~Sugar Teachers~ Cake Decorating and Sugar Art Tutorials

Sugar Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Rhonda Christensen) — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 00:39:00 +0000

Sugar cookies are my families favorite thing to make. We try to make them for every occasion you can think of. My daughter and I are getting requests for these cookies now because they are so good but no one wants to take the time to make them. So if you have the patience and time, here is how we do our cookies!!

Rhonda's Sugar Cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the butter and mix like you would pie crust.

In another bowl, beat eggs. Add sugar and vanilla and beat well. Combine with dry ingredients. The dough will be a little crumbly at this stage. I really like this recipe because you don't have to refrigerate it!! (I don't like waiting!)

This dough can be rolled out or shaped into balls and pressed with a fork or glass that has been dipped in sugar. We like to do both!!

Take some dough and knead it a little before you roll it out. I like to roll mine fairly thick. Thinner for crispy cookies and thicker for cookie bouquets.

I have to show you my "handicapped" rolling pin!! (I have RA). Cut out your cookies as desired and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake cookies in a 350 degree oven for around 9-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of your cookie. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, I take a fondant smoother, (or any flat, solid object) to make the cookies flat. The reason for doing this is so that the icing will stay on the cookie better and not run down the sides.

Cool the cookies for about 15-20 minutes and put them in an air-tight container.

I like to use this container I found at WalMart. It's a cake taker, but I use it for cookies and cupcakes.

Next comes the icing. I love to use a glaze most of the time but Royal Icing may also be used. Sometimes I do both!! The glaze recipe below is just for a small batch. I usually quadruple it!

Cookie Glaze

1 tablespoon corn syrup

1/4 cup warm water

1-2 teaspoons flavoring (almond, vanilla or your favorite)

3 cups powdered sugar

food coloring (paste)

Dissolve corn syrup in the warm water. Mix in extracts and add sugar until you have a smooth glaze. Add more to thicken or more water to thin. A lot depends on the humidity and where you live. Use the thicker for outlining and thinner for filling in. If you are familiar with color flow, it's the same technique. Your fill-in icing should disappear into itself at the count of 10.

I love to use these squeeze bottles for the thicker outlining part. They are mostly used for candy making or condiments. I then thin out what is left in the bowl with a little water and spoon that onto the cookie. If using different colors, (one for outlining and one for filling in) let the first color dry for an hour or so before decorating with the second color. Otherwise, your colors will bleed. Once dry, you can then decorate on the top of the first layer with more glaze, royal icing or food coloring markers.

Outline first then quickly fill in so that there is no distinguishing outline.

Once you get the hang of it, just have fun being creative!! There are all kinds of possibilities!!

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Footprints in the Sand

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 04:46:00 +0000

This cake is a walk on the beach, so to speak!

Ingredients

Cake Covered in Ivory Fondant

Granulated Sugar

Demera Sugar

ECG Frosted Lemon Luster Dust

ECG Sombrero Luster Dust

Super Pearl Dust, Food Grade

small amount of ivory fondant

Small amounts of bright blue, hot pink and orange gumpaste

Piping Gel

Tools

Card Stock

Scissors

SugarCraft Gun with smallest Cord disk

Toothpick

GumGlue

Parchment Paper

Fondant Roller

PME wheel Cutter

Flat Artist Brush

Impression Mats
Plastic Piping Bag

Instructions

Flip-Flops

1. Cut out a pattern using cardstock. The pattern is about 1" long.

2. Roll out bright blue gumpaste very thin. Place your flip-flops pattern over gumpaste. Using a PME wheel cutter, cut around pattern to create sole of flip-flops . Turn pattern over and cut another sole.

3. Place a wave pattern impression mat over the soles. Gently impress pattern onto the tops of soles. Cover and set aside.

4. Roll out a hot pink gumpaste. Using #12 piping tip, cut two circles. Make indentions using a leather punch or toothpick.

5. Roll out a bit more blue and cut two dot using the tip of #6 piping tip. Moisten the center of the pink with a bit of gumglue and place the blue dot in the center, as shown.

6. Using a SugarCraft Clay gun and the smallest cord disk, make an orange cord.

Cut into two ½” lengths. Pinch the center together.

7. Using toothpick, Make an indention in the soles of the blue gumpaste, the lightly moisten the indentions with gumglue.

Place the pinched center of the cord at the top of the sole, and the ends at the sides.

8. Place pink flower at the top of flip-flops, attaching with gumglue. Cover to protect and set aside.

Footprints

1. Using the cardstock flipflop pattern, cut 8 footprints out of parchment paper.

2. Roll ivory gumpaste very thin. Place 6 of the parchment patterns over the gumpaste, and cut using the PME wheel cutter.

3. Mix a small amount of ECG Frosted Lemon and Sombrero luster dusts together and dry brush over each gumpaste footprint.

4. Place an impression mat over the gumpaste and gently press.

5. Cover to protect and set aside.

Sandy Beach Cake

1. Mix 1 cup granulated sugar with ½ tsp ECG Frosted Lemon , ½ tsp Sombrero Luster Dusts, ¼ tsp. super Pearl dust. Add ¼ cup demera sugar. Mix well and place into Plastic Piping Bag.

2. Cover Cake with Ivory Fondant.

3. Brust fondant with Piping Gel.

4. Place the 8 parchment footprint pattern over piping gel, as if walking up side of cake.*

5. Place cake inside 14” Cake Pan to catch unused sugar. Cut end from piping bag and began covering cake with sugar in uniform style until the cake is completely covered.

6. Remove the parchment patterns.

7. Place the 6 footprints over the exposed piping gel, then place the flip flops over the last two footprints at top, as shown.

8. Sprinkle more sugar around the top of the cake.

Remember the beachy topper tutorial? Now you have the perfect cake for the Beach Themed topper. Place on top of cake with a little sugar sand spilling out of sand pail.

The sugar will sparkle just like sunlit sand.

Here is a picture of a Fun in the Sun cake that was created by three artists!

Photo by Sherilyn Vineyard-2010

I had the privilege of demonstrating this as the top tier of a three tiered cake. The middle tier was created by the very talented Sherilyn Vineyard; and the bottom tier and cake board by the uber creative Sylvia Wilson. We all built our tiers separately, then assembled them at a Day of Sharing. We were thrilled with the way it all came together!

Hope you have Fun creating your own Summer Fun Cake!!

* this tutorial is for one side of cake only. If you want to repeat the pattern on the back side of cake, you will need to make two pair of flip-flops and 12 footprints.

Tutorial and Photography by Jacque Benson
Copyright 2010-All rights reserved

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

St Patrick’s Day Pistachio Candy

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 20:04:00 +0000

Ingredients:

1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 3.5oz pkg pistachio pudding mix
6 oz bag flaked coconut
2T butter or margarine, melted (1 ounce)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups finely chopped pistachios
5 ½ -6 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 drop leaf green coloring gel (opt)
Semisweet and/ or white Chocolate chips , melted
Paramount Crystals
1/2 cup Dark Green Confectioners Melts

Preparation:

Pour sweetened condensed milk into a bowl. Heat milk in microwave for 1 minute until warm. Pour pudding mix into milk and stir well. Return to microwave and heat for 60- 90 seconds, checking after 60 seconds so as not to overcook. Stir again for 2 minutes until the pudding mix is well dissolved. Set aside.

