Candida Diet Friendly Desserts

Although the words diet and dessert aren't typically the best partners, it is possible to enjoy some sweet treats while sticking to a candida diet. It is true that sugar and white flour are still foods to avoid, but there are carefully crafted candida dessert recipes designed to keep your body on track, fighting off candida overgrowth.

Studies have shown that people tend to fail on overly restrictive diets because they cannot stick to the plans long term. It may be possible to muster up the will power to succeed for a couple of weeks or even a couple of months, but soon the cravings start calling and it is important to have healthy alternatives to satisfy your desire.

Desserts

However, the fact remains that sugar and white flour feed candida overgrowth. Even in small amounts of foods containing these items can trigger symptom flare-ups and make life miserable, making a sugar splurge hardly worth it.

Candida Diet Friendly Desserts

The great thing is that once you start cutting back on processed foods, refined carbohydrates and excess sugars, your intense cravings for these foods will subside. Yet it may be unlikely that you will never desire another dessert again. After all, something sweet is an excellent end to a delicious meal and a perfect pairing to a cup of gourmet coffee or tea.

The key to sticking with a candida diet while enjoying dessert is to find recipes that do not promote candida growth. Many people have had success utilizing artificial sweeteners to get their sweet fix without ingesting sugar. However, certain sweeteners have earned a bad reputation and can cause side effects or even illness.

One sweetener that seems to stand above the rest in that it cooks and bakes well and does not appear to cause the same reaction as other artificial sweeteners is Stevia. This plant-derived extract has nearly 300 times the sweetness of sugar, so a little goes a long way. Stevia is popular now, because not only does it not spike blood glucose but also medical studies have shown it may treat conditions like obesity and high blood pressure.

So Stevia may be a way to have something sweet without feeding the candida like sugar does. Using it as an additive to shakes, puddings and cheesecakes, means you can experience real dessert while sticking to your candida diet plan.

Below are some dessert ideas to get you started:

Crustless Peanut Butter Pie

Combine equal parts of sugar-free natural peanut butter and cream cheese and then mix in whipped heavy whipping cream to provide a lighter texture. Sweeten with Stevia to taste. Pour into a pie pan or bowl and refrigerate until chilled.

Frozen Chocolate Pudding Dessert

Mix a package of sugar-free instant chocolate pudding (4-serving size), 1.5 cups milk, and 1 cup whipping cream. Add a small amount of stevia to taste. Pour into a pan, cover and freeze for at least four hours. Remove from freezer approximately 1 hour prior to serving.

Berries and Cream

Select fresh or frozen berries and pour heavy whipping cream on top. Add a small amount of Stevia and vanilla extract to taste. If the berries are frozen the whipping cream will freeze, creating a delicious, ice cream-like dessert.

Just because you are living with a candida condition does not mean you can't enjoy a dessert from time to time. Treat yourself on special occasions and when a major craving calls and you will be less likely to binge on damaging processed, sugary desserts.

Candida Diet Friendly Desserts

To learn more about candida diet, candida desserts and candida recipes, visit Candida Solutions.

Lemon Detox Diet Recipe - Make it Today

The lemon detox diet recipe is by far the most requested of any of the detox type recipes available online. This is due to the high media coverage the detox diet drink has received on American and British television. I must say though that it does worry me that many who take up this diet do so without consulting their doctor or without any preparation. Before I give you the recipe I'm going to take a little of your time to make sure that your detox experience is as rewarding and safe as possible.

Firstly as I have already said before starting any detox diet plan consult your doctor. We are all unique and just because a detox diet works safely for one person does not mean it is ideal for everybody.

Recipe

Secondly don’t simply switch from you normal high junk food, high processed food, high caffeine intake and alcohol diet straight to a harsh detox diet. If you do the chances are high that you will fail. Make sure at least a few days before you start a detox plan that to start cutting down on the foodstuffs you know you are going to grave.

Lemon Detox Diet Recipe - Make it Today

Many who do detox do feel ill for at least a couple of days. Symptoms can include feeling lightheaded, nausea and feeling week. These symptoms are common and usually last a few days. If you continue to feel ill consult your doctor. If you can't cope with the symptoms then stop the detox plan.

Lemon Detox Diet Recipe

Take a drinking glass and add 4oz of cold water

Add lemon juice from half of a freshly squeezed Lemon.

Add 2 tablespoons of Pure Maple Syrup.

Add a dash of Cayenne Pepper or ground ginger.

Using a spoon stir well. Add 4 oz of cold water then stir again.

You should also have a large glass of water each day with 1 teaspoon of salt as this helps stimulate bowl movements.

If you can't stomach the salt water drink this can be substituted with one teaspoon of senna tea replacing the salt.

Take either the salt or senna tea solution in the evening.

It is recommended you have a multi-vitamin or mega multi-vitamin each day.

You should drink at least 6 to 10 glasses of the lemon drink each day and have nothing else apart from the salt or tea drink. The detox process is meant to be followed for between 3 to 7 days.

Lemon Detox Diet Recipe - Make it Today

More information and advice about the Lemon Detox Diet Recipe that will help you on your way to success!

Never pay for a detox diet recipe again as all the detox diet recipes are free at Detox Diet Planet.

Quick Italian Dessert Recipe - Tiramisu

If you are looking for a tasty and fast recipe that is authentic Italian, this quick Italian dessert recipe is for you. There is no better way to finish off a delicious Italian dinner than with a tasty and light dessert. This recipe is great to serve your guests after a pasta dinner and wine. You can also serve this as a social dessert with coffee at any time. Tiramisu is a favorite among Italian food lovers.

Ingredients for this Tiramisu Quick Italian Dessert Recipe:
o 30 Italian lady fingers that are divided
o 2 ½ cups of strong warm espresso
o 2 ounces of chopped chocolate
o Unsweetened cocoa used for dusting the dessert
o 6 egg yolks
o ¾ cup of white sugar
o 1 ¼ pounds of mascarpone cheese
o 2 cups of heavy cream
o 1/3 cup of white sugar
o 1 ½ tablespoons of dark rum

Dessert

Directions for making Tiramisu Quick Italian Dessert Recipe:
o Dip the first 18 Italian ladyfingers into the espresso
o Line the bottom of a 12 x 9 pan with the ladyfingers
o Sprinkle half of the chopped chocolate over the mixture
o Add a generous dusting of the cocoa on the mixture
o Set this aside
o Combine the egg yolks and ¾ cup of the sugar
o Mix this on high in a mixer for about ten minutes
o Mix the mascarpone by hand until it is completely mixed and lump free
o Set this aside
o Mix by a mixer or by hand the cream, 1/3 cup of sugar and the rum until it forms stiff peaks
o Add the mascarpone mix and whip this again until completely homogenous
o Spread half of the egg and cheese filling onto the ladyfingers in the pan
o Soak the rest of the ladyfingers in espresso and make a second layer over them
o Leave some spaces in between the ladyfingers and sprinkle the remaining filling evenly over the ladyfingers
o Lightly sprinkle this with more cocoa
o Wrap and refrigerate for about four to six hours
o When this is chilled, sprinkle it again with a light dusting of the cocoa
o Slice and serve with a spoon or spatula

Quick Italian Dessert Recipe - Tiramisu

This quick Italian dessert recipe for tiramisu will delight your taste buds and you will love how light and tasty this dessert is. You can serve small servings after a big dinner, or a little bit larger pieces as an afternoon social treat. Some prefer to serve this dessert with espresso, coffee or if you and your guests prefer to enjoy the richness, try with a nice glass of red wine.

Quick Italian Dessert Recipe - Tiramisu

Katie Appleby is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about quick Italian dessert recipe [http://tastydessertstoday.info/quick-italian-dessert-recipe-tiramisu], please visit Tasty Desserts Today [http://tastydessertstoday.info] for current articles and discussions.

Filipino Recipes - Suman Moron (Dessert) Recipe - Pinoy Food

Suman Moron originated from Leyte, an island in the Visayas. It is a popular Filipino dessert served during fiestas and other special occasions. Luckily, I don't have to wait for any special celebrations to taste this delicacy because these are commonly sold outside the church during Sundays.

This recipe makes about 30 pieces of Suman Moron 4-inches long each.

Dessert

Ingredients:

• 2 cups glutinous rice flour
• 6 cups ordinary rice flour
• 2 kilos grated coconut meat
• 1 big can evaporated milk
• ½ kilo white (refined) granulated sugar
• 1 kilo muscovado sugar
• 30 chocolate tableya, melted with 1/4 cup water
• 1 bar cheddar cheese (julienned)
• 1 cup chopped peanuts
• 1 small bottle vanilla extract
• 8 cups boiling water
• about 30 pieces banana leaves, cut into rectangles (8″x10″)

Filipino Recipes - Suman Moron (Dessert) Recipe - Pinoy Food

Cooking Instructions:

• In a basin, place the grated coconut meat and pour boiling water. Set aside. (Note: 8 cups of canned coconut milk can be used as alternative.)
• Mix the 2 types of flour well until thoroughly incorporated. Divide the flour mixture equally into two parts.
• Squeeze the grated meat when the coconut mixture is already cool enough to handle. Use a fine strainer to separate the coconut milk. Divide the coconut milk equally into two parts.
• In a thick-bottomed pan, place ½ of the flour mixture and pour in one part coconut milk, muscovado sugar, melted chocolate, vanilla extract and peanuts. Mix well and place over medium heat. Keep on stirring while cooking the mixture. At first, uneven lumps will form. But as you keep stirring, the mixture will even out as it thickens. Turn off the heat when oil starts to come out. Set aside to cool.
• To the second half of flour mixture, add the remaining coconut milk. Then pour about half of the white sugar and the evaporated milk. Mix thoroughly. Place in a separate pan and cook over medium heat while stirring continuously. Remove from the heat when the mixture is thickened. Set aside to cool.
• Pass the banana leaves over the heat to make them supple. Then use the squeezed-dry coconut meat over the leaves.
• Take a heaping tablespoonful of the first mixture (chocolate) and place on the banana leaf wrapper. Sprinkle a little cheese on it before rolling, with the banana leaf covering the mixture. Therefore, you hands won't be touching the mixture being rolled.
• Take another heaping tablespoonful of the second mixture (milk) and do the same process.
• Place the two cylinders (milk and chocolate) and roll to form a thicker cylinder with the two colors fused together.
• Roll the banana leaf to wrap tightly and tie a string at both ends to secure.
• Repeat the process until all of the two mixtures have been wrapped.
• Steam for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Let cool before serving.

