Posts tagged ‘great dessert’
Recipe of the Week – Mixed Berry Tart
(From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Mixed Berry Tart
During a quick trip to New Jersey last week I got into a discussion about recipes and how Charlie Trotter, of Chicago fame, once said he never strives to make the same recipe exactly the same each time. The reasons for this is the ingredients might change, or if you cook like me, adverse to measuring, you may add more or less of something. The other topic that came up is “cooking like a French farmer’s wife”, this means using ingredients you have on hand. With this in mind we had a dinner party Sunday night, comfort food really: pot roast, roasted potatoes and carrots. For dessert I had some berries in the frig and decided to make a cake using them. Borrowing the basic recipe for a Cranberry Cake on the site at emealsforyou.com, I made the cake without the cranberries and used the berries. A quick dusting of finishing sugar and we had a spectacular, both visually and taste-wise, finish to a good, cold-weather meal with friends.
Mixed Berry Tart
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 8 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | other (General) |
| 1.5 | cups | sugar, granulated |
| 1 | cup | walnuts, chopped, toasted |
| 2 | large | egg, lightly beaten |
| 1 | cup | flour, all-purpose |
| 0.75 | cup | butter, salted |
| 1 | cup | mixed berries |
| 4 | Tb | apricot jam |
| 1 | spritz | PAM |
| 1 | Tb | sugar, finishing |
Place 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 nuts and mix. Spray PAM in a 9-inch springform pan and add the mixture. Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Melt the jam in the microwave, pour over the berries. Arrange the berries on top of cooled cake. Sprinkle the finishing sugar over the top just prior to serving.
More like this at emealsforyou.com.
To Foodie or Not to Foodie – A Rant and a Recipe
We are always torn when writing on this blog and more importantly when adding recipes to our website at emealsforyou.com how far down the Foodie Road we go. It has been our intention from the start to provide you with recipes and meal plans that are easy to make, use common ingredients and most important, interesting. With this in mind I sometimes think you might take a look at the title and decide the recipe is not for you.
I enjoy cooking, and thinking about cooking. We do have a rule around here that you can’t talk about the next meal while eating the current meal. Cooking is all about confidence. Confidence is about trying new recipes and having them turn out great; or sometimes making them a few times to get it right. The important thought here is to try. Don’t be put off by something new or a “fancy” name. Our readership is composed of all levels of cooks; from chefs to the newly wed preparing her or his first meal for the in-laws.
So here we go! This sounds crazy but it will take a store-bought carrot cake to a new level of dessert. Give it a try and let us know what you think.
Goat Cheese Ice Cream
Goat Cheese Ice Cream
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 12 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | N/A |
| 2 | cups | cream, heavy |
| 0.5 | cup | milk, whole |
| 4 | large | egg, yolks |
| 0.25 | cup | sugar, granulated |
| 3 | Tb | corn syrup, light |
| 4 | oz | cheese, goat |
Bring the cream and the milk to a boil. Whisk egg yolks and sugar together and slowly add some of the hot cream into the yolks, stirring constantly. Add the yolk mixture to the cream and cook for 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly. Whisk the corn syrup and the goat cheese together and add to the cream mixture. Remove from heat and whisk until fully blended. Cool in a water bath and then process in an ice cream maker. Freeze until needed.
Note: This is very rich and should be used in conjunction with other desserts.
Shown over carrot cake.
From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com.
Recipe of the Week – Strawberry Pie
(From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Strawberry Pie
We are spoiled; strawberries are available all year-long in the local grocery. I love strawberries. One of my earliest memories is climbing into my aunt’s backyard growing up and eating the fresh strawberries in June. She would come out with a bowl of sugar and we would dip the fresh, ripe, red berries in the sugar bowl and our chins would be covered with juice. I must have been all of 3 at the time.
It’s hard to walk through the market and not pick up a quart of strawberries. This weekend there was a special on them so I picked up 3 quarts. My mind was set on making a strawberry pie. We were unable to find any gelatin so I tried with pectin; not a good idea. Good idea for jam not for pies. Not to be deterred I found the gelatin today and started over. Here is the result of my efforts. While the first one was tasty and really, really juicy the second hit right on the mark.
