Hydrangea bushes are in full bloom
all over my neighborhood right now. I love all varieties of hydrangeas,
but my favorite is this traditional shaped, blue-purple color. I
picked a few this weekend and brought them inside as inspiration for
cupcakes. I’ve seen cupcakes that resembled hydrangea flowers before,
but I’ve never given it a try. It was much easier than I’d imagined and
I was very happy with the results!
Directions
I made a batch of my favorite chocolate cupcakes (recipe here), and my vanilla cream cheese frosting (recipe here).
Then I colored half of the frosting blue, and half purple (mixing a few
shades of blues and purples to get a good color match to the real
hydrangeas). When making the frosting, use very little cream (less than
1 tablespoon), because the coloring will add some liquid, and you need
the frosting to be pretty stiff to hold a nice shape.
If you’d
like to match other hydrangeas, you could certainly use other color
options, like light blue and medium blue, or two shades of pink. But I
do think that frosting these with two colors (instead of just one)
really added to the effect.
I filled
my piping bag with the two colors of frosting, side by side. Once your
bag is filled (1/2 to 2/3 full), you may want to just squeeze some
frosting into a bowl, until you see both colors coming out.
Then,
using a Wilton 2D tip (a large closed star tip), I piped large, loose
star shapes around the edge of the cupcake, and then filled in the
center. If the frosting starts getting too soft (no longer holds a nice
shape), then put the whole bag of frosting in the fridge for 15-20
minutes to let the frosting to firm up a bit.
Now I want to plan a pretty tea party just so I can make these again!
Just in case anyone wanted to make their own Hydrangea Cake, here a a couple quick tips to make it easier for you!
*Some inspiration:*
First, I baked my cake. I just did a regular white cake with the lemon curd filling and lemon frosting. (Seriously delish.. and perfect for spring or Mothers Day!)
I used 8in pans then carved around the edges to make my 'bouquet' shape.
You can also bake cake in round pyrex bowl or basketball cake pan or something round.
For the flowers, I used the rest of my buttercream,
making sure the consistency was on the thicker side. Pick the colors
that you prefer, and create three of four variations for your petals.
Using a #104 tip with the small edge out, I just piped out four petals to each flower.
I think the actual hydrangea petals are a bit more flat, so if you can master the tip you can create a more realistic looking petal!
(This was my first time trying this flower… I am hoping to improve
more for next time… I also want to make this cake in white and pale
pink… cant you just see it???)
I started with one color in one section then made a bunch of flowers overlapping each other again and again.
Then went back in with another color and started adding more flowers.
Anytime I saw a flower that I didnt think was good enough I just added a
new one on top of it!
This is a really forgiving and easy technique… you really cant go wrong!
And when you are all done, you get this…
This is a white cake (recipe here) with lemon curd filling and lemon
frosting covered in buttercream crumb coat and buttercream hydrangea's.
Basic White Cake (adapted from Joy of Baking-great site!)
2 large eggs separated
1 3/4 cups sifted cake flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup room temperature butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract*
1/2 cup milk
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
*I love the addition of almond extract, but you can certainly
leave this out for a more pure vanilla flavor. The original recipe does
not call for it.
Directions:
Separate the eggs, placing the whites into one container and the yolks into another. Let come to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8in (I used 9in)
pans. Normally I use PAM, but this recipe really calls for the butter
and flour method. Just trust me on this one.
Put sifted flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl and set aside.
Using an electric mixer ( I love that this recipe calls for an
electric mixer as I do not even own a KitchenAid Mixer), beat the butter
until soft and creamy, about 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup of sugar (reserving
the rest) and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Now add egg yolks, one
at a time, until completely incorporated. Add vanilla and almond
extract until combined, about 30 seconds.
Now you are going to add your flour mixture and milk. Starting with
the flour, add 1/3 of the mixture and mix until incorporated. Now add
1/2 milk mixture, mix until combined. Add half the remaining flour,
combine.
