Easy Apple Pie

On Sunday Matt's family came over for dinner.  I was not as prepared as I had hoped to be and it was 3:30, I was at the grocery store and everyone was coming over at 5.  I still wanted to do desert and I saw a can of Comstock apples.  I called my Aunt Deb, who is a master at deserts to see what I could do.  We decided on an apple pie with a crumbled struessel topping.  
You will need

A premade frozen pie crust (I keep the Marie Calendar's ones in my freezer)

1 can of Comstock Apples Pie Filling

4 tablespoons of butter softened

6 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

Place the apples in the pie crust.  In a bowl combine with your fingers the flour, sugar and Cinnamon.  Slowly add the butter until it is crumbly.  You might not need it all.  Top the apples with mixture.  Preheat the oven to 400 and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the crust is brown.  Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.  (Hopefully your niece is over to test the whipped cream like Lily was for me!)

Sweet Potatoes for Desert

I know I said that the cranberries were my favorite part of Thanksgiving but my other favorite is the sweet potatoes. Most people make them so sweet with the marshmallows and pineapple that you might as well do them as a desert. I love sweet potato pie. Here is a recipe for a great one.
Crust:
1 1/2 cups Anna's ginger cookies (crushed in the Cuisinart)
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix cookie crumbs and sugars in medium bowl. Add half of the melted butter, stir until crumbs feel moist when pressed together with fingertips, keep adding a little melted butter if crumb mixture is dry. (I use all most a whole stick) Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish, building up sides 1/4 inch above rim of dish. Bake crust until set and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Cool on rack.

This is the perfect time to use a pretty pie dish if you have one, I have always wanted an Emile Henry one.

Filling:
3 pounds medium red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (if you don't have it, this is a combination of cinnamon, all spice, ginger and nutmeg)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350°F. Pierce sweet potatoes all over with fork; place potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool . Cut potatoes open and scoop out pulp. Transfer pulp to processor and puree until smooth. Set aside 2 cups sweet potato puree for filling; cool completely.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine 2 cups sweet potato puree, sweetened condensed milk, and all remaining ingredients in large bowl; mix with Cuisinart until well blended and smooth. Pour filling into crust. Bake pie until puffed around edges and set in center, about 50 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool. Refrigerate pie covered overnight.

Meringue:

1 7-ounce jar Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme (try not to eat it out of the jar, you need it all, if you will be tempted buy 2 jars)

3 large egg whites

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

I'm not going to lie, I think the Meringue is the hardest part but the presentation is awesome. Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Using rubber spatula, scrape marshmallow creme into large bowl. Using Cuisinart, beat egg whites and salt in separate large bowl until foamy. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until stiff and glossy peaks form. Add about a 1/2 cup beaten egg whites to marshmallow creme and stir with rubber spatula or spoon just until mixed in to lighten (This is the hard part the marshmallow creme is very sticky and will be difficult to mix at first, but it gets easier as the egg whites are folded in). Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions just mixed. Spread meringue over top of cold pie, mounding slightly in center and swirling with knife to create peaks. Bake pie just until peaks and ridges of marshmallow meringue are lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Let stand at room temperature until meringue is cool. Gloat when everyone swoons at the beautiful Meringue.

Aunt Karen's Pumpkin Fluff

We are nearing the end of Halloween recipes. This is another one from my Aunt Karen. I love that you can serve this as a parfait, I would add some gummy worms or other spooky candies. This picture is of our niece Lily at Boo at the Zoo.
Aunt Karen says:
Hey Jessie,
I have another simple delicious recipe! This is a light dessert and everyone loves it!! It is just as good with the low calorie ingredients.

2 cups skim milk
1 package sugar- free butterscotch instant pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin (15 oz. 100% pure)
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
4 oz. fat free whipped topping
Make pudding. Stir in canned pumpkin and spice. Either fold in Cool Whip or layer as a parfait.

Jodi's Pumpkin Cheesecake

Here is a cheesecake from my friend Jodi. Jodi says that this cheesecake is always a hit, she thinks it is the ginger snap crust. I think it is Jodi's excellent kitchen skills!