Filipino Recipes - Suman Moron (Dessert) Recipe - Pinoy Food

Jasmine is a native Filipino with a passion for cooking and gardening. Her love of Pinoy food has lead her to create a website to share her favorite Filipino recipes with the world.
Come and explore and enjoy a true taste of the Philippines with these authentic Pinoy recipes and stories of the Philippine culture.

Delicious Desserts

A "Dessert" is a meal course that usually comes after dinner. Most often Dessert foods are of sweet food but can also be of a strongly flavored food, such as cheese, like cheese cake. The world dessert comes from the Old French word "desservir", which means 'to clear the table'. Often times in the English language dessert is confused with the word desert(note only one "s"), which is a baren piece of land normally with sand as soil.

It wasn't until after the 19th-century where the rise of the middle class, and the mechanization of the sugar industry, brought the privilege of sweets into the general public and unreserved it exclusively for the aristocracy, or as rare holiday treat. This was because sugar became cheaper and more readily available to the general public. As sugar was widely spread, so was the development and popularity of desserts.

Desserts

In today's culture dessert recipes [http://www.dessert-1.com] have become a popular item for discussion, as they are a winning way to win people over at the end of any meal. This is partly because if you serve a mediocre meal, with an excellent dessert, people will remember you for the dessert and forget about the meal.

Delicious Desserts

Most cultures, have a separate final distinction between the main course, and the sweet course. This is not true however in some cultures such as Chinese, who will mix in sweet and savoury dishes throughout the entire meal. Dessert is, often times seen as a separate meal or snack, rather than a course, and can be eaten some time after the meal by many individuals. Because of it's wide spread popularity there are even some restaurants that specialize in desserts.

Some of the most common desserts are:

- Biscuits or cookies

- Ice creams

- Meringues

- Fruit

- Cakes

- Crumbles

- Custards

- Gelatin desserts

- Puddings

- Pastries

- Pies or tarts

Delicious Desserts

Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the article, this caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.

Ryan Fyfe is the owner and operator of Dessert One [http://www.dessert-1.com] - [http://www.dessert-1.com], which is the best site on the internet for all dessert related information.

Diabetic Dessert Recipes - Sugar Free Dessert Recipes to Prevent Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, either the pancreas does not make enough insulin (insulin is a hormone that helps glucose to enter cells) or muscle cells are unable to use insulin properly. As the result, a diabetic patient has very high blood sugar levels. When the sugar or glucose level is over 600 mg/dl, it's dangerous to the diabetic's health. Untreated diabetes affects the eyes, nerves, kidney, heart and blood vessels.

Type 2 Diabetes is usually controlled with exercise and an appropriate diet. Are you suffering from Type 2 diabetes? In such a case, you absolutely need to manage a healthy diet in order to help control blood sugar concentration. And what about if you are free from diabetes? It is wise to prevent diabetes planning healthy meals. Try to avoid food high in sugar, saturated fat and carbohydrates (carbs).

Dessert

Can people with diabetes enjoy sweets and desserts?

Diabetic Dessert Recipes - Sugar Free Dessert Recipes to Prevent Diabetes

Are you craving for something sweet to eat such as desserts? Having diabetes doesn't mean you have to give up great tasting food. You can still enjoy your favorite deserts. Learn how to make special and delicious diabetic sweet treats, cakes, pies, ice cream, pudding and cookies by yourself!

Fortunately, easy diabetic dessert recipes are available and can be very helpful to diabetics. What you can do is collect sugar free desserts recipes. After collecting these diabetic recipes, just try them! Develop healthy eating habits and enjoy great tasting food! You can live a normal life controlling properly your glucose sugar level.

Tasty Diabetic Dessert Recipes Sample

>> STRAWBERRY MOUSSE DIABETIC RECIPE Ingredients:

> 2 cups fresh unsweetened strawberries
> 4-oz frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping
> Substitute sugar equivalent to 60 grams of sugar
> ½ package sugar-free pudding mix

Directions:

Place strawberries and sugar substitute in a blender and process until smooth. Strain seeds and discard. Return strawberry mixture to the blender and process again. Add sugar-free pudding mix and process until smooth. Transfer to large bowl. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon evenly into desert dishes. Refrigerate until serving time.

Whether you want to prevent or cure diabetes naturally maintaining a special diet, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the dishes and favorite desserts you like! You just have to make them a different way.

How can I collect tasty diabetic dessert recipes?

Actually, there are two different way to collect sugar-free dessert recipes in order to prevent oneself from getting Type 2 diabetes.

1) The first one consists to copy them from any site on the web. It's free of charge but unfortunately not all the diabetic recipes found on the web are written by professionals such as nutritionists!

2) The second way is to buy for a reasonable price a complete and professional cookbook. How would you feel if you had a collection of 500 different diabetic recipes? With such a specific cookbook, it will be very easy to cut down on the sugar in your diet. Download an awesome collection of over 500 Diabetics Recipes including desserts, entrees, snacks and more!

Diabetic Dessert Recipes - Sugar Free Dessert Recipes to Prevent Diabetes

Feel free to read also the Diabetes Reversal Report, a new diabetes discovery backed by science that is able to normalize you blood sugar levels naturally! Alexis Roger is a French biochemist who loves investigating and teaching. He has studied various fields of science such as pharmacology, physiology, endocrinology, chemistry, bacteriology, anatomy and botanic. He displays a great interest in international alternative medicine therapies.

Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Recipe - A Free Recipe Inside

If you're looking for a quality Cracker Barrel meatloaf recipe, then this article was written for you. Specifically, I'm going to show you the ingredients you'll need, then I'm going to show you how to prepare this meal. By the time you've finished reading, you'll be ready to get cooking your own "replica" recipe!

Many families want to serve good food inside their homes, this is why the Cracker Barrel meatloaf recipe is one of the most popular "copycat" recipes around. Of course, it is already a given that you're not going to have the original recipe - because it's a trade secret - but you can improvise your own version of it without too much hassle.

Recipe

In fact, I'm going to share with you my favorite version of this recipe right here. It has taken many months of testing, tweaking and refinement to develop this recipe - and while it's not completely identical to the original, I'm sure you'll agree that it's just as delicious if you decide to prepare it for you and your family.

Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Recipe - A Free Recipe Inside

So, without any further introduction - here's the recipe you're looking for.

The ingredients needed in making a clone of the Cracker Barrel meatloaf recipe are: 2 pounds of lean ground beef; ¾ cup of raw, chopped onions; ½ cup of chopped green peppers; 2 fresh eggs; 1 tablespoon of salt; ¾ teaspoon of black pepper; 1 can of diced tomatoes; 2 ¼ cups of bread crumbs; and ½ cup of catsup. When all of these have already been gathered, they should be combined with each other very well and must be pressed into a loaf pan after.

You should then bake it in an oven at 350° for an hour so that it will cook evenly. After an hour is over, you should take out the fat that accumulated in the process and add catsup at the top meatloaf. When the catsup has been added, you should bake the meatloaf for another 30 minutes. When the baking is done, cut it into portions according to the preferences of your family members.

Even though this is not the original recipe, seeing the family enjoy what you've prepared for them will make it all the more special.

To summarize, this article has given you a little background on this recipe, the "secret" ingredients you'll need, and what you need to do to prepare this meal. Now you should be ready to get cooking!

Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Recipe - A Free Recipe Inside

If you're looking for more Cracker Barrel Meatloaf recipes (and many others) that taste just like the real thing - then you should take a look at http://www.replica-recipes.net - It's the best resource you'll ever find for learning the jealously-guarded secret recipes of your favorite restaurants. You really won't be able to tell the difference between these "exact replica" recipes and the real thing - plus you can make them all easily and cheaply from the comfort of your own home! Click here to go there now.

Easy Dessert Recipes With Few Ingredients

This is a great dessert recipe to make quickly and easily with leftover double chocolate cookies. Naturally, you'll need to make the cookies first, and then manage to hold off eating enough of them to turn them into a dessert...

Easy cookie recipe

Dessert

To make simple double-choc cookies, you will need:

• 1.5 cups chocolate chips (or a bar of chocolate smashed to pieces with a rolling pin)
• 2 cups sugar
• One third of a cup of cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla essence (optional - it's nice but not critical if you don't have any)
• 2 eggs

Easy Dessert Recipes With Few Ingredients

Mix all of the ingredients together, making sure everything is well combined. Pre-heat the oven to 320 degrees. Grease a baking tray, then spoon the cookie mixture onto it.

