FOOD, DRINKS + PARTY

Gulab Jamoon Recipe

2013-10-31T19:19:00.001-04:00

Divali is just around the corner and my Indian friends are all exited, and I can say that the entire country is exiting about it, very soon we will have a lot of lights displayed in the houses in small bowls made of clay. The residents usually prepare nice structures in metal or wood and display the lights.

This period for our Hindu community like Christmas for Christians, they meet together with their families and cook a lot of traditional food and wear their traditional clothing.

One of the dishes that I enjoy most from this period are the sweeties, so a have brought a collections of Divali recipes for you to enjoy now and for the rest of the year.

GULAB JAMOON

ingredients:
3 lbs flour
1 lb margarine
1 tin condensate milk, evaporated milk or cold water for kneading
Spice/ginger (optional)

Sugar Syrup:
1.5 lbs sugar
3 cups water

Method:

Mix all ingredients with cold water or evaporated milk until dough is soft.
Roll into small pieces then, roll into long shape.
Fry in hot oil until brown , on low heat.
For sugar syrup, combine sugar and hot water and stir until it forms thick syrup.
Pour hot sugar syrup on cooled gulab jamoon until all pieces are coated.

KHURMA Recipe - Divali Celebration

2013-10-30T23:37:00.004-04:00

Ingredients:

5 lbs flour
1 lb margarine
1 tin condensed milk evaporated
or cold water for kneading
spice/ginger (optional)

Sugar syrup:
2.5 lbs sugar
6 cups water

Method:
Combine all ingredients and knead until a stiff dough is formed, roll into 3 balls
cut into long strip then roll out and cut into desired cube sizes.

Fry in hot oil until golden brown.

For sugar syrup,combine sugar and hot water and stir until it forms thick syrup.
Pour hot sugar syrup on cooled khurma and turn until all pieces are coated.

Taken from Sunday Express Divali CookBook 27th October 2013, Trinidad & Tobago

Naan Bread a Delicious Divali Dish

2013-10-30T23:04:00.001-04:00

I really love this bread, it is soft and can go with ll the exotic Indian flavors.

Ingredients:
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water, 110 F
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons natural yogurt
1 egg, beaten
2-1/2 teaspoons salt
4 cups bread flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
1/4 cup margarine, melted
2 tablespoon oil (to oil the bowl for dough)

Method:

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and one tablespoon of he sugar in warm water at 110 degrees. Let stand for about 10 minutes, until frothy.
Sift dry ingredients together. Stir in milk, yogurt, egg, and enough of he flower, salt, sugar and baking powder mixture to make a soft, wet dough.
With oiled hands knead for 6-8 minutes on a lightly oiled surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well-oiled bowl then cover with a damp cloth and let rise for at least 1 hour until the dough has double in size.
With oiled hands, punch down dough and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough (about the size of a golf dough). Roll into balls, place on a tray and cover for 30 minutes until double in size.
Meanwhile, pre-heat oven to 400-500 degrees; place skillet inside oven while pre-heating. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the balls of dough to about 1/2 cm thick (dust hands and rolling pin with flour to prevent sticking)
Brush with melted margarine then place on skillet and into oven. Cook for 3 minutes until golden brown. Remove and brush with margarine again.
Repeat until all the naan has been prepared. serve immediately.

Taken from Sunday Express Divali Cooking Book 27th October 2013, Trinidad & Tobago

Get Cooking for Divali!! -PEERA

2013-10-30T22:21:00.000-04:00

Ingredients:
3 lbs flour
1 lb margarine
2 cans condensate milk
1/4 can evaporated milk
1 cup water
Sizzola Oil for frying

Sugar Syrup:
3 lbs sugar
6 cups water

Method:
Knead flour, margarine, cold milk and water until it form a firm dough.
Roll out until very thin and cut unto tiny cubes
Fry in hot oil until light brown
Grind into a very fine powder
Put the powder into a large bowl and add condensate milk.

For sugar syrup, combine sugar and boiling water and stir until it form a thick syrup.

Add sugar syrup to powder and condensate milk and turn until mixture combines.

Set in dish and cut into squares.

Taken from Sunday Express Divali Cookbook 27th October 2013, Trinidad & Tobago

Mandarin Oranges Season: Recipes

2012-03-09T22:46:00.000-04:00

I am so happy that the 'mandarin oranges' season came back. In Trinidad we call this fruit 'portugals' that was very new for me when I reached here. This wonderful fruit is originally from China, where grow wild and North-eastern India. The mandarin oranges came to America in the mid-1800's.

The mandarin oranges are often smaller and flatter than oranges, and has a bright , loose orange skin with is easy to peel. There are seeded, seedless and some thing in between also. And he inner segments are easily separated and usually are very sweet, with some exceptions.

In Venezuela, we call them 'mandarina' and in the Filipines it is called 'naranjita' -little oranges.

This fruit contain phosphorus, potassium and magnesium in small amounts. It also contain vitamin C (ascorbic acid), A (anti-oxidant), B and E. Making this fruit not only delicious but nutritious (and low calories)

Mandarin orange skin ca be candied. The small segment are also great for deserts and salads. This fruit contain soluble and insoluble fiber which prevents cholesterol absorption and act as laxative.

I think , I have given you enough reason to go to the market and buy some mandarins, in this part of the wold you have the chance to get them fresh, but you can also find them canned. What ever is your options, add this fruit to your menu.

I got some good recipes from the Express Woman, 3er March 2012, one of the local newspaper. I hope you enjoy them. By Shirley Hall.

MANDARIN CAKE

Ingredients:

2 cups mandarin oranges pieces, seeded and chopped small, or one can drained.
1/2 cup sugar.
1 cup bakers flour.
1 egg beaten.
1 tsp. baking soda.
2 tbs. vegetable oil (preferably canola)
1 tsp vanilla.

Topping:
2 tbs. firmly packed brown sugar.
2 tsp. milk.

