Pipping Practice Makes Perfect

Star flowers, small shells, large shells, rosettes, reverse shells, fleur-de-lis, garlands, and roses have been the theme of the week. I have been practicing my piping so much that my hand is sore...but as my chef is always saying "piping practice makes perfect". I still have a ways to go but I made some good headway in my technique this week.

Here is a link to step-by-step instructions from Bake Decorate Celebrate on how to practice piping for your own cupcakes.

Marzipan Cupcake Toppers

Around the world, particularly in Italy and England, Marzipan is a popular sweet used for many occasions. I decided to use marzipan to make cupcake toppers. For every topper that made it onto a cupcake, another one popped into my mouth. I couldn't get enough of these almond delights!

honey pear cupcake

cream filled pumpkin cupcake with ganache frosting

lemon coconut cupcake

apple ginger spice cupcake

raspberry cream cupcake

chocolate carrot cupcake

temper...mold...fill...enjoy!

Mastering the art of tempering and molding chocolate takes a lot of practice but is definitely a skill worth developing! When making homemade chocolates, proper tempering is the key to create a beautiful sheen shell. Tempering varies depending on what type of chocolate you are using; whether it be white, semi-sweet, or milk.

Here is a helpful chart from Felchlin, one of my favorite chocolate companies located in Switzerland describing tempering different types of chocolate. Happy molding!

caramel sea salt candy bars

hazelnut ganache centers for enrobed chocolates

molding white chocolate