Category: OLD BLOGS

RUSTIC STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE PIE
1 package Pillsbury pie dough (or homemade if you have time)
2 eggs
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar + 3-4 tablespoons
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound strawberries, cleaned and sliced
whipped cream

• In a medium mixing bowl sprinkle 3-4 tablespoons of sugar over sliced strawberries and toss. Set aside.
• Fit crust into pie plate, prick bottom in a couple places with fork tines and bake 5 minutes at 400 degrees.
• In a mixing bowl combine cream cheese, eggs, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla. Beat until well blended.
• Pour into pie plate and bake cream cheese mixture 15 minutes until slightly thickened. You will need to lay a piece of foil over top for part of the time to prevent crust from burning.
• Spread over “pizza” rounds.
• Top with spoonfuls of strawberries.
• Add whipped cream and top with CARAMEL SAUCE and MOCHA HOT FUDGE SAUCE.

2/3 cup Hot water
10 ounces Land of Lakes cocoa mix
2 cups JIF creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 cups C&H powdered sugar, divided 2cups + 1 cup
2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
2 cups crushed ginger snaps
72 Hershey Kisses (I like the cherry cordials)

• Whisk together the hot water and cocoa mix until smooth.
• Add peanut butter and corn syrup. Blend until smooth.
• Add 2 cups powdered sugar and stir until well blended.
• Stir in cookie crumbs until well blended.
• Spray wax paper with PURE (these will be sticky so don’t forget this step).
• Drop heaping teaspoonfuls of dough onto the wax paper.
• Place the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar in a shallow bowl.
• Roll each piece of dough into a ball and dredge in powdered sugar.
• Press your thumb into the center and fill with a Hershey’s kiss.  I used cherry cordial kisses.

GLAZE
2 baskets fresh strawberries, sliced
2 kiwis, chopped
1 cup pureed strawberries*
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons KARO light corn syrup
3 tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup water

BUTTERMILK SHORTCAKE
2 cups flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
dash of salt
4 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup butter, softened, but not melted
¾ cup buttermilk**

• Mix together 1 cup sugar, corn syrup, cornstarch and water in a 2 quart sauce pan, cover and bring to a slow boil. 
• When you reach a boil remove the lid. Add the 1 cup pureed strawberries and boil a few minutes more.  Chill 10-15 minutes.  After the sauce is chilled, pour over the fruit and toss gently.  Return to the refrigerator to continue chilling. 
• Sift the dry ingredients together. Add the milk and butter and mix well into a soft dough. DO NOT over knead – it will become tough. 
• Grease an 8 inch pie pan really well. Gently arrange dough into an even mound and pre-cut into your serving portions before baking. 
• Bake at 400° for 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick done and golden brown. 
• Slice each shortcake open, dot with a thin layer of honey, arrange on plate and top with a scoop of the  strawberry kiwi glaze and vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

*I use the less than pretty berries for the puree.

**As a substitute, Buttermilk can be made by adding 2 tablespoons of vinegar to regular milk.

CHOCOLATE PINEAPPLE CREAM CHEESE PASTRIES
1 package Puff Pastry Sheets (2 sheets)
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1 egg, beaten
4 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1-8 ounce can crushed pineapple, well drained
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons hot water

• Thaw the pastry sheets at room temperature until they’re easy to handle (about 45 minutes).
• Pre-heat the oven to 375°.
• Line baking sheet with silicone mat or parchment paper.
• Beat together the softened cream cheese, sugar and pineapple.
• Unfold pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 10-inch square. Cut the pastry sheet into 4 (5-inch) squares. Repeat with the remaining pastry sheet.
• Spread 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture in the center of each pastry square.
• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips on top of cream cheese mixture.
• Brush the edges of the pastry squares with the egg.
• Fold each pastry in half over the cream cheese mixture and chocolate chips and press the edges to seal.
• Place the filled pastries onto the baking sheets.
• Brush the tops of the pastries with the egg.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastries are golden. Let cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes. Remove the pastries to a wire rack and let cool.
• Place the remaining chocolate chips and the butter into a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds or until the chocolate is starting to melt. Stir until the chocolate mixture is smooth. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar. Stir in the water, adding additional water, if necessary, until the icing is the desired consistency.
• Drizzle the icing over the pastries.

When I was a little girl Boston Cream Pie was my FAVORITE Sunday dinner dessert and my grandma made it for me regularly until I was about 10 years old and then Sunday dinners as we knew them stopped on a regular basis. Since then I have craved Boston Cream Pie on a regular basis and finally have resurrected her recipe.

According to about.com, Boston Cream Pie is “Not a pie, but not your average cake, Boston Cream Pie is one of the city’s signature recipes. A descendant of pudding-cake pie, the Boston cream pie is considered to be the creation of French chef Sanzian of the Parker House Hotel (now the Omni Parker House). In 1996 the Boston Cream Pie was named the official dessert of Massachusetts.”

CAKE

• 1 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 JUMBO egg
• 1 1/4 cup cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup whole milk

CUSTARD***

• 1/3 cup sugar
• scant 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cup whole milk
• 3 JUMBO egg yolks
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

GLAZE

• 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons hot water

CAKE

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9 1/2-inch springform baking pan. I use a square one to make pieces easier to cut.
• Combine the butter, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl. Cream together using an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each one.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt. Combine with the creamed mixture and add the milk.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan*. Bake in the middle of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack.

• Combine the cornstarch, sugar, milk, eggs, cream, vanilla extract, and salt in a saucepan. Whisk until smooth.
• Bring the custard to a boil over moderate heat, whisking constantly. Continuing to whisk, let the custard boil for two minutes.
• Remove from heat, and whisk in the butter. Set custard aside to cool, continuing to whisk occasionally.

• In a double boiler, melt together the chocolate and butter until smooth. remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir in hot water 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency.

• Remove the cake from the pan and cut it in half horizontally with a long serrated knife.
• Place one half of the cake on a plate with the cut side facing up. Top with custard.
• Place the other half of the cake on top, with the cut side down.
• Coat the top of the cake with glaze allowing it to drip down the sides.
• *I like to use my square spring form pan for a couple of reasons; it make cutting pieces a lot easier since the slices when it is cut as a pie tend to try and fall over and my serving plate is rectangular in shape.
• ***The traditional custard substitutes in this recipe for a pineapple custard which is what we like to do.