Dhalpourie is like pitas, but we made them with a yellow split pea, ground tumeric, garlic, and ground cumin paste rolled inbetween the two layers of the thin bread.

Doubles are bread balls flattened out with my fingers into little patties and dropped into the deep fryer where they puffed up a bit.

Both the Dhalpourie and the Doubles were served with a potato and vegetable stew-type filling. That said, the Dhalpourie can also be used for dipping.

We learned to make a small base, by making a a free-form acetate wall where we poured in the chocolate. We also learned to make a decorative chocolate flower for on the top of the base, and little feet or legs for underneath the base. We `glued`all these pieces together using tempered melted chocolate.

Day 1 of Chocolate Showpieces, and my chocolate flower and base are complete.

Chocolate Showpieces
I am going to develop the knowledge and abilities required to create striking chocolate showpieces while building on fundamental chocolatier skills and techniques. I am going to focus on creating a synergy between the medium of chocolate and professional presentation skills in order to make display pieces that meet the industry standard.

Here are more flowers for Mother’s Day. I was playing around with color, trying to create the perfect orange for an upcoming project. The flowers are made with marshmallow fondant, dressed up with little sugar pearls and sugar diamonds. I’m still working on my 3D rose buds, which are also made of marshmallow fondant. They take a little more time to make, but I like the way the look.

I eventually decided on courgette and cheese muffins. I added carrot and used half the amount of cheese in the recipe, and added some mustard powder. They turned out a little too eggy, but they’ll do for a handy breakfast with a bit of chilli jam. (Smoky chilli jam, buy it. Eat it on everything. Be merry.) If you make these, my advice is to not put the tomatoes on top if you’re planning on keeping them in the fridge for a few days. I still have a few left and had to perform an emergency tomato-ectomy today because they do not fare well in the fridge.

Then, a bunch of overripe bananas in the kitchen inspired me to make a sweet breakfast muffin. That’s basically like eating cake for breakfast. And in my eyes, eating cake for breakfast is the very essence of winning at life. I went with this recipe and changed a few things, as usual. I used applesauce instead of oil, left out the sugar, added more vanilla and some cinnamon and chopped walnuts. Oh and I used wholemeal flour. (Can you tell I’m trying to lose a bit of chub?) I really like the way these turned out. They’re not very sweet so if you make them and you have a sweet tooth, make sure to add in the sugar or use a sweetener.

The verdict: I like them both, but making muffins really isn’t my forte. The texture is never quite right. Neither of these are going to be my signature dish, but they’re both useful to have in the repertoire.

I found some videos on YouTube that show you how to make these flowers out of frosting. It looked simple enough to do so I tried it. These are the results.

Sunday is for Brunches

(and Family)

Oh, it is rare that I take a day to just relax, Friends. A day without non-stop obligations and to-do lists and accomplishments. But today was one of those rare days, where I don’t have “back-to-back plans” (as Kevin said). Mostly because I am not feeling well, but STILL. I’ll take my lessons where I can get them.

So today I rose early, and prepared scones

Then I went to a family brunch at Sister Natalie’s house, because Dad’s back in town, and because the weather’s nice, and also just because.

The weather truly has been amazing this week–in the 80s and sunny, with a pleasant breeze. Sunshine for days.

So of course there was trampoline jumping with the kiddos. Because there is no resisting kiddos and a trampoline, and because Kevin and I are the youngest and most-childish of the “grown-ups.” And also just because.

Later we napped, did laundry, went for a walk. We stopped by a going-away party (of sorts) to deliver some cookies, but I was feverish enough that all I wanted was to dive head-first into the ice-filled beer bucket. So we went home. Easy does it.

Sad that it takes a fever to remind me to slow down, but I think I’m getting it. Well done, Sunday.

Good Evening! For search and tagging/sharing purposes I decided to unload the goods right away Sorry I’m not an html/ web editing pro and will just have to use the cheap way to get my needs met .

THE STORY

I asked my 3 year old cousin what flavor cupcake she wanted me to make for her birthday, I told her she could ask me for any flavor she wanted frosting included because I wanted to make her favorite one just for her party. She looked at me shyly smiled and responded “purple”. … purple?? Really ? You mean like.. grape, blueberry, possibly some strange fruit punch? … no.. purple.

So purple it is!

