If you're looking to bake cakes and pastries, here are some ideas to help you get started in what can become a very enthralling and even therapeutic hobby, with the resulting benefit of some very delicious things to eat!
Steps.
1. Decide what you would like to bake. You won't have enough time in the day to bake a lot of items, so be selective. Pastries tend to be more effort and take more skills than making cakes, so if you're a novice, start with cakes and work your way towards making pastries.
2. Read up on making cakes and pastries. To begin with, it's a really good idea to become knowledgeable about the techniques, as well as the things that can go wrong with them. For example, temperature is very important when baking a cake, so that opening the oven mid-cooking can cause it to deflate. And pastries often require cold handling (adding cold fat, keeping your fingers cool by only using the fingertips and only rubbing for a short time, and having a cool room to work in). While these "fiddly" things may seem overwhelming at first, once you have grasped the finer techniques of baking, they make the experience both much more enjoyable and a lot more successful.
3. Try easy baking recipes to begin with. Start with plain cakes and pastries before graduating to fancier, more complicated versions. Some good ones to start with would be:
4. Once you feel confident making basic cakes, you can proceed to more complex cakes, such as wedding cakes, fruit cakes, layered cakes, birthday cakes with designs etc. Here are some ideas to try:
A cupcake wedding cake, Fruit cake, A chocolate chip birthday cake, Red velvet cake.
5. Avoid making French pastries until you have a good grasp of working with pastry and a fair understanding of its properties. French pastries become easier with practice but they are not a good beginner's pastry because you will be easily deterred by the amount of effort required. Once you do feel more certain, you might like to try:
Croissants, Eclairs, Choux pastry for a croquembouche.
6. Consider attending classes to learn the techniques used in baking. It can be a lot easier learning from a pastry chef who already knows all the tricks and trickiness and you will benefit from both the visual demonstrations and the practice with help.
7. Learn about baking from other places and for special occasions:
Try to experiment with baking from different cultures, from Japan to New Zealand, from the USA to Romania, you will find wide variations on commonly baked goods. It could take a lifetime to discover them all!
Learn about baked food that signify different seasons or celebrations. There are many different baked items associated with harvests, Christmas, Easter, Day of the Dead, and other celebrations around the world. These tend to be more complicated, on the whole, so you might need to be an intermediate to advanced baker to feel comfortable with them. See wikiHow's Holiday Cooking section for some ideas.
Tips.
It's a good idea to purchase an excellent book on Baking (often known by chefs as baking bibles) as these will give you good tips and are also excellent references for troubleshooting baking problems.
It is important to learn gradually. It takes years to become a top pastry chef or baker, so you're bound to have a few mishaps before feeling that you've mastered some of the trickier cakes and pastries!
In addition to knowing how to bake the cakes and pastries, it is also important to familiarize yourself with making frosting, using fondant, and making shapes and designs on cakes and pastries. Knowing how to make sugar toffee and glazes can also come in handy. You'll learn these techniques as you go.
Warnings.
Good cake and pastry pans are essential for good results. Don't skimp; it is better to buy one or two good quality baking items than to by an array of cheap ones that don't hold or distribute heat evenly, or do a number of things needed to ease your baking experience.
If you’re looking to get creative with your baking, a cupcake cake is a great way to start! Cupcake cakes look great, but only require a regular cake recipe, some gluing with frosting, and a creative mind. You can carve a giant cake into cupcake shape or arrange lots of small cupcakes into a unique shape or pattern for any occasion. No matter what kind of cupcake cake you choose, your taste testers will love the shape and flavor of this delicious dessert.
Ingredients.
Makes 20-25 standard-size cupcakes.
2 cups (470 mL) flour.
1⁄2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) salt.
2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) baking powder.
1⁄2 cup (120 mL) softened butter.
3⁄4 to 1 cup (180 to 240 mL) sugar (add more if you want sweeter cupcakes).
2 eggs.
1 cup (240 mL) milk.
1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) vanilla (optional).
Icing.
Makes 10-12 servings.
2 cups (470 mL) butter.
6 cups (1,400 mL) powdered sugar.
2 tablespoons (30 mL) whipping cream.
2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) vanilla or almond extract.
A few drops of food coloring (optional).
Steps.
1. Decide on a pattern. This will depend on what occasion the cake is for! If you’re celebrating a child’s birthday party, think about doing a simple rendition of their favorite animal, like a turtle; cartoon character; or activity, like an airplane. For a holiday, go with a simple symbol, like a Christmas tree or a dreidel.
2. Calculate the number of cupcakes you’ll need. Lay out cupcake liners in your chosen pattern on the large plate or piece of clean cardboard you plan to arrange your cupcakes on. Make sure they can all fit snugly, adding or subtracting cups as needed. Your final number of cups will be the number of cupcakes you’ll make.
