~Sugar Teachers~ Cake Decorating and Sugar Art Tutorials

Easy Peasy Cupcake Tower DIY

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 17:17:00 +0000

This is an inexpensive, but sturdy method for building a cupcake tower. I have tried a few different ways before, but by far, this is the easiest and most sturdy one that I have built, so I wanted to share it with you all.

I always use foam core for making my cake boards, and there is usually about a 5-6 inch strip left over. Thinking I can use it for future use, I typically save them. Now I found that use! I needed 4" wide pieces of 1/2" foam core to create the platform for the tower; and using left over pieces of foam core can really save on the cost.

Another way to save on the cost is to use a craft store coupon. Also, Hobby Lobby and Michaels frequently run sales on foam core.

Here is the list of supplies you will need for the project:

1/4" Foam Core (2 boards)
1/2" Foam Core
Exacto Knife
Pencil
Ruler
Cake Pan (to use as a tracing guide)
Straight Pins
Craft Glue
3/8" Ribbon
Wrapping Paper, poster board, or foil (Opt)
Adhesive spray (Opt)

1.) Begin by deciding what size and how many tiers you will want your tower. An easy way to get a mind's eye view is to stack cake pans. For my project, I chose 18", 13", and 8" rounds.

2.) Using your cake pans as a tracing guide, mark your circles on 1/4" foam core, then carefully cut them out with the exacto knife. Take your time on this step, cutting the circles as perfectly as possible. This really effects the presentation.

NOTE*(At this point, you can cover your circles with a pretty paper, poster board, or foil. Just spray with adhesive spray, then cover front and back.) Since the one I was make needed to be white anyway, I just left it "as is".)

3.) Mark and cut the 1/2" foam core into 4" strips. These will create the platform. Again, measure twice and cut carefully, as the cut of the platform effects the stability of the whole tower.

You will need two of each length for every upper tier.

The length is the strip will be "diameter minus 2 inches". For instance, since I chose 13" and 8" upper tiers, I needed two each platform strips measuring 11" and 6".

4.) Butt the strips together and mark the center. Then measure 1/4" from center on each side.

With a ruler, trace a two vertical line 2" in length from the edge of the strip, as shown.

Cut these two inch strips out, creating a notch.

Place the notched side of platform strips together and insert, creating a stand.

Stack your stand and check stability.

If it is not stable, then your cut was inaccurate.

Remeasure the width of your strips, shore it up and recheck the stability.

5.) Cut the ribbon into 5" lengths. Glue to the edges of the platform. Run a bead of glue around the edges of the rounds, then attach ribbon.

6.) Mark the center of each round. Push a straight pin through the center of each tier. Run a bead of glue onto the tops and bottoms of the platform and insert pins into center for perfect alignment.

Remove pin. Allow to dry.

Here is the Cupcake Tower set up for my great-nephews' birthday Ninjago tournament. Just ignore the fact that I didn't manage to get the top cake centered!! Sheeesh! The good news is that my little guys didn't notice or didn't care!!

Have fun. Be Creative. Your cupcake tower will be hit!

Tutorial and Photography by Jacque Benson All rights reserved 2013

Christmas Lights- SWEET! by Jen Dontz

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 22:20:00 +0000

This tutorial is a step by step on making the isomalt Christmas lights. Super easy to do and very, very pretty! These lights can be strung on a cake or used individually on cupcakes. Either way, they are sure to please!

ISOMALT CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

1. I'm using our large Christmas lights mold (we also have a tiny one, too). Also, the small silicone cup and clear isomalt sticks. We also carry clear isomalt nibs if you prefer. If you click on a picture on our website, it will take you to the information/order page where you will see measurements for the molds.

2. ALWAYS ALWAYS use protective gloves. Hot sugar STICKS to skin and will continue to burn. You can peel a glove off quickly, but not your skin. We have some wonderful protective gloves by Cake Play. See here. We carry these gloves in three sizes, small, medium and large.

Melt your isomalt in the microwave. I use 50% power and check it every 30 seconds or so. This is sugar so it can burn, don't over nuke :-) I run a stick through it JUST to make sure all is melted. I should be bubbling.

I did color this clear mix by adding a drop of Americolor to it. Gel coloring is recommended, not liquid or powder. Shake your Americolors up well before using. Add the color once it comes out of the microwave and is bubbling. You will hear the color sizzle on top of the bubbling sugar. Wait until it stops sizzling and the water is burned out of it, then gently stir into the isomalt.

You also can add disco dust at this point if you want a glittery finished piece. We have a nice variety of discos available. Let the mix sit on the counter a few minutes until most of the bubbles have come to the top and popped.

Gently pour into your molds. I take a toothpick and make sure all the sugar is stuck to all the nooks and crevices.

~One helpful tip~

If you find your sugar is hardening faster than you can get it to all the nooks, you can warm your mold in the microwave at 50% power for about 20 seconds. Starting with a warm mold will give you a longer "work" time to spread the sugar.

Another thing you can do is put the mold on a heating pad and warm it that way. That will give you even more work time. No need to add anything to the mold like a grease. Leave the mold as is.

3. Unmold the lights. You usually can tell when they are ready to be unmolded if the mold is no longer warm to touch on the backside.

4. Now it's time to torch them if you want them crystal clear. Any food grade silicone mold will "gas" and create a ever so soft texture on your piece. By taking a creme brulee type torch and gently torching the surface, it will clarify it. This is the torch I purchased at Bed Bath and Beyond (don't forget your coupon :-) You also can use a grill lighting type Aim N Flame but those are harder to use because they can burn the sugar easier. At least that is my experience.

Hold the sugar piece with a pair of tweezers and move it closer and closer to the flame until you can see it clarify. Be careful not to burn it. Safety is first and foremost here friends...PLEASE read the instructions for your torch!!

