Family Holiday Hot Spots - Orlando, Florida

If there is one place you can rest assured your family can enjoy a brilliant holiday, Orlando, Florida is it. Home to "the happiest place on Earth" (also known as Disney World) it's hard not to enjoy yourself in this city of amazement, no matter what your age is. There is plenty to do whether you want to share some family bonding time, visit the theme parks, shop until you drop or just relax on the beach. Plus there are a great number of package holidays from the UK to Florida, making the trip affordable even if you've got a full household.

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One of the most exciting things about Orlando holidays is choosing where to stay. While you think you won't be spending much time in your hotel room, after you arrive you may find that you want to - some of the area's resorts are that amazing! There are two airports in Orlando that are a convenient drive from the city centre. You'll be able to find a number of cheap flights from cities all over the UK to each of these airports, whether you book a package deal or choose your options on your own.

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Bond with your family

While there is plenty to see and do on Orlando holidays, you may just want to relax and enjoy some quality time with your loved ones. Most Orlando hotels have their own swimming pools, often with fun themes or exciting waterslides. You'll also find plenty to do around the resort area of Orlando. There are amusement complexes where holidaymakers of all ages can enjoy activities such as mini golf, batting cages, dodgems and even go-kart racing.

Experience the magic

From Disney's Magic Kingdom to Universal Studio's Island of Adventure, there is just something truly magical and unique about Orlando's theme parks.

Holidays to Orlando wouldn't be complete without a visit to the Disney World complex - it's so large it actually has its own postcode! There are four main parks where you'll find a variety of rollercoasters, character meets and various themed attractions. There are also waterparks, restaurants, themed hotels and even a golf course (and mini golf for the young ones).

You can also check out the multiple parks at Universal, smaller attractions outside of central Orlando and a number of thrilling water parks.

Enjoy the exchange rate

If you've got an extra room in your suitcase and extra cash in your wallet, you'll find Orlando is a shopper's paradise. Every street corner you'll find a massive souvenir emporium packed with kitsch that make great presents for those back home. If you want to bag a bargain, head to one of Orlando's outlet malls. Here you'll find great discounts on a number of high street and designer shops. Just be sure you have enough room in your suitcase! For a true American experience, head to the Mall at Millennia, one of Orlando's most exclusive malls.

Sit in the sunshine

For some authentic sand, you're going to have to take a bit of a drive. Just over an hour away you'll find the white sands of Cocoa Beach, New Smyrna Beach and the infamous Daytona Beach.

However, unless you're dying to see the ocean, you really don't need to make the drive - there are plenty of water parks and hotel pools that you can enjoy.

Family Holiday Hot Spots - Orlando, Florida

Lauren Charles works in the travel industry and regular writes about top trends and destinations.

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Holiday Hazelnut Pear Tart

How to make Fresh Creme Fraiche:

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In a medium saucepan over low heat, warm 1 cup of heavy cream to 110F degrees. You will remove from the heat source and stir in 1 tablespoon of cultured buttermilk. Transfer the cream to a large bowl and allow this mixture to stand in a warm place, loosely covered with plastic wrap, until thickened but still of pouring consistency. Stir and taste every 6 - 8 hours. This process takes anywhere from 24 to 36 hours, depending on your room temperature. The creme fraiche is ready when it is thick with a slightly nutty sour taste. Chill cream, in the refrigerator, for several hours before using. Creme fraiche may be stored in the refrigerator up to 10 days. I prefer to purchase it instead of making it, it is a long process and I just prefer to pick it up and use it the same day.

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Hazelnut Pastry Dough

1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup of cold butter
2 tablespoons ice water

Pear Filling:

1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons creme fraiche, you can purchase this at whole foods or central market or your local gourmet grocery store.

