My first real-deal, fancy schmancy cheesecake.   It was an adventure to make, and I’m happy to report it turned out pretty darn tasty.  I used this recipe from Gourmet based on a cheesecake from The Russian Tea Room.  Mainly I was just excited to find a use for my bottle of orange flower water that’s been collecting dust in the pantry. 

Lots of eggs in this cake.  Yolks and whipped whites.  I always love an excuse to pile fluffy egg meringue into a Pyrex bowl for picture taking.

This was a straight-forward recipe, but it did take quite a bit of effort.  I followed the directions pretty much to the letter.   It was my first time working with a spring form pan lined in parchment, wrapped in tin foil, and set in a boiling water bath.  I told you, an adventure.

The water bath gently simmered while the cheesecake was cooking, and the whole thing sputtered and wiggled inside the white dish!  Kind of scary.  I also accidentally used a 9″ spring form instead of a 10″, so it was a good thing for the parchment collar because the cake rose a good 2″ over the top of the pan!  It all settled down though, as it cooled.

That wasn’t the only thing I blundered either.  I neglected to add the cornstarch at the proper time, and sort of threw it in at the last minute while saying a silent prayer.  I don’t think my cream cheese was quite room temperature, so the initial batter was lumpy.  I ran it through the food processor and that smoothed it out perfectly, but probably contributed to the bubbles on the top.  But it didn’t crack, so I was proud of that!  I let it cool for a few hours in the turned-off oven before I removed it, thanks to a tip from a twitter friend, and I think it helped tremendously.   The top browned more than I would have liked, but I blame that on a crappy oven because, once I placed  foil over the top,  it stopped browning and was fine.  It looks dark, but didn’t taste the least bit burnt. 

I really did love the end product, the flavor and texture were subtle but rich, creamy but not too heavy, and just a kiss of lemon and orange flower.  I nice fruit topping probably would have been lovely but I was feeling very purist and wanted to go with just the cheesecake and nothing else, and this recipe really is all about the simple flavor and texture of the cake, no fancy flavorings or flashy topping.  This may be a once-a-year kind of cake to make (maybe even a biennial,) but nothing this good is going to come easy. 

Want to give it a try?  Click here for the recipe and let me know how it goes.

The first project is oh-so-simple, but they will make a lovely addition to your next tea party!  A sweet little garden of flowering sugar cubes.  Pretty and petite, perfect for stirring into your best English Breakfast or Earl Grey.

* Brown or white sugar cubes
* Small, edible royal icing flowers (click here for our selection)
* Edible “glue” ~ royal icing, melting wafers, and clear scripting gel work nicely

A very simply project, indeed.  Simply apply a dot of your “glue” to a sugar cube and gently press the sugar flower on top.  Royal icing should dry in a few hours.  Melting wafers will harden within 30 minutes.  The clear gel needs to sit overnight, (and may not dry completely solid in heavy humidity, you’ll have to experiment with that.)  I used the clear gel because it is hands-down the quickest!  Ready to use right out of the tube.  If you are going to package the sugar cubes for gift-giving, royal icing would be your best option – and wouldn’t a little bag of these make a perfectly charming gift?

One lump or two?  Of course I had to try them out myself, and they certainly sweeten your tea in a most delightful way.  Sometimes, and you never know quite when it will happen, the sugar dissolves just right and the little flower will float to the surface, drifting gently and quietly in your teacup.

I doubt you could find anything more magical.  Except, maybe in Wonderland.

I found this image in my own  flickr photo set, and I was like, “Cute.  Now, when did I make these?!”  Turns out is was 2 years ago, almost to the day.  It reminded me of all the fun projects you can do with cupcake liners that don’t involve…cupcakes, or muffins, or even baking.  And I’m into that today, especially after last nights glazed nut marathon.  I made these flowers with tiny black brads from the Dollar Tree, striped baking cups from the shop, and the Martha tutorial. 

I’ve never made a cupcake liner garland before, but I might just have to try that today, too.  This photo from Bash Eco Events has definitely inspired me! 

Hope your Holiday Making, Baking, and Decorating plans are in full swing!
~Amanda

I am so jazzed about these new baking cups.  Don’t quote me on this, but I think we are definitely one of the first (if not only,) shops in the US to carry this brand!  It took a long time to get my hands on them – and now they are finally here!  The sides of these unique cups are smooth and flat, and the rim has a lovely scalloped edge.  They stand alone and do not need a muffin pan; simply place them on a cookie sheet, fill with batter, and bake normally.  I have tested them all out myself. The darker red and pink cups baked up nicely and held their colors well.  The batter did show through with the lighter colors, especially when using dark cake like chocolate.  But luckily there’s a simple, fool-proof way make your cupcakes picture perfect:  pre-bake the cupcakes in plain, inexpensive liners.  After they’re done, simply place them inside these specialty cups.  Then frost, decorate, and you’re good to go!  Nobody will be the wiser, and your cupcake cases will remain pristine.  This technique works especially well with these new cases because the sides are flat, so the cupcake slide in snugly. 

Of course, more polka dots are always welcome at Bake It Pretty!  These cases come in standard and miniature sizes, in Pink, Red, Green, and Blue. 

But, I’m especially digging these new patterns!  Wide carnival stripes, red stars, and a fantastic floral pattern.  They are all so different and charming, perfect for any type of party or gathering!