Elegant Impressions
January 2012
Volume I, Issue I
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What’s Inside Entertaining
Frosted Hannukah 6 Snapshots- Take Better Pictures 8 Vintage Chic Winter White 9 Dollhouse Birthday 12 LittleTrain 18 Jerusalem Inspired 20 Day Spa 22 Sleepover Party 26 Cupcake Wars & Recipes 30
Food
Editor In Chief Amy Oren
Desserts
& Chicken & Beet, Carrot, Apple Salad 38 Quinoa Salad 39 Salmon on a Bed of Eggplant & Spinach 40 Chocolate Brownie Parfait 42 Caramel Apple Tart 44 Chocolate Cups 46 Challah 47 Chocolate Roses 48
Editor Jacob Mograby Contributing Writers Estreya Mograby Maggie Mograby Margalit Romano Aliza Salem Creative Design Amy Oren
Do It Yourself
Ad Sales Jacob Mograby
Decorate Heart Cookies 50 Make a Bow 53 Snowglobes 54 Ruffled Dinner Table 56
Published By Elegant Impressions Contact info@elegantimpressions.com (917) 830-4262 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form without prior written consent from the publisher is prohibited. Elegant Impressions Magazine assumes no responsibilty for the content of articles or advertisements in the magazine. Elegant Impressions is not responsible for typographical errors.
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Frosted Hanukkah
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This glamorous winter white dessert table is perfect for elegant hosting, especially for Hanukkah. Floating candles in tall vases adorned with gardenia flowers create a stunning menorah backdrop, and the feathers create a luxuriously dramatic effect. Crystal embellishments add sparkle to cold winter months, as well as sugar rimmed glasses and cupcakes sprinkled with edible pearls. Chocolate mousse in coffee mugs are just what we need to warm us up, and meringue kissed puddings are the kind of frosty snow everyone loves.
Styling by Kristine Shin Designs Photography by Sean Lee Photography
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Snapshots
Tips & Photography by Maggie Mograby You don’t have to be a professional photographer to take great pictures. Sometimes, a few tips are all you need. The first thing to keep in mind is that no one appreciates a boring picture; you want your photo to come to life! So how do you do this? Change your perspective. It’s that simple.
Tip 1: Get on the same level as your subject When photographing children try not to take pictures from above. If you do, then you wont be able to capture the emotion as well; your picture will seem detached and irrelevant. But, if you kneel to your subject’s eye level, the life of your subject will pop out of your photo! Tip 2: Get close to your subject If you are taking a picture of a rose, for example, a good idea is to get really close to it. Allow a single flower and its leaves to fill the shot. You will be surprised at the difference. Now its beauty will really shine because of all the details and textures that are captured. Tip 3: Try a different angle Pictures taken facing forward are boring and predictable. You want to create a work of art that no one will expect. So try changing your angle. How does a bird look at things, or what about your three month old baby? How do they perceive the world? Once you answer questions like these you can let your imagination take control of your camera. Now you might lie on your back and take pictures looking up at the trees…. Tip 4: The rule of thirds Basically the rule of thirds divides your picture into three parts vertically and/or three parts horizontally. Avoid placing your subject in the center of your photo, because if you do, your picture will look flat. However, when you place your subject slightly to the right, left, top or bottom your photo will suddenly have a lot more personality. Tip 5: Focus Focus should be on what you want people to see when they look at your photo. Do you want to draw their attention to the big Ferris wheel, or the large crowd at the amusement park? Are you trying to portray the beauty of the leaves, or the flock of birds? If you don’t focus properly your picture will be a mess with the viewer unsure of what story you are trying to tell. But when you set your focus then your subject will stand out.
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Vintage Chic Winter White This serene winter white dessert table was designed by Jessica Kirkland of Pen N’ Paperflowers and creator of The Pastry Pedestal. Vintage accents like the skeleton keys, shredded paper, and lace ribbon invoke a sense of old world charm. Petit fours stand beautifully on The Pastry Pedestals. These pedestals are so versatile, they can be decorated to blend perfectly with your decor. Here they are adorned with ribbon and beaded trim, while the rods are wrapped in shredded vintage paper. Layered boxes covered in kraft paper and lace ribbon add height and dimension to the table. The color palette is kept clean and monochromatic, but little springs of fresh rosemary lend a charming aire to the display. Tall drink glasses are dressed up with doilies for an elegant touch.