If you cannot purchase it I have a recipe for you to make your own listed above. Pinch of salt 3 ripe firm pears 1 (9 1/2-inch) tart shell In a food processor, finely grind the hazelnuts and the sugar. In a medium bowl you will combine the hazelnut mixture, flour and salt. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender until the butter is the size of small peas. Add the water. Mix until the dough comes together. Form the dough into a ball. Chill for 30 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough 1/4-inch thick. Line the tart shell with the dough and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or so until it is set. Preheat the oven to 350F. You are going to parbake your shell, so, you will line the tart shell with parchment paper or foil and fill with pie with beans or rice or anything to keep the pie dough from rising. This helps to keep your pie from having a soggy bottom. You will bake until the edges are a golden color which should take about 15 to 20 minutes depending on your oven. You will then remove the wax paper and whatever you used as the weight during the initial cooking process. The you will bake the pie shell for about another 5 to 10 minutes.

Decrease the oven temperature to 325F and make your custard filling.

Custard Filling

In a bowl, whisk together the egg, yolks, and sugar. Add the cream, creme fraiche, and salt. Peel, core and slice the pears 1/8-inch thick. Arrange the pears in a circular pattern in the prebaked tart shell. Pour the custard over the pears until the tart is full. Bake until the custard is almost completely set, about 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature before serving. Enjoy!

Holiday Hazelnut Pear Tart

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA. Chef Pogue's website is http://www.chefshelleypogue.com

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Six Ideas For Easy and Festive Holiday Cookies

Cookies are a fun food. They are small and portable; they are tasty; they make great gifts. There are literally thousands of cookie recipes out there, but for the holidays we barely have the time to decorate the house and buy the presents, let alone make five or six different cookie recipes with all sorts of different ingredients.

To solve this problem, all you need is one basic dough. From this dough come all sorts of possibilities. As a matter of fact, present a platter of all the cookies, and no one will know that they all came from the same dough! Variations are limited only by your imagination, and here is the basic dough as well as six variations to get you started.

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Basic Cookie Dough

3 cups all purpose flour
¾ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ c. sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons cream or half and half

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg, vanilla and dairy. Mix until smooth.

With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three or four additions, mixing until just combined and the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixer bowl.

Finish according to directions in the following variations.
Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Divide dough in two pieces. Roll each piece between two sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of about 3/16". Stack rolled doughs on a cookie sheet and refrigerate until firm. Peel off top layer of parchment and cut into desired shapes. Place shapes one inch apart, and bake at 350 degrees, F, on parchment-lined cookie sheets for about 10 minutes, or until just browning on the edges. Let cool for two minutes on the cookie sheet, and then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Ice and decorate as desired.

Lemon-Iced Cookies

Make these changes to the basic dough:
Reduce vanilla to ¼ teaspoon and add ¼ teaspoon of lemon extract plus the zest of two lemons. Roll dough into logs about 1" in diameter. Wrap in parchment and chill at least two hours.

Slice dough about 3/16" thick and place one inch apart on parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees, F, until just starting to brown around the edges. While still warm, brush on a glaze made from powdered sugar and a pinch of salt with enough fresh lemon juice to make a drizzling consistency.

Chocolate Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Make these changes to the basic dough:
Reduce flour to 2 2/3 cups and add 1/3 cup of cocoa powder. Dissolve ½ teaspoon instant coffee granules in the dairy.

Roll and bake as directed for Cut-Out Sugar Cookies. Decorate as desired.

Spice Cookies

Make these changes to the basic dough:
To the dry ingredients, add ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon allspice (or to taste). Omit the egg.

Roll dough into ¾" balls. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar. Place about 1 ½ inches apart on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Press each ball down lightly to flatten slightly, and bake at 350 degrees, F, until edges are just beginning to brown. Let cool on the sheet for two minutes, and then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Make these changes to the basic dough:

Reduce white sugar to ½ cup. Add ½ cup of packed brown sugar. Stir in 6 oz. mini chocolate chips.

Follow shaping and baking directions for lemon-iced cookies.

