How Black Beans Help And A Black Bean Recipe

As more and more people become aware of this particular food called the black bean the interest in it has also become heightened. Originating from Mexico and very much a part of the South American diet, these black beans have been proven to be quite a nutritionally pack food group indeed. Today it is popularly found in most restaurants and homes in various forms such as salads, staples and other delicious dishes.

The black beans consists of high protein and fiber contents and is considered very nourishing as both these essential elements are present within one food item. Fiber and proteins are considered very important to the wholesome function of a healthy body. Besides this it also has flavonoid anti oxidants content which assist the body avoid oxygen related damage. Black beans also consists of omega 3 fatty acids and has a high nutritional value.

Black beans salad are also very easy to incorporate into most meals as it has a basic flavor of rich smokiness, which gives added character to any dish. The velvet texture, shape and color hold well during cooking and makes for a very interesting looking ingredient indeed.

Black Bean Salad

Ingredients:

The Salad - (I try to keep the cuts not too much bigger than the beans & corn - for appearance & to get a little of everything in a spoonful)

• 2 lbs. black beans (I have a pressure cooker, but go ahead, use 2 15 oz. cans, well-rinsed.)
• 2 lbs. cooked sweet corn, cut from the cob (OK, you can use 2 - 15 oz. cans of whole kernel corn or 2 lbs. of frozen corn, drained)
• 8 green onions, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, large, minced
• 2-3 jalapeno peppers, cleaned, diced (more if you like)
• 1 green Bell pepper, cleaned, diced (I also sometimes add a small sweet red pepper, for both sweetness & color)
• 1 ripe avocado, large, pitted, peeled and diced
• 1 jar (4 oz) pimentos, drained
• 3 tomatoes, seeded & diced
• 1C fresh cilantro, chopped

Sea salt & fresh cracked black pepper to taste

The Dressing

• 3 T fresh lime juice
• 2 T fresh orange juice
• 2-1/2 tsp lime zest
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Sea salt & fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Season with the salt & pepper. Whisk the dressing vigorously to incorporate. Add the dressing to the salad and gently toss to combine everything. Chill until ready to serve. Lightly toss again prior to serving.

Prepare this salad at least 4 hours prior to serving to let everything - except the avocado - marry joyfully in the bowl.

You do want to let the avocado bathe in the lime juice of the dressing - better presentation that way, and you can store the avocado pieces in a small container. Then, pour the dressing off the avocado and mix the salad with the dressing, then dress the top of the salad with the avocado pieces at service.

Very pretty dish & the absence of any oil seems to make all the veggies sparkle in a light citrus glow. You want this salad well chilled, but if you don't bathe the avocados in the dressing first, they will end up looking like grey lumps of pork as the air hits them.

Choose Your Salmon Recipe By Its Preparation Method

Salmon is one of the tastiest fish to come from the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Indeed, you can also find salmon in the Great Lakes of Michigan as well as several other kinds of lakes all around the world. This global presence means that you can find a good salmon recipe almost anywhere in the world.

Salmon are born in fresh bodies of water and then migrate out to the ocean. When it is time to spawn, the salmon then return to fresh water for reproduction. It is said that salmon return to the same place where they were born. Salmon, more often than not, have a pretty pinkish tinge to the inner flesh of the fish. This pink color is not the normal white color of salmon. The color can be blamed on the shrimp that salmon eat. Most wild caught salmon will have this color. As for farm raised salmon, their fish feed is laced with astaxanthin, the same chemical that turns shrimp pink. Most people prefer a pink flesh salmon for their favorite salmon recipe.

Salmon Recipe Preparations

Salmon is a relatively firm flesh fish which makes it a candidate for a good grilling salmon recipe. There is something about cooking over an open flame that brings out the wholesome flavor of the fish. Of course, there is something to be said for pan searing a salmon fillet to retain the entire fish flavor as well as seal in the juices for moisture.

You might find a salmon recipe or two that requires boiling this fish. Boiling does not retain the flavor as much as baking or broiling and is typically done just to cook the fish so that it can be flaked or shredded for seafood salads or even croquettes.

Because there are a number of varieties of salmon out in the oceans, your salmon recipe will dictate what cut of fish you are planning to cook. Fillets generally will have the skin still intact on one side. This makes for easy smoking, grilling and baking. Steaks are firmer and more substantial against an open flame in the barbecue pit.

A Basic Baked Salmon Recipe

When it comes to baked salmon, choose your favorite cut of fish. Prepare a shallow baking pan and line it with foil, then lightly grease with a cooking spray or vegetable shortening. Dont forget to pre-heat your oven to 425F.

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Seasonings (choose from a particular cuisine like Mexican or Italian)
• Minced Onion
• Minced Garlic

In a small bowl, pour enough olive oil to adequately coat the fish on both sides. Mix in with the olive oil your favorite spices. Choose basil, oregano, marjoram and minced garlic for an Italian flair of this salmon recipe. For a Mexican flair, add a little freshly chopped cilantro along with a little oregano along with chipolte pepper, comino and minced garlic.

Once all of the spices and the olive oil have been mixed together, you will want to place your salmon in the baking pan. Spread the olive oil mixture on the top of the fish and bake for approximately 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the filet. Your salmon recipe is done if you can easily flake the fish with a fork.

Ingredient For A Great Salsa Recipe

Salsa is often used to describe a sauce of Mexican origins. Although the word salsa is also used to describe a dance, music and some kinds of Italian and Spanish sauces, in English, it describes the Mexican sauce. The traditional salsa recipe from Mexico is spicy and hot but sometimes the level of taste of the salsa depends on the preference of the maker. Salsa is usually used as dips for nachos and other corn based food.

Salsas became popular in the United States of America during the Second World War when there was shortage of the production of catsup. This is why most Americans are more familiar with the salsa roja or red sauce made from cooked tomatoes.

The Makings of Great Salsa Recipe

There are a great many salsa recipes around. The traditional salsa recipe usually contains spices and tomatoes although there are also salsas that do not contain tomatoes. Most salsa mixtures are produce using a bender these days but before you would have needed a traditional Mexican mortar and pestle to make great pasta.

A well loved salsa recipe is the red sauce and the raw sauce. The red sauce if made from cooked tomatoes and several spics and herbs. It is usually used as a condiment in the United States and Mexico. The raw sauce salsa recipe calls for raw tomatoes, chili peppers, lime juice, cilantro leaves, onions and others fresh herbs and spice. These are all coarsely chopped and mixed well.

Sometimes, if you do not know any salsa recipe, you can mix together some tomatoes and other spices to make your own salsa. Other more exotic salsa combinations are with chocolate and another salsa recipe calls for avocado. Pineapples, mango or mint are also some of the additional ingredients for a great salsa recipe.

Commercially prepared salsa is also fast becoming a trend in the United Sates of America and around the world. These are more of the red sauce varieties and come in exotic containers and often sold in supermarkets and grocery stores as dips. The raw sauce is often mixed with vinegar to improve the products longevity in the shelves. Without the vinegar, the salsa recipe will go stale in just a short while.

The more popular brands of salsa are Tostitos, Old El Paso, La Victoria, Newmans Own and Taco Bell. These are used mainly for dips and other chips made from potatoes or ground corn.

The Ever Versatile Sugar Cookie Recipe

Sugar cookies are versatile, easy to make and are perhaps the most popular cookie on the planet! The first sugar cookie recipe can be traced back to the mid 18th century and has gone through a number of transformations over the years. Snickerdoodles, a delectable variation of the sugar cookie, has hints of cinnamon and is just one of many of these forms.

Why Sugar Cookie Ingredients Make a Difference

You would think that one sugar cookie recipe is rather close in ingredients and preparation as another. However, nothing could be farther from the truth and is the reason why many people stick with their tried and true sugar cookie recipe that was handed down from grandma. It can be quite mind-boggling sifting through hundreds of recipes for sugar cookies on the internet or even through your cookbooks.

