The Marshmallow Test

In recent weeks I have seen the story of the Marshmallow Test burning up the internet. Do you know of this study conducted by one of the psychology professors at Stanford back in the '60's? The basic premise was a child left alone in a room with a plate of sweets in front of him/her to see how he/she would react. A researcher would tell the child he needed to leave the room for about 15 minutes but before he went, he instructed the child to pick a treat from the plate (which included marshmallows). The child was told that he could either eat the marshmallow right away OR if he could wait until the researcher came back, he would get two marshmallows. The study was developed to identify the mental processes that caused some people to delay gratification while others simply ceded.



Of course, the kids who participated in the study demonstrated all sorts of behavior. While some were able to wait and receive the promised two marshmallows, others dove into the plate straight away and ate everything on it, others ate small bites of the goodies and put them back on the plate hoping no one would notice, and so on and so on. The study gets really interesting though when the researchers started to look into what happened to these kids about 20 years later. What they found was that those children who were able to wait for the researcher to return - the delayed gratifiers - were more successful in their lives than those who were not able to delay their gratification. Those kids "seemed more likely to have behavioral problems, both in school and at home. They got lower S.A.T. scores. They struggled in stressful situations, often had trouble paying attention, and found it difficult to maintain friendships." For more on The Marshmallow Test, click here.



I'd like to think I would have been one of the kids who was able to wait and get the 2 marshmallows instead of one. But I have always had a bit of a sweet tooth, especially when it comes to marshmallows. And lo and behold was I thrilled when I learned of the Daring Bakers' Challenge for July cause I have always had a thing for Mallomars - a beloved childhood treat that I haven't seen anywhere on these shores!



The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network. We were given the choice to make either recipe, or for the more daring (and those with time to kill), both.

Mallows(Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies)
Recipe courtesy Gale Gand, from Food Network website
Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies
Prep Time: 10 min
Inactive Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Serves: about 2 dozen cookies (note: I thirded the recipe and ended up with about 30 cookies!)
• 3 cups (375grams/13.23oz) all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (112.5grams/3.97oz) white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter
• 3 eggs, whisked together
• Homemade marshmallows, recipe follows
• Chocolate glaze, recipe follows

1. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, blend the dry ingredients.
2. On low speed, add the butter and mix until sandy.
3. Add the eggs and mix until combine.
4. Form the dough into a disk, wrap with clingfilm or parchment and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
5. When ready to bake, grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
7. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness, on a lightly floured surface. Use a 1 to 1 1/2 inches cookie cutter to cut out small rounds of dough.
8. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.
9. Pipe a “kiss” of marshmallow onto each cookie. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.
10. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or silicon mat.
11. One at a time, gently drop the marshmallow-topped cookies into the hot chocolate glaze.
12. Lift out with a fork and let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.
13. Place on the prepared pan and let set at room temperature until the coating is firm, about 1 to 2 hours.

Note: if you don’t want to make your own marshmallows, you can cut a large marshmallow in half and place on the cookie base. Heat in a preheated 350-degree oven to slump the marshmallow slightly, it will expand and brown a little. Let cool, then proceed with the chocolate dipping.

Homemade marshmallows:
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 3/4 cup (168.76 grams/5.95oz) sugar
• 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 egg whites , room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. In a saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar, bring to a boil until “soft-ball” stage, or 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.
2. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let dissolve.
3. Remove the syrup from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix.
4. Whip the whites until soft peaks form and pour the syrup into the whites.
5. Add the vanilla and continue whipping until stiff.
6. Transfer to a pastry bag.

Chocolate glaze:
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 2 ounces cocoa butter or vegetable oil

1. Melt the 2 ingredients together in the top of a double boiler or a bowl set over barely simmering water.



I decided to make 4 varieties of Mallomars (or Mallows as they are called in the Daring Bakers' Challenge). The Classic, The Elvis (with a blob of peanut butter sandwiched between the marshmallow and chocolate glaze), The Obama (with a square of white chocolate hidden under the chocolate glaze) and The Cherry Kookoo a/k/a The Courtney Love (which sports a maraschino cherry at its center). They completely lived up to my childhood memories of these delectable cookies; who knew they were so easy to make at home yourself?