Place coconut in blender and pulse a bit until the coconut is finely chopped. Mix with finely chopped pistachios.

Stir butter and cream cheese into pudding mixture, incorporating well. Add nuts and coconut and mix well.

I added a drop or two of leaf green coloring gel just because it's St Paddy's Day candy, but it's not necessary.

Add confectioners’ sugar, 1 cup at a time until too difficult to stir. Sprinkle a board generously with confectioners’ sugar and turn the mix onto the board.

Knead in sugar

until the dough is soft and not sticky.

Using a melon baller, scoop out a heaping teaspoon of dough. Shape into 1 inch balls, then chill in refrigerator until very firm.

When ready to dip in chocolate, melt semisweet and/or white chocolate .

I used Ghiradelli brand chocolate chips. I also added some paramount crystals to
thin the chocolate.

Too thick a layer of dark chocolate will overwhelm the flavor.

When melting white chocolate, melt carefully over hot water in a double boiler.

Do not allow the water the boil as the white chocolate burns easily.

Because this was for St Patrick's Day, I added 5-6 dark green Confectioner's melts at the last
making a pretty soft green.

Dip chilled balls into melted dark or white chocolate using a fork.

Then carefully slide off the fork onto wax paper or a silicone mat using a small spatula, as shown.
Set aside to cool completely.
To decorate, melt about a 1/3 cup of green confectioner's melts.
Pour into a piping bag and clip just the tip off the bag.
Have fun decorating your candy.
I used stripes on the dark chocolate and swirls on the white chocolate.

Mmmmmmm -Chocolate on the outside,
gentle flavors of pistachio and coconut on the inside!

With this candy, there's plenty of Green on hand for St Paddy's Day!

May you have:
A world of wishes at your command.
God and his angels close to hand.
Friends and family their love impart,
and Irish blessings in your heart!

************************************

Recipe, Tutorial and Photography by Jacque Benson 2011
All Rights Reserved.
Please note
This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Coloring Fondant to a Deep Hue

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 17:43:00 +0000

One of the biggest challenges I had when I started working with fondant was how to get a deep red, blue or black. I usually ended up with a big sticky mess, finally deciding to go to the cake supply store and buy the premade colored fondant. Using a large amount of gel can change the consistency of your fondant.

Others who have tried using only powdered cake colors find it compromises the elasticisty of the fondant, making it unflexible and difficult to work with.

So I have found several ways to make a deep colored fondant...

I will show the different methods using different colors.

Let's start with the color

BLUE

This method is effective when you need a small amount of fondant for decorating.

Knead blue gel into your fondant until it is a nice robin's egg blue. Your fondant will be barely sticky. Once you find it becoming rather soft stop adding gel color.

Mix about 1/2 tsp blue candy/cake powdered food coloring with a tablespoon of confectioners sugar.

Knead into your fondant. If you desire a deeper hue, sprinkle a small amount of color

on top and knead into your fondant until your fondant is desired color.

Double wrap your fondant in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container. It will continue to

deepen in color as it sets.

***************************************
Here is a technique for making fondant

BLACK
This method is for achieving a deep black without a lot of mess. It will, however, taste like chocolate!

The easiest way to acheive a nice black fondant is to start with chocolate fondant.

It is a very dark brown, so by the time you knead in black candy/cake powdered color you will have a nice dark black hue.

**********************************************

Here is another method to make a deep colored fondant.

I will demonstrate the color

RED
This method is effective when you desire a larger amount of fondant to cover an entire cake.

This is an easy and tastier means to an end.

Make red candy clay using red candy melts.*

It is easy to make candy clay by mixing candy melts with white corn syrup.

Use around 2 parts white fondant to 1 part colored candy clay.

Knead your candy clay into your fondant.

Once your candy clay in incorporated into the fondant, you can deepen the color by adding powdered food color. Knead into the fondant.

Keep adding powdered color until you achieve a deep red hue.

If your fondant is too soft, knead 1 tablespoon of confectioners sugar at a time until fondant is desired consistency.

Wrap with plastic wrap and place in an airtight container until ready to use.

I used all three of these methods to color the fondant used for myThomas the Train pictured below.

Try experimenting with different color candy melts, gels and powdered colors. The more

you practice, the easier it gets to get that dark rich color for your decorating needs.

CANDY CLAY RECIPE

1 lb Colored Candy Melts
1/3 cup light corn syrup
Melt Candy Melts following package directions. Stir in corn syrup and Blend will. Place mixture onto waxed paper and let set at room temperature until ready to use. When ready to use, knead candy clay until malleable before adding to fondant.

Tutorial and photography by Jacque Benson. copyright 2010 all rights reserved.
This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Sleight of hand- The Topsy Turvy Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 19:24:00 +0000

The idea of a topsy turvy cake is fun and intriguing. In this case, it is merely an optical illusion.
The first person I saw use this technique was B. Keith Ryder. It gives the impression of a Wonky Cake, but is actually quite level. It can be made and assembled before delivery without worrying about shifting.

Janell's Cakes has a wonderful video demonstration of this style cake. You can see her construct it before your eyes on YouTube.

For this cake I decided to keep the angles less severe because of the geometric

design I was later using. However, for a more fanciful design, I would increase the angles and add more contour to the tiers for extra flair.

I started with my top tier using two 7" round layers and one 6";

and cut one 6" round pattern out of waxed paper for later use.

1. I chilled my layers well, filled and stacked them.

Flipping topside down ( for some reason, that is easier for me)

I contoured the tier with a serrated knife, cutting away the excess.

2. Attaching the cake circle with fresh frosting, I flipped the cake upright again...

3. and cut the top layer at an angle.

The more diagonal the cut, the more severe your angle on the cake will be.

I then iced the top and flipped the cut piece of cake

placing the thick side of the cut on the higher side of the layer, creating a steeper angle.

I then frosted the entire tier and chilled well.

For the bottom tier, I started with two 10" layers and one 9" layer, then followed steps 1-3.

this time crumbcoating the sides for easier handling.

(Sometimes you adjust as you learn!)

After centering the pattern and I cut around it, creating a level

surface;

then iced the tier and chilled well.

After chilling, I misted the tiers lightly with water

and covered with fondant.

I doweled the bottom tier using wooden dowels since I had them on hand, but you can also use

Poly-Dowels.

Because this cake had no topper, I didn't want to insert a center dowel

through the top of the cake.

So I pre-cut a 1/2" hole in the center of the 6" cake board .

Sharpening both ends of a 1/2" dowel about 6-8" long,

I hammered through the center of the bottom tier, securing

into the cake board.

I placed the top tier over the dowel, securing the top tier to the bottom tier.

After that, the cake was ready to decorate!

Tutorial and photography by Jacque Benson

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 14:30:00 +0000

This started out as an experiment. I had tried other recipes for peanut butter cups, but they never tasted quite right. My husband said they just weren't "peanutty" enough. So like the proverbial mad scientist, I went into the kitchen, determined to make a more "peanutty" peanut butter cup!! After a couple of tries, I made some ingredient adjustments and came up with this recipe. I recommend you use a high quality milk chocolate, but it must be tempered. If tempering chocolate seems too intimidating, you can use milk chocolate flavored candy melts.

