Category Archives: Desserts

Frozen Lemon Puff

Guaranteed raves and a great make ahead
Frozen Lemon Puff
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Ingredients
  1. 5 eggs (separate 3 and reserve whites)
  2. 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice 175ml
  3. 1 cup sugar 250ml
  4. 2 cups whipping cream 500ml
  5. vanilla wafers to cover bottom and sides of pan
  6. dash cream of tartar
  7. 1/4 cup icing sugar 60ml
Instructions
  1. Whisk 2 eggs and 3 egg yolks, lemon juice and sugar together in the top of a double boiler and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Cool. Whip the cream and fold into lemon mixture. Line sides and bottom of a 9″ (23cm) springform pan with vanilla wafers. Pour lemon mixture into the pan. Beat the 3 egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and icing sugar and beat until peaks are stiff. Spread on the lemon mixture and brown under the broiler. (watch carefully!) Cover with foil making sure it doesn’t touch the meringue. Freeze 8 hours or more. Remove from freezer (taking foil off immediately) at least 1 1/2 hours before serving. Serves 10-12
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The people who assure you that money isn’t everything usually have everything.
 

Little Sticky Toffee Puddings

The perfect make-ahead winter dessert. You can make and freeze the puddings and the toffee sauce will keep indefinitely in the fridge (or until the kids find it!). Serves 8.

Little Sticky Toffee Puddings
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup water
  2. 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  3. 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  4. 1 cup dried cranberries
  5. 3/4 cup butter
  6. 2/3 cup sugar
  7. 2 eggs
  8. 1 cup flour
  9. 1/4 tsp. baking powder
Toffee Sauce
  1. 1 cup brown sugar
  2. 1/2 cup butter
  3. 1/2 cup whipping cream
Instructions
  1. Butter 8, 1/2 cup ramekins. Bring water to a boil and add vanilla and baking soda, then add dried cranberries and set aside to cool.
  2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Lightly beat eggs and gradually add to butter mixture in 3 stages.
  4. Sift flour and baking powder together and gently fold into batter. Fold cranberry mixture into batter. Portion into ramekins and bake at 350 F. for 25 minutes.
  5. To prepare Toffee Sauce, combine sauce ingredients in saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Simmer until sauce thickens.
  6. To serve, remove puddings from ramekins by running a knife around edge. Invert on plate and drizzle with warm Toffee Sauce.
Instructions
  1. Butter 8, 1/2 cup ramekins. Bring water to a boil and add vanilla and baking soda, then add dried cranberries and set aside to cool.
  2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Lightly beat eggs and gradually add to butter mixture in 3 stages.
  4. Sift flour and baking powder together and gently fold into batter. Fold cranberry mixture into batter. Portion into ramekins and bake at 350 F. for 25 minutes.
  5. To prepare Toffee Sauce, combine sauce ingredients in saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Simmer until sauce thickens.
  6. To serve, remove puddings from ramekins by running a knife around edge. Invert on plate and drizzle with warm Toffee Sauce.
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I’m not aging, I just need repotting.

Fruit Poof

Fruit Poof
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Ingredients
Puff
  1. 2/3 cup water
  2. 1/3 cup butter
  3. 2/3 cup flour
Crust
  1. 2/3 cup flour
  2. 1 Tbsp. sugar
  3. 1/4 cup butter
  4. 3 eggs
Filling
  1. 3 1/2 oz. (102 g) box instant vanilla pudding
  2. 1 1/2 cups milk
  3. 1/2 cup whipping cream
  4. 2 cups fresh sliced peaches, kiwi, halved strawberries, halved grapes, blueberries, or raspberries
  5. 1/4 cup apple jelly, melted
Instructions
  1. To make puff: Combine water and butter in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to melt butter. Add flour all at once. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball that doesn’t separate. Set aside in saucepan to cool for 15 minutes.
  2. To make crust: Combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Firmly press crumbs in an 8″ circle on an ungreased baking sheet. Set aside.
  3. Preheat oven to 400 F. Add eggs to dough in saucepan, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gently spread 1/4 of the dough over crust., forming a 5″ circle. Drop remaining dough in spoonfuls around edge of smaller circle. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 F. and continue baking for 35-40 minutes. Cool.
  4. To make filling: Prepare pudding using milk. Beat cream and fold into pudding. Spoon filling into center of puff. Arrange fruit on top and brush fruit with melted jelly. Chill for 2 hours. Serves 8 astounded guests!
  5. Book Reference – The Rest of the Best – Vol. 2(Page: 294), Winners (Page: 180)
Instructions
  1. To make puff: Combine water and butter in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to melt butter. Add flour all at once. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball that doesn’t separate. Set aside in saucepan to cool for 15 minutes.
  2. To make crust: Combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Firmly press crumbs in an 8″ circle on an ungreased baking sheet. Set aside.
  3. Preheat oven to 400 F. Add eggs to dough in saucepan, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gently spread 1/4 of the dough over crust., forming a 5″ circle. Drop remaining dough in spoonfuls around edge of smaller circle. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 F. and continue baking for 35-40 minutes. Cool.
  4. To make filling: Prepare pudding using milk. Beat cream and fold into pudding. Spoon filling into center of puff. Arrange fruit on top and brush fruit with melted jelly. Chill for 2 hours. Serves 8 astounded guests!
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Reading whilst sunbathing make you…. well….red!
 

