Change of plans...again...

OK, so I was really excited about baking my way through Buddy's book.  And I started to...even have the pics to post here for you.  But, than life took over and I just didn't get to it.  So, I am thinking that I will just have to write about what I'm doing on that particular day and if I get a chance to throw in a Buddy recipe, than I will.

Thanks for bearing with me and I hope you find some useful information in here as I move forward in my self-taught baking education!!

This week I am working on my daughter's communion dessert table:)  I will post my progress when I have a chance.

In the meantime, here are some pics of my latest baking/decorating adventures:

Dear Buddy,

I am so excited to start my new adventure by baking my way through your new book.  I am a fan of the Next Top Baker show and occasionally do watch the Cake Boss one.  But, sometimes I just can't watch it b/c you tend to be a little full of yourself... although, you kinda can be a little full of yourself because of all that you can do.  And, you're not as annoying as that other guy...what's his name, Duff something or other??  So, I enjoy your work and was glad to stumble on your book.

It must have been fate b/c I have been searching for the Perfect book to Bake my Way Through for a while now.  I was going to do the CIA Baking and Pastry book...but, I think that's a little too daunting for my first time cover to cover book.  Well, I was walking through the library (which is one of the places I work) and I saw someone with your book in their hands and they were actually putting it back on the shelf.   I snatched that book right up so that I could see what you were all about.  Wasn't really sure what I would find in there either...but I was kinda hoping for some tricks of the trade and stuff.

I've never really 'read' a cookbook and all the forwards and helpful information sections before.  But, for some reason, I read yours.  I like it and I like your book.

So, tomorrow I start baking away and through your book.  I'm going to start with the cookies as you suggest...even though I am not a beginner in the baking world.  I just want to have some kind of direction.  I may wander through the book, though... as I might need a cake or something before I get there.  I will also be comparing your stuff to the stuff I already bake and bake well.  I'm really looking forward to the whole 'decorating' stuff at the end!!  

Thank you for putting out this book.  I'm excited to get started!!

Sincerely Yours,

Mommaliscious Bakester

On my New Mission..

My new book will be here today!!  Totally looking forward to getting started on the new direction:)

Changes???

OK... so I think that maybe I'm biting off more than I can chew here... I do love my CIA cookbook and I do use recipes out of the book.  And, I'd love to actually go to the school and take their classes... but, I really don't think this 'brilliant' plan of mine is going to actually continue at the pace I want.  If I continue on this venture, I think we will get through the book in about 5 years...

Sooooooooo.... I think I've found a different book to bake my way through.  It is shorter, the recipes are geared more towards making 1 cake or a couple dozen cookies as opposed to 6-8 cakes and 12 dozen cookies...

And, since there are not a lot of people reading this yet... I thought it might benefit all of us to change it up.

Now, I will still continue to go through the CIA book... at my snail's pace... and I will still continue to update you on those triumphs and failures... OK???

So, let me know your thoughts...if you have any...and/or concerns:)

What do you all think of this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Baking-Cake-Boss-Recipes-Decorating/dp/143918352X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1329108097&sr=1-1

Yeah, I know.. the Cake Boss book.  But, I have to say, I started to actually read it last week and I think this is what I need right now.  I don't ever read the cook books I have, you know??

Now, I will have to go buy the book...ha ha

Pate a Choux... CIA Baking and Pastry

I wanted to attempt to make some cream puffs this week.  Well, in order to make Cream Puffs, you need to master the art of the Pate a Choux dough.  This dough is a pastry dough and can be made into Cream Puffs or Eclairs.  Not really sure what else you use this dough for, but it creates a  nice light, airy dough and is ideal for filling.

My first attempt made some pretty good results.  My second attempt...not so much.  My third attempt, better than the first.  The CIA Baking and Pastry book has all of the recipes and a lot of information.  But, as I learned from trying the Cream Puffs (Pate a Choux dough specifically), it really does not give a lot of guidance. I'm sure that if you were taking the class, the teachers would have some insight before while and after you are making the recipes.  But, because I'm not taking these classes, I am trying, making mistakes and/or perfecting them on my own.  Hopefully you can benefit from these mistakes and I will try and give you the 'tips' I learn from my research after I make the errors:)

This recipe is in weight measurement.

Pate a Choux
16 oz milk   (I used whole milk)
8 oz butter (2 sticks)
3/4 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
8 oz. bread flour
1 pound eggs  (this equals roughly 9 large eggs)

1. Bring the milk, butter, sugar and salt to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Remove from the heat, add the flour all at once, and stir vigorously to combine.  Return the pan to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 3 minutes.

2. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat briefly on medium speed with a paddle attachment.  Add the eggs two at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.

3. The Pate a Choux is ready to be piped.


So, the first time I made this, it came out ok.  I forgot to egg wash it but it was ok.  I thought it was a little runny but the shapes held up.

The second time I tried it, the dough was so runny I didn't know what to do.  I looked it up on line and picked up a few pointers.
- Let the heated dough sit for a few minutes before mixing it in the stand mixer to start cooling down.
- Add the eggs 1 at a time to make sure you don't need them all... if you add too many eggs, the dough will be too runny and useless.
- If you get to the point where your dough is too runny and doesn't hold any shape when piped, you have gone too far and there is no correction.  You must DUMP it!!
- Even if the dough pulls away from the pan immediately after adding the flour and putting back on the heat, keep mixing over the heat to help the moisture cook out.

