Low Carb Diabetic Diet

“I have baked several fruitcakes, but my friends always complain that they are not as soft and light as the ones they buy in cake shops. I double-checked the oven temperature with a thermometer, weighed the ingredients carefully, and used a good brand of cake flour. What could be the problem?”

Golden fruit cake, if well made, is fruity and moist. Use large eggs and test the cake fifteen minutes befre the end of the cooking time. If the skewer comes out clean, the cake is cooked; further baking will dry it out.

If you prefer an extremely moist fruitcake, stir in three extra tablespoons of brandy to the mixed fruit. Cover and let stand for 3 days before using. Stir occasionally and add a little more brandy if it has been absorbed. Drizzle the cake with more brandy when the cake has finished baking and is still hot. Adding half a cup of chopped canned pineapple is another way of making a fruitcake very moist.

To store the cake and keep it moist, wrap it first in plastic wrap (or in a brandy-soaked cloth) and then in foil. Keep in airtight container in the refrigerator.

Here is a low carb fruit cake recipe.

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“How to make fried chicken or prawn fritters which stay as crisp when they are cold as then they are hot?”

– Chicken or prawn deep-fried in batter should be eaten hot to enhoy their crispness. An easy way to recrips them is to plate them over a rack in a pregeated turbo-broiler and grill on medium high heat for approximately five to six minutes. For a good crisp batter, try a combination of 2 parts of rice flour to one part self raising flour with a teaspoon of baking powde. Blend with water until smooth. The consistency should be slightly thick and not too runny. Season with salt and pepper. It also helps if you dry the rice and self-raising flour in the sun before use. The chicken pieces and prawns should be well-drained after the rinsing and towelled dry with kitchen paper before seasoning.

Try a country oven-fried chicken recipe today.

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Fresh cream whipped up light and fluffy is such a delicious temptation. Piped or poured onto fresh fruit, pies, puddings and even jellies and ice cream, cream is sheer indulgence. Cakes, chocolate toppings and sauces, too, are really special when cream is added. It is no wonder that even those who are watching their waistline find it difficult to give up cream.

Real cream is made from milk and the various types are graded according to the amount of butterfat they contain:

1. Single cream: is about 18 per cent fat. It is used for pouring over fruits, and in dishes such as quiches, curried and sauces. It is not suitable for whipping.

2. Whipping cream: is at least 35 per cent fat. Whipped cream will double in volume and is suitable for folding into or swirling onto desserts. It may be piped but does not hold well for long periods.

3. Double cream: is 48 per cent fat. It can be sued as a pouring or whipping cream, When whipped it will make 1 1.2 times its original volume. It is most suitable for piping as it holds its shape well. It can be frozen whipped or unwhipped.

4. Sour cream: is made by souring single cream with a natural culture similar to that used in yogurt, It is thicker than single cream and may be spooned over fruit and baked potatoes or mixed into desserts, sauces and dips. It adds a refreshing tangy taste. Sour cream is not suitable for whipping or freezing.

5. Thickened cream: are equivalent to single, whipping or doubled cream in fat content, but they are homogenized to make them thicker.

6. Clotted cream: with 55 per cent butterfat, is a thick, rich cream which is ideal for spooning over fruits, pies, scones and puddings. It is not suitable for whipping, mixing into desserts or freezing. It is also not recommended for cooking.

When buying cream, it is important to check on the expiry date, as fresh cream has a short shelf life. Ultra heated cream and sterilized cream come in foil-lines cartons or cans, have longer shelf-life and may be used instead of fresh cream for whipping or pouring. However, they do not give as good a volume or as light a texture as fresh cream, and the flavor is different.

One of the most important rules to remember when whipping cream in hot weather is to chill the cream, bowl and utensils. An electric mixer with a balloon whisk is very efficient for whipping. For folding, the cream should be whipped until it stands in soft peaks. Over-whipped cream becomes graining in texture and will have a curdled appearance when piped. If you over-whip your cream, you can save it by carefully folding 2 tablespoons of unwhipped cream into every 150 ml of whipped cream.

If you need to make whipped cream go a bit further, add a tablespoon of milk to every 150 ml of fresh double cream before whipping. Whipped fresh cream will hold its shape better if you add 2 teaspoons of sieved icing sugar to every 150 ml of cream. If you have some leftover whipped cream, you can pipe out large rosettes and freeze them; they can be used later to decorate cakes and desserts.

