The Cookie Couture

Embracing Change: Upgrading Your Beloved Rolling Pin- A la Marie Kondo Style

2024-01-08T11:14:00.002-06:00

Change can be a daunting prospect, especially when it involves letting go of something you hold dear. But what if I told you that by applying the Marie Kondo method, you could not only make room for new joy in your life but also enhance your daily cooking and baking experiences? In this blog post, we'll explore the process of upgrading your beloved rolling pin using the principles of the Marie Kondo method. You can apply this method to any other item that is hard for you to let it go.

As you might imagine, this rolling pin has been with me for many years, and it has been a special tool while making my cookies. I have tried several times to replace it, but I always go back to it, even if it sometimes doesn't work as it should. This is why I really need to dedicate a blog post to it, and hopefully, as you read it, it will give you the courage to change something that has been hard for you to let go. So let’s get started!

Step 1: Acknowledge the Emotional Attachment

Begin by acknowledging the sentimental value your old rolling pin holds. Perhaps it has been with you through countless baking sessions, creating memories that are intertwined with its wooden surface. Recognizing the emotional connection is an essential first step to embracing change.

Step 2: Express Gratitude

Before saying goodbye, express gratitude to your old rolling pin for the role it played in your kitchen adventures. According to Marie Kondo, thanking an item for its service helps in letting go of it with a positive mindset. Reflect on the memories it helped create and appreciate the experiences it brought into your life.

Step 3: Assess the Need for Change

Evaluate the condition of your old rolling pin. Is it still serving its purpose effectively, or has it started to show signs of wear and tear? If you find that an upgrade would enhance your baking experience, it might be time to consider a new, more efficient rolling pin.

Step 4: Choose a New Rolling Pin with Joy in Mind

Apply the Marie Kondo method of choosing items that spark joy. When selecting a new rolling pin, consider its design, material, and functionality. Choose one that resonates with your personal style and brings a sense of joy and excitement into your kitchen.

Step 5: Organize Mindfully

As you introduce your new rolling pin into your kitchen, organize your baking tools mindfully. Find a dedicated place for each item, ensuring that your kitchen space is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. This not only promotes a sense of order but also makes your baking sessions more enjoyable.

Change can be transformative, and with the Marie Kondo method, you can upgrade your beloved rolling pin with grace and intention. By acknowledging the emotional attachment, expressing gratitude, and choosing a new rolling pin that sparks joy, you're not just replacing an item; you're inviting positive energy and fresh inspiration into your kitchen. Embrace the change, and let your upgraded rolling pin become a symbol of growth and renewal in your culinary journey.

Here you can watch a video review for my new rolling pin!

Greetings

2023-12-27T14:56:00.003-06:00

As the sweet aroma of gingerbread and cinnamon fills the air, I wanted to take a moment to extend my warmest holiday greetings to each and every one of you, my wonderful cookie-loving readers!

In this season of joy and giving, I want to express my deepest gratitude for your unwavering support throughout the year. Your enthusiasm for cookies has truly made my baking journey a delight, and I'm so grateful to have you as part of this delicious community.

May your homes be filled with the warmth of freshly baked cookies, the laughter of loved ones, and the magic of the holiday spirit. As you gather with family and friends, may the joy of sharing cookies bring smiles to faces and create lasting memories.

Remember, the secret ingredient in every batch is the love we put into our creations. So, whether you're decorating sugar cookies with festive flair or indulging in the rich flavors of chocolate ganache wonders, let the spirit of this Holidays infuse every moment.

Here are some New years eve cookies I have made in the past, I hope they keep inspiring you to bake until the last day of 2023!

Thank you for being the sprinkles on top of my cookie-filled year. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with love, laughter, and, of course, lots of delicious cookies!

With love and warm wishes, Lupita

The Cookie Couture

Chocolate Ganache Recipe

2023-12-23T12:24:00.003-06:00

Welcome, dear chocolate enthusiasts, to a realm where velvety smoothness meets intense richness – the world of chocolate ganache. As we embark on this delightful journey, prepare your senses for an exploration of the divine confluence of cocoa and cream that has been captivating culinary hearts for centuries.

Chocolate ganache, with its luscious texture and versatile applications, has earned its esteemed place as a cornerstone in the realm of pastry arts. Whether generously draped over a cake, delicately piped onto petits fours, or lovingly swirled into truffles, the allure of ganache lies in its ability to transform ordinary desserts into extraordinary indulgences.

From the humble beginnings in the kitchens of French pâtisseries to its modern-day interpretations, we'll unravel the secrets behind achieving the perfect ganache consistency and flavor balance. Prepare to be inspired by a plethora of recipes that showcase ganache's adaptability, making it a go-to ingredient for both novice bakers and seasoned professionals alike.

So, loosen your apron strings, dust off your cocoa powder, and let's embark on a tantalizing expedition into the world of chocolate ganache – where each spoonful is a moment of pure, unadulterated bliss.

Here you can watch a small short on Youtube and if you need the recipe in Spanish here is the video, here

And here is a vegetarian chocolate ganache recipe, here

Jump to Recipe

Chocolate Ganache

Prep time: 10 min

Servings: 1 cup

INGREDIENTS

225 grams Baking dark chocolate
1 cups Heavy cream
4 tbsps Unsalted butter, room temperature
1 pinch Sea salt
1 tbsps Grand Marnier, Optional

PREPARATION

This recipe will make about 1 1/2 cup of chocolate ganache, is enough to fill 40 macarons approximately.
1.- Place the chocolate, salt and butter in a small microwave safe bowl, set a side.
2.- Bring cream to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and pour the hot cream over the chips and butter, then mix until smooth. If the chocolate is not completely melted you can put it in the microwave for intervals of 10 seconds, mixing after each ten seconds on the microwave.
3.- Add the Grand Marnier and mix.
4.- Let the ganache cool, stirring occasionally until it has thickened. Transfer to a pastry bag and use to fill and assemble the macarons.

Italian tricolor cookies

2023-12-19T11:55:00.006-06:00

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Once upon a time in a far away land and a long time ago, I fell in love with sugar cookies and until then I have been making them quite often, but let me tell you...that recently my heart has been fletched with another kind of cookies.

It was kind of love at first sight (not at first bite) because these cookies are so adorable to see... but when you dare to take the first bit a burst of flavor and textures make you fell in love with them.

I made these cookies in different shades of pink, but you can make them in the traditional Italian tricolor cookies, green, beige and or the colors of your choice, and if you are into natural colors you can use any kind of dry berries, matcha green tea or other natural powdered colors to tint the batter.

These cookies are a Christmas tradition for so many families and I am pretty sure you will LOVE these recipe! It takes a little bit of time to make them, but they are easy to do and you won't regret spending the time in baking them.

