Lots and Lots of Cake!

Today was a day of serious cake decorating. This morning I made assorted cupcakes for a special order, and then I had to prepare a cake to bring to my last fondant class at Michael's.

The cupcakes were fun. It's entertaining to come up with different flavor combinations when I only have two cake flavors to work with. The minimum order is 12 (one cake recipe), so the lady who ordered the ones pictured chose white chocolate and yellow vanilla cake, for a total of 24 cupcakes.

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Yellow cake combinations:

~filled with French vanilla bean buttercream, mocha ganache icing

~raspberry creme fraiche mousse filling, white chocolate French buttercream icing (not pictured, these have to be kept cold)

~vanilla bean French buttercream, gumpaste flowers/holly

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White chocolate cake combinations:

~vanilla bean French buttercream icing, dollop of ganache, toasted coconut flakes

~filled with blueberry pie filling (homemade), white chocolate French buttercream, sugared dried blueberry

~peppermint buttercream, ganache drizzle, crushed candy cane

Yummy flavors, right? And I just used combinations of the same icings, with different fillings and toppings for a creative assortment. My client seemed very happy.

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In addition to the cupcakes I had to make, I was supposed to bring a partially assembled cake to my last fondant class. We have been learning how to make various decorations and flowers out of gumpaste and fondant for the last few weeks, and this was the culmination of our work. It also happened to be my mother-in-law's birthday today, so I baked one exclusively for her.

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She requested orange cake with raspberry filling, but rather than try to duplicate the one she had for her wedding years and years ago (for which I wasn't there to try, of course), I thought I should keep with that flavor theme but update it a little. I made a small 6-inch yellow cake, divided into four layers, and flavored it with orange zest. To make it extra moist and give a more orange-y flavor punch, I doused it with Grand Marnier simple syrup. I folded some of my homemade raspberry jam into whipped, lightly sweetened creme fraiche to create a raspberry mousse filling, and then iced the assembled cake with vanilla bean French buttercream. (I did all this while I had the cupcakes going too, to reduce time, mess, and duplication of icings.)

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Once I got to my class, I rolled out my homemade fondant. I had some trouble with it wanting to crack as it quickly started to dry out, but the final product turned out alright. I had prepared the petals and leaves for the poinsettia yesterday so they would have a chance to dry hard overnight. Tasty, and pretty!

Christmas Cookies!

Cookies are a quintessential part of Christmas for me. When I was growing up, my older sister would spend hours upon days baking with my younger sister and me, making all kinds of irresistible goodies. I remember Spritz, Sugar Cookie Cutouts (with gobs of frosting, candies, and sprinkles), and Gingerbread Men the most, but I'm sure my mother also baked other varieties as well. Now I enjoy making all kinds of cookies, and because I am now providing treats for other families (and getting paid for it!), I have the opportunity to go a little nuts with flavors. Between yesterday and today I made 13 different types!! It's been a little crazy in the kitchen for me, and I can't say it's going to slow down any time soon. But, that's because of the holidays, and I know there's an end in sight (January!). Still, I'm enjoying the hectic pace. For the picture and flavors I made for my CSB, click here.


Neapolitan Cookies
One of my absolute favorite Christmas cookies, this recipe was introduced to me in a cookie package sent from NY by my younger sister two years ago. They are moist, cakey, and...wonderful (even after being shipped cross-country!). Be sure to make them a day in advance so they can sit overnight in the refrigerator.


1 pkg. or can (7 or 8oz.) almond paste
3 sticks butter, unsalted and softened
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs, separated
1 tsp. almond extract
2 cups unsifted all purpose flour
Red and Green food coloring
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1/2 pkg. (6oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp shortening


Grease bottom and sides of 9 X 13 dish, line with parchment paper; grease.

In large bowl, with electric mixer, beat almond paste, butter, sugar, egg yolks and almond extract until fluffy. Beat in flour. In small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into almond paste mixture.

Divide batter evenly for 3 layers. Add red food coloring to one and green coloring to the other. Spread green batter into prepared dish. Bake 350 for 15 minutes. Watch that it doesn't start to brown.

Holding edge of wax paper, lift and invert on rack or cutting board. Spread with raspberry jam..

Reline dish and spread with white batter. Cook about 15 minutes watching that it does not brown. Invert on top of raspberry jam.

Spread white layer with apricot jam.

Cook red layer as above invert on apricot jam layer.

Refrigerate - cover, set heavy pan on top.

Next day: Trim the edges of the rectangle to make all sides even. Melt chocolate chips, being careful not to get them too hot. Stir in shortening. Spread over red layer. Let chocolate set slightly, and then cut crosswise into 1/2" strips. Cut each into four pieces. (Use a good chef's knife to cut into the cookies. If it starts to stick or get crumbs in the chocolate topping, run the knife under hot water, dry, and then slice. Or, wipe it on a hot, moistened towel in between cuts.)


Coconut Pyramids (macaroons)
These cookies look so pretty alone or on a cookie platter with other varieties. You can make the dough the night before and refrigerate it until the next morning, if needed.

1 1/4 cups sugar
5 1/4 cups unsweetened, shredded coconut*
7 egg whites
pinch kosher salt
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz semisweet chocolate
1/2 tsp shortening


In a large bowl, mix together the coconut, egg whites, and salt. Stir in the butter and extracts. Refrigerate for at least one hour, or overnight.

Line a baking sheet with parchment. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Moisten your hands with water. Scoop 1 tbsp of dough with your hands and squeeze into a tight ball. Use your fingers or a spatula to press against the four sides to form a pyramid. Place on the baking sheet.

