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If you've ever thought about freezing pastry dough, here are a few tips you might like to keep in mind. Pastry Dough You can freeze both raw dough and blind-baked pastry dough. Raw pastry dough (wrapped in a disc shape when frozen) can be thawed in the fridge and then baked. This will be a much fresher pastry when baked but will only have a short shelf life in the freezer. If you have raw pastry tart shells straight from the freezer, these can be blind-baked straight away. They may need...

Look at this beautiful Geode Cake made by the lovely Saheda Lally. We were lucky enough to meet her at this month's BSG meeting, where she gave us a step-by-step demonstration showing us how to make our own. Saheda ran through a range of techniques advising us how to colour the crystals and then gave us some hints on tips on how to embellish our designs. She also cautioned us on the colour of geodes and advised that pinks and reds may give the wrong impression when placed on a cake. So...

If you want to make some easy Poppy Cupcake Toppers, here is a quick tutorial showing you how. I have shown you three ways in which to make them, depending upon your design choice. You will only need a few materials, and the toppers are relatively simple or slightly more complicated, depending on your level of skill or how quickly you wish to make them. Equipment/Ingredients Icing Fondant - White, Red, Green & Black Rolling Pin Pastry Cutter PME Rose Cutter - 50mm Soft Paintbrush...

I have recently started using Saracino Paste for some of my modelling work on the site and thought it would be a good idea to review it. The paste is available in numerous colours and is made in Italy. Packaging & Weight The paste is contained in a plastic bag in a clear tub. It can be re-sealed after each use to keep airtight. The above tubs are 1Kg in weight. When you remove the paste from the tub, it is covered in a plastic bag. The paste itself is a solid block, so to remove...

I'm pleased to announce that the lovelies from the BSG North are hosting quite a few events over the next year, so I thought I would give you a sneak peek of what's coming up and where the events will be held. If you've ever attended any of the meetings, you'll know that the ladies who run them have a wealth of experience, have a passion for imparting their knowledge and can give you many hints and tips along the way. So if this sounds interesting to you, then be sure to check out the...

Decided to make my Halloween cake yesterday, I made a 6” round chocolate cake and filled and crumb coated with orange flavoured and coloured butter icing. I then covered with purple fondant. things went a little haywire with the decorations, I was fairly happy with my bats, though the painting could be better. I decided on red eyes with white fangs, though it was difficult with the smallness of them. The plan was to make a tree either out of fondant or chocolate but that was a slight...

As we are fast approaching Halloween, I thought it only fair to put together some easy pumpkin cupcake toppers for you to have a go at with the kids. They are made up of basic shapes, and they can be as plain or intricate as you'd like them to be. They taste yummy, look bright and will go down well at any Halloween party. To make the Halloween Pumpkin Cupcake Toppers you will need the following: Ingredients/Equipment Batch of Cupcakes Jam or Buttercream Oreos Green and Orange...

If you are making Cinnamon Rolls and want to extend their shelf life, here are a few things you can do to keep them fresher for longer. Store them in an air-tight container once cooled. Ensure each bun is wrapped in plastic/saran wrap, and then place them in an air-tight zip-lock bag. You can keep them in the fridge for a few days but ensure they are well-wrapped and sealed so that the refrigerator doesn't dry them out. If you are making a large amount, you may well be advised to store...

Step right up, all you cake-and-bake lovers, because yes, you've guessed it, the leading Cake Baking and Decorating show is back. Not only that but this year, they have a brand new Bake International section to go along with it! Whoop, whoop! So if you fancy getting your cake on, then make sure you head to the NEC in Birmingham between 4 - 6 November. To give you a little insight into the event, Cake artists such as Emma Jayne, Karen Portaleo, Javier Azocar and Molly Coppini will be...

We were back at our BSG meeting over the weekend, and this time we made the Dinosaur that Julie Rogerson had taught us how to make at our previous meeting. I had the pleasure of sitting with Frances, Marion and Evelyn, who have a wealth of knowledge between them, and we chatted about things they had created over the past 40/50+ years. Nicola ran the meeting and was great fun showing us step-by-step how to recreate the dinosaur. Luckily I'd already made one for my daughter's birthday...

Three milk cake, or Tres Leches as it is also known, is a beautifully moist cake covered in three types of milk. The cake originally inspired by Mexico is both bold and delicious. In order to make the cake so delicious, three types of milk are traditionally used to soak the sponge. These are evaporated milk, condensed milk, and whole milk. However, sometimes in alternative recipes, cream may be substituted for whole milk instead. To ensure you get the best out of your Tres Leches, here...

If you want that little bit extra adding to the top of your choux buns, then why not add some Craquelin dough? Not only will it give you a crackling effect, but it will also give it some texture and crunch too. Done correctly, it helps the choux expand more evenly, giving you a more rounded prettier-looking choux bun. To make craquelin, you will need equal amounts of: Softened Unsalted Butter Light Brown Sugar Plain Flour Please note that the amount you require will depend on what you...

We're back with the easy toppers, and these ones are no different. All you'll need are a few key ingredients and a batch of cupcakes. The Minnie Mouse Cupcake Toppers are quick and easy to make, and I have varied the styles slightly depending on how you want to decorate them. There are a few different ways to present them, and even if you don't have all the tools, I can show you an alternative way to get the same results. Either way, you'll delight your family and friends. What you'll...

Here is my Deano Dinosaur cake! It's not your average 17-year-old's cake, but when it's your own daughter, and you beg her to let you make her one because you like the theme so much, what can she say? We did watch Jurassic park over the weekend, so it's definitely in keeping with the theme. :wink: I had great fun making this, and I'm so happy by the cheerful Dino vibe she brings to the cake. In fairness, I have offered to make my daughter another cake as a thank you for letting me make...

So we're now back after the summer break, and what a wonderful way to return to the BSG meetings than with a demo from Julie Rogerson! Julie has been making models for over ten years and has numerous accreditations under her belt. As well as being a fabulous tutor, she has also written her own book too. I was lucky enough to meet her at our last BSG meeting, where she came to give us a demo. These are just a few of the models that she makes, and she has a website online where you can go...

If you are looking at making some Garibaldi Biscuits, then be sure to check out these hints and tips before you bake. To ensure the best out of your Garibaldi Biscuits, try some of the following:- Roll the dough thin. Chop fruit into small chunks, soak in juice and then heat and soften on the hob. Drain the fruit in a sieve, and then pour onto a plate lined with kitchen towel. This removes any extra moisture and lets the fruit cool. If you don't, the biscuits will be soft and soggy when...

If you are having trouble with a buttercream cake and need to hide some of the flaws you are experiencing, here are five ways you can hide, disguise or enhance your imperfections. How to cover flaws and imperfections on a buttercream cake. 1 Pipe roses on the cake to cover it. 2 Cover the exterior in chocolate curls. 3 Add sprinkles to the buttercream in various areas around the cake. 4 Strategically place dragees or pearls in the flawed areas and make them part of the pattern...