The cookies should be done within about 15 minutes, but check them at regular intervals and turn the tray if they are cooking unevenly. Once they are done, leave them to cool for a few minutes on the tray and then remove them with a spatula and place them on a rack to cool properly. The cookies will be at their most tasty at this point, warm and slightly soft, with melted chocolate in the middle - perfect with a cup of good coffee.

Easy dessert recipe

If you have a few of these cookies left over, you can make a quick and extremely easy dessert recipe with them. There are many variations on this, so check what you have in the cupboards and fridge. You won't need all of the ingredients here - this is just a suggestion, and you can change it according to taste and availability.

You'll need some or all of the following:

• Cookies
• Plain yoghurt
• Custard
• Ice cream (any flavor, but vanilla or chocolate is probably best)
• Mixed berries - these can be bought frozen
• Cream
• Chocolate shavings

Start by crumbling the cookies into a small bowl or, better still, the bottom of a wine glass. Heat the berries in a pan or the microwave, and pour them over the cookies while still hot. Spoon yoghurt, custard or ice cream - or any combination of these - over the cookies and berries. Top with cream and chocolate shavings.

This is a really simple but very classy-looking dessert. One of the real attraction is the contrasts: the hot/cold of the berries and the ice cream, the hard chocolate chips and the soft cookie and yoghurt. It's also a great way to use leftovers.

Easy Dessert Recipes With Few Ingredients

Find more easy cookie recipes at http://www.EasyCookieRecipesWithFewIngredients.com. You can find more quick and easy dessert recipes at http://www.EasyDessertRecipesWithFewIngredients.net. They pretty much do what it says on the tin.

Dessert Ideas for Entertaining Guests at Dinner Parties

You may think the most important part of a dinner party is the dinner - but you would be wrong. While having a delicious dinner and great conversation are key to a successful event, the most important element of your dinner party is the dessert! Likely this will be the last thing your guests remember and can really cap off a good meal and good night in the right way.

Dinner Party Dessert Ideas

Dessert

Do not stress out about choosing the most fancy dessert ideas for your dinner party. You do not need a flaming pudding or crème brulee to excite your guests' palates, instead consider serving your family and friends a delicious cheesecake. There are so many cheesecake flavors you can be sure you will find one to accommodate even the pickiest of eaters. Cheesecake is such a versatile dessert it can be dressed up with chocolate or caramel swirls, decorated with sliced fruit or just left to shine all on its own. No matter how you choose to display your cheesecake, your guests will agree that it is one of the best desserts you can choose!

Dessert Ideas for Entertaining Guests at Dinner Parties

More Dessert Ideas for Parties

If your guests have a variety of different taste preferences, a whole cheesecake may not be the right dinner party dessert idea. Instead of purchasing a big cheesecake that is all one flavor, consider getting a cheesecake assortment. You have a few of options when choosing assorted cheesecakes. You can get a large "gourmet assortment" cake, which comes with three slices of Mocha, three slices of Turtle, three slices of Original and three slices of the Very Strawberry cake. This assortment has something to please everyone. You can even choose a flavor theme - Chocolate Lovers or a Very Berry- if you know your guests have similar tastes but also appreciate variety.

You can also choose an assortment of mini cheesecakes. This option allows each of your guests to enjoy their very own cheesecake! We will send you a seven-pack assortment of our top selling cakes right now, and your dinner party guests will be able to enjoy Strawberry Swirl, Original, Turtle and Key Lime cheesecakes!

Simple Dinner Party Dessert Ideas

Remove one item from your to-do list by ordering a cheesecake online. Do not waste time driving to and from a bakery or store, just walk to your computer, choose your cake and wait for it to be delivered straight to your door.

Dinner parties are the perfect opportunity for you to gather with friends and family, share a good meal and enjoy each other's company. In all of the hustle and bustle of planning a party, do not forget about serving a fantastic dessert! Let a mail order cheesecake impress your guests before the night has ended

Dessert Ideas for Entertaining Guests at Dinner Parties

Jay Wesley writes primarily about food, entertaining and food gift ideas. Find more articles and recipes and order cheesecake, cookies, and more great food and gift items at http://www.cheesecake.com.

A History of the Elegant Flan

Mexican flan is one of the most popular and well-known desserts from south of the border. This dessert is a sweet custard topped with caramel sauce. It is made in the homes of rich and poor alike. It also has a long and colorful history that reaches all the way back to ancient Rome. Romans first began keeping chickens and when they ended up with a lot of eggs, they borrowed from the Greeks, mixed them up with cream, and came up with a custardy dish. They usually made theirs savory rather than sweet.

Rome shared this recipe as they conquered Europe. When Rome fell, the custard recipe they developed flourished throughout medieval Europe. As the recipe was adapted, more sweet versions were created. In Latin, this dessert was known as flado, for custard. In French, it became flaon and eventually it came to be called flan.

\"Spanish Desserts \"

Eggs were considered to have healing benefits, so flan was served to aid the liver, kidneys, and chest as well as to increase fertility. Flan spread across Europe, satisfying hungry bellies everywhere. Spain developed a sweet version topped with a caramel sauce. The recipe was brought to the New World when the Spanish arrived in Mexico.

A History of the Elegant Flan

In Mexico, the flan was elevated to a new level. Mexican flans may be made in a special pan called a bain marie. This is a pan that has a spot for the flan as well as an attached outer pan for water. Using this pan, you can cook a flan either on top of the stove or in the oven. If you do not have a bain marie, you can use a dish made of porcelain, glass or any other material that will not cause the custard to stick. This dish can be set in a roasting pan with water inside and baked.

Ramekins are often used to make individual flans, even though the sight of a large flan is impressive. Flans are not difficult to make as long as the instructions are followed carefully. The ingredients are simple and the results are elegant. What more could you want from a dessert?

Vanilla is the traditional flavor of a Mexican flan. Only use fresh vanilla bean or the best of real extracts! You can find other flavors, however like pistachio, coconut, pumpkin, lemon, or almond. All flavors are topped with the delicious caramel sauce that is the true signature of a Mexican flan.

Flan is obviously one of the most famous Mexican desserts. It is known the world over for its creaminess that cools the palate after eating a spicy dish. Serve flan as a wonderful ending to any meal. Not only is it sweet, it is nourishing as well. Those eggs and milk are good for you.

So, try making a flan at home. Go ahead, do not be afraid. This simple dessert can take some practice to truly master, but it is worth it to give your family and friends an elegant dessert. Serve it up on special occasions or just because it sounds good. You will be adding flan to your list of desserts that are tried and true.

A History of the Elegant Flan

Some of the best authentic Mexican desserts are aimed towards people with a sweet tooth. Ingredients like vanilla, chocolate and cinnamon are popular when it comes to Mexican recipes and desserts fresh fruit is always well loved. If these ingredients sound good to you, you are going to love making Mexican dessert recipes.

MexicanDessertRecipes.net The Sweet Side of Mexican Food

Best Dessert Ideas for New Year's Eve

Are you having a New Year's Eve party but are unsure what desserts to serve? This is actually the easiest part of planning and not something you should worry about. Desserts are what many look forward to after every meal and finding delicious treats to offer guests or family and friends is actually quite fun and exciting. To help you in your task, here are the best dessert ideas you can serve on New Year's Eve.

Cakes
Serving cake is a great option for dessert especially with the different kinds to choose from. A favorite of many is chocolate fudge cake, but of course there are plenty others to choose from such as vanilla, white chocolate, banana caramel, chocolate truffles, chocolate raspberry, hazelnut, marble cake, and many more. Just about any cake is available to suit your taste palette, which is why this is a great dessert idea for New Year's.

Dessert

Cheesecake
Other than cakes, a favorite New Year's dessert is cheesecake, which certainly no one can resist. There are different kinds of cheesecake from the famous New York style cheesecake, Oreo, Hershey's, chocolate, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, cherry, mocha, key lime, vanilla, peanut butter, and a lot more that you can choose from. With cheesecake, the list is endless and the best part is, you can easily order online for cheesecake delivery and get all your dessert in an instant with no trouble at all. If you can't decide on just one cake, you can order an assortment of snack-size or mini cheesecakes that come in all flavors to ensure that you and your guests get the best of everything.

Best Dessert Ideas for New Year's Eve

Brownies and Cookies
Brownies and cookies will always be yummy desserts on everyone's list. Chocolate fudge brownies and mouth-watering cookies in all flavors are an instant hit no matter what the occasion. Simply order a party pack online that contains a variety of brownies and cookies and you can easily serve this as a dessert on New Year's Eve.

Tarts and Pies
Tarts and pies are also great dessert ideas that can easily impress guests on New Year's Eve. Tarts come in a variety of fruit flavors from apple to berries, pecan, and even caramel. If you are a fan of pies, these are also yummy treats you can serve from apple, pecan, chocolate fudge, and many other flavors.

With all these New Year's dessert ideas, certainly you have a lot on your list. If you have a large guest list, having one of each kind of dessert for variety would be an excellent choice. Whichever one you choose will surely be delicious and one that all your friends and family will enjoy during this holiday season. To save you time and trouble, you don't even have to make these desserts yourself. You can easily order and buy cheesecake online and have it delivered to your doorstep before the big night. During this time of year, make your job easier for you by visiting the online cheesecake store to get delicious dessert ideas.

Best Dessert Ideas for New Year's Eve

Jay Wesley writes mostly about food and entertaining. For more recipes, tips, and articles and to buy delicious cheesecake, brownies, cookies, and more, visit Cheesecake.com at http://www.cheesecake.com.

