BURGERTIME! MINI LOOKALIKE CAKES TWO WAYS -- You Want Shortbread Fries with That?

Single serving, life-sized burger cakes

Chances are you've already seen and been charmed by the little cakes that look like cheeseburgers that have been featured by big companies like Nestle and talented bloggers and home bakers alike.  These darling little lookalikes typically feature a cake "bun", a brownie "burger" and colored frosting.

So what's my angle?  My spin?  How about a shortcut to making the mini bites?  Save time without sacrificing taste! How about amping up the realism on the life-sized version while balancing the textures and flavors for a more "grown up" taste?  

The Mini "Burger Bites"

Let's start with the minis ~ the tiny "burger bites".  Most recipes I have seen use mini cupcakes.  I was looking for a way to eliminate this extra baking step (= less time and less dishes to wash), while adding flavor and a nice contrasting texture.  For the bun, I used classic "Nilla Wafer" cookies.  They're not as sweet as a cupcake, and the crunch is a nice contrast to the chewy brownie.  They're also easy to hold, and not as messy to work with as the cupcakes.  

The complete recipe & Tutorial can be downloaded and printed HERE

Mini Burger Bites

I like to think of my version of the single-serving, trompe l'oeil (a French art term for something that tricks the eye ~ ah yes, I knew that Art History degree would come in handy some day) burger cake as a more grown-up version of the super-sweet kid classic.  These cakes are the size of an actual cheeseburger and a feature a pound cake "bun", a fudgy brownie "burger", tinted coconut for "lettuce", and a cream cheese icing (the perfect balance of sweet and tart) for the ketchup & mustard.  The "fries" are a classic shortbread (and are absolutely to-die-for addictive).


As my nine-year old daughter likes to say, "It's so easy, a kid can do it!"  And here she is to show you how...

 

The complete recipe & Tutorial can be downloaded and printed HERE

Burger Cakes

And here's the recipe for those delicious, buttery, shortbread fries:

Shortbread Fries

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BACK TO SCHOOL (SO SOON?) -- BACK TO SCHOOL BLOG HOP!

(a wee bit of back-to-school clipart for you!)

Where did the Summer go?  The words Back to School never fail to make me nostalgic for my own school days ~ The crisp autumn air, that feeling of excitement mixed with trepidation, the smell of freshly sharpened pencils, and, being a child of the 70s, the pride in ownership of a shiny, new metal lunchbox.  The lunchboxes may have changed, but some things remain constant, like the Dixon Ticonderoga No. 2, the Pink Perl Eraser, and back to school shopping.  

For many parents and families, Back-To-School harkens the arrival of the End-of-Summer traditions.  For my family, this means a big beach bonfire with friends, back-to-school shopping, and Mama-time manicures/pedicures with the girls the night before school starts.  What are your traditions?

If you've written any posts on the subject of school, back-to-school, school lunches, or end-of-summer traditions, please feel free to link below.  You're welcome to share your ideas and comments in the comment field below as well.  

Join in!

1.  LINK BACK to this post in your post.

2.  LINK UP your relevant Back-to-School posts.

3.  VISIT some of the other talented birds who linked up.

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SECRET SQUIRREL COOKIES ~ Brownie-Stuffed Peanut-Butter Pillows of tasty goodness

AFTER HAVING PUT TOGETHER THE POST FOR THE "CUSTOM DINNERWARE DIY"  (click HERE to learn to make your own custom dishes and dinnerware) I was left feeling that those sweet dishes were looking a bit barren.  I needed something to fill them tout de suite.

Earlier in the month, I was paying a regular visit to one of my favorite bastions of confectionery brilliance, BAKERELLA, and came across her aunt's recipe for Pillow Cookies -- get this: it's a brownie bite baked in to a chocolate chip cookie! Salivating yet?  I baked up a batch quicker than you can say "chicken-in-a-biscuit" (why?  I dunno, just felt like it), and they were divine.  Click HERE to visit Bakerella and get the recipe for yourself.

On Monday, I had the good fortune (or misfortune in the case of my diet) to come across an insanely original and to-die-for twist on the classic "Cake Cone" at Cookies And Cups:  PEANUT BUTTER CUP BROWNIE CONES!

To make this over-the-top Peanut Buttery Chocolate Fantasy come true, visit HERE!

Now, back to my empty plate conundrum:  While musing on what sweet little bonbon would grace the newly minted Secret Squirrel plates, I remembered those two delightful recipes and felt a sudden ping of inspiration (or perhaps it was just my blood sugar spiking).  Regardless, drawing on the peanut butter perfection of the Cookies and Cups recipe, and the Secret-Surprise nature of the Bakerella pillow cookies, I set about the creation of the...