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Styling Jessica Kirkland Pen N’ Paperflowers Dessert Pedestals The Pastry Pedestal Desserts Bee’s Knees Creative Vintage Accessories Cloth & Patina and The French Nest Co.
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Dollhouse Birthday
For little girls who love to play with their dolls, this is the dreamiest birthday party! Louisa of Little Big Company styled this party for her daughter, and the little details sure do make an adorably big impact! Doll face cake pops, a white picket fence, desserts sitting on miniature furniture, a flower cookie garden, little dresses filled with treats, a dollhouse cake... the cuteness is endless!
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cake!
Concept & Styling Little Big Company
Party Hats Prop Shop Boutique
Cake, Cupcakes, Cake Pops Just Call Me Martha
Magical Wands Pom Pom Princess
Flower Cookies & Vintage Doll Cookies Spoon & Fork Cookies
Doll images, straws and signage Loralee Lewis
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Little Train
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Light blue contrasted with a splash of red give this party table just the right balance of cuteness and fun. A party hat embellished with lots of 3 dimensional detail is the perfect accessory for the birthday boy! Cupcakes look even sweeter with fabric flag toppers, and the glittered cake topper is the finishing touch that makes you say wow! Gingham and polka dots are always sweet for a young child’s party, and desserts that keep to the color palette give the table a clean, modern look. ElegantImpressionsMagazine.com
Styling and Photography Jessica Remmele Prop Shop Boutique Jessica Remmele Photo Design Party hats, bunting, table runner, placemats, cupcake toppers Prop Shop Boutique Train Cake Topper Patricia Minish Designs Cake Marissa Roberts 19
This dramatic dessert table transports you to Jerusalem with its beautiful and clever display. The bases that raise the desserts are designed to look like the buildings and walls of Jerusalem, giving the desserts both dimension and height. The Jerusalem city silhouette continues onto the table centerpieces and along the length of the tables.
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Event Planning & Design Forever Events Photography Carlos Chatta Location Fontainebleau Miami Beach
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Emma of Emma Smith Event Stationery and Styling hosted this gorgeous party for her little girl’s birthday. The soft coral and sea green color palette is soft yet fabulous. The fan backdrop is a simple way to dramatically enhance the dessert table, and add vibrant color to the scene. Every aspect of this party is so lovely, from the pink drinks in glass drink bottle with flagged straws, to the abundance of flowers in vases and on platters. This dessert table was just a small part of a gorgeous spa day themed party that you really must check out on her website www.emmasmith.com.au.
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Stationery & Paper Goods
Styling and Dessert Table Boutique affairs
Cookies One Sweet Girl
Emma Smith {event stationery}
Photography Lee Bird Photography
Flowers The Bouquets of Ascha Jolie
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Sleepover Party! Party Styling EyeCandy C’ville Photography Susan Kalergis Photography
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An essential part of any sleepover party is the junk food, and this dessert table really is a dream! Designed by Ami and Anita of EyeCandy C’ville for a little girl’s birthday party, this sweets table offers midnight-worthy snacks like, “Nighty Night” brownie bites, “Lullaby” whoopie pies, “Moonlight” milkshakes and “Dream Sprinkle” cupcakes. The headboard came from a local thrift shop. After some sanding, priming, and a few coats of raspberry paint, it became the perfect backdrop for all of the nighttime treats.
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Cupcake Wars On November 16, 2011, the first ever community Cupcake Wars competition was held at the Sephardic Community Center. The competition brought together six schools in an effort to fundraise, as well as come together in unity for an afternoon of fun. What started out as an idea of Magen David PTA presidents Lisa Elo and Linda Sasson, turned out to be a spectacular show of creativity and talent. Each school entered a team of its parent body’s best bakers working together to create a cupcake that represents a Jewish holiday in both flavor and presentation. Every team submitted a fabulous culinary work of art, but ultimately, it was the mothers from Yeshiva of Flatbush who brought victory to their school. Judging the competition were Claudia Bildirici, creator of “Lottie Biscotti”, Marlene Mamiye, of TheJewishHostess.com, and Katy Zanville, assistant manager of Sprinkles Cupcakes New York.
