Posts filed under 'Dessert'
So Many Desserts – So Little Time
(From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Croissant Bread Pudding
One Christmas weekend down and one to go. We celebrated with some of the family last weekend and will travel to New Jersey on the 24th for further celebration with more of the family. I have almost 100 different dessert recipes on the website and so it makes sense that I make the dessert for the meals. Last weekend we had a cheesecake with cherries and the cranberry cake shown on a recent blog. For the Jersey trip I have solicited suggestions and requests from my brother-in-law. His list includes: Ada’s Butterscotch Pie, Brenda’s Favorite Lemon Tart, the flourless chocolate cake, and a carrot cake. My wife suggested Croissant Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce and I am leaning towards the Tiramisu.
Now that our blood sugar levels are up just from reading the list, it’s time to get serious and decide what I will take for the trip. We will have four big meals during the visit. I always like to have a couple desserts for people to have a choice so I think I will take about 4 desserts. I have the lemon tart cooling its heels in the freezer so now my list is down to three more. The bread pudding is easy and travels well so that will probably make the list. I guess you will have to check back next week to see what the finalists are?
Croissant Bread Pudding
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 12 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | New Neighbors (Share-a-Meal Plans) |
| 3 | large | egg |
| 8 | large | egg, yolks |
| 5 | cup | cream, half and half |
| 1.5 | cup | sugar, white |
| 1 | Tb | cinnamon. ground |
| 1.5 | tsp | vanilla |
| 1 | cup | raisins |
| 2 | oz | bourbon, Jack Daniels |
| 6 | large | croissants |
| 1 | spritz | PAM |
Slice croissants and leave on counter overnight. Mix all remaining ingredients in large bowl. Dip croissants in mixture, place in large, greased, oven-proof pan, and pour remaining mixture over the top. Bake 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven, or until lightly brown
Add comment December 17, 2009
Recipe of the Week – Cranberry Cake
(From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Cranberry Cake
We had our “early” Christmas on Saturday. Some of us won’t be here for the real Christmas so we gathered together to celebrate and enjoy each other’s company. As usual the food highlighted the weekend. We had pan-roasted chicken, Caesar salads and pasta with four cheeses. Our finale was Steak Diane, twice baked potatoes, French Vinaigrette salad and homemade artisan bread.
I made my usual Christmasy dessert of cheesecake, this time with cherries on the side for that festive look. My wife made her always great Cranberry Cake. This buttery delight hits on all cylinders, sweet, tart, crunchy and moist. It goes together in a flash and can’t be beat for a wonderful company dessert or even a mid-week surprise for your family.
Cranberry Cake
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 8 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | Other (General) |
| 2 | cup | cranberries, fresh |
| 1.5 | cup | sugar, white, divided |
| 1 | cup | walnuts, halved |
| 2 | large | egg, lightly beaten |
| 1 | cup | flour |
| 0.75 | cup | butter, salted |
| 1 | spritz | PAM |
| 1 | Tb | sugar, powdered |
Place cranberries and nuts in a large bowl and pour 1/3 of the sugar over the top; mix. Mix the slightly beaten eggs, the remaining sugar, the flour and the melted butter together. Pour over the cranberries and mix. Spray PAM in a pie pan and add the mixture. Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 60 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle some powdered sugar over the top just prior to serving.
Add comment December 15, 2009
Cookies Past and Present – A Look Back
My Mom's Sugar Cookies
It was about this time of the year, growing up in New Jersey, that my mother would make her buttery, sugar cookies. She had a can in the basement that held about 3 gallons, don’t know how many dozens that translates into, of these freshly cooked, crisp cookies. The patina on the can reflected all the years it was pushed into use to keep the cookies fresh throughout the Christmas season.
I found her recipe the other day and thought I would make some for the kids and the kids’ kids. I cut the recipe in half and still found that I really don’t have the patience to mix, roll, cut and bake all the cookies the recipe made. I don’t know how she stood there all day and rolled the cookies out and baked them. She must have made about 4 recipes to fill that old can.
I am glad I made them. For a short while my kitchen smelled just like hers a long, long time ago.
Find the recipe for these and many more at at emealsforyou.com.
Add comment December 10, 2009
Recipe of the Week – Nut Roll
(From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Nut Roll
Preparing for our early Christmas I suddenly realized that “Mr. Sweetooth” is coming home and I really didn’t have much in the way of goodies for him to eat. I remembered that my brother sent me his recipe, the old family recipe, for his nut roll. He makes it every Christmas but I have never given it a try. We had this at every house we visited during the holiday season growing up. You couldn’t pass up the Slovak treat of nut roll, by the end of the day you were so full you didn’t think you could eat any more, but then you did.
