Sugar Swings! Serve Some: fall
Showing posts with label fall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fall. Show all posts

Friday, December 7, 2018

Mini Apple Rose Tarts

 

Happy December to All!

Hard to believe we're almost at the end of 2018.  I really think time does speed up once you turn 40. (And that was 7 years ago now!)

This is only my 11th post of 2018 when in previous years I was averaging way more:

How the heck did I post 66 new treats in 2010?? As you can see the number has consistently dropped each year since.  The reason? Life. Just life as a working mom with 3 kids (now twins are 11 and big kid is 14).  I love baking and thinking up new treats but it has taken a backseat for sure this year.  I do still make stuff but many times I don't have the time or energy for pics and blog posts.  I tend to take the easy way out and post a quick pic to Instagram and my Facebook page.  

But that said when I do have time and want to share something new, I do like to set aside some me time for that.  

Like these mini apple rose tarts!


I've seen them on Pinterest a lot and they've been on my to do list forever! Plus I love apples and cinnamon so these are one of my fav flavors.

Start with some apples.  I used a bunch of different types - really to try to get different colors in the final tarts.  Cut in half, remove seeds/core, and slice thinly.  I just used a knife to slice thinly but you could also use a mandolin if you have one handy.


Add 1/4 cup of honey and 1 teaspoon of good cinnamon to a microwave safe bowl and heat for 1 minute.  Brush mixture over outside of apples and bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes (until apples are soft but not mushy).  You can even microwave the apples to really speed up the time.  


I used store bought tart shells.  They are small and easy to work with and really speeds the process of making these little tarts.


To hold the apples in I filled the tarts with a mixture of melted caramel chips and a little cream cheese.  Place the apples lengthwise overlapping slightly and roll into rose shape.  


The video above shows how to roll the apples (I left out the puff pastry as I wanted smaller, tighter roses.


Add the rolled roses to the shells and that's pretty much it.  

If you use pre-made shells you can have a bunch of these mini apple rose tarts made in about 30 mins!


Super cute and yummy and it looks like you spent a lot of time putting a tray of these together.  I plan on making more for some holiday parties coming up!


Another reason right now for lack of posts is we are renovating our kitchen! Currently cooking and baking is happening either in a toaster oven, microwave, electric burner or crock pot!

Here's our current kitchen set up!


Wish me luck and here's to hoping 2019 gets back on track treat wise!

Thanks for swinging by!


Mini Apple Rose Tarts
by  - 2018

Ingredients
  • Box pre-made fillo tart shells
  • 3 apples (pick you favorite)
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup caramel chips
  • 1 Tablespoon cream cheese
Instructions
  1. For apple roses: Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut apples in half and remove core/seeds.  Slice thinly and evenly.  
  2. Mix honey and cinnamon in microwave safe bowl and heat for 1-2 mins until thin.  Brush over outside of apples.  
  3. Bake apples for 15 mins (until pliable but not mushy)
  4. Line up about 4 apple slices lengthwise overlapping ends slightly.  Roll into rose shape (see video above as example)
  5. For filling: Add caramel chips to microwave safe bowl and heat for 3 minutes or until chips are melted.  Add cream cheese to bowl and mix well.  Add about 1 teaspoonful to each tart shell.
  6. Add one apple rose to each filled tart shell.
  7. Serve at room temperature or store in refrigerator until serving.
Prep time: 30 minutes Yield: about 15-20 tarts
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Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Autumn Tree Graham Cracker Treats


So I was driving with my kid the other day and we both noted to each other how pretty the day was outside.  A perfect autumn day with leaves all sorts of colors with a pretty blue sky.  Some leaves were still on the trees and some already had fallen to the ground.  It was so nice to not only to take the time to pause and really enjoy the moment - something many of use don't do anymore - but it was also great because I shared that moment with my kid, my baby - who is now 12.


I often get inspired by nature and I wanted to make something that was all autumn.  I've used graham crackers as "canvases" before so thought they would be great as a background for some fall trees.

Start with popcorn! 


I used Skinny Pop popcorn and sprayed it with some Wilton color mist.  Again I love this stuff.  It makes coloring stuff so easy.


