6 Tricks to Take Your Desserts to the Next Level

How to Make Your Own Whipping Cream

Whipping up some cream? Heavy cream will set up faster if you add seven drops of lemon juice to each pint of cream. But you don’t necessarily need heavy cream if you’re making whipped cream. Light cream can be whipped to a firm, mousse-like consistency if you add one tablespoon of unflavored gelatin dissolved in one tablespoon of hot water for every two cups of cream. After whipping, refrigerate it for two hours.

Making Lemon Sugar

Feel like going the extra mile? Grate some lemon peel and mix it with sugar in a food processor for some delicious “lemon sugar,” which is perfect for the tops of cookies and other desserts, as well as the rims of cocktail glasses!

Designing with Chocolate

Adding a chocolate design to cakes, brownies, and other confections gives them a sophisticated touch your friends are sure to appreciate. An easy way to decorate with chocolate is to place old candy, unwrapped, in a plastic sandwich bag. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, turning until melted. Then snip off the corner and use like a pastry bag to write words and create embellishments.

Crumb-Free Cake Frosting

One of the trickiest things about frosting a cake is making sure that crumbs don’t turn your smooth icing into a lump-filled mess. The secret that many pastry chefs use is to dollop spoonfuls of icing a couple of inches apart all over the top of the cake, and simply use a spatula to spread them out.

See also: 3 Tips To Make Magical Cakes

Mint-Chocolate Frosting

Here’s another last-minute cupcake topping idea, this time using tasty chocolate-covered mints. When your cupcakes have baked and cooled, drop a mint on top of each one. Heat the cupcakes in the microwave, one by one, for just a few seconds. Remove and spread the melted mint-chocolate over the top.

On-the-Spot Marshmallow Topping

Need a quick, delicious topping for your party cupcakes? Try this: during the final few minutes of baking time, place one large marshmallow on top of each cupcake. As the cooking continues, the marshmallows will melt into a sweet, sticky frosting—they’re done when the tops become lightly browned. 

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