This is a very easy recipe, great for snacks around the holidays and especially nice to give away as gifts to friends and family. The nice thing is that it isn’t overly sweet, like the grocery store bakery makes. Give it a try and it may become a family tradition just like at my brother’s house.
David’s Nut Roll
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 12 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | N/A |
| 0.5 | lb | butter, salted |
| 0.5 | cup | sugar, white |
| 4 | large | egg |
| 2 | package | yeast, dried |
| 4 | Tb | water |
| 4 | cup | flour, all-purpose |
| 1 | tsp | salt, kosher |
| 1 | cup | milk, whole |
| 2 | lb | walnuts, chopped |
| 0.5 | lb | butter, salted |
| 0.5 | cup | sugar, white |
Cream butter and sugar, separate yolks and whites and reserve the egg whites. Add egg yolks and mix. Dissolve the yeast in warm (not hot) water; add to mixture. Add about 2 cups flour and mix; add the milk and then the rest of flour. You may have to add additional flour to make dough ball. Place dough ball in greases bowl. Put plastic wrap on top then dish towel. Allow to rise in a warm area until it doubles. Punch dough down and let rise again 1 hour
For the filling: Mix together the walnuts, melted butter and sugar.
To assemble: Roll dough on board ¼ – ½ inches thick. Spread nut mixture on dough and roll up. Place on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Cover with a towel and let it rise for about 1 ½ hours. Brush top with reserved egg whites. Bake 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees until golden brown. Makes about 5 rolls, may be frozen until needed.
Note: In a pinch for time, omit the first part of the recipe and use filo dough in place of the dough.
Add comment December 7, 2009
Recipe of the Week – Holiday Desserts
(From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Cherries Jubilee
Mini Dessert Tray
My holiday desserts run the gambit from the very easy, Cherries Jubilee to the time intensive, but well worth it, Mini Dessert Tray. Depending on your schedule pick a dessert that fits the meal you are serving. Always consider desserts that may be made in advance, either something you make the day before or desserts that freeze nicely and can be made weeks in advance.
We will be celebrating Christmas in Ohio early to accomodate some of our family who will be traveling and then Christmas on Christmas Day in New Jersey with some more of the family. This means many desserts. The desserts for the early Christmas can be made a day or so in advance. I am thinking I will forgo the Christmas Log and do a cheesecake, Laurie’s Cake (cornmeal cake) and some cannoli for the early one. A Fig and Hazelnut Tart, Bourbon Gelato and the Cherries Jubilee will round out the Christmas on Christmas meal. Maybe some Hazelnut Toffee for both, that’s because I am a nutcase about holiday desserts.
Cherries Jubilee
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 12 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | Other (General) |
| 2 | 15 oz can | canned cherries, dark, sweet |
| 0.5 | tsp | cinnamon. ground |
| 1.5 | Tb | sugar, white |
| 1 | tsp | arrowroot |
| 0.5 | gal | ice cream, vanilla |
| 1 | oz | brandy |
Place cherries, cinnamon and sugar in a medium size pot. Remove about half of the liquid and mix in a small bowl with the arrowroot. Return to pot and mix well, heat until thickened. Add brandy or rum and heat. Careful as this will flame, light cherries with a candle lighter. Allow flame to subside and serve over good vanilla ice cream.
Recipes for all of these and many more can be found at emealsforyou.com.
Add comment November 30, 2009
Recipe of the Week – Easy Berry Tart
(From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Easy Berry Tart
I was baking some tart shells to take on our next trip to New Jersey when my neighbor said she was having some family over for dinner yesterday. She doesn’t bake and I had the shells made already… so I decided to put a quick dessert together to send down to her.
This is a really easy dessert to put together. If you have the tart shell made, you can make them and freeze them for a later use, this tart takes about 10 minutes to to construct. Using a box of pudding and pie filling and two cups of milk; you create a dessert that looks great and taste even better. A nice way to salute the passing of the summer season.
Easy Berry Pie
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 8 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | N/A |
| 1 | recipe | tart shell |
| 2 | Tb | raspberry jam |
| 1 | box | pie filling, vanilla |
| 0.75 | cup | strawberries, whole |
| 0.75 | cup | raspberries, fresh |
| 0.75 | cup | blueberries |
| 1 | Tb | sugar, white, optional |
Make and bake tart shell according to the recipe found under recipe/dessert/tart dough. Allow to cool. Spread raspberry jam evenly on the bottom of the tart shell. Make the vanilla pie filling according to instructions on the box. Pour filling into tart shell and spread evenly. Quarter strawberries and place with blueberries and raspberries in a bowl; add a little sugar if the berries aren’t quite ripe. Toss berries together and spread on top of tart. Refrigerate until served.
