A Detailed Idea About Commercial Kitchen Equipment

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Over the last few years there has been a huge change in each and every aspect of human life, be it technology, be it fashion or be it habit. It is quite obvious that with changing time and technology it has become absolutely important for people to make the best possible use of the available resources in every possible manner. Commercial kitchen equipment are generally designed for industrial users so that they can have a cost efficient cooking solution and thus have a good return on their investment. In recent years there have been enough technological advancements that have made production of these equipment a lot easier. Nowadays these products are widely available all over the world and users can make a choice from a large number of options.

Cooking equipment

Commercial kitchen equipment that are used for cooking purpose mainly include different kinds of ovens and fryers. Depending on the requirement, clients can choose an oven from a range of options. Normally ovens are available in single burner, double burner, triple burner and four burner configurations. In most of the cases the triple burner ovens are used in commercial kitchens. Apart from ovens there are griddle plates and fryers that are chiefly used to bake and fry food items. These products are widely used in commercial kitchens and offer a very good return on investment.

Refrigeration equipment

Refrigeration equipment also form an important part of Commercial kitchen equipment. Apart from normal refrigerators different types of chillers are found in commercial kitchens. Under counter refrigerator and pantry fridge are two of the most commonly found commercial refrigeration equipment. Some under counter bar refrigerators are even fitted with bar chillers. Glass door refrigerators are also in vogue nowadays as these products perfectly blend quality with beauty. Most of the refrigerators used in commercial kitchens are four door refrigerators. These enable users to store things in a definite way and have more storage space. Users can easily choose from a large number of models the one that would cater to their requirements in the proper way.

Exhaust equipment

Commercial kitchens almost always make use of exhaust equipment in order to prevent the evaporated oil and spice from sticking onto the walls ceiling and furniture in the kitchen. These equipment make use of an exhaust fan to release the fume outside the building through a chimney. As far as cleanliness of the kitchen is concerned, these products play a hugely important role in this regard. Modern exhaust equipment are fitted with lights and auto-cleaning technology in order to reduce the need and cost of manual maintenance. There are a large number of products available in the market and users can easily make a choice from the product range.

Commercial Kitchen Equipment are mainly used in hotels, restaurants, hospitals and canteens where there is need to serve food to a large number of people at any given time. Hence, these products are manufactured in such a way that the users are able to get the best possible return on their investment.

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Source by Ashwani Kumar Mishra

Refrigerators and How They Have Changed Over Time

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The idea of keeping foods cold is not a new concept, and today over 99.5% percent of homes have a refrigerator. Even though refrigerators are a common appliance in most homes, it is still a relatively new invention.

In early days there were many ways in which people kept their food cool. They had to be creative and make use of their natural surroundings. People utilized many methods such as placing their food in streams, hiding it in caves and creating underground cellars for “refrigeration.”

Many people also cut ice in the winter months and stored it in ice houses and cellars. It was able to stay cool for a long period of time by the use of salt to cover the top of it. The first appliance that had any resemblance to the refrigerator was called an icebox. They were simply designed wooden boxes that were lined with some kind of metal. Ice boxes were developed before the 19th century.

People would then purchase ice and store it inside the ice box. Since the ice would slowly melt, many of these ice boxes had a drip pan inside. These drip pans were easily removed and then dumped. Before the actual development of refrigerators, many studies were performed on the concept of refrigeration. The pioneer of the technology of refrigeration, Dr. William Cullen, did early studies in the 18th century and he observed how liquids evaporated in vacuum type settings.

The development of the very first refrigerator was in 1876 by a German engineer named Carl von Linde. He was the one who perfected the concept of converting large amounts of liquid into a gas so as to keep the defined environment cold. By the year of 1920, many companies were manufacturing different models of refrigerators. Many companies also worked on the idea of combining the refrigerator and freezer compartments of refrigerators.

Over time refrigerators developed into what we know them as today. You can purchase many styles of refrigerators such a small designs for dormitory use, side by side models and those that are economically advantageous with the freezer on the bottom. Whatever type of refrigerator you are in the market for, there is a model to suit your needs and budget. They also come in a wide range of prices, and it all depends on the amount of money you want to spend on one. From the earliest model such as the icebox, to the ultra-modern side by side, refrigerators are a convenient appliance that no home can do without.