Barkai Yeshiva Margalit Dweck, Melissa Soffer, Susie Sorscher Purim
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Hillel Yeshiva Alexis Cohen, Sari Rishty Pesach
Magen David Yeshiva Esther Barnathan, Sarine Segal, Esther Chrem Hanukkah
YDE Fortune Farca, Frieda Cohen, Fortune Nakash Simchat Torah ElegantImpressionsMagazine.com
Cupcake Wars This recipe was created by Sarah Dweck, Jamie Bailey, and Jennifer Terzi, Team Yeshiva of Flatbush, especially for the Cupcake Wars. Their task was to create a cupcake inspired by Rosh Hashana, so they used the traditional holiday apples and honey as the center of their concept. The flavors of this multi- layer dessert work so well together, but the recipe can definitely be simplified for the average baker. The cupcake and filling, served warm with ice cream or topped only with the cinnamon whip cream is delicious! This cupcake can be made non-dairy, by substituting margarine for butter and Toffuti sourcream for the yogurt, soymilk for the milk, and Rich Whip for the cream. But of course, the dairy version tastes so much better.
Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes with Warm Apple Pie Filling Topped with Cream Puffs & Caramel Drizzle Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes: 2 cups flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 2/3 cup sugar 2 large eggs 2/3 cup plain yogurt 2/3 cup apple butter Preheat oven to 350 F. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and yogurt until blended. Alternately fold in flour mixture and apple butter, beginning and ending with flour. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when touched.
Winning Team Yeshiva of Flatbush Sarah Dweck, Jennifer Terzi, Jamie Bailey Apple Pie Filling: 1 large apple, chopped 2 tbsp butter 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1 tbsp milk mixed with 1 heaping tbsp corn starch In a medium pan, melt the butter on medium-high heat. Add the apples, sugars and vanilla and stir. Cook until bubbling, about 10 minutes. Add the milk and cornstarch mixture and bring to a bubble. Cook for 1-2 minutes until thickens. Remove from heat and continue to stir for about 1 minute. Set aside to cool. To fill cupcakes, core out some of the cupcake from the top. Fill with a heaping teaspoon of apple filling. Place top of cupcake back on top .
Cream Puffs: 5 tbsp butter 3/4 cup water 1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 3 eggs Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large pot, bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Stir in flour and salt until the mixture forms a ball. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon or stand mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Using a #11 tip, pipe up about Âź tsp onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. They should be about the size of a dime. Using a wet finger tip, gently push the tips down. Bake for 7 minutes, reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake another 2 minutes or until golden.
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Cinnamon Honey Whip Cream: 2 cups of heavy cream 2-3 tsp of vanilla pudding mix 1 tsp of cinnamon 4 tbsp honey Whip the cream and vanilla pudding, until soft peaks form. Fold in cinnamon and honey. Chill in fridge while cream puffs cool. Using a Wilton #230 tip, insert into cream puff and fill with cream. To assemble the entire cupcake: 15 soft caramel candies, unwrapped 2 tbsp. half and half Jar of good quality caramel Using a microwave safe bowl, melt 15 caramels with 2 tbsp of half and half, until melted and bubbly. Stir. Let cool to thicken slightly. Using the Caramel as a “glue�, dip each cream puff in caramel and place on the top of cupcake. Repeat with a second and third layer, making a pyramid. Drizzle with caramel all over top and serve.
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Cupcake Wars
Etrog & Date Cupcakes with Meringue Frosting
Yeshivat Shaare Torah Mary Sutton, Sharon Haber, Tunie Mizrahi Sukkot
Cupcake 6 egg whites 1 1/2 sticks of butter (or margarine) 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 tsp. vanilla 2 cups flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1 cup milk (or 1/2 cup Rich Whip + 1/4 cup water) 1/2 cup date haroset (or pureed dates) Whip the egg whites on high. In a new bowl, mix the butter with the sugar. Add the vanilla. Fold in egg whites In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Alternate adding dry mixture and cup of milk into the egg mixture. Mix in date haroset. Scoop batter into cupcake molds and bake for 18-22 minutes on 350. ElegantImpressionsMagazine.com
Lemon Etrog Curd 3 eggs 3/4 cup sugar 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 4 tbsp. butter 1 tbsp. etrog zest 1 tsp. etrog liquor 1/2 cup heavy cream In stainless steal bowl placed over pot of simmering water, whisk together eggs, sugar and lemon juice. Stir constantly until 160 degrees on candy thermometer. (Approximately 10 minutes) Remove from heat and whisk the butter into mixture. Add etrog zest and etrog liquor. Cover and refrigerate to thicken. Whip heavy cream and fold into curd Once cupcake is cooled inject lemon curd to center.