Mix it up and you have some fun rainbow popcorn.  


Use some melted chocolate to attach the popcorn to the graham crackers and use pretzel sticks as the tree trunks.  I added some fall leaf sprinkles as fallen leaves.


They definitely remind me of the fall trees we were admiring the other day!

I plan on giving them to some kids that we will be spending time with as part of a Girl Scout volunteer activity.  There is a temple that is hosting some families that are in transit and without a home until they get back on their feet.  I figure some fun treats may brighten their day and make them smile.  With so much anger and unrest these days I'm making it a point to do more to help or make a difference in the world.  Even small things matter.  


Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!


Autumn Tree Graham Cracker Cookies
by November 16-2016
Ingredients
  • Popcorn (I used Skinny Pop Popcorn)
  • Wilton Color Mist spray in green, yellow, and red
  • 8-10 graham crackers
  • Pretzel sticks
  • 1 cup of chocolate chips
  • Leaf shaped sprinkles
Instructions:
  1. Spread popcorn in baking pan and spray with Color mist (to have a mix of
    "leaf" colors)
  2. Melt chips in a microwave safe bowl and add to a freezer bag.  Snip and end and add some chocolate to pretzel stick and attach to a graham cracker as the tree trunk.
  3. Use more melted chocolate to attach popcorn to cracker as the leaves.
  4. Outline the edges of the graham cracker and attach leaf sprinkles along bottom as fallen leaves.
Prep time: 30Yield: 8-10 graham cracker cookies

Other Graham Cracker Cookies and Treats you may like!

Back to School Graham Cracker Snacks


Winter Themed Graham Cracker Treats


Xylophone Graham Cracker and Twizzler Treats


Birds on a Wire Graham Cracker Cookies



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Thursday, October 30, 2014

Triple Pumpkin Beignets


I told myself I was banning making any pumpkin stuff this season since there is obviously an overload of pumpkin and pumpkin spice on the market.  But you know I honestly love pumpkin everything! 


So I caved and made some triple pumpkin beignets. To me beignets taste like part doughnut and part funnel cake and are best served warm with powdered sugar.   Triple pumpkin because these little fritters are 1) pumpkin shaped 2) there's pumpkin in the dough AND 3) there's a little pumpkin spice pudding inside them. And please, whatever you do, don't forget to sprinkle with lots and lots (and lots) of powdered sugar!

See all of the pumpkiny details here at SheKnows

Happy Halloween Eve!
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Monday, August 25, 2014

Fall Flower Box Cupcakes


I've kinda given up on Summer.  It's already chilly out, the town pool water is plain cold, and all the fall/autumn stuff is out in stores.  So instead of complaining about how fast the summer went by (and believe me I've already done plenty of that), I made cupcakes.  


Fall flower box cupcakes! I found these neat mini loaf pan liners at a local Homegoods a few weeks ago and thought they'd make neat little flower boxes.  AND I also found York Peppermint Patty Minis - I know mini peppermint patties!  Pretty much impossible not to eat a handful at a time.


The flowers (they are supposed to be Fall Mums!) are made with chocolate covered sunflower seeds.  Attach them to the mini peppermint patty with some green candy melt.  The colors of the sunflower seeds definitely remind me of fall colors.


Bake your favorite cake in the mini loaf pan (I used chocolate of course, you know dirt like) then pipe some buttercream leaves and add your candy flowers on top.


And if you can't find these little loaf pans, you can use mini cupcake liners.  Just pipe some buttercream leaves and add a flower on top for simple mini cupcakes.


See pretty too!


Or do both!


Heading up to Canada soon for a last summer vacay and a little detoxing from electronics but I hope you like the cupcakes.  Do they look like mums to you?? Leave a comment and let me know! 

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Monday, October 21, 2013

Simple Candy Owls



So what is it about owls that everyone loves so much? The cuteness? The smartness? The funny faces? The all-knowingness? The killer bird of preyness? Who knows but they definitely are all over the place.  I would place bets that owls are the most pinned animal over on pinterest.


