Openers

Adventures in Mirror Glaze

Adventures in Mirror Glaze

Posted on by Katie Gaffen

I finally got around to trying out mirror glaze, and I must say that I am pretty pleased with the result.  You might recall when mirror glaze cakes took the world by storm last year (seriously, check out Olga Noskova’s Instagram if you’re in the mood for some major decorating envy).  I knew when I saw them that I would have to try it myself someday.  Of course, I put it off for about a year because it looked fiddly and precise, and I am lazy.  Finally, the inspiration hit me, the time was right, and the stars aligned to push me into finally making a mirror glaze cake.

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Macarons First Attempt

Baking Fail: Macarons

Posted on by Katie Gaffen

I finally decided to surrender to the trend and try my hand at macarons.  I knew it would be difficult, but I secretly expected that as long as I was careful, I’d be able to achieve at least passable results on the first try.  As evidenced by the pictures, I was wrong.

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How to Make a Pie Crust Poinsettia

How to Make a Poinsettia Pie Crust

Posted on by Katie Gaffen

We’re wrapping up the pie crust embellishment series today with an impressive-looking (but still super easy) poinsettia.  Admittedly, this is a bit of a seasonal decoration, but with a little finessing, you can change the shapes of the leaves and petals and call it a dahlia or a pile of leaves to make it more appropriate to your current season.  Whatever you call it, you’re bound to get murmurs of admiration when you bust this baby out.

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How to Make a Pie Crust Leaf Border

How to Make a Pie Crust Leaf Border

Posted on by Katie Gaffen

Goodbye fork-pricked edges, hello leaf borders!  In today’s tutorial, I’m going to walk you through the super easy process of adding a leaf border to the top of your double-crust pies.  You can do this on top of a solid crust or on its own (I tend to do the latter).  Adding a leaf border is a great way to dress up your pie while also expending minimal effort.

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How To Make Vanilla Extract

How To Make Your Own Vanilla Extract

Posted on by Katie Gaffen

It’s been awhile since I did a how-to post, so here we are.  I bought some vanilla beans on an impulse in an unfamiliar grocery store while out of town (like you do) awhile ago, and then promptly crammed them into my baking supplies and left them for months because I was stumped about what to do with them.  The idea to make vanilla extract came upon me as I was planning my annual apple extravaganza, and oh, what a good idea it turned out to be.

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How to Make a Graham Cracker Crust

How to Make a Graham Cracker Crust

Posted on by Katie Gaffen

When I started planning this week’s bakeventure (check back on Friday to sate your curiosity on that matter), I was surprised to see that I hadn’t written a tutorial on graham cracker crusts yet.  Today, I intend to remedy that.

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Perfect Fill Batter Dispenser Review

Product Review: Wilton Perfect Fill Batter Dispenser

Posted on by Katie Gaffen

You may have heard Alton Brown and many others complaining about “unitaskers,” or kitchen tools that have only one purpose, and for good reason: they take up more space than they deserve and you probably won’t use them often enough to justify the expense.  The Wilton Perfect Fill Batter Dispenser fits squarely into the category of unitaskers, so I was hesitant to add it to my collection.  This review is for those of you who are similarly on the fence.

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The I Wanna Bake Holiday Gift Guide (Part 4)

Posted on by Katie Gaffen

Christmas is just one short week away now!  To help you shop for all the baking enthusiasts in your lives, I’ve created a series of gift guides featuring bakeware, accessories, cookbooks, and more.

This week’s gift guide features stocking stuffers and baking bundle gifts.  Click on the pictures for links to online buying sources.  If you feel I’ve left anything off this list, feel free to e-mail me or share your ideas in the comments.  I’m always happy to shop for baking supplies!

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