This recipe makes 20-25 standard-sized cupcakes. If you need more or less than that, adjust the measurements accordingly.
For example, if you want to make 40 cupcakes, use 4 cups (950 mL) of flour, 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of salt, 4 teaspoons (20 mL) of baking powder, etc.
You could also use mini cupcakes. A recipe that makes 20 standard cupcakes can be used to make about 60 mini cupcakes.
3. Preheat your oven to 375 °F (191 °C) and line the pan with paper liners. If you’re making mini cupcakes, preheat to 350 °F (177 °C).
4. Mix your batter. Stir your butter and sugar with a wooden spoon or a mixer on medium speed until it’s light and fluffy. If you’re using a mixer, this should take 2-3 minutes.[4] Stir in one egg at a time, then add the flour, baking powder and salt. Pour in your milk and stir well, then add your vanilla (optional). Stir until smooth.
Soften the butter by leaving it out for a few hours before you start mixing your batter.
Use a mixer if possible, as the batter will be much harder to stir with a wooden spoon.
Vanilla will add a sweeter flavor, which is a great way to sweeten up your typical boxed cake mix.
5. Pour the batter into the tray. You can use a large measuring glass with a pointy lip to get a neater pour. Fill each cup about halfway, making sure to divide the batter equally so you get an even bake.
6. Bake the cupcakes for 18 minutes. Check on your cupcakes after about 10 minutes to make sure they’re rising but not burning. They shouldn’t be darker on top by the time you pull them out. Then, let them cool in their pans for about 10 minutes.
You can check if your cupcakes are done by sticking a toothpick into the center of one cupcake. Pull it back out and check to see if there is wet batter on it. If so, your cupcakes need some more time. Put them in for 5 more minutes, then check on them again. When the toothpick comes back dry, your cupcakes are ready to go.
If you’re making mini cupcakes, bake for 10-15 minutes.[9]
7. Make your icing. Microwave your butter for 10-30 seconds or leave it out for a few hours, until it’s slightly soft but not melted. Mix it with sugar in a large bowl, using a mixer on medium setting or a wooden spoon, until light and fluffy. Mix in the whipping cream, vanilla, and any food coloring you want and stir until the frosting is thick but spreadable.
If you want to use different colors in your pattern, separate the frosting evenly into different bowls, then add your desired food coloring to each bowl.
8. “Glue” your cupcakes to your plate with a swirl of frosting. Transfer your frosting to a piping bag, or make your own by poking a small hole in the bottom corner of a resealable plastic bag. Squirt a circle of frosting onto the bottom of each cupcake, directly onto the paper liner. Place each cupcake firmly back onto the plate or cardboard.
Make this squirt of frosting roughly circular and slightly smaller than the bottom of the cupcake, but don’t fill it in.
9. Push your cupcakes together for a tighter fit. Gently press the cupcakes together with your hands so that each one is pushed flush against its neighbors. This will prevent too much icing from slipping into the cracks between cupcakes.
10. Ice the cupcakes smoothly for a cake-like look. Use your piping bag to put a small dollop in any remaining diamond-shaped holes between cupcakes. Outline the outside edge of your pattern with frosting, then fill in the rest. Smooth it over with an icing scraper or a flat plastic spatula. Decorate with other colors of frosting or sprinkles.
11. Ice the cupcakes individually to make different frosting patterns. You could do rose-style icing or simple swirls with your piping bag. The cupcakes may feel like less of a cohesive cake, but this method could be best for some patterns. If you’re making a large flower out of cupcakes, for example, you may want to frost the cupcakes individually to make them look like individual petals. You also might wish to create a certain illusion of texture, for cakes in the shape of animals or birds.
While a Swedish Tea Ring may look fancy, and a bit difficult, it is not. A Swedish Tea Ring uses similar ingredients used to bake cinnamon rolls except it is baked as a circular coffee cake.
Ingredients.
Yeast Dough : 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon yeast, or 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast, 1 egg, 1/4 cup shortening, soft, 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups flour, 1 cup lukewarm milk.
Filling : 2 tablespoons butter, softened, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 cup raisins.
Powdered Sugar Icing : 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water, milk or cream, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
Method 1 Dough.
1. Add the sugar, salt and yeast to a mixing bowl.
2. Add the egg and shortening to the yeast mixture.
3. Add 3 1/2 cups flour and mix.
4. Slowly add the milk and mix until a soft dough forms. You may need to add more milk or flour until you get the right dough consistency. The dough should be form into a soft ball and start to look sticky.
5. Knead the dough until smooth and satiny.
6. Let rise until double.
7. Turn out dough and roll out into a 9 x 18-inch oblong.
Method 2 Filling.
1. Spread the soft butter over the dough.
2. Add the sugar, cinnamon and raisins to a small mixing bowl. Mix to combine.
3. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar raisin mixture over the buttered dough.
4. Roll up dough starting from the wide side.
5. Pinch dough edges together. Place seam-side down on a large baking pan.
6. Form the dough into a circle and join the edges together. Pinch the ends together to seal.
7. Cut the dough 2/3 of the way through in 1-inch sections. Use a pair of scissors to cut the dough.
8. Let dough rise until double.
9. Preheat oven to 375 °F (191 °C).
10. Place Swedish Tea Ring dough into the oven.
11. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden.
Method 3 Powdered Sugar Icing.
1. Add the powdered sugar to a small mixing bowl.
2. Add enough warm water, milk or cream to get the right consistency. The icing should be somewhat thick but not like frosting for a dessert cake.
3. Add the vanilla to the icing. Mix well.
4. Drizzle the icing with a fork over the warm coffee cake.
Tips.
Decorate the coffee cake with candied cherries if you plan to serve this for Christmas breakfast or brunch.
You can double the amount of icing to glaze the coffee cake as seen in the photo. You might not use all the frosting but you can save it later use.
Things You'll Need : Measuring cups and spoons, Mixing bowls, Mixer, Baking sheet, Oven mitts.
why our hunger is rising rapidly and how to sate it
I once did an idle poll of all the ways people’s mothers had called them fat and my favourite … well, it was a joint three-way between: “You could eat one more potato than a pig”, “Your brother is slimmer and more handsome, but that’s made him arrogant” and “Darling, you’re at what I would call your winter weight.” Ah, winter weight: is it a real thing or just a caustic critique? It’s both.
Some people don’t get hungrier when the seasons change and think it’s one of those things that happens to women, and bears. Those people are the outliers; they just don’t know it. A drop in ambient temperature increases energy expenditure in both sexes (also in bears). It shouldn’t matter enormously on a basic calories-in-calories-out model, because we’re talking just 150 calories a day. You use extra energy, you eat a banana; this is the smallest inconvenience the change in seasons has to offer, less annoying than having to find your cagoule. However, the human body being somewhat more complicated than a basic book-keeping system, all your appetite hears is the activation. It’s like the Hulk. It doesn’t want to do just one job. It’s a force of nature, not a supplier of goods and services. It wants to burst out of its clothes and keep on going until you, too, have burst out of your clothes.
There’s also a serotonin angle, as the sunlight recedes and your hormonal pathways try to source joy from other places, at which point a banana won’t cut it. And then, of course, there’s a feedback loop. You start by craving refined carbohydrates for a reason, but then you want more cake because you just had cake, as with heroin.
There’s a strong argument that says: who cares? Be your winter weight. And, sod it, while you’re there, why not eat one more potato than a pig? But let’s say you’re one of those people who hates being at the mercy of uncontrollable forces under the skin. There are things to eat in winter that don’t come from Greggs.
The point isn’t that you should eat hot food because it increases your body temperature from the inside. It doesn’t create a little pocket of heat in your stomach that emanates to your extremities for the rest of the day – it’s food, not uranium; the Ready Brek ad was basically mis-selling. But complex carbohydrates take more energy to digest, so will be both satiating and warming, which leads inexorably to the stew or hearty soup.
I start with pearl barley. I’m always bored with it by Christmas and by June I’ve forgotten how to cook it (it’s easy, like rice, only takes four times as long), but in the first cold snap it is powerfully cheering and fills your kitchen with a delicious, heady smell, as if you were living in a 16th-century brewery and will be ready for a massive knees-up in six months’ time. Delia Smith’s One Is Fun – perhaps the most controversial work in her canon, having caused lifelong rifts since the 1980s as friends presented it to each other as a passive-aggressive gift item (“You’re going to be alone for ever, at least eat nice soup”) – has a pearl barley soup of such substance, such rough but pleasing texture (squishy; no, wait, chewy; no, wait, slightly sticky; ah, hang on, also crunchy) and such an ancient vibe – you can taste the centuries of embedded knowledge, one generation passing carrot-wisdom on to the next, back into the mists of time – that while you’re on the first bowl, you feel as though you could eat it every day, for every meal, for ever. This will, unfortunately, turn out not to be true.
I don’t want to bang on about meat, painfully aware of how often I’ve claimed to be nearly vegan and then had a salt-beef sandwich. But the classic stew is barley with lamb, and William Drabble’s recipe is as close to perfect as it gets.
