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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Heather L. Horton

2013-06-25 10:06:20

Q-Now that I have ordered a cake for my special occasion, how do I know how to cut it properly?

A-Cutting a cake should not be a stressful situation. After all, you are only cutting a cake because you have something to celebrate! So, hopefully these tips will take some of the stress out of cake serving so you can spend more time enjoying your celebration! A few items that make cake serving a little easier include: * A Cake =), in whatever shape you like and some space to work. * A cutting knife (serrated is best). * A serving spatula (pie servers work well too). * A clean damp cloth, or paper towels. * A clean dry cloth, or paper towels. * An extra platter to use for cutting on (this isn’t needed but is helpful). * A glass of wine (for those of you worry worts to make the process a little easier. Optional of course). First it is best if you remove any non-edible items from the cake such as toys, plastic picks, dowel rods or pillars and ribbon. If your cake is tiered you should separate each tier by un-stacking. Then, no matter what shape the cake is, put the cake on your serving platter. Even if the cake is an oval or a hexagon you will act like it is square. Begin with the largest tier of cake. Why start there? Well, if there is cake leftover the smaller tiers are easier to store and package. Start at one end of the cake tier, about 2 inches in from the edge. This is for a 4 inch tall cake. Other sizes require different cutting methods. Sheet cakes are cut at about 2 x 2 inch pieces. Cut a straight line across the side of the cake. Next, carefully lay this entire slice on its side onto the platter. Then start cutting 1 inch pieces from this strip of cake. This will give you an industry serving sized slice of cake 1 x 2 x 4. Use the spatula to scoop up each slice of cake to put onto a plate. After each cut of the cake you should wipe off your knife, keeping it clean. By keeping the knife clean you will have more even, cleaner cuts. As a quick measuring reference, bend your thumb, the distance between the bent knuckle and the end of your base nail is about one inch. Don’t be worried about making a mess. After all, it is cake and frosting! If you happen to mess up a slice, or one falls apart, we bet someone out there will eat it and love it! Just try to cut even servings. This will ensure that the amount of cake ordered for the event will be sufficient and that everyone will get the same amount. Now, go to that party with confidence and serve some cake! You will be the hero of the event.

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Heather L. Horton

2013-05-29 11:34:54

Q-What are some of the new options in cake flavors?

A-It’s 2013 and today’s society has a more sophisticated palette. We can chalk this up to just good taste, or we can give credit to the major presence that reality cooking shows and do it yourself T.V. shows have in our daily lives. Boring old flavors from the past such as Vanilla have transformed to Tahitian Vanilla, Vanilla Bean or Vanilla Almond. Vanilla was even known as a color and not a flavor back in the day. Betty Crocker would have you think that White is a flavor. If white was a flavor I would imagine it to be a pretty boring flavor. The color White is not a flavor. Vanilla is a flavor and it’s a great traditional classic. Everyone wants “White Wedding Cake”. Again, what is this white you speak of? Thank goodness in today’s Wedding culture the Wedding cake can be any flavor the bride and groom choose. If you want some tradition just make one layer of your Wedding cake Vanilla for those purists and then go crazy with the rest! It’s your wedding after all, pick the flavor you like. Your guests might think they just want Vanilla but after they try other flavor combinations they will be back for more. Whether it is a Wedding Cake, Graduation, Shower, Birthday or any other type of cake the flavor combinations are growing more interesting every day. A popular one in the Pittsburg, KS area is the Curiously George cake. It is a banana cake filled with coconut pecan and topped with a caramel buttercream. Another one is called the Drunkin’ Turtle. This cake consists of chocolate pecan cake filled with a bourbon chocolate buttercream drizzled with chocolate ganache, caramel and sprinkled with pecans and iced with more of the same. It’s unclear whether these flavors are favorites for their names or for the taste but they are definitely popular. Just for fun some other outrageous flavor combinations include: Spiced Caramel Apple, Chile Mango, Honey Lavender, Chocolate Maple Bacon, Caramel Churro, Vanilla Caramel Latte, Peanut Butter and Jelly and many more. If you aren’t one of those people who have expanded their palette just yet you can easily try different flavors by asking your baker for a tasting. If your bakery is serious about their business they will oblige you. Sometimes these do cost extra but are well worth it, especially if it is for a larger special occasion cake. You will be glad you did a tasting. Not only to make sure that you like the bakery, but to try different flavor combinations as well. No matter what flavor you decide to go with pick something you like! It’s your cake and you just never know someone might try something new and enjoy it. Life is too short to just eat Vanilla and Chocolate. As always, don’t forget to plan ahead and get your orders in early to secure your event date!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Heather L. Horton

2013-04-30 08:54:37

Q-What is the difference between fondant and butter cream?

A-Last month we discussed the differences between fondant and buttercream. This month we’ll get more in-depth on the uses of each. Both Fondant and Buttercream have their purpose in the cake decorating world. Many people prefer buttercream over fondant because fondant has a chewy texture. This is true, however some decorating styles must use fondant to get the desired look. Many modern and more fashionable cakes use fondant because it has an incredibly smooth finish if used correctly and can also mimic textures, fabrics and fashions. Buttercream has its limits when it comes to decoration. If you wanted to mimic burlap, for example, on a western themed cake you would have a hard time doing this using Buttercream. However, by using fondant the task is much easier. This issue goes both ways. If your goal is to have a rich, elaborately decorated cake with lots of piping and string work this is much easier done using buttercream or royal icing instead of having to roll out lots and lots of tiny fondant strings, you can use a piping bag and just pipe on the decorations by hand. Everyone has their own opinion about fondant and buttercream. Each bakery is different. So, don’t judge one the same as the other before you sample theirs. Not all icings are the same across the board. If they make their own fondant you can almost guarantee it is going to taste better than store bought kind. You’ll never know unless you ask! Try both for yourself and see which you prefer. No matter which icing you prefer and why, keep in mind that both take time to decorate with. Give your baker enough notice to make your cake and always plan ahead!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Heather L. Horton

2013-03-25 15:24:25

Q-What is the difference between fondant and butter cream?

A-Alot! There has been a debate going on for years. Which is better fondant or buttercream for cakes, cookies, confections and the like? Each pastry chef, cake decorator or home baker has their own opinion. You will have to decide for yourself. Fondant is sugar dough much like play dough but made using mainly sugar. Some recipes call for gelatin and other additives. Fondant can be bought at the store in various degrees of quality. Most often if the product is cheaper it will have a lesser quality. For example, Wilton brand fondant has a very plastic/chemical after taste to it and can dry out quickly which makes it harder to work with. Fondarific brand, on the other hand, tastes great, comes in tons of different flavors and is very easy to use with a long workability time factor. Another more popular brand and more readily available is Satin-Ice. Its middle of the line quality leaves your mouth with a chemical aftertaste and has more limited workability. If you’re up for a fun challenge making your own fondant is easy! All you need are Marshmallows, water and powdered sugar. Marshmallow fondant is easy to work with, can be custom flavored and tastes great. It is also inexpensive alternative to store bought fondant. Many recipes can be found online. When ordering a cake from your baker be sure to ask which kind they use. Buttercream icing is made in many different ways with at least 4 different bases: Butter, Shortening, Yolk Based, or Meringue based. Again, quality is key here. A classic American “decorators” icing will consist of a main fat (in most cases this is shortening or butter), liquid (milk in most cases) and powdered sugar. This icing results in a thick, heavy icing that tends to crust over after being applied to a cake or confection, mostly used for accents, flowers or just trim work. A more decadent & sophisticated icing is an Italian Buttercream. This icing requires beating egg whites and heating sugar syrup to be combined along with butter in the final stages. The result is a smooth and creamy delicious icing that doesn’t crust over after the cake is decorated. This method is a Meringue based icing. Next month we’ll discuss popular (and unique) uses for both fondant and buttercream.

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Heather L. Horton

2013-03-01 14:16:39

Q-My cousin and I are both getting married and decided to share the celebration and the costs. This means a lot of compromise but we are up for it. Right now, the biggest issue is the cake. It is a low key wedding but we do want the cake/cakes to be special- to both parties. We are both flexible creative types and open to any ideas you could provide from romantic to rockabilly. Thanks for your input!"

A: Last month we discussed several ideas and themes that will help you in the process of getting the most out of your cake and its design. Another idea is to opt for a more traditional white, elegant wedding cake as the center piece and have two side cakes (similar to what a groom's cake would be) to represent each couple. These side cakes can be 3D cakes. Just because they are 3D doesn't mean they have to be large. You can have a very cool "show stopping" small cake too. No matter the size 3D/Sculpted cakes tend to have a big impact. For instance maybe one couple is really into sports together. Their cake could be a football field or a 3D rendition of their favorite mascot. Or if they don't agree on the same teams perhaps those mascots are arm wrestling on the field? That would be a cake to remember! The other couple could be into wine and food so their cake could be a wine and cheese themed 3D cake like in the picture here. No matter what direction you decide to go there are lots of different ways to make a dual wedding work. The most important things to remember are: PLAN AHEAD (for you and your baker) and HAVE FUN! With all the planning involved most people worry about the details so much that they lose sight of the reason behind the event. You're only doing this once and you have to live with the people around you for the rest of your life, so be sure and enjoy this time that you have together. Have fun with it. The sky is the limit for ideas!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2012-10-03 10:04:07

Q- We love serving home made cupcakes at parties and events, do you have any creative ideas for displaying them?

