Sara Samples Scotland 2011

Finally! I am finally posting about my trip to Scotland over a month ago! I have been so busy with bridal showers and weddings... but more on those later.

SCOTLAND

....was oh so amazing. It was sooo much better than I even imagined for so many reasons. I absolutely love the culture and the people and let me tell you, their food was absolutely AMAZING!

I know, I know, Scotland really isn't known for their fine cuisine but when it comes to comfort food, you can't beat it.... not even Paula Dean and her extra stick of butta.

I will just tell you some of the amazing foods I tried and then we will move onto the course you are all waiting for.... dessert. 

On the Menu: 

Haggis (yes I loved it... both times!), Neeps and Tatties

Chicken Goujons

Steak and Ale Pie

Fish and Chips

Gammon with Fried Egg or Pineapple

AmazAZing Onion Rings

Breaded Mushrooms

Sausage Rolls

and last (and definitely one of the best) Crumpets!

And so we begin.....

We started off our adventure with a lovely stroll through the Gallery in Glasgow in which my radar sensed a baking store. I was like a kid in a candy store!....well I do go crazy in candy stores too but never you mind. Of course I had to explore.... and buy something.... and so I adopted a lovely set of crumpet rings.

Sara in front of a cooking/baking supply store in the Buchanan Galleries

Next to George Square in Glasgow is the "Style Mile"....a bunch of fancy pants clothing stores, but amidst the rough I found a diamond.... down a dark and shady alleyway..... under a striped tent! My friend here sold a million different types of fudge, gummy candies and more! I asked him what his best sellers were and he said the Bailey's and Chocolate Covered Fudge.... he wasn't lying! I paced myself and only bought the two types of fudge and some delectable bon bons. One of the many things I loved was how they sell their sugary treats in little plastic baggies. A little sketchy but So cute!

One of the few vendors that allowed me to take their picture!

I bought some Fudgelicious Homemade Fudge ~ Baileys

You can see below that many of the fudges were made out of different types of alcohol especially whisky. :)

Chocolate Coated Creamy Fudge.

In case y'all didn't know. Bon Bons and I go way back. Ever since I started selling them in French class.... I have been addicted. I think I ate more than I sold. Bon Bons have a special place in my heart.... and stomach.

Raspberry Bon Bons.

On the way home from church on Sunday, we stopped for tea (dinner) at a little cafe called BeanScene. My subconscious radar must have been on because little did I know I would be walking into a shop that held one of my favorite treats of the trip. Chocolate Tiffin. It is made of crumbled digestibles (biscuits), raisins and chocolate (among a few other minor ingredients). Sounds gross I know but it was oh-so-amazing. I couldn't believe it. It was rich heaven in between my fingertips. This is one recipe you may be seeing in the near future if I can find one that does it justice.

I had an awesome hot dog on a baguette and it was so tasty and smokey. Mmmmmm.

Jillian decided to feast on a tart for dessert. It was tasty as well.

I loved browsing the aisles in the local shopping market because they had such funny and interesting candy and treats that were often a similar version of one in the US.

Mambas or Maoams?!

Some of the interesting candies I found while I was over there. I noticed that most of their gummy candies were very bland and really not very sweet or sour. It lacked the luster that I love so much but it was fun to try!

Another of my most sacred finds was the caramel shortbread, which they had everywhere! This was the hot shortbread to sell in your cafe or restaurant... and for good reason! I will also being trying to find an amazing recipe for this one! Doesn't it just look amazing (you will have to excuse the appearance, it was in a take home bag. It was beautiful when it went in!)

Caramel Shortbread

Next to the Galleries there was  a very long road of very busy shops. Amongst them was a cute bakery and tea room! The front end had a traditional bakery but in the back of the store was a neat little tea area where you could sit and have tea and a pastry. I love the idea.

One thing I love is sausage rolls. Back in the day I worked at a bakery (Leslie's French Pastries) as a bakery girl and I loved their sausage rolls! The owners were actually Scottish so they sold meat pies and sausage rolls along side their petit fours and eclairs. :)

What is a sausage roll you ask? Below you will see me partaking of said sausage roll. It was tasty.

One happy puppy!

Delicious sausage in a flaky pastry pocket

You can sea the sign in the back that says "Tea Room"

The front bakery was so cute!

They sold some things that were similar to American bakeries such as cupcakes, cakes, cookies, petit fours but they also had a very large selection of truffles, chocolates, tarts, cream filled donut things, shortbread (not as much as I thought though) and other desserts I couldn't even identify. I loved it!