Frosting 1 1/2 cups sugar 2/3 cup water 2 tbsp. light corn syrup 6 egg whites 2 tbsp. sugar Combine sugar, water and corn syrup in saucepan. Use candy thermometer and cook until it reaches 230 degrees. Meanwhile, whip the egg whites on medium- high until soft peeks form. While mixer is running add the sugar and beat to combine. When syrup reaches 230 degrees put egg whites on low speed and pour syrup down side of bowl, slow and steady. Raise speed to medium high until cool and stiff peeks form (about 7 minutes) Put frosting into pastry bag and pipe over cupcake. Use kitchen torch to brown the edges. Enjoy!
Tunie Mizrahi Handmade Beaded Jewlery
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Lemon Herb Rubbed Chicken with Beet, Carrot & Apple Salad Grilled Lemon Herb Rubbed Chicken 3 skinless, boneless chicken cutlets 5 teaspoons grated lemon rind (about 2 lemons) 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon pizza seasoning 1/2 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon water 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 lemon wedge
Recipe & Photography Heather Connell MultiplyDelicious.com Heat grill pan over medium high heat. Combine lemon rind through minced garlic; rub mixture over both sides of chicken cutlets. Place chicken in grill pan and grill 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Remove from heat. Squeeze lemon wedge over each chicken cutlet.
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Beet, Carrot & Apple Salad Zest and juice of 1 orange Zest and juice of 1 lime 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil sea salt and fresh ground pepper 1 pound beets, peeled and cut in matchsticks 2 large carrots, peeled and cut in matchsticks 1 Granny Smith apple, cored, peeled, and cut in matchsticks 1 turnip, peeled and cut in matchsticks 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, stems removed In a large bowl combine orange zest and juice, lime zest and juice, and vinegar. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. In the same bowl, layer beets, carrots, apple, and turnip. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Toss salad right before serving, and top with parsley leaves. Makes about 8 1/2-cup servings.
Quinoa Salad Recipe & Photography Amy Oren 2 cups raw quinoa 1 red pepper 1 orange pepper 1 bunch scallions 1 bunch parsley 1 bunch cilantro
1 can black beans juice of 3 lemons 2 tbsp. olive oil salt to taste cumin to taste
To cook the quinoa, combine 4 cups water and the 2 cups of quinoa in a pot. Bring mixture to a vigorous boil, then lower hear and simmer, covered, until quinoa is tender but still chewy, about 15 minutes. Chop the vegetables, and toss all the ingredients together. Makes approximately 8-10 servings. 39
Cookbook Love 40
Salmon on a Bed of Eggplant
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Spinach
By: Efrat Libfroind, acclaimed author of Kosher Elegance If you’re looking for something different, this recipe certainly qualifies. Although the combination of salmon and spinach is a popular classic, the crispy eggplant base provides a new twist that updates this familiar favorite. The salmon in this recipe is mildly seasoned so its taste won’t overwhelm the rich flavors of the spinach and eggplant. Eggplant: 1 large or 2 medium eggplants ½ cup flour 3–4 eggs 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 clove garlic, crushed ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon paprika 1 cup bread crumbs oil for frying
Spinach: 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cups fresh or frozen whole spinach leaves 2 cloves garlic, crushed ¼ teaspoon salt 1 pinch black pepper
Serves 15
Salmon: 3 fresh, medium-sized, skinless salmon fillets 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons olive oil chopped chives for garnish ElegantImpressionsMagazine.com
We all appreciate a delicious, beautifully served meal. But what do we do when faced with a special occasion that calls for something unique ? We often hesitate to attempt the extraordinary, assuming that the art of exquisite presentation is beyond us. In Kosher Elegance, Efrat Libfroind dispels that notion. Efrat, a highly acclaimed pastry chef, presents her finest recipes, sharing trade secrets that will help you transform any dish into a work of art. Flip through the pages of this sensational cookbook and you’ll encounter an incredible variety of stunning dishes. Made from simple, classic ingredients, these recipes will revolutionize your dinner presentations and upgrade any meal you host into something you can truly be proud of. Not halfway. Not partly. Perfectly. Efrat Libfroind, highly acclaimed pastry chef and graduate of elite international cooking schools, is a sought-after lecturer in Israel and abroad whose recipes appear regularly in Binah magazine. She speaks on a wide range of culinary themes, from food technology to gourmet cuisine. Her creations are renowned for their intricate, awardwinning designs.