Though I have really really been feeling the itch to make lavender cuppies.. these are actually impostors … their true identity being Strawberry Champagne

Speaking on the lavender, there is actually many many cupcakes I would like to try my best at I even have a few ideas recorded in a little book, unfortunately I barely have time to make the cupcakes order yet alone do some creative baking on the side.. hopefully this summer will bring about more time to try these…will keep you updated on that note..

I did get to try out a new frosting technique… I understood the concept of blended frosting (two colors) but I wanted the lined look.. i.e. I wanted the frosting to look like it was tipped in color…. the result

Though towards the end my laziness overcame (it WAS 2 a.m.) and they just became more blended. To do this I took a portion of the frosting dyed it and than put the color into the bag first.. I kind of painted it into the sides of the bag making a little tunnel like effect than I inserted the white into the middle. Thought it worked well I do have some other methods I want to try out first before I confirm this is the best most efficient  way…

now the fondant!

Girlie 3 year old theme! The Korean Krew was nowhere to be found for “girlie” themed fondant work.. and though the designs make look simple I assure you I spent several hours assembling them… all worth it in the end however

Beetroot in brownies is not weird. Beetroot in brownies is not weird. Beetroot in brownies is not weird.

If I repeat it to myself enough times, I’ll start to believe it. If anyone is going to love a brownie with vegetables in it, to be perfectly honest, it will be me. I’m quite open minded about food and I’m happy to try most things once. (As my friend Holly knows all too well, as she was horrified the other day at me suggesting that if it was offered to me, I would try headcheese.) I’m also more than happy to find new ways to eat vegetables.

Funnily enough, the idea to make beetroot brownies did not come from a desire to ‘healthify’ chocolate brownies. I’m such a baking novice that I’m still mastering the old-fashioned full-fat recipes, let alone trying to experiment with different ingredients and so on. Today’s beetroot brownies were borne from the same concept as most of the food I make: to use something up. The beetroots that have been lingering in the fridge for more time than I care to admit* were starting to irritate me. Measures had to be taken.

Would anyone be surprised if I said I used the recipe from BBC Good Food? Probably not. I used pre-packed cooked beetroot, which is fine, but I had to carefully check there was no vinegar. I don’t think the world is ready for that flavour combination just yet. Also bear in mind, if you use beetroot that’s already cooked, that the butter and chocolate will not melt like they are supposed to, and you may have to microwave it for 30 seconds or so to save your food processor from taking off into outer space. (I learnt this the hard way.) Another thing I learnt is that as you mix the sugar and egg mixture into the warm beetroot chocolate and butter mixture, you will ponder how utterly disgusting it looks and if the recipe itself was all a cruel joke.

It will all come good in the end. Trust me. Mine came out a little bit more cake-like than your average brownie but I still think they’re pretty delicious. There’s a subtle earthy beetroot flavour in there, but it’s not overpowering.

* Don’t worry, they weren’t rotten. I’m not that disgusting, or that determined not to waste food.

Have you ever baked with vegetables?

Would you be intrigued or terrified if someone offered you a beetroot brownie?

We also learned to make Modeling Paste, out of three different types of ingredients: Rolled Fondant, Chocolate Coating (White Chocolate), and Lindt Couverture (Dark Chocolate).

We thenlearned to make Roses with those three different versions of Modeling Paste. We coloured the Rolled Fondant and the White Chocolate. And we learned to create a Dark Chocolate Rose on a stem, that can be presented in an individual rose box! So pretty and romantic!

Dark Chocolate Rose on a stem.

Chocolate Rose on a stem.

Chocolate Rose on stem.

Chocolate Rose in full bloom.

Chocolate Rose on a stem, full length view.

Chocolate Rose in an individual plastic case.

Chocolate Rose in a plastic case.

Chocolate Rose in plastic case close-up.

Sorry for the long absence, it’s not that I haven’t been baking (because trust me I have) but lately my schedule has been non-stop but I have been clicking away on my little phone and have a few photo stories to share!

To start Easter..WHOA MOMMA! I made 7 dozen on Saturday and had 0 left by Sunday night. I decided to go with 3 flavors for variety…

A strawberry champagne with strawberry frosting, a orange creamsicle with matching frost, and to end a double chocolate cupcake with a mocha hazelnutte finish.

Because I was making in such a surplus I decided to make the frosting and decorations during the week..

First to set the cupcakes apart I decided to make my own little chocolates to put atop them.. I made chocolate hazelnut bunnies and white chocolate and orange cream chickies (okay they are ducks I DIDN’T KNOW!)

