Category: DESSERTS

Save Room for Dessert even if you are on a diet!

Remember to Save Room for Dessert!

At Joy of Desserts, I posted an article on why — even at the Biggest Loser Resort — dessert is encouraged! That’s right, that Biggest Loser, the one from television! I rarely send you to my own blog, but I know you won’t want to miss that post, there’s a Biggest Loser dessert recipe, plus weight loss and healthy eating tips too.

By the way, I’m also having a giveaway at Joy of Desserts later in the week so don’t miss out on Corked either. There will be 5 winners.

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Banana Cream Cheesecake ~ Be SURE and Save Room for Dessert

Hi everyone, Tamy from 3 Sides of Crazy here filling in for Joy this morning. I’m not sure what she had planned, but I just made this scrumptious Banana Cream Cheesecake that I couldn’t resist sharing with you

BANANA CREAM CHEESECAKE

CRUST
20 vanilla cream-filled sandwich style cookies
1/4 cup butter, melted

FILLING
3-8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 eggs
3/4 cup finely mashed banana (2 medium bananas)
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon maple extract

  • Use a blender to finely chop the cookies.
  • Add butter and blend until they are well blended.
  • Press mixture into the bottom of a 10″ springform pan and smooth it out.
  • Refrigerate the crust while you make the filling.
  • Beat cream cheese until creamy.
  • Add in sugar and cornstarch followed by the eggs one at a time.
  • Beat in the bananas, whipping cream, and vanilla.
  • Pour mixture into crust.
  • Place pan on a cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.
  • Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees and bake an additional 75 minutes, or until center is almost set.
  • Allow to cool completely before removing sides. Before removing the pan, run warm water over a knife and slide a knife around the edge of the cake to separate the cake from the pan cleanly.
  • Refrigerate cheesecake, uncovered, at least 6 hours.
  • Serve with sliced fresh bananas, Caramel Sauce, Hot Fudge Sauce and fresh whipped cream.

I originally made this recipe for I CAN COOK THAT! and What Did You Bake Today? Be sure and stop back by for both.

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hosted by Dave at OuR KrAzY KiTcHeN
hosted by Kristen at OuR kRaZy KiTcHeN

My favorite all time cheesecake is the Banana Cream at the Cheesecake factory with gooey hot fudge, caramel, fresh sliced bananas and fresh whipped cream. We recently took my mom for her birthday and I was reminded that I had yet to duplicate that recipe. Well it bugged me enough that I believe I have finally developed a recipe that compares with the Cheesecake Factory. I do like my square spring foam pan though – makes for easier slicing.
aprons 3

BANANA CREAM PIE ~ SIMPLY DELICIOUS SUNDAY



BANANA CREAM PIE
CRUST
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon powdered vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, chilled and diced
1/4 cup ice water
  • In a large bowl sift together flour and salt.
  • Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  • Stir in water, a tablespoon at a time, until mixture forms a ball.
  • Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for several hours. Overnight is better.
  • Preheat oven 350°.
  • Roll dough.
  • Place crust in 9 inch pie plate.
  • Press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides of the pie plate.
  • Flute the edges with a fork.
  • Bake 12-15 minutes until flaky and JUST golden. It will finish baking after you have filled it.
  • Cool.

FILLING
3/4 cup fine sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups whole milk
3 Jumbo egg yolks, beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted & cooled
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 just ripe bananas, sliced
1 extra ripe small banana, pureed

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • In a medium saucepan heat milk slowly.
  • Sift together the sugar, flour and salt.
  • Add the flour mixture gradually while stirring gently.
  • Add in banana puree.
  • Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is bubbly. Keep stirring and cook for about 2 more minutes, and then remove from the burner.
  • Stir a small quantity of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks, and immediately add egg yolk mixture back into the hot mixture. Cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Remove the mixture from the stove immediately adding the butter, lemon juice, maple and vanilla extracts stirring constantly until a smooth consistency is reached. (Do not cool for too long before pouring over the sliced bananas.)
  • Slice the bananas into the cooled baked pastry shell.
  • Top immediately with pudding mixture.
  • Bake for 10 minutes.
  • Chill for several hours before serving. Overnight is best.
  • Top with whipped cream.