This will all take a lot longer than pasta and someone is sure to bang on about their slow cooker, and how it revolutionised their lives, because suddenly they were chopping onions at 7.25 in the morning and coming home to a delicious meal of very intense onions. I find this a slightly saddening life fix because part of the pleasure of making a stew is feeling that it was your skill – browning it, poking it, going back to have a look at it – that brought it to that point of excellence. Also, all those delicious smells, like a full-house scented candle made of food, except not £65 (there is no stew as expensive as a candle, except cassoulet). It’s better to make it on a Sunday and eat it all week.
Candy making is enjoyable, both because it's fun to work with the sweet ingredients and because the end results are so very tasty! From very simple candies to very artistic versions, there is candy making for every skill level, depending on what interests you. In this article, you'll find a variety of candy making suggestions to whet your appetite for making candy at home.
Method 1 Making Simple Candy.
Most simple candy is based on sugar turned into a syrup, with flavoring or other simple additives.
1. Make sugar candy. This is a very simple candy that only requires sugar and water. Not so great for the teeth, this is best left for an occasional treat.
Some variations on the basic sugar candy include maple sugar candy, sparkly sugar candy and Sweet and Low™ sugar candy.
2. Make rock or crystallized candy. Rock or crystallized candy is a prettier version of sugar candy that requires a little extra effort but not much! This type of candy is a great one for parties and school fairs. Note––this form of candy is not to be confused with pulled rock candy (see below).
3. Make toffee. Toffee is another simple sugar treat that can be eaten plain or can be changed into many different flavors through the addition of flavoring extracts, nuts or fruit, and other items. There are quite a few possibilities here, including.
English toffee, Almond toffee, Marshmallow toffee, Bacon toffee, Toffee apple.
4. Make cotton candy (also known as fairy floss). This is a favorite treat for those attending fairs, showgrounds and sideshows. It's a little messy to make at home but it still tastes great!
5. Make marshmallow. A perennial favorite for many, marshmallows are fun snack foods, at home, for camping and hiking and when stuck in the office all day!
Method 2 Making Pulled Candy.
Pulled candy is formed by stretching the sugar medium into a sausage shape after it cools slightly, twisting and pulling to trap the air bubbles and create a shiny candy. It's hard work though––you need to be strong and able to handle the candy at a high temperature or it'll lose its pliability when too cool. These candies are for the specialist!
1. Make taffy. Taffy is a well-known form of pulled candy.
2. Make boiled sweets. Many boiled sweets are made using the pulling method. This type of traditional candy formed in the days when people had more time to be fussing about with candy making and there is an infinite variety of boiled sweet types and shapes that can be made. Typical pulled candies include humbugs and rock candy.
See How to make old fashioned hard candy for a range of different boiled sweet types.
Method 3 Making caramel candies.
Caramels are made by adding milky or creamy products to the sugar. These render the candies softer and creamier.
1. Make caramel cream candies or basic caramels. The basic caramel cream candies are vanilla flavored and allow the creaminess to take center stage above the flavor.
2. Try variations on the basic caramel theme. There are many possibilities for changing the flavor and texture of caramels. Here are just a few examples of what you can make.
Plain chocolate caramels, Chocolate nut caramels, Bacon caramels, Ribbon caramels, Vegan caramels.
Method 4 Making Nutty Candy.
Using nuts as the basis for candy has a long tradition and gives the candy substance, as well as a great flavor.
1. Use almonds for candy. Almonds have a wonderful shape that is just perfect for turning into candies, and the flavor is liked by many. Here are some suggestions.
Make candied almonds, Make almond bark, Chocolate coated almonds.
Make sugar or Jordan almonds – these are often used for wedding favors; they can be made plain white or can be colored to suit a theme.
2. Use peanuts for candy. Peanuts are a popular inclusion in many candies. Here are just a few ideas.
Peanut brittle and chocolate peanut brittle, Homemade versions of Reese's peanut butter bars
3. Try walnuts for candies. Walnut flavor and texture are ideal for candies. Try some of these recipes.
Make candied walnuts, Chocolate caramel walnuts.
4. Use other nuts in candies. Brazil nuts, pecans and hazelnuts are just some of the other nuts that are used frequently to turn into candies.
Pecan brittle, Cashew brittle.
Method 5 Making Fudge.
Fudge is a soft ball stage candy. It's not as fussy to make as some of the other candy types, hence it's a popular homemade candy variety.
1. Make basic fudge. Fudge can be very simple without much flavoring added and it still tastes terrific.
2. Make fudge varieties. There are probably more fudge varieties than anyone can possibly ever name and likely even more yet to be invented! Categorized by type, here are a few fudge suggestions to get you started:
Chocolate fudge: Cocoa fudge, chocolate fudge, etc.
