My Birthday at Hogwarts

Same name, new blog!

I called it quits on my old blog and have moved over to Blogger...I thought a fresh start was exactly what I needed to jump start my creative juices! 

The feel of this blog will be very similar to sweetcuppicakes.wordpress.com, only this time expect more of my inner geek to come out and play :) 

I'm nearly hopping up and down for Christmas - mostly because I'm SO excited to share some of the gifts I've created for some of my close friends.  However, posting them here would sort of ruin the surprise....so instead, here is a Harry Potter Birthday party!

Like any self-respecting human being, I'm a HUGE fan of Harry Potter.  Seeing the last movie felt a bit like graduating from my own childhood....which sometimes you have to revisit by re-reading all 7 books, re-watching all 8 movies, and then throwing a party.

You'll find recipes for a few of the yummy treats at the bottom of this post :)

House banners (just pretend the brown on the Ravenclaw banner is bronze, ok?)

You'll need a few textbooks as a Hogwarts student...

Flying Keys...pretty sure this is going to become a mobile for my future baby

Food!  We had pumpkin pasties, cauldron cakes, licorice wands, golden snitch truffles, and chocolate frogs!  All the favorites from the sweets trolley!

Champagne Golden Snitch Truffles (ok, they aren't really truffles, they're cake balls...but truffle sounds way fancier)

Chocolate Frogs (with peanut butter filling and served in individual boxes)

Chocolate Frog Cards...featuring all my favorite people :)

Photo booth props

Harry Potter Party Recipes

Pumpkin Pasties
Cauldron Cakes

Peanut Butter Chocolate Frogs

Pumpkin Pasties

makes about 2 dozen pasties

Ingredients:

Filling:

(adapted from Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie)

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk

 Crust:

•  1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 tbsp cold water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin puree with the egg.  Add sugar and spices.  Slowly add the evaporated milk, stirring until combined.
2. Pour mixture into a small baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.  Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking approximately 30 minutes (until knife inserted come out clean).  Cool completely.
3. In a large bowl, mix together flour and sugar.  Cut in butter and shortening until the mixture resembles course crumbs.  Add cold water and mix until just combined.
4. Divide dough in half and put each into a plastic sandwich bag.  Press the bag so that the dough forms a flat ball inside the bag.  Refrigerate at least one hour.
5. Roll out refrigerated dough on a floured surface until about 1/8 inch thick.  Use a round cookie cutter and cut out circles of dough.  Add about a tablespoon of cooled pumpkin filling to each circle.  Fold circle over filling, pressing the edges closed with a fork (creating a half-circle mini pie).
6.  Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 15 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Note: You can use a pre-made roll-out dough if desired.

Cauldron Cakes

 Ingredients:

• Any recipe for chocolate cupcakes (boxed or from scratch)
• Instant pudding mix (vanilla or cheesecake flavored)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 bag chocolate melting candies (I use Wilton dark cocoa)

Directions:

1. Bake about 24 cupcakes using desired recipe - do not use cupcake liners!
2. While cupcakes cool, melt 1/4 of the chocolate candy and place in a piping bag (or plastic baggy) cutting a small opening at the tip.  Pipe candy onto waxed or parchment paper into cauldron handles.  Refrigerate 10 minutes to set completely.
3. Melt remaining chocolate candy.  Dip the top of each cupcake in the melted chocolate and place upside down (so that the flat bottom faces up) onto waxed or parchment paper.  Place in refrigerator 10-15 minutes to set. 
4. Prepare filling by whisking half the pudding mix (about 1.5-2 oz) with 1/2 cup milk.  Set aside.  Using an hand or stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip cream on med-high speed until stiff peaks form.  Add pudding mix to whipped cream and whip until just combined.  Place filling in a piping bag or plastic baggy and cut a med-sized opening at the tip.
5. Remove a small center from each cupcake.  Pipe filling into each cavity.
6. Use leftover melted chocolate to attach chocolate handles to the top of each cauldron.

Chocolate Frogs 
makes about 1.5 dozen frogs

Ingredients:

• 1 bag chocolate melting candies (I use Wilton dark cocoa)
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• Frog mold (I got mine here)

Directions:

1.   Mix peanut butter and powdered sugar (you can add additional sugar for a sweeter taste if desired)
2. Melt the chocolate candies.  Spoon in about 1 tablespoon of chocolate and spread it around to  just coat the frog cavity (without filling it completely).  Place in fridge for about 5-10 minutes to partially set.
3. Spoon in about 1 teaspoon of peanut butter into the cavity of the frog.
4. Fill the frog cavity completely, being sure to cover all of the peanut butter.  Place in fridge about 15-20, or until completely set.  Frogs should easily pop out of the mold once set.

Note: I do not suggest using regular chocolate chips for this - it will not set as hard as melting candies and will not work easily in a mold.