****

Jacque's Peanut Butter Cups

1/4 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 Tablespoons softened butter

dash salt

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

3/4 cups powdered sugar

Melted Milk chocolate ( tempered)

Grind peanuts very fine in a blender or processor. In a bowl, Mix together ground peanuts, peanut butter, butter, salt and brown sugar. Add Powdered sugar and incorporate until you have a nice dough, about the same feel as a pastry dough.

If it is too crumbly, add more peanut butter. If too soft, add more powdered sugar.

Roll out on a silicone mat or wax paper about 3/8" thick.

Using a 3/4" circle cutter, cut out patties and set aside.

Use only what you need. Wrap remaining dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Fill a medium sized Peanut Butter Cup mold almost half full with milk chocolate.

Using a stiff artist brush, paint the chocolate up the sides of the molds.

Place peanut pattie in each cup.

Drop enough chocolate over the top of the patties to fill cups.
Lightly tap mold on counter to remove bubbles. Place in freezer for 5 minutes. Pop out of mold.

Wash mold and repeat process.

____________________________________________

For Easter Eggs, use a chocolate egg mold. Form the peanut butter centers into ovals instead of round.

Follow the directions as shown above.

Pop out of mold for your own Chocolate Peanutbutter Eggs.

Now if you want the Easter Bunny to deliver these, you will have to hide them!

Because they are likely to disappear "mysteriously". ;-)

*****************************

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Baby Animals Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 16:02:00 +0000

This adorable Baby Faces Cake, designed by Mame Recckio-Wolfe, was a finalist in the 2007 American Style Competition. It was featured, along with the tutorial, in the October/November Issue of American Cake Decorating Magazine.

Supplies Needed:

Patterns (Follows Tutorial)
Cookie Sheets or Cake Boards
Tape
Waxed Paper
Royal Icing (2 cups)
Paste/gel coloring: brown, red
Deep pink and yellow
Parchment or Pastry bags
Piping tips: #3, #5, & #12
Art Brush
Water
Gumpaste
Rolling Pin
Textured Pin (optional)
Ribbon Cutter (optional)
Ruler
Craft Knife
Unused hair roller
Corn Syrup (glucose)
Orchid Luster dust (optional)
Lemon Extract (optional)
Black food-coloring marker

1. Make several copies of each animal face pattern and the Onesie. Attach them to a firm, smooth surface that can be set aside. Cover the patterns with waxed paper and tape the in place. Prepare a batch of royal icing, reserving 1/5 of the icing as white. Then divide the remainder into 4 portions, tinting beige, brown, deep pink and yellow. Load a small handful of icing into a small piping bag fit with tip #3, and then pipe the outline of each figure, beginning with the detail colors first. Do not leave any gaps in the outlines. Use a damp brush to help correct mistakes and join lines together. Leave off the noses on the lion, cat, and giraffe for now, as well as the pink in the rabbit’s ears.

2. Add a drop of water, one at a time, to the remaining colored icing until a ribbon of icing melts into the icing below it within 10 seconds. Use top #2 to flood each outline, building it up until the icing has a puffy, raised appearance. Allow the decorations to dry at least 24 hours. If you choose to flood the backside of each face, do that now. Otherwise, add the remaining facial detail with undiluted royal icing

Handy tip- remove the dried floodwork from the waxed paper with a thin, flexible spatula. Alternatively, pull the paper to the edge of a table or countertop. Pull the paper slowly down over the edge, catching the piece as it comes free with your other hand.

3. Dilute a small wad of gumpaste with water until it becomes thin enough to apply with a brush. Pour the “gum glue” into a small container and cover until needed. Roll out a thin layer of gumpaste. If a texturing pin is available, you may apply a pattern to the gumpaste at this point. Cut two rectangular strips 7 by 2 inches in dimension. Flip the strips over and brush the ends with gum glue.

4. Place a hair roller (dedicated for food use) at the center of the strip. Pinch each end to taper the strip, then bring the ends together and press to attach. Allow the bow loops to dry for 24 hours.

5. Fill and stack the cake layers on the cakedrum, using a dab of buttercream to secure. Ice the cake smoothly with buttercream icing. Allow the icing to crust, then mark a diamond pattern into the icing using a diamond impression mat or a straightedge to create the lattices of parallel diagonal lines.

6. Prepare a bag with light red royal icing, adding a small amount of corn syrup ( glucose) to keep it from setting hard (about 1 tsp per cup of icing). Fit the bag with tip #12 and pipe a bead border around the base of the cake. Next, using tip #5 and white royal icing (with the corn syrup added), pipe a small dot at each of the places where the lines cross in the side design. While the icing sets, make a pair of light red gumpaste ribbon tails measuring 2 by 9 inches. Trim one end of the first strip at an angle. Trim the second strip’s end in the opposite direction. The white dots should now be set enough to flatten with fingers

7. Arrange the bow pieces on top of the cake, with the tails tucked under the loops, flowing toward the front. Prepare another strip of gumpaste to match the bow, measuring 3 by 4 inches. Invert the piece, brush the 4 inch edges with gum glue, then fold the edges up about 1/8 inch width and adhere them. Gather each the unhemmed edges and brush with a dab of gum glue to hold them. Tuck one end under the front of the loop ends and tuck the end underneath the ends on the backside.

Handy tip- At this point, you may choose to color the bow and border with a mixture of pearl dust and clear alcohol. Use royal icing for the border only if you plan to brush it with coloring. Otherwise, use buttercream. For this cake, orchid luster dust was mixed with lemon extract.

8. Use a black food-coloring marker to add any remaining detail to the animal faces. Position the Onesie and animal face on the cake with a dab of buttercream for each. Finish the cake by adding a complementary ribbon the edge of the cake drum, using a glue stick to adhere it.

Patterns

Enlarge baby faces by 200%
Enlarge Onesie Pattern by 120%
Cake Design and Tutorial by Mame Recckio-Wolfe.
all rights reserved 2008
This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Photography by Katie Hilbert. 2008

Blueberry Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Fiddlesticks) — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 13:30:00 +0000

I am always on the look out for new and Amazing recipes.

With the nice weather finally here it was time to start making some dessert's with fresh fruit.

This recipe is my new favorite for blueberry muffins..

Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping Recipe

Note: Coat the blueberries with a dusting of flour to prevent them from sinking to the bottom. Also remember to evenly distribute the blueberries across the muffin cups.

Streusel Topping Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, slightly softened and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Muffin Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

8 ounces sour cream

1/4 cup milk

3 cups (1 1/2 pints) fresh blueberries, stems removed

Directions

For the topping, in a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Add the butter pieces and combine the mixture with a fork until the topping resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place paper liners in muffin pans. In a separate medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

With an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. At low speed, beat one egg in at a time, and then add vanilla, sour cream, and milk until combined. Add 1/3 of dry ingredients at a time and beat until just combined. With a spatula, evenly fold blueberries into batter.

