Irresistible Cakes [antikvár]

ntroduction The fabulous cakes in this book are divided into three, equally imaginative, sections. The first contains a fine selection of classic cakes, ranging from the German Battenberg to a traditional rich chocolate creation. This is followed by a chapter devoted to really beautiful cakes, each for a special occasion such as New Year, St Valentine's Day or a birthday. Then comes the children's party cakes - truly creative, they include a clown and a magic carpet complete with the genie of the lamp. Finally, many of these recipes feature standard cake mixes, such as quick-mix sponge and rich fruit cake, and icings, such as marzipan and sugarpaste. Where this is the case, the mix or icing appears at the end of the book in the chapter on basic cakes and basic icings. This section tells you exactly how to make each cake and quantities are given for all the shapes and sizes included in the recipes in this book. Within each recipe all the ingredients are given in metric, imperial and cup measurements. When following a recipe, always work with one set of ingredients only as mixing them might result in disappointment. For the best results, use eggs which are at room temperature, and sift flour after you have measured it. If you sift the flour from a fair height, it will have more chance to aerate and Ughten. No two ovens are alike. Buy a reliable oven thermometer and test the temperature of your oven. When possible, bake in the centre of the oven where the heat is more likely to be constant. If using a fan assisted oven, follow the manufacturer's guidelines for baking. Good quality cake tins can also improve your results, as they conduct heat more efficiently. Whatever the occasion, whatever the cake, this book will guarantee you cakes which not only look good - they taste great too.