Category: Dessert Recipes

Chocolate Belgian Waffle Recipe

The waffle is a cake-like breakfast bread made out of batter. The batter is usually a mixture of sugar, oil, flour, eggs and milk poured into a iron that has designs in it and no, we are not talking about the average flat iron that we use on clothes. The iron used in baking waffles generally has a honeycomb like design in it and can be bought in numerous shapes. Some are heart-shaped, cone-shaped or even shaped like a cloud. The common waffle iron has the distinctive crisscross pattern. The pattern is the result of the elevated divisions on the iron.

There are a large number of types of waffles. There are the light, crisp waffles; the waffles that are like apple pie that smells and tastes like the real apple pie; cinnamon waffles; the light and softy chocolate chip and butter milk waffles that are so fluffy and light; the cornmeal waffles that has a light and crunchy texture; the gingerbread waffles poured with a chocolate sauce; the crispy maple walnut waffle that has a full maple flavor within but the outer part is super crispy and of course who can forget the famous Belgian waffle. Most if not all of this are best served topped with butter, syrup or even fruits like raspberries or strawberries. And due to the insistent demand for Belgian waffles, below is a recipe of a chocolate Belgian waffle.

Ingredients:

For the Topping:

18 Ounces of dark chocolate, chopped up
1 Cup of heavy cream
12 Tablespoons of butter (unsalted) cut into cubes
1/2 Cup of corn syrup (light)
2 pinches of salt
4 Teaspoons of vanilla

Direction:

Throw in all the ingredients except for vanilla. Then mix everything in. Place over boiling water on a low heat; whip until melted and soft. Remove from high temperature and boiling water; beat with vanilla in a whisking manner. Place in a ceramic bowl them microwave at moderate power for a minute. Then fold the ingredients very well until very smooth. Then microwave for twenty minutes then stir well until the topping is silky soft. Chill for a moment. If you are not going to use it immediately, store it in the refrigerator. It is best served when warm.

For the waffles:

4 squares or 4 ounces of dark chocolate, chopped up
4 squares or 4 ounces of unsweetened chocolate, chopped up
4/6 cups of heavy cream
4 pieces of large eggs (Large, at room temperature)
6/8 cups plus 4 tablespoons of milk
4 cups of cake flour
1 cup plus 4 tablespoons of sugar
4 teaspoons of baking powder
1 pinch of salt

Direction:
In a little heatproof bowl, mix chopped chocolates with heavy cream. Put over boiling water on a low heat. Whip until almost thawed out. Remove from high temperature and boiling water. Beat until soft. Then cool by stirring the batter occasionally until room temperature.

In a medium sized bowl, beat the egg yolks and milk until well-mixed. Set aside. Sift the sugar, cake flour, salt and baking powder into a medium-sized bowl. When the chocolate mixture is at room temperature, add now the dry ingredients together with the egg yolk and milk mixture. Fold until blended, should a few lumps appear just ignore.

Preheat the waffle maker. While the waffle maker heats, you may start cleaning a small bowl with a clean beater, beat the egg whites on high speed to stiffen the peaks. Tenderly fold into the batter until there the white streaks disappears.

Then follow the manufacturers instructions for cooking waffles because waffle makers vary from the amount of batter you are going to put on the divisions.

Callebaut Belgian Chocolate: The World’s Finest Chocolate from Belgum

From chocolate bars to chocolate cakes, a lot of people simply love eating chocolate. Even people on strict diet have admitted that they cheated at least once when they were dieting by eating chocolate. In fact, dieting people have humorously said that chocolates were their number one enemy in a war and they always lose.

Although chocolates have existed for centuries, almost everyone still enjoys eating chocolate. Some people even dubbed this delicious treat as the “happy food” where it can put a smile to depressed people after eating one. In a more medical approach, researchers have found that chocolate is definitely good for your body. It reduces blood pressure, and it was also found that the chemicals found in chocolates keeps your blood flowing and it also keeps your heart healthy.

You also need to consider that old people who loves eating chocolate outlived other people of the same age because they testified that chocolates keeps them happy, and it keeps them feeling younger.

Indeed, this guilty pleasure candy is considered to be the most popular candy in the world.

If you love chocolate and you love to make chocolate products and delicacies, you should consider getting a Callebaut Belgian chocolate. Callebaut Belgian chocolates are considered to be the world’s finest chocolates and are used by popular restaurants all over the world for their chocolate delicacies.

Callebaut has been producing chocolates for 120 years and is a well known company for producing the finest chocolates in the world. In fact, Callebaut chocolates are the number one choice of professionally pastry chefs, chefs de cuisine, and even ice cream manufacturers all over the world. Callebaut chocolates are superior in quality and it can be used in any of your cooking with chocolates included in recipes.

Callebaut only makes its chocolates from the only finest grades of cocoa beans found in the south. They ensure high quality chocolates to their clients and are trusted by their clients all over the world. Whether you are a professional pastry chef, or you just like to cook chocolate delicacies, or you just want to eat chocolate, Callebaut chocolates is you chocolate of choice.

You can be sure that the chocolates provided by Callebaut (whether you like it mixed in with other foods as part of the ingredient or you just want to eat it in its pure form) are made with the highest quality cocoa beans that you will surely love.

If you love making chocolate pastries, Callebaut can offer a one-of-a-kind chocolate taste that will significantly improve your chocolate pastries where every member of your family and friends will surely love.

Callebaut chocolates can be ordered in blocks or it can also be ordered in its liquid form. Whatever kind of chocolate you want, you can be sure that Callebaut has it.

They also offer different kinds of chocolates, from dark chocolate to milk chocolate and even white chocolate, you will surely have what you want with Callebaut chocolates.

So, if you are looking for a way to improve your chocolate pastries and other chocolate delicacies, you should purchase Callebaut chocolates. This Belgian chocolate can satisfy your chocolate cravings and purchasing in bulk will provide you with great discounts.

Whether you own a pastry shop, or you just simply love cooking chocolate delicacies for your family and friends, you can be sure that Callebaut chocolates can satisfy your chocolate cravings. Your chocolate delicacies will be one of the best with Callebaut chocolates.

What Are Some Basic Cake Decorating Ideas And Tips?

After you have baked the cake, and it has cooled, the next step is decorating the cake. While this can be a fun and pleasurable task, this is also the step that takes a bit of skill and patience. I hope, these tips will allow you to have more fun decorating your cake.

Let’s begin with the basics. The cake decorating tips that are essential and things that you need to know before you. You will need a workplace that will afford enough room to be able to decorate your cake without being cramped. You also need to be away from disturbances and you will not need to move away from because you will be in the way of others. The first thing to know about cake decorating, is the fact that the cake must be completely cooled before you make any attempt to decorate. If the cake is still warm, you will run into many problems.

The next item is to make sure you have gathered all of the tools and ingredients for decorating your cake. Some items you will need are: a syringe or piping bag, the type and size tips you will be using, and the coupler to attach the tips to the piping bag. You will need to plan how you will decorate the cake ahead of time, so you can have all of the tools you need on hand when you begin decorating.

To begin with you need to ice, or frost the cake with royal icing, butter cream icing, or fondant icing. To start with, make sure you place a thin layer of frosting over the top to hold the crumbs together. When that is done, you will frost over that layer. It is important to make sure the icing you use is the right consistency. If the icing is too thin or too thick it will affect the end result of your cake decorating. If you are creating a decorated cake and you think your frosting is too thin, you can add a bit more confectioners sugar. Make sure you add this a little at a time as it can become too stiff if you add too much. If you feel your icing is too stiff, carefully add a bit more liquid.

Icing is used in different consistencies for different cake decorating techniques. When you are making roses, or any flower with upright petals, and will be piping figures on the cake, you will want to use a stiff icing or your petals may droop. To make stars, flowers with flat petals, and shell borders, you will want to use a medium consistency. A thin icing is used for writing on the cake, and thinner, more delicate work such as vines and leaves. If you add about 2 teaspoons of light corn syrup to your icing, you will find the icing will flow easier and make it more flexible.

flowers with flat petals. A thin icing mixture should be used for writing characters, and thinner, pointier shapes and styles such as leaves and vines. Add a couple of teaspoons of light corn syrup to the icing mix to make it more flexible and easier flowing.

Once the cake is iced, it is time to begin decorating. The way you hold the icing bag is important, as the direction and angle you hold the piping bag will influence the way the patterns and shapes you will create, will turn out. Thankfully there are only two positions to hold the piping bag to make certain designs.

The firs position is to hold the piping bag at a 90 degree angle, straight up from the surface of the cake. This is used for the simpler decorations that don’t involve a lot of movement in making the design. The center of rosebuds, adding eyes to a character or making stars and dots. The other position involves the piping bag being held at a 45 degree angle, or holding the bag half-way between straight up and the surface of the cake.

In this position you have more flexibility to create sweeping styles, and create shapes with your piping hand. You can use this angle for flower petals, or writing on the cake. Some of the piping tips, like the tips for basket weave, petal and ruffle, have ends that are irregular. There is a right and wrong way to hold the bag when working with them.

Now that you know the basics here are a few tips to start you on your way to making a decorated cake.

– Basket Weave – Using this technique will give the sides of your cake the look of a basket. You may want to practice on a piece of waxed paper until you feel confident enough to begin on the cake. Using the basket weave tip and an icing that is of medium consistency, take turns applying a vertical stripe, following it with a horizontal stripe across the vertical. Make sure the horizontal stripes are a bit longer so the vertical stripe will fit across it. Soon you will see a basket pattern become apparent.

– Bows – This technique will make your cake look like a wrapped gift. Use a flat tip and medium icing. Hold your bag at a 45 degree angle and sweep your bag left, making half of the bow. Make the same movement to the right, making a figure 8. Hold the bag and sweep downward and out from the center of the bow, once on each side to make 2 streamers.

– Lacework – This technique is great for wedding or baby shower cakes. You should practice this technique to make sure you have good control before you use it in your cake decorating. Using thin white icing, hold the bag at nearly a 90 degree angle and very close to the surface of the cake. You will want to make a border so you will need to decide how far you want to go in from the edge and make an icing border.

Move the tip up down and around to make many similar shapes, do not touch or cross the other designs. Do this until the area is as full as you want it to be. Now you can go over the border on both sides with a thicker icing. You will be amazed at the lacework you have created.

What About Candied Flowers For Cake Decorating

Edible flowers are often used as a garnish or as an ingredient in salads. While not all flowers are edible, there are many out there that are. Very few supermarkets carry edible flowers, but they are available at specialty markets that carry gourmet produce. These flowers can be stored up to a week in the refrigerator as long as they are wrapped well. This is fine if they are to be used in a salad, but when they are used in cake decorating they need to be fresh.

You should never eat flowers that have been sprayed with pesticides. Some of the most popular edible flowers are:

Nasturtiums have a Peppery flavor, Chive blossoms taste like a mild sweet onion, Roses, Violas and Pansies taste a bit like grapes. Other edible flowers are apple blossoms, almond, lavender, borage, chamomile, lovage, lemon, orange blossoms, plum blossoms, peach blossoms, and squash blossoms. We also have daisies, chrysanthemums, geraniums, marigolds, jasmine, lilacs, and violets.

Candied Flowers

Candied flowers are great for desserts and in cake decorating. Here is a recipe to make your own.

Time to prepare: 8 hrs. and 15 minutes
Yield: 2 dozen flowers.

1/4 cup beaten egg whites
1/2 cup superfine sugar
2 cups edible flowers of your choice

Clean and blot flowers dry with a paper towel. With a paint brush, brush on a thin layer of egg white on each side of the flower petals or blossoms. Place flowers into a shallow bowl of superfine sugar and sprinkle more sugar over the flowers so that they are coated. Make sure all of the flower has been sprinkled with sugar. Remove flowers and place them on a sheet of waxed paper. Sprinkle each flower with another layer of sugar, again, make sure the entire flower gets a layer of sugar.

Allow flowers to dry on the waxed paper for 8 hours. Store these tasty treats in an airtight container at room temperature until they are needed.

We are seeing more real flowers and fruit in cake decorating than ever before. The addition of these wonderful edible gifts of nature, gives the cake an elegant look. Whether you are making a wedding, anniversary, retirement, birthday, or a cake for any special occasion, you will get many compliments on your choice of decoration.

Cake decorating can be a bit frustrating and time consuming, but once you learn the techniques and utilize the newest ideas when cake decorating, you will find that it can be fun, rewarding, and lucrative. Most cake decorators have an artistic background, or artistic talent.

If you are thinking of starting a cake decorating business in your home you will need to keep up with the latest trends in cake decorating to be able to offer your clients new unique and wonderful choices. As with anything designs get old, while some will stick with the traditional white or ivory for a wedding cake, but there are those who want to step out of the mold and have a little color in their wedding cake.

The Finishing Touch Of Cake Decorating

There are many ways to put a finishing touch on your cake decorating project. Sugar-frosted fruit and fresh flowers are very popular cake decoration garnishes. They will add a contrasting texture, and add color to your beautiful creation. Using these items will allow you to spruce up a plain cake.

Fruit

Using fresh berries for a garnish on your decorated cake are a colorful, and flavorful addition. You can roll them in sugar, glaze them, or use them plain. Placing fresh strawberries and mint leaves around the top of a chocolate cake will ad a splash of color. Orange sections, grapes, and strawberries glazed with shiny syrup, can be placed on the top of a cake for a beautiful, yet edible effect.

Dollops of whipped cream and fresh figs arranged tastefully on a cake can be quite appealing to the eye. Frosted whole fruit, such as grapes, seckel pears, small apples and figs are great cake decorations for late summer and fall weddings. Berries will last longer than sliced fruit, serve the cake soon after adding the fruit as it tends to bleed onto the frosting.

Flowers

The use of fresh, edible flowers in cake decorating, are a beautiful and easy way to make a cake more appealing. Starting with a cake dusted with confectioner’s sugar, or a frosted cake, and add flowers. There are many flowers that are edible, rose petals, sweet violets, honeysuckle, bachelor’s buttons, and callendulas etc… You might want to add a generous dollop of whipped cream to the center, or just off center, of the cake. Arrange the flowers around the whipped cream.

When you dust the flowers with super-fine sugar, the look is one of elegance and sparkle. Candied rose petals and candied violets are a wonderful cake decoration. Make sure the flowers you are using are edible, clean, and free of pesticide.

Nuts

Candied or toasted nuts are great on carrot cakes and spice cakes. Coarse or finely chopped nuts can be pressed into the icing on the sides of the cake, or along the bottom edge, for texture and flavor.

The use of fresh fruits and flowers will add an unusual and unique look to any cake. Cake decoration has become a more bold hobby or choice of career. You can open your own cake decorating business and cater to your friends, family. And community. Although it is time consuming, cake decorating can also be a fun and lucrative business.

Artistic cake decorators can just about name their price for one of a kind cake decorating creations. Of course this will all depend on where you are located. Cake decorators in New York City will be able to charge more than those in Jamestown. Of course there is also a cost of living difference, and a more sophisticated group of clients. No matter where you are located, offering unusual, unique cake decoration will put you on top and you will be in popular demand for the cake decorating needs of the majority.