TOPPING
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon maple extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

  • In a large bowl (I use my copper one and pre-chill it and my whisk in the freezer), whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks are just about to form.
  • Beat in maple extract, vanilla powder and powdered sugar until peaks form, making sure not to over-beat.

White chocolate and Macadamia Nut Cookie Mix in a Jar Recipe

C & H Sugar (called Domino Sugar in some regions) recently contacted us at Our Krazy Kitchen and offered for us to use any of their recipes, and link to them for a sweet recipe exchange. There’s no better time than for Save Room for Dessert and tomorrow’s Cookie Party. They have a lot more sweet holiday recipes, gift ideas, shipping tips, even a campaign to raise funds for hungry children. Here’s a sample recipe below, complete with printable gift tag.

White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Cookie Mix in a Jar
Makes 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup firmly packed C&H Golden Brown Sugar
1/3 cup C&H Pure Cane Sugar
3/4 cup toasted macadamia nuts, chopped
1 cup – (6-oz package) vanilla milk chips

Instructions:
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Spoon into 1-quart, widemouthed canning jar. Layer remaining ingredients in order given, making sure to pack down each layer firmly. Clean inside of jar with a dry paper towel after each layer. Decorate lid by cutting fabric into a 7-inch wide square or circle. Secure with a rubber band and tie with a decorative ribbon and accents.

Download PDF file and attach these instructions to the jar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together 2/3 cup softened butter or margarine, 1 egg, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until combined. Slowly add contents of jar and mix well. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375°F for 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned.

Quick Tip: Toasting heightens the flavor of nuts. To toast macadamia nuts, spread the nuts in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown, watching carefully and stirring once or twice to brown evenly.

Full Disclosure: In the interest of full disclosure we were contacted and asked to voice opinion and C&H/Domino Sugar links in exchange for a gift card. We did this because we believe in the product and the recipes and not for payment.

Don’t forget tomorrow’s Cookie Party!

and Save Room for Dessert!

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Homemade Yellow Cupcakes – What Did You Bake Today?

  As the cake mixes in my pantry get used up, I haven’t been replacing them.  I have decided to make cake from scratch.  This week I had a special request from my family for cupcakes.  I thought it would be a good opportunity to inaugurate my plan.  The result: everyone thought they were amazing and we had none left after dessert was served (yes, it made 18).
From The Good Home Cookbook
White Layer Cake (which isn’t white and became cupcakes)
2 cups flour
1 Tbls baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
Frosting of your choice (I used a can….have to use up what I’ve got before that’s homemade, too)
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk.  Divide equally into 18 greased or paper lined cupcake pans.  Bake 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until done.  Let sit in pan 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire wrack to cool.  Frost when completely cooled.
 
What Did You Bake Today?

Cookie tips, tricks, recipes, more at Our Krazy Kitchen

Do you know the secret to soft, chewy cookies? Under bake them ever so slightly. Cookies are the smallest baked items from our ovens, and they continue to bake while they cool, so even a minute more in the oven makes a huge difference. Also remember that many ovens are in need of recalibration for accurate temperature control, so even if a top chef’s recipe calls for 10 minutes in the oven, the cookies in your oven might only need 8 minutes. It’s a good idea to invest in a reliable food thermometer.

Link your dessert recipes with MckLinky below, and if they are holiday desserts, Christmas cookies, Chanukah family favorites, or other Christmas treat recipes you’ll want to also link them during our Christmas Party starting December 17.

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Please leave a link to your post, not your homepage,
and be sure to link back to this post or blog.

Save Room for Dessert during the holiday season

The holiday season is here! Whether you celebrate Christmas, Chanukah or perhaps nothing at all, chances are you save room for extra desserts on the buffet table for parties, the dinner table at home, or use desserts as gifts during this time of year.

