Successful macarons!

Ok, so by now you may have realized that I obsess a bit about stuff.  Some may call it OCD, others ADD, I call it being awesome.  I could barely sleep last night thinking about the macaron mayhem that I got myself into yesterday.  When I finally realized that I had under mixed the batter, I resigned myself to a morning of making more macarons.  I had to redeem myself.



Mixing in the first batch of sugar/almond four.  John picked purple today!



This is how the batter should look, like thick ribbons folding back upon itself.  I was afraid to over mix because of deflating the egg whites.   This is what you need to do though, otherwise you end up with gnome hats.

Getting ready to pipe.  What do you do with your wedding crystal?  This is what happened to mine.



I like to call this one, "Early morning sun on perfectly piped macarons"



This is what they should look like when baked, please note, no points and little feet!



Perfect, purple perfection.  I made a little bit of lemon butter cream and voila!  I can sleep at night again.

-Jenny

My name is Jenny and I messed up a batch of cookies today

So I thought since I didn't have much yard work to do today, that I would attempt a batch of macarons using the almond flour that I made myself in a burr grinder.  Almond flour is mad expensive ($13 for 8-12 ounces), so I thought, why not get some slivered almonds at $5.99/lb and try to make the flour myself?  Well, it worked, the flour turned out perfect so off to make macarons I went. 

If you have never made macarons before, there are very few ingredients, but the utmost care must be taken with each of them.  The almond flour and powdered sugar must be sifted about 2 or 3 times, the egg whites have to be beaten not too stiff- whoops. 

The macaron batter I thought was perfect -John got to pick the color today

As soon as I piped them onto the cookie sheet, I thought they looked a bit extra pointy, but then I thought, "whatever, they will turn out perfect, they always do."  Ugh, was I ever wrong.



First indication we had a problem:  cookies were VERY pointy prior to baking

Then, when the timer went off, I ran to get them out of the over and discovered that I had not made beautiful little cookies today, I made blue gnome hats.

But they still have little feet!!  Small victories.

Oh well, I over whipped the crap out of the egg whites and this is what happens.  I always think, "Oh just a minute more, no big deal."  Well today people, it was a big deal, my cookies turned out like crap.  You win some, you lose some.  In my husband's case, I make 'em, he eats them.  It's all the same to him.

-Jenny

Edit- I thought about this all last night and have since realized that it was the egg whites that were over whipped, it was the batter that was under mixed.  I had forgotten everything Jenn taught me, the batter should fold back on itself like ribbons and be very pliable.  I undermixed!  Dangit.  And yes, I sometimes stay up nights trying to figure out why stuff doesn't work.  You're lying if you say you don't.

Our cupcakes got their senior pictures taken!

Aren't they adorable!!  This is the first official image of the cupcakes we made and delivered for a birthday party last Saturday, thanks Rob!

-Jenny

I made fondant today

I think the title says it all on this one.  I made fondant today.  Yesterday, I bought fondant because Jenn and I wanted to see if bought/homemade fondant tastes any different.  The homemade fondant tastes pretty good, but I am not really certain I can say it tastes any better or any worse than the store bought Wilton brand; this stuff gets pretty bad reviews on line, but we both like it, Jenn and I are also two of those people that actually enjoy eating fondant.  Making fondant is not for the faint of heart or for those of you who don't think its funny to stick to your kitchen floor after.  I have powdered sugar up my nose, in my toaster, and all over my IPad, which I needed to get the recipe from. 


Full directions here: http://thecookduke.com/fondant-recipe/


Fondant

• 1 Tbsp of unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup of cold water
• 1 tsp of almond extract - I used vanilla, clear vanilla imitation extract- I had to
• 1/2 cup of light corn syrup (If a corn syrup is not available, you can substitute it with a sugar syrup made with 1-1/4 cups sugar and 1/3 cup water, boiled together until syrupy)
• 1 Tbsp of glycerin (some recipes say it’s optional, believe me, it’s a must)
• 2 lbs confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 tsp of white vegetable shortening

Directions how to make the fondant recipe:

• Sprinkle the gelatin over cold water in a small bowl and let it rest for 2 minutes to soften
• Place the bowl in a microwave for 30 seconds on High, until the gelatin dissolves
• Add the Almond extract
• Add the corn syrup and the glycerin and stir until the mixture is smooth and clear (if the mixture is not turning smooth and clear, microwave it for an additional 15 to 20 seconds on high and stir again)
• Sift 1 1/2 pounds of the sugar into a large bowl
• Make a hole in the sugar and pour the liquid mixture to it

• Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture becomes sticky

• Sift some of the remaining 1/2 pound of sugar onto a smooth work surface and add as much of the remaining sugar as the mixture will take
• Knead the fondant, adding a little more sugar if necessary, to form a smooth, pliable mass

• Rub the vegetable shortening on your thumbs and knead it into the fondant

Wrap the fondant in plastic wrap and place it in a tightly sealed container to prevent it from drying outIf the icing dries out and harden it can often be revived by popping it into a microwave oven for a few seconds and then kneading it back to life.  Enjoy!