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Combine sugar, flour, mandarin pieces, baking soda, salt, oil and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Pour into a greased 9-inch square pan. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes. To make the topping, combine sugar and milk in a saucepan, constantly stirring. Remove from heat when it begins to boil. Drizzle over hot cake.

MANDARIN RICE PUDDING

Picture fore reference, click to get the recipe for this Mandarin Rice Pudding

Ingredients:
2 cups mandarin oranges sections, seeded and chopped.

1 cup evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed).

1/2 cup orange juice.

1/2 cup light brown sugar packaged.

3 tbs. melted butter.

1 tsp. vanilla extract (not essence).

3 eggs beaten.

3 cups cooked white or brown rice.

1/2 cup raisins (preferably golden)

Method:
In a large bowl, combine evaporated milk, orange juice, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs. Stir rice and raisins. Pour into greased 12-inch glass sbaking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degree F for an hour. Carefully remove foil and stir in the mandarin orange pieces and bake undercover for another twenty minutes. Let sit and cool for half an hour before serving.

The following recipe is a sauce that is great on fish, chicken or pork dishes, whether baked, fried or grilled.

PONZE SAUCE

Method:
Combine a quarter-cup of fresh mandarin orange juice, half-cup soy sauce (better low sodium), two (2) tbs fresh lemon juice, one (1) tbs water, one tbs sweet rice wine (optional) an a pinch of hot pepper, or carefully squeeze the pepper juice so there are no tiny pungent pieces. Use as a marinade or add after cooking.

Try Some Fine Dining at Home: Baked Whole Red Snapper

2011-12-11T12:35:00.003-04:00

Last scotiabank adverstaisement all over Trinidad say, "save money... entertain at home", yes that's is a good idea, but what happen when you like fine dining stuff ...well here I have brought you a fine dining fish recipe with a twist of Caribbean flavour for you.

This recipe is the Angostura Night at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in collaboration between the Port of Spain Hotel and Angostura House.

Baked Whole Red Snapper Stuffed with Angostura 1919 Rum and Raisin Bread Fruit:

1 piece whole red snapper (4 - 6 lb)
120 ml Angostura 1919 rum
4 tbsp lime juice
salt and pepper to taste.

Stuffing:
1 cup raisin
1 breadfruits
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 egg whites
2 tbsp celery, chopped
2 tbsp carrots, chopped
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
1 tsp pimentos, chopped
1 tbsp chadon beni, chopped
1,4 cup vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method

Soak the raisins in the rum the night before.
Clean the read snapper and take the middle bone out, cutting thought the center
For the stuffing, peel the breadfruit and cut into cubes. Heat oil in a pan, add garlic, pimentos, celery and carrots, saute for few minutes, add the breadfruit and cook till the breadfruit is half cooked. Add soaked raisin, salt and pepper.
Stuff the red snapper wit the above stuffing, then marinate with 1919 Rum, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Place the stuffed fish on a baking try, wrap with foil and bake at 300 degree F for 30 minutes.
To serve, place the fish on a platter, garnish with mile wedges and chadon beni.
Served with baked potatoes and chunky veges.

A Sweet Divali - Kurma, Gular Jamoon and Barfi.

2011-10-25T23:03:00.002-04:00

Typical Indian sweets

Kurma, gulab jamoon and barfi are some of the most popular sweet dishes served in Divali time.
Trinidad is a multicultural island, and we all celebrate Divali regardless of the religion the everyone practice. We celebrate with the Indian community the victory of goodness over evil and light over darkness.

This celebration is very colorful and people decorate their houses with light, people dress the colors of devali and the women in particular enjoy the time wearing really bright color, shine and light, a lot of jewelery ... it is just beautiful.

Devali is like Christmas for the Indus, people get together around a table full of good food, sweets and lights. In this post I brougt three recipes of ome of the most popular sweets for the season, I hope you enjoy it.

Happy Diwali to Everyone, Deepavali Valthukka!! Shubh Diwali!!!

Decoration lights

Typical women outfit to celebrate Devali, I just love it!!

Kurma
Yield: 300 sticks

2 lbs. all purpose flour.
200 gr. butter.
2 oz. fresh ginger, grated.
1 tsp. Cardamon (elychee), ground.
1 tsp. Cinnamon, graund.
1/2 tin. condensate milk.
4 fl. oz. evaporated milk.
3 fl. oz. water.
vegetable oil for frying.

Syrup (Phaag)
16 fl. oz. water.
250 gr. granulated sugar.

Combine flour, butter, ginger, cardamom and cinamon, rubbing to create a consistancy like fine bread crumbs.
Combine all liquid ingredients. And add it to the mixture made in the step one (1) to make a soft dough, allow o rest for 20 minutes.
Divide dough into two equal parts: roll dough 1/2 in. thick.
Heat oil in an iron pot over medium heat.
Cut dough into 3-in strips.
Fry until golden brown , drain on absorbent paper and place in a large bowl.

Syrup: In a pot pour water and sugar to boil until mixture become slightly thick in consistancy. Pour over fried dough , turning continuosly until sugar crystalises.

Gulab Jamoon
This dish is commonly knowns as "Fat Kurma", the trinidadian version of this sweet is a deep fried flour mixture drizzled with a sugar glaze. In autentic Indian cusine, the Gulab Jamoon is deep fryed milk dough soaked in heavenly sweet syrup.

Yield: 50 units
450 gr. white flour.
8 oz. butter.
450 gr. powdered milk.
1 tin condensed milk.
4 fl. oz. evaporated milk.
4 fl. oz. water.
1 tsp. cardamon (Elychee), ground.
1 tsp. cinnamon, ground.
2 tsp. fresh ginger, ground.
Vegetable oil for frying.

Sugar Glaze
12 oz. icing sugar.
1/4 cup. warm water.

