Cake Pops, 3rd attempt...

So, this morning's experiment : classy cakepops. Well, those are the ones I am showing you anyway...'cause I think they turned out rather well, considering the new problems I encountered trying to make them. This time, the chocolate melted all right-you can even see that I used some to pipe right on to the pops, but I had to double dip pretty much all the pops because they all cracked. I don't know why, it didn't happen to me before! But, in an attempt to make much smoother balls, I put too much icing I think. So maybe that didn't help. Second problem was, since I always leave the balls overnight in the fridge to set, they all had a very flat bottom which I really don't like, so I will have to start making everything fresh in the morning and putting them in the freezer for a half hour...Third problem : lack of proper decorations .What you don't see in these pictures is that I made some bear cakepops. But they look completely retarded because I can't find all the nice candy to decorate (to make the eyes or colour the mouth...I chose to keep these to myself, since the others look, I think, so spectacular...And last but not least, going back to the icing problem, when there is too much, the pops fall apart when trying to eat them. So it's back to the books! But then, I don't have any more cake pop supplies anyway... Hope you liked the ones that came out right!!

Enfin...finally!

Ok, I said this morning it would take much longer for me to put these up, but they were pretty dry and I went ahead and decorated... I made these for my friend Martine who is Enfin (finally) moving in to her brand new home this weekend. They waited a long time, and it was very nerve racking...so there you go. I wanted to try a bunch of things here, so here  : first, the chocolate cookie cutout recipe. Worked fantastically. Super nice to eat, much better than sugar cookies. Secondly, the cat was made on an acetate and transferred. Made 3 in case I would break them, but they all survived. 2 still went in the garbage as I needed only 1. Thirdly, the wet on wet icing look, with a few different techniques, including my favorite, the ones with the flower branches. For it to work better though, would have to go for stronger colours. And lastly, the fancy finishing around the cookies. The dots went well, the flourishes, a bit less, I got the consistency a bit wrong again, and to be honest, I don't know how to make a nice finish on a circle. On the squares, you can always finish on a corner, but the circles come right back to the start and you sort of mess up the first one to finish the last. All in all, I think I now know more about consistency-I have to make it more runny than my autumn cookies, but less than these. And otherwise, I just hope they will be liked! What do you guys think? Oh yeah, the cat is because they have a cat...I didn't just want to make a cat...!!!

Bear with, bear with...

I only know one person who will get the title reference, but who knows, maybe someone else has seen the funniest show in history! Am I exaggerating? Point is, I am not just lounging around...I am making cookies! But they take 1-2 days to make 'cause the layers have to dry before I can add the next effect. So bear with, I am in creative mode...you will get the pictures by tonight, or tomorrow morning! I really hope they come out well!!!

1 month of blogging

1 month on the baking dreamer....and 1020 clicks! Ok, ok, other, you know, POPULAR blogs get that in a day or less, but I am not a gifted writer, nor do my pictures fulfill the great expectations of either being masterpieces or total wrecks (I find wrecks to be the most interesting!!) . But all in all, I am not unhappy. In this last month, I have forced myself to experiment ALOT, and continue, even when I fail. That's not me usually. I give up when I fail. I am a big giver-upper. And this blog has made me realize once and for all what I want to do with my life, which is, push my sugary goodies to the public and have them pay for it!! Muahahahahaha! Little do they know,  I would hand them out for free, I love doing them so much! So I imagine within a few months, my own website will be up and running. I can't  believe it, even as I  write those words down...my own website..., there is still so much to think of...but I already know what I will do with my first 1420.- earned. I won't tell unless I get a few comments though...I have been writing away, and I see you guys are looking, so please say something! Anything! Even if it's to say I HATE YOUR BLOG!!!! At least I will know...1 month and so much has changed!! Thanks for looking in...I appreciate all your com...no clicks!!!

My second Cakepop attempt...

