How to Use a Paper Cone in Cake Decoration

Cake decorating is well known as one of the great edible arts. One of the most important tools of any cake decorator is the paper cone. The paper cone, in many ways, is the ideal baker’s tool because it is cheap, efficient and easy to work with. This tool can be a great way to work with several different colors without accidentally mixing up your different colored icings.

Other Reasons Why You May Want to Consider Paper Cones

There are other reasons why paper cones have become widely used in cake decoration. Many professional bakers and pastry chefs actually prefer cones because they can often be much easier to use than a pastry bag. They can be made in almost all sizes, including very small, and they are much easier to control. This means that they make it much easier to use when the chef is working on a small scale or when doing very delicate work.

Important Factors When Working with a Paper Cone

There are some important things to consider when you are working with a paper cone. One of the most important factors is to make sure that the icing you are using has a good consistency. In order to work with a facile hand during cake decorating, you must be able to achieve a consistency in which the icing is neither too thin nor too thick. The icing must be soft and thin enough to flow through the cone opening. However, if the icing is too stiff, it will be difficult for it to flow easily through the cone opening. However, in some cases, you will want stiff icing so that the designs hold their weight and shape, especially when forming large decorations such as flowers.

Exacting the Correct Pressure On Your Paper Cone

Finding just the right pressure is one of the biggest tricks to making neat and exact decorations using a paper cone. When you are working with one, it is important that you keep a steady pressure on the paper cone so that the icing flows out evenly. When you are working with specific kinds of decorations, such as when you are doing certain borders, you will want to move between a light and heavy pressure. This takes practice, as you have to know how to regulate the pressure from the cone at just the right momentum. It takes a lot of practice, but once you have got the hang of it, using this tool for cake decoration can be a pleasure.

Tips for Decorating with a Paper Cone

There are many tips that can help you learn how to control cake decorating using a paper cone. Here are some simple guidelines on learning to use a one for cake decorating. First, you can begin by filling your cone half full with icing. If it becomes too full, you will find it difficult to squeeze out the icing, and the icing make squeeze out of the top of the cone! Avoid this by not overfilling your paper cone. Once you have half-filled the cone, fold down the top of it to close it off at the top. Use scissors to cut off the tip of the cone. It is always better to snip off to little than too much. Once you have snipped out the bottom, practice on a paper towel before you get to decorate your dessert. If the bottom is too small, snip off a little more. When you hold the paper cone, try to position your fingers so that you can apply pressure with all of you palm at the same time.

Josephine Gauttier is the author of the popular eBook “The Art of Cake Decorating”. You can find more information about cake decorating at http://www.artofcakedecorating.com

Creamy Homemade Au Gratin Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 onion, sliced into rings
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Boil the potatoes for 5 minutes, just until slightly tender (do not over boil). Drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly butter a casserole dish and place half of the potatoes in the dish. Top with the onion slices and the remaining potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Mix the flour and salt in a separate bowl and add the milk, stir together until smooth. Then add the milk mixture to the butter and cook until mixture starts to thicken. Stir in cheese and quickly stir until melted. Pour cheese over potatoes, cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil.
Bake approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour until golden and bubbly.

A Short History of Cake Decorating

Cake decorating is one of those oft-ignored culinary arts. Although the sight of a beautifully decorated cake delights almost everyone, most people are not aware of the long and intricate history of the art. It indeed has a long and colored history. Here is a brief overview of the history of cake decorating.

The Roots of Cake Decorating

What are the origins of cake decorating? Compared to other forms of food preparation, it is actually one of the newer culinary arts. Decorating cakes can be traced back to the mid-17th century. This is around the same time, probably not coincidentally, that cake pans made their first appearance in domestic kitchens across Northeastern Europe. Beginning in the mid-17th century, it gained widespread popularity as a way to create elaborate desserts that were used as displays during the feasts and banquets of the wealthiest aristocracy. However, these were mainly used as display pieces.

The Mid-19th Century Brings Cake Decorating to the Forefront

The history of the art, as we know it today truly got its start in the mid-19th century. This coincides with the period in which the French began to serve the dessert as a completely separate sweet course that was served at the very end of the meal. This is the time in which decorated desserts, namely cakes, began to appear on banquet tables with some kind of regularity.

