Unit 262 Fill and decorate Cakes.

1. Unit 262Fill and decorate Cakes.

2. Decorations, fillings and toppings.These may include: • Water icing • Butter cream • Jam • Whipped cream • Fruit filling • Fresh fruit • Chocolate

3. Water icing. • A thin layer of icing used to glaze cakes and sponges. • Made up of sieved icing sugar and water. • Cakes are dipped, and left to set. • Can have fruit added before setting for extra decoration. • Chocolate can be added, but may thicken, use stock syrup to thin slightly.

4. Butter cream. • Fat content is very high, should be used carefully. • Made up of fresh unsalted butter and sieved icing sugar. • Can be spread or piped. • Must be stored in fridge, is susceptible to deterioration and contamination. • Must be covered in fridge.

5. Many different recipes, inc boiled butter cream, marshmallow and meringue. • Can be flavoured and coloured to suit occasion or choice.

6. Whipped cream. • Products advertised as ‘cream’ products must contain fresh dairy cream. • Can be whipped or double cream, depending on fat content. • Whipping cream(35%) or double cream(48%). • Whipping cream will give more volume, double cream is more stable for additives.

7. Fruits and Jams. • Fruit fillings can be fresh, tinned or frozen. • Fresh fruit is used to garnish. • Jam is versatile and can be used fill or decorate. Seedless jams are preferred. • Jam may require softening or heating. • Care should be taken with flavours and colours. • Fruit may need to be fixed in place.

8. Chocolate. • Ganache, a mix of cream and chocolate is widely used. • Can be poured and set, dipped or spread once set. • Chocolate should be heated to 520C. • Over heating will result in grittiness. • Syrup or alcohol can help to thicken chocolate for piping.

9. Stages to decoration. Trimming. • Some cakes will need trimming before decoration. A serrated knife and a sawing action should be used. • Care should be taken to ensure quality and safety.

10. Filling. • Care should be taken to avoid under or over filling. • Work from the centre to the edges. • Fillings can include creams, pastry cream, jams, fruits or purees, whole or sliced fruit, ganache, fondant, praline or nut based products. • Spread with a pallet knife.

11. Spreading and smoothing. • Cream should not be over whipped. • Tools must be clean and smooth. • Work quickly and carefully. • Spread the top and then the sides.

12. Icing. • Royal icing, made from sieved icing sugar and egg whites. • Will set if left. • Fondant icing should be warmed gently before use. • Small cakes can be napped and piped with fondant.

13. Coating. • Practise is required in using royal icing to ensure a smooth surface. • Fondant can be flavoured or coloured and will give a glossy sheen. • Care should be taken with colours or they will be insipid or overpowering.

14. Piping. • Cream, icing or chocolate can be piped. • Only fill the bag half way. • Prepare cake and areas before filling bags. • Practise the design first. • Ensure the correct consistency of mixture. • Ensure that the cream is fresh and untainted.

15. Dusting, dredging or sprinkling. • Dusting is a light coating to provide additional decoration or where a glaze is required. • Dredging is a heavier dusting for a white coated effect, too thick to glaze. • Sprinkling allows the product surface to be seen through a very thin layer.

16. Topping. • Toppings can be added before or after baking to finish the decoration of desserts. • Need to be proportional to the size of cake. • Coconut or vermicelli can be used with a cutter.

17. Decoration and design. • Moderation in design. • Moderation with colours and flavours. • Decoration and design are there to enhance the product not take it over.