Dancing Cats

You're not allowed to criticize the following video. 

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

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

 but this one will be 100% boo hiss free. 

Here it is: Dancing Cats! 

Cupcake Mugshots

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

YAY CUPCAKES!

Strawberry Orange Sandwich Cookies!

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

(adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine)

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 cups of  of unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups of sugar

1 1/2 tsp pure orange extract

1/4  tsp best vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 375° 

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

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

Snack, Share and Enjoy! 

  

DIY Simple Celebrations: homemade sprinkles

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

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

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

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

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

HAPPY BIRTHDAY THOMAS!!!