Cake Desecration 101- part Two

I had my second decorating class.  We were to use a transfer pattern for the top of the cake, shell border along the bottom and the rest was up to us.

Despite my knowledge of the color wheel and perusal of many color schemes on my Pinterest pages, I succumbed to the pretty colors in the little jars and ended up with a lavender, light green and cream cake.  That purple tint was too hard to resist and the little flowers looked so springlike, kind of like little violets.  With more petals.  And not as purple.  Okay, they didn't look like violets.

My daughter pointed out that the cupcake was running over on one side.  Just like my cupcakes  usually turn out!

See the clever ribbing on the cup part?  Our instructor showed me how to do this using a rose tip and a leaf tip.  The white cupcake part is using the multi-tip that makes grass like strands.

I had to pick the one spot with cake showing through to photograph.   At least it's blurry.

Oh, the cute little purple flowers.  The color did get darker as the evening progressed.  It started out lavender.  You can see a bit of the shiny gel from the transfer


This was a yellow cake recipe from Cook's Illustrated.  I used a single layer for the class, splitting it and filling it with some nice quality strawberry preserves.

                         Fluffy Yellow Layer Cake


  2 1/2           cups  cake flour -- plus extra for dusting pans
  1 1/4      teaspoons  baking powder
     1/4      teaspoon  baking soda
     3/4      teaspoon  table salt
  1 3/4           cups  sugar (12 1/4 ounces)
  10       tablespoons  unsalted butter -- (1 1/4 sticks) melted and cooled slightly
  1                cup  buttermilk -- room temperature
  3        tablespoons  vegetable oil
  2          teaspoons  vanilla extract
  6              large  egg yolks -- room temperature
  3              large  egg whites -- room temperature

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch-wide by 2-inch-high round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Grease paper rounds, dust pans with flour, and knock out excess. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 1/2 cups sugar together in large bowl. In 4-cup liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and yolks.

 In clean bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites at medium-high speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. With machine running, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar; continue to beat until stiff peaks just form, 30 to 60 seconds (whites should hold peak but mixture should appear moist). Transfer to bowl and set aside.

Add flour mixture to now-empty mixing bowl fitted with whisk attachment. With mixer running at low speed, gradually pour in butter mixture and mix until almost incorporated (a few streaks of dry flour will remain), about 15 seconds. Stop mixer and scrape whisk and sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium-low speed and beat until smooth and fully incorporated, 10 to 15 seconds.

Using rubber spatula, stir 1/3 of whites into batter to lighten, then add remaining whites and gently fold into batter until no white streaks remain. Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans. Lightly tap pans against counter 2 or 3 times to dislodge any large air bubbles.

Bake until cake layers begin to pull away from sides of pans and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen cakes from sides of pans with small knife, then invert onto greased wire rack and peel off parchment. Invert cakes again and cool completely on rack, about 1 1/2 hours.

Description:
  "Makes two 9-inch cake layers. Published March 1, 2008. From Cook's Illustrated."
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NOTES : Nonstick cooking spray can be used for greasing the pans (proceed with flouring as directed). Bring all ingredients to room temperature before beginning. Frost the cake with our Foolproof Chocolate Frosting (see related recipe) or your favorite topping.

Cake Desecration 101

I attempted my first decorated  desecrated cake.  This is not as easy as it looks on TV. 

First problem:  How do you keep the layers from falling when the instructions say to rotate halfway through baking?  They fell so I ended up with swayback layers.  The Icing edging to keep the filling from leaking out the sides made this even more evident.

What's with the knot on the left?

Second problem:  Crumb coat is supposed to seal in crumbs, not create a bunch of them.

Third problem:  The graceful drizzle ended up looking like a serious Julia Child and the chicken moment.  I spread it out with the back of a spoon so it wouldn't look so macabre,

and I did a lovely job spreading it evenly, I see.  Well, just sprinkle on some slivered almonds to distract from that.

I did pipe along the bottom to close in the gap between the cake and the board.  Unfortunately I didn't make a nice shell border at the bottom as I did at the top.  The top border doesn't look too bad for a first attempt.

I used the recipe for The White Lily Almond Cake.  I ground up about 1/2 cup of whole almonds to put in the cake.  The filling is just raspberry fruit spread.  The icing is flavored with vanilla and almond. 

The instructor at the Wilton class (first one was last week) said that I needed 6 batches of Icing for our next class on Thursday.  I found that hard to believe.  No longer.  This was one batch of icing, I did not have enough to frost the crumb coat or to add any other decorations.  A shell border at the bottom would have used up everything before I even got to the top.  And this was a single 8" square layer. 

