Posts tagged ‘quick 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.
Recipe of the Week – Peach Tart
From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com
Peach Tart
You have to love July/August; not for the weather but for the peaches. Early in Mid-June the peaches from Georgia start to show up at the local Farmers’ Markets. We wait patiently for the arrival of July when the peaches from South Carolina make their appearance. By August first we have all kinds of peaches to pick from.
While I am partial to the South Carolina peaches any peach in my mind is a good peach. In our family the best peach is one that has to be eaten outside or if inside over a trashcan; thus preventing the delicious juices from flowing all over our clothes. The only problem with this is that you have to keep from eating the peaches until they reach this marvelous state of ripeness. If by chance you happen to buy some that are not quite to this point and you just have to have them; try this easy tart. Baking them will increase their sweetness and your family will thank you for the treat.
Peach Tart
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 10 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | 29 and Holding (Celebration Meal Plans) |
| 2 | Tb | butter, salted |
| 1 | recipe | tart shell |
| 5 | large | peaches, sliced |
| 0.5 | cup | sugar, brown |
| 1 | Tb | vanilla |
| 1 | Tb | lemon, juice of |
| 0.5 | tsp | sugar, finishing |
Prepare tart shell according to the recipe. Peal peaches and cut into 8 wedges each. Add butter to a sauté pan and heat until melted. Place peaches in pan and sauté for 4 minutes. Add the brown sugar, vanilla and lemon juice and cook until the peaches are just tender but not mushy. Remove peaches from pan and cook. Return the pan to the heat and cook juices down until thick and caramelly. Place peaches in the baked tart shell; pour reduced juice over the peaches. Sprinkle finishing sugar (course) over top. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
More peachy recipes at emealsforyou.com.
Recipe of the Week – Quick Strawberry Pastry
(From the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Quick Strawberry Pastry
I usually like to make everything from scratch but once in a while I “cheat” to save time. With 14 coming for brunch on Easter I am looking for any opportunity to make a great dessert with as little time invested as possible. This recipe uses vanilla pudding and frozen puff pastry dough. Add some strawberries and a bit of whipped cream and you have a dessert worthy of the best corner bakery. You don’t have to tell anyone it was quick and easy.
I like easy; I think you will too!
Quick Strawberry Pastry
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 6 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | N/A |
| 0.5 | package | puff pastry, frozen |
| 1 | box | instant pudding, vanilla |
| 1 | pt | strawberries, whole |
| 1 | Tb | sugar, granulated |
| 1 | 7 oz can | whipped cream, canned |
| 1 | Tb | sugar, powdered |
Cut one sheet of frozen puff pastry into thirds, thaw and bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes until golden. Cut strawberries in half and place in bowl, sprinkle sugar on top. Make pudding according to instructions on the box.
To assemble: Cut each puff pastry into a top and bottom piece. Place 1/3rd of the pudding in each bottom ,spread evenly, place 1/3rd of the strawberries on top of pudding. Spread whipped cream evenly on top of berries. Cover with pastry top and sprinkle with powered sugar. Cut in 6 pieces and serve.
More great desserts at emealsforyou.com. now with a new lower subscription price.
Bonus Recipe of the Week – Tiramisu
(From The Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
Tiramisu
Tiramisu is a little like handwriting, everyone’s is a little different. I make this recipe in a very large bowl or in a square springform pan… with the bowl it becomes a less formal dessert that you spoon onto plates, the springform allows you to slice the dessert and serve more guests. This dessert is really easy to put together, uses store-bought lady fingers and creates that Oh WOW! at any party or function.
In the old south this would probably be called a Charlotte, in the north a Fool, basically it is pieces of cake, surrounded with sweet cream and pieces of fruit or syrups. It is best made the night before as sitting in the frig helps to develop the flavors. I am taking mine to a party down the street, which started as a neighbor’s family gathering and rapidly progressed to a large group; perhaps it was the Margaritas that were floating around. I think we have lost count of how many will be there but this dessert will easily serve 16 or more people.
Tiramisu
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 12 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | Brunch Anyone? (Distinctive Dinners) |
| 1 | qt | cream, whipping |
| 2 | cup | sugar, white |
| 24 | oz | cream cheese |
| 2 | Tb | coffee, instant |
| 3 | Tb | water, hot |
| 4 | Tb | sugar, white |
| 4 | Tb | coffee liqueur |
| 6 | oz | chocolate, ground |
| 4 | Tb | cocoa |
| 2 | package | ladyfingers |
Whip cream with 1/2 the sugar. Cream the cream cheese with remaining sugar until light. Gradually add whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture.
Dissolve coffee in hot water, add sugar and coffer liqueur.
Place a layer of ladyfingers (split) in bottom of serving bowl (6X9), brush with coffee mixture, sprinkle with cocoa and chocolate, spread a layer of cream cheese mixture (3/4” thick). Sprinkle with cocoa and chocolate, repeat ladyfingers, and so on. Cover top with final layer of cocoa and chocolate, refrigerate.
Best when made the day before.
Hint: serve with a drizzle of hot fudge sauce on top. Shown here made in a 9 X 9 springform pan.
This recipe and more like it can be found at www.emealsforyou.com.
Recipe of the Week – Pinwheel Tart
Pinwheel Tart
(from the Dessert Collection at emealsforyou.com)
At first glance you have to say “wow, what a great looking dessert”. I like this tart because it is very easy and quick to make. You can make this as a summer dessert but I like it for those wintry nights as a surprise, thanks to the frozen food manager of my local grocery store.
Stealing a line from Michael Chiarello’s NapaStyle show, let me rant for 60 seconds. You go to the market and they have those great looking peaches. Your mouth starts to water and you just have to buy some, even at $1.99 per pound. You get home and Viola! mushy, tasteless nothings. Okay thanks, I feel better getting that out. The point here is I buy frozen peaches all the time. You pretty much get good quality and at least they are consistent. Before you send me the comments about fresh is always better; I buy the real thing if they look great. That’s right I buy one, go out to my car, eat it and if I now have juice on my shirt I go back and buy more.
So gather your fruit, whatever you like. Make the tart shell, what you thought I said this was quick and easy? I make my own tart shells; 30 seconds in the food processor, 30 minutes in the frig and then roll it out and bake it. So if you like, buy the tart shell already prepared. Bake the tart shell according to the recipe.
Tart Dough
Roll dough out and place in 10″ tart pan. Use a fork to poke holes in bottom to vent . Place in refrigerator for 15 minutes prior to baking.Bake in preheated 375 oven for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown.
May be frozen at this point.
Pinwheel Tart
| Complexity: | Easy |
| Serves: | 8 |
| Category: | Dessert |
| Meal: | New Baby (Share-a-Meal Plans) |
| 1 | recipe | Tart Dough |
| 3 | Tb | raspberry preserves |
| 1 | lb | peaches, sliced |
| 0.5 | pt | strawberries, whole |
| 0.33 | cup | blackberries, fresh |
| 3 | Tb | apricot jam |
Prepare tart shell according too recipe. Cool
Heat raspberry preserves in microwave for 1 minute until liquefied. Spread on tart shell bottom. Skin peaches, cut into 3/4 wedges, arrange along outside of tart shell in a full circle. Cut strawberries in half; arrange cut side down inside of the peaches. Finish center of tart with the blackberries. Heat apricot preserves in microwave for 1 minute, until liquefied. Brush gently on top of fruit.
Serve with powered sugar; whip cream or vanilla ice cream.
Note: You may use frozen fruit, thawed.
This tart is from the New Baby (Share a Meal Plan) meal; for more meal plans and recipes like this go to emealsforyou.com
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