And later today- Brownie Bites!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Sugar Cookies Part 2
So the sugar cookies have been rolled out, baked and decorated. Here is what I've learned today:
1. I'm not too sure about Royal Icing. Royal Icing hardens and is used not only to decorate cookies but also as a "glue" to past fondant on cakes and cookies. It is very difficult at first to find a good consistency and I don't really think it tastes all that good. This was the second time I've used Royal Icing and I'm sure it won't be the last but I'm going to look into some new recipes.
2. I can't lie- I am not the best artist when it comes to decorating cookies. Yes I try as hard as I can and its not easy when you are in a time crunch and your baby only wants to be with mommy. Not that I have an ego or anything, but I think the desserts I bake are pretty good and tasty. I also can decorate cupcakes and cakes. When it comes to the artistry of "painting" a cookie I need to practice some more. And I think thats ok. My cookies taste delicious and they look ok, but I want them to look as great as they taste. Who knows- one day I will probably just hire an artist and I can stick to what I do best.
Here are a few hints:
1. When you are rolling out your cookie dough make sure you use enough flour. Put flour under the dough, on top of the dough and on your rolling pin. This will save you from having your cookie stick to the counter and becoming disfigured as you try to pull them up.
2. Take the cookies out of the oven (I bake at 350 degrees for my sugar cookies) when the sides are starting to brown but not the tops. Immediately put them on a cooling rack.
3. Finally, don't worry! In the end as long as they taste good and you are having fun, thats all that matters.
Pictures of my "Cute as a Button" sugar cookies will posted tomorrow morning.
1. I'm not too sure about Royal Icing. Royal Icing hardens and is used not only to decorate cookies but also as a "glue" to past fondant on cakes and cookies. It is very difficult at first to find a good consistency and I don't really think it tastes all that good. This was the second time I've used Royal Icing and I'm sure it won't be the last but I'm going to look into some new recipes.
2. I can't lie- I am not the best artist when it comes to decorating cookies. Yes I try as hard as I can and its not easy when you are in a time crunch and your baby only wants to be with mommy. Not that I have an ego or anything, but I think the desserts I bake are pretty good and tasty. I also can decorate cupcakes and cakes. When it comes to the artistry of "painting" a cookie I need to practice some more. And I think thats ok. My cookies taste delicious and they look ok, but I want them to look as great as they taste. Who knows- one day I will probably just hire an artist and I can stick to what I do best.
Here are a few hints:
1. When you are rolling out your cookie dough make sure you use enough flour. Put flour under the dough, on top of the dough and on your rolling pin. This will save you from having your cookie stick to the counter and becoming disfigured as you try to pull them up.
2. Take the cookies out of the oven (I bake at 350 degrees for my sugar cookies) when the sides are starting to brown but not the tops. Immediately put them on a cooling rack.
3. Finally, don't worry! In the end as long as they taste good and you are having fun, thats all that matters.
Pictures of my "Cute as a Button" sugar cookies will posted tomorrow morning.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Sugar Cookies
Sugar cookies are one of the most basic cookies but one of the easiest to mess up. Cookies in general are somewhat difficult, as there are so many different ways to eat them. Do you want chewy or crispy? Large or bite size? With nuts or without nuts?
Sugar cookies are a little different because there is normally just one way to make them. They need to be hard enough to use cookie cutters but not to much that they come out dry and brittle. I will be attending a baby shower this weekend and I will bringing button shaped sugar cookies for the theme "cute as a button." I will be sure to post pictures when they are completed. I made the dough tonight so it can harden in the fridge overnight. Tomorrow I will bake and Saturday I will decorate. Here is the recipe I used tonight.
Sugar Cookies
Depending on size of cookie cutter this recipe can make up to 3 dozen cookies
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks of butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon or 1 teaspoon lemon zest (depends on what you like)
Mix the flour and salt together in a medium size bowl
Cream the butter and sugar in your mixer for about 4 minutes
Add vanilla, egg and lemon zest to mixer
When all ingredients are mixed, add flour to mixture
Mix until ingredients are just combined
Divide dough into two disks, wrap with saran wrap. Make sure to press out air bubbles. Place in fridge to harden at least 30 minutes or overnight. Dough can also be frozen for up to one month.