The primary ingredient sugar is not cut and dried when it comes to a sugar cookie recipe. You could use the regular granulated white sugar; however there are super fine granulated sugar versions that could be incorporated into a recipe and even brown sugar, a southern favorite. The flavoring extract often used in a sugar cookie recipe is vanilla, but you could substitute it for almond extract or even butter extract for a totally new taste.

Even the binding part (the ingredients that make the flour and sugar stick together) of any sugar cookie recipe can be vastly different. Some recipes use lard while other recipes use vegetable shortening, butter or a combination of all of them. Butter is typically used with most recipes to give the sugar cookie a nice flavor. If the sugar cookie recipe calls for lard in addition to the butter, you can expect the cookie to be crisp and delightfully crumby. However, if the recipe used vegetable shortening with the butter, you can expect a crisp, yet chewy cookie instead.

Your Sugar Cookie Recipe Options

Practically everyone has had a sugar cookie in some form or another. Therefore, by deciding the type of sugar cookie you want, you could greatly reduce the number of recipes you may weed through in finding just the right one. For instance, there are sugar cookie recipes for cut-outs as well as drop cookies, refrigerator cookies and even cookies from a mold or press.

A drop sugar cookie recipe is rather quick and easy with you just dropping the dough by spoonfuls on a baking sheet. A refrigerator cookie involves you refrigerating the dough, sometimes rolling it into a log shape so that it is easy to cut slices for baking. Sugar cookie cutouts involve rolling out the dough onto a floured cutting board and using cookie cutters to make shapes. With a press or mold, the dough is conformed into a certain shape.

The bottom line is that each sugar cookie recipe will produce a slightly different cookie. The only thing that should always stay the same is how you bake it. Always use a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper covering it as this not only keeps cookies from sticking, but you will rarely have a problem with burning your cookies.

Easy Parmesan Zucchini Bread Recipe

If you have plenty of zucchini, you will enjoy making this easy Parmesan zucchini bread. Zucchini is an abundant vegetable for the farmers who decide to put this into their garden. If you are not a gardener and you have a craving for a hearty loaf of zucchini bread, you will also enjoy making this zucchini bread recipe.

Zucchini, Onions And Parmesan Cheese

Unlike many other zucchini breads, this zucchini bread is not sweet or spicy bread. This zucchini bread recipe gets its flavor from the zucchini, onions and Parmesan cheese. You will find this bread is suitable for all meals and you will even be able to make hearty sandwiches with it or toast it for your breakfast.

This zucchini bread recipe is also a quick bread that uses baking powder and baking soda to allow the bread to rise. The zucchini bread recipe is also enriched with the addition of buttermilk although you can substitute cream, milk or water for this addition.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1 tablespoon grated onion

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil and flour a baking pan that is sized 9″ x 5″.
2. In a large bowl, add and mix the flour, Parmesan cheese, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Blend well and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Add the buttermilk, sugar and butter and beat the mixture with a fork until it is well blended.
4. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and only blend until the flour is moistened and the batter is still lumpy.
5. Add the zucchini and onion to your zucchini bread batter.
6. Pour your batter into the greased and floured baking pan. Put it into the oven and bake for one hour or more. Check for doneness by putting a toothpick into the middle of the loaf. If the toothpick comes out clean, your zucchini bread is done.
7. Place your bread in the pan on a rack to cool for ten minutes. Remove from the pan.

This zucchini bread recipe is suitable for all cooks, including novices. You can serve this bread as nutritious bread for your soup or it also is suitable for the dinner table.

Strawberry Shortcake — A Recipe For A Delicious And Healthy Dessert

Cakes, cookies, and pies are just a few of the many desserts that are both known and loved. Many people cant say no to a sweet treat, but others feel the need to refuse desserts that they consider to be high in calories and sugar. This makes it hard to find a dessert recipe that pleases everyone. However, strawberry shortcake recipes can do just that! Although they are relatively healthy compared to most other desserts, strawberry shortcake recipes are extremely delicious as well!

Following A Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

The first step in following a strawberry shortcake recipe is to make the filling. In order to make the filling, you will need one-half teaspoon of vanilla extract, one cup of heavy whipping cream, two tablespoons of sugar, four cups of sliced strawberries, and two tablespoons of sugar. First, combine the berries and sugar in a bowl and allow them to macerate in the refrigerator for several hours. In a separate bowl, whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla; cover and refrigerate.

The next part of the strawberry shortcake recipe involves making the shortcake portion of the dessert. The ingredients needed for this include: two-thirds cup of cream or buttermilk, two cups of self-rising flour, eight tablespoons of unsalted butter, one large egg, and two tablespoons of sugar.

First, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Combine the sugar and flour in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times. Divide the butter into eight pieces and add to the mixture. Pulse approximately fifteen times to mix. Next, whisk together the egg and cream, add this to the mixture, and pulse once again. Place the dough in a pan and bake for fifteen to twenty minutes on the middle rack of the oven. Invert and allow to cool.

Next, you will need to assemble the strawberry shortcake. Split the shortcake in two and place one round on a platter. Place half of the berries and cream on top, and then add the second shortcake round. Top with the remaining berries and cream. Now it is time to serve and enjoy!

Healthy Alternatives

To make the strawberry shortcake recipe even healthier, there are several substitutions you can make. First, you can substitute half of the sugar with calorie-free Splendid. Replacing only half the sugar will allow you to keep the same taste. You can also select low-fat cream to use in the recipe.

Recipe For Success

You cant go wrong if you follow this strawberry shortcake recipe. Not only will you please the sugar-loving crowd, but you will also create a dessert that appeals to the health conscious.

The Different Traditional American Desserts

Like any ordinary man, most Americans love to eat especially desserts. Desserts are practically what satisfy everybody right after every meal. That is why; Americans have come up with traditional American desserts to cater to not only the Americans, but also to other dessert lovers all around the world.

There are a lot of American desserts that are very popular worldwide. Great examples are the classic American cheesecakes. These American desserts are made from cream cheese and these are added with sugar as well as vanilla essence, sour cream and lemon juice. The mixed cream is then added onto a cracker crust, and then properly chilled before they are served. American cheesecakes should not be over beaten as they could destroy the proper consistency of the cream cheese itself. Over the years, these well-loved American cheesecakes have been modified a number of times, creating more and more variations to further satisfy the needs of the dessert lovers worldwide.

Banana splits are also another examples of American desserts. With three different scoops of ice cream placed on a bowl, garnished with slices of banana, sprinkled with chocolate syrup on top, these American desserts are perfectly what kids love to have after every meal. Presently, chefs have been able to master the art of proper presentation of these banana splits that are sure ways to make people, both young and old, crave for these delightful desserts. They are delicious, they are classic, and they are healthy as well.

American Desserts are basically the same with the other desserts worldwide. While there are some that go for these traditional delights, many people are still concerned of the thought of having additional calories brought about by these desserts. Happily, there are artificial sweeteners that can handle with these concerns. In fact, most of the American Desserts are made from low fat and low calorie content, and some of them are actually sugar free. No one can really tell the difference!

For you to enjoy the delightful recipes of American desserts, you can browse online and learn a whole lot more about them. There are more than a thousand American desserts available. This fact only goes to show how much people love to binge on sweet temptations. American desserts are certainly the best. Not only they are yummy and delicious, but they are surprisingly nutritious as well. Treat yourselves with a serving or two of American desserts. After all, everybody has a sweet tooth within them, right? Everybody and that includes you!

Best Desserts Of The World

Tempting and sumptuous desserts are gastronomically irresistible. A delicious and charming dessert is one of the most-loved courses of a meal ending the dining experience with heavenly sweetness. Every country around the globe has come up with different varieties of sweet concoctions to delight not just the palates but the eyes as well. Some of these heavenly concoctions are renditions of the world’s best desserts, which everyone loves.

