Category: Dessert – Eat dessert first, Life is uncertain
Eat Dessert First – Life is uncertain. This saying was on a packaged cake I purchased 20 years ago. As I have gotten older, it has taken on deeper meaning or at least my understanding has increased.
6 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
15 slices bread (croissants, texas toast, raisin bread). Many recipes recommend removing crust, but I like the crusts.
Combine eggs, cream and spices beat well. Dip bread slices and add to buttered baking dish.
Top first layer with sprinkle of brown sugar and another layer of dipped bread and sprinkle remaining brown sugar on top. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.
Serve with powdered sugar or maple syrup or butterscotch or carmel sauce or chocolate sauce.
Serve with Crispy Bacon, Hot Black Coffee with Whipped Cream! Enjoy your treat!
Directions:
1. Line two 1/2-cup coeur a la creme molds or two 6-ounce custard cups with double thickness of dampened cheesecloth, extending far enough beyond edges to enclose filling completely.
2. Combine 1/4 cup whipping cream, cocoa and butter in small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat; cool.
3. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla in small bowl until smooth. Add cocoa mixture, blending well. Add remaining 1/4 cup whipping cream; beat until well blended. Spoon mixture into prepared molds. Fold cheesecloth over top. Place a wire rack in a tray or deep plate; place molds on rack.
4. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. To serve, pull back cheesecloth and invert each mold onto a chilled dessert plate; carefully remove cheesecloth. Serve with STRAWBERRY SAUCE. 2 servings.
STRAWBERRY SAUCE:
1. Puree 1 package (10 oz.) frozen strawberries in light syrup, thawed, in food processor bowl or blender container.
2. Strain puree through fine sieve into small bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon kirsch (cherry brandy), if desired. About 1 cup sauce.
1 1/2 cup Strawberries
1/2 cup Blackberries
Sugar
Almond Extract
1 package Puff Pastry (from your freezer section at the grocery store)
Whipped Cream (optional)
Bake the puff pastry into shapes using an egg wash so they are beautifully golden brown.
400 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Fill the tarts with sugared berries. Top with whip cream to serve.
Adapted from Paula Dean’s Peach Cobbler from The Lady and Sons
Ingredients
4 cups peeled, sliced peaches
2 cups sugar, divided
1 tsp Almond Extract
1/2 cup water
8 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/2 cups milk
Ground cinnamon, optional
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt.
Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if using. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.
To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Modified from Martha Stewart’s Recipe:
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 pound good-quality milk chocolate, 4 ounces coarsely chopped and 4 ounces cut into 1/4-inch chunks
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract lor black walnut extract
1/4 teaspoon instant expresso (optional)
1/2 cup finely chopped black walnuts
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Melt 4 ounces coarsely chopped vegan chocolate with the butter in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; let cool slightly.
2.Put chocolate mixture, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chunks.
3.Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, drop dough onto
parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies are flat and surfaces crack, about 12-13 minutes (cookies should be soft). Let cool on parchment on wire racks. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.
For more delicious vegan recipes like this one, be sure to check out the wide variety of recipes on janeunchained.com.
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce, recipe follows
2 half-pints fresh raspberries
Directions
Place the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the beater and bowl with a rubber spatula and change the beater for the whisk attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the heavy cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and vanilla bean seeds and beat on high speed until the mixture is very thick, like whipped cream.
Line a 7-inch sieve with cheesecloth or paper towels so the ends drape over the sides and suspend it over a bowl, making sure that there is space between the bottom of the sieve and the bottom of the bowl for the liquid to drain. Pour the cream mixture into the cheesecloth, fold the ends over the top, and refrigerate overnight.
To serve, discard the liquid, unmold the cream onto a plate, and drizzle Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce around the base. Serve with raspberries and extra sauce.
Raspberry and Grand Marnier Sauce:
1 half-pint fresh raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup seedless raspberry jam
2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)
Place raspberries, sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam, and orange liqueur into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth. Chill.
If your unmolding isn’t perfect, scoup the creme on top of the raspberry sauce using dainty little tea cups!
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped black walnuts
Zest from 1 Orange
Directions
1.Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.
2.In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing just until the yellow disappears. Combine the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk. Stir in the vanilla and walnuts, and pour into the prepared pan.
