Free Christmas and Winter Cupcake Wrappers

Ho Ho Ho!  Ack... okay, it is only October, but I promised myself that I would get some things done early this year.  I have really wanted to make cupcakes that match my Christmas decorations, but every year I get tooo busy with birthday parties, shopping, decorating, etc.  So, this year I did it EARLY!  I hope you enjoy these too.  I also made a pretty brown and green and blue set for winter themes that may not include Christmas.  Enjoy!

For directions showing how to use these wrappers, go HERE!

If you would like to see how the vintage blue and red cupcake wrappers above fit into my Christmas decor, Check out THIS link!  I ♥ Christmas!

2011 Annual Cookie Decorating Party & Marshmallow Fondant Tutorial

If you have been following my blog for a while now, you have probably seen photos from our cookie party we have each year.  This year was even better as we had sweet new faces as well as the girls who come each year!  I enjoy this party so much because it is just for me and my friends.  No kids allowed!  :-)  I love kids as much as the next person, but it is nice to be able to get together with MY friends and do something that I love to do!

Anyway, we had a great turn out and the cookies were adorable when we were all done. I have been collecting cookie decorations for years now and I have sooo many to share.  Sanding sugars, non-parielles, jimmies, cute little shapes as well as candy coated sunflower seeds, Sixlets, and icing eyeballs.  You really can't have too many!  I found these little tart cups at our local dollar store.  They were awesome for this purpose.  I love the scalloped edges!

 This year I added a few designs to my cookies.  I have seen some of the ideas online and some I made up myself as I go.  Hope you enjoy the ideas and if you want to copy them, feel free! 

One of the things I played with this year was marshmallow fondant as a background. It was so fun.... like playing with PlayDoh!  I cut the fondant with the cookie cutter I used so that it fit perfectly on the cookies.  I will include the fondant recipe below.  I made my fondant anise flavored because we all love it.  The cookie icing, however, is vanilla or lemon.  I think that will go over better with others who might not love anise like we do!  The bottom reindeer cookie with the 2011 on it is made with fondant as are the backgrounds of the blue Happy Holidays and the O'Holy Night cookies.

The blue tree with snow below was made with fondant as was the white quilted cookie with blue pearls and the ornament cookie. 

The square cookie with the white tree on the white background was also done in fondant.

Marshmallow Fondant and How to Use It on Cookies

This is the original recipe, but I've changed it up a bit and I've got a few notes to add.
http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Rolled-Marshmallow-Fondant

Ingredients:

• 1 package (16 ounces) Fireside white mini marshmallows
• 2-5 tablespoons water
• 2 pounds (about 8 cups) sifted confectioners' sugar  
• plus extra confectioners' sugar for rolling fondant
• Pinch of salt

Makes:

About 2 pounds marshmallow fondant.

Instructions:

Step 1

To make marshmallow fondant, place marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 30 seconds on high; stir until mixed well. Continue microwaving 30 seconds more; stir again. Continue until melted (about 2 1/2 minutes).

Step 2

Using a mixer, mix sugar & salt into marshmallow mixture. Flavoring should be added at this point.  . Generously sprinkle extra powdered sugar onto counter. Turn marshmallow mixture onto counter.  Separate into pieces per the color you need. Add your coloring here. This allows the coloring to flow easily through the fondant.  Dampen your hands with water.  Start kneading like you would dough. Continue kneading, adding additional confectioners' sugar to the counter so the fondant doesn't stick. If the marshmallow fondant is tearing easily, it is too dry; add water (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time) kneading until fondant forms a firm, smooth elastic ball that will stretch without tearing, about 8 minutes.

Step 3

It's best to allow Marshmallow Fondant to sit, double-wrapped, overnight. Prepare the fondant for storage by coating in confections' sugar and wrap in plastic wrap and then place in resealable bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible. Marshmallow Fondant will keep well in refrigerator for several weeks.