Filipino Recipes - Estofado Recipe (Beef) - Pinoy Food

Estofado is a special beef recipe that you cannot find during regular days because of the amount of preparation required. It is usually prepared during fiestas and special occasions like weddings, birthdays and reunions that are held during the summer months when school is out. Because the beef is cooked to a chewy tenderness, it is loved by both the kiddies and the oldies. Even if there are a lot of dishes set on the table during special occasions, you will surely find the estofado being the first to disappear because it is so delicious thus making it too hard to resist.

Ingredients:

Recipes

• 1 kilo boneless beef
• 2 cups Baguio beans (cut into convenient lengths)
• 2 small carrots (peeled and quartered)
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 2 onions (chopped finely)
• ½ cup vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic (pounded)
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 small onions (peeled but whole)
• 1 tbsp flour
• cooking oil
• salt and pepper (to taste)

Filipino Recipes - Estofado Recipe (Beef) - Pinoy Food

Cooking Procedure:

• Rub the beef with flour. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Fry in cooking oil until color turns brown then set aside.
• Using the remaining oil, sauté the garlic until it turns brown then add the onions and tomatoes. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Place the meat in a pan and cover with tomato mixture, bay leaf, vinegar and a small amount of water just enough to cover the meat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Add the 6 peeled whole onions, beans and carrots then allow to simmer.
• Take out from the pan when the vegetables are cooked. Arrange the beef in a serving platter and surround with the vegetables.
• Simmer down the sauce to desired quantity and thicken with flour. Pour the sauce over the beef and vegetables then serve.

Filipino Recipes - Estofado Recipe (Beef) - Pinoy Food

Jasmine is a native Filipino with a passion for cooking and gardening. Her love of Pinoy food has lead her to create a website to share her favorite Filipino recipes with the world. Come and explore and enjoy a true taste of the Philippines with these authentic Pinoy recipes and stories of the Philippine culture.

KFC Chicken Recipe - Original Chicken Recipe Revealed!

In your childhood years as a precocious aspiring cook, you have probably wondered about the ingredients in the KFC chicken recipe. Well, so have many other children and their mothers and fathers while munching their way through every piece of skin and meat and, finally, sucking the bone to get every last ounce of flavor. Besides, who would not want to enjoy the flavors of a KFC fried chicken at home everyday?

However, the inventor of the KFC chicken recipe took great pains not to divulge any of the ingredients and preparation methods involved in making the finger lickin' good chicken. It remains to this day a closely-guarded trade secret although others have professed to know the KFC chicken recipe. Yes, even the trademark 11 herbs and spices are yet to be announced to the outside world.

Recipe

Well, a trade secret it may be but one can always hope to find the KFC chicken recipe that most closely resembles the original as developed by Colonel Sanders. Or better yet, you can always completely copy the KFC original or spicy chicken recipe down to the last juicy bite.

KFC Chicken Recipe - Original Chicken Recipe Revealed!

How is this made possible, you ask? Well, let's just say I've learned it myself from many different resources and finally, sorted out the best ingredients for KFC original fried chicken recipe.

KFC Original Fried Chicken Ingredients

• 2 fryer chickens, cut up into 8 pieces and marinated
• 6 cups Crisco shortening
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 31/2 tablespoons salt
• 1 teaspoon msg
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 dash paprika
• 3 cups milk
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons ground pepper

Directions

1. Place shortening into the pressure cooker and heat over medium heat to the shortening reaches 400°F.
2. Beat the egg and milk in a small bowl.
3. Mixing the remaining six dry ingredients in another bowl.
4. Place every piece of chicken into the milk.
5. Roll the moistened chicken in the flour mixture until well coated.
6. Drop the covered chicken pieces into the shortening and lock the lid.
7. When pressure builds up, cook for 8-12 minutes.

You will delightedly discover, as I have, that the KFC chicken recipe is not as difficult to do as it appears. The ingredients including the herbs and spices as well as the preparation and frying methods are detailed in a step-by-step guide, which even a fifth grader just beginning how to fry a single leg of chicken can follow.

The beauty of following a popular KFC chicken recipe is that you can make plenty of fried chickens for an army, if you want, and yet not worry about the costs rivaling the budget deficit of the United States. In short, not only will your chickens be as finger lickin' good but your pockets will not take a licking either.

KFC Chicken Recipe - Original Chicken Recipe Revealed!

Download the rest of the KFC chicken recipe here. Also, do not miss out A&W, starbucks caramel frappuccino, KFC, TGIF, Applebee's, Chili's and hundreds more most-wanted top recipe secrets in US!

Ham Soup Recipes - 5 Delicious Ways To Use That Hambone

Do you have a ham bone in your freezer but you're not sure what to do with it? Here's a fun assortment of five recipes with crock pot and stovetop instructions. These range from the traditional split pea to the creative wild rice and ham chowder.

Lentil Soup

Recipes

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: see below

Ham Soup Recipes - 5 Delicious Ways To Use That Hambone

Pams-hams bone

½ pound dried lentils

6 cups water

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small can V8 juice

¼ cup oil

1 t. basil (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Rinse lentils thoroughly. Combine all ingredients.

In crock pot, cook on low 8-10 hours, Remove bone from soup. Cut up ham, return chopped ham to soup

On stove top: Combine ingredients and bring to a boil. Then cover and simmer for 2 hours or until beans are tender. Remove bone from soup. Cut up ham, return chopped ham to soup

Split Pea Soup or Navy Bean Soup

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: see below

Pams-hams bone

2 cups dried split peas or dried navy beans

6 cups water

2 chopped carrots

1 large onion, chopped

1 t. thyme (optional)

1 t. basil (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Rinse peas thoroughly. Combine all ingredients

Recommended: In crock pot, cook on low 8-10 hours. Remove bone from soup. Cut up ham, return chopped ham to soup.

On stove top:

Soak beans overnight with ¼ t. baking soda if possible.

Combine ingredients and bring to a boil.

Then cover and simmer for 2 hours or until beans are tender.

Remove bone from soup.

Cut up ham, return chopped ham to soup

Mixed Bean Soup

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: see below

Pams-hams bone

1 pound dried mixed beans

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 large onion, chopped

4 cups of water

2 stalks celery - chopped

2 carrots – chopped

3 cloves garlic

1 t. basil (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Rinse beans thoroughly. Combine all ingredients

Recommended: In crock pot, cook on low 8-10 hours. Remove bone from soup. Cut up ham, return chopped ham to soup.

On stove top: Soak beans overnight with ¼ t. baking soda if possible. Combine ingredients and bring to a boil. Then cover and simmer for 2 hours or until beans are tender. Remove bone from soup. Cut up ham, return chopped ham to soup

Broccoli cheese soup

Prep time: 20 minutes, Cook time: 30 minutes

Pams-hams bone

1 bunch broccoli, chopped (I use tops mainly)

1 – ½ cup milk

1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth

1 cup water

1 lb. Shredded cheddar cheese or Velveeta

5 T. butter

4 T. flour

salt and pepper to taste

Steam the broccoli in the microwave.
(1/2 inch of water in casserole dish, cook about 3 minutes or until you just start to smell it)
In large soup pot, melt butter and stir in flour. Slowly add remaining ingredients, stirring constantly. Add ham bone last. Cook on low 30 minutes or more. If it is thicker than your desired consistency, add more milk. Remove bone from soup. Cut up ham, return chopped ham to soup

Wild Rice and Ham Chowder

Pre Time: 30 minutes, Cook time: 45 minutes

A. 1 ½ cups water, ¾ cup wild rice

B. ¼ cup butter or margarine, ½ cup chopped onion, 3 cloves garlic, minced, ½ cup flour, 4 cups of water and 4 chicken bouillon cubes

C. 1 ½ cup peeled, cubed potatoes, ½ cup chopped carrots, ½ t. thyme, ½ t. nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste

D. 1 (17 oz.) can whole kernel corn, undrained, 2 cups half n half (or milk), pams-hams bone
Cook A. Set aside. B. Combine butter, onion and garlic. Cook until onion is crisp-tender. Stir in the flour. Cook 1 minute stirring constantly. Add water and bouillon.
Add C. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 15-30 minutes. Add D and simmer 20 more minutes. Remove bone from soup. Cut up ham, return chopped ham to soup

For more of my recipes and cooking tips, go to [http://www.pams-hams.com]. An inviting place for sugar and honey glazed baked ham, dinners, gifts and clever conversation.

Ham Soup Recipes - 5 Delicious Ways To Use That Hambone

Pam is the owner of pams-hams.com and retired marketing director for Honeybaked in Michigan. As anyone with kids can understand, the move was made in order to have more flexibility with the family. Hobbies include cooking and entertaining and finding clever new ways to make a meal easier or better. Also fond of water sports, Samoyeds, cats and small red head children.

Ground Beef Hamburger Patty Recipe - Juicy Grilled Hamburger Patty

There's nothing worse than biting into a dry, unappetizing hamburger. You won't have that problem with this great grilled hamburger recipe. Hamburgers come hot off the grill with a delectable juicy texture that makes each bite really enjoyable.

2 pounds ground beef

Recipe

1 egg, beaten

Ground Beef Hamburger Patty Recipe - Juicy Grilled Hamburger Patty

3/4 cup bread crumbs, dry

3 tablespoons evaporated milk

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

Preheat the grill on high setting.

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, evaporated milk, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper and the garlic; mix ingredients with your hands. Form into 8 individual patties.

Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill hamburger patties for 5 minutes on each side, until well done.

=> Ground Beef Hamburger Meat Recipe: Hamburger with Ketchup Gravy

If there's one thing that we know goes great together, it's hamburger and ketchup. Now here's a tasty twist on using ketchup on a hamburger patty. This ground beef hamburger recipe will become one of your favorites. The meat marinates in the gravy while it cooks and is oh, so delicious.