Eggplant: Slice eggplant into ½-inch-thick slices. For an unusual presentation, you can cut the round slices into squares. Prepare three bowls: Put flour in one; beat eggs, mustard, garlic, salt, and paprika in the second; and put bread crumbs in the third. Dip each slice of eggplant into the flour, then in the egg mixture, and finally in the bread crumbs. Fry in hot oil for a few minutes on each side until golden. Spinach: Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Add the spinach leaves, garlic, salt, and pepper, and stir-fry for about 5 minutes. Cool slightly. Salmon: Cut fish into squares while partially frozen. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and fry salmon for 2 minutes on each side. Sprinkle chopped chives over the fried fish. Place an eggplant square on a serving plate. Spoon a mound of stir-fried spinach onto the fish and top with a square of salmon. ElegantImpressionsMagazine.com
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Cookbook Love
Brownie Chocolate Parfait
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By Efrat Libfroid, the renowned author of Kosher Elegance This impressive dessert consists of two no-fail recipes that are staples in my kitchen: incredibletasting brownies that always come out looking great, and a chocolate parfait that’s easy to make and a favorite of young and old alike. You can pour the parfait into a variety of molds, or you can serve it in cups. In this recipe I used a Pavoni brand mold, model xp046. Because these molds are small and actually meant for petits fours, I assembled each portion by placing two squares of parfait next to each other, for a more substantial serving.
Parfait: ½ cup sugar 3 tablespoons water 4 egg yolks 7 ounces chocolate 1 8-ounce container Rich’s RichWhip 3 tablespoons good-quality orange liqueur
Brownies: 1¾ cups sugar ¼ cup boiling water 5 ounces pareve bittersweet chocolate ½ cup margarine 5 eggs 1 cup flour
Decoration: 5 ounces pareve bittersweet chocolate 1 chocolate transfer sheet (without coloring) ¼ cup chocolate mirror glaze (see recipe in cookbook ) or chocolate syrup Parfait: Cook sugar with water for about 10 minutes, until syrupy. Let cool for 10 minutes. Beat egg yolks for 2 minutes. While beating, add the sugar syrup. Continue to beat for 5 minutes, until you have a light, airy cream. Melt chocolate and add to yolk mixture, beating the entire time. In a separate bowl, whip RichWhip. Fold whip into the chocolate-yolk mixture. Add liqueur, mix, and pour parfait into silicone molds. Freeze for 6 hours. Brownies: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small pot, heat 1 cup of sugar with water, chocolate, and margarine. Stir until completely combined. Remove from heat and let cool for half an hour at room temperature. Beat eggs with the remaining ¾ cup sugar for 7 minutes. Lower mixer speed and alternately add the flour and the cooked chocolate mixture. Line a 10½ x 15½ inch pan with parchment paper, pour in batter, and bake for 30 minutes. Freeze for 1 hour and cut brownies into 1½ x 3 inch rectangles. Decoration: Melt chocolate and spread in an even layer on the chocolate transfer sheet. Wait until chocolate hardens and cut into 1 x 3 inch strips. Freeze for 10 minutes and release strips from sheet. Place a brownie rectangle on a serving plate. Place 2 parfait squares side by side on top of the brownie. Fill the indentations with chocolate mirror glaze and use a little melted chocolate to attach chocolate strips to the sides of the brownie parfait. Tip: For a professional look, decorate each serving with caramel threads. Makes 10 servings ElegantImpressionsMagazine.com
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Caramel Apple Tart Recipe & Photography Becca Gorski Cake Events
Shortbread Crust: 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 3 tbsp. confectioner’s sugar 1/2 cup butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
Filling: 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened 1 egg 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup salted caramel Topping: 5 to 6 firm apples, peeled, cored,and thinly sliced 1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1 tbsp. butter
Directions: To make the crust, stir the flour and confectioners’ sugar in a mixing bowl. Pinch and squeeze the butter into the flour until the butter pieces are pea-size. Transfer the crumbly mixture into an 11-inch tart pan and spread it evenly around the pan. Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze while you prepare the filling. Next, make the cream cheese filling. Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and egg until they are light and smooth. Beat in the brown sugar and vanilla extract. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Warm caramel until soft enough to drizzle. Take the tart from the fridge and drizzle or spoon 3/4 cup of caramel over cream cheese mixture. Heat the oven to 375°. In a mixing bowl, toss the apple slices with the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the chilled tart shell. Then, beginning on the outside edge, arrange the apples on top of the filling in overlapping circles. Pour any remaining juices from the bowl over the apples, then dot with the butter. Bake the tart for about 1 hour or until the juices bubble and the apples turn tender. If the crust and apples begin to brown, cover the tart with the foil during the last 20 minutes of baking. Remove and cool. Drizzle remaining 1/4 cup caramel over top of tart. Serve warm on its own -- or with ice cream or whipped cream. Serves 8 to 10.
