halp plz

[unamaga]

• Is there someone around willing to help me with my last art_bingo piece? I'm having a little bit of trouble meshing all the bits together and could definitely use a beta.
  
  
• I'm trying to make cupcake pops. "But, Mel," you might say, "you're really going to try to bake after The Brownie Fiasco of 2007?" I know, I know, but so far, I've had no trouble with the cake or the chocolate. However, I wanted to use melted peanut butter chips for the top half - probably my first mistake - and the peanut butter is being...less than cooperative. I followed the directions on the back, but it's still thick and gritty and none of the chocolate tricks I know (add drops of veggie oil, etc) are helping. Also it's gotten so hot on the bottom that it's starting to have a mousse-like consistency. Ajaw;oigjf, I've been working with it for over forty minutes now and nothing's going right. Is it worth it, or should I just dip the whole damn things in chocolate?
  
  
• For your pains, here is John Sheppard being ridiculous.
  
  

Comments

[kimberlyfdr.livejournal.com]

I should be around for an art beta if you need.

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

villainny just emailed me, so I think I'm covered, but thank you so much! <333

[pennyplainknits.livejournal.com]

Can't help on the beta (I can't even draw stickmen) but what are cupcake pops? I do a lot of baking so if I knew what they were I could probably help...

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

Cupcake pops! (http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2008/04/make-your-cupcakes-pop.html) Really they're just cake on a stick.

[pennyplainknits.livejournal.com]

a) those are awesome!
b) I think you may have used too high a heat on the peanut butter, so it's 'caught' and overheated. All the recipies I've seen using melted peanut butter chips have had something else (like chocolate or butter) melted in with them-maybe its to stop that happening?

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

Probably. Bah, that's the last time I use reeses instructions!

[pennyplainknits.livejournal.com]

Stooopid reeses!

At least you still have cake though.

[lysambre.livejournal.com]

My advice on the cupcake pops : use the peanut butter as it is, and then cover the whole thing with chocolate

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

It's so thick, though, that when I try to dip the cupcake it sort of...gets stuck. So that's really the problem. :\

[lysambre.livejournal.com]

As seen on the comment above, if it's that thick you probably took off all the water content (did you try adding a spoon or two of hot water?).
Either try again with a very very very low heat (the faster you heat things, the higher the chance of fail, personal experience ;) ), or just use the peanut butter straight from the pot ;)

[lysambre.livejournal.com]

oh, and may I also add, that when melting stuff (chocolate, butter, peanut butter...) you should use the "bain-marie" technique (sorry I'm too lazy to search if there is an english word for this).
It consist on not putting your stuff directly into the pan that touches the heat, instead you heat some water in one pan (or pots, I get confused with those 2) adn then you actually put the second pan (the one with the choclate or stuff you want to melt) partially in the hot water (just so the water doesn't come inside, just enough to warm the pan).
It's the best way of melting things because the gentle heat preserves the water content (at least for a longer while ;) ).

I'll try to find a link with pics that explain it better than I do...

[lysambre.livejournal.com]

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Bain-marie.JPG

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, I do use a double boiler! *pats it fondly* I don't know, I think this peanut butter was just against me from the beginning.

[lysambre.livejournal.com]

Yeah, sometimes food is uncooperative like this, I'm saying it's mostly the peanut butter's fault !

[pushingyouaway.livejournal.com]

hi john sheppard. hi. *waves*

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

He's a dooooof.*adores him*

[thisissirius.livejournal.com]

AHAHAH WHYYYY IS SHEPPARD SUCH A DORK?

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

Rodney asks himself that question daily.

[kashmir1.livejournal.com]

Oh, John.

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

He's a doof. <333

[kimberweeme.livejournal.com]

I have been dying to make those cupcake pops! But I think they would be time consuming? So I have not. But! I did make the faux mini chocolate souffle's posted on that blog and they were tasty - if not v. souffle-ish (my own fault).

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

They are massively time consuming - and counter space consuming. It's kind of a two or three day project, in my mind. Make the cake, let it cool. Crumble it up with the frosting, stick it in the fridge for the night. Next mornin, make balls, leave in the fridge for the day, that night form them and coat the bottoms. Leave 'em in the fridge over night, next day do the rest of the coating. Fjaw;giojwf, took FOREVER.

[kimberweeme.livejournal.com]

See? That is why I have yet to make them. No time! I think when I do finally make them, I'll just make the cake pops. The ones that are just little cake balls dipped in one color of icing. That would still be fun to eat, right?

You should post pictures of your final creations! I am curious as to how they would turn out when made by someone other than Bakerella, as I am definitely not that creative.

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

Maybe next time. These mostly just look like little blobs because of the peanut butter problem, but I'll definitely end up making them again. Everyone who's tried them so far has been kind of overwhelmed by how tasty they are (oh, god the calories I've consumed today)!

Here (http://community.livejournal.com/curiouscupcakes/606405.html) and here (http://community.livejournal.com/curiouscupcakes/610602.html) are some examples besides Bakerella, though!

[morgaine22.livejournal.com]

man, those cupcake pops look like a lot of trouble for not much payoff. Let us know if they come out tasting good! But to answer your question:

\

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE AACK