Link your dessert recipes with MckLinky below, and if they are holiday desserts, Christmas cookies, Chanukah family favorites, or other Christmas treat recipes you’ll want to also link them during our Christmas Party starting December 17.

Pick your favorite badge!

Please leave a link to your post, not your homepage,
and be sure to link back to this post or blog.

Dark Chocolate Pudding Pie w/ Candy Cane Frozen Yogurt – Dieter’s Delight

Dark Chocolate Pudding Pie With Candy Cane Frozen Yogurt
Serves 8
Prep time: 30 minutes
Freeze time: 1 hour
Cook time: 40 minutes

Note: Crushed candy canes make a pretty garnish for this luscious dessert.

1 pint nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt
1/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
6 small candy canes, crushed Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process), divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup skim milk
2 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoons lightly salted butter
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup hot water

Soften frozen yogurt by letting it sit out for 15 minutes, then stir in peppermint extract and crushed candy canes. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350[degrees] F. Lightly coat a 10-inch pie pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Whisk together flour, sugar, 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

Combine milk, chocolate squares and butter in a small saucepan. Place over medium-low heat until chocolate and butter are melted.

Blend well into flour mixture. Transfer batter into prepared pie pan, spreading evenly across bottom.

In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar and 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder. Sprinkle evenly over batter. Place pie in oven and gently pour hot water over everything (this will create a brownie like top and a gooey bottom).

Bake for 40 minutes; center will be pudding like.

Remove pudding pie from oven and let cool slightly. Spoon each serving onto a dessert plate, and top with a scoop of peppermint frozen yogurt.

Nutrition Score per serving (1 wedge of pudding pie and 1/4 cup peppermint frozen yogurt): 387 calories, 16% fat (7 g; 4 g saturated), 79% carbs (76 g), 5% protein (5 g), 2 g fiber, 148 mg calcium, 2 mg iron, 340 mg sodium.

What have you got that would be yummy for the holidays?

Candy Cane Cookies – Monday Munchies


INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup margarine, butter, Crisco or butter Crisco
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring (optional – green)

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine (or whatever), white sugar and powdered sugar. Beat in the egg and *vanilla extract. Combine the flour and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until well blended. Cover or wrap dough and chill for at least one hour.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheets (or use parchment paper). Divide dough into halves. Color one half red by mixing in the food color (green for some too if you want). Roll a small amount of each dough about 3 inches long. Twist colors together like a rope and curve the end like a cane. Place onto prepared cookie sheets.
  3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven.

*If you like peppermint you can add peppermint extract, about a teaspoon in place of the vanilla.

Lemon Meringue Pie: What Did You Bake Today?

One of our favorite pies to have at all major family dinners is lemon meringue pie. The filling is made in the microwave lickety split. The meringue is made using America’s Test Kitchen’s no weep secret. The pie crust is our old tried and true prebaked.
Lemon Meringue Pie:
1 1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cup sugar
dash salt
1/2 cup cornstarch dissolved in 1/3 cup water
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (we used more of those wonderful lemons from Florida)
4 egg yolks
1 Tbls butter

In a large microwave safe bowl, combine water, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil in the microwave (at this point, you can’t ruin it, so just keep adding minutes until it boils). Add the cornstarch/water mixture and boil until clear (2 minutes at a time until it reaches that state). Add the lemon juice and egg yolks and cook until thick (1 minute at a time, stirring after each minute). Add butter, cool and fill a 9 or 10″ baked pie shell.

For the Meringue:
4 egg whites, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbls cornstarch
1/4 cup water

Combine the cornstarch and water and microwave until it looks Vaseline (no joke!). Beat the egg whites and sugar until soft peaks appear. Add the cooled cornstarch mixture a dollop at a time and whip until stiff peaks form. Top the lemon pie while it is piping hot, sealing the edges (meringue to crust) and bake 325 degrees for 7 minutes.
What Did You Bake Today?