I guess practice makes perfect. Maybe you should get a little practice in; your family will love you for it!
Strawberry Pie
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 10 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | other (General) |
| 1 | recipe | Pie Dough |
| 3 | qt | strawberries, sliced |
| 2 | cups | sugar, granulated |
| 1 | Tb | gelatin |
| 2 | Tb | lemon, juice of |
| 2 | oz | water |
| 1 | Tb | sugar, finishing |
Prepare a baked pie crust. Heat 2/3rds of the sliced strawberries; retaining remaining for decoration, in a pot on medium heat. Add sugar and cook until the strawberries cook down and the sugar forms a syrup, about 20 minutes. In a separate bowl mix the gelatin, lemon juice and water; add to the cooked berries. Allow to cool. Spoon into the pie crust and cut the remaining berries in half and place around the top of the pie. Sprinkle the finishing sugar over the top. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.
More great pies and desserts at emealsforyou.com.
Creme Brulee or What to do with all those extra egg yolks
From the Dessert Category at emealsforyou.com.
Creme Brulee
After I made the Strawberry Angel Cakes I was left with a ton of egg yolks. I just couldn’t dump them down the drain so I decided to make some Creme Brulee. This is a very easy recipe and worth the few minutes it takes to make it. I dressed it up with a sliced strawberry. The crunch that the caramelized sugar makes on top adds up to a special dessert that everyone will love and they don’t have to know you were just being frugal.
Creme Brulee
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 6 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | other (General) |
| 1 | large | egg |
| 4 | large | egg, yolks |
| 0.5 | cup | sugar, white |
| 2 | cups | cream, half and half |
| 1 | cup | milk, 2 % |
| 3 | Tb | sugar, white |
| 1 | tsp | vanilla |
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the egg, egg yolks, and the sugar together on low speed until just combined. Meanwhile, scald the half and half and milk in a small saucepan until it’s very hot to the touch but not boiled. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the cream to the eggs. Add the vanilla and pour into 6 to 8-ounce ramekins until almost full.
Place the ramekins in a baking pan and carefully pour boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custards are set when gently shaken. (Internal Temperature of 170 degrees) Remove the custards from the water bath, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until firm.
Sprinkle .5 Tb of sugar on top of each creme brulee and place under the broiler until just starting to brown. Carefully, very hot, remove from broiler and cool to serve.
Look for more great and easy recipes at emealsforyou.com.
Strawberries – Year-Round
From the Dessert Category at emealsforyou.com.
Strawberry Angel Food Cakes
Ever have one of those days? Well I am working on day 2 of one of those days. I originally thought about writing about Bourbon Slushes, but then I thought you would think I was taking the easy way out. Anyway, growing up we had strawberries at the most a couple of months out of the year, usually sometime between March and May. Now the strawberries, and I am talking pretty good strawberries are available all year round. I am not sure just where they are coming from, Chile or Florida or wherever, but those pretty little fruits are plentiful and sweet.
Here is a recipe for individual strawberry short cakes, at least we called it strawberry short cake, even though it wasn’t short or crunchy but soft as an angel’s pillow.
BTW – if you want that Bourbon Slush recipe send me an email; just click on the email chef jake on the top, right corner of the blog homepage.
Angel Food Cakes
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 12 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | Other (General) |
| 1.75 | cup | sugar, white, divided |
| 0.25 | tsp | salt, table |
| 1 | cup | flour, cake |
| 12 | large | egg, whites |
| 0.33 | cup | water |
| 1 | tsp | vanilla |
| 1.5 | tsp | cream of tartar |
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor spin sugar about 2 minutes until it is superfine. Sift half of the sugar with the salt and the cake flour, setting the remaining sugar aside.
In a large bowl, use a balloon whisk to thoroughly combine egg whites, water, vanilla, and cream of tartar. After 2 minutes, switch to a hand mixer. Slowly sift the reserved sugar, beating continuously at medium speed. Once you have achieved medium peaks, sift enough of the flour mixture in to dust the top of the foam. Using a spatula fold in gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated.
