Let the wrong begin

... for your waist-line.

What do you do when you are bored and craving chocolate?

Most people would go to the store or dip into their children's Easter candy. I am not most people. Instead I decided to bake a chocolate devil's food cake with a Pâte á bombe based frosting made with Mexican chocolate and then topped with a few curls of milk chocolate.

Oh yeah I am in fact amazing.

I had a cake commission due today that I just completed. I would have worked on it last night but the kitchen was busy all day and I took Justin to the DMV in the morning which ate so much time.

I'm on Charlie duty today with the remaining guys of the household. Unfortunately I've only had 7 hours sleep in the last 48. Ooo yay that should be fun, not. I'm going to go to sleep now I'm just happy I got the commission done. They said plaid was the favorite color so I decided the spray paint the sides of the cake in plaid. Have you ever tried to paint plaid? Yeah not very easy. Plus I was lighter on frosting then I wanted since I ran out. There is plenty there and it is a super rich frosting so you don't need much but still I would have preferred a thicker coating. I'm sure no one will even notice except me. Next time I do a plaid I'm going to go with my original plan of doing it on fondant first and then putting the fondant slabs on the sides of the cake. I think it would have given a cleaner look plus buttercream doesn't absorb the paint as well and I get more dewing. I have no idea what sort of money I'm getting for this cake. I'll post pictures once they are up loaded. I must say it turned out rather fetching and oddly exactly as I intended. Usually I have an idea in my head and I mod it as I go along. Oh and I swear by all the gods the minute I have any spare money I'm getting a turntable for decorating. Half the issues I have with coloring, straight lines, and even frosting would be solved with a freaking turntable.

I like this one: http://www.amazon.com/August-Thomsen-Corp-612-Decorating/dp/B000BVFYUO/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Wilton is another well known name but their stands tend to break. The one about is well recommended and a reasonable price. *sigh* Someday.

Today was a mixture of really good and really good. Okay make that really good, rather painful, and really good. Day started early with me being unable to sleep at night and only getting 2 hours. No big surprise there. I woke up early baked a chocolate cake for Wyatt's birthday than showered and hit the road for traffic court. They hit me up for money but no points and I left happy. Went shopping for cake supplies and came home to start the cake. During all of this I was dealing with sharp stabbing pains in my lower back. ( TMI Girl Stuff ) As I was saying, I came home started to decorate the cake which meant making a white chocolate ganache for the filling than taking a nap cause I needed it.

The rest of the day was taken up with cake decorating (yay!) and hanging with my housemates. I dropped the cake to Wyatt and came on home. I had planned on hanging with people in NP but after talking with Wyatt and dropping the cake my back said 'Go Home' and home I went. At present I'm listening to my children trying and quietly walk around upstairs after lights out. *sigh* Too tired to go yell at them again. If they get loud enough I'm sure another adult will get them. one of the perks of a poly household.

Back to relaxing the kinks out of my lower back now.

Oh and for those curious about the cake, I made him an X-Box 360 with two controllers almost entirely out of chocolate ^_^ Teehee

It is so hot I am having problems getting the buttercream to come together. *grumble*

EDIT: I have showered and I'm hiding in my room. At some point i need to put clothing on and go finish my cake. It is nice and cool in my room so this may take a serious will power roll.

Six loaves of Sourdough bread ready for a solid rise.

I wonder if I should make more?

*twitch* My grades aren't in and I'm too worked up to sleep. Maybe it is time to do some baking.

*glares* Where are you grades! I both want you here and dread you.

Damnit time to make something delicious to feed others.

Today was good. Went to school then met up with Matt, Ryan, Sean, and Eric to do some gaming. Yay gaming. We played Descent which was oodles of fun. Then Sean covered Eric and Me for some mexican and i came home after doing most of my showing for tomorrows cake.