-Jenny

The art of the sailboat

Today, Jenn and I spent 5 hours making fondant sailboats and tomorrow we will spend another 2 hours assembling them.  I think I have spent more time this week testing cupcake recipes and practicing rolling fondant than actually looking for a job.  I am also starting to believe that the sugar is starting to get to my head a little bit.

Little tiny boats



I think it is safe to say that after tomorrow, neither Jenn nor I will be itching to make cupcakes anytime soon.  The fondant sailboats, however are a different story.

Fondant is a magical ingredient and one neither one of us has ever tried to play with, though oddly enough, we both love to eat.  So last week, Jenn bought some and we had an afternoon of "Let's see what we can do with this stuff", one of the many new activities that we have liked to do throughout our unemployment.  Turns out working with fondant is awesome.  When you start working it with your hands, it starts to get soft like silly putty and anything is possible to make.  Well, so far boats are possible to make.  And we made them with the pasta machine.  Yup, we rolled it through like, well pasta, since that is exactly what the texture and consistency is like.  We did hit a bit of a snag when we found out the largest setting for the pasta maker still made the fondant too thin to thread a toothpick through, but we quickly realized that just doubling up the shapes made perfect little boats hulls.  So double 'em up we did.

Little tiny boat hulls

Next came the sails, and those were the more challenging part of the project, since we had to freehand the rolling.  Neither one of us is an ace at rolling things to a nice even consistency, but we did our best and then cut out little triangles and stuck a toothpick through them- voila!  Sails.




Little tiny sails

 Tomorrow I will post another picture of the finished cupcakes unless Jenn and I, in a sugar induced haze, just go nuts and start throwing them at each other before we make it to the party.  Keep your fingers crossed.

-Jenny

The search for the perfect cupcake

I realize it has been a while since either of us has posted a blog and I would like to say it's not because we are lazy.  It's mostly because we aren't lazy, but mostly because we have been super busy trying out recipes for the perfect chocolate and vanilla cupcake.  You see we have been commissioned to make cupcakes for a friends son's first birthday, and you cannot possibly imagine how much stress this puts on us both and it's not the making the cupcakes part either.It's the making the cupcakes perfect part that is driving us to sugar insanity. Jenn is working on chocolate and I am working on vanilla, both of us combined have made no less than 300 cupcakes this week alone, and we have been eating them for breakfast, lunch and sometimes, dinner.  After last night, we think we may have the perfect recipes.

Prebaked cupcakes, I think they look funnier this way.  Endless jokes were made about the chocolate batter.

We are also working on a new website and I would like to think that has contributed most to our recent absence.  As soon as it is ready we will announce and redirect you all to it.  Jenn has been working on our business plan and we may have our first official macaron order (EEK!)  More details to come. 

Homemade vanilla extract- 3 months to go!

Last week I decided to make my very own homemade vanilla extract, I had no idea it was so easy, but patience is key with this little project as it is best to let it sit for about 3 months.  3 months?  Yes, you heard me, set it and forget it.  Well almost forget it, you still need to shake the bottle up every week or so.

Vanilla Extract

For every 1 cup vodka or rum (or even tequila, although I need to try that once first before I recommend it.)

add 6 split vanilla beans.  Let sit for 3 months, shaking every week. 

That's it.  Crazy right?  Who knew that could be so easy and so darn good.  Since I still have 2 and 1/2 months to go , I will have to let you know how it turns out later.  Right now however, it's smells heavenly.  If you love vanilla as much as I do, you will be content just to smell it every day.  I thought I would save a ton of money making my own extract, but I don't really think I will.  Vanilla beans are expensive, good vodka is expensive, but making your own extract is priceless. 

