IBIE 2016 offered valuable insight into the future of baking, cake decorating, and more.
Cake decorators, for instance, learned new tricks to make their creations look spectacular and taste great, too.
“In today’s world, there are so many more things we can print on than ever before,” says Mike Terry, a Certified Master Sugar Artist and pastry chef instructor with Bakery Professionals.
At an Oct. 8 IBIE session on Edible Decorating Technology, Terry listed the following examples: icing sheets, premium icing sheets, luster sheers, wafer paper, premium wafer paper, chocolate transfer sheets and Simi Transfer Sheets, a new edible paper from Icing Images that is used to apply semi-transparent designs on Isomalt.
“Wafer paper, made from a potato starch base, is ideal for creating accents,” Terry says. “For vibrant photographs, wafer paper is not the best, but luster sheets are amazing to print pictures on. They add bling. Simi Transfer Sheets work with today’s hotter mediums such as Isomalt, DECOgel, edible lace products and Flexique (a new cake decorating compound to make edible fabric). You can print anything you want on Simi Transfer Sheets. Just peel off the backing, it’s perfectly printed on your Isomalt.”
Now digital cutting technology is newest frontier in cake decorating design. Terry discussed the advantages of the Silhouette Cameo, which gives do-it-yourself enthusiasts the tool to design, cut, and create whatever they want. First introduced five years ago, Silhouette introduced the Cameo 3 in August 2016.
“This has changed everything,” he says of the Cameo. “The detail that can be done with this technology is unmatched by human hands, and with good speed. There are side designs and lace work that you couldn’t do before because if you paid yourself 2 cents an hour, you might break even.”
Using a pair of Cameo machines, Terry says he went from doing 12 cakes a weekend for a country club account to more than 40 a weekend. As a bonus, he charges a design upcharge for any digital work (and customers gladly pay it), no matter how short of time is involved.
“It’s changed the way I work because I actually get to go home at night,” he says. “It’s all about working smarter, not harder, anymore.”
Ancient Grains and More
For bread bakers, ancient grains offer today’s bakers a new and convenient way to address consumer trends that favor heirloom varieties. According to findings presented at IBIE by CSM Bakery Solutions, 55 percent of consumers are interested in trying ancient grains; however, only 15 percent of consumers today consume ancient grain breads.
“This can be a good way for bakers to differentiate your products,” says Werner Simon, global culinary consultant for CSM Bakery Solutions, who demonstrated baking techniques for ancient grain breads during the IBIE.
CSM Bakery Solutions recently launched Ulmer Spatz Ancient Grains in the US, bringing a specialty German-based bread ingredients line featuring three new ancient grain bread mixes. Operators have embraced the products, creating a wide variety of breads including bagels, hot dog and hamburger buns, croissants, tortillas, chips and even donuts. With an increased interest in a more wellness-focused lifestyle, US consumers are looking for pure, authentic ingredients, and this line is meeting the need.
Pantique, under the Ulmer Spatz brand, is a specialty product line of mixes and bases made with ancient grains that include einkorn and emmer – two of the first grains ever cultivated. These true ancient grains originated over 10,000 years ago and were eventually replaced with higher yielding varieties that we are all familiar with today, such as today's wheat. CSM’s launch features three new ancient grain bread mixes that allow customers to diversify their portfolio with the premium authentic ingredients consumers are demanding.
Ancient grains have been reinvigorated by the natural food movement, and consumers are demanding these nutritious grains in their foods to meet personal health and wellness needs, according to Bunge North America. Ancient grain varieties available from Bunge include red and white millet, white sorghum and white quinoa.
In addition, Bunge used the IBIE stage to feature numerous product innovations that retail and wholesale bakeries can implement immediately to address increasing consumer demand for non-GMO, gluten-free and trans-fat free products. Whole grain sorghum muffins offer a prime example, made with Non-GMO Project Verified Bunge whole grain sorghum (gluten free) and Whole Harvest brand organic soybean oil, which is also Non-GMO Project Verified and has zero grams of trans fat. Another featured item at IBIE was blueberry and brie Danish, made with Bunge’s algae butter shortening that offers up to 50 percent reduction in saturated fat compared to traditional palm oil shortening.
More than a traditional yeast and bakery ingredients provider, AB Mauri is a baking technology company steeped in tradition with its sights set on the future. The company significantly expanded its investment in IBIE showcased its baking technology in an entirely new way.
Featured products included artisanal bread sampling featuring four Aromaferm cereal ferments, a high-end coffee bar featuring cappuccinos, lattes, salted caramel mochas and more; and sweet treats from TLC’s Next Great Baker and AB Mauri baking ambassador, Lia Weber, who conducted a cake decorating demonstration in the America Cake Decorating Demo Theater on Sunday, Oct. 9.
“This year, we have not only expanded our presence but will also triple our impact,” says Rick Oleshak, vice president of marketing, AB Mauri North America. IBIE visitors sampled four artisanal breads baked with the company’s new Aromaferm products, including Wheat & Malt Ferment 110, Durum Ferment 110, Wheatgerm Ferment 155 and Liquid Wheat & Malt Ferment 90.
“We introduced AB Mauri’s Aromaferm cereal ferment products earlier this year, which allow bakers to create authentic flavors and delicious textures in a variety of breads – quickly, easily and cost-effectively,” says Marie Thomas, vice president of bakery ingredient innovation, AB Mauri North America.
Many unique products were showcased, including AB Mauri's Aromaferm cereal ferments.
Ardent Mills featured its large portfolio of traditional, specialty and whole grain flours and ingredients at IBIE. The company makes more than 1,200 different flours and estimates that each day Ardent Mills’ products and ingredients are consumed by more than 100 million North Americans, according to the company.
Featured products included new Simply Milled, a line of clean label flours with no bleach, bromate or other additives; ancient grains and new heirloom wheats, A broad portfolio including quinoa and new additions including organic spelt and triticale; and sprouted wheat and new sprouted wheat blends, convenient sprouted white spring whole wheat flour with national scalability and for any application, as well as new blends made with sprouted wheat.
Chef Daniel Marciani, executive development chef for Ardent Mills, served a range of on-trend baked items, including Grilled Palisade Peach Tart featuring Sustagrain Whole Barley Flour and Almond Flour, Lemon Rosemary-Orange Pistachio Ultragrain Biscotti, Cocoa Crepes featuring Organic Whole Grain Teff Flour, Sprouted Lemon Pound Cake featuring Sprouted All Purpose Flour Blend, and Rye Pumpernickel Quesadilla featuring Rye Chops, Rye Pumpernickel and White Rye Flour paired with Pepperjack Cheese and Shredded Chicken.
