Cups O' Deliciousness :) And Totally Random Life Convergences :)

I thought I would let you guys see a little of what I was up to yesterday :) A very sweet friend and neighbor of mine has some raspberry canes growing in her backyard - and since they are pretty hard to find in the stores anywhere, I asked her if I might be able to buy some from her.  She came up with the awesome idea of bartering for candy :) Hey... I can do that!!! :)

Funny story how she came to be a fan of my chocolate... and one of those "wow- small world!" moments :) A friend and coworker of my husband's, when he worked at the Cottontree Inn in Bountiful a while back, called me up out of the blue 2 Christmases ago.  He remembered the candy that I brought into work for my husband and the crew 2 Christmases before THAT (4 Christmases ago... if you lost me ;)) and wanted to know if he could order some for his friends and coworkers.  Wow... is what went through my mind ... We hadn't talked or anything for over a year so I was a bit surprised to say the least- and so totally flattered!! I made him 4 tins of candy and he even drove from Provo to come and pick them up! (Provo is over an hour south of us here in Layton).

Move ahead a few months, when a newlywed couple moves in 2 houses down from us.  We meet them at church, and they are 2 of the sweetest people you'll ever meet. He was recruited immediately to Scouts- teaching my youngest son, and she was called to Young Womens teaching my oldest daughter :) So already we had interactions with them- then one spring day when I was out sweeping my driveway, who should come walking up the street but hubby's old coworker :) who happens to be Mr. Newlywed's best friend from High School... and they were one of the recipients of my candy at Christmas! Once she found that out, she has been a loyal customer ever since! And the last little wow moment was we found out that their anniversary just so happens to be my birthday ;)) I mean come on... was there an alignment of stars there or what???

So yesterday was the first day it was below 80 degrees- and we do not have air conditioning... so the warm days, as you can imagine, aren't very conducive to candy making ;) But since I knew a storm (and a cool one at that) was coming in, I figured it would be a great time to make some goodies and get those raspberry bushes ready for this summer! I make a bunch of different varieties of candy with raspberries and strawberries during the summer- like these I made last year :) (for before mentioned cutie pie neighbors for their anniversary... on my birthday ;))

Romance on a platter... n'est-ce pas? (Isn't it? in french... sorry) And see those cute little berries at the bottom?  Bride and Groom Berries- and the Bride berry had sparkling sugar on it for some extra bling (since you can't see it here :)) I thought they were pretty cute! And the strawberries in the middle is how I dip my berries... first in white, then dip in dark, then drizzle with white... it's a totally mind blowing experience... seriously!

... and now that I will be growing them myself :) it's not only cheaper, but fresher- and you know fresh always taste better!!!

Now I made a variety of caramel, coconut, and nut combinations, fruity "s'more" combinations, and some fudge cups.  I am not quite sure why I didn't realize til I was done that I hadn't done any of my usuals... peanut butter cups (of which many of my customers will tell you are better than Reeses Peanut Butter Cups...) or pretzels... but if today stays as cool and breezy I may just do those later :)
Here's a sampling of what we did yesterday :)

4 Different Fudge Cups... Fudge... dipped in chocolate :) Could you get any better than that??? ;) (am I channeling Chandler from Friends here?... maybe... wow... I feel old right now...)

(and yes, I made this on a collage website :) actually a few websites... but it was fun :))(One link takes you to photovisi.com where I did the collage, and the other takes you to picmonkey.com where I did the editing... feel free to check them out :))

6 Different Smore Cups- (well 4 kinds, just 2 different chocolates :)) What are S'More cups you ask??? Well... they are homemade marshmallows in a variety of flavors (all made with real fruit pieces and juice :)), with a yummy Graham Cracker/Nilla Wafer/ Cookie base, and either hand-dipped in chocolate (white or my combination of dark and milk... dalk? mirk? don't think so...) or put in a cute little cup of said chocolate - like you see here :)

The banana and raspberry cups are available in both dark and white chocolate.

We also did all kinds of combinations of nuts, caramel and coconut...
And here is an example of the caramel recipe here...  made with the homemade sweetened condensed milk recipe here ... just look at that caramel stretch... it's beautiful isn't it?? Almost brings a tear to my eye ;)

Here are a few pictures-  toasted coconut... nuts... caramel... coconut marshmallow- in every combination possible- with almonds, peanuts, cashews and macadamia nuts... and even a little peanut butter marshmallow for good measure... this is just a sampling... we made about 10 lbs worth :)

 see? My smiley obsession has passed on to my pictures... I really do need help don't I???

So... if you feel the need to contact me and place an order? Don't fight the urge ;) Just click on the little link there, or there's a link at the top of the blog :) I would if it were me!

And to all of you a very happy weekend! Sweet Dreamz!
Renee 

Confessions of a Cheap... uh... Frugal :) Candy Maker

I am going to tell you something that will totally shock and amaze you...

no I'm totally serious...

Candy is NOT that expensive to make....

GASP! Whaaaaat?! Say it ain't so!!!

When you walk into a candy store, and they are charging you a bazillion dollars a pound (ok... about $10 or even more :) but still...) you can laugh and turn your little self right around.  And call me .... hehehe .... ;) Just kidding... kind of :) Please do!

True story... a friend and I were at a mall in SLC and decided to go into a candy store (which shall remain nameless of course to protect the innocent ;)).  At this time I had just been making truffles and other such "fancy" candies for a few years so I knew what it took to make them... well, when we asked why they charged such and such a price for truffles, they said because the ingredients are expensive and they take a really long time to make.   I tried not to laugh... seriously... because honestly, the truffles that they made, while they were delicious don't get me wrong :) were soft.  Now this means one of two things, they used more cream, or less chocolate than the recipe that Lindt uses- and the one that I use.  Truffles should be firm.  You should get teeth marks in it.  Yes it should be super duper beyond silky smooth... but it should be firm. These... were not.  Now, really... that is all truffles are is cream and chocolate (and butter) ... go ask any candy maker.  Ganache is what truffles are, and ganache is cream, chocolate and butter.  Now how is that expensive? And if they are skimping on the most expensive part of the candy (the chocolate) then seriously... I think it is just a ploy by candy makers to make people think that they couldn't possibly EVER do what they do.  Because if they knew... they would probably go home and make it themselves.  Which is why I started making them :) Now, there is some time required to make truffles... most of it waiting for the ganache to chill and set.  I can literally make 2 lbs of truffles in an hour or less (HAND rolling and dipping mind you- (no little scoop for me like they use...) even less time if they are made big like the ones in said store.) And this is using REAL cream, and REAL chocolate. No joke. So now you can see why I tried to contain my laughter. 

