Nayma Mazloum Cakes Blog

Cake Course

2015-02-02T03:07:00.000-08:00

Basic Foundation for Layering, Masking and Decorating a Cake

Description

You will learn the appropriate techniques to divide a cake,

as well as layering and masking it in a uniform way,

so it is ready to be decorated.

During the course, we will be able to discuss every

single doubt that you might have about time management

and cake production.

At the end of the course, you will be able to

take home the beautiful cake you have made to share it

with family and friends!

General Info

Level: Beginners

Number of students: 4

Duration: 4hrs incl. Break

Language: English

Dates:

Sat. May 30th 2015

Sat. June 13th 2015

Time: 13.00 - 17.00

Cost: 150.-

(Must be payed 72hrs after confirmation of place)

Address

Nayma Mazloum Cakes

Im Feld 2b

5452 Oberrohrdorf

Finally!!.. Cookie Decoration Course!!

2014-10-17T03:31:00.000-07:00

Create beautifuly decorated festive cookies!

This class is the perfect one for those who are looking to master the technique on how to ice and decorate biscuits with elaborate details, while practicing your piping skills. Learn while having fun, and getting into the festive spirit.

At the end of the class you will take home a whole range of Christmas cookies!

This class includes:

Demo
- My favourite sugar cookie recipe

Decoration

- Cookie design

- Working with food colours to achieve the perfect shade for each part of your design
- Royal Icing preparation

- Piping technique

Date: Sat. 8 November

Time: 13.00 - 17.00

Place: Zaehnteschuer Oberrohrdorf

Skill Level: Basic to Intermediate

Class size: 10 - 12

Fee: CHF 130.- to be paid in advance

Registration: 0788079560 / or by email

OVERBOOKED

Food & Drinks: Snacks, coffee, tea and water will be provided throughout the afternoon free of charge.

Kitchen attire: Aprons will be provided by Nayma Mazloum Cakes for use during the day. You are required to wear comfortable shoes. Due to health & safety regulations, you are required to have your hair neatly tied back at all times, not to wear jewellery.

Ingredients, tools & equipment: All tools and equipment required will be provided by us and must be returned to Nayma Mazloum Cakes.

Transportation boxes: To be provided by Nayma Mazloum Cakes.

..Hurry and register to avoid dissapointment!!

Party on!!!

2014-10-13T08:47:00.002-07:00

The best part of my job as a Cake Designer, is definitely having the opportunity of taking part in so many special days in people's life.. Couples promising eternal love to eachother, kids growing up, babies being born.. it's such a blessing to be able to collaborate in making all these events a bit sweeter.

These are some of the cakes I've been working on..

...Have a sweet week.. and Party on!!!

let them eat cake!!

2014-03-02T12:24:00.000-08:00

last week, i had the great pleasure of spending a very sweet time with the dream makers of any bride.. the wedding planners!

luckily, i could connect with Evelyne Schaerer, the president of VUSH {Association of Independent Swiss Wedding Planners}, and founder of Your Perfect Day. she helped me contacting some of her colleagues {or should i say dream makers} ..and the most special and sweet night was born.

saying that it was only a tasting wouldn't be fair..

it was a time to walk togetehr the sweet roads of dark chocolate, vanilla beans and salty caramel.. an opportunity to speak the romantic language of weddings.. and a moment in time when the only thing that mattered was to feel, smell and eat cakes!

Have a sweet week everyone..

music to my ears..

2014-01-22T04:12:00.000-08:00

the part i enjoyed the most during my pastry studies in chicago, was staging at Cake Chicago. i did not only learn about techniques on cakes and pastries, but also, i learned an awful lot about work ethics, team work, and that there's no cakeing without music..

yeap!..

you read it right!..

the first thing we would do when stepping into the kitchen was turning on the radio!

we would work weekly in so many, and so different cakes, that it's nearly impossible for me to pick a favorite one.. however, since i'm such a sugar flowers lover, i must say that this orchid cake is the number 1 for me.

take a look..

isn't it beautiful?

..there's always a cake that makes a chef work double shifts!.. Mary, from Cake Chicago had the vision, and at first we couldn't really see what she wanted to achieve with the design, but then.. it came to life.. and it was a total winner.

by the end of the year, and after spending afternoons and some Saturdays with Mary and the Cake Chicago team, i finally felt confident to design and work on my own cake for the final project of the course at The French Pastry School Chicago.

..hope you like it as much as i did!

..i must say that now there are two kinds of music to me.. the one that plays in the radio; and the one that comes from the heart of a bride when she sees pure love expressed in a beautiful cake!

have a sweet one!

hello 2014!!

2014-01-10T02:37:00.000-08:00

i don't know how you guys feel about this, but i still can't get over the fact that Christmas is over...

i consider myself such a Xmas junkie, that i spend the whole year thinking, dreaming and waiting for Christmas... Could it be because it's that time of the year when everybody gets into a love-mood?.. and who doesn't want to live in a love-world?

i know i do!

..so, for those of you that might feel the same way as me.. here are some sweet Christmas market pics for you to enjoy!

...doesn't get any better than this... a kid, Santa, and a cupcake!!

have a sweet 2014!!

let's dance..

2013-11-28T03:39:00.003-08:00

Sometimes I feel like I'm constantly waiting for something to happen..

..to get that bigger house I've dreamed of
..for our winter vacations
..for my big project to finally develop

I'm just waiting.. waiting.. and waiting some more..

I just tend to think that when I get everything I'm waiting for, then I will finally get the life I want..

but..

..what would happen if I just LIVED this second, when I have so much, but appreciate so little..

My son Marco, is 4, and is the most sensitive, romantic, and sweet boy I have ever met.. really, he is just this little person that enjoys with extreme pleasure my wedding video, and he could watch it over and over.. and even shed a tear, or two..

He loves dinosaurs, and dragons, rockets, minions, and the "wreck it Ralph" character, like any other kid; but whenever he has the opportunity, he would as well play some love stories with his playmobil knight and princess..

So, just this past Sunday, we were playing a board game, and it came to a point where we had to dance. He immediately ran to me, made a reverence, and said "would you dance with me?".. my 4 year old.. asking me to dance..

..that was just pure gold!

I gave him my hand {and my all, for that matter!} ..and we started dancing.. when the song ended, he kissed my hand, and said: "you are my princess", with the greatest love in his eyes..

That's a moment I will treasure in my heart for the rest of my live..

..and the second when I realized that the amazing life I've been waiting for is already here..

Let's all start appreciating, be thankful.. and dance!

...on brotherhood and cupcakes...

2013-09-02T05:44:00.000-07:00

as a parent, i'm always so focused on what i teach to my kids, and how i do it. it is so important for me to get them to be polite, and responsable kids at school, that i tend to forget that the biggest lessons come from them to me every single day.

the other day the kids asked me to have a cupcake stand, so they could sell their own cupcakes. and i thought, "this is gonna be the perfect math lesson ever, they will have to sum, and count, give and take money.. let's do it!" ..so i helped them, and we ended up with the most perfect, and sweet cupcake stand ever.. they looked so cute selling their cupcakes, and playing grown ups, that i promised this was the first from many-many cupcake stands to come.. but, the most extraordinary part of the afternoon for my kids, was when they saw their best friends coming to join them with their "cupcake sale".. they were not happy, but over-the-moon-happy, they hugged, and laughed, and even played a bit of star wars while selling cupcakes. for them it was not only an opportunity to play a bit while they had this cupcake stand; but they had the chance to share a whole experience with their "brother-friends"..

this brotherhood helped me understand {once more}, that it's not the place, it's the love that surrounds us, what gives us happiness.. what keeps us warm.. and makes our home..

to brotherhoods, sisterhoods and cupcakes!!

have a sweet week!!

playing by the rules..

2013-06-07T13:00:00.000-07:00

I have two big rules when designing a cake..

