Heather Baird's Blog, page 35
November 20, 2019
Rachel Green's Thanksgiving Trifle
The One With Rachel's English Trifle.
Hello, F.R.I.E.N.D.S. (wink!) This year marked the 25th anniversary of the popular sitcom, which probably is news to absolutely no one. It's been widely celebrated since September 22nd, which was the official anniversary. There's been lots of fanfare,and there's even a Friends + Pottery Barn collaboration with cute merchandise that includes the infamous apothecary table that Phoebe loved. (And hated, and loved).
I was so excited to be asked by Food Network to re-create Rachel's English trifle because it's from one my favorite episodes. If you've never seen the episode, then (spoiler alert!) Rachel makes a beautiful trifle with some very interesting layers. Let's recap those layers, shall we?
First there's a layer of ladyfingers, then jam, custard, raspberries, more ladyfingers, beef sauteed with peas and onions , more custard, bananas and whipped cream.
One of these things is not like the others.
Continued, click to read more...
Hello, F.R.I.E.N.D.S. (wink!) This year marked the 25th anniversary of the popular sitcom, which probably is news to absolutely no one. It's been widely celebrated since September 22nd, which was the official anniversary. There's been lots of fanfare,and there's even a Friends + Pottery Barn collaboration with cute merchandise that includes the infamous apothecary table that Phoebe loved. (And hated, and loved).
I was so excited to be asked by Food Network to re-create Rachel's English trifle because it's from one my favorite episodes. If you've never seen the episode, then (spoiler alert!) Rachel makes a beautiful trifle with some very interesting layers. Let's recap those layers, shall we?
First there's a layer of ladyfingers, then jam, custard, raspberries, more ladyfingers, beef sauteed with peas and onions , more custard, bananas and whipped cream.
One of these things is not like the others.
Continued, click to read more...
November 19, 2019
Mini Bundt Cake Bar for Friendsgiving
Looking for a fun way to serve dessert at your next holiday gathering? Look no further! A Mini Bundt Cake Bar is easy to assemble and even more fun to decorate. Use the recipes in this post to make a variety of sturdy bundt cakes to fill your bar.
Donut walls have been all the rage in recent years for parties, showers, and almost any festive occasion. I've been eager to try making one myself because they are so darn adorable, aaaand I had some questions. For example - how practical is this for serving a crowd? How hard is it to build one? How do the donuts stay fresh?
This year I had the opportunity to make a donut pegboard for HGTV's wedding DIY's (as seen in this gallery, picture 41/60). It was so much fun and easier than I expected. Recently, after baking up some mini bundt cakes in a fancy pan, it struck me how beautiful they'd be displayed on a wall. I decided then to make a hanging mini bundt cake bar for our workshop Friendsgiving.
If you'd like to make your own hanging pegboard bundt bar, then hop over to ConfettiFix.com for our build tutorial. For recipes - keep reading!
Continued, click to read more...
Donut walls have been all the rage in recent years for parties, showers, and almost any festive occasion. I've been eager to try making one myself because they are so darn adorable, aaaand I had some questions. For example - how practical is this for serving a crowd? How hard is it to build one? How do the donuts stay fresh?
This year I had the opportunity to make a donut pegboard for HGTV's wedding DIY's (as seen in this gallery, picture 41/60). It was so much fun and easier than I expected. Recently, after baking up some mini bundt cakes in a fancy pan, it struck me how beautiful they'd be displayed on a wall. I decided then to make a hanging mini bundt cake bar for our workshop Friendsgiving.
If you'd like to make your own hanging pegboard bundt bar, then hop over to ConfettiFix.com for our build tutorial. For recipes - keep reading!
Continued, click to read more...
October 22, 2019
Vanitas Chocolate Cake with Death Wish Coffee Ganache
If you're looking for a frightfully good chocolate cake for your Halloween party, then look no further! Layers of chocolate cake are filled and frosted with Death Wish Coffee ganache, which will keep specters dancing until dawn. Botanical icing sheets and a gold-covered chocolate skull make this cake hauntingly beautiful.
