Stonehenge Pastiera PIE 3D

by GiosiC

3.3K139

Intro: Stonehenge Pastiera PIE 3D

"The one requirement: your pie must have a traditional pastry OR no-bake crust to qualify. We’re also offering a Judge’s Prize this year for the most mathematical pie."

Here is the idea of producing the Pastiera Napoletana cake (but revisited in a Vegan style) recreating Stonehenge in sugar paste.

Let's go!

STEP 1: The Project

Regarding Stonehenge, I found several articles online that refer to conception, in which the creators took their inspiration from the Greek PI but 2000 years before Pythagoras formulated his theorem.

Here the article:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2018/06/20/stonehenge-builders-used-pythagoras-theorem-2000-years-greek/

I found a map of the Stonehenge that I printed and put on polystyrene with some toothpicks. With this base I reproduced all the "blocks" of Stonehenge with the sugar paste that I then painted in various passages with the airbrush and edible colors.

After producing the Pastiera Pie where above I put a layer of green gelatin to reproduce the lawn, I placed all the blocks in their position and the result is clear;)

Thanks to my passion for 3D, with the Photogrammetry and using the software "Autodesk Recap Photo" I reconstructed, with to the approximately 100 photos taken all around, the cake in 3D and loaded on a website from which you can view both on the computer and devices. It is also possible with a viewer device, to navigate the cake in immersive mode (Virtual Reality) or with smartphone to browse or "position" it in reality thanks to Augmented Reality.

Here are the steps:

  1. The Project
  2. Ingredients - Tools
  3. Stonehenge sugar make
  4. Stonehenge sugar paint
  5. Pastiera pie - make shortbread
  6. Pastiera pie - make filling
  7. Pastiera pie - make green gelatin
  8. Pastiera pie - assembly
  9. Stonehenge Pastiera pie - Result
  10. Stonehenge Pastiera pie - make 3D Photogrammetry
  11. Stonehenge Pastiera pie - 3D and immersive view

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STEP 2: Ingredients - Tools

Ingredients:

For the Shortbread:

  • 450 gr of spelled flour
  • 50 gr of potato starch
  • 150 gr of organic cane sugar
  • 80 gr of almond milk
  • 70 gr of vegan butter
  • 60 gr of organic sunflower oil
  • Vanilla in seeds
  • Grated orange peel
  • Pinch of salt

For the stuffing:

  • 400 gr of cooked wheat
  • 200 gr of organic cane sugar
  • 200 gr of almond milk
  • 200 gr of velvety Tofu
  • 50 gr of vegan butter
  • Orange peel candied in pieces
  • Vanilla in seeds
  • Aroma of orange flowers
  • Pinch of salt

For green gelatin:

  • 500 ml of water
  • 2 tablespoons of organic powdered sugar
  • One sachet of agar agar
  • A few drops of green food color
  • A few drops of orange blossom aroma

Tools:

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STEP 3: Stonehenge Sugar Paste - Make

After placing the Stonehenge map print on the Polystyrene base with toothpicks I reproduced, trying to keep the proportions, all the stone blocks using the sugar paste. Each block is fixed to the base of the polystyrene with toothpicks so as to facilitate the painting and reposition on the cake.

For the proportions I used a 3D reproduction of Stonehenge on my smartphone.

STEP 4: Stonehenge Sugar Paste - Paint

Using food colors, thanks to the airbrush, I tried to recreate the structure of the rocks. With several steps (letting it dry between passages) I first used an orange and then a green color, from the lightest to the darkest. The last step was made in black.

STEP 5: Pastiera Pie - Make Shortbread

I started with the production of short pastry, mixing all the ingredients (first the solids and then the liquids). I then kneaded to form a ball which I then allowed to rest in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Afterwards I spread a disk of dough with a rolling pin and put it in an aluminum mold.

Baked in the oven for about 30 minutes at a temperature of about 170° c.

STEP 6: Pastiera Pie - Make Filling

For the filling just insert all the ingredients as you can see from the list and from the photos and cook in a saucepan for about 15 minutes over high heat, stirring constantly.

The mixture will thicken. Allow to cool.

STEP 7: Pastiera Pie - Make Green Gelatin

As for the filling, for the jelly just insert all the ingredients as you can see from the list and photos and cook in a saucepan for about 10 minutes over high heat, stirring constantly.

The mixture will thicken. Allow to cool.

STEP 8: Pastiera Pie - Assembly

To assemble the Pastiera Pie di proceed with this order:

  • pour the filling on the shortbread up to the edge
  • Place an aluminum ring on the cake
  • Pour the gelatin (not hot otherwise it comes out)
  • Allow to cool in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours
  • Position all the blocks thanks to the toothpicks, maintaining the shape of the Stonehenge

STEP 9: Stonehenge Pastiera Pie - Result

There is nothing to describe here because from the photos you can clearly see the result, but I have to say that then I cut the cake, and besides being beautiful it is also very good.

I remind you that it is Vegan!

STEP 10: Stonehenge Pastiera Pie - Make 3D Photogrammetry

Thanks to the "Autodesk Recap Photo" software I experimented with the Photogrammetry 3D.

Of course, it's not easy and it's not excellent, but the result is incredible.

Just take a lot of photos around the object you want to turn into 3D by putting the cake on a cake turntable.

Then I uploaded the photos into the software that recreated the 3D model for me.

The result can be manipulated, improved but I will reserve this for the next contest.

STEP 11: Stonehenge Pastiera Pie - 3D and Immersive View

I uploaded the 3D model of the Pastiera Pie to the Sketchfab website, which allows both viewing and sharing the result.

Here is the result. Enjoy!

8 Comments

dragon flyer 5 years ago

Very cool! I'd never heard of sugar paste before, though; might be helpful to clarify that...

jmdushi 5 years ago

This is by far the most beautiful pie I have ever seen!

GiosiC 5 years ago

Wow... thank you for the beautiful compliment !!!

NotACat 5 years ago

I was about to point out that gelatine isn't even vegetarian, never mind vegan, when I noticed that you're actually using agar-agar. It might be helpful to make that a bit more prominent: this is a sensitive subject with my wife who mourns her inability to find vegetarian versions of many foods that look really nice (and which I can enjoy freely as a carnivore ;-), and I can't imagine she's alone.

GiosiC 5 years ago

I agree with your wife's choice, in fact I try to create traditional recipes but in a totally vegan (cruelty-free) version.
This cake in the specific is a traditional Neapolitan Pastiera and it was not really easy to veganize it but I would say that I succeeded ... I like it ;)

jessyratfink 5 years ago

Bravo!!! This was so much fun to read and I loved looking at your process shots :D

The pie is wonderful!

GiosiC 5 years ago

Grazie!!! In fact I had a lot of fun with this project ... and the pie is really good ;)