In a large bowl mix flour, butter and powdered milk.
In a separate bowl, mix condensed milk, evaporated milk, water and spices.
Add the milk and spices mixture to the dry ingredients.
Mix to stiff dough, cove with a damp cloth to keep dough fiirm and prevent craking.
Heat oil in an iron pot.
Brak dough into small pieces and form into almod shapes (3" length and 2" thickness)
Fry over low heat until golden brown; rmove and drain on absorvent paper.

For sugar glaze:
Mix together icing sugar and water to a thick glaze. Dip the fried Gulab Jamoon into the glaze and layout on a baking sheeet, to dry.

Milk Barfi (Barfee)
Barfi is a very popular sweet in Trinidad in special for weddings and Divali. The main ingredients for theis sweet is milk and sugar topped with sweet cake sprinklers.

Yield: 2 dozen
16 oz. cream (tin).
500 gr. powdered milk.
450 ml. water.
250 gr. granulated sugar
1 tsp. fresh ginger, ground.
1 tsp. cardamom (elychee)
few drops of Rose Water.
100 gr. butter.
2 oz. cake sprinklers for garnish.

Rub the cream into the powdered milk, to create a consistanncy of fine breadcrumbs.
In a heavy sauce pot bring water to boil, sugar, ginger, cardamom and rose water.
Allow sugar mixture to formlight syrup.
In a large bowl, please the milk mixture and add the sugar mixture, turning constantly to avoid lumps. The mixture should form a ball not too soft and crumbly.
Grease a flat square dish with butter.
Using a spatula, spread mixture evenly, smooth the top and add sprinklers.
It's important to cut into squares before it completly cools.

Recipes from: Premchand Malloo, Malloo's Catering Services, Trinidad & Tobago.

Trinidad food

Put it in a box

2011-10-16T12:39:00.000-04:00

Hi, I was checking some wonderful cakes and cupcakes websites and I found that some of them deliver the cakes and cupcakes in beautiful boxes. You know, it is not the plain white box that everybody is accustom to get from the bakery next door. These people, a new generation of bakes and entrepreneurs, are taking in consideration the WOW factor in the presentation of their product.

You can click in each picture and you will be taken to the website of each of the owner of the boxes.

For this Christmas bake some cupcakes, bars, cookies or just make something with your hands and put it in a beautiful box as a present, you can buy the box or you can make it and put some beautiful tags, you can see some free tags here, use it for your presents and favours.

The I just could not resist to put this picture here, it is so beautiful, even the box is a present.

I love these boxes, very colorful, you can make them and use them to give to your guest in your party.

Frosting a Cup Cake: Beautiful Ideas

2011-10-16T12:24:00.000-04:00

I was looking for some new ways to decorate my cupcakes, and I stoped by stumbleupon, to make easier my search, and I found a lot of cupcakes designs, simples, complicated, elaborated, colorful, in other words, there is lot of creativity out there and this mini-cake or cupcake have enough room to do many designs.

I took some ideas from the net, here my favorites, this is a drop on the ocean, because there are so many beautiful things and techniques that it is impossible to even reproduce 10%v of them.

I hope you enjoy may selection, if you click on the picture you will be taken to the website where I took the picture from, the good thing is that some of them have "How's to"

Blessings.

Cupcake decorated with fondant

Cupcake decorated with butter cream

Cupcake decorated with butter cream and fondant

Cupcakes for formal wedding

This look very delicious

Perfect for baby shower

a sweet way to say thank you

Simple but Effective

My favorite, it is simply cute

Eating Phoulorie and Sahiena in Savanha Park

2011-10-09T14:20:00.001-04:00

A while ago, I went to the Queen's Savanah Park in Port of Spain, with my son and husband, wee do not go out often, so that made this occasion memorable.
I carried my camera with me to take some pick of the street food that you can find around the Savannah, real Trinidadian food, more Indian style, like phoulorie and sahiena. We stop ed by the Phoulorie man and buy some to go.

It is nice to see that here you do not need much to make business as long as you have your food batch and a permit to place your stand (temporary) on the Savannah park. all food is fresh made right there in front of your eyes. Check the advertising above....

Sajina & Polourie

Phoulorie, just coming out from the fryer.

Phoulorie with some mango sauce, yummy!!!

Sahiena

If you cannot come to the Queen's Savanah Park in Trinidad, but you want to enjoy these Trinidadian treats, check our recipes here.

Trinidad food

Chocolate Cake Recipe for Beginners

2011-10-05T20:44:00.000-04:00

Chocolate Cake - only for reference

I really wanted to share this recipe with my readers. I really enjoyed making this chocolate cake last weekend in house of my friend Francisco. I own you the pictures, but my camera was without batteries at the time of the making (I was taking pictures of my son the entire day).

Francisco's wife called me early last week to help her making a cake for Francisco's birthday, that we were going to celebrate over the weekend. My friend Francisco is Venezuelan and a chef, and he wanted a chocolate cake Venezuelan style. Venezuelan style means for us very soft and moist, the sponge cake from Trinidad is a little bit heavy for what we are use to.

This cake was fantastic, I borrowed the recipe from my mom, she found the recipe I do not where, and the result was fantastic. Even more I can call it the foolproof Chocolate Cake. This is the perfect cake for whom do not have much expericen baking.

CHOCOLATE CAKE (difficulty: NONE)

2-1/4 cup of flour
1-2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cacao (powder)
1-1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1-1/4 cup of water
3/4 cup of butter
2 eggs
1 tsp of vanilla
2 tbsp of butter to grease the molds
2 tbsp of cocoa in powder to cover the molds.
Pre-heat oven at 350 F (180 C)

Prepare two cake molds (6" x 2") with the butter and sprinkler with cacao. Another way to prepare the molds is grease the molds with butter and line them with wax paper.
Measure carefully all ingredients.
Put all the ingredients together in the mixer's bowl with the exception of the eggs. Do not break the eggs on the bowl's mixer, break them on another bowl and then add to the rest of the ingredients.
Beat the mix for half minute at low velocity; increase the velocity to medium speed and beat the mix for three (3) more minutes.
Pour half of the the mix in each mold.
Bake for 30 minuts or push a skewer in the centre, it should come out clean and the top should feel firm.
Leave to cool in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completly.
when the cake is cold, decorate it with buttercream.