Halloween is next week (!!!) and I've been eager to make something special for the occasion. I'm not sure why, but this year I've been really keen on pairing skeletons and botanicals for spooky seasonal decor (see my DIY Skeleton Botanical Art here !). I suppose it stems from my love for vanitas, which is a type of symbolic still life art. It incorporates reminders of the brevity of life, and ephemeral items like the ones shown in the above photo: bones, fruit, flowers, smoke.
Earlier this year I'd tucked away a cache of printed icing sheets for just the right inspired moment, and after digging them out, a dramatic floral caught my eye. It was perfect for this vanitas-inspired confection.
Continued, click to read more...
Halloween is next week (!!!) and I've been eager to make something special for the occasion. I'm not sure why, but this year I've been really keen on pairing skeletons and botanicals for spooky seasonal decor (see my DIY Skeleton Botanical Art here !). I suppose it stems from my love for vanitas, which is a type of symbolic still life art. It incorporates reminders of the brevity of life, and ephemeral items like the ones shown in the above photo: bones, fruit, flowers, smoke.
Earlier this year I'd tucked away a cache of printed icing sheets for just the right inspired moment, and after digging them out, a dramatic floral caught my eye. It was perfect for this vanitas-inspired confection.
Continued, click to read more...
September 28, 2019
Sweet Potato Sage Scones
The combination of roasted sweet potatoes and sage gives these scones a sweet and savory flavor profile that makes them a delicious treat for breakfast or dessert.
When fall arrives, it seems that pumpkin reigns as king of pastries, pies and cakes. I love pumpkin too, but my favorite orange-hued veggie to bake with happens to be sweet potato. Compared to pumpkin purée, starchy sweet potato is naturally sweeter and denser which makes it a wonderful addition to quick breads - like these scones!
Continued, click to read more...
When fall arrives, it seems that pumpkin reigns as king of pastries, pies and cakes. I love pumpkin too, but my favorite orange-hued veggie to bake with happens to be sweet potato. Compared to pumpkin purée, starchy sweet potato is naturally sweeter and denser which makes it a wonderful addition to quick breads - like these scones!
Continued, click to read more...
August 7, 2019
Cream Puff Cake
Cream puff cake has a golden crust that puffs high in the pan as it bakes, which forms the perfect container for creamy custard filling. A drizzle of scratch-made chocolate ganache makes this cake pretty and gives it added richness. What makes it extra delicious? Real butter. Butter gives the ganache a beautiful shine and smooth consistency while keeping the choux batter rich and fluffy.
Pâte à choux is one my favorite classic pastry elements. It's the base for eclairs, profiteroles, savory cheese puffs, and other delicious bites that are carefully piped on baking sheets. I'd never considered the fast and easy option of spreading an entire batch of choux pastry in a dish and baking it as a crust, but it works marvelously! It makes the fluffiest, airiest crust for this cream-filled cake that slices neatly for serving.
Continued, click to read more...
Pâte à choux is one my favorite classic pastry elements. It's the base for eclairs, profiteroles, savory cheese puffs, and other delicious bites that are carefully piped on baking sheets. I'd never considered the fast and easy option of spreading an entire batch of choux pastry in a dish and baking it as a crust, but it works marvelously! It makes the fluffiest, airiest crust for this cream-filled cake that slices neatly for serving.
Continued, click to read more...
July 31, 2019
Shark Diorama Cake for Shark Week!
Hello, and Happy Shark Week ! Discovery's week-long shark fest began on July 28th and runs through August 4th. I'm sure by now you've noticed some shark-themed treats swimming through your social media feeds, and I'm adding one more! I'm so excited to share this special cake I made for Food Network in honor of the event.
Continued, click to read more...
July 12, 2019
Ruby Chocolate Hi Hat Cupcakes
Ruby chocolate is a brand new innovation in the culinary world made from red cocoa beans, which yields a naturally pink chocolate with mild red berry flavors. In this recipe, dark chocolate cupcakes are covered with a high mound of billowy meringue frosting and then dipped in tangy ruby chocolate coating.
It's been nearly a year since I first sampled ruby chocolate, which was invented by Barry Callebaut in 2017. It's been my new obsession ever since, and the subject of quite a few experiments in my kitchen. You may remember this Ruby Chocolate Cheesecake from earlier this year.
In my work, I've found that Ruby Chocolate's flavors shine best when closest to its pure form, such as bar or callet. For this reason it makes a fine chocolate coating for all kinds of candies and confections - and certainly for these cupcakes!
