Tag: cakes

Just Taste the Berries
Berries are the culinary fruits of flora which means the plant or the tree which bears fruits from the flowers. Berries are basically called as aggregate fruits beause agregate fruits are formed from one flower which contains many ovaries in it. So,berries grow in bunches from one flower of the plant . These berries doesn’t contain any seeds inside them , they are just fleshy which can be eaten raw without pitting.

Blackberry

Blackberry is a soft fruit which is mainly used as ingredient in making ice creams , jam, desserts , juice and many more interesting food stuffs. Blackberry fruit is native to Europe, Central Asia, Africa , North and South America.
Benefits:
- Blackberries are rich in anti-oxidants and are very helpful in destroying cancer radicals formed inside the cell.
- They contain many phyto -chemicals which are essential for good health and it helps in reducing inflammation.
- Taking a cup of blackberries can protects immune system and lowers the risk of getting cancer as it contains vitamin C and antioxidants.
- It also reduces of the risk of getting heart diseases and promotes good digestion.
- Eating blackberries protects the skin from damage caused by UV -Rays and repairs the skin as it contains ellagic acid an antioxidant.and also inhibits the growth of skin cancer causing tumors from spreading .
- Blackberries are considered to be rich in nutrients , Vitamin C & K and essential manganese minerals.
risk factors:
- During autumns this fruit is not recommended as the tree which bears fruits is infected by many virus and it becomes the host for many pesticides.
recipes :
- The varieties prepared with Blackberry fruits are very interesting and fun to eat.
Some of them are:
- Blackberry candies
- Desserts
- blackberry ice creams and Popsicle
popiscle

blackberry ice cream
- Blackberry cakes and pastries
- Jam and jelly
- Blackberry cupcakes
steps to Prepare Blackberry Mojito:
1. Its a soft drink which can also be prepared at home very easily within less time.
2. Just grind some required amount of blackberries and add some mint leaves in a blender and keep it a side
3. To sweeten the drink add some chilled sugar syrup or essence to the mixture and stir well
4. Next squeeze a lime into a jar and if possible add white rum which is optional
5. And now add the blended blackberry and mint leaves into the jar in lime juice and shake it with a cocktail shaker or just add them all again in a blender for just 2 minutes
6. Now take a glass and pour the required amount of prepared cocktail into it and top with some soda and ice cubes and decorate with a lime peace and blackberry and a mint leaf
7. And here it goes your Blackberry Mojito is ready to drink
Raspberries
- Raspberries are the fruits which are grown in the low temperature areas especially near polar regions. Raspberries are mostly red in color and pink also. There are many species of Raspberries ,even Dark purple colored raspberries , yellow or golden color,Blue color and Black Raspberries.
red and black raspberries

Black raspberry

Golden or Yellow Raspberries

Purple Raspberry
- Raspberries are rich in minerals, vitamin C,Vitamin K, manganese and just 4% of sugar and no starch.
- Raspberry leaves are used in making herbal tea either dried leaves or fresh. Leaves are also used in preparing herbal medicines.
  blue raspberry
- Eating raspberry can keep you away from cancer like diseases
- It has good amounts of antioxidants and phyto nutrients which is essential for human beings..fully ripened raspberries contain more amounts of antioxidants than the normal one.
- It helps in increasing metabolism of the cells and clearing unnecessary fats and helps in reducing weight.So, i must say that raspberries are the excellent weight loosing fruits.
raspberry gummi ring candies

raspberry cany

raspberry sour chewing candies

raspberry icecream

raspberry cake

blackraspberry cup cake

Steps to prepare raspberry smoothie:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of fresh raspberries
- 1 cup broken Almonds
- 1 apple
- 1 banana
- 1 cup of Non-fat yogurt
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1 cup Sugar
- Honey
Preparation:
1. First make a paste of almonds and keep a side
2. Now add raspberries ,peaces of apple, banana into the blender
3. Now add the almonds mixture into the raspberries mixture with and sugar
4. Now at last add milk and honey and blend it for 2 minutes
5. Freeze this for about 1 hour and then serve it by pouring it into the glass by garnishing with raspberries.
Strawberry