-Jenny

My 6 month vacation and a Tres Leech cake

For those of you who may be unaware, I have been unemployed for the last 6 months.  I have sent out applications every day and have only gotten 3 call backs, all of which did not end up hiring me.  I don't think I have ever had so much rejection in so little of a time period.  People say the economy is bad and California is number 2 in the country for unemployment, so you may want to ask me, "Why are you surprised?  It's taking everyone a long time find employment these days."  Whatever, these kind of things don't usually happen to me I always use to have a good job, until now.  SO in light of this, I decided to compile a list of positive things that has happened in the last 6 months, that couldn't have been accomplished if I was working:

• I have successfully grown out my bangs.  Yes, ladies, you know what I am talking about.  No awkward period at work, where you end up looking like a 12 yr old with your hair pinned back.  If you are unemployed, people expect you to look a bit whack.  Whackness accomplished and now they are grown out, new, potential employer, none the wiser.
• I have managed to see EVERY episode of the original Beverly Hills 90210 on the Soap channel.  You see when I was growing up, this was my favorite show and I had only seen 2 or 3 episodes, because we didn't have cable or get FOX, you needed cable in order to see FOX.  We only got 4 channels, one of them being PBS. I used to have one of my friends tape episodes for me and I would watch that one episode like 40 times, made me feel more in the loop with my teen years, you know?
• Successfully set up a drip irrigation system in my front yard.  Lord knows, I wouldn't have had the patience for this if I actually had a 40 hour a week job and would've hired someone to do it instead.  Turns out it is painfully easy and now I am getting ready to set one up in the back yard.

Ok, so that may be a short list, but I like to look at it as a list of accomplishments, since it seems I haven't done much else in a pretty long time frame.  Damn, I should have lost 30 pounds by now.  Speaking of 30 pounds, I made a Tres Leche cake yesterday.  Side note, when texting tres leche on my IPhone to Jenn every day, it would auto correct to tres leech cake.  Apparently my IPhone doesn't speak Spanish.

Tres Leche Cake- again with the milk, I know, I swear I am borderline lactose intolerant, but it's sooooooo good.  (Stolen from: http://www.suite101.com/)

CAKE:

1 cup sugar

5 large eggs, separate

1/3 cup milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

MILK SYRUP:

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup heavy (or whipping) cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp dark Cuban rum

• METHOD:Preheat oven to 350F. Generously butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. CAKE: Beat 3/4 cup sugar and the egg yolks until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Fold in the milk, vanilla, flour and baking powder. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, adding the cream of tartar after 20 seconds. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until the whites are glossy and firm, but not dry. Gently fold the whites into the yolk mixture.

Glossy, firm whites
• Pour this batter into the buttered baking dish.Bake the cake until it feels firm and an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 30-45 minutes. Let the cake cool completely in baking dish. Pierce the cake all over with a fork, taking care to not tear it up.

• MILK SYRUP: Combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, cream, vanilla and rum in a mixing bowl. Whisk until well blended. Pour the syrup over the cake, spooning the overflow back on top, until it is all absorbed.

• When ready to serve, cut a slice and plate it. Top with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or a side of ice cream, dust cake and cream with some fresh cocoa powder and place a slice or two of fresh mango on the side. This cake is addictive- you’ve been warned! Enjoy!

Read more at Suite101: Best Tres Leches Cake Recipe: A Latin American favourite that's summertime perfection! http://www.suite101.com/content/best-tres-leches-cake-recipe-a23668#ixzz1AT2cLAAP

Unrelated side note:  I need to get one of these immediately!  http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/79002-product.html?utm_source=rkgkeywords&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=Spring20111220&utm_term=laurus+nobilis

-Jenny

Cranberryaholics Anonymous

Has anyone else out there had this strange compulsion to buy bags and BAGS of discounted fresh cranberries left over from the holiday season?  Every time I see a bag and the price says $1, I grab it, I am not even sure it is a conscious decision, maybe the cranberries are finding me.  Perhaps in my last 6 months of utter joblessness I am starting to lose my mind?  I mean do I really think when next year comes around, I won't be able to spend the $2.50 on a bag of regular priced cranberries?  Have I started to go into hoarding mode?  If so, why cranberries?  These questions plaque me every time I try to get into my freezer and have to search under bags of cranberries to find what I am really looking for- you know, actually food I can cook for dinner.  Have I mentioned that I don't even like cranberries that much?

Oh well, here's a a cranberry recipe (original stolen from http://www.bigoven.com/, it has been tweaked):

Cranberry Jelly

2 14 cups water
1 (12) ounce package of fresh cranberries- or freshly thawed cranberries in my case
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 cinammon stick
1/2 tsp vanilla

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the cranberries and cinammon stick and boil over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

Puree the cranberries in a food processor and strain.  Don't forget to remove the cinnamon stick and discard.

