Looking for a slice of something refreshing to serve this summer? Why not put a twist on the official Florida state pie – or rather a thick rich layer of meringue topping? Key lime meringue pie is a positively divine deviation from its popular sister recipe, Lemon Meringue, and just as kitchen friendly to make!

To begin with, you will require one ready made 9-inch pie crust (available at any quality grocery store and foolproof!) Often times these types of pie crusts are sold in pairs, so there’s twice as much pie to go around.  What’s not to love about that?

Courtesy of leeno

For the Key-Lime Curd:

4 key limes, finely grated
1/3 cup squeezed key lime juice
½ cup sugar
3 eggs
8 tablespoons butter (unsalted is best)
1 cup heavy cream
A pinch of salt

Courtesy of Bright Star

For the Meringue:

4 separated egg whites
¼ cup sugar (granulated)
1 tsp vanilla extract

The making of this pie is as easy as one, two, three!  Literally! There are three distinct phases when it comes to creating this tasteful tart; crust, filling, and meringue.

But don’t let that deter you!  With a little bit of planning pulsing through your kitchen beat, assembly is a breeze and this oh-so good dessert will be whisked up in a matter of moments.

How to Put it All Together:

1. Defrost the pie crust and poke holes all over it, then pre-bake (if required). Remove from oven and set aside to allow cooling.
2. Whisk together the key lime zest, juice, sugar, eggs and salt in a heatproof bowl. Place over top a pan of boiling water and stir non-stop for about 15 minutes until it thickens
3. Remove from heat and whisk butter into the mixture.
4. Strain curd using a sieve. Next cover the curd with plastic wrap and place in fridge to cool for about 30 minutes.
5. Whip cream into firm peaks and fold into the now chilled curd mixture.
6. Pour entire mixture into the cooled pie crust and preheat your oven to 375F.

Courtesy of linda boucher

…and to top it off…with meringue….
7.  Use an electric mixer to whisk egg whites together, gradually increasing speed and the measured sugar.

8.  Add vanilla extract and continue mixing until meringue is quite thick and stiff.

9.  Spread meringue over the curd, making sure to create swirls with a fork or handy spatula.

10. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pie in the over half way through the baking time (this ensures an even gold ‘toasting’ effect all over.)

Allow time to cool, then dig in! There is really only one word that can truly be used to describe the key lime meringue pie – sublime!

Offering a meringue crust topped with whipped cream and fresh fruits, Pavlova is a pie with quite an intriguing background. While a bit of controversy surrounds the official credit for creating the dessert, the name and recipes first hit the public as a tribute to a popular ballerina named Anna Pavlova. When Pavlova was touring Australia and New Zealand around the same time, the sweet treat surfaced in both countries soon after. Interestingly, the dessert serves as a national dish in both places. To this very day, the countries continue to fight over the claim of invention.

The meringue of the dessert is made with a crispy crust that offers a soft, light inside filling –  characteristics meant to honor the airy performances of Anna Pavlova. A favorite during holiday celebrations (like Christmas dinner), Pavlova is made with fresh fruit combinations. Fruit selections may include blackberries, grapes and pineapple. However, the true nature of Pavlova shines through with popular combinations that deliver a delicious union of sweet and tart flavors, such as:

• Peach slices and berries
• Banana and passion fruit
• Kiwi and strawberries

In the United Kingdom, raspberries are often chosen as a topping because the tartness of the berries contrasts well with the sweetness of sugar.

Ingredients and Preparation of Pavlova

Beating egg whites to a stiff consistency is one of the first steps taken to prepare Pavlova. The eggs are then folded in caster sugar (or superfine sugar), white vinegar, cornstarch, and at times, vanilla. A pinch of salt added to the egg whites and vanilla essence act as optional ingredients that enhance the overall appeal of the dessert. The mixture is slow baked to form the crispy, crunchy shell of meringue. The inside of the dessert is spongy and moist – often resembling the softness of a marshmallow. When choosing a topping, many note passion fruit as a must-have ingredient.

