Happy Holidays Everyone!

Sweet Little Sweets.

Mini Sourcream Sugar Cookies with Peppermint Buttercream and Candy Cane Pieces.

A Visit From the Sugar Plum Fairy...

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream and Mini-Gingerbread Cookie Toppers


Bite-sized Brownies dipped in White Chocolate and Candy Cane Pieces

Dipped Strawberries

Pink, Pink, Pink.

My daughter already had her birthday party, but she was off track, so we got to bring treats to school yesterday. She wanted pink. This is what she got...


Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream, topped with White Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows, embellished with mini heart sprinkles.

One of her friends at school said, and I quote, "I love Sofie, she is the best picker- outer of cupcakes..."

I think they liked them ;)

Christmas Cream Puffs

I did these for a local Christmas party.

Chocolate dipped over-sized cream puffs.

I snuck one. Or two. Joyeux Noël!

Introducing...

Very Sweet Cupcake Kits



Very Sweet Box holds 4 little cupcakes or one full size cupcake, 2 flavors of frosting, and 3 cups of embellishments.


Girl's Very Sweet Cupcake Kit


Boy's Very Sweet Cupcake Kit

I have been thinking about adding these little boxes to my menu for quite sometime. One of those ideas that I have had floating around in my mind for months and it actually turned out just as cute as I had imagined! We did them for my daughter's birthday party this past weekend. It was so much fun! All of the kids had a blast, and they actually didn't make a huge mess!!!


My daughter's creation.

Kits are 10$ a piece, minimum order of 5, and I will do whatever colors you want!

Iron Cupcake Challenge. Cranberries.

So some of you may have noticed the little button on my blog entitled "Iron Cupcake". It's a worldwide group that issues a cupcake challenge each month. This month the challenge is cranberry - meaning you must make a cupcake that contains cranberries. I came up with this one, nothing fancy, but yummy.


Vanilla mini cupcake swirled with homemade cranraspberry sauce and topped with an orange glaze and cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Iron Cupcake offers these amazing prizes to the winner:
A one-of-a-kind pin doll from the LOLLIPOP WORKSHOP.
An illustrated book by COOKIE SUNSHINE
A deliciously sweet apron complements of SWEET CUPPIN CAKES BAKERY AND CUPCAKERY SUPPLY.
And CAKESPY, will be doing a piece for the winner each month until further notice - sweet!

And here are the details on the voting process. When voting is open, I will post info and then i will begin begging all of you to go and vote for me:) But in the meantime, go check out the other entries here.

Merci!

Another reason to like Winter...

Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars - made with homemade cran-raspberry sauce.

If you know me, you know that I am not particularly fond of Winter. I can appreciate the look of fresh snow, and I enjoy a nice cup of hot cocoa, but all in all, I would rather be laying by the pool. So, this year I decided that I need to find the upside of Winter, as I'm sure I will spend the rest of my hopefully many more years living in SL. So far my list consists of:
1. Watching my kids play in the snow.
2. Drinking hot cocoa.
3. Christmas.
and 4. Baking things I wouldn't bake any other time of year. Like the aforementioned Soft Ginger Cookies, and now these Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars. And let's not forget all of the comforting soups and roasts that warm my belly through the Winter months. No wonder I always pack on that extra 5 (or +) pounds every Winter...

Check out my new blog. Leave a comment and tell me what you think!

Domestic Goddess.

I recently made some goodies for a birthday party that the Domestic Goddess was planning. The colors for the party were pink and green and each of the guests had a personalized cupcake... If you haven't already checked out the Domestic Goddess site, you need to... She's amazing! And I was really happy that she asked me to make her treats! Merci beaucoup!


Personalized cupcakes. Vanilla with strawberry and vanilla vanilla.


Heart sprinkled squares, and green sprinkled rounds...

Soft Ginger Cookies

What is it about this time of year? The cool breeze? The changing leaves? The morning frost? Something about this season makes me crave things I don't normally even like - like Ginger Cookies. Any other time of year, if you ask me, I would tell you I hate gingerbread. But last night I made these cookies, and I ate 6 of them. That's right. SIX.

Little Halloween Cupcakes

Oooooohhhh, SPOOKY!