This picture is from Masterpiece Pumpkins, check out their site, I am fascinated!

Crust
1 ½ cups ground gingersnaps
1 ½ cups toasted pecans (about 6 ounces)
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup ( ½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling
4 8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 ½ cups canned solid pack pumpkin
9 tablespoons whipping cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
4 large eggs

1 tablespoon purchased caramel sauce
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Finely grind ground cookies, pecans and sugar in food processor. Add melted butter and blend until combined. Press crust mixture onto bottom and sides of 9 inch diameter springform pan with 2 ¾ inch high sides.

If you don't have a spring form pan, the best ones are from Pampered Chef, if you get invited to a party you need to get something! ;)

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large mixing bowl until light. Transfer ¾ mixture into small bowl; cover tightly and refrigerate to use for topping. Add pumpkin, 4 tablespoons whipping cream, ground cinnamon and ground all spice to mixture in large mixing bowl and beat until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating just until combined.

Pour filling into crust (filling will almost fill pan). Bake until cheesecake puffs, top browns and center moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Transfer cheesecake to rack and cool for 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around cake pan sides to loosen cheesecake. Cool. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.

Bring remaining ¾ cup cream cheese mixture to room temperature. Add remaining 5 tablespoons whipping cream to cream cheese mixture and stir to combine. Press down firmly on edges of cheesecake to even thickness. Pour cream cheese mixture over cheesecake, spreading evenly. Spoon caramel sauce lines over cream cheese mixture. Using tip of knife, swirl sauce into cream cheese mixture.

Release pan sides from cheesecake and serve.

If you really want to be fancy, spoon sour cream into pastry bag fitted with small star tip (do not stir before using). Pipe decorative border around cheesecake then serve.

Pumpkin Roll

Anyone who reads this blog knows that I love when people share recipes with me. I sent an email out to some friends and family asking for favorite fall recipes. This pumpkin roll is from Trisha, one of the nurses who works with my dad. Trisha and her husband are now empty nesters, but they know how to have fun!

Thanks for the great recipe Trisha!

Pumpkin Roll
For the cake:
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans

For the filling:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons margarine
1/2 teaspon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and lemon juice. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir until well blended. Line a 10 1/2" by 15" cookie sheet with parchment paper, trimming excess. Pour the batter onto the cookie sheet, spread evenly. Sprinke with pecans. Bake 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Prepare a linen towel heavily sprinkled with powdered sugar. After baking, turn the cookie sheet onto the towel, parchment paper side up. The cake should slide out onto the towel. Remove paper and roll up the cake into the towel. Cool 30-40 minutes. For the filling, stir together the powdered sugar, cream cheese, margarine and vanilla. Mix well. After the roll has cooled, unroll it and spread the filling evenly. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and slice.

German Apple Cake

Here is another recipe from Val, a family friend who lived near my family when I was young. Val is a great cook and all around domestic goddess! (Remember my apron?)

The apron pictured is one of Val's favorites from Gooseberry Patch. Val was kind enough to share another favorite fall recipe. She said:

When it is Fall I always think of apple recipes. One of my favorite recipes is this German apple cake I got from German friends.

German Apple Cake (Apfelkuchen)

Crust:
1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1 stick butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:
4 lbs tart apples (peeled, cored and quartered) (I like Granny Smith, Golden Delicious)
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup whipping cream
Spring form cake pan 10” x 3”
Oven set at 400 degrees F.

In a mixer place flour, baking powder and 1/3 cup sugar. Add one egg and one teaspoon vanilla extract. Dice and add 1 stick butter and slowly mix until the ingredients form a smooth dough. Roll out the dough and place it in a greased spring form cake pan making sure the dough comes half way up the sides of the pan. Cut slits into the outside of the apple quarters and arrange apples on the dough slit side up Bake in preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes.

Beat the remaining 3 eggs, one cup sugar and one teaspoon vanilla extract until creamy. Add 2/3 cup whipping cream and pour mixture over apples.
Place cake back in oven and bake another 30 to 30 minutes until topping is set and apples are cooked.

Makes one 10” cake.

Thanks Val, sounds delicious!

