Feast Your Eyes On: Fun With Fondant

Vanilla cake with vanilla fondant. (Photo credit: Brandi Cowen)

After sitting in on so many cake decorating demos and workshops (not to mention watching all those hours of Cake Boss), I decided to try my hand at working with fondant. The end result? A pretty snazzy birthday cake for mom. It’s no Cake Boss creation, but it’s pretty good for a first try, if I do say so myself. (And I do!)

The most important lesson learned from this little experiment is that just when you think you’ve got the fondant as thin as it can go, you’ll discover that you’re wrong. Roll it out to as consistent a thickness as possible – the more consistent it is, the better it will look when you apply it to the cake.

The other trick to having fun with fondant? Patience!

Test Kitchen: Carrot Maple Muffins

These muffins are the perfect snack for an autumn day. (Photo credit: Brandi Cowen)

These moist muffins are packed with carroty goodness. They deliver a mild maple taste and just a hint of spice. If you’re searching for the perfect snack for the fall days ahead, look no further than these delicious delights.

 

Feast Your Eyes On: Cupcakes

 

Mouthwatering vanilla and chocolate cupcakes from "The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook." (Photo Credit: Brandi Cowen)

 

Test Kitchen: Lemon Cake

This lemon cake is a fantastic summertime treat. (Photo credit: Brandi Cowen)

This white cake is light and fluffy with just a hint of lemon. It’s extremely moist and, if stored properly, keeps well for several days without drying out.  Try serving this delicious dessert at a late summer barbeque or anytime.

Note: For best results, store the cake in a container that seals well after it’s been sliced.

Test Kitchen: Triple Chocolate Biscotti

The white and semisweet chocolate chips sweeten this crisp biscotti. (Photo credit: Brandi Cowen)

This sweet biscotti is light and crispy. The creamy white and semisweet chocolates compliment the dry biscuit nicely. This biscotti is a bit sweet to pair with coffee, but it makes an excellent dessert. (Hint: Serve with vanilla ice cream!)

Test Kitchen: Quick and Easy Crepes

These crepes are a great breakfast treat. (Photo credit: Brandi Cowen)

These easy to prepare crepes are sturdy enough to hold up under the weight of fresh berries, while still being light enough that they won’t fill you up (unless you want them to!).

Note: This recipe yields between 10 and 18 crepes, depending on how thick you make them.

Johnston A Disappointing Pick for GG

David Johnston isn't a bad choice for GG, but he is a disappointing one. (Photo credit: University of Waterloo)

It’s a done deal. When Michaelle Jean leaves office in September, University of Waterloo President David Johnston will take over as Canada’s Governor General.

As an undergrad at UW, I had the opportunity to hear Johnston speak a number of times and even chatted with him one-on-one. In my experience, he’s smart, articulate and well-informed on a wide variety of issues.

Test Kitchen: Chocolate Marble Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce

This rich chocolate marble cheesecake is easy to prepare. (Photo credit: Brandi Cowen)

This rich, creamy cheesecake is easy to prepare, but be warned: like any cheesecake, it’s a time-consuming undertaking.

The taste of the graham cracker crust contrasts nicely with the sweet chocolate swirls, and the raspberry sauce brings out the flavour of the plain cheesecake. In short, this great make-ahead dessert will satisfy sweet tooths and fruit lovers alike.

Canada’s Next GG Should Be Barenaked

With Members of Parliament on summer vacation and no confidence motions tabled in the House of Commons, Canada’s political pundits have taken a temporary break from their endless election speculation. To fill the void, they’ve turned their attention to another issue: who will replace Michaelle Jean as Governor General when her term ends in September.

Any one of the Barenaked Ladies would make a good choice for the next Governor General. (Photo credit: David Bergman)

The list of possible candidates is long. It includes names like Preston Manning, the founder of the Reform Party, Mary Simon, a former diplomat from Northern Canada, and Peter Milliken, currently serving as Speaker of the House in Parliament.

Then you have the candidates that average Canadians are lobbying for. Thousands have joined Facebook groups pushing for big names like Leonard Cohen and William Shatner to get the job. And of course, it wouldn’t be Canada if hockey greats like Wayne Gretzky weren’t mentioned, at least in passing.

With Prime Minister Harper set to name the new GG this week, I’ve decided to add my two-cents to this summer’s most fun national debate. Please bear with me while I explain why I think our next GG should be, well, Barenaked.

Test Kitchen: Coconut Cake

This light cake is a great summer dessert. (Photo credit: Brandi Cowen)

This moist cake has a full coconut flavour that nicely compliments a light vanilla or cream cheese frosting. It’s a great summer treat, whether you’re hosting a backyard barbeque or a formal dinner party.

The cake is light and fluffy, but thanks to the coconut, it’s a bit heavier than a standard white cake.

The post-bake clean up was quick and easy, however the post-eat clean up was a different story. This is a very crumbly cake that has a tendency to fall apart when you cut it. Personally, I wouldn’t serve it unless it could be eaten at a table (i.e. not a good choice for a kid’s birthday party!)

A quick word of advice: don’t over cook the cake. If it’s too dry, the coconut throughout the cake might be a bit hard to swallow.