My Macaron Journey

****Fair Warning***

I am not a macaron expert. I don't have all the answers, I'm still experimenting myself. I can tell you what I have learned, and mistakes I have made, and hopefully you can learn from that. But I don't have a magical unicorn on my shoulder who sneezes on the batter and ensures that they come out perfectly every time. Sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't, and sometimes I have no freaking clue what the difference was. 

        ********************

If you know the process behind making these gorgeous cookies, you know that despite the misleadingly simple ingredients and seemingly straightforward method, there are a million and one variables that can effect the end result. 

My macaron experience started a year ago. BTW, I prefer this spelling for French macarons. I have seen numerous debates on different sites arguing the macaron vs. macaroon conundrum. It is my personal opinion that the single "o" is for French macarons, and helps to differentiate between these sandwich cookies and the American coconut macaroons. I don't much care either way, delicious is delicious, right? 

Anyway, about a year ago I set my mind to learning how to make these. I had never even had one before (embarrassing, I know) and so I went to a posh neighborhood and a hidden little shop and purchased some overpriced macarons so that I would know what texture/shape etc. to look for. 

The first time I made them, I was completely clueless. No idea what I was doing. None. I had no idea that these innocent looking things could be so evil. I had done this countless times before. I saw a recipe, I followed it, it came out perfectly... Oh, sweet, naive Dani. 

My first batch were rough. The oven was way too hot, they burned on the bottom and were hollow on the inside. Huh. This might be trickier than I realized. I spent all winter trying to perfect these cookies. I read a lot of blogs, tried tens of different methods, got all kinds of results. No feet. Cracked tops. Too puffy. Too thin. JUST RIGHT. Then, winter in Florida ended and the humidity killed any hope of continuing. But now it's winter again, the humidity is gone, and I am back at it. 

This is my favorite chocolate macaron recipe and the only one I've ever gotten to come out exactly, beautifully perfect:
http://www.chow.com/recipes/28339-french-chocolate-macarons-with-chocolate-ganache

My biggest issues have been over whipping the eggs whites, which seems to result in a thicker cookie with a more domed top instead of nice and flat. I also have trouble not over mixing or under mixing the egg whites and the dry ingredients. I have found between 50 and 60 folds to be a good number. Baking is also difficult. This recipe suggest 350, but I have found 325 to be more consistent. I have burned cookies at 350, especially the bottoms getting too dark. If the oven seems too hot, I also crack the oven door open. I like to turn them after 7-10 minutes and give one a light touch to see how jiggly it is. I always bake them on parchment paper, and when I take them out of the oven I immediately slide the entire paper off the pan and onto the counter to cool. 

For my pumpkin macarons, I used this recipe and found it very nicely proportioned!
http://www.yummymummykitchen.com/2011/09/pumpkin-french-macarons.html

If anyone else has any tips or tricks, please share! 

Decadent Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes

Nutella. Even the name is scrumptious. Say it. Nutella. Tastes good, doesn't it? Chocolate and hazelnut go together like, well, chocolate and peanut butter. Or chocolate and strawberries. Okay, chocolate goes amazing with a lot of things, but there's definitely something about chocolate and hazelnut.

First things first, the cupcake. In this case, really more of a vessel for the chocolatey-hazlenut goodness than the main attraction.

Now, don't freak, but I used a mix. And I'm not ashamed. I love cake mixes, and I don't care what anyone says. Yes, I often make everything from scratch, but it isn't always necessary. Cake mixes are a great base and offer one amazing quality everyone wants in their baking...consistency. Ah, yes. Measuring dry ingredients accurately is essential, as anyone on Food Network will tell you (every single time they bake anything...end rant) and cake mixes are just so freaking perfect. Judge if you will, but don't knock it until you try it.

Here are the key players:

The Cake

I used Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Fudge mix. I'm a fan of Betty Crocker, but I've been known to use Duncan Hines and Pillsbury (hello, funfetti!) too. Pretty much any chocolate cake mix will work here. I also used Plugra European style butter (available at Wal-mart), organic milk (it matters to me but is not strictly necessary) and Rodelle vanilla (my favorite brand, big bottle is awesomely cheap at Target). 

Mix the cake mix with: 

3 eggs

5 tablespoons softened butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 milk

Beat with a hand mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes. 

*Note: This combination of ingredients does not work with vanilla or yellow cake mixes. I've tried it.

