It ain't over till the fat lady sings!

This month, we had the pleasure of a challenge from the founders of The Daring Bakers Lis and Ivvone and co-hosts Apples Peaches Pumpkin Pie(http://applespeachespumpkinpie.blogspot.com/) and Shea of the blog Whiskful (http://whiskful.blogspot.com/).

Our mission: Opera Cake
Feelings immediately after reading the challenge: Exhaustion
Feelings after completing the challenge: Not as bad as when I did it in class
Feelings after 1st bite of challenge: *shudder*
Feelings after trying to make myself eat another piece: *shudder*

I am not sure why I do this to myself everytime I make something. Even if it's not to my liking or taste, I force myself to eat it. Possibly because we grew up not wasting what food was prepared for us. Afterall you know, all those starving children in China. *jokes*
Above is the Joconde sheet cakes separated by a vanilla buttercream. The joconde are moistened with simple syrup.
Now, here is the cake that has been covered by a white chocolate mousse and covered in a white chocolate glaze.
I also busted out some decorating skills, I also have nunchuck skills.
Surprisingly, it looks pretty good when cut and the buttercream actually worked for me this time, probably because I let it mix in the mixer till it was stiff. The other times, I was afraid I would curdle it for some reason so I always removed it before it was done and yeah...it was not good.
and there we have it folks, May challenge is complete. Here is the link to the recipe.

To be completely honest, if you couldn't tell by my entire entry, I did not much enjoy this Opera Cake, nor was it satisfying for the amount of calories I forced myself to eat. I can truly say that I hate buttercream, I'm not sure I like the joconde since I felt it was rather bland. The only part I did like was the white chocolate glaze, but that alone took me into a sugar coma. I have never been a fan of desserts such as this, no offense. It reminds me of petit fours and I just felt that the textures and the tastes were so different in each of the components to make up the Opera that it didn't quite blend together well for me. Perhaps I'm crazy, which is probably the case.

Carrot to try?

It's surprising how long it took for me to make ANYTHING baked containing carrots ever since I made 200 some carrot cakes back in December at work. I've wanted to but the thought of what I went through; the batter splattered chef coat, carrot stained hands, pastry shortening up to my ears and the annoyance of having to take turns on the mixer and ovens when I had a deadline; made me quite unwilling to bake carrot muffins which I had craved since before December until now.

Finally, I was able to bring myself to making these carrot muffins and these are IBS safe, so good for you and better for your tummy! Enjoy!

CARROT MUFFINS - Valerie Adams

3 Medium sized carrots, peeled and grated
1/4 C apple sauce, natural
3/4 C oil
1 1/2 ts Vanilla extract
3/4 C eggbeaters
Mix wet ingredients together until complete combined

2 C flour, All Purpose
1 C granulated sugar
3/4 ts Baking Soda
1 1/2 ts Baking Powder
1/2 ts salt
1 ts cinnamon
1/2 ts nutmeg
Mix the dry ingredients together

Then fold wet ingredients into the dry.

Finally add:

1 C shredded coconut
1/2 C chopped and toasted pecans

Spray muffins pan with olive oil spray and then divide batter evenly between muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.

I hardly eat any "real" dinner, what most people would consider dinner cause sometimes I just can't stomach it with my IBS, but the other day I concocted something so yummy! Emmm! I had some leftover cooked penne pasta and here is my creation:

CHIPOTLE PORCINI PENNE - Valerie Adams

5-6 dried porcini mushrooms (hydrated in some warm water)
1/2 tomato cut into chunks
1/2 Vandalia onion, sliced thinnly
Chipotle pepper (dried, ground) to taste

Heat up some olive oil in a saute pan, and sautee onions till soft, then add in penne pasta, toss in tomatos and the porcini mushrooms (squeese out water).
Sautee and add some of the mushroom water for flavor and moisture. Add in the chipotle pepper to taste. Dish up!

Now, I just made myself hungry. I better make dinner - but what? Hmm....

Maybe it will fly?

So, as an admirer of Ace of Cakes, I could not say that I am fan until I had tried my hand at making a cake myself. I can't say that it is a cake worthy of posting, but I had to. It's my very first fondant covered, shaped cake. In a sad way I'm proud of it, so I couldn't not post it. Right?

Strawberry Chocolate Cake - Valerie Adams

4 containers of Yo-Digestive Strawberry yogurt
1 C oil
4 ts Vanilla extract
(Mix liquid together)

2 1/2 C All Purpose flour
4 ts Baking powder
1/2 C cocoa powder
2 C powdered sugar
(Mix dry ingredients together and add liquid to the dry and mix till combined)

Pour into greased pan and bake at 375 degrees F for 40 minutes.

I then cut the cake into three equal strips

and brushed simple syrup onto each layer then adhered the layers with chocolate icing.

This is the plane after cutting and frosting.
Here's the end product with the marshmellow fondant. Please forgive the nooks and crannies you can see, but I've never worked with fondant before.
The other side
and lastly the front of the plane.

I think it was a little small of a cake to really put enough detail on it, so next time I will make a bigger one.