A Tasty 2013 Recap

Ah here we are, the last day of 2013.  It was quite the year, filled with some ups and downs but in general I can’t really complain.  There were aspects of the year I could have done without, but I am healthy, my family is healthy and everyone is doing well. 

 

I really see 2013 as a stepping stone for me—through the not so good cards I was dealt this year, I powered through and really set the stage for myself in the new year.  I grew professionally through my new job which I enjoy and have learned so much in;  I baked all year long for so many different events which has helped my skills improve greatly while teaching myself new techniques;  I became much more comfortable in the kitchen cooking meals (can’t always eat desserts!!) and worked hard to learn to cook many types of vegetables and meats in order to stay on a healthy eating track; I discovered yoga in May which has completely changed my life by helping me grow as a person, as well as helping me to deal with my anxiety that I’ve struggled with for over 10 years;  Louis and I have continued to nurture our relationship together and are both very happy; I was able to travel a bit throughout the Northeast and also to visit Nick in Miami which was such a blast and I can’t wait to go back;  I started this blog! Which I have come to really enjoy writing;  I closed the year with signing the lease to my new apartment which I am so insanely excited for—it was the perfect ending to 2013 and will be the perfect beginning to the new year.

 

So to finish the year off, I completed an order last night for New Years cake pops for a friend of mine!  The glitzy “Happy New Years” was done with my new alphabet cookie cutters and fondant then sprayed with a pretty silver edible paint to really stand out against the deep blue chocolate. 

 

Fun sprinkles and white candy sugar pearls add that “party” effect that I think everyone will enjoy!

 

And with that, I want to say thank you to my readers who have supported me in my effort to share sweetness with the world!  I am so grateful for everything my family and friends have done for me in the past year, especially for spreading the word and helping me gain momentum with my desserts! Without you all, I would not be here, recapping all of the delicious things we’ve all consumed in 2013!

With the new year approaching, take a moment to reflect on what was good this year, and harvest those memories to create new ones in 2014. I have this eerie feeling 2014 is going to bring a ton of changes and some big moments for me and my family and friends.. and I can’t remember the last time I was this excited to ring in a new year!

 

-Elena

 

Sweet Holiday Cheer

Good morning and Merry Christmas everyone!

The day has come and I am relishing in the quiet before the storm. I have so much to prepare before everyone comes today, never mind spending my last Christmas morning in Ellington with my parents and brother before I move out next month! It will be a memorable and hectic day of gifts, food, desserts, music and laughter and I am excited!

On the table today will be these little babies--chocolate bars! These are not hard at all, anyone can do them and they make a great gift idea for coworkers or neighbors.  All you need is chocolate, candies or pretzels or dried fruit for the inside and a mold! If you don't have a mold, spread the chocolate out on parchment paper in a baking tray but it will be messy to break apart later! 

I went with peppermint bark and salted caramel bark with pretzels!  Here is how I made the peppermint bark:

First break up your candy canes.

Then melt your chocolate!

I added a little bit of extract for extra flavor!

Then pour into molds, add your candy and throw in the freezer for 10 minutes! 

I loves this mold because of the imprint it leaves... words like giving, merry and thankful. 

Easy gifts for all! And did I mention delicious!?

I hope everyone has a joyful and safe Christmas! Eat up and savor the moments! 

-Elena 

It's All in the [Silver & Gold] Details

"It's all in the details" is what my Dad always said growing up while doing stuff.  Stuff like--helping me with a school science project...or putting up crown molding throughout our entire house.  He has an eye for the details, that little extra touch that ends up making the entire project come together.

I can certainly say I've inherited that "eye" for things.  As I continue to concentrate on building my portfolio of little baked creations, I find myself moving away from what's easy and moving towards the details.  In the case of decorating desserts, that means adding a lot more to each cake pop, or cookie, or cake.

Last night I created 60 cake pops for a 30th wedding anniversary and I definitely worked the details!

First, the color detail. I wanted to create a flow of colors that blended but also stood out on their own.  The theme was holiday, but it wasn't a Christmas party, it was for an anniversary so I didn't want to fill the plates with Santa Clause and Rudolph, and I wanted the colors to be sort of...magical. So I decided on silver and gold, like the song from Rudolph! I love that part, when the snowman sings the song!