Scoop into lined cupcake tin and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. I turn the pan halfway through to ensure even baking. Cupcakes are done when they spring back to a light touch. Don't over bake, and keep in mind they continue to bake slightly after coming out of the oven. I take them out of the pan quickly and transfer to a cooling rack. 

The Filling

Oh yes, these are filled cupcakes. If it were up to me, every cupcake would have filling. Maybe this one. This is a very basic, very simple filling but it is oh-so-good. 

1 small jar Nutella

 (I believe there are other brands of chocolate hazelnut spreads, but I've never used anything but the original)

1/2 cup softened butter 

2 teaspoons vanilla 

1/4 powdered sugar 

Pinch salt

Whip together the nutella and butter until fluffy. Add the vanilla and sugar and mix well. To be completely honest, these measurements are not set in stone. If you don't like your filling too sweet and more hazelnutty, feel free to leave out the sugar. Or if you want it extra sweet, add some more. Taste is the key here. I taste everything I make and adjust as needed. Trust your taste buds. 

I put the filling in a piping bag, cut the centers out of my cupcakes, and filled. I've found a sharp knife is the best way to core a cupcake. You can go as deep or as shallow as you like, depending on how much filling you want your cupcakes to have. I've seen and used those specifically made cupcake plungers, and they're just a gimmick. You also can just spoon in the filling if you don't have/don't want to use a piping bag. 

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

My husband is in love with this frosting. I'm afraid it's turning into a full-blown affair. And there's no one to blame but myself. It's smooth, it's sweet, and SO chocolatey. This is not a traditional ganache recipe (which is almost always just chocolate and heavy cream). If you already have a beloved chocolate ganache recipe, I will not hate you for using it. I used chocolate, 2% milk and butter. It's fluffier and lighter than a regular ganache and therefore in my opinion works better as a frosting. 

2 bars (8 oz) semi-sweet baking chocolate

1 cup milk

1/3 cup softened butter

Heat the milk and butter together in the microwave or a sauce pan and pour over chocolate. Stir until smooth. Place in the refrigerator and stir every 10-15 minutes until completely cool and set. You can also put it in the freezer if you are in a hurry, but stir it often. The sides will start to freeze quickly and it will be difficult to mix otherwise. I used my hand mixer to make it slightly fluffier. You can also add powdered sugar and vanilla if you are looking for a sweeter flavor, which I did. I added a couple tablespoons of sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla.  Pipe onto your cupcakes. I used a Wilton 1M star tip, piping a ruffle along the outside edge and then filling in the center. I then topped them with a Ferrero Rocher chocolate and a little bit of chocolate shavings. 

Some Additional Thoughts: 

The filling can easily be used as the frosting! The 3rd cupcake on the right was frosted with the filling (it is slightly shinier than the others) and it was just as good as the others, although this adds a lot more hazelnut flavor than using the ganache frosting. 

I am not a scientific baker. So much of what I make I do by taste, and so you may need to adjust these recipes to suit your own preferences. With the filling and the frosting (not the cake recipe) don't be afraid to change the amounts. If you like it sweeter, add more sugar! I can't stress enough how important I think it is to taste everything. 

Happy Baking!

-Dani 

Ghost Cake Pop Tutorial

I have a confession. It's a big one, and a bit embarrassing for me to admit. Here it is.

  I adore making cake pops...

...But I hate eating them. 

       

There. I said it. I don't like cake pops. To eat. If I didn't make them myself and insist on tasting everything I make, I would probably never put one to my lips again.  Gah, what a relief to get that off my chest. But I'm so glad that other people love to eat them, because I love to make them. And I especially love to make them cute and themed. Like these, which I made last year.

These cake pops were ridiculously, *almost shamefully* easy. This is my first tutorial, so bear with me. If you are a cake pop pro, feel free to skip the first several steps which are basic instructions for making cake pops and go straight to the decorating stage. If you aren't familiar with cake pops or how to make them, I'm going step by step for ya! 

First things first. Assembling the cake pops. I used some leftover, unfrosted red velvet cupcakes. I love transforming past-their-prime (but still yummy) cupcakes into cake pops. Crumble up the cake into small pieces. I know some people use a food processor, but I've never felt the need. 

Then add your frosting of choice. For cake pops, I usually use a baking mix and store-bought frosting. I just don't see the need to go for scratch with cake pops! Start with a small amount of frosting, mix, and then add more as needed. You do not want to add too much frosting! The right amount is when the cake holds together when you squeeze it and you can form a ball as seen in the last picture. Too much frosting will keep your cake pops from holding their shape and result in jumpers (cake pops that slide down or fall off their sticks). 

