Elements and Performance Criteria
- Prepare specialist cakes and sponges.
- Select, measure and weigh ingredients according to recipe requirements, quality and freshness, standard recipe requirements, enterprise practice and customer preferences.
- Verify that ingredients are used at the correct temperature for optimum quality.
- Prepare specialist cakes and sponges to recipe specifications, using correct techniques, and bake to achieve required product characteristics, including colour, crumb structure, consistency and texture, moisture content, mouth feel and eating properties and appearance.
- Use appropriate equipment to produce required cakes.
- Cool sponges and cakes in conditions that retain optimum freshness and eating characteristics and appearance.
- Prepare and use fillings.
- Prepare a selection of fillings to required consistency, using appropriate flavourings.
- Slice or layer sponges and cakes, and fill and assemble, according to standard recipe specifications, enterprise practice and customer preference.
- Mask, cover or coat top and sides of sponges and cakes as appropriate to achieve even, straight and smooth surfaces, or characteristics and appearance required by recipe specifications.
- Decorate cakes.
- Present cakes.
- Present cakes attractively using suitable serviceware and decorations.
- Select and use appropriate equipment for display and service.
- Arrange cakes for display in an appealing manner to meet customer expectations and enterprise standards.
- Verify that display and service temperature of products are appropriate for maintaining freshness, appearance and eating qualities.
- Mark, score or cut portion-controlled cakes precisely, according to enterprise specifications and customer preferences, minimising wastage.
- Store cakes.