A Thread For All Uk Bakers!!
Decorating By hailinguk Updated 25 Aug 2017 , 10:29am by Magic Mouthfuls
Yes it is in the town, you can park on Morrisons carpark (think its £1 for couple of hours) then walk up to the centre bit, past WHsmiths then the market is to the right. There's not many stalls in there so its not hard to find
Thanks for that 
I will have to pop over when I get a free day, when ever that is.
I use Sainsburys Basic flour as my baker tutor told me that it's the same as the expensive ones it's just not been sieved so much.
I would disagree. There is a marked difference between Mcdougalls sponge flour to the cheaper brands you notice it in the smell (sweeter) and the constituency (sp) which has a thicker and not sloppy mix like with cheaper brands.Something to do with the gluten I think.
I always use it on special cakes and Shop brands on others.
I wouldn't class Sponge Flour and Plain Flour in the same bracket. I only use Sponge Flour when a recipe (usually American recipes) calls for cake flour or with the HD recipe as previously mentioned.
Does the Sponge flour have corn flour in it? I think it does and that's why it is so much lighter.
It would be nice to be able to use the sponge flour in every recipe but it is also double the price of the flour I use. I use Sainsbury's Basic too.
I've been asked to make some cupcakes. Cherry flavour of some variety.. cherry cake, cherry buttercream, cherry jam, anyone of those.
Any suggestions? I'd usually just work with a jam, but I don't know if you can buy cherry jam at the supermarkets?
Should I just add cherries to a vanilla batter? If so, fresh cherries or are there specific ones for baking?
Never worked with cherries before as you can probably tell... I'd prefer to steer clear of glace cherries if possible.
LisaPep, there is a recipe that uses Amarena Cherries. But I have trouble finding these. One of the BSG member's posted it and lot of members have positive comments about it.
Here is the link and hope it works.
http://bsguk.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=35036
For those of you who are celebrating the Royal Wedding here is Prince William's favourite 'cake' recipe. Simple to make and will be ideal for party food.
http://eatdrinkandbekerry.blogspot.com/2011/04/chocolate-crunch-cake.html
Thanks Bashini, these are for Friday so do you think I could sub the Amarena Cherries with these or fresh ones?
http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/tesco-price-comparison/Home_Baking/Opies_Cocktail_Cherries_Maraschino_Flavour_225g.html
Help!
I just watched Sugarshack's BC tutorial on YouTube and am very confused!
What is wedding flavour? Do I have to use it? Do any of you use a similar recipe but have tweaked it? Everyone raves about Sugarshack's BC but I don't think I can make it based on what I've seen as I can't get hold of the ingredients in the uk - so if any of you experts can help - please do!
Thanks
Dx
I use Sainsburys Basic flour as my baker tutor told me that it's the same as the expensive ones it's just not been sieved so much.
I would disagree. There is a marked difference between Mcdougalls sponge flour to the cheaper brands you notice it in the smell (sweeter) and the constituency (sp) which has a thicker and not sloppy mix like with cheaper brands.Something to do with the gluten I think.
I always use it on special cakes and Shop brands on others.
I didn't say it was the same as sponge flour, obviously there's a difference in that & regular SR. I meant compared to Mcdougalls or another branded SR. The question was what brand of flour I used & that was my answer.
I've been asked to make some cupcakes. Cherry flavour of some variety.. cherry cake, cherry buttercream, cherry jam, anyone of those.
Any suggestions? I'd usually just work with a jam, but I don't know if you can buy cherry jam at the supermarkets?
Should I just add cherries to a vanilla batter? If so, fresh cherries or are there specific ones for baking?
Never worked with cherries before as you can probably tell... I'd prefer to steer clear of glace cherries if possible.
My mom always used to use Morello cherries in a jar in her cakes, but like Bashini said with the Amerena cherries they are hard to find now. For some reason you do see them sometimes at Xmas so maybe it's a seasonal thing. The nearest I can see are whole pitted cherries in a tin from Sainsburys. They also sell several varieties of Cherry jam & conserve. They also have dried cherries that aren't glace.
Help!
I just watched Sugarshack's BC tutorial on YouTube and am very confused!
What is wedding flavour? Do I have to use it? Do any of you use a similar recipe but have tweaked it? Everyone raves about Sugarshack's BC but I don't think I can make it based on what I've seen as I can't get hold of the ingredients in the uk - so if any of you experts can help - please do!
Thanks
Dx
She uses cream bouquet flavouring, I'm not sure what it tastes like but you could sub in any flavouring.
For the shortening, I don't know about the hi-ratio they talk about but the uk version of shortening is Trex. Available in any supermarket in the butter aisle. It cones in a White box.
Powdered sugar is icing sugar.
Coffee creamer is just the same as nestles coffee mate, bit like powdered milk I think.
