Decorate With Fondant Workshop - Cake Decorating Ideas

Cake decorating can be really fun as ideas are limited only by one's imagination.  There are millions of cake decorating ideas out there and if you run short of any, just google on the internet and you will be able to be inspired with the many ways to decorate cakes and one of the simplest that I like working with is to decorate with fondant.

Once you know the basics of fondant decorating, you will find it fun and simple.  Fondant decorating is just like playing with play dough.  :D  Except that fondant can be eaten. 

Here are some simple fondant works done during a 'decorate with fondant workshop' that can be used as fondant toppers.

Bookmark & Share

Semolina Cake Recipe (Sugee Butter Cake)

Very often, when I mention Sugi Cake, or Sugee Butter Cake, many people do not know what that is. Stating that the sugee butter cake is made of semolina, the next question is:- What is semolina?

Briefly, semolina is the coarse endosperm grains of the wheat kernel when separated from the bran and the germ upon being processed by corrugated steel rollers.

Sugee Butter Cake for Chinese New Year

Sugi Cake for a friend's wedding

There are basically two types of semolina cake recipes, the traditional type of sugi cake is the heavy and dense semolina cake which is typical of a Eurasian wedding cake.  The other type of sugi cake is light and moist which my brother loves.

Here is the lighter version of the semolina cake recipe.

Sugee Butter Cake Recipe

Ingredients
A
5 egg yolks
90 gm castor sugar


B
5 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
90 gm castor sugar


C
225 gm butter
120 gm semolina


D
10 gm milk powder
80 gm HongKong flour (low protein flour)
1 tsp double action baking powder
1/2 tsp soda bicarbonate
40 gm ground almond


 E
 1 dsp brandy (optional)


Method
1.  Cream C till white and fluffy.  Leave aside for 1 - 2 hours.
2.  Cream A.
3.  Fold C into A.
4.  Whisk B till stiff.
5.  Add D and B alternately into the semolina butter mixture.
6.  Add E if preferred.
7.  Pour into a 7 inch cake tin.
8.  Bake in preheated 180 degrees Celsius oven for approximately 30 minutes till golden brown.

Do try out the recipe above and let me know how it turned out.  :D  Happy Baking!

Bookmark & Share

What Is Semolina?

So what exactly is semolina?

As Wikipedia puts it, semolina is the coarse middlings from certain types of wheat and grains such as rice and corn. When wheat kernels are processed via corrugated grooved steel rollers, the bran, germ and endosperm are separated.  Due to the narrow space of the rollers, the endosperm is broken down into coarse grains and this is semolina.  The semolina can then be ground into wheat flour or used in the production of other types of food.

The semolina particles are very coarse, depending on the various grades and quality and usually ranges from off-white to yellow in colour.

A packet of semolina, also known as sugi

Semolina can be used for cooking or baking.

Eurasians typically love the semolina cakes or sugee butter cake, also known as sugi cake, which uses semolina as one of its main ingredients.

South Indians use semolina to make the rava dosa, a dish which resembles a thin pancake but without the eggs.  North Indians use it for their sweets such as the sugi halwa.

Americans boil semolina with milk and sugar to get semolina pudding.

Semolina is also used in the manufacture of pasta, cereals, cookies and desserts.

A point to note is that semolina contains no fat or cholesterol and is very low in sodium.  At the same time, semolina is rich in several B vitamins.

Bookmark & Share