Notes on wine from Jason:

And here is one screaming for a nice white dessert wine. I've had the Trader Joe's Late Harvest Moscato ($5) which is certainly worth grabbing for those that have little experience is this area. For those looking for something more the Navarro Late Harvest Gewurztraminer ($20) was the best white dessert wine I've had to date....

Pumpkin Cobbler

I asked some of my friends to share their favorite fall recipes with me. This one comes from Val in Tampa. Val and her family lived in Italy when we did. (Val made me my first apron when I was a little girl) Val got this recipe from her daughter-in-law’s aunt Karen. She loves it because it is very simple but delicious and it is also a fun dessert to make with kids! (These cuties are Val's grandsons)
I know Matt would love this one, he is a huge pumpkin fan.

1 large can pumpkin
1 13 oz can evaporated milk
4 eggs
2 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice
1 yellow cake mix
2 sticks butter or margarine

Mix first 4 ingredients. Pour into 13 x 9 x 2” pan. Sprinkle with dry cake mix.
Pour melted butter on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr. 15 min. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Wishing a Happy Birthday to my Mom with bread pudding!

Today is my mom's birthday. It took me a really long time to think of a good recipe to post for her, because like all good moms she never thinks about herself, so even desert is about her family. Then I remembered how much she loves Rino's bread pudding. Rino's pudding has rum in it but I didn't think mom would have any rum around so this version is with out.

When you make bread pudding start out with some day old bread, cut the bread into bite sized pieces.
1 loaf day old bread, get something nice from the bakery, no wonder bread here!

4 eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 tsp. Mexican Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt
4 cups whole milk (you can use skim but you will lose the creaminess)
1/4 cup dried fruit, this can be apricots, cranberries, cherries, typically raisins are used
(If you want to add some rum flavor like Rino does, use 3 3/4 cups of milk and add 1/4 cup of spiced rum)

Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with the Pam for baking. Add the bread cubes in the pan. In a bowl, combine together the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until well blended. Add the milk and whisk until combined. Pour the mixture over the bread cubes. Let stand, pressing down on the bread to help it soak up the liquid like a sponge, until it is evenly soaked, about 20 minutes. Preheat an oven to 350°F. Scatter the fruit evenly over the top of the soaked bread. Set the baking dish in a large, roasting pan. (like the one you cook a turkey in) Add very hot tap water to the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake 45 to 55 minutes. (Check for doneness with a knife like when you bake a cake)

Serve warm, you can sprinkle powdered sugar on top if you want it to look prettier. Add a candle for birthdays!

Happy birthday Mom! You are the best mom ever!

Bananas Foster Pancakes

Resist the urge to start yelling BAM! Emeril has a recipe to turn your basic pancakes into Bananas Foster Pancakes. My brother in law Steve, should help with this, he makes Bananas Foster, we'll see if my mom let's him make flambe at her house next time we all visit. While technically pancakes are breakfast, I think this is best served as desert!

(This is Matt attempting not to get lit on fire)

Buttermilk pancakes
4 ripe bananas, peeled
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup paced light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup banana liqueur
1/2 cup dark rum
1 pint vanilla ice cream
Confectioners sugar, garnish
Ground cinnamon, garnish

Keep the pancakes warm on a baking sheet in the oven at 220° F. Cut the bananas in half across and then lengthwise. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Add the bananas and cook on both sides until the bananas start to soften and brown, about 3 minutes. Add the banana liqueur and stir to blend into the sauce. Carefully add the rum and shake the pan back and forth to warm the rum and flame the pan. (Or, off the heat, carefully ignite the pan with a match and return to the heat.) Shake the pan back and forth, basting the bananas, until the flame dies. Remove the pan from the heat. Remove the pancakes from the oven and divide among 4 large plates. Top each serving with 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream. Gently lift the bananas from the pan and place 4 pieces on each stack of pancakes. Spoon the sauce over the bananas and ice cream and garnish with confectioners sugar and cinnamon. Serve immediately.