I add lemon zest because I think it gives the cookies a nice zing, but you don't have to add the zest. If not using zest add another 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. You can also add another flavor you like, maybe orange or grapefruit zest.
More tomorrow on rolling, cutting and baking!
Sugar cookies are a little different because there is normally just one way to make them. They need to be hard enough to use cookie cutters but not to much that they come out dry and brittle. I will be attending a baby shower this weekend and I will bringing button shaped sugar cookies for the theme "cute as a button." I will be sure to post pictures when they are completed. I made the dough tonight so it can harden in the fridge overnight. Tomorrow I will bake and Saturday I will decorate. Here is the recipe I used tonight.
Sugar Cookies
Depending on size of cookie cutter this recipe can make up to 3 dozen cookies
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks of butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon or 1 teaspoon lemon zest (depends on what you like)
Mix the flour and salt together in a medium size bowl
Cream the butter and sugar in your mixer for about 4 minutes
Add vanilla, egg and lemon zest to mixer
When all ingredients are mixed, add flour to mixture
Mix until ingredients are just combined
Divide dough into two disks, wrap with saran wrap. Make sure to press out air bubbles. Place in fridge to harden at least 30 minutes or overnight. Dough can also be frozen for up to one month.
I add lemon zest because I think it gives the cookies a nice zing, but you don't have to add the zest. If not using zest add another 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. You can also add another flavor you like, maybe orange or grapefruit zest.
More tomorrow on rolling, cutting and baking!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Cold Stone Creamery
So this weekend I took my first trip ever to Cold Stone Creamery. This is quite the ice cream store. Immediately I felt overwhelmed by my choices. The ice cream flavor was easy to choose, Strawberry for me. What took me so long to decide were my topping choices. And then I questioned if I shouldn't just choose one of their signature flavors. I decided in the end to do a mix of both choices. Their Strawberry Shortcake signature mix sounded delicious but I wanted to add and subtract some ingredients. I ended up with Strawberry Ice Cream, Graham Cracker Crust, Chocolate Chips and Chocolate Fudge Sauce.
Since I was so full after our Hibachi dinner, and in a rush to get the baby to bed I threw the ice cream in the fridge where it promptly started to melt. A few hours later the ice cream was moved to the freezer. This I think was one the best things that could have happened. The next night when I went to try my first Cold Stone concoction all the graham cracker and chocolate chips had sunk to the bottom and melted that way. What this caused was pretty much a graham cracker and chocolate chip crust with a strawberry ice cream and fudge topping. Absolutely delicious. I don't know if I'll be able to re-create the crust quality but I will absolutely try.
So this week the decision to be made is: what to bake? I'm trying to decide between Crumb Cake and Tartlets...
Since I was so full after our Hibachi dinner, and in a rush to get the baby to bed I threw the ice cream in the fridge where it promptly started to melt. A few hours later the ice cream was moved to the freezer. This I think was one the best things that could have happened. The next night when I went to try my first Cold Stone concoction all the graham cracker and chocolate chips had sunk to the bottom and melted that way. What this caused was pretty much a graham cracker and chocolate chip crust with a strawberry ice cream and fudge topping. Absolutely delicious. I don't know if I'll be able to re-create the crust quality but I will absolutely try.
So this week the decision to be made is: what to bake? I'm trying to decide between Crumb Cake and Tartlets...
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Getting Started
Hello! Welcome to Sweet Lane Desserts. This site is going to be dedicated to anyone who LOVES food. Personally, I love cooking, baking and eating. I am a 27 year old wife and mother who has always loved to bake and cook. I love spending hours making the perfect meal followed by a delectable dessert. I love trying new and different restaurants and testing out unique recipes. My dream is to open my own bakery and cafe and this is the beginning of that dream. I will be posting recipes, photos, advice, reviews of restaurants and bakeries and anything else that crosses my baking path.
Soon I will be selling my bakery items at local farmers markets in Virginia and New Jersey. The goal is to start this summer.
Please bear with me as I work on the logo and redesign of this website and don't forget-
Live life one (or two or three) desserts at a time!
Soon I will be selling my bakery items at local farmers markets in Virginia and New Jersey. The goal is to start this summer.
Please bear with me as I work on the logo and redesign of this website and don't forget-
Live life one (or two or three) desserts at a time!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)