HELLO, I'M JULIA CHILD.

WELCOME TO MY HOUSE AND TO MY KITCHEN AND TO ANOTHER CULINARY ADVENTURE WITH ONE OF AMERICA'S MASTER CHEFS.

JIM DODGE, MASTER BAKER AND TEACHER AT THE NEW ENGLAND CULINARY INSTITUTE IN VERMONT.

CHEF JIM DODGE IS GOING TO MAKE US AN ABSOLUTELY SPLENDID... CHOCOLATE BUTTERMILK CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING.

THAT SOUNDS WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU.

EVERYONE'S FAVORITE, I THINK.

IT SURE IS.

AND WE'RE GOING TO START THIS MORNING FIRST BY MEASURING OUT OUR BUTTERMILK.

AND I'M GOING TO WARM IT WITH BUTTER.

AND THE RECIPE CALLS FOR HALF A CUP OF BUTTERMILK.

AND NOW I'M JUST GOING TO CUT THE BUTTER UP AND WE HAVE ONE STICK OF BUTTER.

THAT'S JUST SO IT WILL HELP IT MELT A LITTLE BIT.

IT GOES INTO THAT, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

YEAH, SO THIS SORT OF SAVES A STEP AND THIS WE DON'T WANT IT TO GET TOO HOT... ABOUT 100 DEGREES... JUST ENOUGH TO MELT THE BUTTER AND WARM... JUST ABOUT BLOOD TEMPERATURE.

YEAH.

AND NOW, NORMALLY WHAT I DO IS WHEN I... JUST BEFORE I START IS, I PREHEAT MY OVEN.

AND FOR THIS RECIPE IT'S 325 DEGREES -- A LITTLE BIT OF A LOWER TEMPERATURE.

AND THIS CALLS FOR TWO EIGHT INCH CAKE PANS AND TO PREPARE THEM...

I'M GOING TO LIGHTLY BUTTER THE BOTTOM AND I JUST HAVE SOME MELTED BUTTER.

AND NOW I'M GOING TO LINE THIS WITH PARCHMENT PAPER.

AND I FIND THAT IT JUST...

IT'S EXTRA PROTECTION TO MAKE SURE THAT CAKE GETS OUT OF THE PAN.

AND ONE TRICK... IS TO CUT INSIDE THE CIRCLE THAT YOU'VE TRACED.

AND I'VE USED THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN.

AND THAT'S JUST SO IT FITS IN NICELY.

AND THEN PRESS IT SO THAT I GET THE AIR OUT AND IT'S NICE AND FLAT.

AND THEN I JUST LIGHTLY BUTTER THAT BECAUSE THEN THE PARCHMENT RELEASES FROM THE CAKE... ONCE IT'S COOLED.

AND THE LAST THING WE NEED TO DO... IS JUST TO DUST IT WITH A LITTLE BIT OF FLOUR.

I USUALLY, THIS SIZE CAKE PAN PUT ABOUT A TABLESPOON OR TWO IN AND JUST TAP IT SO IT COATS THE PARCHMENT AND THE EDGE.

LET ME USE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE.

YOU'VE GOT TO BE SURE YOU GET UP ON THOSE EDGES, DON'T YOU?

YES, YOU REALLY NEED TO TILT IT.

SO, FOR THIS RECIPE, JULIA WE NEED FIVE LARGE EGGS.

BROWN EGGS OR WHITE ONES?

IT DOESN'T MATTER, EITHER ONE.

OKAY.

WE SHOULD JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE EGGS ARE COLD; HAVE BEEN REFRIGERATED.

AND THAT THE OUTSIDE SHELL DOESN'T HAVE ANY CRACKS AND IT FEELS FIRM.

IF IT'S NOT, YOU MIGHT BE HAVING MICROBES OR SALMONELLA... OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

YES, SOME BACTERIA.

AND THEN YOU CAN SEE I USE THE OUTSIDE OF THE EGG TO CUT AWAY THE EGG WHITE AND SEPARATE IT FROM THE YOLK.

SO JULIA, NOW WHAT WE CAN DO IS CHECK OUR BUTTERMILK AND THE BUTTER'S MELTED SO IT'S WARM ENOUGH.

