Royal Icing 1 0 1 . . . .Works For Me Wednesday

♥♥♥PLEASE visit my updated post on Royal Icing: Royal Icing 102, or 202, or whatever! ♥♥♥

For cookie decorating, I use Royal Icing. I've seen cookies decorated with fondant and just recently heard of rolled buttercream, but Royal Icing works for me.

Royal Icing is an icing that dries hard and opaque, so cookies can be stacked and icing stays pretty when cookies are packaged. It's easy, too...it only takes 3 ingredients: meringue powder, water and sugar (flavoring is optional).
To start, you'll need meringue powder. Ateco and Williams-Sonoma are my favorites...I think I've tried them all. :) Ateco is a little hard to find, so any meringue powder will work. Follow the instructions for Royal Icing that come with your meringue powder. Here's a recipe to try with any meringue powder:

Royal Icing
(this will cover approximately 3 dozen 3.5 inch cookies)

1 pound powdered sugar
5 TBSP meringue powder
scant 1/2 c. water
a few drops of extract (optional)

Combine the meringue powder and water with a whisk attachment using an electric mixer. Beat until peaks begin to form. Sift in the powdered sugar and beat on low to combine. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form. (You should be able to remove the beater from the mixer and hold up and jiggle without the peak falling.) If using an extract, add it then beat for a few more seconds to incorporate.
Cover with plastic wrap touching the icing or divide and color using gel paste food colorings.

{The most important step: sift the powdered sugar! Believe me, I've tried to shortcut this step...it doesn't work. My favorite powdered sugars are Domino and C & H, but as you can see from the picture, any will do. Imperial is easier to find in the 1 pound boxes.}

This "stiff" icing is perfect for outlining and even for building gingerbread houses and monogramming. To fill in your cookies, add water to your icing a little at a time until it is the consistency of syrup. This technique of filling a cookie with thinned icing is called "flooding." Click here for more details.

Happy cookie decorating!

Be sure to check out all of the Works for Me Wednesday ideas at We are THAT Family.

♥♥♥Don't forget the CHOCOLATE GIVEAWAY going on right now!!! TWO Bake at 350 readers will win!♥♥♥

More WFMW posts:

• kitchen must-have
• making icing ahead of time
• organizing cookie cutters
  

Chomping at the Bit

I have horses on the brain, as this Saturday is the Kentucky Derby, an event I grew up watching every year on television and that has long held a special place in my heart.


It has also been a long time since my last theme week, and I have been chomping at the bit* to present this one, so, without further ado, I bring you Horse Week.

Photos: Ms.Carmen

*If you are thinking "Champing at the Bit!!," you are correct. I, however, apparently along with many other English speakers, thought it was "chomping," and it seemed too strange for me to write "champing" instead. Grammar police score one point.

♥ ♛ ♫ Hennessy Artistry Party 2009 !!

Hennessy Artistry 2009 - The Global Art of Mixing.


The happening party of 2009 hit Penang Island at QEII Club on last saturday, April 25th 2009.
The party required invitations only and it pretty exclusive.
"The Global Art Of Mixing" itself combines mix of artistes from East and West - from Asia and Us, to Europe and Down Under.. mix them to one big partaayy.


I got the invitations from a friend of mine, went there with bunch of friends and it was fun.
The design was exclusive, red carpet and wall of pictures.
The music was more likely to be Drum & Bass until Caprice, the Malaysian rapper came down and brought the Hip Hop in the air.
They also gaveaway free drinks (Hennessy) in early hours.
The party was crowded, people dressed up and got pretty into it.


I was dressing up a bit 'Grungy'.. sort of a rock indie rock n roll.
I don't know, i felt like it at that moment.
Hney's dressing up a bit 'Formal'.. wore an orange Topman shirt with black tie and a black jeans.
Unfortunately the place was too hot as people got more crowded so in the pictures, he took off his tie and got messy.
Well, as for me, i got sweating up but still holding on. =)




Moving on, The guests star was..

♪ Starz Angels ♪

Combining electro house rhythms and hip hop flows, the trio have been supported by a creative and rigorous web presence.

Responding to the needs of the public, they’ve been performing and gained the respect of industry professionals within a year.
Performing regularly in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Marbella; they’re extending their presence here to spread their musical message.
Also look out for Jmi Sissoko (is a third element of Starz Angels) who is recognized as one of the best urban artistes in France, for his additional powerful twist of sounds.

♪ Caprice ♪

One of Malaysia’s rising youth icons, Caprice isn’t just an artist, but also an entrepreneur.
His love for music led him to learn the ropes of the industry up to setting up his own record label and production house!


Over the course of a few months, he recorded a few singles, shot 2 music videos, and released 2 songs that shot to #1 on Hitz.FM.





