Baking Heaven April 2020

WWW.FOODHEAVENMAG.COM APRIL baking heaven 21

straw-coloured, remove from the heat CHOCOLATE & SALTED CARAMEL CHICKEN CAKE

and add the butter, stirring constantly

until completely combined. Add the

cream and salt, then set aside to cool.

BUTTERCREAM
1 Cream the butter, then gradually add the
sieved icing sugar and cocoa powder.
Mix to a smooth consistency.
2 Melt 150g (5½oz) of the Chocolate
Melts in a microwaveable bowl in
30-second increments, until it is
completely smooth. Slightly cool and
gradually add this to the butter/sugar
mixture. Continue to mix.
3 Add 4-6 tbsp buttermilk, until the icing
reaches a smooth but firm consistency
(you may not need all of this). It should be
spreadable, but quite firm.

CHICKEN
CONSTRUCTION
1 Make sure all the components are
cool/cold. The tops of the cakes must be
level, so trim them if necessary.
2 Stack using alternate layers of cake,
chocolate buttercream and caramel,
leaving the top bare. Keep some
buttercream and caramel to bind the
chicken's head and cover the body.
3 Make a curved cut at 2-3 O’clock to
form the arched back, a smaller arched
cut for the underside, then a straight cut
to create a stable base (A-B). Insert
skewers to hold the cake together, then
cut any excess off with secateurs (C).
4 Stand the chicken up on the flat base
created, so that the layers run vertically.
Using a knife, gently round and soften the
front, left and right sides (its breast).
5 Mould the buttercream into the gaps
between the layers of the cakes, then
cover the outside.
6 Place in the fridge to chill and fully harden.

CHICKEN'S HEAD
1 Break up the cake trimmings into
small pieces.
2 Add the remaining caramel and
buttercream, then mix to achieve a firm,
mouldable consistency.
3 Using your hands, create the shape
of a chicken head, then place in the
fridge to cool.

TOP TIP Create a wide neck to sit firmly on

the top front of your cake.

4 Use sugarpaste to create the beak, eyes,

wattle and comb (D).

DECORATING

THE CHICKEN

1 Attach the head to the body using

two skewers.

2 Melt the 70% chocolate cacao then,

using a pastry brush, paint the whole

chicken. Pipe on feathers using a zigzag

effect if you wish (E-F).

3 Using slightly cooled melted chocolate,

adhere the chicken's facial features to its

head. To create a two-tone effect, brush

parts of the body with white chocolate,

then add red-coloured food dust over the

white for greater effect.

FEATHER MAKING

1 Pipe a series of round dots of melted

chocolate on greaseproof paper. Hold the

greaseproof up vertically so that the

chocolate runs down, then use a cocktail

stick to add the feathered details (G).

2 Once hardened, attach the feathers to

the chicken with the melted chocolate.

TOP TIP Pipe more melted chocolate onto

the feathers to make them more robust,

then sprinkle them with red powder paint

for extra effect, if you wish. (G)

3 Place the chicken into the fridge to make

sure all the chocolate hardens properly.

C

E

D

F

G

A B