Salted Caramel Sauce 2 cups sugar 1 2/3 cups heavy cream 2 tbsp. salted butter 1/4 tsp. fleur de sel or coarse sea salt (or to taste) Spread the sugar in an even layer in a large metal Dutch oven or casserole, at least 6 quarts (6 L). Set over moderate heat and cook without stirring, until the sugar near the edge just starts to liquefy. Using a wooden spoon or heat proof spatula, begin gently stirring, encouraging the melted sugar around the edges toward the center and delicately stirring up any sugar melting on the bottom as well. The sugar will start to look pebbly as it cooks, but keep going; it will melt completely as it turns amber. Continue to cook until the sugar turns deep brown and starts to smoke. (Don’t worry about any large chunks of caramel.) The darker you can cook the sugar without burning it, the better the final sauce will taste. It’s ready when it’s the color of a well-worn penny, and will smell a bit smoky. Remove from the heat and quickly stir in about a quarter of the cream. The mixture will bubble up furiously, so you may wish to wear an oven mitt over your stirring hand. Continue to whisk in the cream, stirring as you go to make sure it’s smooth. Stir in the butter and salt. Serve warm. If you like your sauce a bit thinner or less rich, add 1/4 cup (60 ml) water. Storage: The sauce can be made up to one month in advance and kept refrigerated. Rewarm the caramel in a small saucepan over low heat or in a microwave. ElegantImpressionsMagazine.com
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Chocolate Cups Recipe atasteofkoko.com Photography Jane Ko Photography
To make these chocolate cups, you’ll need to melt about 4 ounces in order to make 3 cups. Use a high quality melting chocolate. You can either use the double boiler, direct heat, or microwave method to melt the chocolate. Remember to break the chocolate bar into small pieces to ensure even melting. After melting, allow the chocolate to cool to slightly lukewarm.
Fill balloons with a little air, just enough to get the size of a dessert cup. Dip the balloons in the chocolate and twirl until the balloon is evenly coated. Place the chocolate covered balloons on a pan covered with parchment paper. You can either let the balloon sit for 30 minutes or stick them into the fridge to harden up faster. Gently pull the balloons off the parchment paper. Using scissors, cut the tip of the balloons to let out the air, and gently separate the deflated balloon from the chocolate shell. To make the chocolate handles, fill a piping bag with melted chocolate and pipe out ‘C’ shapes onto a parchment paper. Allow to harden before removing. Use the remaining melted chocolate in the piping bag as a glue to adhere the handles to the sides of the cups.
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Challah
By Estreya Mograby Photography by Sofi Saka
This recipe makes the most delicious and soft challot! 5 lb. high gluten flour 5 cups warm water 5 tbsp. dry yeast
2/3 cup sugar 2/3 cup oil 7 tsp. salt
In a large bowl or mixer, proof yeast with one tbsp. sugar and 1 cup of warm water. When yeast begins to bubble, add in the remaining sugar, water, and oil. Mix to combine. Mix together the salt and flour, then gradually add the flour to the mixture. Knead well until dough is elastic and smooth. Let rise for 30 minutes, shape dough into knots, or whatever shape you desire. Allow the dough to rise another 20 minutes on trays, brush them with a whisked egg, and bake at 400 for 13 - 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Tips for getting perfect challot every time: • Water should be between 105 and 115 F • Don’t allow salt to directly touch the yeast, it could kill it. • Add a drop of water to the egg and whisk with a fork before egging the dough. • To know when challah is ready, check the bottom to see that they are golden brown underneath. • Freeze the challot when they cool off, and defrost and warm them up right before you want to eat them. They will taste like they just came out of the oven! ElegantImpressionsMagazine.com
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Chocolate Roses
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Recipe by Renee Mackey Burson Photography by Shane Burson sweetrevelations.wordpress.com
Modeling Chocolate Melt 6 oz. good quality bittersweet chocolate over a double boiler. Mix until no lumps remain. Let the chocolate cool for just a few minutes before adding 1/3 cup light corn syrup. Mix thoroughly until combined. The chocolate will start to form a hard ball that is difficult to stir. Place chocolate in a resealable freezer bag for several hours to harden up.