See recipe for buttercream here. I did a variation of this buttercream recipe (coffee buttercream, I love tha coffee flavour with chocolate) adding 2 tsp of instant coffee disolved in 2 tbsp of water.

I hope you enjoy it!!!

Romantic Cake

2011-09-11T20:51:00.000-04:00

My very own "Sweet Heart" Cake

Hi, It has been a while since the last time that I wrote in my blog. Things have been busy around here. I finished my Cake Decoration classes. I was struggling with the Gum Paste flowers, we had an exam and an exhibition.

We were requested to make basically three (03) cakes, one decorated with Butter cream, one decorated with Royal icing and another with fondant. We had about one week to prepare everything. The exhibition was last July 30, 2011. You may think that one week is more than enough, but when you reach home at 6:30 everyday and have to see a baby and the house, then you soon realize that you do not have one week.

Let me tell you that was stressful. My oven had the thermostat damaged and I found that when I was baking, so I got some burned cakes after 15 minutes in the oven, and baking at 10 pm. So imagine, how frustrating and painful it was. Finally I made my cakes and I was ready for the exhibition. that's important.

I was very much under stress that I went to my books to get inspired because my mind was in blank to create anything new, from the book Romantic Cakes by Peggy Porschen I got some ideas and I started to decorate my cake.

I made my own version of one of the cake "American Sweet Heart" You can see below.

American Sweet Heart by Peggy Porschen

I love Peggy's work, it is first romantic, well done and it is not complicated. She has wrote three books, Pretty Cakes , Romantic Cakes and Beautiful Cakes. If you like romantic, beautiful and colorful cakes her books are excellent to get inspiration.

I did not make the heart in flowers due to the lack of time. Next time I will try to put more details. People see a cake and they do not think how many our take to finish a cake that you will eat in seconds, my small cake took me like 3 hours, from the time that I started to make the fondant to the time that I said, no more, I finish, let's go ... Decorate a cake is not "a piece of cake".

My work below.

How to Make Gum Paste

2011-08-01T19:39:00.003-04:00

This Gum Paste recipe is the one given by my teacher in the Cake Decoration Course Level 1, that I am taken in UWI (University of the West Indies) Open Campus in Trinidad.

I has done this gum paste a couple times an the result is very good. And the best thing is that you may find all the ingredients right in your kitchen or just in the super market without any need to go to an Cake Decorating Shop.

Ingredients:
4 tbs. water - measured
1 tbs. gelatin
1 level tbs. of shortening
1-1/2 tbs. corn syrup.
1 lb. icing sugar + 1 pot spoon

Method:

Some of the Ingredients used

1. Set stove on medium to low heat.

Mix of Gelatin, shortening & water

My double boiler technique

2. Using a double boiler, add water and sprinkler the gelatin and dissolve completely, using a wooden spoon. Then add the shortening and the corn syrup. Keep stirring until mixture melt.

All ingredients dissolved

3. Gradually add the icing sugar, until it rich the consistency of a paste, and you can make easily a ball and nothing stick in your hand, the mixture most be soft, smooth and easy to work with, like "play doh".

Adding Sugar little by little

More sugar and more sugar

...And more sugar

This is how the mix look ... you may have to put it on the counter to work it

Almost ready, just one more step

4. Put the gum past in an airtight container, damp the top with a small amount of water. Put it in the refrigerator and leave for 24 hours to mature.

5. Next day the mix is ready to be colored as needed.

I colored my gum paste and I put it in a plastic bag

I was trying to make flowers, this is my first one

Easy Technique to Decorate with Royal Icing

2011-07-20T16:36:00.001-04:00

You may not be familiar with using Royal Icing to decorate the entire cake, but here in Trinidad & Tobago we use Royal Icing to decorate the cake and not only for the details, in fact the Buttercream frosting is not that popular. And I will tell you why... in this weather, the buttercream frosting will melt almost in not time. I am telling yo from experience, while the Royal Icing will last on the cake perfect.

In my last assignment in the Cake Decoration Class was to decorate a 8", 2 tier cake with filling. I was looking in my mind for an easy way to decorate the cake, but good looking and fresh. We usually cover the cake with the icing, then do borders, and put some flowers on top or that kind of things, I was looking for something more edgy.

I created this design using a tip No. 2D, 3 cups of royal icing medium consistency. I used a dark pink color for the icing, (you will appreciate more in the slice cake below), of course a pastry bag. This tip does not require to use a coupler.

Technique:

1.COVER ONLY THE TOP of the cake with icing (use a lot) to avoid problems with the crumbs. The trick to kipping crumbs out of your icing is gliding your spatula on the icing , and do not allow to touch the surface of the cake. Put the icing on the center of the cake and spread across the top, pushing towar the edges. Then smooth sides by holding the spatula upright with the edge against to the sides, slowly spining the turntable without lifting the spatula from the cake surface. Return excess icing to the bowl. - Decorating Cakes, Wilton

2. PREPARE THE BAG: Use the pastry bag without a coupler, cut 3/4 inch off the end of the bag, then drop the tip (2D) in, narrow end first. Note: the icing will hold the tip in place. Load the bag with icing.

3. DOING THE SIDES: Using the bag at 6:00 pm. With the tip on the top border of the cake. Apply pression to the bag (medium) and pipe down moving your hand in a zig-zag motion while you are descending . Stop applying pressure when you reach the base of the cake.

You can make this design with Buttercream too!!

