Pastry! I’m sure your mouth is already watering. Different flavors, blend of unique tastes, and a crust that can make your mouth water. Here are a few pastry crust recipes, that you shouldn’t wait to try.
Recipe # 1 Ingredients
4 ounces flour
A pinch of salt
2 ounces’ butter (cubed)
3 tablespoon cold water
Directions
Mix salt and flour in a bowl. Add in the cubes of butter.
Whisk to blend the mixture well, until the batter looks like coarse breadcrumbs with no visible lumps of butter.
Ensure it doesn’t become too greasy to work with.
Pour in some cold water, to bind the dough together. Make sure it doesn’t become too watery either.
Sticky dough is usually hard to work with.
Wrap the dough in cling film and put it in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before you use it.
Recipe # 2 Ingredients
1 ¼ cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter
¼ cup ice water
Directions
Mix the flour and salt in a bowl together. Add in the butter, till you notice it looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
Add in water, one tablespoon at a time.
Fold the mixture into a ball of dough
Wrap this in a cling film and keep in the fridge for about four hours or overnight.
Roll out the dough in a pie plate.
Place the crust in the pie plate.
Press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides of the plate.
Slice the dough in half, roll each piece in a circle. Roll it inwards, from the center to the edges. Keep tuning the dough and add flour, so it doesn’t stick to the surface.
Place that dough in a pie pan, after slicing it. Repeat it with the top crust.
Recipe # 3 Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cups butter
7 tablespoons cold water
Directions
Mix the flour with butter and salt in a bowl
Use a pastry cutter and add the butter into the flour.
Add salt and water.
Fold the dough gently, and make it moist and soft.
Roll it out on the surface and make it flat, but not too thin.
Bake at 375F, and until you see it to be brown.
Prick crust prior to baking for the pies that are not filled.
Recipe # 4 Ingredients
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup olive oil or ¼ cup canola oil
¼ cup ice water
Directions
Mix the flour and salt with the fork
Beat oil and water, whisk it to thicken it
Pour into the flour and mix the mixture well.
Press the whole batter into the 9” pie crust
Fill it with the quiche mixture
Bake it at 400F
If you thought potatoes could only make for savory food items, think again. Potatoes and sweet potatoes can be used to make some of the most unique and enjoyable desserts. Tubers like these add density and smoothness to most batters and therefore add fantastic flavor and taste to sweet dishes. Get a little experimental and check out these potato desserts that taste absolutely divine!
Mini potato souffles
You read that right, you can make light and fluffy souffles with a batter of sweet potato, cinnamon, brown sugar, egg whites and some vanilla extract. Blend all the ingredients and bake until puffy. This recipe would make souffles soft and make every bite melt in your mouth.
Sweet potato marshmallow bars
You can make some mouthwatering bars with sweet potato filling! You would need to make a crust and add some gooey filling on to it. To make the crust use ground crackers, sugar and salt and for the filling blend together pureed sweet potatoes, eggs, cream and vanilla extracts. Once finely blended, lay the filling atop the crust and bake until golden. These bars taste amazing during lazy summer evenings!
Potato doughnuts
Moist and fluffy, these potato doughnuts are not only tasty but very easy to make. The recipe for potato doughnut is the same as any other traditional doughnut recipe. The only exception in a potato doughnut recipe is that of sour cream. Add mashed sweet potato in place of sour cream and enjoy the amazing flavor of maple, lemon, sweet potato and cinnamon in an all new potato doughnut.
Potato pudding
This recipe is an amazing dessert perfect for a holiday treat. What’s best, it also works as a great comfort food on lonely evenings. For this recipe, you could either use ordinary potatoes or their sweetened cousins. In a blender, pulse sweet potato, eggs, milk, nutmeg, sugar, cinnamon, cream butter and ground ginger. Blend till light and fluffy. Bake the batter for about 40 minutes and serve hot with fresh cream and strawberries!
Sweet potato brownies
This recipe is a healthier variant of traditional calorie laden brownies. It will not only soothe your sweet tooth cravings but also help you stay guilt-free. To make the brownies healthy you can skip the chocolate ganache. To prepare the batter, use mashed potatoes, sugar, eggs, baking powder and flour and blend it until you get a smooth consistency. Add the batter to a prepared and buttered dish and bake for 20 minutes. Cool and enjoy these delightful brownies with your friends and family!