I thought they would give the special touch and I really hope they did… now for the cuppies!

Chocolates just wouldn’t do for the champagne but I glitzed them out into what I called the “Barbie Cupcakes”

I was a little anxious about the orange cream as I had never attempted any thing like them before, though I didn’t think they were terrible there is definitely some alterations I have noted for the next batch..

To be honest my breath was taken away by the next few shots, I somehow transformed my little dining area into what looked like a full blown bakery! Tired as I was it was hard not to feel excitement and pride at the site

Very good Easter for me as I spent it with family eating napping visiting and napping again ha ha. I really hope you all enjoyed yours as well!

………

Next up my latest fondant madness. My nephews 7th birthday. Though I kept my fingers crossed and was seriously holding out on something easy (legos, pirates, army men) I knew I would have to go over the top.. I didn’t realize he knew it too ha ha. So when he told me what he wanted was “mint oreo cupcakes (not chocolate but white mint oreo) and them to be shaped like the TITANIC. I almost passed out from anxiety. WHAT!? HOW?? WHY?!?!?! But I knew it must be done.

I’m going to stress this one more time because I cannot say it enough. Steven McGurn is THE sculpting genius behind these fondants. I give this man my idea he stares into the materials for a moment and he gets to work. My pathetic contributions to these cups didn’t even make the final photos. I would be lost without his hands and I cannot thank him enough.  Anyway moving forward…

So many challenges presented with these.. first a white mint oreo cupcake.. I decided to but they mint oreos’ put one with the cream on the bottom of each cake and fill the rest with white cake mix and cookie crumbles.. I made a classic mint buttercream but I only used a small portion of peppermint so the taste was there but not as strong.. also I decided to dip each cupcake in chocolate ganache so the effect would be still chocolate and mint in a sense (because I think that is what taste best together)

Though I went through a lot of ideas on waves/water ultimately I decided my trusty 12 small tip and some swirl action would make the best.. below is what I called PHASE 3 of the process – cupcakes baked, tops dipped, and now to the frosting swirl action! (also I used a milk chocolate dip, would have preferred a dark but considered my audience and switched it up)

Upon further inspection I decided the wave affect was good but decided to add a second layer at the top which I think really pulled it off nicely in the end.. but who cares about the frosting ON TO THE FONDANT!

“I’ll never let you go Jack”

Jimmy’s one contribution of the night.. notice this unfortunate fellow broke his leg on some planks before ultimately drowning.. tough break kid.. tough break..(also notice the double layered waves!)

and the big TA DA…..

Happy Birthday Boobie.. if this doesn’t make you love me forever…nothing will :-p

I made pale pink Vanilla Macarons with Vanilla Buttercream, and rose pink Vanilla Macarons with Strawberry-Blueberry Buttercream.

Vanilla Macaron with Vanilla Buttercream.

Vanilla Macarons with Strawberry-Blueberry Buttercream. Yum Yum!

I also spent last night’s class taping.. again.. only this time I taped all of my Jasmine Buds, Jasmine Flowers, and Jasmine Leaves into a bouquet.. It turned out quite pretty, if I do say so myself!

Roses

This course helps  fine-tune my skills creating roses. I’ll learn to make quick roses on a bamboo skewer with royal icing, to make chocolate roses on a stand and to create roses with modelling paste.

What did I make, you ask?

I first made Key Lime chocolate bon bons. I then tried something new and different. We dipped apple slices into chocolate to make Chocolate Covered Apple Slices. And last but not least, I made a house favourite: Chocolate Bark with mini marshmellows and rice crispies. Yummy!

Key Lime Chocolate Bon Bons. Yummy!

L to R: Chocolate Bark with mini marshmellows and rice crispies, and Chocolate Covered Apple Slices.

You learn to use cocoa powder and cocoa butter to paint monocramatic illustrations. As well, you learn to use a combination of cocoa butter and powdered colours to create colour colour illustrations.

Because of my art background, I approached the coloured illustrations as I would watercolours. Both with the colours and the straight cocoa, you work in layers, slowly adding more light layers to your work. The result is pretty neat.

I had to text my Eric friend the other morning to ask him, “…where did all of this self-love come from? Im enjoying it, but i also find myself asking ‘why now?’ “

Because I don’t fully understand it, Friends. Something I’ve been striving for for so long–a sense of grace, of calm and peace and joy–is suddenly within my grasp. All I had to do was let go.