Ok, so these are the results of my second attempt at making cakepops. All in all, I think they came out WAY better than the other ones (smaller picture, which I so wanted to put underneath this caption but it didn't work...still figuring out how this blog thing works...)
Anyway, you'll admit, quite the leap in results. That's because the chocolate actually MELTED!
BUT, there is still a but in this one, my edible ink pen didn't work on the pops. So I tried to mix some black edible powder with water, but it came out so so (ghost and pumpkins) I could barely control where it was going, and it was too clumpy and watery. So, still massive problems with failing equipement. But, the glittery cakepops are the "making lemonade out of lemons" part. After trying to do eyes with the black and it didn't work at all, I, out of frustration, wiped the whole thing off, it looked like the 3rd picture, and I think it looks pretty cool! So I took other colours and finished them off in disco look! Not bad! The only thing I have to get better at, is shaping the balls to look flawless. I have seen some cakepops on the internet, they are so smooth! Beautiful, but these were still too rough. Not let cakepops fall over would also be a good thing to try and do next time around...!! So I will continue trying, buying the right equipement and we'll see what comes of it! Nancy, I do believe hobbywrecks is a go...!!! Ou est-ce que ces cakepops sont encore trop poches pour toi?

Red Velvet Halloween cupcakes

So I took the very little money I had left on my account, and went out to buy the things I needed to make this recipe. Indeed, it was worth it-but just for the lessons I've learned in making them. Lesson number one : just because it's a Martha Stewart recipe, doesn't mean it tastes good (cupcakes), lesson number two : just because a recipe has 5 stars on an internet site, doesn't mean it tastes good (cream cheese frosting), and last but not least, lesson number 3 : watch cat at all times...he broke my big spiders...and those were the ones I liked the most. You will find it in the picture, with an angle at which only the non-broken area is to be seen. Still, I enjoyed making the little figures out of royal icing, on transparent paper (you know the ones they use on projectors?) And now I know they are fragile and they have to dry for a very long time. I also now know that black shiny powder isn't super cute, making lines on a cupcake is something I could definitely get better at and would look really cool and in the end, I just can't go for more than 2 days without baking! Thank God the husband is a sweet tooth, and we both have pretty good metabolisms!! Anyone out there with a really tasty red velvet cupcake recipe? I desperately need one!!

Waiting game starts again

Hello friendly readers...I feel I must write something to keep the blog going, even if I have nothing to bake today...I am awaiting 2 deliveries : my new candy melt accompanied by the very important paramount crystals, that will enable me to retry my cakepops and kick Nancy's ass, and just a general order of couloured fondant, dyes and I forgot what else...Pay day is tomorrow, so I will finally be able to go buy some eggs and sugar, so we'll see. If everything comes at the same time tomorrow, perfect! In the meantime, all I can do is plan my next move...!

Kopykake problem solved!!!

I will get my kopykake projector and my parents won't have to search for a christmas present idea!! In two months, my cookies will look incredible!!!!! Yay! I am so excited!

The kopykake projector

I haven't misspelt it (kopykake)(I have possibly misspelt misspelt? If so, 3 mistakes in a 10 word phrase is pretty bad)... Anyway, about 3 and a half weeks ago, I decided I wanted a mixer and was wondering how I would ever pay for one. 2 and a half weeks later, I got one basically for free. So I am thinking that if you say a wish out loud and it isn't something ridiculous like winning 100 million dollars, it may just happen! So I am putting this wish out there to be heard by the karmic gods : I want a kopykake projector!!! It would make it so much easier for me to make really gorgeous cookies! I can't really draw, so that makes me pretty limited in my designs, but with this machine, well I could draw the mona lisa on a cookie! So come on karma, send me a kopykake!!!

Self made cookie cutters

So what does a bored, broke baking girl do when she has no ingredients left at home? She makes cookie cutters! What do you think?

My tiny fondant experiment

Coffee and cake anyone? I couldn't bake today, there is still 7 autumn cookies left to eat...plus I don't have any ingredients left to do anything...! But I did have a bit of fondant left, and I wanted to see what could be done. After having practiced making a few flowers, (I didn't put them up 'cause I am just checking if fondant will dry into a specific shape), I decided to see if I could make a cake, when it worked, I decided to make it an event! I may need to use gumpaste though, because fondant isn't hard enough...I really don't know how to make the cup look like a cup when it melts out of shape-which is why I stuck a spoon in it!! What do you think?

