Fancy Gourmet Dessert Cakes

The inevitable settling of falling leaves and gloomy skies calls for a slice of Apple Anni or some Strawberry Pound Cake. A little piece of Ambrosia Chocolate Torte has also been known to sooth the nerves for all of us. I serve sparingly to keep the calories down.

I can not remember an autumn season that hasn’t been filled with scary movies and that special intensity that the earlier sundown brings. A nice beverage for the cooler weather is a fresh cup of hazelnut coffee. I find it is the perfect topper to a roasted chicken dinner. There are some special touches which I like to add such as a dollop of heavy whipped cream with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a biscotti cookie on the side. It’s a quick pick me up while I survey my garden and watch my favorite flowers die.

Wishing you happiness amidst the falling leaves.

Written by Delightful Biteful

I hear folks speak about their holiday season as though it were predictable and repetitive. I have made every effort to re-define my holidays. For instance, I do not serve the same food every year. Although turkey is the traditional main course for Thanksgiving, I like to change off to duck, game hen, or lamb. There are so many tasty recipes online like Recipe Zaar and Recipe Land. I always cook a trial meal before I use it for the holiday. The trial starts about 2 to 3 months before the holiday, so I am prepared in case the new dish doesn’t work out. I try new salads during lunch and try different desserts after regular meals (dessert is always my favorite).

For more variety, I try to expand my musical repertoire. There are so many holiday songs to choose from. I used to think there were only about five. For absolute convenience, XM radio has quality musical programs for the season and you don’t have to purchase a string of CDs or go ripping tunes all over the web.

For decorum, I like to use different themes such as: traditional, with golden lighting and rich dark colors, an exotic theme with bright colors like fuchsia and tropical blue, or art deco with silver and red or blue coloring. I have seen some beautiful art deco pieces on Kyle Design’s web site. I try to use my imagination without going overboard.

Last but not least, I check out the fashion and buy something festive to wear for the holidays. I try to pick something out for each member of the family too. I stay away from flashing lights and goofy eyes peering up from fuzzy slippers. The key to holiday happiness that has always worked for me no matter what’s happened throughout the years has been to take quiet time to be glad, if for nothing else but the moment. A nice egg nog and a gaze at the twinkling lights make everything alright for awhile.

And we’re off to the races!
Written by Delightful Biteful

If you’re like me, you might have had little luck keeping plants bright and prosperous in the house. I have found after countless “botanistic” deaths that three plants can handle the indoor environment; Spider Plants, Herbaceous Plants, and some Ferns (Ask about them at your plant store).

It is always surprising to me how relaxing plant life can make a room. They are a kind of plant pet and I seem to have developed a relationship of sorts after tending to them over time. I have found that too much watering is an instant killer. Keep a close eye on the moisture in the soil. If you let it build up, they can develop a fungus or they will simply drown. I water my indoor plants every three to four days depending on the heat and humidity.

Having a gathering in the family room can seem a little mundane without some plant life. Strangely enough beverages are more refreshing, it may be due to the carbon dioxide rush since plants actually breath. The party keeps it’s spruce (no pun intended) when adding a few fresh flowers to a spider plant or fern. I place them carefully between the leaves or on the branches and try to keep the shape proportionate.

I would also like to stress, that since so much of the greenery is being chopped down; more plant life anywhere can help the environment. I am not a big environmental junkie or anything, but I have noticed that the air has gotten stuffy, thick and definitely less fresh without the beautiful trees that we used to have here in Fort Lauderdale.

So here’s to more life at home!

Written by Delightful Biteful

I was walking down the street the other day and I noticed that the holiday decorations are already going up. The fact is, that I don’t care. They are so pretty to look at, and with the economic crunch, my appreciation for colorful distractions has increased.

Friends of mine have mentioned that they are watching their budget, I said to my pals, worried about food prices, to get out the wok. Nothing like some stir fried veggies to keep the body healthy and the wallet fat. Less meat in the diet never hurt anyone. I have done that in my struggling years along with buying large quantities of food and storing it carefully and it worked like a charm. I did not feel like I had to pay so much attention to the budget because I was always ahead of the game and less stressed out.

Now back to the holiday decorations, it seems that they are effective as I am already making out my gift list and deciding on some new decorations. Careful spending does manage to leave me with extra money to spend, I just need to remember that things can always be worse and I need to be considerate of my needs first. After that, I go to town and decide what kind of foods to prepare, and activities to anticipate.

Frankly, it’s been a long hot summer and I’m looking forward to a slice of pumpkin pie and some hot apple cider. In any case, we’re coming down the stretch and the leaves are getting ready to fall from the trees. Yippee!

Written by Delightful Biteful

Dealing in desserts, we receive many inquiries concerning dessert terms and descriptions. I wanted to compile a small list of the most common terms that are used. Some folks may be familiar with them but many may not.