The Development of Temperature-Controlled Ovens Changes Everything

In the 1840s, there was an important development in kitchen and cooking technology: the temperature controlled oven. This, of course, made baking much more pleasant and convenient. During this period, cake baking became easier and thus more popular. However, during this period, most cake decorating consisted of the elaborate and difficult old English method, which generally consisted of decorating with dimensional over piping. The cakes would generally be covered in rolled fondant, and the borders would be intricately over piped. Another important development during this same period is the introduction of baking powder and baking soda. This, of course, also makes baking cakes much easier.

The Wilton Method Arrives in the Early 20th Century

Around 1929, a business known as Wilton Enterprises began to advertise its own cake decorating classes. Their classes were advertised to enterprising chefs, caterers and other gourmands with an interest in baking and decorating cakes. The decorating classes took off and became a great success among bakers and chefs. In 1947, the Wilton’s began to develop and promote their own line of baking and decorating products. Wilton enterprises made a great splash, and by the 1960s, the so-called Wilton Method became a stand-by method of cake decoration. In 1983, the Wilton Company merged with the Copco kitchenware company. Then, in 1991, the company merged again with Rowoco, who changed the name of the company to Wilton Industries.

The Lambeth Method Becomes Another Popular Decorating Method

A few years after the Wilton school came into existence, Joseph Lambeth published a book that would become a classic of cake decorating. The book was known as The Lambeth Method of Cake Decoration and Practical Pastries. The book became widely popular with budding cake decorators, bakers and other gourmands. The book contained real step-by-step instructions and clear, oversized drawings and photographs that showed readers how the Lambeth Method was constructed.

The International Cake Exploration Society Come Onto the Scene

In 1976, a new organization known as the International Cake Exploration Society in Michigan came into the decorating scene. The organization is still active, and meets each year during their annual conventions.

Josephine Gauttier is the author of the popular eBook “The Art of Cake Decorating”. You can find more information about cake decorating at http://www.artofcakedecorating.com

Easter Ice Cream Nests

This is the perfect kid-friendly dessert.  Guaranteed to be a hit!

20 milk chocolate mini-eggs unwrapped
½ cup miniature marshmallows
1 tablespoon
Light corn syrup
1 tablespoon butter
1 ½ cups corn flakes (crushed)
Vanilla ice cream
Chocolate syrup for topping

Lightly grease 6 muffin cups and set aside.  Microwave 12 of the 18 chocolate eggs (make sure they’re uncovered) in a microwave-safe bowl for about 1 minute (or a little less) and stir.  If not fully melted microwave another 10 seconds.

Combine the butter, corn syrup and marshmallows in another bowl and microwave for about 15 seconds, stir until melted and add the melted chocolate and cereal to it.  Mix the mixture well.

Press mixture into the bottom and sides of the muffin cups to form a “nest” shape.  Refrigerate for approximately 1 hour.  Remove the nests from the muffin cups very carefully and let stand at room temperate for approximately 15 minutes.

Place a small scoop of vanilla ice cream inside each nest, top with another unwrapped chocolate egg and drizzle with chocolate syrup.

Kitchen Knives for Every Kitchen

Any knife used in the preparation of food is the definition of a kitchen knife. And today there are more than a handful of kitchen knives that qualify. There are knives for just about every item of food, or so the cooking shows would have you believe there are.

The Chef’s Knife -

To begin with, a chef’s knife is a must have for even the novice cook. It’s a multi-purpose knife that minces, chops, dices, and slices along with all your other slicing duties. Its possibilities and help in the kitchen are endless. This is a knife you want to keep sharp at all times. Sharpening your knife can be done by hand with a honing stone and oils or water or with an electric or hand-held sharpener.

The Bread Knife -

The bread knife or offset serrated knife is also something one might consider as somewhat of a must have. The serrated edges, or ’saw-like’ blade will cut bread and other delicate food without having them collapse into a pile of crumbs. It’s the back and forth motion that helps with the cutting when using a bread or offset serrated knife. Offset serrated knife refers to the handle placement and insures the cook’s hands and knuckles will not touch the food while slicing through the food.

Paring and Peeling Knives -

A paring knife and a peeling knife do basically the same thing. A paring knife consists of a simple blade edge and is great for small and intricate work, such as de-veining shrimp or making fancy garnishes. This knife can also be used for peeling things, such as apples or other fruit skins. A peeling knife has a hook or bird’s beak at the end and is great for slicing soft fruits or making imaginative garnishes in carrots or tomatoes. There are countless websites and books to teach garnishments with vegetables and fruits, as well as how to use a peeling or paring knife.

