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Even kids can get in on the fun of having a nice, healthy parfait for breakfast. Learn about breakfast parfaits for kids with help from a teacher of therapeutic nutrition in this free video clip.
Rustic cherry tart includes, among other delicious ingredients, a nice sweet dough. Make rustic cherry tart with help from the Director at L'Academie de Cuisine in this free video clip.
Not every healthy snack requires extensive time in the kitchen baking. Learn how to make no-bake snacks with help from a nutrition counselor in this free video clip.
Not all desserts have to have dairy in them. Learn how to make desserts with no dairy with help from a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist in this free video clip.
As their name suggests, "no bake" coconut balls don't actually require you to bake anything during preparation. Learn about no bake coconut balls with help from a therapist and wellness chef in this free video clip.
Organic cream cheese frosting is easy to make and can be the perfect finishing touch for a variety of baked goods. Get the recipe for organic cream cheese frosting with help from a nutrition expert and food educator in this free video clip.
Christmas rice pudding is a great dish that will delight the whole family. Make Christmas rice pudding with help from a personal chef in this free video clip.
If you have a rooted Droid phone and are using Project Elite's ROMs, you can install Android's Gingerbread theme as an update. The theme gives your phone the look of the Gingerbread firmware. Gingerbread is the code name for Android firmware version 2.3, which is a later version than is available for the original Droid.
The holidays offer an opportunity for the crafty and creative to let their imaginations run wild, turning all manner of common household items into seasonal crafts and decorations. Food items play a large role in this, from the traditional bowl of nuts to less common crafts such as suncatchers made from dried citrus fruit. Christmas cookies are another holiday essential, whether you turn out sophisticated European-style offerings or basic sugar cookies and gingerbread men. If your selection of seasonal cookie cutters is limited, you can alter one cookie into another.
Covering a cake in a single sheet of fondant eases the laborious task of decorating a cake evenly. As enticing as the notion is, figuring out how to add color to white, clay-like fondant may make you feel like using the medium is not the easy time-saver it appears to be. However, adding color to fondant is just as basic as adding color to frosting. Achieving an even, uniform cake surface is well within your grasp.
When you can't decide if you want a sweet or salty snack, kettle corn is the perfect treat. True to its name, kettle corn was originally popped in cast-iron kettles when it was introduced in the 18th century. The addition of sugar during the popping process gave the corn kernels a caramel-like coating. You can still enjoy kettle corn today, but swap the sugar for agave syrup as a new twist on an old-fashioned treat. Agave nectar, which is produced by Mexican agave plants, is sweeter than sugar and has a syrupy consistency.
S'mores have been a popular camping food ever since they made their first appearance in a Girl Scouts of America handbook back in 1927. S'mores have become so popular that August 10 is unofficially known as "National S'mores Day." Although a common camping treat, s'mores (graham crackers, chocolate candy and marshmallows) can be made even easier at home. Using your oven's broiler element can recreate the same color and texture of campfire s'mores in the comfort of your own home, minus the smoke.
Bread pudding is a classic of down-home frugality, transforming leftover bread into a rich and satisfying dessert with the addition of eggs and cream. The pudding is normally baked in a single large baking or casserole dish, but this can create a problem. The edges of the pan tend to cook and set well before the middle, so the hapless baker must choose between overcooked sides or an undercooked middle. One way around this is to stir the pudding midway through the baking time, which evens the cooking but spoils the appearance. Another option is to bake it in muffin…
Nothing is easier than a birthday party dessert -- unless you have a kid who doesn't like sheet cake. If your picky eater turns up his nose at the traditional birthday dessert, don't worry. Your birthday boy may prefer a birthday dessert that appeals to his grosser side, while your princess may love the chance to pick her dessert from a lady-like selection.
Gingerbread men are often associated with Christmas treats, but they also made an appearance during the holiday, All-Hallows Eve. Single ladies in England would bake and eat gingerbread men on this day to bring them luck in finding a husband. These sweet, zesty cookies are fun to decorate with icing, small candies and sprinkles. Covering a gingerbread man entirely with sprinkles will make your cookie slightly crunchy and very sweet. Change the color of gingerbread men by covering them multicolored sprinkles.
