Cookie Cutter organisation and storage

Today's scheduled post has been cancelled due to bad weather.

It's great living where I do, in fact it's called the Sunshine State, but the downside is that weeks on end of rain really put you out when your not used to it. Well for me anyway.

So today's post is not happening and instead I will share how I store my cookie cutters.

But first a little self promotion :)

Hey did you know I will be doing a handmade wedding demonstration at the Bleeding Heart in Brisbane on the 27th of April. I'll show you how to make the pretty stacked cookies in these pictures, how to make simple fondant blossoms to decorate cookies and cakes, talk about tips for making cupcakes, show how to cover a smooth fondant cupcake and a swirly frosted cupcake and provide a handout which will include tips, instructions and the recipe for sugar cookies and cupcakes.

The demonstration is only $30, a portion of the funds goes to supporting local artists and you can book online: CLICK HERE

Anyhoo back to cookie organisation.

I have a pretty simple system which helps me to find the cookies pretty quickly. I store them in plastic containers from the dollar stores which cost around $2 each. They stack up really well and are a good height to fit in one layer of cutters. You can buy deeper/higher ones that fit in more cutters but I like the single layer 'cause it means I can turn them upside down and easily see what is inside.

I pop my cutters into like groups eg: Christmas cutters, Garden cutters, princess cutters, boy cutters (cars and tools), Bird cutters, I have some just for copper cutters cause they are so pretty I like to keep them together. My system probably only makes sense to me, but you gotta use what works for you :)

Copper Cookie Cutters from Ecrandal - sigh

Then I have this Billy bookcase with doors I picked up from Ikea and they fit in pretty well. I have a plan one day to pop label on the sides to make it even easier to find the cutters.....it's on my to do list.......one day.

I do actually have lots more stored in my new creative space cupboards, but you get the idea.

IKEA - AUSTRALIA link

IKEA - US link

I also have a 'clutter' draw which is for storing stuff after I use it until I put it away, y'know cutters, tips, fondant tools etc. Clutter tip # make sure you clear out your clutter draw on  regular basis otherwise it doesn't matter how organize the rest of your stuff is - I know this from experience.

Yup so that's how I store my cutters, for more cookie organization and storage ideas check out the following posts by other bloggers. They have way more cookie cutters than me and the different ideas are great:

Sweet Sugarbelle Organisation and Storage

Cristin's Cookies: Let's talk organisation

CookieCrazie - I used to have a similar system to this for my fondant tools and cutters

The Partioligist - Lets get organized

and back to stacked cookies - check out these super pretty ones above I made for 'Tickle the Imagination' online magazine. The recipe and instructions are on page 36 and 37 of this month's issue. In fact the whole issue is totally charming so you must click on over and have a look - CLICK HERE to view online for free.

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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:

Link to Amazon:

Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! 

Or at Fishpond (free shipping Australia)

 

 Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go!

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Mocha Buttercream frosting

I'm a bit of a chocolate chip fan.

Ok I know that doesn't really set me apart from everyone else. But surprisingly I am not a huge fan of plain chocolate - I have kilo's of it in my baking cupboard and I am never tempted to eat it.

Although pop it into a cake or cookie, and I love it.

I don't know why, it just the way it is. The sky is blue, water is wet and I love chocolate chip cakes and cookies.

Frosting swirl with a Wilton 1 M tip

Anyhoo, you may all of noticed I'm not much into the health food. I don't really do low fat much when it comes to baking, if it reduces the flavour and texture, forget it. However a while back (due to a running out of ingredients baking emergency) I noticed when I added some low fat plain yogurt into my cakes it created a yummy, dense and moist cake which I loved. The reduced fat aspect was just a bonus.

So I decided to merge my love of chocolate chips with the yogurt based cake.

Then I piled on some frosting and chocolate chips and popped a macaron on top, although the macaron is optional. It looks pretty good either way.

Oh I baked some in these Greengate baking cups I had lying around. I picked them up last year at Just Plain Gorgeous and they matched some of my latte cups, which totally worked out for my afternoon tea.