Scoop batter into muffin pans and fill each cup to the top. Sprinkle topping evenly over batter. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a cake tester or wooden skewer comes out clean.

Makes 24 muffins,

Blueberry coffee cake muffins adapted from Barefoot Contessa]……

Here is where I found this recipe.

http://sundaynitedinner.com/blueberry-muffins-streusel-topping/

Photography by Diane Marks

Modeling Chocolate Roses- by Mame Recckio Wolfe

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Sat, 02 Feb 2019 23:30:00 +0000

Dark Modeling Chocolate

1 lb. (454 g) semisweet or bittersweet dark chocolate

2/3 cup (8 oz. or 224 g) light corn syrup or golden syrup or Karo

White and Milk Modeling Chocolate

1 lb. (454 g) Mercken’s Super White Chocolate [or color candy melts of choice – i.e. Red for Valentine’s Day]

1/2 cup (6 oz. or 168 g) light corn syrup

 The higher chocolate : corn syrup ratio = the stiffer/stronger the clay

 Place chocolate in a micro-safe glass bowl, and microwave for 1 minute intervals, stir, microwave for another minute, and stir vigorously to completely melt the chocolate…if still a little lumpy, microwave for another 30 seconds

 Add the corn syrup and stir quickly to incorporate – stir until the chocolate follows the spatula around the bowl – about a minute

 Pour the chocolate into plastic wrap, or leave in glass bowl covered with plastic wrap, for 24 hours

 Taking small pieces at a time, knead the chocolate until just soft enough to shape

 If the chocolate starts to stick to your fingers, lightly dust your fingers with cornstarch

 Procedure for making roses follows

 Any remaining chocolate should be triple wrapped in plastic wrap, place in a Ziplock bag and freeze indefinitely

Rose making procedures:

Knead small portions of chocolate clay as needed, until soft and pliable

Weigh out chocolate paste:

5g for mounds = 3/4" or about 2cm ball

3g for petals = 1/2” or 1-1/2cm

…mound = ball on the left / petal = ball on right

Rose bud = bud + 2 petals

Small rose blossom = bud + 3 petals

Medium rose = bud + 3 + 5 petals

Full rose = bud + 3 + 5 + 7 petals

Rose Mound or Bud:

 Make mound or bud with a fat-rounded bottom, tapered to a point at the top

 Approximately 1-1/4” long or 3cm

Using a piece of plastic wrap, dust with cornstarch, place the 1/2" ball of clay on the plastic wrap and fold the plastic wrap over the ball:

 Press out to about an 1-1/2” diameter oval, using your thumb or finger

 Make the top 2/3’s of the petal/circle thinner than the bottom 1/3

 Flatten/shape all the 1/2" balls/petals required for your rose, before applying them to the bud/mound – this allows a little drying time , making them easier to apply – less sticky…I have hot hands!!!

 Latex gloves can also be used for this application, if you have very hot hands!!!

 Dust the plastic wrap each time you flatten out the ball

 Note: If when pressing out the ball you feel small pieces of un-melted chocolate – roll it back into a ball, rolling it firmly in your palm…this will melt the tiny pieces of un-melted chocolate

 …this was made with a double layer of scrap chiffon material, with a pastry bag tie…use dust puff gently – the cornstarch comes out very easily…

Small Rose Blossom:

 Wrap the 1st petal around the mound/bud

 Wrap the 2nd petal, tucking it under 1st petal, having the 1st petal overlap slightly

 Continue adding petals, tucking under previous petal…and shaping petals as you add them…

 Mound or bud + wrap + 2 petals

Medium Rose Blossom:

 Mound or bud + wrap + 2 petals – small rose blossom

 Plus 5 more petals

Full Rose Blossom:

 Mound or bud with wrap + 14 petals

Tutorial and Photography by Mame Recckio Wolfe.

This material was used with the expressed permission of Mame Recckio Wolfe and may not be

reproduced without written permission from the author.

Creating Scrolls on Your Cake by Denise Talbot

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 29 Dec 2018 19:00:00 +0000

Scrolls 1

Scrolls 2

Scrolls 3

Scrolls 4

Tutorial by Denise Talbot

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Christmas Trees Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 04:30:00 +0000

Supplies :

Waffle Cones for Ice cream

Small bowl with 1/2 inch water

scissors

Forest Green Royal Icing

Piping bag with #67
Piping tip

Yellow colored Gumpaste

3/4" Five petal or Star Cutter

Gumglue or piping gel

Wilton Pastel Candies
Dragees

Place two waffle cones together as shown.

Place in shallow water for 15- 20 seconds.

Remove from water and, using scissors, cut away soft edge of cone

until bottom edge is even and level.

Using royal icing, attach the cones to make "trees".

Starting at bottom of tree, begin piping leaves pulling out as you pipe.

Continue until you have filled the tree with "fir branches", leaving about 3/4" at top bare so you can move your tree into place. When the tree is placed where you want it on your cake or board, you can fill in the remainder of the top of the tree.

Roll out yellow gumpaste to about 1/4" thickness and cut out a star using your cutter. Place a yellow pastel candy on both sides of star, using gumglue or piping gel. Place on top of tree and secure with royal icing. Hold in place until firmly set.

Decorate your tree with colored pastels and dragees, securing with fresh royal icing if needed.

Photography and Tutorial by Jacque Benson
2009 copyright all rights reserved
This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Fudgy German Chocolate Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Rhonda Christensen) — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 14:00:00 +0000

My daughter-in-law wanted something really chocolaty for her birthday. I came up with this decadent fudgy, chocolate, almost German chocolate cake for her. It was soooooo good! I was glad that I left all of them at their house, which is a two hour drive from my house!

Sorry for not having step by step pics! I was in such a hurry to get these done!!

Ingredients:

Make in this order:

Coconut-Pecan Filling:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 cup evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 egg yolks

1 1/3 cups flaked coconut + 1/2 for toasting

1 cup chopped pecans

Mix sugar, butter, milk, vanilla and egg yolks in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 12 minutes. Stir in 1 1/3 cups coconut and pecans. Stir for a little longer, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Toast the 1/2 cup coconut in a pan until it just starts getting browned.

Ganache Icing:

12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons real butter

Place chocolate chips in a large bowl. Heat heavy cream on medium high heat until it just comes to a boil. Immediately pour over the chocolate chips and stir until it is mixed and glossy. Allow to cool while you make the cupcakes.

Chocolate Cake:

2 cups granulated sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used half regular and half dark cocoa)

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup oil

1 cup whole milk

1 cup boiling water

Position rack in center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, mixing on low speed. Mix in eggs, oil and milk.

Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and mix in water. The batter will be soupy.

Fill cupcake liners half way and bake for 12 - 15 minutes, depending on your oven. Cool.

When cupcakes are cooled, cut a small hole in the middle with a knife and remove plug. Fill with a teaspoonful of the coconut-pecan filling and replace plug. Do with all cupcakes.

Being very careful not to lose the plug, dip the cupcake into the ganache to give it a coating. Set aside.

Fudgy Frosting:

2 sticks butter

1 1/3 cups cocoa

6 cups powdered sugar

2/3 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spreading consistency. Add vanilla.