SO WHY DON'T YOU TURN THE BURNER OFF THE HEAT OFF OR SET IT ASIDE...

I'LL TURN IT OFF THERE.

AND THEN WHAT WE CAN DO NOW IS START TO MEASURE THE COCOA AND THE SUGAR.

AND IN HERE I HAVE A THIRD OF A CUP OF DUTCH PROCESSED COCOA.

AND TO THAT I NEED TO ADD HALF A CUP OF GRANULATED SUGAR.

AND I'M GOING TO STIR THAT IN.

AND WHAT THE SUGAR DOES... IS IT BREAKS UP THE COCOA POWDER.

YOU CAN SEE THERE'S SOME LUMPS THERE.

YEAH.

AND THE LAST THING WE NEED TO ADD TO THIS RIGHT NOW BEFORE WE ADD THE BUTTERMILK IS... WE CAN ADD THE BAKING SODA AND THAT'S ONE TEASPOON.

AND I'LL STIR THAT IN.

AND NOW WE CAN ADD THE BUTTERMILK AND THE BUTTER.

I'LL JUST STIR THIS.

UM, IT'S SMELLING NICE.

AND WHAT HAPPENS HERE IS THAT THE LIQUID BUTTERMILK THAT'S SLIGHTLY WARM MELTS THE SUGAR.

AND THEN LATER ON, WHEN WE...

IT MAKES IT EASIER, I THINK, TO FOLD IN.

OKAY, SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS DISSOLVED.

AND NOW WHAT WE CAN DO IS TO WHIP OUR EGG WHITES.

SO THEY GO ON THE MACHINE IN A NICE CLEAN BOWL AND WHISK.

AND WE WANT THEM AT HIGH SPEED.

AND ONCE WE HAVE THE FOAM OR IT LOOKS FROTHY...

I'M GOING TO GRADUALLY ADD THIS HALF A CUP OF SUGAR.

AND I ADD IT TO THE SIDE SLOWLY SO THAT WE DON'T OVERWHELM THE EGG WHITE AND SO THAT IT DISSOLVES.

SO NOW WE'LL JUST CONTINUE WHIPPING UNTIL WE GET WHAT I CALL FIRM PEAKS WHICH IS JUST BEYOND SOFT PEAKS.

AT THIS STAGE, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE EGG WHITES SEEM WHITER AND A LITTLE CREAMIER... AND THAT'S THE APPEARANCE WE HAVE NOW.

SO THAT'S A GOOD INDICATION THAT THEY'RE DONE.

SO WE'LL TURN IT OFF.

AND WHEN I LOWERED THE BOWL I ALSO NOTICED THAT A LITTLE BIT HELD ON THE WHISK WHICH IS A GOOD SIGN... YEAH, THAT'S A NICE PEAK... AND THAT, TIPS OVER, SO THAT'S PERFECT.

NOW, THE LAST THING WE NEED TO ADD TO THIS MIXTURE IS THE VANILLA AND THE EGG YOLK.

AND I NEED ONE TEASPOON OF GOOD VANILLA EXTRACT AND ALWAYS PURE.

FIVE EGG YOLKS.

FIVE EGG YOLKS.

LET ME STIR THIS.

I CAN GET RID OF THAT FOR YOU.

THANK YOU.

AND THEN WE NEED OUR CUP OF CAKE FLOUR WHICH I'M JUST GOING TO SCOOP LIKE THIS.

IF IT'S BEEN RAINING, OR IF IT'S HUMID... THEN I USUALLY STIR THE FLOUR WITH A WHISK TO AERATE IT.

AND NOW WE'RE JUST GOING TO STIR IN THE FLOUR.

IT'S INTERESTING TO ME THAT YOU MADE THIS EGG WHITE A MERINGUE.

IT HOLDS UP BETTER, DOESN'T IT, FOR FOLDING?

YES... WHIPPING THE EGG WHITES WITH THE SUGAR A LITTLE BIT HELPS TO STABILIZE THE EGG WHITE.

BECAUSE OTHERWISE...

IF YOU DON'T FOLD PROPERLY THEY DEFLATE, DON'T THEY?

YES, THEY DO.

AND I GUESS THIS HOLDS THEM.

I THINK IT'S AN AWFULLY GOOD IDEA.