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Source by Mehar Ali Maha

Phase Change Material (PCM) Eutectic Solutions Used For Passive Cooling

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Thermal Energy Storage (TES) may be considered as a useful tool to reduce the cooling load requirement by means of spreading day time loads over 24 hour period utilising the naturally occurring ambient temperature difference.

The night-time cooler ambient can be used to charge the latent heat capacity of various Positive Temperature Eutectic also called Phase Change Material (PCM) solutions between +4°C ( 39°F) and +117 °C (243°F) without using any refrigeration machinery by simply allowing the surrounding air to freeze these solutions. Later the stored energy by the Positive Eutectic, PCM Thermal Energy Storage can be released back to the occupied space during day-time to handle the heat gains.

This technique is generally called Passive Cooling and it may enable the charging process to take place by means of free cooling, i.e. without running the chillers and as a result becomes a very economical and environmentally friendly system. Furthermore, PCM energy storage opens new opportunities to explore heat balance for the existing and new systems, which could offer significant overall system efficiency improvements.

Alternatively, the sun energy during day-time is stored and later utilised during colder night-time to heat the space for a free heating as well as storing heat in the hot water circuits.

Privatisation has created a new kind of energy market whereby the period of energy usage and the type of energy used is becoming the main criteria for price structuring rather than overall energy consumption. Hence, cooling systems must be designed to provide sufficient flexibility for load shifting and a PCM Thermal Energy Storage technique can be considered as a useful tool to achieve this aim.

Building services must be designed to provide sufficient flexibility for load shifting and energy usage control in order to achieve the most economical operation. A PCM Thermal Energy Storage technique whereby “Storing High or Low Temperature energy for later use in order to bridge the time gap between energy availability and energy use” can be considered as a useful tool to achieve this aim.

Passive Cooling PCM Thermal Energy Storage (TES) benefits can also be applied for electronic chamber, shelter, telecom shelters, remote pump and electric control cabinet cooling for remote location whereby the lack of electricity eliminated the mechanical air conditioning or alternatively mechanical cooling free applications around the World.

These Passive Shelter Cooling systems can even operate in hot countries like the Middle East due to higher space temperature (45ºC / 113°F) requirements in comparison with Office Cooling. A PCM solution of 32ºC (89.6°F) is sufficient to maintain the room temperature below 45°C (113°F) by simply using the temperature swing between day and night time.

The same concept has also been successfully applied for cold storage transport applications using Eutectic beams. The majority of the perishable food must be chilled during transport but the cost of refrigerated truck restricts the use of transport cooling in particular in the third world where the biggest waste occurs. A PCM, Eutectic filled high ceiling beams can be simply charged using standard cold storage can keep the product temperature under control at a very attractive lower cost to install and run.

These passive cooling units can be supplemented using a very small refrigeration compressor or a chilled water circuit for lower temperatures but products like chocolate, bakery products and flowers can be easily maintained under control by simply charging these beams / containers over-night and utilising the stored energy during day-time transport. Furthermore, this concept enables the owners utilise their standard Lorries to be used as refrigerated trucks during harvest / peak season at a fraction of the cost for a conventional refrigerated truck.

HVAC / Air Conditioning PCM passive cooling concept offers mechanical refrigeration free passive-cooling by simply storing the night cool energy and releasing the stored cold latent heat capacity during day-time to keep the space temperatures under control. Low ambient temperatures coupled with free cooling offer a significant reduction of energy consumption relating to the cooling operation, which is in the region of 16-46 % depending on the type of passive cooling unit and location.

Based on the applied projects, ambient profiles in many parts of the world and associated feasibility studies indicates that PCM assisted Passive Cooling concept offers economical and very environmentally friendly cooling options. In any country whereby the night ambient does not allow being sufficiently low enough to charge PCM Thermal Energy Storage (TES) cells over-night, a supplementary dry cooler and / or small chiller can be added to top up the difference between the ambient and PCM temperature for an economical solution.

