Got Food Allergies? You Can Still Eat Dessert

Food allergies often determine what people can eat. Depending on the type of food allergy you have, you may have a hard time finding good recipes. Sometimes the dessert does not come out edible, doesn't cook all the way through, tastes funny etc. While some allergies are easier to avoid than others, it can be difficult baking a delectable dessert that meets your body's needs.


I myself am lactose intolerant, however, I do not have a severe case. As long as I don't eat a gallon of ice cream, my body can handle the dairy by taking a Lactaid pill. For those of you that do have a severe dairy allergy or cannot have dairy due to other allergies, Lactaid milk is a great substitute for regular milk. It keeps the ingredients in cookies, brownies and cakes together nicely. In my experience, I've never had a problem using Lactaid milk for my baking and cooking needs.


Soy milk, on the other hand, is something I would not recommend for baking or cooking. It seems almost too watered down to be able to hold the ingredients together. I have tried using soy milk several times and each time I've tried, the batter was too liquidy to use and ended up being thrown out. I have even attempted to use soy milk when making scrambled eggs thinking you can't mess up scrambled eggs. Boy was I wrong. The eggs didn't come out right. It took longer then normal to cook and tasted a little odd.


For those of you who need to be gluten-free have a much more difficult timing finding desserts they can eat. Almost all desserts have some form of gluten in them unless the recipe or ingredient says otherwise. I know several people who have Celiac's disease, wheat allergy or gluten sensitivity and witnessed first hand how difficult it can be to cope with.


However, there is some good news for people who suffer from the above-mentioned allergies. More food and recipes have become available in recent years allowing for bakers to bake their own desserts once again. Based on my experiences, I would advise trying different recipes, with different substitutes (i.e.: applesauce, shredded veggies or yogurt), until you find one that you like. For example, use ingredients such as organic light brown sugar instead of refined white sugar to boost moistness, and flavor and add more vanilla to soften the taste of gluten-free flour since it may have a strong taste at first.


Regardless of what type of baking requirements your body needs, there is a recipe for everyone. I encourage you to get your cooking hat on and get baking today.

Creating Your Own Masterpiece

Baking a scrumptious dessert for a get together can leave a lasting impression on your guests. If you are looking to bake your own dessert, you may be concerned that your baked good won’t be as nicely decorated or wrapped as if it came out of a bakery or pastry shop. However, a little creativity can go a long way when creating your own masterpiece.

Cakes are among the most popular desserts. Although this may take a little bit of work, you can make a tiered cake with different flavors that tie nicely together (i.e.:  red velvet and carrot cake). Frosting each tier with the same frosting (i.e.: cream cheese frosting)  will leave the surprise in cake. If you need to package and transport the cake, there are special boxes you can buy or order online through any restaurant or home goods stores. Homemade cakes almost always taste better especially when you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Cupcakes are one of the few desserts that you can get as imaginative and wild as you want. For example, you can buy  liners with designs on them, buy different molds to make toppings to put on the frosting and buy a cupcake tier or plate to display them on. If you are feeling adventurous, making different flavored cupcakes topped with a variety of frostings will really wow everyone.  

Cookies and brownies are two simple and safe bets that are always good to have on hand. Almost everyone enjoys a yummy cookie and brownie. These recipes are simple, but you can spice them up by adding chocolate chips, walnuts, espresso shavings etc. You can also make different shapes out of cookie dough adding additional excitement to the cookie.  

These options may require more time and effort then it would take to drive to a bakery or pastry shop, but your guests will appreciate the creativity put into your dessert.  They are guaranteed to be talking about it long after the get together ended.


Here are few ideas to get you started:
Cake and Bakery Boxes
Cupcake Tiers
Decorative Cupcake Tins
Dessert Plates

Finding a Brownie Recipe My Dad Will Love

My dad loves brownies especially the ends. He's been known to cut the ends from the brownies and eat just that. For as long as I can remember, he has been asking me to bake them. Being the good daughter I am, I am alway happy to oblige figuring it would give me another opportunity to hone my brownie making skills.


Although brownies seem simple enough to make, brownie recipes have been known to go awry. I for one have tried several brownie recipes before I found one my dad approved. The first few recipes I tried weren't anything special. The brownies weren't moist and fudgy, but tasted more like a soft cookie especially after they've been sitting around a few days.


So what is the secret to making a moist, fudgy brownie? Corn syrup. I found that using corn syrup instead of butter not only makes the brownies moist and fudgy, but enhances the flavor as well. It also helps the brownies stay fresh a little bit longer. The first time I made brownies with corn syrup, they were eaten up in no time. Greasing the pan with butter and flour (to make sure you haven't missed any spots) will make sure the brownies don't stick to the pan or taste oily on the bottom from cooking spray. Just remember to shake out any extra flour.


As long as I don't forget to put walnuts in the batter or sprinkle them on top, my dad is now content with the brownie recipe I currently use :-). 

My Quest for the Perfect Cupcake

Decadent, blissful, delicious and mouthwatering are some of the words used to describe the perfect cupcake. However, most of us have a hard time baking that perfect cupcake and are willing to chalk up a few bucks to get it. Buying that perfect cupcake allows us to get whatever flavor and topping(s) our heart desires. My personal favorite is a dark chocolate cupcake with peanut butter frosting topped with a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. Trying to save myself a few bucks, I've attempted to bake my perfect cupcake and learned a few lessons along the way.


One of the key lessons I've learned about cupcake batter is that you should not use recipes that say they can be used for either cake or cupcake butter. I found that my so-called cupcakes tasted more like muffins and were not nearly as moist as they should be.


Cupcake frosting, the most important part of the cupcake (in my opinion), can be tricky to make especially if it is not done correctly. I recommend starting with half the amount of liquid the recipe calls for and add as needed until you get the perfect consistency. Putting in all the liquid at once can make the icing too watery. I've learned this the hard way by making frosting three times before I got it right. Also, if you do not want to buy a frosting bag and decorating tips, you can put the frosting in a plastic bag and cut a corner to swirl the frosting on. This will give you that out of the bakery look.


Cupcakes are the perfect snack to share with your family and friends. So go ahead and make your perfect cupcake today.