The first one is: "Flavor comes first".. You see, it's very easy to get all wrapped up in "design-world". Not to give flavor the importance it has, is the same as sentencing the cake to be forgettable.. I know that first impressions always last, but insight beauty is a deal sealer!

...and the second one is: "less is DEFINITELY more".. For me, a cake should make a statement, but be subtle and delicate at the same time.. I love fireworks, but in the sky, not on a cake.

Have a sweet weekend!!

a spoonful of cake..

2013-05-31T04:42:00.000-07:00

Although I absolutely love and treasure my Mom's recipes, and I even find them charming, they kind of unsettle me, since they are so "flexible".. a spoonful of this {and it can be any spoon that is closer to her at the moment}, a pinch of that {man, how I hate that!}, and a little bit of those... I mean, for me, that kind of recipes are like the "dark side" of the culinary world.. and that's the reason why I feel so comfortable baking, because it is so precise. There is very little room for spontaneity, I mean, don't get me wrong, of course I can always improvise a bit, but any variation must be well calculated, so the recipe is not negatively affected.. because, at the end of the day, pastry is purely chemical.. that's where I find its beauty..

So there!.. one big difference between savory and sweet, is that people who enjoy cooking savory dishes, have this easiness to change any recipe however they feel like at that very second, I like to call this "freestyle-cooking".

I have this very dear friend, Sole, and she is for sure another perfect example of a "freestyle-chef", she does not only have this easiness to manipulate any recipe that lands in her hands, and I mean, ANY recipe... {she has even changed a lot of pastry recipes.. I still can't get over it!}, but she lives a totally freestyle life.. For her, there's no rush... EVER!!.. She doesn't plan almost anything. Her days, just flow.. and what I love the most about her, is that this way of living her life, gives her an "everything's-alright" aura..

So, her birthday is here, {yes, freestyle Sole's b-day}, and I wanted to make her a cake, that was not only beautiful, and delicious, but also fun, since we love so much laughing together.. and that's how I came up with this.. I hope you find it fun too!!

She came up with this idea {of course it was HER idea}, of eating the cake directly with a spoon.. yeap.. cake by the spoonful!!

Happy Birthday Sole de mi corazon!!!

For the cupcake case, I tempered dark chocolate, and molded it using the same pan where I baked the cake.. so it'd be a perfect fit..

That's a wrap... or an "unwrap" I guess...

Have a sweet weekend!!

I ♡ Macarons!!

2013-02-25T09:24:00.001-08:00

If there is an untouchable French sweet, I have to say that it's hands down Macarons..

I don't know what it is about them, perhaps the fact that there are 32 steps to get a succesful macaron shell, as the almighty Pierre Hermé says.. or the fact that there are indeed 32 different ways in which these heavenly french cookies can go wrong.

The thing is that I made March the "Macaron month".. And the fun starts right now {even though it's still February, but that's how messy I can be sometimes!}

So, fasten your seatbelts.. We are driving through Macaron Lane!!

the most wonderful time of the year!!

2012-12-14T13:51:00.000-08:00

i can hardly find a better way of living a truer christmas experience than taking part at a christmas market. so, this year i set myself into a festive mood, and had my own stand at the christmas market here in baden, and let me tell you, it was the best thing i could have ever done. &nbsp

..we had all the components that make this the most wonderful time of the year.. we got snow; christmas lights; the lowest temperature of the year; and even a holy visit.. yeap.. the pictures speak for themselves..

have yourself a merry little christmas..

home, sweet home.. (part II)

2012-12-09T13:32:00.000-08:00

there's no such thing as a christmas decoration without a gingerbread house.. This is my take on it..

have a sweet week,

home sweet home..

