Todays post is all about the perils of photographing food. Featuring Cardamom Cupcakes, Rose-Infused Whipped Topping and Chocolate Ballerinas!
Imagine spending hours cutting, painting and detailing two dozen ballerinas made from modelling chocolate. Lots of work, but pretty spectacular results. You're feeling like a boss and decide you want to capture some shots before they head out to your friend's to be devoured.
In your haste, you set up a make-shift background, flanked by a whiteboard to bounce some light around, a couple props, etcetera, etcetera... Camera cocked and ready to shoot, you step back to admire what resembles a scene from Black Swan. Just as you lift the remote to fire off the first shot...
Princess Odette loses her fricking mind and pulls an Odile and the curtain is quickly, and unceremoniously drawn, somewhere between the first shutter of the lens.
Well, this one-time, wannabe, ballerina just as quickly turned into a sailor. Not the clorox-clean-white-pants, striped shirt, cap-wearing, singing-in-the-rain bull-ish. Naaahhh, we're talking cussing, laid out on the floor, tantrum-throwing, wailing and ranting, disgraceful breed of sailor girl - if there ever was one.
Well, this one-time, wannabe, ballerina just as quickly turned into a sailor. Not the clorox-clean-white-pants, striped shirt, cap-wearing, singing-in-the-rain bull-ish. Naaahhh, we're talking cussing, laid out on the floor, tantrum-throwing, wailing and ranting, disgraceful breed of sailor girl - if there ever was one.
Tangled, broken limbs and severed slipper feet, littered the black lace floor-drop, punctuated by sweet, silky frosting-soiled tutus and up-dos, further dampened by my salty, sailor girl tears.
Looking at the clock through tear/anger-clouded eyes, I uncurled from fetal position and picked myself up off the floor, straightened my bell-bottom pants and put on my little seafarer's problem-solving cap.
Ungracefully transitioning from arabesque to an arabesque fondue-ish stance, the surviving ballerinas took their places once more, for a less than stellar show. Broken ballerinas aside, the cardamom cupcakes and rose-infused whipped topping made for an incredibly flavourful pairing.
Here's a quick video showing how I made the toppers. For more behind the scene photos and videos, join me on Instagram.
Note: I made these toppers/cupcakes earlier in the year, while the weather was still cold. I am not certain how the toppers would hold up in warmer weather, especially for an outdoor event. If you plan to do something similar, be sure to test first.
More Cupcakes
Cardamom Cupcakes w/Cardamom Rose Whipped Topping
(yield: 24 Cupcakes)
Tools & Equipment Used:
Ballerina Patchwork Cutter
Ingredients:
Cupcakes
199g (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
6g (1 ½ tsp) baking soda
2.5g (½ tsp) salt
6g (2 ½ tsp) ground cardamom
226g (1 cup) coconut oil, solid
287g (1 ½ cups) organic cane sugar
4 large eggs
20g (1 tbsp) vanilla bean paste
122g (½ cup) almond milk
Whipped Topping
500ml (2 cups) 35% whipping cream
33g (¼ cup) confectioner's sugar (adjust to taste)
33g (¼ cup) confectioner's sugar (adjust to taste)
2 packages Dr. Oetker Whipped Cream Stabilizer
Directions:
Place rack in the center of oven and preheat oven to 350ºF. Line the wells of muffin pans with cupcake liners.
Sift flour, baking soda, salt and cardamom into a large bowl.
Using the paddle attachment of an electric stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla bean paste until fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down sides as needed.
Lower the speed of the mixer and add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk (flour-milk-flour-milk-flour), until fully incorporated and smooth.
Fill cupcake liners two-thirds with batter, using an ice-cream scoop for even distribution.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the cupcake, comes out clean.
Remove from oven and place on cooling rack to cool completely.
To make the topping: Chill the cream, stainless steel bowl and whisk.
Pour the cream into the chilled bowl, add the stabilizer, sugar, cardamom and rose water. Whisk with a handheld or electric mixer until stable peaks form.
Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and top with ballerinas.
[Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon Affiliate links.]
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