Candied Bacon

After a weekend entirely too full of bacon I figured why not make even more bacon!

Without further ado, I give you candied bacon.

 

Step 1: Lay your bacon out on a rack over a sheet pan (foil optional, I just find clean up easier with it)

Step 2: Mix up some brown sugar and maple syrup - I just eyeball it until it's kind of an "ooblec" consistency (kind of liquid but not free flowing)

Step 3: Slather your bacon with the gooey sugar mix.  Put in a 225ºF oven for about 1 hour and 45 minutes (time will vary depending on how thick your bacon is cut and how crispy you like it...I recommend checking in on it every 20-30 minutes to avoid burning).

Step 4: Remove and let cool.  Refrigerate for extra crispiness and to store.

Serving suggestions: breakfast side, cut into small pieces and serve as munchy bites with beer, atop a salad, or just grab and nosh.


Thank you Derek for your alterations to this recipe!

How to Stack a Cake

As promised, how to cover a cake in fondant and stack your cake!

Step 1: Roll out your fondant - make sure to use enough powdered sugar on your rolling surface to prevent sticking and aid in easy rolling.  Roll to approximately 1/8" thick and an inch or so wider than you need (cake diameter + twice the height)

Step 2: Use your rolling pin to roll up the fondant - do not fold as you will end up with creases that are likely to crack and split open

Step 3: Use the rolling pin as an aid in unrolling your fondant coil over the top of your previously crumb-coated cake

Step 4: Smooth over the top and begin to smooth down the sides of the fondant over the cake

Always be sure to appease your "little helpers"

Step 5: Once the fondant is smoothed down, use a pizza cutter (or fondant cutter if you prefer) to trim away the excess fondant

Step 6: Insert a few wooden dowels that are the same height as your cake as support for the next tier

Step 7 (not pictured): upper tiers should be on a cake board that has been cut to the same size as the cake diameter and can be held in place on the next tier down with a dab of icing

Step 8: Place upper tier on top of lower tier, add topper.  I did add a few dowels to the top tier to support the weight of the sugar.  If you were not adding a topper (or it is a skewer set up or candles you would not need to add dowels to the top tier)

Note about transporting a cake: I like to stack on site as it diminishes the risk of collapse, especially with the erratic behavior of drivers in the NYC area.  If you need to assemble ahead of time you can avoid putting the dowel in the middle of each tier and instead have one long dowel that will be inserted after stacking through the top into the middle of all tiers.

Happy Anniversary Ernie & Elaine!!!

Pulled Sugar Flowers

Today's adventure starts with pulled sugar flowers.  Beautiful sugar showpieces can often be seen by watching Food Network, and while I do not want to say what those artists do is easy you can do some of it in your own home!

These instructions are how to prepare Isomalt.  It is just as easy to work with as sugar, however I find it easier to prepare.  I only caution you NOT to use/eat it as you would regular sugar as it can cause an upset tummy.

Step 1: Weigh out your isomalt (1 lb)

Step 2: Add isomalt to your pot containing 4oz water and put over medium heat

Step 3: Slowly bring mixture for a boil and continuously stir in a "figure-8" pattern, allowing the mixture to cook for 10 minutes

***your mixture may look kind like mini coral, that is ok, 

it will eventually all dissolve out***

Step 4: After 10 minutes turn the heat up to med-high, add a candy thermometer and boil until the mixture reaches 320ºF, periodically taking a pastry brush with a small amount water on it and brushing the side of the pot just above the level of the sugar, being sure not to touch the bubbling mixture

 ***if you want to add color, add a few drops of liquid food coloring when the 

mixture is at 300ºF***

Step 5: When the mixture has reached 320ºF pour it on to a no-stick baking mat and allow it to cool until it will cleanly release from the mat but is still pliable

Step 6: Fold the mixture on to itself to start introducing air

Next: Protect yourself - wrap your index finger and thumb (of both hands) with a cloth bandaid and then cover with a nitrile glove (latex is fine too, avoid plastic food service gloves)

Step 7: Aerate your sugar to achieve glossy opaque beauty. At this point your isomalt is all set to be pulled into beautiful flowers

Once your flowers are pulled and assembled they can be placed together on an isomalt base to form a beautiful showpiece.  This one is being used as a cake topper for an anniversary cake.

"The Jungle Book" - MooseTreats Style

As pretty as cakes can be on the outside, nothing is more disappointing than biting into a piece of cake that resembles stale cardboard.

Today's goal: fill, stack, crumb coat, and cover cakes in fondant.

Step 1: Assemble your filling ingredients.  I have here blueberries sliced in half, strawberries at a medium dice, cherries roughly chopped, and finely grated lime zest.

Step 2: After slicing your cake in half top with whipped topping (holds up better than real whipped cream), to this layer I added the blueberries, strawberries, and lime.  Add a layer of cake, repeat for up to 4 layers of cake with 3 layers of filling

Step 3: Level off the top of the cake and put a thin coat of buttercream frosting, also known as "crumb coating"

Step 4: Cover with fondant (forgot to take pictures while I was doing this process, it was 6am and I had not had my coffee yet)

Step 5: Stack your layers, add decorations, and admire your work.

***Next multi-level cake will come with instructions on how to stack tiers***

Here are some close-ups of my critters.  The animals are all made from marzipan, leaves and birthday lettering on "wood planks" were made from fondant.

Lion                              Monkey   

Tiger                             Giraffe

 Zebra/Hippo                          Elephant/Alligator

 And with that, I wish my adorable "niece" a very very Happy 1st Birthday!!!!!!

Fondant

So how often have you seen a gorgeous cake that looks like it belongs in a magazine? You snap photos of it, admire it, tell all your friends to come check out this amazing culinary creation.  Then it's cut it, it's served before you on a  plate, you pick up your fork and bite into the shiny exterior and promptly have to spit it back out?  That, my friends, is what we call fondant.

But NO MORE!  I give unto you a fondant recipe that tastes as good as it looks!

Step 1: Gather your supplies

Step 2: Sprinkle 1 TBS gelatin over 1/4 cup cold water, let it sit for 2 minutes.  Microwave for 30 sec.  Add 1 tsp. vanilla (I like the clear imitation variety for this - only this, I do not advocate for such in regular baked goods), 1/2 cup light corn syrup, and 1 TBS glycerine (this can be found at a store like Michael's or your local cake supply shop - do NOT use anything you would find in the health & hygiene aisle of your local Target), stir until clear.  Microwave this for 15-30sec. and stir.

Step 3: Add 1 1/2 lbs of confectioners sugar into a bowl, make a hole in the middle

Step 4: Add the liquid into the middle

Step 5: Stir with a spoon until you have a sticky mass. Then dump onto the counter with an additional 1/2lb of confectioners sugar, knead until smooth and moldable.

Step 6: Knead in 1/2 tsp. vegetable shortening

Step 7: Store tightly wrapped until you are ready to use the fondant

Humidity is not fondant's friend, so refrigeration is not generally a great idea.

Pigs in a Mud Puddle

What better way to say Happy Birthday to good friends than by creating pigs in a puddle of mud for them!

Contained within this luscious puddle of chocolatey goodness is a chocolate cake with a chocolate-cherry frosting and chopped up cherries.  Of course, surrounded by a plethora of KitKats.  What more could you ask for???

More birthday cakes coming soon!