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| Spread decorating paste on a silicon mat in a thin layer. Place a stencil sheet on top to create a design. |
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| For a more whimsical effect, place dollops of different colored decorating paste on a mat. |
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| Blend the dollops of paste with your fingers to create a colorful design. |
Add color and sophistication to your pastry case with a very simple and inexpensive technique. Jaconde decorative siding can change the language and seasonality of a mousse cake without changing much else. Cakes with jaconde store particularly well in the freezer. The start up cost of buying rings, silicon baking sheets and other specialty pastry tools may seem expensive, but the investments can quickly pay off with the added revenue from jaconde. Jaconde also has high tolerance to changes in temperature and humidity, it stores well, and it does not require extensive training.
The two components in jaconde are the decorating paste, which contributes the color and design, and the almond sponge, which adds structure and flexibility. To prepare plain decorating paste, combine sugar, egg whites and butter until perfectly smooth using a paddle attachment. Add pastry flour, and blend until the mixture is smooth and uniform in consistency. Make sure no lumps are in the mixture because they will not dissolve during baking. For chocolate decorating paste, prepare it the same way, but add cocoa powder with the pastry flour. Divide the paste, and color as desired. Allow the paste to rest for one hour before using.
Create different designs
Spread the decorating paste in a thin, even layer on a silicon baking sheet. Then, create your design, and freeze the decorating paste for at least one hour to protect the design against smearing when the almond sponge is applied. Create the designs using stencil sheets, combs, paintbrushes or your fingertips. Techniques and design possibilities are limited to your own imagination. If you decide to use a pastry comb, ensure straight lines by using the side of your table as a guide. If you have decided to go with a more creative and whimsical finger design, pay close attention to the balance of color and shading.
Next, prepare the almond sponge. Sift together almond meal, cake flour and 6X sugar. Whisk the whole eggs lightly, and add to the sifted ingredients.
Add the melted butter, and combine. Whip the egg whites on high speed until they begin to foam, and slowly add granulated sugar and cream of tartar. Continue to whip until the whites form firm peaks. Fold the whites into the rest of the ingredients. Use the batter immediately, or refrigerate it for use later.
Apply sponge evenly
When spreading the almond sponge, apply it in an even layer, and cover the decorating paste completely. You do not want the edges to burn while the center remains unbaked, and you want to protect the decorating paste from unnecessary moisture loss. Baking jaconde at a high temperature for a short amount of time ensures that it bakes completely in the center without drying out. I suggest baking at 410°F in a deck oven for about eight minutes or until the jaconde is dry to the touch. In order for it to bend without cracking and fit snuggly inside the cake ring or individual molds, the decorative siding must still be pliable after it cools.
When each sheet pan of baked jaconde is removed from the oven, cover it with a piece of parchment paper that has been sprayed with pan release. Invert the pans onto a cool, flat surface, and immediately peel back the silicon baking sheet. When the jaconde has cooled you can cut it for immediate use, or wrap it well and store for up to two months in the freezer.
To use jaconde, line your moulds with plastic, or spray them well with non-stick pan spray. This prevents the jaconde from sticking to the mould. At this point, the cake's components are entirely your choice. Let the mousse, dacguoise, genoise and fruit inserts define your own personal style. When you use jaconde as decorative siding, the colors should clue customers to what they will find inside the dessert.
| Jaconde | |||
| Plain decorating paste | |||
| Ingredients | Metric | Lbs. | Ozs. |
| 6X sugar, sifted | 200 g | 7 | |
| Butter, unsalted, soft | 200 g | 7 | |
| Egg whites, room temp. | 200 g | 7 | |
| Pastry flour, sifted | 200 g | 7 | |
| Coloring, as needed | |||
| Total appr. wt. | 800 g | 1 | 12 |
| Instructions: Prepare according to the article. | |||
| Chocolate decorating paste | |||
| Ingredients | Metric | Lbs. | Ozs. |
| 6X sugar, sifted | 200 g | 7 | |
| Butter, unsalted, soft | 200 g | 7 | |
| Egg whites, room temp. | 200 g | 7 | |
| Pastry flour, sifted | 100 g | 3.5 | |
| Cocoa powder | 100 g | 3.5 | |
| Coloring, as needed | |||
| Total appr. wt. | 800 g | 1 | 12 |
| Instructions: Prepare according to the article. | |||
| Almond sponge | |||
| Ingredients | Metric | Lbs. | Ozs. |
| Almond meal | 450 g | 1 | |
| Cake flour | 110 g | 4 | |
| 6X sugar | 450 g | 1 | |
| Eggs, whole | 560 g | 1 | 4 |
| Butter, unsalted, melted | 110 g | 4 | |
| Cream of tartar, pinch | |||
| Egg whites, fresh | 390 g | 14 | |
| Granulated sugar | 55 g | 2 | |
| Total appr. wt. | 2.125 kg | 4 | 12 |
| Instructions: Prepare according to the article. | |||
Erin Quinn is a full time instructor at the San Francisco Baking Institute. She earned a bachelor's degree in Baking and Pastry Arts from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I. She has worked as the assistant to the Baking and Pastry Department's chairperson at Johnson & Wales. She also was the assistant to the Coupe du Monde Artistic Bread team member for the 2002 competition. For more information about the San Francisco Baking Institute, call 650/589-5784 or visit www.sfbi.com.