We have pulled descriptions from Wikipedia for complete definitions:

A Génoise Cake is a sponge cake named after the city of Genoa and closely associated with French cuisine that does not use any chemical leavening, instead using air suspended in the batter during mixing to give volume to the cake. It is a whole-egg cake, unlike some other sponge cakes that beat their yolks and whites of the eggs separately; the eggs, and sometimes extra yolks, are beaten with sugar and heated at the same time using “bain marie” or flame, to a stage known to patissiers as the “ribbon”. Génoise is not the same thing as pain de Gênes, which is an almond cake of possible Jewish origins; however,Génoise is very close in composition and basic use to Spanish bread, an Italian sponge cake known to have Sephardic Jewish origins. Génoise is generally a fairly lean cake, getting most of its fat from egg yolks, but some recipes also add in melted butter before baking. Génoise is a basic building block of much French patisserie.

A pâtisserie is a French bakery that specializes in pastries and sweets. In France, it is an official title that only bakeries that employ a maître pâtissier (master pastry chef) may use. The pâtissier is an artist who wants his or her creations to be as individual as they are, which is the reason for so many variations in French pastry shops and in pâtisserie recipes. Often found in partnership with a boulangerie, pâtisseries are a common sight in towns and villages in France.
Meringue is a type of dessert made from whipped egg whites and caster sugar. Some meringue recipes call for adding a binding agent such as cream of tartar or the cornstarch found in confectioner’s sugar. Meringues are often flavoured with vanilla and a small amount of almond or coconut extract. They are very light and airy and extremely sweet. The notion that meringue was invented in the Swiss town of Meiringen by an Italian chef named Gasparini is contended.

Fondant is a cream confection used as a filling or coating for cakes, pastries, and candies or sweets. In its simplest form, it is sugar and water cooked to a point, specifically the soft-ball stage, cooled slightly, and stirred or beaten until it is an opaque mass of creamy consistency. Rolled fondant is commonly used to decorate wedding cakes. This gives the cakes a smooth appearance.

Crème fraîche is French for “fresh cream”. It is the continental European counterpart to the soured cream more traditional to Anglophone cultures. Creme fraiche is produced by a process similar to that of sour cream, with the exception that no ingredients are added. Each processing step requires attention to producing and maintaining high viscosity. Crème fraîche can be made at home by adding a small amount of cultured buttermilk or sour cream to normal heavy cream, and allowing to stand for several hours at room temperature until the bacterial cultures act on the cream.

Dulce de leche in Spanish or doce de leite in Portuguese (”milk candy”), is a milk-based syrup. Found as both a sauce and a caramel-like candy, it is popular across Latin America. It is prepared by slowly heating sweetened milk to create a product similar in taste to caramel.
 
Tiramisu is one of the most popular Italian desserts. It is made of savoiardi (lady fingers) dipped in coffee and mascarpone cream. For many years, different sources (from Vin Veneto, dated 1981, to the Italian Academy of Giuseppe Maffioli and several cuisine websites) give evidence that tiramisu was born in Treviso at “Le Beccherie” restaurant in the hands of the confectioner Roberto Linguanotto, also known as Loli. Different stories report the creation of the cake to have been born in the city of Siena.

A chiffon cake is a very light cake made with vegetable oil, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and flavorings. Unlike butter, the traditional fat used in cake making, it is difficult to beat air into oil, so chiffon cakes, like angel cakes and other foam cakes, achieve a fluffy texture by beating egg whites until stiff, and folding them into the cake batter before baking. The high oil and egg content creates a very moist cake, and as oil is liquid even at cooler temperatures, chiffon cakes do not tend to harden or dry out as traditional butter cakes might.

Ganache - from the French word for “jowl” refers to a variety of icing, fillings for pastries, and glazes. It is typically made from chocolate and cream. Its origins date to around 1850, when it may have been inverented in Switzerland or in France. Ganache is normally made by heating heavy cream, then pouring it over chopped, dark chocolate. The mixture is stirred or blended until smooth, and can be enhanced with liqueurs or extracts. Depending on the kind of chocolate used, cream should be adjusted to reach desired consistency.

Hope this helps the dessert novices out there.

Bon Apetit!
Written by Delightful Biteful

Some great fun can be had at single gender bashes such as Baby Showers, Wedding Showers, Sports Parties and Bachelor Parties.

For the girls I must say that I myself have had problems with Diaper Cakes, I always associated the dessert with a used diaper and it ruined my appetite. You may want to consider using the cake as a novelty rather than putting it on the menu. There are factors to consider when it comes to the kind of cake and/or dessert that you want to serve at your event; looks and taste. For instance, a chiffon is a light textured cake that is perfect for the feminine figure and is not very filling. Be careful of fondant though, it may look beautiful but does not always deliver the taste that you might expect. As for sugarless cake, be careful of the kind of sugar substitute that is used. Strangely enough, if the cake looks good it usually tastes good. Do not forget cheesecake served with a large strawberry or some raspberries on the side.