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon steak seasoning, or to taste

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, cut up into chunks

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup water, as needed

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, 1/2 cup ketchup, bread crumbs, onion powder, steak sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Form hamburger into thick patties or meatballs.

Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy skillet on medium high heat. Cook patties until browned on both sides. Remove patties from skillet and place onto a paper towel lined plate. Drain grease from the skillet.

In the same skillet, slowly stir together the 1/2 cup ketchup and 1/2 cup water. You can add more water if the mixture is too thick, or, more ketchup if the mixture is too thin. Add in the onion and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low.

Add hamburger patties to the skillet and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, stir gravy. If the gravy is too thin, continue to simmer with the lid off until it thickens to the desired consistency.

=> Best Hamburger Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Hamburger

This qualifies as a best hamburger recipe because it is packed with flavor. It features two kinds of cheeses, onion, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and bacon. Wow. This recipe is a winner no matter how you serve it up.

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, grated

1 small onion, chopped

1 egg

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 pound ground beef

6 slices bacon

6 hamburger buns, split

Directions

Preheat skillet or grill on high heat.

In a large bowl, combine the cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, onion, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Crumble the ground beef into the bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands. Shape mixture into 6 patties. Wrap one slice of bacon around the edge of each one. Secure bacon to patties with toothpicks.

Place patties into skillet or onto the hot grill and cook for 5 minutes on each side,
or until well done. Remove the toothpicks before putting hamburgers onto buns.

=> Gourmet Hamburger Recipe: Spicy Blue Cheese Hamburger

If you're a little adventurous, then you'll just love this gourmet blue cheese burger with a spicy twist. The hot wing sauce is that extra special secret ingredient that will have people trying to guess what it is. Maybe you'll tell them - maybe you won't, either way, these burgers are fabulous.

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup onion, minced

1/2 cup hot wing sauce (normally used for chicken hot wings)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

4 hamburger buns, split

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, blue cheese and the onion. Add the Worcestershire sauce, mustard and pepper. Mix together well using your hands.

Make 6 patties and then place them on a plate. Cover patties with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat grill on high heat.

Take patties out of refrigerator. Pour hot wing sauce over patties until the tops (only) are well covered with sauce. Let patties sit there for 10 minutes.

Cook hamburgers for 5 minutes per side, until well done.

Ground Beef Hamburger Patty Recipe - Juicy Grilled Hamburger Patty

Easy to make – fun to drink

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Traditional Cuban Dessert Recipes

If you enjoy South American sweet treats, you will love Cuban dessert recipes. A lot of them are similar to easy Mexican recipes for desserts, which you have perhaps already made at some point. Lots of tropical fruits grow in Cuba, including bananas, mango, soursop, pineapple, tamarinds, coconuts and guava, which means that fruity desserts are especially popular.

Well loved Cuban desserts include rice pudding and merenguitos, which are sweet meringue puffs. Torrejas are like French toast. They are sweet fried bread slices served with syrup and raisins. In Cuba, French toast is served for dessert rather than breakfast. Cubans also like to make cookies and pastries using the locally sourced fresh fruit. Fruit turnovers and parfait desserts are really popular there.

Dessert

Flan, which is also known as creme caramel, is very popular in nearly all Spanish speaking countries, including Cuba and Mexico. This delicious egg custard is flavored with vanilla and has a smooth, silky texture.

Traditional Cuban Dessert Recipes

An Easy Recipe for Boniatillo

This sweet potato pudding is popular during the holidays in Cuba. The pudding is flavored with cinnamon, cream, lime juice, vanilla and more and everybody will love the delicious flavor of this wonderful and traditional Cuban dessert. Chill it for a couple of hours or serve it hot. It tastes great either way! This recipe makes enough to serve four people.

What you will need:

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 1/2 lbs sweet potato
• 2 limes
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon or grated cinnamon stick
• Water, as needed

How to make it:

Peel and chop the sweet potato and cover it with water in a pan. Add a teaspoon of salt and boil it for twenty minutes or until tender. Drain the potato and mash it using a fork, blender, or food processor.

Peel the limes and save the fruit for another use. Put the peel in a big pan with the brown sugar, cinnamon stick, and two cups of water. Cook the mixture over a moderate heat until it reaches 250 degrees F, stirring it all the time. You will need a candy thermometer to gauge the temperature.

Take out the peel and cinnamon and turn the heat down to low. Add the mashed sweet potato and keep stirring the mixture until it is smooth. Take it off the heat. Beat the cream, butter, egg yolks, and a pinch of salt until smooth, and then add this to the sweet potato mixture.

Cook it over a low heat for a couple of minutes, then take the pan off the heat and stir in the vanilla. If the mixture is too runny, you can mix a quarter cup of cornstarch with a quarter cup of water and add this. Divide the sweet potato pudding between serving bowls and garnish each one with a little ground cinnamon.

Traditional Cuban Dessert Recipes

If you enjoy Cuban food, you will also enjoy making easy Mexican recipes. South American desserts, and Mexican food desserts especially, feature a wide range of delicious ingredients such as chocolate, fresh fruit and more, and they finish off a meal perfectly.

MexicanDessertRecipes.net The Sweet Side of Mexican Food

Recipe For Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino

If you've ever tasted a Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino, you've probably craved it over and over again. Unfortunately, you know how expensive this frappuccino is: a grande-size frappuccino can cost as much as .50! No coffee should ever cost that much!

Luckily, we have managed to get our hands on the recipe for Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino-the one and the same-for you to make at zero cost. No longer will you make costly and inconvenient Starbucks runs. No longer will you have to wait through never-ending drive thrus to get your favorite drink.

Recipe

Once you have this recipe, you can make this frappuccino first thing in the morning while you are still in your pajamas, or as a special treat for dessert. You can also make frappuccinos for family and friends, to show them how much you love them.

Recipe For Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino

The great thing about making a Starbucks Frappuccino at home is that you can control the ingredients. If you find that the original recipe adds too much sugar or syrup for your tastes, you can scale back on them easily. No longer do you have to deal with baristas who can never get your order right!

You can also be more "green" by making frappuccinos from home. Think of how many Styrofoam Starbucks cups enter our landfills per year! Experts estimate that the number is quickly reaching the billions. You can change this by making your Caramel Frappuccinos at home. You have the power to teach other people to take control over their consumption habits and give our planet a break.

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup cold coffee

* 3 tablespoons sugar

* 1/2 cup milk

* 2 cups ice

* 3 tablespoons caramel sundae syrup

* whipped cream

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients into electric blender.

2. Blend drink until ice is crushed and drink is smooth.

3. Serve in coffee cups and top with whipped cream and caramel syrup (if desired).

4. Add straw for ease in drinking.

Recipe For Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino

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Click here to check it out.

Choosing & Cooking Chinese Christmas Recipes

With the Chinese New Year being the most important event in the Chinese calendar, you'd imagine that Christmas got swept under the carpet. Not so, as celebrating Christmas becomes more popular throughout China.

Whilst you won't find the hype and shopping madness of Western countries, in major cities you'll see lights, trees and Christmas decorations on the streets and in stores. Christmas Day is not even a bank holiday in China, although it is in Hong Kong and Macao. Whether this is just part of the Chinese interest in Western culture, or a sales ploy by the big stores, who can say?

Recipes

With an increasing number of Christians, it can only be expected that more people will be celebrating the festive season in China each year. With little tradition and history, cooking for a Chinese Christmas dinner means you can cook any special occasion dish you choose.

Choosing & Cooking Chinese Christmas Recipes

However, there are a few suggestions we can make to get you started:-

• Peking Duck
• Cantonese Roast Duck
• Kung Pao Chicken
• Cookies
• Five Spice Peanuts
• Sesame Seed Balls
• Spring Rolls

Whilst many of the recipes above are traditionally eaten for the Chinese New Year, they will serve just as well for a Christmas dinner. As always with Chinese cooking, use the freshest ingredients, prepare them well ahead of time, so that all you have to do is cook!

An excellent resource is http://chinesefood.about.com/ which has lots of great recipe and food ideas for every holiday occasion including Chinese cookie recipes.

Choosing & Cooking Chinese Christmas Recipes

For further tips and ideas for cooking great and traditional food from around the world, visit Chinese recipes [http://www.worldwide-recipes.com/chinese-recipes.html]

This article was submitted by Jen Carter, owner of the Worldwide Recipes [http://www.worldwide-recipes.com] website.

Spanish Recipes and Cuisine

Spain is country with a mixed and complex heritage and Spanish cooking reflects this fact. While Spain is a Mediterranean country, and many Spanish dishes owe much to this, Spanish food also includes native foods imported into the country from Spain's former colonies in the New World such as beans, peppers, potatoes and tomatoes. Other Spanish dishes draw on the countries Jewish and Moorish heritage - it was worth remembering that much of Spain was ruled by the Moors for more than seven hundred years. Even the Reconquista (the Christian reconquest of the Iberian peninsula from Muslims) has left its traces in Spanish cuisine - pork is popular in Spanish food, and historically was a political statement of Christian identity because it was not eaten by Jews or Muslims.

The most important ingredient in Spanish cooking is olive oil, which is unsurprising when you consider the fact that Spain produces almost half of the world's olives. However, in the North of Spain, butter and lard are also used.

\"Spanish Desserts \"

Other characteristics of Spanish food, include the widespread use of garlic and onions, the serving of bread and wine with most meals, and the consumption of fruit or dairy products as desserts. One particularly well-known Spanish custom is the serving of small appetizers ("tapas") with drinks.

