And for those of you interested in creating your own bitters, here's a recipe
that attempts to recreate Abbott’s, a classic 19th c. bitter, developed by John Deragon, via Departures.
1/2 lb whole cloves
4 oz tonka beans, cracked
17 oz chopped ginger
1 1/2 oz whole cardamom
12 bay leaves
1 oz benzoin
22 tbsp ground nutmeg
2/3 oz cassia sticks
1/4 oz allspice berries
3 tsp dried gentian root
1 1/5 oz dried spearmint
1/10 oz whole star anise
1/10 oz dried lavender
Crush cardamom, allspice, and star anise. Add all ingredients to 4 1/2 cups of rye, like Rittenhouse. Seal in a Mason jar for ten days, shaking daily. Then pour through a cheesecloth to remove large solids and strain three times using a paper coffee filter, changing when clogged. Add 1 1/4 cups of water and reseal. Filter again after two days. Age the infusion for six months in a Mason jar with charred oak chips. |
Multi-layered Flavors That “Pop”
Consumers are looking for bolder, gutsier flavors, according to flavoring company Comax Flavors, with a trend toward intensity and experimentation, boldness and clout. To get the impact consumers are seeking, flavors are being layered and combined in ever more intriguing ways. Following are some of their trending combinations that translate into a range of sweet options.
Herbal:
Peach Basil Black Tea--Check out Bad Joan's recipe for a peach and basil cobbler
Ginger Lime Chili
Cardamom Pear Berry----Check out Amanda YC Lee's recipe for a pear and cardamom bavarian cream cake.
Peppered Apple Bacon
Sweet & warm:
Butterscoth Coffee Crunch
Maple Bitters
Dulce de leche buttered rum
Flan de Neuz
Rich & smooth:
Pistachio Almond Cream
Pink Cherry Marshmallow
Black Russian Cappuccino
Dark Chocolate Bourbon Truffle
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The Latest on the Paris Pastry App
Over a year ago we first reported on the Paris Pastry App, a collaboration between former Chez Panisse pastry chef David Lebovitz, who has lived in Paris since 2004, and Heather Stimmler-Hall, a U.S. travel journalist who launched secrets of Paris in 1999. The latest version has been completely updated with new maps, corrected text, and 25 new shops--all with reviews and photos by David. Available in both eBook and and iPhone app formats so you can read it on your computer desktop or any mobile device. Search by location or category to find listings, each with a full address and map link, closest Metro stop, phone number, opening hours, website link and, of course David’s review with photos. There's even a glossary of popular French pastry and baking terms so you'll never get your chausson aux pommes confused with your pain aux raisins again.
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A Pinterest recipe find: Minny's Caramel Cake
If you've read 'The Help,' or seen the movie, you know Minny could whip up a Southern meal like no other. You may want to banish Minny's Chocolate Pie to the back burner or substitute an ingredient here or there, however. Instead, bake Minny's Caramel Cake for a delectable ending to any Southern meal.
Click for recipe
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Cupcake customers bare all
Customers of a village shop and cafe in the United Kingdom have bared all for charity. Regular visitors to The Crafty Cupcake in Gamlingay decided to create their own Calendar Girls style calendar in aid of Parkinson’s UK.
Fay Boissieux, who runs the business, selected the charity because her father, Bev Keefe, suffers from the disease. She said: “Every year we try and do something for Parkinson’s. Earlier this year we arranged open gardens for the village and last year we had a burlesque. For 2013 we’ve done a calendar.
“In the calendar we are all girls – my staff that work for me and groups that come in and meet.”
These groups include a book group and the Crystal Cafe. Most of the associations that regularly stop by The Crafty Cupcake are represented.
Biggleswade photographer Darren Harbar donated his time and talent free of charge for the cause. Everyone spent an evening having their photos taken.
Fay added that although the women were a little nervous at first they were soon stripping off for the camera!
Scenes include reading naughty books, beating icing for a cake, looking into a crystal ball and using a sewing a machine.
And the models have already hit the limelight by being featured on The One Show on BBC1.
Click to read more
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Introducing the CakeOmeter
So, you don't own the correct sized tin for your recipe? Maybe you've seen a recipe but wanted to make it on a smaller or larger scale? Or even bake a novelty cake?
Problem solved!! CakeBaker, the expert in Baking Apps has come up with a brand new, nifty little App...introducing THE CAKEOMETER now available from the AppStore. Download The CakeOmeter from the AppStore Now.
All you have to do is simply enter your recipe, the existing and new tin sizes and up pops your new recipe AND new cooking time!
Converting a 5" square to a 12" round? Simple - how about an 8" round to a Hello Kitty Head? Simple! You can even store and print your recipe off!
Over 92 tins in 26 shapes
We have data for 92 tins in the CakeOmeter in the following tin shapes: Round, Square, Bear, Butterfly, Cross, Flower, Heart, Hello Kitty Body, Hello Kitty Head, Hexagon, Horseshoe, Number 1 through to 9, Rectangle, Star, T Shirt, Teardrop, Triangle. Whatever tin you have a recipe for or want to convert to - we have the answers!
We will be releasing the iPhone and iPad version of The CakeOmeter in December 2012. Click here to preregister!
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Simplify Pricing and Quoting with the new CakeUlator App
The folks at CakeBaker have been hearing from many cake bakers who were finding it a challenge to charge accurately for anything from a simple cupcake to an elaborate wedding cake. To address this, they wrote a web based pricing tool, with limited functionality, which is still widely used and receives great reviews.
They knew they needed to make enhancements by adding features –including saving recipes, multi-currency pricing and sending quotes. To achieve this, they have written a powerful iPhone app called the CakeUlator. The Android version is currently under development. Register here for 50% off the Android CakeUlator. The iPhone App is available now.
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Frost by Numbers - how to make frosting colors
 
We found a fabulous cake icing color chart online that we thought we'd share... Now you can make frosting in amazing, contemporary colors - with just a basic box of food coloring. annaandblue.blogspot.com
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