Little Cookie Cakes

Little Sugar Cookie Cakes

Buchtičky s krémem

After the events of the past couple of months, my husband has become somewhat homesick and nostalgic for the things of his childhood. Tonight he asked me to make these for dinner. Buchtičky s krémem are kind of like a sweet roll (it's a sweet dough) with a vanilla sauce. I couldn't resist adding the cinnamon on top. My husband was like a child again. When he bit in to them his eyes lit up like Christmas morning. It was classic. Then came the plate licking. I had to take a picture.

Savory Menu Items.

I'm enlisting all of my friends, family, and readers to offer your

opinions on a few items I am thinking of adding to my menu:

Mini Meatballs

Turkey and Gouda
Beef with a Tangy Sauce

Champignons

Crab Stuffed
Sausage Stuffed

Quiche Petites

Asparagus and White Cheddar
Spinach and Prosciutto

Salade de Fruits

Sparkling Fruit Salad
Fresh Fruit with Fresh Mint

If you would be so kind :) please, leave a comment and let me know what you think! I will also have a few varieties of Little Sandwiches, but I'm still working on those. And I will have the Mini Tomato Tartlets, Little Cheeseballs, and a few other things still to come. Merci Beacoup!

Baby Bailey Cupcakes

We had a baby shower for a very special baby girl and I brought these...


Chocolate sour cream little cakes with a personalized little cookie.

I wanted to do something really special for baby and mom. And these turned out so sweet. And I have to thank Bailey's mom for the wonderful comment she left. Good luck to you! And I hope you know that we are all thinking about you!

I've been très occupée...

I've been very busy this past weekend...


Speed Racer Cupcakes for a 6 year old's birthday.


Coconut Lemon Curd Tartlets for a baby shower.

And, my first attempt at catering SAVORY Little Fancies...

Tortellini Brochette.

Mini Tomato Tartlets.

Little Roast Beef Sandwiches.

Fancy Little Cheese Balls.

It was hectic, but thanks to my mom, who is très magnifique, it was a success. I learned that I'm probably not the easiest person to work with, because I like things to look exactly the way I've pictured them in my mind! But she was a trooper, she lovingly gave herself the title of sous chef (even though she knows far more than I do when it comes to cooking) and followed my every wish! Thank you mom! And merci to Natalie too, who took a leap of faith and hired me!
Here's to many more such Sweet and Savory adventures!

Fun with Vanilla Cupcakes...

I've had some ideas floating around my mind for a little while, and I finally got around to trying them. They turned out pretty yummy. And I think they're cute too!

From Très Sucré slide show

Little Almond Glazed Cupcakes with Tiffany Blue Icing and "Beads" of Silver and White

From Très Sucré slide show

Little Cupcakes Topped with Lemon Butter Cream and Candied Lemon Zest

From Très Sucré slide show

A Little Twist on a Classic - Vanilla Cakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Have I mentioned how much I love baking??? For those of you who know me, you know this last month has been stressful, to say the least. And it felt so good to be back in the kitchen focusing on something I love! Salut!

Goodies for Good People.

Today I made fine little fancies for some very fine people - the teachers at our local elementary school. I know it is cliché, but I really do think that teaching is a noble profession. And here is how we celebrated that...


Hello Dollies


Little Lemon Delights


Chocolate Drizzled Puffed Rice Treats

And some cute little sugar cookies in the shape of our school mascot, which I neglected somehow to photograph! Thanks to all the teachers! Vous êtes fantastiques!

Loving summer...

There is probably nothing better than biting in to a fresh ripe peach, and licking the juice as it drips down your chin... EXCEPT for these Fresh Peach Cupcakes...



I got the idea for this at my new favorite blog Cupcakes Take the Cake! I tweaked it a bit by adding cinnamon (I love the combination of peach and cinnamon) and by making a cream cheese frosting instead of a super sweet frosting. AMAZING!

Little Initial Cakes

These turned out so cute, I think they deserve their own post...

They are milk chocolate little cupcakes with vanilla butter cream frosting and an almond glazed sugar cookie with an "inked" monogram. They were for a 70th birthday party.

Joyeux Anniversaire...

Yesterday was my mom's birthday {Happy Birthday, Mom!} and I was in charge of dessert... My mom loves chocolate as much as I do, so I decided to make these petite treats for her.