Happy Birthday Carolyn! Strawberry Shortcake

Today is my sister in law Carolyn's birthday. I am so lucky that we actually love each other and really are like sisters. I have heard nightmare stories! Carolyn loves strawberry shortcake, so I thought I would make the Southern version with the biscuits. Normally I would scent the whipped cream with a little liquor but Carolyn is expecting, so we will skip it! Another cute niece, like Miss Lily or nephew for us!
Happy Birthday Carolyn!

Biscuits:
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar (you can use Splenda)
1 stick of chilled butter
2/3 to 3/4 a cup of half and half
Filling:
1 quart strawberries
1/3 cup sugar (you can use Splenda)
1 1/2 cups of whipped cream for topping

Rinse the berries under cold water; drain well. Hull and slice the berries; place in a bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar; cover and let stand at room temperature for about 1 hour. Whip the cream (sweeten with 2 or 3 tablespoons of sugar) until it holds a soft peak. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Set rack at center level.

In a food processor combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar and pulse to mix. Cut butter into about 8 pieces and add to the mixture. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, but with few pea-size chunks of butter left in the mixture. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and make a well in the center. With a fork stir in the cream or milk, just until dough is moist. Be very careful not to overwork. The dough doesn't have to hold together well at this point. Let the dough stand for a minute. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over on itself (knead) 2 or 3 times, until it is holding together and is less sticky.

Gently pat the dough into a 6 by 12-inch rectangle about 3/4-inch thick and cut into 8 (3-inch) biscuits with a floured round cutter. Transfer to a buttered foil-lined cookie sheet. Brush on a little milk or cream and sprinkle tops with some sugar, if desired. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until risen and golden brown. Remove to a platter and split each biscuit horizontally with a serrated knife. Butter the hot biscuits then top with about 1/3 cup of berry mixture. Replace the tops and top with a tablespoon or so of berries. Serve with whipped cream for topping.

If you want to make this & the biscuits are too much to do, just use Bisquick! It's okay to fake it sometimes in the kitchen. :)

Watermelon Margarita Popsicles

Another of my favorite sites, Yum Sugar, posted a recipe for watermelon margarita popsicles. I can not think of a more fun way to end a party on a hot summer night. I personally am allergic to watermelon, so I might experiment with some other fruit and let you know how it goes.

2 cups watermelon puree (roughly 1/4 medium size seedless watermelon) 1/4 cup lime juice (roughly 1 large lime)

3 ounces tequila

1 ounce cointreau

2/3 cup sugar
Chop the watermelon into small pieces. Using a Cuisinart, puree the watermelon. Place the puree in a large mixing bowl.
Add lime juice and sugar to watermelon puree. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add tequila and cointreau and stir well.
Fill popsicle molds or Dixie cups. If using a dixie cup, cut small squares of tinfoil to cover the top of each of the cups.
Use a sharp small knife and cut small slits in the tops of the tinfoil to insert the popsicle stick.
Place the Dixie cups in a flat bottomed container. Place the popsicles in the freezer and wait patiently until frozen.

Happy Birthday to Beckie!

Happy birthday to my little sister Beckie, who I guess is not so little at 28! She is here with her hubby, they are expecting their first baby in January. If B was here I would make her this fun Zebra Ice box cake, an ice box cake sounds fun for hot July birthdays! I found this recipe at Food and Wine one of my favorite magazines. This recipe would also be great because Matt could use our creme brulee torch! (For your pregnant friends sub a little chocolate milk for the Marsala!)

Waffers

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup Marsala
Pinch of salt
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 cup heavy cream, chilled

Meringue

6 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
1 1/2 teaspoons finely ground espresso