Nut fudge: Peanut butter and marshmallow fudge, Snickers fudge, etc.
Fun fudge: Cookies and cream fudge, fantasy fudge, etc.
Fruit fudge: Orange fudge, apricot fudge, Coconut fudge, etc.
Method 6 Making Fondant and Marzipan Candy.
This type of candy requires more skill and confidence but you have to begin somewhere, so don't shy away from it! There are lots of possibilities when you use fondant and marzipan mediums for making candies, as you can shape, mold and sculpt many different designs.
1. Use marzipan to make candies. Making marzipan is something you can do at home, or you can buy it pre-packaged.
Typical marzipan candy shapes are fruit shapes––little apples, oranges, pears, lemons, strawberries, etc. Flowers are another ideal way to shape marzipan. Marzipan candies include using marzipan as a stuffing inside dried fruit pieces or between two nuts.
Some more ideas include: Marzipan bunnies, marzipan toadstools and Christmas candy.
2. Use fondant to make candies. Again, you can make fondant at home or buy it already made. Be aware that there are different types of fondant available, with varying levels of sugar and other ingredients, which affects softness, taste and durability. Ask the retailer for advice. Some may be more suited to covering cake than shaping as candies.
Typical fondant candies include round balls or cookie cutter shapes. Fondant candies are often flavored and may be covered in chocolate to form chocolate creams of varying flavors.
3. Note that both marzipan and fondant can use the same shaping techniques. Refer to the instructions of particular recipes for certainty; in some cases, the exact type of fondant (candy or cake) will impact whether it can be shaped.
Method 7 Making Truffles.
Truffles are half candy, half chocolate. Hence, they're mentioned here although not every candy maker will dabble with truffle making, as it's an art form in its own right.
1. Make basic chocolate truffles. The natural flavor for a truffle is chocolate, so this is a good place to start!
Variations on chocolate truffles include chocolate rum truffles and white chocolate truffles.
2. Branch out into different varieties of truffles. There are many different choices possible, here are just a few suggestions.
Strawberry balsamic truffles, Mint truffles, Christmas pudding truffles, Oreo truffles, Pumpkin truffles.
Community Q&A.
Question : Are there any substitutes for fondant that actually taste good, and don’t just taste sweet?
Answer : While some substitutes for fondant do exist, such as marzipan or gum paste, fondant can be flavored with flavoring extracts or cocoa powder. I would suggest flavoring the fondant rather than using a substitute, because fondant substitutes do not have the same properties as fondant.
Tips.
In many cases, sugar-free or sugar-reduced options are available for candy making.
Vegan and vegetarian options for some animal-based ingredients are available; do an online search for substitutes.
If you enjoy making basic candies, try more advanced versions. Set aside your time and expect failures; it's all part of learning to improve your abilities in the art of making candies.
Note that not everyone is fond of the almond flavor in marzipan––always ask before sharing.
Warnings.
All candy is best consumed in moderation. High levels of sugar and other non-essential nutrients can lead to health problems such as diabetes, acne, poor digestion, excessive weight gain and the like. See candies as occasional treats for special events.
Things You'll Need.
Candy thermometer - this can be crucial for some candies, so it's a worthwhile investment.
Suitable candy making equipment - many candy making enthusiasts reserve special bowls, spoons, etc. just for making candies with.
Boxes, linings, bags, etc. for gifting candies.
Airtight storage containers, usually the best for keeping candies longer.
A candy bouquet is a sweet gift for any occasion, and making a bouquet from candy is almost as much fun as receiving it. Use your imagination and make a colorful, personalized gift that your friend won't ever forget -- even after he or she has eaten all the candy. If you want to know how to make a candy bouquet, just follow these steps.
Method 1 Lollipop Bouquet.
1. Choose a container for your candy bouquet. Be creative and personalize the container to fit the person you're making the bouquet for. A sand pail makes a great container for a child's bouquet. Use a parfait cup, coffee cup, or a soup mug for a friend, co-worker or teacher; a vintage tin for an antique collector; a small tackle box for an angler; a clay or plastic flower pot for a gardener or a popcorn bucket for a movie buff.
2. Stock up on a good supply of candy. Choose candy that you or the giftee loves, as well as candy that looks visually appealing and stands out. You should stock up on a variety of wrapped candies such as bubble gum, small candy bars, toffees, or chocolate kisses. Any securely wrapped candy will work.
Choose colors appropriate for the occasion, such as bright primary colors for a young child, pink and blue for a baby shower, gold or silver for an anniversary, black and orange for Halloween, red and white for Valentine's Day, green and white for St. Patrick's day or red and green for Christmas.
