It's just proving to be more of a challenge to get my processes onto pages. This project has also introduced me to a new subject matter, Disney's Descendants. The cake is a spell book form the movie that I recently discovered and I love the challenge of something new and foreign to me! I am a huge Disney nerd and am so excited for this cake!

   In case you're wondering what Disney Descendants is, it's about the kids of all the princesses, heroes, and villains of all those classic bed time stories. This movie is a bit too "High School Musical" for me but it's still an interesting subject. 

   Since this is a job, I had to do all the research I could, including watching the movie four times so far... It is great to have such an in-depth project again. I always have to do a lot of research on the subject matter before I even come up with a cake design so the customer can get exactly what they want and I know what it is that I am making.

    Have you ever come across a recipe with Buttermilk and thought "what is that?  milk and butter? " well,  ponder no longer!  today we learn the how to's and what's about the mystery that is Buttermilk.

     What is it? Buttermilk is regular milk with emence amounts of lactic acid produced by bacteria. So, it's milk turned sour in a controlled environment. Buttermilk can be drunk straight, and it is used for cooking. The role of buttermilk in almost any baking recipe is to add tenderness and lightness to the batter. Once the acids in the buttermilk get in contact with the baking soda or baking powder in the batter, a giant fizz-fest takes place. The reaction with the baking soda or powder cancels out the sourness of the buttermilk, leaving our baked goods airy, tender, and tasty beyond reckoning.

    How it came to be:


   In the old days, buttermilk was simply the liquid left behind after cream was churned into butter. As unpasteurized cream sat “ripening” for a few days before churning, naturally occurring bacteria caused it to ferment by converting milk sugars into lactic acid, which made the resulting buttermilk mildly sour and slightly thickened.

     How to make it at home: 


Ingredients
1 scant cup milk (whole, 2%, or heavy cream)
1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar

Instructions

1. Combine the milk and lemon juice. Measure 1 scant cup of milk. Stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.
2. Let stand 5-10 minutes. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. When it is ready, the milk will be slightly thickened and you will see small curdled bits. (This substitute will not become as thick as regular buttermilk.)
3. Use the buttermilk. Use this substitute (including curdled bits) as you would buttermilk in your recipe.

     Buttermilk Substitutes: 

• Yogurt : mix 3/4 cup plain yogurt with 1/4 cup water to thin. Use as you would buttermilk.
• Sour Cream: Mix 3/4 cup sour cream with 1/4 cup plain water to thin. Use as you would buttermilk.
• Cream of Tartar: Mix 1 cup of milk with 1 3/4 teaspoons cream of tarter. Let stand 5-10 minutes until slightly thickened and curdled.

Today is a great day to bake delightful pies. Yes, today is about the other pi, but that won't stop us foodies from baking and eating this flaky pastry. There are many variations of pies today. So many fillings like, cream, fruit, custards, meringue, and puddings.

Here are some helpful fruit filling points below:

Apples – There are two main criteria points that are necessary: taste and texture. First, the apples should have good flavor and a noticeable level of acidity. Apples that are very mild make pies with little flavor. The sugar content of the apple is less important, as the sugar in the recipe can be adjusted. Second, the apples should hold their shape when cooked. Apples that turn to mush, such as McIntosh, are better for applesauce than for pies. Popular apple varieties that have good taste and texture for use in pie fillings include Granny Smith (my personal preference), Jonathan, Jonagold, Newton Pippin, Rome, Macoun, Pink Lady, Stayman-Winesap and Golden Delicious.

Fresh Fruit - they are excellent in pies if they are at their seasonal peak. Fresh apples are used extensively for high-quality pies. The quality of fresh fruits can vary considerably and many fruits require a lot of labor.

Frozen Fruit - widely used for pies because they are consistent in quality and readily available. Be sure the fruit is completely thawed before preparing the filling. If it is partially frozen, you will not be able to drain the juice properly to make the gel, and the frozen juices will water down the filling later.

Canned Fruit - packed in four basic styles: solid pack, heavy pack, water pack and syrup pack. Solid pack means no water added, although you will be able to drain off a small quantity of juice. Heavy pack means only a small quantity of water or juice is added. Water pack fruits are canned with water that was used to process them. Syrup pack fruits are packed in sugar syrup, which may be light, medium, heavy or extra-heavy.

Have a delicious day and bake on!