A little poem

(OKAY. I just tried, for forty-five minutes, to write a tender and picturesque poem about the beautiful season that we're about to greet. But being out of English class for over 5 years, or plain incompetent at writing, I really can't seem to get it right. AH! So after much frustration, I can only explain my feelings in prose.)

{

The air smells of leaves.
Leaves that are more magnificent as they pass their last moments.

The day is getting shorter.
The sun is in a hurry to leave, but is generous with its colors as they tint the sky for departure.

The weather is chilly.
As the temperature drops and the wind chills, hearts are even warmer as couples hold a little tighter.

The kids, whether aged 5 or 55, move on.
Beaches and summer vacation is traded with trick-or-treating and Thanksgiving dinner.

A new look.
Bright flowers are gone and Autumn hues are here. Milk and honey is changing its colors to bring some Fall cheer!

}

So yes! In light of this wonderful season, milk + honey cafe will be undergoing a major transformation, so please be patient with the tweaks and fixes I'll be doing for the next couple weeks. But be very excited! You'll fall in love with the new design! Heehee! Thank you!!

"You are one brave girl, Sarah"

That's what my boss at work said when I showed her the pictures of last week's wedding order. And I really like that compliment. It ain't just about baking talent or piping skill, but it's about courage and the audacity to take on a huge project by little ol' me. And baking, decorating, delivering and setting up 200 cupcakes is a pretty huge project.



Of course as usual I had the help of the world's best helper (move over elves), aka world's best boyfriend (move over anyone!), aka my Andrew. I can't say thank you enough to him since he toiled over these cupcakes just as much as I did --rushing to the grocery store 3 separate times; transporting 20 boxes of cupcakes up and down stairs; washing endless dishes and mixing bowls; taking in my seriousness and moodiness time to time -- and all with a smile. What a keeper, huh? His mom was super duper generous enough to me let me use her kitchen too! Not only do they have a GORGEOUS kitchen with large counter tops and tons of space, they have two magical ovens that cut my baking time in two. Otherwise, I woulda been doing this for 16 hours. Am I the luckiest gal or what?



But don't be mistaken. This ain't all fun and games. It's tough work and by the 8th hour of standing, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have an inkling of regret. The pressure of trying not to ruin someone's beautiful wedding by having sub-par cupcakes is a killer that causes many panic attacks along the way. Timing and measurement is key, and with a bit of miscalculation or mistake, you're easily in big trouble. Ah, but there's always room for creativity and problem-solving that can prove that any predicament can become a piece of cake! You just gotta believe in yourself and keep going at it! It all takes a bit of courage, I guess. :)



Anyways, I just thought that I'd include a little visual guide on how I frost my cupcakes, since a lot of you had some questions. It's quite simple, really, but I suppose a few photos might help you! I'll also tell you a few tips for easier operation.



TIP #1: When placing your piping tip into your piping bag, there's an easy way to make sure you're not spilling frosting all over yourself when you're filling it up. You twist the bag and then stuff it into the tip. When you're done filling, you can shake or push the bag down and the buttercream will fill it out.



TIP #2: Another super easy way to fill up your bag is by placing the pastry bag into a tall cup or cylinder and folding half the bag over it. You simply fill it up with buttercream and tap it so that there's not air pockets. You then unroll the pastry bag and then twist the top so that it's ready to go!



TIP #3: Obviously, there are many ways you can do the swirl. This is my basic swirl that I love because it looks luxurious and almost soft-serve ice cream like. You apply pressure as you circle inwards, overlapping the previous layer. This way you make it nice and high. You can also do an easy rose-shaped swirl by circling inside out. Try using different tips shapes and sizes. My favorite ones are the Wilton 1M Star Tip and Ateco #855 Close Star Tip.



TIP #4: The real key to a nice frosted top is the frosting itself. The consistency is crucial when piping-- it can't be too stiff or too runny. Runny frosting is the bane of my baking existence as it really is SO hard to deal with. While I got my Basic Buttercream down, cream cheese frosting is always a problem for me (I'm still so amateur, I can't even get my cream cheese right yet...) But if you can get a viscosity that is hard enough to hold itself yet soft enough to be pushed and moulded through a pastry bag, you've got it!



I guess that's it for today! If I come up with any better tips (I'm still learning as I'm going) I'll be sure to post them up too. As for the recipes, the red velvet cupcakes can be found here, and the vanilla cupcakes is here!

Pulled pork and other great things

Hi. I haven't baked or cooked or done anything delicious for myself in a while. Blame the 9-6 work hours. Blame the 1 hour commute back and forth. Blame the exciting and wonderful weekends I've been spending outside the house. Heehee. Alright I don't have that many excuses, but really, I miss the kitchen and creating something really delicious and succulent food - FOR ME. I mean, I have been consistently baking lately, but only for orders or other people, which I love doing fo shizzle. But, in the great words of my sister Jennifer, "What about my needs?"



Ah, but this isn't some intro to a story that gets super exciting where "I finally did something for myself". I'm just whining. But might as well whine with some delicious food involved. :)

So here it is. A list of foods that I've always wanted to make but never got a chance to, as well as dishes that I have some major cravings for time to time. And, if you have a super secret recipe that you are willing to share, oh, do please share!!

