Cake mix is very popular these days because it is fast, very easy, and almost always comes out perfect. You can buy it in co many flavours such as chocolate, white, angel-food, rainbow chip, lemon… the list goes on. One box usually makes enough for one square cake or a layered round cake and they are great for anyone who isn’t much of a cake baker. But what if you want to make the cake more personal, rather than just buying the mix, coating it in some canned frosting and presenting it to someone for their birthday.

Well, you can easily make your own frosting and can even put some food colouring in it to make it exciting. You can also do an elaborate decoration on it that will draw everyone’s attention and they won’t even realize it was just a simple boxed cake mix. Another idea is making your own filling to put in between the layers, such as a lemon pie filling. If you’d like, maybe you could turn it into a baked alaska, topping it in a mountain of ice cream and mirangue. There are also recipes that use boxed cake mix but make something completely different, or add different flavours.

Whatever you decide, cake mixes don’t have to be plain and boring. They can actually be very delicious and elegant.   

-peanut butter and jelly

Today is pancake day! It is also known as Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday. Here in Canada, it is a day when people commonly eat pancakes. You can ahve them for breakfast, brunch, dinner or as a snack… whatever you want! I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like pancakes. They are very versatile and you can add whatever you’d like to them. There are chocolate chip pancakes, blueberry, banana, strawberry, even peanut butter!

Pancakes are very easy to make. They have a simple batter that is poured into the frying pan, flipped after a while and then easten. The toppings that go on pancakes vary just as much as the pancake itself. You can put fruit on it, fruit sauce, whipped cream, jam, butter and of course syrup. Celebrate pancake day with some simple and delicious pancakes. Check my recipe archive.

-peanut butter and jelly

Okay, this isn’t really about baking but it is about peanut butter and jelly. I saw an advertisement for a product from Smucker’s and it caught my attention. It is called “Smucker’s Uncrustables”. It is basically a frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwich with no crusts, pre-made by most likely, a machine. It sounds quick and easy to simply take it out of the freezer and it will be thawed by lunch time. And, it is peanut butter and jelly so it can’t be that bad, right? 

Maybe some people would appreciate the convenience but unfortunately, I disagree. A pre-packaged frozen sandwich just somehow doesn’t sound as good as a freshly made sandwich on some soft, fresh bread. Also, when you make your own you can control how much peanut butter and how much jelly you put on it. I’m sure you’ve also experienced the disgusting flavour of freezer burnt foods as well, which I’m sure would eventually transfer to these sandwiches.

Basically, this is the height of laziness if you can’t make your own sandwich and have to thaw out a frozen one. Trust me, just make it yourself so you can get the real flavour of peanut butter and jelly and not the false machine-made taste.

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It is true that homemade baked goods are always better than when you buy them packaged at the store. A homemade pie always has a flakier crust and the cookies will always taste fresher and chewier (or crispier, depending on your preference). This is because the products you buy in the grocery store have probably been frozen at least once before it was shipped to the store. It would have also been made days ago and is full of chemicals and preservatives to make it last long enough to get to your shelf.

If you are going to buy some kind of baked good, you should buy it from a real bakery where they bake fresh everyday rather than from a package in agrocery store. To get the ultimate fresh from the oven taste, though, make it yourself! You can add the ingredients you want and there will be no chemical preservatives in it. Not to mention, it’s fun to make your own!

-peanut butter and jelly

Valentine’s Day is coming up on Saturday. What does everyone like to give - and receive - on Valentine’s Day ? Chocolates! Chocolates are a huge seller on Valentine’s Day. They come in heart shaped boxes, they come with teddy bears, they come in all different kinds such as caramel filled or with peanuts in them. Another major difference in chocolates is milk chocolate, dark chocolate and white chocolate. So what exactly are the differences? Check out this article about chocolate…

It is hard to find someone who doesn’t like chocolates. Many know that chocolate is refined product obtained from cocoa beans but have you ever given a thought to how many chocolate types are there? You will be surprised to know that there are a number of enticing types of chocolates.

 

Cocoa powder is unsweetened powder of cocoa beans slightly defatted. The powder renders an intense chocolate taste. This is available in two varieties; one is Dutch processed which is alkalized and other is natural variety. The powder is light brown and has a pronounced flavor. The alkalized variety is milder, less acidic, and darker in color.

 

Unsweetened chocolate is called as ‘bitter’ and is pure chocolate liquor obtained from ground cocoa beans. This has quite a bitter taste and is usually used for cooking purposes. Since cocoa is rich in cocoa solids and cocoa butter this unsweetened chocolate gives a deep flavor to baked goods. This is used as the base ingredient to prepare all other forms of chocolate except the white chocolate.

 

Dark chocolate contains sugar, vanilla, cocoa butter, lecithin which is an emulsifier along with chocolate liquor. No milk solids are ever added in the dark chocolate. The darkness of dark chocolate depends upon the cocoa percentage in it which may vary from 30% to 70%.

 

Bittersweet chocolates and semi sweet chocolates belong to the category of dark chocolates. As defined by the Food and Drug Administration department, bittersweet chocolate should contain at least 35% of cocoa solids. Most of the bittersweet bars contain 50% chocolate liquor. These types of chocolates have a bitter flavor than sweet dark and semi sweet chocolates. Since the amount of sugar is not regulated by FDA the sweetness may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

 

Semi sweet chocolates also contain at least 35% of cocoa solids but are sweeter than the bitter sweet chocolates.Sweet dark chocolate is dark in the sense that it does not contain milk solids. This chocolate contains a high percentage of sugar which gives it a much sweeter taste than other types of chocolates. Many available brands of sweet dark chocolates contain 20 to 40 percent of cocoa solids.

 

One of the most popular chocolate types is milk chocolate that contains condensed milk or dry milk solids along with the chocolate liquor. These milk solids may constitute up to 12 percent of chocolate. These are typically much sweeter with light color and a mild chocolate taste.The class of white chocolates derives its name from the ingredient cocoa butter in it. This chocolate does not contain any other product other than cocoa butter. This is the reason why this chocolate has a mild chocolate flavor, has a vanilla taste, and a lighter color.

 

Couverture chocolates and related chocolate types are used by confectioners and are rich in cocoa butter and cocoa liquor percentage which contribute to the high price of this chocolate. These chocolates are smooth and melt quickly. Gianduja chocolates are made from the chocolate and the nut paste. These are used for flavoring milk or dark chocolates.

 

Candy coating chocolates are candy products and contain a little amount of cocoa. There are lots of chocolate types to enjoy and suitable for various occasions. All of these assortments of chocolates are very interesting and are bound to add flavor to your life.Chocolate is something people love, and what better gift to give someone than those hand made truffles and chocolate delights. The problem is which one should you aim for? The best solution is to be part of a tasting club, where you can sample different chocolates. http://www.mychocolateblog.com is a great site to get tips and recipes for your favourite food, chocolate. Tips like dip a coffee spoon in chocolate, allow to set and then stir your coffee. Take a look today at http://www.mychocolateblog.com for everything chocolate.

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-peanut butter and jelly