Monday, February 14, 2011

Day off from baking

Tonight I have a day off from baking. But I'm still baking in my head. Trying to figure out what I should test next. Macarons, coco puffs, mochi, sweet or savory empanadas. . . The list is endless. On top of that I'm finding interesting savory baked goods (eggless quiche--so like a savory cheesecake). Hmmm . . . Where should I start. Probably tomorrow as it really too late to do anything. I need to get to bed, to get some sleep. If only I wasn't so hot (temperature-wise, that is).

Sunday, February 13, 2011

I'm so proud of myself . . .

that haven't had a baking breakdown yet with many potential disaster just waiting to happen (But I was very close to tears a few times). Thanks to the handy thing called a the internet. I found a great solution for broken frosting (butter too cold). If you every need the solution, here's the link for broken and too hard frosting.

The latest disaster is a smoking oven as I was powering through chocolate cupcake batter and a cheesecake in the oven. Forgot to put foil around the springform pan and butter dripped in the oven. Suddenly, I turn to see smoke pouring out the vent of the oven. I don't know if it was because I'm so tired or I'm getting use to thing happening. I calming opened the oven, pulled the cheesecake out, I turned off the oven, turned up the oven fan, jiggled the cheesecake to see if it was down, pulled the racks out and started to clean the mess (waited a little bit for it too cool). Thank goodness the cheesecake was done and I think I save it from the trash can. Now I'm just resting my mind from a close call and will start the cupcake in a bit. 

2 days off from work at the end of the week. I hope I get back in to better form. I have some much on my list to do and try. Let's see if I can get some of it done.

UPDATE: baked the chocolate cupcakes without a incident but the frosting... Just when I thought I was minutes away from finishing up the baking for the night, the stupid frosting started to acted up. Got the the consistency that I wanted, 6 cupcakes done, 6 more to go and the piping tip goes haywire. Tried to unclog it but it just didn't want to work. So the last six looks like it got a bit of a perm. A little bit of curly top. But no tears, so I guess I win.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

New flavor cupcake flavor

Chai cupcakes with cardamon spice cream cheese frosting. Trying to be creative with what I'm baking. Saw a recipe for Milk Tea cupcakes from justjenn and thought I could adapted it to a using Chai tea and with a cardamom frosting.

Here's some picture of the cupcakes, before frosting and after. I just took a bite and this may be a new favorite. Nice mild chai tea taste with a little bit of spice from the frosting. Not overly sweet. Added so lemon zest to the frosting. Hope people like as much as I do.

12 chai cupcake cooling

With frosting

Monday, February 7, 2011

Granny Squares needed

I just read about the crochet a rainbow project on sarah london's blog. She asking for donations of granny squares to make up blankets for the people who were affect by the flood in Queensland and Victoria, Australia. 

I usually go to her blog to see the bright and color images she has up of things she is making. I have such fond memories of granny squares. And have done many projects with them. I thought I send out the word to my crochet friends about this project.

Go to crochet a rainbow on sarah's blog for more info. You need to sign up. I'm signing up today. Hope you can join me on this project.

Finished Product

Here it is after it's chill overnight. Pretty easy cheesecake or could it be that I didn't have to glaze all those strawberries that made it seem easier?

Serving with a quick and easy fresh blueberry sauce. I hope they like it. 

Lemon curd marbled cheesecake

Sunday, February 6, 2011

I've baking up a storm

for the restaurant that is. I'm trying to keep thing separate but it is very hard when most of my life as of now revolves around the restaurant. And of course, I suck taking pictures of the final product. But I thought a list would be a great way to show off what I've up to with thumbs up/down if it did well.

So for the last 2 weeks I've baked:

2 apple pies (traditional)--thumbs down
1 apple pecan crumb pie--thumbs up-sold the whole pie in one shot
2 strawberry cheesecakes--thumbs up
1 bread pudding*--thumbs up
1 mango bread pudding*--thumbs up
1 peach bread pudding*--thumbs up
1 recipe strawberry cupcakes with cream cheese frosting-thumbs up
1 recipe chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting--thumbs half way. I wasn't that happy the way the frosting turned out. Need to rethink that. Taste great if you love chocolate.
2 chocolate haupia (choconut pudding) pie --thumbs up
2 rice pudding--not sure

And in the oven right now is lemon curd marbled cheesecake. I'm about to make a fresh blueberry sauce to serve with it.

Cheesecake seems to be the customers favorite. And of course because it takes the longest to make. I'm trying this new one (the one in the oven). I hope people like it.

On my list of recipe testing:
Thai tea milk shakes--in process**
Matcha milk shakes--in process**
Chai cupcakes with cardomon cream cheese frosting
Matcha macarons with azuki filling
Matcha syrup for our shave ice
Mochi with azuki filling and if that work and people like it maybe whole strawberry with azuki filling

Off to check the cheesecake and to start the sauce.

* can be served with vanilla sauce made with condensed milk
**there goes the stress diet pounds.