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Hello!

I have moved my blog to Lavishberry > Blog.

Please visit my new blog location & webpage (www.lavishberry.com)

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Test Kitchen: Low Cal Oatmeal, Lemon Chiffon, Strawberry Whipped

I had challenge for an upcoming Tulip Party (When you have lunch in the garden as the tulips have blossomed, cute huh?) The hostess wanted a low cal oatmeal cookie. First off, what makes a low calorie cookie? Apparently the flour and the BUTTER accounts for most of the calories. I found a great substitute for buter: apple sauce and tbsps of oil instead. Interesting, right? However, the oatmeal I was using is called Irish Steel Cut Oats = meaning they had to be cooked prior to using it ... I did not find this out until AFTER i made the cookies, and they were on the tad stiffer side. As for taste, they were fantastic!!!

Then my second challenge was requested by Arlene, for a lemon cupcake. I had a great recipe that I have known all my life, my grandma's lemon chiffon recipes. Once I made it, I couldn't stop myself from devouring 5 in one sitting, reminiscing how grandma use to make this for me :] Though it turns out I had under baked the cupcakes, therefore they sunk. IT WAS SO DEPRESSING!  they were the most spongiest, softest, best tasting cupcakes of ALL TIME!!!! I will work on the baking time little more ...

My recipe for a strawberry whipped cream is also fantastic! I cant wait until strawberries are in season, and i can puree fresh strawberries!!!

I have been trying to stay far away from butter cream as much as possible due to the fact that I hate the taste of buttercream used at places like Kara's or Sprinkles. I will continue to look for lighter, less sweetening alternatives for topping. I am still searching for the best asian wedding cake whipped cream recipe ... They always have the most fantastic creams!


Note: Did you notice I have a domain name? Lavishberry.com!! I already created my webpages, and I am in search of a webhosting server to take care of my needs. Any recommendations? Should I stick with blogger or wordpress?

VALENTINE'S

I would just like to say thank you to everyone who had ordered from me!!! I am forever thankful for having your support =) 

More pictures to come ... 

And I am glad to announce, I have my own domain now!!! 

Valentine Gift Set

I realized the best time of the year for baking goods, besides birthdays, is VALENTINE'S DAY!!

I do not believe in buying real gifts for Valentine's but rather MAKE yummy sweets to give away. I normally spend a few weeks in preparation for this holiday to unleash my newest creations! Though I love making sweets and giving them away, it does hurt my bank a lot - I find the bestest chocolates, and ingredients to be used in my baking concoctions.

Anyhow, I had initially sent out an email to my friends for orders! And I am glad so far i have 10 orders! 7 of them are the Valentine Set, and the other 3 are special orders due to shipping it to SOCAL.

Valentine Gift Set $40
Red Velvet Mini Cupcakes
Brownie Pops
Truffle in cocoa powder
White chocolate with milk chocolate ganache
Chewy chocolate chip cherry cookies
Heart stained glass sugar cookies
(possible one more time, if time permits)

Please email me at lavishberry[at]gmail.com for any orders. Deadline is Friday, February 4th. I do take paypal, or cash, and there is a $10 delivery charge

Anyways, I am super excited~!!! It will be a very busy week for me.


Happy Lunar New Year! =)

Choco Minty, My Melody Cupcakes, & Cake pops

I had these amazing at an Inn I stayed in Carmel, their weekend helper baked some DELICIOUS chocolate cake with minty filling and a chocolate ganache top. It was to die for because the cake was sooo moist, and the amount of chocolate wasn't so overwhelming or sweet! I made mini ones for a party, but I ended up not going- so it went straight to my tummy :]

It tasted like ice cream if you leave it in the refrigerator to cool =)

I had a major cupcake order, and i was pretty nervous since i never designed anything in fondant minus cutouts out flowers ... not real artsy!

I tried to do swirls with the cupcakes, and it turned out okay, it wasn't as uniformed as it should be. I was RUSHED in getting them frosted, decorated, and delivered (needless to say, I was late and my client's appointment time was actually an 1 1/2 hour prior to guests coming .... UHHHHH :/ )

She looks like a bunny huh? 

Edible food markers are AMAZING. I was so nervous in doing the eyes, left it as the very last thing I did. It's odd when I draw, I always leave face/facial expression lasts, since I never get it right, but then again sanrio characters are not that hard to do =P

Ta-da! Completed, minus the "happy 1st birthday" because some darling little children decided to crack it in half ... 

I was obsessed with trying to complete my first cake pop, because I saw some competition and needed to know I was able to do just about ANYTHING - so my first uncreative and time pressed cake pops

Two things that need to be figured out: how to make the cake balls uniformly round and to stop the condensation. 

How much chilling do I need to do before its not too soft or too cold because once I dip it in the candy melts, it CONDENSATES as it hardens! Instead of making them beautiful, I spent most of the time wiping up the water droplets :[ 

First lesson

Never ever leave fondant pieces unattended even when no one is home. Because kids will be over and things will break :( not only that, the kids get in big fat trouble from the parents for breaking it!

To buy or not to buy?

I realized that the one thing I do constantly want to update is my SHOPPING for baking & cooking supplies! This I know I can do some heavy updates!

And thanks to my new iPhone 4 (thank you JON) and canon sd4000 is (thank you TONY) - i can definitely keep to this tasks along with my baking adventures!

The following items were all purchased today, 11.18.2010, and given me this great idea for hauls and eventually reviews, since I am such a William Sonoma (WS) hoarder!!! (& occasionally Sur La Table(SLT) too) I probably shop for supplies more frequently than I bake ( ha ha ha)

Sur La Table

Slider Basket - ON SALE $ 8.99, original $25.00

Too bad grilling season is over, but hey at least we have one now =)

Top Left (Clock wise): micros cookie cutter $10.00, ateco round cutter $25.00, wilton pearl duster $5.00, cuisipro cupcake corer $4.95

William Sonoma

Halloween cupcake decor ON SALE $4.99, originally $12.00

fiona's strawberry puffs $12.00 - SUPER FLUFFY AND NOT SWEET!!! 

Fiona's SweetShoppe is based in San Francisco! 

art of the cookie $19.95

cake pop $19.95

cake works @ campbell, ca

wilton's pearlized sprinkles $ 5.38