Carefully spoon mixture into an ungreased muffin tin. Bake for 25 minutes, checking for doneness with a wooden skewer. (When inserted halfway between the inner and outer wall, the skewer should come out dry).
Cool at least an hour before removing from pan.
Fill with berries or fruit.
More of these at emealsforyou.com.
The Super Bowl of Desserts – Croissant Bread Pudding
From the Dessert Category at emealsforyou.com.
Croissant Bread Pudding
I have been going over the options for desserts for the many Superbowl parties my readers are planning. I wanted something that was easy to make in advance, serve a ton of people and something that the “guys” would like. The bread pudding comes together in a few minutes and once it is baked you can serve it warm or at room temperature. You can leave it out for the duration of the game and your guests will be able to serve themselves; freeing you up to watch as much of the game as you wish.
Whether you are serving wings, pizza or a full course meal this is one dessert that everyone will appreciate. Besides, after all that beer a little bourbon poured over the top of the bread pudding is a welcomed change.
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 the mixture, place in a large, greased, oven-proof pan, and pour remaining mixture over the top. Bake 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven, or until lightly brown. Pour a little more Jack Daniels over the top to serve.
More Super desserts at emealsforyou.com.
Recipe of the Week – Sticking with an Old Favorite – Carrot Cake
(From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Carrot Cake
We are off again this weekend for our quarterly trip to New Jersey so this week I will be making the desserts that we will freeze and take with us. I try to mix it up and make different desserts each time but somehow I always get a request for carrot cake. So along with a chocolate cake and probably some tart shells to fill with peaches cooked in brown sugar and bourbon; I was in the kitchen this morning putting together this never-fail, always appreciated cake. Just 15 minutes shredding carrots and mixing the batter in the food processor and into the oven and I have a classic dessert that freezes and travels well. I make the cream cheese icing once I get there and I am then prepared to present a great finish to the meal even after our 9 hour drive.
They say carrots are good for the eyes but I think this one is great for your stomach.
Carrot Cake
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 12 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | You’re Something Special (Celebration Meal Plans) |
| 1.5 | cup | oil, vegetable |
| 2 | cup | sugar, white |
| 4 | large | egg |
| 2 | cup | flour, all-purpose |
| 1.5 | tsp | baking soda |
| 1.5 | tsp | baking powder |
| 2 | tsp | cinnamon. ground |
| 1 | tsp | salt, kosher |
| 3 | whole | carrots, fresh, whole |
| 1 | cup | walnuts, chopped |
| 0.5 | cup | raisins, golden |
Cream sugar, eggs and oil.
Mix in flour, baking soda and powder, cinnamon and salt. Add grated carrots, nuts and raisins.
Bake in greased tube pan or (2) 9 inch cake pans for 40- 50 minutes at 350 degrees.
Cover with cream cheese icing. *
Cream Cheese Icing
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 12 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | Other (General) |
| 8 | Tb | butter, unsalted |
| 1 | lb | sugar, powdered |
| 1 | Tb | vanilla |
| 8 | oz | cream cheese |
Blend together in food processor until smooth.
Find the tart recipe and more at emealsforyou.com
Back in the Kitchen Again – Doing the Happy Dance
(From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Dana's Flourless Chocolate Cake
I’m doing the happy dance, I am back in the kitchen again. Some of you will think I am nuts, some only semi-nuts and a few will understand. For those of us who cook, eating in fast food restaurants, getting take-out, or even going to the chain restaurants is a punishment, not a plus. The food is never as good as it should be, the atmosphere not great and not up to the high standard we set at home. So you can see that now that my move is complete and my kitchen almost back to where I know what is “behind door number 3″, I am extremely happy to be “home” again. I am still trying to get everything situated in the kitchen, what goes in what drawer and where the particular plates are but man it is good to be making the food the way I want it and besides, no tipping required.
