I love to bake, but I don’t do it very often. I usually only bake for an occassion or a holiday. However, I’ve been watching a lot of baking shows and eating a lot of overpriced cupcakes lately and I got an urge to start baking.
I also picked up this snazzy little tool on sale over the weekend.
Of course, I had to use it the second I got it home. So I decided to whip up some peanut butter and jelly cupcakes…
I used a vanilla cake recipe that I’d never tried before and I thought they were a little dry. I filled them with raspberry preserves and topped them with a chocolate peanut butter frosting. Aside from the dry cake, they were pretty good. I brought them to work and the disappeared quickly. Everyone said they tasted like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches…which is what I was trying to do. Now I just have to work on my frosting technique…
I also made J some mini cupcakes with a simple chocolate frosting.
These came out really dry. I think I might have overcooked them. Ooops. J’s been eating them anyway, but he has reminded me each time that they are too dry.
Last night I decided to try something a little more difficult. I made macarons.
If you’ve never had them…they are sort of like meringue cookies, except they have almond flour in them, so they are a little more dense. They are so good…crispy and chewy and really light. The white one are filled with Nutella and the pink ones with raspberry. They were work and they take a long time to make because you have to let them set between mixing and baking. But they are worth the work. Especially since they are supposedly really expensive to buy. UPDATE: Here is a link to the recipe I followed. It’s got pictures of every step and it’s really easy to follow.
I’ve been bringing everything in to work because I can’t have all these sweets in my house while I’m trying to diet. I’ve been getting pretty positive reactions from everyone. One of my co-workers just ate a cookie and called me and said “Mmmmmm” and then hung up. That is my favorite part of baking…watching everyone enjoy the goodness.
J’s going out tonight so I’m going to be home alone and I’m trying to decide what to whip up next. I think I might try Salt’s chocolate chip cookies. Any other suggestions?
Your macroons look good. I have always wanted to try those but they seem hard. I think cupcakes are currently my favorite things to bake but you can’t beat chocolate chip cookies.
They weren’t hard. They were actually pretty simple. It was just time consuming and making sure all the steps were done in the exact right order. I’ll add a link to the recipe I followed. It had pictures of each step and was easy to follow along.
Ooooo those are delicious looking! I think I might have to pick up one of those dessert decorators next time I’m at Michaels. And I’m definitely going to have to try macarons. As delicious as I’ve always thought they have looked, I have never had one.
You will love the cookies! I promise!
You have to try them. They aren’t hard to make. The were time consuming but pretty easy. I think they would make a good subject for the next Sugar and Salt Throwdown challenge.
I love macarons, but don’t get them very often because they are super expensive, and am far too lazy to make them.
I wonder how much it would cost to ship some to Canada…
I thought it was crazy that they were so expensive. Then I went and bought the almond flour. It was $18 for a bag that held 4 cups. Now I understand why they are so expensive.
I’ve been on the most wicked cupcake kick since last October. That is a LONG time to be on a cupcake kick…especially when you’re trying to fit back into those size 12′s. But they are just so freaking good. I love macaroons and they ARE expensive!! So, look at you. Perhaps when you’re finished being a QVC host, you can open a bakery. I will open a coffee shop next door and we will roll around in our cash and laugh at people’s addictions. Until then, enjoy those Wilton supplies. If you’re going to bake, you may as well have the industry’s best tools!
Perhaps we can have our own show on QVC where we sell coffee and baked goods. Then we can really roll around in all our cash!
I have some Nutella. Those are gorgeous and I’m kinda interested in making those for real.
You should try them. The Nutella ones were insanely good.
I love cupcakes and your pb&j ones look soooo cute (and delish!).
Macaroons are another fav but I was always turned off from making them because I was under the impression they were difficult. But I’ll have to follow this recipe–thanks
nom nom nom . . .
mmm, cupcakes and macarons…..
I have never in my life had PB&J cupcakes. WTH? I sometimes wonder if I live in a tree.
Don’t you love the Wilton line? My daughter went through a long phase of ‘imma be a baker’ and we have a mother-load of supplies. I love it all, but especially the decorating bags and tips.
Too bad I have two left hands:)
You have a lot more restraint than me. If I had something that looked that delicious I think I would end up eating all of it.
Aren’t guys great at always reminding of us stuff like how dry the cupcakes are? But they don’t remember the things they need to do!