Archive for December, 2015

Chocolate related myths debunked!

December 31st, 2015

There are so many things people say about chocolates. Even though most of the people love eating it, there are several myths that are believed about this delicious treat. Since we are fans of chocolates too, we decided to debunk some myths regarding chocolates.

  • Myth – White chocolate is a form of chocolate

That is not true. White chocolate is not a part of the chocolate family technically. White chocolate does not have any cocoa solids and is made out of cocoa butter, sugar and milk. If you see the ingredients, then it is clear that white chocolate does not really belong to the chocolate family. Sorry, white chocolate lovers!

  • Myth – Chocolate increases weight

Well, excessive eating of chocolate can result in increase of weight, but if you have dark chocolate, then you can save yourself from gaining weight. But it is said that drinking chocolate milk post working out is extremely good for health and does not add on calories. If you do overboard with it, then any food will add up extra calories. So remove this from your head that chocolate is the reason you are gaining weight. If you correctly place chocolate in your diet, then you can shed some weight too!

  • Myth – Chocolate has high caffeine properties

Chocolate barely has any caffeine properties. A basic coffee brewed at Starbucks has about 300 milligrams of caffeine in it whereas chocolate has only 9 milligrams and dark chocolate has around 20 milligrams. Though dark chocolate has a lot of caffeine compared to milk chocolate yet it is better than a cup of coffee you drink every day from Starbucks, right?

  •  Myth – People with diabetes should not eat chocolate at all

Recent studies have shown that dark chocolate can be good for diabetic patients and can keep them away from strokes. Also, cocoa powder boiled in water and then consumed is great for diabetic patients as it helps their blood sugar. Other than this, there are special chocolates these days made for diabetic patients by several companies. They are basically dark chocolates without any additional sugar. They do taste a little bitter compared to the other chocolates but are great for health.

  • Myth – Chocolate can cause tooth decay

Studies done in Japan showed that cocoa bean or powder form is the best way to keep tooth decay at bay. Chocolates are made with cocoa beans so technically they are good for your teeth. Like we stated earlier, if you go overboard with the eating of chocolates, then you will cause issues to your teeth, but if you have it in control, then it will not harm you at all. Plus, it is also said that the cocoa beans can help in removing the bacteria from the mouth, which causes tooth decays and other issues.

Stop believing in myths and don’t give up chocolates if you love them. If you eat it in a limit, then they are not going to harm you. The next time you send chocolates by post, add this info in a note form.

Healthy alternatives to butter while baking!

December 30th, 2015

Butter is the most used and a beloved ingredient used to make cakes and other desserts but the fat in butter is not good for health. For those, who are controlling their cholesterol, weight and want to keep away from heart diseases should try some of these healthy alternatives in cakes. Butter is not going to harm you until and unless you have it often or on a regular basis. If you eat it once in a blue moon, then it is completely fine, but if you are one of those people who bake often, then you must read this…

  • Avocado – Do you love eating Avocado? Well, if you do then start using it to bake as well. Just make a puree out of the fruit or buy it from the market and use it instead of butter in your baking recipe. This will not only provide healthy nutrients but also add a little flavour to the cake.
  • Olive Oil – You must have noticed several recipes suggesting Vegetable oil instead of butter to bake, but it is best if you pick olive oil. The oil is loaded with nutrients that are great for the health. It is also worth the extra calories because they are all good for our body.
  • Greek yogurt – If you want your cake to bake well, which is with moisture, then you should go for Greek yogurt instead of butter. This popular food gives an amazing velvet finish to the cake and makes it quite soft. Other than that, it is good for the health as it provides protein. Make sure you use at least ½ a cup of Greek yogurt for the batter.
  • Nut butter – Want the perfect topping for muffins, cupcakes or bagels? You can now make a peanut or almond spread of your choice. Though nut butters taste great as spread on toast and bread but did you know that they are packed with potassium, fibre and healthy fats? They can also be used in cakes as toppings.
  • Pumpkin Puree – This might sound a little different but yes pumpkin puree works well as an alternative to butter. It is rich in potassium, fibre, vitamin k and several other nutrients. You can use pumpkin puree in coffee cakes and cupcakes or muffins. They will add flavour and make the cake healthy! Use 3/4th cup of the puree to get the right taste in the cakes.
  • Applesauce – Applesauce is yet another ingredient that can help make moist and delicious cakes. Applesauce has a ton of calories but they are all great for the health. The fibre in applesauce helps in digesting the calories which further helps the internal system of the body. You can swap butter with applesauce for baking cakes as it not only makes them moist but also gives a great taste. Make sure you use the equal amount of applesauce in the cake as you would use the butter.