So I made some.  And they are pretty simple, and use up that candy corn you may have laying around too.  You need mini York Peppermint Patties as the base. I actually had some Easter egg shaped ones stashed away from earlier this year, but you can use regular round ones too. Or you can use any kind of chocolate candy you can find in the shape.


The rest is candy corn for wings, candy coated sunflower seeds for the beak, pre-made candy eyes (but you can make you own too from candy melt), and Wilton candy melts for the rest of the detail and to attach the other candy items.


Then just position the wings in various ways to give them some of that owl cuteness and character everyone loves so much.  Add some sprinkles on their tummies too if you like.


Candy corn comes in so many varieties now, so you can mix and match.  And if you don't like traditional candy corn Starburst even have their own now!


And that's pretty much it.  Great on their own or add them as toppers to cupcakes because who can resist the cuteness of owl cupcakes?  And if you want to see similar but different candy owls, we made these for Valentine's Day one year.


Thanks as always for stopping by, have a great week!

P.S. Here's a little peak into my fancy photo shoot set up aka my kitchen table.  I often have a curious kiddo wander into the "photo shoot".  They always want to know why I'm taking pictures of stuff - or maybe they are just hungry! 

Tidy Mom's I'm Loving It
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Friday, August 23, 2013

Candied Cherries on a Stick


So it's almost the end of summer and the start of fall.  I say it every year but I'm not ready for summer to be over!!  But I figure it's ok to post a treat that bridges them both.  Candy apples always pop up around Fall and Halloween time, in all kinds of flavors and neat decorations.  And since I love everything mini, I thought I'd try some candy cherries.  Since cherries kinda look like little apples, I thought they'd be cute and look like little tiny candied apples.  

These are made with the same old candy apple making mix you can find in most food stores.  


Add a mini stick.  I used cake pop sticks and cut to the size I wanted.  I left the pit in the cherries because I didn't want the juice leaking out.


 Just follow the directions on the mix to make the candy coating.  Clean the cherries and dry well to allow the candy to adhere better without sliding off the cherries.  That was an issue when the candy was to fluid.  I found if I let it sit a little and was thicker, that allowed the coating to stay on better.

Once you dip the cherries, immediately dip in some fun sprinkles.  Totally optional but it helped make them a little fall like for the upcoming season.  Then let harden.


One note on these.  The hot candy coating can burst the skin of the cherries.  So as they sat to harden, some had leaking issues.  Also, the cherry to candy coating ratio is pretty high since they are small, so these are pretty sweet and the candy is a bit much to chomp through.  That and the pits you need to spit out make these a big mess (in my opinion!).  I might try to take the pits out next time to see if that helps.


But I think they do look like little mini candy apples! So I kinda got the look I was going for. 


And decorated for the upcoming fall/halloween season, they would look cute set out for a party.  Just warn your guests that they are sweet and messy!

Thanks for swinging by, and have a great weekend! My oldest turned 9 this week so the big par-tay is tomorrow.  I'll be up to my elbows in icing later tonite! Fun!!


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Friday, October 19, 2012

chocolate and pumpkin spice acorns....!


...so the fall weather is finally here! ....and the leaves are falling and we've got a ton of acorns all over the yard (which also means a ton of squirrels running around too!)....


these edible acorns were requested for a party based on these....they are so simple and made with hershey's kisses---in chocolate and pumpkin spice (i think there is pumpkin flavored EVERYTHING now....who knew they even had pumpkin spice kisses???)



...instead of crackers on top (couldn't find a good flavor combo)...used mini nilla wafers which were just the right size for an acorn cap! Attach with a little melted chocolate....let chocolate harden and use a edible food writer to add some detail on top of the cap...then add another little bit of chocolate on top for the "stem"

                           

and you get a bunch of fun and all edible acorns to feed to your "squirrels"!....and like i said, they are super simple to put together....the part that takes the longest is unwrapping all the kisses!...and you can always add to some cupcakes or just eat them by the handful (not that i do that sort of thing!)


the chocolate and nilla wafer is a really great combo and if you like pumpkin spice (ala a pumkin spice latte) then you'll dig the pumpkin spice acorns too! 

Don't forget online blogcon is coming up next week....hope to see you there!


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