Italian Tricolor Cookies

Prep time: 20 min

Baking time:15 min

Servings: 24

INGREDIENTS

12 tbsps unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cups sugar

5 fl. oz. almond paste

1 tbsps olive oil

3 medium eggs, Cage free

1 ¹⁄2 cups cake flour

1 tbsps food gel color, Divided-Aprox

1/2 cups apricot jam

PREPARATION

Preheat oven at 350ºF

Lined a 13x9” and a 9x5” loaf pan with parchment paper, slightly greased with butter and flour leaving overhang on both sides.

1.- Sift the cake flour.

2.- Cream the butter using an electric mixer for 1 minute at medium speed, gradually add the sugar and increase the speed to medium high and add the oil and almond paste. Continue mixing until mixture is well combined, fluffy and light in color. About 4-5 minutes.

3.- In a small container crack the eggs and beat them slightly. Add 1/3 of the eggs to the mixture and be sure that the egg is well incorporated before adding the next egg addition. Scrap the sides of the bowl.This will take about 5 minutes or so.

4.- Reduce the speed to low, add the flour and continue until everything is well combine.

5.- Using a scale weight 250 g in 3 small bowls.

6.- Choose the food gel color of your choice and tint the batter in three different shades of the same color to have an ombre effect.

7.- Pour the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the tops.

8.- Bake the cakes for 12-15 minutes until the center springs when you gently and carefully touch it.

9.- Take the cakes of the pan, cut the cake that has the two colors in similar size pieces.

10.- Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and let is cool completely.

11.- When they are cool cut the three pieces to the same size using a sharp knife.

12.- Spread the apricot jam to the darkest color cake and place the medium shade color on top, spread more apricot jam and place the lightest color cake on top.

13.- Press down gently to glue the layers together and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

14.- Refrigerate the cakes for at least 1 hour.

15.- To make the cookies, cut the edges to square off the cakes, cut about 1/2 ‘ on each side. Cut the cake in two thick strips about 2 “ and slice each strip into 3/4 “ pieces.

Enjoy!

GLACÉ ICING RECIPE FOR SUGAR COOKIES

2023-12-17T20:01:00.008-06:00

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There are several kind of icing recipes to decorate sugar cookies and this recipe indeed is the easiest and less expensive icing recipe. You do not need a mixer, eggs or meringue powder.

The flavor is a little different as well the consistency, but this icing also dries hard!! One thing that I love about the royal icing is that dries hair and this make the handling of the cookies very easy and not messy.

This icing takes a longer time to dry hard and is very similar to the glaze that is used for doughnuts, you can add some drops of lime juice or your favorite clear extract. Peppermint, cotton candy, almond and clear vanilla extract are among my favorites.

Custom decorated cookies are most of the time associate with a high price tag, like the ingredients are pricy and some cookies are very intricate that it takes several hours to finish them, but I think decorating cookies is affordable for everyone and there are ways to lower the cost of them and it might be not as pretty, but for sure they will be a great treat or a great activity to make with kids of all ages, just gather a variety of sanding sugars and sprinkles and that's it!

Here is the recipe, I hope you can give it a try and decorate some fun Christmas cookies for friends and family!

GLACÉ ICING RECIPE FOR SUGAR COOKIES

Prep time: 10 min

Servings:20-24 cookies

Ingredients:

13 ¹⁄2 fl. oz. Powdered sugar
2 tbsps Corn syrup
3 ¹⁄2 fl. oz. Whole milk

1 tsps Pure vanilla extract

Procedure

1.- Sift the powdered sugar into a clean bowl.

2.- Add the corn syrup, three tablespoons of milk and with a wire whisk mix throughly. Continue adding the milk by tablespoons until all the sugar is incorporated and the icing have a heavy cream consistency.

3.- Add the vanilla and mix.

4.- Poured it in a sealed tight container and keep it refrigerated until is ready to use.

You can add food gel color or other flavor playing with different extracts.

ENJOY!

Christmas fruit cake, the Day #1 of the 12 Days of Christmas cookies, cakes and treats

2023-12-15T13:49:00.006-06:00

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Time goes by so fast and we are soon approaching Christmas!

Few days ago I started with the 12 Days of Christmas cookies, and in this year I added a cake and will add some other treats different than cookies.

Although cookies are my favorite treat to bake around this time of the year, I always make some other treats and I am so happy to share them with you!

I started with this delicious Christmas fruit cake, this cake is a classic dessert for so many families around the world and I used a beautiful Christmas cake pan and the cake look so pretty and let me tell you it is delicious! Here you can learn more about the pan. Click here

Fruit cakes are different from some other cakes, some people may find them a little bit dry or dense, but some people is what they really like on the cake, I hope you can give it a try!

You can make this cake way before Christmas, you can also feed it with brandy or cognac and on Christmas Day you can use a chef's torch to light the cake for a festive look!

Here is the video:

Please join me for this 12 Days of Christmas on my Youtube channel @5:00 PM central time and tomorrow for a LIVE stream @ 2:00 pm central time.

You can watch all the videos on this playlist. HERE

Let's make this Christmas a sweet and delicious one!

Christmas Fruit Cake

Prep time: 20 min

Bake: 2-3 hours at 300 ºF

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour + 1/4 cup for dried fruit 2 tsp baking powder 1 tbsp cinnamon powder 1/4 tsp nutmeg 125 g unsalted butter ( room temperature) 125 g sugar 4 eggs 1/4 cup brandy or cognac plus 1/4 cup for raisins 1/2 can evaporated milk 1/4 cup coffee extract 125 g cherries, chopped 125 g pecans, chopped 125 g raisins 125 g candied pumpkin, chopped 125 g candied pineapple, chopped

Procedure

Pre heat oven at 300ºF

You will need two loaf pans, the Santa pan measures: 10.29" L x 5.72" W x 3.05" H, and the other pan is a 1lb loaf pan and measures: 9"Wx5"Dx2.8"H

1) Grease the baking pan. Soak the raisins in 1/4 cup of brandy meanwhile you prepare the cake, then discard the brandy. Coat the dried chopped fruit with 1/4 cup of flour. Separate the whites from the yolks and put the whites in a greased free bowl. Set aside.

2) Sift the first 4 ingredients. Set aside.

3) Separate the whites from the yolks and put the whites in a greased free bowl. Whisk the whites until they form firm peaks. 3-4 minutes aprox. Set aside.

4) Cream the butter with the sugar until light in color and fluffy

at medium speed, 2-3 minutes. Add the yolks one at a time at same speed and continue whisking until the mix is well combine. about 3-4 minutes.

4) At a lower speed start adding the dry ingredients mix alternating with the milk, coffee and brandy until everything is well combine.

5) Add the firm whites to the cake batter carefully using folding movements until everything is well combine, pour some of this mix in the bottom of your pan before adding the other ingredients.. Add the dried fruit, cherries, pecans, and raisins in folding movements as well. Pour the mix in the baking pans.

6) Bake for 2-3 hours until the cake is well cook.

7) Let it cool and take it out of the pan. You can feed the cake with brandy every 2-3 days until Christmas.

ENJOY!