The best desserts are the ones popularly ordered and served in fancy restaurants, diners, fast food joints, homes, and other dining places. It is the sweet treats that everyone continually craves and can’t stop from indulging with. It is also popular in a way that ingredients in making these desserts are more accessible and available. Some of these desserts have recipes passed from generations to generations and from places to other places. But one important thing to remember is that the best desserts need not to be really expensive that’s why it is often called the diner’s delight.

Some of the best desserts in the world include gourmet cakes, ice cream, fruits, and sweetened drinks. If you travel abroad, you’d notice that every sweet-tooth takes refuge to these sweet delights. Why? Read on.
The classic gourmet cake is perhaps the most popular dessert ever with its unlimited varieties and versatile gastronomic appeal that pleases both kids and the kids at heart. It comes in chocolate, fruit, and other delicious flavors and could be consumed in large or tiny slices. Some of the cakes are made with artificial sweeteners to entice diabetics and the weight-conscious. With its sweet creamy icing and spongy soft cake, this dessert would always be an enjoyable treat.

Icy cold and creamy sweet to the tongue, ice creams are undoubtedly one of the best desserts of the world. It could be enjoyed in edible cones and trendy dish as well as be paired with fruits, cakes, and other complementing desserts. If you want a more ice watery treat sweetened drinks are also one of the best choices. It could be concocted in a smoothie or served with crushed ice mixed with fruits, chocolate syrups, and other sweet flavorings.

Fruit desserts are considered one of the best since it’s practically a healthy and pocket-friendly choice. Fruits are naturally sweet and contain useful vitamins and minerals for the body. It’s a popular dessert almost everywhere especially in tropical countries where fruits are cheap and abundant.

Getting to know some of these best desserts leads one to realize that these sweet treats captured the world by making its people happy.

The Delicious Goodness Of Brownies

Brownies also known as chocolate brownies or Boston brownies, obviously named after its color, are small chocolate cake-like bars. Brownies are served as desserts or snacks. There are different theories as to the origin of brownies but they more likely started from chocolate cakes, only they are shorter and denser.

Brownies are about an inch high and has a thick and chewy texture that contributes to its sweetness. There are various types of brownies with different consistencies and, of course, ingredients. The basic types are the classic fudge brownies, the softer cake-like brownies, chewy brownies, and blondie brownies, also known as butterscotch bars, which are made without using chocolate.

Those who are just learning how to bake usually start with brownie recipes. Kids can also bake these dessert treats, often using a brownie mix, which are available in supermarkets. While the recipe for brownies seems to be fairly simple the results often vary. You may have experienced baking brownies that are undercooked inside or too dry. Generally, if you want fudge brownies, you should remove the pan from the oven when the sides of the brownies have moved slightly away from the pan’s edges.

If you want cake-like brownies, insert a toothpick into the brownie’s center and if moist brownie crumbs attach to the toothpick your cake-like brownies are done. Another tip for perfect brownie desserts is to place your baking pan on a cookie sheet that has been preheated so that the brownie bottoms will not get burned.

Brownies are typically served hot with a glass of milk. A dessert of brownies served with ice cream is called “brownie à la mode”. Many restaurants serve it with whipped cream. Brownies often have icing on top. Some of the popular icing flavors used are chocolate, vanilla and mint flavored sugar-based icing.

While brownies are without question delectable desserts, they are quite fattening. However, you do not have to give up baking or eating them altogether if you are conscious about your weight. To cut down calories in brownies, substitute chocolate bar, which contains 50 percent fat, with unsweetened cocoa powder, which has only about 10 percent fat. There is really no difference in the taste so you do not have to worry that your low-fat brownies will not taste as good as the original recipe.

In fact there have been so many variations on the “original” brownie recipe. Today you will find peanut butter brownies, cherry brownies, chocolate cheesecake brownies, and so many others. So feel free to try new ingredients and flavors when you are making brownies. They are quick and easy to make and with so many flavoring options, you will not run out of ideas whether for everyday or special occasion desserts.

Cakes: Dessert Of Choice For Many

Cakes are generally sweet and baked desserts. The typical ingredients used to make cakes include flour, a sweetener (usually sugar), fats (usually margarine or butter), a binding agent (usually egg), a leavening agent (i.e. baking powder or yeast), liquid (usually milk or water), and flavors.

Cakes are often the preferred dessert at a reception during ceremonial or formal events such as weddings and anniversaries but, for almost everybody, any occasion is best celebrated with cakes whether its birthdays, graduation days, Christmas and etcetera.

Certainly, there are thousands of ways to make a cake. Cake making used to be laborious and complicated but thanks to modern baking equipment and tools and the abundance of easy-to-prepare cake recipes, making cakes for dessert can be done by the average home cook or even by young bakers.

Some cakes are simple and resemble bread while other cakes are more elaborate and rich in flavor. There are modern cakes with new and flavors such as kiwi fruit and peach cake and fun or customized designs such as sugary butterflies or cartoon characters. Of course, old-fashioned cakes are still around such as banana cakes, chocolate cakes, and the white wedding cakes. Because cakes are centuries-old desserts, there are many cultures where cakes are associated with traditions such as the ceremonial cake cutting in weddings and the celebration of festivals.

There are many varieties of cakes. The small, cup-shaped versions are known as cupcakes. There are mini cakes, which are simply scaled-down replicas of standard cakes, popularly used as desserts in wedding receptions. These cakes dessert are meant for personal consumption. The standard cakes are meant for sharing. They are sliced and served often as desserts after a meal at a social gathering.

Cakes can also be described by the number of layers or tiers it has, normally, from one to six. Layered cakes may consist of not only layered cake sponges and icings but can also include fruits, custard, and other fillings. Cakes also come in a variety of shapes but traditional cakes are either round, square or rectangular. In modern baking, however, special shapes have emerged creating cakes not only in all sorts of geometrical shapes but in novelty shapes from suitcases to telephones, castles, animals, and so many others.

Finished cakes are usually decorated by covering it with icing, frosting, or other toppings such as sprinkles, chocolate shavings, fruits and etcetera. Royal Icing, Fondant Icing, Marzipan, almond paste and butter cream are used for icing cakes and to create embellishments such as piped messages and borders, sugar or fondant flowers, or crystallized fruits. There are even cakes decorated with edible photos. In decorating contemporary cakes, the baker’s imagination is the only limit.

Cobblers: All-Season And Easy-to-Make Desserts

Cobblers are traditional baked dessert dishes consisting of a filling that is placed in a baking dish and then covered by a layer of dough that will form the crust. Unlike pies, cobblers do not have a bottom crust. Usually, fresh fruits are used as fillings in cobblers and the popular choices are apples, blackberries, peaches, plums, cherries and pears. Sometimes, cobblers are served not as desserts but as a main dish and they are filled with meat or vegetables.

Cobblers have several variations such as crisps or crumbles, which have crumbs for toppings instead of a crust; the New England version of slumps and grunts, which have dumpling-shaped top crusts; buckles, which are made by mixing the filling with yellow batter and the North Carolina version called sonker, which is a deep dish cobbler.

Perhaps the most well-known cobbler is the Brown Betty, which goes back to colonial times. The traditional Brown Betty is made with sliced apples and brown sugar. It is not as sweet as most desserts but this old-fashioned cobbler remains a favorite among Americans.

Cobblers are traditionally made with fruit, butter and sugar for the filling and flour, fat, salt, and water are needed to make the crust. You can use fresh fruits, dried fruits, canned or frozen fruits as fillings for your cobblers. Traditional cobbler recipes rely largely on lard or butter and sugar to create flavor, texture and color. Modern cobblers are more nutritious making use of all-natural nut butters, fruit juice, pureed fruit and fruit sauces.

You can use one or more kinds of fruit in your cobblers. Just make sure that fruit or fruits you select are good for cooking. You can experiment with whatever fruits are available during the season. For instance, apple and pear cobblers are perfect in autumn, blueberries and peaches make great cobblers during the summer and mix dried or preserved fruits for winter cobblers.

Toppings for cobblers are meant to complement the filling so they are normally crunchy, spiced or chewy. Grains, nuts, spices and fruits are the usual toppings for cobblers. Some examples are oats, hazelnuts, cinnamon, and dried fruits. Cobblers may also be served with whipped cream or ice cream.