We hope these tips help you out. If you are sending cake delivery to a loved one, make sure you add these notes too!

Fruits which deserve your attention!

December 29th, 2015

The total variety of fruits is infinite. While most of us know only about the daily fruits like Apple, banana, guava, etc., what we do not know is that there are thousands of fruits, which have lots of health benefits. And these deserve recognition too. So let’s meet the fruits we bet you haven’t heard of.

Sugar apple – Sweetsop or sugar apple belongs to the tropical America but is widely grown in Philippines, India and Pakistan too. The look of the fruit is like that of a pine cone of 5cm in diameter. Beneath the lumpy and hard skin is very fragrant flesh of sugar apple that holds several in it. The taste is slightly that of custard.

Mammee Apple – Santo Domingo apricot or mammee Apple is an evergreen tree, which belongs to South Africa and later was brought into other countries of the world too, including Hawaii and Florida. The Apple is a berry of 25 cm in diameter. Its outer rind is thick and has yellowish pulp within. The seeds inside depend upon the size of the fruit. The fragrant pulp is sweet.

Cherymoya – Custard apple or Cherymoya is a deciduous plant that is found in the mountainous regions of South America. In shape, it is round and there are 3 varieties of skin in which these are found -Tuberculate, which is covered in modules, Impressa, which is indented and Intermediate, which is an amalgamation of the two. Inside the skin, the flesh is fragrant and juicy and its consistency is almost like that of custard. They say that the taste of the fruit is a combination of passion fruit, banana, pineapple and papaya. The taste feels amazing on the taste buds.

Platonia–bacuri or Platonia- It is a very large tree found in the rain forests of Paraguay and Brazil. The size of the fruit is almost like that of an orange, and it has a thick peel that gives out yellow latex on being pressed. There is a white sticky pulp inside, which is wrapped in black seeds. It tastes good and the flavour is both sweet and sour.

Cocona–Another tropical fruit from the mountainous areas of South America is the Cocona, which grows on very small shrubs and in less than 8 months these somehow grow from small seeds to big fruits. And it takes another one month for the fruit to ripen. It is a berry and its colour is red, yellow or orange. The look of the fruit is somewhat like tomatoes and the taste is said to be like tomatoes and lemon mixed.

Breadfruit – This belongs to the family of mulberry. It is native to the Philippines and other Southeast Asian islands. It is somewhat like bananas since it can be consumed raw on being ripe and can be cooked when it is unripe.

So, this season when you send someone a fruit basket, try and incorporate one of these fruits into it to make it a special assortment basket. And don’t forget to introduce these fruits to the others too!

Facts about your favourite fruitcake we bet you didn’t know

December 28th, 2015

When it comes to cakes, if there is anything which can give a tough competition to a chocolate cake it can only be a fruit cake. This has been a holiday favourite cake of most people, and it is also the most widely delivered cakes. But while you relish on the fruit cake, which melts on your tongue and just does not seem to give you enough of it, you would be surprised to know a few amazing facts about them, which will blow your mind. From having travelled to space to being a career for an aged woman, read the most amazing fun facts right here.

The fruit cake goes back to the ages old Roman Times- If history is to be believed, Romans mixed barley mash, pine nuts, pomegranate seeds, honeyed wine and raisins and together shape all of it into a round cake, which was known as satura. Aptly, the word satire, which is a literary device that was invented by the Romans, is derived from this cake, which is a mix of lots of ingredients both sweet and sour. This was what the New York Times said.

