Good morning! Hope this post finds you all well, safe and content.
It's been chilly and rainy here in central Texas for the last several days. Nothing severe but just enough to be irritating. I'm praying it doesn't freeze...what a nasty mess that would be. Texans and icy roads are not a good combination.
To try, and not only learn something new, but to also alleviate retirement boredom in the midst of Winter, I've purchased an online course on creating rose blossoms using buttercream...to decorate cake. I've really been enjoying the course so far...and today, I think I feel confident enough to mix up a batch of buttercream and experiment. Wish me luck.
I made several attempts at making Gingerbread...the first pan was not very good, in my opinion. Recipe called for not enough spices and too much molasses. In other words, it was awful...but Larry liked it...lol...oh well. So, the hunt for a better recipe commenced. I found the Starbuck Copycat gingerbread loaf recipe. It worked! First bite flooded my senses with memories...I also found an extract I really like! It's called Creme Bouquet. Lemon and vanilla notes...wonderful! It's advertised as a replacement for vanilla...I use both! Don't be shocked at the price either...Vanilla alone has risen in price, terribly! I ordered the 32oz bottle and got it for $32 dollars from Amazon about a month ago. I see you can still get it for that price...you just need to look around in the Amazon app. Don't let the immediate $55 price tag scare you away. They may even sell it at Walmart, I need to check that lead out. But seriously? 32ozs will last me for ages...It only takes about a half a cap full...concentrated! I now use it in all my baked goods...It makes everything I bake smell and taste like a bakery.
Here's hoping you are safe and happy in your part of the world. Stay warm or cool wherever you are!
