The ICE Redeems Itself

So Friday I had to take a personal day because one of the three baking classes I'd signed up for at the ICE (Institute of Culinary Education) was actually during the day, which I hadn't realized. The other two are at night.

Everybody Loves Cupcakes took place from 10-2, led by Chef Loren Banco, and it officially redeemed the school in my book.

So much more enjoyable than Basically Baking I would recommend to anybody who needs to get their cupcake baking feet wet or just looking for a fun experience.

I actually felt like a human being on Friday and was able to enjoy the four hours, which flew by!

The kitchen we were in was much less cramped and Chef Loren was such an enjoyable instructor. He was sweet, helpful, unassuming, and none of his students were afraid to make a move out of fear of being embarrassed by their teacher.

First, we sat around a long table where we reviewed all the recipes. We then split up into teams of just two, which was highly more affective for learning and retention than the larger groups of four we had to work in for Basically Baking.

There were a few recipe options to choose from for cupcakes and frostings, and each team was required to pick two of each to make. My partner and I decided to go with double chocolate cupcakes and peanut butter cupcakes with ganache filling (yummoooooo). For frosting we decided to stick with easy buttercream, and fudge frosting.

This was basically my first foray into frostings. And too my naive surprise I found that they are basically tons of butter and sugar. Oh and a dash of vanilla and salt. How Nicole and I will ever be able to craft healthier frosting I have no idea. But that's a story for a different day.

Chef Loren showed us how to fill and use a pastry bag, and also displayed some decorating techniques! Here was my attempt at icing on our peanut butter cuppies:

I know. I need some practice. Here's a shot of some of our double chocolates:

So I was very pleased with the experience and it's making me look forward to my final class in July, Cupcake Workshop 1.

~AnnMarie

The Red, White, Blue, and Yummy

Our parents taught us never to show up to a party empty-handed. Can't say I always abide by that rule, but Flour & Sun Bakery in Pleasantville, New York, gave me a good excuse today to follow it.

I knew they were offering Memorial Day-themed cuppies this weekend and have been meaning to try this place out since it's so close to me, so I dragged Marc along to pick up a few on our way to a barbecue.

They had Caramel Apple, S'mores, Rainbow Cloud, and a few other regular varieties to choose from. We bought two Rainbow Cloud, two Red Velvet, and two S'mores. When I went into the kitchen to grab a shot of them, one had mysteriously disappeared. And the thief had knocked over one of the Rainbow Clouds in his haste. Hmmmmm....

I helped myself to the disturbed Rainbow Cloud. Would that be considered rude, Mom?

They had died the cake with red and blue food coloring on the inside too! And it was scrumptious!

I tried to coax Marc into going inside and stealing one of the S'mores ones, but he refused.

Pussy.

Anyway, hope everybody had a really nice Memorial Day weekend. We did...

Can't you tell?

Haha!

~AnnMarie

A year and a half!!!???

Just read this under the "About Us" tab on the Sugar Sweet Sunshine Web site:


"Debbie had a dusty old Betty Crocker cookbook that her parents had given her and decided it was a good a place to start. So, every Sunday for the next 1-1/2 years in Deb’s kitchen the two experimented. Some of the things they baked were great triumphs and others…well, it was back to the baking board." 

Is it really going to take that long??? :(

~AnnMarie

Trials Come to Ossining, NY

So I must admit, I thought I'd just start up this blog, light a little fire under my sister's ass and POOF!--we'd have a bakery. Things haven't exactly worked out that way.

Unfortunately, we still have day jobs (Nicole will in fact be starting a new one next week! Round of applause...) And I still have a mouth to feed besides my own:

So alas, we cannot fully commit ourselves to our cuppie goals completely just yet. But we're workin' on it.

This week, trials actually came to Ossining, NY! Which I was particularly excited about because it meant I didn't have to cross any bridges for one day. So despite a disgruntled clean-freak of a boyfriend who was having heart palpitations at the thought of my sister and I taking over the kitchen, we took over my tiny attic apartment to continue working on carrot and chocolate. Here he is below in the living room trying to sleep his way through it:

Even with the angled ceilings, and our stealth maneuvering, we were able to get through one more round of each (carrot and chocolate). And they only keep getting tastier and tastier! It's been reported that Sebby and Barbara (dad and mom) thought this was the best round yet after taste-testing when Nicole returned to New Jersey later that night (after some Ossining Pizza AND The Hangover).

Who let the dogs out!!???

Nicole trekked all the way here with her bags of supplies which ended up spread out all over our tiny kitchen. We both felt like we definitely worked much faster yesterday than we had in the past for some reason.

She looks like she's singing in this one.

 

This one's just funny.

 

Now she's dancin'.

One problem we had that I'd like to throw out to you all is that for some reason our tops are flattening out and not fluffing and puffing out. Any suggestions? See our Frank Lloyd Wright chocolate cuppie below to see what I mean.

Waiting for brother-in-law Jimmy to give us a Godaddy lesson so we can set up our Website and apply for our trademark! And I will be taking the first ICE class on May 15. Can't wait!

~AnnMarie