BRONZE BUDGET BRIDE

If you are making your own wedding favors or having a cookie buffet, these cookies are easy to make and so very cute, so I've added the recipe below for you!!

Ingredients

• 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon(s)salt
• 1 cup(s) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup(s) confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• confectioners' sugar, for decoration
• 1/2 cup(s) seedless raspberry jam

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine flour and salt. In a large bowl, with electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, beat in flour mixture just until blended. Shape dough into 2 disks; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Between 2 sheets of floured wax paper, roll 1 disk 1⁄8-inch thick. With floured 3-inch heart-shape cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Cut out centers of half cookies with floured 1 1⁄2-inch heart-shape cookie cutter. Slide cookies on wax paper to another large cookie sheet and refrigerate about 15 minutes, or until firm. Remove heart-shape centers from cookies; place cookies on prepared sheets, 1 inch apart. Bake 13 to 15 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden. Cool on parchment paper on wire racks. Repeat with remaining dough, rerolling scraps.
3. Sift confectioners' sugar over cookies with cut-out centers. Spread 1 teaspoon jam on each plain cookie; top with remaining cookies to form sandwiches.

courtesy of delish.com

This Chocolate Mousse Parfait Recipe that you can find here on mychiclife.com look sooo delicious and I love the presentation.

What You’ll Need:

• Mini Parfait Glasses w/ Demitasse Spoons
• Ribbon
• Chocolate Mouse – see recipe below
• Chocolate Brownies – Crumbled into Pieces 
• Fresh Whipped Cream – See Recipe Below
• Chocolate Bar – shaved for garnish

Directions:

Start with a layer of crumbled brownie pieces. Next, put your mousse into an icing bag (or a ziploc and clip one corner off for a makeshift pastry bag) and use to fill each parfait glass 3/4 of the way full. Now add fresh whipped cream and garnish with shaved chocolate. Use the ribbon to secure each spoon to the parfait.

 

Rachel’s Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups whipping cream
• 12 ounces quality semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3 ounces of strong coffee
• 4 Tbls of butter
• 1 Tsp of plain gelatin

Directions:

Chill 1 1/2 cups whipping cream in refrigerator. Chill mixing bowl (metal is best) and mixer beaters in freezer… The colder the better

 

Use a double boiler to combine chocolate chips, coffee, and butter. (If you don’t have a double boiler, use a metal bowl atop a pot of simmering water, just be sure and use a pot holder, the bowl gets hot!) To melt stir constantly over simmering water. Remove from heat. Cool, stirring occasionally to just above room temperature.

Measure out 1/4 cup whipping cream and sprinkle gelatin on top. Gelatin needs to sit for 10 minutes. Stir mixture into the cooled chocolate and set aside.

In the chilled mixing bowl, beat whipping cream with mixer on medium high until medium peaks form (this will take at least 10 minutes so get ready for an arm workout!). This Stir 1/4 of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.

 

Very carefully fold in the remaining whipped cream (I do these in three or four separate turns so I don’t over mix).

 

Homemade Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Add in some fun flavor, Kahlua, Chocolate, Orange extract have some fun with this and surprise your guests

Directions:

Add the whipping cream, vanilla extract and other flavor extract (if desired) with an electric mixer until peaks form. You’ll know it’s ready when your peaks hold their shape.

Find the recipe with photos here on My Chic Life.

This is such an adorable way to present truffles at your next event or to offer as favors. It can be a very affordable favor option too. You can make Oreo Chocolate Truffles yourself and slip them into a fake flower from your local dollar store. You can get about 6 flower heads on each $1.00 bunch.

I love unique items and guests do too! I came across these mini liquor bottle labels at Liquid Courage on Etsy where you can buy labels for mini bottles of Jack Daniels, Absolut Vodka, Barcadi Rum and Captain Morgan Rum Southern Comfort Whiskey! They are affordable starting at $25 for 20 labels! The more you buy, the more you'll save because 100 labels will cost you $49.99!





So, if you are interested in giving away mini bottles of liquor at your next event, check out Liquid Courage and place your order today for your custom labels!

I found this recipe here at Sweetapolita and I'll admit that the only reasons I am sharing it with you are because I thought that the éclairs were cute, I love pastry and they would look great on a dessert table. You see, I've never had an éclair before so I am not sure how they are suppose to taste but this recipe has inspired me to bake up a batch and I hope it inspires you too.

For the Vanilla Pastry Cream:

•    1/2 cup sugar
•     3 tablespoons cornstarch
•     1/8 teaspoon salt
•     5 egg yolks
•     1 cup whole milk
•     1 cup half-and-half
•     1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•     4 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the Pâte à Choux:

•     4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
•     1 teaspoon sugar
•     1/2 teaspoon salt
•     1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
•     3 large eggs

For the Glaze:

•     1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
•     Pink food coloring gel

    1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the egg yolks and whisk until combined; set aside.

    2. Combine the milk and half-and-half in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until it simmers. Whisk half of the hot milk into the egg mixture. Return egg-milk mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and two or three large bubbles appear on the surface. Whisk in the vanilla and butter. Pour the mixture into a heatproof bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator until set, at least 3 hours.

    3. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, combine 3/4 cup water, butter, sugar, and salt over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture just comes to a boil. Quickly stir in the flour and continue to stir until the mixture comes together and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to stir for 2 minutes more (a film may form on the bottom of the pan–this is okay).

    4. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until the mixture cools slightly and the steam disappears, about 3 minutes.

    5. Slowly add the eggs, one at a time, mixing to completely incorporate after each addition. Stop mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle as necessary.

