This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our privacy policy.
As you know, I am a big fan of baking and presenting food in jars and other glass pieces. A few weeks ago I was making these No-Bake Raspberry Lemon Cheesecakes and desperately wanted a way to get the crust to appear nice and even all the way around the small glass bowl. I attempted to use my fingers, a lid to my milk jug, and a small spoon. However, I was still left with a kinda bumpy layer of graham cracker crumbs. I knew they would taste delicious, but we all know that I’m a little crazy anal, so I kept pondering.
About five minutes later it hit me, and I flung open the freezer, dug through the bottom drawer, and retrieved a delicious chocolate malt push-up – which I promptly ate. Then I slid the plastic base and stick out of the cardboard tube and gave it good wash. Lightbulb moment, huh? Well, for me it was.
Simply hold the push-up upside down and use the stick as a handle and gently push the circular base into the crumbs to achieve a nice even layer. You don’t want to press too hard or the crumbs will become too compact which will make it a little difficult to eat.
Genius? Probably not, but quick, cheap and totally reusable – absolutely. Not to mention it’s a great excuse to eat a push-up! Wash it by hand and toss it into your gadget drawer for later uses.
I don’t have an actual flour sifter, so I usually use a fine mesh strainer. Lately I have come up with this method: Rest the handles of the strainer on the edges of a mixing bowl (the strainer should be just slightly smaller than the size of your bowl). Dump all the dry ingredients that you want to sift together in the strainer. Then hold the handles of the strainer WITH the bowl and shake to sift. This way at least flour doesn’t get all over everything when I shake the strainer back and forth to sift. Maybe this isn’t anything new and earthshaking, but it works for me. :)
Jamie, as a suggestion for another post in this section of yours, do you think you could do like a tutorial on different ways of piping cupcakes like you do? They look just beautiful!
Oh my word- brilliant! Absolutely brillant!! And so delicious looking!! Thank you so much for the kitchen tip:) I can always use more of those! A kitchen tip…hmmm…..I use an ice cream scoop for cupcake batter and cookie dough and a melon baller for mini cupcake batter.
What a great trick and an excellent excuse for me to get some push up pop ;-)
Great idea! I’d have to make sure I used a new one each time, though. More push-ups for me! I can just see it now, “Oh, but Mommy HAS to eat another one of your push ups or I can’t make the cheesecake dessert you like so much!”
What a great idea! I’ve made a few desserts in mason jars and always come across this problem. Thanks for sharing!
I love an idea that requires eating something delicious first. Brilliant.
My random tip…I use my pancake plopper tool for cupcake batter. It “plops” the batter into the cupcake papers very neatly and quickly.
Definitely a great idea! Of course now I want to get those push-up pops too! Those little bowls are great too. AND they come with spoons!? And I’m not far from a Pier One. But if I came home with more kitchen items…..
That IS a great idea!
I tend to buy the airplane size bottles of boozes so that I can try the new flavors out or a new cocktail recipe out without committing to the expense of a full size bottle, then not liking it and it being a expensive dust collector. THEN…, I found that the empty cleaned bottles make the perfect size to-go salad dressing bottle for my homemade vinegarettes. Just toss it right in the salad container and off to work I go.
Great idea. I made this with blueberrys last week and its a hit. Thanks!
You are SO smart!