Chocolate should now be a hard lump. Use cocoa powder to lightly dust your hands and work surface, and knead the dough to make it malleable.
Roll the chocolate into little balls, approximately 1/4“ in diameter.
Put each ball under parchment paper and flatten them out.
Work quickly so as not to warm the chocolate too much.
With your fingers, form the flattened chocolate into petals. Let the petals sit for a few minutes to harden a little. This will make them easier to work with.
Form a cone shape for the center of the rose. Wrap each petal around your rose bud, and be careful to overlap each piece.
Even these rosebuds look sweet. You could stop here and these would be just fine too. Somebody would be delighted to eat it!
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Or you could keep adding until your little chocolate rose heart is content. Let these sit on the counter until firm. Keep them in an airtight container until you need them. Store leftover modeling chocolate in an airtight container as well. Use it to make any number of decorations as it dries fairly firm. 49
Decorate a Heart Cookie By Aliza Salem Cookies Couture For weeks I’ve been trying to figure out what would be a good cookie to kick off the first issue of this magazine. Then it occured to me, why not start off with the first cookie that started it all for me: the basic heart shaped roll out cookie. This was the cookie that inspired me to start cookie decorating, and I hope it will inspire you as well.
Basic roll out cookie 3 cups of all purpose flour, sifted 1 tsp of baking powder Pinch of salt 2 sticks of margarine/ butter at room temperature 1 cup of granulated sugar 1 egg at room temperature 1 tsp of vanilla extract In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside. In an electric mixer, cream together the margarine/butter and sugar for about 3 minutes until creamy and pale in color. Once the margarine/butter and sugar mixture is ready, add 1 egg and the vanilla, and beat on medium speed, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl until fully incorporated. Then add half the dry ingredients into the sugar mixture, mixing on low speed until the flour is incorporated. At this point make sure to stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl again. Then add the other half of the dry ingredients, on low speed until fully incorporated and a dough forms. Place 2 pieces of plastic wrap on a countertop and place the dough onto it. Knead the dough softly with your hands, being careful not to overwork it. Form the dough into a circular disk and wrap tightly with the plastic wrap. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes before use.
Icing 4 cups of sifted confectioners sugar 3 tbsp of meringue powder 4-6 tbsp of warm water Beat all the ingredients, starting with 4 tbsp of water, on low speed for 7 minutes or until icing peaks form. If icing is too thick add 1/2 to 1 tbsp. of water at a time until the desired spreadable consistency is achieved. To add color to your icing, just add a few drops, of food coloring to icing and mix. Add more food coloring until you get your desired color. Preheat oven to 350’ 50 ElegantImpressionsMagazine.com
Take the dough out of the refrigerator 20 minutes before use. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick foil. Sprinkle your work surface and rolling pin with flour and roll out your dough, rotating the dough every so often, to about an 1/8 of an inch thick. Dip your heart shaped cookie cutter into flour and cut out your cookies. Place the cookies on the cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies for 7 minutes or until golden around the edges. Cool cookies completely before you are ready to decorate. To ice the cookies all you need is an offset spatula, or a knife. Spread a nice amount of icing on the cookie and spread it as evenly as possible. To avoid any bumps or lines in your icing, dip your spatula/ knife in warm water, shake off the excess, and spread the knife over the cookie evenly while the icing is still wet. Allow the icing to dry for 15 minutes before you start the more intricate decorations. The easiest way I found to decorate cookies, is to use rolled fondant flowers. They always look beautiful and are fairly simple. Purchase a box of white fondant, and fondant flower cutters, and let your imagination run wild. Take a small piece of white fondant and roll it out to a 1/4 of an inch thick. Use the small fondant flower cutter that comes in the cutter set and cut out 3 flowers. To add the intricate details to the flowers, place one flower in the palm of your hand and use the back of a wooden skewer to push the petals of the flower out. Repeat with all the petals and press the end of the skewer into the center. Repeat this process to all the flowers and let dry for 10 minutes. Once flowers have dried, overlap them on the cookie so they look like a bouquet. To make the leaf, take a small piece of white fondant and add green food coloring until you get your desired color. Using the same flower cutter set, take out the smallest petal cutter and cut 2 leaves. Place the leaves on the work surface, and use the front of the wooden skewer and make a line going down the leaf and small lines going across the sides of the leaf to look like the veins of the leaf. Let leaves dry for 10 minutes and place one on each side of the flower bouquet. I hope that I gave you some ideas on how to decorate your cookies My advice to any beginner is to get into the kitchen, let your imagination run wild and have fun!
