Chocolate Cake Recipe And More

Herman The German Friendship Cake – Have You Tried Him Yet?

Admin — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:54:04 +0000

One day there was a knock at the door. I answered and my wife’s friend was stood there with a small bowl covered by a tea towel. She gave me the bowl and told me that ‘Herman’ was inside. “Who?” I asked? “Herman” she said. I peered under the towel expecting to see a spider or some living creature looking back at me. What I actually saw was a bubbling bowl of goo.

The goo was the beginnings of Herman The German Friendship Cake. He comes with a set of instructions that last for 10 days. Whilst in your care Herman sits on your kitchen side and must be stirred every day and twice within the ten day cycle you feed Herman by adding further ingredients. Finally, you divide Herman up into four equal parts. You give away three to friends or family, keeping one to bake into a cake for yourself.

Does this all sound a bit weird to you? A living cake that sits on the side and needs feeding. Well that’s what I thought at first but it was kind of fun. Let me explain some more… This friendship cake originates from the Amish people years ago. They would make a sourdough bread that they shared among the sick and the needy. At least this is what I am led to believe.

Herman is a sourdough cake who starts life as a small mix of flour, sugar and yeast. As this mixture ferments you add flour milk and sugar. The fermenting process produces the bubbles you see in the mixture every day, hence the reason for stirring Herman throughout the 10 days. I have to say that after 10 days the final result is awesome! This was the first cake I ever baked and even if I say so myself it was the best.

The German friendship cake instructions are easy to follow and the classic recipe that is included is apples, cinnamon and raisins. However, there are loads of different recipe ideas you could try, from dried fruit to double chocolate. I don’t think you can go wrong as it’s such an easy cake and you can experiment with whatever you fancy.

The idea is that you receive a Herman starter mix from somebody and you start the 10 day cycle from there. You can make your own starter mix if you want to though. At least that way you can bake as many as you like without having to wait.

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Discover Bake Pops!

Admin — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 19:46:05 +0000

One of the best products you can buy from an as seen on TV store is the Bake pops pan. It’s an amazing pan that can help you transform your favorite cake mix into beautiful and tasty shapes and forms. You can easily get the attention of your family members when you make bake pops, which are unusual and unique and more importantly it tastes as usual because you can use your own cake mix and decorate them with your favorite melting candies. It will have your signature but in a new form, fun and entertaining.

Be creative and explore your talents. You will be provided with a decorating idea guide that contains a lot of models that you can create with bake pops. There are party pops, holidays’ pops, birthday pops and even ice cream pops. You can draw your child’s favorite animal or cartoon on his or her snake to take at school. You can also wrap them and give them as treats in Halloweens. You will be of course provided with all the necessary tools: wraps, ties, squeeze bottle for decoration in order to be able to celebrate with your friends and family. Besides when you buy bake pops at the promotional phase you can get another one for free.

Bake pops can be an amazing gift; share the pops’ secrets with your best friend and impress your neighbors. Enjoy eating cake palls; they are incredibly delirious and cute. Just dip them in sugar, coconut, sprinkles, and enjoy the delicious taste. As you can see, they are tempting and easy-to-use. You can try them at home, and you will never regret it. Prepare a cake with a style and surprise your guests.

What’s more impressive about making bake pops is that you don’t have to be a top baking chef to do them because they are disposable and affordable. Bake pops invaded internet and people are buying them here and there. They are the best cookies ever; try them and see how cute they are!

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The Chocolatier Salary: A Sugar Coated Paycheck

Admin — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:00:15 +0000

It is difficult to imagine a job quite as sweet as that of a chocolatier. A chocolatier has the unique opportunity to create delicious things from one of the most luxurious ingredients in the world. If you are thinking of entering the chocolate field, however, there are a number of practical things that you will have to think about as well.

The chocolatier salary is an important factor for many people who work with chocolate, even if they are driven by a love of the job. After all, a career in chocolate is still a career. Pinpointing the exact salary of a chocolatier can be difficult, however, as it is largely dependent on the skill and experience of the chocolatier as well as their place of employment. That said, the average chocolatier salary is $21,000 per year.

In order to understand the chocolatier salary, it is important to understand the different factors that can affect it. First, and perhaps most importantly, is the skill of the chocolatier. As in most fields, employers are willing to pay skilled employees more money. If you want to make a lot of money in this field, you will need two things: training and experience. Attending a culinary school and training as a pastry chef is one of the best ways to up your salary. Although pastry classes encompass a wider array subjects than chocolate alone, they are a good basis of education and are an excellent starting point for your career. Experience, on the other hand, is something that must be earned over time. The more skilled chocolatiers you work with, the more skills you learn and the more complex projects you participate in, the higher your chocolatier salary will be.