Get a low carb frosting recipe here.

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“”Why I can never get my chocolate curls right right for my Black Forest Cake?  They either collapse or crack? I melt cooking chocolate in a double boiler, put it out onto a glass tray and scrape it with a knife. The chocolate doesn’t set, even after an hour. I try leaving it in the fridge for while, but it stays soft.”

Melting chocolate for cooking or for decoration requires much care and patience. Use good quality cooking or dark chocolate rather than milk chocolate which has a higher fat content and tends to burn more easily.

When melting chocolate either for spreading, piping or making chocolate curls, the golden rule to remember is never to overheat the chocolate. It should never be melted over direct heat. Break the chocolate into small pieces into a heatproof bowl. Place bowl over a pan of hot water. The base of the bowl should not touch the hot water. Leave chocolate to stand, stirring occasionally, until it turns soft and smooth.

To make curls, spread melted and chocolate over a cold smooth surface, such as ceramic tile, granite or marbel. Leave until cold and set, but do not chill. Holding a large sharp knife flat against the chocolate, scrape gently over the surface to form curls. Refrigerate until firm enough to handle.

Want other cake recipes?Get one here.

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What can i give them today? It is question I often have to answer. “My children prefer the deluge of junk food that;s easily available in and out of school and I am at my wits end,”  laments a mother of two elementatry school children. Coming up with nutritious alternatives can be quite a brain-racking task for mothers, especially when junk food is so attractively packaged for children.

Children can be fussy waters. Like adults, they like variety. So pu a little more effort into lunch box menus; plan unexpected little surprises and make lunch boxes a treat.

A plain cheese sandwich can be made more interesting with the addition of chopped raisins and sultanas. Instead of a ham sandwich, try shredded chicken with chopped asparagus, sweet corn with mayonnaise or chicken floss with zucchini slices. Break the boredom of sandwich with potato cakes, cheese scones sandwiched with zucchini slices, chicken pies and sausage rolls.

Add a little temptation of lunch boxes, like muesli fruit bars or homemade cookies. You can also pack in fruit such as bananas, apples, slices of guave dipped in a little salt to prevent discoloration, or papaya chunks sprinkled with lime juice.

Pack an extra portion for your child to share with a friend. It makes snacking so much more fun, and will help your child learn how to share.

Get fluffy fruit dip recipe here.

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Cheesecake, whether rih and creamy or light and smooth, are high on most poeple’s list of favorite desserts. A well made cheesecake can be the pergect ending to either a simple lunch or a grand dinner.

There are two basic types of cheesecakes: baked and unbaked. Baked cheesecakes are rich and creamy, while unbaked cheesecakes are light and smooth.

Making a cheesecake is quick and easy, but an accurate oven temperature is crucial for baked cheesecakes. They need low temperatures and after baking, are best left to cool and settle undisturbed with the oven door open. Use a good rustproof fluted metal flan tin or a nonstick springform baking pan, so that cheesecake can be easily slipped out onto a serving dish when cool.

A low carb cheesecake recipe.

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For cheesecakes to be smooth, the cream cheese must be thoroughly blended. To achieve this, bring the cheese to room temperature and then beat it in an electric blender or food processor.

Using biscuit crumbs is a delightful short cut to making a crust for cheesecakes. Digestive biscuit or graham crackers can be crushed quickly in a food processor.

Both baked and unbaked cheesecakes should be covered and chilled for a couple of hours, preferably overnight, before eating. Serve topped with fresh whipped cream and fresh fruit or chocolate shavings or finished with a fruit glaze.

A cake can sink in the middle for several reasons. Paying attention to the following details should prevent the cake from sinking.

Oven heat should be accurate: a variance of 25oC can affect the success of the baking. Use an oven thermometer, which will quickly tell you whether the temperature in your oven agrees with the setting. If it doesnt, adjust the oven accordingly.

Bake cakes on the centre shelf of the oven, as this is generally the best position with the most stable temperature. Too hot an oven browns the cake too quickly on the outside leaving the centre uncooked.

Do not be tempted to open the oven door until at least half way through baking. The sudeen cold draft can make the cake sink right before your eyes.

Cakes should be tested a couple of minuted before the end of the baking time to ensure that they are cooked. Use a long wooden cocktail stick or skewer and stick it gently into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is cooked, If it is coated with a gluey batter, it needs to bake for at least five or 10 minutes longer. Another sign that a cake is done is when the sides of the cake leave the sides of the pan. TO further ensure that it is cooked, lightly touch the top of the cake. If it springs back leaving no imprint, the cake is ready.

A great one on cake recipe.

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“To blend” is to combine two or more ingredients well. You can blend by hand or with a mixer.

“To beat” is to mix rapidsly in order to make a mixture smooth and light. You can beat by handusing a rotary whisk, a fork or a wooden spoon in a circular motion, lifting and dropping the mixture as you work. You can use an electirc mixer fitted with a beater (for fat and sugar) or a balloon whisk (for eggs and sugar).

“To fold” is to incorporate a lighter aerater ingredient, such as beaten eggs, egg white or cream, into a stiffer, heavier mixture. What you to do is blend the ingredients without bursting the air bubbles. Folding beaten egg whites into a cake mixture is best done by hand with either a spatula or metal spoon. Always fold the light egg whites into the heavier mixture. Combine the ingredients by plunging the rubber spatula or metal spoon down through the centre to the bottom of the bowl; lift mixture and deposit on top.

Try a German Chocolate Cake Recipe here.

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For tea time, nothing can beat the aroma of a well-baked butter cake. There are many recipes for butter cakes but they are all based on the half-pound or pound cake recipe. They are delightful eaten fresh from the oven.

A simple coating of butter cream turn the cake into a beautiful celebration cake. Butter cakes should have the delicious fragrance of butter coming through with every bite. They should not be overwhelmed with essence.

The fragrance and fine texture of butter cake come from using fresh, high quality pure butter. Creaming the butter with sugar until it is sodt and smooth makes the cake light. Use fine castor sugar, as it creams easily.

It is important to add the ingredients gradually. Eggs should be added one at a time, allowing approximately one minute per egg for mixing. The dry ingredients should be sifted and added half at a time, preferably by the spoon or spatula into the bottom of the cake mixture, twist and bring it up and out along the sides of the bowl. Give the bowl a quarter turn every now and then until the dry ingredients are worked in. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan immediately.

Smooth the surgace of the batter before baking. If a raising agent is used, spread out the batter a little from the centre to the sides, making a slight hollow in the centre.

Bake cakes in the centre of a preheated oven. To test if the cake is cooked, use wooden skewer and insert it gently into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is cooked. If it is coated with gluey batter then it needs to bake at least 5 to 10 minutes longer. Another way to know when a cake is done is when the sides of the cake leave the sides of the pan. To further ensure that it is cooked, lightly touch th top of the cake. If no impression is left, the cake is ready to be taken out of the oven.

Try out a recipe on Pound Cake.

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with increasing health awareness, more and more people are today turnting to healthy foods. The simple, cheap but highly nutritious beancurd, a by-product of the soya bean, fits beautifully into this catehory. Low in calories and free from cholesterol, it is rich in protein and is an excellent source of magnesium, calcium, phosphorous and iron. It has even been reported that a staple diet od soya beans, as adopted by the Japanese, can considerably reduce the risk of hert disease.

Beancurd may be bland, but it is a very versatile product which can be turned into great-tasting dishes. In fact, it is balndness which makes beancurd the perfect ingredient because it can be led in any direction you choose. It can be deep-fried, boiled, braised, stewed or pureed. You can even make delectable desserts from it.

Several types of beancurb are available in our markets. Soft beancurd, sometimes called water beancurd, is generally made in general rectangular slabs which are then cut up and sold in squares. Japanese semi-soft beancurd is sold in packed rolls. Soft and sem-isoft beadncurds are mainly sued for steamed dishes and soups, and can also be pureed for salad dressings. Firm beancurd is normally available in small compressed squares; these are best for stir-frying, braising and stewing because they can be sliced or cubed.

Sometimes beancurd is cubes and then deep-fried until it is brown and crusty on the outside and almost dry in the inside. A popular use of this type of beancurd is in curries. Dried beancurd sheets are good for wrapping food. Beancurd sticks, which are thick, yellow strips of dried beancurd, are used for stir-frying, braising or in soups.

The best way to store soft, semi-soft or firm beancurd is to immerse in water with a pinch of salt. It will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days if you change the water every day.

Try a beancurd biscuit recipe today.

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