Courtesy of cherrylet

The giving and receiving of flowers is a time honoured tradition cultivated from a rich history. Be it a single delicate stem or an entire bouquet, the practice of giving flowers has been used to express love, attraction, condolences, and celebration.

But what about those who suffer from allergies? Or perhaps those who are against the idea of flower giving altogether, because the beautiful blossoms inevitable wither away into nothing? Well, look no further, Edible Arrangements (R) are officially in your midst!

Although these edible arrangements also do not last forever, they do offer some sweet rewards. Fashioned out of an array of colourful fruit, and shaped like daisies, stars and tulips, a bouquet of the edible variety is a refreshing way to liven up any event (and guaranteed to make your bouquet stand out from the rest.)

If fruit isn’t really your ideal taste sensation, there are always the highly regarded chocolate alternatives. Check out the lavish “The Sweet Garden” for all your chocolate flower hopes and dreams.

Courtesy of Oh Nuts

White lilies, peach kissed daisies, ravishing red roses, tulips, daffodils, Black Eyed Susan’s, you name it, they have it in a scrumptious chocolaty form, prettily wrapped and ready to be shipped.

You can also make your own chocolate arrangement. Simply buy some Mint Meltaways (R), a medium Styrofoam ball, a fancy glass and a box of pins. Push a pin through the top of the Mint Meltaway (R) wrapper, then stick into the Styrofoam ball. Repeat until the entire ball is covered, place in the glass so that it is free-standing, and voila! You’re very own inexpensive, yet oh-so good, chocolate edible arrangement. What could be easier? What could be better?

Today I’d like to introduce you to Blackwell’s Organic! They make delicious gelatos and sorbettos that are “Better for your body, your soul and the planet ®”.

About the Company:
Founded in 2005 by Marcia & Tom Blackwell.  Tom is lactose intolerant and had been making these recipes at home for several years. Neither was happy with the non-dairy desserts on the market. They both wanted to create a product and a company that was a reflection of their personal values and their lifestyle. They live in a 100% solar powered home, organic garden and drive a prius.

About the products:
Their delicious gelatos and sorbettos are certified organic, kosher and FairTrade. 

The “Blackwell’s Organic” Difference:

• Delicious flavors: A deep dark bittersweet chocolate gelato that is to die for.  A strawberry sorbet that tastes like strawberries fresh from the field.  They are all so incredibly delicious, you won’t even know they are better for you!

• USDA Certified Organic and Star-K Kosher Certified: Their products are 100% Organic and Kosher– dairy-free, preservative free, gluten free and vegan. Nothing artificial! They are the perfect indulgence for the educated and health conscious consumer who is craving a delicious dessert that meets their health and dietary needs.

  Traditional Italian Dairy gelato is made with cow’s milk and contains less butterfat than traditional American ice cream. Gelato is usually at 2-4% butterfat and American style ice creams 10% to 18%. Blackwell’s Organic is made with soy milk which is cholesterol free and has much less fat than even traditional gelato. Only 2- 6 grams of fat per ½ cup serving.

• Certified Fair Trade: Blackwell’s Organic is the only frozen dessert company that has FairTrade certified ingredients in every flavor. A Fair Trade Certified label on a product ensures consumers that a fair price was paid for the product, fair wages were paid to the workers producing the item, monies were invested in the communities in which the product was produced for vital projects such as schools and health clinics, and that the goods were produced in a sustainable manner; protecting both the workers and the environment.

Where to purchase: at Whole Foods in NY, NJ, PA, CT, KY, MD, OH, VA and Washington DC or via mail order at www.gelatobymail.com

To learn more about Blackwell’s Organic, please visit their Web site: www.BlackwellsOrganic.com.

GIVEAWAY

Blackwell’s Organic has generously donated 4 pints of gelato/sorbet to be shipped to a winner anywhere in the continental USA via their gelatobymail.com website.

This giveaway is open to US residents only.

How to enter (required): Visit  Blackwellsorganic.com  and then come back and leave a comment telling us your favorite flavor!

