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What would a birthday celebration be without the candles burning brightly upon the top of an elaborately decorated cake and the happy celebrants face framed in the glowing light as they prepare to blow out their candles? We take the birthday cake for granted, but it has had a place in human history for many, many years.

In the Beginning

There are conflicting opinions about when the tradition of birthday cakes first got their start. Some say the tradition began during the Middle Ages in the country of Germany. A sweet bread dough was baked to represent the baby Jesus in his swaddling and was used as a commemoration of the Savior’s birth. Later, the birthday cake was reintroduced to the German population as a sweet treat for a child’s birthday.

Others say the tradition began in the Roman era. The Romans were known for celebrating three different types of birthday occasions; those for people, those for cities and temples and those of emperors both present and past as well as members of their family. A special cake was baked for a fiftieth year celebration with olive oil, honey, cheese and wheat flour.

Ancient Greeks were said to make bread or honey cakes to commemorate a birthday. In England, it was customary to bake objects inside such as a thimble or coins. It was thought that the one who got the coin would become rich and prosperous and the unlucky finder of the thimble would never have the opportunity to marry. Each object that was found signified a prediction.

Candles Burning Brightly

The candles of a birthday cake were originally used to bring God wishes for a happy birthday. Ancient people used to say their prayers over an open fire because they believed that smoke would carry their thoughts to the gods. Today the birthday celebrant is challenged to blow all the candles out with one breath in order to make their wish come true.

Birthday Celebrations are Not a Global Affair

There are many cultures that do not tack importance on the day an individual was born. In some regions it is the name day that is celebrated. This is the day that the person was given the name they carry through life instead of the day they came into the world. Others consider celebrating birthdays a pagan tradition and strive to eradicate any type of birthday celebration. One such religious group is the Jehovah Witnesses.

Others view celebrating their birthdays as an unhappy rite of passage. Once those important birthday milestones have been met, having a birthday is an indication of the passing of years and the fact that we are growing older. Not all adults view their birthday as a time to celebrate. Most joyful birthday celebrations center around the children. They are the ones who seem to take the most joy out of a birthday cake that is ablaze with candles and the prospect of sweet cake to eat once the blaze is blown out.

Jeffrey is a nationally recognized pastry chef and Austin wedding cakes designer. He has competed and medaled in numerous cake, wedding cakes, chocolate, and sugar competitions.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Cisneros

Love rhubarb? This easy to make “molded” chilled desert is oh so decadent and so gorgeous you may not want to eat it…but you should since it’s made with homemade whipped cream. So grab those crazy molds you never use and make this dish to next time you want to make a tasty impression with a different type of dessert! Our family loves this one — it’s a golden recipe we have used for a long time!

Ingredients

• Please note the ‘Chill time’ to allow this dessert to initially set up may take up 40 minutes to set before adding and folding in your whipped cream.
• 1 pound rhubarb
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 envelope of gelatin (found next to the Jello at the store)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2/3 cups heavy cream
• ***Equipment needed:
• 2 quart stock pot, bowl, mold or pretty serving glasses to allow dessert to set once at final stage, spatula, mixer for making whipped cream

Directions:

1. Wash rhubarb.
2. Cut and dice up very small (less than 1/2″ slices).
3. Into a stock pot or soup pot, add diced up rhubarb, water and sugar.
4. Let cook 10 minutes or until rhubarb is fork tender – like when making boiled potatoes.
5. To soften gelatin, mix 2 tablespoons of cold water in mug or coffee cup and add gelatin. Stir until gelatin is dissolved. Then add to rhubarb and stir.
6. Remove rhubarb from heat and add lemon juice then stir once more.
7. Chill in fridge until almost set (it will do a little jiggle but not much)
8. Put rhubarb mixture into bowl and beat mixture until smooth.
9. Whip up heavy cream and fold into rhubarb mixture.
10. Turn into mold or dessert glasses and chill.
11. To serve, you can place mold for 1 minute in a bowl of hot water then with serving plate placed on top of mold, flip over and serve with whipped cream.
12. If serving in dessert glasses, or something like martini glasses, simply serve with additional whipped cream.
13. And for those who want to save on some calories, you can easily fold in low-fat ready whip you find in your grocer’s freezer. Throw a sprig of mint on the top of each dollop of additional whipped cream for that “Oh My Factor” – and your family will bow down to you as they gobble up this dessert!