3.Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted into the crown comes out clean. Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before turning out of the pan onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Top with Chocolate Genache or Whipped cream made using the the Power Whip and Drizzle warm chocolate chips and your favorite sprinkles: Valentines, etc…
Depending upon the size cake or cupcake you will probably cook somewhere between 18 minutes and 40 for a full size cake.
325 degree oven.
Be sure to try this recipe, it is really is one of my favorites. It reminds me of the amazing cakes we get from BUTTER + CREAM BAKERY all the time.
Well, we are planning for Christmas Eve dinner and this pie is on the menu. If you don’t have something chocolately, most will feel something is missing. So, this is going to be our Chocolate fix. So exciting!Â
Chocolate Pecan Pie
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 T butter
2 Ounces unsweetened Chocolate cut into pieces
1 T Bourbon
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup chopped Pecans
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
1 9-inch unbaked pastry shell
Honey-Pecan Topping
1. Prepare your pie crust.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl combine eggs, granulated and brown sugars, corn syrup, bourbon, vanilla and salt. Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate pieces in microwave for 15 seconds or until melted (just barely – do not over do it.). Mix well, stir in semi-sweet chocolate pieces and chopped pecans.
3. Carefully pour the pie filling into the pie shell. Bake for 25 minutes. Use foil to cover pie edges to prevent overbrowning. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes.
4. Make the Honey Pecan topping: In a small saucepan combine 2/3 cup brown sugar,  6 T of butter, 6 T of honey. Bring to a boil stirring constantly; reduce heat. Simmer 2 minutes uncovered stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 cups Pecan halves.
5. Carefully spoon the Honey Pecan topping onto the pie.  Continue to bake for 10 minutes more or until the topping is bubbly. Cool completely.
This is a beautiful pie. Can be made 24 hours in advance.
 Definately inspired by my mother and her garden. I loved fried green tomatoes as a child and when Mom would make a Green Tomato Pie, wow! How did she do that.  This is the perfect combination for me. Tart Granny Smith Apples and Tomatoes. Enjoy this is country farmstyle eating at its best.
Green Tomato and Apple Pie
Â
 Apple and Green Tomato Pie
Pastry
500g plain flour
pinch of salt
300g unsalted butter, well chilled and cut into 1cm cubes
25g caster sugar, and extra to sprinkle
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
2-3 tablespoons cold water
milk to brush
Filling
5 Cox’s apples
4 green tomatoes
150g caster sugar
grated zest and juice of a lemon
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon light muscovado sugar
1. To make the pastry, sift flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter evenly until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in sugar and vanilla extract. Lightly beat the egg yolk with the water in a small bowl then pour this over the flour mixture.
2. Combine with your fingertips to incorporate and add a little more water if required. Form into a ball and knead lightly. Wrap in foil and chill for an hour.
3. Now to prepare the filling. Core the apples and slice them finely leaving the skin on. Slice the tomatoes into rounds and place into a bowl with the apples. Add caster sugar, lemon zest and juice.
4. When the pastry is ready, take out half from the fridge and roll this out into a 3mm thick round large enough to line the base and sides of a 20cm fluted pie tin. Press the pastry into the tin and prick the base of the pastry. Chill for 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 180°C.
5. Line the pastry with grease proof paper and baking beans and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes to dry out the base. Set aside to cool.
6. Roll out the rest of the pastry thinly into a round 5mm thick for the pie lid.
7. Stir cinnamon and sugar into the filling and pour into the pie case. Top with the pastry lid and press the pastry edges to seal with your thumbs, fluting them as you go. Brush with a little milk. Mark small incisions into the lid of the pie to let it breathe when baking.
8. Place in the oven (middle shelf) for 30-40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
9. Sprinkle the pie with caster sugar and serve with cold pouring cream, cream friache or just a dollop of vanilla icecream.
Recipe from How I cook by Skye Gyngell (Quadrille).
I would love to take credit for these. While I was in Trader Joe’s I picked up a couple of packages.
Oh my. Sometimes, Trader Joe’s hits it out of the park. These are so good.
Trader Joe’s Truffle Brownies
Just follow the directions and add 1/2 cup of melted butter and 2 eggs.
Yummy. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.
Of course, I added chopped walnuts. Dennis said they would be perfect if I had added a little coconut.
Being a coconut nut, he says that about everything I make.
