Minion Cupcakes, Never Again

Let me preface this by saying, I love my niece. I love being the one that bakes her cupcakes every year for her birthday, even though I’m really not a fan of decorating cupcakes. Every year my sister picks an awesome theme and they go all out. This year, it was Despicable Me, and she had minion everything.

Ashley pinned a picture of a twinkie topped cupcake, and asked if I could do it. I say…yes. Thankfully I got help from my baking guru friend Diem. I could not have done it without her!

We made funfetti cupcakes topped with a blue buttercream. I ordered Wilton Candy Eyeballs which I used to decorate the twinkies. We used black gel icing for the details, and chocolate jimmies for the spiky hair.

It’s a pretty simple thing to do, but since we made 48 it was a long and tedious process. First we cut the twinkies in half, then with a little frosting, stick one or two eyes on them.

After that, I poked holes into the top of the twinkies (which are now hard by the way from sitting out of the package) and inserted chocolate jimmies for spiky hair.

Using a small tip and black piping gel, I outlined the eyes to make goggles and finish their face.

After that we frosted the cupcakes, and pressed the twinkies on top! I personally don’t like eating twinkies, but everyone seemed to enjoy them!

Posted on February 23, 2015 by miemo 0

Fall is Here! Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Well. Maybe tomorrow. But I’m excited. Time for comfort foods. And pumpkin EVERYTHING. Surprisingly, I have not had a pumpkin spice latte yet. I am boycotting them this year because Starbucks rolled it out too early. To get the pumpkin spice fix, I made pumpkin spice cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Can I tell you a secret though? I didn’t use a cupcake recipe. It was for whoopie pies. Whoopie pies look too much like macarons, and I am still on hiatus, so I instead of scooping them into cookies, I just stuck it in a cupcake pan and called it a day.

Spice up your life.

Pumpkin, brown sugar and butter.

I added some cinnamon to this recipe.

Posted on September 22, 2014 by miemo 0

Mama Miemo’s Macarons

Pretty much, this is my life currently. I made an announcement that I will be selling easter “egg” macarons. You can buy assorted packs of 6 flavors:

Orange Creamsicle, Lemon, Mixed Berry, Raspberry, Pistachio and Vanilla. In pretty spring colors.

I packaged them up in egg cartons, and it was a good way for people to try some of my flavors. I’ve gotten great feedback and have been busy busy in the kitchen making these.

And look! I have new packaging. Hopefully these are safer to mail! My poor kitchen, and fiance. I haven’t cooked real food in there, in a while. But I love making macarons! I really need to get back to cooking though. I miss it.

But I am also having fun developing new macaron flavors!

Posted on April 14, 2014 by miemo 0

Thank you for your Support!

Wow! I can't thank everyone enough, for coming out in the yucky weather Saturday to support my market debut! I sold out!

Yelp hosted a wonderful event and it was so nice to see and support local small businesses. Since it was such a success, I might even consider doing another market and expanding my macaron clientele. Exciting flavors and things to come next year! Stay warm everyone!

Posted on December 16, 2013 by miemo 0

My Macaron Equipment

Some of you wonder what I use to make macarons at home. Thanks for asking! There are always plenty of choices when it comes to kitchen stuff, and I LOVE having a kitchen full of a gadgets. You don’t necessarily need to use EXACTLY what I use, for example, I used a standmixer, but you could do the same with a handmixer. You’d just have one less hand to use to prep! All product links are from amazon. If you purchase them from here, I get a small percentage to help keep the site running, but please don’t feel obligated to use my links. I just like to recommend products I trust and use regularly.

Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer: This is the best kitchen investment I’ve had. This thing has been with me through countless breads, cakes, cookies, frostings. Not to mention, freshly ground meat and making my own sausages. And now its helping me make macarons. Having the extra hand to whisk egg whites while I prep other ingredients is very helpful in time management.

Kitchen Scale: Macarons are so temperamental, especially if you use the classic french method. The best way to even out the playing field (sometimes humidity is a factor you can’t control) I prefer measuring ingredients in weight. Volume can vary because of the space in the measuring cup (clumped ingredients, or sifted, etc) but weight will always give you the same amount.

Silpats: There are other silicones out there (trust me, I’ve used two other types which were gifts) and they don’t always work like Silpats. I’m not usually a brand snob, but since feet are so crucial to macarons I have to only use these.