I've been imagining these cupcakes for a couple of weeks - Chocolate sour cream cakes with a whipped chocolate ganache filling, vanilla buttercream frosting, and a sprinkling of toffee bits on top... And as I watched my mom, husband, and brother throw down 3 dozen in a matter of minutes, I knew they had turned out exactly as I had hoped! (OK, I helped eat them too)!

Joyeux Anniversaire, Mom!!!

Open House and "Cookie of the Week"...

The open house last Saturday went really well. Fabuleux! We had many more dessert samplers than we had anticipated - which is a good thing - and there were still plenty of fine little fancies to go around. I received a lot of good feedback, encouragement, and all round well wishes. Merci beaucoup everyone! I really appreciate all of you who took the time (and paid the outrageous gas prices) to stop by and all of you who take the time to read this blog. I am so happy to be doing something that I love and that brings me such total satisfaction.
I am going to be making an email list and will begin mailing out "Cookie of the Week" specials on a bi-monthly basis - in which I will be sharing some baking tips and will also be offering a discount on the week's cookie. Please, leave a comment with your email address if you would like to be added to the list (if you do not have a blogger account, you may leave it as an "anonymous user"). Thank you and au revoir!

You're invited...

A new menu item...

As some of you may have noticed, my company has some what of a french twist to it. I studied French at the University of Utah and had the opportunity to live in both french speaking Switzerland and in France during my studies. But equal to my love of all things french, is my love of all things Czech. I lived in the Czech Republic for 18 months and grew to love the people, the traditions, and the výborné jídlo - wonderful food. I even managed to catch myself a Czech for a husband... And my darling mother-in-law has been gracious enough to share some of her very sweet recipes with me. I have decided to add one of these to my menu - Svatební koláče - or wedding kolaches.

Small, sweet breads filled with a cream cheese filling and rolled in a crumb topping. They are a favorite in our home. I am delighted each time I bake them as I watch my children stare in to the oven, eyes big, mouths watering, waiting for them to rise, my husband eagerly alongside them.
So, here's to a palate pleased by many cultures... Bon Appétit and Dobrou Chut'

A Woman, 1 oven, 6 hours, 270 desserts, and 2 little rugrats...

Well, that pretty much explains it all! Wednesday I prepared a grande assortment of fine little fancies for a Spring boutique in the area. 270 of them to be exact. The entire day was a blur of baking frenzy, interspersed with clouds of powdered sugar and taste-testing spoonfuls of yummy. The oven was hot, the kitchen was messy, the kiddos were restless, and the desserts were delectable. All in all, a very pleasing day. I hope for many more days of such tasty chaos. À bientôt!

A Rainy Day for Baking...

On Monday we reached 93° here. Perfect for playing in the park and giving my children those pinkish cheeks indicative of Summer fun. Not, however, the best weather for baking. I was a bit dreadful of the coming days when I was to be baking scrumptious goodies for my first "job". But to my great surprise we made it back down to a rainy 58° on Wednesday. Perfect for sending my little ones downstairs to play while I baked trays full of brownies, hello dollies, and yes, more chocolate chip cookies. It was so exciting to awaken with a sense of purpose more than just dressing and feeding kids (not that that isn't rewarding in it's own unique and marvelous way). I suddenly felt like I had re-entered the real world - the world where adults interact with other adults and have conversations pertaining to things other than school work and play dates. And as I folded my first pastry box, filled it with homemade treats, and taped my card to the side I felt a sense of exhilaration. I delivered the boxes of little fancies to a "So, You Think You Can Dance" premiere party and went home to enjoy the sweet, sweet satisfaction of a rainy day baking and my first successful job as Très Sucré... Salut!

Très Sucré. Very Sweet.

Can you smell that? Mmmm... The ever-sweet aroma of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven. I can almost taste them - and I will, in about 3 minutes, still hot and the chocolate dripping as I break one apart... I guess you could say I like to cook. In fact, I might even say I love to. I don't know if there is any thing else in the world that offers such sweet and instant gratification as does cooking. I have not the patience for scrapbooking, sewing, or any and all activities that require hour upon hour of labor before reaching the outcome. But cooking, baking, I can spend a few hours in my kitchen and create somewhat of a masterpiece. I can look at a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie as I would a Renoir or Monet, a fine work of art. With each curve of the dough and every morsel of melted chocolate I see beauty. And what's more? I can eat it.

I hope this to be the first of many posts as I take you along on my journey to Très Sucré and what I know will indeed be a very sweet adventure.