The following component is a nice surprise on a cake. It looks like any other spongecake, but once you bite into it, you get the fragrance of almonds and orange which make it a remarkable element in your desserts. 

This buttercream is great to use when you have warm weather, or when you plan on having your cake out for a long time. It stands heat well and tastes delicious, with its addition of rum. I recommend it mostly with yellow spongecake.

Here is another variation of a tart dough. This one cooks extremely well and is very stable. While it requires several steps of refrigeration, the results are worth the wait. It also provides a great base for tarts that will have heavy syrups and hot fillings. 

By far, the best way to measure flour is by weight. However, not all home bakers have a kitchen scale, and most recipes I find online and in many cookbooks default to volume measures in cups. Here is a technique that you can use to make sure that you use the right amount of flour every time: scoop, sift and swipe.

A popular podcast I listened to once described cake as a frosting-delivery mechanism. While this chocolate spongecake can stand on its own, it is incredible for layered cakes because it has a light consistency and a rich flavour without being overpowering.

This pie shell is a great recipe to have on hold. You can prepare the dough in advance and keep it tightly wrapped in the freezer for up to a couple of months. It's sweet, buttery and goes well with traditional custard based and fruit tarts.

If you're unwilling to make a caramel for your pralin, then this method if for you. This recipe uses Hazelnuts, but you can use any other nut. Because it is cooked directly in the pan, there is no need to toast them in the oven first. It's a straightforward recipe that will leave you with a crunchy and sweet recipe.

The best cakes will steal a glance or two from you. Icing and decorating are essential to making sure that your creations look as good as they taste. Here are some quick tips to help you in this task.

This custard is great to use on tarts. It usually goes over a baked tart shell, and is topped with fruit, whipped cream, meringue or any other topping. It can also be used as a filling for pastries, and flavoured with liqueurs, melted chocolate, vanilla, pulverized almonds, pralin, macarons or any other component to give it your special twist.

As a child, I loved eating the sugar crust off of baked goods. The powdery and sweet consistency works well with sweet bread and adds another layer of texture. This recipe is straightforward and can be used over yeast breads or pastries. 

Melt some chocolate, melt some butter, and you have a delicious icing for your cakes. Done right, this coating is good enough on its own. It's my personal practice that anytime a recipe has a flavouring option, I'll default to the one that uses rum, bourbon, cognac, or any other spirit. This recipe should be enough to coat a two-layer cake.

Almonds give desserts a wonderful taste. This pralin recipe elevates your desserts not only with taste, but also with a different texture. So much about enjoying food, and desserts, is about having an element of surprise. This recipe has done this for me many times over.

Italian meringue requires some level of confort with boiling sugar, but it is a great base to work with. You can use it directly on cakes and baked goods, use butter to make a delicious buttercream, or bake it to make tasty treats. Here are the basics on how to get Italian meringue right. 

So many recipes call for beaten egg whites. Whether you are making a cake, a mousse, a soufflé, a meringue, macarons or any other dessert, the objective is almost always the same: incorporate air into the base or flavourings of your dessert. Here is a quick guide of things to do when beating whites. 

If you prepare cakes the "old fashioned" way, that is, without using baking powder, it is an easy and essential step to make sure that your egg yolks and sugar mix fully before adding any additional ingredients. 

Mise en place is French for putting something in place. It refers to what is perhaps the best advice you can get from anyone that's spent a good amount of time in a kitchen (that and wash as you go). The concept is simple: Before starting out a recipe, measure out and place all the ingredients you will need within easy reach. 

Ever tried making a yeast bread? These can be tricky if you've never done one. Here is a quick guide of what to look for when making breads with yeast. 

Candied orange peel can be used to decorate a cake, to flavour a mousse, buttercream frosting, to dip them in dark chocolate, or just to eat by itself. The sweet and bright flavour will liven up your desserts and give them that extra touch.