• Pulled Pork Sandwich
• Pad thai (not ketchupy like the ones they make in some Toronto Thai restaurants)
• Jamaican Beef Pattie
• Awesome Hummus
• Classic Apple Pie
• A really good breakfast with some excellent potatoes
• Juicy Peppercorn Steak
• Farfalle Pasta with simple cream sauce and lotsa basil
• CORN DOGS
• Salad Nicoise
• Chinese Chili Turnip Patties (Lau Ba Ko)
• Herbed Focaccia


That's it for now, but I'm pretty sure this list will go on...
Hmph! I'm so hungry now!! :D

Merci Danke Arigato

Hello wonderful friends! Hmm today is one of those days where I just can't think of something to write about. Other than the fact that I made some deliciously summery cupcakes for a friend's birthday party, I'm drawing a blank here. But there is one thing I wanted to say... THANK YOU!! I know all those celebrity food bloggers get 19280 comments every post, but I'm squealing with joy whenever I get one comment -- it means you guys like me and that's like a super duper feeling.



I know I've been sorta neglecting my blog lately just being busy n all, but I'm so excited to see that people are still wooed by my baked goodies. And I don't deserve it! :P So I just wanted to give y'all a BIG WARM THANKS and I'm going to try my best to make this an even better blog. Merci danke arigato!



By the way, I made these new key lime cupcakes and they were really really good. My friend only asked for two things: a summery pair of flavors and green + blue for decoration. She trusted me with the rest of the decision making. And that's all I really needed cuz I got so inspired with that request!! Hahah. As silly as it sounds, the first thing that popped up in my head was the brilliantly coloured sprinkles they sell at bulk barn and from that I decided to go with dark chocolate cake and white billowy frosting, along with a fresh lime cupcake.



Of course I used my black magic cake for the chocolate cake. And I used an impromptu cream cheese frosting (I originally was going to make simple vanilla buttercream) that I got to halve from the lime cream cheese frosting. The key lime cupcakes weren't actually key lime since I couldn't get my hands on some real Florida key limes but the Mexican limes did the job. I found the recipe from bon appetite. It's a delightful recipe for a delightful cupcake. The limes are definitely a different taste from lemons but equally lovely. Are you a lime-lover? You should give it a try!!

Key Lime Cupcakes

recipe from bon appetite
makes 12 cupcakes

ingredients

CUPCAKES

1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel
1/4 teaspoon neon-green food coloring (optional)
3/4 cup buttermilk

FROSTING

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel
1/8 teaspoon neon-green food coloring (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin pan with 12 paper liners. Whisk both flours in medium bowl. Beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar; beat to blend. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then next 3 ingredients (batter may look curdled). Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions. Fill pan cups 2/3.
2. Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool.
3. For frosting: Beat all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth. Spread over cupcakes.

Easy Hard Work

Hard: Making 155 cupcakes.
Easy: Using a new super duper kitchenaid mixer.

Hard: Making 155 tasty and beautiful cupcakes.
Easy: Using simple decorations like silver dragees and simple recipes.

Hard: Making 155 tasty and beautiful cupcakes and assembling all the boxes for them to go into.
Easy: Using your wonderful and hard-working boyfriend.

Hard: Making 155 tasty and beautiful cupcakes and assembling all the boxes for them to go into and delivering it at 6am for a wedding located "up north".
Easy: Using a GPS and your wonderful and hard-working boyfriend.



Yes everyone. I have done it. I have completed my first wedding order! And let me tell you.. it was a lot of hard work. But easy hard work. Because of wonderful people around me who's helped me! After all that box assembling (over 15 hours!) and ribbon cutting (and tying) and not having enough buttercream and so making it again (twice!) I have learned lots so all in all it was a good experience. But for sure, nothing beats finishing it all and delivering in the morning and seeing very excited faces and hearing "Oh, the brides is very pleased."



Ah anyways. I couldn't do all this without my sweet mommy and grandma who helped me out and of course, my wonder man. Hahaha! Cmon I know it's cheesy but I need to give him his due credit. He worked his back off for me! :D Plus, it was the birthday gift that he gave me that allowed me to do this all so easily in the first place, aka New Professional 600 6-Qt Kitchenaid Mixer. Do I hear screaming? YES!!! Does he spoil me to my bones? YES!!! But in all honesty, I told him that it was way too much of a gift and that he was indeed spoiling me sick. But what can I say, it is simply gorgeousness. ;)



Right. So these cupcakes. They were fabulous. I took leftovers to work and they loved it as well! The recipe was great because they were both so simple and tasty. That's all ya need. I used new recipes for the butter creams and they were both keepers for sure!! Not too sweet but great hold for those beautiful swirls. Enjoy everyone, happy baking. :)

VaVaVanilla! Cupcakes

adapted from a few different places
makes 30 cupcakes

CUPCAKES

ingredients

1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

directions

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.
2. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.
4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

FROSTING

ingredients

1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 tbsp meringue powder (optional)

directions

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add half the confectioners’ sugar salt, and meringue powder; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds. Add the rest of the sugar and mix again. Scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds. Then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

Easy Chocolate Buttercream

adapted from G-ma's Bakery

makes 24 cupcakes

ingredients

1 cup cocoa powder
2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt

directions

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and confectioners’ sugar, and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened. Scrape bowl, add vanilla and milk, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds. Then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.
I sorta did this by my own instinct (as it says in the original recipe). This is the kind of recipe where I didn't really follow exactly the numbers, and I would add accordingly. If it's not chocolatey enough, I added more cocoa powder. If it was too dry and heavy, I added more sugar or milk. You should experiment too! But make sure you don't do TOO much at a time or you'll end up with 5 batches of frosting... not to say that's such a horrible thing...

What can I say, I'm a lucky gal!!