Sunday 16 September 2012

Egg Free Cookie Cups and Top Tips

I'm going to be honest these cookie cups are pretty much what you could call semi-homemade. I used a mix for the cookie part--insert shock and horror--but the buttercream is from scratch. The mix I had didn't require eggs so I didn't have to worry about making it egg-free so it worked. So really this post is more about useful tips than recipes I guess!


To make the cookie cups you make whatever your favourite chocolate chip cookie dough recipe is and then put one scoop of dough into a lined or greased muffin tin. Tip number one is to use a cookie scoop so all the cups will be uniform in size. It is really just a small sized ice-cream scoop I got super cheap but works just the same. I noticed the contestants on Cupcake Wars (don't judge my tv habits) using them and thought I'd give it a try and it worked!


Bake the cookies at the same temperature but for rougly 3-5 minutes longer than you would if making them as cookies. When they are golden brown on top take them out of the oven. To turn them into cookie cups all you need is a clean shot glass.



For tip number two slowly and firmly depress the shot glass into the warm cookie and twist before pulling it back up. Crazy easy right? You don't need special molds or pans just a shot glass! I don't know about you but I have tons of shot glasses so I was glad I happened upon Daisy Chubb's recipe and didn't buy some special pan.

Let the cookie cups cool and then pipe in your favourite buttercream. I saw this third and final tip on Our Best Bits and it seriously rocked my world. I hate cleaning out piping bags--it is always messy and never fun.  Make up your butercream (I used a basic buttercream recipe but added a few drops of pure strawberry extract and pink food colouring) and then pile it into a log on a piece of cling-film/sarran wrap. Twist up both ends tightly and you can tie one end if you like.


Put the log-o-frosting into the piping bag and carefully thread the open twisted end through your frosting tip. Pull it out as far as you possibly can before snipping off the tail sticking out of the tip.


Then pipe the frosting as normal. Why do this? This is why.


When you are done pull out the leftover frosting and your piping bag is virtually clean! So you could then stick in a different coloured log-o-frosting (what else would you call it?) and continue on to make a multi-coloured masterpiece. Pretty cool right? I'm a fan of anything that makes clean up easier!


Then just eat your cookie cups and enjoy! Or make a cookie cup pyramid and discover just HOW rubbish you are at taking photos of food. Anyone have any tips for me on how to photograph food better?

9 comments:

Melaina25 said...

I've read a lot of tips and tricks for taking pictures of food and the main thing everyone seems to agree on is to always, always turn off your flash. Never, ever use it. Instead, use the natural light, even if this means taking your food outside. I shoot almost all of my food sitting on the window sills and just try to add different thing behind to vary the background. I would also suggest using white paper below and behind your food instead of fabric, and trying to vary the angles you shoot at. x

Melaina25 said...

Thanks Abby! Natural Light is not easy to find up here lol. I tried so many different angles for these but I think because the cookies were so shallow it was tough? I will try paper instead of fabric. Or maybe just ironing the fabric :)

Melaina25 said...

I hear you on the lack of natural light, especially in the colder months. There have been times when I've made something too late in the day to photograph well and have had to wait until the next morning when the sun comes back to shoot it. x

Melaina25 said...

I bet those were delicious!! Never thought to make cookies this way before :)) Thanks for sharing with my NO RULES Weekend Blog Party!


Paula
lifeasweknowitbypaula.blogspot.com

Melaina25 said...

These look fab, they look like the little cookie cups you get from Millers Cookies. x

Melaina25 said...

I was obsessed with those type of Cookie Cups back in the day, and who am I kidding now too, so that is what I was going for :)

Melaina25 said...

very very cool! They look sooo yummy!

Melaina25 said...

These look soo yummy and sweet! Thanks for sharing with the Pink Hippo Party!
xoxo
Amie @ Pinkapotamus

Melaina25 said...

They were good but I think next time I will try a homemade recipe!