Valentine Oreos - no bake easy to make treats

Mr Sweet and I have been married for 21 years this April. I'm not one to push unwanted advice upon others, and I realise that a marriage spanning multiple decades is not on everyone's must have or even mildly want list but for the rest of you I will share one of my secrets.

I have never given Mr Sweet a furry toy or any type of balloon that declares how much I love him.

Not that there's anything wrong with it, but it's just not our thing and Mr Sweet seems to be happy with that.
However chocolate with hearts, and in particular easy to make treats that have Oreo cookies included in some way, do seem to be the way to my man's heart.

 

These no bake Oreo Valentine treats I whipped are pretty much store bought cookies, topped with some chocolate frosting and then a handmade fondant topper pressed on top.

They are easy enough for nearly anyone to make and pretty enough that they would even look great on a party table and you can replace the Oreos with a homemade cookie, brownies or cupcakes if you like.

No Bake Oreo Valentine Treats
I've made a quick you tube tutorial so click on the picture below to check it out before you read the instructions below:

You Tube tutorial:



You will need:
Fondant toppers (see instructions below)
Oreo cookies
Chocolate frosting
piping bag with star tip (I used #22)

Place Oreo cookies on a baking tray. Swirl on a dab of chocolate frosting. Press a fondant topper on top of the frosting.

Store in an airtight container until required. Up to 3 days.

Fondant Topper Instructions
You will need to make toppers at least one day in advance. You can make one type or a variety:

White fondant#
Red fondant#
cutters (specific cutters under each photo instruction)#
small plastic rolling pin#
cornflour (cornstarch)
brush and water

#Fondant, rolling pin and cutters can be purchased at online cake and decorating stores, ebay or craft stores.

Line a flat tray with baking/ parchment paper.

Heart Toppers
This is the easiest topper and you can find heart cutters at most supermarkets or discount stores.

Cutters required: heart cutter approx 4cm (1 1/2")

 Dust workbench with cornflour (corn starch) and roll out red fondant until quite thin. Cut out heart shape and place on prepared tray overnight or until set.

Topper 2

Cutters required:
carnation cutter 5cm (1 5/8th")
5 petal heart cutter 2.5cm ( 1")

Dust workbench with cornflour (corn starch) and roll out white fondant until quite thin.Cut out carnation shape and place on prepared tray.

Roll out red fondant until thin and cut out the 5 petal heart cutter shape. Brush a little water into the middle of the white carnation shape and press the red 5 petal heart shape into the middle. Leave on tray overnight or until set.

Topper 3

Cutters/equipment required:
round scalloped cutter 4.5cm (1 3/4")

heart cutter approx 2.5cm ( 1")
toothpick

Dust workbench with cornflour (corn starch) and roll out white fondant until quite thin.Cut out round scalloped shape and place on prepared tray.

Roll out red fondant until thin and cut out the small heart shape. Brush a little water into the middle of the white scalloped round shape and press the red heart shape into the middle.Using the toothpick press a hole into each rounded scallop on the edge of the white round fondant shape.

Leave on tray overnight or until set.

 Topper 4 (pressed fondant flower)

Cutters/ingredients required:
rose/ flower cutter 6cm (1 7/8")
red sprinkles

Dust workbench with cornflour (corn starch) and roll out white fondant until quite thin.Cut out rose shape and place on prepared tray.

Pinch off a small amount of red fondant and roll into a round Brush a little water into the middle of the white rose shape and press the red fondant into the middle and then flatten out. Brush more water all over the red middle and then shake red sprinkles on the middle of the flower.

Leave on tray overnight or until set. Once set remove excess sprinkles.

I've added this idea over at Tip Junkie's Tip me Tuesday:


 Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission. 

Navy stripe and pink rose cake and a delightful afternoon tea party

My lovely friend celebrated her birthday a few days ago with an elegant navy stripe and hot pink themed afternoon tea.

It was a charming afternoon with her friends at a local venue with a traditional 3 tier afternoon tea service and I made a cake to work in with the theme.

Although I would love to say my cake was the highlight of the event, it was overshadowed completely by my friend who during her thank you speech graciously took the time to thank every guest and tell them why they were special in her life.

 
Fresh flowers on a simple white base trimmed with navy grosgrain ribbon and a pearl brooch. The cake was a traditional chocolate mud with chocolate ganache (a mix of 70/30 dark/milk lindt chocolate).

And I must tell you ganaching in Queensland in the middle of summer is less than awesome :)

Anyhoo I popped some baking paper in between the flowers and the cake to protect it just in case there was any type of residue on the flowers. You can see it in the close up below if you squint and look carefully.

The tables were decorated with fresh roses and co-ordinating navy grosgrain ribbon.

Guests received a lovely gift of earrings and a decorated cookie (by me) in a bag hand decorated by the hostess to co-ordinate with the theme.

It was a delightful afternoon.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission. 

Chocolate Cherry French Macarons

I had some left over macaron shells the other day and have been playing around with different fillings.

I think this chocolate and cherry one was the most delicious, the shells are french almond macaron made with the recipe in THIS POST (CLICK HERE).

Filled with a little chocolate ganache and black cherry halves and some dots of white chocolate ganache.

Then finished with another dab of ganach and a cherry.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission.