Gingerbread Wonders

As winter rolls in, our thoughts turn to home cooking and to warm treats enjoyed by families at the fireside.  It does not take a genius to cook gingerbread, but some of the sculptures created from it certainly speak to the culinary imagination and are bound to prompt restaurant chefs to get creative with their own desserts this season.

The story begins in the South Bronx, where Jon Lovitch, sous chef at the New York Marriott, has build the world’s largest gingerbread village.  Now on display at the New York Hall of Science, the two-foot high, 1.5-ton structure, which includes 164 separate components, has been certified by the Guinness Book of Records. Lovitch plans to give it away to visitors, piece by piece, after the holiday season.

There is also a large gingerbread village on display at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis this year, with 400 hours of work involved in its creation, which started in September.  It is themed around the Dr Seuss book How the Grinch Stole Christmas, giving it still more appeal for younger visitors.

Meanwhile, in Baltimore, local cooking enthusiasts have been working hard to create a variety of gingerbread buildings.  These will form part of a regular exhibit at the annual Festival of Trees, which is due to start tomorrow.  Moving away from traditional winter themes, some of these buildings have a beach theme, complete with palm trees and tiny candy bananas.  A gingerbread version of the local Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is also expected to feature, embellished with stained glass made from hard candy.

In Austin, Tx, students from the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts are making a 50-pound gingerbread model of the Driskill hotel to be unveiled at its tree lighting ceremony on Wednesday.  Meanwhile, their classmates are making a European-style gingerbread village with trees and snow that will be displayed at the local Ronald McDonald House.  The school’s president has described these projects as the highlight of his students’ careers.

The Embassy Suites in Loveland, Co, has eschewed obtaining lots of gingerbread houses in favor of commissioning one big one – a life-size gingerbread house that children can go inside.  It has gingerbread bricks, cobblestones and shingles, plus it is full of hidden candy.  With Christmas tree-shaped windows and an extra coating of edible glitter, it is bound to go down a treat.

Despite all these fabulous creations, it is a Canadian one created by chef Aaron Lawrence that really takes the cake, at least for Star Wars fans – it is not often that an artfully-detailed gingerbread AT-AT reindeer is encountered.

Turn Your Love of Baking into a Career with Convenient Evening Classes

For thousands of people around the world, baking is a passion or a hobby rather than a career. For you, baking might be a way to pass the time, a way to express your creativity or simply a way to show others that you were thinking about them. Whatever the reason behind your love of baking, you might be surprised to learn that you can turn it into a serious career. If you love to bake learn how to turn baking talents into a career with the following advice.

Have Basic Background Knowledge and a High School Education

Whether you plan to apply for a basic position in a bakery chain or you are more interested in beginning a formal degree program in the culinary arts, it will help if you already have some background knowledge in the field of baking. This might be something as small as having a perfect pie recipe that you know by heart, but it will be most helpful if you know the difference between a pie and a tart, you have made sweet and savory baked goods before and you have at least tasted various pastries. It will also be necessary to have a high school degree or a general diploma equivalent before you are eligible for most types of formal education or career opportunities in baking.

Gain Formal Baking Education or Credentials

If you are ready to take on a more senior or challenging position in baking, you will almost certainly need to have formal training or education of some kind. The most affordable and fast options include online diplomas or certificates, which can often be completed in just a few months. On the other end of the spectrum are full associate or bachelor’s degree in the pastry arts. These can be completed through culinary institutes or college campuses, and they are a great way to propel your career to the top and be able to secure some of the highest-paying positions in the world of baking, pastry and the culinary arts.

Find Your Niche

Baking can mean a lot of different things, and it will help bakers to have basic skills in a range of different areas within the field. However, most people will be successful if they can carve out a specific niche in the market. Hone your skills until you find an area where you can really excel. This might mean homemade breads with unique ingredients, or it might mean classic traditional pies.

Network in the Industry

While most bakers wish that they could show up to work, start baking and then leave when it’s all cooked, the reality is that your job might entail a lot of financial management, budgeting, networking and marketing. Even before you find your first job, start networking by meeting new people in the industry. This can help you find careers, get ahead and learn from experts in the world of baking.

Turning a love for baking into a serious career is more attainable than you may have realized. Discover your options and find the right program to help you earn your degree with evening classes so you can still keep your job while you prepare for the career you really want.

Simple Baking Ideas For a Special Occasion

Most people who enjoy baking have a handful of tried and true recipe that they make over and over again. Brownies, cakes, pies and cookies are these typical items, and they can make a wonderful dessert for most events. On certain special occasions, however, it is nice to bake something that is a little different. If you are ready to try a new recipe that doesn’t involve a dozen ingredients, try one of these simple baking ideas for a special occasion.

Cookie Pizza For a Birthday Dessert

Not every likes having cake on their birthday, but you should still get to enjoy something sweet on your special day. A fun alternative to traditional cookies is a cookie pizza, which doesn’t take any extra ingredients. Simply make cookies according to your normal recipe, or buy cookie dough from your local grocery store. Instead of spooning out individual cookies, however, spread the whole batch onto a round pizza sheet and bake it in the oven for twice the normal time. If you want, you can add some whipped cream or sprinkles to the top to recreate your favorite pizza toppings. Then, cut into slices and enjoy as a special birthday dessert.

Halloween Mummy Cupcakes

There is no shortage of creative Halloween baking ideas to consider, but some of them can be time-consuming or require a lot of odd ingredients. For something attractive, themed and slightly spooky, try Halloween mummy cupcakes. Start with any traditional chocolate cupcake recipe, which can either be homemade or from a box. Bake as normal. For the decoration, drizzle white frosting or icing across the top of the cupcake to look like a mummy’s bandages. Place two round colored candies on the icing to represent the eyes.

Pot O’ Gold St. Patrick’s Day Snacks

A fun baking idea for St. Patrick’s Day starts with a basic recipe for puffed rice treats. Instead of using the traditional puffed rice cereal, use Lucky Charms or an equivalent that also has themed marshmallows. Pick out the marshmallows and then use the cereal pieces as you would for the traditional recipe. After all the ingredients have been incorporated, pour the marshmallows on top so that they will stick. Cut and serve for a fun take on a simple baked snack or dessert that children will absolutely love.

Microwave Mug Cakes For an Impromptu Special Occasion

Every once in a while, a special occasion pops up that you forget about or could not have anticipated. Perhaps you just got a job confirmation over the phone or booked tickets for an upcoming vacation. Either way, you might want to celebrate without baking something elaborate. The answer is the microwave mug cake. Scale down a traditional chocolate cake recipe until you have the equivalent of one slice, and then mix the ingredients like normal. Instead of putting it in the oven for 30 minutes, pop it into the microwave for just 60 seconds and then dig in.

These simple baking ideas are all fun, easy and a great way to celebrate life’s special occasions.