Cobblers are excellent desserts because they are very easy to prepare and you can use almost any of fruit in season. You do not have to be an expert baker to create satisfying cobblers. No fancy preparations and baking techniques. The goodness of cobblers rely more on the flavor of your fruit fillings.

Crumbles: Hearty Fruit Desserts

Crumbles are originally British dessert dishes that were first made during the second world war when food was strictly rationed, leading to the use of a basic mixture of flour, sugar and margarine to make the top crust of pies.
This pie-making variation resulted to the creation of crumbles, which became popular because they were very simple to make.

In the United States, crumbles are often referred to as crisps. Crumbles closely resemble fruit cobblers although cobblers typically have smoother toppings. Crumbles consist of stewed fruit as filling with a crumbly topping made of mixed flour, fat, and sugar. Crumbles are oven-baked until the topping becomes crisp. They make warm satisfying desserts and are often served with cream, custard or ice cream.

Some fruits popularly used in making crumbles are apples, berries, rhubarbs, plums, and peaches. There are also a variety of crumble toppings that you can use such as ground nuts, oats, ground cinnamon, chopped pecans, nutmeg, and grated cheese. Typically, crumble toppings are sprinkled with brown sugar on top, which becomes caramelized when baked. Some American recipes for crumbles use cookie crumbs and, sometimes, breakfast cereals for the topping.

Here are some helpful tips to bake hearty crumbles:

Add some dried fruits such as raisins or dried cherries into the fruit mixture. You can soak dried fruits first for 15 minutes in fruit juice or liquors like brandy or rum to make them plump and to add flavor. Because the fruits will be baked, you have to choose fruits that can handle heat well. Avoid whole citrus fruits and those with soft flesh like bananas.

The sweetness of one fruit will differ from another so if you are replacing the fruit in a crumble recipe, you may have to vary the amount of sugar. Start with three fourths of the required sugar in the recipe and just add sugar to suit your taste. Since crumbles do not have a bottom crust, the acid in fruits will interact with a metal dish so use a glass or porcelain oven-proof baking dish instead.

You can mix and prepare the fruit filling in a pan a few hours before cooking. Just cover the pan tightly with a plastic wrap and then refrigerate. Add the topping just before you bake the crumble.

Crumbles are popular fruit desserts because they are easy to make since they do not have a bottom crust. Plus, their strong fruity flavors are loved by almost anyone. Try apple cranberry, peach raspberries or other fruit combinations.

Different Type Of Custards For Desserts

Custards are dense, rich and creamy desserts that resemble pudding. They are gently cooked or baked and then refrigerated to turn it into a slightly firm and thick gel sauce when cooled. Custards are generally made using the following ingredients: eggs and/or egg yolks, milk or cream, sugar and, often, salt and other flavorings. Some recipes for custards call for a small amount of flour or other starch such as cornstarch or potato starch.

There is a wide variety of custards. They can be made into a single dessert, such as custard pies, flans, or cheesecakes or they can be included to make a different dessert such as in making cream puffs. There are two ways to make custards for desserts. They are either oven baked or you can stir or cook them over a stove.

Baked custards use milk instead of cream and lesser eggs. Baking makes the lightest custards. The gel has a firmer texture since it is not stirred during the process of baking. To find out if baked custard is done, insert a metal knife off its center. If it comes out clean, the custard is done. Be careful not to cook longer because the custard may curdle. On the other hand, under-baked custards will not set.

Cooking custards on top of stoves result in custards that are not as thick as when baked because the stirring interrupts the formation of the gel. Stovetop custard is typically used as a dessert sauce or a base for ice cream. Do not let stirred custards boil or set. They should be soft but thickened. After being refrigerated, stovetop custards will slightly thicken.

Here are popular types of custards for desserts:

Bavarian Cream – a cold and rich custard dessert with whipped cream and different flavorings such as pureed fruit, liqueurs, gelatin and chocolate. Bavarian cream may be served in tall glasses or they can be molded into various shapes.

Cheesecakes – These are oven-baked custards filled with a mixture of different cheeses such as cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and cottage cheese along with sugar and other flavorings. Cheesecakes are often topped with fruits or chocolate.

Crème Brulee – This is a French word meaning burnt oven-baked custard. It combines the velvety custard with caramelized sugar topping, creating a dessert that is delicate with a silky texture and very rich sweetness.

Custard Pies – Baked custard pies consist of uncooked custard filling placed into a pastry shell and then baked while cream custard pies have cooked custard or mouse as filling, which is spread in a cooled and pre-baked shell. Pumpkin Pies and pecan pies are common examples of this type of custard dessert.

Other custard desserts that you can try to order or make as a dessert or included in a dessert recipe include mousse, charlottes, vanilla custard sauce, crème caramel, pasty creams, flans, French ice cream, pot de crème, and zabaglione.

Healthy Dessert Recipe

Generally speaking, desserts are not normally considered as health foods since deserts are traditionally high in sugar, calories and fat such as cakes, pastries, ice ream and doughnuts. However, thanks to rising health consciousness in our society toady, one can easily find a dessert recipe that is both satisfying to the taste and good for the body.

A healthy dessert recipe is not limited to a fresh fruit salad. You can find a dessert recipe for almost any type of dessert that is healthy. These recipes basically make use of substitutes such as sugar free sweeteners and other ingredients that are low or free of fat, calories and sugar.

Here is a healthy frozen dessert recipe called Mango Yogurt Ice:

Using a blender or food processor, blend a pound of chopped ripe mango flesh until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Add 1 ¼ cups of low-fat peach yogurt and 2/3 cups each of low-fat plain yogurt and Mediterranean-style yogurt. Blend the yogurt mixture thoroughly. Stir in 2 to 4 tablespoons of sugar, depending on your taste, and mix.

Pour the mixture into a shallow plastic container. Cover and chill for about 2 hours until the consistency becomes mushy. Place the mixture in a chilled bowl and blend until smooth. Transfer the mixture again into the plastic container, cover and freeze until the ice becomes firm then remove from the freezer but keep it refrigerated 30 minutes before you serve them to allow the dessert to soften a bit. Serve this in scoops embellished with mint leaves. Instead of mango, you can also use peaches or apricots.

Here is another healthy dessert recipe for banana and chunky chocolate muffins, which is good for 12 people. You will need a muffin pan with 12 cups. Place paper cases in each muffin cup. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a bowl, place 6 tablespoons of low-fat milk, 2 eggs and melted 1 ¼ sticks of unsalted butter. Whisk until blended thoroughly.

In a separate bowl, sift together 2 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour, a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Add to this mixture ¾ cup of superfine sugar and large chunks of 5 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate. Stir the mixture to combine.

Stir in the milk mixture gradually. Mash 2 small bananas and fold the mash into the mixture. Spoon the batter into the paper cases and bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Cool the muffins on a wire rack.

This dessert recipe is quick and easy to make. The muffins are sweet but not overly rich and the bananas are excellent source of potassium and energy. These muffins are best served as warm desserts while the chocolate is still gooey.

Top Dessert Wines

Dessert wine is the type of wine that is served typically with a dessert. Although most of the time it is drunk alone, meaning without any food. A lot of people drink dessert wine in small quantities because it is very sweet and because of this, it often comes in small bottles rather than the larger ones.

There are dessert wines that are not especially suitable to accompany sweet desserts but instead are better when drunk alone or, alternatively, served with foods with strong taste such as foie gras. Desert wine is also excellent when matched with pudding because it is thought to bring out the flavor.

Desert wine is flavorful and, most of the time, extra spirits are added to it to raise the alcohol level. Dessert wine is a lot sweeter, richer and thicker than other table wines because the grapes used are already very ripe when they are picked. They are harvested late, thus, their residual sugars are preserved.

Like dinner wine, dessert wine is best served chilled and some wine connoisseurs prefer a dessert accompaniment of baked sweets or fruits. Serve heavy dessert wine during winter and the lighter ones for summer.

