Famous Cookbooks on Gourmet Cakes

Gourmet cakes are delectable desserts that can be bought in stores. It can be given as a gift, as a dessert, or for anniversaries, birthdays and other special celebrations. You can also bake one yourself and save a lot from it. You can look into recipe books to guide you.

Here are some of the famous gourmet cake recipe cookbooks:

Junior's Cheesecake Cookbook

This cheesecake recipe cookbook made by Beth Allen and Alan Rosen contains 50 delectable recipes for cheesecakes, New York style.

This is based from the best cheesecake selling restaurant known as Junior's Restaurant. They are now revealing their all-time favorite recipes so that everyone can enjoy their award winning cheesecakes. Some of the cheesecake recipes they included are the All Cream Cheese, On a Sponge Cake Crust, and No Sour Cream among others. This is from the Junior's Original New York Cheesecake, which started everything, up to the cheesecakes with a twist in flavor like Rocky Road, Pumpkin Mousse and Banana Fudge.

It also includes small cheesecake recipes like Little Fellas to their newest creation, their Skyscraper Cheesecakes with layers of cake flavors like Lemon Coconut, Carrot Cake and Boston Cream Pie among others.

This recipe book was released just last October 2007. It is illustrated with English texts. It has about 176 pages. The author of the book is Alan Rosen, Harry Rosen's grandson. Hence, Harry Rosen is the founder of Junior's Restaurant situated in Times Square, Grand Central Station and Brooklyn.

The Cake Mix Doctor

This recipe book was made by no less than Anne Byrn. The book mainly focuses on cake recipes with a touch of doctoring for the actual package. This is thru touches of cocoa powder, sweet butter, poppy seeds, and eggs, vanilla yoghurt, grated lemon zest and sherry that make up the delicious Charleston Poppy Seed Cake.

With the recipes in this book, even beginners can learn recipes like Toasted Coconut sour Cream Cake and Devilishly Good Chocolate Cake to Caramel Cake, Holiday Yule Log and various cheesecake recipes. There are also sheet cakes, coffee cakes, bars and brownies and pound cakes.

The book comprises of 175 quick and easy-to-cook cake recipes. The foods are tender, moist, deep, rich and even complexly flavored. This is all thanks to Anne Byrn, a self-described purist and award-winning food writer. Her recipes promote ease-of-use, convenience and dependability. It also has a Q&A portion where in all possible questions and tips about cooking cakes are indicated. This recipe book comprises of 464 pages in paperback material. It was published last November 1999 in English text.

Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations

This recipe book was written by renowned cooking teacher, Nancie McDermott. Residing in North Carolina, she was able to make this book possible with the help of Becky Luigart-Stayner, a photographer of various magazines and living in Alabama.

You will love the cake recipes of Southerners, especially the chocolate goodness of the Mississippi Mud. This book consists of 65 recipes like Peanut Cake, Humble Pear Bread, Jelly Rolls and Jam Cakes among others. It even has a whole chapter for coconut and chocolate cakes. You will also learn from its section on Baking 101 about cake basics and finishing touches such as frosting the cakes. It also has tips on storage, assuring fresh and long-lasting flavors for every slice.

It was published last June 2007 in English. It has 168 pages and paperback bound.

Recipes For Delicious Pies That Are Easy to Make - Gelatin Fruit & Cream and No Crust Coconut Pies

Pies make wonderful desserts but some people think pies are hard to make and stay away from them, usually because they have trouble making the pastry crust. Here are some pie recipes that are easy but very tasty. Surprise your family and friends with one of these pies are your next get-together! Choose from an easy Gelatin Fruit and Cream Pie made in a graham cracker crust or this No Crust Coconut Pie which makes its own crust while baking.

GELATIN FRUIT AND CREAM PIE

4-oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup thawed frozen whipped topping
1 6-oz graham cracker pie crust
1 pkg (4-serving size) gelatin (use flavor to compliment selected fruit)
1 pkg (4-serving size) vanilla cook and serve pudding and pie filling
1 1/4 cups water
2 cups sliced fruit (your choice)

Mix together the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a large bowl until well blended. Stir in the whipped topping. Spread in the crust and refrigerate.

In a medium saucepan, mix together the gelatin, pudding mix, and water until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture just comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in your selected fruit. Spoon the mixture over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Garnish with whipped cream and a slice of the selected fruit, if desired. Store leftover pie in the refrigerator.

NO CRUST COCONUT PIE

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups milk
7-oz flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar, butter, flour, vanilla, and milk. Mix together well. Stir in the coconut with a spoon. Pour into 2 9-inch pie pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.

Enjoy!

How to Create Various Types of Wind Chimes

In Ancient China, wind chimes were used in the temples and official ceremonies. Later on, this instrument found itself moving to the Eastern Asian neighbors as an instrument that played part in Feng Shui.

