Desserts

Basic Chocolate Truffles

February 10, 2011

Basic Chocolate Truffles

INGREDIENTS

2 Pounds Good Quality Chocolate

1 Quart Heavy Cream

¼ Pound Butter

1/3 Cup Grand Marnier (or liqueur of choice)

Cocoa Powder

Melt chocolate and cream over a double boiler and whisk in butter & liqueur.  Continue to whisk as the mixture cools and thickens.  Pour into a storage container and refrigerate.  To serve, scoop with a melon baller and roll in powdered cocoa.  Truffles are soft and are not suitable for packaging as gifts.  These truffles are easy to make and melt in your mouth good.  Makes approximately 32

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Butterscotch Chip Cookies

February 6, 2011

Butterscotch Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup Softened Butter

1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar

½ Cup Granulated Sugar

¾ Teaspoon Baking Soda

½ Teaspoon Salt

2 Eggs

1 ½ Teaspoon Vanilla

2 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour

2 Cups Butterscotch Chips

Preheat oven to 375° F.  In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium high speed for 30 seconds.  Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda and salt.  Beat until mixture is combined scraping sides of bowl.  Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer.  Stir in remaining flour.  Stir in butterscotch chips.  Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto on ungreased cookie sheet or use parchment paper (which is what I use).  Bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until edges are light brown.  Transfer to a wire rack and cool.  Makes approximately 60 cookies

 

Classic Butter Frosting

January 27, 2011

Classic Butter Frosting

INGREDIENTS

½ Cup Softened Butter

16 Ounces Confectioners’ Sugar

6 Tablespoons Cream

2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract

In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat butter, confectioners’ sugar, cream and vanilla until smooth and blended.  Beat in additional cream as needed for easy spreading consistency.  Increase speed to medium high and beat frosting until light and fluffy (for about 1 minute).  Makes about 2 1/3 Cups.

Peach Ginger Cake

January 27, 2011

Peach Ginger Cake

INGREDIENTS

2 Cups Unbleached Flour

2 Tablespoons Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Salt

½ Cup Softened Butter

1 ¼ Cups Sugar

3 Large Eggs

1 ½ Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1 Pint Ciao Bella Peach Ginger Sorbet

Frost With Classic Butter Frosting

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Grease and flour two 8 inch round cake pans. 

In a medium bowl, stir flour, baking powder and salt.  In a large bowl, with a mixer at medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.  Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture alternately with Peach Ginger Sorbet, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until smooth, frequently scraping bowl with rubber spatula.  Divide batter between prepared pans; spread evenly.  Bake for about 30 minutes or until done (toothpick inserted in center comes out clean).  Remove from oven and cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.  Run a thin knife around layers to loosen from sides of pans.  Invert onto racks to cool completely. 

Prepare Classic Butter Frosting.  Place one layer, rounded side down, on a cake plate.  With a narrow metal spatula, spread 2/3 cup frosting over layer.  Top with second layer, rounded side up.  Spread remaining frosting over side and top of cake.  Serves 12

Angel Food Cake

January 17, 2011

Angel Food Cake

INGREDIENTS

12 Egg Whites

1 ½ Teaspoon Cream of Tartar

1 ½ Cups Sugar – Divided

1 ½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

½ Teaspoon Almond Extract

1 Cup Sifted Cake Flour

¼ Teaspoon Salt

You Can Either Top With Fruit or Frost

Preheat oven to 375° F.  You will need a 10 x 3 ¾ Inch Angel Food Cake Pan

In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat egg whites with cream of tartar at high speed until foamy.  Add ¾ cup of the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating constantly until sugar is dissolved; egg whites are glossy and stand in soft peaks.  Beat in vanilla and almond extracts.  Sift together flour, remaining sugar and salt.  Sift about ½ cup of the flour mixture over whites and gently fold just until flour disappears.  Repeat, folding in remaining flour mixture ½ cup at a time.  Pour into UNGREASED 10 x 3 ¾ inch Angel Food pan.  Gently cut through batter with metal spatula.  Bake in preheated oven for about 30 to 40 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched with finger.  Invert cake in pan on funnel or bottle neck.  Cool completely, about 1 ½ hours.  With narrow spatula or knife, loosen cake from pan and gently shake onto serving plate.  Top with fruit or frost, if desired.  Serves 12

Streusel Coffee Cake

January 14, 2011

Streusel Coffee Cake

INGREDIENTS

Topping:

½ Cup Brown Sugar

¼ Cup Sifted Unbleached Flour

¼ Cup Butter (Room Temperature)

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

Cake:

1 ½ Cups Sifted Unbleached Flour

2 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder

½ Teaspoon Salt

1 Beaten Egg

¾ Cup Sugar

1/3 Cup Buttermilk (or Sour Milk)

1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

For the topping:  In a small mixing bowl, combine topping ingredients and blend with fork until crumbly.  Set aside.

