Giada De Laurentiis Proved Imbc Point

Decorating By skylightsky Updated 16 Jun 2006 , 3:42am by K8-T

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skylightsky Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 4:37am
post #1 of 17

Okay,

So the very first post I made here at Cakecentral asked about Italian buttercream.

I made the buttercream, followed the direction, and tasted it.

It tasted like... well, butter.

And what did Giada just say on the Cake Challenge... remarking about
someone's Italian Buttercream. "It tastes like you put a stick of butter in your mouth."

Well, yeah.

I'm sooooo glad someone "professional" agrees with me. I knew I followed the directions, I didn't burn my syrup or create bits of unwanted caramel, etc. It was light, fluffy, full of air, but tasted sooo much like butter.

Happy to know I made it correctly. But boy, that was kind of harsh on national television. I mean, I guess it is true, but man. I'm glad I wasn't subjected to that scrutiny.

16 replies
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skylightsky Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 4:40am
post #2 of 17

Oh, and one other thing.

Italian buttercream is great, it just seems really made to take a liqueur or "frufru" taste element. So, no offense to the IMBC (Italain Merengue ButterCream)

Kind of like the Genoise cakes are made for syrup infusion.

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leta Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 5:04am
post #3 of 17

People always love my IMBC and ask what is in the icing. I tell them -- over a pound of butter-- and they are absolutely shocked and surprised. When I tell people about my icing before they taste it, I tell them it has no powdered sugar and no shortening--it's not gritty and not greasy. They can't conceive of what it could possibly be made of. It's glossy and easy to ice with.

I once told someone I would make a bakery kind of buttercream icing for a wedding cake. Thank goodness the order was cancelled. (the wedding was permanently postponed) I don't think I could ever agree to that again.

Now I have people who want the choc buttercream as a filling instead of the delicious chocolate mousse I make.

I used a custard buttercream for a while cause it was easier to make, but when I went back to IMBC, I thought, Why did I ever go off of this icing?

Well, as you can tell, I can't say enough good things about it.

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skylightsky Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 6:37am
post #4 of 17

Oh, don't get me wrong, I like it.

The one I made was fluffy, light, creamy, it too had a glossy texture. It said wedding all over it. It just tasted like a stick of butter.

I made mine with Plugra butter and some imported English devonshire butter. This stuff was RICH.

Anyway, I think it is a perfect base for adding flavors. Without additional flavors, mine was lacking. Mind you ALL I have ever tasted was mine.

When I went up to the most exclusive cake shop here in town, and spoke with the baker there, she wanted to know what flavor I put in my IMBC, and did I put in nuts to help make the texture more firm.

I thought Huh? That's not going to help me create a more firm rose... anyway... I have learn SOOOO much by being on this board. I wish my skills were as versed as my knowledge has become.

Your input helps me become a better baker, decorator and extends my cooking skills.

THANKS. icon_biggrin.gif

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Loucinda Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 2:06pm
post #5 of 17

That is one icing that does not get a real good response here. I love the taste of good butter (on anything!) but for some reason my customers do not like it....not sure if it is the texture or the taste. They always prefer the buttercream over it. (I caught that comment from Giada too!) It doesn't matter to me which one they want - I will make whatever - but I just never get anyone that wants this one.

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jmt1714 Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 2:46pm
post #6 of 17

I thought they had terrible judges for the competition, personally. Warren Brown has a lot of his own detractors, and Giada isn't a pastry chef . . . would make more sense to me to have cake designers/pastry chefs judging that type of competition, no?

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Doug Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 3:01pm
post #7 of 17
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jmt1714 Posted 12 Jun 2006 , 3:11pm
post #8 of 17

we can agree to disagree . . . icon_smile.gif

I wish they had spent more film time on the cakes, though.

Not arguing about her bio - but when you think "pastry chef" she isn't the first person that springs to mind. She may have had formal training, but I think most people focus on cuisine OR pastry - and everything she does seems to focus on cuisine. That's what I meant.