Now add the rest of your milk and combine. Add remaining 1/3
of your flour mixture, and go ahead and mix until combined. This whole
process should take less then 2 minutes, as you do not want to over beat
the batter.
In a separate clean bowl with clean whisk attachment, whip eggs
whites until foamy then add the cream of tartar. (I did this on medium
speed) Beat until soft peaks occur, and then gradually add in
your remaining sugar.
You will want stiff peaks, which took me about 3
minutes. Now, take your rubber spatula and fold your eggs whites into
your cake batter. Make sure they are fully incorporated, but do not
over stir the batter, as you do not want to eggs to deflate.
Put batter into prepared pans and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Cakes are done when an inserted tooth pick comes out clean or with
very few crumbs. At this point I place the cakes directly into the
freezer and leave them there for at least an hour. This locks in
moisture and also makes it easier to frost.
Lemon Frosting ( both recipes adapted from allrecipes.com)
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon milk
In large bowl beat confectioner's sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and lemon juice until smooth.
Add milk as needed, combine until ingredients are fully incorporated and light and fluffy.
Lemon Curd Filling
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
6 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup white sugar
4 egg yolks, beaten
In medium saucepan, mix together lemon juice and cornstarch until smooth.
Add butter and sugar and bring mixture to boil over medium heat.
Stir constantly for one minute. In small bowl use a whisk to beat egg
yolks until smooth. Add in a small amount of the hot lemon mixture to
the egg yolks. (this is tempering the eggs) Now pour the egg mixture
back into the sauce pan, whisking rapidly until fully combined.
Reduce heat to low and stir constantly until reach desired thickness.
Don't let it come to a boil again! (takes about five minutes)
Refrigerate for at least two hours.
Make sure its cool before adding to cake. Its a good idea to make this ahead of time so your cake assembly can be easier!
I made my favorite buttercream frosting for the flowers, and I used the entire amount! So even though the recipe is for a large quantity, I used it all.
I just separated it into three bowls then added pink, light purple, and dark purple to each bowl respectively.
This cake is truly delicious. Moist. Full of different flavors and taste bud tingling sensations.
Can you just imagine it at a bridal shower or even as miniature centerpieces at a wedding???
**this post is a combination of posts from i am baker
Your hair, skin, and nails need a break as much as you do. Here, tips on how to cut back on primping to let your natural beauty
shine.
Hair
Why it’s stressed-out: Many
things that make summer fun for you are really tough on your hair.
“Ultraviolet rays, salt, and chlorinated water compromise
its outer layer, allowing moisture to seep
out,” says Paradi Mirmirani, a dermatologist in Vallejo, California.
Also, you’re
probably sweating more—and therefore
shampooing more—which further robs hair of hydration. (This is
especially true if your
shampoo has a high pH. Does your hair feel
squeaky-clean after washing? Chances are you’ve got a high-pH shampoo.)
Top that
with all the stuff you’re using to manage
your hair under these harsh circumstances—including heated tools and
stylers that
contain dehydrating alcohols (like SD alcohol
40, ethanol, propyl, and isopropyl)—and you’ve got a recipe for dull,
fried
hair.
What you can skip:
First, shampoo every other day or less. On days you don’t wash your
hair, just use a dry shampoo—which comes in either spray
or powder form—to freshen hair, give it body
and texture, and absorb oil at the roots without leaving it parched. A
good one
is Living Proof Straight ($29, livingproof.com).
Another benefit: Using dry shampoo allows you to go longer between
heat-styling sessions. On days that you do shampoo,
afterward simply run a dollop of leave-in
conditioner through your towel-dried hair from midshaft to ends. This
will give
you light hold plus some extra hydration, and
you can forgo your usual styling products, says Matthew Preece, the
owner of
the Fred Segal Salon, in Santa Monica. Many
leave-in conditioners are water-based (which means they’re gentle on
hair) and
use nonstripping alcohols, like lauryl
alcohol, cetyl alcohol, and stearyl alcohol. One to try: Dove Hair
Nourishing Oil Care
Leave-In Smoothing Cream ($6 at drugstores).
