1st Day at Baking Class

My first day of baking class was much anticipated! I wish to improve my baking skill! At least to know how to bake the basic cakes and buns correctly.

There are altogether 12 of us in the class. 10 of them are about my children's age! Learning with those who are 30 years younger than me :-) !  Luckily there is another auntie in the class! That make me feel less awkward!

Our teacher is Mr.Chin, 30 years of work experience in the bakery industry. He carries with him with lots of expertise. He is willing (and eager) to teach as we go along. Though he doesn't seem to be well prepared with the class, and doesn't seem to plan properly of what he is going to cover, he comes with a mind to pass his knowledge to equip us!

The pastry room has a big oven, a big mixer and a marble countertop table. But it is not equipped with baking tray, baking tin, bowls, spatula, and so on and so forth. Mr.Chin has to borrow from his friends all these things. They were quite dirtily stained. We spent an hour cleaning all these stuff. Then, we started our first lesson --- how to make buttercream.

Mr.Chin said in the previous 16 years, he partnered with 2 other friends in Sabah Bakery. He was in charged of wedding cake decoration. I think that was why he feels that knowing how to do piping is very important in cake making. Decoration brings up the appearance of the cake, and it practically brings up the value of the cake! He said we have to do piping in every lesson as and when we have time.

Opp...Mr.Chin said he forgot to buy icing sugar for the buttercream. Since he is an experienced senior, he substituted icing sugar with sugar syrup.

Ingredients for Butter Cream
1 kg sugar
1 kg water
500 g unsalted butter (he used Anchor)
1 kg cream well (creamlite)

Method:
1. Dissolve sugar in water using medium fire.  Once dissolved, leave the water syrup to room temperature.
2. Pour the water syrup in the mixer. Add in butter. Beat.
3. Add in creamlite. Beat well on medium speed until light and fluffy. Remember to scrape sides and bottom of bowl.