Make the wafers: Preheat the oven to 350°. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter, sugars and honey at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the milk and vanilla. Add both flours, the cocoa, baking soda and salt and beat at low until combined. Flatten the dough into 2 disks, wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out each piece of dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to an 11-inch square. Trim to form 2 neat 10-inch squares. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets. Bake for about 20 minutes, shifting the pans, until the dough is slightly springy. Let the dough cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then slide the parchment onto a work surface. While the squares are still warm, cut each one into 4 strips, about 2 1/2 inches wide. Trim the edges; you should have eight 9-by-2 1/2-inch wafers. Let cool.
Meanwhile, make the filling: In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let stand until softened, 2 minutes. In a large metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water, whisk the egg yolks, confectioners’ sugar, Marsala and salt until tripled in volume, about 4 minutes. Whisk in the gelatin until melted. Scrape the mixture into a standing mixer fitted with a whisk and beat at medium-high until cool, 5 minutes. Add the mascarpone and beat just until combined; transfer to another bowl.
Wipe out the mixer. Add the cream and whip until soft peaks form. Fold the cream into the Marsala-mascarpone filling.
Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with enough plastic wrap to hang over on all sides. Tip the loaf pan on its side. Arrange the wafers on a work surface. Spread the filling thickly on all but 1 of the wafers. Stack the cream-topped wafers and top with the plain wafer. Slide the stack into the tilted loaf pan. Return the pan to its upright position so the wafers stand vertically. Fold the plastic tightly over the cake. Refrigerate for 24 hours, until the center wafers are softened.
Make the meringue: In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, combine the egg whites and sugar. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk until warm to the touch and the sugar is dissolved. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and let stand until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the softened gelatin into the egg whites along with the espresso and beat at high speed until thick and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Unwrap the cake and invert it onto a plate. Remove the plastic wrap. Using an offset spatula, spread the filling to fill any gaps. Spread about one-third of the meringue all over the cake and refrigerate until firm, 10 minutes. Spoon the remaining meringue into a large pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe lengthwise stripes of meringue along the top and long sides of the cake, starting from the bottom and working up as you go. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
Using a blow torch, toast the meringue until golden. Serve.

Sometimes it's okay to cheat-in the kitchen

While I had every intention of making the most amazing from scratch cupcakes ever for Matt's birthday, it was getting late & I decided to reach for (gasp!) a mix. But they turned out great, so here is how to make Mint Chocolate Cupcakes quickly.

1 Dark chocolate cake mix
1 tsp mint extract
1 recipe Sprinkles Dark Chocolate icing
Ghiradelli Dark Chocolates with Mint
Mix the cake mix up according to directions. Add the mint extract to the cake mix. Bake according to directions. When cool frost with Sprinkles Dark Chocolate icing. Break the Chocolates into pieces & place one on each cupcake.

Now that you have spent less time in the kitchen you can hang out with your birthday girl or boy!

Happy Birthday to my Matt

Today is Matt's birthday & at the risk of sounding totally cheesy, I love his birthday. We always have so much fun & I just love spoiling him. Matt loves dark chocolate & mint together. When I found this recipe for after eight mint cupcakes I knew it was perfect for his birthday!
Cake:
2½ oz dark chocolate
2/3 cup water
3½ oz butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
½ tsp peppermint essence
1 cup self-raising flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/3 cup almond meal
Mousse:
11oz dark chocolate
1 tsp peppermint essence
1½ cup thickened cream
4 eggs, separated
4 tbsp superfine (caster) sugar


Decoration:
16 thin square after eight dinner mints
cocoa powder for dusting

Put the chocolate, essence and half the cream in a large bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until chocolate melted and it is a smooth mixture. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
While it is cooling beat the egg whites to soft peaks in a medium bowl. Then gradually add the sugar, a bit at a time, to the egg whites and beat till dissolved. In another small bowl beat the cream until thick. By now the chocolate mixture should have cooled. Lightly beat the egg yolks with a fork and stir into the chocolate mix. Next fold the cream into the chocolate mix. Now gently fold in the egg whites. Cover and refrigerate for several hours (overnight is good).
Preheat the oven to 330°F
Line a 12 cupcake pan, with cupcake papers. Take the 16 after dinner mints and cut shapes for the tops of the cakes (I have some tiny cookie cutters). Set the shapes aside. Coarsely cut up the off cuts - you need these, so don't go eating them.
Put the chocolate and water in a small saucepan. Stir over a low heat until the chocolate melts and it all combines. Using an electric beater, beat the butter, sugar, eggs and essence until smooth, light and fluffy. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and almond meal into this mixture. Add the chocolate mixture and the off-cuts of the mints. Stir until combined. Divide the mixture evenly between the cupcake tins. Bake for about 30 minutes. Remove pan from the oven, transfer cakes to a rack and cool. Fold up some collars for the cakes using foil. Lightly grease each collar - we used a very light spray of oil. Put collar around cake. (This will create a wall to hold the mousse in) Spoon mousse onto each of the cakes. Refrigerate for 4 or more hours. When ready to serve, gently remove the collars. Dust with cocoa powder. Put the chocolate cut-outs on top.
Serve with extra thick cream and/or ice-cream.