So you should be able to make it no problem. The only issue you might have is the difference in shortening, but you won't know unless you try it.
HTH
I've been asked to make some cupcakes. Cherry flavour of some variety.. cherry cake, cherry buttercream, cherry jam, anyone of those.
Any suggestions? I'd usually just work with a jam, but I don't know if you can buy cherry jam at the supermarkets?
Should I just add cherries to a vanilla batter? If so, fresh cherries or are there specific ones for baking?
Never worked with cherries before as you can probably tell... I'd prefer to steer clear of glace cherries if possible.
My mom always used to use Morello cherries in a jar in her cakes, but like Bashini said with the Amerena cherries they are hard to find now. For some
reason you do see them sometimes at Xmas so maybe it's a seasonal thing.
The nearest I can see are whole pitted cherries in a tin from Sainsburys. They
also sell several varieties of Cherry jam & conserve. They also have dried
cherries that aren't glace.
Thanks silly, I will have a look tomorrow and see what I can find. I might check in aldi first as that's what the lady said on the BSG forum, though it was over a year ago.
Help!
I just watched Sugarshack's BC tutorial on YouTube and am very confused!
What is wedding flavour? Do I have to use it? Do any of you use a similar recipe but have tweaked it? Everyone raves about Sugarshack's BC but I don't think I can make it based on what I've seen as I can't get hold of the ingredients in the uk - so if any of you experts can help - please do!
Thanks
Dx
She uses cream bouquet flavouring, I'm not sure what it tastes like but you could sub in any flavouring.
For the shortening, I don't know about the hi-ratio they talk about but the uk version of shortening is Trex. Available in any supermarket in the butter aisle. It cones in a White box.
Powdered sugar is icing sugar.
Coffee creamer is just the same as nestles coffee mate, bit like powdered milk I think.
So you should be able to make it no problem. The only issue you might have is the difference in shortening, but you won't know unless you try it.
HTH
Wedding Bouquet is a flavor that is formulated by B&B Cake Supply. It is different than Creme Bouquet.
http://www.globalsugarart.com/product.php?id=21577&name=Wedding%20Bouquet%20Flavoring%20by%20B%20&%20B%20-8oz
Some people make their own Creme Bouquet, using recipes similar to the following, but real Creme Bouquet is an emulsion, rather than an extract and has a bit more depth of flavor:
1Tb. Lemon Juice
1tsp. vanilla extract
1tsp. almond extract
1tsp. butter extract
You can use any flavoring in Sharon's BC that you like, as long as you are keeping the liquid ratios correct.
I've lived in the UK for eight years and I have not yet found a hi-ratio shortening. Although you can make the recipe using regular shortening (Trex here, Crisco in the States), the final product will not be as smooth and will have a different "mouth feel." I find it is grittier an a bit sweeter when using regular shortening. (I mail order Sweetex from GSA.)
I still use US measurements, but if it helps 1 cup of shortening equals about 7 oz / 199g.
CoffeeMate is the correct creamer. In the US we just have a bunch of flavors to play with.
Ah sorry I thought wedding bouquet and creme bouquet were the same thing.
Hi Lisa, sorry for the late reply. I haven't tried that cherry cupcake recipe as I couldn't find Amarena cherries. But in sainsbury's they have cherry fruit filling and I think it might work. I tried it ones for a dessert and it was really nice. 
Deb, I bought these two flavours ones and they are really nice. But here the customers always go for the normal vanilla bc and I didn't have much success in introducing them to a totaly new flavour. But personaly I love it.
You can get coffee creamer here in the UK, but its the normal one. I use it in my bc. If you want to flavour the bc, you can use other flavoured coffee creamers, but not seen many flavours here though!
I use Sainsburys Basic flour as my baker tutor told me that it's the same as the expensive ones it's just not been sieved so much.
I would disagree. There is a marked difference between Mcdougalls sponge flour to the cheaper brands you notice it in the smell (sweeter) and the constituency (sp) which has a thicker and not sloppy mix like with cheaper brands.Something to do with the gluten I think.
I always use it on special cakes and Shop brands on others.
I didn't say it was the same as sponge flour, obviously there's a difference in that & regular SR. I meant compared to Mcdougalls or another branded SR. The question was what brand of flour I used & that was my answer.
I'm really sorry if I came over all snotty in my post that wasn't my intention although re reading it it looks that way. I wasn't attacking you and what you use . I was commenting on the tutors remark of cheaper being the same as expensive ones and to me Mcdougalls is expensive and there is no comparison but I do think she is right in that the cheaper brands are not sifted as much so that is why there is a difference as I think it affects the gluten level. I obviously didn't read through and get it in the proper context so wanted to say sorry for that.
I use Sainsburys Basic flour as my baker tutor told me that it's the same as the expensive ones it's just not been sieved so much.
