Introduction to Cake (Let them Eat Cake...Tomorrow)

Class began with collecting the mise for lemon white cake, then a bit of lecture about the theory of cake. There are 9 mixing methods, three of which we explored. One creams the butter into the sugar, one creates a meringue by foaming whites and yolks separately with sugar, and the third is the Betty Crocker 'dump method' of combining the dry and the wet. Each method will result in a different kind of cake in crumb and texture.

Norbert and I mixed and baked the white cake (white, because it uses only egg whites -- if we used the whole egg, it would of been yellow cake) using the creaming method. Leavened by baking powdered, flavored with grated zest of lemon and a little lemon extract (cheap lemon vodka, really), and certain ratios of the usual suspects: cake flour, butter, salt, egg whites, whole milk. Into some round cake pans and into the oven. Slightly golden and cooked through, onto a speed rack.

The second cake we mised and made was a Pan di Spagna, a European style cake that has no leavener; it is made cakey strictly by the air whipped into the merange. Egg yolks, vanilla and sugar are whipped to soft peaks in one bowl, egg whites and sugar are heated over a hot water bath then whipped to peaks, then cold butter is put in and whipped to smooth. The two foams are folded to mix, but without beating out the air. Flour and cornstarch (both double sifted) are folded in until it's gone, then into pans to bake. No fat is used on the sides of the pan because this style of cake needs some grip when it rises and falls.

Different people were assigned different bits to help with tomorrow's class, cake decorating. I made a milk chocolate cream. A quart of heavy cream and 4 oz of sugar are brought to a boil, then poured over a pound of chopped up milk chocolate. After a couple of minutes, blended to smooth with a balloon whip in the mixer. Another quart of cold heavy cream is added and blended, then into the fridge -- tomorrow, it will be whipped.

ADDENDA:
The scale said 226 this morning, another pound upwards. Drinking a lot of water in bed last night, had a lot of dry mouth. This morning my muscles felt pretty good, no back ache, felt strong, but my stomach was in a knot and while riding to school felt a little nauseous.

I like Chef G, she's a little punchy and scrappy, but when we bake sweets, I feel very uninspired.

AM SNACKING: 9-11am, a couple of pieces of french bread, a couple handfuls of chocolate, .5 bowl, hunger 3/5
Felt queasy when waking, skipped breakfast.

LUNCH: 1:30pm, stirfried shrimp and broccoli with brown rice noodle, 1 quart water, hunger 4/5
Feel like I may be getting a little better at assembling a proper stir fry -- using fish stock (Saturday's had to be vegan) made a big difference.

PM DRUGGING: 2:30pm, 2 tylenol
Got sharp shooting migraine pains in the back of my head, almost blinding. Took these then another quart of water, went away literally a minute after the water.

DINNER: 5:30pm, masala dosai, pakora, water, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
Kosher vegan Indian food, yum. Tastes remind me of my year in England.

EVENING SNORT: 7-9pm, about 1 glass of wine, assorted cheese n' crackers, .5 bowl, hunger 3/5
Wine class, all about Italy. Except for Barolo, they all kinda tasted samey.