My First Sugar Flowers

When I was thinking to start this blog, my lovely friends helped me to choose the name Lulu’s Sweet Secrets. I was mainly inspired and motivate by my friends Layla and Carol. They are cake designers passionate about their work and I was fascinated about their beautiful art. Some of my first posts I ventured to make recipes using marshmallow fondant. Carol suggested me this recipe from Le Cordon Bleu that she used before in one of her cakes. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the result that I was expecting and, for some reason that I can’t explain, I didn’t try it again. Maybe it’s because I was so excited to prepare different dishes and learn other techniques that I forgot to give it another chance.

But this week I was looking at my cake board on Pinterest and I noted that I’ve been collecting a lot of cake photos over these months. Most of them are beautifully decorated. As I love decorated cakes, I realized that I should give a second chance for the fondant. I decided to use the same recipe as before, but after reading this amazing post by Sommer from A Spicy Perspective, I could see what my mistake was. Marshmallow fondant needs a lot of shortening to work well. I follow her instructions and now I got a beautiful one. I was so happy! As a flower lover, I started making some modest little roses.

The fondant soft texture and its sweet smell give such a pleasure to model infinity forms. Work with it was an amazing experience. I modeled petal by petal for hours and I didn’t see the time passing. It made me remembered when I was a child and how I enjoy to play with dough. What a mixture of sweet memories and dreams! I think I'm addicted to it now. For the next week I will try to make these sugary flowers with a delicious cake for your delight my dear readers. 

Marshmallow Fondant

10 oz mini marshmallows

1/4 cup water

2 lbs of powdered sugar

2/3 cup shortening

Drizzle the water over the marshmallows and microwave 1 minute and 25 seconds. Transfer to a mixing bowl, and add 1 bag (2 lbs) of powdered sugar and 2 tbs shortening. With the paddle attachment, mix about 2 minutes. Finish on the table, use more powdered sugar if necessary. Wrap in plastic wrap or bag, and store at least 2 hours or overnight before using. Always knead fondant before using.

For a detailed recipe go to A Spicy Perspective post.

Mini Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts filled with Homemade Dulce de Leche - Bolinho de Chuva Recheado com Doce de Leite

Hi dear readers! I’m sorry for being absent. I wish I could post more recipes, but I’ve been busy writing my PhD thesis. But I love so much sharing my experiences with you that I couldn’t wait any more. Today is about Bolinhos de chuva, which  are the Brazilian version of doughnuts. They are little balls coated with cinnamon and sugar.

When I think in these mini doughnuts my childhood memories came back. My mother used to make them for me and my sister in one of those rainy, lazy days. Oh, it was so good! The sweet smell when they were frying and the aroma of cinnamon as the touch final made me eat dozens of Bolinhos de chuva. And better than this is that I didn’t have any concerning about the calories. Good times!

I have never made doughnuts before, but I saw an interesting recipe on TV of mini doughnuts filled with dulce de leche. Definitely this recipe has to be the first one to try! To get a good result and a nice shape, it’s very necessary a firm dulce de leche balls before covered it with the dough. The dulce the leche should stay in the freezer for at least one night, otherwise the dulce de leche will mix with the dough (which is not a bad idea). These mini doughnuts are the best I’ve ever eaten. Even my mother agrees with me.  They are so soft and so sweet. Simple irresistible.

Mini Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts filled with Homemade Dulce de Leche

2 cups  dulce de leche
3 1/2 cups  all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
350 ml milk

2 cups sugar
2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Canola oil, for frying
Homemade Dulce de leche from here

Place the dulce de leche in a plate and bring to a refrigerator overnight.
Remove from the refrigerator and make small balls and set aside in the freezer for 20 minutes just to firm. Apart sift flour with baking powder and salt. Reserve. In a bowl place butter, sugar and eggs and beat with a whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the dry mixture of alternating with milk and mix well until dough is smooth. Reserve. Dip each ball of dulce de leche in the dough with the help of two tablespoons. To fry the doughnuts, fill a pan up to 2" of canola oil. Heat the oil until it reaches 375F. Do not over-crowd the pan with doughnuts. Fry about 5 at a time (depending on the size of the pan). They will sink to the bottom but then float to the top. Turn them over and let them cook for an additional 2 minutes or so.Drain them on paper towels and while hot, coat them with the cinnamon sugar.

This recipe was featured on Foodbuzz Top 9: May 16, 2011