My ode to autumn

I have been wanting to make these for awhile now...and after the cakepop disaster, I wanted something fun to do. Had leftover cookie dough in the freezer, so all I had to do was make icing, and colour it! Didn't come out quite as I wanted, as the sugar I ordered is much bigger than I expected, and my colours wouldn't flow as well as I had hoped...but all in all, I think my cookies are getting better and better. Practice makes perfect, and since I have only made about 4 batches of iced cookies up to now, in a matter of a few months, I think I will have the designs and consistency down pat! What do you think?

Ok Nancy, this isn't over yet!!

I was completely desperate this morning when my chocolate wouldn't melt, and so disappointed that my cakepops were less than impressive...but I have informed myself, and ordered the key ingredient to make chocolate almost liquid. But it's coming from England. Good news is, it has actually already shipped. By next week, expect a SUCCESSFUL halloween cakepop endeavor. Oh yeah Nancy, you read correctly. And if they are really gorgeous, as I expect they will, you have to write a hobbywrecks blog! So there! I won't be messed about by cakepops dammit!!!!

Complete and utter mess

Ok, so I made these horrible cakepops, and I have never hated doing something so much in my life. It was supposed to be super fun! I had an entire halloween concept planned, with ghosts and spiders...the shapes were perfect! But first, to the 2 kitchen pictures. After the massacre. The cleaning I will have to do is already giving me a headache-and the sprinkles I thought of too late to sort of save these horrible looking things, most of the chocolate was too hard to keep them on. To the picture of the pops-I took the best ones, and even those are pretty pathetic. But and there is a but, because as of now, I just look like a total dweeb that couldn't do what every housewife in America is able to do, BUT : the chocolate would just not melt! I melted and stirred black, white and organge for 2 HOURS!!!!! The black completely lost the consistency-melted and then got lumpy, and the others would melt, but never enough to actually dip the cakepop in! So I sort of swirled them in the lumpy candy melt till they were covered. I really don't know what to do, I really want to be able to make these, but I don't know what to do about that candy melt. Any suggestions?

My supplies are finally here!!!!!

Even Lily is excited!!!

I had given up all hope when the package delivery truck came and left at 7.30 this morning, so I slept, long and hard...I only really got up for baby...and then, suddenly, at 11.30, DHL rings at our doorbell! My supplies are here!!! Sprinkles, sugars, flavours, cookie cutters, cupcake papers and everything for cakepops!!! So tomorrow, expect cakepop pictures, the challenge is on! If there aren't any pictures, it's 'cause I failed so miserably that I am too ashamed to post! Wish me luck!!!

Ok, I couldn't help myself...

The improved version of Jack Skellington

So I was bored, and wanted to try something...Here are my white chocolate cupcakes with dark chocolate ganache, spread with coloured sugar, a swirl of chocolate ganache with halloween sprinkles and jack skellington cookies, that look way better in real life. Came out too cutesy, and would have been better to do the entire white and then draw on top, but I didn't want to wait 12 hours. So there you go! Halloween cupcakes!!
So I went back and remade the Jack Skellingtons quickly-they aren't perfect but better than they were 'cause I put the background white and drew on it-I just didn't wait the amount of time I should have...I took out the other pictures, I couldn't stand them! Hope you like the new improved version!!

Nor today...

Ah come on...I am really getting pissed off now. Unless it comes with UPS or DHL or whatever, the normal package delivery has already come and gone without ringing at my door. I still don't have my supplies! I don't know, I don't feel like just trying a recipe today. I could, I mean, I have enough butter and sugar and stuff, but I am not certain what technique I want to practice and am a bit annoyed at not having something specific to do. I could do cookies, but at this point, I should already have been making them for an hour. They take too long and baby will wake up at some point. Anyway, today I did get something I was waiting for from Amazon though. The Handmade Marketplace-How to sell your crafts locally, globally and online. I thought having a book could help. At least something to do other than wait today! And there goes baby...

No baking today

As much as I would like to bake everyday, we still have leftovers, darn!!! But then, I can't expect 4 people to eat 24 cupcakes in one evening after having had heavy fondue, right? Even if they were mini cupcakes... So today I will be getting pampered...being taken out I am! First date since having my little girl 2 months ago. And even if I wish I was having my first date in 2 months with Thor, I will settle for my husband. Wish me luck that my supplies finally, and I really really mean Finally!, come in tomorrow morning... 'cause I am really in the mood to try out cake pops! Have a nice sunday everyone!!

I needed a little cheering up...

