Chef's Adventures in Cloudland
But what do clouds taste like? Are they wispy and airy like a meringue? Are they sweet, sour, crunchy, or soft?
It's a universal pastime to raise your eyes to the sky and let your imagination summersault through the clouds. But what do clouds taste like? Are they wispy and airy like a meringue? Are they sweet, sour, crunchy, or soft?
Creating and designing a Cloud Cake is daunting: how do you capture a floating dream in the form of a delicious dessert?
The challenge: create a natural and delicate form that appears to float on the plate. After many attempts at creating a digital cloud model, it seemed an elusive goal. All the iterations either looked too heavy or too precariously perched. Then after dozens of drafts, finally a success! A 3D form that appeared to float! The secret to the illusion? Fold the bottom edges of the cloud under its fluffy body.
In order for the digital form of the Cloud Cake to become a mold, we split the 3D model into two halves. We sent the parts to the Buildini 3D Printer and it quickly printed the two pieces. Then the 3D prints were adhered inside a food-safe box and then we poured food-grade silicone over them to create a mold.
The final challenge was to create a delicious recipe that could be poured into the mold, solidify, and then served to dessert-ready diners. After experimenting with a variety of tried and true recipes that just weren’t up to the task, Chef Steph decided it was time to invent a new one. She created a new recipe called cumulocrème, a creamy confection so light and fluffy, it’s hard to imagine that this is not what clouds are made of!
Depending on the season, the flavors change. Some popular fillings include berry jam, chocolate mousse, or lemon custard. The Cloud Cake is a deliciously delectable dessert!
