Baking and Making

As promised earlier, I have more updates on the Halloween snack project.  I have learned many things about baking and making in this Halloween snack project; as this is without doubt the most complicated baking project I have tackled this far.  But I was fearless, and rounded up all my baking items and got to work. 

Lesson 1: If a website says, " They’re really easy to assemble", or "easy do it yourself" this does not mean that it will be easy for the reader.  It means that it was easy for the person who created this website, who probably makes these treats as a living.  If something looks really cute and custom-made, it's probably more complicated than it seems.

Lesson 2:  Practice rounds will always work in your best interest when taking on a new project.  Thankfully, I applied this to my craft and benefited greatly.  My first batch of brownies were too dry, and the chocolate was too drippy.  The second batch was too gooey and when I was rolling them they just smeared everywhere.  I finally figured out that frozen brownies worked well. Adding paraffin wax fixed the drippy chocolate issue as well.

Lesson 3:  Establishing a routine DOES matter.  I started out baking the brownies.  Then rolling one, dipping it in chocolate, then assembling it.  This was not conducive to chocolate spiders.  I eventually learned to bake the brownies, then roll them into balls at the same time, freeze, then dip, assemble and decorate.

Lesson 4: Enlist good help.  I did this, with the not-so-young lady pictured to the left.  Arion was a fabulous help for the assembly part of the project.  She played a very big role and attached all of the eyes and fangs on every spider.  She agrees, it isn't as easy as it looks.

I did notice, however, once the creatures were created and it was clean-up time, she quickly and silently disappeared!!!  I guess I have to be happy for the help I get around here! 

Lesson 5: Second graders can appreciate a good-looking snack, but don't care if they look ridicules, either!  I think I will stick to them as my cooking critics!    


Whew!  Now that I have finished this project, I think I will be finished with crafty baking for a while.  Maybe I will be feeling adventurous again mid-October 2011!