Karo Corn Syrup and Argo Corn Starch Share Favorite Desserts of the Stars; Celebrities' Favorite Desserts Highlight Wide Range of Options Available to Entertain and Delight

MEMPHIS, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 2, 2003--Whether its fashion, jewelry, restaurants or travel, consumers follow trends generated by celebrities, and show an interest in emulating the celebrity lifestyle. As the holidays approach, consumers may be interested in desserts and snacks favored by their favorite television and movie stars. Following are decadent holiday favorites that will have your readers baking and eating like celebrities this holiday season. For example, Brooke Burke, TV host and swimsuit model, can't resist Ultimate Chocolate Dip (recipe below). "This is a great recipe not only for the holidays, but for everyday. First, it's super easy to make. Second, it's an easy way for me to get my kids to eat more fruit -- Who doesn't love anything dipped in chocolate? Finally, it's a really elegant and delicious dessert for when we entertain," said Burke. Gillian Anderson of "X-Files" fame says that Shortbread Cookies (see argostarch.com for recipe) are one of her favorite holiday desserts because they "are really fun for me to make with my kids because they can be really creative decorating them," said Anderson. Bryan Cranston of Fox network's "Malcolm in the Middle" favors Chocolate Decadence with Raspberry Sauce (see karosyrup.com for recipe) as one of his favorite holiday recipes. "It is a really easy dessert to make, but when served, it seems really elegant, which makes people think I'm a fabulous cook. So I call it Chocolate Decadence Deception. It adds a bit of mystery to the recipe," said Cranston. For Leeza Gibbons, the holidays wouldn't be complete without a variation of the traditional Pecan Pie (see karosyrup.com for recipe). "I learned this recipe from my mother, and it brings back warm memories of time with my family making the chocolate pecan pie, which was always my job. Luckily for me, this recipe is so easy -- my pie was always a hit," said Gibbons. Actress and model Angie Everheart is a fan of Chocolate Truffles (see karosyrup.com for recipe). "Chocolate Truffles make a great homemade holiday gift, because you can make different varieties with lots of fillings and coatings," said Everheart. It's easy to bake great holiday treats that will please any crowd, including celebrities. Here are few tips from Elizabeth Falkner at Citizen Cake, recipient of the 2003 Women Chefs & Restaurateurs Golden Bowl Award, recognizing excellence in baking and pastry arts, which will help you make this holiday baking season a breeze: -- Be sure to have staple baking ingredients such as corn starch, corn syrup, sugar, flour and butter on hand. -- For a professional touch, decorate your pie plate with a swirl of Karo corn syrup and top with cinnamon or colored sugar. Tap the plate to remove excess. -- To help your holiday pies and cakes stay put, add a dab of Karo corn syrup to the plate to keep the dessert in place. -- Mix Karo corn syrup with crushed fruit or preserves to make an easy and delicious topping on ice cream, cakes and pancakes. -- Use parchment paper for baking on cookies sheets to keep your clean-up to a minimum. -- Substitute a little Karo corn syrup for some of the sugar in an ice cream or sorbet recipe to prevent rapid ice crystallization and for a better mouth feel of a frozen sweet. -- Use a little Karo corn syrup in ganache or glaze recipes for a smooth texture and a beautiful sheen. -- Brush Karo corn syrup over fresh fruit to decorate a cake or tart for a glossy look. -- When making caramel-anything, use a little Karo corn syrup in place of some of the sugar to prevent sugar crystallization. -- Try using Argo cornstarch to replace 1/3 of the flour called for in a cake recipe for a softer texture of sponge. -- Dust Argo cornstarch over sticky homemade confections, such as marshmallows or taffy to prevent sticking to hands and wrappers. "It comes as no surprise that many of celebrities' favorite recipes include Karo corn syrup as an ingredient, as it has been a trusted and versatile kitchen staple for more than 100 years and truly is the base ingredient for making foods smooth and delicious," said Carolyn Wise, marketing vice president of ACH Food Companies. "Many already know many of Karo's sweet secrets including that it makes great glazes and sauces, adds moisture to baked goods, and is the foundation for many easy-to-make and great-tasting desserts." Consumers will delight over these sweet celebrity favorites including two trusted staples, Karo corn syrup and Argo corn starch, which most home cooks already have in their kitchen cabinets. Ultimate Chocolate Dip Ingredients: 2/3 cup Karo(R) light corn syrup 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 8-ounce package semisweet chocolate Fresh fruit, marshmallows, brownies or cookies, as desired Directions: 1. In a medium saucepan, combine Karo and cream; bring to a boil over medium heat. 2. Remove from heat. Add the chocolate and stir until melted. 3. Serve warm, dipping fruit, marshmallows, brownies or cookies, as desired. Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes About Karo Syrup In its more than 100-year history, Karo has sold more than 2 billion gallons -- or more than 13 billion bottles -- of corn syrup. That's enough to: -- Fill more than 7,000 Olympic-sized pools! -- Outweigh more than 750,000 African elephants! -- Wrap lined up Karo bottles around the world almost six times! -- Make 26 billion pecan pies -- that's more than four pies for everyone on the planet! -- Stand as tall as 5 million Sears Towers stacked one on top of another! -- Make 52 billion batches of fudge! For Recipes and Information Consumers can visit www.karosyrup.com or www.argostarch.com for additional, versatile recipes from delicious desserts and glazes to holiday side dishes and drinks. ACH Food Companies is one of the leading manufacturers of food ingredients and store-branded products in the United States. ACH manufactures and markets food products to be used as ingredients for the foodservice, retail private label, and branded food channels. Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, ACH Food Companies, Inc. is a subsidiary of Associated British Foods, PLC, a multi-national business focused on agriculture, ingredients, oils, grocery, retail and packaging.