Emergency Hurricane Cupcake Kits

Attention Fellow Nova Scotians! 

Dangerous Earl has it's eyes set directly on us 

and we're being urged to take notice. 

Prepare yourselves for the oncoming hurricane by ordering your 

Emergency Cupcake Kits from Gateaux Rose.   

Kits include:

Three slender pocket sized travel birthday candles

 Five safety matches 

One package of emergency raisins

Nine compact (mini) emergency cupcakes in 

High energy producing chocolate flavored cupcakes with red cross topper

or

Blueberry storm cupcakes with life vessel topper

Cupcake Kits are $25 each

Order Yours While Supplies Last!

email: gateaux.rose@gmail.com

*ask about delivery options

Let the Celebrating Begin!!!

Staying true to the cupcake trend, we've been busy busy baking birthday cupcakes for friends. They really are the perfect way to deliver a happy message. Infact, just looking at these makes me 

want to break open a box of sparklers and confetti... 

Indulgent, personal, fun and delicious cupcakes?! Yes Please!!

Royal icing letters are a great way to tell someone how you feel - cupcake style. 

H.A.P.P.Y. B.I.R.T.H.D.A.Y. M.A.R.G.O

!!!!!

Hopefully Margo had a blast with the girls, and enjoyed the chocolate cupcakes with strawberry frosting.

Note: this extra "T" cupcake was for my friend Tammy. Sadly, I wasn't able to get it to her in time and had the difficult task of disposing of it. I ate it so quickly, I nearly choked... 

Happy Celebrating Girls!!

xo

Gateaux Rose

Baby Shower Cupcakes!!

Nothing deserves celebrating more than a new addition to a beautiful family right? RIGHT! Well it just so happens that my friends Erin and Dave have another little critter well on it's way into this world. Their first tot is the prettiest girl you've ever seen, so I have no doubt that this next 

one is going to be as sweet as pie. 

Erin deserved super cute cupcakes for her shower, so I made little blue mommy birds and baby eggs from sugar paste. The cupcakes were filled with whipped 

ganache and topped with chocolate mouselline nests. 

As always, I was proud to see the finished cupcakes packed up and ready for their adventure. 

 Congratulations Erin and Dave!!!!

xoxoxo

Gateaux Rose

Lawrencetown Cupcakes

As most of you know, I spend my daytime hours taking care of a little Art gallery on the Halifax waterfront. The gallery is a gorgeous two level art space that represents some of the regions most talented artistic minds - this environment is constantly recharging my own artistic endeavors (I'm also a textile artist) and allows me to spend time with some truly exceptional people. 

Artist/ friend Gordon MacDonald stops in often to see how things are going, and to chat about everything. at length. (sorry gordon) We recently opened his new solo exhibition where he's showing 27 new works that feature figures, urbanscapes and landscapes. One particular painting titled "Lawrencetown With Jo" has long been a topic of discussion.. Did you know that Nova Scotia has some of the best surfing in the world? True story. This is especially true at Lawrencetown beach. Gordon captures this perfectly in his painting.  

"Lawrencetown with Jo"

See where I'm going with this yet? Yup. I made Lawrencetown cupcakes for Gordon.

Cupcakes

You'll notice that the cupcakes and the painting are nearly identical. I've labeled each image to eliminate any confusion as to which is which. HA. But really, let me describe what I was trying to do here... I piped little waves with sweet blueberry mouselline and topped them with a setting sun. Each tiny wave was highlighted with a stroke of sunny royal icing. These moist buttermilk cupcakes were filled with lemon grapefruit curd (one of my recent favorites) The combination of blueberry, sweet tangy cake and lemony grapefruit curd was delicious. 

Another exciting night of Art and cupcakery? Check. 

Thanks Gordon, and Congratulations on a spectacular show. 

To view more works by Gordon MacDonald 

visit www.argylefa.com 

Concert Cakes

Laura Smith's fan base sure is a dedicated one. They were clamoring at the chance to hear the rare performance on Sunday evening where she shared the stage with the talented Ryan MacGrath. As I expected, these fans were pretty hungry during intermission... so I provided cupcakes. *Gasp* 

There was no need for me to indulge myself with elaborate decorations here.. these folks needed a quick bite to help satisfy their sweet tooth. Little did they know that our cupcakes are possibly the most delicious cupcakes ever - and so the perfect night was born. Laura and Ryan's performance brought the audience to tears, and the cupcakes elicited big "delicious!!" reactions.  Beautiful. 

Making Real French Vanilla Ice Cream

Summer is not over yet! It's hot and humid here in Nova Scotia, the perfect time to enjoy a ice cream cone. I've been experimenting with various flavours, but I often find myself making batches of French Vanilla. It's just so fragrant and creamy. I thought I'd share the steps with you in case you felt like making some too. (Of course, If you don't feel like making it we will gladly make you a pint.)

French Vanilla Ice Cream

1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup of sugar

1/3 cup of sugar
2 cups of fresh whipping cream
1 cup of whole milk
a 6 inch piece of vanilla bean

Using a mixer beat the eggs and 1/3 cup of sugar on high speed for a few minutes, until the mixture becomes pale yellow, creamy and thick.

Meanwhile combine the remaining group of ingredients (1/3 cup of sugar. cream, milk) in a saucepan. Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and the bean to the cream.

Heat on medium until it begins to bubble and then reduce to low heat. At this point you can turn the mixer on again and ladle in about half of the hot liquid as it beats. Let it beat for a few minutes and add it all to the saucepan. This tempers the eggs so they don't cook up and get lumpy.

Now you must stir gently and pay attention to the saucepan. It needs to thicken quite a bit and become a custard, but you can't let it boil so keep your burner on a low setting. Keep an eye on it, when it covers the spoon nicely and looks rich, it is done. The richer it is the smoother your ice cream will be.

