I’d like you to meet one of the loves of my life. This is Kitty, and she’s a pink Kitchenaid Artisan Mixer
If you’ve been on the fence about buying a Kitchenaid stand mixer, here’s my advice: do.
There are some awesome deals on the stand mixers now at Amazon- I like to check it once in a while if only to ooh and ahh over all the pretty colors: KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers
I’m pleased to finally announce the launch of my new baking business: Sweet Lorraine Bakeshop!
My products currently include some of the best cupcakes you’ll ever have, as well as some cookies and bars that I’ve developed throughout the years. Please do check it out »
My grandfather, who I grew up with and loved fiercely, passed away this week. And although he had been sick for quite some time, the “finality” of his death is hard for me to deal with. I miss you, Papa.
However, the good news is that in true Lorraine fashion, I’ve been subliminating my grief by baking up a storm- and will be blogging my successes (and okay, yes, my failures) here in the next few weeks. So don’t cancel your RSS subscription just yet… there will be yumminess coming! I promise.
Much to the horror of my thighs, I’ve started baking again. It began when my sister asked me to bake a cake for her baby’s baptism party on Sunday. I decided that not only would I make my tried-and-tested Chocolate Mousse Cake (from Nigella Lawson’s How to Be a Domestic Goddess
The cupcakes were delicious. I cut down on the sugar in both the cake and frosting recipes, and they were still fantastic. Soft and moist and very light. But the best part was icing them.
I only have a very old, very cheap hand-me-down plastic icing decorating kit, so it was quite messy, but the cupcakes came out so pretty. Sorry, no photos- but I served some to guests last night, then sent the rest to various family members- and they were all gone before I could remember to photograph them!
Anyway, what I really want to say is that I LOVED piping the frosting. Even with my hot hands, even hotter kitchen, and el cheapo of the cheapest decorating sets, I had such a blast doing it. Now I want to buy a new set- but I need some advice. Should I order one of these?
…or stick to a more traditional set like this?
Your comments and suggestions please!
I know there’s no excuse for not blogging since Halloween (!), but I’ll try anyway:
Not so long ago, I turned to my husband and said, “Wouldn’t it be great if we gave everyone jars of homemade cookies for Christmas?”. He, the husband who believes in his wife’s baking skills to no end, agreed wholeheartedly… which is why I’ve been slaving away in my hot kitchen (what was I thinking when I painted it red??) these past few weeks, baking up a storm. A storm of Christmas Cookies.
Two of the cookies, I selected from my trusty old Rose’s Christmas Cookies, which is my most overused cookbook ever: Scottish Shortbread and Mexican Wedding Cakes (oh my god delicious). And, of course, my very own World Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies. What a combination! Buttery, crunchy Shortbread… melt-in-your-mouth (and sometimes in my very warm hands) Mexican Wedding Cakes… and the star of the whole affair, the perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie.
Sadly, not everyone on our list is getting cookies this year. I just can’t handle too much baking. But the ones who are getting them… well, they’re to blame for my lack of blogging. I’m hoping it will be worth it.
