Your baking wishlist / to-do / to-learn list?

Sabre0001 · 22-07-2019 10:19AM #1

I've gotten back into baking over the last couple of years, but I'm finding that I have a lot of things that I want to try. Thank you Instagram and baking reality shows! And there are also a couple of things I want to try (but the time and financial cost of failure kinda puts me off!). So what is on your list of things to attempt?

I am looking to try my hand at a mirror glaze (for small brownie mousse cakes initially rather than a full blown cake)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZhV63pkDBw

I also want to try macarons (but they seem like a pain), tempering chocolate (also a pain!), and Swiss/French/Italian meringue buttercream (having recently moved onto mascarpone icing with mixed results - although it is delicious and creamy)

Tree · 22-07-2019 08:56PM

Macaron w/ a swiss meringue aren't so bad (same for the buttercream), but you definitely need to get yourself a thermometer if you don't have one.
(Macaron are on my to do again list, but I need to be in the mood, as it takes a lot of time and space)

I think more people should try make candy too, fudges and caramels. When you have a thermometer, a reliable recipe and a dash of corn syrup or glucose syrup, the world is your oyster.

I want to try make icecream (it's been more than 10 years), but a) clearing room in the freezer and b) gratification is a lot longer than it takes for a sponge to cool.

RacoonQueen · 22-07-2019 09:02PM

Mirror glaze is something I kept saying I wanted to try, until I watched a channel that told me it tastes awful

Macarons are a thing for me too and just getting more into baking breads and doughy baking like jam doughnuts...but anything with yeast isn't great for my impatient spirit.

So many things I'd love to get stuck into. One of my dreams for when I win the lotto is to have a house with two kitchens so I can have a baking kitchen with lots of cool food and toys in it.

Athdara · 22-07-2019 09:34PM

Macarons for me & chocolate tempering.

Sabre0001 · 23-07-2019 08:38AM

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Mirror glaze is something I kept saying I wanted to try, until I watched a channel that told me it tastes awful

Oh no! That's what puts me off doing anything fondant related. You can make things that look great, but not pushed on actually eating it

Did end up getting silicone trays recently of two different sizes, so might give this a go once and then never again!

phormium · 23-07-2019 09:09PM

I wouldn't agree that mirror glaze tastes awful, I quite like the dark chocolate stuff but other colours made with white chocolate don't really taste of much other than sweet unless of course you add some particular flavour and it is a very very thin layer over what should be a lot of other covering on the cake be it mousse or buttercream or whatever is underneath.

Same applies to fondant to a degree, most people put it on way way too thick, a really thin layer adds I think to the overall taste of the cake by adding another texture. But fondant cakes in my opinion are always what I would call tea time cakes that you would eat a slice out of your hand as such like a small slice of fruit cake or madeira. Eating fondant cake with a fork especially if someone put a thick layer on and you have been served a wedge of it is just wrong!

I make a lot with yeast and have the lack of patience problems too and have spoiled many a bake by not waiting long enough. Now I always make the dough in the evening and put it in the fridge overnight to rise. Next morning then I shape it up and put it directly into a cold oven, as the oven heats up to the required temp the rising heat gives the dough it's second rise. I find this system works very well for me, no watching it waiting for it to rise.

Don't need a thermometer for swiss meringue buttercream, handy for other stuff alright but I wouldn't put off making it just for that reason, heat the egg/sugar mix until you smell the sulphur

stirring continuously, the eggs are definitely cooked and over the required temp at that stage.

RacoonQueen · 24-07-2019 09:08AM

phormium wrote: »

I wouldn't agree that mirror glaze tastes awful, I quite like the dark chocolate stuff but other colours made with white chocolate don't really taste of much other than sweet unless of course you add some particular flavour and it is a very very thin layer over what should be a lot of other covering on the cake be it mousse or buttercream or whatever is underneath.

Suppose taste is a personal thing. I mean I don't like the taste of buttercream generally, whereas other people seem to love it.

Mirror glaze is still something I want to make but I don't want to go to all that effort to make a cake only to ruin it by mirror glaze not working out or whatever

the beer revolu · 24-07-2019 09:54AM

I tried to watch that video to see what a mirror glaze is.
Is she the most irritating person on the internet?

Toto Wolfcastle · 24-07-2019 10:35AM

My problem with mirror glaze is its texture. I made it when they did it on Bake Off and I wouldn’t bother again.

Tempering chocolate is actually very easy. Definitely worth trying. I make a lot of filled chocolates and getting the texture of the fillings right is more difficult than tempering.

My current project is improving my sourdough. The texture is generally pretty good but I’m not getting the rise I want. After that, I want to try out patisserie, particularly layered desserts.

phormium · 24-07-2019 10:35AM

You can buy tubs of mirror glaze in some of the supermarkets if you want to start small and relatively cheaply without the cost of buying all the ingredients

Re the texture I found it fine, mind you if you had too much gelatine in a recipe it could have a very rubbery texture, I found it more like a just barely set ganache, quite tasty really especially in a dark chocolate version with a nice raspberry and chocolate mousse cake.

RacoonQueen · 24-07-2019 10:03PM

the beer revolu wrote: »

I tried to watch that video to see what a mirror glaze is.
Is she the most irritating person on the internet?

She has some great cake ideas, you get used to how annoying she is.

the beer revolu · 28-07-2019 07:16AM

RacoonQueen wrote: »

She has some great cake ideas, you get used to how annoying she is.

I'm not sure I would!
And as I'm not really into cakes and baking, I don't have the motivation.

confusticated · 28-07-2019 08:41AM

I have a list of things I've wanted to try for a while, must really get going on it, I've kind of lost my baking mojo the last couple of months and have been making the quick basics over and over. List is currently:
Chocolate collar
Madeira cake (I know this should be easy but recently realised I've never made one)
Mirror glaze (like everyone else!)
Sourdough (more patience than I have is required I think)
Ginger cake

Your baking wishlist / to-do / to-learn list?

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