Showing posts with label Dessert decorating. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dessert decorating. Show all posts

Trix or Treat Spider Cookies


First, I’d like to beg for you not to read too closely into this post. I took a 2-hour nap this afternoon, and while it was amazing, I’m not “all here,” if you know what I mean. I’ll be the first to admit that I enjoy Halloween, and not for the reasons you might assume. Aside from all the controversy that surrounds this holiday, I love it because it reminds me that Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away, which then ushers in Christmas. And we all know that I’m obsessed with Christmas. Obsessed. You won’t be able to get rid of me, I’ll be blogging so much. I mourn as I put my tree away on Tim’s birthday. Which is June 7th.

Regardless.

My mom’s friend, Holly, made these adorable “spooky” cookies and sent the recipe along to me. It was originally posted on Bakerella’s site, which is absolutely fabulous and noteworthy. I’ll post the recipe exactly as it’s seen on her blog. Thanks again, Holly!

Ingredients:
                  1 package Betty Crocker Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix
                  1 can of chocolate ready-made frosting
                  1 can of vanilla ready-made frosting
                           24-48 Trix orange and green sweetened corn puffs
                           Toothpicks
Re-sealable plastic bags

Directions:
                  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
                  Mix ingredients for cookies as directed on the package.
                  Use a small ice cream scoop to get similar sized cookies or just use a spoon and vary the amount for different size cookies.
                  Place cookie dough on a parchment covered baking sheet.
                  Bake for about 7-8 minutes.
                  Cool completely on a wire rack.
                  Makes about two dozen cookies.

To decorate:
                  Spread chocolate frosting on the top of each cookie.
                  Fill a re-sealable plastic bag with a couple of heaping spoonfuls of frosting and snip a tiny hole out of the bottom of one corner.
                  Pipe on three circles of white frosting for each cookie. Start in the middle with the smallest circle and work your way out.
                  Take a toothpick and beginning in the center, drag it lightly through each circle. Repeat all the way around the cookie.
                  Take remaining frosting and separate it into two bowls. Tint one frosting with orange icing color and the other with green.
                  Fill two re-sealable bags with the orange and green frosting and snip off the corner of each.
                  Pipe eight small legs with each color and place a matching orange or green Trix Cereal puff on the top of each pair of legs. Add one or several spiders on each cookie.
How cute are these? I hope you all have an amazing Halloween, or harvest festival, or whatever you celebrate! Just as long as there are pumpkins, cookies and fall involved, I’m down for whatever you want to call it.

Love and the spook,
Rachael




Marshmallow fondant

I'm often surprised by how few people know what fondant is or how it's used. If you aren't familiar with the name, you're probably still familiar with what it actually is. Fondant is candy made of a thick creamy sugar paste that's used on top of cakes to make it look incredibly smooth. Many wedding cakes are covered with fondant.

It can be used on any cake and on other desserts — such as cupcakes — and to create special characters to put on cakes (think of all the little people the Cake Boss makes to put on cakes). It's sold in the cake decorating aisle in grocery stores, but generally tastes pretty awful. That's why I make my own whenever I am in a situation where I need to use it.
So here it is! The first time I made it was a nightmare, but after a few revisions and trials, I found what is probably the easiest recipe there is to make it.

Ingredients:
  • 5 cups of mini marshmallows
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp water
 Directions:
  • Place the marshmallows and water in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute. The marshmallows will get puffy and expand.
  • Fold the marshmallows with a rubber spatula until it's well-combined and smooth. If it's not completely melted, microwave for another 30 seconds and stir again.
  • Add the powdered sugar and stir until it's completely stiff.
  • Generously powder your hands and a dry surface. This will be sticky! Knead the fondant until it loses its stickiness and is smooth. 
  • Shape it into a ball.
    • If you want to use it immediately, you can roll it out, color it (I use Wilton icing color), and add flavors. I love Wilton's tutorials, and here's a great one about how to follow this step.
    • If you want to save it, wrap it in cling-wrap and place it in your fridge.
Fondant is so much fun to use, and it adds an elegant look to any cake. Next time you have to make a cake for a special occasion, go ahead and try this! It's so much better-tasting than the kind you buy in a store. Trust me!

Love,
Rachael
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