Hand Crafted leaves(with chocolate)

Try this beautiful handcrafted leaves which can be used in decorating cakes/cupcakes/pudding/any desserts.

Ingredients:

•  Chocolate chips/any chocolate of your choice
•  Leaves

Process:

1) Prepare any cake of your choice-preferably a layered cake because these leaves look great on layered cakes.

 2) Heat some water over stove in a saucepan.

 3) Put chocolate chips/chocolate of your choice over the sauce pan and let it melt.It shouldn't take more than a minute. Stir in between.
    DON'T OVER HEAT THE CHOCOLATE.

 4) Mix the melted chocolate thoroughly and let it cool.Don't let it sit for long time it becomes hard.
If it had become hard heat it again.

 5) Take leaves of any shape of your choice and wash them thoroughly.Wash twice/thrice until you are sure they are very clean.
 6) Dry them using a paper towel.

 7) Use backside of the leaf.

 8) Put the chocolate on the leaf using a painting brush/spoon/hand. But,make sure it doesn't go beyond the edges of the leaf.

 9) Similarly do for all the leaves and keep them in freezer for 2-3 minutes(until they are set). 

 10) Peel the chocolate slowly and gently away from the leaf.

 11) Once they are all done place them over the cake/pudding. Prepare few extra leaves sometimes they might break. :)

Royal Icing with Egg whites

(I couldn't get a picture of what i have done will surely upload next time i do but it looks something like in above pic..:) )

     This icing can be used for decorating cookies/making flowers/decorating cake/personal messages.If you are doing flowers usually it takes overnight to use them on cake(they get very dried and you can just take them off from parchment paper and use it on cake).

Measurements:

egg whites-1 large (30 grams) 

fresh lemon juice- 1 tsp

powdered/icing sugar(sifted) -1.5 cup

Parchment paper

Process:

1)In a large bowl beat egg whites with lemon juice until combined.

2)Now add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined and smooth.

3)To test your consistency take a cookie and place a small amount of icing in the center of the cookie.Using a small knife, push the icing to the edge of the cookie. If the icing runs off the edge, thicken  the icing by adding a little more confectioners sugar. Conversely, if the icing is too thick, add a little water.

4)Put the icing in piping bag/ziploc and do your favorite designs on cookies/flowers.

Makes: 1.5 cup of icing

Handmade chocolate decorations

If you are a chocolate lover and would like as much chocolate as possible on your cake go for this. Also this is very simple and you can prepare them in advance and use it whenever you want.If you are doing this for the first time i suggest you to have a look in the below videolink to get more ideas and also you will understand the consistency of the icing.

Ingredients:
Semisweet chocolate chips
Parchment paper

Process:
1) Heat chocolate chips on a saucepan over simmering water and keep it stirring in between. You can also heat it in microwave.
2)Pour the chocolate icing in a piping bag/ziploc and create your own designs.You can customize it as per your requirement.
3)Freeze chocolate decorations for couple of minutes and they are ready to use.If you are planning to save it for later refrigerate them.

Videolink:
       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxQ68EXGDLU

Caramel decorations/Sugar decorations

   This recipe is simple and you get cute sugar decorations which can be used on any desserts/cakes.If it is your first time I suggest you to see the below video link before starting.

Ingredients:
 Sugar

Process:
 Heat sugar in a non-stick pan on the stove. You can see how you can make different decorations in the below link.You can also make different shapes like hearts/letters/numbers/personal message etc.

Storage;
You can prepare them in advance like 10-12 hrs before(only for thick designs,eg: in pic-2) and just use it on the cake before serving.
**If you are making thin strands/any design that is thin do only 4-5 hrs in advance.

Videolink:
                 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaA5CKd8sHo

Simple decoration with powdered sugar

This way of decorating cake is simple and can be done in just few seconds.

