CHERRY BLOSSOM CUPCAKES

Have you ever swum in a pile of freshly fallen cherry blossoms?

it's cool.

you oughta try it.

My little girls love spring in Vancouver when the whole city is bursting with blossoms. Our favourite bunch of Cherry Trees are located at Queen Elizabeth Park and there is a little triangle of land that has the hugest blossoms and the thickest tree trunks I've ever seen. Every spring, since they were born, we take a whole bunch of pictures of the girls with the same blossoming cherry trees. It's kind of neat to see the girls growing up with that kind of backdrop.

And what do cherry blossoms have to do with cupcakes? Well, the cherry blossom colours inspired me to bake some for a recent staff potluck. I made mini chocolate cupcakes using my favourite recipe. I used the whole recipe and found myself with 96 mini cupcakes. That's a lot of cupcakes, folks. I swirled pink buttercream and kept it simple.

I took 2 of these trays to the potluck

What's with the bird?

This is Ariel--not named for the Disney mermaid. I would never be so cheesy so as to do that. I thought of this name long before Disney did! He's named after a character from a Shakespearean play of course! How else would an English teacher name her pets?

Well, he has nothing to do with spring or cupcakes. However, he does love spring. And he gets all excited when he sees buttercream. Hey. He's omnivorous. Hey, it's okay. It's not as if he's eating a whole cupcake. The mini ones are twice the size of his head! He just licks my finger.

Ariel is a Green-Cheeked Conure from Bolivia. Actually, he's from Mission, B.C. He was born in a local aviary and I got him when he was a wee little birdie and had to feed him with a syringe. He doesn't know how to fly really. His wings have atrophied. I haven't clipped him in years. Actually, he can fly if he wants to, but he chooses not to. I leave his cage door open and he walks wherever he wants. I've never had to leave his big cage door closed. He just doesn't have the personality to leave the nest. He's happy as a clam climbing around using his feet and his beak.

Before I had kids, I used to let him walk all around my kitchen table while I did things like marking. He'd chew the corners of essays and sometimes pooped on kids' papers when I wasn't looking. The poop was kind of hard to explain to the students, but he's not exactly a big bird so fortunately his poops are tiny. He is "potty trained" however, and could "shake a claw" for treats. He even could say in a raspy voice "pretty bird"... kinda. My previous Green-Cheek was talkative, funny, smart, curious and had a wicked temper! He was a good flyer too. Ariel on the other hand is like a little baby and kind of "chicken" about trying lots of things.

Except buttercream. And ice cream. He's a sucker for desserts but I usually don't give him anything so don't worry. He won't lose his girlish figure. I actually don't know if Ariel's a "he" in fact because with conures you can't tell unless you have them tested. Ariel could be a "she". I wouldn't be surprised given Ariel's nature.

Anyway, it's spring. Birds are chirpin', flowers are bloomin' and it's time for cupcakes! Here's a few pics from Queen Elizabeth Park by the way. It's one of the best views in Vancouver.Since the Parks Board decided to top the trees, the city is way more visible than before. In fact, none of these buildings could be seen before. All you could see were the mountains.

The North Shore mountains in the background, Burrard Inlet and just peeking behind the tree tops is Science World (the glass ball).

Downtown Vancouver with its skyscrapers and in near the bottom centre, BC Place Stadium (with its puffy white roof)

In this pic (above) I aimed the lens towards East Vancouver, where I grew up. Beyond is Burnaby.

I grew up in a waterfront house which was perched on a cliff in the East Side, overlooking the North Shore mountains. We could hear tug boats lowing and trains shunting; we could smell salt air from the Burrard Inlet and see seagulls and eagles on a daily basis. On a clear day in the winter, with binoculars, you could see little people skiing down Grouse Mountain...and even make out the colours they were wearing! To the west, you could see the downtown waterfront. I miss that environment and don't think I'll ever forget the sensory beauty of living near the sea.

Do come and visit! We have great food too!
The Cherry Blossom Cupcakes were frosted with a Wilton 1M tip.
the cupcakes were so tiny you could pop one in your mouth...fleeting beauty and joy...much like Cherry Blossoms.

CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA?

vanilla?
or

chocolate?

If you had to decide between eating only Chocolate or Vanilla flavoured desserts for the rest of your life, which would you choose?

chocolate?
or


vanilla?

TAKE THE CHOCOLATE VS. VANILLA POLL ON THE SIDEBAR to voice your opinion!