Themed birthday cakes add flair to any celebration. For a sports enthusiast, a sports-themed birthday cake can make his celebration much more memorable. Ball-shaped cakes, such as a baseball, football or golf ball cake, are constructed by baking two cakes, using a serrated knife to shape the edges, and assembling the cake. Once frosted, adding dimples to the surface of the cake will add to the realistic look of the cake.
Dessert pizza offers a variation on two favorite dishes: pizza and sweets. Most dessert pizzas are made with sugar cookie dough; though you can vary just how sweet you want the dough to be. Fans of chocolate can make chocolate cookie dough as the pizza crust base or incorporate chocolate into the frosting. If you don’t want a very sweet dessert pizza, plain pizza dough will suffice and offer a nice contrast.
Fondant is a wonderfully versatile confectionery decorating material made with sugar, water and corn syrup. Rolled out into a thin sheet, fondant can give a smooth finish to a cake. You can also shape fondant in the same way you would modeling clay. Use fondant to create a grim reaper for a Halloween party or give it as a sweet, but cynical birthday present to an over-the-hill friend. You may want to place the grim reaper on top of a cake. Cover a square cake with green fondant, ring with a modeled wrought iron fence and finish with a few…
Rice Krispies are the favorite breakfast cereal of millions of people around the world. That familiar snapping and crackling sound is a welcome morning greeting. However, you can use Rice Krispies cereal for more than just nourishment. You can actually create several engaging and off-the-wall games with them.
Tarts are a dessert that can be a popular addition to the menu for the holiday season. Successfully making a tart relies heavily on the dough and the placement of the dough in the tart pan. The transfer of the dough to the pan can make or break your dessert, in that neglecting to properly handle the dough can lead to uneven baking or even cracks or splits in the tart crust.
Fondant is a rolled sugar that is popular as a covering on cake, giving it a smooth finish. The fondant can be rolled, cut or molded into different shapes. The shapes are then placed on the cake as a decoration. Fondant dries fairly slowly, which is beneficial when working with it. Once the fondant work is complete, it is typically dried before placing it on the cake. Drying the fondant hardens it; it will not melt or droop if the temperature gets too warm.
Rice Krispies treats are an old-time snack originally made popular as desserts in kids' school lunch boxes. Rice Krispies are made with brown rice and are gluten free, and so are a healthful snack for those experiencing problems from eating wheat or wheat gluten. The original Rice Krispies treats recipe yields soft, gooey goodies that unfortunately become stale and harden quickly after baking. Keeping your Rice Krispies treats soft and fresh tasting is easy.
Buttercream frosting, so named for its butter base, is used as a decorator’s frosting on cookies, cakes or cupcakes. It can also be applied to the center of a cake as a filling. A buttercream filling is often flavored to add variety to the dessert. Before deciding what desserts to put the buttercream icing on, you should know how to make a basic butter cream and a few of the basic variations.
While a large part of the success of a pastry depends on the way it tastes, there is also quite a bit to be said about the way it looks; a well-decorated pastry can help boost the eater's overall sensory experience. Several distinct methods and techniques are used in the art of pastry decorating, and there are also common overlapping themes with which every pastry chef ought to be familiar.
When it comes to desserts, supersized treats don't always work; a huge hunk of cake can leave you feeling uncomfortably full, and can be messy or difficult to eat in a non-seated setting. Instead, make manageable petite sweets. Pleasing to both the eye and the tooth, these portable little indulgences give you just the right amount of sugar without filling you up.
Cook up a Christmas dessert without turning on the oven. Rice Krispies treats molded into a ring shape take an edible twist on the traditional Christmas wreath. A bundt pan takes the guesswork out of making a perfect ring-shaped wreath. Serve a crowd at a holiday party with the finished dessert in lieu of cake for a nostalgic treat to please guests of all ages.
Pastry chef Heather Bertinetti walks through the basics of bread pudding -- a decadent dessert, breakfast or afternoon treat, and a great use for slightly stale bread.
