New gadgets

I've purchased a few new 'toys' for baking since Christmas.

First, the new pan from Wilton that makes little cupcake 'pucks' for all kinds of uses. I bought it to make the cupcakes to use in the 'push-up' containers.

  I love it for this. They are the perfect size for the push up containers that I have. Plus, you can fit 3 of them in with plenty of icing.  I used to use cake balls, but I definitely like the pucks better.  Neater presentation.



                                                                    

Next:  The Batter babies. These are a partition for making different color/flavor cupcakes.  While I love the idea of two different flavors or colors, they are difficult to use.  Maybe if there were more room to put the different batters in it would be a little easier. I don't use box cake mixes so that may be the problem.  Box mix batters are much thinner, thus, easier to put in with the batter baby in the place.

It does make a neater division of color than just putting the batter in with no divider.

The cupcake on the right is the one the batter baby was used with. 

They may look neater with the batter baby,  but it was not worth the time to use it.  Plus, there are only 6 in the package.  The cupcake pans I have and use have 12 places for cupcakes.  Takes too much time for me.  I'm sure they would be great for someone who doesn't bake and sell their cupcakes.

Finally, the cupcake measuring cups.  You get three measuring 'cups' for mini, regular, and large cupcakes.

These are nice, and they do measure out the correct amount for each cupcake, but, they aren't as fast as using an ice cream scoop.  You need to use a small spatula to get all the batter out. Again, if you use a box mix, it may be easier.  But for scratch mixes, I will stick with the ice cream scoop.

These are only my opinions on these products, so please don't buy or not buy based on these.  I like to read other's opinions on new products, so I thought I would give mine.

Happy Baking!!!

Anise Pizzelles

These are the last of the christmas cookies for this year. I really love pizzelles, but not the making of them.  They take along time when your iron only has 4 grids. I wonder if the big bakerys have bigger ones. I can't imagine a big bakery only doing 2 or 4 at a time.  Huge waste of their time.

Of course, I like mine much better than any bakery. At least they taste like anise. I have never had one from a bakery that tasted like anise. 

Meringue cookies

I've always wanted to try meringue cookies, so I decided to go for it this year.  They are really very easy. You just have to make sure you beat it long enough. My first try wasn't a great one for this very reason.

Use:

4 large egg whites (if using carton eggwhites, use 3/4 cup)
1/2 t. of cream of tartar
1 C sugar
1 t. flavor
color

The egg whites need to be room temp.  Put them in the bowl of your stand mixer. You will want to use a stand mixer, take my word for it.
After they are frothy, add the cream of tartar.. When soft peaks are formed, add the sugar 1 T. at a time.  Turn the mixer up to med.high and beat until sturdy peaks are formed. Mine took around 10 minutes to get to this stage.

When your peaks are well formed, add the flavor and color.  Put into a decorating bag with a large star tip. You can also make Christmas trees with a round tip. Just keep going in circles until you reach the desired height. Don't go real high or they may have trouble when you bake them.

Bake at 250 degrees for aproximately an hour.  Leave in the oven after turning off the heat without opening the oven for a few hours, or overnight.

They should be hard to touch when you remove them.  When you eat them, they will melt of your tounge. Yum...

Store them in an airtight container.

Chocolate/peanut butter cupcakes

If you are a chocolate/peanut butter lover, these cupcakes are for you. They have a lindt
peanut butter truffle in the middle. With peanut butter icing.   SOOOOOO good.

Cranberry/eggnog cupcakes

These are the best tasting cupcakes.  I love cranberries anytime of the year, but especially at Christmas time. 

The recipe is from Your Cup of Cake, but I used a scratch recipe instead of a box mix.

Turkey Pumpkin Cupcakes

How about a cute little turkey on top of a delicious pumpkin cupcake?  They would be perfect to finish off your Thanksgiving dinner. After the pie, of course.  The turkey is chocolate fondant with colorful feathers.  The cupcake is pumpkin, with pumpkin spice icing.

Here's a pic of just the cupcake.

Chocolate/toffee cupcakes

These cupcakes are a very moist delicious chocolate. Then comes the chocolate ganache that is then rolled in toffee bits around the edges.  Then a little dollop of buttercream with some toffee bits sprinkled on top.