I then added any leftover ganache and beat to the consistency I wanted. You may have to either add more milk or more powdered sugar to get the consistency you like.

With a bag fitted with the 1M tip, pipe a swirl on top of each cupcake. After each icing swirl, sprinkle with the toasted coconut and left over pecans.

Enjoy!!

Rhonda Christenson

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Hoot Owl Cookies....Hoot! Hoot!

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 01:00:00 +0000

When I was a little girl, my fondest memories are of my mother happily baking in the kitchen. And in the Autumn and Winter, she was baking every chance she could get. I remember once coming home from "trick 'r treating" to the smell of homemade raised donuts. Ooooh if you ever tasted my mother's donuts, it would ruin you for life on the donut shops!

This recipe for Hoot Owl Cookies is a refrigerator cookie. Mom used to make these around Halloween.
It comes from an Old Pillsbury Family cookbook, but I have adjusted the recipe a bit.

2-1/2 cups cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp fine salt

3/4 cup butter

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp madagascar vanilla

1/4 teaspoon Caramel Lorann Oil

1-1/2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled

1/4 tsp baking soda

***

For decorating

Semi-sweet or Milk chocolate Chips for eyes

White Chocolate Chips or Cashews for beak

In a bowl, Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Set aside. In mixing bowl, cream butter with electric mixer at med speed , beat until creamy smooth, then gradually add brown sugar, incorporating well. Add egg, vanilla and Lorann Oil and mix well. Stir in flour mixture, adding 1/4 cup at a time until well mixed.

Divide cookie dough into thirds, and remove 1/3 dough. Stir baking soda into chocolate, then add to the 1/3 dough, mixing well. Cover and chill until the dough can be easily handled.

Divide the plain and chocolate dough in half. Return half of the dough to refrigerator.

Roll the plain dough to a 4-1/2 x 10" rectangle on lightly floured wax paper. Roll the chocolate dough into a 10" long roll. Place the chocolate roll on the center of the rectangle

Lift the sides of the of the wax paper to roll cover the chocolate roll with the plain dough.

Wrap the wax paper around the dough and chill. Repeat process with remaining cookie dough.

Chill dough well, for at least two hours. I usually prepare the night before and allow to chill overnight for easier handling.

***************

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the firmly chilled roll into 1/8-1/4" slices.

Place two sliced cookies touching in the middle on a greased cookie sheet or Silpat mat.

This creates the owl face with two eyes.

After all the cookies are placed on the cookie sheet, they will have softened. Pinch the top corners of the cookie to make ears.

If you want to make a Menacing Owl, push the top of plain cookie dough forward over chocolate dough eye, as shown.

Place one chocolate chip on each eye. You can place them with the point up, but I also like to push the pointed end of the chocolate chip into the cookie to create a flat pupil to the eye.

The original recipe calls for a cashew nut for the owl's beak. This is quick and easy, and once the cookies are baked and cooled, they will be ready to serve. But because nut allergies have become prevalent, if I am baking for a group other than my family, I wait until the cookies have cooled and add the beak later, using white chocolate.

Bake the cookies in a 350 oven for 8-12 minutes until lightly browned on the sides. Remove from oven and place cookies on a cooling rack.

When the cookies have thoroughly cooled, melt about 1/2 cup of White Chocolate chips. Spoon melted chocolate into a plastic pastry bag with a #8 tip.

Pipe a bead on the left side of bottom center, as shown. Repeat same step on the right side, the pipe over the middle, pulling down to the bottom creating a beak.

Allow the chocolate to completely cool and firm up.

You can make these look like cute Hoot owls, or if I make them look menacing,
my husband calls them Horned Owls.

To each his own.

Hey, it is Halloween after all! We can become anything we want on that day!!

Happy Hauntings!

Note:
The creator of this recipe is Natalie R Riggin

It was the 2nd Grand Prize Winner in the Pillsbury Bakeoff in 1956

The link to the original recipe

Thank you Natalie. This has been a family favorite for years!

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Rhonda Christensen) — Tue, 26 Jun 2018 14:30:00 +0000

To make these cupcakes, use any vanilla cake recipe that you wish, replacing the liquid in the recipe with pink lemonade concentrate, undiluted. You can also add a few drops of food coloring if you want it more on the pink side.

For the icing, use:

1 lb. unsalted butter (softened)
2 stick salted butter (softened
1 small pkg. lemon instant pudding mix
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup powdered sugar ( or more to suit your taste)

pink food coloring

In mixer set on medium speed, beat the butter until smooth and silky. Turn speed to low and add the pudding mix. when it is all incorporated, slowly add the cream, a little at a time. When fully incorporated bring speed up to high and beat for 5-7 minutes. Turn speed back down to low and add food coloring and add powdered sugar by tablespoons, tasting along the way. When it is sweet to your taste, beat again at high speed for a good 5 minutes to really break down any graininess that you might get from the powdered sugar. Bring back down to low speed and beat for a while to get rid of air bubbles. this recipe needs to be refrigerated. Bring it to room temperature before decorating or serving.

For this cupcake stand, I just used foamboard and cake dummies I found how to make this cupcake stand from Cake Journal.

Rhonda Christensen
2009
All Rights Reserved
This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Key Lime Cookie Tree Centerpiece

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 21:00:00 +0000

Key Lime Christmas Tree

Ingredients and Supplies

· 1 cup butter (no substitutes)

· 1/2 cup sugar

· 1/4 cup Nellie and Joes’ key lime juice

· 1 teaspoon vanilla

· 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

· ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar

Icing

· 2 tablespoon meringue powder

· 1/4 cup warm water

+ 2 tablespoons key lime juice

· 3 cups sifted powdered sugar

· 1 teaspoon vanilla

· 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

· 1 - 2 colors assorted paste food coloring-

mint green, teal, aqua

Supplies

· Rolling Pin

· Parchment Paper

· 2” and 1” leaf cookie cutters

· Thin bamboo skewers, cut to 3” lengths

· Tooth picks

· Piping bags

· #2 or #3 piping tip

· Glue

· 6 inch Styrofoam cone
6-8” plastic plate or covered cardboard cake circle

· Small needlenose craft pliers

· Confectioner’s Sugar for decorating

silver and/or gold dragees (optional)

· White Sparkle gel
Star shaped lollipop

Directions

· 1. Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Beat
in sugar until combined. Beat key lime juice, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill 1 hour or overnight until easy to handle.

· 2. Sprinkle Parchment paper with confectioner’s sugar. Roll each portion
of dough on a lightly dusted surface until 1/4-inch thick. Cut out using floured light leaf-shape cookie cutters. Lift away unused cookie dough, wrapping in plastic wrap and place back in refrigerator to cool. Insert bamboo skewer into larger leaf cookies, and toothpick into center of small leaf cookies.
(If skewer is exposed, pinch dough up around the skewer to cover, then place that side down on the parchment
paper. ) Place the parchment with cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet.

· 3. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown around edges. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. Allow to cool completely before icing the leaves.

· 4. For icing: combine meringue powder, warm water, key lime juice, powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and cream of tartar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, then on high speed for 7 to 10 minutes or until smooth and of spreading consistency. Divide into portions and color with aqua, teal, and mint green paste food coloring. Use at once to frost cookies.

