Happy New Year! Welcome 2013!

Just starting to get back into the flow of things... been thinking about comfort foods and the warmth and spice I crave when the weather gets colder and there's lots of snow on the ground. Taking some time to reflect on the outgoing year and welcoming the great possibilities of the new.

Wishing you and yours all the best for 2013 and may it be filled with all that you desire.

Here's to new beginnings...

Merry Christmas!

It has been an insanely busy holiday season with lots and lots of baking. I'm in the home stretch of getting it all done and then I will need to really focus on prepping for Christmas. It'll be two days of prep: grocery shopping, cooking, errands, last minute gifts buying, wrapping, caroling and all that comes with celebrating. this will be followed by endless eating and drinking starting at 5pm on December 24!

And after averaging about  5 hours sleep since December 1, I'll finally be able  to have a sleep in on December 26. I think I just may stay in my jammies all day long!

As I continue on this craziness of creating a wonderful family feast and trying to reflect on the wonder of the season, I wish you all the happiest of holidays. I'll be back in the New Year!

Cheers and Merry Merry HO HO HO!

Rosie

Candyland Forests!

I hosted the last kids' baking class this past Monday. With the holidays just around the corner, I decided that we should get into the festive season and create "Candyland Forests." It's a fun and easy culinary craft for kids of all ages. Younger children will enjoy sticking candy on pre-iced cones while older children can really get into the design and a more elaborate execution. 

The kids that created the masterpieces below range from ages 7-10. 

Now grab some ice cream cones, royal icing and candy and have fun!


What you will need:

Ice cream cones (either sugar or regular)

Assortment of candy

Assortment of sprinkles

Coconut, shredded

Coarse Sugar

Royal icing (see recipe below)

How to make your own Candyland Forest:

1. Make the royal icing and tint it any colour you choose by using food colouring or leave it white.
2. Spread the royal icing over the entire surface of the ice cream cone. You'll want to add your sprinkles as soon as possible so they will stick.
3. Let stand 10-15 minutes to allow the base coat of icing to harden slightly.
4. Adhere your selection of candies to the “tree” by using additional royal icing, either by piping or using a knife. 
5. Continue decorating more trees as desired.
6. To create the forest, stick the decorated trees to a cake board or a foil-covered plate by using royal icing piped along the bottom of the tree.
7. Pipe additional royal icing between the trees and sprinkle with shredded coconut and/or coarse sugar to create snow.
8. Let dry overnight.

Royal Icing
You can find ready made royal icing at cake decorating stores or you can make your own…

Ingredients

3 tablespoons meringue powder

1/3 cup of water

3 2/3 cup icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla

In bowl, beat meringue powder with water until foamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar; beat until stiff, about 6 minutes. Cover with damp cloth to prevent drying out. 

Happy Creating!
Rosie

Easy Sweet Puff Pastry Spirals

Since October, I have been teaching a one-hour kids' after-school baking class every Monday. I have 5 energetic mini-bakers who signed-up for different reasons - most really like to bake and one in particular signed up just because he likes to eat. The skill levels vary greatly and we found that this recipe was easy for everyone to follow with amazing results. 

You don’t have to make buttery puff pastry from scratch to enjoy these delicious treats. We used   Loblaws PC-brand all-butter puff pastry which you can find in the freezer section. I think this might have been their favourite. It was quite hands on and the end result was a sweet, buttery, flaky, yummy treat that they all enjoyed. A crowd pleaser! And they look beautiful. 

This holiday season, you may want to try these with your kids. Easy and delicious. And everyone will be impressed - especially the kids!

Happy Baking!
Rosie

Ingredients

1 roll of all-butter puff pastry (thawed per package instructions)

3 tbsp butter, melted

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons of either cinnamon or cocoa powder

Drizzle - optional

½ cup icing sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice or water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set-aside

3. Mix together the sugar and either cinnamon or coca powder and set-aside

4. On a lightly floured board, using a rolling pin, roll out the puff pastry very slightly

5. Brush the melted butter onto the entire surface

6. Sprinkle the sugar mixture (cinnamon or chocolate) all over the buttered pastry

7. Start rolling the dough from one end and continue rolling until you form a  log

9. Place log in the freezer for 10 minutes to chill and make it easier for cutting

10. Cut log into 1/2” spirals and place on baking sheet

11. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until puffy and golden

12. If interested in drizzling the spirals: While the spirals are baking, make the drizzle by whisking the icing sugar and lemon juice (or water) into a smooth and flowing consistency. Add more liquid or icing sugar as required.

13. Let spirals cool slightly before drizzling.

14. To drizzle, simply wave a frosting-coated spoon over the spirals or pipe drizzle through a piping bag. 

Kitchen Notes:

You can add raisins, chocolate chips or other goodies according to your taste

before rolling the dough into a log. 

Also, if you don't have a piping bag, just place the drizzle in a small zip-lock baggie. 

Close the opening  and cut a small hole in one corner and gently squeeze.

How do you like your eggs? Scrambled !

Eggs! I love eggs. Soft boiled, hard boiled, poached, sunny-side up, over-easy, baked, fried - any way really. My favourite? I would have to say, scrambled. And eggs on a lazy weekend morning, are especially nice.

I was probably eight, when I successfully cooked scrambled eggs all on my own. Mom had showed me how to make them on several occasions and even guided my hand so I could get the gentle feel required to master the art. Then one day, with great pride, I remember exclaiming that I could make the fluffiest, creamiest eggs ever! And they were really good. Once that happened, I was in charge of making scrambled eggs every time.

In Malcom Gladwell's book, Outliners, he explains that people don't become masters at complex things until they have accrued 10,000 hours of practice - I am pretty sure that I have surpassed my 10,000 hours. You may not think that making scrambled eggs is complex, but it is. Even Gordon Ramsey set up an egg challenge on the TV show, MasterChef. I'd win that one for sure! Well, I would hope so.

Want to create your own deliciously creamy and fluffy scrambled eggs? The process is simple and straigh forward and I have included a few tips...

1. Start off with fresh eggs. White or brown, Omega-3 or free-range, it's up to you. Crack eggs into a bowl.

2. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Sometimes I like to add a sprinkle of granulated garlic or when I am feeling a little spicy, a shot of cayenne to add a little heat.

3. Whisk the eggs until frothy and evenly coloured. Set aside.(Some people add a bit of milk or even water. I don't add either.)

4. Place a non-stick skillet over low heat. Low heat = delightfully scrambled eggs. Otherwise, you're really frying the eggs and they will cook too quickly and not obtain the fluffiness and creaminess you desire.

5. Add a teaspoon of butter, paying attention that the butter doesn't brown, but rather just melts and doesn't sizzle.

6. Once the butter has melted, add the eggs.

This are now the crucial steps:

7. Using a spatula, slowly move the eggs around the pan,

scraping the cooked bits and then jiggling the pan so the uncooked

bits come in contact with the bottom of the pan. 

8. Allow the bottom cook slightly and then gently scrape

and mix the eggs again.

9. Continue this until you have fluffy, creamy eggs. 

They may even look slightly underdone. 

That's ok, the eggs themselves will continue to cook.  

Do not overcook the eggs!

10. Remove from heat. Voila!

Bon Appetite!
Rosie