 SECRET SQUIRREL PEANUT BUTTER PILLOW COOKIE RECIPE

(click HERE for a printable version)

Makes 2 Dozen Cookies your Squirrels will go Nuts for

A harmless looking, albeit gigantic peanut butter cookie

The "Secret" Revealed:  A delicious brownie center

To begin, bake up a batch of your favorite mix or from scratch Brownies.  

I used the following:

Alton Brown/Food Network recipe for Cocoa Brownies

• Soft butter, for greasing the pan
• Flour, for dusting the buttered pan
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar, sifted
• 1 cup brown sugar, sifted
• 8 ounces melted butter
• 11/4 cups cocoa, sifted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup flour, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch square pan.  

Note:  I like to line my pan with buttered parchment paper so that the brownies can be lifted out once they've cooled.

In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow. Add both sugars. Add remaining ingredients, and mix to combine.

Pour the batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square pan and bake for 45 minutes. Check for doneness with the tried-and-true toothpick method: a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan should come out clean. When it's done, remove to a rack to cool.

Once brownies have cooled, remove from pan and slice into 1/2" cubes.

Next, whip up a batch of my favorite PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES:

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

2/3  cup granulated sugar

2/3 cups packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl, set aside

In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat butter and peanut butter until combined.  Add 2/3 cup granulated sugar and the brown sugar and beat until fluffy.  Add the egg, milk and vanilla and beat to combine.  In a separate, medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt with a whisk.  Add to the peanut butter mixture and stir to combine. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375

Using a standard ice-cream scoop, portion cookies in level scoopfuls on an ungreased baking sheet (you can fit 8 cookies on a sheet).  

Using your thumb and forefinger, create a deep well in the center of each dough ball.

Insert Brownie and give it a light press.

Pinch the sides of the dough up, around, and over the brownie and roll between palms to form a ball.

Roll in the bowl of sugar and place back on cookie sheet.

Bake for 18 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on rack for five minutes before removing cookies from pan.

Secret Squirrel Peanut Butter Pillow Cookies

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Adventures in Lazertran -- or Secret Squirrel & the Custom Dinnerware DIY

Do you remember those Make-a-Plate projects from your childhood?  You'd draw on a special piece of paper, send it to the factory, and a few weeks later would have a fabulous melamine plate?  I'm still a big fan of those plates, but I'm thrilled to say that I've learned a new technique that allows you to apply your own artwork and images to real ceramic dinnerware.  It's like Make-a-Plate, but ALL GROWN UP!  Interested?  Read on...

Several months ago I came across The New Book of Image Transfer by Debba Haupert.  In this book, Haupert explains in depth how to transfer images using Lazertran Waterslide Decal Paper to such materials as wood, leather, pottery, glassware, metal and ceramics -- making it possible to create completely customized, professional looking transfer projects at home.  

I purchased myself a copy, but as often happens, life got in the way and the book was shelved.  Fast forward a few months...I'm co-hosting a Tea Time Baby Shower for my sister and am brainstorming ideas for favors.  While shopping for the shower, I came across some wonderful mugs on sale and suddenly remembered the neglected image transfer book.

I zipped on over to our local art supply store, purchased a package of Lazertran Inkjet Paper, and was on my way toward a new adventure in crafting.  There was a little trial and error, but the overall process was a cinch and the results were delightful. I've been enjoying my mug (yup, even the hostesses and the guest of honor took home a favor) and I'm happy to report that it did beautifully in the dishwasher!

This week, my older daughter is visiting with her aunt, uncle and cousins out of town.  So, while my husband is at work, it's just me and my younger daughter, Max, left to our own creative devices.  

When Max was very little, we started a tradition of whispering, "You're My Secret Squirrel" into each other's ears at bedtime.  On her first day of Preschool I presented her with a squirrel necklace I had purchased from an artist on Etsy.  About a year ago, we found a plush squirrel in a store and promptly took it home, added a felt mask, and dubbed him "Secret Squirrel" of course. So, when Max started crooning, "I'm bored," I figured we'd make use of the extra Lazertran sheets left over from the shower.

BEFORE

AFTER

Like the Make-a-Plates of our childhoods, your child can create a work of art, but instead of sending it away and having it come back on a single melamine plate, you can share the process with your child at home and apply it to a complete dinnerware set (even the forks and spoons).  Using an an image from an old tea advertising card I downloaded from Agence Eureka (my clipart hero), I made some modifications to turn the ordinary squirrel into a "Secret Squirrel", or, since the card was from a French tea company and originally read "Ecureuil", I changed it to "Ecureuil Secrete".

The Image:  If you can print it, you can transfer it. 

The Object:  If you can put it in the oven, it can take a transfer.

If you'd like to try your hand at making your own custom dinnerware at home, here's a tutorial, with tips and tricks I've learned through trial and error (so you don't have to). The possibilities are endless.  


One important thing to note, if you have an Inkjet printer, you'll need Lazertran Inkjet Paper.  The one potential downside to Lazertran Inkjet is that it darkens at the temperature needed to cure the decal.  If you're going for a "vintage" or "antiqued" look, use Lazertran Inkjet. I will discuss two techniques below:  Light Patina Technique and Dark Patina Technique.  If you would like to  have a clear background and have an Inkjet Printer, you'll want to purchase regular Lazertran paper and have it printed at a local printshop, (use mirror images) that has "oil fuser oil type copiers and/or laser printers".  Follow the instructions from Step 2 onward in the Light Patina Technique section.

Supplies:

Lazertran Transfer Paper (for Inkjet or Regular, depending on desired effect; see below)

Clean Ceramic Dinnerware (I purchase my pieces at a local thrift shop for less than a dollar for the whole lot)

A hair dryer or heat gun

A bowl of lukewarm water

Paper towels or tissue

DARK PATINA TECHNIQUE 

(best for images with borders)

Step 1:  Print image(s) on bright, white side of Lazertran paper.  Bear in mind that the transfer will darken slightly as it bakes.  Images that appear in your printout with a plain "white" background, will come out with an aged ivory appearance after baking.  I recommend putting a border around such images before printing.

Step 2:  Apply hot air to images with highest setting of hair dryer, or craft heat gun, until the images appear slightly shiny (this indicates that the ink is dry).

Step 3:  Wait 15 minutes.  Okay, I like to err on the side of caution.  Just in case the ink didn't completely dry, I don't want to run the risk of bleeding ink.

Step 4:  Cut out images.  Cut out as closely to the edge of the image as you can.  

Step 5:  Place cutout in lukewarm water.  It will curl up immediately.  Gently uncurl and allow to soak for about a minute.  This will loosen the decal from the backing paper.

Step 6:  Remove decal (still on backing paper) from the water and slide directly on to object taking the transfer.

Step 7:  Use a bit of soft paper towel or tissue to blot the excess moisture.  Do not wipe or it may cause scratches or tearing.  Be very gentle.  Blot and lightly press to remove all air bubbles.  Don't worry if part of your image won't lay flat (as pictured above).

Step 8:  You may still have some air bubbles and areas that won't lay flat at this point.  Use the hair dryer to heat the decal, and using the soft paper towel or tissue, continue to lightly press and secure the decal.  The heat of the dryer will begin to dry the decal and help it adhere to the contours of your piece.

Step 9:  All air bubbles should be gone at this point and the object should be lying perfectly flat.  Allow the piece to air dry for 1 hour.

Step 10:  Bake transfer object in a 200 degree (F) oven for 1 hour.

Step 11:  Raise oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake for another hour.

Step 12:  (Almost done) Raise oven temperature to 350 and bake for a final hour.

Step 13:  VERY IMPORTANT.  Raise the temperature to 400.  Bake for fifteen minutes.  The image will darken and will become shiny.  This is how you will know that it has completely adhered.


Step 14:  Remove piece(s) from oven and allow to cool.  Wash your piece(s) with a damp sponge to remove any browned adhesive.  

Done!  You now have your very own custom dinnerware that is dishwasher and oven safe.

LIGHT PATINA TECHNIQUE

(for images without borders)

Step 1:  Print image(s) on bright, white side of Lazertran paper in reverse (mirror image).  Images that appear in your printout with a plain "white" background, will come out with an ivory appearance after baking.  

Step 2:  Apply hot air to images with highest setting of hair dryer, or craft heat gun, until the images appear slightly shiny (this indicates that the ink is dry).

Step 3:  Wait 15 minutes.  Okay, I like to err on the side of caution.  Just in case the ink didn't completely dry, I don't want to run the risk of bleeding ink.

Step 4:  Cut out images, being mindful that any part of the decal left intact will dark with baking. 

Step 5:  Place cutout in lukewarm water.  It will curl up immediately.  Gently uncurl and allow to soak for about a minute.  This will loosen the decal from the backing paper.

(IF YOU WANT THE FINISHED PRODUCT TO LOOK LIKE THIS, USE REGULAR LAZERTRAN PAPER AND PRINT IT AT A LOCAL PRINTSHOP THAT USES "oil fuser oil type copiers and/or laser printers")

Step 6:  Remove decal (still on backing paper) from the water and slide, FACE DOWN (so that the "right" side of images will show) directly on to object taking the transfer.

FOLLOW STEPS 7-14 ABOVE TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.

Of course, this is just one of the many applications of Lazertran.  I look forward to experimenting with many more techniques and sharing the results with you.  

Here are some fun images, perfect for custom coffee/tea cups that I modified from clipart generously provided by Karen, aka The Graphics Fairy (my clipart heroine).

As always, you are welcome to use any of these images for non-commercial purposes.  Give credit, where credit is due (when applicable), and feel free to come back to share your creations and and successes!

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