A- Cupcakes make everything so much easier when it comes to a party. No plates, no forks, the ultimate self serve item! But they do look a little bland just setting on a plate, so what do we do with them? Cupcake towers, of course! There are several commercially available stands if you use them enough to invest in a professional style or at cake shops you can even rent large stands for events like a wedding where you may be serving several hundred cupcakes. However, for the average home birthday party or shower, a cute or funky homemade stand may be just what you need. I'm attaching a couple of pictures of some great stand ideas found on, you guessed it, Pintrest! The first one is a combination of cake boards covered in wrapping paper to match your party theme with ribbon glued to the edges to dress it up. Then painted soup cans are glued between the boards to give the perfect height for decorated cupcakes to stack beautifully between. The second pic has a little more of a vintage feel to it and does take a little more tool savvy to complete. Still, pretty easy and really cool! Start with a set of oven burner covers and paint them whatever color you like. Then with some steel wool, give them a little rub to look more distressed. Next take some pieces of table legs or even leftover banister railing and cut to 4 or 5 inch lengths, making sure those cuts are perfectly level on the bottom. Paint these pieces to match, distress and they are ready to assemble. Use a heavy duty glue like Gorilla Glue to ensure your stand is nice and sturdy. I've even seen different sizes of dinner plates glued to candle sticks to match a stand. Have fun with it and make something that will go with any type of party or maybe matches your home decor to blend right in. Whatever direction you go, be ready to give out the directions to all your friends, because they are going to love it!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Bonnie Aeschliman

2012-10-02 13:51:28

Q- My cake baking involves grabbing a cake mix and a can of frosting from the supermarket. However, I would like to make a cake from scratch that would not be too difficult. I remember a chocolate cake my grandmother made that was moist and after one bite, you knew it was homemade. Would you have a really good chocolate cake that is not too complicated?

A- I have the perfect recipe for you--Texas Sheet Cake. it is moist with a deep chocolate flavor that melts in the mouth. I have made this cake dozens of times over the years--it is a standby recipe that always brings big smiles and requests for the recipe. This cake can be mixed and baked in thirty minutes, less time than it would take to go to the store to purchase the mix. Totally made from scratch, you will find this is better than anything you will find in a box. What’s more, it is just as easy to make. I hope you will try it. Lone Star Sheet Cake With Chocolate Pecan Frosting Makes about 15 servings (C)Copyright Cooking With Bonnie: Farm to France, 2011 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups sugar ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup butter 1/3 cup cocoa 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ cup buttermilk 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon cinnamon Chocolate Pecan Frosting ½ cup butter ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa 1/3 cup milk 1 pound (3-1/2 cups) powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla ¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a jelly roll pan (10x15x1) or spray with a non-stick baking spray. (You can use a 9x13 pan but baking time will be 5 to 10 minutes longer.) Combine flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Combine butter, water and cocoa in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and pour over the flour and sugar mixture, stirring to mix. Stir baking soda into buttermilk; then add buttermilk to flour and sugar mixture. Stir in eggs, vanilla and cinnamon. Stir until ingredients are well combined. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until cake tests done. Let cake rest for 10 minutes while making the frosting. To make frosting: Combine butter, cocoa and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Place powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. Pour hot cocoa mixture over powdered sugar. Beat well with electric mixer until mixture is creamy. Stir in vanilla. Pour frosting over warm cake. Sprinkle pecans over top. Tip: If you do not have buttermilk, you may substitute 1/2 cup milk with the addition of 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice stirred into the milk. Works every time.

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2012-08-29 15:41:17

Q- With school back in session and the kids starting in so many activities, what are some easy projects we can still do as a family?

A- It's so hard to plan something that will keep kids interested that you can squeeze in during those infrequent off-times! My best suggestion is recipes that don't require much preparation and have less than 5 ingredients (preferably ones that you keep on hand all the time). Starting out with a trip to the grocery store is a recipe for distraction! While the horrible heat has finally broken for normal temperatures, something that doesn't require oven time is a bonus too. A couple of my favorites are below, try them out and see if they don't give you some fun kitchen time that is quick to the best part... the eating! No-Bake Chocolate, Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Cookies Ingredients: ½ cup (1 stick) butter 2 cups granulated sugar ½ cup milk 4 tablespoons cocoa powder ½ cup peanut butter 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 cups quick-cooking oats 1. Add the first four ingredients (through the cocoa powder) to a 4-quart saucepan. 2. Bring to a rolling boil and let boil for 1 minute. 3. Remove from heat. 4. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth, then stir in the oats. 5. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto wax paper-lined baking sheets. 6. Let cool until set. I know, there's 7 ingredients, but trust me, they are easy and quick! Classic Rice Krispy Treats Ingredients: 4 Tablespoons of butter or margarine 1 Package of marshmallows (10 ounce bag) or 4 cups of miniature marshmallows 6 Cups of Rice Krispies cereal Large pan Spatula Baking pan (13 x 9 x 2) 1. Melt the butter in a large pan over low heat. 2. When the butter is melted, slowly stir in the marshmallows. Keep stirring until marshmallows are completely melted. Remove from heat. 3. Using a spoon or spatula coated with butter or cooking spray, gently stir in the Rice Krispies cereal. Mix until the cereal is well covered with the marshmallows 4. Begin spooning the mixture into a baking pan coated with butter or cooking spray (wax paper can be used as well) while it is still warm. Press the mixture into the desired shape. If the mixture begins to stick to the spoon, recoat it with butter or cooking spray. 5. Allow it to cool and then enjoy! The butter and marshmallows can be cooked in the microwave as well. Cook for approximately 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then follow directions 3-5. These are enjoyed by kids the world over but can have some fun variations too! Try Cocoa Krispies or Fruity Pebbles instead of the standard for some cool treats! Enjoy!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2012-08-02 10:31:22

Q- Summer parties can be such a challenge. The heat makes the kids cranky and it is hard to fix treats that will be easy to serve outdoors and safe in the heat. Do you have any party ideas that might make this a little easier?

A- Summer time always presents it own set of challenges for us all. As the kids get out of school, they still want to have a cool party with all the friends and you are supposed to make that magic happen! Depending on the age of the kids, this may be easier than you think. For younger kids (ages 5-10), the most important rule is always to keep it simple! As far as the actual party goes, be sure to keep plenty of games at the ready to keep boredom at bay. Simple yard games with sprinklers, water balloons or anything else that will keep them cool are a must, but let's talk treats! You need to avoid anything that will spoil of course, but don't be afraid of the classics. Rice crispy treats are fun and easy and you can add colored sprinkles to the mixture to add a festive touch to an old favorite. Fruit kabobs can be a unique dessert using a variety of fruits. Try using small cookie cutters to make your fruit slices into shapes instead plain old cubes. Smores just never go out of style and don't have to involve a campfire. When it's super summer hot, chocolate and marshmallows at outdoor temperatures are soft enough to make a gooey mess that any kid will love! These are just a few examples, and if you don't already have one, I'm including a yummy rice crispy treat recipe, enjoy! Cake Batter Rice Krispy Treats Ingredients: • 3 Tbsp. butter • 1 (10 oz.) bag of mini-marshmallows • 1/4 cup yellow cake mix (the dry cake mix, not prepared into a batter!) • 6 cups crispy rice cereal • 1 (1.75 oz.) container of sprinkles Method: Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat and add marshmallows. Stir until they begin to melt, adding in (dry) cake mix one spoonful at a time so its combined. Stir in cereal so it is completely coated with marshmallow mixture. Sprinkle in half of the sprinkles and mix. Press into a baking dish (any size will do) and top with remaining sprinkles. Let sit for about 30 minutes before cutting. I find spraying a knife with nonstick spray helps to cut them.

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2012-08-01 15:35:56

Q- My kids youth group is planning a bake sale. Can you share with me a cook or cupcake recipe that is likely to be a big seller? Thanks in advance of your help.

A- The best thing to remember at a bake sale is to keep it simple but fun! The only thing to avoid is going to be something that needs refrigeration. If the bake sale is indoors or outdoors you will want to have everything displayed on your tables, not hidden away in the fridge. Here are a couple of my favorites that are inexpensive to make, are kid friendly and are sure to sell out! Cool Whip Cookies 1 box (18 1/4oz.) cake mix, whatever flavor you like 1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip 1 egg Mix all 3 ingredients and form into balls. Roll in powdered sugar and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on pan for a few minutes before removing. These will spread a bit during baking and finish with a cool crackled look. Assort your flavors to get some nice color combinations! This one I can eat directly out of the pan, but I would recommend cutting it and selling it by the piece on plates or by the whole cake. Cinnamon Apple Cake 1 can Apple Pie filling 1 box Angel Food Cake mix Mix 2 ingredients together until thoroughly blended. Pour into a 9x13" sheet pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until the top begins to brown. I hope these will give your bake sale a boost!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Connie McCune

2012-08-01 15:05:20

Q- What are the different types of fudge? I love the old traditional chocolate fudge but I know there are others out there I have not tried.

A- Yes, there are many different variations on the old favorite, which only gives us fudge fanatics that much more to love. While most people think of fudge as the chocolately confection we all know and love, fudge actually comes in many forms, and some of them do not contain any cocoa at all. In fact, there is fudge in almost every flavor imaginable. Even if you are not a big fan of chocolate, you can still find a fudge that suits your taste. Here are a few of the most popular available today: Vanilla For those that love the texture of fudge but want something other than chocolate, Vanilla Fudge is a mouthwatering choice. Great alone, or with add-ins like nuts, this type of fudge is almost as popular as chocolate! Tiger Butter If you love vanilla fudge and want something a bit more Tiger Butter is just the thing. It is a layer of real peanut butter between two layers of vanilla fudge. Think of it as the super indulgent version of the peanut butter cup. Strawberry Cheesecake What could be better than white fudge made with real cream cheese with swirls of strawberry mixed in? This one tastes just like strawberry cheesecake, but even better. Rocky Road Rocky Road Fudge leaves nothing to be desired. It is a delicious treat of chocolate fudge filled with marshmallows an pecans. Peanut Butter Similar to the Tiger Butter, peanut butter fudge is a vanilla fudge with lots of fresh peanut butter swirled throughout. The swirled effect gives the whole fudge an entirely different feel and flavor. Pumpkin Pie Most popular around the holidays, this fudge is a creamy treat made with real pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices. Banana Pudding What do you get when you cross comfort food with indulgent treat? Banana Pudding Fudge! It is made of creamy vanilla fudge flavored with banana and filled with bits of vanilla wafers. Today, fudge has really gone well beyond what you have always considered as fudge. While purists might argue that a true fudge must contain cocoa, these newer variations are so good they deserve a pass anyway. After all, exotic and adventurous flavors like Jalapeño fudge deserves a place in fudge favorites.

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2012-06-05 09:34:07

Q: I want to have wedding cupcakes at our wedding in July. However, I want to avoid looking trendy and cliché. Also, I want them to be amazing and different in the flavor. Do you have any ideas on how to make it look rich, elegant, and beautiful?