Butter Sponge Cake Recipe

2011-06-04T22:33:00.019-04:00

This is the recipe given by my Teacher at the Cake Decoration Course Level 1, at UWI Open Campus. the mix is enough to make 12 cup cakes and a 6-in cake, well that it is what I made with this mix. The cake is similar to the Moist Yellow Cake but a little bit more spongy and it is not that sweet. This is a basic cake and you can make variation from this recipe as you wish.

I made this cake for my Petunia Decoration Cake and my cup cake with buttercream frosting. And I sprinkler the frosting with those nice color little candies. I adde to the mix some almods but that is optional Enjoy it!!!

All my friends loved the cup cakes and the frosting. I found that they look so cute!!!

Ingredients.
1 lb margarine
2 cups sugar
6 eggs
4-1/2 cups flour
6 tsp baking powder
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla essence

Optional: almonds and risings

Grease and paper -6" cake pan and a set of 12 cupcake pan- with greaseproof paper . Brush with melted margarine or shortening. Sift dry ingredients.
Measure accurately, have all ingredients at hand before starting to make the cake.
In a mixing bowl mix the butter with the sugar with the electrical mixer until is soft and light, add sugar gradually and continue creaming until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Whip eggs in another bowl until thick and leave a "ribbon" when beater is drawn across the top.
Pour at once the eggs into creamed butter and sugar, and fold into creamed butter and sugar, if mixture shown signs of curdling, fold a little flour in.
Fold flour and milk into mixture alternately, allowing flour to be the last addition.

More Directions:

For cup cakes, line the cup cake pan, fill the liners 1/2 way. Pre-heat the oven at 400 F, and place the cup cake on the top shelf of the oven. Bake until they are light brown on the sides of the tin. Cake most be just light brown.
For cake, reduce the oven at 350 F. Place cake on the top shelf of the oven do not allow the cake pan touch the side of the oven. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven, place on a cake cooler, leave for 15 minutes before removing from tins.

Use buttercream to decorate cup cakes. Tip No. 2D (a big drop flower tip, perfect for this type of decoration)

The cup cakes before frosting

My beautiful decorated cup cakes with vanilla buttercream

The decorated cupcakes from on top

Coming out from the oven

I add some almods and risins on top before baking

How to Make Character Cakes

2011-06-03T23:28:00.000-04:00

The character cake is one of the most popular cakes, that's why my teacher wanted to show us how to make it. This type of cake is very popular for children parties and it is very easy to decorate. you just need to get a character cake pan, some icing and gel color and start practicing.

There are basically 2 techniques used for character cakes. Definitions and techniques has been taken from the book Decorating Cakes by Wilton. Here the techniques:

OUTLINE: Character cakes are usually outlined first, then piped with the start or any other technique used. Outline facial features, outline the shape of the character, etc.

Tip No. 3

Icing Consistancy: Thin

Bag Position: 45 degrees

Hold Tip: slightly above surface.

START FILLING IN: The character cake are usually decorated with stars. Those stars need to be be very close together, stars require so much piping from the same bag, It is a good idea to keep replenishing the icing. Change the icing when soft, otherwise the stars will eventually be poorly defined.

Tip No. 16

Icing Consistancy: Medium

Bag Position: 90 degrees, straight up

Hold Tip: 1/4 inch above surface

Very Important: when you fill the character cake with the stars, pipe a row of stars evenly and close together, adjusting the tip position slightly each time

MY LITTLE HERO CAKE

My T&T Astro Kid

For this cake I use a Little Hero Pan from Wilton, I loved this pan since I saw it in the store because g

Astro Boy by Wilton - Little Hero Pan

ave me 4 decoration options, the fire fighter, the soldier boy, Astro Kid and a police. I am the mother of a 15 month old boy, so this pan is the right choice for me. I decided to make the Astro Kid.

The good thing about Wilton Character Cake Pans is that they came with instructions for baking, how to use the decorating bag and couple, recipe for butter cream icing, how to decorate the cake and every thing you will need to complete the project.

For this project I used a chocolate cake mix , but you can use your favorite recipe, I suggest you the moist yellow cake, it is very good all the time. Or your favorite chocolate cake recipe.

I did not made it quite like in the instruction, but here you have the list of color fromWilton Little Hero Pan. I followed the instruction but due to availability I used other colors or I changed the design somehow. But I love my own T&T Astro Kid. Other Ideas how to use the same cake pan, see here.

NOTE: follow the baking instruction that comes with the cake pan, very important!!!

You will need:
Tips:
# 3 for outline the cake
# 16 (star tip) for the face
# 18 for the entire body

Make 5 cups of butter cream icing, tint them with food color in gel as follow
1-1/4 cup blue (all around the cake and outline the cake)
1 cup dark blue - use small amount of black (for the shoes and part of the arm shirt)
1/4 cup black (eyes, mouth, hair)
1/2 cup copper (I combined red and yellow in a very small proportion to get the skin color)
1/4 cups yellow (for the stars around the boy and around the head)
1-1/2 cup of white (for the body)

Mix very well the colors in separate containers, for bright colors add color with a toothpick. Add color and mix properly until you get the color that you expect, for bright color you have to add a lot of this color gel.

...Well I did not read all the instruction, but I should had trimmed the ears, hose and arm extension off the cake, in other words, whatever thing that you do not need from the original cake design.
.

1. Outline the cake with tip # 3 (blue color), outline helmet, arms, shoes, legs, packets, etc.
2. With the star tip No. 18 and white butter cream start making stars and cover the cake, make sure that the stars are very close together and not pointing.

3. With the same star tip, but with dark blue color, fill the shoes area and the end of the arm shirt.

4. Add the stars around the body in yellow icing.

5. Add stars in blue (same color used to outline the body) around the head and on the sides, be careful to do not cover the "yellow stars".

6. Apply the copper color for the face, star tip # 16, leave space for the eyes. To make the nose, overpipe three layers of stars to build up the nose.

My beautiful Astro Boy almost done!!!

