Dessert Recipes

Angel Food Cake: This cake derives its name from the reality that it’s very light and airy, mostly because it consists of no shortening and also the raising agent is stiffly beaten egg white.

Buttercream: This delicious egg, sugar as well as butter mixture can be used both as a dessert filling and as icing for cakes. The ingredients are whipped together till light and creamy. 

Caramel: Caramel is any variety of sugar that is cooked at 320-350 degrees F. Caramel is flexible and it has a lot of uses: as glaze for various desserts, for making almond paste, to decorate cakes and cookies, as candy filling or glazing … .

Cookie Types: Bakers cookies according to how the dough is shaped. Drop cookies are made by dropping the cookie batter unto the baking sheet using a spoon. Pressed cookies are prepared by pressing the dough through a cookie pistol or pastry bag. Shaped cookies are cookies that are remove from rolled cookie dough, utilizing any implement or cookie cutters, as well as bar cookies refer to cookies cut (in the shape of bars or even squares) from the dough which has been baked in the pot.

Custard Sauce: Sometimes known by the more sophisticated name of ‘Crème Anglaise’, custard sauce is usually served with cakes, puddings and fruit desserts. It’s made by cooking milk, sugar and egg yolks together at very low temperatures for the long period till it reaches the desired thickness.

Dacquoise: This is a cake that originates from France. It is made of alternate layers of meringue (usually nut meringue) and also buttercream.

Docking: When you prick holes into pastry dough before baking it, you’re ‘docking’. The objective of this is allowing steam to be released through the baking process so that the dessert does not change its form.

Flaky Pastry: The traditional dough which is used in America to make pies, also known as ‘puff pastry’. To make flaky pastry, you need to rub small amount of soft butter (or some other shortening) into flour by your fingers and moisten gradually using water.  The finer the shortening is, the less flaky the dough would be.

Gateau: Gateau is the word used by French for cake.

Glaze: Since the name implies, it is used as a shiny coating for all kinds of desserts. The ingredients used to make glazing differ according to the type and flavor of  the dessert it may be used on (cake, tart, pastry…).

Ladyfingers: Oblong-shaped sponge cakes about four inchs long which look somewhat like fingers. Could be eaten plain, however mainly used to make Charlottes.

Lemon Curd: A rich, smooth cream spread with excellent sweet-tart flavor. It’s made by cooking lemon juice, egg yolks, butter and sugar together.

Meringue: To make meringue, beat egg-whites and sugar till stiff and bake like cookies. Meringue frosting is uncooked.

Pastry Dough: Made with butter as well as shortening, this is the standard American dough for pies. 

Petits Fours Secs: Small, delicate desserts along with almond paste or preserve fillings.

Petit Fours Frais: Small cakes
along with buttercream or even pastry cream fillings.

Petits Fours Glacés: These are tiny cakes with icing as well as delicate decorations, often with layers of ganache, buttercream as well as preserves.

Royal Icing:  The conventional English icing utilized on wedding party cakes, it is made of egg white and also fine sugar. Because royal Icing solidifies while it dries, it’s ideal for making fine designs as well as decorations on cakes.

Tarts: These are tiny, shallow crusts along with fillings. Most often baked in flan pans with straight sides and removable bottoms. Tarts just have a bottom crust.

Torte: The phrase used in Central and Eastern Europe to refer to cake.

There is nothing quite like a homemade cake. So few people have the time to bake these days, it has become quite a rarity. And, it is so much more convenient to purchase one at a bakery. But if you have the time and the desire to bake, your efforts will no doubt be appreciated by family and friends. Here are some pointers to help insure success.

The first step is to find the right recipe. If you are not an experienced baker, trying to make something too difficult may end up a disappointment. You might find your recipe in a cookbook, but there are other sources as well. Several online websites feature many good and tested recipes. Often other cooks will have added comments on how it turned out for them, which is helpful.

Once you have your recipe, make certain that you also have all the items it says you will need. Not only the cake ingredients, but the other supplies, are important to obtain if you do not already have them. There is nothing worse than suddenly discovering that round cake pans are required, and square ones are all that you can find in your kitchen.

