How to marble like a pro

You know those gorgeous marbled tops and spiderwebs on cakes, tarts, and cheesecakes? They’re really easy and don’t require any fancy equipment, says Alice Medrich (via indexed blog Food52).

In addition to the classic marbling technique like the one used on Medrich’s Marble cheesecake pictured left, she offers tutorials on how to make a spiderweb design, the chevron often found on Napoleons, and a string of hearts pattern. Medrich notes that you need nothing fancier than a lazy Susan and toothpick or bamboo skewer to achieve spectacular results.

She also provides tips to make sure your designs are stunning. Since the glaze must be fluid for the patterns to work, Medrich notes that “it’s best if a cake is at room temperature rather than cold. For both the base layer and the design on top, a fluid, pourable glaze works better than a thick frosting.” You should also have all of your tools at the ready before you start so your glaze doesn’t set up while you are still digging around to find a skewer. See more tips plus illustrative photographs over at Food52.