Jaclyn Bickford
Jaclyn Bickford is a
graduating student from the Professional Baking Program at the Culinary
Institute at Vancouver Island University (CIVIU). Jaclyn’s passion is wedding
cakes, and cakes in general. She has spent the last seven years working as a
cake decorator at Thrifty Foods all over Vancouver Island, and still does on a
part time basis. Jaclyn’s time at Thriftys has helped form her decision to make
pastries her career.
The baking program at CIVIU
has helped achieve some of her most important short and long-term goals by
teaching the fundamental skills needed for success in this industry, as well as
the knowledge to put those skills into practice. With the help of the chef
instructors at VIU, Jaclyn has taken her talent and newly found skills to the
Skills Canada competition in Abbotsford bringing home third place.
One month before graduation she was hired at The Fairmont Empress, accomplishing her most important goal as a baking student. She now works with some of the most talented people in the industry. Everyday is another experience in the enormous learning curve. Jaclyn’s next challenge is the Red Seal exam to become a Bakery Journeyperson.
Raspberry Poundcake with
Italian Buttercream Icing
Raspberry Poundcake
14 oz. cake flour
6 oz. bread flour
1 ½ tsp. Salt
1 lb. Butter
1 lb. Sugar
3 tsp. Vanilla
1 ½ tsp. lemon zest
8 eggs
8 oz. crushed frozen raspberries, toss in a little bit of flour until coated
Preheat oven to 325°F. Sift together cake flour,
bread flour, and salt, set aside. Using a countertop mixer or hand mixer, beat
butter and sugar together until fluffy: about 5 min. Add vanilla and lemon
zest, beating again until incorporated. Add eggs one by one ensuring they are
thoroughly mixed in between each addition. Slowly add flour mixture and mix on
low speed just until smooth. Fold in raspberries until combined. Pour batter
into 2 8-inch round cake pans that have been greased and have parchment paper
in the bottom.
Bake 325°F for approx. 45 min—1 hour, or until
toothpick inserted comes out clean. Immediately flip upside down onto clean
baking tray, and let cool in pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Remove
cake pan and finish cooling on a baking tray on a wire rack.
Italian Buttercream
12 oz. Sugar
4 oz. Water
8 oz. egg whites
1 lb. 4oz. butter, cut into small chunks
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
Put sugar and water in a small stainless steel pot.
Heat sugar and water on the stove to 243°F (117°C). Brush down side of pot 2 or
3 times as mixture begins to boil to stop any crystallization of the sugar.
When temperature of sugar / water mixture reaches approximately 210°F (110°C)
start whipping egg whites on medium to high speed until soft peaks form. When
sugar is at temperature and egg whites are whipped, slowly pour sugar into the
egg whites while whipping on low speed. Once all the sugar is added, turn mixer
up to medium speed and whip until mixture reaches room temperature. Add lemon
juice and vanilla. Slowly add butter, piece by piece, until all the butter is
added. Keep whipping until butter mixes in and an icing is formed.
This recipe appeared in
the September October 2008 issue of More Living magazine: Volume 3, Issue 5.