A: What a wonderful question that so many are thinking this season! It is a fine line to walk with cupcakes to keep them classy and avoid the look of a kid’s birthday party. I think the most important decision with a cake or cupcake display is how much color to incorporate in your designs. The stand that you will use will really set the tone for the rest of your cake table and there are many different ones available. The most popular is a style that mimics a tiered cake with descending sizes of plates with spaces between them. This type of stand gives a lovely display with height and balance and still leaves lots of ways to decorate the table. It also gives you the option of having a small cake on the top plate to save for your first anniversary. Other set ups that are fun may utilize lots of family cake plates or platters. This set up is very sentimental but is more festive than traditional. As far as flavors, pick some of your favorites, but have a few that are a more traditional flavor just in case you have some picky eaters. Since most bakeries offer cupcakes by the dozen, you can have some fun mixing up those flavors. Be sure to create some lovely signs that let your guests know exactly what those fun flavors are. Maybe some pink champagne ones with a raspberry filling. Chocolate cupcakes are yummy with Bavarian cream inside, and many flavors are complimented by butter cream icing which is ideal for decorating or matching colors. You’ll also want to think about what type of papers that the cupcakes are actually baked in to ensure those are an accent not a distraction. You may want a simple black, white or add a bit of sparkle with gold or silver foil. Keep in mind that in paper liners you can usually see a bit of the color of the cake through the paper while foil liners are solid. You can decorate your cupcakes in so many different ways; there are just as many decisions to make as with a traditional tiered cake. Depending on the style of the rest of the reception you may want to keep them simple with a swirl of icing and some edible glitter, pearls or even a small fondant flower on each one. Maybe you have a brighter pallet and lots of color and a butterfly or monogram on top would be a better match. Just don’t overdo on anything, a little color goes a long way! Subtle touches are what become the most elegant and memorable. Always go with your instincts and don’t over think the details!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Connie McCune

2012-06-05 09:32:26

Q: What is fudge? What are the origins?

A: While purists think of fudge as the creamy chocolate confection we all love, the official definition is that fudge is a soft rich candy usually made of sugar, milk, butter and flavoring. Chocolate is a favorite, and probably the most traditional flavor, but fudge can come in many delicious flavors. Fudge is a crystalline candy and controlling the sugar solution crystallization is the key to delicious, smooth fudge. Everything must be precise when making fudge, from the measurements to temperature and stirring times, and any one thing can ruin the consistency of the batch. One of the most important aspects of any candy is the final texture. Temperature separates hard caramels from fudge and tiny micro crystals of sugar in fudge gives fudge its firm but smooth texture. The secret to successful fudge is getting these crystals to form at just the right time. The exact origins of fudge have gotten a bit muddled with time, but we do know that it is an American invention developed around 1880. There is a record of fudge being sold in 1886 in a Baltimore store for 40 cents a pound. In 1888, Miss Hartridge asked the storekeeper for the recipe which she made and sold at Vasser College. That original recipe still exists today! The “Original” Fudge Recipe Emelyn B. Hartridge of Vasser College 2 cups granulated white sugar 1 cup cream 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped 1 tablespoon butter Combine sugar and cream and cook over moderate heat. When this becomes very hot, add the chocolate. Stir constantly. Cook until mixture reaches soft-ball stage (234°-238°F). Remove from heat and add butter. Cool slightly, then mix until fudge starts to thicken. Transfer to a buttered tin. Cut into diamond-shaped pieces before fudge hardens completely. The recipe is deceptively simple on paper. While hard to achieve the results are scrumptious. However, since it was difficult and not everyone had a candy thermometer, other similar but simpler recipes evolved using sweetened condensed milk or marshmallow cream to help achieve a consistently smooth texture. Today, there are so many different types of fudge that you could eat a different kind every week for years and never have two kinds exactly alike!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2012-04-20 15:25:33

Q: I love to bake cupcakes, but have noticed that they sometimes bake out a bit flat on top. I can usually hide this with some icing, but would love to be able to bake those lovely, rounded cupcakes I see at the bakery.

A: Don’t feel like a failure, this is a very common complaint. The solution is generally very simple, but there are a few different possibilities and fixes! First, make sure not to over or under mix the batter. Lots of people tend to hurry up the process and don’t mix long enough or mix at too high a speed and incorporate too much air into the process. If your recipe says 1 minute on low speed and then 2 more minutes on medium speed, then set a timer and follow those directions. You wouldn’t change the measurements of ingredients, but mixing times and speeds are just as important. Use a timer to ensure precision, it’s too easy to get distracted and lose track. Next be sure to bake with good quality pans and use paper liners for easy clean up and handling. There are lots of cute printed papers available or solid colors to match any occasion, so have fun and match them up to your decoration! Lastly, try lowering your oven temperature to 325 and bake the cupcakes a few minutes longer. This will allow the batter to rise slower and generally give you that pretty little rounded top you are looking for. Use a little less batter in each cup about ½ to 2/3 full. Of course this will vary a bit depending on the recipe or flavor since different flavors rise to different levels. As with any cakes, try not to open your oven door during the baking process or jiggle the pan as this can cause the cupcakes to fall in the center. Cupcake baking does take a little experimentation to perfect your recipe and techniques, but what a great project to take on! Have fun and Merry Cupcaking!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Connie McCune

2012-04-20 08:17:52

Q: I’m planning a June wedding and thinking about having a candy bar, or candy buffet. I am wondering if anyone has any ideas on designs, containers, colors, kinds of candy and how to make the budget for it stretch as far as possible.

A: For this article, let us first clarify to our readers that we are talking about a candy “bar”, the buffet kind. The idea of the candy bar, or buffet in this case, has been around awhile but has recently caught on in a big way. Everyone from celebrities having spare-nothing events to those having a simple wedding with just a few friends are incorporating the hot wedding trend. One of the reasons why candy bars are stupendously popular is that you can express yourself through the choice of candy and containers. Here are few popular themes to get you started and spark your own creative juices: • Match the color of candy to your wedding colors. • Match candies to a particular theme like ones featured in movies, ones from a certain time period, different varieties of the same kind of candy- like chocolates or taffies. • Molded candies, are also popular because celebrants can make them into shapes that represent something significant and meaningful. Choose a theme and decide what feel you would like to express. Do you want it to look elegant, colorful, or retro? Once you have that in place, you choose the elements that take it from “aww’ to jaw dropping, and you can do that even on a limited budget. • Collect appropriate containers. Bigger containers with wide openings are preferable for access as well as drama. The containers do not need to look alike or be the same size, although ones in the same hue (if not clear) are best. Many people love the candy store jars but those can get quite costly. Great alternatives can be found in thrift stores, garage sales, or even borrowed from friends. • Presentation is everything. Treat your candy bar like a display, with different heights of interest. Perhaps flank each end with a dramatic candy bouquet, and incorporate rows of temptation and visual appeal. The choices do not need to be expensive, but creative display will enhance the effect. • Think out of the box to find your candy selection and you will save money. Buy candy in bulk and find less common choices, as they are generally more affordable. Remember, with popular candies, you are paying for the name as well as the candy. There may be alternatives that would help the budget go even further. • Remember the scoops and containers for guests to put their candy in. There are lots of affordable, colorful, and impressive container selections. Congratulations, I wish you all the best in your marriage!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2012-03-27 09:15:14

Q: I do a lot of baking for church and social events and I am running out of new ideas. It seems like everyone else has their finger on the pulse of cooking cool and mine lack that creativity. Can you tell me the best place to find fun new ideas?

A: Hi, my name is Lori and I’m becoming a Pintrest addict... I mentioned last month, the huge amount of interest in a rapidly growing website called Pintrest. If you are one of the few that have not tried it yet, let me explain. Pintrest is a virtual pinboard or bulletin board. All of your friends as they surf the internet can “pin” cool ideas to that board to be able to find them again later. All that surfing and “pinning” created a searchable site of recipes, craft projects, pictures of landscaping, movie posters and so much more! You can browse by subject or just follow what your friends are “pinning” because you like the same things! Now I would like to see two things; more people on Pintrest and people spending WAY less time on Pintrest. Sound like a conflict? Not really! While it is a great resource, there are too many people that spend hour after hour “pinning” those great ideas and never give them a try. I’m a baker first and foremost but I do love to try new recipes, repurpose stuff around the house and find the perfect way of arranging family pictures on the wall so I try to make myself pick a project that fits into my time schedule and actually turn off the computer, gather my supplies and try out one of those fun looking “pins”. So to sum it all up, if you are already a member of Pintrest anonymous, try out that new cupcake recipe, it might just be great! If you haven’t yet tried it out, visit www.pintrest.com and join, you’ll be amazed at what you’ll find. And no, I do not work for Pintrest, I’m just a fan!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Connie McCune

2012-03-23 10:58:44

Q: I am a confessed chocoholic and my friends and family have gotten into a competition finding the most obscure chocolate makers in the world. This has led to some very interesting taste tests! What are the different types of chocolate and what makes different brands of chocolate taste so different?

A: We covered the different types of chocolate last month and now it is time to address the second part of your question. If you want a very interesting taste test, try a Cadbury’s Chocolate from England and a piece from the United States. There is a noticeable difference between the two, highlighting your point. Chocolate is much more complex than most people realize and any number of things can affect the flavor and texture. First, how you store chocolate can change the flavor and texture. For example, chocolate stored in a warm environment will go stale much more quickly than if stored in a cool environment. Freezing chocolate can change the texture in some cases. Naturally, the ingredients used to make the candy have a profound effect on the result. One of the primary differences in different brands of chocolate would be the type, grade and amount of chocolate used in the product. This of course would change everything from the creaminess to chalkiness. Next, the type of sugar also makes a difference in taste, whether it is refined cane or beet sugar. Many other things also play a role. Even in controlled recipes where the exact same ingredients, amounts and methods are used, the product can taste different based on where the ingredients were sourced. Milk’s flavor can vary significantly from country to country and even from region to region, for example. Finally, our perception of the candy does play a role in the overall effect. You may prefer thick chocolate bars to thin ones with all else being the same because of the way it feels when you bite into it. As for me, it is hard to choose a favorite with so many choices in the world!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2012-02-28 11:04:40

Q: Cake pops seem to be all the rage right now. Do you have any suggestions to make them a little easier and are the new “cake pop pans” really worth the price?

