Miniemay's Delights

Dipped Homemade Marshmallow Popsicles

2009-02-14T14:23:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day! This year when contemplating a delicious treat to make for this Hallmark holiday, I decided that I wanted to try something I had never made before.....marshmallows! When I discovered that you can make marshmallows at home I was floored, and when I then discovered how easy they are to make I was delighted. I looked up multiple recipes but ended up using the Alton Brown recipe which you can see here! Then thinking back to the time I spent with one of my mother's best friends Kathy, I thought that they should be individually wrapped with ribbon before giving out to my theatre class as tasty Valentine Day treats! This recipe is super simple, but takes patience. Marshmallows are sticky and Pam will be your best friend along with the corn starch/confectioner sugar mixture used to coat the marshmallows. If I were to make these again I would cut them slightly smaller for easier dipping. I used dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate to melt down for the dipping and drizzling, and then I put colored sugar on the bottom of each popsicle. I think I may use this idea again around Christmas time and put crushed peppermint on the bottom and use them as hot chocolate dippers. Enjoy!
Miniemay

Life just got a little Sweeter!

2009-02-10T11:59:00.000-08:00

So I was home sick today resigned to having a quiet miserable day, and then I decided I'd finish a few short plays that I had started. One of them was "The Book of Liz" by Amy and David Sedaris. It's a hysterical short play about one small sweaty nun named Elizabeth. Anyway, after reading this wonderfully delightful play I began google-ing Amy Sedaris. I already knew quite a bit about her brother after reading a few of his books, but I didn't know much about Liz. As it turns out she is a well acomplished actress, and writer, but what is more....she runs a cupcake business when she's not acting. I can't think of a more wonderful life. Humor, acting, and cupcakes.
So it turns out all my dreams are possible, and one woman is already leading the way!
New life goal: Do it all! All of it! Bake every cupcake AND perform on stage!
Not too bad for a sick day.

Obama Cake Challenge

2009-02-05T20:55:00.001-08:00

So this is the Obama Head before assembly

And this is the Hope symbol before assembly

It says: "Hope Day January 20. 2009"

My friend Colin and I have informal bake-offs, and this was my cake for our Obama cake challenge. Colin did a good job, and it was a close contest, but I won. This was the first time I used fondant on a cake, and it was pretty ambitious. I think next time I try to use fondant I'll do something a tad bit easier.
Miniemay

Halloween Treats

2009-02-05T20:44:00.000-08:00

I think these were my favorite part of the entire baking spell. I loved making the mummies have facial expressions!

So I went a bit crazy for Halloween, but I had alot of fun!

Shooting Pool Cupcakes

2009-02-05T20:41:00.000-08:00

These pool cupcakes were really fun to make. They were for a friends birthday. I didn't like how the sugar got a bit clumpy, but live and learn I guess.
Miniemay

The Sunflower Cupcakes

2009-02-05T20:09:00.000-08:00

So, I got the idea for these from a lovely cupcake book actually, and they turned out absolutely wonderfully. I use buttercream frosting because I love the taste and it spreads easily. Although recently I have seen quite a few poured fondant icing cupcakes that look absolutely beautiful. Bt these were fun and will put anyone in a good mood. I finally found the mini oreos with the kid lunch size packs.
Miniemay

This is what happens when actors meet baking....

2009-02-05T19:55:00.000-08:00

Hi!
As a means of introduction:
I'm miniemay and I'm an actor! ....and a baker. It's a wonder I ever found the kitchen after growing up in a house where the room was rarely used, but nevertheless it turns out there's a kitchen in every house. I found my kitchen a few years ago, and have begun a wondrous journey of baking and cooking. It's a well known fact that my baking began as a purely therapeutic activity, but now not only do I look up recipes, I even make my own. I love decorating. And I love entertaining. I've always been an actor, and this post will hopefully not only be a place to share my baking delights, but also my theatrical endevours. I just auditioned for a number of grad schools, and the results are to come.
Anyways, So I'm going to post a few of the projects I have done over the last couple months! I'm always looking for new techniques, so please share!
Miniemay