Good thing I have a large Kitchenaid.

Sugar, sugar

March 1st I started a Wilton Basics decorating class.  One of those things I thought I'd like to get better at since every time I use a piping bag I end up with more frosting on me and in my hair than on the baked goods.

First night we learned basic piping bag filling, holding and squeezing.  This resulted in more frosting on me than on the baked goods.

The next day I practiced on some more cookies.  I finally got a little more on the baked goods than on me!

sugar cookies with raspberry filling

I did one dozen of these cookies, each 4" across.  I tried three types of piping bags; disposable, lightweight vinyl and vinyl coated linen.  The vinyl coated linen bag was extremely hard to squeeze and really tiring.  But it is really durable and can be washed easily.

Sunflower

Next week we frost and decorate a single layer cake.  I need to make 6 batches of decorator (shortening flavored) icing.  15 cups of frosting.  All for a single layer cake.  That should be good.

This is a crime in all 50 states

                     
I am sharing this recipe with deep shame and utter disregard for all things healthy.  At 50.4% fat calories there is little I can do to justify it.  But this is Man Food with capital letters.  I would have included a picture but as soon as it came out of the oven it was gone.

                       Bacon Tomato Mac and Cheese - 4 servings at your own risk.

  2               Cups  macaroni -- cooked and drained
     1/4         pound  bacon -- diced
  1              small  onion -- diced
  3        tablespoons  flour
  3               cups  milk
  8             ounces  cheddar cheese -- grated
     1/2           cup  chicken broth
     1/4      teaspoon  cayenne
  1           teaspoon  salt
     1/4      teaspoon  garlic powder
  1           teaspoon  Worcestershire sauce
                        black pepper -- to taste
                        Slow Roasted Tomatoes -- 1/2 recipe

Cook the macaroni halfway.  Drain and set aside.

Brown bacon in a large saucepan.  Remove bacon bits.

To fat in pan add onions.  Sweat until translucent.

Add Flour.  Cook several minutes.

Whisk in milk.  Add seasoning.

Dice the roasted tomatoes and add, along with any juice.

Mix macaroni into sauce.  Turn out into a sprayed casserole.  Sprinkle top with bacon bits.

Bake at 350 for an hour.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 780 Calories; 44g Fat (50.4% calories from fat); 38g Protein; 59g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 108mg Cholesterol; 1545mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 6 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

                           Slow Roasted Tomatoes

  8                     Roma tomatoes -- halved
2         Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
                        Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

Place the halved tomatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat well. Place the tomatoes cut-side down, and cook for 2 hours.

When cool, remove the skins. Eat half as a side with a simple broiled chicken breast and reserve the other half. this lighter dinner will help offset the damage done by the subsequent meal.

Cupcakes' Simple Perfection

My daughter and granddaughter have me hooked on cupcake wars.  The incredible combinations, the over the top decorations, the french guy that I can't understand but who sounds so suave.

My cupcakes aren't like that.

My cupcake is:

Of course, it was this times 36 so:

They marched relentlessly across the table.  I knew I had to do something.  So I ate one.

I had downloaded the recipe for frosting from Ree Drummond - the Pioneer Woman  months ago.  But watching her show on Saturday and seeing it being made tipped the scale for me. (Several other things tip the scale but that's another discussion, not a good one.)

For the cake it had to be chocolate and the best, very best, most totally best chocolate cake I know that is both easy and delicious is Hershey's.
                     

            HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cupcakes

  2       cups  sugar
  1 3/4 cups  all-purpose flour
     3/4 cup  HERSHEY'S Cocoa
  1 1/2 teaspoons  baking powder
  1 1/2 teaspoons  baking soda
  1       teaspoon  salt
  2       eggs
  1       cup  milk
     1/2 cup  vegetable oil
  2       teaspoons  vanilla extract
  1       cup  boiling water

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING.

About 36 cupcakes



                  That's the Best Frosting I've Ever Had
Courtesy of  thepioneerwoman.com/

  5 Tablespoons  Flour
  1 cup  Milk
  1 teaspoon  Vanilla
  1 cup  Butter
  1 cup  Granulated Sugar (not Powdered Sugar!)

Bake your favorite chocolate cake and let it cool.  

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. You want it to be very thick, thicker than cake mix, more like a brownie mix is.  Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. (If I'm in a hurry, I place the saucepan over ice in the sink for about 10 minutes or so until the mixture cools.)  It must be completely cool before you use it in the next step.   Stir in vanilla. 

While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.   You don't want any sugar graininess left.  Then add the completely cooled milk/flour/vanilla mixture and beat the living daylights out of it.  If it looks separated, you haven't beaten it enough!  Beat it until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.