Speaking of Courtney Love, I doubt she would have been one of the kids who deferred gratification. But that's just my humble opinion of the gal - lord knows she's had a rough life. She looks like she could use a Mallomar or 20 these days. And hey, no need to wait, I've got a plate baked up fresh......

Just a reminder: Iron Cupcake Earth Herbs Challenge is now open for voting. Why don't you skidaddle on over there and vote for my luscious Lavender Loves Lemon Celebration cupcakes?

Unusual Names & A Nod to the X-men

When I was just out of college, I dated a guy with a friend who had a younger sister named Bega (you still with me?). The story goes that when she was born, her very eccentric parents decided not to name her but to let her come to that decision herself. And apparently, one day when she was about 3 years old, she was in an elevator with her father and suddenly proclaimed "I wish I was bigger so that I could push the button myself." But as kids often mispronounce words, her "bigger" came out as "bega" (pronounced "beaga") and the rest was history. I often wondered however what they called her in those interim years..."She whose name must not be spoken" or something to that effect? :)



In starting this little cupcake adventure, I very much put the cart before the horse in that I just started baking for people and didn't give much thought to anything else such as the cupcake names. I personally find many of the names on my menu to be accurately descriptive yet uninspired -- After Eight, Chocobutter, Cookies & Cream, etc. For my vanilla on vanilla, I chose Vanilla Lovers, and for chocolate on chocolate, Chocolate Squared. And then the reverse of these I called Mixed-Up Vanilla Lovers (chocolate cake/vanilla buttercream) and Mixed-Up Chocolate Squared (vanilla cake/chocolate buttercream). Or was it vice versa? I could never remember when I had to tag a photo or confirm an order with someone, and I found my customers to be just as mixed up as I was. So I got to thinking how to name these so they had some character and at the same time were easily recognized?



I started looking around at some other cupcake bakers and saw names like Birthday Cake, Tuxedo, Vanilla Loves Chocolate or Kids Cone. Fun and creative, but same problem...is it the cake that is chocolate and the frosting vanilla, or the other way around?



As I set about finding some distinguishable names my mind drifted as it often does to movies. For whatever reason, I immediately landed on the Angelina for the vanilla cake and chocolate buttercream combo (and if you don't catch that reference, you've been living under a rock for too long!). But this reminded me too much of a song a friend's brother hit paydirt with once upon a time, and it often gets stuck in my head for days at a time so the Angelina was a no-go. We recently re-watched X-Men 3 and it was then that I had my epiphany. For the chocolate with vanilla buttercream, I rechristened the Little Miss Cupcake version as Storm (after Halle Berry's character) and the vanilla with chocolate buttercream as Rogue (after Anna Paquin's character). A silly mnemonic but you know what? Problem solved on my end and since the change-over, every customer has actually asked for them by name!



Speaking of unusual names, I baked up some Rogue and Storm cupcakes this morning for a little girl named Cleofee, sister to Calypso and Lancelot (cool names, hunh?). Her mom is French but looks like a California surfer girl (she in fact studied at UCLA). She told me a story about how she had been to a party in the US once and they brought out a bright blue frosted cake -- she thought it was one of the grossest things she had ever seen and refused to eat it! So, I figured I would stay with a very sedate but nice and girly look for Cleofee's cuppies! Plus, a few oursons guimauve and mikado as requested by the California girl herself!

Happy 2009 (and don't forget to vote in IC:E)!!!

At least once a day, I like to log on to flickr and check out what other cupcake bakers are making. Some of the designs and detail that goes into these things are amazing; there are some truly talented bakers out there. You can see some of my favorites and where I often find inspiration here.

So being inspired, I recently tried a marshmallow fondant recipe as an attempt to jazz up my cupcakes a bit. While I was very pleased with this first-trial outcome, DH was not. A true foodie and cupcake snob, he turned up his nose at this marshmallow and icing sugar concoction, stating that most people would peel it off and push it aside. I agreed that yes, this is often the case with fondant, so he argued, why bother?