Spanish Recipes and Cuisine

Some popular Spanish dishes include:

- Gazpacho - A cold vegetable soup that is particularly popular in hotter areas such as Andalusia. Traditionally gazpacho was made stale bread, garlic, olive oil, salt and vinegar, but today, bell pepper and tomato are also often added. There is also a variant called &quit;gazpacho manchego&quit; which is served warm, and that includes meat (often rabbit) and mushrooms, and is more like a stew than a soup.

- Paella - A rice dish originally from Valencia. The main ingredients are rice, saffron and olive oil, and the dish is usually garnished with meat or seafood, and vegetables.

- Chorizo - A spicy sausage made from fatty pork seasoned with chili and paprika. There are two varieties: hot ("picante") and sweet ("dulce"). Most varieties can be eaten cold, although there are some regions of Spain which produce varieties that need further cooking. Chorizo is not only eaten on its own, but is also used as an ingredient in other dishes.

- Jamón serrano - Dry-cured ham.

- Fabada Asturiana - A bean stew that also contains black blood sausage ("morcilla"), chorizo and pork, and which is flavored with saffron and other seasonings.

- Olla Podrida - A rich stew with bacon, poultry or game, ham, meats and vegetables.

- Marmitako - A fish stew made with onions, pimentos, potatoes and tomatoes.

- Calamares - Fried squid.

- Pescaíto Frito - Marinated fish, battered and fried.

- Tortilla de patatas - An onion and potato omelette.

Spanish Recipes and Cuisine

Originally published at http://www.recipesmaniac.com/cook_spanish.php.php - visit this site for more information, photographs and Thai cook books.

Discover more about recipes and cooking at http://www.recipesmaniac.com/

Desserts in Puerto Rican Style

Desserts in Puerto Rico mostly comprise of a type of flan or egg custard. Just as usual in the Puerto Rican flag is a slice of guava jelly with white cheese (queso blanco). Chefs seize the abundant produce of fruits in Puerto Rico and make several desserts, which include banana flan, orange layer cake, guava mousse, and coconut flan. The tastiest dessert could be a freshly made fruit cocktail. Pumpkin grows abundantly in Puerto Rico so it is not just consumed as a side vegetable and used to spice up soup, but to create as well the luscious base of a popular cake in Puerto Rico. In the same way, sweet potato is both being consumed as a side vegetable and used to make a local sweet potato cake.

The most generally used ingredient in a Puerto Rican dessert is almost certainly coconut. A lot of scrumptious sweets are concocted with coconut milk or what they call leche de coco, such as coconut cake, coconut and rum flan, coconut rice and coconut ice cream. One more traditional product is boudin de pasas con coco or coco bread pudding.

Desserts

Jams and jellies are quite popular in Puerto Rico. Helping in a number of creations are both the sweet and sour guavas, including guava jelly, guava paste, guava pudding and guava shells in syrup. Papayas are also created as jams or desserts with cinnamon, vanilla extract and sugar. A mango dessert is prepared with almost identical ingredients. Mangoes could be an additive for mamey preserve or could be eaten uncooked.

Desserts in Puerto Rican Style

Desserts in Puerto Rican Style

Pollux Parker is an adventurer who loves discovering secret island getaways in each country he visits. Pollux also likes to collect Puerto Rican flag and buy Puerto Rican flag.

Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes - The Perfect Party Dessert

Are you thinking of throwing an event, and can't seem to come up with any good ideas for desserts? Do you need the desserts to be small enough to place on napkins or smaller plates with out having to use utensils to slice into a large cake?

You should consider chocolate mini cheesecakes. These small bite size chocolate cheesecakes are easily transferred from the serving plate to the plate of the person eating them. They are also available individually wrapped in paper, like a cupcake, so as to minimize mess. Your guests will be free to mingle with each other, without being tied down to a table with a fork or spoon.

Desserts

Chocolate mini cheesecakes are available in a variety of order sizes, and bite sizes. You can order them in amounts of two or three pound shipments. These chocolate mini cheesecakes are available in one inch bite size portions, as well as three inch bite size portions.

Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes - The Perfect Party Dessert

Chocolate mini cheesecakes are available in rocky road, white chocolate, chocolate chip, chocolate fudge, chocolate fudge-cappuccino, chocolate chip raspberry swirl, and chocolate topped New York style cheesecake flavors. You can even order these in a low carb chocolate swirl version. Your guests will be sure to find something that suits their tastes, maybe even one of each flavor.

Since these decadent delights come in bite size portions, you will not have to worry about the amount of waste you would have with larger sized cheesecakes. In fact, since each individual will have the option of choosing a flavor, you may find that you didn't purchase enough, once everyone finds out just how mouth-watering these individual morsels are.

When you serve these delicate, mini chocolate cheesecake bites to your guests, they will be talking about them for days to come, especially the chocolate lovers in the group. If you are a chocolate cheesecake lover, then you will love these chocolate mini cheesecakes for your next event. Chocolate mini cheesecakes are a decadent desert that you and all of your guests are sure to enjoy. You will be the talk among your circle of friends, everyone will be asking you where you got them, and will want to get them for themselves.

Be sure you have a large supply on hand for your next gathering of friends, once you serve these delightful treats, they will be sure to expect them at all of your events.

Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes - The Perfect Party Dessert

Chocolate mini cheesecakes offer the delicious taste of chocolate with the texture of creamy cheesecake.

Desserts - Dessert Ideas For Parties

Technology is a wonderful thing and when it is translated into consumer products life gets just a little bit easier. So, you may be wondering why I start off talking about technology. Well, a few years ago I saw a chocolate fountain advertised. At the time I could not really afford it, but my darling husband, knowing what a dedicated cook I am, got me one for my birthday. Yeah! It became the hit of my dessert table when I started the dark chocolate flowing and put our a platter full of fruit and cake chunks for dipping. It was so popular that all the other buffet tables were forgotten. I actually had to turn it off to get people to eat the main meal.

Now, you can purchase a small chocolate fountain for around twenty dollars. A great investment and a crowd pleaser for any party. Set out a tray of fruit, cut into bite size pieces, one inch cubes of pound cake and angel food cake, and don't forget the marshmallows. You can include cookies, pretzels, and even ruffle cut potato chips if you like. There is definitely something about the salt and chocolate combination that is quite satisfying. Try apple slices spread with peanut butter too. Yum.

Desserts

Cakes and pies are always a hit at parties. Try these adaptations that guests can eat with their fingers.

Desserts - Dessert Ideas For Parties

Make pie into 'Tartlets'. Using your favorite pie crust, roll out and cut into 3 inch circles or squares. Place about a tablespoon of pie filling into the center. Brush edges with egg wash, a mixture of beaten egg and a little milk. Place a second cutout on top and seal the edges using the tines of a fork. If you have some fancy engraved cutlery, try using the handle to imprint the design as you seal the crust. Cut a small slit in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake at about 450 degrees until lightly browned, about 15 - 20 minutes.

Turn your favorite cake batter into mini cupcakes. Cupcakes are all the rage lately. Mini cupcakes are no more difficult to make than the normal size ones. You just end up with more of them from the same volume of batter. Bake your favorite cake batter in mini muffin cups. You can usually get these from your market. If you don't have a mini muffin pan, don't worry. I have used a cookie sheet with sides, normally called a jelly roll pan. Just fill the pan with the empty cups, lined up so they are supporting each other. Fill and bake. For a surprise drop a candy kiss or a small piece of fruit into the center of the batter before baking. To Frost, did the mini cupcake, top down, into a bowl of frosting. As you lift it out make a little twisting motion, like you were turning a door knob, and as you turn the little cupcake right side up you should get a little swirl that looks like the swirl on a soft serve ice cream cone. Sprinkle with colored sugar, top with a cherry or any other garnish you like. A tray of these will bring smiles to anyone.

Mini Cheesecake

Ok, who doesn't like cheesecake, please leave the room. Well, just kidding, but these little cakes are so good you may need to double the recipe.

Pick up a box of no-bake cheesecake mix from your grocery. Follow the directions to mix the filling. You can put the crust crumbs aside and use them for something else, like a cream pie, later.
Into a cup cake paper cup place one vanilla wafer cookie. Put about a teaspoon of the custard filling onto the wafer. Place one chocolate kiss candy on top of that then finish filling the cup. Chill until set.

Options: You can replace the chocolate candy with fruit or even nuts, or just make it plain. For a party you could drizzle a little melted chocolate or caramel sauce over the top. Use your imagination. My son likes strawberry, so I use frozen strawberry right out to the freezer and drizzle the top with a little strawberry ice-cream sauce.

These are just a few ideas to help make your next party a dessert lover's dream. Enjoy.

Desserts - Dessert Ideas For Parties

For over 20 years I have worked and played online. I have been a website designer, entrepreneur, genealogist and homemaker. I have done catering and sewed wedding dresses. There is so much I have learned over the years that it is just pouring out lately. As a certified teacher it is my desire to share all this that I have learned so I started [http://www.LifeWithBarbara.com] as a way to share what I know.

I started online back in the late 1980s and had my first website online by 1990. When I remarried in 2001 I converted my other sites into one, http://www.cagleonline.com. This is still my main portal to everything I do online and it is updated more often than the other dozen sites. There are also links to all my sites here.

