Chocolate Party Special 27-04-2014

 
Chocolate Party Special

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 Tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup milk
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup additional sugar
5 Tablespoons additional cocoa
1 cup hot water
Ice cream or whipped cream

Directions:

Sift together flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt, baking powder and 1-1/2 Tablespoons cocoa. Stir in milk, melted butter, vanilla and pecans. Pour into well-greased large rectangular Pyrex dish. Make topping by mixing 1/2 cup sugar, 5 Tablespoons cocoa and hot water; pour over batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Cut into squares; invert onto dessert plates so that sauce is on top. Top with ice cream or whipped cream.

Serves: 8 - 10
 

Cold Orange Souffle 17-03-2014

Cold Orange Souffle

Ingredients:

1 cup cold water
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
8 eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 (6 ounce) cans frozen orange juice, thawed
1 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
Orange sections (Optional)

Directions:

Place water in the top of a double boiler and sprinkle the gelatin over the surface to soften. Beat egg yolks lightly and add them with the salt to the gelatin. Mix well. Place over boiling water and cook, stirring constantly, until gelatin dissolves and the mixture thickens some, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange concentrate. Chill until mixture drops from a spoon into soft mounds. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually beat in the sugar and continue beating until the egg whites are stiff. Fold the whites into the orange mixture. Fold in the whipped cream. Arrange a collar of double waxed paper around a 2-1/2 quart souffle dish, 2 inches above the top of the dish. Fasten with tape. Pour mixture into dish can chill until firm. Remove collar and decorate with orange sections. A great summer dessert.

Servings: 8 – 10

Strawberry Tiramisu 19-02-2014

Strawberry Tiramisu

Ingredients:

6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brandy
4-1/2 cups mascarpone cheese
Ladyfingers or sliced pound cake
Fresh strawberries, thinly sliced
Whipped cream (optional)

Directions:

Combine the eggs and sugar in a double boiler. Cook until the mixture triples in volume and a thermometer registers 160 degrees for 6 minutes, beating constantly with a mixer. Remove bowl from the water. Add the brandy 1 Tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating the custard for 5 minutes or until cool. Add the mascarpone cheese gradually, beating constantly until smooth. Chill, covered, for 30 minutes or until cold.
Cover the bottom of a 9x11-inch dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray with ladyfingers. Spread with 1/3 of the custard and top with strawberries. Repeat the layering process until all of the custard is used, ending with the strawberries. Garnish each serving with a dollop of whipped cream.
Make your own mascarpone cheese by blending 1-1/2 pounds cream cheese, 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream and 7-1/2 Tablespoons sour cream.

Serves: 15
 

Butter Pecan Bars

Butter Pecan Bars

Ingredients

2 eggs, beaten
One half cup butter, softened
1 and one third cup flour
1 and one half cups brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
Two thirds cup pecans, chopped

Directions

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan and bake for 20 - 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to cool and cut into bars.

The Skinny: Use your favorite egg and sugar substitute.

Category: Dessert

Rhubarb Blueberry Cobbler with Pistachio Topping *

Rhubarb Blueberry Cobbler with Pistachio Topping

Ingredients for Pistachio Topping:
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
1/3 cup pistachios, finely chopped

Ingredients for Rhubarb Blueberry Cobbler:
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons flour
2 cups fresh or frozen chopped rhubarb
2 cups fresh blueberries
2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:

For the topping, combine the flour, sugar and brown sugar in a bowl and mix well. Cut in the unsalted butter until crumbly. Stir in the pistachios.