Now... I may be killing myself here... I mean what candy maker would tell others their secrets??? I would make a mint if I sold my truffles for what the major stores do.  However, I believe in honesty. I charge the most for candies that take the most time and effort (and expensive ingredients) to make.  That's it.  And many people don't really want to take the time to do what I do.  Which is fine with me :).  What I do, to me, is fun, and quite honestly, stress relief for me.  For some people baking and cooking is worse than a root canal... which is why they buy the stuff they don't want to make.  It isn't worth it to them.  If a hobby isn't fun... then it's not really worth the time to do is it?

There... now I told you my secret...

I also wanted to share with you my most awesome secret recipe I have found this year.  Sweetened Condensed Milk.  The super duper rich thick concoction in a little can... that costs upwards of $1.50 per 14 oz. (or about 1 cup)ON SALE... ouch. Which is why I have always avoided the recipes that can be made with it... until now that is :) I can tell you how to make your very own sweetened condensed milk for less than $.60 for over a cup.  again... GASP! And it works just as well as any canned milk can in candy recipes.  (and dessert recipes... I will have to share a couple super awesome recipes with you later on...) They come from this amazing website... Everyday Food Storage.  Now, if you are a beginning food storer or even one of those people who have basements with shelves lined with water and generators, and TONS of food... this website is absolutely priceless.  So here it goes:

Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup powdered milk (2 cups instant/ 1 cup non instant- check your package :))
1/2 cup boiling water
1 TB butter (NOT margarine)

While you are boiling your water, place all other ingredients in the blender (yes you heard right :)) Pour the boiling water over the mixture and blend.... that's it! No super secret techniques... no amazing tricks... just blend until ultra smooth, and cool :)

See? I told you it was awesome! So now, when you make any recipe that calls for sweetened condensed milk and you don't have any on hand? Don't cry... just whip out your powdered milk and your blender and you are good to go.  (thanks of course goes to the amazing Crystal from the Everyday Food Storage website. Yay Crystal!!!) Now go... make those awesome microwave caramels I told you about last week... :) (click the link for the recipe :)) You're so very welcome... I just feel so darn giving today :)

Hope you all have a wonderful rest of your week!!! Sweet Dreamz!!
Renee :D

A Word... or Two :) On Chocolate!

Now, if you ask me, there is absolutely no substitute for real... 100% chocolate.  Velvety smooth... rich... chocolate.  Candy melts/ "confectionary coating" chips might be cute... and used in small amounts for color- totally useful for their purpose, but not good for using as a dipping or coating medium, well, not for professional tasting results they aren't.  Now bark.... don't get me started on bark.  Just the words (taken from the package) chocolate "flavored" coating... is more than I need to steer clear from that one.  Ick... what is it made of? Usually unpronounceable chemicals and artificial flavorings- cocoa powder and oil maybe with a little cocoa butter thrown in for good measure- but not always :) That's the closest  it will ever get to being chocolate... it's a sad imposter for the real thing that is for sure.

Now there are many different schools of thought on which chocolate is the best... Swiss, American, all types of couveture (fancy french word for covering ;)) chocolate including Mercken and Callebaut dipping wafers/ compound chocolate (which is in fact real chocolate, just tempered for you... and has cocoa butter added, whether you choose to pay the price for not tempering it yourself is up to you :)) or many of the other chocolates that have invaded the market.  Most chocolate- block, chips, whatever, you have to temper yourself, however, and if you have the time and patience... that is fine- you can also buy already tempered wafers that usually include cocoa butter added for stability.

Personally, especially having grown up in California, and close to the Bay Area, Ghiradelli chocolate has always had a special place in my heart.  Smooth, delicious, and not too.... well for lack of a better word, "milky" is the best way to describe it.  Some swiss chocolate, if you take a bite and close your eyes, and let it melt slowly you can taste an almost milky afterflavor. Not sure how else to say it! Personally, I don't like this too much.  Guittard chocolate is also one that has this afterflavor.  It's not bad, mind you, it's delicious- I just don't use the milk chocolate in my candies.  Dark chocolate is a whole other animal.  So many choices... and not one I have found has been a let down so far.

For my chocolate, because I cannot afford to use the high end Mercken and other such chocolates (I haven't tasted them before either... so I can't vouch for whether I would replace my current choices for it) I always use a mixture of Ghiradelli (milk and semi sweet) Guittard (dark), Nestle's (milk and dark)  and Hersheys (milk and dark) whatever I have on hand at the time.  When a particular brand goes on sale, I will buy a bunch, then when it comes time to make some, I always have at least a few of the brands available - so I don't use all of the brands together, I just mix what I have.  I do have "recipes" if you will so I get a pretty consistent flavor no matter what brand I am using, because believe it or not, they vary fairly widely in flavor and texture.  Also, when dipping/ covering candies etc, instead of straight milk chocolate, I use a mixture of the dark and milk chocolates to bring out the best in both.  Milk for the ultra smooth richness, and the dark for the intensity and firmer bite.  I also add cocoa butter solids, a white, pretty hard substance.  A lot harder than I expected it to be especially given what it is- the fat that is removed from the cocoa bean when making chocolate. I use it for added flavor, smoothness, and better bite.  Cocoa butter, in my opinion, is one of the best ways to get that perfect chocolate snap. So far, I think I have come up with a good thing.  And it is probably a lot more thought and work than really needs to be... but hey... I love chocolate.  And when making chocolates, I want people to feel that love :)

