# cake rings



## brook (Oct 27, 1999)

In browsing catalogues, I noticed cake rings (no bottoms), but know nothing about them. In theory, they would seem better than springform pans in that you don't have to worry about the bottom warping or the sides not fitting, but if they are so much better, it seems that everyone would be using them. Is it hard to keep the batter from leaking out of the bottom? Are they difficult to work with .. have you any tips? In short, any information would be welcome. I am tempted to them. Thank you!


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

I got a really nice one from J. B, Prince, which I mostly use to build tortes in, having enough cake pans for me and you. The process of building a torte and then popping the ring off will leave you breathless. That's how they get those perfectly flat, straight-edged tortes.


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

You are right TBH. It's magical when you lift that ring and you have a perfect cake.


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

When I was at J&W they have all these pictures of the tortes you do in the cake labs hanging up in the halls. they looked great. then you get to basic tortes or whatever it was, itching to get your hands on a ring, or at least a turntable, and they make you start out by handicing. I found that to be torture. My right wrist is stiff from years of holding stuff down to cut it up, and I had to use my right hand to pick the torte up. You don't get to use a ring for a while. My favorite trick was the one we made with chocolate icing on the edge, then you angle the palette knife at 45 degrees, go around the top of the ring with the chocolate, freeze it, then fill the top with another color icing. when you take the ring off you have a two-tone torte with no discernible joint between the two icings. 
BTW, I know almost everyone goes through these postings...other voices, other rooms. There's another site on the web where some of the folks hang out, and it can get a little rude. People are much nicer here.


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Hi TBH,

Was someone rude with you?  

You're right you know, this is a wonderful board. I think we should be kind to each other. People are a lot more receptive that way.


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

It's what I like about Chef Talk. We all respect eachother and our differences. 

Anyway should a grouch come along he would soon figure out he is out of place.


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## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

Large cake rings are great for assembling desserts. The professional French pastry books show chefs baking in them too. I've done it a couple times (but it was a while ago and I don't remember what I baked anymore), but it can be done if you have very flat sheet pans to bake them on.

What there for and about them: You usually place a cardboard cake circle into the ring and assemble your torte/cake on it (so you can pick it up). Depending on what your making, but assuming your baking in volume you'd line your rings with a acetate cake collar too (if your cake filling was gooey). So when your done assembling your cakes in the rings you push through the dessert or lift off the ring and your torte is close to being done. Although if your cakes fillings aren't sticky just spray the rings with Pam spray and they release easily.

The advantages of rings over spring form pans.... durability over time, more sizes in widths and heights available, usually made of stainless steel (you can heat the outside of the pan nicely with-out damaging the pan over time).

My last pastry position had more spring form pans then ring molds (4 only) and I used the spring form pans in the same way (assembling) not to mention the obvious easy of baking in them. I found that when I used the spring form pans to assemble tortes (in mass) the best way was to use a card cake circle in place of the metal bottom (you have to trim a pinch off the card board to fit usually). Then you proceed the same way, so in the end when your done you can lift off your "ring" and you cake is on the cardboard ready to go. This also prevent the indented lip that you get in a spring form pan, that comes from where the bottom meets the sides. That makes a difference when you decorate what you had assembled in the springform....some finishing techiques like pouring ganche over the torte will show the lip.

If you have the money and want a new toy (I understand that) buy one and play with it. But honestly unless you make multi playered torte in mass I wouldn't buy them. I'd rather have another book or another cool shaped tart pan or a........

Hope I made sense?

P.S. I understand the site your talking about, has something happened here?


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Cake ring can be use to bake cake if you wrap the ring in aluminium foil so the batter won't leak.

I use mine mostly to build cake. Using the ring will ensure your layer are all evenly cut and the side will all be even. 

It's really useful for mousse cake. You put one layer of cake on the bottom then put the mousse and a second layer.


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## oli (Aug 31, 2001)

That other site useto be like this one. Everyone helping one another, many points of view and very informative and thought provoking. If anyone strayed from the topic at hand it was still food related. I miss a couple of really neat professional people who always had the answers due mainly to their vast experience in various parts of the industry. One I know went to a village in France, where there is no internet connection, of whom many of us wished he would write a book and the other person sold his bakery and went into catering. It took me a few months to find this spot after certain people such as Debord was absent from the other board. So I am glad someone made the remark about this link.


