Floral Birthday Cake

This cake was specially designed for a birthday. The customer wanted whipped cream frosting instead of fondant, which gives it a more “home-made” look. The flavor of the cake was peaches and cream with candied walnuts. The cake was separated into two layers- the bottom layer had the candied walnuts, and the top layer had the peaches. I filled the cake so that every bite would have walnuts, peaches, and cream! See pictures below of the inside of the cake. The flowers and name tag were all hand-made with fondant. This cake is 100% edible.

Just a note: the flowers are VIOLET. My camera was having a color-blind moment, no matter what kind of lighting the cake was under or what mode the camera was on!

Serving size: 25 people

How green is YOUR baker?

Note: Image taken from www.thegreatilluminator.com

How many of you take importance in the products you purchase, use and discard?  How many of you think about the amount of landfill space non-degradable products take up whenever you throw something away?

I do!

Let me give you some background information about me. Apart from designing and baking, I am actually a certified environmental engineer. You know what I care about most? The health of the people and of the planet! The average American produces over seven pounds of garbage every day. That’s a lot of trash. It’s also a lot of landfill space.

A big part of the problem stems from packaging. Every time you purchase a dessert, it comes packaged in boxes or cellophane, and more often than not they are of the non-degradable material!

Halfmoon Productions purchases materials that are bio-degradable. All boxes, cellophane wraps and packaging materials are made from a renewable resource. Recyclable, compostable and biodegradable.

Rest assured- when buying from Halfmoon Productions you are not only consuming delicious art, you are also thinking and staying green!

Vegan Cupcakes

Hello my fellow Halfmooners! I’ve been a little M.I.A with the recipes, but now I’m back! I’ve been doing some good research on great recipes for those practicing Lent right now! Here is one from Allrecipes.com that got great reviews:

Prep Time: 10 Min      Cook Time:15 Min   Ready In:25 Min

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups almond milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, warmed until liquid
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

♥Halfmoon Productions Tip:

• Use either Unbleached all-purpose flour, or whole wheat flour instead of bleached flour.
• You can substitute almond milk with any non-dairy milk (soy,almond, rice, etc)
• You can substitute coconut oil with canola oil- keep in mind that coconut oil has a lot of health benefits to it!
• substitute white sugar for raw sugar. Even better, substitute it with brown sugar!
• If you can’t consume vinegar products, you can use lemon juice instead

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 12 cup muffin pans or line with 18 paper baking cups.
2. Measure the apple cider vinegar into a 2 cup measuring cup. Fill with almond milk to make 1 1/2 cups. Let stand until curdled, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond milk mixture, coconut oil and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter. Frost with desired frosting.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving (18 servings)
Calories: 152 | Total Fat: 6.4g |

Free People “Valentine Fun” Event

Today I presented my Valentine Collection cookies at Free People in Americana (Glendale, CA. for you out of state).  I was very happy with the turn-out, and I hope you are too! I would love to read your comments! Click on individual pictures to see an enlarged version! (Hagan click sobre cada foto para ver una version mas grande).

National Nutrition Month- Recipe #5 Breakfast Muffins!

This recipe is a Halfmoon Productions original, and was inspired by a Hummingbird Cake recipe passed onto me by a friend! The hummingbird cake contains banana, pineapples, and pecans- a very delicious combination! I played around with the recipe until I came up with Pine-Apple Banana breakfast muffins!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 Cup Ground Flaxseed (Optional)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup Sugar in the Raw
2 eggs
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 RIPE bananas- Mashed (almost black to add more sweetness!)
8 oz crushed pineapples
3/4 Cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce
1 Cup Choice of nut- finely chopped (pecans,almonds and walnuts would work best)

♥Halfmoon Productions Tip:

1. Use fresh pineapple instead buying the canned version. If you don’t have the patience of doing it yourself, make sure that the can says “in its own juice!” instead of “in syrup.”Remember that 8 oz is one cup!
2. If you can’t consume wheat products, try finding a gluten free flour blend, or buy UNBLEACHED whole purpose flour.