Now that you have all your supplies and ingredients, read the recipe again to see if there are any requirements to increase or decrease the temperature of any component. Eggs and eggs whites, as an example, may need to be brought up to room temperature. Other items may need to be refrigerated until mixing.

You are not ready to start mixing the batter until you have checked for any other preparation needed. The recipe might, for example, call for chopped fruits or slivered almonds, and to stop in the middle of things to handle such tasks is not a good idea. The batter may suffer if allowed to sit at the wrong time. Likewise, be sure you have followed instructions regarding each cake pan, using grease and flour if required.

The cake may be in the oven, but the baker is not done until the area has been restored to a tidy condition. Load the dishwasher as appropriate and rinse other things by hand. Wipe the counter surfaces clean, and do not forget to take care of any spilled dry ingredients with one of those convenient handheld vacuums. You will appreciate your creation better in a clean kitchen.

Now take pride in your homemade cake and accept praise for your efforts. You may well be reviving a lost art form. And now you can starting planning your next baking adventure.

Many of us bake a cake from time to time. Usually, we do so for someone we care about for a special occasion. The reason could be a welcome gesture to a new neighbor, a holiday, or for someone visiting. No matter the reason, the shape of the cake can set it apart from a normal one and fit the occasion better. Here are some shapes that go perfectly for certain occasions along with some decorative tips.

If you are going to bake a cake for someone you love or are in a relationship with, you want it to communicate that message. This is why the heart shape is very appropriate. Using a heart cake pan is a way to do this.

This is the perfect option for an occasion like Valentine’s Day. Colors like pink, red, and white are perfect options to go with. Red is a color representative of passion and romance while pink represents love. White looks nice as a contrasting color.

When a child has a birthday party, an animal shaped cake is a popular choice. Cats, dinosaurs, dogs, and horses are some choices. At a local store, you might not be able to find pans in the shape of the animal you want so you might have to carve it out with a knife instead.

When a person cannot afford to buy a wedding cake or simply does not want to buy one at all, someone else can make one for them. Wedding cakes come in many styles and are versatile so they can go in any creative direction. Traditional ones with a classic feel are usually round. Round cake pans are easy to find and will provide the shape. Many of them are white, but some people opt for other colors such as off white, pale yellow, eggshell, and other pastel shades.

If a traditional look with a little more flare is desired, a square shape might be perfect since it is fashion forward. Square cake pans are how to go about this if this is the shape someone wants. Other than using pale colors, using more vibrant colors is an option that makes cakes look a lot more edgy and current.

That was some information on cakes in shapes that match certain occasions along with some decorating ideas. Baking is a creative process so do not hesitate to pursue your own ideas, no matter what they are. After all, if you make a mistake, you can always start over fresh and it is not a big deal since it is part of the perfecting process.

A great way to end any meal is by having a mouth-watering dessert. But if you got a hectic schedule, it’s important that you can whip up a dessert in a snap. Luckily for you, there’s a fast and easy way to create brownies! The following is a very simple way to bake this chocolate dessert your family will surely love.

You will need 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1 medium egg, 1 stick of butter and a pack of instant cake mix. You will also need 1/2 cup of cocoa powder and 1 cup of peanuts that are chopped coarsely. A large mixing bowl, medium sized microwave-safe square cake pans, electric beaters and a large spoon are the tools you need.

Again, this recipe is fuss-free, as you will bake the brownies just by using a countertop microwave oven! Once everything you will need is ready, it’s time to melt the stick of butter. Slice it into small pieces, place in a small bowl, and cover with a paper towel. Put it in the microwave and heat for 5-10 seconds. Stir it, then repeat the entire procedure until it’s melted evenly.

Put the melted butter into a large mixing bowl. Add the cake mix, brown sugar, cocoa powder and egg. Mix them all with the use of electric beaters for 1 to 2 minutes. It should turn into the consistency of a thick cake batter. Add the peanuts and blend into the mixture using only a baking spoon.