More and more I spend my time as I please, and every moment–every movement–seems delicate and sweet. Like making lists, reading in bed right when I wake up, tidying the apartment, and baking banana bread.

It was a rare slow morning, a “day off” I believe it’s called, though it’s been so long, who can remember? So I blissed out, enjoyed every aspect of it. The soft sunlight shining in through the kitchen window, circles of brown sugar and white flower. Soothing stirring and pouring motions. Listening to the Temptations and wearing a fancy apron. All of it.

And so maybe you folks will not be as into these photos as I was, but I seriously appreciated every step in the process, every angle and curve. Therefore, I documented:

I like the way everything comes together with baking. You measure, mix, and it’s like magic, the way it turns into something more than the sum of the parts. Except when its a disaster. Then I throw a tantrum. But not this day. This day I had a morning to myself, a spot of sunlight to dance in, and a delicious chocolate chip banana bread muffin.

…which I could only eat half of. So then I stopped. Just like I stopped going to CrossFit, for the time being, because I prefer running and yoga to weight training.

I think this is what they call “listening to your body and your self,” which is also a novel approach for me. Because a easy, peaceful morning can just as easily slide into a 48-hour work week, leaving me with an eye twitch and a need to seriously re-asses my priorities.

Because lately little sarah Big World Traveler would like nothing more than to settle down for a minute, commit to the plans I’ve made for right here, right now. Work less, relax more. Then maybe more mornings could be filled with baking, blogging, and self love.

As opposed to, you know, waking up at 5:30 and working until 9pm. I don’t want that anymore. I want to savor the moment.

Seriously, Friends, Why Aren’t You More Excited to Contribute?

 I haven’t posted a recipe in a while, because I haven’t been baking as often.  WHAT WAS IT THINKING?! Guys, baking is awesome. It is so much fun, so soothing, such a pleasant early-morning activity. I listened to my Harold Arlen compilation (he’s the guy who wrote “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”) and threw together a batch of chocolate chip oatmeal lovelies.

I used the recipe from inside the Quaker Oats drum…

…but I changed pretty much everything about it–flax instead of eggs, applesauce instead of butter, less sugar, no raisins, etc. I’ll post my recipe at the end, for those of you into mutant vegan cookies.

At first I wasn’t going to photograph this little venture, because I had already forgotten to document it step-by-step. Then I remembered that I don’t even LIKE doing step-by-step recipe pictures. I just like taking pictures of that which I find to be elegant, graceful, lovely, and delicious. Like this:

I will never tire of the sunlight coming in through my kitchen window. It warms my heart and soul. And my body. In fact, when I have time, I warm up in the morning by having Dance Party of One: Morning Edition in the little patch of sunlight on the carpet between fireplace and kitchen counter. The soundtrack? “My Girl” station on Pandora. Try it.

*       *       *

I baked these little beauties to say “Thank you.” Some for Robyn, who lent me books 2 and 3 of the Hunger Games series (the crack-cocaine of YA lit), and some were for Marcela, who lent me workout pants at CrossFit when I had mistakenly packed my black stretchy workout top instead of my black stretchy workout pants. An honest mistake.

Saying thank you is important to me; I want people to know that when they go out of their way to make my life more pleasant, it is a big deal. It is a cookie-deserving occasion. Plus, you know, I like to bake things and wrap them in brown paper and admire them in the sunshine at 11am.

In that same spirit, I want you to know how much I appreciate YOU, dear Friends! AND I need help. I’m going to ask a favor, and I promise you that your help will be duly rewarded. With baking supplies:

Here’s the deal:

1 – Sister Nikki gave me baking stuff for Christmas, which is awesome. I always need more dishtowels, and now I have a pie crust protector and other fun baking goodies. But now I have two flour sifters and two rolling pins. That’s too many! So I want to give away a 3-cup flour sifter and a wooden rolling pin. To you!

2 – But you’ve gotta do something to earn it. See, I’ll be away for a few weeks in May, unable to keep up my (admittedly half-assed as of late) blogging schedule. I need content, Friends.

3 – I want YOUR favorite vegan recipes! Send me your favorite recipe, along with some notes (if you like) and some photos. Get creative! Do it! The best recipe/notes/picture combo will receive the rolling pin and flour sifter! Yay! But runners-up will receive post-cards from my top secret vacation destination. Everyone loves to get postcards, right?