3. Use a glue gun to secure a chunk of Styrofoam to fit tightly in the bottom of the container. Trace the bottom of the container onto the chunk of Styrofoam and then cut out the shape you've made and glue it to the bottom of the container, putting glue on the sides and the bottom of the shape. Wait a few minutes for the Styrofoam to dry completely before you put the candy in -- unless you'd also like to glue the candy to the sides of the container.
4. Wrap a wooden skewer with green floral tape and stick it in the center of a Styrofoam ball. You can also use a thick popsicle stick instead of a skewer. Anything that is long and thick enough to hold up the candy will do. Insert the skewer into the center of the Styrofoam base, securing the skewer with a dab of glue. Put a small amount of glue on the other end of the skewer, then poke the glued end into the center of a Styrofoam ball.
Use a Styrofoam ball appropriate for the size of your container. As a general rule, a ball the size of a tennis ball or baseball works well for most arrangements.
You can also wrap the Styrofoam ball with green tape or paint it green, for an added effect.
5. Use floral pins to attach the wrapped candy to the Styrofoam ball. Pin one or both ends of each wrapped candy. Continue pinning the candy to the ball one at a time until it is completely covered with wrapped candies. When you've done this, you can also stick the skewer into the Styrofoam at the bottom of the container.
6. Pin silk leaves between a few of the candies. Alternatively, use small bows and loops tied from narrow, ¼-inch ribbon. Pick any design that would make the candy bouquet look even more festive and visually appealing.
7. Camouflage the top of the container with shredded paper or dried sphagnum moss. This will make the bouquet look more finished and will hide the Styrofoam bottom. You can also stick a few candy canes or pieces of candy appropriate to the occasion into the bottom of the basket. Finish your candy bouquet by tying a big, colorful bow around the container.
Method 2 Candy Bar Bouquet.
1. Use a glue gun to glue boxes of candy around each edge of a Styrofoam block. Get a Styrofoam block that is about the size of a brick and glue a box of candy around each of its four sides. Put the glue on the block and then stick the boxes to the glue. Using boxes of candy like Hot Tamales or the boxed M&Ms or Sno-Caps you can find at the movies are perfect for covering the Styrofoam block. Turn the box sideways, so the long way is facing up, and make sure that the top and bottom do not have candy bars glued to them.
2. Glue at least 6-8 candy bars to popsicle sticks. Glue a variety of candy bars, like Snickers, Hershey's, Crunch bars, or Butterfingers, to popsicle sticks so that about 2 inches (5 cm) of the popsicle stick is glued to the candy bar.
3. Stick the popsicle sticks into the top of the Styrofoam block. Once the glue on the Styrofoam block has dried, you can stick the popsicle sticks into the top of the block so that the candy bars are evenly spaced.
4. Glue tissue paper around the edge of the block. Glue some tissue paper around the top edge of the block so that all of the Styrofoam is covered and the candy block has a more bouquet-like feel.
Method 3 Cookie Candy Bouquet.
1. Glue a Styrofoam bottom into a large mug. Pick a mug that is festive for the occasion, whether it's around Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Valentine's Day. Trace the bottom of the mug over a piece of thick Styrofoam and cut the Styrofoam and place it snugly into the bottom of the mug. You can even try to glue the Styrofoam into the bottom of the mug, but then you -- or the person you're giving it to -- won't be able to use it once all the candy is eaten.
2. Bake a tray of cookies on popsicle sticks. Make the dough for chocolate chip, gingerbread, oatmeal raisin, or any other cookies that you like. Before you put them into the oven, cut a small hole in the bottom of the cookies and insert a wooden popsicle stick in each one. It's a good idea to bake a few extra cookies in case some of them break or don't stay on the popsicle stick. Give the cookies at least 10-15 minutes to cool off and harden before you try placing them in the bouquet.
3. Stick the popsicle sticks with cookies on them into the Styrofoam at the bottom of the mug. Spread the cookies out evenly so they stick out neatly above the mug. They can stick out at different angles and heights, as long as the bouquet looks visually appealing.
4. Fill the mug with candy and brown tissue paper. Place wrapped candy that goes well with the cookies, such as Reese's peanut butter cups or individually-wrapped Milky Ways, into the bottom of the mug, and place some brown tissue paper on top to cover the candy and Styrofoam.
Community Q&A.
Question : Can I use gift boxes to make a candy bouquet?
Answer : You can pretty much put a candy bouquet in anything. So, yes, gift boxes would be fine.
Question : How can I make a candy bouquet using Smarties candy?
Answer : Try making cake pops and making a bouquet with them. You make the cake pops then cover them in melted chocolate add the smarties then make the bouquet.
Question : Can someone eat the candy?