Return the puree to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Add the sugar and salt, and cook until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. At this point, I also like to add a bit ,1/2 tsp, of vanilla to sort of round out the cranberriness. Transfer to a bowl, let cool; refrigerate until gelled. I like to put them in little mason jars for serving or giving away for gifts.

Makes about 3 cups.

-Jenny

Salted Caramels

There is nothing I like better than caramel, well almost nothing.  Anyhoo, this morning, I decided to whip up a batch of Ina Garten's Salted Caramels since I had 16 ounces of heavy cream just chilling in the fridge waiting to be turned into a tres leche cake on Saturday *mental note- buy more cream.  Today the sun was out, the Bee Gees were blasting and life was good.

Salted Caramels- stolen from Ina Garten

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
5 T unsalted butter
1 tsp sea salt- more or less to your taste
1 tsp vanilla

Add the sugar, water and corn syrup to a heavy duty sauce pan and let the mixture come to a boil and continue boiling until it turns a beautiful amber color- don't let it get too dark, you want these caramels chewy, not crunchy like the batch I made from David Lebowitz- that's a story for another time.

At the same time in another saucepan, gently heat the cream, butter and salt until the butter is melted.  Turn off the heat and let sit until you are ready for it.

Once the sugar mixture is amber colored, pour the cream mixture in.  I take the pan off the heat for this and you will get a violent bubble, it's ok, it's supposed to do this.  After the cream is in, add the vanilla.  Put the pan back on the heat and let the mixture come up to 248 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Once it is at the right temp, pour into a greased, parchment paper lined 8 x 8 pan and stick in the fridge for a few hours.  At this time, you can also sprinkle on additional salt before the caramels harden.

Voila!

Once hardened, you can cut into squares and wrap with parchment paper......so good!

Finished!

Have I ever mentioned that I can eat a whole pan of this stuff by myself?  Shhhh, don't tell my thighs.

-Jenny

Impromptu Birthday Cupcakes

Before the Christmas craziness kicked in, I made these cupcakes for my mom’s birthday. It was a spur-of-the-moment baking decision, so I did a quick search at  Epicurious for a white cupcake/cake recipe and got cracking. I used the Magnolia Bakery recipe, which I thought turned out some nice cupcakes, but I always wonder if my scratch cakes and cupcakes are too dry. I think it’s just due to the box cake world domination, but it might also be that I need to work on my cake skills. Either way, I’m still looking for that perfect recipe that will never fail me and that I can always count on.

My apologies for the terrible picture--it was late!

I had some grapefruit curd in the freezer, (thanks, Jenny!) so I filled half of the cupcakes with grapefruit curd and topped them with buttercream frosting. I knew chocolate was a must for my mom and cousin, so I added cocoa powder to the buttercream and voila: chocoholics were not neglected! Most of the birthday guests took seconds on these babies, so I don’t think cake dryness was too much of an issue.

In other birthday related news, Arigato the cat was rescued three years ago yesterday. Since we don’t know his actual birthday, we use this date to keep track of his years. Happy 3^rd birthday, Mr. Roboto!

He is thrilled

 - Jenn

My pantry is a mess.

Even though we are no where near Spring, it feels like Spring cleaning time at the Auble household.  And by Spring cleaning, I mean it's time to clean out the pantry.  You see, Thanksgiving and Christmas are a bit of a whirlwind for me with nonstop cooking, baking, decorating, buying, re buying, re baking; I barely have a second to breath.  So once it is all over, I like to go through my holiday tornado ravaged pantry and make it all pretty again.  This is also when I seem to find out that I have multiple bottles of red food coloring, bags of sugar, molasses, and anything else I kept buying because I couldn't find it when I first needed it.  This doesn't just apply to my kitchen life mind you, I also just ran across 3 Ghostbusters t-shirts when cleaning out my closet.  I had bought the same shirt 3 times, and I wonder why I am un-employed *sigh*.

The offending pantry

Have you ever found something in the back of a cupboard that you just had to buy (tamarind pulp) and once you got around to using 4 years later, found it to be expired?  That is a sad fact of life for me.  It's always something that I had really good intentions for, but never quite made it into a recipe.  Good news about the tamarind pulp though, I ended up using it as I saw no mold or expiration date.  I made a pretty mediocre steak sauce with it, but was still smugly satisfied with myself for tearing open that package.

-Jenny