You may have read from my last post that I wasn't feeling very good today... After yesterday's euphoria, I guess I just couldn't keep up anymore. And I realized an important fact : I need to bake, and create and play with sprinkles! I hadn't planed to make anything today, and I just felt so empty. I felt like I couldn't give my daughter what she needed because I was feeling too down... she must have sensed it because she was rather difficult. It's not that I didn't want to do anything, but because we are having guests over tomorrow evening, I had planned to make them in the morning. I felt they needed to be super fresh. But I couldn't wait anymore, and I am so happy I didn't because in the time I was making these, I felt so much better. It's almost therapeutic to bake. Psychiatrists would be out of a job in no time if others started baking more, I'm sure! Besides, I have never ever made a cupcake that wasn't just as good a day old. I find some of them get even better, like the ingredients blend in more together and create a perfect unit. Like leftover shepard's pie! Isn't that always even better on the next day? Back to baking though...this is my 3rd try at finding the perfect vanilla cupcake. Tonight, still warm, they tasted slightly too eggy-so I will probably keep this recipe as my vanilla favorite, and take out 1 egg! I took my leftover buttercream and put some tinted coconut on one cupcake and tinted the buttercream purple for the others and added sprinkles! I think it came out wonderfully girly! They definitely cheered me up!

Or down...

I don't know, sometimes I feel slightly manic...today I am not even close to feeling positive about anything. I feel like I am waiting for everything. I can't bake today because we are expecting people tomorrow, and I can't eat 12 cupcakes in 2 days, so I have to wait till tomorrow. My supplies are on the way, but not here yet. Loads of things to think about before doing the website, but nothing I can do really, and nothing with my hands... This waiting game is really depressing... Help whoever is reading out there! I need some positivity!

Things are looking up!

I don't know if I have ever felt quite so excited people! I really feel quite good! Since asking for help on my upcoming website, I have come up with so many ideas and I so hope they work out! And, I got an email saying my supplies had been sent! So I will have a bunch of projects that I will be able to start on next week! Including Nancy's cakepop challenge, which I can't wait to do! Again this terrible exclamation point habit of mine, I am sorry, I will try to be less in your face with the punctuation... But have you guys also had times in your lives where everything seemed to fall in place? It has never happened to me before, so I am really very overjoyed with this new feeling. A new emotion after 32 years. Not bad, not bad...I am learning. Next thing you know, I will find an alternative to the exclamation point! But not yet!!!

My own website

Ladies and Gentlemen, the countdown has started. If, within a year, I haven't started my own website yet, please come on over here and slap me! Since today, I have officially decided that I won't wait for someone to offer me a job, I will create one. Why not! I mean, I am not looking to become a millionaire, I am looking to earn enough to stay at home with my daughter! I have engaged the help of two of the funniest, most talented people I know to help me, my brother Chris and my wonderful friend Nancy. I feel like I could take on the world! Yay! Wish me luck!!

The Snickerdoodle

Today's offering : the snickerdoodle cupcake. And because the name is so whimsical and the flavour so autumny, I decided to go cutesy/freehand/seasonal with the fondant design. Since starting this quest to become a professional baker, I kept seeing this recipe and never reading it. Old habit that started when I noticed that anything special sounding had ingredients I could only ever find in America. So after only ever glancing at the title, I decided it was time to take a closer look. Lo and behold, it's basically a cinnamon cupcake! Incredible and oh my god, so tasty! And as I said, perfect for the season. Made a regular vanilla buttercream, but I powdered it with cinnamon as well. Mmmm, this would go really well with a Starbucks hot chocolate! But I don't think they will appreciate me bringing a picknick along!! So if anyone has a chance to go snickerdoodle, don't hesitate! You'll love them!!

My brand new mixer!!

Ok, so I wish I could post a picture of all the lovely baking supplies I got, but, I didn't yet, grrrrrrrrr! And I wish my mixer were pink, but you know what? A brand new "free" black mixer, or a 650.- pink mixer, I think most of you would have gone for the same one right? I can't wait to use it!!! It's all shiny and new and I can't believe a few weeks ago I didn't know how I would get my hands on one without destroying our budget, and now I got one, 60% off, paid with money that came in the mail! Yes! One dream down, thousands to go!!!