Answer : Of course! The candy can be removed and eaten after it's given to someone.
Tips.
Avoid using chocolate or other meltable candy if your candy bouquet will be in a warm room, or if the candy will be transported in a warm car.
Lollipops can easily be incorporated into your candy bouquet. Just cut the stick to about an inch. Spread a dab of glue on the stick, then insert the lollipop into the Styrofoam ball.
Things You'll Need.
Container, Assorted wrapped candies, Styrofoam block or floral foam, Electric glue gun and glue sticks, Floral tape.
Wooden skewer, Styrofoam ball, Floral pins, Silk leaves, 1/4-inch ribbon, Shredded paper or dry sphagnum moss, Bow.
Who can resist a piece of delicious, rich cake or fudgy brownies? For avid bakers, making tasty desserts that everyone raves over is a badge of honor -- that's why bake offs have become so popular. A bake off can be a fun activity among friends or a great way to raise money for a good cause. Hosting the event can be challenging, but with some careful planning, you can pull off a successful -- and delicious! -- bake off.
Part 1 Designing the Bake Off.
1. Choose a theme for the bake off. To make it easier to settle on recipes, it helps to have a theme for the bake off. You might choose a specific type of baked goods, such as cookies, cakes, pies, or brownies, or a specific event to bake for, such as desserts for a holiday, birthday, or wedding. A specific ingredients, such as apples or pumpkin, can also be a good theme.
A seasonal theme can work well too. For example, ask for summer desserts or fall-inspired treats.
A movie or book can be a fun theme as well. For example, request Harry Potter-inspired baked goods.
You can even use a color for the bake off's theme. For example, ask for baked goods that feature red ingredients.
2. Decide on the rules for the bake off. A bake off can be arranged in several different ways. You can give the participants the general theme and let them choose their own recipes or you might choose a single recipe and have all of the participants make the same thing.
It’s also important to decide if participants will bake their entry at the venue or bring a finished product to the event. Having participants bake on site is very exciting, but it can be more difficult to find a venue with the proper kitchen facilities so having bakers bring finished entries may be more convenient.
Write down a set of formal rules for the bake off once you settle on them. Participants will want to know all of the guidelines before they agree to take part.
You should also decide if you will charge an entry fee. If you’re holding the event to raise money, having participants pay a small fee makes sense. Anywhere from $5 to $20 may be appropriate, depending on the event.
3. Settle on prizes for the bake off. To give people incentive to participate, it helps to have some type of prize for the winner(s) of the bake off. If the event is sponsored by a local business, it might be a cash prize. You can also hand out a trophy, ribbon, or certificate.
The bake-off prize can be worth any amount, but typically, $25 to $100 is a good range.
You may decide that only the first-place winner receives a prize, but you can also have smaller prizes for the second and third-place winners if you like.
If you’re holding the bake off for fun, you just might purchase small items to use as prizes, such as an apron or pot holders.
A bake off can also function as a fundraiser. Even if you give the winner a small prize, you can then sell off all of the baked goods afterward to raise money for your cause.
4. Set a date and time for the bake off. Once you’ve settled on the basic guidelines for the bake off, you’ll need to find a day and time to hold it. It may depend on when you can secure a venue, but it’s usually best to hold it on a weekend when people typically have more free time.
If you're using a holiday or other special occasion as a theme for the bake off, you'll want to time the event to appropriately. In most cases, you'll want to hold the contest within a two to three weeks of the holiday. For example, if the bake off has Christmas theme, you'll want to hold it within the first two to three weeks of December.
5. Find a venue for the bake off. When you’ve settled on a date and time for the bake off, you’ll need a location for it. If you plan to have participants bake their entries at the event, you’ll need a spot with multiple ovens and stove tops. If you’re having participants bring prepared baked goods to the event, you only need a spot where there’s room for a judging table and space for an audience.
If you need a venue with cooking equipment, you might look online for catering facilities that could support the bake off.
A bakery or restaurant can be an ideal venue too. Talk to local businesses to see if they're interested in partnering with you for the bake off.
If you only need a space to showcase the finished baked goods, any catering hall or party room that's available for rent will work.
Part 2 Gathering the Personnel.
1. Select at least one judge for the bake off. To determine the winner of the bake off, you’ll need at least one judge to taste and evaluate the baked goods. Ideally, the judge(s) should have some baking knowledge and experience, but that doesn’t necessarily have to be as a professional.
The judges shouldn't have any personal connections to the contests to avoid any claims of bias.
In general, the more participants your bake off has, the more judges you’ll want. A panel of three judges works well for most bake offs, though. If your bake off has five or less participants, though, a single judge is usually sufficient. For five to ten candidates, two judges work well.