AND NOW I'M JUST GOING TO EMPTY THE BOWL... AND THEN WE'LL JUST FOLD THIS IN.

WHEN I'M FOLDING, I'M GOING AROUND THE BOTTOM AND DO YOU NOTICE HOW I TAP IT OCCASIONALLY.

YEAH.

AND THAT JUST PREVENTS ANY HEAVIER BATTER THAT'S CLINGING TO MY SPATULA.

YOU ALSO NOTICE THAT THIS IS A NICE WIDE SPATULA WHICH... YEAH, I THINK IT'S GREAT.

IT DOES THE JOB A LOT FASTER... AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE...

IF YOU'RE NOT USED TO FOLDING.

NOW WE'RE READY TO DIVIDE IT INTO OUR TWO PREPARED CAKE PANS.

THAT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL.

IT'S A NICE, LIGHT BATTER AND, OF COURSE, IT WILL GET DARKER AS IT BAKES.

BECAUSE IT'S SO FLUID... WE GENTLY ROCK THE BATTER BACK AND FORTH LIKE THIS.

IT LEVELS IT OUT AND THOSE LOOK PRETTY EVEN TO ME.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

IT DOES.

HOW DOES IT TASTE?

DELICIOUS.

JUST DELICIOUS.

OH, THANK YOU.

NOW WE'RE READY TO PUT THESE IN THE OVEN.

OKAY, I'LL OPEN THE DOOR FOR YOU.

THANK YOU.

SO JULIA, YOU NOTICE WHAT I'VE DONE HERE IS I'VE KEPT THEM AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AND AWAY FROM THE SIDE OF THE OVEN SO THEY WON'T GET TOO HOT.

SO THEY'LL BAKE ABOUT 30 MINUTES.

NOW WE'RE READY TO MAKE OUR CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING.

GOOD, THAT'S GOING TO BE GREAT.

AND I HAVE A LITTLE TRICK HERE WHEN I COOK SUGAR AND WATER.

AND THAT'S FIRST TO MEASURE EVERYTHING AND STIR IT INTO THIS BOWL SO THAT I DISSOLVE THE SUGAR CRYSTALS.

AND WE'RE STARTING WITH TWO THIRDS OF A CUP OF WATER.

AND THEN I'M GOING TO ADD A CUP AND A HALF OF SUGAR.

YOU'RE VERY CAREFUL... WITH YOUR MEASUREMENTS, I NOTICED.

VERY IMPORTANT IN BAKING.

VERY IMPORTANT.

AND THE LAST INGREDIENT BEFORE WE STIR IS THE LIGHT CORN SYRUP.

AND WE NEED JUST A QUARTER OF A CUP.

WHY DO WE NEED THAT?

THIS HELPS TO PREVENT THE SUGAR FROM CRYSTALLIZING WHILE WE'RE COOKING THAT.

BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TROUBLE WITH THAT.

AND I'M JUST GOING TO STIR THAT TOGETHER.

NOW, WHAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD DO IS PUT THIS IN THE POT THEY'RE GOING TO COOK IT IN...

YES, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE.

AND FREQUENTLY WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THE ISOLATED SUGAR GRANULES COLLECT ABOVE THE LINE THAT WE'RE COOKING.

AND THEN THEY FALL IN DURING THE COOKING PROCESS.

AND IT CAN CAUSE THE MIXTURE TO BECOME GRAINY OR CRYSTALIZE.

SO THIS IS A NICE STEP.

SO, WE JUST STIR THAT A LITTLE... BACK IN THE POT... AND IF WE DON'T EMPTY IT COMPLETELY THAT'S FINE, JUST MOST OF IT.

AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO PUT THIS ON HIGH HEAT AND COOK IT TO 235 DEGREES OR THE SOFT BALL STAGE.

HOW FAR ALONG HAS IT COME NOW?

WELL, WE CAN TEST IT FIRST WITH A SPOON.

AND FIRST STAGE WOULD BE THE THREAD STAGE AND IT'S NOT QUITE THERE.

WHAT'S THE THREAD STAGE?

IT'S WHEN IT DRIPS OFF THE SPOON.

THE SUGAR FORMS A LITTLE HAIR...

IT'S BEGINNING TO ISN'T IT, YEAH.