Spa treat:
To give your hair even more of a reprieve, try an apple-cider-vinegar
rinse, which can be used once a week to deep-clean
hair and make it shinier. Dilute ½ cup
apple-cider vinegar with 1½ cups water, add a few drops of lavender
essential oil to
mask the smell, and pour the mixture into a
spray bottle. Spritz the concoction onto dry roots and massage it into
your scalp.
Leave it on for five minutes, then rinse
thoroughly.
Skin
Why it’s stressed-out:
Cleansing too frequently or harshly (as you tend to do when you’re
sweating a lot) can strip away three components of your
skin that keep it moisturized—natural oils on
the surface, ceramides (or fats), and natural moisturizing factors
(NMFs), which
are substances that retain water from inside
the body, says Jeannette Graf, an assistant clinical professor of
dermatology
at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New
York City. Without them, your skin won’t be as effectively hydrated,
and the
natural process of cell turnover may slow
down, leaving skin dry and dull.
What you can skip:
To start, sidestep your morning cleanser. Hopefully, you didn’t sleep
in your makeup, so you don’t really need to lather
up. Instead, splash your face with water and
apply sunscreen or, if that’s too oily for you, a light moisturizer with
an SPF
of 15 or higher. Evening-only cleansing will
suffice for most, except those with very oily or acne-prone skin. If
your skin
is normal to dry, once a week throughout the
summer eliminate your evening cleanser, too. If you’re wearing makeup,
remove
it gently with a wipe, such as Neutrogena
Make Up Remover Cleansing Towelettes Hydrating ($7 at drugstores). And
while you’re
(not) at it, after your once-a-week,
water-only wash in the evening, skip any moisturizer you might normally
use. This may
help reduce oiliness during the day and
prevent clogged pores, says Mona A. Gohara, an assistant clinical
professor of dermatology
at the Yale School of Medicine. If you can’t
fathom a night without moisturizer, at least downgrade to a light lotion
or a
serum, applying to dry areas only. Try Dior
Hydra Life Skin Protect ($65, dior.com).
Spa treat: “A mask of plain full-fat yogurt and oatmeal can help replenish moisture and exfoliate all skin types,” says Stephanie Tourles,
a holistic aesthetician in Orland, Maine, and the author of Organic Body Care Recipes ($19, amazon.com). The treatment also cools and calms overheated skin, red skin, and heat rash. Mix ½ cup of each ingredient, leave the mask
on for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse. Repeat up to three times a week.
Nails
Why they’re stressed-out:
“Research has found repetitive and prolonged wetting and drying of
fingernails to be a probable cause of splitting nails,”
says Nia Terezakis, a dermatologist in New
Orleans and a clinical professor of dermatology at Tulane University.
Not only
are your hands more likely to get wet
frequently in the summer but, because this is mani-pedi season, you may
also be spending
more time at the salon having your cuticles
pushed back with metal instruments. Bad news here: Those tools can
scrape away
the microscopic protective cells on the nail
surface that keep nails hydrated, supple, and strong.
What you can skip:
Although it’s hard to resist those coral fingertips, says Kim D’Amato,
the founder of Priti Organic Spa, a natural salon
in New York City, “in warmer weather I often
recommend getting a salon manicure less frequently and just buffing
nails in
between appointments for a quick, healthy,
high-shine look.” For optimal results, buff your nails only in the
direction they
grow, not back and forth, using a buffer
that’s soft to the touch, not gritty like a file, says Terezakis.
Another quick,
easy way to ensure that nails stay healthy
and strong? Pop a biotin pill (try the Vitamin Shoppe Biotin, $7 for 100
capsules,
vitaminshoppe.com). This B vitamin has been shown to improve nail quality. (Of course, talk to your doctor before taking any supplements.)