A pie for breakfast? Who’d deny that? Or a good pie to go with any meal, at any time of day would be a wonderful choice. Lemon meringue pie may sound like one of the most complex pies to bake, and yet this recipe makes it one that is easy and definitely tasty. This recipe shows you that with the simplest of ingredients, you can master a dish so amazing. So, bake away, and let your cravings have a party of their own.
Ingredients
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons corn starch
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups water
2 lemons, juice and zest
2 tablespoons butter
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 pie crust, baked
4 egg whites
6 tablespoons white sugar
Directions
Whisk 1 cup of sugar, flour, corn starch, and salt, for the dough of the pastry. Sprinkle a bit of cold water, so the pastry dough is smooth and can be rolled.
Add lemon juice, lemon zest in the water and stir. Let it come to a boiling point, on a medium flame. Keep stirring the mixture.
Gather the pastry in a small ball shape, and flatten the edges. Wrap it with cling film and let it cool.
This will allow your dough to remain most and be flakier. The soft dough can be easily rolled.
In the meantime, pre-heat the oven to 350F
Stir in the butter once it boils.
Beat the egg yolks in a bowl and add in ½ cup of hot sugar mixture.
Bring it all to a boil, and keep stirring until the mixture becomes thick and smooth.
Add the hot filling into the pastry shell.
Whip the egg whites until they form a foam, and gradually add in the sugar.
Fold the pastry and place it on the pie plate. Unfold it gently into that plate pressing it firmly so it settles.
Trim the edges of the pie, so you get a good shape.
Fold and roll it evenly. Prick the side and bottom of the pastry with a fork.
Bake it for eight minutes, or until light brown and set aside to cool.
Spread the meringue over the pie and seal the edges of the crust.
Bake it for a good 10 minutes, until you notice the meringue is golden brown.
Set aside for sometimes and allow it to set. Slice into pieces before your serve. Enjoy!
Desserts are loved by all and are a surprise to our taste buds. They come from varied cultures and have the essence of the place of origin. From candies to pie, cakes to taffies, desserts are of all shapes and sizes. Here are some of the popular and the best desserts recipes that find a place in every restaurant’s and household’s menu.
Maple Taffy
If you want one of the simplest and tastiest desserts on your menu, then maple taffy is sure to be one of them. Especially made during the months between February and April, maple taffy is an amazing sweet treat. It is made in the shape of a lollipop and the consistency is that of a taffy, from where it gets its name. All you require for this dessert is maple syrup and snow. Once you boil the maple syrup and then pour it over clean and fresh snow, the candy begins to set well and then it is rolled onto an ice-cream stick, just like a lollypop.
Waffles
Waffles are considered as both a great dish for breakfast as well as dessert. These are golden-brown and large versions of pancakes or crepes. There are different types of waffles too. The popular Leige waffle is a chewy and thick type that is relished with caramelized sugar. This is mostly eaten as a meal, whereas Brussels waffle is savored as a dessert. The latter is served with fresh fruit toppings and whipped cream.
Peanut butter pie
Nothing can beat an authentic pie but a dish with a touch of creativity can make it stand out. A peanut butter pie is an absolute delight when it comes to desserts. Here, the peanut butter pie is topped with tasty whipped cream. The beautiful balance of flavors is the key to getting a perfect dessert and a pie is no exception to this rule. Get a blend of savory flavors with a creamy peanut butter pie.
Apple dumplings
These are one of the most irresistible desserts and if you like ice cream on it then nothing like a topping of vanilla ice cream. Apple dumplings are flaky pastries with baked apple inside and cinnamon sugar. The crunchiness of apple dumplings together with the creaminess of the ice cream is an absolute hit.
The next time you want to try out a new dessert recipe, do not forget to keep these simple and best food recipes handy.
Parties without some good puff pastry, would be left incomplete. The layers of butter, and yet its lightness and good looks, are something one can hardly resist. The arduous task to make these leave it to be a rare visibility at home too often. Creating the dough, the folding and rolling of it all can be tedious and time consuming too.
Frozen puff pastry comes as a rescue to all these problems. These amazing pastries, can be seasoned, garnished and decorated with a variety of ingredients and be served as a main course or dessert. Palmier, cheese straws, turnovers, pot pies, pizzas, and tarts are always easy to make when these are kept handy. Frozen puff pastry is especially great for house parties, as most recipes can be assembled and baked just before the party starts.
