A Cake, A New Passion

Why and when did you first get the baking bug?? 

Bhuma Krishna:– A few years back when I was expecting my firstborn with frequent hunger pangs, I had an intense craving for a cake. Being cautious about the nourishment of food at that time, I decided to bake a cake for myself a walnut coffee cake. I guess it all started there. Being a self-learner, I took my own time to comprehend the science behind baking- learning, practising and experimenting with recipes, exploring and recognizing what works and what doesn’t before I took it up as a profession. 

With gluten-free being so ubiquitous and other food allergies seemingly on the rise, how do you address allergies in your baked products? 

Bhuma Krishna:– I always enquire if my clients have any special food needs before we start discussions to finalize an order. Also, our flavour profile clearly describes what goes into the cake once they are a confirmed order. So clients who are allergic to certain foods inform us beforehand ( mostly egg whites, dairy, etc). I also suggest a better alternative so that they don’t need to compromise on taste too. As far as the design is concerned, major allergies come from the use of excessive colours – like itching and staining. Hence I don’t recommend dark colours in cakes, especially to kids and nursing / expecting mothers. 

What’s your favourite Bake Off moment? 

Bhuma Krishna:– It requires a lot of planning and execution to run a small home-based business single-handedly. At times, we ought to be prepared to serve short notice orders too. One such incident was when I had to do 3 multi-tiered custom cakes along with dessert table favours- all by myself. It was nerve-wracking but the great feedback from clients made it the most memorable one. 

If you don’t have time to get super creative and elaborate, what’s the one dessert that always wins over the crowd? 

Bhuma Krishna:– That would be my baked cheesecakes hands down!! It can be made with very little effort and the thick, dense texture and rich taste make it an easy crowd puller. 

What about ingredients? Do you have any favourites? And a favourite combination? 

Bhuma Krishna:– One needs to be very careful about the ingredients that are used to sustain in the home baking business. Clients come back to us not just for the looks of the cake but also for the trust they have in the ingredients we use in our cake. So I always go with the premium quality ingredients available in the market even if that means I’ll have to source it from abroad. It’s always a pleasure to work with Callebaut products. Their chocolate callets and cocoa holds a very valued position in my baking pantry. My favourite flavour or combination keeps changing. For now, it’s coconut and Dulce de leche. 

What’s next in your baking bucket list? 

Bhuma Krishna:– To learn more about structure cakes has always been in my bucket list. I hope I get an opportunity soon.

What is your opinion on macarons? So you see the demand for macarons increasing with time and what do people prefer more macarons or cookies? 

Bhuma Krishna:– Macarons are always a finicky cookie type. They are very temperamental and success depends on a lot of factors. What works for one person may not work for another. So it requires a lot of experimenting until you find the right techniques to produce those gorgeous little shells. But once you master it, the options to play with flavours are endless and that’s exactly what makes them so special. With the growing popularity of Macarons, especially during festive seasons, I notice my clients choosing it as their top pick rather than traditional cookies. 

Which is your favourite flavour of macarons and why? 

Bhuma Krishna:– My favourite Macaron flavour now is ROSE. A bite into the crisp and light rose flavoured shells with velvety rose meringue buttercream filling and rose petal jam in the centre is very refreshing and it’s the ultimate rose flavour to relish. 

What is your take on Indian mithai fusion cake and which more Indian Mithai flavoured cake do you see coming next? 

Bhuma Krishna:– Mithai flavoured cakes showcase the innovative way to add traditional Indian flavours into a cake. I always take care to keep that fine balance between the two at the right spot. Though Rasmalai cake rules the roost now, I can see Rose milk and Masala Chai coming up as hot favourites. As long as bakers keep innovating, I think it’s not going to stop there too. 

Comments

0