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Welcome to Cheftalk Oli. Glad you found us!


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

Hi oli. It certainly is nice to see you here.


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

No, nobody was rude to me, because I didn't register and didn't post, just don't feel like I have much to say right now, the bread starter threads wore me out. But, some of the posts I was reading I couldn't believe. "How does a Frenchman tell when his pastry is done..." that kind of stuff, and worse. I'm beat. I'm the only one in the whole kitchen staff who worked six days a week all summer, and when I made a comment about it, the chef teased me and said, "You want the night off?, Take every night off." I don't work nights. Those guys all work 5 or 6 hours more per day than I do, but still, six days is still six days, and my poor kids got nowhere this summer. My average week has gone up by 14 hours since I started working there. We really start winding down now, there's stuff this weekend, and then we coast into October, then only work 4 days a week. I've almost had enough.


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

Welcome to Chef Talk Oli, it's nice to meet you. 

Wendy, talking of books, I think you would like the Pastry and the Dessert book from the Eurodélices serie. The explanations aren't always clear. There are recipes from all over Europe. Bernachon, and Herme among other.

It's a beautiful serie, recipes from the best chefs of Europe. Pictures on every page. There are other books in the serie.

Cold Appetizers 

Hot Appetizers

Fish & Seafood 

Meat & Poultry 

[ September 01, 2001: Message edited by: Iza ]


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

The other board you speak of has turned into comic relief. I pretty much enjoy that now. But I did have to resign myself to the fact that I won't be able to help anybody there anymore, which is really what I like to do. But for relaxation I input there and just enjoy reading here. I have a real hard time typing my thoughts anyway.Jeez, ya think! I think the only feedback I've recieved here was, a very polite, I'm not following you. It's ok though,I talk so fast down here in the South, everybody thinks I'm speaking Spanish.
This is only the second board I've visited and it is truly nice.
Jeff


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## angrychef (Jan 15, 2001)

This is a great board and wish I could post more often...but I'm just sooo tired after work these days that I don't even check my email. Everyone is truly wonderful and helpful here, and I'm glad some pals from the "other side" are here now.

The tallest cake rings I have found are 3" and these I use to assemble tortes, I never bake in them. I never get a truly flat straight torte if I assemble it in a springform because the acetate strip, which actually stands taller than the springform sides, sometimes sits at an angle.


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## m brown (May 29, 1999)

I just had a great idea for wedding cake layers, find someone to make me 5 inch high rings at 6 inch round up to 16! Pricy to start but they would last a lifetime.


TBH< I had a hand in making and photographing those cakes you see hanging in the halls of J&W. Most were made by the instructors but I was a fellow and made a few and assisted with the photography. Great experience and fun!


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

It was those pictures that sold me on going there. I took my own set before I left.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

M Brown,
Good idea with the rings. They are pretty costly to start. we use stainless steel. We build most of our wedding cakes in these molds. It makes assembling, cutting columns and post easier. no measuring. The large rings do split sometimes but you just have them ground and rewelded. All of our rings are 1" shorter in diameter than their boards. This allows us to trim all our cakes.


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## brook (Oct 27, 1999)

Thank you, everyone, for your thoughtful replies! When you bake in the cake rings with a piece of aluminum wrapped cardboard under it, what is the risk of burning the cardboard? What is the highest temperature you can use?

I really, really like this site too and glad that everyone is helpful and not rude. It's a great community!


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## w.debord (Mar 6, 2001)

Brook you miss understood. To bake in rings you place the empty ring on a professional grade baking pan (it's more rigid and usually remains flatter than home use sheet pans). Place the ring on parchement or silpat as your liner between the pan and ring. You can line or wrap the bottom of the ring with foil also, then sit it on a sheet pan to bake.

But when we talk about cardboard in a ring mold or springform pan....that's used with already baked cakes and your just assembling the torte in the pan on the cardboard. Don't bake cardboard in the oven, even if it's wrapped in foil it't not a good idea.


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## brook (Oct 27, 1999)

Thank you for your clarification! It would have made a nasty smell, if not a failed product, to bake a new cake on cardboard.


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