Desserts

Raspberry & Cream Pie

Ingredients 

Crust
1 unbaked pie crust
        

Raspberry Layer
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups water
1 package (3 ounces) raspberry flavor gelatin
1 package (12 ounces) frozen unsweetened raspberries


Cream Layer
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese softened
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Sauce
2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened baking chocolate
1 tablespoon butter flavor Crisco stick or 1 tablespoon butter flavor all-vegetable oil


Shortening
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt
About 2 tablespoons hot milk

    Directions:      

   For crust, prepare and bake 9 –inch single crust as directed. Cool crust completely.

       For raspberry layer, combine granulated sugar, cornstarch and 1/8 teaspoon salt in medium saucepan.  Gradually stir in water.  Cook and stir on medium heat until mixture comes to a boil and is thickened and clear.  Add gelatin.  Stir until dissolved.  Stir in raspberries.  Refrigerate until slightly thick

          For cream layer, combine cream cheese, 1/3 cup confectioners sugar, vanilla and 1/8 teaspoon salt in medium bowl.  Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until smooth.  Beat in whipped cream.  Spread half of cream mixture on bottom of cooled baked pie crust.  Top with half of raspberry mixture.  Repeat layers.  Refrigerate 1 hour.

      For sauce, combine chocolate and 1 tablespoon shortening in small microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave at 50% (Medium) for 1 minute.  Stir.  Repeat until melted and smooth. (or, melt on rangetop in small saucepan on very low heat).  Stir in ¾ cup confectioners sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt until fine crumbs form.  Stir in milk, a little at a time, until mixture is of desired consistency.  Drizzle over raspberry layer and edge of crust.  Refrigerate at least 1 to 2 hours before serving.  Refrigerate leftovers.

Coconut Lime Cake Balls

Coconut Lime Cake Balls

Ingredients:

1 white cake baked as directed, then cooled (I added green food coloring, lime juice as the liquid and lime zest)
3/4 cup coconut milk
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1 12 oz package white Wilton candy melts


Directions:
Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, crumble the baked cake. Add in the coconut milk and coconut. Using your hands, combine all the ingredients. Form the mixture into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Melt the candy melts or white chocolate. Dip the balls in the coating and return to the tray to harden. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (These taste best after being refrigerated overnight!)

Mudslide Chocolate Frozen Pie

Ingredients:

1 prepared 9 inch chocolate crumb crust

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

¾ cup sour cream

½ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup powdered sugar

¼ cup baking cocoa

2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips or grated chocolate bar for top

Directions:

Melt 1 cup morsels in a heavy saucepan slowly over lowest heat.  When morsels begin to melt, remove from heat and stir.  Return to heat as needed until melted and smooth; cool for 10 minutes.

Mix sour cream, granulated sugar and vanilla extract; stir until sugar is dissolved.  Stir in melted chocolate until smooth.  Spread into crust and refrigerate while making top layer.

Beat cream, powdered sugar and cocoa in small mixer until stiff peaks form.  Spread over chocolate layer and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips or grated chocolate.

Pineapple Bars



Bars:

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

2 tsp baking soda

1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs, beaten

Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese

¼ cup butter

1 ¾ cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup nuts chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, stir flour, sugar and baking soda.  Add pineapple with juice, vanilla and eggs and mix well.  Pour into a greased 11x17 inch jelly roll pan and bake for 25 minutes.  While the bars bake, prepare the frosting by mixing all the frosting ingredients together.  Spread over the hot cake and cut into bars when cool.




Easy Summer Torte

Ingredients:  

Box of Yellow or White Cake Mix and all ingredients required on the mix
Chopped nuts (I used hazelnuts but almonds would be fab too)
Danish Dessert (can be purchased prepared in the store, or in a box in the Jello aisle of most grocery stores. I think it comes in Strawberry and Raspberry flavors - choose the flavor to match the fruit the best).
Sliced Fruit - I used strawberries
Whipping cream


Directions:

Prepare the cake mix per instruction on the box. Fold in desiredamount of chopped nuts. Bake until read. Prepare the Danish Dessert if needed. Fold the sliced fruit into the Danish Dessert.
Once the cake has cooled, top the cake with the danish dessert/fruit mixture. You can also easily slice the cake to make a lovely layered torte. Top the cake with whipping cream and extra nuts. Chocolate shavings also make for a lovely topping on the whipping cream.

Grandma's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1cup butter

1 cup sugar 

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

3 cups rolled oats

1 3/4 cup flour

2 t cream of tartar

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

Cream butter and sugars together,  add in the eggs and mix.  Add in all the dry ingredients and incorporate.  Add 1 bag chocolate chips.  Do not over mix.  Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.  Makes about 45 medium cookies.

Pumpkin Pie Crème Brulee

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup whole milk

2 cups canned pumpkin puree
Hot water
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:  

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.  In a medium sauce pot, over medium-high heat, add 2 cups of the cream, the spices, and the vanilla. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. In a medium bowl, whisk the yolks with the sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and the sugar is dissolved. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cream and the 1/2 cup of milk to the cream and spice mixture. Slowly incorporate the yolk and sugar mixture, then strain through a medium-size sieve. Whisk in the pumpkin puree.