We enjoyed these cupcakes both frosted as decorated in the picture and without the frosting. We found the cupcake delicious just as it was plain, the addition of the yogurt made it moist enough to be an easy after school snack.

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Mocha Butter Cream Frosting
I used Chobani plain 0% fat Greek yogurt in this recipe. Any left over yogurt can be used in place of sour cream - eg for baked potato or soup swirling.


Chocolate Chip Cupcakes (makes 12)
Ingredients should be at room temperature for best results

1 1/2 cups (1 1/2 Cups rounded US) Self Raising Flour
pinch salt
125 g (4 3/8 oz) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
125 g (4 3/8 oz) 0% Fat Yogurt (I used Chobani)
2 large eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
3/4 cups mini milk chocolate chips
Frosting (I used the recipe below)
Extra mini chocolate chips
Optional - mini macarons

Preheat the oven to 160 C (325 F). Line a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake papers.

Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar for a couple of minutes. Reduce speed to medium low and add the yogurt. Mix until just combined.

Still at medium low add the vanilla and eggs and mix until combined.

Reduce speed to low and add the sifted flour, when the flour is just combined turn off the machine, add the chocolate chips and mix by hand until the chips are evenly distributed.

Divide the mixture between the baking cups.

Bake for around 20 minutes until the tops are turning golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean of cake crumbs.

To decorate, smooth on a small amount frosting around the edges of the cupcake.

Pop the mini choc chips into a shallow plate or bowl and then roll the edges of the cupcake in the mini chips. Repeat for remaining cupcakes.

Place the remaining frosting into a large piping bag with a large star tip (I used Wilton 1 M tip ) and pipe a swirl on the top of each cupcake.

Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Remove from fridge about 10 minutes prior to eating. Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored at room temperature.


Mocha Maple Butter Cream Frosting
I used Lindt Milk Chocolate. The Maple is a subtle flavor in place of Vanilla - it's not knock your socks off, if you like you can leave out the coffee powder and maple syrup and have plain milk chocolate frosting.

This batch made about double what I needed, you can either half the recipe or freeze the remainder (like I did). To reuse frozen butter cream defrost and then whip it back up until light and fluffy.

250 gram (8 3/4 oz) unsalted butter
3 cups (3 1/4 US cups) sifted icing sugar (powdered sugar)
1/2 tsp salt
200 grams ( 7 oz) melted milk chocolate (cooled)
2 tsp powdered coffee
1 Tbsp (1 US Tbsp + 1 tsp) Maple syrup

In a large bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter and 2 cups of the sugar for 3 minutes at high until light and fluffy. Add the remaining sugar and salt and mix on high speed until very light and fluffy. Add the chocolate, coffee and maple syrup and mix on high another couple of minutes until the mixture is well combined and once again lightened in color and texture (see picture for example).

# If the weather is hot (or you don't wait for your chocolate to cool like me) and your frosting becomes too soft to pipe, just pop it into the fridge to chill about 1/2 and hour or so, then you can whip it back up with the mixer until it's perfect for piping.

Original recipe by Linda Vandermeer 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:

Link to Amazon:

Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! 

Or at Fishpond (free shipping Australia)

 

 Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go!

Sweet Love Stacked Cookies for Valentines

Just a quick post to show some pictures of these Sweet Love Valentines cookies I whipped up.

I'll be showing how to make similar stacked cookies at the home made wedding treats demonstration at the Bleeding Heart cafe in Brisbane on the 27th of April 2013. Click here for booking details (you'll need to scroll right to the bottom and it's called Wedding Favours with Linda Vandermeer0.

Also at the demo I will talk about making and baking cupcakes, demonstrate how to decorate cupcakes and demonstrate decorating a few different types of cookies (including stacked cookies). Handout will include cookie cutout recipe.

My book Sweets on a Stick will be available to purchase from the Bleeding Heart on the day :)

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

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:

Link to Amazon:

Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! 

Or at Fishpond (free shipping Australia)

 

 Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go!