ABC Cake Decorating Shoppe and Bakery

Striving to become the best Shoppe in Orange, CA

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Hours:            Monday 11am-6pm
Tuesday 9am-6pm
Wednesday - Friday 9am-6pm
Saturday 9am-4pm
Sunday Closed

Candy Tips & Recipes

Jump directly to Royal Icing    Basic Buttercream Frosting    Chocolate Covered Cherries    Bark    Peanut Butter Filling    Sugar Cookie     Vanilla Dip    Candy clay aka Modeling chocolate   

The chocolate is oil based, so never let water come in direct contact with it.

If you are adding flavors or colors they must be oil based.

The working temperature of chocolate is 90-92 degrees Fahrenheit. If the chocolate is too thick add paraflakes until it becomes the right consistency. This is especially important when working with colored chocolate.

Melt chocolate in microwave at 50% or defrost setting. Do not allow chocolate to become hot.

Cook at one-minute intervals, stirring each time until chocolate is fully melted. Pour into mold filling entirely for a solid fill. To set chocolate, place in refrigerator.

To make shells spoon a small amount of chocolate into mold and use a paintbrush to pull chocolate up around sides to coat cavity. Place in refrigerator to set. Once set; fill molds with desired filling. Spoon a small amount of chocolate on top of filling to completely cover the filling making sure you have a good seal around edges

Many molds are especially designed for "painting". To color a mold use a paintbrush to "paint" in desired colors in selected areas. Each color must be painted in separately, then chilled to set before an adjoining color can be added or poured solid. If colors aren’t set separately, they will run together and the design will not remain clear.

Store in a cool, dry and odorless environment.

Do not store in refrigerator because condensation will develop when removed. This will add water to the chocolate and it will become thick when melted.

Wash mold in cool water and hand dry. Never wash with hot water or in a dishwasher.

 

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Coconut Filling

1 cup white Karo syrup 1-tsp. Vanilla 2 ½ cups desiccated coconut

Pinch of salt

Bring syrup to a boil, add salt and vanilla. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut. Cool. Prepare mold by coating bottom and sides of each cavity with chocolate. Fill molds almost to top with filling (allowing for chocolate seal) top with chocolate and chill. Store any leftover in airtight container.

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Peanut Butter Filling

2 cups peanut butter (smooth or crunchy) 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup melted butter or margarine 1-tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients, mixing well. Prepare mold by coating bottom and sides of each cavity with chocolate. Chill. Fill molds almost to top with filling (allowing for chocolate seal), top with chocolate and chill. Store any leftover in airtight container.

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Bark, Bark, Bark

 2 lbs. Merckens coating wafers
1/2 lb. crunch

Melt chocolate until creamy. Add crunch to melted chocolate and pour into parchment lined 9x13 pan. Refrigerate until set. Turn out onto parchment paper and either break or cut into pieces.

Suggested combinations: Milk or dark chocolate with Heath toffee crunch, Tangerine crunch, Boysenberry crunch or White pepperment crunch.
Butterscotch with Expresso crunch.
White chocolate with red&green Peppermint crunch, Lemon crunch, Boysenberry crunch or Trangerine.

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Chocolate Covered Cherries

Drain maraschino cherries, saving juice. Gradually add juice to dry fondant until the syrup becomes desired consistency. Coat the inside of the mold thoroughly. Chill. Place a cherry in each cavity. Add small amount of syrup. Do not fill to the top. To seal top with chocolate, use a circular motion going around the edge to prevent syrup from overspilling, A good lip of chocolate around the top edge is necessary for sealing.

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Basic Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup hot water (in mixing bowl)
2 pounds sifted powdered sugar
Mix 3 minutes on slow speed
Then add 1 and 1/2 cups sweetex shortening, dash of salt
1 teaspoon Creme bouquet
Then mix for 10 minutes at medium speed

This frosting will keep, on the shelf, for 1 - 2 weeks. If you have extra frosting, you can keep the frosting in the refrigerator for a month and in the freezer indefinitely. The frosting also is good with graham crackers!

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Royal Icing

4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
6-7 tablespoons water

Using a wire whip, mix powered sugar with meringue powder, 1 minute on low speed. Add water slowly while mixer is running at low speed. Mix with wire whip for 10 minutes or until icing peaks.

This icing crusts(hardens) in (roughly) 15 minutes. This can be extended (slightly) by covering the bowl with a cloth. This icing will fully harden in 24-48 hours.

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Sugar cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon cream (Use mixture of half evaporated milk, half sweetened condensed milk)
1 teaspoon flavoring

Sift flour with baking powder & salt. Cream butter, add sugar then beat until light & fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Add cream & flavoring. Add flour mixture, mix thoroughly. Place in refrigerator to chill.

Bake at 400 degrees for 8-9 minutes.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies, depending on size of each cookie.
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Vanilla Dip Tip By Mary Ayer

Vanilla dip is an excellent glaze to cover cookies to prepare them for decorations. Use a microwave safe container large enough for cookie (diameter of cookie plus about 4 inches). Warm vanilla dip in microwave using defrost or 50% power for 3-4 minute intervals, stirring in between. After dip becomes soft and warm add hot water (one tablespoon at a time) until the dip becomes creamy and streams easily from the spoon. You may need to microwave one minute (defrost or 50% power) to help the dip and water mix. If you wish to add color (water based icing colors are the best to use) or flavoring, do it at this time. To give the dip a more shiny finish add glycerin, approximately one teaspoon to a pound of dip.

Holding cookies by edges place cookie face down in dip, pushing gently into dip to coat the cookie evenly. Lift cookie and shake off excess dip. Clean any excess drips on the edges with a small spatula and place cookie on rack to dry. If you wish to add sprinkles or sanding sugar do it while the dip is still wet. You can also attach edible images while the dip is still wet. You can give your cookies a marble effect by drizzling one color (thin the dip a little more first) onto another in your container of dip. If you are doing a lot of cookies you can use an electric skillet (set on warm) with a couple inches of water to keep your container of dip in while you are dipping the cookies. A crock pot on warm or very low can also be used. Always keep at least 1-2 inches of icing in container that you are using to dip the cookies. If the level of icing becomes too low the cookies do not lift easily from the icing. Stir often when using because if a crust forms on icing it will not coat the cookie evenly.

After vanilla dip dries (at least one hour – remember humidity can effect drying time) decorate with royal icing, edible markers or airbrush.
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Candy Clay aka Modeling Chocolate

 1 package of Merkens candy
1/3 cup light corn syrup ( i. e. Karo)
Melt chocolate discs in microwave or melting pot.
Stir in light corn syrup until blended. Pour recipe onto waxed paper and let sit for at least 2 hours. Overnight is better.
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