Sprinkle's Lemon Buttercream Icing

It turns out Sprinkle's cupcake recipes are hard to find, I will keep researching! The good news is I have lots of icing for you to try.
This is the lemon butter cream:

1 cup butter, softened
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 the juice of a lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Combine butter, sugar and salt and beat till well combined.
Add lemon juice and vanilla and continue to beat for another 3 to 5 minute or until creamy.
*This picture is of my friend Jessica's darling daughter Sophie, digging into her 1st birthday cake, I love that she is wearing a bracelet, Sophie is truly Jessica's daughter!

Sprinkles! Dark Chocolate Icing

When I picked up a dozen cupcakes at Sprinkles for my family, I picked out the Vanilla, Red Velvet, Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate & Black & White. Susan Baca, my cousins mother in law is a cupcake connoisseur, so I was desperate to find some recipes for Sprinkle's cupcakes. Here is what I found:

10 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 lb. unsalted butter, at room temp
1 lb. 8 oz. powdered sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

Melt and cool chocolate (until just slightly warm). (I like to melt chocolate in a double boiler over a medium low heat)

Beat butter until light and fluffy. With mixer on low speed, gradually add powdered sugar. Add salt, vanilla and sour cream and mix until very smooth. Add chocolate and mix until just incorporated.

*Don't over-whip and add too much air into the frosting. The consistency should be rich and dense, like ice cream!

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream

I have a homemade ice cream maker. I have had it for a few years. I never use it except in the summer, when I make this wonderful strawberry ice cream.

When Beckie lived with me in Salt Lake the ice cream maker was brand new. We had figured out a vanilla recipe we liked so we were into making that. One day we had a big bunch of nice strawberries so we chopped them & threw them in. I went up stairs to shower while the ice cream set, the next thing I heard was Beckie screaming. I ran into the kitchen, to find the ice cream maker exploding & Beckie licking the ice cream off the counter! We had not taken the extra volume from the strawberries into account! Anyway this recipe will not explode it is the right volume.

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup milk

1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/3 cup sugar

juice from a lemon

1/2 lemon zest from 1 lemon

Combine strawberries, lemon juice/zest, and 1/3 cup sugar. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.Once strawberries have refrigerated, prepare the sweet cream base. Whisk eggs in a bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the sugar and continue whisking for a minute longer. Add the cream and milk, stir until fully combined.Combine the strawberry mixture into the sweet cream base. Pour into an ice-cream mixer and mix according to mixer instructions. It should take about 45 minutes. You can store it in the freezer for a few days. I have a Cuisinart ice cream maker, it is great. Make sure your bowl is very cold & has been in the freezer at least 24 hours.

Magnolia's Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

Well Friday night came & I was all set to make Lily's Devil's Food Cake when I didn't have all the ingredients. Which turned out to be a good thing because this Buttermilk Chocolate cake was a dream! Not too chocolatey, moist, it was wonderful. Lily being so prim & proper did not dig into her cake but ate it with a fork like a little lady. The photo is of Lily in her Gap sunglasses, I got her. She didn't like them at first which Matt said was because they were not Chanel like my glasses.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs, room temp
6 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
For a layer cake use 2 9 inch rounds, spray & line the bottoms with parchment paper. In a small bowl, sift together flour and baking soda. Set aside. In a large bowl, on medium speed of your mixer, cream butter until smooth. Add sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate, mixing until well incorporated. Add dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure ingredients are well blended and the batter is smooth.
Carefully spoon the batter into the pans, filling them about 3/4 fulls.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until the tester toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in the pans for 15 minutes before removing them from the tins and cool completely on cooling racks before frosting.

