Wedding Cake Cookies

In Mexico we have a very popular recipe for wedding cookies. This recipe is a family recipe that I want to share with all of you:

Ingredients:  Makes 3 dz. aprox.

1 cup softened butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon MEXICAN vanilla
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans
Extra powdered sugar for rolling baked cookies in.

Directions:

1. Cream together butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy; stir in vanilla.
2. Whisk together flour and salt; add gradually to butter mixture; stir in chopped nuts.
3. Chill dough if it seems too soft.
4. Roll dough and cut with cookie cutter of your preference  or roll 1.25" balls and place on parchment paper
5. Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or just until the cookies start to turn light golden-brown; remove from oven and allow to cool slightly; while cookies are still warm (but NOT hot) remove them from baking sheets and roll, a few at a time, in powdered sugar until evenly coated; cool cookies completely on wire racks.

We usually make cookie balls and bake them like that.  But there are many options when you use your imagination.

 

 

June is the most popular month for weddings so, bridal showers should be taking place right now. I found this picture on the internet and thought that this design will go perfect with a bridal shower or even at the wedding reception.  If you decide to go with this design, it will be better if you don't dip your cookies in powdered sugar.

Use 3 different size of round cutters and decorate with  royal Icing and make some beautiful mini roses  with the silicone molds that we carry at www.fiestabakingsupplies.com. You are going to love this mold and many more that you will find.
Have fun!

 

Disco Dust

People are always debating if Disco Dust is safe or if it's edible. But, What is disco dust?
 Disco Dust is an extra fine glitter with lots of sparkle.  It was developed for the craft industry and often used on display cakes. Disco Dust contains only ingredients that are NON-Toxic.  This dust is not FDA approved, it is not a food product and should not be considered as such but again: It's NON-Toxic.

So, the question is: Should we use it or should we don't?  Many use disco dust to decorate their cakes, cupcakes, cookies, cake balls or cake pops.  I've never heard of anyone getting sick for eating something with Disco Dust on it. So the answer will be: whatever you and/or your customer decide.
Here some examples on how Disco Dust has been used by bakers.

 

 

Disco dust has the largest grains of all the dusts, and can be compared in size to pieces of glitter. Disco dust is not subtle, so it works best on pieces that should "pop" and sparkle with a glittery finish .

You can find disco dust at our online shop. www.fiestabakingsupplies.com



 Many times, I'm sure you like me have wondered on how to work with sugar sheets.  There are so many options and they are so easy to work with.  If they are white, besides of using them to make decorations as cut outs or lace we can also use them to print pictures or images  with edible ink and decorate our cake or simply make some cute cupcake toppers or maybe to cover some delicious cookies.  To print images on sugar sheets you need a printer with edible ink , you can go to my shop or order online at  www.fiestabakingsupplies.com.

cookies with edible print

cake & cupcakes with edible print

There is a lot more to do with sugar sheets:  Since sugar sheets come in many different colors we can make cut outs for cakes, cupcakes, cake balls, cookies.... You can use templates, hole punchers, cricut or silhouette  machines.

Here are some links for videos and tutorials that will explain a lot better all that you can do with sugar sheets.  Have a sweet day full of fun!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX-akpVPqcE

http://www.cakecentral.com/tutorial/27049/filigree-cake-black-pink-couturecakesbyrose

April 16th. National Stress Awareness Day!

Wow! I'm a very impulsive person so it's very hard not to stress. This is what I found about stress:

 

Does meditation really work when we're anxious? (Yes.)

 Is work burnout normal? (No.)

Is a little stress good for us? (Yes.)

There are so many questions when it comes to experiencing and managing stress, it's hard to keep track of what works and what doesn't.  Here are some ideas besides the ones we already know...

 Happy relaxing!

• Write your worries down in a journal.
• Peel an orange. Studies show the smell of citrus can help reduce stress.
• Read a book for six minutes.
• Eat an avocado. The monounsaturated fats and potassium in the super food can lower blood pressure.
• Bring your dog to work. Research suggests having Fido in the office can lower stress levels throughout the day.  (poor dog!)
• Count to 10, then count backward.          

and many, many, other ways to relax but no one said BAKE!