With a cooking spray, grease the pan then carefully transfer the mixture into it with the help of a large spoon. Simply follow the microwaving instructions printed at the back of the packaging of the cake mix. If your microwave oven doesn’t have a turntable, rotate the cake pan every 2-3 minutes for even baking of all sides of the cake.

To test if it’s done, poke a toothpick or a tiny skewer into the center of the baked brownies. If it comes out without anything sticking to it, it’s done! Remove from the oven and let it cool completely. If you wish for it to cool quicker, place it on a cooling rack. You can later on cut the brownies into small squares before serving.

You can even use this very same recipe in making a delectable chocolate cake by simply using round cake pans. Once cooled, place a large plate on top and turn upside down to transfer the baked goodie. Use ready-made frosting in chocolate or vanilla flavor to completely cover it. Decorate with chopped chocolate chips, marshmallows and the like.

Baking is something that often becomes a hobby, especially for those that really love it. Unfortunately, it often scares some people because they have failed to create incredible desserts. While it does come naturally for some people, it is more difficult for others. But it really doesn’t have to be.

In order for you to be successful at baking cakes, you need to find recipes that you can conquer. These would be the easier recipes. Avoid overly complicated ones, as you are certain to fail if you don’t have the necessary experience. And if you do fail, it will make it that much more harder for you to try again.

Having said that, your best bet may be to begin with using instant cake mixes that you can find in your grocery store. You will need either square or round cake pans. If you want to be a little more adventurous, you might want to make a layer cake, baking two round cakes at a time. Doing so will give you the courage and confidence of doing something a little more difficult later on.

Or, you would prefer to keep it even more simple by having a single cake. If this is the case, you might want to make it in a special shape to make it look more appealing. Take for example using a heart cake pan to add a little more of a special field to the.

The heart shape often leads people to believe that they are only for a romantic location. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, they look great at birthday parties and other celebrations as well. The only advice here is that you ensure that you purchase higher end of bakeware which will last longer and give you better results.

To make things easier for you, use your countertop microwave oven when it comes to warming up some of the ingredients that are called for in the recipe. For instance, it is an uncommon for warm milk to be added. While you can always use the stovetop method, you were just making a bigger mess, and taking up more time.

You will also have to use other small appliances that will simplify matters and speed things up for you. Rather than mixing things manually, it’s best to use a mixer, even if it is a hand mixer. You can get all kinds of help in the kitchen if you use your various appliances to their maximum. You might even find that baking doesn’t take all that much time.

Lots of people love to cook, while others do it just because they have to. The bottom line is we all have to eat, so there are times that we just simply have to get into the kitchen and cook. But, there are others that simply enjoy baking. Others however, are afraid to bake, possibly because they have had some minor setbacks in previous attempts.

In actuality, baking is easier than cooking. The fact is, a recipe for food can be changed or tweaked to suit the desires and tastes of those who are going to eat it. But, baking recipes must be followed to the T. Everything that is written in the recipe in terms of ingredients must be added according to measurements that are precise.

The fact is that even a slight change in a measurement or an omission could give you some very negative results. The only problem that really does arise with baking has to do with those recipes which are not completely precise in terms of how much flour needs to be added. That’s where experience kicks in, something that a beginner lacks.

If you fall into the new Baker category, don’t try these recipes in the beginning. Instead, choose those that are straightforward and easy. One thing you should look out for is to buy a good cake pan. Do a little research to understand the differences between the materials that go into them.

You could get some information from the cookbook you’re using. They will guide you accordingly, and possibly tell you about the type that they use in the recipes throughout the book. One thing that people make the mistake of is buying a flimsy Bundt cake pan. You need to avoid that, if you want to end up with a good cake in the end.

Also, you should try to take it easy when it comes to baking. Don’t try to take on too much at once otherwise you’ll get overly tired from standing for very long periods of time. If you’re going to do this however, wear very comfortable shoes, or try taking breaks by sitting on your contemporary bar stools.

You’ll find that after you practice a little bit with some really easy recipes, you will start seeing good results and you’ll start understanding what’s involved in baking. Once you do acquire some experience, you’ll be able to move onto more difficult recipes that will require that added touch, which not everyone has but with practice can be developed.