I piped this using a large star tip because I want to learn to decorate cakes, not my face, hands and hair. (But that, too, is another story)

And this was THE BEST FROSTING I'VE EVER HAD!!!

36 rolls of TP, 10 pounds of cheese and a bag of dove chocolate

We grilled steaks a week ago Sunday.  Snow last Thursday.  60 degrees today, warm, windy, thunderstorms, tornado warnings.  18 degrees expected for tonight.  55 degrees next Sunday. 



So, we will probably get slammed soon.  In anticipation I did the blizzard stock up - 36 rolls of TP, 10 pounds of cheese and a bag of dove chocolate.  Probably should stash a few bottles of wine as well.


Kroger was sampling Aidell's Sausages when I went in with Nate to pick up a few things.  He sampled each one, even the Andouille, which I warned him about.  I did pick up a garlic sausage that will be perfect for this Cassoulet style dish.

                      Pork Sausages with White Beans

Serving Size  : 6 
6        tablespoons  unsalted butter
2             ounces  bacon -- diced
1 1/2   cups  onion -- finely chopped
3         cloves  garlic -- minced
1/2      teaspoon  thyme leaves -- dried
1/2      cup  dry white wine
1 1/2   cups  diced tomato -- 14.5 oz can
1 1/4   cups  chicken stock
29       ounces  white beans, canned -- 2 cans, drained and rinsed
2         pounds  cooked pork sausages
5         cups  homemade bread crumbs -- 1/2" pieces (coarse)
1/4      cup  parsley -- chopped

1. Preheat oven to 325
2. Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter in a large braising pan, add bacon and cook until crisp.
3. Add onions, cook until tender.  Add garlic and thyme, sweat 1 minute.  Add wine, cook 1 minute.
4. Add tomatoes and cook until the sauce is thickened slightly. 
5. Add the stock and bean, bring to a simmer.
6. Add sausages and Bake in oven for 30 minutes.
7. Toast breadcrumbs in the remaining butter in a clean skillet.  Add parsley and season with salt.
8. Scatter breadcrumbs over the sausage mixture.  Broil, if desired for 1-2 minutes.

I have made this with chicken thighs (cooks covered in the oven for about an hour) and with regular smoked sausage.  Even better is chicken thighs with a little smoked sausage. But with the Aidell sausages this should be great.

New Year, New Me

Just kidding - same old me!


Today was "put everything in the attic that could possibly go up there especially everything to do with Christmas" Day.  So that is done.  There may be some holiday foods still hanging about but Tuesday is trash day and that will be the end of them, except for that box of Lindt truffles.

Knitting is currently baby stuff.  I have a blanket in basketweave stitch on the needles at the moment.

Cooking - after finally getting rid of all the ham and turkey, dressing, cranberries, sweet potato souffle and pie we have gone back to simplicity.

Broccoli cheese soup
No Knead bread that I can't help kneading
Roasted carrots, onions and sweet potatoes
Orange and grapefruit salad
Steel cut oats
Oatmeal scones

Okay - I'll admit the oatmeal scones are not health food, but they pack a lot of fiber in return for all their fat.  And the Broccoli Cheese soup, again fiber for fat.  And I didn't use cream, just half and half and butter.  And sharp cheddar.

the soup:
I started with the recipe from Ree Drummond's website, ThePioneerWoman.com.  But I read on America's Test Kitchen that cooking the broccoli slowly for a long time would get rid of the stinky factor.  And I personally needed to add onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne.  This ended up being the best broccoli cheese soup I have made to date.

No Knead Bread:
I've had my problems with this recipe.  Seems simple but I always ended up with a damp loaf.  So I turned to America's Test Kitchen once again.  I added beer and a little vinegar to the mix.  But I did not cook it in a dutch oven, opting for open baking on a pizza stone.  Much better flavor and texture.  As a bonus, this website encouraged me to give the dough a few turns, which I think helps with the surface tension in the loaf.

Roasted carrots, onions and sweet potatoes:
Each vegetable had its own space on a large stoneware pan, drizzled with olive oil and coarse sea salt.  After roasting they were put in their separate containers but there was some olive oil remaining on the pan.  This olive oil was a revelation of flavor from the veggies, especially the onions.  Tomorrow I am roasting onions in olive oil just for the flavored oil!

Oatmeal Scones:
From Martha Stewart years and years ago.  I omitted the dried cherries this time.  They keep in the freezer for ages and you can slice off and bake what you want fresh each occasion.  I still have about 8 scones left to bake.

No recipes to include but I can provide them if requested.