sábado, 12 de febrero de 2011

Valentines Cupcakes!

 

Today I’m going to share some cute designs for Valentine’s Cupcakes!  One of my favorites is this easy method for fondant cupcake toppers….

 

 

 

 

I love a nice swirl of buttercream on cupcakes…but every now and then I like to make them nice and smooooth.  Especially if I’m going to be writing on top of them.  Remember…this only works with crusting buttercreams…

 

 

 

Here’s the same method of smoothing….only this time, I layered two colors of buttercream.  I piped on my color with a Wilton tip 12.

 

 

I LOVE sprinkles!!! I use these heart sprinkles on designs year round.

 

 

For the icing lovers out there…

 

 

And finally, I piped some chocolate decorations.  You can use any brand of candy melts or candy coating/chocolate bark.  Simply pipe and pop in the freezer for a few minutes to speed-set

 

 

Here’s the group picture!  I snuck in a few other designs too.   :0)    The pink rose swirl is made with a tip 2D, and the heart within a heart topper was also made with the “puzzle technique” mentioned above.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!  Now, go make some cupcakes!!  :0)

 

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Vía: MyCakeSchool

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Valentine II: Lots of Love!

Hi everybody!  I had the best time today working on this Valentine’s Day cake—

The idea is really very simple….  I started with a “plain jane” cake…just a 6″ round frosted in vanilla buttercream with a ball border (tip 12).

 

The fun part came when it was time to melt the chocolate!  I used chocolate candy coating for this project .  Here’s a picture of my melted red candy melts, bright white merckens candy coating, and some chocolate “bark” coating.  Any variety of candy coating or melts would work with this cake.  This is just what I had on hand.

 

Just one little tip— normally white candy coating is not this bright.  So, if yours has more of an off-white appearance, it wouldn’t look as nice against a bright white frosting.  It would look much better against a chocolate frosting or tinted frosting.

 

 

Next, I spooned my melted chocolate into piping bags fitted with a tip 3.  You could also just snip the end off of your parchment cones, but I feel like I have more control when using a piping tip.  I piped many, many hearts with “stems” onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

 

 

I kept my bowls of melted chocolate in a warming drawer so that they wouldn’t set before I had a chance to use them.  You could also just melt one bowl at a time as needed.

You can put your cookie sheets (chocolate hearts and all) into a freezer for a few minutes to set.  After doing this, I decided it would be fun to fill some of my open hearts with contrasting colors of chocolate.  Then a put in the freezer for a few more minutes until they had set.

 

 

After the hearts have set….the fun begins!  I let the other hearts continue to chill as I pulled out a few at a time to place onto the cake.

 

 

More hearts, please….

 

 

Can you ever have too many hearts on a cake?  I don’t think so……  :0)

 

 

Hooray!  It’s a heart explosion!  This cake makes me smile.

 

 

The little chocolate hearts would be adorable as cupcake toppers too!  Make this cake for a few of your favorite people this Valentine’s Day…or any day!

 

Via: MyCakeSchool

 

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viernes, 11 de febrero de 2011

Valentine: Brownie Dessert Pizza

 

I love baking with my kids.
I especially love baking with my kids when its food that I will actually let them eat.

 

 

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Now, brownies and cream cheese aren't exactly the ideal foods for little growing bodies, but I do love that they can eat massive amounts of strawberries!
And this Brownie Dessert Pizza is so easy to make! (I adapted a recipe from here)

 

 

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I simply made my favorite brownies in a flat sheet pan. Katie from goodlifeeats.com has this fantatic recipe that is amust try.  I don't know about you but I adore fudgey brownies!
Using cookie cutters, cut out various sizes of hearts.

 


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I then grabbed a container of big, luscious, juicy red strawberries and cut them into heart shapes. 
Next I made a cream cheese spread.
1 8oz package of cream cheese
1/2 cup powder sugar
1/2 tsp clear vanilla extract
Blend all ingredients well.
(You have no idea how hard it was to add ONLY 1/2 cup powder sugar.  My favorite cream cheese ever has FOUR cups!  But the above recipe definitely works with the rich brownies and naturally sweet berries)

 

 


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Simply spread the cream cheese over the brownie getting as close to the edges as you want. 
I read on other recipes that you are to only go to within 1/2 inch of the edge, but to that I say hoo-ey.  Spill it over the edge if you want!
Next I added some of my sliced "heart" strawberries.
This is where you can get creative!  Make fun designs, add more fruit, drizzle with melted chocolate or pink candy heart sprinkles.  The sky is the limit!


(I personally love the LOOK of sprinkles, but cant stand eating them.  I realize I probably just offended the world with that admission.  You may dislike me for the next 7 minutes.  But then lets be friends again ok???)


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If you want everything to set all pretty for a nice romatic Valentines dessert you can throw this in the fridge for a bit.
If you have no self control whats-so-ever you can just take a bite right here and now.
If you remembered that you were actually going to share with the kids, it might be good to go help them with their assembly.

 


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I just gave each kid a brownie pre-frosted. I also gave them a mini brownie treat so they knew what they were making.  Once they tasted the deliciousness they were SO excited to assemble their own!
Hint: Have extra strawberries on hand.  My kids kept asking if they could just eat the strawberries and I kept saying, "YES!!" eat as many as you want! (in my head thinking, yay!  Please get full on the one healthy part of this treat!)

 


IMG_9192.stampMy oldest loved to pile the strawberries high.
Overall, this is such a fun and easy treat for mom and kids!
(If you want to make things even easier on yourself, make the brownies the day before, cut out your shapes and refrigerate them.  For extra motivated moms, make it weeks before and freeze the brownies!)

 

Via: Amanda Bakes  &  I am Baker

 

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viernes, 4 de febrero de 2011

Vasitos de Frambuesa

Una manera de aprovechar los recortes del bizcocho y demás ingredientes que nos han sobrado de la realización del brazo de gitano de chocolate. Por ese motivo no os pongo cantidades.

 

 

 

VASITOS DE FRAMBUESA
Ingredientes:

  • Trocitos de bizcocho de chocolate
  • nata montada
  • frambuesas
  • azúcar

Preparación:
Reservar algunas frambuesas para la decoración. Machacar con un tenedor el resto de frambuesas y mezclar con azúcar y un poco de agua. Echar la mezcla en una perola que llevaremos al fuego hasta conseguir que espese ligeramente. En vasitos pequeños, poner en el fondo un trocito de bizcocho recortado según la forma del vasito. Cubrir con un poquito del almíbar de frambuesa. Añadir un poco de nata encima y de nuevo el almíbar. Terminar con un poco de nata y una frambuesa de las que hemos reservado para adornar.

 

 

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Vía: Bocados Dulces y Salados

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