Credit Links & Pictures :
http://www.kinkybluefairy.net/2009/04/20/hennessy-artistry-is-back-for-2009/
http://stanleywong.my/2009/04/hennessy-artistry-is-back-for-2009/

Chocolates for Mom...a giveaway for TWO!!!

{Update: the winners are: Sarah {SCS: Sairabee} and Dessert Obsessed. Congratulations, ladies!}

Just in time for Mother's Day... See's Candies is offering TWO Bake at 350 readers $25 gift cards!!! Woo-hoo!!!
Why I think chocolate is the perfect Mother's Day gift...

1. It's never the wrong size,
2. It's already wrapped,
3. If you give it in person, mom has to share!

To enter...pop on over to See's Mother's Day Gifts and tell me...what would you pick for mom (or for yourself)? Let me know in a comment and be sure to link to a blog or leave an email.

I'm thinking....Cafe Latte Pops and Travel Mug...

...the Keepsake Collection...

...of course, you can never go wrong with Nuts & Chews!

Drawing will be held Saturday, May 2nd at 5pm central. Good luck! :)

Once Upon a Lime...

I'm a chocolate girl at heart, but sometimes a citrus-y dessert is just the ticket!

Have you tried Lime Oil or Natural Lime Powder? King Arthur Flour carries both of them in their online shop and I am so happy to have tried them.

First up....Luscious Lime cookies! The recipe can be found on the King Arthur website and they are exactly as described. Luscious little bites of lime. They're made with both the lime powder and lime oil. The cookies are tart and sweet and covered in a generous dusting of lime powdered sugar.

Don't wear black while eating them! ;)


Second...Key Lime Pie Ice Cream

This is the creamiest ice cream I've ever made! The lime flavor is kicked up a notch with the addition of a little lime oil. I can't wait to make this again...it was a hit!

Both of these recipes would be perfect for Cinco de Mayo parties and warm weather cookouts!

Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
(inspired by Bruce Weinstein)

1 & 1/2 c. heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
1 (15 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. key lime juice (or regular lime juice)
1/4 tsp. lime oil
4 full sheets graham crackers, crumbled
2/3 c. marshmallow creme

Bring the cream to a simmer. Place egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk the hot cream into the yolks. Pour the mixture back into the pan and heat over low heat, whisking or stirring constantly. Heat until the custard has thickened slightly. (Don't boil.)

Remove from heat and pour custard through a strainer into a large bowl. Cool slightly and then whisk in the sweetened condensed milk, juice and lime oil. Cover and refrigerate overnight or 8-12 hours.

Stir the custard and add to your ice cream machine. About 2 minutes before the ice cream is finished, add the graham crackers. Spoon into freezer safe containers, adding the marshmallow creme in large dollops throughout. Press plastic wrap onto the ice cream, cover and freeze for a few hours to harden.

Want more?
I scream, you scream. We all scream for ice cream:
....Turtle Ice Cream Pie!....

Chirp! Chirp!

It seems that I owe my friend and neighbor Andrea another big thank you.... I entered the Thank You card I made for her to the Cricut Chirp! project spotlight and won!!! So.... to recap: Andrea made me an awesome wreath, I made her a thank you card, because she made me the awesome wreath, I win a new cartridge!!! Wow!

By the way, for those inquiring minds who will ask - I chose Lyrical Letters and I cannot wait for it to arrive!!!!!

Thank Goodness for Ice Cream Cones

** Cute file has been added to the downloadable list in the left hand column.**

The designers' challenge this week over at Bitten by the Bug was to use the Doodlecharms cartridge, any cut we wanted, as long as we used the border feature. You know the border feature - three of any item on a single key stroke. I actually planned a cute lady bug card, titled Always a Lady (ha, ha, ha), but then I just could not resist the ice cream cones. And the ice cream flavors!!!! And the chocolate cones!!! Okay, you get the idea. I don't just love my family, the cricut, scrapping, my pj's, and Hello Kitty... I love ice cream cones! Ice cream cones are OH SO MUCH better than ice cream in a dish!

As luck would have it, I also needed to make a thank you card. And guess what 6 ice cream cones gives you? Enough cones to spell THANKS!!! I used BasicGrey red paper to cut the letters with George. I wanted them to pop, but not to take over the card.


The card itself is cut in bright pink bazzil card stock. I used the border punch along the edge of the card, as well as the edge of an "under skirt" piece. I used two different ribbons, running vertically, across the background of the card. I also used the same two ribbons (and a flower) in the bow.


The ice cream cones were cut in two layers. The base cut was in bazzil brown, and the top cut was the ice cream only (mint chocolate chip, cherry chip, strawberry, vanilla, and strawberry with strawberries!). And of course a sparkling cherry on top of each cone.


I used stickles not only on the cherries and berry chips, but also on the diagonals on the cones. I think I should go right now and make a cone like the "A" cone, and then perhaps move on to the "K" cone!!!! Mmmmmmm.