Swapping Beaks on Rubber Ducks
While we have been on the road teaching projects from our new book
What's New, Cupcake? We have been struck by the differences in the
candy choices available across the country. We've also seen first hand
how different climates can play havoc with some candies. We have
become more convinced than ever about the wisdom of teaching folks the
value of doing a Candy Swap. The basic idea is to find a candy that
has the color, shape, and texture you need for your design and swap it
for the one you don't like, can't find, or won't work.
One we needed to figure out was the cute orange beaks on our Rubber
Ducks. For What's New, Cupcake? we made them from an orange fruit
chew. When we hit the road with our cupcakes we quickly realized the
fruit chew that held up great in Connecticut was getting a little
droopy in Texas; Houston we have a problem. Putting on our Candy
Detective hats we thought it through. It didn't take long because the
solution was one of our favorite candies, a circus peanut. It's
orange, it's pliable, and it's already sort of shaped like a duck's
beak.
To complete the tranformation from circus peanut to duck's beak, we
cut the circus peanut in half crosswise, then we made a horizontal
slit about 3/4 of the length of the candy but leaving the top and
bottom still connected at the last 1/4. We put a small piece of pink
candy (licorice pastel cut in half) in the slit to make a tongue and
also hold it open. Voilà , the new heat-proof and humidity-proof Rubber
Duck beak.
Both the fruit chew and the circus peanut work to make really cute
duck beaks. You can use either and you'll have adorable ducks, just
choose the one that works for your temperature and tastes.
Next time you are having a candy issue don't fret, just put on your
Candy Detective hat and think it through. The solution us probably
already in your candy pantry!
Happy Cupcaking
Alan and Karen
What's New, Cupcake? We have been struck by the differences in the
candy choices available across the country. We've also seen first hand
how different climates can play havoc with some candies. We have
become more convinced than ever about the wisdom of teaching folks the
value of doing a Candy Swap. The basic idea is to find a candy that
has the color, shape, and texture you need for your design and swap it
for the one you don't like, can't find, or won't work.
One we needed to figure out was the cute orange beaks on our Rubber
Ducks. For What's New, Cupcake? we made them from an orange fruit
chew. When we hit the road with our cupcakes we quickly realized the
fruit chew that held up great in Connecticut was getting a little
droopy in Texas; Houston we have a problem. Putting on our Candy
Detective hats we thought it through. It didn't take long because the
solution was one of our favorite candies, a circus peanut. It's
orange, it's pliable, and it's already sort of shaped like a duck's
beak.
To complete the tranformation from circus peanut to duck's beak, we
cut the circus peanut in half crosswise, then we made a horizontal
slit about 3/4 of the length of the candy but leaving the top and
bottom still connected at the last 1/4. We put a small piece of pink
candy (licorice pastel cut in half) in the slit to make a tongue and
also hold it open. Voilà , the new heat-proof and humidity-proof Rubber
Duck beak.
Both the fruit chew and the circus peanut work to make really cute
duck beaks. You can use either and you'll have adorable ducks, just
choose the one that works for your temperature and tastes.
Next time you are having a candy issue don't fret, just put on your
Candy Detective hat and think it through. The solution us probably
already in your candy pantry!
Happy Cupcaking
Alan and Karen
I am gearing up for my twins' graduation from pre-k. I see on your blog a while back you showed a picture of graduation cap and diploma cupcakes and refer the reader to your website for instruction on how to make them. the instructions don't seem to be on your website any longer. I was wondering, since graduation time is here, can you publish the instructions again (or e-mail them to me)? i have both your books (Mother's day gifts to myself) and just tackled spaghetti and meatballs. I may do TV Dinner today...
Reply to this
Hi Patsy,
Here is a link to that recipe on the Duncan Hines website.
http://www.duncanhines.com/recipes/cupcakes/dh/caps-and-diplomas-cupcakes
Our site doesn't archive recipes yet so they are only up for the month we feature them. But many of them are on other websites like the terrific one at Duncan Hines. Enjoy and...
Keep on cupcaking,
Alan
Reply to this
I am in Beijing, China and I just made a bunch of the Koi fish. I had a lot of trouble with the circus peanuts and the humidity. They started becoming gooey. I solved this problem by putting them in the freezer but my knife still got very gummy and it was time consuming and I kept squashing my peanuts. I need some tips on how to easily cut the peanuts. A sharper knife? Dipping the knife in ice cold water? Ideas? Thank you! I LOVE both of your books! Your cupcakes are making me legendary at my boys' school bakesales. People in Beijing (locals and expats alike) don't bake much so the cupcakes are amazing to them. THanks! : )
Reply to this
Margie,
So great to know that you are exporting our love of cupcakes to China! Thank you. As for the Circus Peanuts. Fresh marshmallow circus peanuts are much easier to cut so don't be afraid to squeeze the bag (gently) in the store to see that they are fresh not stale. If caught tell them you are the circus peanut inspector! Also I find a serrated knife and a gentle sawing action is sometimes easier to use for cutting. I have even been know to cut the marshmallows with a sharp pair of scissors (I sometimes use the Teflon-coated Fiskars for this since they don't stick as much, but they are not NSF safe so they are not for commercial use). That said, any time I am cutting candy I keep a towel at hand to wipe off the blade in between cuts. This prevents the sugar from building up on the blade.
Hope that helps and if you ever need to import a couple of cupcake decorators to China please let us know.
Happy cupcaking,
alan and Karen
Reply to this
How do you keep cupcakes perfect until you serve them? We made dogs and cats yesterday for an event today, and overnight they fell apart. Caramel snouts melted off the bulldogs, the westies' mini-cupcake heads fell off, the cats' pink candy tongues melted away, the chocolate wafer ears got soggy and fell apart, tootsie roll ears got soft and pulled away part of the cupcake as they fell, and cupcake papers peeled off. I made some high humidity decorator frosting (Wilton site), to patch things up - will it hold? TBD. The candies just seem to melt from contact with the canned frosting, which loses definitiona fter a few hours. I'd hate to have to wait until the last minute to assemble cupcakes, since it's messy and time-consuming. Any suggestions on a different type of frosting or alternatives to melting candies?
Reply to this
Hi Jane,
Sounds like you had a bad experience with the frosting. Was it especially hot or humid on the cupcake day? We do assemble many of the cupcakes on the same day we serve them. That doesn't mean you have to do all the work that same day. We make anything that can keep ahead of time and then frost and assemble prior to the event. In the case of things like cookies and soft candy you do have to decorate close to serving time. Things like taffy snouts and ears can be made ahead and stored on sheets of wax paper in a cool spot.
As for frosting we use Duncan Hines Creamy Homestyle or our own Almost Homemade Buttercream from the books. Both have the texture to stand up to heat and humidity. In fact the Duncan Hines actually surface-hardens to hold your candy in place. That said it is still a good idea to store your cupcakes in a cool dry spot out of direct sun.
Hope that helps and thanks for writing.
Keep on cupcaking,
Alan and Karen
Reply to this
Just finished making the mum flower cupcakes. It was so much fun! I loved how they turned out and they were so easy, too! Thanks for the great idea! I know my mom will love them!
Reply to this