My first Halloween Cookies!!

Ok, so it doesn't matter that my 3 white chocolate ganache attempts failed, that I STILL didn't recieve my baking supplies, that I still haven't won the euromillions...my very first attempt at Halloween cookies was a complete success!!!
I am so happy! What do you all think??!!

Oh well...

Ahhhh, 3rd attempt failed. Disastrously. It didn't even make it to the fridge to cool down. I am embarassed. Ok, this is what happened : as announced, I reduced the amount of cream so much, well, so much that the chocolate didn't melt...added more and more cream...still, chunks of chocolate everywhere. So I made a really stupid move and put the bowl in the microwave. Well, all the fat seperated. It looked like melted chocolate with snot on it. I don't have anymore white chocolate to use at home, so I think I will leave this for now, will probably venture another try at the end of the week...oh well... I had leftover cookie dough in the freezer, so today I will be starting a Halloween experiment. Should be done tomorrow evening. Wish me luck!

2nd attempt, Failed!

It must come to no surprise to any of you that my second attempt at hardening white chocolate ganache has also completely failed. I am quite close to giving up actually, but still, a tiny piece of me believes. Yes, I believe in a hard white chocolate ganache! It has to exist! I mean, my white chocolate buttercream was fine, but it is just way sweeter, and I was something that just tastes of chocolate, not sugar!!! Plus, it kept sort of melting in my hand. My first few flowers were hard, then they got shiny, and the rest looked like the wicked witch of the east. So today, I threw out my 2nd attempt after, what, 3 days in the fridge. Still goopy. I will try again, with a ridiculously high chocolate to cream ratio, like it will barely melt and then report back!! It's not like I have anything else to do right now...it's saturday, so I can't expect any mail, and it's raining out...ahhhh what I would do with baking supplies right now...

How long do I have to wait!!!

Hey...just hanging out with Lily and the cats, bored, like really bored. Isn't such a terrific day out, and the 2 projects I have in mind require that my order finally arrives. I just have no idea when it's going to come and it's driving me bonkers. I have run out of things to do that aren't sort of normal. I want to do my cookies and my cake pops! What a badly written post...sorry to anyone reading this...when I get bored, I get lazy, and that affects every aspect of my life, right down to grammar and punctuation. So in the meantime, while I wait, go read a better blog : www.cakewrecks.com !!!! And tell me what you think!!!

Red velvet cupcakes with white chocolate buttercream-yes, not ganache...

I got tired of waiting guys, got the feeling my entire life consists of it. So I left my new goop to sit and went ahead and made a white chocolate buttercream with a recipe I had found on the internet. Damn internet, gave me a recipe that was as soft as my goop! But since it's not a ganache, I was allowed, I took charge really, to add some powdered sugar, so I did, Dammit!!! Since it was hard enough, I decided to practice my buttercream flower skills, and this is what came of it. I have tried it about 3 times before and it never worked, I think this time it was the right consistency...what a surprise. The cupcakes, red velvet, are really good, but only ideal to make flowers on top as they came out completely flat. So still need to check for more recipes....will probably have to go with the vinegar recipes, as much as I am grossed out by the idea...any comments anyone? Anyone out there reading this?

Today I recieved money in the mail...

Ok, so, knowing I am a dreamer, this should be like a dream come true, right? Free money in the mail!!!! Well, let me tell you, I have never been so upset over something, ever. Don't worry, it's not an inheritance or something like that. It's more complicated...ok, here it goes, 5 and a half years ago, I got married and got a gift certificate from my family, to have a piece of furniture made by a cousin of mine. It was worth 1000.- Not bad! I was happy, but we didn't need anything doing at the time. A year later, we moved and we wanted a table done. We asked for something that wouldn't cost much more than our certificate was worth, but it couldn't be done. We let it lie. Last year we moved again (this is Switzerland people-I don't own a house!!) and I asked about some cupboards. I never got an answer. Today, I get a letter in the mail saying, because we haven't talked about the certificate anymore, he decided to send us the money back. Up to here, everything is fine...until I look at the money. 420.- Ok do you know of any company, bank, whatever, that takes interest from your money, because they are holding it? And honestly, if I had known this were the case, don't you think I would have wanted it before it lost all it was worth? So there you go, I could get myself a really decent pair of shoes, even a Hermes belt, or I can go to IKEA and get myself half a cupboard, but I am just so, arrrrgggghhh, boiling inside!!! I think I will spend it on baking supplies...at least something good will come of it-and I will feel better about having it...still waiting for my supplies by the way...and at my second ganache to harden. Ugh, what a start to the day...