5. Next, I took my sugarcraft gun with the small string disk and piped out two lines of fondant. I colored this using avocado Americolor. You also can use gumpaste as well.

6. Let the strings dry just a little and then twist them together like a real light string would be.

7. I like to paint the socket part with silver hi-liter dust. Simply mix some dust with vodka, I do this in the lid. Mix to the consistency of maple syrup. Then paint the socket part. Let the dust completely dry in the cap before putting the cap back on your container. In doing this, no dust is wasted. You can see the difference of the torched lights, two on left, and the not torched, on right.

8. Here they are!! As always when using isomalt, we recommend you place your pieces on the cake the day of the party.

You can make them far in advance, but you need to store them in an airtight container with desiccant packets. These will keep your pieces crystal clear. Humidity can affect your pieces so that's why we recommend placing the day of the party and using the desiccant packets.

Tutorial by Jennifer Dontz

owner of SugarDelites

This material may not be reproduced in any form with

expressed persmission from the author.

Building a Gingerbread house

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 15:00:00 +0000

After designing and baking your gingerbread house, it is time to assemble and decorate. Here are a few tips for assembly, followed by suggestions for decoration. Ultimately, it is your creation, so you can keep it simple or make your house as elaborate as you desire

Supplies

Gingerbread pieces
½” foam core
¼” foam core for small houses
Pencil
Ruler
Xacto Knife
Royal Icing **
at least 4 unopened cans to use as weights to stabilize while drying
small embroidery scissors
gelatine sheets

Lay out your gingerbread pieces out flat with house corners touching on a sheet of paper.

Move two facing sides inside the corner by exactly the width of your gingerbread. If your baked pieces are ¼” thick, then move two sides inward by ¼” each side.

With a pencil, trace the inside space. Straighten lines and shore up the corners to be a perfect right angle (90 degrees,) then cut the pattern for your foundation.

Lay the pattern over ¼- ½” foam core. Trace the pattern and cut the foamcore. If you are adding additions to your house, cut the addition to your pattern. The additions will be built on separate foundations and secured together later.

Run a bead of royal icing around the edge of the foam corn and set up two corner walls, securing with royal icing.

At this point, it is easier to secure your windows. Using embroidery scissors, just cut a square of gelatine sheets and secure with royal icing.

You can also use poured sugar windows made ahead of time, then glue in with royal icing. It is easier to affix the windows while flat, but you can also place inside before you place your roof, if you like.

Set cans against the two walls to secure.

Repeat the process with the two remaining walls.

Pipe an extra line around each corner and allow to set for a few minutes until secure.

Pipe a line of royal icing around the top edge of your walls.

Place the roof. Depending on how large your house is and how heavy the roof, it may be necessary to secure with reinforcement (extra cans).

Pipe royal icing at the seam where roof meets on top.

Allow to set until dry.

Steeples and Chimneys can be constructed at this point, securing with royal icing.

Allow to dry before attaching to roof.

*If you have additions on your house, construct separately and allow to dry, then attach to the rest of your structure. At that point, you can add the roof.

Let the house completely dry before moving to the next step…the fun part! Decorating the house!

When the icing securing the roof has completely hardened, your house can be decorated with Fondant, Pretzels, Cereals, Candies ( gum drops, mints, pastilles, skittles, hard candies ect) Shredded wheat, Pastas, bitesized crackers, lentils, or beans!
Just use your royal icing to secure the decorations.
When dry the icing will act as a glue and hold the decoration firmly in place. For my houses, I cut fondant strips and overlaid them on the exterior.

For one house's roof, I textured a rectangle of fondant to make a shingled roof,

but pastilles can be used to make a wonderful shingled roof or siding too.

For a fast and easy shingled roof, just pipe scallops directly onto your gingerbread roof!

You can also spread a layer of "snow" made of royal icing.

There are no rules now. Anything goes as long as it is edible.
Wilton makes a product called Sparkle Gel.
I used it to make icicles, but you can also pipe icicles using royal icing.

Just be creative and have loads of fun. That's what it is all about!

**Royal Icing Recipe

6 Tbsp meringue powder

12 Tbsp water

2 lbs powered sugar

Mix all ingredient until moist, them beat at a low speed for 7 minutes. Keep icing covered with a moist cloth when not in use to prevent hardening.

On the final gingerbread tutorial, a few ideas for accessorizing your landscape, and adding life to your edible abode!

Tips for Making and Rolling out Gingerbread Houses

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 18:51:00 +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.

Ballet Slipper tutorial by Shirley Wilson

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:16:00 +0000

Shirley Wilson's Sugarpaste Ballet Slipper Tutorial

STEP 1-

I bought the smallest pair of childrens ballet slippers ( size 7) from Payless Shoe Source for $19.95 but they can be used to make more than one pair. Cut off the elastic strap from shoes, it wants to pull the sides of the shoe in too much, without the elastic it may be too wide. So I made a large basting stitch with thread going from side to side and over the instep. to get the right shape. VERY IMPORTANT, Lightly coat the entire outside of shoe from toe, sides and heel with Crisco shortening so the gumpaste will release easily. Stuff inside of shoe with wads of plastic wrap inside the toe and instep. Put a 1/2" styrofoam ball inside the heel area.

STEP 2-

Roll out pink gumpaste to 1/8" thickness and into an oval large enough to cover entire shoe with 1/2" excess around the entire bottom of slipper.

STEP 3-

Carefully cut out center of paste from the instep and smooth cut edges with your fingertip.. Allow to dry for at least 30 minutes or until gumpaste will hold it's shape.

STEP 4-

Allow to dry for at least 30 minutes or till paste holds it's shape. Carefully remove paste from the real shoe by turning the slipper upside down into palm of your hand. Carefully ease the fabric slipper away from the gumpaste. Then turn slipper right side up. Carefully tuck 1/2" overlap of gumpaste under the slipper sole

STEP 5-

Remove plastic wrap and styrofoam ball from shoe. roll out some white gumpaste to 1/8" thickness. Lay dried shoe on top and cut around to make the sole piece, also cut a small piece to fit inside the instep of shoe. Glue on with gum glue and allow to dry completely.