· 5. Fill piping bag with icings and pipe a Line around the edge of each cookie.

When finished, thin remaining icing with water until proper consistency for flooding cookies. Icing is ready to fill in outlines when a small amount dropped from a spoon into the mixture disappears on the count of ten..

Place on racks until set.

· 6.Glue Styrofoam cone onto a plastic plate or covered cake circle. ( I inverted a clear plastic plate purchased from the dollar store.) Sprinkle confectioner’s sugar onto the cone.

· 7. Starting at the bottom, carefully push the larger cookies into the Styrofoam cone using a pair of small needlenose craft pliers on skewers and toothpickes. Do not push on cookies as they will break.

Continue adding cookies , using large cookies at bottom, then adding smaller cookies toward the top of cone. Use leftover small leaf cookies to fill in gaps on lower part of cone.

· 8.To decorate the tree, run a small line of sparkle gel around the tips
of cookies to resemble icicles. Place dragees on the tips of leaves. The sparkle gel will hold the dragees in place. Sprinkle the tree with confectioners sugar to resemble snow. Cut stem of lollipop to 2” and
place the star lollipop on top of the tree by inserting stem into upper tip of cone.

Tutorial and photography by Jacque Benson

All rights reserved 2011

This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Recipe inspired and adapted from

Lime Cookie Lights by Better Homes and Gardens

A Special Offer From Sharon Zambito, owner of SugarEd Productions

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 22:04:00 +0000

Hi cakey friend!

I started SugarEd in 2007 when I saw a need in the caking community for good quality instruction on using buttercream.

It started with DVDs, and has evolved over the years to a fully comprehensive buttercream course, available to you right in our website!

This course teaches about the different types, pros and cons of each, the recipes, how to ice round and square cakes, and troubleshooting.

I have the course items listed below in the logical order for a beginner to learn.

And of course we have even more tutorials that go from there: working with fondant, stacking, and endless decorating techniques.

Right now I'm offering a 30 day $1 trial to my online school to celebrate our anniversary.

This is a great opportunity to see what we have to offer, at no risk. You can cancel at any time during the first month and never be charged again.

CLICK HERE to read all the details.

I hope you will join me!

Sharon

-------------------------------------------------

Want to see what's new in the online school?

This tutorial and over 400 more are available.

Join at www.sugaredproductions.com/subscribe

Pistachio Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Edna) — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 17:30:00 +0000

Pistachio-Cardamom-Caramel Cake

Ingredients:

1 box of white cake mix (I used DH)
1 cup of cake flour
1/2 cup of white granulated sugar (*I cut down the sugar because the coffee
creamer and ice cream topping have lots of it)
2 teaspoons baking power
1 envelope dry pistachio pudding mix
1 teaspoon of salt (*If using salted pistachios omit salt).
1 teaspoon of ground cardamom.
****Sift dry ingredients twice and set aside.

1 cup of sour cream
1 stick of butter (at room temp.)
1/4 cup of veg. oil
1/3 cup of cream cheese at room temp.
(*I always add cream cheese to my WASC recipe, you can omit
this if you want, I just love the richness that it adds to the cake)
1/4 cup of brown sugar
**Cream these ingredients in the mixer for about 3 mins
or until completely blended together.

4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Lorann pistachio oil flavor
*Add these ingredients to mixer until blended with the other ingredients.

1/2 cup of vanilla caramel coffee creamer
1/2 cup of caramel ice cream topping
3/4 cup of buttermilk
*Mix together all liquids and alternate with dry ingredients into the mixer.

1 cup of chopped pistachios (*don’t forget the pistachios! –fold into the
the mix at the very end)

I baked it in a 325 degree oven. Fits 2, 8 inch pans. I cooked it for almost
60 minutes, but that can change. from oven to oven, or the size pan that
you are using.

For the filling:
Bettercream non-dairy whipped topping with Lorann Pistachio oil.
You can add some crushed pistachios to it, if you want for added
crunch.

I think the creator of the recipe was Macsmom, but not sure. I can
say that I loved it. The cake was moist till the last bite!

Hope you enjoy!!
Edna :)

Photography by Edna De La Cruz
All Rights Reserved 2012
This photo may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.

Grandma's Sherry Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Fri, 18 Nov 2016 14:53:00 +0000

Looking for something a little different to serve for the holidays?

My Grandmother made the best sherry cake I have ever eaten.
After she passed away, I found her prize recipe.
Although her recipe was a doctored cake mix, her secret to
this very special cake was the thin custard she drizzled over
the cake while still warm.

I decided to recreate her cake by replacing the doctored cake mix with a recipe using all ingredients from scratch.
Here is the result:

Grandma's Sherry Cake

4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup cream sherry
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1-2/3 cups cake flour
1/3 cup almond flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, almond flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder; set aside. With mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth; add sherry and incorporate into cream cheese, then cream in butter and add oil in a stream until emulsified.
Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Add dry ingredients gradually until mixed in, then add vanilla.

*Pour into a prepared 9" pan ( greased and floured ) and bake for 30-35 minutes until cake tester comes out clean.
Place on cooling rack, and while warm drizzle sugar syrup over cake. Allow to cool to room temp, then drizzle custard icing over all.

Sugar Syrup

1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 T cream sherry
1 tsp vanilla

In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add sherry and vanilla.

Sherry Custard Icing

2/3 cup milk
4 Tablespoons flour
1/2 cup cream sherry
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter

Stir milk and flour in heavy saucepan over med heat, stirring constantly until thickened to the consistency of heavy cream; add sherry and stir until well thickened. Cool until just warm.
In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy with a mixer. While beating, slowly pour in warm custard sauce and continue beating until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
Pour over cake.

* Can also be baked in 2- 6" pans.

recipe by Jacque Benson 2008

Lady Bug, Lady Bug, Fly Away Home

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 19:47:00 +0000

How to make a cute little lady bug:

3/4" ball black fondant
pink fondant
green fondant
Gum glue*
3/4" Circle Cutter
Scissors
#10 piping tip

*To make gum glue mix 1/8 tsp Tylose powder with
1 oz. warm water

Pinch a bit of black fondant

and make a ¼” ball.

Using the rest of the gumpaste,

make an oval.

Attach the two

and set aside.

Roll out a small amount

of pink fondant

and using the ¾” cutter,

make a circle.

With the scissors,

cut a small “v” at one end of circle.

Press a line from “v” to other end of circle. Moisten the black ladybug

with gum glue, and attach the pink ladybug wings.

Roll a small amount

of green fondant very thin.

Cut 5-6 dots from the green fondant

using the small end of #10 piping tube.

Place green dots pink circle.

Jacque Benson

This material may not be reproduced without permission from the author.

Gingham Flower Topper Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 18:48:00 +0000

Looking for a fun way to create a summer styled cake? When I think of summer, gingham comes to mind.
So I incorporated my love of summer gingham checks with fondant and flowers and ....here it is!