It was believed to carry good health, fortune and prosperity through the beautiful tunes it created as the wind passes through the chimes.

Wind chimes are is easily assembled. Often, materials vary from natural stones, bamboo, coconut or sea shells. Others use steel, ceramics, metal or glass to form different elegant styles. Still others combined a number of materials to come up with lantern chimes.

A guide in the art of crafting wind chimes

In coming up with the chimes, hollow wood tubes or rods are employed and painted with varnish. Painting is important to keep the materials safe from the destructive elements of nature such as heat and water since they are are placed outside of the house. With paintings, wind chimes are assured of servicing for a long time.

Glass is one of the most favorite materials used in making wind chimes due to its easy availability and it comes in different forms: bottles, crystal and depressed, or even better, vintage. These glasses are then tied up using strings that should not easily break because if they do not, the glasses which it is supposed to tie up would easily fall to the ground breaking these glasses.

To create deep solid tones, one should use metal as the material. By adjusting the angle of certain placements of the components and the way the materials are tied up, the tune alters. Plus, the kind of metal affects the tune.

Now that you have an idea on the materials, you may want to choose your own kind of wind chimes from the idea above.

To provide you with variety, you can check out some magazines or periodicals, then make a list of the necessary materials that fancy you. After the materials are acquired, you are now ready to create your own tune using the wind chimes.

Best Cupcake Recipe - Part 2

www.momisblogging.com , It's a versatile recipe - I have omitted the white chocolate out before and used the sponge to make apple sponge - it was YUM!, http



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTMa0QEgUPE&hl=en

Canape Calling

o Cut thinnish slices of baguette, brush them with olive oil and bake them in a hot oven (200C/400F/Gas mark 6) for about 10 minutes until golden. You now have a batch of crostini which will keep well, cooled and sealed in a plastic bag, for about a week, just waiting for you to top them with deliciousness for near instant canapes. Top them with:

o Slices of soft goat's cheese, grilled until bubbling, topped with a sliver of roasted red pepper (from a jar, for speed)
o A dollop of creme fraiche and some smoked salmon or trout
o A sliver of rare roast beef, a dab of horseradish and frilly frond of dill
o Goat's cheese, prosciutto and a tiny bit of fresh fig or, for a veggie option, goat's cheese or Gorgonzola, fig and the merest trickle of chestnut honey
o Some cooked crab meat mixed with finely chopped spring onion, coriander, sour cream, a squeeze of lime and a plash of Tabasco

o Wrap bocconicini (mini balls of mozzarella) in a basil leaf, then a piece of Parma ham, and skewer with a cocktail stick

o Tart up some plain old cashews or almonds by roasting in the oven at 200C/400F/Gas mark 6 until just golden and fragrant, about 8 minutes, then tossing in a tablespoon of melted butter or warm olive oil, a tablespoon of flaky sea salt, a tablespoon of light brown sugar, ½1/2 a teaspoon of smoked paprika and a couple of tablespoons of finely chopped rosemary. Serve warmmmmmmm.

o Got a favourite sausage? Remove the casings from a few and form the mixture into mini patties or meatballs, fry until lightly browned and cooked through and serve on cocktail sticks with a chili dipping sauce or some hot English mustard mixed with a little creme fraiche.

o Split and stone a Medjool date, put a small chunk of Parmesan inside, wrap in a bit of thin, streaky bacon or prosciutto, secure with a cocktail stick and bake for five minutes at 220C/450F/Gas mark 8, turn over and bake for five minutes more until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately.

o Crunchy, slightly bitter endive leaves make great 'spoons' to serve tasty morsels on. Some good additions are crab or shrimp salad, a dollop of ricotta with some toasted walnuts and raisins or a salad of tiny cubes of mango and chicken dressed in a splash of toasted sesame oil and lime juice and seasoned with coriander and a little finely chopped red chili.

Handmade Sarong Buckles

If you want to spice up your usual boring sarong apparel, then go and get a sarong buckle. Make sure to get a really nice buckle. Obviously, the buckle will be the one to draw people's attention, so it is just proper to get something that looks really good. Well, if you do not have any idea on what will look good on you, you can consider handmade sarong buckles. Handmade sarong buckles are actually among the trendiest types of buckles now. Their strong and unique appearance makes them a favorite of many. You can find these items in stores as well as in online shops.

You just need to type in the words "handmade sarong buckles" and a variety of websites will show up. Here, you will be able to find lots of sellers and artisans. Make sure to only purchase from reliable people. You can read their feedback first, before you buy a buckle. The Internet can be a good place for sellers an buyers, but it is also a place that most scammers use. So, choose wisely and do not let scammers fool you.

Handmade sarong buckles are usually made from coconut shells or mother of pearls. Their usual colors range from brown to beige. They are also often shaped into hearts, dolphins, butterflies, the number eight, and flowers. They may look simple at first glance; but if you will take a closer look, you will realize that they are intricately made and designed. These handmade sarong buckles are carefully crafted by independent artists who mostly live in Asia, particularly in the Philippines and Indonesia. The native feel of these buckles adds to their uniqueness. In addition, the quality of these items is good since each piece was meticulously inspected.