Well, with the countdown to New Year's Eve right here and several cupcake orders in my book, I wanted to add a little extra something special to my cupcakes for an added punch. I like drizzled chocolate designs but wanted them to be colorful and fun. I devised some cupcake toppers that use drizzled chocolate as a first step and then a traditional cake decorating transfer process as the second.

I think these came out looking kind of retro funky. They remind of those Shrinky Dinks "stained glass" sets we use to do as kids. And best of all, they taste good! Here's how to make them yourself at home.

(Oh, and before I forget, if you haven't already done so, please go and vote for LMC in the Iron Cupcake Challenge for December. Last I checked, my entries were in a distant 4th and 5th place. Read more about it here.) Wishing you all a sinfully rich New Year!

Chocolate and Icing Transfers/Cupcake Toppers
1 bar chocolate (I used dark but this can work with white, milk, etc.).
1 cup icing sugar/sucre glace
2 tsps. milk
2 tsps. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Food coloring gels

1) Select designs, words, etc. that you want to make. Drawings with a black outline such as a cartoon drawing or illustration work best. Print out on a sheet of paper, lay out a sheet of wax paper on top of this and trace the drawing with black felt pen. Flip the paper over so that you see the mirror image and tape this to a cutting board or other flat surface. You will use this as a stencil or pattern for the chocolate. Moisten a paper towel with vegetable oil or cooking spray and lightly coat surface of wax paper.

2) Break up chocolate and place in a ziploc bag - do not seal. Microwave on medium power for 5 minutes, stopping and stirring the chocolate every minute or so until it is melted. You may not need the full 5 minutes.

3) Cut one corner of the ziploc bag very close to the edge so you can pipe a thin stream of chocolate out. Now, pipe chocolate onto the stencils you have made on the wax paper. Allow to set for a few hours or overnight in a cool dry place.

4) Make icing sugar. Combine sugar, milk, corn syrup and vanilla in a bowl until smooth. icing should be thick enough to coat a spoon and slowly drizzle back into bowl when dropped. If icing is too thick, add a little milk. If too runny, add some sugar. Divide into smaller bowls and add desired food colorings to color. using a small spoon, fill in chocolate outlines of designs. Now I am not a very patient person normally, but trust me on this -- you have to allow these to set overnight in a cool, dry place so that they will completely harden. Once set, you can peel the designs off the wax paper and decorate cupcakes. Enjoy!

Just Call Me "Cuhp-cake, Leetull Meess"

On Friday, I delivered some cupcakes to a gal who is leaving her full-time gig to dedicate herself 100% to her blog. I say bravo! And what a blog it is! My Little Paris where you can "discover the hidden side of Paris," is filled with all sorts of tips, insider advice and reviews of the best Paris has to offer in deco, culture, food, "little luxuries," shopping, etc. (though it is in French).

The delivery started off poorly when I couldn't get a sitter to watch my 15 month-old. So I packed her up...and my cupcakes in boxes...and away we went. Having done the corporate world for over a decade, I had to laugh at myself entering an office building in my usual casual baking attire: jeans, UGGs and tattered sweater, with baby and stroller in tow. But she is a charmer, always smiling and babbling at everyone (she kills them with "bye bye"), and soon we had everyone we encountered cooing and calling after us. I arrive at the company reception, where I am immediately struck by the overwhelming heat in the office. My thoughts run to buttercream going bad and my cupcakes ending up in puddles at the bottom of their boxes.

