Marshmallow Fondant Recipe

As I wrote in my previous post, there are two different and distinct cake decoration dough or paste: Fondant and Gum Paste. Although they look the same, each has a distinct characteristic and is used for a specific purpose… I do recommend that you read my post before preparing the Marshmallow Fondant recipe.

Rolled fondant is used to cover cakes and cupcakes as it forms a beautiful, seamless finish. Rolled fondant can be colored, patterned, stamped and shaped. It has a sugary sweet taste, and is delicious when prepared with marshmallows as in today’s recipe. There are different ways and recipes to prepare rolled fondant but I find this one the easiest and quickest.

When preparing fondant remember that the amount of sugar you use heavily depends on the air temperature and humidity. This varies from place to place and from season to the other. Amount of sugar needed in the summer is different than the one needed in winter! When the weather is hot and humid you will need to add more sugar to your fondant, than when it is dry and cold. Add the sugar gradually as you need to be careful not to add more than needed.

Tip: Fondant vs Gum-paste

I have never had formal cake decoration training!!! I learnt what I know from a few cake decoration books I have plus a lot of trial and error. Last year I started watching some videos on cake decoration on Youtube…. Oh my God the good stuff you can find and learn in this cyber world!!

Many have sent me messages requesting the recipe for the fondant! But before I post the recipes I  use for that, I want to share with you some of the information I learned over there years on fondant that I wished I had known years ago… before the many mishaps in the kitchen, LOL. 

There are two different and distinct cake decoration dough (let us call it dough for now) that is made from sugar. The first is rolled fondant and the second one is gum paste!  I didn’t know that until a two years ago!! Maybe it is because in Arabic both are called the same: sugar dough.  

If I had known this difference I would probably have averted many decoration disasters!

So what is the difference you ask? and why is it important? 

Brides’ Bra Recipe

What about the name you wonder?

LOL… I wondered about the name as well when I first heard about this dessert! That was years ago when a friend of mine told me that she tasted a delicious cold dessert called Brides’ Bra! At the time, one of my close friends was getting married and I was planning her shower party. And this cold dessert with it’s strange name definitely caught my attention!! I thought, that will be a nice addition to the menu… and it surly is going to draw a few laughs over the name! 

I asked my friend to get me the recipe, and I prepared it a few days before the shower party to make sure that it tastes and looks good.  It did! We enjoyed it a lot, the only change I did was doubling the chocolate syrup portion.

For the shower party, I  got a bit creative and decided to purchase different brands of canned peaches in order to have different sized peaches… get the drift of my thoughts? Sometimes I even add some M&Ms on the top of each peach before serving… they look more original that way!  

Nowadays, whenever there is a bridal shower that I am invited to, I get asked to bring this dish along… sometimes I wonder whether it is me or the Brides’ Bra they want at that party!  

DIY Piñata Tutorial

My daughter’s 9th birthday was three weeks ago and she wanted a piñata for her birthday. Piñata’s aren’t common in this region, growing up I cannot recall every seeing one; it is something that the new generation picked-up from TV.

A piñata is a colorfully decorated container made from paper, cloth or cardboard; and filled with candy and/or small toys. During birthday celebrations, it is hanged from the ceiling and broken with a stick. Children really enjoy the process of breaking the piniata and then gathering the splattered candy!  Although Piñatas are associated to Mexico, its origins are thought to be China.

As I was preparing for Mariana’s birthday, I searched how to make a piñata and found a few very good on-line tutorials. The one I liked most was by Jennifer Cleaver from the Copycat Crafter and was trilled when Jennifer agreed to guest post her tutorial on my blog. I didn’t get the chance to do this year’s piñata as my daughter got a ready-made one from her aunt, but I am sure going to do it next year. 

Now I leave you with Jennifer’s post:

Tahini Dip - Tahini Sauce Recipe

A while back I was asked by one of the blog’s fans for the recipe of Tahini Dip or Sauce, the Tahini Dip served in Middle Eastern restaurants with other appetizers. It has been on top of my to-do list for quite some time now… and don’t know how it just got delayed and delayed.

It is amazing how the simple and easy stuff get delayed!?! It is as if my subconscious makes me focus on the difficult stuff and the easy ones get pushed back. Anyway, I won’t bore you more with my justification for a late reply for a very easy and simple dish: Tahini Dip!

If you look tahini in the dictionary this is what you get:

tahini /tɑːˈhiːni/ (also tahina /tɑːˈhiːnə/) ▶noun: a Middle Eastern paste or spread made from ground sesame seeds.

Tahini, or sesame paste as it is called in the West, is a common ingredient in Middle Eastern, Persian, Turkish and Indian cuisines. Some sources mention that it is used in Chinese and Japanese cuisines, but I am not definite about that. What I am definite about is the popularity of tahini in Arabic cuisine! We use it in appetizers, salads, main dishes, we even use it in the preparation of sweets.

For preparing the Tahini Dip or Tahini Sauce – the name depends on your preference - I have two recipes. The first recipe is a thicker and denser version of Tahini sauce which I serve with grilled and fried vegetables. This is also the Tahini Sauce that some restaurants serve as a stand-alone appetizer. The second recipe is a lighter, more liquidy tahini sauce that I serve with meat shawerma, or falafel. It can also be added as a condiment to a selection of sandwiches. Following is the recipe for both. 

Before you read the Tahini Sauce recipes remember that you need to shake the tahini jar well before use. Even after shaking, the consistency of the paste may be denser at the bottom of the jar. This makes it very difficult to 100% set the exact measurements for the recipe. Adjust the water depending on whether you are using Tahini for the top of the jar or the bottom.  If you are using a jar that is almost at the bottom you will need to add a bit more water to the recipe than is called for.