Divide the pumpkin mixture evenly into eight 6 oz custard cups and place in a baking dish or roasting pan.  Add the hot water until it reaches about half way up the cups to create a hot bath and put the pan into the oven. Bake until the custard is starting to set, yet still a little wiggly in the middle, about 35 to 45 minutes. Not too wiggly, or it will turn to soup when you heat the sugar like mine did:) Remove the brulee from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours.

Lightly sprinkle each custard with the sugar. Heat the sugar with a butane torch until caramelized. To get a thick caramelized sugar crust, repeat this, with just a light sprinkling each time. Allow to cool and serve.

Awesome Almond Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 9 minutes per batch

Ingredients:

1 package (15 ounces) sugar cookie mix

½ teaspoon Pure Almond Extract

1 cup chopped sliced almonds

Prepare cookie mix as directed on package, stirring in Pure Almond Extract. Shape dough into balls. Roll in almonds. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake and cool as directed on package.  Makes 3 Dozen.

Chocolate Tiramisu

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for garnish

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (I used a mix of different %s dark chocolate)
1 bar (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature (I used 1/2 marscapone)
3/4 cup sugar
24 ladyfinger cookies (from a 7-ounce package) (I used a lot more than 24 - but maybe mine were really tiny)

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix cocoa powder with 1 1/2 cups very hot water until dissolved; set cocoa mixture aside. In a small microwave-safe bowl, place 1/4 cup cream and chocolate; microwave in 1-minute increments, and stir until melted. Cool to room temperature.

Transfer cooled chocolate mixture to a mixing bowl; add cream cheese and sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat until blended. Add remaining cream; beat chocolate filling until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Spread 1 cup chocolate filling in the bottom of a 2-quart serving dish. One at a time, dip 6 ladyfingers in cocoa mixture, then arrange in a single layer in dish; spread with 1 cup chocolate filling. Repeat with three more layers, ending with filling.

Cover tiramisu, and refrigerate at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days). Dust with cocoa powder before serving.

Chocolate Spider Web Cake 

Cake

1 box Devil's food cake 

Make cake as directed.  Add sour cream, pudding mix, and/or chocolate chips for added flavor.  

Ganache Frosting
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate (I used chips)
1 cup heavy cream

Place the chocolate in a medium size heat proof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan and pour over the chocolate. Stir until smooth. I waited about 20 minutes to let it cool and thicken slightly, then spread  enough on the cake to cover. I admit, I ate the remaining tablespoon or so with a spoon, then my fingers:)

To decorate, I piped shimmery white decorator icing in circles, then used a toothpick to drag icing from the center to the edges of the cake to create a web pattern. I found a gummy spider at Wal-Mart that was a perfect topping! 

Chocolate Fondue & Pound Cake

Pound Cake

from JoyofBaking.com

Ingredients:

3 large eggs

3 tablespoons milk, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cups granulated white sugar

13 tablespoons (1/2 cup + 1/3 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177degreesC) and place rack in center of oven. Butter or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter or spray the paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), place the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar) and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds or until blended. Add the butter and half of the egg mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about one minute to aerate and develop the cake's structure. Scrape down the the sides of the bowl. Gradually add the remaining egg mixture, in 2 additions, beating about 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the egg and strengthen the cake's structure.  

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake for about 55 to 65 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the cake browning too much as it bakes, cover with a piece of lightly buttered aluminum foil after about 30 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a lightly buttered wire rack.

The Pound Cake can be covered and stored for several days at room temperature, for one week when refrigerated, or it can be frozen for two months.

Makes one 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf.

Eagle Brand® Chocolate Fondue

Ingredients:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In heavy saucepan, over medium heat, melt chocolate chips and butter with EAGLE BRAND® and water. Cook and stir constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla.
2. Serve warm as a fruit and cookie/cracker dipping sauce or drizzle over ice cream or cake. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Huge Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Chocolate Zucchini Cake 

NOTE:  For huge pumpkin shown in photograph, you will need to double the recipe and bake in two bundt cake pans. After cakes are baked and cooled, you turn one bundt cake upside down and put the other bundt cake on top of the flat side for a pumpkin shape.  Frost in between layers.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups of vegetable oil

3 cups sugar

4 large eggs + 2 Tablespoons of water

3 ¾ cups of flour

¾ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons of baking soda

¼ and 1/8 teaspoon of baking powder

¾ cup milk or buttermilk  (buttermilk makes it better)

4 ½ squares of unsweetened chocolate (in a rectangle box)

1 ½ tablespoons of vanilla

3 cups of grated zucchini.  (Do not peel, just cut ends off)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine oil, sugar, and eggs.  In a separate bowl sift dry ingredients: add to first mixture. Add milk and mix well.

2. Melt baking chocolate in the microwave at 20 second intervals, until just melted.

3. Blend chocolate and vanilla into batter.

4. Stir in grated zucchini.

Bake in Greased (spray Pam) large cookie sheet (jelly roll pan).  350 degree oven for about 25 minutes (maybe 20 so put a toothpick in the middle and see if it appears done). Cool.    When totally cool, frost. Do not cover with plastic but tin foil.


Cream Cheese Frosting

NOTE:  Double recipe to frost large pumpkin cake.  Add orange food coloring (yellow and red).

Ingredients:

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.