Category Archives: Desserts

Blackberry Pie Bars

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Bars and Cookies, Desserts and tagged with , , , , , ,
Blackberry Pie Bars.

Blackberry Pie Bars.

Once again I’ve been called upon to provide the dessert for a pot-luck affair.  As we approach the end of the school year, many other activities also take a break for the summer and the last meeting of many organizations often involve food in the form of a picnic or pot-luck dinner.  So here we go again —-not that I mind,  it gives me the chance to bake, maybe try out something new, and then tell you all about it.  How cool is that?

Buttery crumb crust, creamy blackberry filling, more buttery crumbs on top.

Buttery crumb crust, creamy blackberry filling, more buttery crumbs on top.

While today’s recipe is called “pie’ bars, they’re not really like pie at all.  There is a bottom crust made of buttery crumbs, with a sprinkle of more crumbs to top, and in the middle a “berry” filling.  The recipe calls for black berries and that is what I used here, but I’ve made these before using raspberries, and they were super yummy too.  These bars are quick to put together, and are a great way to use up frozen berries you might have in your freezer;  you know, to make room for more berries over the summer.

Oh yeah, these are simply the best!.

Oh yeah, these are simply the best!.

I added a little lemon zest to the crust, and lemon juice to the filling and I think it brightens up the flavor, and makes an irresistible combination.  They bake up quite thick, so I cut them into small-ish squares to be eaten with fingers, but if serving them on a plate, these would be set off nicely by a dab of vanilla ice cream.  I like them while still a little warm from the oven, but they are also excellent served chilled straight from the fridge.  Once you give these a try they will undoubtedly become a staple for bringing to summertime parties and get-togethers.  Be adventurous and try other fruits as well.

BLACKBERRY PIE BARSIMG_4227

Yield:  16 – 20 bars

Ingredients:

For the crust and topping:

  • 1  1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • pinch salt
  • zest of half a lemon
  • 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, cold

    Blackberries----the stars of the show!.

    Blackberries—-the stars of
    the show!.

For the filling:

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or greek yogurt
  • 6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • pinch of salt
  • juice of half a lemon
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 15 – 16 oz. blackberries, fresh or frozen (thawed and drained of excess juices)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350*F.  Line a 9 x 9 inch baking pan with foil and grease lightly.  In the bowl of a food processor or electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest.  Pulse briefly to blend.  Cut the butter into small pieces, then add to the bowl with the dry ingredients.  Process in short pulses to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until only small pieces of butter remain and the mixture is crumbly.

Reserve 3/4 cup of the mixture for topping the bars.  Add the rest of the mixture to the  prepared pan and press to form an even layer of crust on the bottom of the pan.  Bake 12 – 15 minutes, until light golden.  Let cool 10 -15 minutes before proceeding.

In a medium bowl, make the filling mixture.  Combine the eggs, sugar, sour cream, flour, salt, lemon juice an vanilla.  Whisk until smooth.  Gently stir in the blackberries with a spatula.  Spread the filling mixture over the pre-baked crust in the baking pan.  Crumble the reserved topping mixture evenly over the filling.

Bake until the top is beginning to brown and the bars are just set, about 45 minutes.  Let cool completely on a wire rack.  Chill to firm up before slicing and serving.

IMG_4220

SOURCE:   The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather

Strawberry and Apricot Crisp

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Desserts and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Strawberry and apricot crisp.

Strawberry and apricot crisp.

I can’t seem to get my fill of strawberries this year, so here’s another dessert I made recently that combines fresh apricots with strawberries.  Fresh apricots are available pretty much thoughout the month of May, so combining them with strawberries is a natural.  I don’t know why I’ve never thought of that before, but I’m glad this recipe brought it to my attention.  The results are crazy good especially when you add on a crumble topping that includes pine nuts.

IMG_4203

In this crisp the apricots hold their shape while the strawberries become sauce-like.  Bake it in a 9 or 10-inch baking dish or pie plate for the right ratio of fruit filling to crumble topping.  Served with a scoop of strawberry ice cream takes it over the top.   Just sayin….

STRAWBERRY AND APRICOT CRISP

Yield:    6 servings

Crumble ingredients:

Make the crumb topping from these ingredients.

Make the crumb topping from these ingredients.

  • 1/2 stick  ( 4 Tbpn )cold unsalted butter cut into small  pieces, plus more for the baking dish
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 2 ounces pine nuts, toasted  ( 1/3 cup )

Filling ingredients:

  • 4 apricots, pitted and cut into sixths (about 2 cups)
  • 12 ounces strawberries, ( about 15) hulled and halved, or quartered if large (about 2 1/2 cups)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. cornstarch
  • pinch salt

1.  Combine all crumble ingredients in a medium bowl and massage together with your fingers until butter is incorporated and mixture forms small clumps.  Refrigerate until mixture is cold, at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.

Slice up strawberries and apricots, add sweetener.

Slice up strawberries and apricots, add sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch .

2.  Preheat oven to 350*F.  Butter a 9-inch round shallow baking dish or pie plate.  Combine all filling ingredients in another medium bowl.  Transfer to baking dish and top with crumble.

Pour into baking dish.

Pour into baking dish.

Cover with crumb topping.

Cover with crumb topping.

Bake until bubbling in center and crumble is browned, about 40 minutes.  Let cool at least 20 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream or frozen yogurt if desired.

Out of the oven and the aroma fills the house.

Out of the oven and smelling soooo good!

Serve with a little ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Serve with a little ice cream or frozen yogurt.

SOURCE:  Martha Stewart Living

Blueberry Lemon Cornmeal Cakes with Lemon Sauce

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Cakes, Desserts, Dressings, Sauces and tagged with , , , , ,
Blueberry Lemon Corn Cakes with Lemon Sauce

Blueberry Lemon Corn Cakes with Lemon Sauce

This recipe makes the cutest little individual cakes, with a creamy lemon sauce poured over them.  More cake-like than muffin and not very sweet they are surprisingly sophisticated for your most elegant summer gatherings.  The addition of cornmeal to the batter provides some crunchiness and the zesty lemon flavor combines perfectly with the delicate flavor of blueberries.

Slightly crunchy from cornmeal, and studded with blueberries.

Slightly crunchy from cornmeal, and studded with blueberries.

This is the dessert I mentioned in yesterday’s post that completed the pork tenderloin meal, but I think these would also be great for an outdoor picnic too.  Most people seem to enjoy it when they are served their own perfect little cake, so bake these in small custard cups or ramekins that hold between 5 – 6 ounces.  To serve them, turn upside down on a serving plate or shallow dessert dish, and spoon some of the lemon sauce over the top.  I particularly enjoy them when they are still somewhat warm; or they could be briefly heated in the microwave before serving.

BLUEBERRY LEMON CORNMEAL CAKES

Yield:  makes 8 small cakes

Ingredients:

  • 1  1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk or nonfat plain yogurt (not Greek)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 tsp. lemon extract
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup blueberries, rinsed and dried

To Make the cakes:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350*F.  Lightly grease eight  5 to 6 -ounce ramekins or baking cups.

2.  Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Whisk together the remaining ingredients except the berries, then stir into the dry mixture until just combined.  Fold in the blueberries.  Divide the batter among the baking dishes/ramekins.

3.   Bake the cakes for 24 – 26 minutes, until the centers are firm to the touch.  Transfer to a rack to cool.

LEMON SAUCE

This recipe for lemon sauce can be made with either water or half milk.  The water version has a brighter lemon flavor; when made with milk it’s a little creamier.  That is how I made mine.

YIELD:  Makes  1 1/2 cups or about 10 servingsIMG_4122

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup milk 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, salt and nutmeg.  Gradually stir in the water and milk, then bring to a simmer over low heat until the mixture thickens and becomes translucent.   Remove from the heat.  Stir in the butter, lemon zest and juice and serve.

IMG_4123

SOURCES:   For the cakes:   King Arthur Flour Baking Co.

For the sauce:  all recipes.com

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Squares

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Bars and Cookies, Desserts and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Chocolate chip cheesecake squares.

Chocolate chip cheesecake squares.

Did I hear someone say “cheesecake”?.   Oh, that was me!  Yes, well,  I fell off the wagon, and I mean big time!  But you will remember it was my birthday and Mother’s Day all in the same weekend.  So that was my excuse for treating myself and, of course, anyone else who was around to some sinfully rich and oh-so-good chocolate chip cheesecake squares WITH toffee cookie crumb crust.  Try saying that three times fast.  I could eat one faster than I can say it, and I bet you could, too.

An elegant, creamy, smooth dessert.

An elegant, creamy, smooth dessert.

There are so many recipes for cheesecake bars and squares out there, that you could pick any one that you like, but I particularly like this one because it not only includes cream cheese, but also mascarpone.  And when you combine those two you can’t expect anything but perfection.

The most commonly used ingredient for making a crust is graham cracker crumbs,  but Mr. D. has an allergy to graham crackers, so in their place I usually use shortbread cookies crushed into crumbs.  In making these bars I would have done the same except when I was shopping for groceries I spied  these cookies called Toffee Sandies by Keebler.  Since I’ve always loved pecan sandies, I thought these would make an interesting crust instead.

The cookies I used.

The cookies I used.

Cheesecake is a dessert that is very forgiving in that you can add many different flavorings, use all kinds of toppings, change the crust, and bake in a variety of pans.  It still comes out creamy and delicious.  So you really can’t go wrong.  If you need a dessert that everyone will love, give this stellar creation a try.

The hint of orange is such a good companion flavor to chocolate.

The hint of orange is such a good companion flavor to chocolate.