Speaking of cakes, I have been giving considerable thought to starting a very small baking business on campus. I don't think it is against campus rules. Basically birthday cakes and like to be ordered. I don't see myself doing a huge volume but it might be fun and if it works out maybe I'll expand to off campus. The real hard part is my cake self-image. I just don't know if I am actually skilled enough to pull this off. I must say every time I bring a cake on campus I am over run with compliments. That is true but do I really have the skills? I don't think time is too much of an issue. If I don't have the time that week i don't make any damned cakes. I was thinking of setting up a facebook group for it like one chick did for her seamstress thing. Then I'd have to run pricing and what not. I don't have a room on campus so I'd have to give myself something like business hours in the sub caff. Maybe even bring little samples people can try. My mother suggested I go around to local restaurants with samples and the like. I'm just not sure i want to have that large a commitment.

So what do you guys think? Most of you have been cooked for by me at some point or other. Do I have the skills? And I'm only counting cakes I did while I was home because I still cringe at the Butter Cake incident. *shakes head*

Anyhow for tomorrow's cake I have big plans. Technically I should be off starting now but I'm so tired I can barely see straight so I'm going to sleep for a couple of hours first. There is only one thing i would be dong which is setting the gum paste out to dry in the form of a tray. Worse case that doesn't work and I have to use a real tray instead of a gum paste tray. But gum paste rolled thin drys pretty quick. I should be fine. The theme was sushi and I have taken the idea to the max. I intend to make a fair amount of "sweet sushi" to be placed inside the gum paste tray which will be placed on top of the cake diagonally so that you get a nice display effect. The sweet sushi will be made with a sweetened rice, chocolate instead of nori (the seaweed), and fruit for fillings and what not. They should be major fun to make. The Bestermans brought home marzipan sushi yesterday which while i liked the idea I think you could be even closer to sushi. Haven't figured out what I will use for the pickled ginger yet. It'll come to me tomorrow. I'll probably use a bit of fondant colored green for wasabi. Now on the sides I have been debating what I wanted to do. At first i was going to just cover it in a buttercream and be done with it but then I got to thinking and being creative. As such I am now going to be painting Japanese themed scenes on the fondant I will be using as a cover. So that is my plan for tomorrow's cake. I like being given themes. They allow me to get really creative. I hope it all comes out well. Sean wasn't picky at all so I got to make most of the choices. I need to pick up some red beans to make a red bean paste for the middle. I asked him if he would rather have a pudding or the red bean and the pudding barely won. As such I'm going to make a red bean flavored pudding *grinz*.

Sleep for me. I have a lot to do tomorrow.

Oh yeah my last cake I made for Jesse's b-day. This weekend I have Sean's due with a theme of sushi. I have some spectacular ideas.

I feel very accomplished. So far today I have fixed my car (about an hour and both ends worked on), did my laundry (thank god!), registered for summer courses, faxed the financial aid crap I needed to send in, ordered dog meds/stuff, and taken care of a bunch of bills.

I forgot how much I really love working on cars. I didn't do anything complicated today but it was nice to do it on my own. My dad worked on cars and used to let me help. Still has fond memories attached to it. ^_^

Left to do is run to the post office, start applying to more jobs, file a few things, do some homework, and a bit more laundry. PLus a couple of other things I'm sure I'll think up later. I've been up since 1:30 am so yeah.

Also for my latest baking projects I am starting some work on sourdough breads. I really wanted a sponge from everywhere I have lived but I never started while I was in Albany. Maybe I can convince someone to start one for me and send it to me. They are going well. I gave them their 12 hour feeding and I have another in 3-4 hours. I also have to run and pick up something from a freecycler.

I'm off to start my temp agency calls then maybe start with the faxing of my resume to places. Plus I have to do my telephone interviews for the online work. I might go out and grab a few other applications as well. I'm in desperate need of la moola.