IT'S GETTING VERY, VERY CLOSE.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO WATCH IT AT THIS STAGE BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO TAKE FOREVER IN THE BEGINNING AND IT HOLDS AT ONE TEMPERATURE ABOUT 220 AND THAT'S WHEN MOST OF THE EVAPORATION OF THE WATER IS TAKING PLACE.

THEN ONCE IT STARTS TO MOVE, THE END IS NEAR.

YEAH, YOU'D BETTER BE RIGHT THERE.

YOU HAVE TO BE RIGHT THERE.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE BUBBLES WHEN IT GETS TO THE THREAD STAGE?

THE BUBBLES ARE VERY DENSE...

THEY'RE VERY CLOSE, WE HAVE A LOT OF THEM.

THERE AREN'T AS MANY LARGE BUBBLES OR FOAMING UNDER THE SURFACE... AND ALSO IT TAKES ON KIND OF A YELLOW TINT.

THERE'S THE THREAD.

THERE WE GO.

SO TO TEST FOR THE SOFT BALL...

I HAVE SOME ICE WATER HERE.

VERY, VERY COLD.

A LARGE SPOON LIKE THIS IS FANTASTIC.

YEAH.

LET'S TAKE A LITTLE BIT ON A SPOON... DIP IT INTO THE ICE WATER YOU SEE HOW IT WRINKLES?

AH HA, YEAH.

IN THAT SPOON?

AND YOU JUST TURN IT LIKE THIS AND AS YOU ROTATE IT...

IT BECOMES VERY SOFT AND PLIABLE THAT'S THE SOFT BALL.

YOU'VE GOT TO WATCH BECAUSE IT'S STILL BOILING.

AND SO NOW WE'RE READY TO TAKE IT OVER HERE.

SO ON THE THERMOMETER THIS WOULD BE... WHAT DO WE WANT?

WE WANT, 235 OR 238 SINCE WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO THE MACHINE HERE.

THERE WE GO, 234, 235.

NOW I'M GOING TO POUR IT IN HERE.

AND THIS IS WHAT PATISSIERS OR PASTRY CHEFS...

THIS IS THE SAME TEMPERATURE THAT WE TAKE WE'LL MAKE FONDANT ICING.

AHA.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO WHIP THAT A LITTLE BIT.

WHAT IT DOES IS THAT IT KEEPS IT MOVING...

SO THAT IT REMAINS A LIQUID AND IT WILL COOL IT OFF A LITTLE BIT.

SO I'M GOING TO ADD THE BUTTER SLOWLY AND I'VE CUT IT INTO ABOUT ONE HALF INCH THICKNESS.

AND I WANT THE BUTTER COLD... YEAH.

SO IT HELPS TO COOL THIS DOWN AND WE'RE DILUTING IT.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO ADD THE BUTTER A BIT AT A TIME IS IT?

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT SO THAT IT SLOWLY COOLS IT DOWN.

IF WE ADD IT ALL AT ONCE...

THE BUTTER BECOMES TOO LIQUID.

THIS IS TWO STICKS OF UNSALTED BUTTER.

IT'S A LONG PROCESS... THAT WAS ABOUT ALMOST TEN MINUTES.

WE CAN ALSO DO THIS BY HAND.

THAT WAS YOUR LAST PIECE OF BUTTER.

LAST PIECE OF BUTTER.

AND YOU JUST SCRAPING THE SIDES AND THE BOTTOM AND YOU JUST WHISK THAT IN.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE FROSTING HAS TAKEN ON THE COLOR OF THE BUTTER.

IT HAS A LOVELY BUTTERY SMELL.

IT CERTAINLY DOES.

YEAH.

AND I'M JUST EXAMINING THE SIDES; SCRAPING IT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOTHING STUCK ON THE SIDE...

IT'S THE SAME CONSISTENCY THROUGHOUT.

THAT LOOKS GREAT.

THAT LOOKS LOVELY.

SO WE'RE READY TO ADD THE CHOCOLATE.

AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT FIRST.

WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO MELT CHOCOLATE YOU WANT TO CUT IT INTO SMALL PIECES LIKE THIS.

JUST WITH A KNIFE?

WITH A KNIFE... AND THIS IS FOUR OUNCES OF BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE.