I must confess that I'm a Chocoholic. I love dark chocolate and admit to being a bit of a snob at the candy counter and refuse to waste my hard-earned calorie allocation on milk chocolate or mass-produced candy bars you find at your grocer's. Of course, I do have my nostalgic favourites like Jersey Milk, Kit Kats and Coffee Crisps, but that's about it. I pass on the M&M's, Smarties, anything with nuts or nougats or chewy caramels. When the kids come back with a cornucopia of little treats from Hallowe'en, I'm not even tempted to sneak anything other than a Kit Kat or Coffee Crisp.

However, Vanilla isn't all that far behind when I'm baking. If I were to choose a flavour for cheesecake, it would be Vanilla Bean. If I wanted anything with a cream or a custard base in it, Vanilla Bean would be my choice. I just love real Vanilla Bean seeds and don't mind at all that "my dessert looks dirty"--I overheard this comment from a lady sitting at a nearby table at a local high-end restaurant. She had ordered a custard-based dessert and in a hoity-toity tone told her companion that if she was paying so much money for a dessert, the least the pastry chef could do was strain out the vanilla seeds!

I rolled my eyes.

She's better off eating Vanilla Ice Cream from those 4 gallon pails you can buy at Costco. With a wooden spoon. She don't know nothing!

I adapted the Chocolate Chiffon Recipe from CI


The Vanilla Chiffon is adapated from CI

There's a mini war going on in my household with the Chocolate and Vanilla flavours. Stomach and my mother like Vanilla cakes and Bebe, Bib and I like Chocolate. I kind of flip flop depending on the dessert type, but generally like Chocolate if I had to choose something to eat on a deserted island.

I made a Vanilla Chiffon a couple of weeks ago (yes, I do bake tons of stuff, but don't post it...shame on me! sorry, sorry...) Everyone inhaled it. It was gone in two days. It was so lovely in the crumb. It was moist and kept its tenderness even into the next day. Then, I made a Chocolate Chiffon. Bib, Bebe and I ate some the first day, but it didn't get touched by Stomach and mom. There wasn't anything wrong with it. Its texture was exactly like the Vanilla Chiffon. My mom commented that she liked the "eggy flavour" of the Vanilla and didn't like the bitterness of the chocolate. I didn't think it bitter, but I can eat really dark chocolate. The kids were okay with it. There's only so much cake I can eat and the kids don't really have the ability to do that either, so I had to take 1/3 of the chiffon to work. People at work seemed okay with that idea and scarfed down the cake.

So, the verdict between the Chiffons is the Vanilla. Though I yearn for a Chocolate Chiffon that is has a depth of chocolate flavour that can match the chiffon's airiness and moistness, I haven't found a recipe that satisfies me completely. The Vanilla Chiffon is the best and so it's a keeper.

CHICKS ON A STICK: BROWNIE BIRD POPS

Chick on a stick: Brownie pops for Easter

Remember I said I'd post Medrich's Best Cocoa Brownie recipe when I made my Brownie Bunny Pops? Well, here's the post.

If you use yellow coloured Candy Melts, of course you'll get a better likeness to little chicks. I was too lazy to dirty another bowl so I used the white coloured Candy Melts left over from the Bunnies. this chick's Canadian! notice the little orange maple leaf feet?

Wilton silicone Brownie Pops mold (photo from Wilton.com)

BEST COCOA BROWNIES
from Alice Medrich's Bittersweet

Ingredients:
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cold large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional)
Special equipment: An 8-inch square baking pan [cakebrained note: I used a Wilton Brownie pop mold...you'll need two trays otherwise you'll have to wait for the first batch to bake and cool].

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of the baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.
2. In a medium heatproof bowl, add the butter and set on top of a large sauce pan with barely simmering water. Melt the butter, then add sugar and salt, and stir until well combined. Next add the cocoa powder and stir until mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot.
3. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.
4. Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.
5. Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.
6. Chocolate note: Any unsweetened natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder works well here. Natural cocoa produces brownies with more flavor complexity and lots of tart, fruity notes, which maybe more exciting for you. Dutch-process cocoa results in a darker brownie with a mellower, old-fashioned chocolate pudding flavor, pleasantly reminiscent of childhood.
   