12 Days of Christmas Cookies and treats 2022

2023-12-09T14:00:00.002-06:00

For the 2022 12 Days of Christmas Cookies, I wanted to add some other of my family favorite Christmas treats.

I focused on make something easy that any one can make and also on how important is to display your creations in a nice way. You don't need to spend to much money a simple ribbon and maybe and old ornament will be perfect to add a festive look.

Here is the playlist where you can find some of the videos, please take a look and I am pretty sure you will find something that will inspire you to make some homemade DIY Christmas gifts for family and friends. and treats.

Spritz cookie recipe- Press gun cookie recipe

2023-12-06T17:11:00.003-06:00

Spritz cookie recipe- Press gun cookie recipe

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Since 2021 I started sharing "12 Days of Christmas Cookies" on my Youtube channel and it has been so much fun and I am very happy that some of you have had the chance to put in practice some of those recipes and cookie decorating tutorials!

Normally at this time of the year is when I get more cookie orders and also as a family we have the tradition to make cookies for our friends Although we like to make the same Christmas cookies every year is fun to add something new, so each year I try to add a new cookie recipe to our repertoire.

In the 2021 "12 Days of Christmas cookies" the most popular video has been the one where I explained how to use a cookie press gun and also shared the cookie recipe that is very similar to the traditional spritz cookie recipe.

You can find the recipe at the end of this tutorial as well.

I LOVE this recipe, not only because you don't need any fancy equipment, but because the cookies are so delicious and super soft.

Also you can make so many different styles of cookies with that soft cookie dough.

In this playlist you can watch the 2021 "12 Days of Christmas Cookies". Click here

The new recipe for the 2021 was the raspberry shortbread cookies, they turn out really, really good! Here you can find the recipe. Click here

Another new thing was the tutorial for these cute and festive Christmas trees fondant cookies. Click here for tutorial

I also shared my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and gave it a modern twist with a delicious buttercream filling. Click here for tutorial.

Gingerbread cookies were not a tradition on my family growing up, but they are now and I LOVE them, here is the recipe in Spanish.Click here

Another thing that I like to do every year, are ugly sweaters, LOL and these are really kind of ugly, but they are delicious!! Click here for tutorial.

I invite you this year to come a long with me in another "12 Days of Christmas Cookies" it is going to be fun and I am pretty sure you will find something new to try!

Here is the recipe:

Spritz Cookies

Prep time: 15 min

Bake: 10-18 minutes

Servings: 36 cookies

Ingredients:

350g sifted all purpose flour
250g softened butter
3 egg yolks
1/2 can of condensed milk
Zest of one lemon

Procedure

Pre heat oven at 325 ºF

1) Zest the lemon and set aside.

2) Sift the flour and put it over a working surface making a hole in the center, then add the butter cut in small pieces. Using a pastry blender start to breaking the butter in smaller pieces and start incorporating the flour. Add the egg yolks and continue blending the rest of the ingredients until the dough is soft.

3) Bake the cookies for 10-18 minutes until golden on the edges. Let it cool and ENJOY!!

You can use this dough in a cookie press gun and also to make thumbprints and carmelitas cookies.

Fruit salad recipe-24 hours marshmallow salad

2023-11-28T10:52:00.001-06:00

Ensalada de Manzana con bombones 24 horas- 24 hours Apple and marshmallow salad

Since I can remember this delicious salad has been on my family's Christmas menu and has become everyone's favorite salad, because mostly is a dessert and has marshmallows!! Who does not like something with marshmallows?

When we can't visit family during the Holidays I like to prepare this recipe and it really makes us feel closer to family, just by remembering all the stories behind this delicious treat!

In this video I walk you through the process on how we make this salad and tell you some tips that will be very helpful for you.

I also love witnessing how recipes become a family tradition and how memories are linked to dishes as well.I know also that some families go through difficult times during the Holidays and just by preparing or enjoying a delicious treat can bring joy.

This salad is also very versatile as you can add the canned fruits of your choice, I have make it some years with just peaches, apples and marshmallows and it also turned out so delicious!

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I have the recipe in Spanish here: Ensalada de bombones 24 horas

I really love watching my daughter prepare this recipe, she loves it and I am pretty sure that it will also become one of her favorite family dishes for the Holidays!

Here is the recipe, enjoy!

Fruit Salad-24 hours

Prep time: 40 min

Refrigerate for 24 hours

Servings:12-14

Ingredients:

• 14.5 oz mini marshmallows

• 1 can (20 oz ) pineapple chunks

• 1 can (29 oz) peach halves

• 1 can ( 8.25 oz) mandarin-oranges

• 4 lbs golden delicious or opal apples

• 1 can (12oz) evaporated milk

• 400g heavy whipping cream

• 4 Tbsp de Mayonaise
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans
* 2 tbsp sugar

Note: Prepare this salad 24 hours before serving

1.- Put the evaporated milk, heavy whipping cream, 2 mixing bowls and two wire whisks in the freezer for 20 min before you are going to start preparing this salad.

2.- Open the fruit cans and strain the fruit, saving the syrup in a big bowl.

3.- Cut the fruit in 1-1/2 inches cubes. Peel and cut the apples in the same size pieces and submerge them in the syrup that you previously saved.

4.- While you are cutting the fruit, take out the bowls, whisk, milk and cream from the freezer and in separate bowls add the milk and start mixing increasing the speed to maximum for 5 minutes until soft peaks are formed. Make the same thing with cream until finer peaks are formed.

5.-- Strain the apples from the syrup and put them in a big bowl, add the other fruits, add the mayonnaise and mix until combine. Add the marshmallows, milk and the cream very slowly in folding movements, sprinkle the sugar and stir until everything is well combine. Add the pecans and stir .

7.-- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Enjoy!

We normally prepare this recipe for Christmas Eve, it is everyone’s favorite and there are so many stories behind it. I bet each year their is a drama cause by it, too, because everybody claims that when they prepare it is the most delicious and the best one ever made, although we always follow the same recipe. I like to call this recipe a “team recipe” because you can invite your family members to help. It has several steps that are easy to do and even young kids can help. So many good memories cutting the big marshmallows with scissors, when we couldn’t find the little ones and breaking and peeling the pecans watching Christmas movies.

We all have as reference my mom’s 24 hours marshmallow salad as the most delicious one ever made and although we all try to make it following the same recipe, non of them are going to be as delicious and fluffy as my mom’s.

Fruit salad-Marshmallow- apple salad-24 hours salad-marshmallow salad-ensalada de bombones 24 horas

Sur La Table Christmas Baking Items

2023-11-18T22:49:00.005-06:00

Sur La Table Ultimate Holiday Cookie Cutter 27-Piece Set

If you have not stopped by a Sur La Table store or browsed the Christmas section on their website, then you really must check it out!

Every year they have a beautiful baking ware selection, but I think this year they have really hit a HOME RUN!

I have had several OMG moments while visiting the Houston store, which has one of the biggest selections.