strawberry hanging garden

strawberry smoothie

strawberry ice cream
- Strawberries are cultivated throughout the worldwide.
- Strawberries can also be cultivated in gardens at home.
- Its greatly consumed as fresh fruit or in varieties like ice creams, milkshakes, jams, pies,breads,cakes, and chocolates.
- It has same health benefits as other berries have like like reduced risk of diseases like cancer , cardiovascular , and anti -inflammatory diseases .
Blueberry
- Blueberry is another variety of fruit like blackberries and raspberries . Its native to north America . It has many health benefits .
- It is very useful in regulating blood pressure and maintaining sugar levels in blood.
- It helps in reducing depression and improves brain memory
- It contains many anthocyanins, and other pigments and phyto chemicals which helps in reducing the risks of diseases like cancer and inflammation
- Similar to other berries its also used as flavor to make varieties of ice-creams, jams, jelly,cakes,desserts, juices, smoothies etc..
blueberry yogurt ice cream

blue berry smoothie

Lingonberry or Cow berry
- Lingonberry or cow berry is cultivated mostly on ht elands of North America
- This berries are very useful in making many food products like Jam and as ingredient in some cakes, fruit juices, ice creams and breads.
- This fruit is rich in nutrients , vitamin C , vitamin A, Vitamin B,calcium, Magnesium, calcium .
- Eating cranberries can keep you away from diseases like breast cancer, diabetes mellitus,and rheumatism.
- Either the syrup or jelly of this fruit is used as traditional medicine to cure fever,disorders of gastrointestinal tract,kidneys and urinary tract.
Cranberry
- Cranberries are very similar to Lingonberry but they are little sour and bitter than lingonberries . It also has many health benefits as similar to Lingonberry .
- It is especially helpful in maintaining good immune system, cadiovascualr system and also anti-cancer agents.
- Its especially good for women health.
- Dried cranberries , cranberry ice creams and jams are the mostly consumed varieties of cranberry fruit.
cranberry juice

cranberry ice cream

Dried Cranberries
August 4, 2014
Yummy Chocolate Recipes For This Summer!
As Charles M. Schulz once said, ‘all you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.’ Chocolates make you happy. Eating a chocolate makes your brainssecrete those ‘feel good’ endorphins. Dark chocolates contain chemicals that protect you from cancer and other diseases. The caffeine content in dark chocolate makes you feel alive. Did you know that eating chocolates widens up your arteries and fosters a healthy blood flow that prevents plague from building up in your arteries and blocking them.Chocolates are rich in phenolic, the same protein found in wine. The protein helps lower the risk of heart diseases and prevent clot like substances from clogging the arteries. Research provides that candy eaters live almost an year more than those who abstrain. Also, chocolate melts at 97 degrees Celsius which is just below your body temperature. It melts in your mouth and leaves you wanting for more all the time.

So true, isn’t it? We all crave for chocolates, don’t we? From chocolate cakes, to chocolate ice-creams to chocolate biscuits and what not! Its rich, it’s creamy and amazingly delicious.

So this time, I bring to you, some of the yummiest chocolate recipes for the summer:
- Black-Forest Vanilla Cake (and yes, with the cherry on the top of course!)
A delicious black-forest cake with vanilla ice-cream sand-witched between chocolate sponge is a must eat this summer. So how do you try and bake it?

Here’s the recipe:

All that you need: A 70mm diameter chocolate sponge cake, 2tbs sugar, 1 tbs rum, ½ glass of water, 2 cups of whipped cream, ½ cup dark chocolate chips, 3 canned cherries which should be cut into half, 2 ½ cups of vanilla ice-cream, 5 tbs chopped cherries, 7 tbs grated chocolate.

All set with the ingredients?