    6. Spoon the batter into a pastry bag or resealable plastic bag fitted with a round tip (Wilton Round Tip #1a). Pipe 12 to 14 straight 4-inch lines, spaced 2 inches apart, onto the baking sheet.

    7. Bake for 15 minutes, do not open the oven door. At this point, the éclairs will be puffed and golden brown. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake until éclairs appear dry and are a deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Do not underbake; this may cause the éclairs to collapse. Let cool completely on pan.

    8. When éclairs have cooled, use a small skewer to poke a hold in either end of each one. Gently move the skewer around the inside the éclair to clear a space for the cream.

    9. Spoon the cooled pastry cream into a pastry bag or resealable plastic bag fitted with a Wilton Round Tip #230. Fill éclairs with pastry cream from both ends, taking care to not overfill.

    10. In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Stir in a few drops of pink food coloring until the desired color is achieved. Hold an éclair over the bowl of glaze, spoon the glaze over it, and spread to coat the top. Place the éclairs in individual rectangular treat cups and arrange on a rectangular platter in a single layer. Replenish platter as necessary.

Yield: 12-14  4-inch éclairs

If you love the idea of making your own edible favors for your guests, then these Orange Creamsicle Fudge Bites is a recipe you want to try!

Ingredients:

•     3 cup sugar
•     ⅓ cup heavy cream
•     ⅔ cup evaporated milk
•     ¾ cup butter
•     1½ pkg white chocolate morsels
•     1½ cup marshmallow creme (Fluff)
•     4 tsp orange extract
•     2 oranges, zested
•     9 drops yellow food coloring
•     3 drops red food coloring
•     16 oz vanilla bark (white candy coating)

Instructions:

1. In large saucepan, melt butter with sugar, evaporated milk and heavy cream. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until mixture starts to boil. Boil for 4 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and add white chocolate morsels and marshmallow creme. Whisk until smooth.

3. Add extract, orange zest, and food coloring. Pour into a greased 13x9, foil lined pan. Refrigerate until set (or overnight). Cut into squares and freeze for 30 minutes (or more).

4. Melt vanilla bark according to package. Dip each square of orange fudge into chocolate using a fork, tap extra chocolate back into bowl. Decorate immediately with sprinkles if desired.
Store in refrigerator to set, enjoy cold!

Find this recipe at: www.shugarysweets.com

Guests love edible favors and Homemade Butterfinger Cups sure sounds good to me.



I found the recipe at Salt Tree where Amber, the author, used silicone cupcake liners to give these desserts the lovely shape they have in the photos above, however, regular cupcake liners work well too.

What you'll need:

• 1 heaping cup of white chocolate chips
• 2 Tbsp shortening, divided
• 1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 3/4 confectioners sugar
• 2 Tbsp chopped or crushed peanuts
• Paper muffin / cupcake liners
• Clean, small paintbrush

1. Over very low heat, melt 1 scant Tbsp of the shortening with an even 1/2 cup of the dark chocolate, stirring frequently.
2. Once chocolate is just melted, remove from heat.  It doesn't look like dark chocolate at all ... but it is!  At least... dark-er chocolate...

3. Using the small paintbrush, coat the bottom and sides of the paper liners and place them on a cookie sheet or in a 9x12 pan so you can move them more easily.  Leave space at the top of the liners like shown in the picture, don't take the chocolate all the way to the edge of the liner. Pop them in the fridge while you make the filling.

4. Over medium heat, melt the butter and peanut butter.
5. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the confectioners sugar and graham cracker crumbs until well combined.

6. Let the peanut butter mixture cool slightly.  You don't want it to be so hot that it melts the chocolate cups.  Using your hands, press some of the mixture into each cup.  Do not overfill. 

*Tip* If the peanut butter mixture cools too much and becomes crumbly, you can warm a bit at a time in your hands, which will make it workable again.

7.  Melt the remaining chocolate and shortening and spoon a little into each cup just to cover the peanut butter mixture and even out the top.  Sprinkle on crushed peanuts while the chocolate is still warm so they will stick.

8.  Pop them into the freezer for about 1 hour to let them firm up.  Remove the paper liners.  Store the finished peanut butter cups in the refrigerator.

Makes 12.

These "Chocolate Truffle" Scented Candles look as if they came right out of a box of chocolates and they would make such lovely wedding favors especially if one of your wedding colors is brown. So buy a few cases here at www.DollarTree.com today because there is no telling when they will be gone!

Get Off Your Butt and Bake...I love the name of the website where I found this fabulous recipe because it made me want to just that...get off my butt and bake. I want to try this Puff Pastry Berry Pinwheels recipe because they look so good yet very easy to make.
Ingredients:

I love edible favors and these donut holes are so easy to make. When they are done they will taste like a funnel cake! They look really lovely in the Doily Cones which you can learn to make here on ruffledblog.com where I found this recipe.



INGREDIENTS:

• canned flakey biscuits
• frying oil (canola, vegetable etc…)
• powdered sugar
• paper bags

DIRECTIONS:

1. Take biscuit dough out of the can. Pinch off a small piece of dough and roll into a ball to make donut hole. Do this with the rest of the can. *Note, the donuts do expand in the grease, so don’t make them too big!

2. Fill your pot with at least 2 inches of oil. Heat oil until it bubbles when you drop the dough in. Dough will cook quickly so flip dough over as you see it crisping. When your dough is golden brown take out immediately.

3. Have your paper bag with powder sugar ready to go by the oil. As soon as your donuts are taken out of the oil, drop them into the bag and shake.

4. Savor your beautiful donut holes!