Modern society’s reliance on refrigeration and air conditioning indicates that refrigeration and the associated environmental issues will be with us for a considerable time and therefore one has to utilise existing and available alternative technologies with minimum usage of energy.

A Positive Temperature Eutectic ” PETES ” Thermal Energy Storage not only provides the end user with an Environmentally Friendly design but also the following additional benefits can be obtained:

o Reduced and No Refrigeration Equipment

o Capital Cost Saving

o Reduced Maintenance.

o Energy Cost Saving

o Reduced CO2 Emission

o Environmentally Friendly Installation

o Improved System Operation / Reliability

o Flexibility for the Future Capacities Changes

The temperature ranges offered by the proposed Phase Change Materials solutions utilise free ambient cooling, conventional chilled water temperature ranges for both the charging and discharging sides of the system. Hence, they can be applied to any new or retrofit application with minimal technical and economical impacts.

Finally, the possibility of Free Cooling Cycle TES system offer new horizons for designers to control the energy balance to match the load and electricity demand / consumption of the system as a whole.

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Source by Zafer Ure

An Introduction To Refrigerators

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From keeping our veggies fresh, to storing our favorite ice creams and juices, refrigerators have become essential for modern day living.

The first refrigerators, so to say, were built as ice houses. These buildings consisted of man-made underground chambers, which were built close to natural sources of winter ice such as freshwater lakes. During winter, this ice and snow would be packed into the ice house along with straw or sawdust that was used for insulation. The ice house kept the ice intact for several months on end, even through summer.

Many countries claim to be the home of the refrigerator. Over the years, refrigerator technology has evolved in leaps and bounds. One of the first home refrigeration units was installed at Biltmore Estate in North Carolina in around 1895. That same year, the first commercial refrigeration unit was opened by the Vestey Brothers in London.

Modern day refrigerators primarily work on electric power, although some of the older models use gas as a source of energy. Today, a domestic refrigerator is present in 99.5% of American homes. It works using phase change heat pumps operating in a refrigeration cycle. An industrial refrigerator is simply a refrigerator used in an industrial setting, usually in a restaurant or supermarket where large quatities of food stocks are stored. They may consist of either a cooling compartment (a larger refrigerator), a freezing compartment (a freezer) or both. The dual compartment was introduced commercially by General Electric in 1939. Some refrigerators are now divided into four zones for the storage of different types of food at different temperatures.

Refrigerators have become an essential part of our daily life. They have taken their place in almost every space of life, from homes and restaurants to offices and airports. It is now considered a home support system, without which a daily visit to the grocery store would be unavoidable.

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Source by Damian Sofsian

Don’t Use Domestic Appliances in Your Commercial Kitchen

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If you own a café, coffee shop or restaurant, or if you own any type of commercial kitchen, it is important that you have the right equipment. Commercial fridges and freezers are essential items needed to ensure your food produce is stored correctly and safely at the right temperature and in an environment that is free of contaminants.

Domestic appliances have not been designed to meet the needs or the high levels of use that are required in a busy commercial kitchen. While it may seem like a cheaper and easier alternative to purchase a few smaller domestic appliances, the truth is that you will be wasting your money.

Commercial refrigeration and freezers have been designed to keep food at much lower temperatures. They are bigger and stronger, made especially for use within a commercial kitchen environment with many staff and high levels of heavy use. They have also been designed to be cleaned to health and safety standards, and to store food correctly so that all safety regulations are followed to the letter. For cafes, restaurants, coffee shops, and food retailers, this makes commercial refrigeration as important as the food!

There is very little point investing the time and money in high quality food produce and highly skilled chefs and kitchen staff, if you do not give them the right equipment for the job. The food service industry is known for its stringent regulations and extremely high standards. Food service businesses that do not follow these regulations and guidelines,and that don’t meet all the standards required, quickly find themselves shut down by the authorities.

Commercial refrigeration, if bought from a reputable supplier, does not need to cost the earth. While they do require a level of financial investment, these commercial appliances will always give a business owner a return simply by the level of reliability, service and efficiency they add to a commercial kitchen.

