pastry----chef how'd you do that?

[W.DeBord]

I've got to ask you after looking at your photos, hope you don't mind?

How did you do the gold on the sides of your chocolate boxes?

Also how did you do the parfait in the cage? The cage specificly? It looks great, I've never seen that before. Were they dusted with edible gold dust???

[pastry--chef]

Hey W.De Bord that picture with the gold painted chocolate box I just spread tempered coverture onto acetape, cut out the shapes in this case rectangles to make a box assembled the box,then with tempered chocolate i piped my design around the sides by the tim i had done all the sides it's set then with a fine paint brush and using edible gold dust mixed with vodka, the vodka evaporates quite fast so i just keep adding vodka or any alchol really to keep it at right consistency. Same method for the gold on the parfait in a cage but alas I cant take credit for those chocolate cages they were a new item from a wholesaler we were looking at and used only that one time for a function.I like them too nice for buffet work etc.. the chocolate was a compound if i remember correctly but not too bad. I like using the gold to highlight dark chocolate and plates but I also try to keep it subtle as well. If you have any more questions just ask. Ifly from Toronto to Calgary tonite (first flight I have taken since Sept 9th) to start a new job there so might be offline for a few days but will be back online maybe Monday (HOPEFULLY!!!!)
Cheers Mike AKA Pastry Chef.

[Isa]

Wow pastry--chef all your desserts look so good. And the presentation is unbelievable, so georgous.

[W.DeBord]

Shoot, I was hoping you were doing something different to get the gold....quicker than coming back and painting with dust. I was hoping you added gold powder to compound and piped it on...one day someone will get that figured out.

So those cages were made of chocolate, it's hard to see I almost wondered it they were puff pastry or phyllo. They are very cool I bet they weren't cheap! I'd sure like to know how they did it. Any guesses?

Oh also, you make your meringue in fexipans? Looks that way....I didn't notice whip cream with your pavlovas is it there inside your meringue cup (hard to tell in the photo)? It looks like the meringue is solid, is it? Did you fold some whipped cream into your lemon curd or do you use a lemon pastry cream or mousse?

Thanks, just curious...

[m brown]

I have not seen the written plates in a long time. I used to do them when I worked in NYC and felt they made the party persons night with the writing ont he rim of the plateand a sparkler or candle.
Your stuff is really swell, thanks for sharing the beauty of your work!

[angrychef]

Yes, Wendy, you can add gold dust to melted chocolate. I've been doing it to pipe small designs and writing on mini pastries and garnishes. The chocolate gets quite thick though, but I haven't had a problem with it seizing. Looks very cool as a filigree design on dark chocolate.

[W.DeBord]

Angry, in either white or dark?

I played with it once and it just got gunked-up. I must have attempted too much powder, but it seemed neccesary, to be seen... Do you add cocoa butter then to thin it back down?

[pastry--chef]

Hey there well i made it and now am in the middle of the canadian rockies its cold but im lookin forward to it. ok those cages for the parfait were quite cheap im thinkin 15-20 cents a unit, I would onlybe guessing on how they make them but i wish knew too. As for the pavlovas I make the mix and pipe them into pvc tubing which are 1st sprayed with some sort of aerosol release. theni just lift the pvc tube off and the meringues hold there shape but they still have a bit of free form look to them,the actual pavlova has no cream mixed inside of it but is more marshmallow with the crisp crust. It has some Double cream on top but that is optional really, the whole dessert can still be fat free if you just serve with coulis and fruit. cheers pastry chef aka mike

[momoreg]

That cage is just chocolate piped onto acetate and formed into a cylinder. It's wrapped with the choc. inside the cylinder, to give it that flat look.

[angrychef]

Wendy, I've only done it with dark chocolate. Yes, if you mix in a lot of the powder it will thicken too much, but you can thin out with cocoa butter or shortening.

P.S. Went to the Halloween store today and found the masks I was talking about. They are labeled "Living Faces" and retail for $7.99. Got me a witch and a devil, I already have the skull.

[W.DeBord]

I guess I need to look back at the photo (it was hard to see alot of detail) but I thought it looked more 3d than choc. on acetate?

P.S. I'll have to look for that brand Angry, thanks for the update!