Next, roll your cake into balls. I measured a heaping tablespoon to make sure they were all close to the same size. Try to make sure they are relatively smooth, with no big cracks. Cracks will worsen after you chill them and especially if you over-chill them, and cause them to break when you insert the stick. Because these will be covered with fondant to make the ghost, they don't have to be exactly perfect though. I chill them in the freezer for 15-20 minutes, and then put them in the fridge. 

Melt your candy melts (I use Wilton brand melts). I like to add a splash of vegetable oil or a teaspoon of shortening to thin the melts just a little bit. I've found straight melts are a little too thick, but it's a personal preference.

 I also like to use the shorter lollipop sticks instead of long cake pop sticks. Dip your stick into the melted candy and then straight into the center of your cake pop, careful not to go to far past the center of the pop. I let the candy set before I dip the entire pop into the melts. I then use a block of styrofoam to hold them as they dry. 

Now comes the fun part!! 

My supplies: Wilton candy melts and sticks, fondant, cornstarch, edible markers, candy eyes, and a cookie cutter. I rolled out the white fondant pretty thin, then cut it with my wavy-edged cookie cutter. If you don't have a cutter like this, you could do a plain circle or even cut your own wavy pattern with a pizza cutter. There are no rules here, peeps. I like to thin out the edges of the cut out shape on a foam sponge with a lollipop stick, but it isn't strictly necessary and you could just use your fingers to squeeze the edges. My cutter was just a little bit too small, so I rolled the fondant again after it was cut out to stretch it but was careful not to alter the shape. 

Rub a little bit of melted candy onto the center of the fondant and drape over the pop. Smooth down and then use your fingers to shape. Now get crazy and give your ghosts some personality! I used candy eyes from Michaels for most of them (also attached with melted candy) but I also used black fondant to make eyes as well. I used fondant to make lips, bows, and mustaches. I used the edible marker to draw on eyelashes. 

And there you have it! Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think of my first tutorial! 

-Dani

Life's a Circus

This past Monday was my good friend Rachel's twenty-second-number-not-important birthday. I think she was celebrating not being 30, and I was more than happy to help. And seeing as how I'm a poor baker I knew the only present I could give her would be a kick-ass birthday cake.

                                                                             TA-DA!

This cake was an evolution, and it took strange turns and became something I wasn't really expecting but I am so happy with the results. 

Rachel came over the night before I planned to make the cake, and I asked her a couple of questions to get a better feel of what she would like. 

Favorite color? "Blue."

How about favorite animal? (Besides cats. Rachel has 3 cats, but I didn't want to go down that road). "Shark."

SHARK? Seriously? How could I make a shark cake cute? Ten year old boys get shark cakes. All I could think was a bloody Jaws-esq monster on top of her birthday cake. In retrospect, maybe I should've tried to make a cute shark. Could've started a new cute shark trend, add shark to the bounty of owls and ducks. Next time, maybe. Rachel then Googled cute animals, but couldn't come up with one she liked. Maybe I'd just scrap the cute animal thing. 

I knew the next thing I wanted to include was bunting. Here was my inspiration cake: 

I found this in a Bing images search and I can't find it's source to credit them but I love this cake! 

After I finished the bunting on the bottom layer, I added the stripes to the middle layer. To the top, I originally had yellow flowers, then a few more flowers sort of cascading down the side. However, my husband bravely suggesting that the flowers did not fit the style of the cake. They were too serious while the rest of the cake was whimsical. Swallowing my pride, I admitted he was right, ripped the flowers off and my bow-tie wearing elephant took their place. 

(In case you are wondering, the cake inside was alternating layers of yellow butter cake and chocolate fudge cake with vanilla frosting)

Rachel's response was fantastic and today she texted me "I froze the elephant. I want to keep him forever". Yep, I'd say this cake was a success!

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Pink Treats and Lemonade

Have you noticed? Owls. Are. Everywhere. In commercials, on clothes, AND on top of our cake! 

 Layers of ruffled subtle ombre pink fondant with an wide-eyed owl perched on top. The cake is chocolate fudge with vanilla buttercream. It is actually a mini 3-tiered cake, the perfect size for a small party. 

             To make it a real party, we surrounded our cake with chocolate cupcakes with pink buttercream frosting and an icy pitcher of pink lemonade. 

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