. Here is the outcome:

I am very happy that I worked through this yesterday and proved to myself that I could tackle such a daunting task in a short amount of time (less than 4 hours). As I bring this technique back home to The SweetSide, I would love to implement it around the entire tier of a large scale, mostly all white wedding cake. When I imagine what the final large scale cake could look like, I just about squeal with excitement! I cannot wait!

As I have mentioned, I am taking some additional classes while here, the first of which being on french macaroons last Sunday. I was pretty intimidated by these little suckers. They are very temperamental meringue based sandwiche cookies filled with ganache, jam or  buttercream that are pretty much the most delicious little treat I have had in a loooong time.  The class was great, I met some new friends and my macaroons looked great. 

And a few more  from the class itself...

My partner Mona piping some of our cookies out

The cookies resting before the oven

The finished product!

I am making some great friends from class and have really loved getting to know this hodgepodge of uber talented ladies. I am hoping to get permission soon to share photos of the work they are all creating, you will not believe your eyes, cannot wait to share!

That about wraps up my week for ya! I am SOOOOOOOOOO looking forward to this week as we learn sugar flowers, painting on cakes, and sugar art. I should have some great photos to share with you next weekend.

Speaking of next weekend, I am pretty much holding my breath for the next 7 days. The wonderful, handsome, beyond supportive Mr. Burfeind is coming to visit me! I think it is an understatement to say that I am excited. Woop Woop!

Peace out homies!

Baking, Masking and Friend Making--Oh My!

I have officially completed my first week at The Bonnie Gordon School of Confectionary Arts, and oh, what a week it has been. My brain is on overload from the nearly 40 hours we spent in the kitchen this week learning about different cake baking techniques.
 

I have been getting a lot of questions about what my instructors and classmates are like, so here is  the skinny:


My classmates are from all over North and South America. There are 9 of us ladies in total; 2 from Brazil, me from Seattle, 1 from Calgary, 2 from Winnipeg, 2 from around Ontario and only one from Toronto proper. Our skill levels range from 'baking a year' to 'been in the industry for 11 years.' A few of the girls have websites, including 2 of my closer friends in the program; Lesi and Kayla, check them out if you would like!

During each section of the class, we will have a different lead teacher that specializes in that department and 2 assistants that will stay with our class throughout the entire six week session (that makes the student/teacher ratio 3/1...not bad!). Our two assistants are Marli from We Bake in Heels and Nadia of Nadia & Co. Both are incredibly talented and such great teachers!

In addition to learning new cake and buttercream recipes this week, we also  worked on fillings; including jams, jellies and compotes. They were so stinking good, my mouth is watering thinking about them now.  I am so glad I didn't buy Smuckers jelly at the store last week because my leftovers came home with me and are going to be my breakfast staple for the next week or so.




 
The week was fun, but pretty stressful. Lesi and I decided after one particularly tough day, decided that we needed a beer. So, here she is at the sports bar  is in our neighborhood...You can't see the beer, but believe me, they are there! (sorry the photo is blurry, not my finest photography)

Thursday and Friday were especially exciting to me since we were focusing on two things that I have struggled with in the past. Pricing my cakes and gluten/egg/dairy free baking. Both days went very well and I am excited to come home and start implementing both! Below is my gluten free vanilla cake with dairy free chocolate hazelnut buttercream and a coconut soaked chocolate cake disk filling. Yum! 

  
I was so happy to be able to sleep in this morning and catch up on laundry and lounging. Tonight  I am headed out to a birthday dinner for some people I have never met (I can explain later) and tomorrow (Sunday) I will be at school taking a class on French Macaroons, YAY!