Add comment September 14, 2009
Recipe of the Week – Pear Tatin
(From The Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Pear Tatin
I finally got to see the Julie and Julia movie this weekend. Regular readers will recall that I couldn’t go last weekend as I was still letting the kidney stone kick my butt. Feeling better after my last surgery my wife said I should go and off we went. I can only say one word to describe this movie, YUM!!!. Not just the food but the whole thing, acting, visuals and the food. For those “foodies” among us this is the first movie that really shows why we cook, why we are willing to spend the time and effort to get it right and get it to the table. If you go, watch the way everyone savors every morsel of the food. Not since the movie Tom Jones has such attention been given to the actual enjoyment of the food.
Cooking is all about, at least for me, watching my guests attack the food with gusto and enjoy it fully. This is the same if I am cooking for a crowd or just for myself; it’s simply about the pure pleasure of the food. I drive my wife crazy, she is not a taster, I can’t cook without tasting. I am constantly chasing her around with a spoonful of this or that, not so she can adjust my flavors, although that does happen on a few occasions, but to watch her reaction to the food.
Back to the Tatin, basically an upside down pie, this is delicious and can be made with pears or apples or a combination of both. On our emealsforyou.com website we have a Pear Tart Tatin listed which differs from this in that it is closer to an upside down cake. This tatin is listed as an Apple Tatin under the dessert category. As Julia says in the movie, “you must have courage and conviction” when flipping the tart onto the serving plate, Do this in the kitchen and simply re-arrange the tatin prior to bringing it to the table. No matter what it looks like, the taste is simply “divine”.
Apple Tatin
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 10 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | Dinner with Old Neighbors (Celebration Meal Plans) |
| 0.5 | recipe | Never Fail Pie Crust |
| 5 | medium | apple |
| 1 | medium | lemon zest, finely chopped |
| 0.5 | medium | lemon, juice of |
| 1.5 | cup | sugar, white, divided |
| 3 | Tb | butter, unsalted, softened |
| 5 | Tb | butter, unsalted, melted |
| 1 | Tb | sugar, powdered |
Prepare half a Never Fail Pie Crust, set in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and quarter the apples. Place in bowl with zest, lemon juice and ½ cup of the sugar. Set aside. Soften 3 Tb of the butter and spread over inside of a heavy cast iron frying pan (You may use cake or pie pan). Sprinkle a ¼ of an inch of sugar into the bottom of the pan, arrange the apples (this will become the top) in a pattern. Sprinkle with sugar and a tablespoon of the melted butter. Repeat until all the apples, sugar and butter have been added. Roll out dough and place over the top of the apples. Tuck sides and pierce crust in 6 places with a small knife to vent steam.
Place the pan over moderate heat on the top of the stove for 4-5 minutes to thicken the juices. Remove from stove and place in the center of a 425 degree pre-heated oven. Bake for 30 -35 minutes until the crust is golden. Remove from oven and place over moderate to high heat on stove and heat for 5 minutes, shaking the pan the entire time. This will loosen the apples from the pan and evaporate the juices. Place a serving plate over the top of the pan, invert quickly, shaking pan to release apples. Don’t panic if some of the apples stick to the pan, simple remove them carefully and replace on tatin. Sprinkle top with powdered sugar just prior to serving.
Add comment August 24, 2009
Recipe of the Week – Baked Alaska
(From The Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Baked Alaska
Need a special dessert for a special occasion? Want something that will have the crowd saying WOW! Baked Alaska may just be that dessert. This was my signature dessert for a friend’s birthday party last weekend. I wanted something that would look as special as it tasted. Usually on cruises they end the last night’s dinner with the waiters walking into the dining room holding a Baked Alaska over their heads; a sparkler blazing away from the middle. The guests applaud and then dig into it as if there was no tomorrow.
My version of this is both tasty and easy. While very impressive to see breaking it down into its componets makes it a simple recipe that anyone can make and impress their friends and families. To make this even easier use your favorite chocolate cake; mine is great but will take a bit more time.
P.S. We had a sparkler failure and they just burned like a candle instead of great sparks and all; nobody noticed.
Baked Alaska
| Complexity: | Medium |
| Serves: | 10 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | We’re Talking Chicken (Celebration Meal Plans) |
| 0.5 | recipe | Valentine Chocolate Cake Recipe |
| 1 | qt | vanilla ice cream |
| 5 | large | egg, whites |
| 2 | Tb | sugar, white |
| 1 | recipe | Hot Fudge Sauce |
Make Valentine cake (only ) in cookie sheet.