These wines contain flavors like peach, honey, almond, lime, caramel, pineapple, oak, and herbs that enhance the wine’s flavor and make a perfect drink to go with light desserts. Some of the best dessert wines include late harvest wines that come from grapes that have dried-up a little bit for concentrated sweetness and fortified dessert wines like port and sherry. A basic rule in serving dessert wine is that it should always be sweeter than the accompanying dessert.

If you are into sweet wines, try the late harvest dessert wines below. They are regarded as the top three best dessert wines.

• Bonny Doon’s Muscat Vin de Glaciere 2004 – This dessert wine is from California and is priced at $15. Taste the flavors of candy-coated pears and very sweet pineapple that blend together making a delightful wine perfect with another dessert or enjoyed alone.

• Silvan Ridge Early Muscat 2003 – Priced at $14, this dessert wine originated from Oregon. This dessert wine will surely be a hit in your parties with its crisp and fresh fruity flavors of mixed apples, pears and peaches. This dessert wine is also best served with creamy desserts or fruit cocktail.

• Petit-Vedrines Sauternes 2002 – This classy dessert wine originated from France and is priced at $12. It’s pale-colored and rich with honey, caramel and coconut flavors.

Some of the world’s most famous fortified wines include Marsala, Sherry, Cream Sherry, Madeira, Vermouth and Port.

Delectable Dessert Choices

A dessert is a customary sweet course typically eaten after a meal. The term dessert came from the French word “desservir”, which means “clear the table”. It usually consists of a sweet food that is sometimes strongly-flavored like cheese or chocolate.

Some culture does not eat a separate dessert after a meal. For instance, in Chinese cuisines, they have a mix of savory and sweet dishes throughout the entire meal but they sometimes prepare elaborate dessert concoctions for special events and occasions like the Chinese New Year.

Most of the time, the dessert is served separately either right after a meal or possible some time after in more casual settings. In America, the word “dessert” has a much broader meaning that refers to anything sweet after a meal. It can be a cake, muffin, brownie, pie or a milkshake, ice cream or sherbet.

There are a lot of recipes available for people who love eating sweets. These include the following:

• Cakes
• Chocolates
• Pies
• Puddings
• Baked Goods
• Cookies
• Custards
• Mousses
• Candies

A lot of recipes for dessert are elaborate and some are simplistic. However, they are both tasty finishes for every meal. The biggest concern with desserts is that it can be the unhealthiest portion of a meal. To increase the nutritional value of the dessert, a lot of people consider fruit-based dessert recipes as garnishes and main ingredients. Fruits are naturally sweet and cooking them eliminates the excess sugar.

If there is a need to add sweetness, you should be careful in what sugar substitute to use. Some sugar substitutes contain a harmful substance called Aspartame.

The presentation of a dessert is also considered very critical because it is the last thing people remember about a meal. A dessert should be served in smaller plates because smaller plates make the portions look generous. You can also decorate the dessert with light sauces, a branch of mint, cookie or anything similar to it. It should also be neat meaning that the portions should be uniformed and are symmetrical in shapes. Also, contrasting colors can provide stunning accents to its presentation. For example, you can add white chocolate or raspberry garnishes to a slice of cake. Another perfect example for a well-presented dessert is the use of chocolate shavings, cookie crumbs, sprinkles, whipped cream and nuts for the toppings.

A dessert is a perfect way to end a meal. In preparing desserts, good taste and creativity are all that you need.

Different Diabetic Dessert Recipes

There are several diabetic dessert recipes containing nutritional needs of diabetic patients. Of course, we all know that desserts contain a great amount of sugar that is dangerous to diabetic people. Our common understanding about diabetes is that sugar must be avoided completely. However, better knowledge about diabetes provides patients more options to their diets. That is what diabetic dessert recipes are for.

Proper maintenance of sugar in the body is needed by diabetic people and blood glucose level should always be kept at a minimum rate. The aim of diabetic dessert recipes is to keep the blood glucose on course and this can only be done by putting small portions of sweets instead of carbohydrates in your meals. Also, the use of insulin should be done properly because insulin is needed by diabetic patients in processing sugar in the body to stay healthy. When creating diabetic dessert recipes, it is important to always bear in mind that the amount of sugar and other carbohydrates in the recipe should be adequate for the patient’s sugar needs.

The American Diabetes Association provides enough information with regards to the exchange rate of sugars and several diabetic dessert recipes. Use of sugar substitutes can be a healthier option rather than the normal sugar in making baked goods that in the past are avoided by diabetic patients. Baked goods do not have to be completely avoided by diabetics and in fact nowadays they are considered occasional snack options for diabetics.


Below is a basic brownie dessert recipe for diabetics:

• 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup of sugar or equivalent of sugar substitute
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup of applesauce
• 1/3 cup of vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, or pecans lightly toasted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To begin with, pre-heat the oven up to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix cocoa, oil and applesauce in a mixer until evenly combined. Add the sugar or sugar substitute and then stir thoroughly until dissolved then afterwards put in the eggs and the vanilla extract.

Proceed with mixing the baking powder and flour together in a bowl and then slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet part of the batter. Pour in the brownie batter on a floured and greased pan and then put the toasted nuts on top. Bake for at least 25 minutes or when a toothpick inserted into the brownie comes clean. Once done, let it cool for several minutes.

Diabetes is a very serious disease. However, it can still be managed and treated. Proper diet is needed for the proper regulation of blood sugar and the goal of diabetic dessert recipes is help diabetic people achieve this.

Kinds Of Doughnuts And Great Tips For Dessert

Doughnuts are sweet pastries that are made by deep frying round pieces of batter or dough. Doughnuts are often served as breakfast but they also make great snacks and desserts. There are two basic types of doughnuts – ring doughnuts or the ones with the holes and filled doughnuts, which have sweet fillings such as jam, jelly, custard or cream. There are also doughnut holes, originally made from the dough taken out of the center of a ring doughnut.

Yeast-based dough is used for making raised doughnuts. Cake doughnuts use a special cake batter. Yeast doughnuts can be traced back to the method of making doughnuts from leftover scraps when baking. They are light and fluffy with a distinct flavor of yeast. Yeast doughnuts can be baked instead of deep-fried. The heavier cake doughnuts are obviously denser and their texture resembles that of a cake.

After ring doughnuts are fried, they are usually topped with an icing, glazed or powdered with sugar or cinnamon. Jelly doughnuts may also be glazed as well as filled with jam or custard. There are also doughnuts that come in other shapes aside from the traditional round shape including twisted doughnuts, bear claws, rectangular and others.

Doughnuts are quite easy to make at home and it will be fun to have your kids help in making them. You can make doughnuts at home with basic ingredients and without any special baking equipment. Although, large bakeries that produce doughnuts commercially use pre-packed doughnut mixes and more complicated machines.

Doughnuts are one if not the most popular fried dessert in the United States. Even the trendiest restaurants are serving doughnuts for dessert such as Hearth in New York, which offers hot and crisp sugar and apple cider glazed doughnuts topped with maple whipped cream. But you do not have to go to a fancy restaurant for superb doughnut desserts. Try the following ideas:

Add some spice to old-fashioned donuts by adding nutmeg and a bit of cinnamon. Make extra-special honey-dipped doughnuts by dipping them in warm honey then in coconut flakes. Add some twist to good old chocolate doughnuts by mixing in some mashed potatoes and milk. For a dessert that resembles those served in fine restaurants, top a warm doughnut with a scoop of ice cream and add bananas tossed in caramel sauce on top then sprinkle with nuts. Whether you want your doughnuts with coffee or tea, any of these doughnuts make exquisite dessert.

Filipino Desserts: Products Of A Mixed Culture

The Filipinos are naturally charming and friendly people. These traits are believed to be influenced by their fondness for desserts. Indeed, their sweet nature can be seen through their fetish for saccharine foods.