7. For the eyes, with Tip No. 3 and white icing make a flat dot and then with the same tip # 3 and black icing make a small flat dot . With same tip outline the eyebrow and mouth. Change tip to # 16 and make pull out stars to make the hair.
8. I use blue color and tip No. 3 to write T&T (Trinidad and Tobago)... I did not have any flag available at that time.

Here my lovely Astro Kid, I had such a good time decorating this cake, It is a lot of work when you are not accustom to squeeze the decorating bag so often, and my hand was hurting me. But I was happy with the final product.

My T&T Astro Kid

Pick a character cake for your next birthday and enjoy it the jurney!!!

How to Make Fondant

2011-06-01T22:52:00.002-04:00

This is the recipe from my Cake Decoration Class Level 1, at the West Indies University, Open Campus. Trinidad & Tobago.

My first cake decorated with fondant was a small cake, 8 " round cake. I realy enjoy working with fondant. To make foundant take a lot of time, but after is ready and you cover the cake, it is so easy to work with ir. And you can make elaborated design on it.
The cake at the right was decorated by me with gum paste flowers, the monogram was done using a technique call Satin Stitch was made in Royal Icing well as all de details. I got inspaired by the book The Well Decorated Cake by Toba Garrett, that I recomend to any one who want to learn how to decorate cakes.

Ingredients:
1 tbst gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup liquid glucose or corn syrup
2 lb icing sugar
Corn starch for kneading and rolling out fondant
1 oz. shortening (1 tsp.)

Equipment.
Airtight container
Plastic wrap
Bowl
Sauce pan
Foundant rolling pin
Flour Sift

Method

Sprinkler gelatine over cold water in a small bowl. Leave to soften 2-3 minutes.
Please the gelatine from the step 1 in sauce pan, add also the glucouse and the shortening.
Put the sauce in a double boiler, until all the gelatine and shotening are disolved.
Place a sifted icing sugar in a large bowl and add the gelatin mixture.
Mix ingredientes with paletle. Knead until get consistancy.

Note: Brush cake lightly with corn syrup before putting on fondant.
You have to knead for a while, the final consistancy is soft, smooth, flexible, firm and shine.

Petunias in Royal Icing

2011-06-01T20:33:00.003-04:00

In this opportunity we are going to make a square shape cake and decorate it with Petunias, vains and leaves, as you see in the picture above. The Petunias and the rest of the decoration were made in Royal Icing, check recipe here.

I made my Royal Icing and I added some color, you can find petunias in any imaginable color, well a pick this blue, that was the combination of 1/2 tooth pick of blue in about 2 cups of white icing. Mix it very well with the spatula.

I made about 10 petunias, I was practicing and I picked the best 3 for my decoration.

Here I am bringing you a video that I found in YouTube, personally I found that the explanation is very good, and it also will help me to improve my technique. My petunias are not that bad, but her petunias are perfect. I think I will watch this video at least three times before I go and practice. Remember, to get it right you have to practice and practice and practice. This video is from http://designmeacake.com/

Here all the cakes from my Decoration Class, the fist two were made by me. I hope you enjoy the creeativity of our group.

How to Make Basket Weave with Piping Roses on Top

2011-05-27T21:36:00.000-04:00

The Basket Weave technique is very simple but require to put aside some time to complete a cake with this technique. I prefer to use this technique in a small cake, because it is very time consuming and being honest at the end of the day my hand was hurting me, so I cannot imaging doing this in a large cake... But I have seen large cake done with this technique and they look gorgeous.

For this assignment I used a dommi (6-in) and not a real cake. For making the piped roses and the Basket Weave I use Royal Icing in different consistency.

These roses are called Wilton roses, the most popular icing flower. To make these roses you will need Tips no. 12 and No. 104, Icing Consistency (or butter cream) -stiff, Decorating Bag and flower Nail No. 7

The flowers has 7 petals. I used the Wilton Technique.

Let the flowers dry for 24 hours

Watch a video below, This video will teach you how to make the roses. Beside the class I watched a lot of videos in the net to see over and over how to do the technique before I did my first rose, I think it did not came out that bad.
I suggest you to practice and practice and practice...

I made the roses One day in advance. But you can place the flower on the cake just right after they are made. With buttercream the flowers will be firm outside but still creamy in the inside , with Royal Icing... they will be hard.

Basket Weave, this is my basket weave, as you see in the picture I made a line around the cake as a guide to start. The I made it all around

For the basketweave you will need Tip no. 47, Icing consistency: Medium.
I got this video from youtube, Wilton Techniques. I think this is the best video about this, but you can also check in Epicurious, http://www.epicurious.com/video/technique-videos/technique-videos-cakes/1915458772/cake-decorating-101-how-to-make-a-basket-weave/45361727001, that was a Master Class for me. I hope you enjoy it.
For Basketweave variations, try any of the following:

Combine Tip No. 47 and tip 16
Combine Tip No. 7 and Tip No. 47
Single Practice Tip No. 44
Single Practice Tip No. 17

The Perfect Cookies and Biscottie for My Coffee

2011-05-25T22:14:00.001-04:00

This morning I was thinking in the Italian Bisquetes that I used to make long time ago, and how delicous are with "Cafe con Leche" (coffee and milk) well for me is more milk than coffe. My mom, used to make the coffe from scrach, no sugar, light. Put it in the blender and add powder milk... turn it on for some seconds, and the result, a creamy, foamy cofee milk, then I added suggar to taste. Here

Back at home in Venezuela, I used to have cofee milk, very often. Before going to work, at work twice (morning and afternoon) and some times with my dinner. I cannot remember to have problem to sleep or feeling hyper. Basically at home we prepare the coffee as I mentioned before.

Other type of coffee that I love is the espresso, I ussually had this type of coffee in any bakery in Venezuela with biscotti (Italian biscuits) or "cachitos", a bread filled with ham and bacon, very delicous...with those memories in my mind, I was looking in the net for some good cookies recipes that I can have with my coffee milk and I found this page Delonghi, with some wonderful cookie recipes that I will share with you.