Don’t be fooled into thinking domestic appliances will do. And avoid any retailers who try to convince you otherwise, you could get into serious problems, especially if your food is not stored correctly and customers fall ill as a result of contaminated or spoiled food.

A good supplier will be able to demonstrate their in-depth knowledge in this area of commercial food preparation and storage. They will understand the needs of the food industry and have a range of appliances to suit a variety of kitchens and commercial food retail spaces. In addition, they will also have a solid knowledge of the health and safety requirements. This is essential so they can help every customer source and purchase the right equipment.

Search online for reviews and feedback about your chosen supplier. You will quickly be able to establish whether they have a good reputation. Also look at their list of previous customers. Suppliers that have good relationships with leading chains and well known food businesses are demonstrating a high level of industry knowledge and an excellent reputation. It is the best way to ensure you are buying the best, from the best. And it is the only way to make sure your commercial kitchen runs efficiently, safely and economically.

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Source by Jensen Mads

The Importance of Refrigerators in Your Life

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Currently, many homesteads own a certain kind of refrigerator so as to maintain the cool temperature of food or drinks. Refrigerators have been with us for many years now; they have been evolving gradually from the first block box having basic shelves to the contemporary greatly advanced versions having a number of features. Although you can easily obtain a cheap refrigerator having few internal features, a number of producers are making advanced fridges having numerous internal features as well as revamped exterior designs.

If you’ve ever been out in the hot sun and return to find your drink as cold as ever, you should be in a position to understand the importance of refrigerators. Sometime back, refrigerators were only considered to be products for the rich, simply because they were considered to be overly expensive for the average family to afford. Currently, most people disregard the advantages of refrigeration. Interestingly, people were able to make a lot of wealth by shipping ice blocks throughout the world so as to sell to rich families.

Prior to refrigeration, it was difficult to preserve food. People tried salting while during the winter season, the food would be covered in snow and keep praying that critters miss it. However, it was still difficult to maintain the right amount of foods and people were forced to keep using money so as to buy foodstuffs.

Refrigeration greatly transformed our lives. It is now easy to preserve our food, thereby maintaining the supply of our food. It also reduces the risks of food-borne diseases. It is possible to keep a packet of milk in the fringe for a number of weeks as compared to the few hours it could stay fresh when put on the top of your counter. This is very essential. It implies that rearing a cow for milk purposes is not very necessary when you can use a fringe to maintain a steady supply of fresh milk.

Refrigeration basics are also applied in the functioning of an air conditioner, which is another great home device. Statistically, it is said that about 5% of all the US electrical energy is used to maintain the cool temperatures of homes. This is greatly remarkable, particularity considering that the concept behind the functioning of refrigerators is straightforward. When you are considering buying a suitable refrigerator for your home, make sure you evaluate the features that you want. This will ensure that you get the best value for your money.

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Source by Hugh Vav Nguyen

How To Avoid Costly HVAC Emergency Service Calls

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An HVAC system comprises many aspects of a facility’s comfort, safety, and convenience: temperature, heated water, and boiler safety. Having an HVAC emergency in the wrong time of year can lead to homeowners or commercial facility inhabitants being too hot or too cold, but it can also mean a lack of hot water for showers, healthcare facility needs, laundry, dishes, or commercial refrigeration issues. Learn what constitutes a HVAC emergency and how preventative HVAC servicing can prevent it.

Preventing HVAC Emergency Calls

Having a proper preventative maintenance schedule in place will help prevent many, if not all, common heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, and boiler problems. Facility maintenance crews should ensure they are keeping system filters replaced at regular intervals, and that coils are cleaned for proper efficiency and operation. Ideally, building maintenance staff members should all be experienced in boiler and HVAC emergency procedures. If not, a company that specializes in HVAC servicing should be called right away.

Impacts Of Improper HVAC Servicing

In some cases, facilities overlook having a preventative maintenance plan in place due to prioritizing other concerns. It’s common to overlook the importance of proper HVAC servicing until the boiler breaks down, a water heater busts, or tenants are complaining about the temperature. It can be far more costly to do emergency HVAC repair tasks than to have regular maintenance completed. In addition, tenants or owners are often upset when a lengthy repair is needed, especially when the building is too hot or too cool for comfort during extreme temperatures.

