Michelle answers:

Jshepard is right, it is fondant. You can buy it ready-made in stores that sell cake decorating supplies and ingredients, or you can make it from scratch. The first link in Sources is to a recipe for homemade rolled fondant from Wilton.com. The second is for marshmallow fondant from a cake decorator’s site.

As a cake decorating instructor, I have worked with the ready-made fondant and tried the marshmallow fondant recipe. The ready-made is the easiest to work with, but it has a taste (or maybe it is the doughy texture) that most people find off-putting. I much prefer the flavor and softer texture of the marshmallow fondant, which is easy to make.

If you are looking to buy the Wilton ready-made fondant, you’ll find it in the cake decorating aisle at craft stores like Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Joann Fabrics, and even in the craft section of SuperWalmart stores (near fabrics and silk flowers.) Fondant can be difficult to work with, so you may want to consider taking a cake decorating course. Wilton has a new Fondant and Gumpaste (used to make figures and delicate flowers) course that students can take after they have taken the beginning cake decorating class (course 1.)

Good luck and Happy Baking!
Maria

ps) Wilton also sells various shade of food coloring spray (called Color Mist), a low cost alternative to get that “airbrushed” effect.

Michelle answers:

Heck no! Cheesecakes are easy to make. Just remember to line the outside of the springform pan with aluminum foil and submerge it about half way in water while it bakes. That will help even out the baking as well as minimize the cracking that many baked cheesecakes undergo.

Also, it helps if you push some of the crumbs partway up the side of the pan. When it comes time to slice and serve, you should have a better chance of not breaking the crust. And be sure to use cookie/graham cracker crumbs and NOT using some cake as some storebought cheesecakes do.

Also, don’t worry if you can’t mix the batter perfectly smooth. Small lumps will go away during baking.

Hope that helps.

Michelle answers:

Ask and you shall receive!

Work-a-holic’s Hot Chocolate
Recipe courtesy Max Brenner
See this recipe on air Monday Aug. 04 at 12:00 PM ET/PT.
Show: Paula’s Best Dishes
Episode: Chocolate Cures

Vanilla Custard:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 1/2 cups milk, divided
1/2 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Hot chocolate:
7 ounces (2 chocolate bars) semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup milk, boiled

Sprinkle the cornstarch over 1/2 cup of the milk in a small bowl and whisk to dissolve. Add the sugar and egg yolks and whisk well.
In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over low heat, bring the remaining 2 cups of the milk and the vanilla bean just to a simmer. Remove the bean, scrape the vanilla seeds into the milk, and discard the bean. Gradually whisk the egg yolk mixture into the milk.

Cook, whisking often, until the sauce comes to a full boil, about 3 minutes. If using vanilla extract, stir it in now. Strain through a wire sieve into a bowl. Serve warm.

Add to the vanilla cream the chopped chocolate chunks and a boiled cup of milk. Mix until smooth. Any flavor can be added- raspberry, cinnamon, holiday ginger spice, marshmallows. The semi-sweet chocolate can be substituted with milk or white chocolate.

Michelle answers:

Foie gras