Gateaux Rose

Birthday Cakes for Wee Ones?

2012-01-23T15:17:00.000-05:00

Yes!! I love making special cakes for adorable little ones.

This teddy cake was requested by a friend, who's little tot turned one last week.

( She's the cutest gal you've ever seen. Seriously. Cuteness galore.)

Happy Happy First Birthday Haley!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

2011-12-31T18:01:00.000-05:00

A big hug and a raise of my wine glass to you all - This has been a most amazing year! I've never felt so optimistic about the future, which is a wonderful feeling to have on the eve of a brand new year.

I hope you all have a safe and joyful evening, and have the chance to reflect on your wishes for 2012.

HAPPY HAPPY TWENTY TWELVE TO YOU ALL!!!

The Yule Stump!

2011-12-26T13:22:00.000-05:00

After a frenzy of 14 cakes for Christmas, I had little time to make the genoise required for a traditional yule log. I opted instead to double a batch from one of my banana cakes, made a little extra salted caramel, and chocolate hazelnut mousseline. With the addition of a few fondant mushrooms, acorns and holly, I was quickly able to put together the yule log's close relation - the yule stump.

Happy Holidays To You All!

CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE!

2011-12-25T13:11:00.000-05:00

Merrrry Christmas, one and all! May your

lawns be littered with reindeer tracks,

and your stocking filled with tasty treats.

Here's a few quick snaps of the 14 cakes from yesterday,

just before they found their way to happy recipients.

2011-12-18T14:53:00.000-05:00

I'm taking the day off to enjoy some sunday holiday preparations. Sorry email land. Sorry kitchen projects. I'm heading over to mother's house, and she's going to feed us a loving feast.

Pale Gold Stretch J... Martells $55.00	READY TO SHIP 8x10 ... maybesparrowsp... $15.00	sequined gold party... wytheshop $85.00	Citrine and Copper ... Phyr $50.00
High waisted Gold s... BOODWAH $20.00	Vintage Style Spun ... VintagebyCryst... $25.00	60s White Gold Spar... heartcity $50.00	30% Off Sale - Circ... honeytree $21.00
English Robin- Hand... SwallowAndTwig $24.00	Gold Paper Christma... PenguinCraft $21.00	set of three rag ba... FreeRangeGoat $9.00	gold heels (us 7.5 ... brownbagvintag... $28.00
Malt and cream pico... thegildedbee $3.99	Pizzelle Cookie Sug... madcitysue $7.50	SALE 15% Leather ba... Adeleshop $160.00	Perplexed Monkey Gr... benconservato $5.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

I took a few minutes this morning to noodle around with the etsy treasury, and compiled a list of favourite things. Take special note of the english robin ring made by swallow and twig - that gal is one super amazing talented lady. (!!!)

Happy Sunday, friends.

Oh Fun - Christmas Candy!!!

2011-12-12T10:55:00.002-05:00

I ADORE this time of year... don't you? My tree is up and glowing with twinkly lights, and my favourite Christmas music on, following my every step in the kitchen.

(and NO Mariah Carey's allowed - nope. I'll just stick to the classics.)

Here's a batch of divinity candy I made.

These are soft, billowy and perfectly sweet squares

that I've spiced with spicy candied walnuts.

and here's this year's favourite holiday discovery - CANDY COAL!!

This traditional Spanish candy is often flavoured with almond extract, but I opted

for star anise for a great licorice scent and flavour.

!!trufflestrufflestrufflestruffles!!

Above, I've rolled them in cocoa, and below I've rolled them

in crushed french macaron's. yes.

And lastly, peppermint salt water taffy.

If you're going to make this at home,

make sure you have a nice clean set of fibre

free gloves.. or prepare yourself for some ouchy hands.

This candy is a workout that really worth while.

Wrap you finished pieces in waxed paper,

or as I've done, unbleached parchment paper.

Nouveau Ruffle Cake!

2011-12-10T20:51:00.001-05:00

Cake bloggers the world over have been producing versions of a ruffled cake, piped with silky ribbons of buttercream that look somewhat like traditional Christmas ribbon candy. These cakes are super pretty, but I wanted to adjust the icing to cake ratio (4" of icing is a little on the heavy side if you ask me..) so here's my alternative. Ain't it purdy?