I also think I'm going to have to break down and buy more colored pencils for my baking projects. I have, somewhere, a huge package of different colors in different mediums but I cannot find it ANYWHERE! As such, I'm just going to buy a smallish package to get by on. I have to cakes in the active planning stage. One for Kt's b-day which is Friday and one for Sean. Sean gave me an idea of what he wants, though we need to discuss flavors but Kt has given me nothing but her full confidence (bwhaha). Planning I must start. I already have some ideas but i prefer to put them on paper first. Actually I think Kt mentioned somehting about wanting fondue cake bits which I really wouldn't have much to do with unless I stuffed them or something since frosting is not an issue. Unless I froze the frosting on which might be nice dipped into a hot sauce. Hmmmm melting might be an issue. Interesting ideas though. I love to work with pastry. Damn can't find where Jesse posted the pictures of the last boob cake. I need to fetch them from her at some point to add them to my pastry pictures. I feel rather chuffed though. Everyone at the party thought I should go pro and make cakes for a living. LOL It is a fond dream but there are so many things in the way of me doing so. Anyhow cool thought.

I need to finish writing up my notes on the recent metaphysical stuff. I did something the other night and I wonder if it changed things again. Gotta pin K down and see if she noted a difference.

Off I go to finish my chores ^_^

I wonder if I should incorporate to get wholesale prices for cake baking supplies? I'm looking online right now for fondant because I'm so sick of buying a pound or two at a time for an exorbitant amount. Plus I need new colors and some gum paste. I suppose I don't need any of this stuff but to make the quality of cakes I like to I do in fact need these things. I also need a turntable that works properly. And like a few other things I really want. I was wandering through the craft store earlier today and the edible pearlescent powders called to me. LOL I can think of so many fun things to do with them. Mmmm and I just saw some you can use in the air brush, oh if only I had a million dollars I would buy so many things. That and a bigger kitchen. I think I'm gong to take over one of the shelves in the garage to store the things I don't use every month, the weirder cake pans etc. Actually I've been planning to do that for a while but have been busy the past two months. Maybe when I get back from visiting my mom.


I NEED POWDER FOOD COLORS ARRGGHHHHHHH!

(Seo received donut cutters and a fryer)

Here is our Thanksgiving Day menu bwhahaha. Still need to plan the rest of the weekend. ^_^ I know Jeff wants to grill the other turkey on Friday or Saturday and I want to do cinnamon buns at some point on one of those days as well. Plus there is the birthday cake I need to design and start. Busy food laden weekend ^_^

Thanksgiving Dinner
The menu as planned:
Appetizer Course
Serving Time: 12:00pm

Shrimp Cocktail
Selection of Cheeses
Pickles and Olives
Swedish Meatballs
garlic butter
tapenade
liver pate
Bread
Crackers

Supper Course
Serving Time: 4:00

Turkey - baked
Stuffing
Ham
Gravy
Cranberry Sauce
Pecan Sweet Potatoes
Garlic Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole
Peas
Brussels sprouts

Dessert Course
Serving Time: 6:00

Pumpkin Pie
Pecan Pie
Fruit Pie
Mince meat pie
Hard Sauce
Whipped Cream

I am officially happy with my new donut recipe. Actually LOL it is the same one I made last Saturday that I never got around to using. I finally made them up tonight and they ROCK! This is exactly what I was looking for in a donut recipe. They taste rather like Krispey Kreme only the crust is a little crisper.

So I'm bringing a fresh batch of these for gaming and some cookies in case no one likes these.

Yay happy Seo.

*yawns* About 4 dozen donuts and a shagload of donut holes. Go me! I'm a little worried about bringing them. I mean what if they suck? How embarrassing! So far Murphy and Matt both said they are good but they are my housemates, they have to tell me they're good. I still have the yeast ones in the frig. I'm not gonna get to that dough tonight. Should hold for a day. These are cider donuts. They are very crunchy but the middle is soft. I wonder if they are okay. Well at this point there isn't much I can do.

I believe I'm going to bed now.

Oh and NPC in 5 hours!!!!! Squee! (though I'll be awake in 3)

So this week's adventure in Tuesday baking actually happened on-time. That is I just finished up and the brownies are in the freezer getting chilled. Being a bit bored I decided to make them very decadent. LOL That and I'm trying to be all impressive and stuff.

Pictures tomorrow. The ganache is still setting. Hehe I rock. I suspect they are going to be very tasty and rich. Mmm brownies.