To order custom cookies, contact Aliza, of Cookies Couture at 7187555515. ElegantImpressionsMagazine.com
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Make a Bow
Measure and cut 24” of 1 1/2” wide ribbon
By Estreya Mograby Babies N Bows Photography by Sofi Saka
Form a figure 8 out of the ribbon
Bring ends together
Hold the shape in place with a clip
Using a needle and thread, sew down the middle
Pull the thread gathering up the ribbon, and wrap thread tightly around the bow twice. Push needle through ribbon twice and cut off extra thread
Wrap a ribbon around the middle or add an embellishment Using hot glue secure an alligator clip or barrette to back of bow
You’re all done!
A fun activity for when you’re feeling crafty!
For supplies or custom bows call Estreya at Babies N Bows 718-998-1514 ElegantImpressionsMagazine.com
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Snow Globes Materials: Glass jar or bottle with tight fitting lid Glitter Sequins Waterproof object for centerpiece Glue gun or waterproof glue Distilled Water (or boil tap water and allow it to cool) Ribbon
By Margalit Romano Swirly Curls Art Photography Maggie Mograby
Instructions: Step 1: Wash and dry glass jar and lid. If the lid is not completely dry, the glue may not adhere properly. Step 2: Using waterproof glue, stick centerpiece to the inside of the lid. You can also glue objects in the inside of the jar as a back drop. Allow glue to fully dry according to package directions. Step 3: Fill jar with water. Leave some space for the centerpiece. If you need more water, after the centerpiece is added simply add more. Step 4: Add glitter and sequins to jar. Adding too much glitter can make the water look cloudy. 54 ElegantImpressionsMagazine.com
Step 5: Add lid with centerpiece to the jar. Seal lid to jar with waterproof glue. If your jar lid is tight fitting, you don’t need to do this. Step 6: Tie coordinating ribbon around the base of the snow globe. This added decoration hides the jar lid and adds a personalized decorative touch. This project is fun because anyone can make it with just about anything! You can use what you find around your house. For the centerpiece you can use small toy figurines, shells collected from the beach, fabric flowers... For the glass jars you can use baby food jars, glass bottles, pasta sauce jars, olive jars... To make your own snowman: Glue 3 white Styrofoam balls or ping pong balls together vertically. Draw a face and buttons with a black permanent marker. Wrap a pipe cleaner around the snowman’s neck for a scarf. To make a hat, twist two pipe cleaners into a circle continue twisting the pipe cleaners into smaller circles. Wrap the hat over the snowman’s head.
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Elegant Ruffled Dinner Table Enhance your Shabbat or holiday table with little elegant touches that make a big impression. In this tablescape, lots of square vases of varying heights run along the length of the table. Using florals of a single color keep them from overwhelming the design, while an abundance of them give a fresh and garden-like look. For a little something special, wrap the vases with paper doilies, and finish with a satin ribbon. You can easily make ruffled plate rings by running a needle and thread through the ribbon, close to the edge, ruffling it as you go, and sewing the ends together to make a circle. The length of ribbon you’ll need depends on how ruffled you like it. Placing the silverware in a French pleated napkin tied with a satin ribbon keeps the table looking pretty and uncluttered.
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Styling & Photography Amy Oren Flowers Julie’s Flowers
French Pleat Napkins Fold napkin in half.
Fold in half again.
Rotate napkin so that open corners are facing away from you.
Fold top flap down to bottom corner.
Fold second flap Fold next flap & tuck down & tuck behind behind second flap, bottom flap. making 3 layers.
Rotate napkin so open end is at the top right corner.
Fold the right & left sides to the back and tuck together.
Insert silverware, flower, favor, or menu. Enjoy! 57
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