Pink Pecan Russian Teacakes

En Español

These pink pecan Russian Teacakes are as irresistibly delicious as they are cute. They have a nice pink color, and a mixed flavor of cinnamon and pecan that will enchant you! This is one of many versions created by my daughter. For that special sweet gift or any theme party in pink this is a great choice dessert. My youngest daughter, Topaz, has created two varieties for the past Valentine’s Day, these pink pecan and the red velvet Mexican wedding cookies that I shared here.

See step by step of the original cookies here: Mexican wedding cookies.

Red Velvet Mexican Wedding Cookies

En Español

Polvorones, Russian teacakes or Mexican wedding cookies as I have known them for years and shared a while back in this blog here, remain a favorite cookie at home. My daughters and I have several versions of this recipe and the one I share today has the flavor and the color of the classic Red Velvet dessert.

How to Divide 3 eggs in a Cake Recipe

En Español

Sometimes you find recipes that requires an odd number of eggs for a large cake or 24 cupcakes. What happens when you only want to do half the amount of cake, and you have to divide the eggs? You problably wonder ... How I can divide three eggs?

You can lightly beat three eggs, and then divide, but then what can you do with leftover egg if you are not baking anything else, nor want to fry it? :) 

The best way to divide 3 eggs for a cake is to use 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk.

How about you, how do you divide the eggs in a recipe that calls for an odd number?

Have a happy weekend!

Post by Mari's Cakes.

Follow this blog by email, and never miss a post. Enter your email address below:

Baseball Cupcakes

En Español

I created this baseball cupcake for all you baseball fans! This month not everything should be red, pink, and with bows, boys also would love something made out with them in mind too!

A few months ago I made some baseball cupcake toppers in fondant, and since then I had these in my mind ... ball shaped frosting. I almost never get chance to do things like these because at home girls are majority, with only one king, my husband, and he is not a sports fan.

Just like my dad, who was a baseball fanatic, my brother is one too. I dedicate this post to him and also want to let him know that we love him very much!

 My brother and my dad. 

The white frosting is Italian meringue, and the red lines are made with royal icing. 

The plain round tips like #00 and #1 can get blocked with the smallest grain of icing sugar. To avoid this I place the royal icing in a new nylon stocking first, knot it to seal it, and then place it in the pastry bag. This helps out a lot when you need to make thin borders and lines.

What you need to make these baseball cupcakes: 

• Cupcakes of your choice find a list of my cupcake recipes here: Cupcakes.
• White frosting of your choice. I used Italian meringue. 
• Red royal icing  if you use Italian meringue with out butter, and red buttercream if you use white whip cream or buttercream.
• Big round plain tip to form the ball
• Small #1 round plain tip for the red lines 
• Pastry bag
• Blue cupcake cups
• 
  

Post by Mari's Cakes.

"No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." - Joshua 1:5 

Follow this blog by email, and never miss a post. Enter your email address below:

Hot Eggnog Made with Duck Eggs

On our menu today, we have a special country eggnog called "ponche de huevo," meant to be enjoyed warm in the morning. What makes this drink so unique is that this time I made it with duck eggs! Just one cup of this delicious beverage for breakfast provides you with the necessary nutrients and energy to last until noon. If you don't have duck eggs, you can still make this breakfast eggnog with regular eggs.

En Español

Duck eggs are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which are excellent for promoting healthy skin and brain function. They also have alkaline properties, making them an ideal food for cancer patients, as cancer cells cannot thrive in an alkaline environment. In addition, many people who have allergies to chicken eggs can safely consume duck eggs without any adverse reactions. Another great feature of duck eggs is their size - they are larger than chicken eggs and contain more albumen, which is perfect for baking. The result is richer, fluffier cakes and pastries that are sure to impress.

Interestingly, I was not aware of these benefits when I first raised ducks and left many eggs in the nest to reproduce. You can even see a photo I shared of our duck Kiwi's nest made with dried plantain leaves in the post found here. Now, I am considering raising ducks again and using their eggs to bake delicious cakes and see for myself if there is a difference.

