Cake Decorating

The Icing is In

One of the best ways to brighten up a cake is to decorate and personalize it yourself. What is better than having someone slave over a cake just for you...? The fact that you didn;t have to do it yourself. Well now its time to return the favour, and return the flavour.

I find the best icing is Betty Crocker premade icing. Using pre-made icing allows you to know how it will taste and how it is to work with. Other icing that you use made from scracth often come out to liquidy, not spreadable, etc.

 

*When filling your piping bag with the icing put the bag in a cup, thus allowing you to put the icing in without holding the bag*

Here is a site with great step by step ways of icing, with tips to get the best results!

http://www.howcast.com/guides/168-How-to-Decorate-a-Cake

Get inspired

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij2GOSdXHuo

Blueberry Blast Tart

Ingredients

For the Crust

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

 

 

 

 

For the Filling

6 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2/3 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt, and butter; process until large moist crumbs form (dough should hold together when squeezed).

1. Transfer dough to a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom; with floured fingers, press evenly into bottom and up sides. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes; prick bottom of dough all over with a fork. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes; cool completely.
2. Meanwhile, reserve 1 cup of the prettiest berries for topping. In a medium saucepan, bring 1/4 cup water and 1 1/2 cups berries to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, until berries begin to break down, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water; stir into berries in pan. Add lemon zest and juice, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, stirring, just until mixture begins to thicken, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 3 1/2 cups fresh berries. Immediately pour hot berry mixture into cooled tart shell, and smooth with a spatula.
4. Scatter reserved berries on top, pressing down lightly to help them adhere. Refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes and up to overnight.

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

 

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature

   

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt for 30 seconds, set aside. In a separate large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer set on medium-high speed, whip together eggs, sugar and vanilla until mixture is very pale, fluffy and thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Mix in melted butter and vegetable oil. Working in three separate batches, beginning and ending with flour, add 1/3 of the flour mixture followed by 1/2 of the milk mixture, blending until well combine after each addition. Pour batter into 12 paper lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full. Bake in preheated oven 19 - 22 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack, then frost with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting and top with a small whole fresh strawberry or fresh strawberry slices.

*To bring the eggs to room temp quickly, simply submerge in a bowl of warm water for 5 - 10 minutes. To bring milk to room temperature quickly, simply heat in microwave on high powder in a microwave safe dish for 15 - 20 seconds until no longer cold.

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup  strawberries

2 1/2 Tbsp milk

2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, whip butter on medium-high speed until very pale and fluffy 6 - 8 minutes, frequently scraping down sides and bottom of bowl. OR if you do not have a stand mixer you can use a hand mixer which will only take 8-10 mintues.

 

You can pulverize the strawberries if you like, or if you want a more strawberry texture use a knife. I find cutting them up into fine peices gives a wonderful texture and a great appeal.

Stir in strawberries, milk, and powdered sugar and whip mixture for 4-5 mintues. Best results if served within the hour.

Reciepe found at www.cookingclassy.com

Quick & Easy

March break is here, and we all know that if were not busy doing nothing then we should be! here's a ls it of some easy but tasty treats you can dig your teeth into over the break!

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 water

2 Tb melted butter

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
3. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.

MAKE IT YOURS
You can eat crepes at any time of the day, adding fresh fruits, jam, nutella, or making it into a sand which!

ADD A SMOOTHIE

Smoothies are delish and unique, never making one with the exact same taste again!

When making a smoothie its a good idea to have a base, like ice cream, milk, or yogurt.
Then you can add whatever you'd like, fruits, vegetables, heck you could even throw in a pork chop if you wanted! The best way to get your desired taste is to keep on tasting what you have and figuring out what you would like to taste more of!

My favourite smoothie would defiantly have to be strawberry, ice cream, milk, banana's and anything else yummy! So if any of you takers out there are looking to cheer me up, I'll be waiting with a straw in my hand!

*Don't get me wrong, I've had a couple bad smoothies here and there, it happens! And besides, without the bad you'd never know the good right?*

You Are What You Eat

So many people love to bake... or better yet love to eat baked goods. But in all truthfulness you can just be eating piles of sugar. Switching out certain ingredients or buying your produce from different people can make a lot of difference in your baked goods and your diet.

Buy Smart

Anything you can buy local do it! I'm a strong believer in buying local because your not only supporting people in your community but you are not contributing to the lenghty process of creating and shipping food from across the world. As well cutting out on harsh chemicals that are often sprayed on the produce.

Here is a local Kitchener program you can sign up for to receive locally grown foods from farmers around the area!

https://www.100milesystems.com/baileyslocalfoods.ca/login.php?return=%2Fbaileyslocalfoods.ca%2Fbuyingclub.php

Eat Smart

Think about it this way, everything you put inside your body becomes your body. In a sense its kind of like putting gas in a car, you put gas in it not toilet water. So put fresh food into your body, not processed.

Fruits over ANYTHING.

Fruits are so easy to be added into a recipe because they are sweet and universally loved.

Alternatives

Use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. Whole wheat flour contains less sugar, and more fibre. The whole process of making whole wheat flour is less than all-purpose flour, which has to be more refined and processed.

Myths

Brown sugar and white sugar nearly have the same nutritional value. The biggest difference is that the brown sugar gives your baked goods a more brown colour, and more moistness.