Fresh Apple Cookies

Teacher’s choice.

Fresh Apple Cookies
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Ingredients
  1. 2 cups flour
  2. 1 tsp. baking soda
  3. 1/2 cup butter, softened
  4. 1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar
  5. 1/2 tsp. salt
  6. 1 tsp. cinnamon
  7. 1 tsp. ground cloves
  8. 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  9. 1 egg, beaten
  10. 1/4 cup apple juice or milk
  11. 1 cup chopped apples
  12. 1/2 – 1 cup chopped nuts
  13. 1 cup raisins
Vanilla Glaze
  1. 1 cup icing sugar
  2. 1 Tbsp. butter, softened
  3. 1/4 tsp. vanilla
  4. 1/4 tsp. salt
  5. 1 1/2 Tbsp. milk
nstructions
  1. To make cookies: Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine flour and baking soda in medium bowl. In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves nutmeg and egg. Add half the flour to the butter mixture and blend well. Mix in juice or milk. Add the apples, nuts and raisins to the remaining flour. Add this apple mixture to the butter mixture. Drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheets and bake for 10 minutes or until cookies are firm.
  2. To make glaze: Blend all ingredients together until smooth. While cookies are hot, spread with vanilla glaze. Makes 3 dozen.
Notes
  1. Book Reference – The Best of the Best – Vol. 1 (Page: 244), Aces (Page: 158)
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Just when you get to the point where menu prices don’t matter – calories do!

Blueberry Bonanza

The perfect dessert for your next “family bun fight”!!

Blueberry Bonanza
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Ingredients
Crust
  1. 1 sleeve of digestive biscuits, finely crushed. (about 27) (graham wafers would be a good substitute)
  2. 1 tsp. sugar
  3. 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
  4. 1/2 cup butter, melted
Cheese Layer
  1. 8 oz. cream cheese
  2. 1/2 cup sugar
  3. 2 eggs
  4. 1 tsp. vanilla
Blueberry Layer
  1. 3 cups frozen blueberries
  2. 1/2 cup sugar
  3. 1/2 cup water
  4. 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  5. 4 tsp. cornstarch
  6. 1/2 cup cold water
Topping
  1. 2 cups whipping cream
  2. 2 Tbsp. sugar
  3. 3 digestive biscuits, crushed
Instructions
  1. To make crust: Mix ingredients together and pat lightly into a 9″x13″ pan and bake at 350F for 10 minutes.
  2. To make cheese layer: Mix ingredients together and spread over crust. Bake at 325F for 20 minutes.
  3. To make blueberry layer: Combine blueberries, sugar, water and lemon juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Dissolve cornstarch in the cold water and add to the blueberry mixture. Stir until thickened and pour over baked cheese layer. Cool completely.
  4. To make topping: Whip cream with sugar and spread on top of blueberry layer. Sprinkle with digestive biscuit crumbs and refrigerate until serving time. If you make this the night before – don’t whip the cream until just before serving. Serves 10-12
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If the number 2 pencil is the most popular, why is it still number 2?

Grand Cake

The perfect “grand occasion” cake – always a hit. If you are not a baker at heart, but you volunteered to produce the dessert, use a good cake mix and carry on!!
Make the day ahead, cover and refrigerate.

