Shortcuts to success
For chef and food editor Warren Mendes, cake was his gateway drug to a career in food. “We are originally South African, so we ate a lot of melktert (milk tarts) and malva puddings growing up,” Mendes says.
“We also made a lot of quite simple cakes – lots of vanilla cakes, and my mum would always do a classic chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream icing.”
This classically leaning repertoire had a lasting impact on Mendes’s pared-back cooking style and love of nostalgic bakes.
“Sometimes the simplest foods are the best,” the former delicious. contributing food editor says.
Mendes recounts memories of sugary, vanilla-infused scents wafting from his mother’s oven while he sat by her side on the kitchen bench.
“It’s almost that cliched story,” he admits, “but she had a retro mustard hand mixer and I got to lick the beaters afterwards, and I think that’s what sparked my addiction to sweets!
“As I got older, I graduated to being allowed to hold the beaters.”
Ahead of World Cake Day on November 26 (yes, there’s an entire day dedicated to our favourite creations), Mendes des shares his essential tips for r nailing patisserie-quality ty cakes.
His No.1 tip is s to read the recipe all the way through before picking up any utensils.
“This even applies to a baking mix,” he says.
“It prevents any moments of ‘oh no, I need room-temperature perature butter!’.”
The chef also says y that, contrary to a widely held belief, baking isn’t an exact ex science and the more mo relaxed the baker, bake the tastier the final fin product. “I think flour and a sugar can sense s fear, so you y need to chill out. o
“Anxiety comes co out in bak baking. There’s room for error – for adding a little more sugar and your oven being a bit different.” diff
Finally, Mendes says to know your limits and embrace any shortcuts – especially when it comes to entertaining.
“I like the idea of ‘renovating’ – of using a baking mix and putting your twist on it,” he says.
“You can use a base lemon tart mix, then make a gin syrup, or even the delicious. Cookies & Cream cake mix, then create a cookie crumb with salt flakes to make it your own.
“Then you don’t have the pressure of making each component from scratch.
“Don’t be ashamed of cheating a little bit!”
The new delicious. baking range and dessert sauces are available at Woolworths now. For more information, visit delicious.com.au/bakingrange.