The Nook Color only officially supports the Android 2.2 Froyo update through Barnes & Noble at time of publication. If you want to use a later version of the Android operating system, such as 2.3 Gingerbread, you need to unlock your Nook Color through the rooting process. A root removes the security restrictions on the Nook Color and allows you to update the device's operating system to 2.3 or later Android versions.
Fondant is an indispensable tool in baking and pastry. It provides cakes with a crisp and clean surface and provides stability on which to add tiers. Fondant is, however, a bit temperamental when it comes to creating sharp corners, particularly on a square-tiered cake. Think of placing a layer of fondant on a square cake like placing a blanket on a bed. It will naturally crease, and you must take a few extra steps to remove the wrinkles. Creating sharp edges on a square-tiered cake with fondant is possible with the proper tools and a firm, yet pliable, batch of…
If you want your homemade cakes to not look so homemade, you might want to try the flawless look of fondant, which can make any cake look like is was created by a professional. Fondant is usually rolled into a thin layer and laid over the entire cake. Keep rolled fondant adhered to your cake by applying a sticky layer of buttercream icing. If the fondant is dry and tears, it can be easily fixed with a few tips. However, do not add water to to moisten the fondant -- this will break down the sugar-based fondant, causing it to…
The HTC Evo was released in 2010 and came loaded with the Android 2.1 firmware, although Evo users had the option to upgrade to Android 2.2 almost immediately after the release and can now upgrade to 2.3. Android 2.3, also known as Gingerbread, is an updated version of the Android firmware that brings a new user interface and more stability to the Evo. Installing Gingerbread on your Evo requires you to accept the download and install from the correct section of the settings.
Fondant animals make cute additions to almost any cake. Make your own moose with brown fondant; it will look perfect on a child's or an avid hunter's cake. Fondant is not difficult to form into shapes; it is basically a dough or clay that is edible. If you don't like the way it looks at first, roll it up and start over again.
Fondant is a edible, soft icing consisting of gelatin, water, corn syrup, glycerin and sugar. Fondant is mostly used in baking for decoration. Its pliability and ability to stay together makes it ideal for creating cake decorations, from flowers to miniature people. Fondant can be used to make a pirate, which is great for children's parties or any pirate enthusiast. After the fondant is created, it is easy to make a small, fondant pirate that will look great and taste great too.
Buttercream, the foundation frosting universally used by pastry chefs, has a versatile nature that makes it suitable for many delicious creations. Working with buttercream frosting, however, can be a trying experience for novice cake decorators. Practicing cake projects using the frosting eases uncertainty and turns possible frustration into an enjoyable artistic venture.
A cake with a smooth buttercream finish creates a professional look without the time and practice required for techniques like rolled fondant (also known as sugarpaste). Once you master how to frost a cake smoothly with buttercream, you can create an ideal surface for piping borders, flowers and other decorations.
Fondant is a kind of icing that is often used to decorate cakes and other pastry goods. Compared to other frosting types, fondant is more solid. Its texture is like clay, and it can be rolled flat or molded into 3-D objects. Because of its malleability, fondant is a lot of fun for children and adults to manipulate. Fondant makes for diverse party games.
From birthdays to weddings, fondant floral details add to the theme of the event and décor of the cake, providing colorful embellishments. Fondant is a type of confection that contains gelatin, glycerin and sugar. Fondant molds and hardens to create a smooth surface for cakes and decorative enhancements such as flowers and leaves. Use fondant pansy-shaped petal cutters to gain the form of pansies.
Create a change of pace from the usual, wide-open rose blooms and decorate your cake with rosebuds made from buttercream icing. Rosebuds are simpler to make than open rose blooms because the buds do not have to be piped on a flower nail and transferred to the cake. Making your own rosebuds for cake or dessert decorating gives you free reign over the color of the flowers and their exact placement.
Mini tartlets can be tricky to make. The pastry can be too thick, and the filling can run over, creating stodgy, messy and unpleasant nibbles. The key to a good mini tart is filling the pan correctly -- first with the pastry and finally with the filling. Whether you are making sweet or savory tartlets or using homemade or store-bought dough, the key is to use chilled, wafer-thin dough and just the right amount of filling to ensure the perfect mini tartlets.