2012-12-03T06:53:00.000-08:00

in the last few days, i've had an internal battle with the concept of "home".. because, it's true that home is where the heart is, but, what if my heart is divided??..

i'm a person that gives it all when it comes to the people i love.. I give my all to my parents; to my husband (clearly!!); to my kids (how could i not..); to my brothers; to my friends.. but then, my parents are in one country; one brother is in another country..and my friends, here and there.. i know, it's kind of a mess.. and that's my point.. my heart is all over the place.. sometimes, i just wonder, will i ever get it back??.. i mean.. i need it, right??

so, this post, is dedicated to that huge, but at the same time, very humble word.. home.. wherever it is.
..and also it is dedicated to my very dear friend, who is going back home, after five amazing years here in Switzerland.. Barbara, i just want to say that wherever we are in this revolting game called world, in my heart you'll always have a home.. and from that one, you'll never, ever, leave.

have a safe trip back..
i'll save a gingerbread house for you here..
just in case you want to come back..

in case you are on the look out for a good gingerbread cookie recipe, here is one that won't let you down.. happy baking!!

it's beginning to look a lot like xmas..

2012-11-27T02:27:00.000-08:00

it's not a secret that Christmas time is about celebrating with our loved ones, and showing them how much we love them.. and what a better way to do so, than treating them with cookies.. after all, no gift is sweeter, than a sweet itself.. ;-)

have a sweet week,

the elephant in the room..

2012-11-17T11:12:00.001-08:00

there's a big elephant in the room, and boy is it cute!!.. this has been one of my favorite projects to work on, and definitely the cutest!!

have a sweet week,

let the party begin..

2012-10-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

there have been some birthdays going on lately, and i haven't been able to share some of the pictures of the cakes i've made to sweeten the celebrations of grown ups, and little ones... here are some of them...

have a sweet week!!

bun in the oven..

2012-09-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

i absolutely love baby showers!!.. the thought of being part of that special day where friends and family gather to shower a mom-to-be with gifts and love, is the sweetest thing i can experience!!

have a sweet week!!

Back in the game!!

2012-03-31T03:49:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since my last post, and for that reason I have to apologize..

After my great chicagoan adventure, and the big opportunity I had to study in one of the most prestigious pastry schools on earth {no kidding!!}, I must say I am super happy to be back home. Not only because I counted the weeks, days, and hours to reunite with my husband and kids again; but because I really missed working in my place; and the luxury of writing {believe me, I had such busy days in Chicago between school and internship, that I never could sit, cool down, and write... it was a total luxury!}

So, this time I have the urge to write about girls.. Oh yeah.. cute, pink, sassy, and sometimes over-dramatic girls..

As some of you know, I have two boys of my own, whom I love to pieces... and of course, they like Star wars, hot wheels, super heroes, dinosaurs, and all that stuff... and they are as simple and practical as a boy can be.. No fuss, no drama...

On the other hand, I have lots of nieces {because my friends are my family as well, and they all have girls}, and these girls are like little delicate flowers. They scream of happiness; they bounce when they get excited; they cry because another girl didn't say hi; and they even come to me to play hairdresser... OMG, how cute is that??..

That's why, when a friend of mine came to me a few weeks ago, and asked if I could design a cake for her little princess, I didn't even think about it!!... because, these are the opportunities I have to escape from cars; swords; trains; and extinct creatures, to overindulge with pinks, flowers, and cuteness... lots of cuteness!!

Enjoy the pics and have a sweet one!!

...life is good!!

2011-11-21T16:38:00.001-08:00

Our petit fours' teacher, for this week, is: Chef Kristen Ryan.

As she said so many times, the right ingredients in the right application, make this job a true art. We got to combine flavours that some of us were afraid to even try; and we had the opportunity to learn how to play with textures as well.

Chef Kristen, it was a true pleasure to be your student... I just hope I have another opportunity to share a kitchen with such a brilliant Artist, and remember once again that "Life is Good"!

Have a sweet one,

Xocolatl

2011-11-06T17:03:00.001-08:00

I know, I know... This is kind of an unpronounceable word, but I didn't make it up... I swear!! ..That's how chocolate translates in "Nahuatl", and it means "bitter water".

This week we learned all about chocolate... Were it came from, its properties, how to play with it, how to temper it.. And so on.

I must say that the most important lesson learned during this week, was how to resist temptation. Because let me tell you, having delicious chocolate all around, for 6 hours, and not being able to have even one bite (since eating in the kitchen is big no-no at school), was the most dificult test I have ever had to pass... Of course, I failed... That's all I can say...