STEP 6-

Make some pink gumpaste strips for the ribbons. Attach with gum glue to sides of shoe and overlap a bit to inside of shoe. Arrange strips into a furled ribbon look. I did the top stitches and little bow with gumpaste in a clay extruder and attached with gum glue. Allow to dry completely and then dust with super pearl luster dust for sheen. These shoes will fit on the top of a 10" round cake.

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

Black Cherry Fudge

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:32:00 +0000

This recipe begin as an experiment.

Having found fresh black cherry juice at the market, I began to search for

recipes including it as an ingredient. I found very few.

But the taste of the juice was so good, I just had to try to use it in a recipe,

especially with Valentine's Day on the calendar!

I started by working with my old tried and true "Never Fail" fudge recipe and adjusted the ingredients. While mixing the cherry and evaporated milk, the color turned a disappointing light brown, so I added red powdered food color. You can also use red liquid color until you reach a pink color. The color, while cooking, turned a very deep red; but by the time the other ingredients were added, it became a pleasant shade of pink.

The end result was a creamy, sweet fudge with a nice blend of tartness from the dried cherries. After tasting the mixture while cooking, I opted for the almond extract. I highly recommend using it to flavor the fudge. It really compliments the cherries.

Try it and let me know what you think!

Black Cherry Fudge

Ingredients

1/4 cup Black Cherry Juice

Evaporated Canned Milk

1-1/2 cups Granulated Sugar

2 Tablespoons Butter

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp Red powdered Food Coloring

1/2 tsp Vanilla or Almond Extract

1-1/2 cups (9 oz) White Chocolate chips

2 cups (4 oz) Mini-Marshmallows

3/4 cup Dried Cherries

1/2 cup Slivered Blanched Almonds

Instructions:

Begin by preparing an 8x8" pan by generously rubbing the bottom and sides with butter.

Chop cherries into fine pieces.

Mix together with slivered almonds in a small bowl; Set aside.

In a measuring cup, pour cherry juice to measure 1/4 cup.

Add evaporated canned milk to the cherry juice to measure 2/3 cup.

Stir in food color.

Pour into a 2 quart saucepan.

Add butter,sugar and salt; stirring continuously

over medium heat until mixture starts to boil.

When the mixture begins to boil, stir constantly for 6-8 minutes.

Remove from heat and quickly stir in vanilla or almond extract, mini-marshmallows,

and white chocolate chips until completely melted. Stir in cherries and almonds.

Pour into prepared pan, and allow to cool completely.

Cut into squares and enjoy.
Happy Valentine's Day!

Recipe and Photos by Jacque Benson

Ganaching a Cake--The Upside Down Method by Eleanor Heaphy

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:59:00 +0000

Ganaching a Cake

the upside-down method

1. Cut cake into three even layers, flip the layer which was the top of the baked cake over and attach to a base board (the same size as the tin the cake was baked in) with ganache. Spread ganache over the (now) bottom layer and then add the next (middle) layer of cake. Spread with ganache and then flip the last layer (what was the bottom of the baked cake) over and place on the top of the ganached layer.
The bottom of the baked cake becomes the top, flat surface.

2. Spread some softened white chocolate ganache on a larger “work” board. Attach layered cake (on its base board) to the workboard. Leave to set or put in fridge for a few minutes (no more).

3. Trim all around the sides of the cake ensuring a 5mm gap between cake and base board- we will fill this gap with ganache.

4. Apply ganache thickly to the outside of the cake, ensuring that you bring the ganache slightly above the top edge of the cake.

5. Use a metal scraper (or straight edge) to remove the excess ganache from the sides of the cake. Place the bottom edge of the scraper against the base board and hold scraper completely perpendicular to the cake side. The bottom edge of the scraper should remain completely in contact with the workboard as you scrape. A turntable is useful here.

6. Fill any gaps around the sides and scrape again- repeat process until the sides are smooth and perfectly straight.

7. Using a spatula tip the top edge of the excess ganache over and smooth out towards middle of the cake.

8. Add additional ganache to the top of the cake if required and make top of the cake as smooth and level as possible. Chill in fridge for 10 mins to firm up.

9. Prepare a large square board, covering with florist’s cellophane. Using sticky tape on the paper side of the board, stick sides down, stretching the cellophane tightly. Then use scissors to cut cellophane off at corners.

10. Soften some ganache slightly in the microwave. It should be pourable but not too runny. Spread a circle of ganache 0.5 to 1 cm thick over the prepared board. The circle should be slightly larger than the cake.

11. Take the cake out of the fridge and flip over onto the circle of ganache. Working quickly, use a spatula to loosen the seal between the base board and the work board and remove workboard (we will reattach this later). Using a spirit level on the topside of the cake (ie against the bottom of the baseboard) move cake around on softened ganache until the top is perfectly level. Leave cake undisturbed until bottom layer of ganache is firm, but not hard.

12. Scrape around the outside of the cake once again, use a heated spatula if necessary.

13. Scrape and fill sides until they are perfectly smooth and straight. Reattach workboard to top with a little ganache. Turn upside down and place in fridge for ½ an hour.

14. Remove cake from fridge and use a knife to cut through sticky tape attaching cellophane to board. Remove square board.

15. Carefully peel back cellophane.

16. Fill any small gaps caused by air bubbles on top of the cake. Leave to set up at room temperature for 12 hours before covering with fondant.

COPYRIGHT Cakeage Pty Ltd 2011

This tutorial was published with permission from the author,

Eleanor Heaphy

This tutorial may not to be reproduced without

permission from the author.