For the cobbler, combine the sugar and flour in a bowl and mix well. Add the rhubarb and blueberries and mix gently. Stir in the lemon juice. Spoon the rhubarb mixture into a 2-quart baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Squeeze the topping together a handful at a time and coarsely crumble over the rhubarb mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

Serves: 6 - 8

Trivia and Amazing Facts

North Carolina Party Dessert

North Carolina Party Dessert
 
Ingredients
 
1 large angel food cake (about 1 pound)
4 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sherry
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 Tablespoons cold water
3 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup broken pecans

Directions
 
Cut crust from cake. Tear cake into small (1/2-inch) pieces; set aside. In top of double boiler, beat egg yolks until light, gradually adding 1/2 cup of the sugar. Stir in sherry; place over boiling water and cook until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Set aside and let cool. Soften gelatin in cold water and dissolve over boiling water; let cool slightly. In a large bowl, whip 2 cups of the cream; fold in egg yolk mixture and pecans. Beat egg whites until stiff; add 6 Tablespoons of the remaining sugar. Fold in gelatin and egg whites. In a large tube pan, place a layer of cake pieces and cover with a layer of custard. Repeat until all is used, making 3 layers of cake and 3 layers of custard. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours. Unmold onto serving plate. Whip remaining 1 cup cream, adding remaining 2 Tablespoons sugar. Spread over top and sides of cake.

Serves: 10 - 12

Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

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Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

Ingredients:

6 slices of bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup hot water
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups warm milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for vanilla sauce:

2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
3 Tablespoons butter
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup light corn starch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Place the bread in a greased 2-quart baking dish.  Mix the hot water and brown sugar in a bowl.  Pour over the bread. Combine the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a bowl and mix well.  Pour over the top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Drizzle with Vanilla Sauce.

Note: You may serve this bread pudding warm or cold.

To prepare the vanilla sauce:

Mix the sugar and corn starch together.  Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat.  Stir in the sugar mixture.  Add the milk and corn syrup and stir to mix well.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Boil for 1 minute.  Remove from the heat.  Stir in the vanilla.  Serve warm.

Yields:  1-1/4 cups

Serves:  8

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Graphic Humor

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Frozen Peanut Butter Pies

Frozen Peanut Butter Pies

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
3/4 cup milk
12 ounces whipped topping
1/4 cup chopped Spanish peanuts
2 baked (8-inch) pie shells
Chocolate curls

Directions

Beat the confectioners' sugar and cream cheese in a mixer bowl until fluffy, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the peanut butter.
Beat until mixed. Add the milk gradually, beating constantly until mixed. Fold in the whipped topping and peanuts.

Spoon into the pie shell.

Freeze for 15 to 30 minutes. Cut into slices. Top each slice with chocolate curls.

Hint: Prepare chocolate curls by pouring melted chocolate onto a waxed-paper-lined baking sheet. Spread the chocolate into a two- to three-inch strip. Let stand until the chocolate is cool and slightly sticky but not firm. Pull a vegetable peeler or knife slowly across the chocolate until a curl forms, allowing the chocolate to curl on top of the utensil. Transfer the curl with a wooden pick to a plate. Repeat the process with the remaining chocolate. Chill until just before serving.

Servings: 6 - 8

Blueberry Cake with Lemon Buttercream

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Blueberry Cake with Lemon Buttercream

Ingredients for Cake:

1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries or
frozen, thawed and well-drained
2 Tablespoons flour
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm milk

Ingredients for Lemon Buttercream:

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup blueberries for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour a 6-cup ring mold. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, toss blueberries with 2 Tablespoons flour. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, beat egg, sugar, butter and vanilla with a mixer on high speed until fluffy. In a separate bowl, thoroughly stir together 1-1/2 cups flour, baking powder and salt.

4. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix well after each addition. Fold in blueberries.

5. Pour batter into prepared mold. Bake 3035 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in mold for 10 minutes. Remove from mold and cool on rack for 10 minutes. Transfer to platter.

6. Prepare Lemon Buttercream: In a small bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar on high speed until fluffy. Beat in lemon juice. Refrigerate until set, then cut into squares.

7. Spread Lemon Buttercream on top of cooled cake, letting it drizzle over sides. Place blueberries in center of ring for garnish.

Serves: 8
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