A: Great question! Any Pintrest fan can tell you that cake pops keep “popping” up everywhere you look! They have actually been around for a long time, but must have recently gotten a better press agent, because everyone is talking about them! They aren’t very complicated, but they can be quite time consuming and are definitely a bit messy. Here’s the breakdown: 1. Bake a cake (whatever flavor, whatever recipe, whatever boxed mix, whatever size, whatever makes you happy). 2. After the cake has cooled, crumble it up into small pieces. This is really best done with your hands, not a food processor since we want small crumbled pieces, not dust! 3. Make a batch of buttercream icing, cream cheese icing or open a can of your favorite store bought icing. 4. Mix icing into the crumbled cake until the mixture is bound together but not wet. This step takes a little trial and error and depends a bit on your taste. Some people like the pops a little more wet or soggy than others. Keep in mind, the more icing you add, the messier the next step will be! 5. Take the cake & icing mixture and roll into small even balls about the size of a large marble. Place the balls on a piece of waxed paper covered cookie sheet and chill until the balls are set and firm. If you are making pops (on a stick) as opposed to balls, now’s the time to add the sucker stick. 6. Dip the chilled balls into melted candy coating of your choice (milk, white or dark chocolate) and let the excess chocolate drip off before setting them back on the waxed paper to set up. While the chocolate is wet you can sprinkle your cake pops with jimmies, nuts, coconut or whatever extra yummy things you can think of! OR if you are very crafty, you can dip them in colored white chocolate and decorate them like all sorts of adorable creatures. For some incredible inspiration, check out www.bakerella.com. She is the ultimate in tedious and tiny works of art! To address the new cake pop pans, all I can say is that they are not true cake pops. They are basically baking round balls of cake that you can dip directly in chocolate. I’m sure they would be much less messy, but there’s no soft gooey bite of icing mixed in the cake to create that truffle type center. To each their own, but I’ll stick with the ooey, gooey messy original cake pops! Last, but maybe most important, be creative with your combinations! If you are a chocolate lover, use chocolate cake mixed with chocolate buttercream, dipped in milk chocolate coating and rolled in mini chocolate chips. If strawberry is your weakness, try a strawberry cake with vanilla buttercream, dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with dry strawberry jello powder. If you love it, that’s all the matters! This is also a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen. After the cake is baked and cooled, there is no worry for little ones getting burned, etc. The candy coating melts at a low temp, so it is safe too! Let them go wild and come up with all sorts of fabulous combinations and creations. They’ll love making them, but not half as much as eating them!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Connie McCune

2012-02-28 09:48:22

Q: I am a confessed chocoholic and my friends and family have gotten into a competition finding the most obscure chocolate makers in the world. This has led to some very interesting taste tests! What are the different types of chocolate and what makes different brands of chocolate taste so different?

A: Nearly every country uses chocolate to make some form of delicious treat. Often the similarities end there, though. Chocolate is used in candy worldwide and the results can be very different, though equally worthwhile. First, let’s discuss the different types of chocolate, as the type of chocolate and how it is used is the foundation of the products that we enjoy. Unsweetened Chocolate, also known as Bitter or Baking Chocolate is made from pure chocolate liquor (a combination of cocoa butter and cocoa solids). It is bitter to taste, contains no sugar and intended for use in baking where it is combined with sugar and other ingredients to make it palatable. Dark Chocolate is chocolate that contains chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, sugar, vanilla and lecithin. Cocoa content can range significantly between makers, from about 30% to 80%. Bitter Sweet Chocolate is another popular chocolate type. It contains at least 35% cocoa solids though the amount of sugar used varies between makers and some may be more, or less sweet. Semi-sweet Chocolate, which is most common in America, is typically made from 35% cocoa solids and is darker that sweet dark chocolate but sweeter than bittersweet. Milk Chocolate, a favorite with most of us, must contain at least 10% chocolate liquor, and milk or dry milk solids. Couverture Chocolate is not a name with which many are familiar. It is a high quality chocolate used by bakers and candy makers. It contains a high percentage of both chocolate liquor as well as cocoa butter making it perfect for melting and covering. Gianduja Chocolate is another name that may not be as familiar but worth getting to know! It is a European style chocolate made from cocoa and hazelnut or almond paste. White chocolate is technically not chocolate in the strictest form since it is made from cocoa butter but does not contain any chocolate liquor. Compound Coating Chocolate is a candy product, flavored with chocolate and substitute vegetable or palm oils for cocoa butter. From this list, you can see that the taste would of course vary significantly between each of the different types just based on the amount of sugar, cocoa butter, and chocolate liquor alone. These are not the only factors that make the chocolates from different makers taste so differently, however. In fact, many very interesting things contribute to taste of the confection we all know and love. I will continue this discussion and answer your second question next month.

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2012-01-26 15:38:50

Q: One of my New Year’s resolutions was to get out and learn something new this year. I don’t plan on becoming a master, but I think I would enjoy learning some cake decorating so I can make cakes for my family. Any suggestions?

A: I love this resolution. Learn a new language, recycle more, lose weight, save more money… these are so old hat. Learning a new skill is a great idea. Several levels of classes are available locally for everyone from the beginner, to the advanced student that has taken several lessons. If you are starting with absolutely no experience, of course you will start with a beginner level class. Beginning classes teach such basics as how to make a perfect butter cream icing that will be ideal for coloring and piping. You can also pick up things like cookie decorating, borders, writing, frosting a sheet cake and a layer cake and the grand finale is learning to make a beautiful ribbon rose with butter cream icing. This is the ideal class for family birthday cakes or just making your tried and true desserts look really cool! It’s also a very good class for kids ages 10 and up to take with a parent for some fun, quality time together! If you have already taken some beginner classes you may be interested in continuing to learn more advanced skills. All kinds of flowers made from royal icing (a type of icing that dries hard like candy) are covered in Course two, as well as the amazing basketweave technique made with butter cream icing. With all the cake shows on TV bringing rolled fondant icing into the spotlight, you will find classes that offer a beginning fondant course and advanced classes that teach you how to make a spectacular bouquet of gumpaste flowers that are all hand cut and molded. This should give you a variety of classes to pick from to help you in completely at least one of your New Year’s resolutions!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2011-12-27 14:33:52

Q: With all the holiday parties, I’ve gained a few extra pounds this winter. I’m starting a new diet and am sure that cookies and sweets are not on it, any suggestions to keep me on track?

A: With another Christmas season under our belts, we can all take a collective sigh of relief and take a moment to relax! If you are like the largest part of the population, you have made a New Year’s resolution to lose those few extra pounds we all seem to pick up around the holidays. You may think that this means absolutely no sweets and I have to disagree! I think most of us tend to only want something more when we try to deny ourselves any treat and then over-indulge when we try to sneak it in. Here’s my best tip: MODERATION! Now’s the time to make use of some of those cool Christmas gifts that are for making up cake pops or candies, just be smart with what you make. Candy clusters can be made with less sugary cereals instead of high fat, salty nuts. Maybe the cake pops are a bit smaller so you still get a bit of sweet, but ½ as much! This is really the lesson we all need to take to heart and be sure to set the example for our families. Every diet needs room for some reward, so give yourself a sensible one and you’ll have much more success! Keep life sweet!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2011-11-21 10:31:28

Q: Do you have any suggestions for easy candies I can make for hostess/party gifts or that the kids can make too?

A: Staying on the theme of my last Q&A, I will continue with more holiday treats. Can any of us really have too many holiday recipes? I think not! These are both very simple recipes and can get the whole family involved. I’m on a bit of a peanut butter theme lately, so enjoy! Oreo and Peanut Butter Brownie Cakes 1 box brownie mix, or basic scratch recipe (enough to make an 8x8” pan of brownies) 24 Oreo Cookies 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 muffin cup baker with paper liners. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. For each cupcake cup spread 1 teaspoon of peanut butter over 2 Oreo cookies and stack them on top of each other. Place oreo stacks into the cupcake lined muffin cups. Spoon 2 tablespoons of brownie batter over each stacked oreos and let it run down the sides of the cookies. If you have left over brownie batter, bake separately in a separate baker or muffin tin. Bake cookies and brownies for 18 to 20 minutes, until brownies are cooked through. Let cool completely then serve. Makes about 12. Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites 1 cup creamy peanut butter 2 tbsp softened butter 1/2 cup powdered sugar (maybe more) 3/4 cup brown sugar (maybe more) Pretzels 1 bag of melting chocolate wafers Combine peanut butter and softened butter in a large bowl with a fork or whisk, or in a stand mixer. Add the sugars and mix to combine. At this point if the filling will roll easily into balls without sticking to your hands you’re ready to go. If not, add a little more of each sugar until you reach a consistency that is easy to roll (I used about 3/4 cup of each sugar). Use a teaspoon measure to scoop the filling. Roll each portion into a small ball, then sandwich them between two whole pretzels. When all the balls are rolled and successfully sandwiched, stick the whole tray in the freezer for about half an hour. Pour the chocolate wafers into a microwave safe bowl and heat at 30-second intervals on medium heat, stirring occasionally until completely melted. Remove the pretzel sandwiches from the freezer and quickly dip each half-way into the melted chocolate. Return to the tray and repeat with remaining sandwiches. When all are dipped, return the tray to the freezer to set up completely. Store the sandwiches in the refrigerator until serving time. Make some creative containers and you are set up with some very yummy and inexpensive holiday gifts that anyone will enjoy!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2011-09-29 15:07:51

Q: With the changing weather I am starting to feel the urge to get back in the kitchen. The holidays are not far away, do you have any suggestions for easy candies I can make for hostess/party gifts or that the kids can make too?

