Mirror Mirror On The Cake

My mother and I love TV shows (who doesn't?!).  Some of our many, many programs that we'll watch are Britain's Next Great Baker or Ace of Cakes at times or Spring Baking Competition.  The point is that we like our baking/dessert shows.  Mirror cakes are something we've both had our eye on as being marvelous and the pinnacle of a fancy cake!  And then it was time for mom's birthday... and I had the genius idea of making her a mirror cake... not at all what she asked me for either. :)  But in the end, this recipe wasn't that hard and it turned out shiny and pretty and even though I did this three days before her birthday to make sure that I had figured it out correctly, I was too overjoyed and gave it to her anyways.  I really suggest trying it, it tastes (to me) a lot like eating marshmallow topping on a cake. 

Ingredients (on the right side is the weight/ounces for the recipe.  Use either measuring system, but stick to one or the other):

• 1 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar / About 300 grams
• 2/3 Cup Sweetened Condensed Milk / About 200 grams
• 1/2 Cup + 1 Tbsp Water / 5 oz
• 8 tsp Gelatin Powder / 32 grams
• 1/2 Cup Water / 4 oz
• 2 Cups White Chocolate / 360 grams
• Gel Food Coloring
• 1 Frozen Cake

Directions:

1. Add the sugar, sweetened condensed milk, and water to a medium-sized saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. 
2. Pour the water into the powdered gelatin and mix with a spoon. Leave to swell for a few minutes. (Swelling is when you let the gelatin "bloom", this is useful to get the gelatin activated and ready to do it's part.)
3. When the sugar, milk and water mixture begins to simmer, remove from the heat and add the swelled gelatin. Stir until the gelatin has dissolved. 
4. Pour the hot liquid on top of the chocolate chips and leave to sit for 5 minutes to melt. 
5. Use a whisk to stir the glaze until the chocolate has completely melted. 
6. Pour the glaze through a strainer and separate into enough containers to add different color gels.  Add the gel food coloring and stir until well-mixed. Leave the glaze to cool. 
7. Once the glaze has cooled to 90º F / 37º C, pour it over the frozen cake which is on top of a cup, sitting on a tray or plate with a edge to catch the drips. 
8. Leave the glaze to set for 15 minutes before using a spatula to remove the drips. 
9. Transfer the cake to the fridge to set for a few hours before serving.

Here's some tips that need to be addressed before you try this recipe:

• The most important tip is that a typical mirror glazed cake requires molds because the cake is surrounded by mousse.  This is to not only add another element to the cake, but a layer of molded mousse around the outside of the cake allows the mirror glaze to coat the cake smoothly without any visible errors.  Just because of this DOESN'T mean that it's a required part of the cake.  When I made mine, I just used frosting to coat the outside and got it as smooth as possible before I used the glaze.  Errors can show a "bit" easier, but it's still just as pretty.
• Make sure your glaze is at 90 degrees F before you pour it!  This is SO important because if it's too cold, the glaze won't be smooth and if it's too warm, it'll run off your cake.
• Make sure the cake is frozen and fresh out of the freezer when you pour the cake.  This will keep the mousse/frosting from getting hot and running off and it helps the gelatin and chocolate set quicker.
• Make sure when you pour the glaze on your cake, put it on something that will allow the glaze to drip off the sides.  I used a small wire rack, but you can use a cup or a cake pan too.  I also recommend doing this over a larger baking tray or plate so that you can re-purpose the glaze onto another cake if you're making more than one.  
• The glaze will be shiny for about 24 hours.  After that, the shine will have faded, but the glaze is still good to eat.

It's a lot of work and it feel so technical, but the results were wonderful!  Definitely check out the original recipe here.  Good luck dressing up your cakes!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies!

I always like to be creative and punny with the names of my blog posts, but this one I just can't.  It's too true!  Chocolate chip cookies are a sacred item in my household as they're both mine and my dad's favorite cookie.  Due to our love for them, we have tried so many different recipes and so many different store bought mixes and ready-to-bakes and none of them stand up to the amazing-ness that is this recipe!  So let's jump right into it!

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs 
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate chips (I would like to note that this is usually a bit too much so you can always eyeball it)
• 1 cup chopped nuts, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil on it.  This will keep the cookies from sticking to the pan and makes for easier clean up.
3. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
4. Beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until creamy.  You can use a stand mixer or a handheld mixer, both work fine for this.
5. Add eggs to the butter mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  
6. Gradually add in flour mixture.  (To do this, add a bit of the flour mixture and then pause and let the mixer combine it before adding more flour.)
7. Once all the flour is added, turn the mixer off and fold in the chocolate chips and nuts (if you're adding nuts).  
8. Form rounded balls of cookie dough, about the size of a tablespoon, onto the cookie sheet.
9. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.  Make sure to watch the bottoms so that they don't burn.
10. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.

I absolutely love this recipe!!!  This is originally a Nestle Toll House recipe and can be found here.  I highly suggest giving it a look over.  You'll find not only these directions, but the directions to take this cookie dough and make it into a pan cookie version, a slice and bake cookie version (I tried this one, it's hard to do with the chocolate chips in it), and even alterations for high altitude baking.  Good luck in your future baking endeavors!