SUMMER GINGHAM FLOWER TOPPER

Supplies:

Fondant- 1 lb. white

¾ inch ball of electric yellow

8 oz. neon or electric Pink

4 oz. neon or electric Green

½ inch ball of black

Orange petal dust

Bright green petal dust

Fondant Roller and Mat

Small stripes or gingham stencil

2 Clean Foam make-up wedges

Ruffled Heart cutter 2”

Heart cutter-1”

Gum glue

PME Wheel cutter

3” Leaf cutter

¾”, 1” and 3” circle cutter

Small blossom cutter

#2, 10 piping tube

Small scissors

Button

Roll out yellow gumpaste

into thin layer.

Cut a circle using a ¾” cutter.

Using the large end of

the #2 piping tube,

make a slight indention

in the circle.

Turn the piping tube over

and make two or four holes

in the center

to create a button.

Set aside to dry.

Flower

1. Roll out white fondant into a rectangle approximately 3”x 12”.

2. Lay stencil over the fondant

and press into the fondant

by gently rolling over the stencil.

Using the wedge foam applicator,

apply a layer of orange petal dust

over the fondant.

Lift the stencil,

and wipe it clean

with a paper towel.

Lay crosswise over the

stenciled fondant

and repeat process.

3. Cut 5 ruffled hearts,

lightly cover with plastic wrap

and set aside.

4. Roll out pink fondant approximately 5”x 12”.

Using your ruffled heart cutter,

make an very light indention for a guide,

then moisten the inside of the heart with gum glue.

Lay the patterned heart petal

over the moistened fondant.

Using a ruffled cutter or a PME wheel cutter

and cut 1/8”away from the edge of heart petal,

creating a pink border.

Repeat with the remainder of the petals.

Cover and set aside.

For smaller petals, roll out white fondant

into a rectangle approximately 3”x 10”.

Press the clean stencil over the

fondant in a diagonal.

Using the wedge foam applicator,

apply a layer of of orange petal dust

over the fondant. Lift stencil.

Repeat steps 3 – 4,
this time using a 4”x12” rectangle
of pink fondant.

Cover and set aside.

Thoroughly wash and dry stencil.

For the leaves, roll out white fondant

into a 5” x 4” rectangle.

Repeat steps 2-4 with green petal dust

and green fondant using the leaf cutters.

Cover and set aside.

To assemble flower:

Cut a 3” circle from white or pink fondant and moisten.

Pinch the heart petals,

as shown,

then press into the

center of the circle.

Continue process,

overlapping the petals.

Roll out a small amount of

pink fondant and cut a 1” circle.

Moisten with gum glue.

Pinch the smaller heart petals, as before,

then press into the center of the circle.

Continue process, overlapping the petals

Roll out pink fondant and cut a flower,

using the blossom cutter.

Moisten the back and place

in the center.

Moisten center top with gum glue

and place button in center of flower.

Attach the leaves, using gum glue,

to bottom of circle.

Place cotton or 1” strips of rolled paper towels to give petals some lift.

Set aside and allow to dry.

When ready, place on top of cake.

Jacque Benson. All rights reserved 2014
This tutorial and photography is the property of Jacque Benson- copyright 2014- and used with permission from the author. This material may not be used, copied or printed without expressed permission from the author, Jacque Benson.

Tips for Making and Rolling out Gingerbread Houses

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 18:38:00 +0000

This is the first in a series of three Gingerbread House Tutorials. Here are a few baking tips for your Gingerbread, along with a few patterns for your convenience.

Gingerbread House Recipe

1/3 cup soft shortening
1cup brown sugar, packed
1-1/2 cups dark molasses
2/3 cup cold water
7 cups flour
2 tsps. Baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix shortening, brown sugar, and molasses thoroughly. Stir in water, Blend all dry ingredients; stir in. Chill dough.

A few tips for rolling out gingerbread:

Once your dough is chilled, it is easier to manage. Cut dough in half.

Cut parchment to fit an 10X15” jellyroll pan. Spray pan and paper with a light coat of nonstick spray.

Form dough into a rectangle, then roll out on a floured silicone mat.

Roll with equal pressure from the center of the dough to the ends.

Flip the rolled dough onto the paper lined jellyroll pan; Make a 10X15 solid cookie by rolling the dough to 1/8” thickness.

Place your pattern on the dough and score with a pizza cutter.

For the porch pillars, just roll out dough into two 1/2" diameter logs.

Using a toothpick, score a light indention or two on the logs to create a bit of interest.

Keep your cutter clean while working.

Trace pattern pieces, leaving all dough in place to prevent dough from spreading or changing shape while baking.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake gingerbread 7-8 minute just until edges begin to brown slightly.

Remove from oven and and lightly roll hot gingerbread to flatten our any humps from baking.

Re-score on scored lines while gingerbread is still quite warm

Work quickly and carefully.

If the dough cools too much the pieces will crack, however dough can easily be cut while hot. Nest carefully place the parchment paper with the scored gingerbread onto a baking rack to cool completely.

When cooled, remove from the parchment paper and allow the bread to set for a 24 hour period to harden. Allow to harden at least one day before attempting to piece house together. *** Below are a few patterns just to get you started. Cut your patterns from cardboard or foam core and assemble with tape beforehand, especially if you are adding elements to your structure, such as a porch, vestibule, gables or any other addition you want to create. This step makes it easier to envision your assembly when constructing with gingerbread and sugar and well worth the extra time.

If you label your cardboard pieces, you will find it much easier to identify how your pattern should be placed. Be creative and have fun!

PATTERNS

Gingerbread recipe shared from ICES, New Mexico chapter.

Jacque Benson—October 2007 In the next tutorial, a few easy tips for constructing your house.

This tutorial and photography is the property of Jacque Benson- copyright 2012- and used with permission from the author. This material may not be used, copied or printed without expressed permission from the author, Jacque Benson.

Best Banana Cake Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Edna) — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 18:32:00 +0000

This is a very delicious moist Banana Cake. Very easy to do!
Hope you enjoy!

note: any tutorial published on this website cannot be republished
on any other site without permission from the author.

Bunny-licious!

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 04:52:00 +0000

I just wanted to share a very quick and cute way to have fun on a sweet Easter Sunday! Just so you know how fast this project is, I sent my husband out to pick up grilled chicken a few miles away, and by the time he got back, the chocolate egg was out of the mold, the bunny was finished and salads were made!

Here's what you will need.

White Chocolate fondant :

2" ball of white

1" ball of electric yellow

1" ball of neon pink

1" ball of neon green

1/2 cup white chocolate melts

Wilton Butterfly Sprinkles

A few Pastels

Shortening for rolling out fondant

Malted Milk eggs or favorite candy

Tools:

Toothpick

gum glue

Paintbrush

Fondant Roller

Fondant Board

4" egg mold with base

Blossom Cutters

Leaf Cutter

Blue or Black edible pen

Cotton gloves for handling chocolate

Start by rubbing your fondant board lightly with shortening.

Roll two very small balls, 3/8" and 1/4".

Press flat into mold, as shown.

Roll out pink fondant on lightly greased board. Cut two small blossoms, using your cutters.

Place over yellow centers in mold. Gently press the petals into the mold.

When you turn it over, it should look like this.

Roll a narrow green cord about 4" long from the green fondant.

Cut in half and press into back of flower, then shape into stems, pressing the stems gently into the mold.