For additional entries (leave a new comment for each additional entry):
- one additional entry if you are or become our fan on FACEBOOK;
- one additional entry if you grab our button from the sidebar and post it on your blog, please post the link;
- one additional entry if you follow us on Twitter;
- one additional entry if you send a tweet about this giveaway (once a day only); make sure to include @1happyblogger.
- one additional entry if you fave us in Technorati;
- one additional entry if you blog about this Giveaway with a link back to 100CafeStreet.com and Blackwellsorganic.com
- one additional entry if you follow 100CafeStreet.com via email.

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The giveaway ends on Monday, March 15, 2010 at the end of day, Pacific Standard Time. Blackwell’s Organic will ship the prize.

*Please make sure you leave a comment for each additional entry so you get credited.
*Also, please make sure you typed in the correct email address.
*The winner will be announced via e-mail and has 2 days to get back to us or other name will be chosen.
*Incomplete entries will be disqualified & deleted.

Thank you all for participating to our giveaway. And a big THANK YOU to our sponsor, CAROUSEL CAKES, who made it possible!

The winner is comment no:

Here are your random numbers:

136

Timestamp: 2010-02-18 20:36:10 UTC

Congratulations, Carolyn G! You’ll receive an e-mail from us and have 2 days to respond or other name will be chosen.

Stay tuned for our next giveaway! On Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010!

A Mardi Gras celebration isn’t much of a party without a piece of King Cake. Often containing a filling or surprise (such as a coin or small trinket), this tasty sweet yeast bread is a traditional Mardi Gras treat. The dough for King Cake is braided and shaped into a circle to represent a crown. White icing and colored sugar decorates the cake in the time-honored colors of Mardi Gras – gold (power), purple (justice), and green (faith).

Local bakeries stock up on King Cake to satisfy Mardi Gras celebrators, but nothing beats a homemade creation. The dough usually contains eggs, flour, powdered milk, butter, salt, warm water, and yeast. Sugar, egg, and softened cream cheese serve as a typical filling. A streusel topping of cinnamon, sugar, and toasted pecans may cover the cake. Glazes often contain softened butter, powdered sugar, and milk. Beyond the colorful display of King Cake, awaken your kitchen with the tantalizing scents of other Mardi Gras desserts, such as:

Pain Perdu

This deep-fried version of French toast involves softening hard bread by dipping it in a mixture of eggs, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and milk, and then deep-frying or pan-frying in butter. New Orleans Pain Perdu is typically made with leftover New Orleans-style French bread – similar to a French baguette, but with a crunchier exterior and lighter interior. Pain Perdu is either served with powdered sugar, jam, or flavored syrups.

Bananas Foster

Topping ripe bananas with a warm, syrupy topping consisting of brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, rum, and banana liqueur over scoops of vanilla ice cream, Bananas Foster originated in New Orleans. Often times, the dessert is set afire after the addition of alcohol – a cooking technique known as flambé.

Pralines

This New Orleans confection is comprised of chopped pecans, heavy cream, and sugar. Louisiana first enjoyed this sweet treat when French settlers took full advantage of the local sugar cane and pecan trees. During the 19^th century, chefs in New Orleans used pecans instead of the European preference of almonds and added cream to thicken the dessert.

Courtesy of .Larry Page

Pancake Tuesday is almost here. Also known as ‘Shrove Tuesday,’ this day is traditionally meant to signify the first day of fasting for Christian Lent. However, a great many people choose to celebrate this day (also know as ‘Fat Tuesday’ in Catholic circles) by making a pancake feast for friends and family to enjoy.

Pancakes are one of those strange foods that simultaneously fall into the breakfast and dessert category. Smothered in rich thick maple syrup or topped with a dusting of icing sugar, this favourite food can be enjoyed at any hour of the day. The variations that can be put on an original pancake recipe are endless; banana, banana chocolate chip, strawberry, blueberry, whole wheat, carrot, apple, potato, even meat filled pancakes have become a popular staple on breakfast tables all over the globe.