A: We’ve all had a great summer of pool parties and backyard barbecues, but the leaves are starting to turn and it’s time to start thinking about turning that oven back on and enjoying some treats from your kitchen. I think a nice combination of simple candies and some filled goodies are always a hit and you can’t fail by mixing them in with some of my favorite chocolate chip cookies. The most important part of making any type of dipped or molded candies is to use a very good quality chocolate that is made for dipping and molding. That means no almond bark and no chocolate chips. Both those are great for pretzels or cookies, but not for yummy candies that need to have a warm pure chocolate flavor. You can even use pure chocolate if you are comfortable cooking and tempering it, but if not, you can use confectionary coating which has already been cooked and is ready to melt and use. Enjoy the following recipe and don’t be afraid to change it up with your favorite ingredients! Simple Candy Clusters: • 1 lb. Milk, Dark or White chocolate • 2-3 cups of your choice of “crunch” (e.g. nuts, crispy cereal, peppermint crunch, crushed pretzels or whatever you love!) Melt the chocolate at a low temperature. Microwave is preferred by using 50% power for a minute at a time, stirred gently between. Add your “crunch” and fold in until all the “crunch” is lightly coated with chocolate. Depending on what you use, you may add more or less “crunch”. For a home-style look, simply place spoonfuls on waxed paper and let set up completely. For a more finished style, spoon into candy cups or mini cupcake papers. My favorite is a mixture of dark chocolate with chopped almonds and mini marshmallows for a rocky road type treat! Next month, I will share how to make some delicious homemade peanut butter cups and coconut bonbons.

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2011-07-01 08:19:00

Question: My daughter just got engaged and the wedding planning has begun. Are there any shortcuts or “must-know” tips that you could offer? We have 11 months until the big day, but just don’t know where to start.

Answer: Last month, we talked a lot about the shortcuts and tips on the basics of wedding planning. Now lets get more in depth about my favorite part of the wedding… the cake! These days, the options are endless not only in flavor, but in design, color and style. Early on in your planning, you will need to decide how many guests are going to be a part of your special day. Of course, as you continue the process, this number may rise or fall, but a general number is going to be very important in deciding on a size for your cake. You may have always dreamed of a towering seven tiered wedding cake rivaled only by Princess Katherine herself, but if you are only inviting 100 people to your gala event, this is probably not feasible. When you have a comfortable number of servings, you can avoid over-ordering and paying for more cake then you really need. The next big decision is wedding colors. You may have already picked these in relationship to your bridesmaid’s dresses and flowers. If so, great, you are one step farther along! Next to consider, is the style of décor you will have at the reception. This is a big one so your cake decorations will blend right along with the room. Trust me, it is much easier to match up the cake to the room than the other way around! Decisions on table cloth colors, centerpieces and favors will impact everything from the amount of color you may want on the cake to what type of flowers will or will not be part of the design. Next month, we will talk about what is considered the most “fun” part…the flavors and icings!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2011-06-01 12:07:00

Question: My daughter just got engaged and the wedding planning has begun. Are there any shortcuts or “must-know” tips that you could offer? We have 11 months until the big day, but just don’t know where to start.

Answer: First, let me say congratulations AND get ready for the next year of your life to disappear! Wedding planning can be the most fun time of your life and the most stressful time all rolled into one. Especially as the parent of the bride, you will find most, if not all the responsibility falls into your lap. Of course, the most important part is done, your daughter and son-in-law-to-be have chosen a date. Next, you need to start to compile a list of everyone you might consider inviting to the wedding. This list will shrink and grow as you decide what type of wedding you are having, but to start to lay out a budget, you must know approximately how many people you are planning for. After you have a realistic idea of the size of the event, and assuming you have a family church, you will start looking at reception venues. In this area, we are lucky to have many to choose from in all sizes and styles, so shop around and look at them all before you decide. If you will be hiring a caterer, be sure to check out the kitchen facility and consider if it has an appropriate space and the necessary appliances to cook your meal. If not, be sure the caterer is aware they will have to make other arrangements. This may or may not add an additional charge to the price of your meal, since the caterer will have to cook elsewhere and transport at the time of service, or provide accessories to keep your meal hot and/or cold as needed. After the venue is secured, you will start to shop for the other “big ticket” items like the wedding dress, flowers and of course, the cake. I’m sure you’ve already started buying up all the bridal magazines and reading all the planner calendars telling you to wait until 3-6 months before the event date to book things like caterers and bakers, but I can tell you from my own booking calendar that a year ahead is NOT too far to secure the venders you want to work with. When you book, be prepared to pay a retainer to hold a wedding date that will most likely, be non-refundable. Bakers, venues and caterers alike can only take so many orders on one date, so by holding that date for you, they are turning away other potential business, therefore the retainer is offsetting that loss of business should your event be moved or cancelled. However, that retainer will generally be applied as a payment to your order once everything is confirmed. Balances may be due anywhere from 2-4 weeks before the wedding date, so consider that date when sending R.S.V.P.’s to coordinate that finalization. The best advice I can give any new bride-to-be (and her family) is to be organized and don’t try to do everything all at once. I have so many customers that come in on a Saturday, rushed, exhausted and frustrated because they are trying to finish shopping for dresses, tuxes, flowers and cake all in one day. Try to take on one task at a time, flowers one week, centerpieces the next and so on. You will shop around more, and logically be more likely to really find exactly what you want when you spend a little more time on each part of the planning process. You may make a quick stop to sign a contract and book a baker, but you can spend lots of time at home looking through pictures and deciding on what designs you like best to bring in a final cake style at a later date. There is so much information easily available now, be sure to take advantage of it! I guess most importantly, have fun, don’t get bogged down in the details and make sure the planning process is something you look back on just as fondly as the wedding, not with angst and frustration. And of course, never be afraid to call up any wedding professional and ask lots of questions about things you aren’t familiar with, we are happy to help and share our expertise! Next month, we’ll dive into a little more detail on what you need to know about wedding cakes BEFORE you order!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2011-05-01 11:25:00

Why do my cookies turn out perfect one time and completely different the next?

Answer: Why do soft cookies get hard, and crisp cookies get soft? Here are some common mistakes and simple solutions. If your cookies seem to spread a lot during cooking, the most common culprit is using margarine or low-fat butter in place of real butter. These have about 20% more water and it’s the extra water that causing the problem. Low-fat or artificial product generally can’t be used interchangeably with regular fats for baking without some recipe adjustments. Bottom line, you can’t beat real butter in any cookie recipe, it really does make a difference. Also, be sure you start with soft butter. If the recipe calls for room-temperature butter, it should be soft but not runny. You can soften it for a few seconds in a microwave oven or let it stand in a warm place, such as near the preheating oven. Maybe most important in any recipe you must measure the dry ingredients accurately. Instead of scooping the measuring cup through the flour, gently spoon the flour into the cup, without shaking or packing the flour down. Then level off the top of the cup with a metal spatula or knife. Brown sugar is the exception to this rule; pack it firmly into the cup with your fingers until it is even with the rim. Liquid ingredients, however, should be measured in a glass or plastic cup and checked at eye-level to ensure accuracy. Most recipes assume large eggs should be used, if you use medium or extra large eggs, your liquid ratio with be short or long and change how your cookies turn out. Unless otherwise specified in your recipe, always use a mixer. Beat the butter and sugar at a high speed (use the paddle attachment on a stand style mixer) to blend into a light, creamy mixture. Then beat in the eggs and/or other liquid ingredients until the mixture is smooth and completely blended, then lower the speed or switch to a sturdy wooden spoon to incorporate the flour. The last problem could be reusing your baking sheets too quickly out of the oven. When you drop high-fat dough onto a still hot cookie sheet, the heat begins to melt the dough and cookie before they’re baked enough to hold their shape. Always allow time between uses for the sheets to cool completely. Don’t panic if you have a bad batch of cookies, it happens to the best of us now and again. Just be sure you are consistent with your methods and you’ll be the best baker you can be! If you like your chocolate chip cookies thin and crispy, try this variation. They can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Total: 35 minutes Yield: Makes about 32 cookies Ingredients 1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter, melted and cooled to room temperature 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz.) 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional) Preparation: 1. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well blended. Beat in 3 tablespoons water and the vanilla until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. 2. In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Stir or beat into butter mixture until well incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans, if using. 3. Drop dough in 1-tablespoon portions, 2 inches apart, onto buttered 12X15-inch baking sheets. 4. Bake in a 300° oven until cookies are lightly browned, 18 to 20 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking. 5. With a wide spatula, transfer cookies to racks to cool. If hot cookies start to break, slide a thin spatula under them to release; let stand on pan to firm up, 2 to 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely. *Original recipes from www.sunset.com, tried and enjoyed by the Horton family.

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2011-04-01 10:42:00

Question: My family loves homemade chocolate chip cookies. I have a great recipe that my mother always used that seemed to never fail, but no matter what I do, it never turns out right for me. HELP!

Answer: Why are chocolate chip cookies soft and chewy one time, then thin and crisp another? Cookie perfection is really a matter of individual preference. And no cookie is judged more closely and more frequently than the chocolate chip. The real question is how to make the cookie turn out the way you want, every time. While there are thousands of chocolate chip cookie recipes out there, they all use the same basic ingredients and subtle changes can produce surprising differences. High moisture content is what makes cookies soft and chewy. In the recipe at the end of this article, you’ll find you are binding the liquid with flour to slow down its evaporation. The dough has a little extra flour, which makes it stiffer and stiff dough spreads less, less liquid evaporates and therefore the cookies are thicker. Mass also helps a cookie stay moist, so be sure to use big dollops of dough to bake a softer, chewier cookie. You’ll bake these thick cookies for a shorter time at a high temperature to firm them quickly and minimize spreading. Most important is to not over bake the cookies - remove them from the oven when the cookie edges are brown and at least 1/3 of the center top is still pale. This will make certain the centers stay nice and soft. If you like your cookie to be more “cake like” instead of chewy, a little extra liquid from either the water, eggs, or milk will make the dough more elastic and add steam as the cookies bake making them more puffy. It will take a little experimentation to find the exact amount you like for the texture you love. If a thinner, crisp cookie is your favorite, you will basically do just the opposite of my suggestions for a chewy cookie. Reducing the amount of ingredients that hold moisture makes it easy for liquid to evaporate, producing crisp cookies. The fat, which goes up proportionately when other ingredients are cut back, gets hotter than the water in the dough and drives out the moisture. Fat also makes the dough softer and melts when hot, making the cookies spread. For crispness, bake cookies longer at a lower temperature to give them more time to spread before they firm. Then bake long enough to dry and brown them evenly to develop the maximum flavor and crisp texture throughout. Remember that being thin and crisp doesn’t mean they are burnt, so pull them out when they are evenly golden brown, not too dark. If you’re of the school that thinks chocolate chip cookies should be soft and chewy, you’ll love this recipe. If not, these cookies just might change your mind. Total: 40 minutes Yield: Makes about 28 cookies Ingredients 1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter, at room temperature 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (12 oz.) 1 cup chopped pecans (optional) Preparation: 1. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and brown sugar until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. 2. In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir or beat into butter mixture until well incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans, if using. 3. Drop dough in 2-tablespoon (1/8-cup) portions, 2 inches apart, onto buttered 12- by 15-inch baking sheets. 4. Bake in a 400° oven until cookies are lightly browned and no longer wet in the center (break one open to check), 6 to 8 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking. 5. With a wide spatula, transfer cookies to racks to cool. If hot cookies start to break, slide a thin spatula under them to release; let stand on pan to firm up, 2 to 5 minutes, and then transfer to racks to cool completely. *Original recipes from www.sunset.com, tried and enjoyed by the Horton family. More next month.