Step 4

When not working with fondant, make sure to keep it covered with plastic wrap or in a bag to prevent it from drying out. When ready to use, knead fondant until smooth. Roll out fondant 1/8 in. thick.

Step 5

To color fondant: If you need to tint the entire batch of fondant, add a little icing color to the melted marshmallow mixture before adding confectioners' sugar. For smaller amounts of tinted fondant, add icing color to portions of fondant as needed.

My notes:
In case you are wondering.... this fondant does get hard (like a royal icing would) on the cookies, but it still tastes great and keeps the cookies somewhat soft.  If you flavor it with vanilla, it tastes a lot like candy corn, which to me is too sweet.  I put anise flavoring in it this time and will try lemon next time.  I also added a dash of salt to the recipe.  This cut some of the sweetness.

I have made this using the medium-sized marshmallows too.

I usually separate the larger mass into smaller balls before I start kneading in the color and the extra powdered sugar. If you make it the day before you need it, it really makes the color nicer. Always put LOTS of powdered sugar down when you are rolling the fondant out. It will keep it from sticking. Put powdered sugar on the top of the fondant before you roll it with your rolling pin too. Be generous with the powdered sugar, you can't use too much. Pretend you are playing with Play-doh and have fun with it! 

The original recipe had you put shortening on the counter and your hands, but I found that this just made a big mess to clean up and really was unneccesary.  I just wet my hands often and added more powdered sugar. 

In order to use it on cookies, roll the fondant to about 1/8 inch thick.  Cut the shape you used for your cookie with the same cookie cutter. You can also use a smaller shape than the one you used so that you will have cookie edges.  I did this with the square Christmas tree cookie in the picture just above.  I cut the square cookie with a larger cutter. Then I used a smaller square cookie cutter for the background.  I then used a tree cookie cutter to cut the tree out for on top.  In order for the fondant to stick to your cookie and to itself, use a little of your icing.  You can then add icing on top to decorate, or you can use dabs of icing to hold your little decorations on.  Enjoy and have fun!

I posted this on my crafty blog, but I thought you might like to see the INSIDE of the cake I posted about here.  I found the tutorial at Glorious Treats.  Be sure to stop by to see how it is assembled!  Very neat!

I hid the baking and assembling part from my boys.  They didn't see it until the white, whipped cream icing was on it.  Under the whipped cream icing, I made and Italian buttercream and layered and crumb coated with that.  Yum!  My red is a bit pink, but I love pink, so I didn't mind!

How To Make Thai Spring Rolls

When I lived in San Diego, I found the tastiest treat EVER at Saffron on India Street.  I fell in love with this low-cal, low-carb treat.... really, a hand-held salad.  It was heaven.  I had my husband pick them up about once a week on his way home from work. 

Eventually, I moved to Upstate NY and could no longer get these yummy lunches/dinners, so I learned to make them myself.  It really is easy if you can find the spring roll wrappers at your grocery store.  I've found these at Wegman's in NY and hopefully you can find them at yours too.

These are the ingredients you need:

Spring Roll Wrappers

Roast Chicken breast sliced - Great from leftover roast chicken or you can buy a roast chicken at the grocery; Large leaf lettuce (mine is red leaf), cucumber sliced the long way, cilantro, peanuts (chopped or not)... I also sometimes add thin carrot sticks to the mix. Some people like fresh mint leaves in theirs too, but I'm not a fan.  I have also seen them made with cooked shrimp instead of the chicken.

Optional... but oh so good... a peanut sauce and a Thai Sweet Chili Sauce.  These are my favorite brands...

You can actually find them at our Walmart, but not sure about yours.

To assemble:

Take one of the Spring roll wrappers from the package.  They are hard and feel a little like plastic.

In a large frying pan, heat about a cup of water to simmering.  Turn off the heat.

Have a pair of tongs ready.

Put the wrapper into the water.  It will roll a bit, but use your tongs to keep it down

a bit.  Just after you get it wet, flip it over carefully.

Get the entire other side wet.  You don't want to keep it in too long or it will get too soggy and rip

easily.