Amaretti Biscuit

These delicious crumbly almond biscuits are very famous, and are often found in Italian coffee bars individually wrapped in beautiful coloured paper. (Makes Approx 30 biscuits)

Ingredients

4 eggs, whites only
350g caster sugar
400g ground almonds
2 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur
Handful of flaked almonds to decorate (optional)
Icing sugar to decorate (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/gas 3, and line a baking tray with edible rice paper, lightly greased with some butter.

2. Whisk the egg whites in a large clean bowl until firm, and then gently fold in the sugar and ground almonds.

3. Fold in the Amaretto liqueur until everything is thoroughly mixed together (don’t worry if it looks lumpy), and then use a teaspoon to place small heaps onto the baking tray, making sure to leave an inch around each of the heaps as they will increase in size whilst baking. Press a flaked almond onto each amaretti heap.

4. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown, and then remove from the oven and leave to cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel the biscuits away from the rice paper. It is normal for some rice paper to be stuck to the bottom of the biscuits; this is fine as rice paper is edible. Lightly dust with sifted icing sugar if desired.

Perfect alongside an espresso.

You can make also the espresso on the stove, chick here for direction.

Cinnamon and Hazlenut Biscotti

‘Biscotti’ meaning ‘cooked twice’ are traditional Italian biscuits that are characteristically very crunchy due to being baked twice. They are perfect when dunked into your favourite Italian coffee! (Makes Approx 15 biscuits)

Recetas for some Italian coffee, click here.

Ingredients

150g plain flour, plus a bit extra for dusting
110g caster sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
100g toasted hazelnuts, chopped

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/356F/Gas 4 and line a baking tray with greaseproof or silicone paper, lightly greased with butter

2. In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon to thoroughly mix together the flour, sugar, egg, baking powder, and cinnamon until a soft dough is formed. Add more flour if necessary if the dough is too sticky.

3. Once you have a soft dough, flour your hands well and lightly kneed the dough, mixing in the hazelnuts. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and roll it into a thick log shape. Press down lightly on top of the log to flatten it slightly. Place the biscotti log onto the greased baking tray, and bake for 25 minutes or until golden.

4. Remove the biscotti log from the oven, and leave to cool slightly. Leave the oven on.

5. When the biscotti log is cool enough to touch, slice it into diagonal slices about 2cm wide and rearrange the slices onto the baking tray. Return to the oven, and leave to dry out for around 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack. They will continue to harden as they cool.

Your biscotti will now be very crunchy, ideal for dipping in a strong espresso to soak up all of the wonderful coffee flavour.

Lemon and Pistachio Biscotti

Ingredients

150g plain flour, plus a bit extra for dusting
110g caster sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
Zest of one unwaxed lemon
100g unsalted pistachios, shelled

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/356F/Gas 4 and line a baking tray with greaseproof or silicone paper, lightly greased with butter

2. In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon to thoroughly mix together the flour, sugar, egg and baking powder, until a soft dough is formed. Add more flour if necessary if the dough is too sticky.

3. Once you have a soft dough, flour your hands well and lightly kneed the dough, mixing in the lemon zest and pistachios. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and roll it into a thick log shape. Press down lightly on top of the log to flatten it slightly. Place the biscotti log onto the greased baking tray, and bake for 25 minutes or until golden.

4. Remove the biscotti log from the oven, and leave to cool slightly. Leave the oven on.

5. When the biscotti log is cool enough to touch, slice it into diagonal slices about 2cm wide and rearrange the slices onto the baking tray. Return to the oven, and leave to dry out for around 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack. They will continue to harden as they cool.

Your biscotti will now be very crunchy, ideal for dipping in a strong espresso to soak up all of the wonderful coffee flavour.

Pomegranate Champagne Fizz

2011-05-15T22:14:00.002-04:00

cocktaThis recipe is from a bar in New York city call Wallse. This sofisticate drinks made with pomegranate juice is a colorful drink for your party, do not forget to add it in your drinks menu.

Recipe for a single dink.

POMEGRANATE CHAMPAGNE FIZZ
1 oz. Bombay Sapphire gin
1 oz. pomegranate juice
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/4 oz. elderflower syrup or other berry syrup
1/4 cup champagne

In shaker combine gin, pomegranate juice, syrup and ice. Shake; strain into champagne flute. Top with champagne.

Apple Mojito Recipe

2011-05-15T21:56:00.001-04:00

If you have never try a Mojito, this one can give you the perfect opportunity to fall in love for this drink.

6 lime wedges
6 fresh mint leaves
1/4 oz. simple syrup
1-1/2 oz. Bacardi Apple rum
Splash of club soda
wedge of apple for garnish

In Shaker combine lime, mint and syrup. Using the back of long spoon, muddle lime and mint against edges, add rum and ice. Shake; pour into tall glass. Top with club soda. Garnish with apple slice.

Rocktail for Three

2011-05-15T21:27:00.000-04:00

This recipe is from Base Bar, in Chicago. These three drinks are very colorful, and have funny names, Rock You, Rock Me and Rock on. I suggest you to share the drinks with two more friends and .... Serve in shot glasses.

ROCK YOU
1 oz. Effen Vodka
1- 1/2 tsp orange juice
1-1/2 tsp grenadine
1- 1/2 tsp 7-up

ROCK ME
1 oz. Effen Vodka
1 oz. Melon liqueur
1-1/2 tsp pineapple schnapps
1/2 tsp sour mix

ROCK ON
1 oz. Effen Vodka
1/2 oz. Peach schnapps, recipe here
1-1/2 tsp grenadine
1-1/2 tsp champagne

Rub the rims of three shot glasses with lemon juice. Dip one glass in red sugar, one in green sugar and one in pick - how to color sugar here.

For Rock You: In shaker combine vodka, orange juice and grenadine with ice. Shake; strain into read-rimmed glass, top with 7-Up.

