Tuesday 27 December 2011

Holiday madness

This was my first December as an "established" pastry artist. I was pleased to have gotten 6 orders for the holidays... spanning 5 days! Not an easy feat. I was so anxious that I would be missing my family dinner in Ottawa! Alas, 4 full days of baking and decorating later, I was able to put down my tools and enjoy the holidays for a few hours. Here are my holiday (and a birthday) creations :)

Paris-Brest


Pâte à choux with a praline mousseline for an office Christmas party. Apparently it was a huge hit! 

50th birthday

Used my Cricut Cake for the first time! I was very happy with the results- there is no way
I could have ever cut out that shape with such precision

Vanilla cake with chocolate buttercream for a surprise 50th birthday party


Christmas cupcakes


Vanilla cupcakes with English vanilla buttercream

Holly on a mountain of snow

Snowflakes and pearls

SO cute- love this one

Chocolate overdose

Vanilla cake with chocolate buttercream and lots of dark chocolate curls

Christmas logs

Chocolate cake with English vanilla buttercream, covered in a chocolate glaze,
decorated with fondant holly and meringue mushrooms
Stay tuned for my last cake of 2011, and a few NYE desserts :) Happy holidays everyone!

Sunday 18 December 2011

the cupcakes I couldn't eat

This year for my boyfriend's birthday, I wanted to switch up his regular favourites (carrot cake and cheesecake) and do something completely different. I found a recipe for maple bacon cupcakes (yup.. bacon) and just had to try them.  Like a typical guy, he loves meat and so would probably freak out over bacon in his cupcakes! I used a recipe I found online but made many changes to it- the batter as is just wasn't right.  My baking skills proved to be sharp when the cupcakes came out of the oven all risen, spongy and moist :) I made a maple buttercream that is to die for, and decorated with a few grains of flour de sel and a piece of bacon. Since I'm a veggie, I couldn't taste them, but they sure did smell good! I got great feedback about them at the party, people telling me it was a surprisingly great combination of salty and sweet. I'd definitely say success for a first time recipe :)