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skylightsky Posted 13 Jun 2006 , 3:07am
post #9 of 17

For those interested...

http://www.lecordonbleuschoolsusa.com/baking.asp

http://www.lecordonbleuschoolsusa.com/culinary.asp

The culinary component discusses:*

* Intro to Pâtisserie and Baking...
* Introduction to Cake Formulas and Assembly Techniques
* Advanced Pâtisserie and Baking Techniques

The general education component includes:*

* English Composition
* Mathematics
* Psychology
* Effective Public Speaking Techniques

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moydear77 Posted 13 Jun 2006 , 3:15am
post #10 of 17

Just to throw in my two cents! They actually tape events not film them- I get corrected all the time by my DH who works on television. I do agree that having the others coaching the couple was helpful.
When I went to Cordon Bleu I wish that they just had a baking program. Now they do but back then it was all or nothing. It is great to be in touch with the savory side also in order to appreciate the sweet side. They both need to compliment each other.

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frindmi Posted 13 Jun 2006 , 4:29am
post #11 of 17

I haven´t seen the show yet but I "DVRed" (sp.) it, so now I´m looking forward to seeing all the creations.

As for Giada, she is a nice person and she does have culinary training but my understanding is that, although when you go to culinary school you learn about everything related to cooking, you get to choose what you specialize on, whether cooking or baking, so if you choose cooking, although you have some general classes about baking, it´s not in the same depth as if you chose baking.

As to IMBC tasting like butter, well, that makes sense it has a lot of butter in it but it´s delicious. I´m from Spain and we don´t use buttercream there so when I came here and tried it I just couldn´t get passed the sweetness of it. I don´t care if it´s made with butter or crisco, it´s way too sweet for me. However, when I made IMBC,.... OMG it´s so delicious and velvety. You can have it plain (vanilla flavored) or chocolate (yummy) or coffe flavored... you name it. But, of course, every one has the right to their own opinion.

Also, I just wanted to say that there is no way Giada eats what she cooks in her show!

Inma

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jmt1714 Posted 13 Jun 2006 , 1:51pm
post #12 of 17

film, tape - who cares? thanks for the information but was that really an important enough point to you that you felt obliged to correct me? on a CAKE forum? Jeez.

my 2 cents.

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moydear77 Posted 13 Jun 2006 , 2:05pm
post #13 of 17
Quote:
Originally Posted by jmt1714

film, tape - who cares? thanks for the information but was that really an important enough point to you that you felt obliged to correct me? on a CAKE forum? Jeez.

my 2 cents.


Jeez well we are having a discussion about cuisine on a cake forum. It was a light hearted joke that was made not a shot taken at you. Post tend to get off topic a bit sometimes and sorry you took it so personally.
So to get on the topic then not all the judges at all competitions are pastry chefs or even work in the industry. I was just at food network comeptition that had an architect as on eof the judges. And the Ultimate judges were the couple and not the people advising them.

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Doug Posted 13 Jun 2006 , 2:17pm
post #14 of 17
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jmt1714 Posted 13 Jun 2006 , 3:20pm
post #15 of 17

sorry - I did take it wrong. it is hard to read intent in a print forum sometimes.

lol@ doug - good call.

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angelas2babies Posted 15 Jun 2006 , 6:18pm
post #16 of 17

I thought it was funny when Giada said that about the IMBC, too. I really liked the whole show. It was nice to see that taste was part of the whole package. I mean, it is a cake. It should taste good. I think that gets lost sometimes.

All of the cakes sounded delicious, though. Makes me want to bake something right now. icon_smile.gif

Angie

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K8-T Posted 16 Jun 2006 , 3:42am
post #17 of 17

I thought it was interesting, and Food Network's head chef didn't like it either. I thought all of the "pros" would only love IMBC, since the "American" version (conf. sugar/butter) isn't "real!!" *not my thoughts, I've read that somewhere- most likely a different forum with a lot of "pros").

I like them all!! Well, I should say, I used to like them all. Now I'm pretty much off icing!

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