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven temperature to 350°F
2. In a large bowl mix dry ingredients- flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and cinnamon
3.In another large bowl mix wet ingredients-  eggs, vanilla, banana, pineapple, apple sauce, and finely chopped nuts
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with an electric mixer until thoroughly mixed
5. Line up muffin pan with muffin paper
6. Fill your muffin cups accordingly with the mix (depending on the size of your tray, it could be 1/3 full or 1/2 full…be careful not to overfill so you don’t have spillage!)
7. Bake in the oven about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when you insert it to the center of the muffin!
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool

I loved the taste, and the muffins are great for you! I warn you- if you like super sweet muffins, these won’t be satisfying to you. I thought that the amount of sugar was perfect, but if you want something sweeter, than add maybe 1/2cup more of sugar to your blend.

Let me know what you guys think!!!!!!!! I’d love some feedback! Bon apetit!!!!!!!

Serving suggestion: Spread some low-fat cream cheese on top of the muffin.

National Nutrition Month Recipe#4- Chocolate Souffles

Hunting  chocolate souffles recipes was hard! There are so many different ways to make it, and some of them were heart stopping fatty (I wouldn’t be surprised if those were the tastiest souffles!). I narrowed it down to 2 recipes- one which is low-fat but uses flour, and the other which seems a lot healthier (but I don’t have the nutrition information on it) because it doesn’t use flour! See for yourself…My mouth waters more with version 2!

♥Halfmoon Production Tip:
Remember to always substitute:
1. pure butter for blended versions like I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter (which as an Olive Oil blend!).
2. Chocolate for 70% +Cocoa
3. All purpose flour to Unbleached flour…or if you can really love your heart, use whole wheat flour! I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve baked with it and no one has noticed.
4. Granulated sugar to either brown sugar or raw sugar. I’m not a fan of artificial sweetners, but if you must use them, then go ahead!

1. Chocolate Souffles Recipe (from diabeticlivingonline.com)

Ingredients

2/3	cup granulated sugar
1/3	cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1	tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/8	teaspoon salt
1/2	cup fat-free milk
2	egg yolks
4	egg whites
1	teaspoon vanilla
1/8	teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions

1. Place eight 6-ounce ramekins in a shallow baking pan; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a small saucepan, stir together 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar, the cocoa powder, flour, and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir for 1 minute more. Remove from heat. Slightly beat egg yolks. Slowly add chocolate mixture to egg yolks, stirring constantly.

3. In a large bowl, combine egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Stir about 1/4 of the egg whites into chocolate to lighten. Gently fold chocolate mixture into egg white mixture. Spoon into ramekins.

4. Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted near centers comes out clean. Serve immediately. If desired sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes 8 soufflés.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

• Servings: 8 soufflés
• Calories 109
• Total Fat (g) 2
• Saturated Fat (g) 0
• Cholesterol (mg) 52
• Sodium (mg) 73
• Carbohydrate (g) 19
• Fiber (g) 0
• Protein (g) 4
• Vitamin A (DV%) 0
• Vitamin C (DV%) 0
• Calcium (DV%) 0
• Iron (DV%) 0

2. Chocolate Souffles Recipe (from frenchfood.about.com)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling
• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped finely
• 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 6 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/16 teaspoon salt
• Butter
• Powdered sugar

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter 6 individual soufflé ramekins and sprinkle with sugar; set aside.

Melt chocolate pieces in a metal bowl over barely simmering water, constantly stirring. (Even a small amount of overheated chocolate will ruin an entire recipe.) Once the chocolate is melted, remove the bowl from heat and stir in the egg yolks.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with salt on medium high speed until they hold soft glossy peaks. Continue beating egg whites on high speed, gradually adding the remaining 1/3 cup sugar, until the egg whites hold stiff glossy peaks.

Gently stir 1/3 of the eggs whites into the chocolate mixture, then carefully fold in the remaining egg whites. The chocolate mixture should be light and bubbly, and even colored, without egg white streaks.

Spoon your soufflé mixture into the prepared ramekins and allow to rest for up to 30 minutes or bake right away for 12 – 15 minutes (slightly longer at high altitudes) until risen with a crusty exterior. Serve with a dusting of cocoa or powdered sugar if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

National Nutrition Month Recipe #3- 100 Calorie Chocolate Snackerts!