Professional HVAC Repair Is Essential

HVAC servicing or emergency HVAC repair should not be undertaken by someone who is not a professional. Boilers, both high pressure and low pressure, can be dangerous to repair without experience. Cooling and refrigeration liquids can also be hazardous to handle and dispose of. It’s much more cost effective to have a single repair completed by an expert HVAC servicing company, instead of wasting precious time and money to attempt a repair yourself, only to have to call the experts in the end. Choose a company ahead of time, and look for 24/7 HVAC emergency availability. Years of experience are also helpful, as it indicates that the staff is not only trained in what they do, but that the company has the longevity to prove they know what they’re doing.

Healthcare Facility Maintenance Special Requirements

Healthcare facility maintenance provides special challenges and requirements to technicians. Time is often of the essence with healthcare facility maintenance, as the health and safety of the patients relies on them being warm, fed, and with access to clean laundry. It is especially important for facility management to have a reliable HVAC servicing company on call, and ideal to have a good relationship with them. It’s recommended to focus on preventative maintenance and experienced walk-throughs to identify potential upcoming breakdowns, so that emergencies can be altogether avoided.

An HVAC emergency not only inconveniences staff and residents, it can also pose safety issues and be costly to fix. Schedule regular preventative HVAC servicing to keep your systems running at peak efficiency and avoid an emergency situation.

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Source by Chris A. Harmen

7 Facts About Refrigerated Cargo Shipping

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If you are shipping cargo that requires a temperature controlled environment, chances are you may be interested in refrigerated cargo shipping. A refrigerated shipping container enables you to safely transport your perishable goods to your international destination. This type of shipping is used to keep your items free from the evaporation and respiration that occurs during transportation.

While refrigerated shipping may seem like an added and unnecessary expense, it could be the difference between your goods arrive healthy and safe vs. damaged or unusable.

When it comes to cargo that needs a specific temperature, food items are often the most obvious, but there are actually many other products that may also require refrigerated shipping included certain types of medical supplies and materials.

With added technology and advancements in refrigerated shipping. many improvements have been made with international cargo shipping for refrigerated items. Refrigerated cargo containers are designed to maintain proper airflow and humidity levels. There are also containers that feature a freezing option for certain goods.

Shipping Overseas? 7 Facts About Refrigerated Cargo Shipping

If you are exporting or importing goods overseas, or moving abroad, and are considering packing your materials in a refrigerated shipping container, here are seven facts you should know.

1. Available Sizes: Generally, shipping companies that offer refrigerated containers offer two sizes: 20 and 40 feet containers. These are perfect for your small and large items looking for cooler temperatures. The larger option is ideal for furniture and large household items as well.

2. Accommodation: Shipping containers are equipped to provide personalized cool temperatures based on your goods and needs. Although this service may seem broad and unspecific, refrigerated shipping is based off of the specific requirements for your individual products.

3. Protecting High Value: These cool containers are ideal for your home goods like paintings, furniture and medicines. Some products become damaged because of the inadequate temperatures found inside regular cargo shipping containers.

4. Extending Life: This style of transportation gives your products a longer shelf life while reducing waste. This is ideal for those who are looking to reduce waste as much as possible.

5. Regular Containers Do Not Compare: Shipping containers that are not equipped to deal with cool temperatures create a warmer climate inside. Most cargo containers are actually 30F degrees cooler than the outside temperature. This is extremely important for those hoping to transport their belongings during the warm weather months or to warm destinations.

6. It’s A Science: The business of refrigerated shipping is advanced and technologically sound. This industry requires the understanding of temperatures, humidity and chemical treatments. By choosing this option for international shipping, you can be assured that your goods are being safely and effectively stored.

7. Ubiquitous: This type of temperature-controlled shipping has taken over the waters. In 2013, more than 74 percent of all cargo shipping featured refrigerated shipping. This type of container transportation has become a primary option for many individuals and not just importers and exporters.