Utility Knife -

The utility knife, which is approximately 4 to 7 inches long, is a medium sized knife. However, its thin blade and short length makes it difficult for many of the uses it’s built for. The utility knife has been declining in popularity in the past several years and top chefs have touted the use of a combination of a chef’s knife and a paring knife instead as the best due for your kitchen cutting needs.

Meat Knives -

In the meat knife division there are a few knives that will cover everything you will need. The carving and slicing knives are similar knives for cutting meat. The carving knife is a huge knife at between 8 and 15 inches long. This knife will cut thin slices of meat such as ham, beef and poultry. The spine of a carving knife is much thinner than a chef’s knife and will allow it to carve exact slices. The slicing knife is sometimes serrated and can be more narrow and thinner than the carving knives. They also have a blunt tip and can be more flexible and cut more precisely than the carving knives.

Boning and Fillet Knives -

The boning and fillet knife are similar in that they are both thin, sometimes curved knives that are meant for removing bones - mostly small ones such as those in fish - and filleting fish.

A big, rectangular shaped knife, the meat cleaver is designed to cut large chunks of meat in one slam. It’s a thick blade that is between 5 and 6 inches long and very heavy. The heaviness and thickness allows for ease of cutting through bone and joints.

Trimming, fluting and decorative knives are all comparable in size, at approximately 2 to 4 inches in length. They do a lot of the same tasks. From making decorative roses out of tomatoes to peeling vegetables, these knives are very versatile.

Cheese Knives -

Not necessarily a must have, but a nice addition to any collection of kitchen knives is a set of cheese knives. Hard, soft and Parmesan cheese knives do basically the same thing, but each is designed for a specific kind of cheese.

Steak Knives -

Steak knives are usually placed on the table and are a serrated and smaller version of the bread knife, but are a lot tougher in order to handle the meat. Butter knives are also placed on the table and are a wider, thicker version of the steak knives but without the serrated edges.

There are several ’specialty’ knives that would only be needed if you use these types of foods. They are the chestnut, oyster, grapefruit, mincing, de-veining, tourner and tomato knives. Each is built according to the need of the fruit, vegetable or nut it’s designed to cut.

William “Cole” Doggett is a knife expert and owns an Internet knife shop, Knife & Supply Company, LLC at http://www.KnifeSupplyCompany.com. Stop by and stock your kitchen from a massive selection of Kitchen Knives!

Easy Easter Brownie Cupcakes

1 (19.5oz) package chocolate brownie mix
36 milk-chocolate mini eggs
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups flaked coconut
2 drops green food coloring

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.  Prepare brownie mix according to package instructions.  Stir in 9 unwrapped mini chocolate eggs and stir well.  Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups.  Place in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 15 to 17 minutes or until the edges start to firm but the center is still slightly soft.  Remove from oven and cool in pan for approximately 10 minutes.  Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

In a separate bowl beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla using an electric mixer until smooth.  Set aside.

Combine the shredded coconut and food coloring in a small bowl and mix well.  Now top each cupcake with a tablespoon full of the cream cheese mixture and smooth the mixture flat.  Then sprinkle the “green grass” shredded coconut over the cupcakes.  Top each cupcake with one unwrapped chocolate egg.

Coconut Ambrosia Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup orange juice
2 (11oz) can mandarin oranges
1 (8oz) can pineapple chunks, undrained
½ cup seedless red grapes, halved
½ cup shredded coconut
½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

Combine juice, orange sections, pineapple, and grapes, stirring gently to blend. Refrigerate until serving time. Fold in coconut and pecans just before serving.
Serves 6.

Whole Wheat Apple and Pecan Rolls

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups white flour
1 ¼ cups milk
¼ cup sugar
2 ½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup margarine or butter
¼ cup honey
½ cup warm water
2 packages baking yeast
½ cup finely chopped apple (peeled)
½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

Mix the white and whole wheat flour together and set aside.  Heat the milk in a small sauce pan but do not boil.  Stir in sugar, salt, margarine or butter, and honey and mix.  Set aside to cool.

Add ½ cup warm water to a large bowl and stir in the yeast.  Add the milk mixture.  Then stir in the flour.  Batter should be thick but light enough to mix through.  Cover with a clean cloth and place in a warm place to rise.  The dough should double in size. 

Once the dough has risen, fold in the apple and pecan pieces.  Lightly grease 18 large muffin cups and spoon the batter into them.  Cover and set aside to rise until double.  Once doubled again bake at 375F for approximately 20 to 25 minutes until baked through.  Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Note: When setting the dough aside to rise make sure you place it in a warm place (a little warmer than room temperature) and away from any drafts.

