Monday, February 20, 2012

Bunny Carrot Cake


This cake was my first attempt at doing anything with modeling chocolate.  The bunny, carrots and roses are made from the modeling chocolate (recipe below).  The rest is 4 layer carrot cake with a delishes cream cheese filling and icing (recipe below) YUMMY!! 


Awesome Cream Cheese Frosting and Filling

Ingredients

  • 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Cover the sides of the cake with chopped pecans :) Yumm, I love pecans!



Recipe for modeling chocolate:
(I used white chocolate so I could dye it different colors for what I wanted to make.  But any chocolate can be used)

White Chocolate Modeling Paste:
7 ounces (200 grams) white chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Note: To prevent the corn syrup from sticking to the measuring cup or spoons, spray with Pam or grease with vegetable oil before measuring.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir the chocolate until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir until smooth and cooled a bit.

Stir in the corn syrup. The chocolate will stiffen almost immediately. Stir until completely combined. Transfer the chocolate to a sturdy plastic freezer bag and refrigerate until firm (about two hours).

When the dough is firm, remove from the refrigerator, and knead it until it is soft enough to work with. If it is too hard, cut off small pieces, and knead until pliable. Grease the counter where you are working with oil or spray with Pam so the chocolate won't stick.



The dirt is made from crushed oreo cookies.

The grass is made from the cream cheese frosting.
Dye it with a little green food coloring
 and the use a grass tip and pipe onto cake.  

Happy Baking :)



Wednesday, February 15, 2012

For the Love of Apples

Henrik Loves Apples

Me not so much.  I don't even really like apple pie, I know.. I know, that sounds anti-American.  I just have never really come across one that knocks my socks off.  So I am going to try some new recipes (listed below) and hopefully one of these will help me learn to love apples.  Please share any apple recipes that you love and I'll try those too.  Happy Cooking :)



Supposed to be the best ever apple pie recipe, hmm we'll see :)

Apple fritters.. That sounds yummy :)

Apple butter.. Ok I do love apple butter, Heaven On Earth got me hooked on it many years ago.  I wish I could get ahold of their recipe :)

Apple and chicken salad

Apple crisp.. This sounds yummy :)

Apple and cheese grilled cheese.. Sounds weird, but I bet Henrik would love it :)


Apple pancakes German style

Apple spice muffins

Apple cabbage slaw


Or I could just serve them raw and I'm sure Henrik would be just as delighted :)