For the cake:  Combine 1 ½ cups sifted flour with baking powder and salt into a medium bowl.  In a separate medium bowl, beat together egg, ¾ sugar and 1/3 cup melted butter.  Next add the buttermilk and vanilla.  Stir in flour mixture and mix well.  Pour batter into a greased 8 inch square pan or a 9 inch layer cake pan.  You could also use a bundt pan if you with.  Sprinkle topping crumb mixture evenly over the batter.  Bake in a preheated oven at 375º F for 30 minutes or until done.  Partially cool in the pan on a wire rack.  Cut coffee cake while still warm and serve warm for breakfast, brunch or an anytime treat.

Butterscotch Fudge

December 24, 2010

Butterscotch Fudge

INGREDIENTS

1 Teaspoon Plus 2 Tablespoons Butter – Divided

1 2/3 Cups Sugar

2/3 Cup Evaporated Milk

½ Teaspoon Salt

2 Cups Miniature Marshmallows

11 Ounces Butterscotch Chips

½ Cup Chopped Walnuts (Optional)

1 Teaspoon Maple Extract

Line an 8 inch square pan with foil and grease the foil with 1 teaspoon butter and set aside.  In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, milk, salt and remaining butter, cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.  Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from the heat; add the marshmallows, chips, nuts (optional) and maple flavoring.  Stir until marshmallows and chips are melted.  Spoon into prepared pan.  Let stand until set.  Using foil, lift fudge out of pan.  Discard foil, lift fudge out of pan.  Discard foil; cut fudge into 1 inch squares.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.  Makes about 1 ½ pounds.

Epiphany Cake

December 21, 2010

Epiphany Cake

This cake goes by a few names: Epiphany Cake, King’s Cake or Christ Cake.  There are many traditions surrounding Epiphany.  One very popular tradition involves hiding small items in the cake. 

On the night before the feast of Epiphany, a special cake would be served with three beans hidden within, two white beans and one black one.  Whoever found the beans would be the “Kings” at the Epiphany feast.  Dressed in fine robes, they would preside over the feast and before leaving would hand out small gifts, equivalent to frankincense, myrhh and gold. 

In the royal courts of the Middle Ages, Epiphany Cakes would contain a bean for the king and a pea for the Queen.  Whoever found the bean and the pea would be the King and Queen of the feast. 

A traditional “Christ Cake” is popular in many countries of the world.  A tiny plastic or ceramic statue of Christ would be baked into the cake.  Whoever found the statue would be especially blessed throughout the coming year. 

Epiphany Cake

INGREDIENTS

2 Eggs

1 Cup of Sugar

1 Cup of Sour Cream

½ Cup Butter

2 ¼ Cups Unbleached Flour

3 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1 Teaspoons Salt

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

½ Teaspoon Lemon Extract

Small China Token or Dried Bean

For Frosting

2 Cups Powdered Sugar

1 Tablespoon Butter

2Tablespoons Lemon Juice (or enough to moisten into paste)

Crushed Nuts or Sprinkles to Decorate

Beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffly.  Add the sour cream, butter, vanilla and lemon extract. Mix together in a separate bowl flour, salt & baking powder. Lightly fold in the sifted flour mixture. Spoon the batter into the greased 8×3 inch cake pan (you can use a bundt pan if you wish).  Remember that you can also line the cake pan with parchment paper.  Make sure you add either the token or beans. 

Preheat oven to 325° F for about 35 minutes.  Don’t open the oven door.  Be patient!  When done, remove cake from the oven and cool the cake before frosting.

Frost the top and sides of the cake after mixing all of the ingredients.  Decorate with crushed nuts or sprinkles if you wish.

Chewy Ginger Snaps

December 20, 2010

Chewy Ginger Snaps

INGREDIENTS

2 Cups + 2 Tablespoons Flour

½ Teaspoon Ground Cloves

2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

½ Teaspoon Salt

¼ Cup Softened Butter

1 Cup Sugar

¼ Cup Dark Molasses

1 Egg

3.5 Ounces crystallized Ginger (coarsely chopped)

¼ Cup Turbinado Sugar for Rolling Dough

Preheat oven to 375° F.  Sift dry ingredients together.  Set aside.  Combine softened butter, sugar, molasses and egg.  Using a mixer, beat well.  Stir in crystallized ginger.  Sift dry ingredients together.  Add dry ingredients to wet mixture.  Mix well.  For 1 inch balls and roll in turbinado sugar.  Place on greased (or use parchment paper) cookie sheet 2 inches apart.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies. 

Peach Crumb Pie

December 20, 2010

Peach Crumb Pie

INGREDIENTS

½ Cup Unbleached Flour

¼ Cup Sugar

¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar

3 ½ Cups Sliced Peaches

½ Teaspoon Cinnamon

¼ Cup Unsalted Butter

1 Baked Pie Crust

½ Cup Chopped Nuts

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

Combine flour, sugar and cinnamon.  Cut in butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs.  Add Nuts.  Sprinkle ½ mixture on pie crust.  Arrange peach slices on crumbs.  Sprinkle with lemon juice and top with remaining crumbs.  Bake in a, preheated 425° F, oven for 15 minutes and then for 30 minutes at 375° F.  When done remove from oven and cool.

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