Tag Archives: dessert

Rich and Chewy Brownies

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Rich and Chewy Brownies

Brownies have been around for almost 100 years. The story about the creation of brownies, is that they  were an accident. A woman was making a chocolate cake. She couldn’t find her recipe, so she made the cake as best she could from memory. The cake didn’t rise- and brownies were invented.

What a happy accident that was for the rest of us.

There are a lot of versions of brownies around. Some are more like a chocolate cake, just a little denser. Others are moist, and so dense they are almost fudge like.

I have a lot of brownie recipes. This is one of my favorites. If you make them, you will understand why. They are soft, rich and a little chewy. They can be serves plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or frosted.

 

Rich and Chewy Brownies

 

3 sticks butter, melted and cooled

3 c. sugar

1 T. vanilla

6 large eggs

1½ c. flour

1 c. cocoa

1 t. baking powder

1 t. cinnamon

1 c. chocolate chips

 

Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13×9 inch pan. Beat together butter, sugar and vanilla. Whisk in eggs one at a time. Combine dry ingredients and stir into batter. Stir in chocolate chips and spread batter in prepared pan. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until brownies pull away from sides of pan. Cool brownies completely in pan, on a rack and cover with foil. Let stand 6 hours before serving. Makes 24.

To serve, you can leave them plain, dust with powdered sugar, or frost. Here is a great frosting recipe for these brownies.

 

Easy Chocolate Butter Cream

 

6 T. butter, softened

1/3 – 3/4 c. cocoa, depending on how dark you want your frosting.

2 2/3 c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. milk

1 t. vanilla

 

Cream butter. Combine cocoa and sugar. Beat cocoa mixture in alternately with the milk until frosting is spreading consistency. Beat in vanilla. You may need an additional tablespoon of milk. Makes about 2 cups.

 

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Lemon-Sour Cream Cupcakes

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Lemon and Sour Cream Cupcake

I love the lemon flavor in these cupcakes. They are rich, without being too heavy, and full of zest. I had picked up a bunch of lemons recently. Since I need dessert for dinner, I thought I would bake up a batch.

Lemon zest in both the batter and the frosting, really makes them special. Cupcakes are also such a nice, easy dessert. If you try these, I am sure you will be pleased, as will your family and friends.

It makes a big batch, so you can freeze some for later.

Even though I normally frost these, you can also just combine powdered sugar with a little lemon zest and dust them with it, instead of the frosting.

Lemon and Sour Cream Cupcakes

 

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon each baking powder and salt

2 cups sour cream

Frosting:

9 tablespoons butter, softened

6 ¾ cups confectioners’ sugar

6 tablespoons lemon juice

1 T. vanilla extract

¾ teaspoon grated lemon peel

3 tablespoon milk

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add lemon peel and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream (batter will be thick). Fill 30 greased or paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. For frosting, cream butter and sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add lemon juice, vanilla, lemon peel and milk; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes. Makes 30.

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Baklava with Chocolate

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Baklava with Chocolate Drizzle

If you are looking for an extra special dessert for Mother’s Day- you could make Mom baklava. Baklava isn’t hard to make. You just have to move quickly while assembling it. The phyllo leaves (or sheets), dry out quickly, and can get brittle. Just have everything ready before you open the package of dough and get started.

Baklava is a dessert made from layers of phyllo, finely chopped nuts, melted butter and spices. It is baked until golden. Then a sugar/honey syrup is poured over it. This recipe is dressed up a bit, with the addition of melted chocolate, drizzled over the baklava after it is baked and cooled.

The phyllo sheets I used are pretty big so I folded them in half to fit the pan I used. There was a little trimming to do, but not much.  Well worth the effort.

 

 

 Baklava with Chocolate Drizzle

1 lb. phyllo
½ lb. butter, preferably unsalted
¾ lb. walnuts or blanched almonds, chopped fine
¼ c. sugar
½ t. cinnamon
Syrup, recipe follows
½ c. melted chocolate – I used dark chocolate
Combine nuts, sugar and seasonings and set aside. Brush a 9×13-inch pan with butter and line bottom with 8 phyllo sheets, folded in half to fit pan, brushing each with butter as you go. Spread ½ of the nut mixture on phyllo leaves. Top with 3-4 buttered sheets of phyllo. Spread with the rest of the nut mixture. Add the rest of the leaves for the top. Brush top layer of leaves with remaining butter. With a sharp pointed knife score the top sheets in whatever shapes and sizes you want. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Baklava should be golden brown. Meanwhile prepare syrup. When baklava has cooled, warm up the syrup and pour over. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Allow chocolate to set, before cutting into squares to serve.