White chocolate ganache, second attempt!

For those of you who have been following this blog, you may remember me promising to tell you how long it would take for my white chocolate ganache to get hard enough to pipe. Just to let you know, had I wanted it to glaze stuff, the recipe would have been perfect, and it was the same recipe as for the dark chocolate ganache which took about 7 hours to get stiff. Today, 4 days later, I couldn't look at it anymore. I got so scared to find mouldy chocolate in my fridge, I threw it out!! It got stiffer everyday, but in my opinion, I would have had to wait at least 3 more days to get it to the right consistency, and that, ladies and gentlemen (?), is just gross. Nothing like a week old topping on a cupcake. Makes you want to come back for more, and more, and then never leave the toilet again... It is the gift that keeps on giving...but let's get back to the subject. This was just a setback and I am not giving up! I will find the right recipe! And so I made a second attempt just an hour ago...stay tuned for how this one turns out!

If you ever feel bad about one of your creations...

Last night I couldn't fall asleep. I was overexcited, not in that way, shame on you...no I was just happy. I was really proud of my baking, and I had been for my first post baby jog and it went great! So I was lying in bed and all I wanted to do was talk, and my poor husband isn't on maternity leave and has a job, so I decided to go surf the internet. And what a good thing I did! I found the funniest website ever! And it doesn't matter that it is also baking related, I think it is for everyone. Witty writing, incredible pictures, and you will feel good about yourself afterwards. Ah ja, plus the reward of laughing so much that you get the feeling you worked out your abs! Go check it out and report back PLEASE!!!!!!!!
cakewrecks.com
You guys won't regret it!!

The challenge

Ok, so a few days ago, I wrote in a post that someone should send me a challenge, and today, it has come in. My good friend, who couldn't seem to be able to comment directly on my blog (t'es pas comme une génie d'ordi toi??) sent me a challenge via facebook. Cakepops. Ok, so this is a good one 'cause I have been scared of them. I bought a book about them last year and I loved the pictures, but when I really looked at it, I realized I would have problems finding the supplies in Switzerland and I have shyed away from just trying stuff. I now know where to get the supplies, but again, ONLINE, GGGGRRRRRR, so that is why you won't get to see a picture of this challenge for about 2 weeks or so. But all this to say, challenge accepted!!!

It's actually good inside too!

Sugar shock!! Bring in the dentists!!! Anyway, it even looks nice inside! But, as my 2 first phrases state, ugh, I feel almost sick...! But then, as I wrote in my last post, I used leftover creams that don't really go together-toooooo sweet. Still, came out way better (inside and out) than I ever could have expected. Comments anyone?

Oh my God! It worked!!!

I can't believe it!!!!! Ok, I am like super excited! I feel like I have just won the lottery or something!!! Ahhh, if I would win the lottery, I would just....ok Stop Heidi !!!!!!! Focus on the subject! My very first fondant covered cake ever and I think it came out superbly! I don't think I have ever used so many exclamation points and I am a notorious exclamation point user, as I tend to write as I would speak. Bad bad habit... Point is, this proves to me, that if I were to actually plan a cake in advance, and have the proper tools, I could make something really really nice! To speak facts : I used a vanilla cupcake recipe-which in the amount I made, came out looking like a fat pancake, so basically, not the perfect cake. Cut 5 circles with a glass, put leftover cream I had used on my star cupcakes in between the layers, and as promised, used my 3 day old white, not yet mouldy goop as a base for the fondant and covered using my hands to smooth and a knife to cut around! When it came out looking decent, I just added flowers, as I don't yet have any other small shaped fondant cutters. I can't wait till I get new stuff to work with! Yay!!! I have to leave it as is for now for my husband to look at, but when we cut it, and it looks half edible inside, I may post a picture of that, including whether it tastes good at all! I mean, I was just trying to make something nice today, but a cake is like a person, right? It's what's on the inside that counts...Thanks for reading!!

Experiment started!

