Get Cheesy Workshop

I attended the "Get Cheesy" baking workshop by Catherine Lau with Christina yesterday. This workshop was organised by The Star together with flavours magazine and Signature Kitchen. The workshop was conducted at Signature Kitchen factory at Kota Damansara.

When we walked into the workshop, to my surprise, the workshop was full with participants. I was told there were 70 participants despite this was the last minute additional workshop due to the over-whelming respond to the workshop.

The marketing manager of Signature Kitchen welcomed us to the workshop. The agenda for the afternoon were the 3 cheese baking workshop, afternoon tea and tour of Signature Kitchen showroom.

The entire workshop was video shot by this lady and the video will be posted on The Star TV online at http://thestaronline.tv/

Christina and I sat at behind as all the good seats were taken. Luckily, there was a video shown on TV hang on the wall.

First, Catherine showed us how to bake Passion fruit Mousse Cheesecake. Judging from the ingredients ie passion fruit and no baking but chill in fridge overnight, I wasn't very keen on the cake. True enough, after tested all the 3 cakes that we learnt from the workshop, this is the cake that we like the least.

The 2nd cake that we learned was the Red Velvet Cheesecake. This red colour mixture from beetroot juice is to make beetroot sponge, which was used to form the 3 layer Red Velvet Cheesecake.

The beetroot sponge and cream cheese mixture were placed on alternate basis on cake tray to form 3 layers of cheesecake.

The remaining cheese mixture was spread over the cake evenly and down the side using a spatula.

One of the technique that I learned from the workshop is how to loosen and remove cake pan to obtain professional looking, smooth cake.

Catherine taught us to use hair dryer and under low speed, to blow surround the cake tray. Otherwise, we may use spatula as shown here to smoothen the sides of cake.

Using icing sculptor and glide the comb over the cake sides to create an attractive ridges, elegant sculpted look with beautiful professional finish.

The other technique that I've learnt from the workshop is how to dust cake with cocoa powder.

Catherine recommended using new socks or pantyhose to dust cocoa powder onto cake. The tiny hole from socks create fine dust of cocoa powder on cake.

The above photo displayed how to hold cake in order to dust the side of cake with cocoa powder.

Using sifting method to dust cocoa powder on top of cake.





Professional looking Red Velvet Cheesecake created.

This is how the cake look like from the inside. I like the layers and the colours (red, cream and brown) of the cake. This is the cake that I like the most. I like the colour of the cake, the presentation of the cake and of course, the taste.

The 3rd cake that we learned was the Bull's Eye Cheesecake. The challenge of this cake is to assemble the vanilla mixture and dark chocolate mixture to create the bull's eye look.

Above: One portion of vanilla mixture was poured into the centre of the cake pan and then another portion of chocolate mixture on top of it.

The third layer of vanilla mixture was poured into the centre of the dark chocolate mixture.


I was very amazed by how the vanilla mixture got right into the middle of the dark chocolate ring.


The 4th ring, dark chocolate mixture being poured into the vanilla mixture.


The 5th ring of vanilla mixture.


The 6th ring of dark chocolate mixture.



The 7th ring of vanilla mixture.



The 8th ring of dark chocolate mixture.


The 9th ring of vanilla mixture being poured into the centre of the dark chocolate ring.




Look at how the mixture expand proportionately into the other mixture.

Finally, the 10th ring of the dark chocolate mixture being poured into the centre of the vanilla mixture.

Look at this amazing result of Bull's Eye Cheesecake.


The look of the cake from the inside.

The closing remarks from the cheese queen, Catherine Lau.

The session ended with afternoon tea. Coffee and tea were served with savoury Swiss roll and a healthy snack of vegetable sticks with cream cheese dip.

I like this serving tray. Carrot, celery and cucumber with dip in the middle.


Toasted bread.

We got to sample all the cheesecakes. These 3 cheesecakes were put in a box and distributed to us before we left the workshop.

We also received this complimentary copy of flavours magazine.

I'm really glad that I attended this workshop. It was great! The workshop only cost us RM100 for:

1. 3 cheesecake baking workshop + baking tips and techniques
2. Samples of the 3 cheesecake (worth ~RM15)
3. 1 year subscription of flavours magazine (worth RM53)
4. A copy of flavours magazine Sep-Oct 08 (worth RM10.80)
5. Afternoon tea
   

There was also a booth selling cooking book (ie Amy Beh cookbooks were sold at 20% discount, etc) and magazines. Purchase of 1 current issue of flavours magazine at RM10.80, will entitled you to free 2 old issues of flavours magazine. Christina bought 2 sets. One for herself and one for me. Thanks Chris for the magazine and just as you, I love them too.

Catherine Lau and her book "Cheesecake Seduction", retailed at RM39.90.

I read a number of her articles in flavours magazine. The next morning, I googled her name and got to know that she owns a restaurant in Paramount Garden on the ground floor and her baking school on 1st floor.

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2007/6/8/central/17870872&sec=central

I took my family to her restaurant for lunch on Sunday. Met Catherine there and had a chat with her. There's no baking classes lined up for the moment as she's been busy with the last two Get Cheesy workshop and photo shooting.

Catherine looks better in photo. She's in her 50s with 2 daughters one in University doing her Master and another girl in Form 3. She had worked in Australia for 4 years and she's an accountant by profession.