Earlene Moore's Enhanced Fondant Lace Tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:33:00 +0000

"I consider lace to be one of the prettiest imitations ever made of the fantasy of nature; lace always evokes for me those incomparable designs which the branches and leaves of trees embroider across the sky, and I do not think that any invention of the human spirit could have a more graceful or precise origin."

~ Coco Chanel~

This tutorial, by Earlene Moore, shows us how to use her wonderful, new, enhanced lace molds -

WHAT MAKES THESE MOLDS DIFFERENT?

Designs are already over piped for you to give you more dimension in the lace pattern.

Bottom (blank) pattern on each mold for marking your sugar dough.

"Blade" around the top of each design for trimming your sugar dough fast and easy.
The firm ridge around the top of each design is what is called the "blade"
.. .... .

HOW TO USE ENHANCED LACE MOLDS -

1. Roll out the dough slightly thicker than the thickness for flowers. I normally do flower petals on the #5 setting on my pasta machine. The #4 thickness is good for the lace pieces. All pasta machines are not created equal - yours may be better on another thickness setting.

If you don't have a pasta machine, you can roll the dough out between 2 - 1/8" skewers Then roll it thinner - to about 1/2 that thickness

2. Imprint design outline using the back of the mold on your sugar dough. Imprint multiple patterns to cut apart

3. Cut around one imprinted design.

4. Very Important

Dust the bottom side of the sugar dough to be placed down into the mold with a knee hi stocking filled with cornstarch.

Don't dust the mold - dust the sugar dough

Lay rolled sugar piece on top of the mold - cornstarch dusted side down.

5. Using a small rolling pen - roll over the top of this sugar piece multiple times with light pressure until "blade" has trimmed the mold

6. Remove excess dough from around the mold

7. Press around the edges of the mold rolling the fingers in toward the center as your press firmly

8. Press firmly over the entire surface to imprint the design into your sugar piece.

If more detail is needed try using a stencil brush with a rubber band around the bristles of the brush

9. To remove the sugar piece from the molds. Turn the mold upside down on a clean surface. Encourage one edge to begin to release the dough and roll back the mold away from the dough.

Scrunch the molded piece if you need it to be a little smaller. Stretch it slightly if you need it a little larger.

Troubleshooting Tips:

If you don't get enough detail it could be
1. You didn't press hard enough
2. Your sugar dough was to firm
You can always place the sugar piece
back into the mold and press firmer.
Because the pattern to these molds is significant -
the sugar paste will fit right back into the pattern.
Molds can be used with Isomalt, fondant,
gumpaste, chocolate and more

Handy Tip:

If you want to mold a chocolate piece
with the silicone molds
- warm the mold before filling
with warm chocolate.

Extending Design Elements:

Using individual elements in the molds and Enhancing the designs.

All the molds have elements in them that can be used separately as a design enhancer.

Here are the steps to this cake design elements.

1. Imprint just the portion of the mold you will need.

2. Press into the mold

3. Trim around the design element needed angling in with a cutting wheel.

4. Neaten up the edges with the cutting wheel or a dresden/veining tool.

On the above photo, the full mold is used for the sides, but only the tip of the "Carolyn" mold is used for the next row up.
The bottom half of the mold is used for the center fill in design.

The only mold used on this entire cake was the "Carolyn" enhanced mold.

ELEMENTS IN LACE MOLDS -

When purchasing a lace mold - look for all of the elements in that mold that can be separated and used independently

Betty Mold

Carolyn Mold

Peggy mold

Rebecca mold

Rosemary and Rose molds

Ruth mold

Sheila mold

Shirley Left and Right

The use of the molds make your design possibilities endless!!

The cake below was designed by Edna De La Cruz using Earlene's Enhanced Cake Molds.

Click here to see the gorgeous cakes created by other designers

using these wonderful lace molds.

And keep checking Earlene's Cakes
for new beautiful lace designs...
More b

Gumpaste Star

noreply@blogger.com (Edna De la Cruz) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 19:07:00 +0000

Key LIme Cookie Tree Centerpiece

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 04:32:00 +0000

Key Lime Cookie 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

Recipe inspired and adapted from

Lime Cookie Lights by Better Homes and Gardens

Gumpaste Fall Leaves by Edna De La Cruz

noreply@blogger.com (Edna De la Cruz) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:22:00 +0000

Let's Call it even!-Strategies for Baking Even Cake Layers

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0000

One thing I love as a baker is when the layers come out of the oven, not only

evenly baked, but level too!

Through the years, from here and there, I have picked up a few great tips

for baking those even layers. Through teachers, books, the internet and even Mom, I

have garnered a few tips along the way.
Hopefully these tips may help you become a happy baker too!

I start by cutting parchment paper to fit the inside of the pan. Using parchment paper helps keep the bottom of cake from baking too dark a crust, releasing the cake from the pan very easily.

Directions Here
for correctly cutting parchment liners.

Another tool I use is Baking Strips.
Before mixing the batter, just soak the strips in water for about 1/2 hour, then wring out excess water. These will be wrapped around the perimeter of the pan and will help to bake very even layers without humps.

The third baking tool that is essential for even baking is a heating core, especially when the cake pan measures 10" or more.

There are two type methods to ensure even baking in the center of your cake layer.

The first way uses a commerical heating core.

You can find these anywhere that sells Wilton supplies.

Prepare the pan and the heating core by either greasing the bottom and sides with vegetable shortening, then flouring the sides lightly; (or spray the bottom and sides with a prepared baking spray, such as Bake Easy, Baker's Joy with Flour , Baking Pam with Flour.)

2.Place a precut parchment paper over the bottom of pan. Grease or Spray the parchment paper lightly and place the prepared (greased and floured) heating core in the center of the pan.

3. Wrap the pan with damp Baking Strips, and secure with pin.

4. Pour the batter into your pan evenly, as well as into the heating core.

The second way to add a heating core to your pan is to use

an inverted stainless steel Flower Nail.