Be a Savvy Shopper
There are three main brands of puff pastry: Dufour and Trader Joe’s make all-butter pastry, while Pepperidge Farm’s version contains vegetable shortening. Some cooks prefer the flavor of all-butter pastry, and think the shortening leaves an unpleasant aftertaste.
Packages vary in weight, but most are in the 1-pound range and contain either one or two sheets of pastry. The recipe you choose will help you pick the amount you need, but a general rule of thumb is that one sheet will make a sweet or savory tart to serve four to six, or about eight to ten people. If your package has one large sheet and your recipe uses only a single sheet, cut the sheet into half, crosswise and roll it out to the desired thickness; wrap tightly and freeze. Leftovers can always be used later.
Phyllo dough and puff pastry are packaged and stored in a similar freezer. They might even look alike. When you head out to shop, ensure to buy puff pastry. Although the dough might work just as well, the sheets of the dough are rather thin and more delicate. The shape of the puff pastry would be lost if you use the phyllo dough, and hence puff pastry would be a better buy.
Prep Your Pastry
Before you use anything from the freezer, you must always let it thaw and since puff pastry comes in sheets that are folded, you must let it thaw completely. Preferably overnight in the fridge, or for an hour at room temperature before use. Unfold it very carefully, do not let it tear, add a little water if required, to squeeze it back in shape.
A good savory puff pastry would use grated cheese. Cinnamon sugar in lieu of flour can make a tasty sweet puff pastry recipe. A floured rolling pin would avoid your puff pastry from being sticky.
As the adage goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. A classic apple strudel will not only help you follow the adage but also satiate your sweet cravings. Here are some exotic apple strudel recipes that you will love.
1. Classic Apple Strudel
Ingredients
1 Granny Smith apple – peeled, cored and coarsely shredded
3 Granny Smith apple – peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup sugar
1 cup golden raisins
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg
¼ cup milk
Method
Line a baking sheet with butter paper. In the meantime, pre-heat the oven at 400 F. Mix brown sugar and golden raisins and put the apples onto a big vessel. Arrange the puff pastry on the baking sheet. Roll it gently with a rolling pin. Spread the apple filling onto the middle of the pastry lengthwise. Fold the pastry around the mixture.Dab your fingers in water and seal the edges.Whip egg and milk together and slowly rub it on top of the pastry. Bake it for about 40 minutes and serve.
2. Apple Strudel with Ice Cream
Ingredients
1 ¼ cups apple juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 ½ pound apples, peeled, cored and sliced
¼ inch thick (about 5 cups)
½ cup dark seedless raisins
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans
4 sheets phyllo dough
1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) melted butter
3 tablespoons fine dried breadcrumbs
Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Method
Line a baking sheet with butter paper. In the meantime, pre-heat the oven at 450 F. Whisk ¼ cups of apple juice and cornstarch in a bowl until the mixture is silky. Use the rest of the apple juice to cook apples, raisins, sugar and cinnamon with it. Allow it to cook on a medium flame for a good 10 minutes, till the apples have softened. Stir the cornstarch well and add it to the rest of the apple mixture, so there are no lumps in it. Let it simmer for a minute. Set it aside to cool. Spread three phyllo sheets and ensure the surface of it is clean and lightly floured. Grease it with some butter and add a tablespoon of breadcrumbs. Add another sheet to top the three sheets. Put out the apple filling on it. Roll it into a log, and fold the edges. Grease some melted butter on it. Gently put the strudel on the baking sheet. Bake it for a good 18 minutes. Once baked, let it cool for 15 minutes and then slice it into two inch slices. Serve it with some good vanilla ice cream.
Kids are like little chocolate factories. They have the capacity to consume impressive amounts of chocolate rather enthusiastically. Chocolate molded into delicious cupcakes is all they would crave for. Here are two east cupcake recipes to satiate your little munchkins’ chocolate cravings.
Red velvet cupcakes
Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons red food coloring
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk
1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar
For the cream cheese frosting:
4 ounces’ butter, at room temperature
4 ounces’ cream cheese, at room temperature
2½ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Set the cupcake pan with liners.
