Blogspot - Recipe Scratch Rusia

With the unveiling of the Valentine's Collection, I shared the flower adorned chocolate heart cake (below).  As promised, here is a post devoted to the Swiss Buttercream I used.   We used the same tips and the same buttercream to make these Peony inspired Cupcakes, too. For decorating tips and creating the heart cake, see this post with a step-by-step video. I used these new Flowers Tips to create the flowers.  Just one little squeeze creates an entire flower - amazing.  They were so easy to use, almost magical.  Emma and I had so much fun with them.  We created the cake and cupcakes. Flowers Tips - Set of 5, $15 Large Leaf Tip 18" Disposable Pastry Bag I used these flowers as color inspiration, but they also remind me of Peonies - especially the tip with the dots in the middle!  I love the soft peachy, pink tone.  Also, I love the muted olive green of the bay leaf I used.  You could also make a deep navy blue to mimic the privet berries, bu...

I came across this idea for the holidays (after seeing inspiration in an old Martha Stewart), bought the mini hammers for the store, then thought of the phrase "love you to pieces" and knew I had to save it for a Valentines idea.  I think it is a completely darling idea. I'm note an experienced candy maker, but have made this twice and it came out easily each time.  Try it!  It is also fun to actually break up and give in cello bags with the same tag.  If you're making it to enjoy at home - we like to crumble ours over banana cream or chocolate pie.  Yum. Supplies : Mini Hammer Small Sheet Pan Parchment Paper (used 1/2 of a sheet) Plastic Wrap Papaya Satin Ribbon Heart Tags C ashew Brittle 2 cups of sugar 1 cup of light corn syrup 1/2 cup of water 2 sticks of butter 2 cups of nuts (cashews) 1 teaspoon of baking soda In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes t...

I love the idea of taking basic, simple ingredients or supplies and transforming them into something special.  These cupcakes are the perfect example.  Chocolate Cupcakes (recipe link below) with. simple chocolate glaze are transformed with a little white icing.   (I found this idea from MarthaStewart.com, of course.) When those "love" script cupcakes are put in a pink bakery box, lined with fun floral print napkins, they're beyond.  So special and cute, from the most humble ingredients. I practiced writing the script on the parchment paper before I tried it on the cupcakes.  Of course, you can do names of your loves, also. Products used :  Pink Bakery Boxes Heart Tags Pastry Bags Ribbon Shop the entire Valentine's Collection, here > I used the Barefoot Contessa's Chocolate Ganache Cupcake Recipe along with my Milk Chocolate Glaze Recipe.  Both recipes are included in the post below. Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Glaze Recipe Ina's ...

Happy Monday : )  It feels like a Monday - in the best way.  It is slightly warmer than usual outside (but getting colder by the minute), grey and misting.  The warm, wet weather over the weekend made it feel like Spring should be just around the corner, but I know it isn't.  In the meantime, I am bringing some spring inside.  I finally got all of my paper whites cleaned out over the weekend - they were definitely on their last leg.  I replaced them with some spring bulbs.  I so enjoy growing something inside during the holidays months (paper whites and amaryllis), that I like to keep it going until spring. These, on our dining table, are muscari.  On our baking counter I have a large urn planter filled with daffodils and a small terra-cotta planter with tulips.   I have a couple of more terra-cotta pots on my office bench with more tulips. Emma and I also cleaned out my dead boxwoods in the windowboxes (DIY link) over the weekend (insert ey...