For the guys, chocolate cake is usually a very popular treat. Over the years I have noticed that most of the chocolate cake served at my events were enjoyed by men. You can set out some bite sized pastries while your guests move around and socialize. Another favorite is chocolate covered pretzels. For an added extra you can serve a cheesecake drizzled with a fruit compote or fudge sauce and chopped nuts. A sugarless cake is also a good idea since many folks are trying to trim down or have a medical condition.

I want to include an extra bit of advice concerning beverages; keep club soda around. It helps with the digestion and prevents the palette from being overwhelmed with different kinds of food which can leave people with that blah feeling.  Have fun and eat sweet!

Written by Delightful Biteful

Stick where? In the minds of your guests of course. Have you ever entered a room, and looked around to develop an opinion of the situation, and then proceeded from there? That is what most of us do. Consider this when your guests arrive at your home. When people enter a room with soft lighting, they have an immediate impulse to relax. Folks in general are under a great deal of stress and your guests will thank you right away just for giving them a calm, safe place to spend some time, don’t forget to clean vigorously.

Deep textures and colors create a psychological buffer and make the room appear larger. For instance; Dark colored drapes add depth to a room, while plush pillows about four shades lighter (velvet is best), offer great comfort when sitting around socializing. You can see through body language that your guests are more at ease and the conversation becomes more interesting. Remember that you can find some lovely original paintings at your nearest gallery or art fair and compliment your decor. Once you buy a piece of art from an unknown artist, you become something of a patron of the arts and any piece in your home becomes a great opportunity for conversation.

As for dining, semi-formal gatherings can be a chance to put out your nicest dinner set without worrying about the fine china. Simple platters are usually light weight, easy to serve with and safe. Something like Denby Azure tableware is popular at semi-formal affairs.

Many people fail to realize that keeping a tray of food in the middle of the party area is important, even if the guests are not digging in. It establishes that the party is “On” and the guests are being served and well taken care of. This also contributes to a successful social climate. Keep refreshments close by and offer self service accommodations, this enables people to drink at their own pace without feeling as if they are putting you out.  If you think objectively, about the impression you would form as a guest entering your own party, and pursue your endeavor from there, then there is little chance of letting anyone down at your dig.   

The summer is here and frankly my appetite decreases with the increased humidity and sweltering temperatures. This is a good time for light foods, such as salads and finger sandwiches. I like to lay some tuna salad and a hard boiled egg on top of a couple of Romaine lettuce leaves with a little tomato on the side and bleu cheese dressing on top. Crackers on the side of summer salads as opposed to breads are a nice light way to eat something satisfying and cut calories at the same time. Now, the reason I do this is not only to lose pounds in time for the holiday season but also to leave space for dessert. Along with ice cream and popsicles, I like to indulge in tarts and pastries.

Summer parties offer a great opportunity to put out a platter of pastries, and of course a nice big salad or two. This is a little table I have presented in the past that my guests have enjoyed. Chicken Breast Salad on a bed of Iceberg Lettuce, Shrimp Cocktail Platter on ice, Deviled Eggs, Salsa and Chips, Spinach Dip and Salmon Pate with pumpernickel crackers. It never fails to please everyone. For dessert I add a few fruit tartlets, some rainbow cookies and Napoleons or Éclairs. What a great gift to bring to the party, if you are on your way to someone else’s gathering, help enhance the affair and lift the spirit of your host with a nice little platter (make sure it hasn’t already been included in the menu). Life is good, so live it up!

Written by Delightful Biteful 

Summertime parties are a favorite American pastime. A couple of the most popular are simple and effective, for sure fire party success. The ever popular pool party is a lovely idea after sunset as opposed to the ritual afternoon barbeque. A nice touch is globe or battery powered candles placed evenly around the patio with jazz or blues playing in the background and assorted party foods, such as shish kabob, chicken fingers, tempura, bow tie pasta salad, and chips and salsa. You of course can use your own imagination and even choose a party theme like the Hawaiian luau.

Other ideas for summer fun can include an evening soiree with the windows and doors opened and screened to allow in the cool breeze. Decorating the room with candles and flowers placed directly across the room from one another make a wonderful impression on the eye and add symmetry for that posh look. The summer is also a great time to find reasonably priced art work. It is a great time for artists to sell, and the competition is fierce. Checkout your local art fair and you should find something colorful to hang above the flowers.

Great foods for this kind of thing are pates with various breads, cheese and crackers with fresh fruit, chef salad and green bean vinaigrette. In any event have your dessert ready with the most popular dessert choices; fruit tarts, and cheesecake. Have a happy and safe summer!  Written by Delightful Biteful