Syrup:
1 c. sugar
½ c. honey
1 c. water
zest of 1 lemon or orange
Bring to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Strain and set aside.

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Mom’s Strawberry Crepes

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Mom’s Strawberry Crepes

Since Mother’s Day is fast approaching, I thought I would share some of my favorite “Mom” recipes.

My mother was a great cook. I learned a lot from her. I still make many of her recipes. When I make crepes, I always think of her.

I have fond memories of watching my mother make crepes when I was a little girl. She would add the batter and tilt the pan to get the crepes smooth and thin. She made it look effortless. With a little practice, they actually are.  Crepes are easy to make and versatile, too.

They can be served for breakfast, brunch or dessert and can be sweet or savory.  I made a slightly sweet crepe batter, perfect for a fruit filling. I used strawberries – you can use your imagination to fill them any way you like. These make a wonderfully elegant dessert, yet are really easy to make.

 

Strawberry Crepes

1 recipe dessert crepe batter- see below

2 lbs. fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced

sugar to taste- start with 1/2 cup, then adjust to your taste

1 t. vanilla

1 t. grated orange peel

powdered sugar

whipped cream, optional

Make the crepe batter (recipe below) and cook the crepes. Toss the berries with the sugar, vanilla and orange peel. Place a crepe on your work surface and spoon berries down the middle. Fold up the sides of the crepe and move to serving dish. Repeat with remaining ingredients until you run out of something. I tend to put a lot of the berries in each crepe so I run out of berries and have left over crepes. How much fruit you put in each one is completely up to you and your taste. Dust filled crepes with powdered sugar and top with extra berries- if you have any left. You can also add some whipped cream on the top. I list it as optional- but I really think you’re going to want that whipped cream. Makes about 12 crepes, give or take.

Dessert Crepes

1 c. flour

4 eggs

1 1/2 c. milk

1 T. sugar

2-T. orange-flavored liqueur or orange juice concentrate

1/4 c. butter, melted and cooled

Mix all ingredients in blender (except butter) until smooth, scraping sides often. Add butter and blend well. Let stand for 30 minutes before using, or batter can be refrigerated, covered, over night. Beat again, just before using.Heat 6 or 7 inch skillet. Brush with butter or oil and pour in about 2 teaspoons of batter, tipping pan to cover bottom of pan completely with batter. Cook until edges start to brown, turn over and cook until lightly browned (about 2 minutes per side.)Crepes can be made day ahead or even frozen between sheets of waxed paper and frozen.Makes 20.

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Homemade Vanilla Pudding

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Vanilla Pudding

Homemade pudding is easy to make and tastes great. If you never made pudding before- the effort is well worth it. The actual cooking only takes a few minutes. The most difficult part is waiting for the pudding to cool down.

I was making white cupcakes and had some egg yolks leftover. It seemed like a perfect time to use them to make pudding.

To keep your pudding from getting lumpy- don’t heat it up too quickly. You want the egg yolks to cook slowly, to thicken the pudding, without turning into scrambled eggs. Cooking over medium heat will give you perfect, creamy results every time. Also, whisk the whole time the pudding is on the heat to give you the best results.

 

Vanilla Pudding

 

4½ c. milk or half and half

1 c. sugar

5 T. cornstarch

6 large egg yolks, beaten

1 T. vanilla extract

Heat 4 cups of the milk in a large saucepan, over medium heat, until milk starts to steam. Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together in a  bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks and the remaining ½ cup of milk. Whisk half of the hot milk into the egg mixture until smooth, then gradually whisk the egg-milk mixture into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until it has thickened. about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Cool slightly, stirring a few times to prevent a skin from forming. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding and refrigerate until completely cooled and thickened, about 4 hours. Whisk before serving. Makes about 5 cups.

