Croissants

The Daring Bakers go retro this month! Thanks to one of our very talented non-blogging members, Sarah, the Daring Bakers were challenged to make Croissants using a recipe from the Queen of French Cooking, none other than Julia Child!

This was my first time making croissants from scratch and it is a long process and tedious process.  But I must say I enjoyed it of course because it involves baking.  At first I thought these would not come out well, but oh boy these taste scrumptious and so soft inside.  I will definately be making them again.  No more buying croissants from the bakery. 

What do you think of my croissants?

Checking Out The Competition

At the food courtyard where I work, a cupcake shop just opened up about a month ago.  I rather not say the name of the business.  When I first heard about the shop I felt uneasy because everyone who bakes always dreams about their own store front.  But the feeling passed.  I heard co-workers indicate that their cupcake is not as good as mine.  I felt they were just being nice to me.  But I decided to go against my standards and purchase a cupcake. 

First off the ladies were very nice.  Inside was clean, pleasant, and not too much going on.  This store is not a production-based location where they bake the cupcakes on-site.  My issue is since you do not bake cupcakes on-site you need to make sure you have enough cupcakes on display. Unfortunately they did not.   Maybe they had a lot of purchases in and that’s why. But I always feel you should not have just two cupcakes of a flavor in your display and showing empty circle slots where the cupcakes are to be displayed.  But then again, that’s just my opinion. 

Second when I bake and package my cupcakes when I open the container I can smell that cupcake aroma.  I did not get that smell.  Even when they package my cupcake and I open I could not tell if I have a chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry cupcake.  Hmmm!

Third, the cupcakes are $2.95 each not including tax.  Now $2.95 for a cupcake and it have no fondant or some off the chain sugar work?  But they are located in downtown, and as a baker I know your quality ingredients can be expensive.  On the other hand, I feel they are throwing away money because they do not have single serve cupcake boxes or the clamshell containers for those who want one cupcake.  The package is cool but it is a 2 cavity brown box.

Now how did it taste?  I ordered a hummingbird cupcake.  It was moist, tasted like a muffin but the cream cheese was way too sweet for my liking. It was not like OMG this is so good! It was ok!

So I stepped out my box and tasted another competitor cupcake.  Did I waste my $2.95 for the cupcake?  Hell yeah! Because I know I could do ten times better.  I am just kidding.  I am not some master pastry chef, or cupcake connoisseur (not too far from it, thoughJ), I just giving my two cents by checking out the competition.

Guess Who?

My friend wanted cupcakes for her son birthday class party who turns two years old today.  Her son name is Picard Washington. She picked the name Picard from Star Trek series – Captain Jean-Luc Picard played by Patrick Stewart.  Yeah she and her husband are Star Trek fans.  I think that is so totally cool.

She wanted Elmo cupcakes but no fondant.  So I had to be creative.  I used Smitten Kitchen Birthday Cake recipe.  It is really good and made a whipped buttercream frosting colored red.

For the design on the cupcake I used star tip #32. I had some edible eyes but I wanted to use marshmallows but I refused to go back to the store, so I think they came out perfect.  They might be smaller than the real Elmo eyes, but kids don’t care about that.   

Now due to my laziness for not going to the store I had to improvise on the nose and mouth.  I remember buying some Jelly beans on Saturday to keep my daughter quiet while we went shopping at Target.  But that did not work because she did not like them at all.  I should have picked up the M&M’s.  But lesson learned.

So I went digging for 12 orange jelly beans. Yes, I score!  Now for the mouth I could of colored icing black.  But black icing doesn’t taste too great.  I went through my pantry for candy and yes I have Oreo’s. I always have Oreos in stock since I make chocolate covered Oreos with edible cocoa designs.

What you think of Elmo?  I think he is too darn cute.  Happy Birthday Picard!

Tequila Sunrise & Strawberry Daiquiri Cupcakes

It’s Tipsy Friday at Never Dessert You.   On Tipsy Friday’s you will be delighted with an alcohol infused dessert.  It’s the end of the week and you are looking forward to the weekend but you need a cocktail for that long week.  Well today you can get rid of that guilty pleasure you desire and have your cocktail and a sweet treat all in one. 

So why not start your Friday off with Tequila Sunrise Cupcakes.   What you say it’s too early for some tequila.  Of course not, I know you want your Friday to start off right.

These cupcakes have a powerful taste and don’t they remind you of a good ol' tequila sunrise.  This is a regular moist vanilla cake with orange zest, infused with orange juice a ½ cup of tequila (not a lot right) and divided with red and orange batter.  The glaze is incorporated with lime juice and tequila with some powdered sugar and little lime zest for decoration.

Rise and shine it’s a beautiful morning for some moist Tequila Sunrise Cupcakes.

But wait there is one more.  You can’t just have one drink.  You should not mix up your drinks buts its cupcakes so why not.

Even though strawberry season is over, I still think you can’t ever go wrong  with some Strawberry Daiquiri Cupcakes.

For these cupcakes I heated up some fresh strawberries, dark rum and sugar until the liquid is absorbed into a strawberry mixture and mixed it into the batter.  The frosting is a whipped cream.  Then I made a strawberry rum syrup glaze to pour over the frosting.

Cheers!

Courvoisier & Coke Cupcakes

It’s the end of the week and a nice long weekend for me since the Labor Day holiday is coming up. Since Labor Day is right around the corner what better way to kick off your weekend than a nice alcoholic drink.  I know I will be partying this weekend so let’s get the party started.  There is no good party that doesn’t have alcohol.   But instead let’s have that alcohol in a cupcake.  Oh yeah. 

I present to you Courvoisier and Coke Cupcakes.  This is a chocolate cake infused with coke and cognac and a whipped frosting with cognac.

Happy Labor Day everyone and be safe!

Cherry Rose Frill Cake

Over at Miso Bakes the challenge for August was to make a 6 or 8-inch cake iced with white or off white buttercream decorated with green piping using the Ateco / Wilton #352 or #68 leaf tip. But it cannot be leaves, and a repeating pattern.  I baked a Cherry Cake and frosted with #352 tip. 

What do you guys think of my masterpiece?