TOTT - Sponges and Swiss Rolls

/hihi Yup! I have registered for yet another class, and this time its at ToTT! I also gotten myself a free apron. When the teacher told us we could keep the apron, I was like "Really??" with a big wide smile. Gosh, I am getting aunty-ish. Can't help smiling whenever something is free /blush

My Free Apron

I have signed up for this Sponge and Swiss Rolls class as they promised to provide recipe for:
1) Chocolate Fudge Cake
2) Pandan Cream Cheese Roll
3) Strawberry Hokkaido Milky Roll
4) Bonus Recipe, Kaya Chiffon Cake

The words, "Pandan", "Hokkaido", "Kaya", "Fudge", caught my attention and so I clicked and signed up. Lols. I am in a Pandan craze recently and who can reject the word, "Hokkaido"! And so I really was excited for the class.

Course Outline and Recipes

The teacher is Chef Julie Yee and she has even published a cookbook, 'Peranankan Snacks & Desserts", available in bookstores now. She was very confident when she speaks and was very organized. It was a 3 hours class so she needs to be very clear of all the procedures in order to teach fast and make sure everyone finished at least 3 recipes on time. Honestly, I feel she was more experienced as a teacher compared to the previous one for my liu sha bao class.

Actually,I bought recipe books, read online and tried different recipes at home. But I feel there is still a need to learn from all these experienced chefs for useful tips as well as how to improve your cake. There are many things which recipe books will not state and there are difficulties faced during the baking process which there is no FAQ from the books. Hence, going for a few lessons while you learn your own will definitely help to improve your baking knowledge and skills. (Lol, I speak like I am pro already thou I am not. /blush But I do learn some useful tips through all these lessons and I am happy to make new friends too :) )

And so, I shall share some baking tips that Chef Julie taught:

Chocolate Fudge Cake

1) We started off making chocolate fudge cake. Its easier for the oil to blend into the mixture if its warm. So do warm up your oil or butter for your cake mixture.
2) Also, corn syrup helps to make the cake more moist, and could be replaced with honey or glucose + water.
3) Cream of tartar is usually added to your egg white meringue to stabilize the meringue and the acidity could be replaced with a more natural ingredient, lemon juice.
4) When the recipe says put cake in the middle of the oven, it means that when the cake rise up, the top of the cake should be at the middle of the oven. Hence, its advisable to put your cake at the lower rack to bake and not at the middle rack.
5) If the baking temperature is 180 Degree Celsius, its best to preheat the oven slightly higher (200 Degree Celsius)
6) For the fudge, it requires gelatin. Always measure your water first, before putting in the gelatin powder, so that the gelatin can dissolves (rather than the other way round, putting gelatin first and add water to it)
7) For melting of chocolate couverture, be careful not to overcook the chocolate as chocolate will dissolves at just 45 Degree Celsius.

The Chocolate Sponge Cake w/o the fudge

Due to time constraint, we did not manage to do the fudge ourselves. And the teacher did a demo instead. We were then given some fudge to place on our cakes. However, as the cakes need to be cooled down, we were left with little time. So we just put a little and everyone rushed off. I feel that the teacher was very efficient already to finished 3 items with us. But I guessed its probably too packed and some were rather disappointed that the cake could not be decorated nicely before they head home. The teacher said that the class is to provide a basic teaching of sponge cakes. But I guess it will be good to place some attention on the decoration too. Even simple ones but at least the cake looks presentable for all to present (Haolian) to their loved ones :D haha

Verdict: The sponge cake is indeed more moist and fluffy due to the corn syrup as well as the warm oil. I tried making sponge cake at home a few times without corn syrup nor heating up the oil, and there is indeed differences in the texture. Of cause, other factors may play a part too. Like getting a better oven! Oven really play a big big part in baking. Personally, I thought the sponge is rather yummy, just that it needs some deco. :)

Swiss Rolls

For Swiss Rolls, the tips is rather similar, placing emphasis on the heating up of oil and making sure the whisk is super clean for beating the egg whites. I tend to bang my baking trays a few times against the table before sending them to the oven. The teacher says its not advisable to do so. Simply use the chop sticks to stir through to rid off the air bubbles instead of banging them against the table several times.

Pandan Swiss Roll before Rolled

Strawberry Swiss Roll before Rolled

The fillings of the Pandan Swiss Roll, cream cheese, tasted so-so, as the class emphasized more on the cake sponges instead of the fillings. Personally, I prefer the Strawberry Swiss Roll better. Although its not as good as the ones you would have in Japan, the texture is fluffy enough to woah your guests :) They used strawberry syrup for the Swiss Rolls, which Japan probably used the real fruits for it or jam, hence the difference. Hokkaido milk also taste creamier and more fragrant. So choice of ingredients play a big part too. Of cause, for class teaching, few will be so generous to provide you with these expensive ingredients. Speak about Japan strawberries, I saw white strawberries airflown from Japan selling $128 at Isetan now!!! /omg Omg! I do not have the luxury to try it though. I am soooo curious how it taste to be priced at $128! Really 好奇。。。。 /hmm Anyone tried before???

My Swiss Roll Rolled. lols

Cost:
I paid $106 for DBS cardholder. For Non member, its $118. For club21 member, there is 15% if minimum 2 signed up for the class. I heard from my partner that her class was free because her daughter bought stuffs from ToTT, and above a certain limit, they would provide free classes too. Oh ya, my partner looks like she is in her 40s, with no wrinkles, but she was actually in her 50s and her daughter is already 28 years old! I like going to different class as I get to talk to many ladies from different background having the same passion as me :) I am inspired to be a wrinkle free, natural looking still lady in my 50s too!

Anyway, am really upset that there is no time for Pandan Kaya Chiffon Cake. Will try it out at home instead and update my 成果 here.

Recently, I am in love with Cedele Gula Melaka Pandan Kaya Cake!!!

Its fluffy, with a hint of Gula Melaka, and fragrance from the coconut milk and flakes. I am so gonna eat it soon. If only I could bake this!!!

Anyway, I will be attending a lesson at a new baking studio next week, taught by a Japanese teacher!!

Excited /XD Stay tuned for the update!

Lastly, just wanna haolian my beautiful nails done by Glamourous Factory, at Plaza Singapura, #04-38.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow Nails

Happy Girl Lady Signed off,
XX

/bye