Stream 5

2011-10-15T06:51:00.000-07:00

That's how we are called at school..stream 5..

Although it's true that we spend the whole morning between demos; rolling out fondant; conditioning gum paste; mixing; cooking sugar.. And so on.. It's fair to say that, as we perform all these tasks, we still have tons of fun. We really get along well, and although there's sometimes drama, {yesterday, for example, two students bumped into eachother, and the final project of one of them "died" in the fatal accident..}.. we still manage to laugh together..

This relationship that is growing as the days go by, is what makes this experience so rich.. We are definitely learning much more than just cakes..

I love you Cakelings!!

Have a sweet one!!

A Royal Week...

2011-10-14T16:28:00.000-07:00

Finally, the week I have been waiting for since the begining of the course... It's gum paste, piping with royal icing, and rolled fondant week with Chef Nicholas Lodge!!

Chef Nicholas is a true cake star!!.. I mean, he made one of the cakes for Princess Diana and Prince Charle's royal wedding... Do I need to say more??

The most incredible thing, is that he doesn't have an ounce of arrogance. In fact, he is really humble and generous, he's shared with us every single tip and secret he has, and he couldn't be more patient.. I am thrilled to be his student!!

Here are some pics..

Yep.. Every day, at this time, I am already having my coffee while waiting for the brown line train to theloop.. Life's tough..

Chef Nicholas, giving a demo on frosting a cake with royal icing..

Our roses...

Close up of my full blown gum paste rose..

Cake... Step by step...

Piping details of my Valentine's cake..

Me and my little baby...

Chef Scott just decided to stop by, and enjoy his favorite treat.. CAKE POPS!!!... =P ...your face, Chef... PRICELESS!!!

Have sweet one!!

Cake building.. And a field trip..

2011-10-08T13:56:00.000-07:00

This week's project involves baking, whipping, filling, piping... In short, it's what's better known as Cake Building.

...And Chef Josh Johnson is in the house!!...

I must say that this was the smoothest, easiest, and most relaxed week we've had yet, and I think it's because Chef Josh never hurried us, and always repeated, time after time, that we needed to explore and fail to really learn our lessons.. So, we had a fun week trying his experiments, and ours as well.. =)

Beautiful and golden Vanilla Genoise... Mmmmm.... I can almost smell it!

Chef Josh, giving a demo on piping..

One of my experiments..

Every Wednesday, we have to deep clean the kitchen, which means moving all the tables, cleaning all the drains, inside of the ovens, and so on.. It's insane!!...

By 12.45 we are ready to go!!

I had time in the afternoon to do a little field trip, so what best than visiting Magnolia Bakery??

Have a sweet one!!

What's up with the hat??

2011-10-01T20:41:00.000-07:00

The day of the week I enjoy the most, is definitely Friday. Not only because it is the end of the week, but, because this is the day when I get to take mi piece home, and since I take the subway, the stares, and the comments are priceless!

This time, first, there was this man that took his iPhone out, to take a picture "without me noticing". Then, there was this French family, that asked me if they could take a picture of me with the cake... It was kind of awkward, but at least they asked... So, I accepted... And last, this guy, hopped into the train at Chicago station, he sitted right beside me, took a look at the cake; then at me; then at the cake again; then at me... And said... Hey, what's up with the hat??

I'm like....

THE HAT???...

IT'S A CAKE!!!...

ISN'T THAT OBVIOUS????...

Ok... Ok... It MIGHT resemble a very tropical BritIsh hat...

What do you think???

Our airbrush equipment, waiting for us!!

The components of my piece.. Drying..

..the petals of my pastillage flower..

Jeri, not wanting me to take this pic.. Sorry, Jeri.. =P

Team 5!!

Jessica, happy with her pastillage..

Joie {best station partner EVER!}, with her glue-to-the-offset spatula-flower.. =S

Erin, moving her gorgeous piece..

My pastillage piece... Or pastillage British hat??

Have a sweet one!!