I would disagree. There is a marked difference between Mcdougalls sponge flour to the cheaper brands you notice it in the smell (sweeter) and the constituency (sp) which has a thicker and not sloppy mix like with cheaper brands.Something to do with the gluten I think.
I always use it on special cakes and Shop brands on others.
I didn't say it was the same as sponge flour, obviously there's a difference in that & regular SR. I meant compared to Mcdougalls or another branded SR. The question was what brand of flour I used & that was my answer.
I'm really sorry if I came over all snotty in my post that wasn't my intention although re reading it it looks that way. I wasn't attacking you and what you use . I was commenting on the tutors remark of cheaper being the same as expensive ones and to me Mcdougalls is expensive and there is no comparison but I do think she is right in that the cheaper brands are not sifted as much so that is why there is a difference as I think it affects the gluten level. I obviously didn't read through and get it in the proper context so wanted to say sorry for that.
I'm sorry for snapping back too, I'm not usually like that believe me. I'd just read your post, after a bad day, & I just took it a little personal. I'm here to make friends not enemies, so if you agree I'd just like to forget all about it. It's only flour after all lol
Thanks silly, I will have a look tomorrow and see what I can find. I might check in aldi first as that's what the lady said on the BSG forum, though it was over a year ago.
I asked my mom & she says she sometimes finds them in Lidl, so there's a good chance Aldi would have them too. They tend to have a lot of similar things in the ones by me.
hi bashini, do we get liquid coffee creamers here?
I've only seen the tiny cups in wholesale but for the rest I can only find the powdered one, or do we just use the powdered one mixed with...which liquid ???
I used the cherry fruit filling once to top a cake, but honestly it was 
I didn't like the taste of it.
Just made cupcakes for school, they're having a Royal Wedding party.
Hi heaven, I use the powdered one and you have to mix it with hot water. I beat the butter first and then add the coffee creamer and the flavouring and beat it again.
Is this is the one you tried?
http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/groceries/index.jsp?bmUID=1304000180632
Hi Girls
Thanks for the tips - I've used Trex and tbh I can never get it right - it always feels really greasy and splits so I'm not a fan....think I'll stick to normal butter from now on but play about with it to make my own sugarshack-type icing. Will try the creamer and also wondering what happens if you used condensed milk instead! Could be experimenting a lot.
I'll also have a go at the wedding flavouring too to see what that does.
I'm loving your work girls and am totally addicted to this decorating malarky!!
Thanks
Deb
x
hi bashini, thanks loads, btw you were telling me about the piping work you did on an indian wedding cake using buttercream which you colored golden, can you please put down a recipe for that bc because I would like one that crusts a little as you're going to color it while piped on fondant.
I don't want it to get mushy while coloring it. 
thanks
oh nearly forgot, ladies what's your best royal icing recipe for piping work
if you have to do a lots of piping like strings, squiggle etc. and does any of you add corn syrup to it.
hi bashini, thanks loads, btw you were telling me about the piping work you did on an indian wedding cake using buttercream which you colored golden, can you please put down a recipe for that bc because I would like one that crusts a little as you're going to color it while piped on fondant.
I don't want it to get mushy while coloring it.
thanks
Hi heaven, I didn't use bc, I use sugarpaste with my claygun to do the piping. And you can use royal icing to this piping too.
Just wanted to pop in and say hello I'm an avid Cupcake Maker! and hopefully can join in with your forum.
Just wondering can anyone recommend somewhere to buy the sugarcraft moulds for decoration?
Just wanted to pop in and say hello I'm an avid Cupcake Maker! and hopefully can join in with your forum.
Just wondering can anyone recommend somewhere to buy the moulds for decoration?
Hi, welcome to the thread.
I have seen some lovely moulds in Design a cake (check under moulds & veiners). And also Celcake. Here are the links for you.
http://design-a-cake.co.uk/default.asp?path=http://www.design-a-cake.co.uk/content/news.asp
http://www.celcrafts.co.uk/
which brand cocoa powder do you all prefer? is drinking chocolate powder acceptable? i only have access to cadbury's cocoa powder (orange box), cadbury's bournville powder, rowntrees cocoa, and green and blacks organic cocoa.
Hi joanna1, I use The Bourneville cocoa powder for my chocolate cakes.
hi joanna1, I use the bournville as well for my cakes
@bashini, I must've been daydreaming about the bc, ok so you use your claygun, I've got one, it's a Makin. Never used it tho, have to give it a try sometime. But I am gonna try this piping with RI, as it's small details, which will be hard with sugarpaste.
Any tips for draping welcome, do you all use just fondant or a mix of fondant/gumpaste, I've seen some lovely drapes that look like real fabric, so thin. Don't know how you can roll fondant that thin without adding gp to it, think it would tear.
Any advice would be great.
Hi heaven, no problem.
I would add 50/50 sugarpaste and flowerpaste to make the drapes.
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