So here’s how you prepare it:
- Firstly, you need to cut the cake into 4 parts.
- The bottom layer of the serving plate should be sprinkled with ½ soaking syrup.
- Now, on this soaked layer of sponge, spread 1 ½ cup of ice-cream.
- Top this layer with 3tbs cherries and 4 tbs chocolate.
- Now, another layer of sponge should be placed on this.
- Sprinkle some more soaking syrup on this sponge layer.
- Arrange the remaining cup of ice-cream on this layer.
- Top it with remaining cherries and chocolate.
- Sprinkle the remaining soaking syrup.
- Top the cake with whipped cream
- And finally, garnish the cake with cheese and grated chocolate.
- Freeze till the cake becomes firm.
Your delicious Black-Forest Vanilla Cake is ready to be served!
- Chocó-Almond Cupcake: Its small, it’s petite, but it’s definitely a treat for your taste buds. This is definitely going to be an unforgettable experience one you get to taste this luxurious combination of almonds and Chocó. The frosting of Almond and chocolate make this cupcake taste very different from the others. A chocolate ice-cream cake. (And again, with the cherry on the top!)
Here’s a list of all that you need: 8 chocolate sponge, 7 tbs butter
12 tbsp icing sugar, 6 1/2 tbsp melted chocolate mixed with 1 tbs milk, 4 tbs powdered almonds , 1/2 tsp almond essence, 6 tbs soaked and chopped almonds and
6 cherries.

How to prepare it:
- Put all the butter in a bowl
- Beat it with the help of a spatula.
- Now, add some icing and sugar to it.
- Mix well the powdered chocolate and the almond and put it into the batter.
- Now, the frosting needs to be filled in a piping bag.
- Swirl out whichever shape you would love to see on your little cupcake.
- Garnish them with frosting and almonds and don’t forget to add the cherry on the top.
Your little surprise is ready to be served.
- Chocó-Brownie Milkshake: The perfect summer cooler for you this summer. A totally different kind of a milkshake made from the combination of vanilla ice cream, brownie and milk.
What all do you need: 200 gms of chocolate, 500 ml of milk, 2 tbs vanilla essence, some crush ice cubes, 2 scoops vanilla ice cream.

How to prepare it:
- Combine all the ingredients and churn them. Keep the ice out of the mixture for now.
- Transfer to bowl
- Add ice to it and mix well.
Your milkshake is ready to be served.
- Chocolate Fondue: The super yummy hot mixture of marshmallow, dipping fruit and cake pieces.
What all do you need: 100 gms of milk chocolate, broken into small pieces, 1/3 cup of milk, 1 tbs flour, 4 tbs cocoa powder, 4 to 5 tbs sugar, ½ tbs vanilla essence, 1 tbs butter, 2 tbs brandy, fresh fruit, cake pieces and marshmallows for dipping.

How to prepare it:
1. The butter had to put in a glass bowl and beaten
2. Microwave the batter for 1 ½ minutes
3. Stir twice after every 30 seconds
4. Add milk, Chocó chips, cocoa, cream, sugar, a teacup of water.
5. Stir the batter after 30 seconds.
6. Pour the mixture in a dish.
7. Stir well and add brandy.
And finally, your chocolate fondue is ready to be served.
June 24, 2014
Cake Decorating

Cake decorating will appeal to any food lover with artistic inclination. The sight of a beautifully decorated cake is a feast to the eyes. Bright and colourful frostings turn cakes into marvelous pieces of edible art. Moreover, cake decorating is a lot of fun. It is indeed a very thrilling form of artistry. The feeling you will be left with after making a perfectly decorated cake is exceptional. In addition, getting praised for creating a wonderful cake is even more gratifying. Once you start decorating cakes, you can’t get enough of it. There are numerous designs and combinations you can come up with.

What is Cake Decorating?

Cake decorating is one of the culinary arts. In comparison to other kinds of food preparations, it is rather new. Icing, frosting or other decorative ingredients are used to beautify the cake. Icing is the most important element when it comes to cake decorating. Some most common types of cake icing include simple icing (made by mixing the basic ingredients butter, sugar and flavouring), butter cream, the royal icing and the rolled fondant icing. In general, cake decorating involves covering a cake with icing and adding some embellishments to it.