AND THEN WHAT I DID EARLIER IS I SPREAD IT IN THIS BOWL EVENLY.

THEN I MICROWAVED IT FOR ONE MINUTE.

ONE MINUTE?

WELL, I NEVER LEAVE IT IN MORE THAN A MINUTE SO I CAN EXAMINE IT.

YEAH.

AND THIS ACTUALLY TOOK TWO MINUTES BUT EACH MICROWAVE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

AND YOU'LL NOTICE WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS... THAT IT'S NOT COMPLETELY MELTED...

IT STILL HAS SOME DEFINITION.

AND YOU MIGHT THINK, IT NEEDS MORE HEAT...

BUT CHOCOLATE FREQUENTLY DOESN'T.

IT DOESN'T.

AND YOU CAN TEST IT WITH A SPATULA AND YOU'LL NOTICE...

YES, IT'S PERFECTLY MELTED AND SMOOTH.

YEAH... THAT'S A GOOD TRICK TO KNOW.

AND IT HAS A NICE SHEEN TO IT.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

AND IT LOOKS KIND OF SATINY WHICH REFERS TO THE TEXTURE AND THE SHEEN.

SO NOW I'M GOING TO ADD THIS IN HERE.

OKAY, AND OUR LAST INGREDIENT WHICH IS ONE TEASPOON OF OUR VANILLA EXTRACT.

THAT'S BEAUTIFUL VANILLA.

IT HAS A BEAUTIFUL BOUQUET.

ALWAYS BUY IT IN A DARK GLASS BOTTLE BECAUSE IT PROTECTS THE VANILLA.

IT HAS A LOVELY, LIKE A FINE WINE.

YES.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO WHISK THIS IN AND IT SEPARATES A LITTLE BIT AT FIRST.

AND JUST KEEP STIRRING UNTIL IT'S NICE AND SMOOTH.

THIS IS ABOUT WHAT IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE...

IT HAS A NICE SHEEN TO IT.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE A VERY SOFT FUDGE.

AND IT HAS SOME BODY.

YES, IT DOES.

SO IT'S NOW READY TO BE USED.

SO LET'S CHECK TO SEE IF THESE CAKES ARE DONE.

THAT'S TERRIBLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW?

IT'S CRUCIAL AND THERE'S A LOT OF SIMPLE LITTLE TESTS.

FIRST OF ALL WITH THIS CAKE YOU'LL NOTICE HOW IT PULLS AWAY FROM THE SIDE OF THE PAN.

AND THEN THIS IS A GOOD TEST, TOUCH THE OUTSIDE.

AND THEN HALFWAY TO THE CENTER... AND THEN THE CENTER.

AND YOU'LL NOTICE IT'S ABOUT THE SAME FIRMNESS.

YEAH, AND IT BOUNCES.

AND IT BOUNCES BACK.

AND NOTHING FEELS FLUID.

NO.

IF IT FELT A LITTLE MUSHY IT NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO BAKE BUT THIS IS PERFECT ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

YEAH.

THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

YEAH.

SO NOW WE CAN TAKE OUT THE OTHER ONE AND LET IT COOL FOR FIVE MINUTES IN THE PAN AND THEN WE'LL TURN IT OUT ON THE RACK TO COMPLETELY COOL.

AND I'LL LEAVE THE PARCHMENT ON IT WHEN I TURN IT OUT TO HELP SUPPORT IT.

THE PARCHMENT ON THE UNDERSIDE.

YEAH, THE BOTTOM.

NOW THE FROSTING AND FILLING.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AND I KEEP THE PARCHMENT ON... UNTIL THIS STAGE WHEN I TAKE IT OFF.

AND THAT COMES OFF BEAUTIFULLY.

AND IT, BECAUSE IT HELPS TO KEEP THE CAKE MOIST AND MAKES IT EASY TO HANDLE, I THINK.

AND I'M GOING TO USE THIS SERRATED-EDGE KNIFE AND WE'LL JUST START AT THE EDGE HERE... AND WITH MY EYE, I DIVIDE THE CAKE IN HALF AND LINE THIS UP EVENLY.

YOU DRAW IT OUT LIKE THIS STRAIGHT ACROSS.

OH, LONG STROKES.

SO YOU USE THE LENGTH OF THE KNIFE AND I DON'T GO IN THAT DEEP.