Some recipes tell you to stir vigorously while adding the eggs and not to use the stand mixer.  But, I found, on the 3rd go around, that the stand mixer works.  Also, keep that dough cooking over the heat for a few minutes... even if it is already pulling away from the sides of the pan.  A film should form on the pot as you're mixing.

Milk/butter/sugar/salt mixture melting away..

This was the first attempt.  Think it should have been a little stiffer... less eggs..

A little flat, but they came out ok... see below..

I will tell you all about the actual Cream Puff and Eclairs in a separate post!!

My first recipe from the CIA Baking and Pastry... Sugar Cookies

Wow...finally getting a chance to write up my review on the sugar cookie recipe in the book:)  This is my favorite recipe for sugar cookies.  They taste great (ie- not too sweet and a little chewy) and they are super easy to make.  I have no idea if I'm even allowed to include the recipe in here and I have to tell you, I do weigh my stuff so I may not always have the measurements in cups/tsps/etc.  AND, these recipes call for a lot more than my little mixer and kitchen can handle...so I am constantly halving or quartering the recipes.

My advice to you, if you really want to make these recipes, is to get a scale!!  Saves on dishes (every little bit helps)..

Creaming the butter and sugar- you need to make sure you cream it together until the dough becomes creamy and a pale yellow.  I do this every time I cream sugar and butter for EVERY recipe... Best thing I've learned since reading this book!!

You technically need to sift together the flour, baking soda, salt (the 'dry') ingredients.  BUT, I don't own a sifter so I started whisking my 'dry' ingredients and it seems to work well enough for now.  If I ever do get a sifter, I will let you know if there is a huge difference.. You could also put the dry ingredients in a fine mesh drainer and tap it through...done that before and it works well.

Another piece of advice... crack your eggs into a separate container.. this enables you to find any shells that might accidentally come with the egg and make sure the eggs are good.  Add the vanilla to the eggs (and in this case, the milk too).

Now, add the dry and the wet to the butter mixture alternately.  I always start with the flour stuff and end with it too.  This is what the dough should look like:

At this point, I divide into 2 and saran wrap each section tightly... put into the fridge and let it chill for a couple hours.

Flour is your friend when rolling it out... don't be afraid to use it as it will make life that much easier.  Flour the counter, your hands, the rolling pin, the dough... Go For It!!  Use cookie cutters to make your favorite shapes.  Or, if you don't want to go through this trouble, when you saran wrap it, make it into a log shape and you can just slice the cookies and sprinkle sugar on them before baking.

My rating of this recipe is excellent.  It is an easy one to make and they taste great!!  I highly recommend.

Here are some pics of finished products:

Use your imagination!!  Have fun:)  If you don't want to use Royal Icing, grab a container of white frosting and go for it (easier for the kiddies if you do it with them)

I will do the Royal Icing (recipes and how to's) in a separate entry:)  There is just too much information about Royal Icing to include in here!!

Basic Sugar Cookie Recipe  (halved from the CIA Baking and Pastry Book)
1 pound of All-purpose flour
1/4 ounce (1 tsp) of Baking Powder
3/4 tsp Salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) of unsalted butter  (I've used salted butter if I don't have any unsalted and it works well)
1/2 pound sugar (approx. 1 cup)
4 oz eggs (approx. 2 extra large eggs)
2 oz milk
1/4 oz vanilla
Course sugar if you are going to make a log and slice (sprinkle this on cookies before baking)

Mudslide Cake Pops...

Remember the Mudslide Cupcakes from yesterday??  Check out what else you can do instead of just the cakes... Cake Pops!!  I LOVE cake pops.  It's a yummy, fantastically delish treat in a bite size portion on a stick.  How could you not love these things??

To get the recipes for the cake and buttercream frosting, refer back to here: Mudslide Cupcakes

Now... bake the mixture into cakes instead of cupcakes (if you don't need all of the cake at once, freeze it until you do)

Next, put the cake in a food processor and pulse into crumbs (forgot to take a pic of this but it should resemble crumby cake...)

Mix in a little bit of frosting at a time b/c you don't want to add too much.  Your balls won't stay firm and will fall off the stick and you'll just have lots of problems.  With this one cake, I used about 1/4 cup of frosting.  Mix it together using your hands... think like you're making meatballs and really get into it. You want the frosting spread evenly throughout the cake.  You should have what looks like this when you're done:

Wrap it up in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm.  

Take out of fridge and make your balls... I use a small scoop to form uniform balls..

Place back in fridge for about 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt your chocolate in a double boiler (or one of these handy dandy chocolate melters)

... if you don't have either, follow the directions on the package of chocolate melts for microwave.  This works just fine as I've done that too:)

Dip your sticks in the melted chocolate and plunge into the balls:

If you're not fast at this step, you may need to throw them back in the fridge... or start dipping.  If they get too soft, definitely throw them back in the fridge before dipping.  I've had several fall off the stick... that's the tell-tale sign they are too soft.  After dipping, plunge your sticks into styrofoam holder or that green crap the florists use to hold flowers (you can get these at the dollar store)

You can put sprinkle on them if you like but do it immediately before the chocolate hardens.  I had some leftover buttercream frosting, so I put it in a small back, snipped the corner and squeezed it on the top to make a pretty design.

Happy Cake Popping!!