So, just before starting last night's casserole, I decided to do a little multi-tasking and start up a batch of Jane's Fairy Buns. I've been ogling the fairy buns on Jane's blog, Yarnstorm, for awhile now, so, I was thrilled to find the recipe in The Gentle Art of Domesticity book she wrote and which just arrived in the mail last week (even though I just found the recipe online – I am still very glad to have purchased the book).
I think I was supposed to cream the butter and sugar by hand, but I am so infatuated with my "new" (I call it "new" since I've only used it a handful of times since getting it) toy, I had to use her. Note I called her, "her", b/c I still haven't named her…though, the name Betty just popped in my head, and I'm thinking that's kinda cute.
Anywho, I very carefully followed the directions to a Tee. I didn't have any cupcake liners, so I just used that Cake-Release stuff I used on my Halloween cake, but I did everything else exactly. I creamed the butter and sugar, sifted in the flour, folded the mixture together very carefully, but…
…Ack! I still managed to burn them! You see, when I put the fairy buns in the oven, I started on the casserole, and I accidentally reset the timer for the pasta. As I stirred the noodles around every couple minutes, I started to wonder why my timer hadn't gone off for the fairy buns when it hit me…the timer wasn't going to go off for the fairy buns…it was going to go off for the pasta…doh! There I go trying to do too many things at one time instead of working carefully and trying to enjoy the "doing" and not just trying to get it "done." I took a bite out of one of them nonetheless and it was still rather tasty…just a tad crunchy. Still, case in point that I really do need to slow down once in awhile.
While the casserole baked away, I started up a second batch, and when the casserole was done, I started baking the "round two" fairy buns. Would you know it, though…I still managed to overcook these even though I set my timer up for a minute less than the suggested baking time. I think I must have done something wrong b/c my fairy buns seem so much smaller than the ones I see on Yarnstorm and in her book. Hmm…
I didn't mind, terribly, overbaking my fairy buns…those babies were going to be enjoyed one way or the other. Hubby and I waited anxiously for the fairy buns to cool completely (as explicitly directed by the recipe) and when it was time, I got started on the icing. I ended up using 1 1/2 lemons and a pretty sky blue color that reminded me of my fave color – turquoise.
I decorated the fairy buns with sliced almonds b/c…well, they were all I had on hand. Hubby had secretly eaten the remainder of our M&M's and I had no other candy in stock.
After all was said and done, I was quite happy to have lots of adorable fairy buns that were not only bright, cheery, and pretty-looking, but quite tastey. I'll be making these again, for sure, but next time I will have cupcake liners, more icing colors, and more time to enjoy the process.
Thanks for sharing your recipe, Jane. 🙂
OK I think it was worth making those just because the name is sooo cute, fairy buns, adorable!! Oh yes they do look yummy as well.
Yummy!!!