I ONLY GO IN MAYBE AN INCH OR SO AND THEN YOU CAN ROTATE IT.

YOU GO ALL AROUND.

YEAH, JUST UNTIL I CAN SEE WHERE THAT LINE ENDS AND THEN I LINE IT UP AND I DO IT AGAIN DRAWING IT OUT.

AND I DO THIS ALL THE WAY AROUND.

BECAUSE YOU CAN MAKE A MESS OF IT IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT.

I'M GOING TO FINISH IT HERE.

NOW I JUST NEED TO CUT THE CENTER.

YEAH.

SO, THIS ACTS AS A GUIDE, AND AGAIN...

I DRAW IT OUT, BACK AND FORTH PULLING UNTIL I GLIDE THROUGH THE CENTER.

AND THERE WE GO.

A NICE, MOIST CAKE.

...BEAUTIFUL FILLING.

NOW WE CAN START LAYERING... AND HERE IS OUR CHOCOLATE FUDGE.

AND I'M GOING TO PUT... ABOUT A FOURTH OF THE FROSTING ON TOP.

AND THEN A WIDE, FIRM SPATULA.

SO, WE'LL JUST GO TO THE EDGE.

AND BECAUSE THIS IS A FUDGE SO IT'S RICH AND IT'S SWEET WE DON'T NEED A THICK LAYER.

OKAY SO, WE'LL JUST MAKE IT AS LEVEL AS WE CAN.

AND THEN OUR NEXT LAYER.

AND THAT GOES UPSIDE DOWN ON IT.

AND THAT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER.

YOU NOTICE WHAT I DO IS...

I KIND OF HANG OVER AND I LOOK AT THE CAKE... AND MAKE SURE THAT I LINE IT UP.

THERE'S NOTHING WORSE THAN HAVING A LITTLE LEDGE.

AND NOW I'M GOING TO PUT ANOTHER LAYER HERE.

AND THEN I'M GOING TO PUT THIS LAYER ON AND I'M NOT THAT CONCERNED WHETHER THE CUT SIDE'S DOWN OR THE SKIN SIDE'S UP.

WITH A CAKE LIKE THIS...

IT'S REALLY A COUNTRY-STYLE CAKE.

IT'S NOT AS IMPORTANT...

ESPECIALLY IF THE SKIN SIDE IS SOFT.

OKAY, SO, THERE'S ANOTHER LAYER AND UNLIKE A EUROPEAN CAKE YOU'LL NOTICE HOW THICK THE LAYERS ARE.

I THINK IT'S A NICE BALANCE PARTICULARLY WHEN WE HAVE SUCH A RICH CENTER.

OKAY, THEN WE'LL TURN THIS OVER AND PEEL THIS OFF.

ALL THOSE LINES, YES.

AND THEN YOU DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS.

I'M GOING TO PUT ALL THE FUDGE ICING RIGHT ON TOP.

THIS IS THE WAY THAT I LIKE TO ICE A CAKE.

THEN I KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH I HAVE.

FIRST I GET A NICE, EVEN LAYER ON TOP.

NOTICE HOW I'M PUSHING OUT YOU CAN SUPPORT THE CAKE WITH YOUR FINGERS.

YEAH.

AND THEN I'LL GO JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AND I'M GOING TO SWEEP AROUND LIKE THIS AND I'M LETTING IT GRADUALLY FALL DOWN.

I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO TRANSPORT A LOT OF IT.

AND I CAN ALSO DETERMINE THE THICKNESS ON TOP AND HOW MUCH I NEED TO WORK WITH.

OKAY, THERE WE GO.

BEFORE I DO THE SIDES I'M GOING TO CLEAN THE BOTTOM OF MY KNIFE ON MY BOWL THAT'S WHY I KEEP THAT NEARBY BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR KNIFE.

AND THEN I'M GOING TO GO AROUND WITH THE INSIDE LIKE THIS AND GENTLY GO AROUND BACK AND FORTH KINDA LIKE A SNOWPLOW.

I WAS THINKING... YOU WEREN'T GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH FROSTING BUT I THINK YOU DO HAVE ENOUGH.

YEAH, IT LOOKS CLOSE.