Because I am still waiting, for my order, and for my white chocolate goop to harden, I have decided to  start an experiment. I will try to do my very first fondant covered mini cake. I have already baked the cake and cut out some circles, and will probably use my goop to glue the fondant to the cake. My oh so clever husband warned me yesterday that the goop may mould before it hardens, so there you go, I am putting it to good use! And I will be going out and buying more white chocolate and cream today to try to make the ganache again, with other ingredient proportions. I am a bit excited, I have also decided to try my hand at red velvet cupcakes, found one recipe without vinegar in it. I just can't get my head around putting vinegar in a cake, so we'll see how it turns out! So stay tuned for possible pictures of a mini cake, and red velvet cupcakes with HARD white chocolate ganache icing. Of course if they are complete disasters, I may steal a picture from the internet and post it as my own...wish me luck!!!

Can't sleep...

I am feeling a bit blue tonight...and can't sleep. Starting to wonder about a bunch of things in my life, and especially about my expectations...are they too high, still? After so many years, I still hope things will fall into place magically and I am soooo disappointed when they don't. Have some of you ever just gone from blog to blog, you know check out the "competition"? I can't believe how many God related ones there are, and the rest are very personal family update blogs. What are the chances someone comes upon mine per coincidence and finds my treats good enough to...ahhh, dreaming again. Expecting things to fall in place while making no efforts at all...am I just setting myself up for disappointment again?

Leftovers

Still waiting for my delivery, I decided to start writing down all the cupcake recipes I would need to find the best of, you know, best vanilla, best red velvet, etc...but then baby didn't want to let mommy have a few undisturbed minutes, so I put her in a place where she could observe everything I was doing, and we tried a new vanilla cupcake recipe together. Taste is pretty good, but they barely lifted, so still not the best vanilla. Wanted to do a lovely swirl with my leftover buttercream from yesterday, but it just didn't have a nice consistency anymore. Plus I don't have the proper tool yet to do it-again, waiting for my delivery (in both senses). So in the end, I will just say, Lily did it! Pretty good for a 7 week old baby! She wanted to hide the swirl as well as she could and added a few decorations! In the meantime, come on! I need baking supplies!!!!!!

Stupid White Chocolate Ganache!!

It will never happen! It just won't! After 27 hours of intense refridgeration, this stupid white chocolate ganache has the consistency of thick paint! I could use it to redecorate...a room in off white, with a wiff of chocolate when it gets warm...mmmm, wouldn't you just love to live in a place where you could paint walls with chocolate? I would be in a much better mood! Anyway, to get back to the matter at hand, if this thing will ever work, I have to change the recipe drastically, probably half the quantity of cream. Anyone ever tried this? Meanwhile, what to do with 3 cups of chocolate goop? Any suggestions? And while I am asking for suggestions, anyone want to throw me some kind of challenge? Just wondering...it could be quite fun...

Partial Success, and the ongoing Ganache Story...

So here is my latest : Chocolate chocolate chip mini cupcakes with dark chocolate ganache and vanilla buttercream and self made Ceccotorenas stars (wakeboard school logo) made of white chocolate. I think they are my best up to now.
Ok, well, the ganache question is partially answered. I made the dark and white chocolate ganaches at 6.45 in the morning. By 8 they were just as liquid as they had been, so I put them in the fridge. At 11, I had to leave for a few hours and got scared that the dark choc ganache would be to hard to pipe, so I left it out again. At 1.30 when I got back home, it was absolutely perfect-so I would say, had I put it straight in the fridge, it would have been in perfect piping consistency within 5 hours. The white one is still in the fridge, more than 14 hours later, still way too liquid to pipe. I even, against all directions I have read in the internet, put it about 2 hours in the freezer. Maybe if I would have done this straight from the beginning, it would have worked? I read there would be some crystalization happening, but I tasted it from time to time, and it was yummy. So the conclusion is white ganache, make it the day before, leave the whole time in the fridge...I will see tomorrow morning if it is usable or not! Oh, and put more chocolate in than the recipe asks for. As for the white chocolate stars-they came out perfectly! And I didn't break them when I released them from the paper!! Unfortunately, 2 broke as I was transporting them. But it could have been a much greater carnage. All in all, very good, and a few more things learned! Any comments anyone? Anything?