 

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Hidden Treasure Strawberry Pie

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Hidden Treasure Strawberry Pie

This pie has it all. Fresh strawberries, glazed and sitting on a flaky crust. But it doesn’t stop there. The crust is topped with chocolate and a layer of sweetened cream cheese. The chocolate and cheese are under the berries. They provide a wonderful surprise when eating the pie. The chocolate is such a natural match for the strawberries. The cream cheese gives a little “cheesecake” feel.  In the end, the combination works perfectly together.

During strawberry season, I enjoy so many different dishes made with fresh berries. Fresh strawberry pie is always going to be a favorite. I try to make different versions and this one was definitely a version I will make again.

 Hidden Treasure Strawberry Pie

 

1 9-inch pie crust * recipe follows

1 c. chocolate chips

1 T. butter

1 qt. strawberries (1¼ lbs.), hulled

1 c. sugar

2 T. cornstarch

¼ c. water

1 T. butter

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

½ c. powdered sugar

Whipped cream, optional

 

Using a pie pan, roll out your crust and fit it into the pan- trim off any excess. Pre-bake your crust. To do this: The prepared pie crust should be pricked all over with a fork. Cover the surface with foil and then pie weights. I use dry beans for my pie weights. Pre-heat oven to 400-degrees. Bake crust for 15-20 minutes. Check to be sure it doesn’t get too brown. Remove weights and foil. Melt chocolate chips and butter together, stirring until smooth. Pour over crust and use a spatula to spread into a thin layer on the bottom and, if you like, up the sides of the crust. Set aside and allow crust to cool and chocolate to set up. Select about 25-30 berries to be placed in pie crust, large side down, and set aside. You might need fewer berries, if they are really big. Puree or crush remaining berries. Place in a saucepan with the sugar and bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch with water and stir until smooth. Add to the strawberry mixture and cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and gets clear. Simmer about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Set aside. Place cream cheese in a bowl and beat in the powdered sugar. Spread cheese over the chocolate layer. Arrange the reserved berries on the cheese layer, pointy side up. Put the largest berry in the middle and arrange the rest around it decoratively. Spoon the puree over the berries and allow the pie to cool down a little before putting in the fridge. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Note: other berries can also be used including raspberries, blackberries and blueberries, or a combination. This recipe can also be used as a filling for tarts and tartlets.

 

Half and Half Dough*

 

This is a great crust for liquid fillings like custard type pies and fresh fruit pies.

¼ c. butter, room temp

½ c. shortening, room temp- you can use lard instead

¼ c. sugar

½ t. salt

2½ c. pastry or all purpose flour

1/8 t. baking powder

¼ c. milk

1 t. lemon juice

Cream together the first 4 ingredients until smooth. Mix together the flour and baking powder. Set aside. Combine milk with the juice and set aside. Stir ½ c. of the flour into butter mixture. Stir until smooth. Add a little of the milk, stirring until smooth. Add remaining ingredients alternately until finished. Dough will firm up once chilled. Chill at least 4 hours before using. Makes 2 crusts. You only need half the dough for the strawberry pie.

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Homemade Peach Vanilla Ice Cream

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Homemade Peach Vanilla Ice Cream

I love peaches. For me, peaches always mean summer. We had a couple of peach trees at my parent’s house. I remember a few summers when my Father had to prop up the branches because there were so many peaches. He knew the ripe fruit could break branches under their weight.

It is too early for local peaches around here, but I found some southern peaches at a produce market recently. They were nearly ripe already, so I put the peaches in a brown paper bag to help them finish ripening.

A few days later, I had a bunch of super tasty, juicy peaches.

Since it was unseasonably warm last week, I decided to use some of the peaches to make ice cream. It doesn’t have to be hot for me to want ice cream- I just want it even more when the thermometer is hitting 90!!

 

I added some vanilla and orange zest for some extra flavor- plus plenty of peaches.

 

Homemade Peach Vanilla Ice Cream

3-4 ripe peaches

2 c. half and half

1 c. sugar, or to taste

1 T. vanilla

1 T.  orange zest

Peel and dice peaches. Cook in a small amount of water and a little sugar until tender. If you don’t precook the peaches they will be icy and hard in the ice cream. Cool and drain. In bowl combine half and half and sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Place in ice cream machine and process according to manufacturer’s directions. If you don’t have an ice cream maker place mixture in a shallow pan and freeze solid. Remove from freezer and allow to soften a little at room temperature then break up into chunks and place in a mixing bowl. Beat with a mixer until smooth and return to freezer. Makes 1 quart.

