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Cake Decorating Skills
By Tracey Mann
Published by Firefly Books, LTD
Reviewed by Marsha Winbeckler
Cake Decorating Skills is a 176 page, hard-bound book printed in an 8 x 8-inch format with abundant, step-by-step color photos. The book walks a beginner through the steps of covering and decorating a cake using either buttercream, fondant, or modeling chocolate (called 'chocolate paste' in the book). Basic recipes are included in the book as well.
Simple decorating techniques covered in the book include using molds, beadmakers, cutters, and how to create stars on wires and sugar bows. The proper use of many decorating tools is also included in the book. A particularly cute section of the book is the chapter on Basic Modeling. Figures shown are a bee, a Teddy bear, a lion, and a seated figure. Another helpful section is the chapter on making flowers. It begins with basic cutter flowers and fabric-style roses and progresses to gumpaste roses, daisies, and orchids. There is an additional chapter on working with chocolate, which includes how to temper chocolate, the use of transfer sheets, and using modeling chocolate/chocolate paste to create roses and fans.
Because the author is from England, some terms or techniques in the book may be slightly different from those used by American decorators.
For the burgeoning cake decorator, this book would be a good reference guide; and intermediate or advanced decorators may also find sections of the book useful. |
