Overview
You don't need much in the way of experience or talent to transform a simple cake into a creative masterpiece. According to virtuoso pastry chef Gerhard Jenne, "you just need a sense of humor and a steady hand."Jenne is the creative force behind Konditor and Cook, London's leading pastry shop. In Wacky Cakes & Kooky Cookies, he virtually transforms cake decorating from a fusty old chore that many bakers have abandoned, into a pursuit that is both fun and a real outlet for creative expression. The results are gorgeous.
For all that, Jenne's approach is suprisingly simple. He provides master recipes for five basic frostings, six cookie doughs, and six cake batters. Armed with these materials and Jenne's meticulously written, clearly illustrated instructions, even novice bakers can stride into the kitchen and confidently take up the whisk.
And what creations! Delectable cookies whose bright, bold designs make them even more tempting, cakes that brim with flavor...and humor. Jenne's specialties include his enigmatic-looking chocolate velvet cake (his assessment: "groovy") and his own version of petit fours ("magic cakes," he calls them) which are best displayed as a confectionery mosaic. Capping the book is his recipe for the Konditor Cone, a delicious conical monument to joy.
Chef Jenne knows that individual expression is the soul of creativity and he encourages each baker to follow his or her own inspiration: "Use your imagination, and have fun!"
Synopsis
You don't need much in the way of experience or talent to transform a simple cake into a creative masterpiece. According to virtuoso pastry chef Gerhard Jenne, "you just need a sense of humor and a steady hand."
Jenne is the creative force behind Konditor and Cook, London's leading pastry shop. In Wacky Cakes & Kooky Cookies, he virtually transforms cake decorating from a fusty old chore that many bakers have abandoned, into a pursuit that is both fun and a real outlet for creative expression. The results are gorgeous.
For all that, Jenne's approach is suprisingly simple. He provides master recipes for five basic frostings, six cookie doughs, and six cake batters. Armed with these materials and Jenne's meticulously written, clearly illustrated instructions, even novice bakers can stride into the kitchen and confidently take up the whisk.
And what creations! Delectable cookies whose bright, bold designs make them even more tempting, cakes that brim with flavor...and humor. Jenne's specialties include his enigmatic-looking chocolate velvet cake (his assessment: "groovy") and his own version of petit fours ("magic cakes," he calls them) which are best displayed as a confectionery mosaic. Capping the book is his recipe for the Konditor Cone, a delicious conical monument to joy.
Chef Jenne knows that individual expression is the soul of creativity and he encourages each baker to follow his or her own inspiration: "Use your imagination, and have fun!"