St. Patties Day!

I don't like lime and I am not the biggest fan of mint with my sweets. What other green flavor can I make cupcakes out of for St. Patties day? GREEN TEA!!! These are organic vanilla bean cupcakes with green tea matcha frosting. These I must say were a HIT!

Cakes

1/2 cup milk

3 egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 vanilla bean scraped

1  cup + 1 tables poon flour

3/4 cup + 2 table spoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tabel spoons unsalted butter (room temp)

In a bowl whisk together egg whites, milk, vanilla and vanilla beans. (if the bean seeds stick together, don't worry, it's normal). In your mixer sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat in the butter 1 table spoon at a time. After mixed together add half of the milk mixture. Once that is added and mixed, scrape down the sides and add the other half. Divide among cupcake trays and place in the over at 350 and keep an eye on them until they are lightly golden. They are delicious and not too sweet!

Frosting

2 sticks unsalted butter (room temp)

1/4 cup heavy cream

4 tabel spoons matcha green tea powder

3 cups powder sugar

Beat the butter until light and fluffy (as always). In a small bowl mix together the tea powder and heavy cream. Add 1 cup of the sugar to the butter. Add the cream and powder in to the butter and sugar. Keep adding the rest of the sugar until it is a perfect frosting texture!

I decorated it with dried raspberries that I got at Trader Joe's and some raspberry infused sugar that I got at the Tea and Spice Exchange in Asheville (http://www.spiceandtea.com). They are fun and cute and SO tasty that are not your every day flavors. Enjoy and have a Happy St. Patricks Day!!!!

Below is the apron my dearest sister gave me for my birthday. Also, Andy is a good family friend that LOVES my cupcakes :)

Brunch Time! Best meal of the day!

Sweet? Or Savory?

My sister and I try to spend as much time with each other as we can. This past Sunday she decided to come over and let me make her BRUNCH! Crepes are the perfect brunch food and they are delicious, but I can never decide weather I want a sweet crepe or a savory crepe. So I made both!!! The sweet is made with home made amaretto whipped cream, pourable nutella and raspberries! Who wouldn't want to start a lazy sunday with that! The savory is sharp white cheddar cheese and fresh spinach. 

Crepes

1 cup all purpose flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 teaspoons salt

2 tabel spoons butter (melted)

Mix all the ingredients together, no specific order or anything. When the mixture is no longer chunky, have a pan lightly greased and ready with the heat on low/medium. Cook them just like your cooking pancakes. They cook faster though so keep and eye on them. If your making savory, after the first flip put cheese and spinach on half. Shred the cheese so that it melts quickly.

Amaretto Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tabel spoons sugar

1-2 tabel spoons amaretto (depending on how strong you want it)

In your mixer whip the cream until fluffy then add everything else, If the whipped cream starts to get runny from the amaretto just add more sugar or cream, play it by ear. Thats it!

Pourable Nutella

1/3 cup nutella

2-3 tabel spoons heavy cream(maybe more)

Microwave the nutella so it is mushy and easy to mix with the cream. Keep adding cream until you feel like you can pour it! Easy!

This brunch is so easy, and super cute! After you have everything prepared, add whatever you want and make it pretty :) Have it with a cup of tea or a coffee. Enjoy Sunday's with friends and family Brunch Time

Valentines Preparation

These adorable delightful cakes are perfect for you sweetie! Get it? Sweetie!

Strawberry cakes topped with a light milk chocolate swiss meringue buttercream frosting!

Cakes

2/3 cup fresh chopped strawberries

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup unsalted butter(room temp)

1 cup sugar

1 egg

2 egg whites

Add flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. in a separate bowl mix milk, vanilla, and strawberries. In your mixer with the paddle attachment cream the butter on high speed. gradually add the sugar until combined and fluffy. reduce mixer speed and add the egg and egg whites until blended. add the flour mixture slowly alternating with the milk mixture. perf! Put in cupcake tins and bake for 10-14 minutes for little cakes at 350 

Frosting

4 large egg whites

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup butter (room temp)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup melted and cooled semi sweet chocolate

3 tabel spoons un-sweet cocoa powder

Place egg whites and sugar in the top of a double boiler. Whisk constantly and cook just until the sugar is melted. Pour in to a mixer with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed until peaks form. Then, switch to the paddle attachment and add the butter 2 tablespoons at a time on medium speed. While adding the butter, increase the speed every time. continue beating until the frosting appears thick. Reduce speed and add vanilla, chocolate, and cocoa. Continue to beat for 2 minutes to eliminate air bubbles. 

A perfect fluffing frosting!

I then decorated mine with sweet little pink sprinkles. Have fun, Happy Valentines Day, and I hope your Valentine enjoys his(or her) cupcakes!

tomorrow is the day!

Guess what tomorrow is! Not only is it my 20th birthday but it is Valentines Day! Time is running out to make baked goods for a loved one. Here is a chocolate cake with a champagne strawberry frosting. Romantic...

Also I made chocolate sea salt caramels for a sweet topper.

Cakes

Same as below

Frosting

1/2 cup butter

5 cups powder sugar

1/4 cup champagne 

1/4 cup finely chopped strawberries

1 teaspoon strawberry extract

Cream the butter until fluffy, add the sugar one cup at a time and alternate with the champagne and strawberries. Once it is all blended, add extract. Add champagne if it needs more but you also may need to add more sugar.