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2011-03-01 11:31:00

Question: My kids and I love watching all the “Cake Shows” on TV. I think they might really have fun learning to do some of the things they watch their favorite celebrity bakers do week after week. Do you think they’ll be able to do it, where do I start and what supplies do we need?

Answer: Many people are getting a new found respect for the art of baking and cake decorating thanks to the wave of shows on cable networks showcasing the cake world. The first thing I must point out is that nearly all of those programs are strictly for entertainment, they are not meant to be educational or documentary. While there are elements of reality, the day to day work of running a bakery and decorating cakes is probably not as exciting as it is on TV. That aside, it is still the most fun job I have ever had and I love sharing it with others through teaching classes. The first thing to consider before rushing out and buying the kids every cake decorating tool on the store shelf, is their age. Under the age of 10, most kids will not have enough strength in their hands to handle the constant squeezing motion required to pipe most icings. Failure can be very frustrating to a budding baker and may discourage an otherwise excited student. Older kids shouldn’t have any trouble, but it definitely depends on the child. You also want to consider their “hobby history.” Do you have a closet full of crafting supplies that have gone unfinished? If so, cake decorating will likely just be the next victim and you can spend a lot on tools that may go unused. Also, check out their current schedule. If your kids are already in two or three extracurricular activities, you’ll want to think twice about engaging them in another time-consuming hobby. If you are still on board at this point, then the best solution is to sign them up for a class at your local cake decorating shop or craft store. Most offer the Wilton Method of cake decorating, a wonderful introduction into the art of everything cake. Offering classes since 1929, Wilton has been the choice of hobby decorators and professionals alike for all the essential tools needed for decorating. In June 2010, Wilton launched an entirely new class program with a streamlined curriculum and lots of new styles of modern decorating. There are three types of classes covering lots of different techniques from beginner to advanced, butter cream to fondant, and lots more. With a hands-on skill like this, it is very helpful to have an instructor to demonstrate the techniques in three dimensions instead of trying to follow pictures in a book and fill in the blanks. This is also a great family hobby. Kids will need some help in the kitchen when it comes to the baking portion of learning, so why not get Mom and Dad involved in the entire experience. Parents can have just as must fun as the kids and then you can all practice together and encourage each other’s strengths. Once you’ve signed up for a class, there will be a list of basic supplies that will be required. Piping bags, spatulas, flower nails, decorating tips and practice boards are some of the things that you will use forever and are included in a class kit that most stores offer. You will also need some of the more common sizes of cake pans. A 9”x13” sheet cake pan is one that will get used a lot, 8” round pans are a great size, and a good cupcake pan or cookie sheet will never set in the cabinet long. Other important tools include: a heavy duty mixer for making all that icing, a little bit of work space in the kitchen and maybe most important of all, friends and neighbors to help eat up all the “practice” goodies! Like with any craft, the only way you’ll get better is to practice, practice, practice!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2011-02-01 14:24:00

Question: As we are quickly moving towards Valentine’s Day, I need treat ideas for my husband. Although they are lovely, I really don’t like the idea of a “cookie cutter” heart shaped box of store-bought chocolates. What are some simple treat ideas that will be more personal?

Answer: Unfortunately, Valentine’s Day is quickly becoming the next victim of the over-commercialization of our favorite holidays. It is second only to Christmas for cards exchanged, mostly “Valentines” in classrooms across the nation. The oldest known Valentine was sent in 1415 A.D. by the Duke of Orleans to his French wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London and is still on display in an English museum. However, today, Valentine’s Day is big business. Consumers will spend an average of $75 each on Valentine’s Day gifts this year. Overall, retailers expect to rack up about $650 million in sales of candy, flowers, and other gifts. Of that amount about $45 million will be spent on food (including chocolate and wine). So how did chocolate and Valentine’s Day become so intertwined? From the moment chocolate was discovered, it was considered valuable, divine, and decadent, but wasn’t the sweet rich treat we know now for quite some time. It was a chemist that learned how to make powdered chocolate by removing some of the natural fat, then pulverizing what was left and treating it with alkaline salts to remove the bitterness. Several years later a man named Joseph Fry took Dutch cocoa and added melted cocoa butter, thus inventing the first modern chocolate bar. The first chocolate candies (as we know them today) were invented in the 1860’s by Cadbury, who was also the first to market them in a heart-shaped box for Valentine’s Day that same decade. A little candy maker named Nestle soon followed suit and the rest is history. All that commercialism aside, everyone loves candy for Valentine’s Day and something homemade says you really care. There are some essential ingredients you’ll want to narrow down. Does your sweetheart like nuts, fruits, cream centers, mint flavors, or coconut? If they are a peanut lover, peanut or cashew clusters are very quick and easy to make. Start with a good quality melting chocolate (not almond bark or chocolate chips). A popular chocolate ideal for this would be Candyman’s brand of melting chocolate in milk, dark or white chocolate and it is delicious and easy to work with. After melting the chocolate slowly add nuts until the mixture is mostly nuts with just enough chocolate to coat and “glue” them together. Then drop spoonfuls onto waxed paper or into small paper candy cups for a more finished look. These will set up fairly quickly and are hard to resist taking a sample, so make a few extra! Clusters can also be mixed with your favorite cereal or dried fruits, so experiment with whatever you have in the cabinet. Peanut butter cups are another great option and are easier to make than you think. I’ll include that recipe at the end of this article. If chocolate and fruit is the combination that your sweetie goes wild over, then the classic Valentine treat is chocolate covered strawberries. Always use fresh ripe strawberries that are clean and completely dry and dip them in the chocolate of your choice. White chocolate is a yummy combination with strawberries and looks cute drizzled in red or pink chocolate. Simple hold the dry berry by the stem and dip most of the berry in chocolate. Shake off the excess chocolate and lay the berry on waxed paper to set up. Add sprinkles, drizzle colors or simply let it dry smooth, they will taste great no matter what! One thing to remember about strawberries once they are dipped is they should be eaten within a few hours for the best taste. Cream center candies are also much easier than they look. Start with a basic fondant center (there’s a recipe at the end of this article), and add a few drops of whatever oil-based flavor you prefer. Your local baking supply shop should have many LorAnn brand oils that are ideal for cream center candies, so you can surely find something you’ll love. There are mint varieties, liqueur flavors, fruit flavors of all kinds, coffee, hazelnut and lots more! You’ll form the mixture into small balls and dip in chocolate. There are even molds that you can use to really make professional looking candies. The most important thing is to make what you like. The big box candies always have those last few pieces that have been broken open or had a nibbled corner to see what’s inside. When you make their favorites, that won’t be problem! These recipes are also kid friendly since the chocolate melts at a comfortable 100 degrees and can be melted in the microwave so no burns! Have fun with it and you can’t go wrong! Peanut Butter Cup filling recipe 1cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted) 1 tablespoon butter (melted) Mix together all three ingredients. Form into small balls and refrigerate until slightly firm. Using a dipping fork, dip the balls in melted milk chocolate coating and set on waxed paper to set up. You can also add crushed graham crackers or tiny crisp rice to this mixture if you like a crunchier filling. Basic Fondant Center recipe 1 cup dry fondant 3-4 teaspoons milk or water 1-2 teaspoons flavor enhancer (cherry juice, strong coffee, raspberry filling, etc.) 1-2 drops complimentary oil flavor Paste color of your choice (optional) Simply mix all the ingredients together kneading at the end to get a smooth soft dough texture. If it becomes a bit sticky from the juice, just add a bit more of the dry fondant to smooth it back out. This cream center can be formed into small balls and dipped in chocolate or used to make molded, filled candies.

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2010-12-01 13:20:00

Question: I am hosting a Christmas party in my home. I really want the dessert to be something spectacular and able to be “displayed” for several hours in a warm environment. Can you suggest some traditional desserts that would work?