My first OMG moment was in the cookie cutter section. You can imagine how I was checking all the items. The cookie cutters sets are so adorable, and the one that I loved the most was the 12 days of cookie cutters, (if you have been following me, you know how much I love Advent calendars/cookies ). They come in a box like a book and as you open it you really want to start baking with them ASAP. On the right side there are 12 windows, inside each of them there is a cute Christmas cookie cutter. Their size is perfect as it’s not too big and not too mini, they are 2.5 inches approximately. On the left side there are 4 pockets with little cards inside that have a QR code that takes you to their recipes. Isn't this wonderful? Also, the illustrations of the box are very retro and super, super cute! If you like to bake cookies with your kids or grandchildren, you will love it!

And if you are a creative baker and like to take your cookie skills to the max, they have 3D cookie cutters sets that are super fun as well. This will be perfect if you would like to make a gingerbread cookie village!

The stamped cookie cutters are another favorite. If you have a good recipe, you really don't need to decorate the cookies because just with the stamp they will look super pretty on your Christmas cookie platter. Yet, if you have extra time, you can decorate them using a delicate royal icing to follow along the stamped design or you could outline and flood the cookie for a more impressive cookie.

This multi cookie cutter is so pretty, last year I bought one very similar, but it gives me a little bit of trouble while cutting the cookies. I will give it a try again and let you know how I like it because the idea that you can cut several cookies at once is so helpful.

This other set of Christmas cookie cutters is adorable as well, the packaging I especially love.

I really appreciate that they have been selling the HUGE copper nutcracker cookie cutters, you can have a lot of fun with it. The size is perfect if you want to go all out in the decorating. Plus, it being made of copper is what I like the most, since I have a copper cookie cutter collection and having a nutcracker is super special for me.

They also have this HUGE Christmas tree. When you are busy, but really like to bake and give homemade cookies to your friends and family, this size of cookie cutters is perfect. Just with one cookie per person is enough. You will need a lot of cookie dough, though, so make sure to have good maintenance of your stand mixer, because you will work it out.

I also love this linzer cookie cutter set, you can change the shape of the center, so you can customize it to your liking.

My other OMG moment was with the Christmas cake pans!!! They are amazing, it was hard to choose they had gingerbread houses, gingerbread men, nutcrackers, poinsettias, Santa Claus, etc. I chose the Santa, and I LOVE IT!!! The cake turned out amazing!

I hope that you can check their website and take a look, right now they are having a pre-black Friday sale and some of the items are out of stock already!

Stay tuned for my other OMG moments at Sur La Table.

Beef Wellington

2023-11-15T12:34:00.008-06:00

If you have ever come across with a piece of Filet Mignon wrapped on a golden layer of puff pastry, you know how delicious is this decadent dish, and this is one of those recipes that strike my culinary cords and put me in a "I want to make this dish" mode.

Several years ago while I was doing my grocery shopping I found center cut beef tenderloin on sale and I immediately think about the Beef Wellington, and like it was the first time I was going to make it and in case my recipe fails at least I won't be wasting a lot of money, because this meat cut is a little bit expensive for our daily budget. I am so happy that I made it, because it is so delicious and it is not really difficult to make, but it does take time to make it, so plan ahead and save several hours of your day to make this delicious Beef Wellington.

As several fine dishes it's exact origin is unknown, but the speculation that is widely accepted is that it was created to celebrate Arthur Wellesley, Irish general of the British Army that became the first Duke of Wellington.

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There are few tricks to make this delicious treat, like make ahead the mushrooms mix a day before, instead of making the puff pastry from scratch you can use frozen puff pastry and some more that you can learn while watching this video on Youtube.

Beef Wellington

Prep time: 2 hrs

Baking time: 25-40 min

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients:

3 pounds Fillet Mignon ( center cut beef tenderloin)
1/2 cup pancetta (4 oz)
2 small shallots, chopped

1 1⁄2 cups cremini mushrooms, chopped

1 cups shiitake mushroom, chopped

1 1⁄2 cups white mushroom, chopped

28 oz frozen puff pastry, thawed

1-2 medium egg, beaten
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/2 cups dry vermouth
6-8 prosciutto slices, thin
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
3 tbsp dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

I like to prepare the mushroom mix the night before I will bake the Beef Wellington and I will use the same pan to seared the beef pieces, so do not wash your pan.

Over a sauté pan on medium heat cook pancetta, until it starts to brown and transfer it to a plate lined with a paper towel
In the same pan increase the temperature to medium high and add the butter, when the butter is warm add the shallots and sauté until they are nice and translucent. Add the cooked pancetta, stir and add the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms liquid is released and reduced, about 7 minutes. Stir constantly. After the liquid is cooked, reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook until the mushrooms mix starts to brown and you can see the bottom of your pan, you can add a little bit of olive oil if the mix starts to stick on your pan, this will take you about 15 -20 minutes.

Add the fresh herbs and season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Like pancetta is salty you do not need to add a lot of salt. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the dry vermouth, stir 2 more minutes and scrape the sides of the pan for better flavor. Transfer this mix to a bowl and let it cool down. Refrigerate for next day. Season each piece of beef with salt and pepper. Heat the same pan where you prepared the mushrooms to medium hight add 2 tbsp EVOO and seared the beef pieces all sides for about two minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Once they are cool rub dijon mustard.
Over a plastic paper ( 15 in x 15in ) arrange the prosciutto overlapping the slices slightly and add an even layer of the mushroom mix.

5. Arrange the beef on top of the mushroom mix and put the smaller pieces of on the edges and the big ones in the center. I like to put a little bit of the mushrooms in between each slice. Wrap the plastic paper over the beef and make a little bundle. Use bakers twine and wrap the bundle as tightly as you can. Transfer this bundle to the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.

Preheat oven at 400ºF

7. Over a working surface place a piece of parchment paper, add a little bit of flour and place your puff pastry and roll it until you have a 15 inches by 13 inches rectangle approximately. Transfer the parchment with the puff pastry to a baking sheet.

8. Unwrap the beef bundle and place it on the center of the puff pastry and cover all the beef bundle with the puff pastry, trying to cover all the beef form all sides, tucking the puff pastry over the ends of the beef, roll the bundle so the seam is facing down. Brush with the beaten egg or egg wash all over.

9. Roll another piece of puff pastry and roll down a pastry roller to make pastry cut out design and place it on top of the beef. Brush egg on top and sprinkle few leaves of rosemary and coarse salt.

10. Insert a digital thermometer in the center and set it at 130ºF , for medium rare ( If you like rare pieces you can set it to 120ºF ). A well sone beef needs to have an internal temperature of 145 ºF.

11. Bake between 25-40 minutes depending on how you like the beef. 20-25 minutes will yield medium rare to well done pieces. You can change timing depending on your preferences,

12. Remove form oven and let it rest for 10 minutes, slice and enjoy!

Nutcracker cookies, a family tradition!