1. Grease and flour pan...or spray with Baking Spray.

2. Push Flower nail into the center of precut parchment paper.

3. Place on bottom of pan, and lightly grease or spray parchment paper and flower nail.

4. Pour the batter evenly in pan, already prepared with secured dampened baking strip.

5. Bake the cake layers in oven, leaving plenty of space for even baking air flow.

No matter what the recipe says, for the average cake, I check at 28 minutes.

Most cakes are fully baked with the 28-30 minute time frame, depending on the size and depth of the pan, as well as the density of the recipe.

6. When cake layers are fully baked, remove from oven onto a baking rack.

After about 5 minutes, remove the heating core by lifting out of the center.

Cover the pans with waxed paper and invert onto baking rack to cool completely.

Once the layer is inverted, lift the flower nail from the center.

The parchment paper enables the removal without destroying the center of the layer.

Allow the layers to cool completely. See how beautifully even they are?

Place the cake from the heating core in the center, then cut even with

the height of the layer.

This is a german chocolate cake.

Once completely cooled,it will be filled with coconut pecan filling.

No leveling needed, nor humps cut from the middle.

Once filled, it was iced with a milk chocolate ganache.

After chilling well, the cake was glazed with a bittersweet ganache.

So by adding a few steps at the beginning,

I was able to eliminate a few messy steps before stacking the cake!

Happy Baking!

Daisies, My Way by Glenda Galvez

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:28:00 +0000

This week's tutorial is offered by Glenda Galvez.

Glenda, owner of Aunt Glenda's Cakes, is an amazing cake artist to the 'nth degree, and fabulous demonstrator and former president of the International Cake Exploration Societe.

Thank you Glenda!

Interested in more of Glenda's instructional tutorials?

Visit her website!
Aunt Glenda's Cakes

Sugar Glass Butterflies by Jennifer Dontz

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 14:12:00 +0000

I am SUPER excited to bring you this tutorial. This extremely EASY process, makes the most beautiful crystal look butterflies and leaves I've ever seen.

Let's get started!

1. Using isomalt sticks, melt them in the microwave. You need a container that will take the hot sugar. Be careful not to burn the sugar. Cook it just until melted. Once melted, let it sit on the counter for a couple minutes. This will bring the air bubbles to the surface.

ALWAYS wear some sort of glove when working with hot sugar. You can easily whip that glove off, but not your skin, if you get some on it :-) I like to use the Wilton measuring cups. They work well for me, but I am not endorsing them. Use at your own risk.

Pour one of each side of the butterfly wings. You can use Americolors to color your sugar. Drop color into hot sugar, wait for it to stop sizzling and then gently stir it in.

Here's a link to the isomalt sticks.
Isomalt Sticks
(This link is to the clear ones but we also handle some very pretty colors as well.)

2. Taking a Show Peel mat, pour some of the hot sugar on to the surface and quickly spread it to all the out edges of the mold, using a toothpick.

If it hardens to fast, you can quickly take a small torch like a cream brulee torch, and heat it back up. You shouldn't hurt the mold if you do it quickly. Let it dry.

Here's a link to the mini bugs Show Peel :

3. Peel the mold off and you now have two butterfly wings.

4. Taking the two wings, dip each one just a bit down at the center of each wing where it would touch the body, into the hot sugar. I would say dip it around 1/8" into the hot sugar. Taking the two wings press them together in the middle and the sugar will compress and make a body. Do this directly on the Show Peel mat or a silpat mat if you have one. At this stage you could add some stamens if you wanted. We just got in some super fine stamens from overseas. They are very hard to find and would be perfect for this.

Here's a link to the stamens:

Isn't it simply GORGEOUS!!! I put the vein side down but you can put them together however you wish. Here's one on a cake (you just attach it with a small amount of hot sugar):

We also have another Show Peel mat that has gorgeous leaves on it.

You could make beautiful crystal leaves for your wedding cakes.

It's the same process as above. If you take the piece off of the mat while it's still a little warm, you can gently bend and conform it they way you want the shape to be. Or you can hit it with the torch as well.

You can do this with the butterflies as well if you don't want the wings perfectly straight.

Here's a link to the beautiful assorted leaf Show Peel

Keep in mind, both of these mats have several shapes/forms on them. If you click on the picture on our site, it will give you an idea of size. Each mat is about the size of a normal piece of paper. Here's the mini bugs mats up close:

And the assorted leaves: (I think the leaves with the bubble in them would look great on seaside cakes)

Also, some tips when working with sugar:

You shouldn't take a container that has hot sugar in it and then add cold sticks to remelt in the microwave.
All sugar in the container needs to be the same temperature. You can burn the sugar that is already hot by doing this.
In order to keep the nice shine to these, you need to do one of the following. Either spray with with edible lacquer or brush clear confectioners glaze on it or mix a 50/50 mix of baking soda and vodka and apply. I have not tried any of the above, but will be trying all of them :-)
Also, isomalt is diabetic candy. So if someone wishes to eat it, they should only eat a small amount. Consuming a bunch can give one a stomach ache.

Have fun with this!

What a wonderful, EASY method for creating hot sugar pieces without the hassle of cooking to temperature.

I'm am quite sure you will WOW your customers with these!

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial.

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

The material and photos contained in this post may not be copied and republished in any form without permission from the author.

Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Fiddlesticks) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 02:40:00 +0000

This is by far one of the best Strawberry cakes out there!

It is moist and bursting with flavor not to mention the cream cheese icing that puts it over the top .

You have to admit it looks awful pretty too!

Strawberry Cake with

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

1 18.25-ounce box white cake mix

1 3-ounce box strawberry-flavored instant gelatin

15 ounces frozen strawberries in sugar, thawed and pureed

4 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

Combine cake mix and gelatin in a large bowl.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat in pureed strawberries, eggs, oils, and water until smooth.