Continued, click to read more...
It's been nearly a year since I first sampled ruby chocolate, which was invented by Barry Callebaut in 2017. It's been my new obsession ever since, and the subject of quite a few experiments in my kitchen. You may remember this Ruby Chocolate Cheesecake from earlier this year.
In my work, I've found that Ruby Chocolate's flavors shine best when closest to its pure form, such as bar or callet. For this reason it makes a fine chocolate coating for all kinds of candies and confections - and certainly for these cupcakes!
Continued, click to read more...
July 1, 2019
Hot Dog Snack Cakes
These hot dog look-alikes are sure to bring the smiles at your next summer gathering. Homemade golden sponge cakes are filled with chocolate franks and garnished with yellow buttercream 'mustard'.
Summer is in full swing and we're adjusting to new routines. Days are long so we're staying up later to enjoy evenings on the patio. The lightening bugs in our backyard glow with near synchronicity which is a simple but awe-inspiring kind of magic. And then there's our renewed zest for spontaneous cookouts, which happens weekly.
The latter was my inspiration for creating these hot dogs in true trompe l'oeil fashion. I think they're a real hoot! They're tasty too, because they are essentially extra-large Twinkie-style snack cakes. They're not hard to make but require a few steps which are all outlined in the tutorial that follows.
Also, I have a fun giveaway today, so read on for the details!
Continued, click to read more...
Summer is in full swing and we're adjusting to new routines. Days are long so we're staying up later to enjoy evenings on the patio. The lightening bugs in our backyard glow with near synchronicity which is a simple but awe-inspiring kind of magic. And then there's our renewed zest for spontaneous cookouts, which happens weekly.
The latter was my inspiration for creating these hot dogs in true trompe l'oeil fashion. I think they're a real hoot! They're tasty too, because they are essentially extra-large Twinkie-style snack cakes. They're not hard to make but require a few steps which are all outlined in the tutorial that follows.
Also, I have a fun giveaway today, so read on for the details!
Continued, click to read more...
June 21, 2019
Zucchini Olive Oil Muffins with Cinnamon Crunch Streusel
This classic recipe for zucchini muffins is the perfect way to take advantage of summer's bounty of squash. The cinnamon-streusel topping gives each muffin an extra bite of sweetness and a delicate crunch.
Happy First Day of Summer!
If ever there was a time to post a zucchini recipe, it is now. I've always known that this vegetable is plentiful in warm months, but I'm finding out just how plentiful first hand. This spring I planted a little 9-foot garden just outside the workshop doors. Almost every day there's a new squash to discover and pluck from the vine - it's as if they magically appear overnight!
Continued, click to read more...
Happy First Day of Summer!
If ever there was a time to post a zucchini recipe, it is now. I've always known that this vegetable is plentiful in warm months, but I'm finding out just how plentiful first hand. This spring I planted a little 9-foot garden just outside the workshop doors. Almost every day there's a new squash to discover and pluck from the vine - it's as if they magically appear overnight!
Continued, click to read more...
June 14, 2019
Peach Melba
This classic Victorian-era dessert of fresh peaches, vanilla ice cream, and raspberry sauce is easy to prepare and makes an elegant last course.
I think it's fair to say that most desserts prepared in the French style could be described as elaborate, however, this French dessert is delightfully simple. It was created by famed chef Auguste Escoffier around 1892 to honor Australian opera singer Nellie Melba.
Because this recipe relies on few ingredients, use the best of each available. In Escoffier's words, “Pêche Melba is a simple dish made up of tender and very ripe peaches, vanilla ice cream, and a purée of sugared raspberry. Any variation on this recipe ruins the delicate balance of its taste.”
Continued, click to read more...
I think it's fair to say that most desserts prepared in the French style could be described as elaborate, however, this French dessert is delightfully simple. It was created by famed chef Auguste Escoffier around 1892 to honor Australian opera singer Nellie Melba.
Because this recipe relies on few ingredients, use the best of each available. In Escoffier's words, “Pêche Melba is a simple dish made up of tender and very ripe peaches, vanilla ice cream, and a purée of sugared raspberry. Any variation on this recipe ruins the delicate balance of its taste.”
Continued, click to read more...