So, if you buy handmade sarong buckles, you contribute to the livelihood of these independent artisans. Plus, you get to own a piece of art which is also a part of nature. In this day and age, most products and accessories are made of artificial materials. They are also often made by machines. This means that the factories where they come from contribute in air, land, and water pollution. So, owning and wearing handmade sarong buckles will let your partake in the conservation of nature. It will also make you different from the rest of the crowd. You will get the sense of being one with nature too while showing your uniqueness and personal style. Moreover, you will surely be the center of attention in a beach party if you arrive wearing handmade sarong buckles. Other girls will envy you for wearing such a cool piece of accessory. They will also admire you for your classy taste.

Fit of Despair - Apple Crumble With Whipped Coconut Cream

Let's say it's Thanksgiving, and you've just been diagnosed with gluten and casein intolerance. Suddenly you are faced with a life of no wheat and no dairy. Ever. You and your loving boyfriend are cruising the grocery aisles, planning your holiday feast: ham (read label, check additives...okay), roasting potatoes, baby carrots, green beans. All is well, until your loving boyfriend wanders into the bakery and begins fingering cakes. He pauses at an angel food, ponders a chocolate torte, and finally, after much deliberation, settles on a deep dish honey crunch apple pie. "Let's get ice cream!" he exclaims.

In your mind he is writhing on the floor in a pool of melted French Vanilla, clutching his groin. In reality, you grit your teeth and follow him through the dairy aisle (pretending not to notice the Chunky Monkey you will NEVER TASTE AGAIN), hit the checkout, drive home, open the ice cream, spit in it, put it and the damned pie away and finally collapse in a fit of despair. Then you make this awesome apple crumble, which is only for you because you have become someone with Special Dietary Needs, and people with Special Dietary Needs can call no share-sies.

Fit of Despair Apple Crumble
amounts are approximate - just go by feel

2 apples, peeled halved and sliced
2 tsp sugar (or sweetener of choice)
Cinnamon (as much as you want)
1 tsp ghee (or so)

Crumbly bit:
2 tsp ghee (approx)
¼ cup brown sugar (or sweetener of choice)
¼ cup almond flour (ground almonds)
¼ cup or so crumbled pecans or other nuts

1. Grease a pan with ghee. Chuck apple slices in pan, sprinkle with sugar/sweetener and cinnamon. Dot with 2 tsp ghee.

2. Mix the other 2 tsp of ghee into brown sugar/sweetener. Mix with almond flour and nuts. Plop atop apples. Bake covered at 350 for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake until crumbly bit has browned and apples are tender, about 30 minutes or so depending on your oven, the weather, whether the moon is in Mars, etc.

3. Serve warm or cold. Top with whipped coconut cream. And let everyone else eat their crummy store-bought pie. Wheat-eating losers.

Whipped Coconut Cream

1 can coconut milk
Vanilla extract or vanilla bean
Sugar/sweetener

Okay kids, I'll give it to you straight - this one's a labour of love. It's pissy and touchy and annoying as hell, but sooooooooo worth it.

First, you gotta let a can of coconut milk sit for a day or so, so that the water separates. Sometimes you'll get a can in which this has happened. Unfortunately, it'll never be when you want to make whipped coconut cream. I have found that getting a brand to which water has been added makes this easier.

After a day or so, stick it in the freezer for another day. See, this is annoying and requires advance prep.

Remove from freezer and open both ends of the can. Ta da! The water bit has frozen separately from the creamy bit. Use one lid to push the whole thing out in a big block, then hack off the watery bit. If you have a can opener that cuts around the outside of the can rim, and therefore cannot use the lid to push said block, do what I did and chip away at the watery bit with a huge knife. Profuse swearing will make the process seem faster.

Stick the frozen creamy bit in a food processor and whiz. Add a capful or so of vanilla extract, or snip and squeeze the innards of a vanilla bean. Bung in some sugar/sweetener. Taste and adjust according to how sweet and vanilla-y you want it. (Note - extract is fine, but bean innards will give you lovely brown specks throughout PLUS the smug satisfaction that can only come from using an honest-to-god vanilla bean). Stuff whip into a freezer bag or other storage apparatus and let it sit in the fridge for another day or so.

It won't be as whippy as, say, Cool Whip -but it'll be BETTER.

What is ghee?

Sigh. Ghee, you dairy freaks, is clarified butter. Basically you take butter (organic, unsalted) and heat it in a pan until the milk solids separate (30-60min), strain it, and you're left with butterfat that tastes sort of caramelly and nice. You can buy ghee many places, especially at Indian markets, but I prefer to make my own because I a) am a control freak and b) don't often go out. Use it wherever you'd use butter.