Baby Yoda cupcakes

It's slightly colder in the Southwest desert. Not quite the bonechill which ushers in pretty long coats, fuzzy loungewear or even the down parka I wanted last year. Nope, but sufficient enough my wardrobe gets a special section labelled sweater weather, in hopes that most items in it are adequately utilized. 

Indeed, cooler is better. It means my cakes don't have to live in the fridge. I can have one, two or even three out on the counter for more than five minutes without their structures becoming terribly malformed. And for someone who bakes as a side gig, I am fastidiously OCD about things staying in place as intended, not sliding/shifting because they can't adhere. If I put it there, it needs to stay- pretty much a universal truth.

Likewise, let me, once again, extol on the virtues of homemade marshmallow fondant. When you're equipped with an arsenal, in my case, a new batch every two weeks, there's abundance for practice, play and put away.

This type of cake icing is elastic yet sturdy. It gives molded cakes a finish that is very forgive-able. Marshmallows and sugar combine to an exceptional pliability,  which means polished covered treats and smooth trinkets adorning the same, example being the cutest Yoda ears ever. It surpasses a lot of typic fondant hurdles and is amply delicious. 

I don't think there has ever been a time the recipe has failed me.  It certainly makes the confectioner's repertoire a more consistent, less anxiety driven one. Your ends to a sculpted cake are totally attainable and the resulting "oohs and aahs" on delivery never get old.

So when you roll out nearly 101 circles to top dozens of cupcakes, you come to realize that a reliable mmf recipe is not to be taken lightly.

In the case here, the same fondant in three colors, rolled and cut with plain edge cutters created an adorable topper: the edible ascent of the ultimate internet baby.

Frankly, your Grogu moment can occur with any flavor or type of confection you choose. Tell me he wouldn't look just as adorable tucked on pumpkin spice cuppies with thick cream cheese swirls? 

I know you see it.

Take a look, enjoy some Fall and may the Force be with y'all.

Marshmallow fondant recipe right here.

I used geometric cutters to make my toppers uniform: a circle cutter for the white base, the same cutter halved for the blanket, a small oval for the face and squares that I stretched to create the cutest Yoda ears.

Trying to clean the slate and clear my drive- recipes/ pictures/ cakes- before attempting to share anything new. So it might be fewer words, more images. Hopefully I'll be able to balance it out with fair dottings of season appropriate gems too. 2021's coming to a close too soon. Don't you think?

2020: Owl cake pops

2019: Cherupayar payasam

2018: Multigrain pizza crust

2017: Yoghurt rice

2016: Cashew chicken curry

2015: Stuffed acorn squash

2014: Chili roasted cauliflower

2013: Alfajores

2012: Beef fry

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"You are my hiding place;  you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance."-Psalm 32:7

No bake mini-cheesecakes

I must admit: the list is endless, growing much to my dismay and dissatisfaction that a near smidgeon gets unleashed and set free here, ie, where it should rightfully be.

I'm talking about the mental clutter- recipe after recipe- transcending from the thousands of images off my Pinterest/Tiktok/IG feed. Alas- the age of technology -giving us "reel" in place of real, a perception dampener, perhaps. Granting this, the paradox of too much out there and too little time to see it, share it, eat it is my everyday truth. 

Thus, today's miniature dessert is an interlude of the silicone mold pans IG told me to buy and the picture I riffed off Pinterest. It was so important that instead of making the cake I was supposed to make, I detracted to do this.

Round mini cheesecakes are a visual delight. They are cute as a button and in our party- of- three family setting these days are devoured more fiercely than any eight inch counterpart. 

For such a slight, plated wonder, the tender pudding will surprise you. The texture is rich and parallels those New York styles water bathed en bake for nearly an hour.  

Need I say once more how remarkable condensed milk is? It's absolutely bliss in these egg-no, bake- no situations. Here it does its thing, sweetening to perfection while delivering the look and feel of smooth lava. A count of five ingredients, including cream cheese to usher in velvet tang and gelatin responsible for structure, pull in for a class act mold-to-plate show.

It's a recipe that's ready in less than half an hour and set in no longer than two.

A culmination of cheesecake and chef artistry skills can certainly be what coming seasons call for.

And there you go... one down and off the list.

Ingredients:

• 14-16 graham crackers or a row of Oreos
• 4 tbsp melted butter
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp unflavored gelatin
• 1 eight ounce package cream cheese (room temp.)
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 4 tbsp powdered sugar
•  ½ can (7 ounces ) condensed milk

Directions:

• In a food processor, process graham crackers or Oreos into crumbs. Drizzle in the melted butter and process until the crumbs start to clump together. Set aside in refrigerator to chill
• Put the water into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over. Let stand for a few minutes so the gelatin can absorb the water.
• Microwave gelatin mixture for five seconds and gently stir. If the gelatin hasn't dissolved, heat for an additional five seconds until gelatine granules are no longer present. Set aside until cool to the touch, not more than 4-5 minutes
• Using a stand mixer, beat cream cheese, whipping cream and powdered sugar on low speed with the paddle attachment until the cream is fully incorporated.
• Raise the mixer speed to medium-high and mix until it's is light and airy.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in condensed milk and vanilla until all the ingredients are combined and mixture is creamy and fluffy.
• With the mixer on slow speed, pour in the cooled gelatin.
• Once the gelatin has been added, return the mixer speed to medium and beat until the mixture forms soft peaks, 1-2 minutes.
• Fill silicone cavities, about 3 inches in circumference about 3/4 of the way up. Freeze for 30 minutes up to an hour. 
• Take out of freezer and gently spoon in about a tablespoon of the crumb mixture or Oreo mixture over the base of each mold, covering the set cheesecake. Flatten crumbs to tightly pack in and create a smooth surface over the base of your cheesecakes. Freeze for an additional thirty minutes.
• Unmold gently and serve chilled.
• Dust with cocoa of shaved chocolate, fruits/purees or leave naked.

Notes:

• If you're not serving immediately, unmold each cheesecake dome, and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve.
• If gelatine clumps while preparing the cheesecake mixture, reheat for another 5 seconds in the microwave. Cool a few minutes before adding.

I've made approximations here for the cookie crusts. Oreos and Biscoff, solo or in combination, are both great. Feel free to adjust in proportion to the molds/pans you're using.

The half spheres are courtesy silicon molds and the "cherry" on top is a piece of leftover chocolate, excess art from last week's cake order. 

Yayaa- because I do custom cakes and teach too, ya'll😃

Condensed milk recipes:

Quatro leches (four milk) pudding

Coconut ice cream

Condensed milk frosting

Flan

Kiwi, cream and mango pudding

Easy chocolate ice cream

Vermicelli pudding

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"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."  -John 14:!2