At this point I usually remove the vanilla pod and put it in another bowl and whip it for a few minutes, or beat it with the mixer to encourage it to cool quickly. Once it isn't too warm,  you can put it in the fridge to cool all the way.

The custard will get even thicker and look even more tempting. It has to be cold when you add it to your ice cream machine, or it may not freeze properly.

If you don't have an ice cream machine, you can still give it a whirl. Put it in the freezer in a metal bowl, wait 30 minutes until the edges start to get hard, whisk it hard with a beater from the machine or beat it with a mixer, then return it to the freezer and repeat until it's the way you like it. It might be more labour intensive, but it will work.

Copper Cupcakes

Copper Cupcakes

Light Sour Cream Cake with Salted Caramel Filling, Orange Curd Mouselline buttercream and hand crafted sugar copper bead topping

So,  after only seven years of marriage, YOU TOO can have a taste of these copper cupcakes! And you know, something tells me that it was worth it for Philip and Sheila who are now enjoying eight custom cupcakes on their special seventh year anniversary. 

Topped with sugar "copper beads" in recognition of Philip, who is a very talented glass artist here in Halifax, and Sheila  who has a habit of outfitting herself with the glass beads that Philip crafts in his studio - these cupcakes were perfectly suited. Simple gumpaste spheres dusted with power colouring, set over steaming water did the trick.

The buttercream was flavored with orange curd. Orange curd much softer and sweeter than it's more acidic counterparts (lime, lemon, grapefruit) but holds enough punch to cut through a sweet frosting. Perfect for flavoring summertime mouselline buttercreams. If you can, use blood oranges for this recipe. If not, try adding a few tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to help boost the acidic content in your curd which will allow it to set properly. Because the mouselline is fairly stable, you can add up to three quarters of a cup of fruit puree or curd to the mixture. y.u.m.m.m.m.y

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

As for the caramel filling... be sure you add the cream in slowly. If you *ahem* decide you want to "try to thicken" the caramel "just a bit" by adding more caramelized sugar... well don't. It'll seize up and turn your batch into a monster sea creature that will make you scream. For thicker caramels, add less cream.

              












You might find filling the cupcakes with oozy caramel a bit tedious and messy, but stay strong! Keep a bowl of lemon water and a damp towel handy, and a friend on speakerphone for motivation.

Afterwards, pipe your buttercream in whichever way you like (we like roses here at gateaux rose) add your toppings, and TADA!!!
You did it!!!

Light Sour Cream Cake
4 large Egg Yolks
2/3 cups sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
2 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoons of baking soda
1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoons of salt
170 grams of unsalted butter
Salted Caramel
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/3 cups of water
1 1/2 cups of heavy cream
 2 tsp of pure vanilla extra                                                                                        
2 tbs of butter  2 tbs of sea salt
bring water and sugar to a boil and stir occasionally until sugar browns (being careful not to burn the sugar) slowly add the remaining ingredients and mix until incorporated. Set aside to cool.

Orange Curd
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cups of sugar
1/4 fresh squeezed oranges
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (if oranges aren't very acidic)
4 teaspoons of orange zest
1/2 cup of butter
Whisk eggs and sugar over heat until mixture starts to thicken (do not boil) add orange, zest, and butter and mix. Set in refrigerator overnight.

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To top off the experience, Philip passed these along during the cupcake delivery. 

HAND MADE GLASS CUPCAKE PENDANTS?!?!?! YAAAAY!!!!!
you can find more examples of his work here: www.philipdoucette.com

Congratulations Philip and Sheila 

and Happy Anniversary!

xo

Gateaux Rose

Sugar Roses

These roses are entirely edible, they are made with sugar paste and painted with edible colour and goldschlager. I like the subtle gold sparkle it leaves on the petals and the hint of cinnamon scent which is left after it evaporates. 

You could use any strong, clear liquor for this process. It  evaporates quickly so your flower will dry much faster than it would if you used water. Too much moisture can damage them and make them easier to break. If you are making roses be sure to let them dry between steps and coats of colour.

The cupcakes in these photos were chocolate espresso and they were covered in gooey dark chocolate fudge. Very chocolatey.

Two Tiers of Birthday Chocolate.

Do you like chocolate? Ya me too.

This most recent cake was the perfect mountain of chocolate. It comprised of a chocolate butter cake brushed with a sweet kirsch syrup, filled with creamy milk chocolate mouse and topped with sour cream Swiss dark chocolate ganache. I had been given special instruction to create a chocolate birthday cake fit for a true chocoholic with discerning taste... I believe you could call this mission accomplished.

Topped with the recipients favorite flower (crafted from sugarpaste) this cake was built to make a

Friday the 13th birthday an enjoyable one.

Bonne Fete Annette!!!

xo

Gateaux Rose

The Challenge: Ulgedook Cottage

I have to say, this has to be one of my favorite requests yet...

Turn Ulgedook cottage into a cupcake? You've got it!

I decided some research was in order after a close family friend charged me with the task of turning the beautiful Ulgedook church into dessert form. Some snooping around on her blog led me to the transformation that this landmark has undergone, a spectacular change from charming rural church into a beautiful upscale retreat. Have a peek at the renovation yourselves via ulgedook.blogspot.com Holy Architecture Batman! (haha)

Here it is, with it's 18 foot ceilings and massive stained glass windows.

Can you imagine spending a summer here? Good glory!

So, some celebratory cupcakes were in order. I piped 18 tiny little Ugledooks with royal icing and allowed them dry over a few days. Next, I baked buttermilk country cupcakes and filled each one with my favorite light whipped cream ganache, then frosted the cupcakes with fresh strawberry mouselline buttercream.

Happy Eating Susan and Joel, and congratulations on your gorgeous sanctuary!