Glazed Guinness Chocolate Cake

It’s that time of year when many of us celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! Here is a great recipe to help you get your green on. Best of all, this cake can be mixed up in the pan you melt the chocolate and butter in which keeps dishwashing to a minimum. Guinness chocolate cake with a Guinness glaze is a great way to celebrate your Irish heritage!

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How To Make A Parchment Cone

Making a parchment cone is one of the basic skills that every baker should master. By calling it a basic skill I don’t mean to imply that it is easy – it takes practice and patience. Perhaps foundation skill is a better term. Mastering a parchment cone and how to use it will elevate the level of your pastries whether you are drizzling icing, piping a fancy design, or writing on a cake. Cut some triangles, make some cones, and practice, practice, practice!

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Breakfast Granola

I love granola but find that too often it has way too much sugar to be a healthy start to the day. This granola provides the best of both worlds. It still contains some sugar but it is also sweetened with dried fruit rather than more of the white stuff! It also contains nuts and seeds that are packed with vitamins and minerals. This version happens to contain tropical fruits and nuts (we are in Vietnam, after all) but check the Alternatives section for other great additions to the basic recipe.

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10 Tips From A Professional Pastry Chef

 

Improving as a baker takes time, effort, and patience! I have been a pastry chef for more than two decades and I am still learning each time I create something in my kitchen. Here are my top ten tips for honing your skills whether you are a beginner or have years of experience. Practice these and you are on your way to better baking!

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Plated Dessert For Valentine’s Day

This is a wonderful plated dessert and the first true, professional style plated dessert I have done for the blog. Why? Because it takes time to learn and basic skills need to be developed before attempting such a dessert. Plus, this basic plated dessert has seven components – seven! Yes, I realize thats quite a few but I will explain how make each one and provide a schedule to make a dessert like this.

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