The extra nice thing about this dessert, besides being easy to prepare is that it is different, and heck, if your people have not yet tried rhubarb, it is simply a beautiful addition to have in your diet. You may also add half of the rhubarb and add strawberries for yet another twist.

Leah Quinn is a writer specializing on food, health and entertainment and is a multi-media artist living in New York.

Come on by if you are curious about my many other great homemade and easy from scratch recipes at http://dinner-and-jam.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leah_Quinn

For some reason the humble cheesecake is something that every aspiring home chef seems to have troubles with at one point or another. Common problems include large cracks, burned top, lumpy filling, collapsed centers and the amazing shrinking cheesecake (cake shrinks around the outside).

All of these problems tend to go away when the cheesecake is prepared and cooked properly. Here then is how to prepare and cook what is sure to be a family favorite, Homemade Lemon Cheesecake.

Before we get cooking, a little science if you please. Most of the problems mentioned above all stem from an improper cooking process. That usually is because people treat the recipe as if it was for a cake. But the truth is, cheesecake is a lot more similar to a custard pie than it is to a regular cake recipe. So, that means we need to work and cook the ingredients differently.

First is the pan. Some people recommend using a spring form pan but I don’t like them. The reason will become apparent when we get into the cooking process. For now locate a 9 inch round cake pan with nice high sides (at least 2 inches). We first need to treat the pan so we can get the cooked cheesecake out later. For that, melt some butter and using a brush, coat the entire inside of the pan. Next, using parchment paper, cut out a circle for the bottom of the pan and a long rectangle for the side. Once the parchment has been added to the pan, we can focus on the crust.

Some people like a cookie crumble crust but I prefer good old graham crackers. I take about 2 dozen and place them in a plastic ziptop bag. Using my fingers only, I crush them for about 30 seconds to a minute. Some big chunks are ok. Next, melt 1/4 cup of unsalted butter and add the cracker crumbs to it along with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Mix with a spatula briefly and add to the bottom of the pan. Next grab a heavy glass with a flat bottom or other tamping tool (the kind used to flatten meat works great). You want to tamp down all the crumbs in the pan so they stick to each other and help the crust form. Bake the crust blind for 10 mins at 300 degrees.

Next comes the filling. Before you started working on the pan preparation, you should have taken your cream cheese out of the fridge and set it on the counter to soften (at least 30 mins or so). We are also going to need 1.25 cups of sour cream, 1 cup of sugar, 1/3 cup of cream (whipping or heavy), 1 tablespoon of vanilla, 5 large eggs, 1/4 cup of lemon juice, the zest of one lemon, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch (optional).

Now, the mixing of the batter is important. We want everything mixed well but we do not want to add any air into the batter. Air is usually the problem when a cheesecake falls or has a sunken center. So, the best tool in my opinion is the Kitchenaid stand mixer (or your favorite brand).

To start, place the sour cream in the mixing bowl and using the paddle attachment beat on medium low for a minute. Next add the cream cheese, the sugar and the optional cornstarch. The cornstarch acts to help slow down the binding of the eggs in the custard which prevents cracking. Think of it as a little extra insurance. If you follow this recipe you should not need it but if this is your first time trying this recipe, consider adding it.

So, now we beat this mixture on low speed for 1 minute. Then turn up the speed to medium for a few more minutes. Stop the machine and scrape the bowl. Next, in a container mix the 1/3 cup of cream, vanilla, 2 large eggs, 3 egg yolks, lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix this up well with a fork.

Turn the mixer on medium low speed and slowly drizzle in half of the cream and egg mixture. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl again. Start it again but this time on medium high speed and add the remaining egg mixture. Continue mixing for about one more minute. The batter should be uniform (no lumps) and not airy.