Answer: ‘Tis the season for holiday parties, decadent desserts and “OMG, can I get the recipe for that?” So, let’s talk about the kind of event you want to host. The latest trend in all things party, is the D.A.D. get-together. Who doesn’t enjoy Drinks, Appetizers and Desserts? Rule #1, make sure that your invitation states in advance that it’s a D.A.D. party so your guests don’t come expecting a sit down meal. Not only will they be disappointed, they could end up leaving in the middle of the party for a fast food run! While, desserts are always plentiful at Christmas, most people want a little savory with their sweet, so this is a great way to mix it up a little. Start with simple drinks like cider. For the adults, you can simmer it in a crock pot with cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, cloves and a bit of dark rum to really inspire the holiday mood. For the kids, hot cocoa is sure to be a hit, just don’t forget the mini marshmallows! Moving on to the appetizers, there is a wide selection. Just keep in mind if you are having a large number of guests, consider choosing appetizers (and desserts) that are both bite sized and portable so everyone can try a bit of everything and still mingle. Also, don’t choose too many items with messy glazes or sauces, this is just asking for more post-party clean-up. Lastly, the dessert portion of the evening. Again, you don’t want too many dips or toppings that may spoil after setting out for two or three hours. Many times what takes a dessert from good to great is the presentation. Pull out all those serving platters and dishes that you only use this time of year and stack them, drape them with sparkly fabric, whatever it takes! Save back a few of those shiny Christmas tree ornaments to sprinkle around the buffet table, even add a small strand of lights if you like. Simple things like chocolate dipped pretzels, caramel corn, mixed nuts and cookies are good fillers, but what about the “WOW” factor? One of my favorites is mini pecan pie tarts, they are yummy and still look great at room temperature for a while. Another can’t-miss is chocolate truffles. They make an elegant arrangement and look much more time-consuming than they are. Of course, nothing is more traditional than fruit cake, banana or pumpkin breads sliced on a beautiful platter. Tiers of mini muffins or brownie squares can be dressed up with a few chocolate shavings and fresh raspberries on top or a dab of caramel sauce with crushed pecans. Don’t forget, brownies can be baked in mini muffin papers too! You’ll want to keep a pot of fresh coffee brewing to accompany dessert and nothing goes better with coffee than scones. Although cranberry orange is a traditional combination, it also adds a touch of color to the table. The most important thing to remember is don’t try to over-complicate things. The holidays are hectic enough without adding party stress to the equation. Don’t be afraid to get a little creative with the things you already love and make them new holiday classics. Pecan Pie Tarts 15 mini phyllo dough shells ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans 1 large egg 1/3 cup dark corn syrup 1/3 cup sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla 1 tablespoon melted butter Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Place pecans on a foil-lined cookie sheet and bake for 5-8 minutes or until toasted and aromatic. Remove pecans from cookie sheet and set aside to cool. Place mini phyllo shells on cookie sheet. In a small mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg with a fork. Stir in corn syrup, sugar, vanilla, melted butter and toasted pecans. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of pecan mixture into each mini shell. Place cookie sheet with mini pies into oven and bake for 12 minutes. Let cool completely before serving. Cranberry Orange Scones: 3 cups all purpose flour 1/3 cup sugar 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon grated orange peel 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 3/4 cup dried cranberries 1 cup chilled buttermilk Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda into large bowl. Mix in orange peel. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in dried cranberries. Gradually add buttermilk, tossing with fork until moist clumps form. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface. Knead briefly to bind dough, about 4 turns. Form dough into 1-inch-thick round. Cut into 8 wedges. Transfer wedges to prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until tops of scones are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let stand on baking sheet 10 minutes. Serve scones warm or at room temperature. Simple Chocolate Truffles 6 oz. semisweet baking chocolate, chopped 2 tablespoons butter ¼ cup heavy whipping cream 1 tablespoon white vegetable shortening ½ cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips Finely chopped nuts, fruit or candy decorations, if desired Cover cookie sheet with waxed paper. Melt baking chocolate in 2-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, remove from heat. Stir in butter until melted, stir in whipping cream. Refrigerate 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, just until thick enough to hold a shape. Drop mixture by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Shape into balls. If mixture is too sticky, refrigerate a bit longer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Heat chocolate chips and shortening over low heat, stirring constantly until chocolate is melted and shortening is completely incorporated, remove from heat. Dip truffles, one at a time into chocolate, then immediately roll in crushed pecans, chocolate jimmies, coconut, mini chocolate chips, or holiday candies. To display, place each truffle in a mini baking cup available at any cake decorating supply store. Store in airtight container, serve at room temperature.

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

2010-11-01 13:03:00

Question: I love to bake for the family around the holidays and I see “pure” vanilla in the stores but it’s much more expensive than imitation. Is it worth the difference in price?

Answer: For years, bakers have pondered over the age-old question: Real or Imitation Vanilla? With the weather changing and everyone’s thoughts starting to turn to holiday baking, let’s see if we can divine an answer. Pure vanilla, with its aromatic flavor, is the most widely used flavoring in pastries, confections and desserts around the world. It is the second most expensive spice in the world, next to saffron, and as much as chemists try, cannot be exactly replicated in an artificial form. After over a century, scientists devised a method of hand pollinating the orchids that bear the vanilla bean, allowing commercial production of vanilla. So, what does that tell us about which vanilla to buy? While vanilla is sold in several basic forms, extract is the one most commonly used by home bakers, so that’s what we’ll focus on here. Vanilla extract is produced by steeping the vanilla beans in an alcohol and water solution for several months, sometimes with sugar added, thereby producing a clear dark liquid with a rich flavor that is highly aromatic. The FDA requires that pure vanilla extract contain 13.35 ounces of vanilla beans per gallon of liquid and contain 35% alcohol. This is called one-fold vanilla extract and is what you generally find in stores labeled “Pure.” Madagascar or Bourbon vanilla are the most common types of pure vanilla and are named for the regions from which the beans are harvested. The imitation vanilla extracts are made with synthetic vanilla and products labeled vanilla flavoring are a blend of pure and imitation vanilla. Be sure to store either one in a cool, dry place. The flavor will degrade if exposed to extreme or variant temperatures, moisture or direct sunlight. Remember pure vanilla extract is 35% alcohol, so treat it as you would a fine liqueur and it will last up to 5 years. It comes down to this, how is the vanilla being used? If you are heating or baking with vanilla, a pure variety is best. It won’t break down or evaporate during the heating process the way imitations will. If you are making icings, smoothies or ice cream where the extract isn’t being cooked, then imitation will give you the delicious flavor you are looking for. Then there’s clear vanilla, but that’s a question for another day.

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Farris Farha

2007-05-01 10:29:00

Question: I began thinking about why chocolate is so good. I felt your publication would be the best place to ask this question. Why do people crave chocolate, and where did the idea of chocolate begin?

Answer: You certainly hit upon a favorite subject of mine. I bet you won’t know the following answer without looking. What population in the United States consumes approximately 65 percent of all candy that is produced each year? I bet you said “children.” Wrong. It is U. S. adults who are 18 and over. I don’t know about you, but that statistic amazes me. Now the next statement I imagine you can believe, chocolate candy sells 2 to 1 over all other kinds of candy. That’s why you and I crave chocolate. As to where it came from, history tells us that the Aztecs would prepare a hot, frothy drink from cacao beans and drink it because it would stimulate them to action and, also, had a restorative effect. It was used primarily by warriors, priests, and the nobility. The Aztecs actually felt it conferred wisdom and vitality. It was even used in sacred ceremonies. It is reported that Emperor Montezuma drank up to 50 goblets per day. Another interesting fact is the Aztec taxation policy. It was calculated in cacao beans. 100 of these beans would buy a slave. Cortez took the chocolate drink into Spain in 1529. There Spanish royalty feasted upon this treat for many years before the rest of Europe’s population began to consume it. Three centuries later, or in 1847, people credit the birth of the very first edible chocolate bar. How it happened was that a man by the name of Joseph Fry experimented by mixing together some melted cacao butter with defatted cocoa powder and sugar and pressed this paste into a mold. It came out as edible chocolate. This resulted in people not only drinking chocolate but beginning to think of eating it. While many health-conscious people prefer dark chocolate, actually candy bars made with milk chocolate seem to be the favorite. To be considered a candy bar, a confection must be made with sugar, some type of flavoring, possibly a filling, and then created into a shape that is longer than it is wide. Cadbury chocolate has been around since 1849 although their chocolate bars of today are totally different in taste than back then. People of today would think they were barely palatable because the early chocolate bars were made with bittersweet chocolate. In 1875 milk chocolate was invented when Henry Nestle who was known as a maker of evaporated milk got together with a man named Daniel Peter who was a chocolate maker. Then Rodolphe Lindt decided to add cocoa butter back to the chocolate and thus created a bar that would “snap” as well as melting on the tongue. Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar followed soon thereafter. Actually World War I is credited with attention being brought to the candy bar. It seems that the U.S. Army instructed certain American chocolate candy manufacturers to send 20 to 40 pound chocolate blocks to overseas bases. The chocolate blocks were chopped into small pieces and passed out to the American Armed Forces. By the time the war was over and the forces returned as civilians, they had developed an attachment to chocolate and wanted more. Shortly thereafter chocolate manufacturers went back to making the smaller pieces. From then on throughout the 1920’s candy bar manufacturers became prominent in the United States. In fact, as many as 40,000 different candy bars appeared during that time. The Twenties actually became known as the high point decade of the candy bar industry. In fact, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Butterfinger, and Milky Way all were invented in 1923. Between 1925 and 1938 favorites of Oh Henry, Mr. Goodbar, Snickers, 3 Musketeers, Kit Kat, and Nestle’s came into being. It is reported that many of the world’s oldest people had a passion for chocolate. Jeanne Calment was finally encouraged to give up chocolate sweets at 119, three years before she died at 122. Previous to that direction she ate two pounds of chocolate per week. Recently, there was a study of 8,000 male Harvard graduates done which showed that “chocoholics” actually lived longer than their counterpart “abstainers.” There is something in chocolate called polyphenols, and there is a theory that this protects against heart disease. There are other studies being done which suggest that chocolate consumption may improve cognitive performance, verbal and visual memory scores, and impulse-control and reaction-time. These studies need far more substantiative data, and time will tell. Today, however, chocolates of every kind and taste are readily available over the counter everywhere. If history provides bases upon which to stand, let’s agree that chocolate gives more than a quick sugar rush. Chocolate is KING!

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Farris Farha

2007-02-01 13:17:00

As Valentine’s Day is coming near, I have been thinking about candy and the origination of this mouth-watering delicacy. Can you help me?

ANSWER: One of the phrases a toddler first learns is, “give me candy.” Years ago an Arab child might have asked for “gandi” because it comes from gand, meaning a lump of sugar. An Old Italian child would have requested “zucchero candi,” while in Old French it would have come out “sucre candi.” Looking back to Middle England we find it spoken of as “sugre candi” while in the 1800’s Americans called it “sugre candi.” Nowadays children just say “candy.” However, when we talk about candy today, we don’t mean only delicacies made from pure-sugar, but we also include other treats which combine sugar or similar sweeteners with fruits, nuts, and/or chocolate. It is probably no surprise that the favorite type of candy is chocolate. I remember stories from my friends about them taking their younger brothers and sisters to the old-fashioned candy store. One of them talks about taking her youngest brother who was a mere toddler on the short walk there and encouraging him to choose the two for a penny candy. She talks with pride about giving him one piece, and guess who got the other piece? The little guy never knew any difference. Such a tactic probably wouldn’t fly today, however, since toddlers can even operate computers and thus could surely figure out they should get both pieces of candy. I have another friend’s wife who talks about her grandmother giving the children their Monday nickels, which, of course, would be spent at the corner candy store. Favorites from back then include Boston baked beans, Necco wafers, candy cigarettes, wax soda pop bottles, red wax lips, Bubble gum cigars, candy buttons, banana and chocolate BB bats, big sticks of taffy, Kits chews, Lolly pops, fireballs, and on and on. In reminiscing, I can’t even get those sweet thoughts out of my mind. Americans today enjoy almost 25 pounds per person of sweet treats each year. One of the first times candy was used as a gift idea was in 1868 when the famous Cadbury chocolates were first introduced as a way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. A couple of other bits of trivia which you might find interesting. The famous Tootsie Roll candy was named by Leo Hirshfield of New York after his daughter’s nickname, “Tootsie.” While most people think about the Baby Ruth candy bar being named after the famous baseball player, it was, in fact, named in 1920 for the daughter of President Grover Cleveland. Now the following should make you smile. Candy is considered a food per the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s “Food Pyramid.” You will remember there is a small triangle at the top of the pyramid which says “fats, oils, & sweets, use sparingly.” In accordance with its recognized nutritional value, candy’s calorie content does offer beneficial food value. This is because some candies contain milk, nuts, or fruit as part of the calories. Because calories are used by the body for energy, the calories in candy cannot be considered either “good” or “bad” but just a simple unit of heat measurement. Sit back now and enjoy those visions of sugar plums dancing in your head not just at Christmas but at Valentine’s Day and all the year through.

