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Creativity and Technique in Pastry

Cakes that please and surprise

Ghie Salcedo-dela Cruz

Antwerp, Belgium

Words by: Mye Mulingtapang

Whether it’s a birthday party, an anniversary, or strictly linked to a ceremony, there is one thing that must never be missing: the cake. But for Ghie Salcedo-dela Cruz talking about cakes is like talking about the air we breathe because cakes have always been a part of our lives. Who has never eaten a cake?

Whenever Ghie sees cakes or pastries the curious side of her always asks, "I think I can do that too, can't I?"

These thoughts led her to willingly try her hand at the sweet culinary art of baking. Experimenting came out as a learning process. Inspired by the creativity of the bakers and pastry chefs Ghie explored her talents.

"It was the challenge to create beautiful cakes and desserts that gave way for me to become a baker," said Ghie.

For Ghie creativity is the key to success that elevates home bakers from mere technicality to new frontiers. Her pastry products become concepts that have amazing market results. The aesthetic aspects of the product are important according to Ghie only if linked to creativity, on the contrary, they become only an exercise in style and application of the technique. A good product is sold only once, a good and beautiful well-conceptualized product is sold several times.

 

The creative concept materializes in the creation of a dessert that pleases and surprises those who have to buy and consume it in shape, colors, dimensions, and construction. People now have a lot of choices because they don’t just find cakes and desserts in pastry shops but also in well-equipped supermarkets.

"I've trained myself to be more patient and always reminded myself perseverance is a must," added Ghie.

Encouraged by family and true friends, Ghie pursued expanding her knowledge through self-educating, online learning, and attending workshops. She believes that it’s important to improve one’s skills continuously for a future-proof career.


Being a baker is a profession Ghie takes great pride and dignity in, one to be proud of because it is based on solid foundations linked both to the competence of trade and to the creation of products just like her favorite classic chocolate-vanilla combo, ube-pandan, and ube cheesecake creations, a mix between science and art, on the one hand, based on extreme precision and chemical reactions, on the other,  it a game of creativity and artistic decorations. This gives the right shape to things, changes their appearance by using different ingredients and techniques, from the simplest to the most ostentatious keeping the right balance of flavors.

"I have three main flavors to offer for occasion cakes: the new favorite-Ube, the classic favorite Chocolate, and the ever-versatile Vanilla. But of course, we try to deliver our clients special requests for other flavors. We even go beyond limits for extra unconventional requests if we must," Ghie shared.

Follow Ghie and Angel O Cakes on social media and know more about her creations.

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Print Recipe

Ube Swiss Roll with Ubeness

Perfect Match for your cup of tea or coffee.
Course: cakes, Dessert
Cuisine: Eurasian Fusion
Keyword: swiss roll, ube cake, ube roll, ube swiss roll
Author: Ghie dela Cruz

Ingredients

Swiss Roll

  • 3 pcs large eggs (yolks and white separated)
  • 45 grams caster sugar
  • 40 grams caster sugar additional
  • 60 ml water
  • 40 ml vegetable oil
  • 2 tspn Ubeness (purple Yam flavoring)
  • 50 grams Ube Jam
  • 85 grams cake flour
  • 1 tsp cornflour

Italian Meringue Buttercream (Frosting)

  • 3 pcs egg whites
  • ½ cup caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar additional
  • 45 ml water
  • ½ tsp cream of tartar
  • 250 grams unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp Ubeness

Instructions

Egg yolk batter

  • Preheat oven to 140°C. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper. 
  • Beat the egg yolks in a mixing bowl. 
  • Add 45 gr caster sugar and beat with an electric mixer untilthe mixture turns light in color. 
  • Mix in 60 ml water, 40 ml vegetable oil and 2 tsp Ubeness flavoring. 
  • Add the ube jam then mix again until the batter is lump-free. 
  • Sift in 85 grams of cake flour and continue to beat until the batter is sticky. Set aside.

Meringue

  •  In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites using a clean electric mixer.
  • Once it thickens, mix in 40 g caster sugar until mixture is glossy and stiff peaks are about to form.
  • Add 1 tsp cornflour and continue to beat until stiff.

Mixing together

  • Add meringue mixture, one-third at a time to the egg yolk batter from.
  • Mix until smooth and no traces of meringue are left. 
  • Pour batter onto baking pan and spread batter evenly with a spatula.
  • Gently tap pan on table two to three times to remove any air pockets.
  • Bake in preheated 140°C oven for 14 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into cake comes out clean.
  • Invert pan on a wire rack with parchment paper, unmould cake then roll right away. Set aside until it cools down.

Frosting/Buttercream

  • Place 1/2 c sugar and water into a medium pot and place on medium-low heat.
  • Stir to wet sugar. Bring to a boil, swirling pan occasionally. 
  • Allow sugar mixture to simmer gently as you proceed with egg whites.
  • Place egg whites in a mixing bowl and whip until frothy on low speed using the wire-whip attachment of a standing mixer. 
  • Add cream of tartar and turn speed to medium-high. 
  • When soft peaks form, add 2 tbsp sugar gradually. Continue whipping until stiff, glossy peaks form. 
  • Check the sugar/water mixture, maintain at medium-high heat until temperature reaches 120˚ C.
  • Drizzle the sugar into the mixer immediately. At this point the meringue should be at the stiff peak stage. Run mixer until meringue is cool.
  • Add room temperature butter into running mixer a couple of tablespoon at a time.
  •  Beat until butter is combined and mixture has reached a silky consistency.
  • Add the Ubeness flavoring and then ube jam. Whip until thoroughly incorporated.

To assemble

  • Unroll the cake. Be careful to avoid making cracks.
  • Spread a thin layer of ube frosting on the surface then roll the cake back.
  • Frost the outer part of the roll with the remaining butercream mixture.
  • Refrigerate for at least an hour before slicing to let the buttercream sip to the cake.
  • Enjoy!
Recipe made with
Ubeness
ubeness bottle 20ml
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