Now, the baking. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Remember when we cooked the crust blind. Well, we want to add the batter to the pan but first make sure the crust is completely cool (let it cool out of the oven for at least 15 minutes). Add the batter to the pan. Give the pan a few little twists left and right to help any air bubbles come to the top.

At the same time, boil at least 2 quarts of water (the amount will depend on your pan size). You need to create what’s called a “bain marie” (Marie’s bath). If you have another cake pan that is a few inches bigger in diameter use that. If not, a disposable aluminum baking dish works well too (the kind for lasagna or roasting). Add a clean towel to the bottom of the large pan and insert into the oven. Add the cheesecake pan into the larger pan and gently push it to the side. Now, carefully add the boiling water into the larger pan. Pour enough to come up 2 thirds the way up the cheesecake pan.

Now, gently center the cheesecake pan in the larger pan and close the oven. Bake at 250 for an hour. Here’s the hard part. After an hour the cake will not looked cooked. But the problem is we don’t want to overcook the cheesecake. So, open the oven door for about 30 seconds to let some heat escape. Next, close the door and leave the cake alone for another hour. After that, carefully take the cake pan out of the water pan and place it in a fridge for 6 hours.

Finally we have cheesecake. There are some minor acrobatics necessary to get the cake out of the pan. First, fill your sink half way up with hot water directly from the tap (the hottest it will go). Next, let the pan float in the sink for 15 seconds. Now remove it and place it on a towel. Using a sharp thin knife gently trace around the outside of the pan and then carefully remove the parchment from the side of the pan. Now, take some wax paper and cut a circle the same size as the cheesecake. Place the wax paper on top of the cheesecake. Place a round plate or the bottom from a spring form pan on top of the cheesecake and carefully but quickly invert it. Next remove the pan.

Ok, but now you are looking at the bottom of the cheesecake. Remove the parchment from the bottom. Decide what plate you will use to serve the cheesecake (or select a nice size bakers cake round). Place that on the bottom of the cheesecake and once again invert it carefully. Lastly, remove the wax paper from the top and cut your cheesecake.

If all went well you should have a delicious and beautiful lemony cheesecake that your friends and family will thought you bought. And you know what, if the top does crack, who cares. That’s why they invented whipped cream.

Marcy Givens is a cooking and baking enthusiast. She never had much luck when it came to cooking like a chef at home so she decided to get educated by watching shows and reading books about cooking. She has discovered some useful tips and secrets for selecting the best Kitchen aid mixer which she freely shares with her readers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marcy_Givens

Creme Brulee is a classic dish of smooth custard, with a caramelized sugar topping. Creme Brulee is highly contested on the actual origin of this delectable dish. I am looking back over my notes taken while attending a French Culinary school. The dish that I have cooked many times, are of course, the so called Classical French version. There are many different opinions on where the dish originally came from, such as Spain, England or France. I just know that Creme Brulee is very easy to make, and it is equally delicious. It is one of my favorites, and it is always a hit at any dinner event.

Ingredients you will need:

10 egg yolks

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

3 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon of pure vanilla bean paste

1/4-1/2 cup granulated white sugar, you will add this to the top of the chilled custard, and caramelize with a torch.

2 large stainless steel mixing bowls if you have them, glass will work fine, too

Preheat your oven to 300ºF. You will need a glass or metal large mixing bowl, and I prefer to use a stainless steel that has a flat bottom. I really like the ones that have the flat bottom without the stamp mold on the bottom of the bowl, as it helps for much better mixing. The whisk will be able to get all places of the bowl, where as if it has a mold or ring stamp in the bottom the whisk will not be able to incorporate all ingredients. You will need to whisk together egg yolks, and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. You will know that this has happened when the mixture has turned thick, and the color of the mixture becomes a pale yellow. Add your heavy cream and vanilla, and continue to whisk until well blended. Strain into a large bowl, skimming off any foam or bubbles.

You will need to divide as evenly as possible the mixture of your egg custard into the 8 ramekins, or some call them custard cups. Place ramekins on a large deep sided sheet pan, into a water bath, this is where the water is up to about halfway up the sides of your ramekins. The water is usually about 1 or 2 inches total in the pan. You will bake the custard, until the custard is a gel consistency, or set around the edges, but still somewhat loose, but not runny in the center, about 45 minutes to an hour depending on your oven.