Bake until the edges are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Melt the chocolate and stir in the shortening. Dip the tops of the cookies and let harden. Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen (can be cut in half easily).

*Make sure to use unsweetened coconut, not the sweetened stuff in the baking aisle. I found finely shredded, unsweetened coconut in the natural foods aisle. Bob's Red Mill has coconut flakes that would work too, if you process them in your food processor until finely chopped first.

Snowman Marshmallows!

By now it's not much of a secret that I make my own marshmallows. I've made several flavors to date, and each one has something unique to offer. I always fall back on vanilla, though. It's easy, fool-proof (especially considering it's candy, which can often be iffy), and extremely versatile. I use my basic recipe for homemade marshmallow fondant (the stuff to cover cakes with and sculpt decorations out of), reduce the gelatin for a less stiff marshmallow icing for cupcakes, make crispy rice treats, and so on.

This Friday is my son's first grade Christmas party. Each student in his class is supposed to bring 22 small items in lieu of a gift exchange. The child puts one thing in the stockings his teacher has supplied, and all kids end up with a full sack of goodies. I wanted to be able to use my trusty new kitchen license, and to give the kids something familiar but also new that they probably haven't tried before. I made marshmallows. I figure everyone likes vanilla, and since Peeps are so insanely popular with children (and adults)...well, I'd make something festive out of the mallow. I used a round ornament cutter (the snowman one mangled the sticky candy), dipped it in powdered sugar between "cuts," and produced 22 little snow balls. I have some food color pens, Food Writers, that are like markers but made with food coloring. I used those to draw on carrot noses, coal for the eyes and mouths, and a little hint of color for the hats. I think they're cute, and they taste so good too! Of course, my son promptly said that, yes, they do look like snowmen, but they could also pass as jack o'lanterns. Hmm...oh well!

School Lunch Issues

I have so many issues with our school lunches. The commodities, the lunchroom workers who think what they're serving children is healthy, the processed foods, the time allowed to eat. Today I surprised my six year old with bagels from his favorite downtown shop, arriving at his classroom with an overstuffed grocery bag full of organic cream cheese, whole wheat bagels, carrot and celery sticks, apple slices, homemade whole wheat graham crackers, and bottles of chilled Honest tea (lightly sweetened and caffeine-free...a treat compared to his usual thermos of milk). He was thrilled!

I always pack my child's lunch. He gets a say in what goes in for the day and helps put it together when there's time. Sometimes it'll be a thermos of leftover soup, lasagna, or mac and cheese, a wrap sandwich, or a lunch "snack," which consists of a bunch of small, healthy, bite-sized items (a pretend Lunchable, kind of). Most of the time, though, he requests cheddar cheese on my homemade whole wheat bread, a little mayo, and lettuce or sprouts. I always include some form of vegetable and a fruit, and occasionally toss in a little treat. Once or twice a month he replaces his milk with a box of 100% juice.

I remember enjoying hot lunch when I was a kid. I absolutely LOVED the disgusting mashed potatoes with hamburger gravy, which I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole nowadays! My son gets to choose one meal from the cafeteria per month, so he doesn't feel left out and gets to see and taste what the other kids eat on a regular basis. I look the menu over, choose three or four days of somewhat acceptable items, and he decides from there, marking it on his calendar and counting the days. Personally, I think he gets so excited because he knows he'll be getting chocolate milk! This month, however, is a short one, with Christmas break quickly approaching. I couldn't find one reasonable selection for him to eat.

The dishes my son was looking at were full of commodity beef...the bottom of the barrel rejects that get into the system even when they're not supposed to be fit for human consumption. Now, I TRY to not be a total food nazi, but it's especially important that our children eat as best they can while they're in such a critical stage of development and growth. I have open communication with both my kids, and being the oldest, my son has very good knowledge of why we don't eat that junk. The compromise was that I would surprise him with acceptable takeout one day instead.

Now on to my next issue.... I arrived at 11:15 and the kids were washing up, getting ready to head into the cafeteria. Kids who brought their own lunches sat down and started to eat (4 in his class of 22), while the others lined up for their hot lunches. Ten or fifteen minutes later the others emerged carrying their trays. Only two children had cartons of 1% white milk; everyone else had chocolate. The majority had a half a sandwich on "wheat" bread (the caramel-colored stuff) with a slice of lunch meat and a piece of processed American cheese on it. No veggies, whatsoever, on any tray. Kids had fresh cantaloupe, peaches canned in heavy syrup, applesauce (sweetened with HFCS), and one girl had a hefty serving of canned corn. About five children had "hot" lunch, which was a mystery item that smelled revolting. I had to ask a girl what it was! (Beef enchiladas.) I watched as the kids with sandwiches ate most of their lunches, but the ones with the supposed enchiladas pushed them around, taking maybe one bite, and throwing the rest away. At 11:40 the teachers were telling the kids to hurry up and get outside; most had hardly even eaten half their lunches. Food went into the trash, and kids raced outside to recess. My son ate all that I brought for him and was asking if I had a second bagel, but the custodian was telling us we had to leave. We were the last ones sitting there, less than half an hour after sitting down (remember, most children had had maybe 10 minutes to actually eat).

Surely there has to be a better way. Foreign countries are reforming their school lunch programs, spending more than twice as much per child than the US. Isn't the key to a nation's future (and success) with how the children are raised and grown? If we value their health so little, how will that affect them in adulthood? Oh, wait...we're already seeing that now, with massive rates of diabetes, obesity, and other ailments. But whenever I try to bring up ANY idea of incorporating healthier eating at my son's school...well, I'm shot down, looked at like I'm crazy, and occasionally attacked because I actually care. Sigh. I think I'll just stop now....