After reading these seven facts, it is understandable why many people have chosen this type of cargo shipping. Refrigerated shipping may be more beneficial for your goods and will provide the perfect, safe environment for your belongings.

Cargo Experts provides first-rate shipping for shipping freight and ocean cargo. To learn more about their shipping options like refrigerated shipping, check out http://www.cargo-experts.net. You can also obtain a free freight quote at 1-866-994-7822.

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Source by S Bodner

How Do You Store Medifast Foods And Meals?

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People sometimes ask me how much space is needed for your Medifast foods. Another common concern is whether you need a refrigerator or freezer to keep the Medifast meals fresh. You really don’t need a lot of room for the Medifast meals. In fact, I’ve heard of people storing them in boxes under their bed. Most of the prepackaged meals come in small boxes that contain pouches of the foods. People sometimes mistakenly assume that the shakes, puddings, or soups need to be refrigerated. They don’t. You mix them from the dry ingredients that come in pouches or boxes. The same is true for the brownies, soft serve, and chilli. Now, the bars and the chips, nachos, and puffs don’t need to be mixed or constituted. For them, you only have to open the wrapper.

If having enough room for storage is a problem for you, then you can always break down the boxes and lay the contents flat. And I even know people who do this not because space is a problem for them, but because they like to separate out their meals in the way that makes preparation the most convenient. For example, I know someone who will separate out all of their foods and then will make a drawer, box, or canister for all their shakes, brownies, puddings, and soft serve, and other similar foods. And then there are people who will take this same idea and separate out their meals by the day. So, they might have a box or drawer marked for each day within the week. And for example, in the Monday drawer you may find 2 shake packages, 1 bar, 1 pancake mix, and 1 chili mix. Or, in the Tuesday drawer you might have a latte, a scrambled egg package, a brownie mix, a ready to drink shake, and cheese puffs. And then other people will just grab the boxes exactly how they are shipped and stick the whole thing in their pantry without sorting any of it.

It really does come down to your preferences and how you tend to organize. But the bottom line is that you don’t need a lot of storage space for even a large monthly Medifast package. All of the foods stack flat and do not require much room at all. And to save space even further, you can sometimes break down the main box for each item and just store the pouches. For example, 15 bars come to a box. Nothing says you can’t take those bars out of the box and then store them in a bag that would lay perfectly flat. And you don’t need any refrigeration or freezer unless you chose to store the leftovers.

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Source by Lindsey Price

Cake Fillings – What You Need to Know Now That It’s Warm

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As a cake decorator who sells their cakes or a home baker who prepares desserts for friends and family, it is important to know all of the facts about fillings, which ones need to be refrigerated and which can be left out at room temperature. Your reputation can depend on it, and you certainly do not want to make anyone sick.

We know that butter cream frosting does not hold up well in the heat. Think about a fondant covered cake with a filling. Do you think it’s safe to be out in the heat? Maybe not. Chocolate ganache filling melts if left in the heat for a period of time. Did you know that? It’s deceiving. It sets firmly so you can use it as a filling in sculpted cakes and are able to shape it into truffles that are delicious to eat but when a ganache filled cake sits out in the heat, the ganache gets soft and starts to disintegrate which, if it is a stacked cake, could come tumbling down.

Do some advance planning. Make sure that your clients or hosts are educated about the types of fillings that would be best suited for their events.

Fillings can be made from scratch or bought. The fillings made from scratch are highly perishable and should remain refrigerated. New filling recipes should not be tried the night before an event. If you have to do something new, test the recipe out two weeks before. That way, if you need to make changes, you have time to do it or get help.

Fillings that come in sleeves at your local cake store can be used right out of the sleeve as they are and the remainder can be refrigerated up to 6 months.

If you decide to use fresh fruit in your filling, please make sure to use the freshest fruit you can find and prepare it as close to serving time as possible. If you must put the cake together the night before (for example, strawberry cake with fresh strawberries in the middle, cut the fruit in half. Smaller pieces will get mushy overnight and not make a good presentation.

