Sugar Roses

I love making gumpaste/sugarpaste roses! I have a few tutorials up, but my most recent one is the best to view. You can do so here..
After making the video, I came to realize the spoon method to curling back the petals works best for me. If you type in McGreevy's roses in YouTube, you can find her tutorial on it. Basically, instead of using a toothpick to curl the petals, you curl it over a spoon and let it dry a bit. Works well! :) Between the two methods, it should help you along the way to creating your own flower. Here are some additional pictures of materials I use including the brand of gumpaste and type of roses cutters for one single rose.

Cookie Butter Cupcakes

I am obsessed with cookie butter! So naturally, I decided that I should make cookie butter cupcakes!  I went with chocolate cupcakes, chocolate ganache filling, and cookie butter buttercream.

 

 

Cookie Butter Buttercream

 

• 1/2 cup cookie butter (I got mine from Whole Foods)
• 1 stick of room temperature butter
• 2 cups of confectioners sugar (add a bit more if consistency is not thick enough)
• 1 tbs milk
• Mix butter and cookie butter first and then mix the remaining ingredients in a mixer on low and then on medium speed until well combined.

So simple and so delicious!!!  I think next time I will try cookie butter as the filling and ganache as the frosting.  Happy Baking! :)

 

 

Strawberry Banana Cupcakes

Strawberry Banana Cupcakes

~strawberry cake with banana buttercream~

The famous Sprinkles Cupcakes recipe from:  http://www.marthastewart.com/258957/sprinkles-strawberry-cupcakes

• 2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
2. Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
4. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.
5. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended.
6. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.
7. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

My Banana Buttercream Frosting (for 12)

 

• 2 cups of confectioners sugar
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 tsp banana flavoring (extract or banana milk)
• 1 tbs milk depending on the consistency of the frosting

 

Beat butter first then slowly add the c. sugar and other ingredients.  You may give or take some c. sugar and milk depending on how stiff you want the icing to be.

 

Macarons

Recipe for French Macarons (adapted from Martha Stewart)

• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1 cup of confectioners sugar
• 2 large egg whites (make sure they are room temperature)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla (or whatever flavor you choose)
• Pinch of cream of tartar

1. Place confectioners sugar and almond flour in a food processor (best results) or just sift it really well so it's very fine.
2. Meanwhile, place egg whites in a bowl and mix adding a pinch of cream of tartar at this time. The mixture should look foamy.
3. Then add regular sugar. Wait until it forms soft stuff peaks (may take 5 -8 minutes) and add in extract when it is nearly stiff.
4. Fold almond mixture into meringue mixture until it forms a consistency that is shiny, thick and ribbonlike but also falls off spoon slowly but not runny.  If you want to add food coloring, do so now as you are folding.
5. Pour the batter into a pastry bag with a round tip and pipe 26 small circles onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat .
6. Tap the sheets onto a hard surface to remove air bubbles. This is extremely important!  Let it stand for 30 minutes at least (this will form the top shell surface and ensure the shells do not break or crack as they bake).
7. Then place in the oven at 300 F (use an over thermometer if you can because this is the part that caused my macs to fail a lot. Some say 325F but mine must be at 300F after much trial and error. You will find what works best for you.  You may have to test this too because ovens can be calibrated differently).
8. Bake for about ten to twelve minutes. Take out and take the macs off the cookie tray (but keep them on the parchment paper and place onto a wire rack) Cool and add filling!