Me: Yes, we are here to drop off some cupcakes for the going-away party.
Receptionist: Some what?
(BTW, I should add here that this conversation is taking place in French. Though there is no translation for the word "cupcake." And this is the abbreviated exchange; in all we spent about 20 minutes on the back and forth!)
Me: Cupcakes...for the going-away party.
Receptionist: And, you are?
Me: Little Miss Cupcake. Monsieur Q. ordered cupcakes.
Receptionist: Who are you? What company? Monsieur Q. is not here today...
Me: Yes, I know, he told me he would be out. Little Miss Cupcake. He asked I just drop off the cupcakes for the going-away party.
Receptionist: Well, maybe I should call Monsieur S. Do you know that name?
Me: No. Monsieur Q just said to drop them off.
Receptionist calling Monsieur S.: Yes there is a....(turning to me)what did you say your name is again?
Me: Little Miss Cupcake.
Receptionist to Monsieur S: Well, she is dropping something off. You are expecting her? No, no, they are small boxes. Not at all what you are expecting. (Hangs up).
Receptionist to me again: Maybe I should call F. and tell her she has a delivery? Oh no, but what if it is a surprise and I ruin it. I know, I will call her assistant. What is the name of your company again?

(At this point in the exchange, my daughter is getting restless and whiny, I am nearly sweating to death in all the layers I had bundled on for the cold outside, and who knows what shape the cupcakes are in).

Me: Little Miss Cupcake.
Receptionist on phone again: Yes, I have a girl here. She is with her baby. She has something for the going-away party. Can you come up?....I don't know. Monsieur Q was in contact with her but he is not here. Monsieur S. is expecting something but not her....Okay, just come up. I'll ask her the name again. (Turns to me and before she can get the words out of her mouth....)
Me: My name is "Leetull Meess Cuhp-cake." (This is said in my best 'French person talking in English' accent).
Receptionist: Ah, zee cuhp-cakes! Why didn't you say so? Yes, yes, you can just leave them here and we will take them to the conference room!
(DOH!)
Me: Great, oh and can you make sure they are put somewhere cool? It's a bit hot in here..
Receptionist: Yes, like 30 degrees today in here (equivalent of almost 90 degrees F!). Now I wonder, should we take them directly to the kitchen where they could go in the refrigerator or should we ask Mr. Q's assistant to come get them????

And with that, my daughter and I bid a final adieu to the frenetic corporate world to once again seek refuge, calm and quiet in our cozy Parisian "workplace" : my kitchen. :)

PS -- these cupcakes feature my first time working with marshmallow fondant (the stars) which was not as hard as I thought, just messy, especially since you can't find Crisco here which facilitates the kneeding process. Many thanks to Flickr user rsvpscakes who instructed me on how to make it.

Oursons Guimauve & Mikado Cupcakes

In the mid '90's, self-serve candy bars (like Glups on the Champs-Elysées) sprung up all over Manhattan. There was one close to my office at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza that I swear I hit almost every lunch hour. I had nursed a life-long obsession for break-up white chocolate and I never thought anything could replace that until the day I tasted my first chocolate-coated gummy bear. Pure heaven in a bite-sized morsel.

One day after we had moved to France, I found myself face-to-face with a blue and white plastic bag in the supermarket labeled "Oursons Guimauve." "What's this?" I thought, spying the chocolate covered palm-sized teddy bears hidden within. Giving in to my curiosity, I bought a bag and threw it in with my other purchases where it was quickly forgotten as I made my way home. It wasn't until later that evening after my son had gone to bed that I had a moment to relish the delicious treat inside. WOW! thought my brain as my mouth closed over the crackly milk chocolate and my teeth sunk into the tender, fluffy marshmallow at its center. Suffice it to say, I've eaten a lot (too many) of these little guys in the 5 years that we have been here. Alas, I have not been too kind to my friends, les Oursons Guimauve, in recent months as I know that once the pack is open, there is no stopping me (and nothing ruins a diet faster than ploughing through a bag of twenty).

Just the other day, I happened upon David Lebovitz's ode to the sweet Oursons Guimauve and I thought that hey, it's been a while, maybe I should call some up and see how things are going. So, here is my humble homage to les Oursons Guimauve. My fellow chocolate and marshmallow fans, I give you the devil's food cupcake, topped with a mocha marshmallow frosting and decorated with an Ourson and some Mikado (cause I just liked how those looked but truth be told I had a few boxes lying around the house as the Mikado are my daughter's current obsession!) Calorie counters: Beware!