As for tempering... there are many ways to do this, all of which are complicated :) Some people swear by melting it over a double boiler.  You can Google chocolate tempering techniques- it will give you a wide variety of ways to do it.  But a trick I learned from watching a chocolatier on Food Network (can't remember any names... just the thick French accent- and not Jacques Torres) is warming up the chocolate and cocoa butter, slowly in the microwave, at 1 minute intervals, (on 30 to 50 percent power...) until it gets very liquid and it simply glistens... depending on the amount of chocolate, this could take a while :).  But you will know when it happens... it goes from a smooth, dullish, kind of thick mixture when it is about 90 degrees or so, to a glistening, smooth flowing river of deliciousness. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water ;)   There are a lot of people who do, but I have never used a thermometer, ( I have heard people use a regular thermometer that is used for taking body temperature- the glass "old school" ones... brand new of course :) I am a little nervous about this because I am afraid of breaking the mercury... but it's worth a try I suppose.. if you can find them anymore that is!!! ) It is very warm to the touch at this point. I would say probably in the realm of 115-120... From here, I add a little of the "seed" chocolate, chopped (which is the chocolate you originally used to melt - you leave out about 10% of the chocolate you chop to use as the seed).  When you stir this into the hot chocolate, it brings it down to temperature, (proper dipping temperature is said to be about 90 degrees..) but seeding also helps aid in crystallization, which also helps you get that delicious snap :). Stir it in until it melts (no need to heat it, the heat of the chocolate will do it- which is the point of the exercise!) and begin!!!

Now I will not profess myself to be a chocolate master by any stretch of the imagination... I just wanted to share some tips with those of you curious about maybe doing some of your own.  Honestly, this is the purest form of stress relief for me.  Something about the smooth texture and delicious smell of melted chocolate, and making yummy treats from said chocolate :) that just quite literally melts all my cares away ( to steal a cliche :)). Since I will be making some chocolates over the next few days, I will be sharing some photos and recipes with you very soon!!! Hope you take some time to try it! Let me know how it goes!!! :) And please, if you have any tips or experiences you would like to share, I would love to hear from you!!! :) Thanks!

Have a most wonderful rest of your Tuesday!

Sweet Dreamz to you!!! :)
Renee :D

Cooking With Kids Part Deux :) and Bright Pink Popcorn :)

First things first... yes, I did take French in High School.  And Jr. High mind you- so actually 5 years.  Did I take Spanish? No... do I regret it? Maybe :) I don't meet too many French people... let alone those that don't speak fluent English so... Well I can understand words, and can read it or write it fairly competantly but ask me to speak it?? Uh... no.

Now, we all have had experiences where our kids say at 8 pm... "Mom... I need (such and such) for class tomorrow!". We had one of those this weekend at our house... well kinda :) My younger daughter Michelle, bless her heart, has always been one of my biggest promoters to her friends and everyone else.   I really am grateful that she has such faith in me, and love that about her! The times she offers my services without consulting me first... well it gives me a little "Mom... I need this tomorrow" type feeling :).  She really is a sweetheart, and I am not upset, just a little well.. is frazzled the right word? :)

Well, her and the entire mutual group (young men and women ages 12-18) are having a movie night tomorrow and she had the thought that what would be better than some specialty popcorn for movie night! Hey... I would much rather have caramel or peanut butter popcorn than regular old butter popcorn anyday! So we did that... we tried some new recipes, and well...  They are good, don't get me wrong, but... Well regardless, they were definitely edible :) and we had fun making 3 kinds of yummy popcorn treats tonight.

Treat #1. We made my favorite... Cinnamon Bun Popcorn (recipe here) which turned out pretty good- the last few times I have made it - it has turned out ever so slightly grainy... still delicious, but the texture (like I said, I am a texture person) really kinda bothers me.  I think it may have to do with my corn syrup... it is about 6 months old, (it has an indefinite shelf life :) don't worry!) or my microwave... I feel a little science experiment coming on :) ok... getting off topic here :)  Here is a picture.... looks nummy doesn't it?

Treat #2- a new recipe :) Peanut Butter Cup Popcorn. (recipe slightly modified from 2 Peas and Their Pod) minus the mini Reeses PB Cups. Not that I don't wish I had some :)
8 cups plain popcorn- I used just over 12... again a mix of microwave and air popped
Fine salt (I forgot this... oops)
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, melted
1 1/2 cups Mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
I also doubled everything but the popcorn, and used dark chocolate for a more intense chocolate flavor..., please feel free to make it as you see fit!

Mix honey and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over Medium, stirring constantly and bring to a boil- simmer 2 minutes.  Pour over popcorn, and let cool. I baked it for about 10 minutes... and it overcooked rather quickly... so I don't know if I recommend it.  I know they didn't in the original recipe :) Drizzle melted chocolate over popcorn and let set :) I may just have had a different idea of what this was going to be like- but I don't know if I will keep this one... I may have to think about it.  It was good though :) 

 

 I am a big fan of peanut butter and chocolate by the way... :) 

And last but not least :) And I am sure you are wondering what the post title meant... our bright pink Jello popcorn.  It is a little sticky, just to let you know, so if you don't like that, I apologize.  It seems like no matter how long I cook it, it will not get as crispy as normal caramel corn... but it is delicious nonetheless :) It is another fave from Our Best Bites :) (have I told you today how much I love that blog????)