Pecan Crescents

Make these changes to the basic dough:

Reduce white sugar to ½ cup. Add ½ cup powdered sugar. Reduce flour to 2 ½ cups. Add ½ cups of finely ground pecans and ¼ cups of toasted, chopped pecans. Omit the egg.

Form dough into ¾" balls and shape each ball into a crescent shape. Place cookies about 1" apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, and bake at 325 degrees until cookies are firm. Do not let the cookies brown.

While still warm, roll cookies in additional powdered sugar.

Instead of rolling the cookies in powdered sugar, drizzle each cookie (or dip half of each cookie) with some melted chocolate coating or tempered chocolate.

From one basic cookie dough, here are six cookies you can create. And the best part is, nobody never needs to know how easy it was. So, what are you waiting for? Fill that cookie jar or gift baskets with homemade cookies!

Six Ideas For Easy and Festive Holiday Cookies

Jennifer Field spent years as a special education teacher until she left education to pursue a culinary career. After graduating from Orlando Culinary Academy Le Cordon Bleu Program with a degree in Patisserie and Baking, Chef Jennifer worked in professional fine dining kitchens as pastry sous chef and pastry chef. She currently marries her two passions, teaching and baking, through her website.

Pastry Chef Online

View her new blog at http://onlinepastrychef.wordpress.com/

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Seven Festive Holiday Dessert Ideas

Seven Festive Holiday Dessert Ideas

With the holidays coming up, people everywhere are turning to their recipe boxes to make treasured Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas favorites. Some of those people are listening to that quiet little voice in their heads saying, "I'd like to try something new this year." If you are looking for a new idea to wow your guests, one of these just might fit the bill.

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Eggnog Custard: Take a basic baked custard recipe and add a healthy dose of fresh nutmeg. Bake the custards in oven safe glass punch cups in a water bath and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg for an authentic look. Need some crunch? Pair your eggnog custards with gingersnaps or pfefferneusse. Pumpkin Pound Cake with Caramel Buttercream: Fall flavors come together in this lovely pairing. Go all out and add chopped spiced pecans and garnish with spiced pecan halves. Pear and Cranberry Tart: Combine the sweetness of pears with the refreshing tartness of cranberries in a Linzer-type tart. Cook the fruit down into a jam consistency with some sugar, a pinch of salt, and maybe some Riesling. Try a ground pistachio crust for a subtle green and red holiday theme. Raspberry and Chocolate Trifle: Festive for any holiday meal, cube up your favorite pound cake or sponge cake and layer with raspberry jam and chocolate custard. Lace the cake with some cream sherry for a little alcoholic kick. Garnish with whipped cream, chocolate shavings and whole raspberries. Benne Brittle: Take your best peanut brittle recipe and make it with sesame seeds. A delicious nod to African roots, it can be eaten on its own or crumbled over ice cream for a crunchy contrast. Sesame lace cookies: Make a Florentine cookie with sesame seeds. While the cookies are still pliable, mold them over a muffin tin to make small cups. Add a scoop of ice cream and some peanut butter-fudge sauce for an easy but impressive finish to a meal. Honey Roasted Fruit: For a light end to a heavy holiday meal, peel pears, apples and apricots (if they are in season in your area). Brush with melted butter, drizzle with honey mixed with a little cinnamon and roast until softened and caramelized. Serve with honeyed mascarpone or honeyed crème fraiche.

Delicious and unexpected ends to festive holiday meals could be your new signature. Perhaps one of these ideas will become your family's new holiday favorite. Happy baking, and happy holidays!

Seven Festive Holiday Dessert Ideas

Jennifer Field spent years as a special education teacher until she left education to pursue a culinary career. After graduating from Orlando Culinary Academy Le Cordon Bleu Program with a degree in Patisserie and Baking, Chef Jennifer worked in professional fine dining kitchens as pastry sous chef and pastry chef. She currently marries her two passions, teaching and baking, through her website http://www.pastrychefonline.com/

View her new blog here: http://onlinepastrychef.wordpress.com/

LE CORDON BLEU ORLANDO