Who your employer is also plays largely into your chocolatier salary. While larger chain chocolate companies pay little more than minimum wage for their entry level positions, they offer a number of higher tiered managerial jobs that can be combined wit regular chocolatier duties. For example, one major chocolate chain pays their store managers around $45,000 per year. A chocolatier salary can be even higher if you work for a gourmet or specialized company. Chocolatiers who fill custom orders, who cater events or who work for renowned companies are generally paid more than those who work for small employers who cannot afford to pay their employees as much. One internationally renowned company states that their chocolatiers earn up to $100,000 per year.

If you are interested in increasing your salary, there are a few steps you can take. First of all, you should train at a respected culinary institute. Try to find one that specializes in pastry and chocolate work. Next, you should try to get as much experience as possible. While working with renowned chocolatiers will be most beneficial, any professional experience should be welcomed with open arms. It can also be beneficial to learn a few specialized skills. If you can offer something unique to a company, they will be more willing to pay for your services and customers will be willing to pay more for your work. In general, the higher quality product you offer, the better your chocolatier salary will be.

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What’s for Dessert at Christmas Dinner?

Admin — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:07:04 +0000

There is probably not going to be any lack of sweets around the house at Christmas. Not only do we have the candy in the stockings, but I usually make up some of my family favorite Christmas cookies and sweets just to hand out and have around.

But even though I am usually just cooking for two, this is a special time and a special dinner that I am preparing for Christmas. So, what do I have for dessert on Christmas day.

It is so busy at this time of year that I like to make up some of these things ahead of time. This might be one of the only times of the year where the cold weather here in Minnesota works in our favor. I have plenty of refrigerator space. All I have to do is store the food outside in the garage on the table or in a cooler. It will keep plenty cool.

The candy stores there nicely. What about the pie? I am going to make a refrigerator pie that needs no baking. It is a peanut butter pie that I can make a day or two ahead of time and store out in the garage.

I like to have a choice for dessert, so I am also going to bake up a traditional holiday classic, my pecan pie. Sometimes, my brother sends me a box of pecans from Texas to make the pie with. I usually have to shell and crack them, but they are fresh. For my version of the pie, I mix half of the dark corn syrup with half of the light corn syrup.

If I can find some fresh blueberries, I will also make a blueberry pie that is stored in the refrigerator. This will provide a nice mix of pies that I can have made ahead of time along with a fresh pecan pie out of the oven. Happy Holidays.

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Ingredients For A Chocolate Cappuccino Cake Recipe

Admin — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 07:29:03 +0000

A terrific dessert is the best way to cap a delicious meal and evening. For those who want to create a truly magnificent dessert, a chocolate cappuccino cake recipe should be acquired. However, in order to truly highlight this cake’s flavors, it is best to invest in the best ingredients. Here are some of the items to purchase and where to find them.

Organic free range eggs

The quality of the eggs can affect the taste and texture of a chocolate cappuccino cake recipe. High quality eggs can ensure that a cake stays fluffy and moist in texture. They also allow the flavor of the chocolate and coffee to show through. Because the recipe for cappuccino cake requires the best eggs, a person should look at an organic market for his or her eggs. Many of them are free-range and they often come from local farms.

High quality chocolate

There are many different types of chocolates that people can use in a chocolate cappuccino cake recipe. Some cheap chocolate can be bought at a supermarket while other varieties can be found at artisan stores. For those who have the money to do so, a high quality chocolate should be invested in. This type of chocolate will be free of the processing and high sugar content that plagues manufactured brands. Excellent chocolate can heighten the flavors within a chocolate cappuccino cake recipe.

Great espresso

A good espresso cake has to have high quality coffee within it. A person should look for beans that come from artisan coffee shops and stores. A cappuccino cake recipe cannot truly soar without excellent beans and quality roasts.

In order to impress friends and family at that next dinner party, a truly great dessert should be made. A standard chocolate cappuccino cake recipe can be heightened through the use of high quality ingredients and products. The immense flavors within the cake will provide a memorable and lasting impression.

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How To Make Chocolate Chip Muffins?