Cut cake into 3-inch rounds using cutter or thin wine glass. Place 1 dip of softened ice cream in center of cake round, spread evenly. Freeze to firm. Beat egg whites and sugar until stiff. Spread egg whites around cake and ice cream to totally cover. Place in broiler until golden, just a few minutes. Serve surrounded by hot fudge sauce.
Note: May be frozen as cake, cake with ice cream, or finished product. Broil to brown prior to serving.
Add comment July 27, 2009
Recipe of the Week – De-constructed Hazelnut Cheesecake
I made this for the dinner party last week; I wanted something special but that wasn’t hard or long-winded in its preparation. It takes a couple of easy recipes and combines… them adding some berries along the way. Apparently it was a hit as 7 out of the 9 people chose this over the baked pear with blue cheese fondant. Okay, reading that last line sounds a little uppity but really both desserts are easily made and served. The point being that something can look great, taste great and still require only as much work as making chocolate chip cookies and your guests will appreciate it more.
To prepare this dessert start by making half of the cheesecake recipe found on emealsforyou.com; just change the serving number to 6 on the sidebar. Take the cheesecake out of the oven just when the cheesecake is set but has not started to brown. Next make the hazelnut tuilles. All can be refrigerated or even frozen prior to the day you will serve them. Mix some berries in a bowl with a little sugar and set aside.
To assemble: place a dab of the cheesecake on a plate, place one hazelnut tuilles on top of the dab. Now with a melon baller or just a small spoon scoop out 3 small round balls of the cheesecake and place on the tuille, spoon a small amount of the berries over the cheesecake balls. Repeat for the next level and finish with a tuille. Spoon any berries leftover onto the plate.
Cheesecake
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 6 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | other (General) |
| 24 | oz | cream cheese |
| 4 | large | egg |
| 2 | large | egg, whites |
| 1 | cup | sugar, white |
| 1 | tsp | vanilla |
Have everything at room temperature. Mix together until very smooth. Pour into a springform pan, place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Turn off oven and let cheesecake sit ( in oven) for 1 hour. This is best if made the day before and refrigerated over night.
2 comments July 20, 2009
Recipe of the Week – Pine Nut Baklava
(From The Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Pine Nut Baklava
I know this is weird for those of you who look upon cooking as a chore but every once in a while I get the urge to put together a full dinner party. This differs from most of the meals I prepare in that I make several different complete courses. My wife thinks I usually overdo it but then again she likes the food I serve so the complaints are muted.
A group of the neighbors have been getting together to let our dogs run and enjoy some wine and conversation. As we did or rather Debbie did the picnic thing for Memorial Day (see Best Ribs Ever) I thought it was time to do the full blown dinner party thing. Here is the menu for those who want to know what I will be serving along with the Baklava recipe. It may not seem like it, but I picked these recipes as they are both easy, can be made before the guests arrive and won’t destroy the budget. Here is the recipe for the Baklava which will be part of one of the desserts. Yes I did say part ; so if you are like my wife… right about now you too are thinking I may be a little over the top with this dinner.
A quick note on Meal Planning. Notice that I have the menu pretty much set, the recipes printed and the shopping list printed a full two weeks out from the event. This will allow me to find what I need and also watch for sales on the ingredients; saving money and relieving stress.
Neighborhood Saturday Night Dinner
Drinks
Martinis and Wine
Appetizers
Baked Garlic
TJ’s Special Dipping Sauce
Salad
Warmed goat cheese medallion served on Mixed Greens with French Vinaigrette
Main Course
Bistro Chicken
Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
Haricot Vert
Bread
French Rolls
Dessert
Deconstructed Hazelnut Cheesecake
Roasted Pears with Blue Cheese Fondant and Pine Nut Baklava
Pine Nut Baklava
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 10 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | Other (General) |
| 2 | cup | pine nuts, toasted |
| 0.5 | cup | butter, unsalted |
| 1 | cup | honey |
| 0.25 | tsp | cinnamon. ground |
| 9 | sheets | filo |
| 1 | tsp | sugar, powdered |
| 0.5 | cup | pine nuts, toasted |
| 0.5 | cup | simple syrup |
Chop the toasted pine nuts and combine with half the butter, honey, and cinnamon in a bowl. Lay 2 pieces of the filo dough on a flat surface, melt remaining butter and brush the filo with the butter, dust with powdered sugar and 2 Tb of the nut mixture. Repeat with the remaining filo, capping with the last piece of filo. Cut the filled filo to fit an oven-proof pan. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the simple syrup in a pan and reduce by half. Pour half of this on top of filo and spread evenly. Bake for 30 -40 minutes , until lightly browned. Pour remaining simply syrup over the top and allow to cool. Cut into serving pieces.
The recipes for this meal and much more can be found at emealsforyou.com
2 comments June 29, 2009