2023-11-12T12:41:00.005-06:00

Nutcracker rehearsals or on full swing and all the ballerinas are getting stage ready, if you have a ballerina in your life you must know how exciting is to perform in The nutcracker ballet and if you are having a party or just looking for some Nutcracker cookies ideas, I will share some of my designs and tutorials.

Back in the day my first big cookie order was 4 dozens of nutcracker cookies for a Sugarplum fairy tea party. I was super excited to make them and at that time I did not have the right cookie cutter or a pico projector, so I had to come up with the idea to make vinyl stencil using an exacto.

The cookies turned out super nice ...at least that was what I thought, because people really like them, but they really were not that pretty (LOL) .

Having the right cookie cutter it is always so important when making cookies, particularly if you are planning to make several pieces, so this way all your cookies can look like "cookie cutter cookies"

I am so glad that a good friend of mine gave me my first nutcracker cookie cutter, it is super cute, but it is kind of small and to make the cookies is kind of hard, and you need to be patient even in the cutting part of the cookies, here I have a video that give you tips on how to cut out the cookies using this kind of cookie cutters. Click HERE

Using the smaller cookie cutter there is not too much space to work on the cookie and you can easily make mistakes, nonetheless these cookies came out 1000 % better than my first attempt and each year I tried to improve my designs mixing several techniques.

I also have some other Nutcracker cookie cutters and a video tutorial with detailed step by step tutorial, click HERE for the tutorial

In 2019 started my new Nutcracker cookie adventure with this adorable cookie cutter, and I felt in love with it, not only because it is made out of copper, but because it is HUGE!!! And the cookies really look amazing!

I am so happy that they are still selling this huge cookie cutter and what is even more cool is that Anthropologie and Sur La Table are selling it! You can buy it where ever strike your fancy!

I do love tha part of cookie decorating where you can use your creative talents to come up with different designs all the time, here are some of my favorites. In the picture above I only used firm consistency royal icing, it is an easy way to decorate cookies when you are planning to make a couple of dozens.

In the picture above I used a gingerbread cookie dough and simple decorate the cookie with medium consistency royal icing, the cookie cutter and the gingerbread really make it so easy to come up with beautiful cookies. Here is the video tutorial for the recipe. Click HERE

I have a great class on how to make the royal icing and all the consistencies you will need to decorate cookies at UDEMY.COM,

I also have an online Christmas cookie decorating class, where I teach how to decorate cookies with fondant and royal icing. Click HERE

If you are looking to make some "Merde" gifts any of these options will make the little ballerina in your life super happy!

And I even have a smaller nutcracker cookie cutter!!! I will share some pictures next time!

Rosemary cucumber citrus gin and tonic-Holiday drinks recipes

2023-11-07T13:52:00.075-06:00

Now that the holidays are approaching is time to try some new recipes not only to cook but also for drinks! This is one of my favorite drinks, it is so simple to do and taste fantastic!

Every time I enjoy one glass of this delicious drink, It put me on a spa mode no matter where I am, the rosemary sprig and the citrus and cucumber slices will infuse the tonic and adding the Tanqueray #10 gin will give it the right those of booze!

This table top bar set is perfect for small living spaces. It comes with everything you will need to prepare your favorite drinks!

No you only need some cute gin glasses and ENJOY!

Beautiful and convenient tabletop bar set, click HERE

Rosemary cucumber citrus gin and tonic

Ingredients:

• Ice cubes

• 1 slice lime

• 1 slice lemon

• 1 slice grapefruit

• 1 slice cucumber

• 3 tbsp Tanqueray No. 10 gin (1 jigger)

• 1 sprig rosemary

Rosemary cucumber citrus gin and tonic-Vegetable infused cocktail-Cocktails-Gin and tonic recipe

Advent Cookies 2023

2023-11-04T22:51:00.006-05:00

We are less than a month from starting the Advent season this year. The first Sunday of Advent will be on December 3rd, 2023.

One of the my best seller cookies on Etsy and locally are the mini advent cookie set, even though they are between 2-2.5 inches cookies they have a lot of character and are the perfect size to use them in most table top Advent calendars.

Here are some of my favorite advent calendars for this 2023 that can easily fit one of these mini cookies.

These Anthropologie ones are SOOOO beautiful!! They are like little storybooks, that just looking at them makes you feel like a kid again and fill you up with the cheer of the season. If you are an Anthrologie fan you might have seen some products from Emily Taylor for George & Viv and the calendar below if one of her creations! They are absolutely beautiful! Click HERE

These are also from Anthropologie and are made of wood and hand painted, click HERE

Click HERE Calendar

This one is inspired by the cuckoo clocks design and as the other ones is full of charm and perfect to add little treats and trinkets, that all your family will love!.

This one its from Food 52, and I love two features of this calendar, one is the size of the drawers, they are quite roomy and besides a little cookie you can still have space for more goodies or messages. The other one is that you can play around on how to stack the little drawers, and each year you can give a different look to your Advent calendar. Click HERE

I have certain love for felt Advent calendars, and it is because my first family Advent calendar was a DIY felt calendar. Besides baking cookies I like to sew, so I started experimenting on how to make one and it came out really cute, I purchased some felt numbers cut outs and it look really, really nice and few years later I made this Elf on the shelf Advent calendar.

Here you can find a very good tutorial on how I make it! Click HERE

But if you do not have time to make your own, this one from Food 52 is adorable! Click HERE

And if you like to have one of a kind things, these are the Advent calendars for you! One is a tea light Advent calendar, no treats here, just LIGHTS! And really one of the most beautiful things of Advent and Christmas is the light that the season bring to everyone! Click HERE

The other one is this ornament houses Advent calendar they are just adorable! Click Here

Sur La Table also got in to the trend this year and make a cute 12 day advent cookie cutter calendar, it comes with some pull cards with QR codes that take you to recipes, I think this is really cute. The cookie cutters are really simple and any one can decorate them. Click HERE

And here you can watch a video on how I decorated my mini Advent cookies and some activities to do with your family! Click HERE

Thanksgiving turkey recipe-Turkey Wellington

2023-10-27T18:38:00.005-05:00

Jump to Recipe

Last year I wanted to give it a twist to the traditional baked turkey and make a Turkey Wellington, we were really surprised on how delicious it turn out and we added it to our "Favorite Thanksgiving Dishes".

This Turkey Wellington is perfect for small families as you will be using frozen boneless "turkey breast" instead of the whole turkey, off course you can make several of them to feed a crowd.

Each of those turkey breast weight around 3 lbs and you will need to bake it at 375ºF for 15-20 min per pound to get an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for safety. You can take out the turkey out of the oven when it reaches a temperature of 160 ºF, as it will continue cooking after you take it out.

When it comes to cook for thanksgiving the more practical you are the less tire you will be the next day, so you can use store bought cranberry sauce and frozen puff pastry or you can use homemade as well.

For the mushrooms, the more variety of mushrooms will be best, but this will depend on your budget. I use my food processor to chop all the mushrooms.