YUM

Chocolates

caramel sauce (below)

milk chocolate kisses

sea salt!!!

in a double boiler melt the chocolate. Have the caramel already prepared and add as much sea salt as you would like(mine were not salty enough). In a heart mold put just enough chocolate in to cover the sides and still have enough room for caramel and more chocolate. stick them in the freezer for a couple minutes. when they are solid take them out and add the caramel, freeze again. Take them back out and put the last touch of chocolate to cover the caramel. Again, put them in the freezer. All done!

Decorate and serve. 

A perfect treat...

Mallows for a Valentine

I made home made marshmallows!

They are SO GOOD!

I couldn't believe I accomplished such a hard task...

It's not as hard as you would think!

What you will need

1 cup powder sugar

2 tabel spoons, 2 and 1/2 tea spoons unflavored gelatin

1 cup water. Divided half and half

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/4 tea spoon salt

2 large egg whites

1 tabel spoon vanilla

Put 1/2 cup of water in a mixer with the gelatin. Don't mix until it has set and looks "tough". In a sauce pan put another 1/2 cup of water, sugar(not powder sugar) and corn syrup and heat on low until it hits 220 degrees on a CANDY THERMOMETER. once the sugar devolves and the mixture hits the right temperature and beat on high. in a separate bowel beat the egg whites and the vanilla until fluffy and add it to the other mixture that is being beat on high. I added food coloring after it was all fluffy.

In a 13x9x2 inch pan, grease it and sift powder sugar in it. Put the soft marshmallow in the pan and spread it out Sift more powder sugar on top.

Let it sit for 3 hours-a day. 

You can cut them up with a greased pizza cutter. I used heart cookie cutters.

I also melted chocolate and dipped half of the heart in it. 

The PERFECT Valentines Day treat! Light, fluffy, sweet, and made out of love!

ENJOY!

Mixing Away

My birthday gift!!!!!!!

Best gift I have ever gotten.

Seriously.

I was so excited when it came last night that I immediately ripped the box open and washed everything so I could use it right then and there. I was so eager that I didn't even use a recipe for whipped cream. I just poured a carton of heavy cream in and started the mixer! I also put powder sugar and vanilla in it. It tuned out yummy but I was just so amazed that I didn't have to hold a mixer I forgot that i didn't have anything to put the whipped cream on! So, I put it in the freezer.

Frozen whipped cream is delicious! 

After I got over the initial shock that I am now LEGIT. I decided to bake something

NOM NOM NOM...

Pink white cakes with strawberry

meringue frosting

strawberry candy

I'm so happy that I have a mixer I feel like I could make anything!

CAKES

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

2 teaspoons strawberry extract

1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup milk

cream together the sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time, add the strawberry. Let that all mix together. Add the flour and powder little at a time after that is all mixed add the milk. Also, I added food coloring. Bake for 20 mins. on 350. 

I know that you are thinking... I didn't use fresh berries and I took the easy way out. I know.. I don't care!!! They were yummy cakes and pink. Which is what I was going for.

MERINGUE

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

2 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

put the sugar and water in a sauce pan and let the sugar melt. While this is going on have the egg whites  in YOUR MIXER :) beating until fluffy. Once the sugar is boiling and the sugar is dissolved, pour slowly in the eggs while they are still beating. add flavoring and coloring keep beating until stiff and glossy. Spread or decorate as soon as possible

CANDY

same recipe below but add some strawberry extract and food coloring.

This recipe is completely un-natural. The color's are crazy and the recipes were very simple. But it's ok!  I wasn't going for extreme today. I was going for fun! I was tired and I was looking for an excuse to use my new mixer! Hope you enjoy! Go and make cute cakes now!

Salt, Chocolate, and Caramel Caramel Caramel!

Today!

I baked.

I ate.

Trying to perfect my chocolate sea salt caramel recipe, I must say I got pretty close! It took a lot of work, burns on my hands, and a few hours today BUT they are mighty tasty!

CAKES

same recipe for chocolate cake

Makes wholes in the middle

CARAMEL FILLING

(you can't see it, but it makes the whole cake)

1/2 cup sugar

3 table spoons butter cubed

1/4 cup plus 1 table spoon heavy cream

Put the sugar in a pot and let it dissolve and boil on high. Once the sugar turns a amber color, add the butter and let it melt. Next, put the cream in and take it off of the heat. stir and let sit until cooled. Spoon out caramel to the center of the cakes.

CARAMEL FROSTING

1/4 cup of sugar

2 tabel spoons water

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tea spoon vanilla

1 stick salted butter

one stick unsalted butter

SALT! as much as you want :)

1 1/2 cups powder sugar

put the sugar and water into a pot and let it once again turn the amber color while stirring often. once it becomes the right color, take off the heat and add the cream and vanilla. (if you taste it, be aware that it doesn't taste very good). Let it sit for 20 minutes. Whip the butter and salt until creamy, add sugar and once that is all blended add the caramel. Mix until super fluffy! At this point it will taste good. promise. 

SUGAR GARNISH

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/4 tea spoon salt

3/4 cup water

sugar (to sprinkle and make pretty)

put sugar, salt, and water in a pot and turn the stove on. DUH. Let the sugar dissolve then, bring it to a boil. Once again, let it turn in to that amber color. Before you take it off the heat, fill up your sink with ice water. When you take off the pot from the heat, dunk the bottom in to the ice water so it doesn't cook any more. You will have to work fast because the caramel will harden FAST. Have a piece of parchment paper covered in oil spray ready. After your pot is dunked, use a spoon and make dots, or swirls, or whatever you want on the greased up paper. It cools quickly so put the sugar on immediately after it is poured.

Ice the cakes and put the pretty little candy on top!

I can not wait for my mixer to get here...

They are really good! A perfect mixture of salty and sweet. Make mini's and people will love you...