Cupcakes on display in their front window

6 cupcakes for 4.99 pounds. This is about $8.50 USD

Along the same strip was another shop but it was closed already (All the shops close at 6pm!). I just thought the name was really cute. They had another location in the gallery and they sold chocolates....obviously. 

When I saw this store (below), I busted up laughing! Americandy. I wanted to check it out to see if they really had stuff that we sold here. They did! The most intriguing part of this visit was actually the beverages they sold. Apparently you cannot buy Root Beer or Mountain Dew anywhere in Scotland except for the imported shops like the one below. A single can of Mountain Dew goes for 1.50 pounds. That's $2.55 USD! A single can! A 12 pack was marked as 16 pounds or $27 USD. I could not believe it. We spoke to a young man who happened to be purchasing a can of Mountain Dew and asked him if it was worth it. He said it was definitely worth it. He could live off of it. After we told him that we get it for like 25 cents or 15 pence he said "That's reason enough to move there!" He couldn't believe it. Anyway, they sold a lot of candy that I have never seen before as well as the normal candy bars we carry. They also had some more gummy candies in baggies. I thought the Blues Brothers and Wonder Woman was a nice touch for the front of the store.

As I said, one of my favorite new experiences in Scotland were the crumpets. They were amazing. period. I bought some crumpet rings and tried to make them in my flat but it just wasn't working with not having measuring cups, a frying pan, oil...you know, the necessities. I will try them again here though soon! Mmmmm......sooooo good. Just a fine shmear of butter and I am in heaven.

From Thornton's Chocolate Bar, mint and toffee chocolate bars! Can't go wrong with these flavors.

You will notice a few things in the next picture.

Exhibit A- The bag says "Walkers" but looks EXACTLY like a Lays bag. Hmmmm......

Exhibit 2- Yes, the bag does say prawn cocktail.

Exhibit C- Yes, they tasted exactly like I thought they would....

The popular local drink over there is IRN-BRU. It's their Coke or Pepsi but with a million grams of caffeine in it. Of course I had to try it. It tasted like bubble gum, orange soda, fresca and another ingredient I can't put my finger on all combined with an aftertaste of nasty.....so it was ok.

We high-speed trained it on down to Ediburgh for a day and fully soaked in the culture and the atmosphere. It was so full of energy there. Truely awesome...not in the "awesome like a hot dog" sense but I was actually in awe of the history of the town. 

This was a cool shop in Edinburgh on Cockburn Street.

I bet you can't guess where I bought these fine looking chocolates.

We ate the chocolate on the way home from Edinburgh on the train but it was almost gone before I could get my camera out!

One thing I found hilarious was the number of Italian restaurants in Glasgow. I bet you can find 4 italian restaurants for every normal scottish restaurant. They love their Italian! 

Strawberry and Pistachio Gelato at an Italian restaurant. It was great!

My first taste of Sticky Pudding was a success!

So, I may not have mentioned the reason for my visit to the homeland. I went to compete in the World Pipe Band Championship with my bagpipe band! (I play the tenor drum not the bagpipes) Wow! What an amazing opportunity it was! I really loved every minute of it. This is a vendor at the actual championship. There were actually quite a few candy vendors there. I'm ok with that. :)

I was so excited I thought I was going to pass out!
They had so many different kinds of treats crammed into such a tiny space! 

Well the 9 days I was there was a huge succes and I certainly hope to go back their again. It was an experience to remember!

CupCake Poll!

The Results from the Poll:

What Is Your Favorite CupCake Flavor?

Drum Roll Please......................................

Yellow or Vanilla Cake!

What?!

I was actually really surprised to see that most people's favorite cupcake was a Vanilla or Yellow Cake!
I like them because they are just so pure and oh-so-delicious but I really thought most people would go for Chocolate!!

The Breakdown:

44% ~ Yellow or Vanilla Cake

22% ~ Strawberry Cake

22% ~ Spice Cake

11% ~ Chocolate Cake

Please do tell, Why is your favorite Cupcake Yellow or Vanilla?!

Scottish Shortbread

In lieu of my upcoming travels to Scotland, I thought it would be appropriate to make some shortbread. I'll be honest, I have only had shortbread once and I don't even remember it, SO, I really have no idea how it is supposed to taste. I do know it is supposed to be crumbly and delicious. If that is all I am going off then this recipe is a good one because I had a whole slice of shortbread for breakfast...oops. I was only going to have a bite to try it out. I guess I will be forced to taste test a bunch of different kinds in Scotland to see what this shortbread stuff is really about. Poor me.

You will notice that my shortbread is baked in a mold. I received this beautiful shortbread stone from a dear family member when she passed away after a strong fight with breast cancer. These are for you Pauline!