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Monica Schlegel

2005-06-01 10:48:00

: I'm considering a wedding gift for my sister. Can you give me a list of "have to have" items every kitchen needs for baking?

ANSWER: I'm glad to hear that your gift idea encourages baking. As busy as we all are, home baking is becoming a lost art. Whether your sister is new to baking or just wants to be prepared for the fine art of baking, here is a list of the necessary equipment. This is the perfect shopping list. Keep in mind that these are once in a lifetime purchases, buy quality.1)  Measuring Spoon SetEvery cook, especially bakers, needs a complete set of dishwasher safe measuring spoons.2) Measuring CupsBaking is an exact science. Measuring cups are very important to every level baker.3) Deep Mixing Bowl SetNot only are these deep bowls, but they have rolled lips as well. Deep mixing bowls with rolled lips (edges) make it easier for pouring. Stainless steel bowls last for a lifetime.4) Wire WhiskYou just can't efficiently stir sauces without a wire whisk.5) Bakeware SetYou can't bake without bakeware. Choose bakeware that is sturdy. Aluminum provides for even heating, which offers better baking results. They are also nonstick.6) Rubber SpatulasYou can never have too many rubber spatulas in all sizes. The spoon-shaped spatula is perfect when removing cake batter from a bowl.7) Cooling RackNot only is it good for cooling baked goods, but it can be used as a roasting rack too.8) ApronsWhen I bake, I can get really messy. Aprons are always a good investment.9) Oven MittsSome people are pot holder people and some people are oven mitt people. If you always seem to burn yourself with a pot holder, try mitts.

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Monica Schlegel

2005-05-01 09:03:00

: How did the Bundt Cake get its name?

ANSWER: H. David Dalquist designed and created the aluminum Bundt pan in 1950 at the request of members of the Minneapolis Chapter of the Hadassah Society, a Jewish volunteer organization. The Hadassah women were in the midst of learning how to prepare a "light and fluffy" sponge cake when a fellow member decided that she wanted to bake the heavier cakes she remembered from her native Germany. She knew that it took a heavy pan to turn out heavy cakes, but no such pans were to be found in the United States. They had old ceramic cake pans of somewhat similar design but wanted an aluminum pan. Dalquist created a new shape and added regular folds to make it easier to cut the cake. The cake pan became the top-selling cake pan in the world, selling more than 50 million under Dalquist's Nordic Ware company name. They called the pans 'bund pans' as the German word 'bund' loosely translated means "a gathering of people." Unfortunately, 'Bund' was also the name of a German American group in the 1930s that was pro-Hitler. So Dalquist added a 't' on the end of 'bund' and trademarked the name.However, the success of the Bundt pan was not immediate. For years, the company sold very few pans. In 1966, a Texas woman won second place in the Pillsbury Bake-Off for her Tunnel of Fudge Cake made in a Bundt pan. The win prompted nationwide attention for the pan, which currently sells more than one million a year.Although best known for his Bundt pan, Dalquist is also responsible for pioneering the glass carousel that rotates in the microwave. H. David Dalquist died just this past January 2005 of heart failure. He was 86.

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Monica Schlegel

2005-04-01 09:21:00

: I love to entertain, but it just seems like the more notice I give people, the harder it becomes to get everyone together. Is it still considered etiquette to send invitations for a party two weeks in advance?

ANSWER:  People seem to be busier than ever with children, work, and family events. Special occasion parties and holiday events do tend to get scheduled far in advance. I suppose it is still considered etiquette to send invitations two weeks in advance, but if you are following this practice and still having trouble with attendance, maybe you should try another tactic… Have a party for "no" occasion! Some examples may include: a long-lost friend calls and wants to come visit you; someone gets a raise or promotion; or your child gets a good grade. You can also have a party for no reason--just the fact that you all get together is reason enough. Here are some tips for pulling together a last-minute, no stress, no occasion party:• Most guests ask if they can bring something when you call to invite them. Have a list ready of things you need, and if they ask, assign them an item to bring.• When guests arrive early and offer to help, let them! Have them do things such as light candles, set out the food or hang streamers.• Use a roll of wrapping paper as a table runner.• Save the comic section from the Sunday paper and make colorful confetti or streamers out of it.• When cooking something for a spur-of-the-moment party, make something fast and easy like tortilla or pita pizzas. Put out a variety of ingredients you may already have, such as cheese, veggies or meats of your choice. Have each guest spread spaghetti sauce on the tortilla or pita, put on the toppings of your choice and broil it for a couple of minutes.• Here's another simple snack idea: Mix equal parts mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese, and spread it on white bread. Place it under the broiler, and you have a tasty snack everyone can enjoy. The idea is to spend time with family and friends, not to make work for you.Put on some music or immerse yourself into great conversation. Just enjoy sharing time with family and friends on the spur of the moment.

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Candy, Chocolate & Sweets

Lori Horton

1969-12-31 18:00:00

Question: I enjoy making cakes for my family, but they just never turn out like I want. How do I get rid of the lop-sided cake with icing sliding down the sides and make it look more professional?

Answer: Like most things, there are lots of factors to getting a beautifully decorated cake. If you don’t get a perfectly baked cake, there’s not a lot you can do to turn it into a perfectly decorated cake. So, where to start? The oven must be leveled. There are feet on the bottom that can be screwed in or out to raise or lower each corner. You’ll also need to check the temperature. Whether your oven is new or old, the temperature can be off by as much as 50 degrees. Investing in a simple oven thermometer will save you a lot of headaches. It should have a small hanger on the top that will hook onto your oven rack as close to the center of the oven as possible. Now you’ll know if you need to adjust the setting to reflect the actual temperature. These things may seem simple, but they can have a big impact on your baking and cooking. Next, having the right cake pan is key. It should be a heavy, bright aluminum pan with perfectly straight sides. How can you tell if the sides are straight? If two pans that are the same size stack into each other, they can’t be straight sided. Professional cake pans are not cheap, but they are worth every penny if you want to bake a beautiful cake. To extend the life of your pans, they should be hand washed. This is a good rule for most cake decorating supplies, even if they are labeled dishwasher safe. It is very hard on the finishes. Good brands like Magic Line are available at any cake decorating shop and if taken care of, will last you forever! Be sure to coat the pans with baking spray or a good old fashioned layer of shortening and flour. Now that the oven is set and the pans are prepared, you need to think about cake batter. There are two schools of thought on this one: scratch versus boxed cake mix. There is no right answer, whatever your family likes, that’s what you should use! However, regardless of what sized cake pan you are using, it should be filled 1/2 to 2/3 full of batter. This should give you a nice full cake, ready to level and layer. When making a double layer cake, it is much easier to have two pans of each size to save time and keep you from having to stop and wash a pan during baking. Be sure the oven is preheated and bake the cakes according to the mix or recipe directions. Check doneness with a toothpick in the center of each cake. It should come out clean in a couple of spots. Let the cake cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes so you can comfortable touch the pan. If the cake has risen above the pan a little bit with a slight “crown” top, this will need to be cut off to make a nice flat layer. Once you have two leveled layers, it’s time to stack them together. On a wrapped cake board, place the cut side of the first layer down and add an even coating of icing on top. Place the second layer, also cut side down, on top of the icing. It’s important to note here to not try to make too thick a layer of filling. If you over fill your cake, it will bulge out and make a messy side to your cake. Give the top cake a gentle push to settle the cake and you are ready to decorate. Getting a nicely iced cake is all about the frosting. Rule #1: always make your frosting from scratch. While canned icings may be tasty, they are generally too soft for decorating beyond topping a sheet cake in the pan. You want a recipe that will give you a suitable texture for decorating and will be pure white so you can add colors if you want. To get a pure white frosting, you will need a shortening based butter cream. I know what you’re thinking, but we’re not making health food here. I am attaching a super easy, very inexpensive butter cream recipe at the end of this article. If you’ve been too intimidated to try making frosting before, give this one a shot. I think you’ll be surprised. With a creamy, medium consistency frosting and a little practice, you will be able to ice up your cake and make it look very professional. The decorating doesn’t have to be extra fancy, you can use different shapes and colors of candy to create designs or to just add your favorite flavors to the cake. Some favorites of mine include crushed cookies, chopped candy bars, chocolate chips and fresh fruit. It’s really all about presentation, so don’t forget to dress up the cake board or place your cake on a pretty platter or stand. Basic Buttercream Icing 1 cup solid (unflavored) vegetable shortening 1 lb. sifted powdered sugar 4-6 tablespoons milk or water 1 tablespoon clear flavoring (clear vanilla, almond, clear butter, cream bouquet, butter vanilla, or any combination of these) In large bowl cream shortening and flavoring. Slowly add sugar a cup at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl often. Mixture will be very dry (almost crumbly). Add milk or water a tablespoon at a time until icing is smooth and creamy. Buttercream icing will come out different depending on the weather and humidity so don’t be afraid to leave out some milk or add a little extra if the texture doesn’t seem right. If the icing is soupy or shiny, it’s too soft. If you could lay bricks with it, add a little milk or water, it’s too stiff! This recipe will make approximately 3 cups of icing and can be mixed as a double batch with great results. Good luck and happy decorating!