Start this recipe the day ahead

SNOW GLOBES

• Blow up the balloons until about 10cm wide and secure. You may need an air compressor to fill.
• Attach each balloon to the blunt end of a wooden skewer, using sticky tape. Make sure you add a pie of sticky tape at the base of the balloon. This is so you can pop the balloon later through the sticky tape for a slow deflate. Place each skewer into polystyrene or similar to keep upright and not touching. I used an old flower arrangement sponge to hold mine up.
• Spray the balloon very lightly with olive oil spray. Not too heavy as the gelatin will not stick otherwise. I finished with a light brush over with a paper towel to ensure it was not too oily.
• Fill a large bowl with cold water and add gelatine leaves separating them as you add. Leave to soak for 10 minutes.
• Remove gelatine leaves and place in a small saucepan with 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid, sweetener and rosewater.
• Place over low heat and stir until dissolved. Pour into a small to medium bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. It is important to not try and dip the balloons when the mix is too warm or they will burst.
• Dip each balloon in the cooled gelatine. Using a spoon to ladle the mix all over the balloon to a thin coat. Allow the excess mix to drip back into the bowl. Place upright in the polystyrene ensuring no other balloons touch each other as the gelatine will stick. Repeat with all balloons. Allow to stand 10 minutes before dipping again. If your gelatine mix firms up, just reheat and cool and start again.
• Leave balloons to set 24 hours.
• To separate the globe from the balloon; prick the balloon a couple of times through the sticky tape for a slow deflate. The balloon will slowly deflate inside the gelatine globe. After it has deflated carefully trim the base of the balloon off and pull out any remaining balloon. Trim the edges of the globes to tidy them up.

CUPCAKES

CONVENTIONAL METHOD

• Preheat oven to 170℃. Line a 12-hole cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
• Mix all ingredients in a stand mixer until combined. Spoon mix into cupcake liners. Bake 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. Cool on wire tray until cool.

THERMAL METHOD

• Preheat oven to 170℃. Line a 12-hole cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
• Add ingredients; mix 1 min/speed 3. Follow from Step 3 above.

LEMON BUTTERCREAM

CONVENTIONAL METHOD

• Mix all buttercream ingredients in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Pipe onto cupcakes. Top with Christmas decoration and snow globe.

THERMAL METHOD

• Mix all ingredients 1 min/speed 5. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl. Mix for further 1 min/speed 5 or until smooth and fluffy. Follow from Step 2 above.