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Desserts

No meal is complete without desserts. A dessert is a type of food that gives the finishing touch to at the end of the meal to make it perfect. The origin of the term is really interesting. The term "desserts" has been derived from Old French term "desservir" which means cleaning the table. Normally the desserts are sweet food. Some desserts like types of cheese have different flavors. The trend to have desserts at the end of the meal is comparatively new in the western culture. If we look back in time, we can see there was always a custom to have nuts and fruits at the end of the meal. It gradually turned into desserts. But sweet dish was comparatively new addition in the list. Common types of deserts are custards, fruits, pudding, biscuits, cookies, cakes, pastries, ice creams, gelatin desserts, pies, sherbets, soufflés, meringues, petits fours and trifles and many more.

Before the development of the sugar industry in the 19th century, sweet used to be out of reach for the middle class. It was a rare holiday delicacy. A sweet dish in the meal was a note of aristocracy at that time. After the sugar industry was mechanized, sugar became cheaper. And, as a result, it gradually took a permanent place in the full course meal. In some cuisine, dessert is not used as a separate part at the end of the meal. In those cuisines, sweet dishes are eaten during the meal. In some cultures the dessert is not at all a part of the meal. They are especially reserved for some special occasions. Desserts are often eaten as separate meal sometime after the meal. But obviously it is done when the setting has a casual tone. In American concept, any sweet dish that follows a meal can be a dessert. Be it milkshake or other drinks, there are many restaurants that are specialized in the domain of desserts.

Desserts

Desserts

Desserts

Dave Fooder runs a premiere exchange recipes network online. Visit his site http://www.cookscentral.com for Fast Free & Easy Cooking Collections and enjoy exchanging recipes.

Vanilla and Rum Sauces Make Holiday Desserts Special

My mother's parents were English and many of the meals she fixed for us reflected this heritage. Christmas dinner was always roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. Dessert was always plum pudding with warm sauce. There are many recipes for plum pudding and all are labor intensive. Mom made plum pudding from scratch a few times, but it was so much work she finally bought Crosse and Blackwell pudding imported from England.

The plum pudding was served with warm vanilla or rum sauce. I did not like the rich pudding, so I only ate a spoonful. But I could have eaten an entire bowl of sauce. Mom also served apple pie with warm vanilla sauce. The combination of warm sauce and fresh pie from the oven was heavenly. With a couple of changes the vanilla sauce recipe becomes rum sauce or rum-raisin sauce.

Desserts

I have lightened the recipe by using Splenda Blend for Baking instead of sugar and elminating the half cup of butter in the original recipe. However, I have added a tablespoon of butter for flavor. Warm vanilla and rum sauce turn simple cakes -- vanilla, apple, and spice -- into special desserts. Top frozen waffles with vanilla ice cream and sauce and you have one of the best desserts on the planet. Garnish with a twist of orange peel and fresh mint to make your holiday desserts more festive.

Vanilla and Rum Sauces Make Holiday Desserts Special

WARM VANILLA SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup Splenda Blend for Baking

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon light salt

2 cups hot water

1 tablespoon butter (no substitutions)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

dash of freshly grated nutmeg

METHOD

Combine the Splenda Blend for Baking, cornstarch, and salt in a small saucepan. Whisk in hot water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat. Add vanilla extract and nutmeg. Makes 8 servings.

WARM RUM SAUCE

Omit the vanilla and nutmeg. Make the sauce and remove from heat. Add 2 teaspoons of rum extract.

WARM RUM-RAISIN SAUCE

Omit the vanilla and nutmeg. Add 1/4 cup raisins to the sauce and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and add 2 teaspoons of rum extract.

Copyright 2006 by Harriet Hodgson

Vanilla and Rum Sauces Make Holiday Desserts Special

http://www.harriethodgson.com

http://www.healthwriter.blogspot.com

Harriet Hodgson has been a freelance nonfiction writer for 28 years. She is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Before she became a health writer Hodgson was a food writer for the former "Rochester Magazine" in her home town of Rochester, MN. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from http://www.amazon.com. A five-star review of the book is posted on Amazon. Another revies is posted on the American Hospice Foundation Website under the "School Corner" heading.

Famous Russian Desserts

If you like to learn about famous international desserts and make your own, it might interest you to know a bit about famous Russian desserts. In Russia, desserts are usually served at breakfast or eaten after an entree at dinner.

Pancakes, or blinis, are very popular. You might have tried these with smoked salmon or caviar but in Russia these little buckwheat pancakes are often served with honey, jelly or sour cream. Oladi are like blinis but thicker and more filling. Tvorog is Russian cottage cheese and this is served with berry jam or honey.

Desserts

Pastries are very popular in Russia, especially apple pastries. Syrniki are made with fried cottage cheese and served with jelly, sweet dressings or honey. Russian teacakes are little cookie which are rolled in powdered sugar.

Famous Russian Desserts

How to Adapt Russian Dessert Recipes

You might like to make your own Russian desserts to surprise your family but perhaps you want to tweak the recipes a little. If you enjoy making jello recipes, what about combining it with Russian recipes?

For example, Russians love to eat fruit pastries and you can make your own pastries using jello to hold the fruit topping in place and to add flavor. Try making a strawberry pastry with fresh strawberries in a layer of strawberry jello.

You can also pour jello over Russian cakes to add flavor and texture. Another way to adapt classic Russian recipes is to change what they are served with. Honey is a popular accompaniment to Russian desserts but you can try maple syrup or your favorite ice cream syrup.

Recipe for Authentic Russian Fruit Cake

This delicious recipe is perfect for fruit cake fans. There are various types of fruit cake. Perhaps you enjoy fruit cakes with plenty of nuts and a touch of whiskey or fruit cakes with lots of cherries. This Russian fruit cake contains various fruits and nuts and sherry for flavor. This is an easy fruit cake recipe but you do need to let the fruit stand in the sherry overnight so start this cake recipe a day before you want to bake it.

What you will need:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sherry
• 3/4 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup chopped raisins
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped candied fruits
• 1/2 cup sourdough starter
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

How to make it:

Stir the fruits into 1/2 cup of the sherry and let them stand overnight. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Cream together the butter, spices and sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then add the sourdough starter and stir the mixture. Add the almonds and fruit mixture. Sift the salt, baking soda and flour into the sourdough mixture and combine well.

Cover a cake pan with wax paper, and then grease it well with oil. Transfer the cake batter into the cake pan and bake for 30 minutes or until done. Let the cake cool on a wire rack, and then remove the wax paper. Sprinkle the rest of the sherry over the cake.

Famous Russian Desserts

Russian dessert recipes are full of flavor and fun to make. You can adapt classic Russian recipes with modern ingredients like jello. Sometimes you might want to make international desserts for the family and other times make something easy like a chocolate mousse instead, for variety.

We Don't Make the Products We Just Make Great Desserts with Them!

French Ice Cream Sundae Desserts

French ice cream sundaes might include any combination of flavors, sorbets, syrups, nuts and even alcohols. There really is no limit. However, there are some popular combinations that you are quite likely to find on the menu if you visit an ice cream parlor (glacier) in France. These classic sundaes are easy enough to reproduce at home. Add on a fancy French name, and you will have an elegant dessert ready in no time.

If you do decide to serve your dessert with a French touch, do not forget to top it with one or two rolled "cigarette" or fan shaped cookies. Their slightly sweet, crispy crunch is the perfect accompaniment to a cold and rich French sundae.

Desserts

Chocolate Liegeois - Chocolate and vanilla ice creams, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and shaved chocolate.

French Ice Cream Sundae Desserts

Coffee Liegois - This is the same as a chocolate liegeois, except coffee substitutes for the chocolate.

Coupe Antillaise - Here the flavors are supposed to be Caribbean. Many times this means vanilla and rum raisin ice cream, topped with pineapple and whipped cream, but other combinations of rum and fruit are possible.

Coupe Tutti Frutti - A combination of different sorbets (for example, pear, peach, or pineapple) with different fresh fruits (for example, strawberries, grapes, melon, or pineapple), topped with whipped cream and fruit syrup.

Coupe Colonel - Watch out - the colonel has a bite! Lemon sorbet topped with vodka.

Dame Blanche - Just a simple vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate sauce and whipped cream. The elegance is all in the name.

Peche Melba - This was invented by the renowned French culinary authority, Auguste Escoffier, in testament to his admiration for Nelly Melba, who was a popular turn of the 20th century Australian opera singer. Vanilla ice cream, poached peaches, and raspberry sauce. These days you are likely to find your peche Melba topped with whipped cream as well.

Poire Belle Helene - Another cold dessert inspired by the opera - this one commemorates the presentation in 1864 of La Belle Helene, an operetta by Jacques Offenbach. Vanilla ice cream, poached pears, and chocolate sauce.

Profiteroles - This is not a sundae, but you will find it frequently offered on the menu in a French glacier. Cream puffs are typically filled with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce.

French Ice Cream Sundae Desserts

Kim Steele publishes Easy French Food, a website dedicated to bringing you all the elegance of French food, without a lot of fuss. Stop by EFF, where you'll find lots of French Dessert Recipes, including this cream puff recipe - just what you need to make your own profiteroles.

Fun Holiday Desserts You'll Love

There is nothing more exciting than sitting down at the table with your family during the holiday season and enjoying a great meal - followed by a great dessert. But after years of hosting your family's holiday parties, your relatives can often begin to predict what you'll make each year. "Let me guess ... lemon meringue pie" or "We can always count on your pound cake." Instead of being the predictable party host you've been for years, or even decades, why not add some flair to your menu with these fun and unique holiday desserts?

