Cookies for Kinderland

Since its Sunday, there's no better day to get started on cookies for Sports Day in Kinderland. Recipe was taken from Flavours magazine, the Nov-Dec 2008 issue, contributed by Joanne Fam.

Basic Cookie Dough

420g plain flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

250g butter

220g caster sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, scrapping the mixture from the paddle and the sides of the mixing bowl at intervals.

Reduce the mixer speed to medium, add the egg and mix well. Add the vanilla essence, reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour and baking powder a little at a time. When the dough comes together, turn off the mixer. 

Divide the dough into two equal portions. Place each portion between two sheets of greaseproof parchment paper and rool out until about 3mm thick. Place on baking trays and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 

Cookie sheets ready for cutting.

Dug out my collection of cutters... 

Qarina having fun... 

Cookies in the shape of gingerbread man, house, flower, heart and star...designs which provides for lots of decorative ideas. Cookies were baked at 180 degrees Celsius for 12 minutes.

Looking for volunteers...

My daughter's kindergarten and child care centre will be having their annual sports day on Saturday, 7th March from 8am - 11am. I will be setting up a D-I-Y cookie decorating stall this year. Last year was a D-I-Y cupcake decorating stall. Basically, anyone from kids to parents can pay for a cookie, decorate them and eat their own decorated cookie, or take them away in a nice cookie bag. All proceeds go to the Blind Association of Ipoh, which is the CSR of Kinderland, Ipoh.

If you are available on that date, and would like to join me, leave a note at the comment below. 3 volunteers needed!

These are photos of last year's event.

Cupcake Decorating Class in Ipoh!

                                                                       

                                                                           This is a notice on

                                                          **Cupcake Decorating Class**

                                                           Date      : Saturday, 28th March, 2009

                                                           Time     : 2:00pm - 5:00pm

                                                           Venue   : Wah Seng Sdn Bhd

                                                                             131-133, Jalan Dato Onn Jaafar

                                                                             Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

                                                     Tel        :05-241 6862

Its a hands-on class for 4 cupcake designs using buttercream and fondant. Students get to try out Wilton tools like

Floral Fantasy Fondant Imprint Mat,
Button Flower Fondant Cut n Press Set, (tutorial here)
Fondant Shaping Foam Set,
Floral Garland Ejector Set
Cutter/Embosser.

If you have these tools, bring them during class. If you wish to buy them, you could try asking Mrs. Lai at Wah Seng for product discount upon class registration. 

Tools to bring are: spatula, scissors, tissue papers, leaf tips and an empty container to take away decorated cupcakes. 

See you in class! :)

How to make Button Flowers

Who says cupcakes topped with chocolate ganache has to look boring?

TADAA!!

Funky button flowers to brighten up your cupcakes. Create them using this Fondant Cut and Paste kit shown below. Its one of the new products found in the Wilton 2009 Yearbook. Is now available in ICCA and for Ipohans, at Wah Seng, priced at RM31.80

Have a peek on the insides of the tool.

Follow the tutorial below.

Roll out fondant using roller and 1/8 inch ring guide. 

Use the base to mark and cut out the size required.

Dust the insides of the cutter with icing sugar, place the fondant on top, and dust on the fondant. This makes it easier to be removed from the cutter.

Join and press two parts of the cutter together. Open up and check the impression made. If it is not clear, you can join them and apply more pressure.

Place in egg cartons to harden. I am using a Ferrero Roche container.

A small sauce dish like this works best for the bigger petals.

Those who are waiting for my cupcake class, you will get to try out this tool (my own, so its sharing basis) on Saturday, 28th February, 2pm - 5pm. 

Register now at Wah Seng. 

Tip: negotiate for a discount on this tool when you register.

Valentine Teddies as Cake Toppers

Aren't they cute?! Two teddy bears exchanging hearts for Valentine's Day. Want to own them or give them to loved ones? Three ways to do it:

1. Follow the the tutorial below
2. Order them from me as cake toppers. A pair cost RM10.00 only!
3. Order a nicely custom-decorated cake with these two teddies as toppers. Cake is priced according to your specifications.

For No. 2 and 3, kindly email me at ttyhien@acupcakeproject.com

Acknowledgement must be made to Perfect Party Cakes Made Easy by Carol Deacon.

These are the tools needed.

Divide and colour fondant into 2 shades of brown. The bigger fondant uses a ratio or 3:1 of Wilton Brown : Wilton Cooper. The smaller fondant uses 1:1 of Wilton Brown : Wilton Cooper.


Mould and shape.

Assemble and stick using gum glue (Gum Tex + water)

Mould and stick muzzle. Use toothpick to make pads on soles.


Use food writer draw eyes, nose and mouth. Another option is to draw before assembling muzzle to prevent smudges.

Use heart shape cutter to cut out hearts and attach to hands. Alternatively, substitute with chocolates or sweets, as originally shown in the book.

Tip: The size of teddies must be dependent on size of cookie cutter or sweets.