There are two types of cocoa powder: natural and dutch processed. Natural cocoa powder is made from the solids of a roasted, dried cocoa bean, which are very finely ground into a powder for packaging. The powder is slightly acidic and has a very sharp taste to it, though it usually contains fruity or …
Girl Scout cookie season is just around the corner. As usual, I’m not really planning to buy any of the Girl Scouts’ offerings – although I am happy to support local troops in other ways – because I know that I can make cookies that are as good or better at home. …
There is a lot of pressure to pick out New Year’s resolutions once the first of the year comes around. I’m not that big on resolutions, mostly because I don’t think that you need to wait until January to set goals for yourself, but it never really hurts to have a reminder …
In Romania this week, a Guinness-approved record was set for the world’s heaviest cake. Normally, being “heavy” is not a real selling point for a cake. Cakes are expected to be light and tender. Even pound cakes, which are known for their tight, dense crumb, are …
I want to thank everyone who participated in this year’s Baking Bites Holiday Cupcake Contest. The entries were all fantastic, with great looking cake, delicious and creamy frostings, and creative toppers. Judging was tough because there were so many entries to choose from. Some of the judges …
Gifts from the kitchen – and from the heart – are always welcome around the holidays. You don’t have to worry about sizes, sales, fighting traffic or return policies. They’re usually budget-friendly and end up seeming very personal because you put in the effort to make them yourself.
If you’re …
At just about all specialty food stores, as well as a good number of regular supermarkets, you’re going to find elegant boxes of panettone available around the holidays. The boxes are always adorned with illustrations of what’s inside, but an illustration is never as good as actually seeing the product. Panettone is …
I used food coloring to put a swirl into my candy cane cupcakes. Nestle clearly had the same idea when they came up with their Swirled Holiday Morsels – a.k.a. red, white and green white baking chips. Their chips have broader applications than my cupcakes do and …
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