Spa treat:
“Sugar scrubs hydrate nails and help remove dry skin from around the
nail beds,” says D’Amato. Mix 2 cups sugar with 1 cup
olive oil, which is high in antioxidants and
nail-strengthening vitamin E. Rub the mixture all over your hands,
paying special
attention to your cuticles. Remove it with a
warm washcloth after 15 minutes.
Body
Why it’s stressed-out: Guess
what happens to your skin when you submerge yourself in water
repeatedly. Some of the stuff that keeps it in good condition
is washed away. On the surface of your skin,
there is a normal presence of bacterial flora, such as staph epidermis
and corynebacteria,
which play a key role in maintaining proper
skin function, says Jeanette Jacknin, a dermatologist in Scottsdale,
Arizona.
What you can skip: For starters, trade
in your long, hot showers for quick, lukewarm ones. And in place of
regular body moisturizers, body creams,
and thick balms and butters, use one good
antioxidant-packed product in the evening only. This will help limit the
impact
of free radicals, which are unstable
molecules that can cause skin aging. (During the day, sunscreen will
supply sufficient
moisture.) One of the latest go-to
antioxidants? Sea buckthorn. Try Fresh Seaberry Restorative Body Cream
($28.50, fresh.com for stores). The fast-absorbing formula makes this cream quick and easy to apply.
Spa treat:
Once a week, do a wet body scrub using a gentle ayate (cactus fiber)
exfoliating cloth (available at health-food stores).
Mix 1 cup olive oil, 1 cup of a natural
exfoliant, such as sea salt, sugar, or coffee grounds (summer bonus—the
caffeine in
coffee is said to improve the look of cellulite),
and a few tablespoons of honey for extra hydration. Before you step
into the shower, lightly rub a small amount of the
mixture into your skin, beginning at your
feet and working your way up. After you’re finished, rinse with warm
water and pat
your skin dry. Put on lotion only if your
skin feels tight.
Feet
Why they’re stressed-out:
Not only are sandal-clad feet exposed to the elements—wind, sun, and
sand—which can be drying, but the repetitive pounding
of your heels on pavement (in flip-flops or
bare feet) can also cause calluses to form, which may lead to painful
cracked
skin. Worse, those refreshing sprays and
lotions meant to deodorize feet can cause bacterial and fungal
infections between
the toes if used too often: Bacteria thrive
in moist areas, says podiatrist Eric Reynolds, a foot and ankle surgeon
in Jersey
City.
What you can skip:
Ditch the spritzes and sprays. When possible, give the flip-flops a
break in favor of breathable high-tech socks or cotton
socks and sneakers. And resist the temptation
to have a salon technician take a razor to your callused heels. The
treatment
may feel satisfying, but it’s frowned upon by
doctors, since micro-tears in the skin are the perfect breeding ground
for infections.
Instead, exfoliate in the shower with a
gentle foot file, such as the Tweezerman Glide Away Foot File ($10, tweezerman.com).
Spa treat:
For a refreshing foot bath, soak your feet in brewed and cooled black
tea for 30 minutes to minimize perspiration and odor.
Tea contains tannins, plant polyphenols that
can act as an astringent and help reduce sweating, says Graf. The
tannins in
tea may also reduce odor.
Living in the cloud: The Cloud House by McBride Charles Ryan
The fantasy of living in the clouds got a little nearer for a lucky family in Melbourne, Australia when McBride Charles Ryan
extended their old house. The original building is something over a
hundred years old and has had several extensions and alterations but
nothing like this before.
The street facing façade of the original house remains intact but the
remainder has been extensively altered and redecorated. The kitchen at
the rear is painted a bright red and pokes into the new extension which
faces south. The new extension is fun, and overlooking the pool out
back, might just be mistaken for chic boutique hotel.
this article could found here byeditorial office Detail Daily on 06.27.2012