This vintage recipe holds a special place in the hearts of many Dominicans, since many remember their grandmothers and moms preparing it in the early hours of the morning. I can vividly imagine our great-grandmothers, grandmothers, and mothers bustling around their country kitchens, creating this delightful drink. Those were the days of simple beauty, where breakfasts were hearty and nourishing. Unfortunately, in today's world, very few households continue to prepare this traditional beverage. Perhaps it is due to the difficulty of finding duck eggs in local stores, or maybe people believe it is a complicated recipe. However, I assure you that it is neither complex nor time-consuming to prepare. This ponche has a taste reminiscent of "café con leche," but with a slightly thicker consistency. Serve it alongside fresh bread for dipping, and you will experience pure bliss.

What truly captivates me about this ponche is the flood of memories it brings back. It transports me to my childhood, to my mother's cozy kitchen in New York's lower east side. While I never had the chance to taste my grandmothers' ponches, I fondly remember my dear mother's and my aunt Nydia's versions. I can still picture my aunt skillfully using a "molinillo" to beat the egg whites. These memories are treasures that I hold dear, and they are intertwined with this cherished recipe. Additionally, I hope that by sharing this recipe, it will evoke fond memories for you as well. I would love for you to share your own childhood memories of this or a similar recipe, along with any variations you may have. 

Many grandmothers used a "molinillo," a vintage kitchen utensil similar to a whisk, to beat and mix the ingredients. If you are interested in owning one, you can find it here: Molinillo Dominicano.

Beat egg whites to very soft peaks like a soft foamy consistency.

Meatless bulgur balls (Bolitas kipes)

En Español

One of the typical Dominican fritters and my favorite above all are the Kipes. The quipes or kipes are usually prepared with ground beef mixed in the bulgur wheat dough and as the filling. Last Saturday night I had cravings for some kipes, but had no ground beef, and since it was late night, I could not go to buy some either. I came up with the idea to prepare them without any meat to see if the dough would form and fry well. The results were as you see it, terrific! The taste is very similar and delicious, but I admit that for us meat lovers, with beef it is better.

These make a perfect finger food especially when served with mayo ketchup dipping sauce. For someone who does not like meat or is on a meatless diet, these would be a great party snack to serve them. At home we liked this new version very much, and like always I wanted to share it with you. Please leave a comment and let me know if you have tried the traditional kipes or if you prepare this meatless version. I did not use a filling, but you can fill the center with cheese, beef, chicken or seafood. I do have a step by step bulgur fritters here: Kipes.

School Theme Cupcakes

En Español

A few days ago I shared a photo of mini fondant apples toppers I was making for a custom order of cupcakes.  Many of you liked it on facebook and I couldn't wait until September to share these! This made me think about how we tend to centralize our activities based on seasons,  influenced very much by the commercial calendar, and it should not be like that. Do not wait until September or end of the school year to thank an exemplary teacher or a dedicated student. I celebrate each day as a special one without waiting for a specific day.

As I have said before, working with fondant can be addictive because it like playing with clay, and that makes work fun. To me there is no better job in the world then to make sweet creations.

This time I was asked to make these cupcakes for a teacher. In many occasions I am sent a photo of what the customer wants, and I try to create what they want as much as can to me exactly and make to make them happy. I did not know who the photo belonged to until today when I started to search the web. I am happy I could share my version, and also tell you where the idea came from. Check out Tammy’s blog, Wonderful World of Cupcakes her the inspiration for these cupcakes I made. Although she does not have a step by step, I think I did a good job with the toppers.

What I like best about these cupcakes are the mini apples and notebooks. Today I will show you how I did the fondant apples toppers.

Form a rope /roll about ½” (1 cm) wide and cut it into ½” (1 cm) pieces.

Form balls that are slightly oval because when you press to make the hollow on the top which will push down on them.

Make the stem in the same manner as the mini red balls for apples except that for this the roll is thinner and in the color brown or black.

The mini leaves are made by taking the petals of a small fondant flower just as I did towards the end of this video: Mini Fondant Flowers. Paste the stem and leaf with a little corn syrup, and voila!

The mini apples toppers or “manzanitas” are ready to decorate your cupcakes or cakes.

Notes: 
a) All these figures are must be made in fondant. I recommend for you to make them one to two days prior to using them to allow time for them to dry and harden.
b) The recipes: chocolate cupcakes, the filling is dulce de leche, and the frosting is Italian meringue.

Have a blessed day! :)

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. - James 1:12

Follow this blog by email, and never miss a post. Enter your email address below: