Tag: Chef

Creative Cake Decorating Ideas

You need to bake a cake for a special occasion, you know you are creative, but you need a fresh idea to work with. Every celebration includes a cake to be shared among the guests and family members. It is tradition to have a cake baked by a bakery, or to have a relative bake a cake for the event. If you are the designated cake decorator, you may be looking for a new idea for your next creation.

Below are a few cake decorating ideas:

– Characters: There are hundreds of famous characters to use for cake decorating. You can make any cake special by drawing in Dora the Explorer, or Blues Clues. Or you may want to cut up the cake to make the entire cake into a favorite character.

– Themes: Maybe you would like to go with a 50’s theme, underwater adventure, sport theme, or a roaring 20’s theme for your cake decorating. Use your creativity and find a theme that will thrill the person you are making the cake for, and the guests . You may want to have a masquerade party in that theme. Whatever you decide, have fun.

– Motor Cakes: Boys are usually crazy about trucks, cars, fire engines, boats, tractors, helicopters, or airplanes. Again you can use your cake decorating expertise to make a farm with a 3-D tractor, a racing strip, or a scene showing a fire being put out by firemen. Of course it all depends on what the particular birthday boy is fond of.

– Animals: You can also use an animal theme by cutting the cake to look like any animal, or draw in a scene using animals. It could be a zoo scene with several animals or choose one animal and decorate the cake with other decorations showing where it came from. Use your imagination.

– Food: Maybe you are making a cake for the opening of an Italian restaurant. You could create a scene depicting the building, or if it is for a chef opening the restaurant, a scene of the kitchen with different Italian dishes would be fun. You can also cut the cake to look like a hamburger, hot dog, taco etc… The sky is the limit when it comes to cake decorating using a food theme.

– Holiday Themes: I remember when bunny cakes became popular at Easter, Wilton has pans and decorating supplies for all holiday cake decorating designs. A heart on Valentine’s day, or a 4 leaf clover on St. Patrick’s day is a wonderful way to say happy holidays.

– Your Own Creation: If you have been involved in cake decorating for quite some time, or if you are a novice with an artistic flair, you can create your own cake based on the theme or the celebration.

Whatever cake you make will be the center of attention as cakes usually are at a celebration. It has become tradition to have a outstanding cake at every celebration. Knowing that you are the one who is artistic enough to make this cake, and the praise you will receive from others, will give you a bushel of satisfaction.

What Tools Do I Need For Cake Decorating?

When you begin cake decorating, you can get by with a heavy duty mixer, icing tips, icing bags, cake pans, ready made or recipes for homemade royal icing, mixing bowls, spatulas, and metal icing spatulas. Later on you will want to spread your wings and expand your cake decorating and baking inventory. Below are some of the items you may want to purchase.

1. Rolled Fondant Icing White Vanilla, 2 pounds – $8.88. Rolled Fondant cake icing is a premium quality, non-stick, icing that is pliable and can be rolled out for cake decorating with a rolling pin or mechanical sheeter. This Fondant produces a satiny smooth and elegant finish to any cake. This product can also be used as a modeling paste to create decorative flat or 3-D pieces for your cake decoration.

This product has a mellow flavor and is delicious. It is very pliable and easy to handle . This product can be used over a thin layer of icing or a layer of powdered sugar so that it will not stick. Any cake will take on a beautiful, elegant look when Fondant is used. Different flavors of Fondant are available in various weights and flavors.

2. Buttercream Icing 3 1/2 pounds. Ready to use for cake decorating and icing. Price $8.95, 25 pounds- $46.89, 8 pounds- $16.01.

3. Hexagon Cake Pan- 16 gauge anodized aluminum, straight sides, Hemmed rim for durability, even wall thickness. Also available Cut Corner Sheet Cake Pan, Petal Cake Baking Pans, Heart Cake Pans, Square cheesecake pan with removable bottom, Oval Cake Pan Set, 10 x 2 Aluminum baking ring, Round Cake Pan Sets, Wedding Cake Pan Set.

4. Magic Line Round Cake Pans are made to suit all of your baking needs whether you are a professional or a novice at cake decorating. Set includes one 6 inch, 8 inch, 10 inch, 12 inch, and 14 inch pan.

5. Set of 2 round cake pans from 2 x 2 inch, to 20 x 2. Prices range from $4.84 to $34.10. 3 inch deep cake pans and pan sets at lower prices.

6. Round, fluted cake pans.

7. Non-stick angelfood cake pan.

8. 3 tier Cake and Dessert Stand – $29.29.

9. French Chef Rolling Pin – $6.99.

These and many more cake decorating supplies are available at ultimatebaker.com. This site has all of the newest gadgets and tools that will help with cake decorating. This site is an excellent store for all of your cake decorating needs, whether you are a home baker or a professional cake decorator, there are so many tools at this website, you will find it hard to choose. An excellent site for those who own a cake decorating business, you will benefit from shopping here because of their reasonable prices and their large inventory.

Cake decorating is becoming a large industry. Every celebration includes a cake to share with the participants. A cake decorating business can be a very profitable and fun.

What’s Special about Rachel Ray Receipes

Rachel Ray receipes are special because they’re recipes that almost everyone can make. You don’t have to be an expert cook to make many of her 30 minute meals recipes. And even her more complicated recipes are much simpler than you’ll find with some other TV chefs.

With Rachel Ray’s meals, you get a very basic recipe at the core. While some recipes do have a few exotic ingredients that everyone won’t have in the pantry, most do not. This shows that Rachel understands what the average home cook is looking for.

How many times have you been watching a cooking show and been disappointed, This is a common problem with many recipes you’ll find on television. The finished product is beautiful and looks delicious, but only a chef can actually make it!

Often, the recipes are exotic things that few ordinary people would even try. When there are more than a couple of ingredients that you don’t already have, it’s easy to get discouraged. And when there are expensive ingredients that you would buy and never use except for that recipe, it’s unlikely you even want to try it.

Rachel Ray recipes, however, are full of ingredients that are common. Basic ingredients like pasta, vegetables, fruits, cheese, milk, extra virgin olive oil and things you probably have on hand are the staples in her meals.

This makes her recipes easy for almost anyone to try. And usually, when there is an ingredient that you might not have on hand, it’s one that you can use in many other things. Capers, for instance, aren’t something everyone buys. But if you buy them for one recipe, she’ll have several others that use them, too.

This gives even the most inexperienced cook a chance to try something new. Done this way, you won’t be stuck paying a lot of money for an ingredient with one use. This is all too often what happens when you follow other top chef’s recipes.

With Rachel Ray’s recipes, you also don’t have to buy any of her pre-packaged products. While she does have some food products available, like chicken and beef broth, her recipes don’t require that you use them. Rachel Ray’s meals are truly recipes that you can use without special knowledge or brand-name purchases.

It’s also fun to cook along with someone who’s really enthusiastic about the recipes. She actually makes the meals in 30 minutes on the television show. Unlike other cooking shows, nothing is pre-chopped or prepared in advance. So you could actually do the same thing she does and follow along.

If you’re looking for a simple and fast meal, Rachel Ray’s 30 Minute Meals can’t be beat. You can make a main dish, a side dish, and usually a salad and a dessert all in a half an hour. And since the ingredients are mostly common ones, you can find the exact things she uses.

With Rachel Ray receipes that are so simple and easy to follow, everyone should be able to enjoy her fun and healthy 30 minute meals.

Gourmet Cooking Recipes – The Basics of Gourmet Cooking Recipes

To many people, gourmet cooking seems like an inaccessible thing that only wealthy people are capable of enjoying, but with gourmet cooking recipes, this is no longer the case. There is no reason for you to feel as if you cannot take advantage of what gourmet cooking recipes have to offer, because these recipes are largely accessible and make it possible for you to create stunning gourmet meals for yourself and for your family. If you have never tried out gourmet cooking recipes or gourmet cooking before, you should not be intimidated.

With just a little bit of trial and error regarding gourmet cooking recipes, you can get a handle on this unique and enjoyable method of cooking. To begin with, you should understand what characteristics exist that make gourmet cooking recipes actually considered being gourmet. Gourmet cooking is designed to, for example, utilize ingredients that are fresh as well as of the highest possible level of quality.

For example, a gourmet chef will not call for dried or powdered garlic in their gourmet cooking recipes but rather they will demand fresh cloves instead. Herbs cannot be dried or powdered, but must be fresh and hand chopped or minced in order for the gourmet cooking recipes to be gourmet.

Another word that means the same thing as gourmet is epicurean, which is described as being someone that only likes the finest in food and in drink. Gourmet people, people who cook gourmet cooking recipes, are people that are like connoisseurs of food. Just like with an epicurean, these connoisseurs are people that understand what is good just as well as what is not good, especially in terms of gourmet cooking recipes.

The best way to learn about what makes gourmet cooking recipes actually gourmet is to go online and perform a search on the concept of gourmet food and gourmet cooking. The internet is filled to the brim with information that will benefit you on gourmet cooking and all other aspects of cooking as well. You should not be afraid to go online and ask around for help so that you can learn more about what gourmet cooking recipes are all about. There are a myriad of different communities online that are devoted to all forms of cooking and eating, and gourmet cooking and gourmet cooking recipes are certainly not exceptions to the rule.

Once you have decided to try out your own gourmet cooking recipes, you may find it enjoyable to try out specialty supermarkets and other grocers as you hunt down the unique and exotic ingredients that many of these recipes demand. Shop locally whenever you possibly can, and try an internet search for other ingredients that you cannot find nearby, like special herbs and spices for example, which can be delivered to your front doorstep quickly and efficiently when needed. Don’t be afraid to try new gourmet cooking recipes, you may find one that you really end up loving.

Finding Recipes, Low Calorie Style!

If you are one of the many people that have decided to take the low calorie leap, you are probably at a loss as to where to find recipes to cook. It is great to want to eat healthier, but sometimes you need a little guidance. If you need help finding recipes, low calorie style, here are few simple ways to locate recipes and shake up the recipes you have.

The easiest, most convenient way to find recipes, low calorie style, is to look on the internet. The information superhighway has thousands of recipes that you can access with a few clicks of the mouse. You can start your hunt by typing “recipes low calorie” in the search engine and watch the possibilities pop up. Just going through these sites will keep you more than busy and stocked up on ideas for sometime. However, if you want more, there is plenty more out there. Another idea is to look at specific websites that are focused on food preparation or have a recipe section. Look up your favorite cooking television show in the internet and see if they have a website. You would be surprised how many publish recipes they have aired or plan to air in the near future.

You can also take a stroll down the magazine aisle at your local store. There are hundreds of magazines that feature recipe sections. Pay special attention to magazines about women, family, and the home. Even if they are not specifically about cooking, many will at least throw in a few recipes. “Woman’s Day” is a perfect example of a magazine that targets women but always has several recipes inside, usually those that are low calorie.

Once you have done the first two suggestions, you should be swimming in recipes, more than you could cook in a year! However, there are still more available. If your thirst for recipes, low calorie style, is still strong, it is time to hit the bookstore. Be prepared there are roughly a billion books of cooking. Luckily, there are only several million on low calorie cooking. That may be an exaggeration, but it certainly will not seem so when you make it to the cookbook aisle! Try to focus on the healthy cookbooks so you will not be distracted by all the others on the market. Scan through a few books and look for something that may look good. This is mostly trial and error unless there is a specific chef or series of books you are interested in.