Chicago Half Sheet Baking Pans: These perfectly fit the silpats. I had other cookie sheets in bigger sizes, but these are the sized perfectly for the baking mat and helps keeps my kitchen efficient.

Piping Bags: 18 inches gives me enough space to fill a whole batch of macarons with one fill.

Large Decorating Tip: I use this for the circles and the filling

Spice and Nut Grinder: Sometimes I’m just too lazy to use the food processor or the vitamix, and this works with less clean up. But then it makes me wonder why I have SO many kitchen gadgets!

Fine Mesh Sieve: Use this to make sure all ingredients are smooth and light. Very crucial in making sure your shells have feet!

Bowls: I don’t need to link to bowls I am sure you have plenty!

Are you guys using anything different? Let me know!

Posted on November 25, 2013 by miemo 0

Holiday Macarons

I don’t know if you can tell from my instagram, but I’m obsessed with making macarons! I’ve actually started putting together holiday gift boxes for people to purchase and give to their friends this holiday season.

Can I tell you a secret? I like making these a lot more than cupcakes. I guess because they are so tedious to make, that when they turn out well, with their little feet, I get joy! Instant gratification. I officially am not taking cupcake orders. I’ll still make some here and there for my friends who love my creative cupcakes, but none of this making it a side hustle thing. I don’t even think I make them that well.

But macarons. Yup. They are so colorful and you can make so many different combinations, plus they can be intimidating to make, so people are more than likely buy them, than make them themselves. I was addicted. I didn’t like them at first, but after my third try, I’m like MAN, I love macarons. After spending $2+ on each, I realized I had an expensive addiction. Then came the idea to make them myself. I'm pretty good in the kitchen, why not?

And now I have a running list of flavors I need to make, and request for orders. I love it. To introduce my skills for hire, I've put out an online order form. It's currently only for local orders so if you are interested, please email me at macarons@miemonster.net. I am only doing holiday flavors for the rest of the year though.

The flavors that come in my assorted boxes are gingerbread, hot cocoa and candy cane!

**The gorgeous photography by Camille Beatrice, the random low budget picture by me via instagram

Posted on November 20, 2013 by miemo 0

Pumpkin Bread

Can I tell you something? I’ve never made a loaf bread before. Yes, I’ve made baguettes and other “rustic” breads from scratch. But the only thing I’ve made in my loaf pan was…meatloaf. So my gateway bread, is pumpkin bread. Then I will go for hawaiian style banana bread. And then start trying to make up some other sweet delicious bread.

The best part of pumpkin bread, I think, are the delicious spices. A spiced bread is so yummy, and perfect for breakfast. I can’t believe I never tried to make it before. It’s so moist and delicious. I’m particular about the recipes that I use. I have to trust who’s writing it, OR I have to read it and mentally compute how it’s going to turn out. So I didn’t even bother googling a recipe for pumpkin bread. I knew what my favorite pumpkin bread was. Starbucks. So I went for that recipe, or something close to it.

Pumpkin Bread
Adapted from Todd Wilbur’s Top Secret Recipes Unlocked

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cups canned pure pumpkin puree
3/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt in a medium bowl. Beat together eggs, sugars and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on high for 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin and oil and mix well.

Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients in the mixing bowl and mix well. Pour batter into a well greased loaf pan. Bake for 60 minutes or until the top of bread is brown and toothpick comes out clean.

Leave bread to cool in bread pan. Once completely cooled, remove from loaf pan and slice.

Posted on November 4, 2013 by miemo 0

Pumpkin Spice Macarons

I can’t believe I perfected this. Is perfect too strong of a word? I think I can say that when I’ve worked and tested a recipe multiple times to get the right recipe down to share. And EUREKA! I’ve done it. It’s all pumpkin errrythang season and I’ve made pumpkin bread and will be making pumpkin creme brûlées for thanksgiving.

Pumpkin spices. Did you know you could just make your own? With stuff you probably already have in your spice cabinet?

The pumpkin spice shells were a no brainer. Making a worthy filling was the hard part. Ganache will always be the right consistency. I promise. This will be the base for all my macarons now. Sorry if you don’t like chocolate!

Pumpkin Spice Macarons

Ingredients
For Filling:
5 1/4 oz of baker’s white chocolate
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1/4 cup cold heavy cream
1/3 cup Libby’s pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the shells:
110gm sliced blanched almonds
200gm powdered sugar (then subtract 2 TBSP)
1 TBSP ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
3 egg whites (approximately 90 gms) aged at room temperature for 24 hours
25gm granulated sugar

Directions:
Melt and stir chocolate and butter over a double boiler until completely mixed. Should be warm to the touch. Transfer to a tall plastic container that would be good for an immersion blender.