This was a rich ginger cake (with almost 200 grams of fresh minced ginger!!) drizzled with homemade salted caramel and finished with European caramel buttercream. I probably stole 1/2 cup of batter from this cake and baked it up in cupcake form...um, hello breakfast.

Gateaux Rose At The Fair!

2011-12-06T22:06:00.001-05:00

Time to fill your Holiday stockings with Gateaux Rose!

2011-11-26T17:33:00.000-05:00

Big Footed Macs, and Wedding Guides.

2011-11-18T23:21:00.001-05:00

The Internet is absolutely crawling with experts in french macarons, so in hopes that one of you will take pity on these poor, disfigured macs, I am offering them up for display. I'm opening up the lines to any tips or tricks on how to avoid what has been a source of significant head pounding... the inevitable string of macs with huge feet. WHYYYYYYYY?!?!?! (my last theory that I'll explore, is that my oven isn't perfectly level)

In brighter news, the Duly Noted Wedding guide published an article on my thoughts on alternatives to tiered wedding cakes. I'm so thrilled with how this came out. Honestly, this is very exciting.

Click here to read the article for yourselves :)

oh November, you're so purdy..

2011-11-02T20:35:00.000-04:00

Black and White Halloween Cupcakes (and shards of sugar glass)

2011-10-25T19:04:00.000-04:00

The owl inspected his surroundings, and was content with what he found.

He found the tornado cupcake, a graveyard cupcake, a black flag cupcake, and a nest with black eggs that looked more like spaghetti and meatballs cupcake.

(meatballs/eggs = chocolate covered cranberries dipped in candy)

He then moved onto the next series of cupcakes, and was equally impressed.

If you look carefully, you'll see that there are pieces of "broken glass" (or delicious sugar candy!!)
stuck into each mound of icing.

The owl hoarded all of the cupcakes to himself, and enjoyed each and every one of them.

It was his happiest Halloween yet.

The End.

Halloween Candy Apples and Cakes

2011-10-24T14:59:00.001-04:00

I ADORE CANDY APPLES!!!!

And those shouting capital letters are not an exaggeration.

The bright glassy skin of a candied apple is so pretty that it's nearly hypnotic,

so don't judge if you catch me staring mindlessly at one for a few minutes.

If you want to try these for yourselves, I've included a few pointers

and a basic recipe at the bottom of this post.

Under the layer of vanilla bean icing lies four scrumptious layers of espresso chocolate cake, filled with sweet vanilla custard. The chocolate glaze is made from a mixture of dark chocolate, a touch of corn syrup, and cream. To add extra contrast, the chocolate glaze has been subtly tinted

with a pinch of black gel colouring.

Pouring this glaze over a white cake is infinitely satisfying, I can't express how fun

it is to watch the drippy globs form and set!

Picking your own fresh local apples is best when making candy apples - If you're using store bought, make sure you wash them clean from any waxy film used to coat the apples. After washing, wipe dry with a cloth - any residual water will cause bubbles to form under the candy coating. After dipping the apples, let them sit on parchment paper for a few minutes until the candy sets. I don't recommend having kids around for this project, nope, making candy can be dangerous. OUCHY!

Basic Candy Recipe for Apples:

3 cups of granulated sugar

1/2 cup of light corn syrup

1/2 cup of water

1 tsp of cinnamon

red and black food colouring.

Bring sugar, syrup and water to a boil. Brush sides of pot with water

so that sugar does not crystallize. When mixture reaches 250 on your candy thermometer, add the colour and favouring. Stir quickly to incorporate. Remove from heat and dip apples by rotating the skewered apple at an angle. Allow excess to drip for a few seconds, then place on parchment to set.
Stare, chomp, and enjoy!

Close Your Eyes, And Take A Bite...

2011-10-23T20:11:00.001-04:00

Because these beauties are delicious.

That's right boys and girls, these BRAINCAKES and SEVERED FINGER COOKIES make the perfect, not so wholesome snack.

I'll need to conduct further scientific tests, but my initial findings indicate that I experienced increased brain function and manual dexterity after consuming these treats. Want to further test my results? Go ahead, and bite in for yourselves....

I adapted my severed finger cookie recipe from Coffee and Vanilla, but replaced the almonds with peanut halves because I thought they looked more sickly. I also set the fingernail into the cookie before baking, then secured it after baking with red royal icing (brush excess icing along the edges of the nail, and the base of the cookie)

Want Gateaux Rose to take care of your Halloween treatery?

contact me for your custom cakes and cupcakes!

www.gateaux.rose@gmail.com

C'est L'Halloween!

