Christmas Cookie Collection 2009

Is it me or is the holiday season going by fast? I’ve been extremely busy creating and finally had a chance to sit and post.

I’ve managed to create over 1500 cookies, 12 dozen cupcakes & 1 smash cake and the month isn’t over just yet. If it weren’t for my family and their help, I wouldn’t have gotten all if this done.

This picture is the first set of ornaments I made for my cousin’s work party. I got a new ornament cookie cutter, which is now my favorite cookie shape.

Swirls are my all time favorite thing to do on cookies!

These are a new design for this year. It’s very simple in style, but love how it looks!

Personalized cookie ornaments…

Here’s my 2009 snowflakes….easier to make this year!

First time making gingerbread men!

As always, thanks for stopping by and happy baking to all!

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Thanksgiving Spread

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this time of the year. This is the time I get to experiment with new recipes and use my family as my taste testers. This year I made pumpkin bread and truffle pops.

The pumpkin bread recipe I altered to make it healthier. I lessened the oil and sugar and replace it with sweet potato puree. I made muffins for the kids and made mini bundt cakes to hand out to family. I wanted to sift powdered sugar on the little cakes, but after awhile, the moisture of the cake would dissolve the sugar. So I had royal icing and used it as a glaze. I still wasn’t satisfied with the look so I had left over fall jimmies and I added those to the cake. I still wasn’s happy with the outcome, so I realized the little dip in the middle would hold a fondant flower nicely!

The truffle pops are actually an old dessert I use to make but just as truffles to give to family and friends over the holiday. I’ve been wanting to do this for awhile to add to my menu for next year. It’s actually harder than it looks! Chocolate has to be tempered correctly or else it clumps up. It happened many times to me. After I got the right texture of the chocolate, I started dipping the truffles to coat them evenly…still a work in progress. The fondant flower was again another after thought. I didn’t particularly cover the truffle all the way to the top of it, so I wanted to cover the truffle with something and this is where the fondant flower came to play.

Here’s the complete Thanksgiving spread… Truffle pops, pumpkin bread & red velvet mini cupcakes.

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