Warm corn syrup in the microwave for 10 seconds. Add to the chocolate mixture. Blend with immersion blender for a minute or so. While still blending stream in cold cream. Misture should become shiny and smooth.

Add the pumpkin puree, cinnamon and salt. Blend until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

For Shells

In a food processor, grind almonds and powdered sugar until the almonds are a fine powder. Add the spices. Pulse until well mixed. Pour the dry mix through a fine mesh sieve and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip eggs until frothy. Then slowly add sugar while the eggs are still whipping. Whip until stiff peaks form. Do not over beat. Gently add the dry ingredients to the egg whites. Fold the dry ingredients in approximately 50 strokes. Batter should flow like lava. Do not over mix.

Put the batter into a piping bag, and pipe one inch circles on a silpat/parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Tap the pan a couple times to help level the tops. Let rest for 30-45 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 300F. Bake the shells for 10-15 minutes (check so it doesn’t burn!) with the door of the oven propped with a wooden spoon.

Allow to cool completely before trying to take it off the mat/paper. When cool, match up the shells by size.

Take the ganache out the refrigerator and spoon into a piping bag. Pipe on one shell and top with the other. Voila!

Posted on October 30, 2013 by miemo 0

Chicken Pot Pies

I don’t know why I was intimidated to try this. Maybe because I thought I was going to make the pie crust from scratch. HAHA. I think I am a lot more ambitious than I really am.

Basically the night before I decided to make the pot pie, I roasted this beautiful bird. I should really just eat it at this point. But I didn’t. I will have to roast this again, just to tear into fresh out the oven. Who else likes crispy skin?!

This is a fairly easy dish. I liked making them in individual ramekins, so that I could refrigerate and reheat during the week for a quick lunch or dinner. I would probably make again from leftover turkey or chicken!

My brother, who thinks chicken pot pies are gross, had two of these. I used my two favorite seasonings, Lawry’s and Nature’s to get that comforting homey feeling.

Mama Miemo’s Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons Butter
1 small onion, diced
2 Carrots, diced
3 Celery stalks, diced
1/2 cup of frozen peas
Shredded chicken from 2 breasts and 2 thighs (or however much you want)
1/4 cup Flour
3-4 cups Chicken Broth, Plus More If Needed
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt And Pepper, (or your favorite seasonings) to taste
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
2 Unbaked Pie Crusts
1 whole Egg
2 Tablespoons Water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat, then add the onion, carrots,celery and peas.

Cook until onions are translucent. Add chicken, then flour, stir it until it’s all combined. Cook for 1 minute, then pour in chicken broth. Stir then let it cook and thicken. Once it starts to thicken add the seasonings to taste.

Add heavy cream, then stir the mixture and let it bubble up and thicken, about 3 minutes. If it is too thick, you can add more broth until your desired consistency.

Scoop your filling into the ramekins. Cut out dough to fit the ramekin top with a little extra around it. Press the dough so that the edges stick to the outside. Use a knife to cut a vent into the surface of the dough.

Mix together the egg with 2 tablespoons water and brush it all over the surface of the crusts.

Place the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

Posted on October 18, 2013 by miemo 0

Pistachio Macarons

I have really been into baking lately. Maybe because I started hustling cupcakes on the side, so I am more interest in baking unique cupcakes and treats. What can be more unique than attempting to bake your own macarons? They have been notorious for bringing fear into the home baker’s kitchen. But I am fearless. This is my second go at making macarons, and this was definitely the faster of the two favors.

There are three classic macaron flavors that are my favorite. Pistachio, Salted Caramel and Raspberry. I’ve made one out of three and eager to try to make the rest. And then even make up my own flavors if all goes well. But will baking them be better than going out to buy some on demand? Good question, we will find out!

Almond flour is known to be expensive. But if you mill it yourself, it’s not bad at all. I got an 8oz bag of slivered almonds for $4.99 and that bag made 2 different batches of macarons (granted they were mixed nut ones) and the ingredient list is fairly short. Thank goodness for my cuisinart spice and nut mill!

I mixed one tooth pick dip of Kelly green food coloring in my egg whites before dipping to get this awesome color. I should have spaced them out more!

But they still developed their pieds (feet) and I am happy!

Posted on May 17, 2013 by miemo 0

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