Grand Cake
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Ingredients
  1. The perfect “grand occasion” cake – always a hit. If you are not a baker at heart, but you volunteered to produce the dessert, use a good cake mix and carry on!!
  2. Make the day ahead, cover and refrigerate.
Ingredients
  1. 1 3/4 cups flour
  2. 1 tsp. baking soda
  3. 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  4. 1 tsp. salt
  5. 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  6. 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  7. 1 2/3 cups sugar
  8. 3 eggs
  9. 1 tsp. vanilla
  10. 1 1/3 cups water
  11. 1/4 cup Grand Marnier liqueur
Filling
  1. 3/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
  2. 3/4 cup sugar
  3. 1 Tbsp. gelatin (1 envelope)
  4. zest of 2 oranges
  5. 1/4 cup Grand Marnier liqueur
  6. 2 cups whipping cream
  7. 3/4 cup icing sugar
Instructions
  1. To make cake: Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 2, 8″ round cake pans. Line with waxed paper and grease again. Measure flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa into a bowl and sift together. Cream butter using electric beater. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add vanilla. At low speed, beat in 1/3 of flour mixture, then 1/2 of the water, beating only until mixed after each addition. Beat in another 1/3 flour, remaining water and rest of flour. Pour into pans and bake for 30 – 35 minutes, or until center of cake springs back when lightly touched. Let cakes cool 5 minutes, then turn out. Remove waxed paper and cool thoroughly on racks.
  2. 1-2 hours before assembling, slice each cake in half horizintally to make 4 layers. Place layers cut side up and sprinkle each with 1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier.
  3. To make filling: Combine juice, sugar and gelatin in a saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar and gelatin are dissolved, abour 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange zest and Grand Marnier. Press a sheet of waxed paper on surface and refrigerate until cool, about 20 minutes. Whip cream until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in icing sugar, then fold in Grand Marnier mixture.
  4. To assemble: Place 1 layer of cake, cut side up, on serving plate. Spoon on 1/4 of filling and spread. Top with another layer and continue until all are used, ending with filling. Refrigerate immediately, let set at least 4 hours to “let the flavours get to know each other”.
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A day without sunshine is like…..night!
 

Cajun Bread Pudding

Cajun Bread Pudding
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Ingredients
  1. Pudding
  2. 1/3 cup butter, melted
  3. 16 cups french bread cubes, day old, lightly packed
  4. 3 eggs
  5. 1 1/2 cups sugar
  6. 2 Tbsp. vanilla
  7. 1 tsp. nutmeg
  8. 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  9. 3 cups milk
  10. 3/4 cup golden raisins
  11. 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
Rum Sauce
  1. 1 cup butter
  2. 1 1/2 cups sugar
  3. 2 eggs, beaten until frothy
  4. 1/4 – 1/2 cup dark rum
Soft Cream
  1. 2 cups whipping cream
  2. 1/3 cup icing sugar
  3. 1 Tbsp. vanilla
  4. 2 Tbsp. brandy
  5. 2 Tbsp. Frangelico liqueur
  6. 1/4 cup sour cream
Instructions
  1. To Make Pudding: Pour a small amount of melted butter in a 9″ x 13″ pan; swirl to cover bottom and sides. Place bread cubes in pan. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Add vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, milk and remaining butter. Beat on low to combine. Stir in raisins and pecans; pour over bread. Allow bread to absorb liquid, 30-45 minutes. Press bread down often to cover all cubes. Preheat oven to 350 F.. Bake until crusty and golden brown, 45-60 minutes. Cool and slice into squares.
  2. To make sauce: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Cook in double boiler for 20 minutes, whisking often. In a bowl, whisk 2 Tbsp. butter-sugar mixture into beaten eggs, then whisk in 2 Tbsp. more. Whisk egg mixture into butter mixture. Cook and whisk over simmering water for 4-5 minutes. Cool slightly. Whisk in rum. (By now, you’re probably all whisked out – taste the sauce – you’ll know it was worth it!)
  3. To make soft cream: Beat ingredients until soft peaks form, 3-4 minutes. Do not overbeat. Cover and refrigerate until served.
  4. To serve: On individual plates, drizzle a spoonful of warm rum sauce, top with a square of pudding and then add a large dollop of soft cream. Serves 12-14
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If you’re having a crowd over for dessert – you MUST make this. Your guests will be inclined to exclaim: “Don’t y’all just luuve this!!”
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Toffee Cranberry Crisps

If you’re a chewy cookie fan, fire up the oven – you’re going to enjoy these!

Toffee Cranberry Crisps
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup butter
  2. 3/4 cup sugar
  3. 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  4. 1 egg
  5. 1 tsp. vanilla
  6. 2 cups flour
  7. 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
  8. 1 tsp. baking soda
  9. 1/4 tsp. salt
  10. 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
  11. 1 cup toffee bits (check the baking section of your supermarket)
Instructions
  1. Cream together butter and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Mix in cranberries and toffee bits. Place teaspoonfuls of dough 2″ apart on greased cookie sheets. Don’t make them too large – they spead! Bake at 350 F. for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 5 dozen.
  2. Book Reference – The Rest of the Best – Vol. 2 (Page: 263)
Instructions
  1. Cream together butter and sugars. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Mix in cranberries and toffee bits. Place teaspoonfuls of dough 2″ apart on greased cookie sheets. Don’t make them too large – they spead! Bake at 350 F. for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 5 dozen.
  2. Book Reference – The Rest of the Best – Vol. 2 (Page: 263)
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Eat a live toad in the morning and nothing will happen to you for the rest of the day.