Not sure how to properly whip the cream for your filling, use the aerosol can version, sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and add your fresh fruit and cover with more canned whip cream and more confectioner’s sugar.

If your cake has a fresh fruit filling and the cake is covered in fondant, stack the cakes at your venue. The fondant will get gummy if you stack them sooner.

Refrigerated Fillings

If your event is held indoors whether it is a big hall or someone’s home, feel free to use a filling that has to be refrigerated. Cream cheese, custards, pastry cream, whipped cream, puddings, and any mousse type fillings that include fresh fruit are perfect for these venues. Cakes can remain refrigerated until right before serving. Let people know when they request these fillings that there needs to be space in the refrigerator to store the cake until serving. A lot of people fill the refrigerators with everything else and then have to scramble to find room for the cake. It cannot sit out for a long period of time or there will be a disaster.

Speaking of disaster, please do not mix up a batch of the pudding mix as it is instructed on the box and use that as a filling for your cakes. Unless it’s made like a mousse, it will not hold up to the weight of the cake on top and will ooze out and make a mess.

When in doubt, make a test cake to see what happens when you refrigerate your cake with the intended filling and frosting/fondant. You don’t want to be surprised about this.

Refrigerated fillings are delicious, though sometime they are a double-edged sword. Butter cakes do not taste their best right out of the refrigerator. Combine them with a refrigerated filling, and you have to make a choice. Cold cake or warm filling. Either one is not good. And, you don’t want people telling the host/hostess that the cake was “dry” because it was cold. Switch to a different cake recipe or use sugar syrup on your cake layers before assembling to help the cake retain moisture so it doesn’t dry out while in the refrigerator.

Remember that gum paste and royal icing decorations on a cake will be ruined if it is refrigerated.

Non-Refrigerated Fillings

Any of the sleeves of fillings bought at your local cake decorating store should be fine at room temperature. So are the jellies, preservatives and ganache. Whenever using the fillings in the sleeves, remember the dam of frosting around the edge of the cake. You don’t want it oozing out once the cake settles. Trust me on this one. That is why it’s best to use the following technique for fillings.

Make sure that you have a thick dam of frosting going around the edge of the cake. Add no higher than a 1/4″ high layer of filling. For example, whenever I use lemon filling, I split the cake layer in half, add the dam of frosting, spread the lemon filling and then put the two layers together. Frosting goes between the cake layers so it will be:

Thin layer of frosting that covers entire cake:

Lemon cake

Frosting dam – Lemon filling

Lemon cake

Middle frosting layer

Lemon cake

Frosting dam – Lemon filling

Lemon cake

Cake Board

Always refrigerate to let the frosting set. Once it’s set, cover the cake in fondant. Set your cake in a cake box that has room for it to fit without the fondant touching the top or sides of the box. Refrigerate again to set. This is your insurance policy when you deliver the cake. If the party is at your house, and it’s cool inside, you can leave it out. Refrigerating this kind of cake makes it easier to slice so that the filling doesn’t ooze out of every slice. You want a nice presentation.

When you cake is removed from the refrigerator, please remember to give it time to “sweat.” Don’t touch it during this period or you will leave a mark. Let the cake come to room temperature. Usually, by the time you travel to your destination, and it’s time to serve the cake, the fondant will be okay to slice and the dewy, shiny look will be gone.

What Kind of Filling is It?

Lemon, chocolate, caramel, banana, apricot, chocolate chip, and some other fillings are easily recognized in a cake just by looking at them. Don’t make your guests guess what they’re eating. Make tent cards for each table that includes this information or add it to the menu card. With so many food allergies out there, you don’t want to be remembered for making someone sick.

To Freeze or Not to Freeze

Never freeze a cake filled with a custard filling because it will separate. Whipped cream cakes have been frozen. It depends on the type of whipping cream used. Check the container to see if it tells you that it can be frozen because you do not want your cake to weep. Rose Berenbaum, in her book, The Cake Bible, shows you how to stabilize the whipping cream with gelatin.

Enjoy using your cake fillings to take your cakes to higher levels. Just be safe.

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Source by Debra J. Mosely