Roll out green on lightly greased board and cut a leaf.

Place on stem, gently pressing into the mold.

When turned over, it should look like this.

Set aside.

In the microwave, melt the white chocolate in a heat safe measuring cup, for about 2 minutes at med power.

Remove from microwave, and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth.

Spoon into molds, tilting to coat the sides,
continuing to rotate the mold slightly to cover the sides with a nice thick layer of chocolate.
If some spills over the edge, just scrape off with the flat side of a spatula.

Place in the freezer.

While the chocolate is in the freezer,

Divide the white chocolate fondant into two equal pieces.

Form one into an oblong shape slightly larger on one side,
as shown below.

Clip the sides to create arms, and clip 1/2" into the center of the bottom to create legs,

as shown below.

Gently roll the arms and legs to create a body.

Clip off ends of arms and set those pieces aside for later use.

Make feet and hands by shaping the arm/leg ends of the fondant.

Place the body in a sitting position and set aside.

Take the second ball of white fondant and make another oblong shape,

as shown below.

Clip the center of the narrow edge, as shown to create ears

Flatten the ears.
Roll out a small amount of pink and place in the center of the ears.

Attach with gum glue, if necessary.

Break a toothpick in half and place into body, with a portion extending above the neckline.

Moisten bottom of head with gum glue and push into the toothpick to secure to the body.

Add pink to the bottoms of the feet, (as shown below)
and buttons on the front of bunny, if desired.

Roll out two tiny balls with the reserved white fondant, and a smaller pink ball.

Attach to the face to create the bunny's nose and mouth.

And don't forget to save a little white for a tail!

Using an edible pen, make two dots for eyes.

Reheat the leftover chocolate in the measuring cup
.(being careful not to burn it, 30 seconds, med power should be plenty, but keep a watchful eye)

Okay, now using the artist brush, dip into chocolate
and brush a little onto on side of the pastels to attach to the bunny.
We don't want our Easter Bunny empty handed!

If you cannot find pastels, just use 1/4" edible pearls, candies or rolled fondant.

Okay, Bunny is finished!!

The chocolate eggs should be set up.

Remove from freezer and set right side up.
Allow the eggs and base to loosen.

They should fall right out of the mold.

How cute is that?

Use cotton gloves to prevent fingerprints.

Turn the flat sided egg upright and fill it with candy.

Gently brush melted chocolate along the edge of the egg,
then afix the decorated side of

the egg on top.

Brush a little melted chocolate over the seam,
then add the butterflies to cover the seam.

Brush a little chocolate on the top of the base, then set the egg on top of the base.

Place the bunny on top of the egg.
And add a little butterfly to his foot, just because it's spring!

There you go...

Peter Cottontail with lots of sweet treats!

Happy Easter!

Tutorial and Photography by Jacque Benson

This tutorial and material on this website cannot be republished without permission from the author.

Sugar Day! Come and Play! (event notice by Jacque Benson)

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 18:44:00 +0000

Are you interested in a fun day of sugarwork demonstrations, networking, meeting new cake friends, or just learning something new?

Southeast Texas Cake Club is sponsoring a full day of sugar fun on Sunday, April 6, in Winnie, Tx.

I will be there demonstrating, along with premier sugar artists,

such as

Silvia Wilson,

Pat Daigle,

and Denise Talbot.

I am very excited and honored to be included in the day's lineup of activities--

So come and join in!!

Click Here for more information!

On Monday and Tuesday following the Day of Sharing, I will be teaching two different classes.

Monday, April 7, baby stuffed animals in on the agenda.

As an added bonus, I will be demonstrating how to make a baby crib cake---

I'll provide the materials, you bring the tools

and we will have loads of fun making the cutest stuffed animals!

The second class will feature Gumpaste Monogram and Sugar Toppers.

Learn how to make different styles of toppers, either elegant or just fun, for your next special occasion cake.

We will make a number topper, a gem encrusted topper, and entwined flower toppers.

The materials will be provided, you bring the tools, luster dust or spray, and either dragees or sugar pearls for the gem encrusted topper.

Classes are $75.00 each or sign up for both for $130 and save!

I am looking forward to see you there!!

Easy Cake Ball Punkin Patch

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Sat, 02 Nov 2013 22:02:00 +0000

How does that poem go?

When the frost on the pumpkin lies... or when on the counter the cake scraps lie?

You know what I'm talking about!

So what to do you with all those cake scraps? Make cake balls, of course.

Don't tell anyone, but I actually made some petit fors that looked SO bad after I iced them, I threw them into a bowl and took out my frustration on them, beating them into submission...and that's how my punkin patch got started.

Oh, don't act like you've never wanted to do that!

You know you have!

And I also just hate to throw away scraps.

So, in addition to the orange petite for disasters, I made a batch of chocolate from leftover scraps from a cake I leveled.

So if you want to make some "punkins", just crumble cake scraps into a bowl.

Now at this point, you can add different things to make the crumbs adhere.

To 2 cups cake crumbs,

you can add

3/4 to 1 cup

of Buttercream icing,

OR cream cheese,

OR (my personal favorite) chocolate ganache!

Start with a half cup, then add the binding agent until you have a nice soft paste, you can add more

if you like. That is entirely a personal preference.

The softer the mixture, the longer you will need to chill them before dipping the cake balls.

Chill that mixture for a few hours, then, using a melon baller, just scoop them out,

roll them into a ball and place on waxed paper.

For pumpkins, score the cake balls, using a toothpick, as shown.

Cover them with plastic wrap and placed them in the freezer for at least an hour, or overnight.

Melt 8 oz orange confectionery melts in a chocolate warmer or over a double boiler.

Add paramount crystals, a tablespoon at a time, to thin until it becomes a nice dipping consistency.

If you are making a lot, then try dipping half in white confectionery melts for contrast.

Insert a toothpick into cake ball and dip into prepared confectionery melts, and remove quickly, allowing excess coating to fall back into pan.

If desired, dip in autumn leaves sprinkles, ground nuts, or even finely ground cake or cookie crumbs directly after insertion. Remove toothpick. Don't worry about the hole or cracking. You are going to cover that up anyway.

They don't have to be perfect.

I have yet to find a pumpkin that is perfect when choosing one to carve!!!

Easy so far? It really is!!

Once the coating is set, you can brush on some edible luster dust for a little gilding.

For the final step, you will need icing tips #2,# 4, and a leaf tip #67, a piping bag fitted with a coupler,

and 1/2 cup of leafy green ( your favorite green, I used moss green ) slightly thinned buttercream.

Start with #2 tip and fill with bag with icing.

Pipe a curlyQ vine on the ball. (This is where you can cover any cracks if necessary)

Change to leaf tip #67, and pipe a one or two leaves from the center top.

Then, with #4 pipe the stem in the center.

If you want to display them on Hay Bales, then make some Rice Krispie Treats.

Directions for hay bales are HERE!

That's all there is to it!

Punkins for sale!

Tutorial and Photography by Jacque Benson

2013
This tutorial and photography is the property of Jacque Benson- copyright 2013- and used with permission from the author. This material may not be used, copied or printed without expressed permission from the author, Jacque Benson.