 
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Cherry Bombs

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Cherry Bombs

These little treats make a great addition to your 4th of July party. They are simple to make, with only three ingredients.  You can make them in no time at all. It is a fun treat for kids to make, too.

Think of the cherry bombs as a type of candy. A simple, sweet treat that can be served just as they are. They can also be used to top a cake or other dessert. You can even garnish a cocktail with them. I did the same thing with strawberries, but “strawberry bombs” did not have the same ring to it.

 

To make the cherry bombs, you will need cherries, white chocolate and blue sugar. If you don’t have blue sugar, you can put granulated sugar in a bag, add a few drops of blue food coloring, seal the bag and shake it up. The sugar will turn blue.

Wash and dry off some large, sweet cherries. Melt white chocolate, stirring until smooth. Dip the cherries in the white chocolate, then the blue sugar. Place on wax paper to firm up. Store in fridge.

 
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Cherry and Blueberry Clafoutis

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Cherry and Blueberry Clafoutis

I posted the picture of my clafoutis and now, as promised, here is the recipe. So what is clafoutis?

Clafoutis is a sort of pancake, sort of custard, sort of quiche. It is a lovely dessert for fresh fruit, for sure.

You can serve it plain, or topped with powdered sugar. I like to serve it with a scoop of ice cream on a hot day.

Clafoutis is really simple to make, too. You start by putting the fruit in a prepared pan. The batter is made in a blender, and takes just a couple of minutes to prepare. You pour the batter over the fruit- and bake.

I used cherries and blueberries in this one, but you can use all sorts of fruits- peaches, plums, raspberries…..

Most people enjoy it as a dessert, but it is also nice with that morning cup of coffee.

I used a combination I thought would make a nice dessert for the 4th of July. Blueberries and raspberries would work as well.

Cherry and Blueberry Clafoutis

2 c. pitted cherries, I cut them in half, but you can leave whole

1 c. blueberries

3 eggs

1 c. sugar

3 T. melted butter

½ c. flour

2 t. vanilla extract

1 t. almond extract

pinch of salt

1 c. half and half

powdered sugar, optional

 

Grease a 9×9-inch baking dish or pie pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cherries and blueberries in the prepared pan. In blender, combine eggs, sugar, butter, flour, flavorings and salt.* Blend until smooth. Add half and half and blend again until smooth. Pour batter over the cherries and blueberries. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until clafoutis is browned around edges and puffed up. Allow to cool and dust with powdered sugar, if you like. It will deflate as it cools. Serves 6.

 

* You can whisk the ingredients together by hand, if you prefer.

 

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Homemade Peanut Butter Ice Cream

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Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Why did it take me so long to make peanut butter ice cream? I love peanut butter and I make ice cream pretty often. I just never thought of putting those two things together.

I kept it simple, and was really happy with the results. I wanted a strong peanut butter flavor- so I used a whole cup of peanut butter in the recipe. It worked out fine. Creamy and rich, but not too heavy. I thought about adding chocolate chips or maybe a swirl of jelly, but decided to leave the ice cream alone this first batch. I did serve it with homemade hot fudge sauce- recipe follows. I could see using this ice cream as the filling in ice cream sandwiches. I think I might use almond butter in the next batch.

 

Peanut Butter Ice Cream

1 c. peanut butter

2/3 c. sugar, or to taste – I was using natural peanut butter that had no sugar in it

2 c. whipping cream – you could use some half and half, if you prefer

1 t. vanilla

In medium bowl, combine peanut butter with the sugar, stirring until smooth. Add the whipping cream and vanilla and stir until well blended. Chill mixture. Pour chilled peanut butter mixture into ice cream machine and process according to manufacturer’s instructions. Once firm, transfer to a container with a lid and place in freezer until ready to use. Makes about 1 qt.

Hot Fudge Sauce

1 c. cocoa

¾ c. sugar

½ c. brown sugar

1/8 t. salt

1-c. heavy or whipping cream

½ c. butter, cut into pieces

1 t. vanilla extract

 

In saucepan , stir together dry ingredients then stir in cream and butter. Heat to boiling and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, cool 5 minutes and stir in vanilla. Warm up before using. Store leftovers in fridge. Makes 2 ½ cups.

Peanut Butter Ice Cream- topped with homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

Peanut Butter Ice Cream- topped with homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

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