Thursday 23 January 2014

HIstory :

As a young child I was always interested in being in the kitchen and the older I became the more fascinated I found myself. I enjoyed helping my mother in the kitchen at a very young age, at age 9 I started to learn more of the fundamentals of cooking, and at age 12 I started cooking by myself I would make lunch, and supper. At first it was simple things, but the older I got the more complexed things became. Now as an adult my mother and I take turns cooking, she cooks for one week, and I cook the next week, I enjoy this immensely. During this project I decided how ever my cooking skills needed an update, more specifically my baking skills. So I ventured out on a small lim and learned a lot. Not only did I learn skills in the kitchen but I learned a lot about myself as a person, I grew and developed more confidence. Now I am capable of making desserts with supper, or making meat pies, the possibilities are a lot more endless. I learned how to work with different types of dough, make cakes, make pies and so much more. As I said earlier self growth was also an important thing I did a lot of self growth during this project. I am now more self- assured in the kitchen as well as in life in general. I find I am not as daunted by certain tasks as I was before, because I have proven myself capable of more then is expected from me. Now I leave you with this last picture of the finished gingerbread house. Good Bye.



Thursday 16 January 2014

Gingerbread House :





Here is my first set of ingredients.




They are, flower, sugar, molasses, margarine, eggs, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cloves, icing sugar, almond extract, pepper & mint extract, cream of tarter, neon food colouring, basic food colouring, potatoes, apple cider, vinegar.








Now here is a picture of all the candy for the house. I am not going to name each candy, because quite frankly I do not know all the "official names" for each of these candies.




















My next step is to make the dough. This is first accomplished, when you cream together the following ingredients. Those ingredients are , 3/4 cups of sugar, 1/2 cup of margarine, 1 Tsp. each ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and baking powder, 1/2 Tsp. each ground cloves and baking soda with a mixer on medium- high speed until light and fluffy, 3 minutes. Mix in 1 egg.
 
 
 
 
 

 
Now you beat in the following ingredients. You start with a 1/4 cup of molasses, and 1 Tbsp. of cider vinegar. Gradually beat in 2 cups of all- purpose flour.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The dough must be chilled in plastic wrap for 3-4 hours.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




Once it has chilled sufficiently. Roll it on flowered parchment paper, so it is a 1/4-  inch thick. Then you put your pattern piece on the dough, and cut them out.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 










 
 
 
 
 The oven should be pre-heated to 375. You put it in the oven for 17 minutes.



Once the cookies are done you need to make royal icing. This consists of, egg whites, cream of tarter, and icing sugar. This first needs to be applied to your basic surface.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
Now you put the ginger bread house together.

You start with the bottom, which holds the whole house together.
 
 
 
The next step is to add the sides.
 
 
 

 

After the sides are added you add the front and the back.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
After the sides the roof goes on the house .
 
 
Next you add the chimney and the door.





































Now you decorate the house, the roof, sides, front, and back.





















Here is the finished product after decoration.
























Reflection: I learned a lot during this process like, some more icing technics . Another thing I learned is how to make gingerbread. I also found out it is crucial  that you find the right recipes,when you do this. I learned how to make windows for the gingerbread house. Did you know that making your own cookie cutter is a tedious process, my mother makes it look easy. Ginger bread house making is a time consuming process.


Sunday 17 November 2013

Lemon Meringue pie

Lemon meringue pie : Yesterday made lemon meringue pie. I think that the recipe I found had been the best recipe have have worked with yet. 


Sunday 10 November 2013

Lemons :

I have been trying to get around to posting this all week so here it is . 



Lemon squares : 

I positively love Lemon bars, so of course I had to make them. They turned out great, but I would like a new crust recipe.



Lemmon loaf : 

I made Lemon loaf this week I had a lot of fun, and the taste was great. The recipe I found was lovely. 




Sunday 3 November 2013

Blueberry pie

 


Who doesn't love a good pie, so I thought that I would make one. The pie turned out wonderfully. I had a lot of fun making it and, learning how to make a weave for the top of the pie.   





Thursday 31 October 2013

Oat meat and chocolate chip Cookies



The other day I made these wonderful cookies they turned out great. They were oat meal and chocolate chip. I have noticed that I am finding easier to make drop cookies than before , now that I have had some experience.    



Homemade noodles

The other day I made these noodles, and they turned out so wonderfully that I just have to put them on my blog . Their made from scratch, I basically used eggs and flower then shaped them the way I wanted.