Spiced Apple Coffee Cake

Profiteroles by Austinevan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw

As a delicious final touch, a glaze adds a hint of extra flavor and an attractive sheen to a coffee cake. To make the glaze, in a small bowl, whisk together ¾ cup (3 oz/90 g) confectioners (icing) sugar, sifted; 2 tablespoons condensed skim milk, warmed and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (essence) until smooth and pourable. Adjust the consistency of the glaze by adding more milk, a few drops at a time, if necessary.

Preparing A Tasty Chili Relish Is Quick And Easy

English: Nshima (top right corner) with three relishes. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Chloe Gib

With the many world renowned culinary experts hosting television cooking channels people are daily learning something new about food preparation. Adding delicious flavors by using a tasty chili relish to foods is something that has become a way of life in most cultures. This spicy vegetable has been used for millenniums. In places like Ecuador documented evidence has been discovered of its presence in domestic cooking dating back 6000 years.

Muffins Florentine

English: this is a picture of self made pesto in a mortar. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw


Here's how to make your pesto: In a food processor or blender, puree 1 or 2 garlic cloves. Add 1/4 cup (1 1/4 oz/37 g) pine nuts, 1 cup (1 oz/30 g) loosely packed fresh basil leaves and 1/2 cup (1/2 oz/15 g) loosely packed fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves, and process until finely chopped. With the machine running, slowly pour in about 1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) good quality olive oil and process briefly to make a coarse paste. Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese and pulse just to incorporate. Season with salt, if desired. Makes about 1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml). Store the left-over in the refrigerator.

Bacon and Gruyere Muffins

chorizo gruyere cheese muffin (Photo credit: boo_licious)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw


Gruyere cheese is a cow's milk cheese that was originally produced exclusively in Switzerland in huge wheels and aged for nearly a year, but is now made outside the country as well. Considered a gastronomic delight, it has a sweet, nutty flavor, is pale yellow in color, and has a firm texture dotted with pea sized holes. Gruyere is a premier cheese for cooking, as it melts perfectly. Although domestic Swiss cheese may be substituted, it lacks the distinctive flavor of Gruyere.

Home cooks are fond of substituting hard-to-find ingredients in their menu and oftentimes they just skip recipes that have uncommon ingredients. May this will never be the case to all home bakers, it is still good to extend the extra mile in our cooking by following what is really meat for the ingredients and trying to cook what we know is best for our family. Gruyere cheese is the best cheese for your Bacon and Gruyere Muffins recipe!