Process:
1)Put some powdered sugar in tea strainer and just sprinkle all over cake just like that (pic-1).
2)You can use some colored sugar and sprinkle all over the cake(pic-2). Colored sugar are available in many stores.
3) You can cut paper into any shape you are interested in like hearts/stars/circle or just take a printout and cut it.Place it on cookie/cake and just sprinkle powdered sugar all over.Now take the paper and you get a beautiful design. (pic-3)

Chocolate Icing (simple & quick)

  In a hurry?
  Lazy to decorate the cake?
  Need simple and elegant icing?
           Then this recipe is for you.

Measurements:
cocoa powder-2 tbsp
melted butter-2 tbsp
milk-2 tbsp
powdered sugar-2 tbsp

Cake size:Above measurements are good for 9 inch cake.

Process:
 1) Melt butter and sugar in microwave/on sauce pan over the stove(preferably non-stick pan).
 2) Add cocoa powder and milk into it stirring occasionally. Let it sit for few minutes before decorating any cake.
3) Just pour the chocolate icing over the cake.
(In the above pic, I was out of cocoa powder so i had to prepare less icing. If you follow above measurements the icing would just drizzle all over the cake like chocolate syrup)

Chocolate Ganache(quick,tasty,elegant look)

   If you are a chocolate lover do try this for sure.

Measurements:
Semisweet Chocolate Chips-1/2 cup
Heavy Cream-1/3 cup
Butter(melted) - 1tsp
1/8 tsp of Salt

Cake size: Above measurements are good for 9-inch cake(top coating).

Process:
1) Heat the heavy cream in saucepan on stove over medium heat until just below boiling point.
2) Pour the hot cream over chocolate chips and let sit for 1 minute. Add softened butter and whisk the whole mixture together until the chocolate has fully melted.
3) Let it sit for few minutes before frosting or decorating any cookie/cake.Once done refrigerate the cake for one hour/until it sets.
 (In above pic,I used buttercream icing for roseswirls)

Whipping Cream

Whipping cream

  If you want to decorate your cake with whipping cream do try once/twice before you actually wanna decorate the cake you are planning to prepare for birthday/anniversary/any party. Follow  below tips when you prepare whipping cream.Sometimes after following the tips also you might not get it properly because of over beating.If you don't wanna take any risk/lazy to prepare still you want to use whipping cream for icing get store bought ready to use whipping cream.All you have to do is just spread it on the cake evenly. :)

Measurements:
heavy whipping cream - 1 cup
powdered/icing sugar(sifted) : 1/3 - 1/2 cup(as per your taste)

Cake size: Above measurements are good for 9 inch cake(only for top coating).

Tips:
 1) Refrigerate the bowl and the whisks of the hand/stand mixer for 15-20 min before you start.
 2) Bowl,whisk and whipping cream - everything should be very cold.

Process:

1) Beat whipping cream for few seconds using hand mixer/stand mixer.
2) Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat again.
3) Don't over beat it. If you over beat, cream turns into butter. 
4)When you think its almost done use a hand whisk and beat the cream because you can control the consistency with a hand whisk sometimes overbeating just for 10 sec using a hand mixer would result in butter. So, do use your hand whisk when you think its almost done.
5) Spread the icing using a spatula evenly on the cake.Refrigerate it once done.
(in last pic I have added 2 tbsp of cocoa powder for my chocolate cake)

 

Buttercream Icing (never fails)

Rose swirl cake

 If you are a beginner but you want your cake to look beautiful you can go with this icing.

Measurements:
Icing or powdered sugar(sifted)- 2 cups
unsalted butter- 1/2 cup/one stick (at room temp)
pure vanilla extract-1 tsp
milk/light cream- 2 tbsp
Assorted food colors (if desired)

Cake size: Above measurements are good for 9 inch cake(only for top coating).

Process:
1)First beat butter for few seconds and add sugar one cup at a time.Add vanilla extract and milk too.
2)Beat all the ingredients until the mixture gets thick.
3) Add any color(if using) and combine the mixture throughly. You can add a tbsp of extra milk if the icing is too thick and more sugar if its very thin.
4) Now keep the icing in a piping bag/ziplock cover(as in below pic) and use any of the icing tip as per the design you planned. In the above pic i have used 'Wilton icing tip#104'.