The rate at which sugar was priced was way too low It was only in the 16th century that this cake became extremely popular all over the world. Author Robert Sietsema in his article named the ‘the history of fruitcake’ put the blame on fruitcake plague for the inexpensive sugar, which was imported to Europe from British in the late 1600s. Then as per a discovery made by someone, fruit cake could be preserved for a long time by simply soaking it in large concentration of sugar, which has an intensifying flavour and colour. The abundance of so much sugar lacing engendered disposing it in some constructive way and that’s how came the fruit cake. Soon by the mid 19thcentury, fruit cake initial recipe was quite heavy since it was stuffed with pineapples, citrus peel, dates, plums, cherries and pears.

The British royalty has always seen the fruitcake as a special occasion item If we talk about the wedding fruitcake, it was a rage during the time of Queen Victoria. Also, on festivals like Christmas and other occasions, this cake was seen as a luxury treat. When Queen Victoria married Prince Albert, she served the guests fruit cake. Also, it is said that the Queen waited an entire long year to have a bite of her birthday plum cake to get some self control over her craze for fruit cakes.

It has a longevity You can eat fruitcake even years after it was made. It is just that the cake must have the preservatives and stored in airtight container.

Travelled to space And the best fact is that it was taken to a space expedition by astronaut Neil Armstrong but wasn’t consumed for reasons not known. It is now preserved in the space museum.

So, this season when you make cake delivery for someone, send them these royal fruit cakes.

Try Every Possible Way Of Eating Chocolates..!

December 28th, 2015

Do you love chocolates…?? Stupid question…! Who doesn’t love chocolates..?? Talking about the health benefits of chocolates, they are just too good..!! Check out these temptingly delicious recipes of chocolates, which you can actually try yourself.

Chocolate layer cake:

Prepare a mixture of cocoa, flour, salt, baking soda and granulated sugar.  Boil the blend of water and butter in a saucepan. Combine this resultant product with flour. Add eggs one at a time and then add vanilla and sour cream. Prepare the pans and divide the batter accordingly. Bake for about 40 minutes and let them cool down. Transfer them to your plates and enjoy..!

Chocolate chip cookies:

The baking process should be done at a temperature of 3500F. Use an electric blender to prepare a mixture of butter and sugars. To this mixture, add predetermined amounts of baking soda, baking powder, flour, cocoa and salt. Fold into chips and start the baking process. Once they are baked, allow them to cool on wire racks.

Bitter sweet chocolate soufflé:

Preheat the oven to a temperature of about 3750C. Add granulated sugar to the butter. Heat the blend of milk and chocolate in simmering water. Let the mixture lose its temperature and then whisk one egg at a time. Mix the compound using an electric blender. Bake for about 30 minutes and then it is ready to serve.

Chocolate cake:

 Mix the cake, pudding mixes, beaten eggs, sour cream, water and oil. Ensure to have the oven preheated to about 3500C. Add chocolate chips and stir well. Take a bundt pan, which is well greased and pour batter into it. 50 to 55 minutes would be a decent baking time. If the top gets springy when touched, it is an indication that the baking is completed. After cooling, you can use powdered sugar to dust the cake before serving.

Chocolate covered strawberries:

This is one of the simplest versions of chocolate, which are perfect for weddings. The major ingredients for this recipe are milk chocolate chips and strawberries with leaves. Melt the chocolate and stir occasionally in this process until a smooth mixture forms. The strawberries are inserted into this mixture using toothpicks. This compound is allowed to cool.

White chocolate cheesecake:

Prepare a mixture of cookie crumbs, sugar and butter. In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and water. Boil this mixture, until the sauce gets thicker. The seeds can be removed by straining the sauce through the mesh. Melt the white chocolate chips in a preheated oven at a temperature of 1650c. In another bowl blend cheese, sugar and cream into a smooth mixture. Add the melted chocolate and vanilla. Pour the batter and then add raspberry sauce. Bake it and then refrigerate it for about 8 hours.   

Best brownies:

The ingredients in this recipe are sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, cocoa, flour, salt and baking powder. Bake for approx. 30 minutes at a temperature of 1750c. Prepare frosting by using butter, cocoa, honey, vanilla and sugar. Turn it into a smooth mixture by continuous stirring. Make sure to frost brownies, before they lose heat.

Don’t just confine yourself with these recipes. Try every possible way of including chocolates in your diet. Spread this habit of consuming chocolates among your loved ones. Send chocolates by post or invite them to taste your recipes.