Beat the butter and sugar for three minutes on a medium speed. Increase the speed and add eggs.
Mix the cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and red food coloring into a paste. Combine the paste into the mixture and blend until smooth.
As you blend, add half the buttermilk and half the flour. Beat and repeat until mixed well.
Next add salt, baking soda, and vinegar.
Pour the batter into the liners and bake for 20 minutes. Then allow them to cool.Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
To make the frosting – Whisk some butter and cream cheese on high speed for about 5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Whip the mixture until the frosting fluffs up.
Peanut Butter cups and chocolate cupcakes with toasted peanut butter meringue frosting
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup boiling water
14 miniature peanut butter cup candies
For the frosting:
4 egg whites
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon peanut butter
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Set the cupcake pan with liners.
Mix the flour, white sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Add milk, vegetable oil, one egg, and vanilla extract.
Pour boiling water into flour mixture, beat until smooth.
Pour only half the batter into the liner, and place a peanut butter cup in the center of each.
Bake for 20 minutes. And then allow them to cool.
For the frosting, blend the egg whites and sugar in a bowl. Heat the mixture in a pan until sugar is dissolved.
Heat the peanut butter at 15-second intervals until it is thin and creamy. Mix the peanut butter into egg whites. Pipe the frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
Desserts are tempting and baking them can be something we all love. But at times it can be a tedious and time-consuming task. That being said, you can make baking a hassle-free experience without compromising the flavor or taste of your baked goods. Whether you wish to satisfy an innocent sweet craving or experiment with elaborate dessert recipes, these surefire tips will help make baking a lot easier and quicker for you.
Simplify the recipe
With all the content on the internet and the advent of time-lapse videos, you can find simple and super-fast baking recipes. But if you want to stick to your old methods, you can always simplify your recipe. Use an alternative for ingredients so you can reduce their number. You can also just leave out ingredients that don’t contribute much to the taste of what you’re baking.
Let the kids in the house take over
Now, of course, we are used to grooming the kids in the house and teaching them things. But with this fast-paced technological world, you’d be surprised with the kind of things they can teach you. They can do your repetitive tasks well, and it saves you a lot more time. They can watch a lot of tutorials and learn how to do small tasks like icing or whipping. Besides, no kid would ever say no to the yummy desserts they can eat. When in doubt, just grab what you can think of we don’t always plan desserts, but if you have the mood to bake, then just slip in some mixture of ingredients, and see the magic that comes along. This saves you a lot of time, and you don’t always need a detailed recipe. There also wouldn’t be a truckload of ingredients to use or a really elaborate recipe to follow. Throw in anything, and witness the surprise that your taste buds can get.
Bid goodbye to measuring utensils
Baking without measuring cups seems impossible. But you need to believe in your measuring abilities. Of course, people might think they aren’t as good at this, but you need to try this. Bake with your instinct and see the wonders you can create. This will save a lot of time for people, and avoid a load of unnecessary utensils. The simplest of tasks become really strenuous if done with so many different utensils, and of course will all the measuring.
Rugs are also an important part of the home decor that can add magic to your place. If you are bored with the old designs of rugs, then finding rugs online is a great option that you can choose. The online stores provide a great range of rugs to their clients.
When it comes to buying rugs online, it is not as easy as you assume. The rugs come in different size, pattern, colors, and material. You should know what is good for your home or what is not. After all, it is all about your home interior and you shouldn’t take chances.
Here are some important tips to be followed while buying rugs online. Adhere to these and rest assured that you get the best deals.
Trend
Rugs keep changing trends as time passes. At an online store, you will find many trends either old or new. The new trendy rugs can help you add a different touch to your home and make it more beautiful. So, make sure, you can’t measure a difference between old and new designs.
Quality
The quality of a rug is one of the most important determining factors. The rugs come in use daily at the home. Low-quality rugs can fade after some time. But, the best quality rugs can provide you comfort for a long time without losing its efficiency. While finding rugs online, confirm that you check the quality of rugs and then buy.
Pattern
When you look for rugs online, you will find many attractive patterns of rugs. But, don’t get distracted by the attractive designs and colors. Check other specifications as well along with the pattern and color. It is true that a unique pattern is enough to grab the attention of your guests. But, quality matters as well.