People who would make good candidates for judges include local bakery and restaurant owners, culinary teachers from local schools, or bakers who've won other bake offs.
When you're talking to potential judges, you might say something like, "We're holding a bake off and would really like your expertise in judging the entries."
If you're holding the event to raise money for a cause, provide information about the organization or group that will benefit to the potential judges.
2. Find participants for the bake off. A bake off can’t happen if there aren’t bakers to participate. Ask friends, family, co-workers, and/or classmates who you know enjoy baking to take part. You can also create flyers with all of the details to post in your neighborhood, on your school or office bulletin board, or other locations to invite people to participate.
Make sure to get permission before you post any flyers on private property, such as a store window.
If you’re active on social media, you can also post online about the bake off to find participants. For example, making a Facebook event for the bake off is a good way to generate buzz. You can also use Twitter and Instagram to do a countdown to the event as a way to keep people interested.
3. Invite people to watch the bake off. It’s not necessary, but it can be fun to have an audience to attend the bake off. Once you’ve secured participants, create a flyer that advertises the event for anyone who might like to watch and post them in your neighborhood and/or school or office bulletin board.
If you’re holding the bake off as a fundraiser, you can sell tickets to the event. You can charge however much you like for the tickets, but it's best to keep the price between $5 and $10.
Part 3 Arranging the Bake-Off Supplies.
1. Create judging sheets. To make it easier for the judges to evaluate the entries, you should create scoring sheets for them to use. Decide what categories they should judge, such as taste and appearance, and what scale they should use, such as 1 to 5 or 1 to 10. Make enough copies so each judge has one for every contestant.
Some judging categories to consider include overall taste, texture, presentation, originality, adherence to theme, and skill level.
There should be a spot on the judging sheets for the judge to write their own name, as well as the contestant’s name.
2. Make copies of the recipe if it's that type of challenge. If all of the participants are preparing the same recipe for the bake off, you’ll need to make enough copies so all of the participants have one. Don’t hand them out until the bake off actually begins, though.
You may also want to make copies of the recipe for the judges to consult.
3. Gather baking supplies if necessary. If participants are baking their entries at the bake off, you’ll need to have supplies on hand for them to use. You’ll need ingredients, such as flour, sugar, eggs, butter, and vanilla, as well as bakeware, such as mixing bowls, electric mixers, cookie sheets, and cake pans.
If participants are using their own recipes, you should ask them if there are any special ingredients or equipment that they’ll need so you can be sure to have them on hand for the event.
4. Gather decorations for the venue. To make the event feel more festive, it helps to decorate the venue. You don’t have to go crazy, but some colorful disposable tablecloths, decorative bunting, and simple balloons can help dress up the space.
It's a good idea to match your decorations to the theme of the bake off. For example, orange, red, brown, and gold decorations work well for a fall-themed bake off.
Part 4 Overseeing the Bake Off.
1. Verify that the venue is set up properly. The day of the bake off, take a walk around the event space. Check that any necessary ingredients and equipment are on hand and there are tables for the contestants to display their entries. Make sure that you have all the necessary recipes and/or scoring sheets as well.
2. Time the entries. If participants are baking their entries at the venue, you’ll need to give them a set amount of time to prepare their baked goods. Use a countdown clock that is visible to everyone at the venue, and don’t allow anyone to submit an entry that isn’t ready after it ticks down.
If guests are preparing their entries at home, you should still have a set time when the entries have to be on the judging table.
3. Have the participants place their entries on the table with no names. All of the participants should put their entries on tables in a designated judging area. However, the participants’ names shouldn’t be placed with their entries to ensure that the judges are objective. Just number the entries and keep a list of which entry belongs to which participant.
4. Give the judges time to fill out the voting cards. Once the entries have reached the judging table, allow the judges to look at and taste each one. After they’ve tasted the entries, they should be given some time to fill out their scoring sheets so they can be as thorough as possible.
The amount of time that the judges will need depends largely on how many entries there are. The more baked goods they have to judge, the more time they’ll likely need. In general, you'll want to give the judges at least five minutes to evaluate each entry.
5. Collect the scoring sheets and tally the votes. After the judges have had some time to evaluate the entries, gather up their judging sheets. Add up the scores for each participant so you can determine who the first, second, and third-place winners are.
6. Announce the winner(s). Once you’ve counted all the votes, it’s time to announce the winner. If you’re naming the top three vote getters, start with the third and second-place winners and save the first-place winner for last. Hand out the prize(s), and take some photos of the winners to remember the day.
Tips.
Holding a large-scale bake-off is difficult to pull off. It is best to start small, and eventually build to a bigger, better contest.
A bake off doesn’t have to be a formal event. You can hold one with friends for fun.