Here you can watch a snippet of the full video that soon will be ready on the channel!

Turkey Wellington

Prep time: 2 Hrs

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds boneless turkey breast, thawed
• 1/4 cups pancetta or bacon, chopped
• 2 small shallots, chopped
• 1 1⁄2 cups cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cups shiitake mushroom, chopped
• 1 1⁄2 cups white mushroom, chopped
• 1 cups cranberry sauce
• 14 ounce frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1-2 medium egg, beaten
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1/2 cups dry vermouth
• 1 pounds prosciutto, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsps butter
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsps rosemary
• 1-2 tsps pepper
• 2 -3 tsps sea salt
• 1/2 tsps garlic powder
• 2 small garlic cloves, minced
• 1 sprig bay leaves

Procedure

Preheat oven at 375 º F.

1) Thaw the turkey Brest and the puff pastry according the package instructions.

2) Once your turkey is thaw, mix 2 tbsp of butter with the, garlic powder, rosemary, pepper and sea salt and rub the outside of the turkey with it and refrigerate for couple of hours.

3) In a skillet cook the pancetta at medium high heat until browned.

4) Add the shallots, garlic and sauté until shallots are translucid, increase the heat to high and add the chopped mushrooms, stir, add 1 tsp sea salt and cook for 6-7 minutes until all the mushroom’s moisture has evaporated.

5) Reduce the heat to medium, add 1 tbsp butter, stir continuously and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes until the mushrooms mix is golden for better flavor. You can add more butter or olive oil if you see that the mushrooms need it. Add the bay leaves, cook for 1 minute or two, add the vermouth, stir and cook for another minute. Transfer this mix to a dish and in the same skillet.

6) In the same skillet you cook the mushroom mix add 2 tbsp olive oil an heat at medium high, add the turkey, being sure all sides are seared. I like to leave the turkey a little bit longer in the skillet so the baking time will be less.

7) Over a plastic paper place the prosciutto slices, add mushroom mix, cranberry sauce and place turkey breast on top. Wrap around the prosciutto with the plastic paper and if you want you can tie it with some baker's thread. Set aside.

8) Roll out half of the puff pastry over a parchment paper to an even thickness, take our the turkey from the plastic paper and place the turkey and wrapped around the puff pastry, leaving the seam on the bottom of the turkey bundle. Brush the beaten egg all over the pastry.

9) Roll the other half of the puff pastry and with a pastry roller trace the design and cover the turkey. Brush with egg again.

10) Transfer the piece of parchment paper to a baking sheet. Insert an electronic thermometer and bake 15-20 minutes per pound of turkey, until the thermometer reads 165ºF.

This is so delicious!! You will enjoy it!

Chai Cookie Recipe-Fall recipes

2023-10-27T15:51:00.007-05:00

Jump to Recipe

Chai is one of my favorite "fall flavors", the warmth and richness of its flavor always reminded me of cozy family times.

I made this recipe using a custom chai spices mix, that is very easy to make and you can use it not only to make these cookies, but you can use it to dress up your favorite drinks and dishes.

What I love about this recipe is that you have the freedom to shape the cookies to your liking, I made these ones for Day of the dead.

but if you make small little balls or crescent moon they are perfect for any day of the year.

You can watch a step by step video tutorial on Youtube

Chai Cookies

Prep time: 15 min

Baking time: 15 minutes

Servings: 24-36 cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 unsalted butter, room temperature 20 grams powdered sugar 2 1/2 cup flour 1 egg yolk, small 2 tsp Grand Marnier 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/2 tbsp chai spice mix 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp sea salt Chai mix: 4 Tbsp cinnamon powder 1 1/2 tbsp ground ginger 1 tsp all spice 1 tsp ground clove 1 tsp turmeric

Procedure

You can watch step by step tutorial here: https://youtu.be/rU4onDmNvZ4

How to make pan de muerto on a bread machine

2023-10-20T12:14:00.001-05:00

Pan de muerto season is in full swing and last year I made it for the first time using a bread machine, and it turn out really, really good!

Pan de muerto is commonly used as an ofrenda for day of the dead altars and also is a tradition to enjoy it at the merienda meal, with a cup of hot chocolate!

I made a video with the meaning of pan de muerto and it is really interesting, you can watch it here!

To prepare this pan de muerto using a bread machine you will need the next ingredients:

If you have made bread on a bread machine, you know that is super simple to make it, here is how I make this delicious fall treat!

Procedure:

1.- In the bread machine canister add in this order, milk, butter, eggs, salt, sugar, flour, yeast and orange blossom water.

2.- Place the canister in the bread machine and press the option for dough (Sunbeam machine #8)

3.- Prepare a baking sheet with greased parchment paper.

4.- Once the dough cycle finish, put the dough over a floured surface and knead it a the dough until it comes out of your hand.

5.- Divide your dough in half and from one half make 6 small pieces.

6.- With the small pieces form the bones and and a small ball and arrange them over the big ball.

7.- Let the dough rest for 30 min in a warm place, so it gets a little bit bigger.

8.- Pre-heat oven at 345ºF degrees.

9.- Bake the bread for 20-30 minutes until golden. Let it cool.

10.- Once the bread is cool, brush melted butter on top and sprinkle sugar all over, and ENJOY!

How to make chocolate skulls- a Día de los muertos perfect treat!

2023-10-13T11:01:00.006-05:00

We are getting closer to celebrate All Saint's Day and The Day of the Dead, and this time I made some calaveritas (AKA Sugar skulls) using melted chocolate.

The traditional "calaveritas" are made of sugar, but now a days you can find them made out of chocolate, gummies, popcorns, rice krispies treats and off course cookies! Click HERE

This chocolate skulls are really, really easy, you will need your favorite tempered chocolate chips or bar, royal icing if you want to decorate it and chocolate molds, I used one mold that is to make a hollow chocolate skull and the other one is a silicon mold that has some embossing inside, so the chocolate comes out very pretty.

If you want to use these skulls for a "Day of the dead altar" as an ofrenda, you can use royal icing and edible glitter pearls to decorate it. Here I have a very nice "royal icing class" if you want to learn how to make it. Click HERE

Here is the tutorial on how to make the skull bellow: Click HERE

For this one I used a chocolate bomb mold, the one I used is from Michaels, but you can find one similar HERE

For these small chocolate skulls, I used a silicon mold from Nordstrom Rack and here you can find one similar, click HERE

Although we like to call them "calaveritas de azúcar" in English means little skeletons, the right word is "cráneos de azúcar" that means "sugar skulls".

What ever you like to call them, if you are celebrating "Día de los muertos" This is a cute spooky festive treat to make, that can also be added to your "Boo basket" for your trick or treaters!

Easy Fall baked goods

2023-09-28T21:29:00.001-05:00

Finally fall is here!! This Summer has been so hot, here where I live and besides that we did not get any rain in more than a month!!! So thinking about baking, was exactly not the best idea, but I am thankful that the weather is a little nicer and more inviting to bake some goods!