Admin — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 07:06:05 +0000

Interested to make some muffins for your families this weekend? What’s better than a chocolate chip muffin? The chocolate chip muffin is one of the most popular foods for American and you can’t find any reason for avoiding a sweet, moist, delicious and rich taste chocolate chip muffin. Here comes some guide on how to make a savory chocolate chip muffin.

You need a perfect recipe for making these muffins. There was different series of recipe for chocolate chip muffins around and your duty is to identify the recipe that works best for you. Pick the one that you’re comfortable with, in terms of ingredients preparation, cooking utensils, oven etc.

Ingredient is the main factor that determines your muffin’s quality. Therefore make sure you use the quality ingredients. Muffin making usually involves dry and wet ingredients. The dry ingredients include flour, rising agent (baking powder and baking soda), spices (example nutmeg, ground cinnamon etc), salt, sugar, cocoa powder etc. For wet ingredients it involves egg, butter, vanilla extract, milk or sour cream etc. For sure you need to include chocolate chips and usually semi-sweet chocolate chips will take place.

The preparation is not as difficult as you think. The secret is preparing the ingredients separately by dry and wet ingredients. Somehow more works are required for getting wet ingredients done where you need to ensure the batter done perfectly before add in the dry ingredients. Specific skill is needed to beat butter, sugar, egg and vanilla to ensure these ingredients are perfectly incorporated. Thus make sure you sift the dry ingredients before adding it to the batter. It makes lots of difference. Lastly remember to coat the chocolate chips with some flour before adding it to the muffin batter. This is to ensure the chips will not sink to the bottom.

The final step is to bake muffins with the right temperature and timing. The baking time and temperature is subject to change by different ovens. Therefore make sure you know exactly how your oven is functioning and bake the muffins accordingly your oven’s features and application.

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Three Reasons Why I Love Cupcake Boxes

Admin — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:50:09 +0000

Attractive cupcake boxes containing gorgeously decorated cupcakes make eye-catching favors or gifts that add charm and flavor to special occasions or social events. The packaging style of these special treats reflects a personal touch and conveys a message. This part gives rise to the three reasons why I love cupcake boxes.

Cheap and Practical Packaging

Cheap cupcake boxes make packaging easy and practical either for business or to give out to friends or guests. Using plain white cupcake boxes is even more economical, because these are quite inexpensive. Much cheaper are the self-made ones which allow for personal touch to shine.

Great deals for cupcake boxes are available online and in local craft or department stores that have a significant customer base. These boxes can be purchased in bulk or on a wholesale basis for a much lower cost. In my own experience, buying something in large quantities offers great discount or lower pricing.

Professional Presentation

Cupcake boxes deliver a cost-effective way of taking the cupcake appearance to the next level. These boxes are available in various colors, shapes, and sizes to provide enough options to match a theme or a particular occasion. Even inside cheap cupcake boxes, well-arranged cupcakes bask in a professional-looking presentation that makes these luscious sweets stand out.

Popular nowadays, these hand-held treats look scrumptious and visually stunning when given a professional touch in the packaging aspect. In my opinion, proper packaging can make the look special and fabulous, letting minor imperfections go unnoticed which makes these baking accessories ideal for all baking enthusiasts, amateurs or experts alike.

Safety and Protection

Cupcake boxes keep the cupcakes fresh and safe, especially in transit. Cupcakes carry delicate taste and look which need a layer of protection against possible damage along the way. By putting them inside a cupcake box, spectacular designs of magnificent frosting and delightful toppings are protected from harmful elements and situations of the outside environment. Through cupcake boxes, preserving the flavor and style of cupcakes is assured, and transporting them can become a breeze. The packaging ultimately allows for these miniature cakes to be savored to their full potential.

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The Different Types of Coffee: How to Choose

Admin — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:39:04 +0000

Some people do not know that there are different types of coffee, but most coffee lovers have their favorites. If you are not a coffee connoisseur, but you still want to choose the right type of coffee for you, you need to know some coffee basics. There are many different types of coffee plants, and the different plants produce different beans and different flavors. The most common type of coffee that is sold in the United States is Coffea Arabica.

How Coffee is Made

Even though there are multiple types of coffee beans, the manner in which they are processed to make the drink is the same. First, the coffee berries are harvested, and they are processed to eliminate the non-ripe berries and to remove the outer casing on the berries, which reveals the seed or bean. Originally the green coffee beans were then dried in the sun, but these days the majority of the coffee processing plants use wet processing, where the beans are washed and allowed to ferment. After the processing, the beans are roasted, which produces the different types of coffee.