Cake Decorating Tools

Even beginners can produce professional cakes using different tools available in the market today. There are few essential supplies that you can get to make cake decorating simpler. An offset spatula is essential for spreading icing on the cake. You can get a smaller one for cup cakes and a larger one for cakes. For rolling out fondant or gum paste, you require a rolling pin. A balloon whisk is useful for preparing icings, fillings and whipped cream. A good mixer is convenient for making icing. Piping bags or pastry bags are necessary for piping decorations. They are of various sizes and made of different materials. They can be disposable or reusable. Different types of decorating tips such as round tips, closed star tips, open star tips, leaf tips, flower tips, basket weave tips, multi-opening tips, ruffle tips and drop flower tips allow a greater scope for creativity while decorating. For beginners or home bakers round tips and star tips are perfectly fine. A long, serrated bread knife is helpful in leveling the cakes and for slicing the cake into layers. Pastry brushes are of use to add water or sugar glue while sticking fondant decorations and to apply luster dust or gel colour to the fondant. Couplers, turntable, pastry scraper, tweezers, gum paste cutters, flower nails, silicone moulds etc, are some handy supplies. There are a large variety of supplies for every aspect of decorating. You can even get a premade kit if you prefer. With these tools you can go all artsy you want!

Handy Tips for Cake Decorating

With a little practice you can decorate cakes like a pro in no time. Here are some handy tips to help you in the process…

Tip 1# Take out the butter, you are to use for both the cake and icing, from the refrigerator about an hour before you start the process so that it gets to room temperature.

Tip 2# Let the cake cool completely before icing.

Tip 3# For thickening the icing, add more powdered sugar. For thinning out the icing, add a little milk or some butter.

Tip 4# Spread a small amount of icing on the base of the cake so that it sits firmly on the cake stand or the cake board or the serving platter without slipping.

Tip 5# Apply a thin layer of icing (referred to as a “crumb coat”) to the cake before adding the fondant icing. This makes the surface sticky allowing the fondant to stick.

Tip 6# Apply the fondant icing to the cake quickly because it dries out very fast. It is better to apply it within 5 minutes after it has been rolled out.

Tip 7# Take care to avoid fondant icing from drying out. Wrap it in a plastic bag and store in a tightly sealed container. Do not refrigerate the fondant icing.

Tip 8# If the icing dries out and becomes hard, put it into the microwave for a few seconds and then knead it to make it fluffy again.

Tip 9# Keep the working surface and rolling pin clean to get a smooth finish.

Tip 10# To create a black coloured fondant from white fondant, first create a dark green one, then brown and lastly black. This is because it is not possible to colour white fondant into black using black paste as it will turn into gray.

Tip 11# You can remove air pockets from fondant covered cake by pricking them with a pin and then using the fondant smoother to let out the air.

Tip 12# Remember that once colour is added it is impossible to remove it. So be careful while creating coloured icing. Add the colour paste or gel colour in small amounts until icing turns into the shade you want.

Tip 13# For a cake with multiple tiers, it is better to apply icing on them individually and then assemble them together.

Tip 14# If you are writing on the cake, use a toothpick to apply pin dots on the fondant or icing to form the letters as you want.

Tip 15# Use a pastry brush and a neat, damp cloth to clean the cake stand or the cake board or serving platter after icing is done.

