Building Blocks
Lessons teach bakes. These are the components behind them: pastry cream, buttercream, ganache, and the other from-scratch building blocks that advanced recipes call for. Each one has exact amounts, so make it once and bake with confidence.
Pastry creamSilky vanilla custard. Eclairs, napoleons, and fruit tarts call for it.White cake batterOne batter for celebration layers. Three 8-inch or four 6-inch pans.Praline creamCaramel-nut mousseline. The Paris-Brest filling.Chocolate spongeDeep cocoa sponge, one 8-inch pan. Black Forest starts here.Cooked apple fillingThick spiced apples for turnovers and hand pies.Firm buttercreamAbout a kilo of sturdy buttercream for tiered cakes.Chocolate mousseFreezer-stable mousse. The base under a mirror glaze.Opera cake componentsCoffee syrup, ganache, and coffee buttercream in one session.Simple syrupEqual-parts soaking syrup. Keeps babka and sponge layers moist.