Spilled Tea Cake

 Made this for a tea party. This is chiffon cake with Swiss meringue buttercream. In case you are wondering, the tea cup is real. 

Davis Austin Rose Basket

 David Austin Roses are famous for its many layers of delicate petals and lush blooms. I used different shades of pink to capture their richness and complexity.

Here is my Olivia by David Austin.

Girl Scout Awards

 Decorated 1/2 sheet cake for Girl Scout Higher Award ceremony.

Chinese Fried Donut (No yeast) 油条

I used to add yeast to make my dough rise, but I’ve found from my friend that it isn’t actually necessary. Here’s a simpler method.

Ingredients

Bread flour or All purpose flour - 500g
Baking Powder - 5g
Baking Soda - 5g
Salt - 15g　

Oil - 30g
Water - about 300g

Oil for frying - depends on pot size

The number of Chinese donuts you can make depends on the size. 

Steps

1. Combine all dough ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix until a sticky dough forms. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes, then knead into a ball (it may still be sticky). Let it rest for another 30 minutes, then knead again, divide into two long logs, wrap, and refrigerate overnight. 

2. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured pastry board into a sheet about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into strips about 1/2 inch wide.

3. Stack two strips on top of each other, then use a chopstick or the back of a dinner knife to press down the center to create an indentation.

5. In a frying pan/pot, heat up the cooking oil until you can see small bubbling. Pick up the strips and stretch it before drop in oil. Use chopstick to roll it in the oil pan. Fry until it is golden.

Off the Clock Retirement Cake

 I made this for coworker's retirement.

1st Birthday Cake

This is chiffon cake with Swiss meringue buttercream and fondant.

Honey Lollipops

I made this for a tea party. It is messy to make, but very cute to stir one in a cup of hot tea for a little extra sweetness.

Ingredients

Cooking spray for the ice cube tray
Honey - 1/2 cup
Light corn syrup - 1/3 cup 
Granulated sugar - 1/2 cup
Water - 2 TBSP

Wooden honey wands 6 inches each, or lollipop sticks - 25

Steps

1. Prepare an ice bath with ice cubes and water in a metal bowl or pan or something your saucepan will fit into.

2. Spray the silicone ice cube tray with cooking spray.
3. In a medium saucepan stir together the honey, corn syrup, sugar, and water. Stir together until well incorporated. Attach the candy thermometer to the pan.
4. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium so that the mixture stays at a rolling boil that is steady and not too vigorous.

5. Cook to 302°F, which is hard crack stage for candy. The moment the candy reaches temperature, plunge the bottom of the pan into the ice bath. Let the bubbling subside for 1-2 minutes.

6. Pour the candy into 25 cavities of the silicone tray, filling each about 3/4 full. Let stand 1-2 minutes, then cover with lid or double thickness of aluminum foil.

7. Insert the lollipop stick into each of the hexagons. After they are balanced, leave them alone to firm, about 2 hours.

8. Wiggle each wand end a little to loosen the honey pop from the mold. Transfer to a parchment or wax paper-lined baking sheet. Let stand 20 minutes to air dry.
10. Package each in cellophane and tie with ribbon, or store them in an airtight container in a cool dry place. If stored away from humidity, they will last two weeks or longer. These can be made up to a week ahead. Do not store these in the refrigerator. Keep them away from all forms of humidity.