Fruity Candy Popcorn {AKA Jello Popcorn}

8 cups popped popcorn
1/4 C butter (that’s half a stick)
3 T light corn syrup (honey is a good substitute)
1/2 C sugar
1 3.5oz box jello, any flavor (not the sugar free kind)
I have added food coloring (matching the flavor) because it seems to lose some of  it's vibrancy for some reason... at least mine did..
Preheat oven to 300°F. Lightly grease a turkey roasting pan and set aside. Place popcorn in an extra large mixing bowl.
Place butter and syrup in a sauce pan on medium heat. Stir until butter is melted. Add sugar and Jello and stir to combine. You may notice that some Jello flavors have more powder in them than others... not sure why this is... but the mixture will be thicker or thinner based on this.  (just in case you wonder, like I did, why it isn't the same from one time to the next... it freaked me out the first time...)  Increase heat and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat so it just simmers. Continue simmering the mixture for 5 minutes.After the sugar mixture simmers for 5 minutes, immediately pour over popcorn in bowl. Be so very careful, it’s really hot!! Mix right away and keep stirring until all kernels are well coated. . Spread mixture onto prepared pan and spread out evenly.
Bake for 10 minutes- maybe a little longer depending on your tastes :)
Remove the pan from the oven and let cool completely.  Enjoy!!!
And pink just totally makes me happy :) so why not? Watermelon jello is pink - even though watermelons themselves are quite red (if you had a pink watermelon, you would be sad right? Because that would mean it wasn't fully ripe!)
And here it is :) I am one of those crazy people that absolutely hates watermelon- (again... texture issues) but watermelon candy is delicous to me :) and of course... it doesn't really taste that much like real watermelon... hmmm why is that??? One of those things I guess!

Dang it... I was going to take a picture of my sweet little press agent taking the popcorn in cute little containers... after the day we had... she went with it in gallon plastic bags :) Still a big smile on her face- and still to rave reviews from the 50 plus kids and leaders! Music to my ears :)

Sorry I really rambled on today didn't I? wow...
Well I hope you all have a chance to try these recipes sometime- I would love to hear what you think!!!

Sweet Dreamz all!!!
Renee :D

Kids + Cooking = Love :) and Some SUPER Quick Yummy Candy Recipes

I have to tell you, I absolutely love cooking with my kids.  Ever since they were young- if they wanted to help, or if they wanted something, I always had them sitting with me, learning how to cook. Teaching them how to cook has been a huge priority in my life, and I definitely love seeing the fruits of that labor :)

Tonight, my youngest son and eldest daughter made dessert- Muddy Buddies (aka Puppy Chow... whatever you want to call it :)) and Oh Henry Bars.  Yes, kind of a peanut butter/chocolate/cereal theme going on :) Both take less than 15 minutes to make, less than 10 ingredients and are delicious :) Now, we have done some pretty complicated foods in our house, but the easy ones are fun once in a while, and awesome confidence boosters! They give the kids the satisfaction of saying that they made them completely by themselves! My youngest son is just a sponge- when he wants to be of course- he has ADHD :) but he is always watching, asking questions, and becoming quite the little chef!  At 11 years old, he can make a pretty amazing poached egg (and has been making awesome fried eggs for a few years) and quite a few other things, including Spaghetti and Stroganoff. My eldest daughter- she will be 15 in just a few short months... (eek!) has also been quite the little connoisseur in the kitchen- a few of her favorite things to make are Shephards Pie and Baked Potato Soup. (yum!) And they can make them completely independantly :) That isn't to say my other 2 aren't just as good of cooks- my youngest daughter (13 yrs) really has a knack in the kitchen as well, my oldest son (12yrs)... well... he will cook, and he is very good, but he doesn't really enjoy it as much as the others.

Now other than taking some stress off of me, especially when I was pretty sick a few years ago, it gives them a sense of responsibility, and also a sense of accomplishment, that can really not be taught any other way! They are preparing themselves for life when they leave the home, and that really is one of my number one goals, if nothing else, I will know they are capable of taking care of themselves.  They know how to do their own laundry, do pretty much any chore in the house- even some home maintenance.  All of this mostly willingly :) And I think if you don't already have your kids helping you cook, you should definitely try it.  Your kids will definitely thank you when they are older. :)

Here are the recipes for these delicious and fun treats :) They don't heat up your kitchen (and since it hit almost 85 today that is definitely a plus!:)) and they store pretty well!

My kids didn't really want to be pictured for the end result... but maybe another time :)

  Muddy Buddies
I have actually modified a few recipes :) from Chex.com- feel free to check others out- there are some pretty amazing snack mixes there- quite a few that I am dying to try! (the Lemon Buddies are seriously calling my name...)




1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup creamy (or chunky if you so desire) peanut butter (I recommend Jif peanut butter for almost all my recipes- it has the most true peanutty flavor of all the ones that I have used- and not a lot of sugar)
1 TB butter
9 cups of Chex - any type you prefer 
about 1/2 c powdered sugar
Melt the first 3 ingredients at 50% power in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. 
Stir til  smooth and pour over the cereal.  Gently stir til the cereal is evenly coated.  Put powdered sugar in a large paper bag and shake til the cereal is again, evenly coated.  Spread out on a piece of waxed paper, separating the pieces as much as possible if you want individual pieces.

Oh Henry Bars 
*This is the first candy recipe I ever made- and one that has a special place in my heart :) It is super impressive, (I get so many comments on it and recipe requests ;)!)  but, as you will see, soooo easy! I have no idea where my mom got it- it was just on a well worn recipe card! So I apologize!!!

1 c light corn syrup (DO NOT use dark)

1 c sugar
1 c creamy or chunky peanut butter (see above description :)) 
1 c dry roasted peanuts
5 cups Rice Krispies ** see note below
1-2 cups butterscotch chips *
1-2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips*
*I use only one cup of each (half a 12 oz bag of each type)  but feel free to use more if you prefer more chocolate!

Line a 9*13 pan with foil and grease well. Set aside.
Put corn syrup and sugar in a pot and over Medium- high heat, stir until sugar is dissolved and the mixture starts to boil- just a few minutes :). Add the peanut butter and stir, taking off of the heat, then add peanuts and cereal.  You need to work relatively quickly because the candy will start to set, and make it hard to put in the pan.  Pour mixture into the greased pan and press into the pan firmly.  Still working quickly, sprinkle both chips over the top, fairly evenly mixing the two (but it doesn't really matter because you will be spreading them out later).  Put a piece of foil over the top to trap the heat for about 10 minutes.  After this time, you can take off the foil, and spread the melted chips over the bars.  Now another tip...  score the bars when they are warm- it makes it sooooo much easier to cut later and take them out of the pan! Let set, and enjoy!!! If you like peanut butter and chocolate, you will love these- they are awesome!!!