BECAUSE OF THE WAY WE COOKED THE SUGAR THIS IS A NICE FROSTING TO LEARN TO ICE WITH -- IT'S VERY PLIABLE...

IT'S EASY TO SPREAD AND IT STAYS PUT.

THE GREAT THING ABOUT ANY COUNTRY DESSERT IS THAT IT'S FORGIVING.

YOU KNOW, IF IT LOOKS A LITTLE UNEVEN IT JUST ENHANCES ITS APPEARANCE.

IT CERTAINLY LOOKS VERY APPEALING NOW, I THINK.

SO NOW WE NEED TO LET IT REST ABOUT FIVE OR TEN MINUTES.

AND THAT'S TO ALLOW THE FROSTING TO CRUST UP A LITTLE BIT ON THE OUTSIDE.

IT'S A VERY THIN CRUST AND SET.

AND IT WILL JUST BE MUCH EASIER TO CUT THE CAKE.

AND THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD DO IS TO CLEAN UP THE EDGE A LITTLE BIT.

AND YOU CAN DO THAT WITH A PAPER TOWEL.

AND THEN WE HAVE A COUPLE OPTIONS TO DECORATE THIS.

AND CERTAINLY WE HAVE HERE SOME CANDIED ROSE PETALS.

AND WE CAN JUST PLACE THEM ON TOP BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE EVERY PERSON THE SAME THING.

SO EVERYBODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET A... A ROSE PETAL.

ROSE PETAL... AND I THINK I'LL DIVIDE THIS IN SIX AND GIVE THEM A GENEROUS PIECE.

YOU COULD USE CERTAINLY FRESH BERRIES AND THEY CAN BE ON THE SIDE HERE.

RASPBERRIES.

RASPBERRIES WOULD BE FANTASTIC.

OR YOU JUST KEEP IT IN ITS NAKED SPLENDOR IT WOULD LOOK RATHER NICE, YEAH.

YES.

NOW WE'RE READY TO SERVE THIS.

I'M JUST GOING TO START AT THE TOP AND CUT DOWN AT AN ANGLE.

IT'S USUALLY A GOOD IDEA TO DRAG THE TIP ACROSS.

AND NOW WE CAN CUT THE OTHER SIDE.

AND IT'S THE SAME TECHNIQUE.

IT'S KIND OF PUSHING IT IN THERE?

YES.

THEN WHAT I USUALLY DO IS...

I TAKE MY CAKE KNIFE THAT GOES UNDERNEATH.

FIRST I PUT THIS ON THE SIDE - THAT GOES UNDERNEATH.

AND YOU WANT TO LOOSEN IT ON BOTH SIDES...

SO I KIND OF ROTATE IT BACK AND FORTH AND THEN SLOWLY LIFT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TIP'S COMING OUT.

AND THEN WE CAN TAKE THAT... AND JUST TURN IT ON ITS SIDE.

YOU CAN STAND IT UP... WHATEVER YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH.

AND ALSO WHAT YOU THINK IS THE BEST POSITION OF THE CAKE.

I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE SERVED IT SITTING UP.

WELL, FOR THESE TALL CAKES...

I ALWAYS SERVE THEM ON THEIR SIDES.

I THINK IT'S EASIER FOR THE GUESTS TO EAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO FALL OVER.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE LAYERS BEAUTIFULLY.

IT'S VERY NICE.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRY IT NOW?

I WOULD INDEED.

IT JUST LOOKS, AS YOU SAY...

IT HAS SUCH A LOVELY, MOIST LOOK TO IT.

UMMM... JIM, THIS HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.

I THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH INDEED.

WE'RE JUST THRILLED TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANK YOU, I'VE HAD A GREAT TIME MYSELF.

GOOD.

Dodge: FOR MYSELF, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND AND KNOW YOUR INGREDIENTS WELL.

THEN YOU UNDERSTAND THEIR LIMITATIONS...

BUT ALSO THEIR CAPABILITIES.

ONCE YOU HAVE A GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF THOSE FUNDAMENTALS... YOU CAN DO A LOT.

SURE YOU CAN.

THE MAIN THING IS, AS YOU WERE SAYING KNOWING THE FUNDAMENTALS AND USING ANYTHING THAT WILL WORK.

YES.

BON APPETIT.