June 18, 2014
Cupcakes
Cupcakes are small sized cakes suitable to be served to one person. These cakes are baked in small aluminum cups or thin paper and decorated similar to how normal sized cakes are decorated. Therefore one can see cupcakes as a miniature form of the normal sized cakes. In old times cakes used to me made in pottery cups or coffee mugs until the discovery of muffin tins which was a metal pan with or without a non sticky surface and had depressions or cups made in them. The number of such depressions ranged between 6 to 12 depending upon the length of the pan and the size of these depressions. Other than metal, such pans were made using materials such as silicone and stoneware. If we notice a cupcake, we find that the lower portion of the cake is covered with a thin sheet of paper. These are patty cases or cupcake liners which are used for bakes these cakes. This paper or cupcake liners are made up of paper or very thin aluminum foil or silicone rubber. These liners are placed in the packets of the muffin tin wherein the batter is put before it goes for baking. The main purpose or use of such liners is that they keep the cupcakes moist and makes it easy to remove the cakes from the tin once baking is over. It also saves time and efforts which would be otherwise put in cleaning the tin after baking is over. For people who could not afford a muffin tin, aluminum foils or silicone liners became handy can they could balance on their own. The paper used here are not the normal paper we find but are thicker yet lighter in nature. Some bakers use 2-3 paper liners joint together to make its stability similar to a single aluminum foil. Such liners also like muffin tin come in different shapes and sizes depending upon the size of the cupcake to be baked.

According to food historians, cupcakes originated in the United States around the 19^th century. The creation of cupcakes is considered to be a revolution in the field of baking due to the amount of time it saves in the kitchen however the origin of the name is still unknown. Historians have come up with two sets of theory which details out how the name could have come into existence. According to one theory the name “cupcakes” was devised from the fact that these cakes were made in cups or coffee mugs and the second theory states that the name was introduced because the ingredients used to make this cake was measured in cups like 1 cup of butter, 3 cups of flour etc. However nobody knows which of these theories explains the truth.

“Sprinkles cupcakes” established in Beverly Hills is considered to be the first cupcake bakery to be started by two investment bankers who had started this business at the time when the market of cakes and bakery products was falling. Though a very risky venture, the two partners believed that the survival of the industry now rested on their shoulders. The partners finally felt relieved that their decision to run the business was correct when the first set of cakes which was produced was sold out in no time and they had to bake more in order to meet the demand for the day. Around 2500 cakes were sold that very day and this was the start of cupcake fever. Cupcakes always proved convenient when compared to the normal sized cakes because they took less time to bake and secondly because of the use of muffin tins, the base of these cakes also did not burn. Since its creation they have been a boom in the culinary world with dozens of bakeries, cookbooks, blogs specially dedicated to them. The market for cupcakes saw a 52% increase in sales during the year 2010-2011 with market speculators predicting a rise in this percent in the future.

Cupcakes are easy to make and can be made at home as well on special occasions such a parties and family gatherings. With different recipes available to us, we have so much to choose from depending upon our taste and preferences.

Since chocolate is a favourite of many the recipe for a dark chocolate cupcake is given below which I would say is worth a try

Dark Chocolate Cupcake

Directions:
- Preheat the oven to about 350F and adjust the rack to the lower middle position in the oven.
- Take a muffin pan and line it with the baking cups and keep it aside.
- Now in a bowl add butter cocoa and chocolate and place it on a saucepan filled with water and heat until the chocolate and the butter starts to melt. Once the melting starts mix them both till they combine with each other nicely. Then keep it aside for cooling.
- Now in a medium sized bowl add flour, baking soda and baking powder and in another bowl add eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt and mix well.
- Now add everything together and mix well till they combine to become thick and homogeneous in nature.
- Divide the batter evenly inside the muffin cups and place them inside the oven. Baking takes about 18-20 minutes after which the cakes are ready to come out.
- Once out keep them aside for cooling
- Now in a separate bowl add peanut butter, sugar, vanilla and salt and mix well till they become creamy. Then add cream to the mix and continue to stir till we get a light and smooth batter.
- By the time this creamy batter is made the cakes would have cooled down. Now make small holes on the cupcakes and fill them with this peanut butter frosting
Your dark chocolate cupcakes is ready to be served

The popularity of this sweet dish has increased so much that according to Google, cupcake recipes are the most searched recipes in the world. So go forward and enjoy your sweet treat in the cup whether you are a child or an adult.
June 13, 2014