While Thanksgiving is all about pies — apple, pumpkin and sweet potato — the winter holidays of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are about show-stopper desserts that cover the gamut from cookies and cakes to pies, trifles and soufflZs.
Busy home cooks, however, may or may not have the time to whip up something fabulous for either a holiday party or holiday dinner. For those who do not want to go the store-bought dessert route, there is an easier way — Nordic Ware.
“I love Nordic Ware. They really do take all the work out of making a beautiful cake. The hardest part is making the cake batter,” said Kim Ferrell, of Capitol Heights.
In business since 1946, the Minneapolis, Minn.-based cookware and bake ware company offers home cooks the ability to create spectacular cakes, with no decorating or sculpting skills needed. No longer just a classic Bundt pan, Nordic Ware produces a range of pans for retailers such as Williams-Sonoma and Martha Stewart that are guaranteed to wow.
“Some of the pans we create with select retailers for special promotions and exclusive pieces,” Norsten said. “Then once the exclusivity is over, we bring them into our regular line.”
For the holiday season the company’s designs include more traditional flat cake pans in the shape of gingerbread boys, Christmas trees and twin bells as well as eye-catching 3-D cake pans.
For the best results, Norsten recommends using a dense cake batter with Nordic Ware pans. Frosting, however, is a no-no.
“You can use a box cake mix, and they will work out fine. But if you make something from scratch, it will fill out the details in the pans perfectly. Because the pans have so much detail in them already, to put frosting on them, really takes away from how beautiful the designs are on their own. You only need powdered sugar or maybe a flavored glaze, and all the hard work has been done for you,” she said.
“You’ll have a beautiful centerpiece during the meal and get to cut into it after dinner,” said Dana Norsten, a Nordic Ware spokeswoman. “They’re so easy to make. You could make one as a centerpiece and another to serve.”
For Bundt cake recipes, including a gingerbread version, go to charmcityfoodie.blogspot.com.