Not all cherries are created equal. Sweet cherries, such as bings and Rainiers, can be eaten right off the tree, while tart cherries are too sour for most people to stomach. Sweet cherry trees thrive in rich, warm soil. Their tangy counterparts, tart cherries, are heartier and cultivated in cooler climates. Growing tart cherries will keep a freezer packed with this tangy fruit all year long for inclusion in jams, jellies, salads and beverages.
A stylishly decorated cake can quickly become ugly when you take a bite and find that the buttercream icing on top dried out and developed a hard crust. Contact with air for more than 10 minutes will result in the buttercream crusting. This hard crust is most likely to happen in buttercream frosting recipes with a higher proportion of powdered sugar to fat. Carefully choosing your buttercream recipe and storing it to keep it away from air contact will help your frosting to retain its initial softness.
A buttercream frosted cake adds a special touch to any birthday, anniversary or other celebration. Adding frosting rosebuds not only makes the cake special, it allows the cook to show off their skills, which could lead to opportunities as a caterer or pastry chef. Frosting rosebuds can be created using common pastry tools, such as pastry bags and decorating tips.
Fondant sold in cake-supply stores for icing cakes is not the same as the fondant cream found in chocolate bon bons. For decorating cakes, fondant may be labeled as ready-to-roll icing, fondant icing, sugar paste or rolled fondant. It's a thick paste that requires a "glue" to hold it to the cake and a careful application to ensure a smooth finish (buttercream icing serves as the the edible glue). Properly applied, a cake covered with fondant will have the satiny smooth appearance of a dessert prepared by a professional baker.
Whether for the intrepid explorer of ski slopes in your life, or the timid conqueror, creating a small fondant skier decoration for a cake is the perfect memorable topping. Fondant can be easily molded in to the desired shapes and figures, making it the optimum choice when decorating a cake in 3-D skiers. Whether creating one or many, a small edible figurine is a great way to wow your guests.
Buttercream icing is simple to spread across a variety of desserts as well as being easy to make. However, buttercream icing, while versatile and fast to create, also has the inclination to sag. The swirls created by piping the icing can turn from round to oval if they begin to sag. To prevent this, certain steps when creating the icing and presenting it should be taken.
Buttercream icing is one of the most common means of decorating a cake, as it is easily spread and piped, as well as simple to vary in its consistency. While regular buttercream is generally a thick, yellow tinted icing, Swiss buttercream itself is created with a meringue, making it an ivory white color. The whipped egg whites create a smooth, silky texture, and the meringue is durable even without chilling. Stiffening it is simple, and just depends on the ratio of ingredients added.
Vibrant pink frosting will turn a plain-looking cake into a show-stopper. But most recipes call for the addition of some unsavory ingredients, such as artificial food coloring or chemical-laden strawberry gelatin. You can make pink buttercream icing with the addition of one of nature's tastiest treats: strawberries. Freeze-dried varieties provide color and flavor without affecting the consistency the way fresh ones do. If your icing becomes too thin or too thick with the addition of strawberries, balance it out with a little extra powdered sugar or heavy cream.
Pastry chef and dessert expert Heather Bertinetti shows how to make the classic French pastry tarte tatin. With three easy steps, this sophisticated dessert is an easy homemade favorite.
Due to the significant differences between buttercream frosting and fondant in workable consistency, taste and visual smoothness, the two substances are often used simultaneously atop decorated cakes. Buttercream -- as its name implies -- is fluffy and creamy, while fondant more closely resembles a paste that dries rather quickly to a semisoft quality. Combine these techniques by using buttercream as an adhesive for fondant cutouts and molded objects or by laying an entire decorative fondant coating atop a buttercream-frosted cake.
Baking and pastry classes are part of any core curriculum for students attempting to earn a culinary arts degree. Additionally, many schools offer degree programs specifically geared to careers as a baker or pastry chef. Career paths for graduates with a baking and pastry degree include working in hotels, restaurants and bakeries and on cruise ships. The courses offered for a baking and pastry degree go beyond the basic baking classes offered for a regular culinary arts degree. Training is not limited to culinary schools, however. Baking and pastry skills can be learned on the job, through published resources and…