Pour batter into pans, dividing the batter equally between them.( I used 2- 8 inch pans.)

Bake 25-30 minutes at 350 until a wooden pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool in pans 15 minutes. Then, remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

3 ounces frozen strawberries in sugar, thawed and pureed

6 cups confectioners’ sugar

strawberries for garnish (optional)

With an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy.
Beat in strawberries.
Gradually add confectioners’ sugar and beat until smooth.
Spread frosting on cake, covering between layers, on top, and on the sides.
Garnish with fresh strawberries.

Recipe from Bake or Break

Photography by Diane Marks

Sparkling Summer Sugar Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 19:44:00 +0000

Sparkling Summer Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

Butter Cookie Dough

1 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt ( omit if using salted butter)

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

2-3 drops orange oil

2 cups+2 Tblsp all purpose flour

1/3 cup finely ground pecans or almonds

Large Gumdrops ( discard the black )

Colored Sanding sugar

With an electric mixer, cream butter with granulated and brown sugar. Beat in egg.

Add vanilla and orange oil. Gradually mix in flour.

Mix ground almonds with confectioners sugar. Add to dough.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill well for easier handling.

If when rolling or cutting with cookie the dough becomes too soft, simply chill for about 10 minutes.

When ready to roll out, divide dough into 4 pieces.

Place between sheets of wax paper and roll very thin, about 1/8".

Remove the top sheet of wax paper.

Using a 3" Blossom cookie cutter, cut Flower shaped cookies.

Lift away excess dough, gathering scraps.

Wrap unused dough in plastic wrap and keep chilled,

repeating process until all dough is used.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Flip cookies onto parchment paper and gently remove wax paper.

Bake in a 325 degree oven for 9-10 minutes.

While cookies are baking, cut gumdrops

horizontally about 3/4 way down using clean scissors.

Place the gumdrops cut side down on plastic wrap.

Set aside.

When edges of the cookies become a golden brown,

remove from oven and slide parchment with cookies onto a cooling rack.

Immediately place the gumdrops, cut side down, in the center of the cookies.

While still warm, sprinkle the perimeter of the cookies with

a colored sanding sugar. I chose pink.

Remove from parchment paper with a spatula onto a cooling rack

and cool completely.

Arrange on a pretty plate and enjoy the glittering cookies.

You know how fairies love sparkly things and sweets, so leave

a few out for them tonight too!

Tutorial and Photography by Jacque Benson

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

Making a curved board for your cakes

noreply@blogger.com (Denise) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 21:30:00 +0000


Tailor

I recently made a wedding cake for my niece, Tailor. She wanted a cake with piping, not molded lace. I showed her some cakes that I had done in the last year with royal icing piped details and we designed her a small cake. I wanted the board to be curved up - not flat and since this was for a family member and a gift, I could essentially "play" with this cake.

The bottom cake was a 12" cake that was on a 1/2 piece of foam core board cut to the exact size of the cake. Make a batch of royal icing (I think you could use chocolate in the cooler months or even buttercream to do this with.)


Royal Icing

I then used a 13", 14" and 15" round pans turned upside down

(so that I was actually drawing a slightly bigger circle) and cut them out.

Dab Royal Icing on the bottom board and add the next size to the top of it and then do the same to the next board. Let dry til set.

Fill in between the boards with royal icing, smoothing as you go

Go around the board holding your palette knife at an angle to completely fill in the spaces between the boards.

Set it aside and let it dry to the touch.

This can be made way in advance or the day of the wedding.

Cover the board with fondant and mark the center the same size as the cake.

Cut the center out and remove the fondant circle where the cake will be set.

Dab in royal icing to hold the cake in place.

Place cake into the opening on the board.

I then ran a bead of royal icing around the seam. I then sectioned it off to add in the lattice and pearls.

I added pressed lace pieces below the lattice, piped a ruffle with a shell on top of that, used a pressed flower petunia (you can get the lace piece and petunia cutter/veiner from Jennifer Dontz's Sugar Delites. I piped royal icing details and used luster dust to bring out a pearl sheen to the board. I added a piece of tasseled gimp to the edge of the board to finish it off.

Voila!!!! A board that is very romantic and part of the cake decor.

Tutorial and Photography by Denise Talbot

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

Winner of SugarEd Productions DVD giveaway!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:40:00 +0000

Thank you to all who participated in this special giveaway.

All verifiable comments were collected, alloted a number and submitted to the RANDOM.ORG website.

There a winning number was drawn at random.
The winning comment resulted in the winner.

And the Winner is....

Faith Brown

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:10Powered by RANDOM.ORG

And she has chosen the "Art of Perfecting Buttercream" DVD!!

Congratulations Faith!

A Big Thank you to Sharon Zambito of SugarEd Productions

for her generous gift.

It was fun to have a little Christmas celebration

in the middle of the year.

Well, even if you didn't win a free DVD doesn't mean you cannot have one of these special

tutorial DVDs.

From Sharon's first dvd,

Perfecting the Art of Buttercream

to her latest "Book Smarts"

you can own a fabulous comprehensive tutorial today.

Visit SugarEd Productions and

order your own Tutorial!!

It's like having a private teacher

in your own kitchen!

Flowering Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:56:00 +0000

Flowering Cupcakes

You will need:

5 plastic disposable piping bags with couplers

Piping tubes # 102, #104, #9, #66, #349

Rose, Moss green, Yellow, and Purple coloring pastes.

*Cupcakes

** Decorator Frosting

Remove 1 cup of icing and place in a separate bowl. Cover with plastic wrap.

Divide the remainder of icing into 4 equal parts into four separate bowls. Color each of them, using the pastes.

Cover each with plastic wrap to protect until ready to use.

Insert couplers into plastic piping bags.