*       *       *

So that’s the deal–send your recipes, words and pictures to littlesarahbigworld[at]hotmail[dot]com. Also your mailing address. You have until March 31st, winners will be announced April 1st. No joke!

Now get a-bakin!

*       *       *

Sarah’s Super Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

-1 c applesauce (unsweetened)

-3/4 c brown sugar, packed

-2 Tbs ground flax seed mixed with 6 Tbs water

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-1 1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour

-1 tsp baking soda

-1 tsp cinnamon

-1/2 tsp salt

-3 c oats

-1 c chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

-Preheat oven to 350°F

-Whisk together flax seed and water with a fork. Set aside.

-Mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a smallish bowl. Also set aside.

-Blend applesauce and brown sugar in a large bowl, then add the flax mixture and vanilla, stirring well.

-Add the flour mixture to the applesauce mixture in three parts, stirring well. Then add the oats. It will seem like way too many oats and you will think “This is CRAZY,” but just go with it. It’ll all come together, promise.

-Lastly, mix in the chocolate chips. Then drop by the spoonful onto a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

National Pi(e) Day!

…was last Tuesday. How did I not know about this in advance? Anyways, now I know, because it will be every year, March 14th (3.14…). This day, however, is not to be confused with National Pie Day, which is January 23rd. I celebrated that one last year.

Which gets me to thinking about how much has changed for me in just over a year. Last year, I baked that pie at my moms’ house, where I was living in the basement, next to the coal shoot. I baked the pie by myself, because baking is one of my many coping mechanisms, and I had much to cope with–lack of friends, lack of personal space, lack of direction in life, etc. I was taking everything personally, you see, feeling that I didn’t have decent friends or quarters or plans because I didn’t deserve them.

Now, I do have those things:

AND a much-improved sense of self-worth. And guess what, Friends? It was the self-worth that came first. I had to trust that my shitty circumstances were just that–circumstances. That they did not reflect who I was or what I was capable of or what I merited. I had to trust that I could and would have a better apartment, better friends, and better, more-suitable goals. That I was not inherently flawed, but just going through a bit of a rough patch.

And now? Well, now when I bake a pie, I have many lovely ladies to share it with, friendships that continue to grow and develop and deepen all the time. Now I don’t have to use my moms’ kitchen (unless I’m house-sitting), because I have my very own. It’s small, and imperfect, but it’s all mine.

Now I don’t have to feel guilty about dropping out of school, or quitting my band, or looking for a new job, because I know that it’s okay to want better for myself, and that I deserve it. I know that my thoughts and ideas and dreams and aspirations, no matter how radical or half-baked or uncertain, are all mine. I can do what I want, like eating leftover pie for lunch.

Not that there was much left over.

Global Artisan Breads With its exceptional nutritional value, bread remains a world staple. We learn to build an impressive repertoire of internationally renowned artisan breads. We focus on the traditional artisan shaping, proofing and baking techniques. We use essential bread-making skills to produce a variety of the artisan breads taught in class, including pita, naan and focaccia.

Cocoa Painting This one-day course introduces the traditional medium of cocoa painting. These skills allow for increased diversity in cake decorating.

Marzipan Sculpting This course will provide me with professional guidance and practical hands-on experience working with marzipan. I will leave with a professionally packaged assortment of marzipan treats based on related seasonal themes, from holiday wreaths and bunny rabbits to fruit baskets.

In my possibly never-ending quest to perfect one signature dish and strike a line of victory through one of my self-set 30 before 30 challenges, I have been baking quite often as of late. I’ve got pretty good at cheese scones, tried my hand at oatmeal biscuits, dreamt up some heavenly white chocolate, cranberry and almond cookies, and dabbled in a loaf of courgette bread.

The verdict: The cheese scones, while very good, might not cut it as a signature dish just yet. Oatmeal biscuits are pleasant enough but it’s unlikely that I’ll bother making them again. White chocolate, cranberry and almond cookies are divine. Courgette bread is a source of confusion but very enjoyable served with a cup of tea and a good book. (That said, most things can be improved by the addition of hot beverages and literature.)

I must confess that these cookies pictured aren’t actually the ones I personally baked. The first batch went down so well (read: was demolished within a day) that my sister baked some more the next day.

• If you invited someone to a party and they said they’d bring something they had baked, what would you hope it was?
• If someone invited you to a party and asked you to take something you had baked, what would you take?