** Just a few tips about these bars- they are definitely best at room temperature!!! If you try to eat them cold or even frozen, you may hurt yourself :)) They are (with 5 cups of Rice Krispies) , very much like Rice Krispy Treats, only with a peanutty caramel base instead of soft marshmallow.  With 4 cups, it becomes more candy bar-ish - almost Baby Ruth-like in texture - this is the way I prefer them! But please- feel free to adjust up or down to your personal preference!)

Well, I hope you try these recipes with your kids sometime in the very near future- your kids will have smiles a mile wide when they see what they can do!!! And what better reward can there be than that?! (well... the yummy treats come in a definite second :))

As always- have a most fantabulous evening- and Sweet Dreamz!!!
Renee :D

Fun with Edible Images- and a Great Recipe from "The Boss"

When you see those cakes in the grocery store that has someone's face on it, some people cringe... it's almost considered tacky to even think about putting a picture of a person's face on a cake just to cut it up and eat it.  When you think about it that way... sure ;) but I try not to, I guess.  Personally, I think it's kind of fun :)  And the looks on the faces of the people that I have done it for, are absolutely priceless :) Before I was able to acquire an edible ink printer a year or so ago, I would just laminate a picture printed on regular copy paper, for example the first Jacob Black cake here.  Or with this cake I made for my little brother, Jake (ok... not so little, just younger... he is a good 6 inches taller than me ;)) for his birthday about 4 years ago...

Sorry... it is a little hard to see his face, but the intention :) was to have the basketball cake be a "frame" of sorts.  I rather liked how it turned out :) my only issue was with the black frosting that wasn't quite black... I hadnt yet found a way to make a black frosting without it being more charcoal grey... or tasting like chemicals because of the ridiculous amounts of black gel it takes to get it black. I have since learned how to remedy that so it's all good! By adding black gel food coloring to your favorite chocolate buttercream, it gets much more black... (or is it blacker?) much faster :) So there's your tip of the day! You're welcome :)  But anyway... I digress...
So you could do the pictures laminated- if someone maybe wanted to keep the picture... for some reason :) Or...you could go the edible route. For example- cake Jacob Black 2.0 ;) on the same post... or the pic of this adorable little angel on this cake

I mean seriously... is he not the cutest?!!! And he was totally excited when he saw it :)  The basketball was a chocolate cake, and the soccer ball was white because mom and dad both wanted different flavors :) but I have to say this was one (or should I say 2- actually 3 cuz I made a baseball smoosh cake for the birthday boy :)) of the funnest cakes I have done in a long time!
 
Speaking of a chocolate frosting that you can turn black if you so wish ;) ... Now, anyone who knows cake decorating, and even those who don't, have probably heard of Buddy Velastro aka "The Cake Boss".  I have to say, his attitude has a way of seriously grating on my nerves, so I can only stand so much of him at any one given time. I mean, his cakes are pretty awesome, don't get me wrong... but a little humility goes a long way. ;) However, I have been looking for the perfect chocolate fudge frosting recipe for years- literally- and just have always seemed to come up short.  I like it to be super "chocolatey" (is that a word?) and yet creamy and smooth- and all the recipes I have tried have always been either lacking in the "chocolatey- ness" (I know that is definitely not a word ;)) or sets up too firm.  While I do like a good ganache... sometimes that is just a little too rich... or just not versatile enough... so my search continued. Til last November when at a doctor's appointment with my daughter, I saw Buddy on the Rachel Ray show.  I couldn't hear it, but they were making a football cake- and that fudge icing looked awesome.  Just what I had been looking for... hallelujah! Now I am pretty sure this isn't the recipe he uses in his bakery, because quite honestly, it doesn't look like it, but still... it caught my eye, and I thought I would give it a try :).  So here it is... courtesy of Rachel Ray's website.

Buddy's Chocolate Fudge Icing
2 1/2 cups (5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
5 cups powered (10x) sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (try almond or mint extract... even raspberry... you won't regret it :))
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons lukewarm water
 Fit your mixer (stand or hand mixer) with the paddle attachment- or the plain beaters.  Just do not use the whip or you will whip in air... which means bubbles... which means holes in the frosting.  And screaming and pulling out of hair when you are trying to smooth a cake... :)   And please resist the urge to turn up the mixer- it will do the same thing.  Keep it on low to medium low for the whole time.  Cream butter on low speed until completely smooth about 3 minutes.  One cup at a time, add the powdered sugar, waiting until it is fully incorporated to add the next cup.  Add the cocoa, vanilla, and salt, and mix, until completely smooth.  Add the water, and mix until fluffy and smooth- about 2 or 3 minutes.  Enjoy! :)

I hope you all have a most awesome weekend... and if you're like us and have a beautiful sunny forecast in store- enjoy it! I know we will!!! BBQ anyone? :)
Sweet Dreamz!
Renee :D

The candy man... uh woman.. :) CAN!

Contrary to somewhat popular belief, candy making really isn't that scary... Yes, it is a little more temperamental than other baking and cooking, but once you get the hang of it, it really can be a lot of fun! :) I have been making candy for quite a while- and though it was just at Christmas time for friends and neighbors at first, now it's hard to find a time of year that isn't made better with some handmade sweets! 

Now, yes I did notice that the last few posts have been "recipe-less" and what better time to remember to share some of my favorite recipes- than in a candy post!

This last Christmas, as usual, I was searching for a new recipe to add to my "repertoire", if you will, and toffee and caramel have always been those things that I just haven't been able to find JUST the right recipe for.  Sure, they were ok... but well... just not perfect.  Then I landed on this easy recipe for Caramels from the Sassy Classy Blog and it just seemed to be exactly what I was looking for- super yummy, super easy, and of course, totally impressive :) And I will now share it with you!!!

  

Microwave... yes I said Microwave Caramels

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup Light Karo Syrup (not dark- it doesn't set right)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk* I will try to share a recipe for homemade sweetened condensed milk soon... so much cheaper than buying and just as good!
1 t. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Buttered 8x8 baking dish

Melt butter in large microwave bowl. Stir in syrup, both sugars and the sweetened condensed milk. Mix well until dissolved. Microwave on high 3-1/2 minutes. Stir down and scrape sides of bowl. Microwave on high another 3-1/2 minutes. (this will be soft-ball stage). Stir in vanilla and nuts (if you are using them). Pour into buttered and foiled dish and refrigerate until set. (you could totally add a few sprinkles of sea salt if you like salted caramel :)) When it is set, you can pull up the foil to bring it out of the dish to cut- it makes it alot easier :) . If desired, you may cut into 1/2 inch squares (or larger... or smaller) and wrap each in wax paper. I will admit that a lot of my candies only incorporate caramel- so I haven't ever wrapped it in waxed paper, but please feel free to do so! They are delicious on their own!

Now tell me that isn't super easy... no candy thermometer needed! I think that is the one thing that keeps people from making candy- the thermometer is daunting... but also not many people just have one lying around.  This recipe uses things you probably have in your pantry! Now go try it! Go ahead... I'll wait!

As long as we are going with easy- I might as well tell you about another super impressive but super simple candy recipe that comes from the microwave- This one is from my absolute favorite food blog of all time... Our Best Bites :) Maybe you've heard of it, maybe you haven't, but trust me, if you haven't... go check it out! You will no doubt be as smitten as I am! Their recipes are awesome! One of my hands down favorites so far is their "Cinnamon Bun Caramel Corn". Now I have added a few notes (look for the **)- not that I think mine is better, I am just reminding myself what I did and liked... but you decide for yourself if you want to follow my directions or not.  Either way, you really have to try it. Seriously... I am so not kidding...

Cinnamon Bun Caramel Corn with Pecans and White Chocolate
Recipe only slightly adapted from  Our Best Bites

12 C popped popcorn (about 1/2 C unpopped kernels)*

1 C roughly chopped pecans

1 C brown sugar

3/4 t cinnamon ** I have used up to 1 tsp Saigon Cinnamon... yummy

1/4 C Karo syrup (or honey makes a good substitution)

1 stick real butter (1/2 C) **shhhhhh I have used margarine... and it is still ok, but best with butter :) It never quite fully crisps up as well with margarine though- just in case you don't have any butter on hand...

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

**OPTIONAL 1/4 tsp pure orange extract  If you like orange rolls... try it. :) It's not a strong orange flavor, but people will sit there and wonder just what that delicious flavor is ... it just adds another dimension of flavor :)

3 squares white almond bark

*You can use air popped or microwave popcorrn-  personally I use the Whirley Pop pot... which I LOOOVE and highly recommend if you have never tried it :) but you can do whatever you choose! I have also mixed butter microwave popcorn half and half with the Whirley Pop popcorn, and that is equally delicious... the buttery popcorn really seems to enhance the richness :) but you don't get too much salt or butter because it is mixed with the plain.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Place popcorn and chopped pecans in one of those huge foil turkey pans from the dollar store, and put it in the oven just to stay warm while making the caramel. Just because that's what all the other caramel corn recipes I have made tell me to do... not because it really even makes a difference... it's just me :) You could just put it in a large bowl, or the pan and keep it on the counter... no big deal...

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a 2 quart at LEAST microwave safe bowl. Mix well. Seriously... don't skip this step... not sure why but this DOES make a difference! Chop butter into chunks and put in the bowl with the brown sugar mix. Pour corn syrup over the top of all of it. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir to combine. Return to microwave and heat for 2 minutes. Remove and stir and then microwave for 2 minutes more.

Remove from microwave and add in vanilla and baking soda. Stir to combine. Mixture will foam and rise... ALOT so this is why you need a bigger bowl than you think...  Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and pecans and stir very well so everything is well coated.

Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. I personally thought the popcorn wasn’t quite as crisp as I like it after it cooled and have baked it 10 to 15 minutes longer... (Like all candy, it is affected by humidity, so cooking times will vary slightly depending on the weather. Please feel free to take it out at whatever stage you prefer.  Some people like their caramel corn still a little gooey- to each their own :) Both ways are still yummy!)

Remove from oven and spread out on a large piece of parchment, waxed paper, or foil.

Melt almond bark according to package instructions. Please, please... PLEASE do not skip this step!!! Just trust me... even if you are not a fan of white chocolate or white almond bark- (like me :)) It is absolutely to die for!!! Drizzle over popcorn mixture with a fork. When almond bark is hardened and popcorn is cool, break into chunks and enjoy!

I totally dare you (in fact, I triple dog dare you ;)) to close your eyes and have some- you will swear that white chocolate with the popcorn tastes just like cinnamon bun frosting :) SOOOO good- it is totally addictive!!!Just ask my family :)

I promise I will share more candy recipes later- but I hope you try these and enjoy them!!!

Sweet Dreamz!

Renee :)

We all make mistakes :)... right?!

And trust me, as any kind of creative person will tell you, you are always your worst critic.  Ok maybe kids are a close second (man they are brutal sometimes- but honest!) I don't think I have ever made a cake that I was 100% happy with- I always see room for improvement, or a technique that I could perfect.  Maybe that is why I am so hard on myself... there's always room for learning more :). If you believe you can't mess up, you won't try to change anything and perfect your craft so to speak!

That said, I thought it would be interesting to put on here some of my most obvious boo boos and share some insight that has helped me become a smarter and better decorator over the years :)

Rule #1... DONT forget to look at a picture of what you are trying to carve - and have a plan before you begin (that and make sure you have all your supplies ready :))! Prime example of what NOT to do...

Now, this could have looked a lot different had I actually put dog ears on the dog.  I lovingly call this my "Bear-Dog" cake.  It was my first ever carved cake. It was supposed to be a dog... a stuffed dog that my neice was getting for her birthday. It was a very cute dog... well the stuffed animal was anyway ... the cake... ummm... not so much.  I did like the way the rest of the body and the bone came out though- even the curly little tail- even though it is hard to see.  I also learned a hard lesson that day for another reason... I couldn't find any of my cake decorating tips- except for the small star tip.  Now for those of you decorators out there, you might cringe with me- that's a lot of stars :). (that and I have mild osteo-arthritis in my left hand and right wrist, so let me say I was definitely icing my hands that night and begging for a cortisone shot :)) I would have liked to use a grass/fur tip... and if I had actually thought about it, even icing the cake and using a flat knife to "bounce" the fur would have been a much better idea ... but of course for some reason, I didn't.  Hindsight is 20/20 right? I can't say that has never happened to me since... because it has :) but I do at least have a lot more organization to my madness :)

Rule #2  When in doubt... consult a color wheel :)

I have to say that a lot of times, I can pretty much gauge whether colors look good together or not. However, especially before my discovery of gel food coloring (which I adore... especially neon colors... but that's another story :)) I guess my color mixing skills weren't quite as honed as they could be...