Since the Philippines is home to various cultures, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to know that it has some of the most delicious cuisine in the world. Filipinos also use a variety of cooking techniques when preparing Filipino meals and Filipino desserts.

Coconut milk is typically an important ingredient of most Filipino delicacies. In fact, local specialties, from meat, to vegetables, are never complete without it. Filipino desserts mostly contain coconut milk as well. In fact, the best and the most popular ones have coconut in them.

The country offers a rich and colorful collection of Filipino desserts, some of which are known all over the world. Halo-halo, a term derived from the Tagalog word “halo”, which means “mix”, is famous in other countries as well. It is prepared by combining several ingredients together, such as, shaved ice, sugar, different fruits and beans, and milk. Halo-halo does not follow a “strict” recipe. People can actually use different ingredients, depending on their personal preferences. Further, the process of mixing the ingredients differs as well. However, in most occasions, the halo-halo is served prior to mixing. It comes in a tall glass, with the crushed ice topping all the other ingredients.

The leche flan is among the well-known Filipino desserts, and is considered to be a classic one. This consists of egg yolk, milk, vanilla essence, and sugar, and makes use of steam to cook. Leche flan looks like your basic custard, but one which comes with caramel syrup. Some people consider it to be in the same category as the crème brulee.

Pudding is another big thing in Filipino desserts. Known locally as “bibingka”, it is prepared using the following ingredients: ground rice, coconut milk, and sugar. This Filipino version of pudding is baked inside an oven made of clay, and is generally wrapped in banana leaves when sold.

There a several other fantastic Filipino desserts left to be discovered by non-locals. Some are available in every part of the country, while others can only be found in certain areas. Fresh fruits are abundant, and are considered Filipino desserts as they are. But once you’re in the Philippines, fruits won’t be the only desserts which will capture your taste buds.

Different Frozen Desserts

A classic frozen dessert recipe is basically a combination of cream, sugar and eggs that are blended and stirred over heat. After the ingredients are mixed, you can put in the flavorings, nuts and fruits then afterwards freeze it in a container or put it in an ice cream machine to create your frozen dessert. This recipe is considered the traditional frozen dessert recipe. However, there are several different variations of a frozen dessert. From simple frozen fruits that are topped with syrups to a simple baked Alaska, frozen confections are treats that are available all year round.

A frozen dessert is more that just ice cream. It is a dessert that is more flavorful because of its fresh ingredients like fruits and syrups. This basically makes frozen desserts more popular than ice cream. Statistics show that the frozen dessert industry is a $4 Billion industry that is way greater than the ice cream market.

Some of the most famous frozen desserts include the following.

• Sorbet – This frozen dessert is made from fruit syrups and sometimes egg whites. Without milk, the mixture is beaten until it becomes smooth then afterwards frozen. Sorbets should not be frozen too much and should not contain ice crystals.

• Sherbet – Very similar to a Sorbet, this recipe most of the time uses egg whites and milk. Also, low-fat milk is used making it a low-fat, low-calorie dessert than ice creams.

• Frozen Custard – This frozen concoction can be considered a semi-ice cream dessert. This high-end dessert is much creamier and smoother than ice cream that contains 10% butterfat like ice cream and 1.4% egg yolk that makes it richer.

• Frozen Yogurt – This is made from yogurt instead of milk. This frozen recipe does not have the full richness of ice cream although it has a very smooth texture and creamy taste. A frozen yogurt can hold a lot of ingredients like nuts, fruits and candies. If you are into low-fat dieting, this dessert is not for you because it is laden with too much calories and fat.

• Italian Gelato – This is also known as Italian ice cream. This frozen concoction is made from low-fat butter cream with fruit-based gelatos that are fat-free. Gelatos are known to have a silky texture that is not as firm as ice creams which tends to melt faster.

• Granita – This frozen dessert has a grainy texture.

• Tofutti – This frozen dessert is made from tofu that is suited for people who are dieting.

Frozen desserts are delicious and fun to eat. You have the option to buy popsicles and ice cream sandwiches that come in different varieties or you can also try low-fat frozen desserts for a healthy diet.

Fruit Cheesecake Desserts Recipes For You To Try

Fruit cheesecakes are no new invention in the culinary field. The truth of the matter is that it has been around for quite some time already and that thousands of people from different areas in the world have already enjoyed the taste that these delicious treats have to offer. Many culinary enthusiasts have even tried baking these cheesecakes for several purposes.

The fruit cheesecakes, for many, seem easy and simple enough to prepare. However, if you’ll consider baking it by yourself, you’ll find the preparation of this delicious dessert to be one of the hardest culinary tasks you can ever have. This is true especially for someone who is only new to it or those who lack experience. If you think you are one them but want to learn the basics of fruit cheesecake desserts, it would be nice if you’ll start doing the simplest of the fruit cheesecake desserts recipes I have stressed below.

Individual Fruit Cheesecakes by Diana Rattray

Designed to be coated with any of your favorite toppings, this fruit cheesecake desserts recipe is prepared simply to include the following ingredients: one and a half cups sugar, four packages of cream cheese, four eggs, two teaspoons of vanilla extract, thirty-six vanilla wafers, and one can each of cherry pie filling, peach pie filling, and blueberry pie filling.

Once all ingredients are prepared, start lining the 36 cups of muffin with paper liners. Beat the cream cheese in a mixing bowl of medium size until creamy and soft. Add sugar little by little and beat until fluffy. Beat the eggs one after another, and blend with the vanilla extract. Proceed by placing the vanilla wafer in each of the muffin cups, and place the cream cheese mixtures over the cups by spooning them. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Once baked, leave the cheesecakes on their pans and let them cool for about eight hours. You can serve the pieces topped with one tablespoon of pie fillings you chose.

Shirley’s Strawberry Cheesecake from Kiss Recipes

Prepared to please visitors, this fruit cheesecake desserts recipe only requires the following ingredients: one pint of strawberries, one teaspoon of vanilla, one and one-third cup of sugar, one-half cup of dairy sour cream, one to eight ounce package of softened cream cheese, one to eight ounce container of cool whip, and one to nine inches of graham cracker crust.

To prepare, just slice the strawberries first and sprinkle the sliced portions with one tablespoon of sugar. Start mashing the berries and set aside. Beat the cream cheese together with the one-third cup of sugar in a large sized mixing bowl. Once smooth, add the vanilla and sour cream and beat well. Stir the mixture in the mashed berries, and then fold in Cool Whip that is melted. Spoon the filling into the pie shell and let it chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of four hours. Serve.

The fruit cheesecake desserts recipes are not just limited on those two above mentioned treats. You can find more of the fruit cheesecake desserts recipes either online or offline, depending on what you prefer. The preparation involved can be easy or hard depending on the fruit cheesecake desserts recipe itself.

Classic Fruit Desserts Of America

Fruit desserts are definitely the healthiest way to feed one’s craving for sweets. With its natural saccharine component, fruits save the dessert from containing fattening sugar making one to experience a figure-friendly and vitamin-rich indulging treat. Perhaps, this is one of the reasons why fruit desserts stay on as a classic favorite in American kitchens despite the emergence of artificial or designer dessert products in the market.

For every American, first encounter with fruit desserts starts with the oven-hot treat their grandmothers usually make at home. Popular among these are the traditional cobbler and pandowdy concocted with cream, real butter, and of course lots of juicy fresh fruits.

Fruit desserts, according to food experts, are essential part of American heritage. The basic preparation of a fruit dessert, which is usually based with a sweet biscuit type of dough baked under a layer or on top of fresh fruit fillings, reflects the cooking style of the English Colonial times in America. The way the desserts are named also reflects the true American culture. Experts say that colonial Americans name dishes according to how it looks or sounds when being served or cooked.

Pandowdy, for instance, got its name since the deep-dish dessert is cooked in a pan and dowdy-looking when served.

There are many kinds of classic American fruit desserts that warmed and refreshingly delighted every American home. Perhaps, you’ve gobbled one of these sumptuous desserts not knowing what they’re really called or mistaken some for something else because they look and taste almost the same—tempting and delicious!

It would be nice to know some of these classic fruit desserts. A pandowdy is commonly made with molasses-sweetened apples topped with crumbly biscuit. Another deep-dish fruit dessert is the cobbler which uses peaches, plums, blackberries, or nectarines topped with a biscuit crust. It is also called in a bramble, grunt or slump in different regions in America. A fool is simply a combination of fruits and cream or whipped cream where the fruit could sometimes be stewed then folded into the whipped cream. Shortcake is made with a rich split biscuits topped with fruit, usually strawberry, peaches, or apricots, and whipped cream. A betty is a baked pudding made through layering spiced fruit, usually apples, and buttered bread crumbs. It is popularly called the Apple Brown Betty.

With its historical significance and health benefits, fruit desserts would remain an all-time mouth-watering dessert treat for Americans.

Fruit: Luscious Year-Round Dessert

Fruits, nature’s treats, are undoubtedly the oldest type of dessert. A fresh fruit can be a satisfying dessert by itself or you can use a fruit or fruits to make your favorite desserts. The natural sweetness, versatility, flavor and health benefits of fruits make fruit desserts an all-time favorite for many.

Any kind of dessert can include fruits from pies to cakes to ice cream and chocolate. You can use a fresh fruit, a dried fried, fruits in a can, frozen or preserved fruits. The choices are indeed plenty. So, if you are looking for the perfect fruit dessert recipe, the best you can do to narrow down your options is to decide first what kind of dessert you want to prepare and what fruit or fruits are best suited for your dessert. Of course, your choice in fruit will be affected by the season.

Below are some popular fruits that you can use for your fruit dessert recipes and some helpful shopping tips and dessert ideas.

•  Apple is available all year round. Select hard apples with no skin bruises. As you know, there are many desserts you can make with this fruit including the classic Apple Pie to apple tarts, spiced apple crumble, Dutch Apple cake, apple crisps and many others.
• Another fruit that you can get any time of the year is the banana, one of the sweetest and most nutritious fruits. Buy bananas a few days before the day you would be making your dessert so they will be perfectly ripe. Some examples of popular banana fruit desserts are banana smoothies with strawberry and banana chocolate muffins.
• September to March is the best time to buy mangoes. Choose a firm and smooth fruit without bruises on the skin. The fruit should have a pleasant smell with a red or orange-tinted skin. Frozen or chilled mango desserts are deliciously refreshing. Try mango mousse or mango yogurt ice.
• Melon is another delicious fruit great for desserts. Its peak season is summer. A fresh melon should have a smooth dent at the stem end. To enjoy a melon for dessert, simply slice the fruit, peel the skin and remove the seeds and serve as is or make a melon and orange sorbet or a melon crush.
• Another summer fruit is the strawberry. Choose plump and fragrant strawberries with no blemishes and bright fresh-looking caps. Strawberries dipped in whipped cream is already a mouth-watering dessert but other popular dessert recipes that include juicy fruit include strawberry cake, strawberry shortcake, and strawberry pies.

Other favorite fruits for dessert recipes include pears, orange, peaches, plums, cherries, apricots, kiwis, raspberries and pineapples.

How Gelatin Desserts Are Made

Gelatin Desserts are considered as one of the most-loved desserts all over the world. In the United Kingdom and in Ireland, gelatin desserts are often called “jelly”. In the United States and Canada, “jelly” is recognized as a preserved fruit or better known, as a “jam”.

Unprepared gelatin desserts are often sold in the form of flavored powder while ready-to-eat gelatin desserts are sold in different forms. The most poplar brands are the following:

• Kraft Foods Jell-O – This prepared gelatin is famous in North America.
• Rowntree’s Jelly – This brand is popular in the United Kingdom.
• Aeroplane – Number one gelatin brand in Australia.

In processing gelatin, it normally begins with boiling either pig skins or cattle bones –not adding the horns and hooves. After boiling, the resulting boiled skins and bones mix is drenched with either alkali or acid in large basins to extract protein collagen. After it is extracted, it will be dried. Then made into powder form by grinding.

To make gelatin desserts, the gelatin powder is added with sweeteners and additives like fumaric acid, sodium citrate, artificial flavorings and food color. Once they are all mixed, by using boiled water, a gel will be formed once it is pour into the gelatin powder As the gelatin cools down, the firmer the texture of the gel will become.

Gelatin is not only popular for desserts because it can also be used as a flavoring in liquors. Gelatin shot , better known as “vodka jelly” is very popular in the United Kingdom.

Different alternatives were developed as a replacement in the making of gelatin. Some gelatin desserts are made with synthetic ingredient like agar different from real gelatin that allows it to congeal a lot faster when subjected to hotter temperatures. Agar comes from seaweeds. It used in most gelatin products and other Asian jelly desserts. It is also the best alternative for vegetarians who love gelatin. Agar is also related closely to pectin and different gelling plant carbohydrates.

Carrageen is also a popular gelatin alternative to most vegans and vegetarians. This gelatin alternative gels much better than agar and is more used in “Kosher” cooking. Also made from seaweeds, carrageen produces a smell that is quite offensive when being prepared just like agar.

Gelatin desserts are delicious and fun to eat. You also have the option to eat gelatin alone or you can also add them in different salads like macaroni and vegetable salads. For easy preparation, you can buy ready-to-cook gelatin mixes from the grocery or food store.

Ice Creams – Everybody’s Favorite Frozen Delights

Ice creams with their luscious and refreshing creaminess are much-loved treats by kids and adults alike. This popular dessert is available ready to eat from groceries, ice cream shops and dessert and snack stores but if you want a different ice cream experience, try making your own ice cream. Homemade ice creams use fresh ingredients combined with the chosen flavorings and delicious add-ins.

Ice creams originated from cold custards and puddings made in the ancient regions of Asia and Persia. However, it is believed that ice creams as we know them today started in 17th century Europe. Americans brought home the ice cream recipe and, to this day, ice creams are the favorite frozen dessert in the United States and almost anywhere in the world.

How are Ice Creams made?

Ice Creams are made using milk, sugar and heavy cream with a variety of flavorings. Eggs are optionally used. One unique aspect of ice creams is its texture, which is achieved by churning or stirring the ice cream mixture while it is being frozen. During the process of freezing ice creams, ice crystals form and by stirring the mixture these crystals do not become too large. Stirring also creates tiny bubbles in the mixture, which is what gives ice creams their delightful feel in the mouth.

Before, ice and rock salt were used to freeze homemade ice creams and the mixture must be stirred by hand, which was quite laborious but, thanks to modern ice cream making equipment, it is now much easier to make these wonderful frozen desserts right at home.

Ice creams come in all sorts of flavors from vanilla, the most popular ice cream flavor to the all-time favorite chocolate to butter pecan, strawberry, cookies and cream, praline and, so many others. Ice creams are usually served chilled but some dessert recipes use it as a topping to warm food to create a contrast in temperature such as hot and crispy apple fritters. Vanilla ice cream on top of a warm apple pie is a sure dessert hit.

Other popular ice cream desserts are ice cream sodas made by adding a scoop or two of ice cream and flavored syrup to carbonated water; ice cream novelties such as ice cream bars, sandwiches and ice creams on stick; ice cream sundaes and Neapolitan ice cream, which is a block of three flavors of ice cream, usually, vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice creams.

Italian Desserts: The Delicious Temptations To Enjoy

Italy is a vast country that boasts a culture and tradition unique from the rest of the world. The people living in this area are naturally sweet, friendly and hospitable and these values are specifically represented by the foods they eat.

The Italian food varies generally in tastes and ways of presentation. They range from sweet to bitter and from sour to salty. Regardless of how they taste to you, the Italian desserts will definitely make you feel like it’s hard to say “No”. The desserts of Italy typically come in the form of chocolates, cookies, ice cream, and other delicate enticements. As what many claims have revealed, they all take the best of what they can offer when served with wine.

Want to know the specific names that Italians themselves consider as part of their desserts? If yes, note the following:

Gelatos – Labeled as the true heart of Italian desserts, the gelatos are ice cream like creations that are served topped with the finest of the world’s confectioners. It comes in a number of flavors, but generally they are prepared to boast the sweetest of the Italian flavors. The flavors vary from mango, chocolate, hazelnut, graham cracker, and lime.

Tiramisu – Originating from Siena, this treat is hailed by Italians themselves as one the most delicious desserts they can make for themselves and for the travelers. It is so popular throughout Italy, and is often made and served from different ingredients. Included in the list are the eggs, lady finger cookies, mascarpone cheese, liquor, cocoa, and espresso. Those who are familiar with Italian desserts made with the trifle style will definitely distinguish the unique texture that tiramisu offers. The lady finger cookies in this kind of treat are dipped in espresso mixture, which in turn creates the mouth-watering foundation of the tiramisu layers.

Cannoli – The most popular of the Sicilian desserts, cannoli is served in almost pasticceria in the whole Italy. This delicious treat is made to boast a sweetened ricotta filling that is placed beautifully on a hollow pastry shell. Most dessert enthusiasts in Italy also prepare this dessert with a mixture of chocolate pieces and candied fruits. The filling is dipped in pistachios that are finely chopped. Today, this southern Italian favorite is served in a number of variations.

Zeppole – Known nationally as the Italian doughnuts, this dessert is simply served with cinnamon and sugar dished with honey. They also often include a cream filling coated with a whipped cream. If you haven’t seen this one popular Italian dessert, then spend a little of your time during the 19th day of March and enjoy zeppole and other Italian desserts with the natives. March 19 is actually St. Joseph’s Day.

There are a lot more Italian desserts that you can enjoy while spending your holidays in Italy. The desserts are served in almost all restaurants, pizzerias and coffee shops in the country, at reasonable prices.

Laddu: The Event Dessert Of India

In every special Indian event colorful presentations and attending honored guests are noticeably acknowledged. What others often overlook to notice is the sweet presence of a unique Indian dessert called Laddu.

Dubbed as the favorite dessert of the Gods, Laddu, which sometimes spelled as Ladoo, are usually made to mark a festival celebration or special household event such as weddings, engagement parties, and birthdays. It is worth taking to note why this simple stuffed-looking ball-shaped flour dipped in sugar syrup became the official dessert of Indian celebrations.

Hindu mythology accounts that a certain variety of laddu called Besan laddu is a favorite sumptuous dish of Lord Ganesha, an elephant-looking Hindu God who is the most worshipped in India. The dessert is always prepared as an offering to the Gods. Aside from the Besan laddu, which is prepared during India’s light festival called Diwali, another variant called Malai laddu is a popular offering in the temples. It is often made from cream that results from evaporating sweetened milk mixed with chickpea flour and butter then formed into cream balls.

Another variant is the Rava laddu, which is made from rava (cream of rice), ghee (melted butter) and sugar. This laddu dessert, however, is more seen during wedding rites. Hindu brides prepare the dessert to present to the family of the groom as an edible dowry before the final wedding ceremony. The number and quality of rava laddu offered serve as basis for the wealth and status of the bride’s family.

Non-Indian homes can also prepare this special dessert. Start off by heating ghee in a deep pan. Fry the cashew nuts and raisins and set aside when the two are golden brown and plump respectively. Put semolina in the same pan and set the stove in medium heat to make the semolina golden brown, which would take some time, while stirring it. Pour on milk, cardamom, clove powder, sugar including the fried cashew nuts and raisins. Continue stirring until the sugar and the milk is completely mixed. Switch off the stove and let the mixture to cool down. When no longer hot, shape the slightly sticky mixture into medium-sized balls, which should be placed in an airtight container while being refrigerated. You can, however, opt to eat it warm hot.

One must experience taking a bite of the dessert to truly understand why this dessert is so special in India. So if you happen to revel in one of India’s festivals or special household events go grab a laddu.

Tips And A Recipe For Low Fat Dessert

If you are trying to lose weight, skipping desserts can be a real challenge. The great thing is you do not have to give up eating your favorite dessert in order to lose those stubborn inches. There are plenty of low fat dessert recipes that you can try for a delicious and healthy treat.

Making your own low fat dessert is actually simple. The key is to substitute the fattening ingredients in the recipe for low fat items. For example, if the recipe calls for cream cheese skip the regular one and look for fat free or low fat cream cheese. Likewise, use margarine or applesauce instead of butter. Chill evaporated milk and you have a low fat substitute for whipped cream. When using eggs, just use the egg whites or instead of using whole eggs, try an egg substitute product. Also, replace the sugar with a sugar free sweetener such as the product Splenda.

Another good idea is to use cooking spray to coat your cake pan instead of grease. A cooking spray will have less fat and cholesterol than oil and will cover the pan completely and evenly so your low fat dessert will slide perfectly onto a plate much easier.

If you are thinking that your options in making low fat dessert are limited, you would be happy to know that you can in fact make almost any type of dessert into a low fat dessert. Again, the key is using low fat ingredients, which are easily available from grocery stores. So, you can make your own low fat pudding, cake, cobbler, pie and even low fat ice cream.

To get you started right away in making a delicious low fat dessert, here is an easy recipe for a popular dessert, strawberry cream cheese shortcake. It uses substitutes to make a low sugar, low calorie and low fat dessert.

Beat 8 oz of softened fat free cream cheese and half a cup of powdered sugar. Fold in 8 oz carton of a Cool Whip Free, a fat-free whipped cream substitute. Pour into a 9×13 pan and spread evenly. Cover the pan and chill for 2 hours. While you are waiting, sweeten 5 cups of sliced strawberries with ¼ cup of Splenda or any sugar substitute. Before you serve your delicious low fat dessert, spread the strawberries on top. Add some Cool Whip on top of each serving.

The recipe above is just one of many low fat dessert recipes out there that you can try so you can still satisfy your sweet tooth and not have to worry about gaining weight.

How To Make Meringues

Meringue is one type of dessert that appeared originally in France although it is believed that Gasparini, an Italian chef, invented meringue sometime between the 17th and early 18th centuries in the town of Meiringen in Switzerland.

Meringue is a very sweet and light dessert, which is also considered a candy. It is generally made from sugar and whipped egg whites. The typical measurement is half a cup of caster sugar and 2 beaten egg whites. Meringue recipes sometimes call for small amounts of flavor extracts, for example, half a teaspoon of almond and/or vanilla extracts. Basically, the sugar is dissolved into the beaten egg whites to make meringue. This mixture will harden when baked but easily melts in the mouth.

In the Italian version of making meringue, you will whip warm sugar syrup into gently beaten egg whites until this mixture is stiff. This version makes meringue that can be used without the need for cooking as the air will not let out for quite a while so you can use it on pies and other desserts.

Meringue is in fact often used as a substitute to the top crust of creamy pies. The most popular example of this is the lemon meringue pie. Some other examples are orange meringue pie, melon meringue pie, caramel and chilled grapefruit meringue pie, chocolate meringue pie, and apple meringue pie.

Meringue that is used as a pie topping has a softer texture than the baked ones intended to be eaten individually. The secret to a meringue pie topping is using a lesser amount of sugar in the meringue mix because sugar is what makes meringue crispy. To achieve a soft texture with lightly browned tops, cook the meringue at a higher temperature at less the time.

The key to making perfect meringue is in the correct whipping of the egg whites. You will know that you have done it right if the egg white foam form peaks or stays upright when it drips off a fork. Once you have achieved this, you can start stirring in the sugar.

Add the sugar gradually so that it dissolves into the egg white mixture. Although you can use table sugar, the best sugar to use is confectioner’s sugar because it is very fine and will dissolve much easier.

When storing baked meringues, it is important to keep moisture away because they will turn your dessert treats into gummy sugar pastes. A good idea is to place baked meringues in zip-locked bags but, keep in mind, not to refrigerate them.