Remove from oven and the water bath. If you have a metal grate, or cooling rack, you will put them on the rack for about 20-30 minutes, or until cool to the touch. You will want to get them into the refrigerator quickly after that. There are eggs in this dish, and you will want to lessen the opportunity for bacteria growth. You will want to chill them in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours, or you can chill over night. When we prepared this dish in culinary school, we chilled them overnight.

When you are ready to serve your creme brulee dessert, sprinkle about 2-3 teaspoons of sugar over each custard. For best results, use a small, hand-held torch to melt sugar, if you do not have a torch and would like to get one, they are at most department stores that have home furnishings. Until you purchase a torch of your own you have other options, you can place your ramekins under the broiler until sugar melts. Make sure you keep a close eye on them, so they will not burn, and all of your hard work is not wasted. Enjoy!

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue

Bananas are one of the most popular fruits in the world. You may think bananas are only for breakfast, but they make great desserts. “The Boston Cooking School Cook Book,” first published in 1896, contains a recipe for banana cake. The recipe hasn’t changed in the passing years, but the availability of nutritional information has changed.

According to the Produce Oasis Web site, one medium banana contains 110 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrate, 4 grams of fiber, 400 milligrams of potassium, 21 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

Potassium and sugar make bananas a “perfect runner’s food,” according to the Devine Sports Web site. “Eating a banana in midrace is always a good strategy to avoid bonking in the final miles,” the site says. If you get leg or foot cramps try eating a banana.

Bananas are good for you. The Pediatric Oncall Web site lists the vitamins and minerals in bananas: 17 milligrams of calcium, 36 milligrams of phosphorous, .9 milligrams of iron, 7 milligrams of vitamin C, and a small amount of vitamin B complex. Good as bananas are, they can ripen quickly. What can you do with over-ripe fruit?

You can make light banana cake, an adaptation of the old-fashioned recipe. Sugar-free applesauce replaces some of the butter and Splenda blend replaces some of the sugar. This is a delicious snack cake warm from the oven. For a snazzy dessert, serve the cake with whipped topping, chocolate syrup and toasted nuts.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups regular flour (presifted)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon lower sodium salt
2/3 cup mashed, ripe bananas
1/4 cup sugar-free applesauce
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons soft butter
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1 1/2 cups Splenda blend
2 large eggs
8-ounce carton “free” whipped topping
Sugar-free chocolate syrup

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 10-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl combine mashed bananas, applesauce, and vanilla.

Cream butter, Splenda blend, and sour cream in small mixer bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well. Alternately add dry and wet ingredients to batter. Pour batter into pie plate and bake for 28 minutes, or until the top is golden. Cool on rack.

Slice cake. Top each slice with whipped topping. Drizzle chocolate syrup over cake and garnish with toasted almonds or walnuts. Makes 12 servings.

Copyright 2008 by Harriet Hodgson

http://www.harriethodgson.com

Harriet Hodgson has been a freelance nonfiction writer for 29 years. Before she became a health writer she was a food writer for a local magazine. She is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Her 24th book, “Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief,” written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from http://www.amazon.com . You will find a reviews of the book on the American Hospice Foundation Web site and the Health Ministries Association Web site.

Please log onto Harriet’s Web site, http://www.harriethodgson.com, for more information about this busy author and grandmother.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Harriet_Hodgson

Always being in search of the perfect cookie to send to my daughters who live across the country, I have finally succeeded. These cookies are best made a day or two ahead, withstand the rigors of shipping and are sure to make my children and grandchildren happy. Biscotti make a great gift or treat to keep around the house to enjoy all year long. Once you have made your first batch, I guarantee that you will never buy them again. This recipe was altered as I added a few extra flavors to create my own Biscotti. If you want a simpler version or merely want to try another flavor, just omit the almond extract, 1 tablespoon of the zest, the chocolate and almonds. This will give you a dough worthy of any combination you can come up with.