For example:

Now back then, about 5 years ago, my oldest daughter loved the colors pink and purple. Why I thought yellow would look even somewhat ok? And the green? Seriously? What was I thinking? I do have to say though... the yellow wasn't quite that bright.. and the pink was more pastelish than that... but still. :)

Rule #3 It's all about perspective :)

In more ways than one... :) Now, when I draw a cake (which I always do) I try to get all the details pretty well figured out before I begin. It just helps the whole process go much smoother.  That said... well I will just show you the offending cake...

See now this was a cake I was so excited to make.  I had it all drawn and knew what I wanted to do... I had a PLAN... so I followed my first rule :) When I went to carve the volcano though... it ended up looking more like a coconut on top of the cake than a volcano.  Why I didn't step back and look at it to see that it needed more carving? Don't know for sure ...  We did put a little yogurt cup with dry ice in it in the top so it would look like a smoking volcano :) which worked awesome but just didn't translate in pictures as well as it did in person. That's ok though. Oh- and another cardinal rule-don't water down buttercream icing. Which is what I tried to do with the "lava"... duh... water and oil don't mix. Lesson learned :)

Well I hope these made you smile :) because I know I look back and laugh, now anyway :) But I also hope you learned that everything is a learning experience and if you can't laugh at yourself once in a while... I forgot how the rest of that saying goes.  I will put it this way though... I do plenty of laughing at myself - It's better than beating yourself up :) So that's my advice for the day... laugh about it- and learn what you can do better next time :). You will feel better- I promise!

I hope you all have a most awesome Wednesday- it's the middle of the week!! Yay! 2 more days to go til the weekend!!!

And Sweet Dreamz!!

Renee :)

For all you Twi-Hards out there...

I know I am really going to anger a few people here, but I have to admit...I am not a huge fan of Twilight... Yes, I have read all the books, and I have seen the first 3 movies.  That was more than enough for me.  That said, my daughters are :) and at 14 and 13, I guess who can blame them- everyone else is.  Just not my cup of tea I guess. I have always been more of an action/suspense movie person, so maybe that's why... there are a few other problems that I have with it, but we'll just leave it at that.  What's even more "fun" is that my eldest daughter is a die hard Edward fan and the other is Team Jacob... yah. If you were to ask me, and if I were forced to choose... I would have to say I am, if anything, Team Emmett. I have always loved guys who are happy and funny, not so depressing and morose all the time (that and I may or may not think the actor who plays him is quite adorable... well, in his non vampire-mode anyway) But again... that's just me. Now what in the world does this have to do with sweets? Let me tell you :)

So my  daughter's birthday the last two years has involved making a rather large Twilight cake.  You can probably guess which one it is...

The "book" was made of cake and was leaning back on some skewers for support - these pictures are also laminated prints not edible. The flames on the side weren't exactly what I wanted, but overall, I was pretty proud of myself for the first try.  I will say this... YOU try finding pictures of "Jacob Black" with a shirt on... not very easy ... ;)

And of course I can't just do the same cake twice... so I had to mix it up a little bit :) And definitely improve on the technique for the second year.  I had a lot of things that I knew I could improve upon so I thought why not? For not liking Twilight I admit I definitely had fun planning and making this one.

See... this is part of the reason for the apology about my pictures... my camera phone really leaves much to be desired when it comes to taking pictures.  I really should go and get a decent camera... someday :) 
I absolutely loved the picture of the wolves- they were fan art, so not from the movie, but I really thought it was well done. It is a very ethereal sepia tone picture of wolves with a silhouette of wolves howling in the foreground and it says "I run with wolves".  I wish I had a better picture of it... All of these pictures were done on rice paper with edible ink. The book was standing straight up with straws up the middle for support instead of leaning back- and I liked that much better. I hand painted a forest on the bottom tier (this is all buttercream by the way) and the flames on the middle tier are hand painted too. I did make a major cake decorating faux pas (aka huge boo boo) though and forgot the supports between the tiers.  Hence the pretty obvious leaning of the cake... thank goodness it wasn't for a paying customer ;)!!

I think I will definitely encourage her to have a new theme for her party this year, I don't know if I could come up with another one :)

Please feel free to let me know what you think!!! :)

Hope you all have a most fantabulous rest of your week and Sweet Dreamz to you all :)

Hello- My name is Renee and I am a former Fondant hater.... ;)

I used to be of the opinion that fondant was pure evil. Sure, it looked pretty, but it was totally gross... a waste of time, and in a way kind of an easy way out.  Please don't hate me.  I have since changed my ways :).  

So about 6 months ago, I broke down and finally tried Marshmallow Fondant - and it is a-mazing.  While it is sweet, it tastes infinitely better than store bought, and also is MUCH cheaper (like I mentioned before, I am all about cheap ;))and looks just as beautiful.  I know there are a ton of recipes out there for it, but this is the one that I use- and it has worked pretty well for me so far.  Not that I won't change it in the future if I find a better one... 

Try it- I hope you will love it just as much as I do :) This recipe is adapted from a few different recipes on Cake Central.

Marshmallow Fondant

1 16 oz bag of marshmallows

2 TB water

1/4 cup Crisco (approximate)

powdered sugar ( approximately 2 lb... I have found that different batches used less, so go by feel not by measurements!) 

2 TB corn syrup (helps with pliability)

1 TB any flavor extract you wish :)

1/4 tsp popcorn salt- or salt ground in a coffee grinder (no I don't drink coffee- but I use the grinder for spices and other such emergencies :))  

2 TB Dream Whip (dry powder) You don't have to use this, but it adds a nice flavor...

(***Please note, if you are coloring the whole batch the same color, you can add it to the original melted marshmallow mixture before putting it in the sugar.)