So many things come into play now that I've started using other ingredients besides chocolate.  I am collecting sprinkles like no other.  Three huge drawers are filled with all types of sprinkles and dusting sugar. I wanted to keep these simple, but detailed!  So the holly berries were a great way to bring in the red and green of Christmas, but still helping me stick to my silver and gold color palette.

These snowflakes also let me stick to "simple" with their pure white and blue elegance. I wanted to tone down the blue though, so I brushed each blue snowflake with silver sugar dust to add a pretty luster that popped against the bright white chocolate. 

I have been picking up a lot of random containers of sprinkles, ones in all shapes and colors. It's amazing what you can use random sprinkles for! For instance, check out my holiday packages!  Silver and gold, but with red "bows" that are actually sugar hearts with a single sugar bead in the middle.

 

I am particularly proud of the packages and their details.  Each one was cut from a ball into a square, then dipped in white chocolate.  Once dry, I sprayed them with silver and gold edible paint.  The ribbon is all fondant, rolled out then cut with a wave blade to create a ribbon effect.  I sprayed them with a pearl luster spray to make them sparkle!  

Since this was for an anniversary celebration, I wanted some sort of "topper"... so I created the snowman and snowwoman.  This is a 3 tiered cake pop, dipped in bright white chocolate.  The scarves are rolled fondant, cut with the same wave blade as the packages.  I think it's important not only to carry the colors throughout the display, but the lines and shapes as well.  I wanted the snow-people to share the characteristics of the packages, through the scarves.  The flakes of snow on the snowwoman's scarf ties her to the snowflake cakes.  The snowman's hat is molded with modeling chocolate and finished the the holly and berries, tying him with the other holly cake pops.  The nose is a little candy coated chocolate piece, another awesome "sprinkle" find!  Their pretzel-stick hands complete them, as it looks like they're holding hands and enjoying life together!  They were sprayed with the pearl luster spray, and really just exuded happiness!

As I was creating, it was snowing!! We got our first snowfall of the season, and I couldn't resist submerging this bundled little couple into the scenery :)

So with the help of my lovely boyfriend, we ventered out into the blizzard to deliver the cakes to the Country Club, which was decorated beautifully with bright red poinsettias and candles.  The pops seemed to match the venue perfectly!  I am happy I chose the square plates, and I think they complimented the square packages quite well.  I carried the theme into the taste cards, which featured holly, snowflakes and poinsettias. 

 

 

I had a lot of fun making these, and I really poured my heart into them.  I think the details made all the difference, and I definitely will continue to pay the utmost attention to them.

Thank you Nina Caron for giving me the opportunity to create these and I hope they were enjoyed by all!

I can't stay out of the kitchen! I've baked 6 cakes in the past two days, with 4 or 5 more to go in preparation for our upcoming holiday party and for Christmas day, plus care packages for friends and family--a nice way to keep the holiday in mind even when the day is over.  The smell of spice cake, gingerbread and red velvet are filling my senses as I write this and it makes me so excited to keep on with the holiday sweets!

Stay warm everyone!

-Elena  

 

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

Well isn't that the truth! The cold has found us up here in New England, along with the snow, icy roads, and of course the Christmas music! The holidays are in the air and everyone can feel it.  I cut down my shopping a ton this year, but I still enjoy heading over to Barnes and Noble with Louis, grabbing a skinny peppermint mocha and browsing the mall, mostly people watching and just soaking in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season! I also enjoy baking for it which I have started.  Last year, I did snowmen--but this year I introduce the new and improved. Yes my skills have definitely been taken to the next level. These little guys (or gals, you choose!) are warm and cozy and iced with pearled perfection!  

 

Then I added them with a bunch of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer!

Yes they are quite cute! They are actually for a little girl I know who is celebrating her birthday this weekend.  Perfect little treats to share with her friends! 

Hope you're all getting into the holiday spirit as much as I am! Much more to come--- my brother returns next week for a couple of weeks and with him comes all my "brothers" from college who love these desserts more than anyone I know, so I need to get baking! Enjoy the snow everyone... not fun to drive it but it sure is beautiful! There is absolutely nothing like New England in the wintertime :)

-Elena