Essential ingredients: M&Ms
So many ingredients, I find, are completely disregarded despite their true, unappreciated quality. I would like to use one of my key ingredients, M&Ms as an example, and prove to those who are currently unaware of the amazing things that can be done with them!
M&Ms are a lot bigger in America as far as I'm aware, but in my opinion (And sorry patriarchs) they beat smarties hands down. Not only are they rounder in shape, but they come in so many more varieties! There's chocolate, there's peanut, there's even crunchy and, to my recent discovery, M&Ms minis are even available on the market!
But oh yes, there's more! If you are an American viewer you may be laughing at my pure amazement but I have to say, no one can deny that this list of flavours is beyond impressive!!!
(Unfortunately some were just limited edition..but I've found a few of them on Amazon!)
-Milk Chocolate
-Dark Chocolate
-Crispy
-Peanut
-Peanut butter
-Dark chocolate peanut
-Almond
-Almond
-Mint Crisp
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-Coconut
-Pretzel
-Strawberried peanut
-Wild Cherry
-Milk Chocolate Razzberry-Orange
-White Chocolate Candy Corn
Not only is there an insanely extensive range of flavours, there are characters, products, and even an M&Ms World in London which has every colour and hue of M&M you could possibly ask for, giant moving M&Ms and a machine tells you which colour you are! (I'm green apparently.)
(Being English, I've been to the one in Leicester square, but feel free to visit it in Las Vegas!)
Now, you may be thinking, "WOW M&MS ARE AMAZING! I'M GONNA GO BUY MILLIONS!" and yes, I advice that you do. But I also feel I should answer the more important question of, "How does this relate to the title, 'Cake Guru'?", and right you are again. As this blog is dedicated to all things Cake, bake and basically just tasty, I advise you to try out these marvellous ingredients, test their purpose-re-invent their purpose-as cooking ingredients!
The list of possible recipes is incredible! Experiment! You don't even need a recipe, take a simple regular recipe and throw some M&Ms in, my example (Taken from; http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/baking/cakes/cupcakes/plain-cupcakes-recipe)
Makes 12 standard-size cupcakes or use half the quantities to make 18-24 mini cupcakes
INGREDIENTS
- 125g butter, softened
- 125g caster sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 125g self-raising flour
- 2 tbsp milk
- 200g M&Ms!!!!
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190RC/gas mark 5. Beat together the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, flour and milk to the bowl and beat until the mixture is smooth. STIR IN THE M&Ms!!!!!!!!
- Divide the mixture between the paper cases and bake in the centre of the oven until the cakes have risen and are just firm to the touch in the centre. The standard-size cakes will take about 12 to 15 minutes and the mini cakes will take 10 to 12 minutes.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool. AND DECORATE WITH M&Ms!!!!!!
There's even a handy tool on the website with some recipes and ideas!
http://www.brightideas.com/
So why not try some M&M baking! You could do brownies, cookies, pies, cheesecakes, ice creams, truffles, cakes and so much more!
Ah, but as the owner of a cake (and more specifically cake decorating) business, I suggest a challenge, try out some of the amazing M&M decoration ideas out there! Check out the top 10 cupcakes post, there are some pretty nifty M&Ms minis ideas! (Brilliant for eyes!) Or you could attempt some of these...
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Moral of the post? Never underestimate anything, be it peanut, crispy or sumptuous chocolate, if it's coated in coloured sugar.
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