My wonderful brother-in-law came to town to help with the move and we are working on his kitchen skills. Over the years he has paid attention, more attention than I thought, in the kitchen as we caught up on our lives. We cooked a few meals together and I was pleasantly surprised that he had absorbed many of the basics. Anyway, during the NJ Christmas trip he put in his “wish list” for desserts, we did 4 out of the 5 he requested. The odd man out was a flourless chocolate cake so I thought it was fitting that we, actually he, would make this while he was here. He did a great job on the cake. We did think it took longer to bake than it should have so a good lesson here is to check the oven temperature on a new or different oven when baking for the first time. Apparently my oven beeps when it is preheated; only problem was that it beeped about 20 minutes and 100 degrees before it reached the proper temperature. This threw the total baking time off somewhat. Anyway, the cake was great and I froze the leftovers, so last night I had a piece. The cake was good, the memories better, so here’s to your, Campy, for all your help and for the cake.
Dana’s Flourless Chocolate Cake
| Complexity: | Medium |
| Serves: | 10 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | Happy Birthday (Celebration Meal Plans) |
| 8 | Tb | butter, salted |
| 16 | oz | chocolate, semi-sweet bits |
| 9 | large | egg, separated |
| 1 | cup | sugar, white |
| 3 | Tb | cocoa |
| 1 | recipe | chocolate ganache |
Preheat oven to 350. butter a 9” springform pan; line the bottom with buttered wax paper, dust with cocoa powder. Melt chocolate and butter together, allow to cool slightly. Separate eggs; beat yolks on medium for 1 minute, add sugar and beat until light yellow. In a separate bowl beat egg whites until just peaking. Blend cooled chocolate with egg yolks, add cocoa; fold in egg whites. Pour into pan, bake for 40-45 minutes. This is a very moist cake and an inserted knife should come out barely wet. Allow to cool for ½ hour prior too removing from pan. Pour chocolate ganache over top, leave on counter until ready to serve.
If you refrigerate this cake the ganache will lose its shine.
·Note: This is almost a souffle; it will rise and drop, if the center caves in don’t panic. Fill with berries and pretend it was on purpose. It happens to all of us.
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.
Recipe of the Week – Flourless Chocolate Cake
I have been remiss in my posting lately, combination of having the flu and then a family trip to NJ, but I am back now and writing. For those of you who frequent this blog you may remember my previous posts about travel to NJ. This typically means large family dinners, good conversations and even better food. This time was no exception to either.
We started with Ravioli with Vodka Sauce and after a Stuffed Pork Roast we finished with grilled 2″ thick t-bones, but that is not the story. The story is the desserts. I decided to take about 6 desserts with me on the trip. This way everyone could chose their favorite or as it turned out, favorites. With so many to choose from the four nights provided an opportunity to give a few a try. The list of “suspects” included: Carrot Cake, Profiteroles with Hot Fudge Sauce, Flourless Chocolate Cake, Croissant Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce and Cheesecake. Needless to say: many diets will begin today.
Here is the recipe for the Flourless Chocolate Cake from the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Dana's Flourless Chocolate Cake
Dana’s Flourless Chocolate Cake
| Complexity: | Medium |
| Serves: | 10 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | Happy Birthday (Celebration Meal Plans) |
| 8 | Tb | butter, salted |
| 16 | oz | chocolate, semi-sweet bits |
| 9 | large | egg, separated |
| 1 | cup | sugar, white |
| 3 | Tb | cocoa |
| 1 | recipe | chocolate ganache |
Preheat oven to 350. butter a 9” springform pan; line the bottom with buttered wax paper, dust with cocoa powder. Melt chocolate and butter together, allow to cool slightly. Separate eggs; beat yolks on medium for 1 minute, add sugar and beat until light yellow. In a separate bowl beat egg whites until just peaking. Blend cooled chocolate with egg yolks, add cocoa; fold in egg whites. Pour into pan, bake for 40-45 minutes. This is a very moist cake and an inserted knife should come out barely wet. Allow to cool for ½ hour prior too removing from pan. Pour chocolate ganache over top, leave on counter until ready to serve.
If you refrigerate this cake the ganache will lose its shine.
·Note: This is almost a soufflé; it will rise and drop, if the center caves in don’t panic. Fill with berries and pretend it was on purpose. It happens to all of us.
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