Honey Cake Pudding

Desserts

Honey Cake Pudding is well loved by many and is one of the unique holiday desserts with origins in South Africa. With more of a bread pudding consistency, it is sweet like cake and tastes great with ice cream or custard. The ingredients include traditional cake items such as flour, butter, milk, sugar, baking soda and eggs, but what makes it stand out from other cakes is its use of liquid honey. Instead of baking it in a cake pan, it is baked in a bowl, and when is retrieved from the oven, the ingredient mixture creates a consistency that is gooey in the middle with a golden crust on top. Yum!

Fun Holiday Desserts You'll Love

Gingerbread House

Making a gingerbread house is a wonderful way to get the children involved in making holiday desserts for the family. Creating one of these unique little houses gives your entire family a chance to exercise their creative muscles, and the final product is one to be treasured forever (or at least a month). To get your children excited about gingerbread houses, show them pictures of the final product - they look so tasty no one can resist. Then make the shopping trip to buy the ingredients a family event. They'll love it!

Making a gingerbread house is traditionally a two-day project (unless you buy a gingerbread house kit, which has recently become widely available) so prepare yourself for lots of baking, a big mess, and a great deal of fun. The first day of the project is spent baking the house and the second day will be spent in the decoration phase, which is the best part. You can cut out all sorts of fun shapes to represent doors, windows, trees and much more, and buying fun candy like M&M's, Tootsie Rolls and Candy Canes for the house's decorations will ensure that your children will have some munchies to snack on as a reward for their hard work. If you'd prefer to preserve the house for guests to see you might be disappointed to find everyone wants to tear into the tasty treat. If this is the case, take some great pictures and have a blast eating the house - it wasn't going to last forever anyway, right?

Orange and Lemon Ice Treat

Not your traditional cake our pie, orange and lemon ice is a mix between a drink and a treat making it one of the more unique holiday desserts out there. It is considered to be a gourmet blend, so when you present this unique delight to the family they'll feel very special. The dessert is made, of course, with real lemons and oranges, but what really makes it stand out is its use of Grand Marnier. The addition of lemon rind and sugar makes it a fabulous option for the family.

Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake

This is one of the tastiest holiday desserts on the list! Filled with gooey caramel and sweet and crunchy pecans, you and your family will fall in love with this cheesecake. The preparation time for this dessert is about 45 minutes and the actual baking time is 30 minutes, so you need to set aside at most an hour and a half to make sure it turns out right. But trust me, it's worth the time. The full list of ingredients include caramel squares, evaporated milk, chopped pecans, cream cheese, sour cream, milk, and chocolate pudding in a chocolate pie crust, which means the children will be all over it - and so will you.

Caterpillar Cake

This is another fun option to add to your list of holiday desserts. Your children will have a ball working with you to create this fun cake. You start by getting 12 snowball cupcakes for the caterpillar parts and red or black string licorice with gumdrops for decoration. Arrange the 12 cupcakes on a baking sheet then attach the licorice as legs and the gumdrops as eyes, then bake until done - very easy and fun!

Carnation Famous Fudge

I know you're thinking, "How dare you bring us another chocolate recipe?" But you have to admit, chocolate is a staple of holiday desserts (and if it isn't, who cares?). The cool thing about this dessert is that it can be made by using items in your kitchen such as Carnation evaporated milk (hence the name of the recipe), Nestle chocolate chips, margarine, and marshmallows - you can also add butterscotch and other fun tidbits to give it that extra flair. But the best part of this dessert is the guarantee that if you didn't shock and amaze your family with the other holiday desserts on the list, you will with this great fudge treat!

There are tons of other holiday desserts that can tickle your fancy, and I suggest you search and search until you find the right ones! But hopefully one of the treats will make your mouth water enough to consider making it for your family. When the time to cook rolls around, you will already have so many aspects of the meal to worry about, that being able to remove holiday desserts off of your list of concerns is a welcome surprise. And it's possible that when you taste one of the very tasty treats above you won't want to go back your lemon meringue pie and pound cake. Give one or more of these great desserts a try - I'm sure you and your family will not regret it.

Fun Holiday Desserts You'll Love

Jeffrey Meier at Jam727 Enterprises at http://www.thearticlehome.com blog offers even more detailed information on a wide variety of topics.

A Short History of Desserts

Sweet desserts have existed since the beginning of mankind. It is now enjoyed by people throughout the world in variety of flavors. In the past, only the affluent society folk could afford it while the ordinary people could only enjoy it on special occasions. Advancement of sugar production allowed its more extensive spread and at much more affordable prices to customers. People enjoyed desserts worldwide because of the increased supply of sugar.

Desserts are thought to have originated from a custom to remove the aftertaste of a meal with a sweet taste as they leave the mouth with a sweet flavor. The name confection is derived from a French word 'desservir' which means to clear the table. Thousands of dessert varieties exist today. Ice cream, cakes and pies are some of the popular desserts that have been present around since ancient times.

Desserts

The origin of ice cream dates back around the 4th century BC, the Roman emperor Nero had ordered his followers to gather ice and add fruit toppings for his dessert. A Chinese king named Tang developed an early form of ice cream by combination of milk and ice. Ice cream was brought back by traders to Europe. Ice cream continued to evolve during history and recipes were soon developed for serving the French and Italian aristocracy.

A Short History of Desserts

Ice cream was introduced in America in 1700s. Many states offered ice cream as a dessert. It was served to guests by distinguished figures like Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and Dolly Madison. A caterer from London advertised in a New York paper in 1774 announcing his intentions to sell ice cream in his stores.

The word 'cake' is derived from an old word 'kaka'. The first use of word 'cake' was documented by the Oxford English Dictionary in the 13th century. Cakes eaten in ancient times were very different than today. Early cakes resembled with bread and honey and flavored with dried fruit and nuts. Early Egyptians were the first who used advanced methods in baking. Medieval Europe baked gingerbreads and fruitcakes as desserts. Advancements in baking and availability of cooking ingredients helped in the development of cakes. Round cakes with icing resembling with today's cakes were introduced in the mid 17th century. Modern cakes with baking powder and white flour were used for the first time in the 19th century.

Pies originated as dessert in Neolithic Period in 9500 BC. They were known as galettes which contained honey and different grains, it was baked on hot coals. The origin of pastry was an addition of bakers fruit, honey and nuts for serving the pharaoh. Drawings relating to this practice are decorated on the tomb of King Ramses II. Changes often occurred in the making of pie because of different ingredients and conditions.

Pie recipes were brought by Pilgrim women to America which was used by the Native Americans. A tradition of using round pans for pies were started was started by colonial women. Pies became a part of American culture in the 1700s as it was served as desert by pioneer women. Apple pie became a popular evening dessert for the American children.

A Short History of Desserts

You might also be interested in learn the detailed history of Desserts and also history of Pink Floyd.

Using Quince to Make Delicious Desserts

Quince is a relative of pears and apples. The trees have grown around the Mediterranean and in Asia for more than four thousand years, making it one of the earliest known fruits. This fruit was discovered by the ancient Greek armies in Iran and Asia and brought to Greece. Today quinces are grown on the Greek island of Crete. Quince is also available today in the United States, the Middle East and in Latin America. Quinces in Western Asia are juicier and softer than those in the United States.

Quince varies in different regions and in cold climates, the fruit is rich gold in color, has a heady fragrance, and has a firm shape. The rind is rough and the flesh is hard. In a warmer climate, however the fruit can be eaten raw and the woolly rind is not there. Quince is often used to make jellies because of its tart and astringent flavor.

Desserts

How to Choose and Store Quinces

Using Quince to Make Delicious Desserts

Firm, big, yellow quince without any green are the best ones. Handle them carefully because they can bruise. Wrap the fruit in plastic and keep them in the refrigerator for up to a couple of months. Quinces are available from September to January.

Quinces are great for baking, poaching, or stewing, to make dessert recipes. They can also be stewed with meat because the high amount of tannins found in quince helps to tenderize the meat.

Membrillo - A Mexican Specialty

Quince is known as membrillo in Spanish and it is cooked into a firm red paste called dulce de membrillo in Spain, Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, Venezuela, and Mexico. It is served with manchego cheese in sandwiches or on crackers. There is a similar dish in Hungary and also in Portugal.

Dulce de membrillo is especially popular in Mexico and if you enjoy making Mexican recipes, and especially Mexican dessert recipes, you might like to try making this delicacy yourself.

Recipe for Dulce de Membrillo

You will need:

• 4 lbs quince
• 1 vanilla pod
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 cups white sugar
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 2 strips lemon peel, 2 inches by 1/2 inch

How to make it:

Wash, peel, core and roughly chop the quince and put the pieces in a big pot. Cover the quince with water, and then add the lemon peel. Split the vanilla pod and add it to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce it to a simmer.

Cover the pot and cook the mixture for about half an hour or until the quince is tender. Strain the water. Discard the vanilla. Puree the quince in a blender or food processor.

Measure out the quince puree. You will need the same amount of white sugar. It will be about four cups. Put the quince puree back into the pot and add the sugar. Cook over a low to moderate heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon juice and simmer for about an hour and a half or until the quince paste is deep orange and thick.

Preheat the oven to 125 degrees F. Line an eight by eight inch baking pan with parchment paper, then grease it with melted butter. Pour the quince paste into the prepared pan, and then smooth the top to make it even. Bake for an hour to dry it, and then let it cool. Cut the membrillo into squares and serve it with manchego cheese and bread. Store uneaten membrillo in the refrigerator.

Using Quince to Make Delicious Desserts

If you enjoy making easy Mexican recipes you will find the sweeter side of Mexican food a joy to explore. Mexican desserts make use of fruit, chocolate, honey, nuts, and many other ingredients and there are literally hundreds of different Mexican desserts you can make at home.

Mexican Dessert Recipes:The Sweet Side of Mexican Food