Vanilla Butter cream
(this butter cream is wonderful, not to sweet)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Lily's Birthday Cake

Our niece Lily is turning one on the 14th, for anyone who wants to buy her a gift Lily loves books, baby dolls & cute clothes.
(she looks great in turquoise)
Anyway her party is on Saturday & I am getting to make her cake.
Me being me, I am way too excited about it & totally over thinking it. I am leaning toward this Devil's Food Cake from the Magnolia Bakery. (I am going to leave the coconut off) Lily's mom requested vanilla with vanilla in order to keep her clean but I made molten chocolate cakes at Christmas & Lily loves chocolate. So does her Uncle Matt & I always want to make his favorite.
Cake:
3 c. flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. salt
12 T. unsalted butter, softened
2 c. light brown sugar
3 large eggs, separated @room temperature(see notes)
9 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted(see notes)
2 c. milk
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
Icing:
3 egg whites
2-1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. cold water
1-1/2 T. light corn syrup
1/8 tsp. salt
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
Garnish:
Sweetened shredded coconut

Make Cake:
grease/flour three 9x2" round cake pans; line bottoms with waxed paper, set aside. Sift dry ingredients, set aside. Using medium speed, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar, beat until fluffy, 3 minutes. In separate bowl, beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored, 2 minutes. Add beaten yolks to butter mix., beat well. Add chocolate, mixing well. Add dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with milk, vanilla. With each addition, beat until well mixed, but do not overbeat. Using a spatula, scrape down bowl, making sure ingredients are well blended and batter is smooth. In separate bowl, beat egg whites on high to soft peaks. Gently fold into batter. Divide batter in pans. Bake 30-35 min. @350º. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans, cool completely on wire rack.
Make Icing:
combine egg whites, sugar, water, syrup, salt in top of double boiler, place over rapidly boiling water. Using high speed, beat constantly 6-8 minutes, or until icing stands in soft peaks. Remove from heat, add vanilla, beat 1 minute, or until icing has desired spreading consistency. Use immediately. When cake has cooled, ice between layers, then ice top and sides of cake with 7-Minute Icing.Sprinkle top generously with coconut.

Notes:
It is best to separate the eggs when cold and allow to come to room temp. before proceeding with recipe.
To melt chocolate, place in double boiler over simmering water on low heat about 5-10 minutes. Stir occasionally until completely smooth and no pieces of chocolate remain.Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm, 5-10 minutes.
I am going to add 2 drops of red food coloring to make the cake pretty & pink for Lily.

Key Lime Pie from Miami

Matt was gone on a business trip to Miami this week. He finally got home tonight. I was so excited, I missed him & I hate sleeping alone. While he was there I wanted him to go to Joe's Stone Crab, a famous Miami restaurant. Joe's is famous for their key lime pie. Matt didn't have time to go with all his conference meetings, but Joe's did post the recipe for the pie, so maybe we will have a little Miami at home.
1 cup + 2 1/2 Tbsp graham cracker crust
5 Tbsp melted unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp zest of 2 limes
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1 cup heavy cream chilled
1 Tbsp Powedered Sugar

Key Lime Pie
Makes 1 9-inch pie

For the graham cracker crust:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch pie pan. Break up the graham crackers; place in a food processor and process to crumbs. (If you don't have a food processor, place the crackers in a large plastic bag; seal and then crush the crackers with a rolling pin.) Add the melted butter and sugar and pulse or stir until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the pie pan, forming a neat border around the edge. Bake the crust until set and golden, 8 minutes. Set aside on a wire rack; leave the oven on.

For the filing:
Meanwhile, in an electric mixer with the wire whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and lime zest at high speed until very fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to beat until thick, 3 or 4 minutes longer. Lower the mixer speed and slowly add the lime juice, mixing just until combined, no longer. Pour the mixture into the crust. Bake for 10 minutes or until the filling has just set. Cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate. Freeze for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

For the topping:
Whip the cream and the confectioners' sugar until nearly stiff. Cut the pie in wedges and serve very cold, topping each wedge with a large dollop of whipped cream.