Dip a bamboo stick or toothpick into the purple paste. Make a 5” line of color along the

sides of bag. Fill bag about 1/3 full with purple icing. Place the #349 tip

on coupler and screw into place.

Dip a knife or spatula in rose paste and make a line down the center of bag.
Fill bag ½ full with rose icing. Use the #104 tip on this bag.

Fill the last three bags with white, yellow and green.

Use the #66 for green, #102 for white, #9 for yellow.

Wisteria

With the green icing, place the tip on the cupcake. Positioning bag at an angle, squeeze icing as you pull bag to create leaves at the perimeter of the cupcake.

With purple icing, place tip on the edge of cupcake. Positioning bag at an upward angle, squeeze and pull just as you did the leaves.

Continue process above the first row of petals, overlapping them, as shown.

This is the finished cupcake. One using the streaked bag technique, the other without.

________________________________________

Daisy

With white icing, place tip, with narrow side down, touching cupcake. Starting 1” from the edge, position bag at a high angle, squeezing and pulling into a “U” shape to create

daisy petals. Continue until one row of petals is complete.

Using same technique, start from ½” from center of cupcake and create the second row of petals, overlapping the first row.

With the yellow icing, place tip in the center and squeeze making a ball.

Using green icing, make a few leaves around the perimeter of the cupcake.

______________________________________

Rose

Using Rose icing, With cupcake in one hand and piping bag in the other, touch rounded end of tip to the center of cupcake.

With bag positioned at a slight angle,

turn the cupcake as you squeeze the icing making a cone.

Repeat this again over the top of cone overlapping the end, creating a center for the rose.

With tip at a vertical angle and bag horizontal, squeeze and pull a petal as shown.

Continue process around the cupcake, overlapping petals as you go.

Add Leaves using the green icing by inserting the tip just under the petal at the perimeter of the cupcake.

Remove tip, clean well, and change out piping tube on yellow icing. Make yellow rose

on top of cupcake using the same process shown above.

_______________________________________________________________

Recipes

* Strawberry Cupcake Recipe

1 Box Classic White Cake mix

½ cup water

½ cup vegetable oil

1 3oz box strawberry flavored gelatin

4 large eggs

½ cup crushed frozen strawberries

In a mixing bowl, stir together Cake mix, water, oil and gelatin. Beating with an electric mixer, add eggs. Beat 5 minutes and stir in strawberries. Blend well.

Ladle cake batter into cupcake cups placed in muffin tin. Bake at 325 for 15-18 minutes.

It is ready when a toothpick inserted in the center of cupcake comes out clean.

Cool completely before decorating.

Strawberry Glaze (The glaze is optional, but I like the added layer of flavor it adds to the cupcakes)

2 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar

1 Tablespoon milk

3-4 Tablespoons crushed strawberries

In
a bowl combine milk and sugar. Add strawberries, one tablespoon at a
time until it becomes a thin consistency for glazing cupcakes.

**Cream Cheese Decorators Icing

1 8oz package cream cheese, room temperature

1 lb. butter, room temperature

½ cup shortening

¼ cup hot water

¼ cup powdered coffee creamer

1 tsp vanilla

2 lbs 10x confectioners sugar

Pink, purple, moss green, and yellow coloring pastes

1. Using a standing electric mixer, cream together butter, shortening and cream cheese at medium speed.

2. Mix together hot water and powdered creamer.

3. Add creamer mixture, one tablespoon at a time, to the butter/cream cheese. Add vanilla. Mix together at lowest speed until incorporated, the increase mixer speed to med and whip for 30 seconds.

4. With mixer at low speed, gradually add 1 lb of confectioner’s sugar. Incorporate well, then gradually add remaining sugar. Icing should be a thick consistency for decorating.

If too thin, add more powdered sugar.

Tutorial and Photography by Jacque Benson

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

Mame's Carrot Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Mame) — Wed, 18 May 2011 03:16:00 +0000

Mame’s Carrot Cake Recipe

Mame’s Recipe from Eileen 1978

Sift together:

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1-1/2 tsp. baking soda

1-1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

Mix:

2 cups sugar

1-1/2 cups oil or [1-1/2 cups applesauce]

Add:

4 eggs or [1 cup Eggbeaters]

2 cups finely grated carrots

1-8 oz. can crushed pineapple [drained]

1/2 cup chopped nuts

3-1/2 oz. can flaked coconut

1 cup raisins [optional]

Bake at 350 degrees in 3 - 9"round pans for 35- 40 minutes.

Cool cakes completely before frosting.

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla

1-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 lb. confectioners’ sugar [about 3-1/2 cups]

Beat all ingredients until smooth.

Mame's note: I have whipped heavy whipping cream to stiff peaks and folded it into the Cream Cheese Icing and it was awesome. Sorry I didn't measure, I just winged it; but the consistency is not meant for decorating as it is much too thin. But OH so YUMMO!!
***
Photography by Mame Recckio Wolfe
Copyright 2011
May not be reproduced without permission.

Hello Stripes!

noreply@blogger.com (Rhonda Christensen) — Tue, 03 May 2011 04:15:00 +0000

I was trying to figure out how to make a Hello Kitty for a grown daughter and not make it too child like. Not really sure if I accomplished that or not, but this is the result. I had no fondant, but did have gumpaste and chocolate.

While I was scouring the internet for some ideas, I came across this striping effect for the cake. Thought I would try it out and I loved it!!!

Here I used a vanilla cake recipe and tinted it pink and a chocolate cake recipe. My batter was very thick, so I would suggest using something a little more thin.

I used a 1/2 cup measuring cup for this one, but if you want the stripes to be even closer and have a thinner batter, use about 3 tablespoons for each color. If you are making more than one pan, make sure you do them at the same time so the batter will come out more evenly.

Keep alternating the two different batters until you have the pan half full.

Since this was so thick, I did had to tap it down after each addition.