Let me first say that if you have a KitchenAid or other comparable stand mixer- this is SO much easier :) Use the dough hook, and grease the bowl and the hook before making this recipe... trust me. 

Grease a large bowl (larger than you think you will need because the marshmallows do puff up when cooking) and add the marshmallows and water.  At this time, you can add any flavoring you wish... (vanilla is good, but try 1 tsp almond (clear), 1/2 tsp butter extract (clear), 1/2 tsp lemon extract and 1 tsp vanilla... I know it sounds funny but it's really good :)) Cook in the microwave at 45 second intervals stirring until completely melted. Remove and add the corn syrup. 

Sift half of the powdered sugar, salt and Dream Whip powder onto a piece of waxed paper.  Pour the powdered sugar (remember this is just half) in the greased stand mixer bowl, making a small well in the middle.  Take the marshmallow and add this mixture to the sugar.  

Turn on your stand mixer (LOW of course, unless you want to clean powdered sugar off your walls and ceilings...) and knead the mixture, adding more powdered sugar and the Crisco in small amounts as it is incorporated until you have a soft pliable ball. Pinch a small ball off and play with it- it should be soft and stretchy - be somewhat gentle.  You may take it out of the bowl before this point and knead it by hand so you can get the feel of it as well... I do this to make sure I dont add too much sugar. If you are not coloring the whole batch, you can split it and color the separate balls with your desired color- using gel food colors:)

Once you are done kneading, shape it into a ball and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap (put a very thin coat of shortening over the ball) It's best if you can store it overnight, but I have used it as soon as 3 hours after making it and it's ok.

** If you feel your motor is straining, you have added too much sugar so be careful... (I did blow my Kitchenaid making a batch last Christmas) 

(I used the same recipe with the two cakes in the previous "glitter" post just in case you were wondering :)) Here is the first cake I made with it- for two of the sweetest little 4 year old twins ever!  It is just like Playdough- only more fun- I didn't have a closer picture of the little firefighters in the bottom left corner, sadly, but the firefighters, the hose, and the fire hydrant and all of the decorations on the firetrucks are made of fondant :) One of the birthday boys came up and pointed saying "that's me!" There is nothing like seeing a child's face light up like that... it makes it all so worth it to me!

Hope you all enjoy- and as always Sweet Dreamz to you!!!

Renee :D

To Glitter or Not to Glitter... that is the question ;)

I thought I might pull in a few from the "archives" so to speak :) 

Personally, I am of the mindset that glitter makes absolutely everything more fun.  I totally LOVE glitter- it's just plain awesome. And ever since I first saw glitter gel and disco dust, I just knew I had to try it. OK... as far as the disco dust is concerned, before all you naysayers chime in ;) I do know that it is non-toxic, however, I also know that it is not officially ruled by the FDA as edible.  Which means to me that you shouldn't down huge amounts of it or use inordinate amounts of it everywhere.  For a little touch of bling here and there though... you just can't go wrong.  For example... here is a cake that I did for an adorable little 1 year old's birthday :) (and I am so sorry for the water marked table in the background...(hence all the pretty swirls and butterflies :))  it's a beautiful pedastal table that resembles the one my mom has- that we had planned to sand and refinish... someday...)

 Understated, yes, and unfortunately, thanks to my camera phone, you can't see the little bits of white rainbow disco dust that are on the "flowers" or the glitter gel that was painted on the butterflies.  All I did was take a paintbrush with the disco dust (dry) and shake it on so it was more random (and cleaner) than sprinkling with my hands.

This cake is 100% edible by the way :) Which is  how I do my cakes... I don't like to make anything little fingers can't reach up and grab and eat- safely anyway. The butterflies are rice paper- so while they are fully edible, they just aren't super tasty but the glitter gel helps the paper get pliable and stay so lifelike! So this cake is my example of what normal glitter usage would be. 

Now this one on the other hand...

I have to say, I did go a little glitter crazy here... It is definitely a little more than I would typically use, but still ok in the realm of decoration in my book.  This cake was made for my daughters friend's 13th Birthday- and it was close to Christmas- so how could I resist?  :) This was also the 2nd time making and using marshmallow fondant- and I have decided that I just love it.  Not only is it cheap, (I will tell you right now... I am cheap... frugal is the nice word) but it's fun to use and play with :) And I think it came out pretty darn cute. The inside -wish I would have taken a picture.. so sorry- was a white chocolate peppermint cake with candy cane buttercream.  YUM.

That said, I thought this would be a good time to share (and keep) my recipe for the white chocolate peppermint cake.  They make great cupcakes of course as well :)

White Chocolate Peppermint Cake
1 white cake mix (please feel free to just add the add ins to your regular homemade cake recipe!) with eggs etc as directed on box
1/2 c melted white chocolate
1 3 oz pkg white chocolate pudding mix (dry)
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1 c chopped Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses (optional :))

Mix all together as directed  and put into a greased and floured 9*13 pan,  bake at 350 for 25-30 min (9*13 pan)

Candy Cane Buttercream
1/2 c butter or margarine
1/2 c Crisco Shortening (I like butter flavor, but you can use plain)
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
1 lb Powdered Sugar- sifted
2-3 TB milk as needed
14 mini candy canes, crushed to fine powder

Cream butter and Shortening together until smooth and fluffy.  Add vanilla and mix in thoroughly.  Add powdered sugar a cup at a time, until smooth and creamy.  Add milk until desired consistency, beating well until smooth and creamy after adding each TB.  Stir in candy cane dust- alternatively, you can sprinkle the candy cane dust over the frosting instead of mixing it in.It does add crunch so if you're a texture freak like me, you might just want to up the peppermint extract. Totally up to you :)

So my question to you is... do you use disco dust? Do you use it sparingly or go all out? Let me know! I would love to hear what you think!

For now though, have a stupendously fantabulous Tuesday! :D

Sweet Dreamz!!!

Renee :D