So, recently I’ve started baking and selling my desserts, and it’s an amazing feeling to be able to financially profit from something that I generated purely by myself, from making the actual dessert itself to building a brand image and fanbase. I think I’m extremely lucky that I can turn my hobby into a business. I confess that I don’t always look forward the logistical, coordinating aspects of it – having to constantly check or update my social media to converse with others for an extended period of time drains me – and, dare I let on, being aware of competitors in order to protect the originality (term used loosely, because what is the line between original and inspired, am I right?) of my ideas takes up more mental space than I would like to accord it.
I just like to bake. I just want to create beautiful things. That’s just who I am. I hope that comes through. And if others happen to appreciate what I do, then I’m happy too.
I woke up one day wanting to adorn a cake with golden butterflies, and so I did. I used melted chocolate that I piped freehand and edible gold powder to achieve these perfect little accent pieces. They are sitting atop swirls of the creamiest chocolate ganache and perhaps the most addictive chocolate cake I know. For a texture and visual contrast, I also decided to freeze the cakes (before frosting) and dip them in a crunchy chocolate coating, which is my current favorite way to decorate because it’s not only easy and quick to prepare but also super delicious as well. It’s what I did for my vanilla mousse cakes and probably will use for many desserts to come.
Crunchy Chocolate Coating
150 grams dark chocolate, chopped
25 grams blanched diced almonds
25 grams neutral flavored oil
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water or in the microwave. Stir in the almonds and the oil. To use, dip your frozen cakes or mousses into the chocolate mixture, gently shake off any excess and allow the coating to set. It should happen almost immediately.
wild reverie 