Here it is just out of the oven. Well after I took the cake out, it sank!! I used an eggless recipe and I always have trouble with them! Sorry, but you still get the idea for the cake. ;0)

Here is the inside! Oh man that is a lot of cookies and cream filling!! lol!! The effect is totally different then just marbling the batter. It would be so fun to experiment with different colors and flavors!!

I then iced the cake with buttercream icing. I let the icing set up for a couple of hours before hand painting stripes using luster dust and alcohol.

Then I had to try out some disco dust for the first time! Oooo it's so fun, but messy! Can't wait to use it again!

I have a candy mold that I used for the gem border. I didn't like the pink color of this chocolate, so I used some magenta petal dust mixed with alcohol and then sprinkled pink disco dust on them.

Each gem was painted and dusted singly.

I added the gems around the top and bottom border. I thought it kink of looked more like a drum. Oh well!

I also made the Kitty and the "K" out of gumpaste. The "K" was also sprinkled with disco dust before adding it to the cake. Small pink isomalt gems were sprinkled on the top. This was a fun cake to experiment with and the birthday girl and her daughter loved it.

Easter Egg Marshmallow Pies

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 14:38:00 +0000

This Easter, I wanted to put something special into my grandchildren's Easter baskets.
I tried to think of something that they might like to eat, yet different than a sugar cookie.
Then remembering my favorite Moon Pie treats as a child,
I pondered just how to recreate them using an Easter theme.

Since these needed to be made ahead to package into the baskets, I needed a marshmallow filling that would not ruin. Kraft made it easy for me by introducing Jumbo Egg Mallows--large pastel colored egg shaped marshmallows.
Thank you Kraft!
After altering an old nutmeg cookie recipe from my Charlotte Turgeon cookbook,
all that was left to do was dip them in pastel colored confectioners melts and decorate.

I inserted straws into the filling of my "Moon Pies" so that they can be easily placed upright into the Baskets, but you can make them without using the straws if you like.

To make these Easter Egg Marshmallow Pies, you will need:

I recipe Almond Nutmeg Cookies
3-1/2" egg shaped cookie cutter

Jumbo Egg shaped Easter Marshmallows

Pastel confectioner's melts
Vegetable shortening
Colored Straws (opt-- to insert into basket )

5 Plastic disposable piping bags

#1, #3 piping tubes

Sparkling sugar

Sprinkles (opt)
Pastel candies (opt)

Almond Nutmeg Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

6 tablespoons Half & Half cream

3 tablespoons honey

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and sugar together. Mix half&half with honey; set aside.

Sift together flour, nutmeg and salt. Add the flour mixture alternately with the liquids until thoroughly blended together. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill well.

Cut 3 rectangles of parchment paper to fit baking sheet.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Divide dough in half, keeping one half chilled. On parchment paper, roll the other half quite thin and cut cookies using a 4" egg shaped cookie cutter.

Gather scraps and chill.

Repeat with second half of dough, then scraps until all dough is used.

Place in center of oven and bake 6-8 minutes until edges are slightly browned.

While the cookies are in the oven, on a piece of waxed paper, flatten the marshmallows using a rolling pin.

When cookies are ready, remove from oven.

While still hot, turn half of the cookies upside down and place marshmallows, sandwiching between two cookies; gently press cookie on top.

( If your hands are sensitive to heat, place a clean cloth on cookie for protection ).

Insert straw into the center off soft filling.

Set cookies aside, and
allow to cool thorougly.

(Don't worry if some of the marshmallow melts over the side.
Once completely cooled, you can spray a pair of clean scissors with non-stick spray and easily cut the cooled marshmallow even with the edges of the cookie.)

Melt confectioners melts in a chocolate pot or double boiler. Thin melts to a glazing consistency by adding vegetable shortening, one tablespoon at a time.

If you used straws, insert bamboo skewer into straw for support.
Holding cookie over pan, spoon melted pastel colored confectioner's melts over moon pies.

Allow to cool, then turn over and repeat process on the other side.

Remove bamboo skewer and place on waxed paper until cooled and confectioners' melts have set up.

Prepare piping bags with #1 and #3 piping tubes. Fill bags with melted colored confectioners melts.
Pipe lines, dots, squiggles, loops or scallops in contrasting colors.

Decorate your Easter Egg Moon Pies with sparkling sugar, contrasting colors, or pastel

candies or sprinkles.

Just have fun and be creative!

When ready to put into Basket, cover Easter Eggs with a cellophane bag and tie with a ribbon.

***

Tutorial and Photography by Jacque Benson
All Rights Reserved
This material may not be reproduced without permission from the author.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Fiddlesticks) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:22:00 +0000

For all you Banana bread lovers out there ,

This is by far the best recipe I have made to date.

Super simple and you probably already have all the ingredients on hand!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

The cinnamon and chocolate chips are the surprise flavors in this quick bread!

Ingredients

1-1/4 cup sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter…. softened ( I used margarine)
2 eggs 1/2 cup milk
3-4 mashed bananas ( I used 4)
1 tsp vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon ( I used 2)
1/4 – 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (I used 3/4 cup)
walnuts if desired

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together sugar and butter; add eggs one at a time.

Mix in milk, bananas and vanilla.

Stir in dry ingredients. *do not over mix the batter. You don’t want it smooth.

Over mixing the batter will give you tough, rubbery bread.

Pour into greased loaf pans. ( made 2 loafs)

Bake until bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean,

about 60 mins for regular loaf pan, or 30 mins for mini loaves

NOTE……My regular sized loaf pans only took about 35 minutes..

Recipe from

http://tidymom.net/2011/chocolate-chip-banana-bread-recipe/

Photography by Diane Marks

Sleight of hand- The Topsy Turvy Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 02:24:00 +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

St Patrick’s Day Pistachio Candy

noreply@blogger.com (Jacque) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 19:30:00 +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!

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