  

Scottish Shortbread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sifted flour

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened slightly

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray or brush vegetable oil onto bottom and sides of shortbread stone/mold. Mash all ingredients together in a large bowl with a sturdy spoon. Once mixture holds together, knead dough until uniform. Press firmly into bottom of shortbread stone. 

Bake for approximately 45 minutes until lightly browned and still somewhat springy to the touch. (I think I overcooked mine a bit. I would do 35-40 minutes next time).   Let cool in mold for an hour. Use knife around perimeter of shortbread to loosen from the mold. Carefully unmold onto rack or round platter. Let cool thoroughly. Enjoy.

Snickerdoodle Cookies

I was finally able to get back to baking after a long haul with the hubby, Ben, in the hospital. I have been promising to make him snickerdoodles (his favorite cookie) for a while and I was so busy preparing for the hospital that I just didn't have time. I should've thought about timing just a little bit better because they were so tasty that he ate about 7 cookies and got sick after. Silly Ben. He does the same thing with creamies and bacon. :)

These snickerdoodles were great. The texture was light and crisp leading into a delicate chew. Cookies in general are not my favorite dessert but I couldn't help but grab a handful as I sat down to read a book. This is my snickerdoodle recipe from now on. No need to try any others. I am satisfied. :)
I used a very small cookie scoop (1/2 Tablespoon) to dish because I like my cookies small and bite size allowing the devourer to decide for themselves how much they wish to devour. :) Enjoy.

Snickerdoodles
Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
12.5 oz (2 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degress F. Cream together butter and shortening. Add 1 1/2 cups white sugar and mix until fully incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time and then the vanilla. In a separate bowl combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt and stir until evenly distributed. Pour flour mixture into butter mixture and mix until combined. In a separate bowl combine the 2 Tbsp white sugar and cinnamon.
Use 1/2 Tablespoon cookie/ice cream scoop to shape dough. This will produce a finished cookie that is 2 inches in diameter. Roll in cinnamon/sugar mixture until covered. Place ball on ungreased baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 5-6 minutes (depending on oven). Do NOT overbake or they will loose this delicious texture. Once the edges barely start to brown they are done. Do not let the edges actually brown or they will be very crisp (unless you like it this way!). If in doubt.... take it out! They may not look done but they set up deliciously after a few minutes of cooling. (This is the secret to deliciously soft and chewy cookies.)
Remove from baking sheet and place on a cooling rack after a few minutes.
For larger cookies, use a 1 Tablespoon scoop and bake for 7-8 minutes. This will produce a cookie that is 3 inches in diameter.

Original recipe from allrecipes.com

Beach Ball Cake Pops!

Are you wondering what dessert to take to your upcoming pool party?

Take Beach Balls! Made from yellow cake and a delicious buttercream frosting, these handcrafted beach balls are sure to be the talk of the party...they were for mine! Please ignore the awesome display cup they are in... Ideally I would have put them in a sand bucket with actual sand!! Cool, huh! But alas, some days you just gotta stick your pops in a cup and run. Enjoy.

How to Make Beach Ball Cake Pops
To decorate these lovely beach balls, dip your cake pops in melted vanilla or white chocolate wafers. Let them dry. Score the coating lightly with a pointy object (6 even sections) and then 'paint' a section with the same melted wafers using a very small paint brush. Once covered well with the melt, sprinkle on some sanding sugar or crystals or other sprinklable something so it is fully covered. Pat down to secure the sprinkles. Skip a section to leave it white and repeat with your next color. If you covered each section well in the sprinkles then the next color will not stick to the previous sections you have already done...no need to let each individual section dry. I use red, blue and a citrine color because I didn't have yellow but you can just use what ya got! After you are all done with the sprinkles you can glue (with your candy melt) a little candy for the top of the beach ball or you can do what I did and just pipe on some of the melt to make it look like a circle. Have fun!

Pink Cake Balls for the Neighbors

So, it had been a while since I had really talked to any of my neighbors so I thought the least I could do is drop off some treats with a small "Thinking of You" card on it. I can't be that bad of a neighbor if I come bearing gifts right? :) Anyway, these are yellow cake balls dipped in a pink vanilla coating and sprinkled with white nonpeirels. So, you may be wondering, "Why the heck does she only make yellow cake?!"

