Category: DESSERTS

Another wonderful use for my new brownie pan! Individual cakes for the BBQ.




We had a casualty that the dogs loved!

I think grams got this recipe originally from the side of a Swan’s Down cake flour bag.
ANGEL FOOD CAKE
1 1/4 cups sifted Swans Down cake flour
1/2 cup + 1 1/3 cups sugar sifted sugar
1 1/2 cups +/- 12 room temperature egg whites,
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

NOTE:For chocolate angel food, substitute 1/4 cup cocoa for 1/4 cup cake flour and omit for chocolate angel food

• Sift flour* once, measure and add 1/2 cup sugar and sift together several more times.
• Combine egg whites, salt, cream of tartar, and flavorings in large mixing bowl. Whisk continuously until the whites form soft peaks that are moist and glossy.
• Then add the rest of the sugar very gradually over the whites and beating until sugar is blended, about 25 beating strokes per time.
• Add flour and sugar mixture very gradually, sifting it over the egg whites. Fold in each addition turning bowl gradually. Use 15 complete fold over strokes each time. After last addition. use 10 to 12 additional fold over strokes.
• Gently pour into a 10″ ungreased tube pan.
  
• Bake at 375 degrees for about 35 to 40 minutes.
• Frost and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

*and cocoa when making chocolate angel food

LEMON SPONGE CAKE
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice + rind of 1 lemon
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Beat yolks of eggs until thick and lemon colored.
  
• Whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
  
• Gradually beat in the sugar, grated lemon rind, and juice.
  
• Fold in half of the stiffly beaten egg whites.
• Cut in sifted flour and salt, add nuts if desired, and remaining egg whites.
• Bake in a slow oven for about one hour or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out nearly clean.
• Frost and sprinkle with toasted coconut.
  
• Chill overnight or several hours.
  

ITALIAN BUTTERCREAM
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup water
3 egg whites
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• In a saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and water.
  
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring just enough to dissolve the sugar. Heat to between 223 and 234 degrees F., or until a small amount of syrup dripped from a spoon forms a soft thread. It should take 1 or 2 minutes.
• When the sugar mixture has reached the thread stage, remove it from the heat and set aside to cool.
  
• Whip the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer. When the whites can hold a stiff peak, pour in the sugar syrup in a thin stream while continuing to whip at medium speed. Be careful not to pour too quickly, or it will all just end up at the bottom of the bowl. When the syrup is incorporated, continue to mix for 10 more minutes to allow it to cool. The egg whites will be fluffy and glossy.
• Add pieces of cold butter one at a time to the egg whites and continue to whip at medium or low speed.
  

TOASTED COCONUT
1 16 ounce bag coconut
4 tablespoons butter melted

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Toss coconut in melted butter until well coated.
• Spread evenly on a jelly roll pan.
• Bake for fifteen minutes and then flip coconut and bake another 15 minutes until golden brown.

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, for some unknown reason. Since then I have craved Boston Cream Pie and have finally 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. Use this recipe to make one yourself, and find out what makes the Boston Cream Pie such an enduring favorite.”

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt. Combine with the creamed mixture and add the milk.
4. 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.

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

1. 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.

1. Remove the cake from the pan and cut it in half horizontally with a long serrated knife.
2. Place one half of the cake on a plate with the cut side facing up. Top with custard.
3. Place the other half of the cake on top, with the cut side down.
4. Coat the top of the cake with glaze allowing it to drip down the sides.

BLACK & BLUE COBBLER BOWLS
1 cup blackberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup whole milk
1 cup self-rising flour*
1/2 cup butter + 2 tablespoons, both melted separately
3/4 cup fine sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar

• Mix together the fine sugar and flour.
• Whisk in the milk.
• Whisk in 1/2 cup melted butter.
• Pour into well greased bowls.
• Distribute berries evenly on top of batter.
• Mix 2 tablespoons melted butter with brown sugar until crumbly.
• Sprinkle on tops.
• Bake 45-60 minutes until golden and toothpick comes out clean.

*If you prefer a heavier crust, use bisquick

GRANDMA’S STREUSEL COFFEECAKE
2 + 1/3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 + 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 + 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 + 2/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
6 + 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 JUMBO eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 cups blueberries

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Sift together the 2 cups flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2/3 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg and orange peel in a large mixing bowl.
• Whisk together the eggs, 6 tablespoons butter, buttermilk and vanilla.
• Gently fold in the blueberries.
• Pour liquid mix into flour mixture and beat until smooth with a hand mixer.
• Pour into a prepared 9×9 pan.
• In a small food processor process all the remaining ingredients except the walnuts until smooth.
• Using your hands form small flat pancakes with the mixture and scatter over cake batter until well covered.
• Poke a few holes down into the cake for the streusel to run into or run a knife through creating a swirl.
• Scatter walnuts evenly over top.
• Bake 1 hour.
• Serve warm with a dab of butter melting on top of each piece.

DECADENT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES (make 4 ramekins)
2 Tablespoons butter + 1 Tablespoon butter
1 ounce Baker’s Bittersweet Chocolate
1 ounce Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1 1/4 ounce Baker’s sweet German chocolate
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon flour
1/8 scant teaspoon baking powder
1/8 scant teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar

• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in microwave safe ramekin for 30 seconds, add the bittersweet & semi-sweet chocolate and microwave in 30 second increments until you can stir it smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
  
• Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.
  
• Mix together the egg and sugar and beat on high with a hand mixer until slightly thick and turns a dull yellow. Lower speed and add chocolate mixture to egg mixture.
  
• By hand stir in the flour mixture until consistent in color.
  
• Spoon into ramekins and bake on cookie sheet for 25 minutes or until centers are set.
  
• Just after you put these in, prepare the topping.
  
• Melt the other tablespoon of butter and then add the German sweet chocolate and melt until you can stir smooth.
  
• Just after the brownies come out of the oven, pour the topping over.

CRUST
2 1/2 cups ginger snap crumbs
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
PURE
FILLING
2 large eggs
2~8 ounce softened cream cheese
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can sweetened condensed milk
optional: 3 Tablespoons dutch cocoa~using this makes them very rich!
GLAZE
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup milk chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

• Generously spray 9×13 pan with PURE

• Finely grind gingersnaps in food processor. Add melted butter and pulse until evenly mixed. Press into bottom of pan. Bake 1 minutes and then cool 5 minutes before filling.

• Sprinkle gelatin over milk and mix well. Beat together softened cream cheese, eggs, salt and gelatin mixture at medium speed until smooth.

• Pour sweetened condensed milk into a tall bowl and microwave for 3 minutes in 3 minute increments. Allow to cool slightly. Fold in sweetened condensed milk until smooth.

• Pour over cooled crust.

• Bake 45 minutes or until center is set.

• Cool on rack 2 hours.

• After 2 hours, melt butter and chocolate chips together until smooth. Pour over cheesecake layer. Chill overnight before serving.

With a thin knife cut into squares. Be sure and wipe knife clean after each cut.