2011-10-21T21:33:00.000-04:00

If you're hosting (or attending) a Halloween party on October 29th, 30th or 31st, make sure you're well prepared. Why not spook your friends with deliciously gruesome cupcakes or a stunningly evil cake? Let Gateaux Rose set the stage for your night with delectable fresh baked treats designed to

horrify and delight.

Recent Cakery

2011-10-02T15:03:00.001-04:00

And there's so sO SO SOOO much more to come!!!

I've really been interested in texturing cakes with different pastry tips. Above are a few examples, and below is the most recent, where I've piped the cake using a regular petal tip.

TRY IT! The effect is really lovely.

Nectarine Tart with Almond Nougatine

2011-10-02T15:03:00.000-04:00

Here's a simple and delicious recipe that your family might enjoy as canadian thanksgiving nears.

A Peach and nectarine tart with crisp almond nougatine makes a perfect afternoon indulgence alongside a good cup of coffee or tea.

Peach and Nectarine Tart with Almond Nougatine (adapted from David Lebovitz)
*substitute with other stone fruits or try with rhubarb, pears, or apples!

The Dough
3/4 sticks unsalted cold butter
1/2 cups of sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

The Filling
5 medium sized nectarines
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cream
tiny pinch of sea salt

Nougatine
2 large egg whites
1/4 cups of dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups of sliced almonds (I added more, but now feel 1 1/2 cups is plenty)

Grease the bottom of a 9" spring form pan, or pie plate.

In a medium sized bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth, then mix in egg yolks. Add sifted flour and salt and mix at low speed until just incorporated. Spread the dough into the base of your pie plate or pan using the palm of your hands. Rest the dough in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Wash, and cut nectarines int small wedges and place in a medium bowl. mix cream, vanilla and salt in a small bowl, then toss gently with nectarines.

Remove pan from freezer, and line with foil. Lay in a layer of pie weights (or dried beans) and bake for 5-10 minutes until dough has browned. Remove from oven and let cool.

Nougatine: Beat egg whites and brown sugar using a fork, add almonds and mix until almonds are coated in the mixture.

When the tart shell has cooled, add nectarine filling and top with Nougatine. Bake for 40 min until the nougatine is crisp.

Dancing Cats

2011-09-24T19:56:00.002-04:00

You're not allowed to criticize the following video.

I had no idea what I was doing while putting it together.

For every project here on in, you'll have my full permssion to heckle and complain,

but this one will be 100% boo hiss free.

Here it is: Dancing Cats!

Cupcake Mugshots

2011-09-14T18:34:00.000-04:00

The latest crop of cupcakes to come out of the kitchen... Dark chocolate cake, chocolate mousse filling, salted caramel mousseline and strawberry lemon mousseline.

YAY CUPCAKES!

Strawberry Orange Sandwich Cookies!

2011-09-12T21:22:00.002-04:00

Here's a recipe for a wonderful thin, soft, and brightly flavoured orange cookie that makes a great foundation for a sandwich cookie. I used a strawberry orange swiss meringue buttercream filling and tinted white chocolate as a topping - You can go ahead and fill these gems with ganache, lemon cream or whatever sweet filling you think compliments the orange cookies.

(adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine)

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 cups of of unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups of sugar

1 1/2 tsp pure orange extract

1/4 tsp best vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 375°

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift flour, salt and baking powder together. Whisk until well blended. Beat butter with a paddle attachment in your stand mixer (or hand blender) until light and creamy, add sugar, orange and vanilla extract and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, and mix until just incorporated. Add dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.

Using a spoon, drop small mounds of dough onto parchment lined cookie sheets, making sure cookies are separated by 3". Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the bottoms just start to brown. Remove from heat and let rest on the cookie sheets for 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack for cooling.

Snack, Share and Enjoy!

DIY Simple Celebrations: homemade sprinkles

2011-09-11T15:59:00.001-04:00

Simple perfection! Try this at home for an easy, yet adorable way to decorate your home baked confections. Simply tint your fondant using gel based colouring, and roll into tiny sprinkles using your fingertips. Allow 48 hours for drying and store in an airtight container/bag at room temp until use.