Many, many years ago I made these fun dots cookies! These cookies are so much fun to do and your kiddos can give you a hand and at the same time have fun!

You can use your favorite cut out cookie recipe, here is a very good recipe.

Prepare magic consistency royal icing, tint it in your favorite fall colors.

And last but not least be prepare to have a good selection of sprinkles! Click here

This is the fun part of these cookies!

Just by adding the sprinkles the cookies go to a another level and you don't have to spend too much time decorating them, as you might know the cookies are magic, after you put them on your table and the kids are around they will magically disappear, so sometimes you don't have to spend many hours decorating intricate cookies, just with a delicious and fun decorated cookie makes the deal.

These cookies really are a win, win!

If you want to learn how to make royal icing, I have a super good class here @ Udemy!

Have fun making some cookies and nice memories within!

Latiné Influences during Hispanic Heritage Month

2023-09-27T16:58:00.009-05:00

Calling all the Hispanic content creators!! Share on Pinterest anything related to Latiné culture, it could be your grandma's recipe, your favorite place to visit, your favorite outfit, the tradition you miss the most, or anything else that can shows your culture. Fill out this form and you could have the chance to be featured on Pinterest Editorial Team! Click HERE

Last week I shared a Pin of one of my favorite "antojitos" on Pinterest: Sopes!

Sopes are not as famous as Tacos here in US, this is why I decided to make them, they are like a thick tortilla that is pinch on the edges to form like a small ramekin, that you can fill them with your favorite stew, I think of them as to having a white canvas where you can use your creativity to fill them up.

Here is the step by step video tutorial on how to make them. I put a layer of refried beans to all of them, then I added avocado, chorizo and cheese and I finished them up, adding shredded lettuce, sour cream and homemade salsa! But you can fill them up with anything you want!

How to make sopes, click HERE

They are really, really good! I am pretty sure you will love them!

For week II, I shared how to make Chicharrón en salsa negra, this means Pork rinds in black salsa! Recently pork rinds have gain popularity as people who are following a Keto diet can indulge in this crunchy treat, that actually has good nutritional properties and it is very inexpensive.

Salsa negra is one of my favorite salsas, it is made with chiles pasilla, these kind of chiles are not spicy and have a nice smokey flavor and paired very nice with the chicharrones! (Pork rinds)

In the pin you can find the recipe and in the video you can see a run on how I make this delicious traditional chicharron en salsa negra.

You can watch it HERE

Also I made a some filled with chicharron! This is a very traditional dish in several latiné families.

As we are getting closer to celebrate fall Holidays for week III, I shared how I make a 3D grave cookie, it is a very cute cookie and the process to make is a lot of fun, you can watch it HERE

Don't forget that you can share everything "Latin inspired", it can be your favorite destinations, family traditions, cultural moment, art work, crafts and everything in between! Don't forget to fill out the form HERE

For the last week of Hispanic Heritage Month, I am sharing a chocolate skull as soon we will be celebrating "Todos Santos and Day of the Dead". I am giving a twist to the traditional sugar skull, by making it with delicious chocolate and using a silicon mold. It is really a very easy project to do and the results are really pretty and will be the perfect little treat for all family members! You can watch full tutorial here

Our culture is so rich and sharing your favorite moments with the world is something amazing!

Thank you very much for reading and I hope that this recipes inspire you to give them a try and to share yours!

Dessert table ideas-Pizza Cookies

2023-09-18T10:57:00.010-05:00

Recently I got a very special cookie request, Pizza cookies! I have never made pizza cookies before, so I was really excited about making them.

Sweet sugar belle has a very nice tutorial on how to make a pizza cookie, so I followed some of her techniques to decorate the cookies.

To decorate these pizza cookies you need to make them in different stages as you want them to look very realistic, so take your time and plan ahead how many days you will need to finish your project.

I was going to make a paper template to cut out the cookies, but I really wanted the cookies look like they were part of a whole pizza, so I went and ordered a pizza cookie cutter on Etsy, you can also find one at Amazon: Click HERE

I started by cutting out the cookies and added an extra layer of dough on the edge, so the crust looks more realistic, I placed them over a baking mat forming the whole pizza and separated each pieces by 1- 1/2 inches, so this way they will bake evenly.

To decorate the cookies I started planning what colors of icings and consistencies I was going to need, also I made some of the pizza toppings as royal icing transfers.

Then I made a little paper template to draw in each cookie where I was going to add the red icing AKA tomato sauce. I used deep pink and super red to tint the icing.

Then I added the red icing and let it dry completely.

For the cheese, I tinted magic consistency icing with ivory and a tiny bit of egg yellow food gel color, and added a layer of cheese.

I added some of the toppings and I let dry that layer completely to later on add another layer of the same icing (cheese) more toppings and paint the crust edge with gold and orange watercolor edible paint.

Remember that presentation is key and if you want to make a cute pizza display, it is a good idea to make them as realistic as possible!

I placed each pizza over an 8 inches pizza tray and also I put the cookies in a pizza box layered with a red and white checkered food grade paper.

I LOVE the Hawaiian pizza, is the one that looks more realistic to me!

Which pizza cookie is your favorite? It was really a fun project to make!

Pumpkin dessert- Calabaza en tacha

2023-09-15T17:30:00.003-05:00

Calabaza en tacha is the name of this traditional fall dessert. It is like a lightly caramelized pumpkin, it is so delicious and after you make it one time, you will be looking forward to make it every year!

You will need to soak the pumpkin on a bath of lime for at least 8 hours and the cooking time will go from 2-3 hours. You will be looking to have soft, but not mushy pumpkin pieces.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs pumpkin peeled and cubed in big pieces.

• 1 lb sugar

• 2 big cinnamon sticks

• 4 oz lime powder + 4 cups water

• 4-6 cups water

Procedure

• Take the seeds and fibers inside the pumpkin and put the cubbed pieces in a big bowl. Set aside.

• Mix the lime powder with the 4 cups of water and dissolved. Add this mix to the pumpkin and be sure that all the pieces are covered with the mix. If necessary add more water and let it rest overnight.

• Discard the water and rinse the pumpkin with clean water. Using a fork pinch each piece on tele side where the skin was.

• In a big pot put water and sugar and mix until dissolve. Add the calabaza and cinnamon, and be sure that the water is bough to cover the pumpkins. Bring it to a boil at medium high heat and then lower the heat and let it simmer for about 2 hours until the pumpkin is soft, you will expect the calabaza to be kind of hard. Almost al dente texture.

• Every now and then stir the pumpkins and check the amount of water. You can add a little more.

Believe me, you will feel in love with this pumpkin dessert!

Royal icing Master Class

2023-09-07T15:09:00.001-05:00

Back in the day when I first became interested in learning how to decorate cookies, I didn’t have Pinterest or Youtube videos that could help me figure out where to start.