Different Roasts

While there are many different coffee flavors and varieties, the amount of time that the beans are roasted is one way to create different types of coffee. These different types are often referred to as light roast, medium roast, and dark roast. The lighter the coffee is, the less time it was roasted. The darker a coffee is, the more time it was roasted. Oddly enough, these dark roasts are not the most caffeinated. The caffeine begins to break down the longer that it is exposed to heat. As a result, lighter coffees have more caffeine. The longer a coffee is roasted, the more intense the flavor of the coffee becomes.

So if you want more caffeine, you might want to try a light roast, but if you are interested in strong flavor a medium or dark roast coffee might be the best. Different companies have different processing and roasting procedures, and they make different types of coffee as a result. The best way to find the kind of coffee that you like the most is to shop around and try a number of different brands and types.

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The Best Way to Make Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Admin — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 20:11:12 +0000

Chocolate makes just about everything better. Put chocolate on your ice cream, dip pretzels in chocolate, or follow a meal of broccoli with a piece of chocolate and life is better. The same goes when it comes to pancakes. Throw tiny pieces of chocolate into a bowl of pancake batter and the resulting pancakes have been changed from an ordinary breakfast to an extraordinary breakfast.

When making chocolate chip pancakes, there are two points to keep in mind: taste and usability. If you get one wrong, the side of success can only hold up the end result so well. If you use a tasty chocolate but you don’t add it in right, you could end up with a burnt chocolate pancake mess. Also, putting the chocolate in at the right time doesn’t matter if the chocolate is bitter or rancid.

Personalized Chocolate

What’s your favorite type of chocolate? There is no rule with any sweet treat that you have to stick with one kind. If you like traditional milk chocolate, use milk chocolate chips. If you prefer white chocolate, add white chocolate. It’s all a personal preference when it comes to flavors. You can also try crushed candy bars such as Milky Way, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup or Mounds. Crush, chop or process the bars in a food processor. These might be a little messier, but it’s doable. If you do choose to use regular chocolate chips, try mini chips to get more chocolate in each bite. With different variations, you can’t exactly call them chocolate chip pancakes, but they are delicious nonetheless.

It’s all in the Mix

There is a right time to add chocolate to your pancakes. This process takes technique. It must be mixed into the batter, but not too much. Over-mixing pancake batter will over-activate the gluten causing chewy, tough pancakes. Once you’ve stirred the batter just enough, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top and gently fold it in. A few stirs should be enough. Put it in the fridge and let it rest as you normally would. Do not sprinkle the chocolate on top of the pancakes after pouring the batter because the chocolate will make a mess when you flip them and it might burn.

Top it Off Right

The problem with chocolate chip pancakes is that the chips add extra sugar to the whole meal. That means drowning them in syrup might not be the right idea. Try a little bit of butter first and drizzle just a bit of maple syrup. The melted chocolate might be enough moisture with just a little added butter and syrup. You don’t want soggy pancakes, and you don’t want your teeth to scream from too much sugar. Try whipped cream as an alternative.

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How To Ice Your Cake With Fondant Like a Pro

Admin — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 23:51:03 +0000

In order to decorate cakes, professionals use a frosting called fondant. This icing has several uses, once of which is icing the cake, obviously, but it is also used to make flowers, and other fun shapes. It can even be used to make the complex decorations you see on cake decorating TV shows. Even though you’re not a pro, you can still make fun and creative cakes.

You can start by learning how to make fondant if you’d like, but the easier route to take is to buy it. It will come in a plastic container that looks like a bucket. It usually only comes in white, and you can add your own color using food coloring. If you’re using it as frosting, you’ll want to start with a large ball of the fondant, and knead it like bread until it becomes warm and malleable. Then you can use a rolling pin to roll it out to a size and shape suitable for your cake. If you get any cracks, you can use sugar water to smooth these out before putting it on the cake.

Next, you’ll want to lay the sheet on your cake, and smooth it out. Again, if any cracks develop you can use a sugar water mixture to smooth them out. Cut off any excess, and you’ve got yourself a nice fondant iced cake.

If you want to add shapes, this is quite simple. Learning how to make fondant flowers is as simple as finding the right cookie cutter. Again, follow the process for flattening the fondant, using a color you want for the petals and also the center. Then cut out the shapes exactly as you would cut out cookies. You can use your sugar water mixture as a sort of glue to stick these shapes onto your cake however you’d like.

Making a cake with fondant that looks professional and fun is really not that difficult. Follow the simple steps above, and you can impress everyone with your creative zest at your next get together.

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