Orange Almond Chocolate Biscotti

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour; I prefer King Arthur but any brand will do.
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon almond extract
3 tablespoon orange zest
1 1/4 cups sliced almonds, toasted, then coarsely chopped
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, frozen for 1 hour
1 large egg white

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Mix sugar, melted butter, 3 eggs, extracts and zest in large bowl. Add flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until well blended. Mix in toasted almonds and chocolate.

Divide dough in half. Using floured hands, shape each dough half into15 inch long by 2 1/3 inch long logs. Place on parchment paper, spacing apart. Whisk egg white in small bowl till foamy; brush over top and sides of each dough log.

Bake logs until golden brown about 30 minutes, on a rack in the center of the oven. Cool completely on sheet on rack for about 25 minutes, while maintaining oven temperature. Logs will spread when baked.

Transfer logs to work surface. Using a serrated knife, cut logs on diagonal into 1/2 inch wide slices. Arrange the slices, cut side down on the baking sheet without the parchment paper. You might need to add another baking sheet to fit all the slices. Put both pans on the same rack in center of oven. Bake for 12 minutes, then turn the Biscotti over to the other side and bake another 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool. The Biscotti taste better the second day. Store in an airtight container. They keep for about one week.

This recipe is an adaption from both Bon Appetit, December 1999 & Smitten Kitchen, March 2008

Kim Morgan Moss is A Yankee in a Southern Kitchen; a woman trying to find her calling while learning to cook Southern food for a year. Southern Food you say, there is nothing Southern about Orange Chocolate Biscotti, and right you are. But don’t let that stop you from trying the recipe and heading on over to http://www.ayankeeinasouthernkitchen.com to see photos of my Biscotti and to find out what else is cooking. Southern Food is good for the soul and the stomach, and when the year is over you will be making the best Biscuits, Buttermilk Fried Chicken and saying y’all. Oh by the way, along with the great food you’ll find just the right amount of humor and soul searching to go with the recipes.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kim_Morgan_Moss

Fortune Cookies – A custom among every meal of fine Chinese cuisine, right? Not at all! In fact the Chinese cookie was invented not in the bustling streets of Beijing or Wuhan, no no no my friend. The fortune cookie was a product of none other than San Francisco in the early 20th century. This of course couldn’t have been a true American invention without some Judge Judy action, as caused by a small shop owner in Los Angeles that took the self-proclaimed San Franciscan creator to court over the rightful claim to title of fortune cookie inventor. It is said that a fortune cookie was introduced as evidence in court, and the fortune inside read “S.F. Judge who rules for L.A. Not Very Smart Cookie”. The case was settled in favor of San Francisco, ending the age old question of the legitimate fortune cookie inventor.

We now know, thanks to the wonderful judicial system of California, that fortune cookies were invented in San Francisco. But who was this mysterious creator? He was none other than a Japanese immigrant, Makoto Hagiwara, owner of the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park. So not only was the fortune cookie not a Chinese invention, but its true creator was really an American Japanese immigrant. Hagiwara took the idea from a Japanese dessert cookie and sweetened the recipe to appeal to American tastes. He would include a note on the inside of every cookie thanking his customers for visiting and would serve them with every cup of tea ordered.

Apparently word of the Chinese’ own creation hadn’t quite made its way across the Pacific in time, as humorously illustrated in The Joy Luck Club, a 1989 novel by Amy Tan in which two Chinese immigrant women take jobs at a fortune cookie factory in America. Amused by the very unfamiliar concept behind the cookies, the book outlines their comical attempts at decoding the fortunes inside the cookies they were put to work making, only to come to the verdict that the fortunes contain not wisdom, but “bad instruction.”

So the fortune cookie may not have origins in Asia at all, but who says they don’t have a bit of Chinese good luck inside those sweet little sugar, flour, milk, butter, and vanilla morsels. There were 110 people in 2005 who would tell you so. These people set the world record for the largest 2nd place tie for a Powerball drawing, initially assumed by Powerball officials to be fraud. Upon further investigation, the claims turned out to be true, as those 110 people had taken their Powerball numbers from fortune cookies. Who says those vague little predictions can’t come true?