So, I did my research the old-fashioned way and went to my local library looking for the recipe for how to make the "icing to decorate cookies.” At that time, I don't even think I knew that the formal name was "Royal icing"... I really thought that it was a meringue-like icing made with egg whites...and in fact that kind of icing was the first ones used to decorate cookies a long, long, long time ago. I was clearly stuck in the past.

I was not lucky enough to find the recipe on my library search, so I continued looking for it and when I found it, the recipe called for meringue powder.

I looked for it and I tried that recipe and I’m not sure why, but I always failed when making it, so I decided to make some changes. After many trials and error, I finally nailed the right proportions of ingredients and since then, nothing has stopped me from decorating cookies, not even the aches and pains that cookie decorating brings to my aging body, LOL. Here you can watch a video about the aches and pains of a cookie decorator.

I LOVE decorating cookies and I know how important it is to have a good royal icing recipe and how to accurately prepare all the other consistencies for decorating cookies. So, I decided to make a class just dedicated to making Royal icing and it is posted on UDEMY where I have some other classes available.

Royal icing master class, SIGN UP HERE

This is the summer cookie decorating class that is for beginners, with simple cookie decorating techniques.

The Christmas cookie decorating class is a little bit more advance than the summer one, but still is good for any levels, you will learn more intricate techniques.

As an introductory offer we are offering a 50 % coupon code-COOKIE23 valid through Sept 10, 2023 for all of you!

I am pretty sure you will learn a lot and you will feel confident when decorating cookies in this upcoming Holiday season! Remember that practice makes perfect, so the more you practice these recipes the better your cookies will look!

Cookie decorating must haves in 2023

2023-09-01T16:13:00.003-05:00

Cookie decorating must haves in 2023

Several years ago I shared the materials that I used for cookie decorating and some of the things are still the same, but recently I decided that I need to update my cookie decorating gear and I can use the new technologies and new items to facilitate my cookie decorating.

And really some of them have change the way I decorate cookies and my cookie designs can survive in the ever transforming cookie decorating world.

So if you wonder what do I need to decorate cookies in 2023, here are some of the ones that I think are essential, particularly if you are thinking seriously to dive into the cookie decorating world.

You can watch a Youtube video and also here you can find most of the items that are on the video. Click here

What are the things that have change your game and can not live without in your cookie decorating?

Delicious Torta de mole

2023-08-24T10:26:00.001-05:00

Delicious torta de mole

Mole is one of the most complex Mexican dishes you can make. If you want to make a good mole, you have to start by selecting the best and freshest ingredients possible. Dried chiles are the foundation for making mole and the kind and quality of these will determine the flavor and color of your mole.

There are different colors of mole that ranges from yellowish all the way to black , the red and the green mole are among the most popular and there might be thousands of recipes. I can assure you that each Mexican household has their own recipe.

There are four important groups of ingredients that a mole needs in order to be called "mole”. First the dried chile mix, the seeds, the nuts, and veggies. You can also not forget the chocolate!

Again the kinds of each of these will determine the flavor and color of your mole sauce.

I really enjoyed helping my mom make mole. It was a three day process because she goes through each step very meticulously and somehow really enjoyed the process of making it.

If you live in another country and some ingredients are hard to get or even if you don't have the time to make it from scratch, now a days there are several types of dehydrated mole paste. They are truly really, really good and you can have a mole on your table in no time.

There is no shame in making mole using a ready to use paste. Yet, I encourage making mole from scratch so that you can get the appreciation for the process and so that you can really see the transformative process of mole.

To make these tortas, I used a mole paste and it is soooo yummy!

I made a live stream on how I make the torta and a little immersive video on the process of making the mole paste. How to make mole sauce quick.

The Cookie Couture

Embracing Change: Upgrading Your Beloved Rolling Pin- A la Marie Kondo Style

Greetings

Chocolate Ganache Recipe

Chocolate Ganache

INGREDIENTS

225 grams Baking dark chocolate1 cups Heavy cream4 tbsps Unsalted butter, room temperature1 pinch Sea salt1 tbsps Grand Marnier, Optional

PREPARATION

Italian tricolor cookies

GLACÉ ICING RECIPE FOR SUGAR COOKIES

GLACÉ ICING RECIPE FOR SUGAR COOKIES

Ingredients:

13 1⁄2 fl. oz. Powdered sugar2 tbsps Corn syrup3 1⁄2 fl. oz. Whole milk 1 tsps Pure vanilla extract

Procedure

ENJOY!

Christmas fruit cake, the Day #1 of the 12 Days of Christmas cookies, cakes and treats

Ingredients:

Procedure

1) Grease the baking pan. Soak the raisins in 1/4 cup of brandy meanwhile you prepare the cake, then discard the brandy. Coat the dried chopped fruit with 1/4 cup of flour. Separate the whites from the yolks and put the whites in a greased free bowl. Set aside.

2) Sift the first 4 ingredients. Set aside.

4) Cream the butter with the sugar until light in color and fluffy at medium speed, 2-3 minutes. Add the yolks one at a time at same speed and continue whisking until the mix is well combine. about 3-4 minutes.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies and treats 2022

Spritz cookie recipe- Press gun cookie recipe

Ingredients:

350g sifted all purpose flour250g softened butter3 egg yolks1/2 can of condensed milkZest of one lemon

Procedure

1) Zest the lemon and set aside.

You can use this dough in a cookie press gun and also to make thumbprints and carmelitas cookies.

Fruit salad recipe-24 hours marshmallow salad

Ingredients:

Sur La Table Christmas Baking Items

Sur La Table Ultimate Holiday Cookie Cutter 27-Piece Set

Beef Wellington

Ingredients:

Procedure

Nutcracker cookies, a family tradition!

Rosemary cucumber citrus gin and tonic-Holiday drinks recipes

Advent Cookies 2023

Thanksgiving turkey recipe-Turkey Wellington

Ingredients:

Procedure

Chai Cookie Recipe-Fall recipes

Ingredients:

Procedure

How to make pan de muerto on a bread machine

How to make chocolate skulls- a Día de los muertos perfect treat!

Easy Fall baked goods

Latiné Influences during Hispanic Heritage Month

Dessert table ideas-Pizza Cookies

Pumpkin dessert- Calabaza en tacha

Royal icing Master Class

Cookie decorating must haves in 2023

Delicious Torta de mole

225 grams Baking dark chocolate
1 cups Heavy cream
4 tbsps Unsalted butter, room temperature
1 pinch Sea salt
1 tbsps Grand Marnier, Optional

13 ¹⁄2 fl. oz. Powdered sugar
2 tbsps Corn syrup
3 ¹⁄2 fl. oz. Whole milk

1 tsps Pure vanilla extract

4) Cream the butter with the sugar until light in color and fluffy

at medium speed, 2-3 minutes. Add the yolks one at a time at same speed and continue whisking until the mix is well combine. about 3-4 minutes.

350g sifted all purpose flour
250g softened butter
3 egg yolks
1/2 can of condensed milk
Zest of one lemon