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Cake Decorators: The Law of Cause and Effect

March 16, 2008

The Law of Cause and Effect in our
kitchen?

How many times, when we decide to bake a cake, make a sugar
flower or a special frosting, we end up frustrated because
it does not come out as we expected? Why the frosting is
runny or too stiff, either won/t stay in place or it grab
big chunks of cake destroying it? Why the pastillage or
gum paste flowers lose the shape or do not dry at all?

My friends, all these have an answer and it is in the way
of The Law of Cause and Effect, because in this world,
nothing happen by coincidence, everything has a reason to
be.

For example: there are many reasons for the sinking of a
cake. The causes can be too much butter, opening the oven
and slamming the door to close it and this creates a change
in temperature in the oven cavity, too much or too little
baking powder, incorrect temperature, check for doneness
too soon, and inserting a tester before the first 40
minutes lapse, any of these will make the cake sink.

If you get a big bump in the center, it its due to excess
of temperature.. It is good to have an oven thermometer
for cross reference. Too high temperature will cause the
cake to rise in the center and many times burst like a
volcano.

What about the frosting? Butter cream too runny needs more
sugar. Eggs whites frosting (also know as Italian or
Dominican) when it is runny probably the egg whites were
not stiff enough or the syrup did not have the correct
consistency (soft ball stage) about 240F degrees on the
candy thermometer. If the rolled fondant is to brittle and
cracks at the edges, it needs more kneading or you added to
much glycerin. Glycerin is an emollient and too much will
make the fondant brittle. If the fondant is too soft add
more sugar and if it needs elasticity add 1 teaspoon of
TyloseC or CMC.

When working with pastillage or gum paste, remember that
sugar is hydroscopic, in other words, it absorb the
humidity of the ambient. If the day is too humid, dry your
work pieces inside the oven or the micro oven. Just turn on
the oven light, but do not turn on the oven, pleaaase. If
using the micro, just leave the door slightly open. The
light inside the oven will dry the pieces, then once they
are completely dry, place in a plastic box with a lid and
close it.

Those are only some examples that things happen for a
reason. If you do not follow instructions (the cause), you
have to face the problems (the effect).

Same way in our daily life, the Law of Cause and Effect
affect our lives. You may look for something more complex,
by passing the law of cause and effect to explain the
situation, it doesn’t matter how hard or long you look or
how complicated you make it, at the end you will discover
that you did something to wheel in motion sitting up the
situation where you are at this moment.

The principle of cause and effect is an immutable Universal
Principle encompassing the truth that nothing in the
Universe can ever happen by chance, there is always a
corresponding cause preceding it. Specially the way we
live our life. The law of Universe is no respecter of
persons in the sense that your own thoughts, decisions, and
actions are the threads that create the fabric of your
life, or in our own jargon, is the kind of ingredients we
place in our cake. Knowing this, what are you putting out
there? What sort of ingredients are mixing into our life?
What type of energy will be greeting you in the not too
distant future?

You can figure out where your life has been by the quality
of your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual life
today. What will you do to enhance your life?

Here is a simple and easy way to create always a positive
cause and effect. All begins with our intentions;

If you love, praise, forgive, have compassion, respect
others, have tolerance, find good in others, you will get
love, praise, forgiveness, compassion, others will respect
you, tolerate you and find good in you.

When you live with the intention of loving, giving,
abundance, success and gratitude, the Universe, God, will
create a future full of the same. Imagine your life being
full of Love, Generosity, Abundance, Success and Gratitude.
Because in this world nothing happen by coincidence and
you get back what you give out.

God Bless you,


Marivi

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