I used this exact technique last night after baking a "personal pan" birthday cake for my brother... no chance he'll be sharing this one!! I used a deliciously tender orange butter cake, and whipped up a batch of milk chocolate mousse for the filling. The icing? Old fashioned buttercream (see recipe below!) Use it sometime... it makes a perfectly light, sweet and creamy topping.

Old Fashioned Buttercream: 1 cup whipping cream, 2 teaspoons of best pure vanilla extract, 4 tablespoons of all purpose flour, 1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup superfine sugar, 1 pinch of sea salt.

Whisk flower, cream and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat for one minute. Remove from heat. Place plastic wrap directly over the cream's surface and set aside to cool. Whip butter and sugar into oblivion. Add cooled cream mixture to butter and add a pinch of salt. Continue whipping the icing until it thickens.

This icing is quite soft, and won't hold up to much decorating. Try this for your most delicious, imperfect and rustic cakes.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY THOMAS!!!

A Break From The Kitchen, In The Kitchen.

2011-07-18T19:29:00.001-04:00

You'll have to excuse me for neglecting the blog for a few weeks..

It's wedding season, and my mind has been focused on the romantic work at hand.

I have had a few opportunities however, to step away from the wedding bells and

make some nummy kitchen classics... Wanna see?

Here's my Cherry Clafoutis with whole cherries.

(once baked, the pits come out with very little effort)

This is a simple dessert that really rings my bell, especially when cherries are in season.

And here's my first ever batch of homemade Pop Tarts - perfect flaky butter pie crust

filled with chocolate espresso ganache and glazed with espresso glaze.

Um... wow.

Aaand Lavender macaron's with lemon curd filling - my macaron "feet" were

pretty small, but I'm still learning. Forgive my wee feet.

Mmm profiteroles filled with soft lemon cream, and finished with chapeau framboise

(commonly known as strawberries)

I ought to pinch and tweak a few of the recipes a bit before releasing them out into the world. BUT, if you've got a desperate need for pop tarts (or anything else I have pictured above) send me a note/ email and I'll give you what I have thus far :)

Summer Pavlova Recipe (and.. donuts?!)

2011-07-04T23:03:00.003-04:00

That's right. Doughnuts with Canadian maple sugar glaze.

And what do we have here?

Wee little pavlovas, hoping to catch your attention.

This little pavlova got carried away, and decorated himself with too many blueberries...

These crispy, fruity treats, make delightful summer desserts. Add them to your repertoire, and impress friends by serving individuals with personal sizes servings.

Top them with fresh berries and whipped cream!

Lime Curd

4 Limes, room temperature

1 1/2 cups of sugar

1 stick of butter

4 extra large eggs (or 3.5 large eggs)

1/8 teaspoon salt.

Zest limes, being careful to avoid the white pith. Juice 4 limes and pour into a heat safe pot. Add eggs, sugar, salt and zest to the mixture and mix vigorously with a whisk. Cut butter into small cubes and add to mixture. Cook mixture over low heat, whisking continuously (about 10 minutes) until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool. Refrigerate until curd has set (overnight in the refrigerator should do the trick)

Pavlova

4 large egg whites (150ml)

1 cup (220g) superfine caster sugar

(don't have superfine sugar? Pulse regular

sugar in your food processor, and presto!)

2 tablespoons sifted cornstarch

2 teaspoons white vinegar

Preheat oven to 250F. Whisk egg whites with a standing or a handheld electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Slowly incorporate sugar until whites are stiff and glossy. Add cornstarch and vinegar until just combined.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pipe mixture into bowl shapes using a wide pastry tip. Bake for one hour and twenty minutes. Turn heat off and allow the whites to cool completely while sitting in the oven. When cool, keep in an airtight container

(do not refrigerate, or they will soften)

Serve the meringue bowls with your yummy lime curd and top with fresh fruit. If you want to soften the taste of the curd, fold in whipping cream to taste :)

That's it - get to it!

Super Manly Father's Day Cupcakes

2011-06-20T14:49:00.000-04:00

There was no room for my pink floral impulses on these cupcakes.

Nope. None.

These cakes are pure muscle and brawn.

and almonds.. lots of almonds.

and sugar.

Almond butter cake with chocolate hazelnut cream cheese frosting = a very happy Father's Day indeed :)

2011-06-20T09:52:00.002-04:00