Remove from the pan to your work surface.  Try to keep it from doing this!

In order to do so, while you pick it up with the tongs, grab the other side with

your fingers.  It will be hot, so be careful.   If it does turn out like this, throw it

out and start over.  I guarantee one will do this.

This is what it should look like. 

 Add one leaf of lettuce in the top middle.

 Cilantro on top of that....

 Cucumbers on top of that...

Chicken pieces on top of that...

 Peanuts on top of that.  I like mine whole, but you can chop them if you like them less chunky...

I add the peanut and chili sauces right inside so I don't have to dirty a dish to dip in, but you can dip them if you like!

Next, fold the bottom half of the wrapper up over the filling....

Fold the left side over the fillings and roll it all up to the right side.

 In the end it will look like this...

I generally eat 4 of them for a meal.  Hope you enjoy this tutorial and love these as much as I do!

If you can't find the wrappers at your store, you can order them online at Amazon... Same goes for the sauces... but they only hvae a 6 pack of peanut sauce on there.  I'm sure you can find the single bottle online somewhere....

 Spring roll wrappers (rice paper)- 12 oz
  House of Tsang Bangkok Peanut Sauce, 11.5-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 6)

 Sweet Chili Sauce - 25 oz

How To Make Glitter Lollipops - Revisited

One of my most popular posts on my crafty blog was this quick tutorial showing how to make glittered lollipops.  I don't know why I never showed it on my food blog???  So, I just reposted it here for my foodie friends to see.  Hope your New Year is SWEET!

I made some glitter pops today. I had this mold that I haven't used and wanted to play with chocolate. I bought mine at a cake supply store about a year ago.

These pretty pops are flavored with creme de mint.

Here is what you need:

Wilton Lollipop Mold

Wilton Lollipop Sticks

Wilton Candy Melts

Food Coloring

Creme de Menthe Flavor Oil (I get this at one of my local pharmacies)

Sanding Sugar (Found with cake supplies and toppings)

1) Add a tiny dab of shortening to a small microwavable bowl wiht about 15 of those little white chocolate disks that you can get at Michaels or WalMart and melt them in the microwave for about 20 seconds. I used about 15 per lollipop.

2) Stir (you may need to melt a little more) then add some food coloring and a few drops of mint flavored oil and stir again.

3) Fill the three molds and put the sticks in them and twist the sticks so they get coated with chocolate

4) Put them in the refrigerator for about an hour. Pop the out of the molds.

5) After I unmolded them, I stuck them under the hot broiler element in my oven for about 5 seconds and dipped them in sanding sugar. You are DONE! Easy Peasy.

They are so glittery and pretty! What kid wouldn't want to eat those? Heck, what adult wouldn't?

If you need to get the candy melts, you can get them here.  I couldn't find any blue ones, but they would look super cute in pink too... and they would be cheaper t!  I used white and colored them with neon food coloring.  The link is below if you would like to get them...

Wilton Pink Candy Melts

Wilton Candy Melts 14 Ounces Pink W1911-447, 3 Item(s)/Order

And here is the neon food coloring which created this pretty blue...

McCormick Food Colors & Egg Dye, Four Assorted Neon, 0.25-Ounce Vials (Pack of 6)

Wilton White Candy Melts

Sanding Sugar...

CK Products 4 Ounce Sanding Sugar Bottle, Opal

I really have to get the heart lollipop molds to try this with for Valentine's Day. The round one would be cute too, but I couldn't find the swirly one that I used.  I think I found that one years ago at a cake supply store.

Lorann Oils Candy Molds Heart Lollipop 5 Cavity L55-66, 6 Item(s)/Order

 Candy Making Molds-Happy Birthday Round Lollipop

Also, if you need lollipop sticks, you can find them here...

Sucker Lollipop Sticks 4 1/2 x 5/32 inch Package of 100

And bags to put them in....

Wilton Lollipop Bags

(Pack of 6)

Please show me your product if you make these! I'd love to see them!

Tami