Makes 16 large or 25 smaller brownies [cakebrained note: makes 16 large brownie pops using Wilton's Brownie Pop mold; or 24 small brownie pops...I initially sprayed the molds with Pam so they wouldn't stick. The large brownie pops baked for 20-25 min]

Cakebrain's instructions for assembling the brownie pops:

• Turn out the cooled brownie pops from the mold by inverting onto cooling rack. Trim any extraneous bits of brownie with kitchen scissors.
• Use 4" lolly sticks and insert one end into the brownie pop. For chicks and bunnies, insert in centre of flat end of the brownie.
• Tip: I wrapped a thin piece of plastic wrap at the base of the brownie so the brownie wouldn't slide down while I dipped it.
• Dip the brownie into melted white, dark or milk chocolate or Wilton's Candy Melts.
• Decorate with sprinkles. I used the Flowerful Medley. For the bunnies I used a little pink disc sprinkle while the birdies had orange "leaves" for feet and a little yellow disc for a beak. Use white discs and colour in the eyes with a food marker. Attach the decorations before the dipped brownies harden; or you can attach with melted chocolate or melts if they are already hardened.
• I used Gourmet Writer; but Wilton also sells its own brand of FoodWriter marker pens.
• For bunny ears: use a small rubber spatula to scoop and smear bunny ears shapes on parchment paper. Allow ears to harden. Peel off. Use a sharp pointed knife to cut 2 holes into the tops of each of the dipped brownies. While the brownies are still freshly dipped, insert the hardened ears into the holes. Ears are almost impossible to attach if the dipped brownies have hardened.
• The Lollipop and Treat Stand was also a coupon purchase I made :P It's great for drying your freshly dipped treats.
• Alternatively, to harden the candy coating, you can grab your kid's playdough and insert the sticks in that...or rest them on parchment. I think the treat stand is neat but luckily I had wrapped plastic below the bases of the brownies because the lolly sticks are smaller in diameter than the holders. This way you can dry the candy coating using the treat stand without having to pry the brownies off the holders. The plastic wrap can be removed after the candy coating dries.

As you can see, I've used quite a few coupons at Michaels... ;p

EASTER BROWNIE POPS

an Easter Bunny Brownie Pop

Everything tastes better when it's on a stick!

Corn dogs, fudgsicles, lollipops, candy apples, shish kebabs and the like have a good thing going. Who can resist food when you impale it?

It's fun. Kids love it. You can't be grumpy or sad holding stick food.

One of the few difficult words my 2 year old can say is "lollipop". Well, actually she calls them "yawyeeepops". She doesn't really get them very often at all but for some reason, she knows the word.

On a recent excursion to Michaels with my 40% coupon, I discovered Wilton Brownie Pop molds. The tray makes 8 pops and is made of silicone. I think that when another coupon comes along I'll have to get another tray because one tray isn't sufficient to bake a full brownie recipe. I had to wait until one tray baked and cooled to make the second batch. A full brownie recipe makes 16 big brownie pops. I suppose you could make more pops...you just make them smaller. Mine were pretty big though.

I used Alice Medrich's Best Cocoa Brownie recipe and since there was no leavening agent, there wasn't a problem with leaving the batter to sit on the counter waiting for the first tray to be done. The brownies held up well and didn't fall off the sticks...and they even dipped well for me: no crumbs in my white candy melts!

I used the Wilton melted white candy melts to make bunny ears. On parchment paper, I used a small rubber spatula to smear ear shapes...and allowed them to cool. I used a sharp pointed knife to make "ear-holes" at the top of the brownie pop so that I could insert the dried ears in carefully. They're delicate but it worked!

I even used the candy melts to help anchor the right-side up brownie pops onto a disc of unmelted white candy; creating a little pedestal. This kind of looks like a basket but I was too lazy to pipe basket handles from royal icing. Instead, I dipped the top of the basket in more melted white candy and sprinkled it with green sanding sugar to look like "grass"; then I plopped some candy-coated chocolate eggs on top. They kind of look like baskets. I know that green-tinted dessicated coconut would have made for better grass but I hate the texture of dessicated coconut in my food.

Easter Baskets of Eggs made using Brownie Pop molds

I love coconut flavour and coconut milk but don't want something stringy bothering my taste buds. Go figure. I'm complicated.

But I digress.

Get yourself some of those cool shaped sprinkles from the cake decorating section of Michaels...or whatever store you frequent and use 'em for eyes, feet, noses, beaks etc. The Wilton sprinkles worked fine for me. I used the little pink discs for rabbit noses and used a food-safe black "gourmet writer" to draw the lashes, eyes and mouth. The Gourmet Writer is cool. It works exactly like a felt-tip marker. I bought this at Michaels too.

In no way am I affiliated with Michaels, people. I just like to use 40% off coupons. I clip those coupons from my flyers (or get 'em online) and go every time I have one. I'm loathe to buy something there full price. Cheapie me. I know.

It's gettin' late and I'm heading to bed. My next post will include Medrich's brownie recipe along with my Brownie Birds on a stick...and I'll show you what my lolly stand and brownie pop tray look like too. update: click here for the recipe and a look at the chicks