For Rock Me: In shaker combine ingredients with ice. Shake: strain into green-rimmed glass.

For Rock On: In shaker combine vodka, schnapps, grenadine and ice. Shake; strain into pink-rimmed glass. Top with champagne.

Colorful Martinis for your Party

2011-05-10T22:09:00.002-04:00

Searching on my old magazines for my next cocktail party with my friend I found the perfect recipes for some martinis, very easy to make, colorful and very tasty.

I would like to meet with my friend around some martinis, cheese, creams, fruits and bread. Simple, but a nice opportunity to talk and relax at home.

All these recipes are for a single glass. Use a cocktail mixer and serve them in the Martini glasses.

ELECTRIC BLUE MARTINI
1 oz. Alize Bleu
1 oz. Stoli Citrus
1/2 oz. sour mix
1 Maraschino cherry

In shaker combine all ingredients with ice. Shake and strain into glass. Garnish with cherry.

KEY LIME MARTINI
2 oz. Stoli Vanilla
1 oz. Malibu Coconut rum
3/4 lime, freshly squeezed
Splash of pineapple juice

In shaker combine ingredients. Shake and pour over ice. Garnish with lime slice. Pour in a martini glass.

WATERMELON MARTINI
1/2 cup diced, seedless watermelon, plus a wedge for garnish
Splash of simple syrup, recipe here. (You can find it in the store)
1/2 oz. Watermelon liqueur
2 oz. Bacardi Limon rum

Place watermelon chunk in shaker. Using the back of spoon, mash watermelon against glass. Add syrup, liquour, rum and ice. shake well; strain into a large martini glass. Garnish with watermelon wedge.

JAMES MARTINI
1-1/2 oz. Raspberry vodka.
1/2 oz. triple sec
1 tsp fresh lime juice
Splash of elderflower syrup
Store-bought blue cake frosting (get vanilla frosting and add a bit of blue food color)

Decorate chilled martini glass with swirls of blue frosting (inside).
In shake combine vodka, triple sec, lime juice, elderflower syrup and ice. Shake, strain into
small martini glasses.

Note: the elderflower syrup can be found in IKEA stores.

This recipes are from In Style Magazine December 2005.

Moist Yellow Cake Recipe

2011-05-09T22:22:00.002-04:00

Happy Mother's Day my Dear Mami !!!

Can you see this picture, I made this cake for Mother's Day. I was so excited about making this cake and decorate it. This is my second time making flower and the first time that I made the icing right!! WOW ! I am so happy, It is coming out.

My mother is in Venezuela, but my mother-in-law is here, so I decided to give her my creation as Mother's Day present. It look so cute, and I still looking at the pictures and I cannot believe it, I did it myself. My mother-in-low loved it!!

For Mothers' Day the teacher asked us to get a heart shape pan, and bake a cake... but she was very specific to make a cake from scratch. I got a small cake pan for this project, I can call it "a personal cake" well it is not that small, it is the equivalent to a 6" round pan.

The recipe that I tried this time is from The Well-Decorated Cake by Toba Garrett, her book have a section with recipes for cakes, icing, filling, etc. I decided to make the MOIST YELLOW CAKE, this recipe was a success, very easy, the cake is very moist but firm, and delicious. I found that this book is very good, very technical and really help to improve or acquire skills in cake decoration. Get the book here.

Here I bring the recipe for this cake, from Toba Garrett.

MOIST YELLOW CAKE (no baking experience is required)

Ingredients:

3 cups (330 g) cake flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup ( 8 oz or 230 gr) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups (454 g) granulated sugar

5 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1-1/4 cups (10 fl oz or 300 ml) buttermilk (for buttermilk substitute)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter and line with parchment (I used wax paper) two 8 x 2 -inch (20 x 5 -cm) pans. Set aside (actually I used 1no. 6 -in round cake and 1 no. 6" heart shape cake)
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Cut up the butter into 1-inch pieces and place them in a large bowl of an elecrica mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment or beaters. Beat for 3 minutes on MEDIUM-HIGH speed until the butter is light and creamy in color. Stop and scrapthe bowl. Cream the butter for and additional 60 seconds.

Add the sugar , 1/4 cup at a time, beating1 minute after the each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl occacionally. Add the eggs one at a time.

Reduce the mixer speed. Stir vanilla into the buttermilk. Add teh dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk ( I used buttermilk subtitute). Mix just until incorporated. Scrap thesides of the bowl and mix for 15 second longer.

Spoon the butter into the prepared pan (in my case 'pans') and smooth the top with a knife. Lift up the pan with the bater, and let it drop onto the counter top to burst any air bubble, allowing the batter to settle.
Cener the pans unto the lower third of the oven and let bake 45 to 50 minutes or until the cake is lightly brown on the top and comes away from th sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Note let them cool in the pan. I like to place the cake (hot) on a rack to help air pass below. I believe that cool fastes

Here "my heart" without paper and the round cake with the wax paper. Remove the paper very carefully to do not pull the cake.
And now the beautiful heart, decorated with ROYAL ICING - recipe here. In the Caribbean we use more ofter the Royal Icing than the Buttercream. I add a little bit of read to create a very light pink. I add a little bit more of red to teh icing to make the shells and I add color gel red directly to the bag (3 lines) and I put the icing int the piping bag to create the effect that you see in the shells (Tip no. 18). Video how to make shells here.

For the roses I added more decorator's sugar to the icing (pink) to make it harders and make the roses, and I added more red gel color to the icing, to create a more intense pink color. I made 6 no. 3 petal roses and 6 no. 5 petal roses.I put three litle piping roses (3 petals) at the side to fix a problem with the icing. Wilton Tip 104. I will post very soon how I made the roses.

Note: I wrote first the message (Wilton Tip No. 4), then in the space left I placed the flowers.

I add some leave in a light green color, I used Wilton tip No. 352, I found that it is the easier way to make a leaf.

The cake ready and in the box.