So this year, for Pancake Day, why not indulge in a huge pancake buffet? Make a batch of every kind of pancake imaginable, to provide guests with a wide selection. Check out the “Pancake Recipes” site for an extensive database on unique recipes to get your started.

Courtesy of hlkljgk

To make your pancake laden table a little more interesting to look at, why not try fashioning different shapes out of your pancakes? All you need are some cookie cutters, and voila you can have hearts, tulips, stars, dinosaurs, teddy bears, fish, horses, whatever you’d like! Shop around at “Golda’s Kitchen,” and the cookie cutter of your dreams will cost you less than $5 CAN.

Slice up lots of fresh fruit and serve in individual bowls so guests can garnish their sugary indulgences with some nutritious goodness and colour, throw on some tunes and there you have it – the greatest pancake party of all time. Hey-ho!

With teaspoon in hand or a pile of cubes, plain white sugar is the most common method of sweetening tea. However, a wide selection of sweeteners is awaiting the chance to help you discover the many facets of drinking your preferred beverage. For example, often overlooked as a way to sweeten tea, brown sugar offers a deeper, richer flavor than its refined sugar cousin. You never know when you’re going to find a new favorite combination. A few ideas for sweetening your next cup of tea include:

1) Rock Sugar

Rock sugar is a rather decorative (and oftentimes colorful) form of sweetening your tea, making it the perfect addition to a tea party amongst friends. Rock sugar crystals are molded into rectangular prisms or attached to a stirring stick that dissolves in your hot cup of tea.

2) Indian Jaggery

For an exotic take on sweetening your tea, jaggery is unrefined sugarcane sugar often used to enhance the flavor of savory and sweet dishes all over India. With no preservatives and chemicals added to the sugar, prepare for a distinctive, earthy taste.

3) Maple Sugar

Treat your taste buds to a different take on tea by adding maple syrup as a sweetener. While processed sap is just as sweet as sugar, it actually contains more minerals and fewer calories than honey. Use Grade-B maple syrup for a highly flavorful treat.

4) Agave Syrup or Nectar

An increasing number of people are discovering the deliciousness of agave nectar – a natural sweetener that comes from the agave cactus. For centuries, people in South America and Mexico have used agave, which offers 50% more sweetness than regular sugar. Choose agave nectar for stronger teas to enjoy a taste that resembles a blend of honey and molasses.

5) Stevia

Sometimes, you must choose your tea sweetener to fit your health limitations. For example, most diabetics are stuck with the chemical aftertaste of artificial sweeteners. However, the leaves of the stevia plant produce a natural sweetener that doesn’t affect blood sugar levels. Scan your local market for options, such as Truvia.

6) Honey

With a variety of types and qualities, honey offers a versatile option in sweetening tea. Usually, clover honey is seen as the most popular choice because it possesses a somewhat neutral flavor. Other selections, such as tupelo honey with its buttery taste, offer flavor variations. The added benefit of using honey to sweeten your tea is that it contains healthy components, such as antibacterial properties. Many tea retailers also sell honey sticks for a less messy experience.

7) Simple Syrups

Also known as “sugar syrups,” solutions of sugar are boiled in water and often flavored with herbs or fruit (such as cranberries or ginger) during the cooking process.

Sometimes the hustle and bustle of concocting delicious dessert dishes for hungry sugar-starved guests make us never want to turn on the oven again. But thanks to this handy little recipe presented on CanadianLiving.com,the pressure’s off…and so is the oven.

Lime Cheesecake Squares already sound delightful, but add the term ‘no-bake’ to their name and suddenly they are one of the greatest desserts ever to hit the mixing bowls. Whip up a batch of these in a matter of minutes and let the entertaining begin!