MmmMmmM Chocolate! Who can resist you? I certainly can’t, but what I DO is eat you in a healthier way…

♥Halfmoon Production Tip for a Healthier Heart: Consume Dark Chocolate that’s at least 70% Cocoa!

Below you will find some delicious recipes for chocolate snackerts (my new,original word for a dessert that’s too small to be considered, well, a dessert! It’s more like a snack, but in dessert form) that are only 100 calories!!!!!!!!

1. Chocolate Nut Bark

Ingredients

• 2 cup(s) semisweet, bittersweet, or milk chocolate chips, melted
• 1 1/2 cup(s) assorted nuts, such as hazelnuts, almonds, and cashews, plus more for garnish

Directions

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. (Take care to avoid wrinkles.) Combine melted chocolate and nuts in a medium bowl. Scrape the mixture onto the foil and spread it into an approximate 12-by-9-inch rectangle. Sprinkle with additional finely chopped nuts, if desired. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.
2. Transfer the bark and foil to a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces.

Yields: 3 dozen 1 1/2-inch pieces

Total Time: 35 min

Prep Time: 10 min

Nutritional Information
(per serving)

Calories	74
Total Fat	5g
Saturated Fat	2g
Cholesterol	–
Sodium	1mg
Total Carbohydrate	–
Dietary Fiber	1g
Sugars	–
Protein	1g
Calcium	–

2.  Thick and Rich Hot Cocoa

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cup(s) nonfat milk
• 1/2 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup(s) sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoon(s) cornstarch

Directions

Combine milk, cocoa, sugar, and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking often, until steaming. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until it comes to a boil, then remove from the heat.

Yields: 6 servings, generous 1/3 cup each

Total Time: 10 min

Prep Time: 10 min

Nutritional Information
(per serving)

Calories	98
Total Fat	2g
Saturated Fat	1g
Cholesterol	6mg
Sodium	50mg
Total Carbohydrate	19g
Dietary Fiber	2g
Sugars	–
Protein	5g
Calcium	–

3. Baby Tiramisu

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup(s) nonfat ricotta cheese(4 ounces)
• 2 tablespoon(s) confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon(s)ground cinnamon
• 12 ladyfingers (about 1 3/4 ounces)
• 4 tablespoon(s) brewed espresso or strong coffee, divided
• 2 tablespoon(s) bittersweet chocolate chips, melted

Directions

1. Combine ricotta, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
2. Place 6 ladyfingers in a 9-by-5-inch (or similar size) loaf pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons espresso (or coffee). Spread the ricotta mixture over the ladyfingers. Place another layer of ladyfingers over the ricotta and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons espresso (or coffee). Drizzle with melted chocolate. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

Yields: 6 servings

Total Time: 45 min

Prep Time: 15 min

Nutritional Information
(per serving)

Calories	107
Total Fat	2g
Saturated Fat	1g
Cholesterol	3mg
Sodium	125mg
Total Carbohydrate	18g
Dietary Fiber	–
Sugars	–
Protein	3g
Calcium	–

4. Peanut Butter and Pretzel Truffles

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup(s) crunchy natural peanut butter
• 1/4 cup(s) finely chopped salted pretzels
• 1/2 cup(s) milk chocolate chips, melted  ♥Use Dark Chocolate♥

Directions

1. Combine peanut butter and pretzels in a small bowl. Chill in the freezer until firm, about 15 minutes. Roll the peanut butter mixture into 20 balls (about 1 teaspoon each). Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper and freeze until very firm, about 1 hour. Roll the frozen balls in melted chocolate. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

Yields: 20 truffles

Total Time: 2 hr

Prep Time: 15 min

Nutritional Information
(per serving)

Calories	64
Total Fat	4g
Saturated Fat	1g
Cholesterol	1mg
Sodium	53mg
Total Carbohydrate	–
Dietary Fiber	1g
Sugars	–
Protein	2g
Calcium	–

Nutritional Information
(per serving)

Calories	74
Total Fat	5g
Saturated Fat	2g
Cholesterol	–
Sodium	1mg
Total Carbohydrate	–
Dietary Fiber	1g
Sugars	–
Protein	1g
Calcium	–