Explore the Different Kinds of Kitchen Knives

Everyone’s kitchen should have a good set of kitchen knives. But there are so many different kinds of kitchen knives out there, how do you choose the ones that you need?

There are carving, pastry, cheese and steak knives to name a few. We should start with steak knives because everyone should have a good set of steak knives, whether you eat steak or not. It’s a good idea to have these kinds of knives because they can cut lots of food besides meats. They can cut breads without smashing it down because these knives are serrated like a saw; apples and other hard covered fruits like pineapples and melons. Vegetables are another good food a steak knife can cut through that a butter knife cannot.

General Kitchen Knives

In the general knife category we have a chef’s knife, bread knife, paring and utility knives. The chef’s knife is usually large and can chop just about anything from onions to tomatoes with easy. A bread knife is like a saw, serrated so as not to smash the bread down. A paring knife is a small knife used for pealing things or intricate, delicate work such as de-veining shrimp. And a utility knife is a medium sized knife meant for all types of cutting jobs, however, it’s too small to handle large cutting jobs, so it’s best for general purpose usage, some compare it to a butter knife, only sharper.

Carving and Boning Knives

A carving knife, also known as a V-shaped knife is used most often when carving a turkey or ham or some type of meat. They are very sharp knives and the only sharpening needed is back and forth against a metal rod every now and again. Among the meat knives is a boning knife, which as the name suggests, helps when boning a fish and a fillet knife which can also be used with fish, although it can also be used with other meats.

Small Kitchen Knives

Small knives come in handy for, well, small jobs, such as peeling, decorating and trimming. The peeling knife, also known as a bird’s beak knife because of its tip on the end that points down, are often used the same as paring knives so there is usually no need to have both.

Good Knives for Cooks

Then there are the miscellaneous knives that someone who cooks a lot can use. However, someone who barely knows where their kitchen is can probably live with out these types of knives. They are the cheese knives, one for each, soft and hard cheeses; the Asian knives, Santuko, the Sashimi, Usuba and Deba Hocho knives and finally the specialty knives which would be your tomato, oyster, de-veining, grapefruit, chestnut, mincing and tourner knives.

How a Kitchen Knife is Made

The construction process of the knives is important to know, and just as vital as owning them, and knowing which knives you own. There are at least seven different types of materials knives can be made of; you have the knives made of carbon steel which is carbon and iron. These are very inexpensive and very sharp. Next, you will find the knives that are made out of plain stainless steel. These are the low end stainless steel and are used mostly in flatware such as knives, forks and spoons.

Then you get into the higher end alloys for your better made knives. One good example is the high carbon stainless steel which refers to a higher-grade of stainless steel. Then there are the laminated blades. These use the greatest various materials and sandwich them one on top of the other with the harder surface in the center and the softer ones on the outer.

Some knives are made of titanium, a much lighter weight, further resistant to wear and more bendable than steel. However, it’s not as firm and won’t hold a sharp edge as long. Ceramic blades are very hard and durable and hold a good, razor-sharp edge for many months and maybe even a year with absolutely no upkeep at all. And finally, plastic knives are not very sharp at all; they are used mainly for cutting vegetables and soft things.

There are several different styles of handles as well, such as wood, which is not as easy to care for as the plastic but are more attractive. The plastic handles don’t absorb microorganisms as much as the wood or composite handles, which are made of two or more types of wood.

Whatever knife set you are choosing, always choose one that has the tang the width of the knife. The tang is the blade going all the way through the handle; this gives the blade balance and will not cause it to crack off if you do some heavy cutting.

Know your kitchen knives and get the best set for you.

William “Cole” Doggett is a knife expert and owns an Internet knife shop, Knife & Supply Company, LLC at Pocket Knife | Hunting Knife | SOG Knife. His website is devoted to all things pocket knives, Kitchen Knives, swords, kitchen cutlery, sharpeners, machetes and a wealth of information. Stop by!

Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients:

¾ cup flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup uncooked oatmeal (traditional slow cooking oats)
1 teaspoon cinnamon 
¼ cup butter or margarine
¾ cup buttermilk
1 egg

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400F.  Grease a 12-hole muffin tin well and set aside.  Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, cinnamon and oatmeal in a large bowl.  Mix together well.  In a separate bowl mix together the butter, buttermilk and egg.  Mix well.  Gently fold into the dry ingredients.  Take care not to over mix.  Pour batter into 12 muffin cup tin and bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes or until baked through.  Best served warm with a little butter and jam.

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