Classic & Contemporary Christmas Cakes (Hardcover)

by Nadene Hurst (Author), Julie Springall (Author) "This elegant, royal iced cake is decorated with piping and ribbons, and makes an attractive base for the elaborate Christmas cracker..." (more)
Key Phrases: gold dusting powder, taffeta rolling pin, marzipan wreath, Contemporary Christmas Cakes, Contemporary Christinas Cakes (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
For the English, sugar paste (fondant) cake decoration is truly an art. Nadiene Hurst and Julie Springall are professional cake decorators in England, specializing in royal icing and sugar paste. They both teach and write for a variety of cake-decorating and bridal magazines. Each of the more than 20 exquisite Christmas cakes photographed and described in Classic and Contemporary Christmas Cakes was done by one or the other.

Step-by-step instructions with photos follow ingredient lists so comprehensive they include even the tools and materials necessary to re-create these elaborate cakes. Each cake begins with either a traditional Rich Fruit Cake or an alternative Light Fruit Cake, and you can choose whichever you prefer. The recipes for both are in the back, and they are scaled so that you can make as many cakes as you need, as large or as small as you'd like. A recipe for royal icing is followed by instructions for covering cakes and cake boards and for piping decorations.

Some of the cakes described are timeless. The Crown of Holly, the cover recipe, is beautifully draped with a two-tone yellow sugar paste and a mass of holly leaves and berries made of gum paste. Midnight Snowflakes is simple enough for beginners; covered with dark blue sugar paste, snowflakes made of royal icing are carefully piped on top. It may sound difficult, but there's a template for the intricate snowflake pattern in the back (there are templates for almost every design and decoration shown in any of the recipes).

For a traditional Christmas gift, you could make a project out of Yuletide Slices. Small slices of fruitcake are covered with marzipan and sugar paste, and then each one is decorated differently. The authors suggest making two or three different designs and then arranging a few of each in gift boxes. The designs include simple ones like Stars, Trees, Ribbons, and Bells, and more elaborate ones such as Taffeta and Holly, Fruits (made of marzipan), and Christmas Rose (made of gum paste).

There are also modern cakes like the brightly colored Three Kings, which is topped with gold stars springing out on wires, and Festive Drapes, a magnificent creation decorated with gold holly leaves, pearl pears made of marzipan, and red taffeta drapes made of sugar paste. The recipes are certainly complex and time-consuming, and you'll need to find a good cake-decorating supply store for the tools and materials, but the final results will amaze and astound and be well worth the effort involved. --Leora Y. Bloom

Review
"Anyone serious about cake decorating should take a look at this book." -- Ucook.com

"Classic and stylish, but always conveying a festive theme." -- North Carolina Builder/Architect

"Re-creating the desserts in Classic & Contemporary Christmas Cakes may take some time, but the results are gorgeous." -- Bon Appetit

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Merehurst Limited (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1853918334
• ISBN-13: 978-1853918339
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #724,858 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a fresh look, July 8, 2001

By	M. Mcewen-asker "M. Asker" (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

this book is targeted at the experienced cake decorator. It demonstrates the use of European style cake decorating with sugarpaste/fondant icing. It is full of exciting and sometimes elaborate decorations. The book is fully illustrated with enough detailed instruction to ensure good results. Inexperienced or new cake decorators can also get lots of ideas from this book, and could easily adapt many of the designs to a more simple example. the method for each cake design is explained in detail step by step and has many helpful hints to stop errors for the inexperienced.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Christmas Cake Inspiration, March 10, 2003

By	C. Bennett (New England) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This beautifully photographed 112-page book features new and inspiring Christmas cake designs. Using vibrant Christmas reds, deep royal blues, and creamy ivory, these cakes beautifully capture the joys of the Christmas season.

The book includes a brief Introduction, and then is arranged by the individual cake. There are twenty-two unique designs featured in the book. Each cake contains an equipment list (metric and US conversions included), a listing of any special equipment required, a full-color photograph of the cake, and steo-by-step instructions on how to assemble and decorate the cake.

The cakes include: Christmas Cracker Surprise, the beautiful cover cake called Crown of Holly, and even decorated slices of fruit cake called Yuletide Slices.

Techniques used in this book include: Rolled fondant (used in the majority of the cakes), piped royal icing, Gum Paste, Pastillage, and Modelling. Recipes for Light Fruit Cake, Rich Fruit Cake, Rolled Fondant, Gum Paste, Pastillage, Modelling Paste, and Marzipan are included.

At the end of the book you will find templates for all of the cakes, and an equipment list with definitions.

While intermediate to experienced decorators will benefit most from these designs, beginning cake decorators will be able to adapt them for their skill level using the intructions provided.

5.0 out of 5 stars Oustanding as usual, September 4, 2007

By	Leni Zunino "fondant fan" (Florida) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I really like this lady.As the book name: Classic and contemporary...you will fine cakes for all tastes, and most important: new ideas! she does not come with the same as usual christmas cakes, so I will say she is more contemporary than classic...but for sure ...she is fantastic.