I relax while baking, then get all stressed up while decorating, my adrenaline goes up and up until customer picks up cake and then ....I relax! (if she looks satisfied with my work) :)

                     

How to fix broken buttercream

Buttercreams are a dream to work with under the right circumstances, that is.
Meringue buttercreams are intimidating to many cake makers. With the right tools, ingredients and troubleshooting methods you’ll fall in love with meringue buttercream too.
What is meringue buttercream? A meringue buttercream is an emulsion of fat and liquid. All you need to know for now is that water and oil don’t mix unless you force them together, as in a delicious vanilla Italian meringue buttercream.

Why does buttercream break? The first potential issue is inconsistent temperature. Both your egg/sugar mixture and your butter must be at the same temperature. Another issue might be excess liquid. Unwanted liquid can result either from failing to cook your sugar syrup to 238° F (for Italian meringue) or from the addition of fruit or other moist flavorings.
How do you know your buttercream is “broken”? If your buttercream breaks, the fat and liquid won’t emulsify, and you’ll be left with a bowl of fat globules that look like cottage cheese with soupy liquid in the bottom. But don’t despair. It can be fixed!

The best cure is prevention. The best plan is to avoid a broken buttercream in the first place. You can do this by using a trusted and tested recipe and following the directions meticulously. This means reading through the recipe from start to finish before you even crack the first egg. Be sure to cook your syrup to 238° F, and add fruit and flavorings a little at a time. Avoid adding a lot of moisture, such as fruit juice. Instead, use extracts, oils or compounds.
The Fix. Broken buttercream happens to the best of us, even when you’ve made the same buttercream 1000 times. Here’s how to get yourself back on track:
Step 1: Try mixing it a little longer and see if it comes together on its own.
Step 2: If it doesn’t come together with additional mixing, scoop out a cup of curdled mixture and microwave 5 to 10 seconds, until melted but not hot.
Step 3: Pour melted buttercream into the mixer while on medium speed and whip until combined. This works every time.
I want to share with you the recipe that never fails:

MERENGUE BUTTERCREAM

NGREDIENTS:

6 egg whites 2 cups white sugar 3 cups unsalted butter, at room

temperature 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1.

Place the egg whites and sugar into a metal bowl and set over a pan filled with about 2 inches of simmering water. Heat, stirring frequently, until the temperature of the egg whites reaches 140 degrees. They will feel very hot to the touch.

2.

Transfer the heated egg whites and sugar to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Mix at high speed (or as high as you can go without egg flying out of the bowl) until they have reached their maximum volume, 5 to 10 minutes. Mix on medium or medium-high speed while pinching off small pieces of butter and throwing them in. Mix in vanilla if using. The buttercream may look like it is breaking down, but keep on mixing and it will come back together.

EARTH DAY

I'm glad we continue to celebrate "Earth Day".  We have to be conscious on how much we need trees and a clean environment. I did my research and found this info:

The April 22 date for the first Earth Day stemmed from a much-earlier observance: Arbor Day, which began in Nebraska in 1872.

Today, a common practice in celebration of Earth Day is still to plant new trees

Bottom line: Why do we celebrate Earth Day on April 22?

 The date stems from an earlier observance, Arbor Day. And the date of Arbor Day was set due to the birthday of J. Sterling Morton, a Nebraska pioneer and journalist, who launched the first Arbor Day in 1872.

These cakes are beautiful.  Their Designers did a great job. 

Tappit Tutorial

I always hear how difficult it is to work with Tappit cutters.  I put together some pictures of how I use  tappit cutters.  I hope you find it helpful. Enjoy!

 

Because Birthdays are Meant to be Celebrated | Houston Baking Supplies

Because Birthdays are Meant to be Celebrated  | Houston Baking Supplies

 

If you're like us, you love a birthday! The anticipation for the big day...the traditions...the presents...the balloons...and, of course, THE CAKE!!! At Fiesta Baking Supplies in Houston, Texas, we promise to give you selections galore so that you can bake and decorate the most amazing cake for your celebration.

 

At Fiesta Baking Supplies Serving Houston, you'll quickly get pulled into our store as you browse our isles of amazing baking supplies. We have tools, molds, icings, fondant, colors, pans and the most amazing selection of paper products. On top of all of that, we have the decorating sets, cupcake toppers, candles and instructional books that you need to make your cake decorating process even more simple and enjoyable.

 

Because we've all dreamed of wearing that white hat and becoming a professional cake decorator, be sure to take advantage or our affordable Cake Decorating Classes. Our professionals will use their expertise to teach you how to use the tools and make the most amazing cake for your celebration.

 

We're excited to help you start celebrating today! Come and see us at Fiesta Baking Supplies in Houston and let's get your party started!