Wednesday, April 25, 2012

My days seem to be filled these days, with computer time, working on DropBox and Podio. Both apps are new to me but both seem very handy to have around!

My personal chef client that was going out of town, did not go out of town, so I will be cooking four meals tomorrow for him. Lucky me!

As part of those meals, I made a Bienmesabe Cake. The recipe is adapted from Charlotte Bakery-one of the bakery featured on Sweet Eats from the Cooking Channel. As time progresses I am trying to challenge myself to cook or bake more complex dishes. Always learning. The Bienmesabe Cake is a layered sponge cake. Each layer of cake is brushed with a mixture of coconut milk, coconut rum and simple syrup. This helps keep the cake layers from tasting too dry, as sponge cakes or genoise can sometimes be. Once you have brushed on the simple syrup mixture, you spoon on a layer of coconut cream (a custard really), then repeat. I made one six inch cake for my client and one four inch cake for Jordan and I. Once you have all your layers done, frost the top and sides with Swiss meringue and put it in a preheated 400 degree oven to brown a bit. I wasn't totally satisfied with my meringue, so I am going to have to work on it. I know I've done better in the past making meringue (there are three types of meringue: French, Swiss and Italian), but I don't do it often enough. I'll have to think of something else to make using meringue. It tastes good!

This is the four inch cake with just two layers. The photo makes it look like there is more meringue than layers, lol!

Now that the cakes are done, it's time for bed!