Perfect match
Keep your needs in your mind when you search rugs online. You will definitely have many options to choose from. But, make sure that your choice perfectly matches your home interior too. Don’t buy trendy rugs which are totally opposite to your home interior. The mismatch designs can ruin the ambiance of your place instead of beautifying it.
These are the few tips that can help you to choose good rugs for your home. There are many online stores where you can find amazing designs of rugs at an affordable price rate. Yes, it is a great way to find new designs for rugs without any hassles.
The foot is a complex of tendons, ligaments, bands of connective tissue and bones. So, if you’re wondering the causes of foot pain, check these possible reasons out.
Inflammation
Any kind of injury rendered to or overuse of the feet may cause inflammation. This, in turn, can be one of the causes of foot pain which can affect the heels, the Achilles tendon, the toes and even travel up the ankle towards the calves of the legs. The main symptoms of this include a burning sensation, numb feeling, a sharp pain during any kind of physical activity.
Neuropathy
A condition that affects and damages the nerves is known as neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy is one of the top forms of this kind of nerve damage. In such a condition, the nerves may become numb and the patient may lose sensation in that area of the body. This may also be one of the causes of foot pain that can damage the nerves of the feet.
Fractures and Spurs
Bone spurs and fractures can be one of the causes of foot pain as well. When there is a broken bone or a bone spur in the body, one needs to rest that body part properly and let the muscles and bones grow back together.
Flat Feet
For some patients, foot pain may also be caused by flattened arches. Most of us have well-formed arches that give us support when we walk. But for some people, these arches may be completely flat, causing problems like foot pain and other kinds of complications and risks of injuries.
One should have any persistent foot pain checked by a doctor so that the diagnosis and treatment may happen in a timely manner.
We love our pets, and they are nothing less than a family member in our lives. Pets need all the care and love you can offer. A part of the care is cleaning up the mess they leave. Pets at times can be tough to handle when they leave stains all over the furniture and walls.
Any pet owner is aware of the sacrifices they have to make. This includes spending the time you want to relax in pet stain removal. It can seem like a daunting task after you’ve seen the mess they’ve made. However, once you get to know the tricks involved in cleaning it, the next time won’t seem so difficult.
This is the simplest pet stain removal method you can find. This is also inexpensive and works on urine and blood stains. The spray is a mixture of two cups of warm water and white vinegar. You must then add 4 tablespoons of baking soda and keep the mixture in a spray bottle. The next time you find your pet creating a stain, you’ll be more than ready.
This is another great mixture that will do you wonders. Mix half a cup of hydrogen peroxide, one cup of baking soda, and one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid. Use paper towels to wipe the stain off with the mixture. Leave it on for a while so that it is absorbed. Now, vacuum the area and you’ll see that the stains are all removed. If it doesn’t work the first time, repeat the process for better results.
This is a popular pet stain removal method. It is used in several products you find in stores. It is, however, very simple to make yourself. You need seven tablespoons of brown sugar, one liter of water, and lemon or orange scraps. Now keep this mixture in a bottle that can contain all these ingredients. When the need arises, mix it around and use it. Leave this for three months before you use it. Once it is set, it will be better than any pet stain removal solution you can find in the market.
These solutions can be made at home. Pet stain removal will barely be an issue once you have any one of these prepared. You can test them out for yourself and go for the one that works best for cleaning the stains made by your pet.
Even trained pets may urinate inside the house. You need to clean it up while it’s still wet. Use paper towels to clean up most of it. Now to prevent staining, create a mixture of vinegar, warm water, and baking soda. Now spray the mixture on the spot and allow it to settle for about 10 minutes. After this, blot the spot and you’ll notice there is no stain left on it.
Your pet is as susceptible to illness as you are. Vomiting is not uncommon in pets. It is accompanied by acid which forms a stain very fast. So, the first thing you need to do is wipe it off the surface and clean the area as much as you can. Now create a solution with warm water, salt, dish soap, and vinegar. Use a cloth and blot the area. Large stains will take you longer to clean. Once you are done, wipe the place with a dry cloth and your carpet will be as good as new.
Pet stains are most common when you’ve brought a new pet home. They aren’t aware of their surroundings and so they need the time and some training to get used to the new place. There are many trainers who train the pet on the do’s and don’ts that must be followed inside the house. A few weeks of training is more than enough for your pet to learn and for you to stop worrying about pet stain removal.