Courtesy of hirotomo

The Things You Need:

3 packages of plain cream cheese

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 ½ cups chocolate cookie crumbs

½ cup whipping cream

1/3 cup melted butter & 1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp slivered lime and lemon rind & 2 tsp grated lime rind

¼ cup lime juice

Method:

1. Put lime and lemon slivers in a bowl of iced water and place in the refrigerator.
2. Line a 9 inch dish (preferably square) with parchment paper.
3. Combine butter and chocolate cookie crumbs in a bowl. Once thoroughly mixed, press into the pan. Refrigerate for about half an hour until firm.
4. In a fresh bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in ¼ cup of the cream, condensed milk, lime rind, juice
   

   Courtesy of star5112

   and sugar – beat until also smooth.

5. Bring back the chilled base and smooth the cream cheese mixture over top. Return to the refrigerator for about 4 hours, until all is set.
6. When set, cut into squares, or fashion into circles and place large dollops of whipped cream on-top of each. Drain the lemon and lime slivers, dry and arrange upon whipped cream; although of course, strawberries or any other kind of fruit can be used as a garnish.

Refreshingly light, yet devilishly decadent, no-bake lime cheesecake squares, circles, tiny cakes (whatever shape you wish!) are perfect for any occasion, and thanks to their easy to make recipe can be ready for any occasion at the drop of a hat!

Chocolate gifts for Valentine’s Day are a  traditional sign of love and affection, and this year Bittersweet Café, the Bay Area’s bean-to-bar Bittersweet Origins chocolate maker and chocolate cafés, has a full array of its own chocolate collections and special gift packaging ready for your special Valentine sweetheart. 
Bittersweet’s three Bay Area locations are a Valentine gift central with delicious, high quality chocolate gifts ranging from $4.95 to $34.95.  

Valentine tins, Share the Love tins and Big Love Pails are popular Bittersweet signature gifts.  The Mint Tin includes Dark Chocolate Holland Mints and Dark Chocolate Peppermint Shortbreads while the Fruit and Nut Tin features Dark Chocolate Dried Strawberries, Dark Chocolate Cherries and Dark Chocolate Pistachios.
 
The Share the Love Tin provides a quarter pound each of Mint Mix (Dark Chocolate Holland Mints, Dark Chocolate Peppermint Shortbreads) and Fruit and Nut Mix (Dark Chocolate Dried Strawberries, Dark Chocolate Cherries, and Dark Chocolate Pistachios), Solid Milk Hearts and Solid Dark Chocolate Hearts. 

Fabulous handmade Bittersweet truffles are available in a variety of flavors, from hand-rolled dark, Fleur de Sel, raspberry liquor-spiked Framboise, and the scintillating Spicy, to the elegant finish of heart-shaped Blood Orange, Passion fruit and Cinnamon.

Other unique Bittersweet Valentine offerings are the Love Letter and the Tasting Tins.  The Love Letter is a modern-retro envelope, enclosing a note card, one New Tree Alpha Disc (an unusual and incredibly delicious bar -flax seeds give it an unusual crunch and make it rich in anti-oxidants) one of their best-selling Vosges Mini Bars and a $10.00 Bittersweet Gift Card.  

Tasting Tins include How Many Ways Do I Love Thee (a wide selection of small bits of some of the world’s most delectable chocolates) and the popular Heart of Darkness Collection.   The collection also includes an outline of the most recent findings about the health benefits of chocolate with high cacao content.

And, for those quick and inexpensive gift needs, Bittersweet is offering Chinese Take-Away Valentine Boxes with Solid Dark and Milk chocolate hearts, along with Raspberry Cream, Caramel and Mint Crunch Hearts.

About Bittersweet  Origins and Café
Bittersweet Origins is a manufacturing and retailing company which creates craft chocolate and coffee in handmade, micro-batches to engage the senses and the mind.  Bittersweet Café retail stores’ ambience and furnishings reflect the one-of-a-kind nature of its chocolate bars, chocolate drinks and coffees.  The warm and welcoming spaces furnished with unique tables, benches, carts and artwork from local craftspeople and artists create a gathering place for the community to savor locally made chocolate delicacies, coffee and tea.  The Bittersweet Cafes are located in San Francisco on Fillmore Street, College Avenue in Oakland and the Rose Garden Shopping Center in Danville.  For more information, visit www.bittersweetcafe.com/ or call 510-705-1860.