1. I don't only make yellow cake but it is one of the most requested flavors I get so I do make it more often than other flavors. My red velvet was the same for a while. People go through phases. :)
2. Actually, a lot of these desserts are from the same batch of yellow cake. Haha...I am tricking the system. These babies freeze awesome! Can't even tell. :) Plus my yellow cake batch makes like a thousand cake balls.
3. In all honesty, my baking comes in spurts. I do a lot of baking for a week or so and then I do none for a couple days so really I did all these yellow cake balls in a matter of like 3 days. I wish I had the time (and energy) to bake everyday.....mmm.....

So, there you have it. My confessions. Enjoy.

I actually gave this box of perfection to my dad for Father's Day.
Maybe blue would have been more fitting...

Coming up next......You guessed it!! Yellow Cake Beach Balls!!

Once Upon a Time....There was a Fairytale Baby Shower!

So, I love all things fairytale and when I heard my cousin was having a fairytale baby shower and I was invited to do the dessert spread...I went a little crazy. I had to tone it down and choose just a few ideas. The whole event was super fun and it turned out cute. Here are the spoils. Sorry, the light was a little weird because we set up the desserts in a sun room and I didn't have time to take good pictures before hand. Oh well. It's a good thing the table wasn't outside or everything would have melted- it was so warm!

Fairy God-Mother Wands!

I totally ran out of time to set up...oopsies. I was going to secure this on a ribbon
and hang in front of the table but I slapped it on the wall next to the table instead.
It worked. :)

Cinderella's Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes

Lemon Buttercream Frosting Adorned with Blue Pearls
from Cinderella's Broken Necklace

Jack's Magic Beans

Yellow Cake with Buttercream Frosting
My most requested flavor!

Upelkuchen and Pishsalver
(Dipped Oreos and Soda)



Add caption

Pinnochio's Taffy- Get it.....because he stretches the truth....
Ok, maybe this one was a stretch.... buh dun chhhh. ;P

I suspended the cake pops in green sea shells to bring
The Little Mermaid to the party

To make the cake pops, I crumbled up the baked yellow cake and put just enough frosting in to allow the cake to hold together. I taste tested to make sure I had the right texture and enough frosting. Then I smashed it into a pan and used a star cookie cutter to cut out the shapes. I stuck a 6" stick into the bottom and put them on a pan, covered in plastic wrap and stuck it in the freezer overnight. Putting it in the fridge until it is firm enough to dip will also be sufficient. Make sure you allow the cake to warm up a little bit (about 20 min out of freezer) before dipping or else your beautiful star will get big cracks in the coating. Dip the stars in melted vanilla wafers (colored yellow with oil based food color- Do NOT use water based food color in chocolate, it will seize) and allow the excess to drip off. Sprinkle as desired with nonpereils or any other sprinklable glitz. Stick the stick into a foam block to allow the cake pop to dry upright. Voila!

To make the Upelkuchen (oreos), color your melted vanilla wafers with violet oil candy color and then dip oreos using a dipping tool (easier and nicer looking than using forks I think- easily worth the $9 investment). Let the excess drip off and lightly scrape the bottom of the oreo against the side of the bowl. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Once the coating has hardened, write EAT ME on the top. To do this, melt dark or semi sweet chocolate in a ziplock bag until just melted. Do this in 10 second intervals. Be careful not to melt right through the bag....don't laugh. Once melted just enough, zip the top and clip off a very small tip off the corner. You can go bigger but you can't go smaller so be conservative. Twist at the top of the chocolate and you are ready to write. PRACTICE before you do it on a cookie....or else give that cookie to your hubby or child or dog....it took me a couple cookies to make it look right. The key was to let it cool enough so it is easier to write with. If it is too runny it will look weird.....so let it cool another 30 seconds or so.
To make the other fancy looking ones you need a chocolate transfer sheet available at orson gygis, Baker's Cash-N-Carry, Amazon.com, or a plethora of other online bakery retailers. (They don't come cheap though.) Get one that is fun! These are essentially plastic sheets designed with cocoa butter colored with powdered food coloring. These (minus the plastic sheet) are completely edible. I cut my transfer sheet into squares that just fit the top of the oreo. So after you dip the oreo and place it on the parchment paper, take a transfer sheet square and place it on top of the oreo (while the chocolate is still melted). Press lightly to make sure there are no bubbles and the transfer sheet is in complete contact with the chocolate. Allow to dry and carefully lift off the plastic. Done! Super cute. Be careful with these dipped oreos because they melt really easy. Keep them real cool until you need them.

General Tip:
To melt vanilla wafers or chocolate wafers, you can throw them in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave them or you can use the double boiler system. I like to get the water boiling then take it off the heat and put the top bowl on (with the wafers inside). Be sure not to get condensation in the chocolate. Allow the wafers to melt for a few minutes and stir. If needed reheat the water and repeat (depends on how many wafers you have).