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE BARS WITH TOFFEE COOKIE CRUST

Servings:   9

Ingredients:

For the crust

  • 1  1/2 cups toffee sandies—fine crumbs
  • 5 Tablespoons butter, melted

    Cream cheese, mascarpone, chocolate chips and orange zest provide the flavor

    Cream cheese, mascarpone, chocolate chips and orange zest provide the flavor

For the filling:

  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened  ( 1/3 less fat variety, OK )
  • 8 oz. mascarpone cheese
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup semisweet (or your choice) chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs

1.  Place the toffee sandies in a food processor bowl and pulse to fine crumbs;  place in a mixing bowl.

2.  Add melted butter and mix well.

3.  Press crumb mixture into the bottom and sides of a 9 x 9 inch pan.  I made one and a half times the recipe, thus you see a larger pan.

Cookie crumb crust in the pan.

Cookie crumb crust in the pan.

4.  Bake crust for 10 – 12 minutes at 325*F.

5.  Allow to cool while you make the filling.

Filling:

1.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cheeses, sugar, zest and vanilla until smooth.

2.  Add eggs one at a time, beat on low speed just until combined.

3.  Fold in chocolate chips

4.  Pour over crust and smooth with an offset spatula

Going into the oven.

Going into the oven.

5.  Bake at 325 *F for 35 – 40 minutes or until center is just set and top begins to brown.

Out of the oven--only the edges are browned, but the filling is "set".

Out of the oven–only the edges are browned, but the filling is “set”.

6.  Remove pan from the oven, and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes

7.  Carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen;  cool 1 hour longer then refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight before serving.

You will want more than one of these!

You will want more than one of these!

IMG_4066

SOURCE:   adapted from   A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis

Meyer Lemon Panna Cotta

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Desserts and tagged with , , , , , ,
Lemon panna cotta.

Lemon panna cotta.

Panna Cotta is a dessert that I’ve been wanting to make for such a long time, but just never seemed to get around to it.  I have collected several recipes for making it, all just a little different from each other.

Panna Cotta, which means “cooked cream” is Italian in origin, and can be made with milk, cream, half and half, buttermilk, or any combination of these.   I also have a recipe  using yogurt.  Panna cotta is a cool, silky, creamy dessert that is often served with fruit or caramel sauce.  The higher the fat content of your base liquid, the richer the dessert will be, and of course, more calorie laden.

A light refreshing dessert.

A light refreshing dessert.

Happily this is a dessert that can be adjusted in terms of calories and fat content.  The recipe I’m offering here is a lighter version that makes good use of lemon for flavoring and still produces the silky texture of the classic with a pleasing hit of sweet and tang.  Meyer lemon–a lemon-orange hybrid–is sweeter than conventional lemon.  If you don’t have access to Meyer lemons, you can use a regular lemon and enjoy a dessert that’s a bit less sweet.  I used a regular lemon in my panna cotta and it had a nice mild lemon flavor, and was neither tart nor overly sweet,—-just right!

Silky, smooth, creamy and cool.

Silky, smooth, creamy and cool.

I also sliced some strawberries, added about 2 Tablespoons of sugar and 1 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar to them, and then served a few spooned over the panna cotta for a very pretty presentation.

MEYER LEMON PANNA COTTA

Servings   4

Requires just a few ingredients.

Requires just a few ingredients.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Meyer  or regular lemon
  • 1/2 cup  plus 3 Tablespoons 2% reduced-fat milk, divided
  • 1/2 cup half and half  ( I used light cream)
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1  3/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin, ( 1 envelope)
  • 1  1/2 cups reduced-fat buttermilk
  • cooking spray
  • Mint leaves and lemon rind strips (optional)

Directions:

1.  Remove rind from lemon using a vegetable peeler, avoiding white pith.  Squeeze 3 Tablespoons juice from the lemon and save.

Peel the lemon very thinly to flavor the milk and squeeze the lemon for juice.

Peel the lemon very thinly to flavor the milk and squeeze the lemon for juice.

2.  Combine lemon rind, 1/2 cup milk, half and half, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan;  bring to a simmer over medium heat ( do not boil).  Remove pan from heat;  cover and let stand 20 minutes.   Discard lemon rind.

Heating the milk mixture with the lemon peel.

Heating the milk mixture with the lemon peel.

3.  Sprinkle gelatin over remaining 3 tablespoons milk in a small bowl, and let stand at least 10 minutes.

4.  Return half and half mixture to medium heat; cook for 1 minute or until very hot.  Add the gelatin mixture, stirring with a whisk until dissolved (about 1 minute).  Stir in buttermilk and 3 Tablespoons lemon juice.

5.  Lightly spray  4 ( 6-ounce) ramekins or custard cups.  Divide the lemon mixture among the cups.  Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.

IMG_3961

6.  To serve:  run a knife around outside edges of panna cotta.  Place a plate upside down on top of each cup; invert onto plate.  Garnish with mint and lemon rind, if desired.    Or you may wish to serve with a fruit sauce or sliced fruit as I did.

Panna cotta served with sliced strawberries.

Panna cotta served with sliced strawberries.

Nutritional Profile:    Calories  185;   Fat  6.3 g.;  Protein  7 g.;  Carb  26 g.;  Sodium 258 mg.

SOURCE:   Cooking Light

Lemon Tassies

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Bars and Cookies, Carolyn's Originals, Desserts and tagged with , , , , ,
Lemon Tassies

Lemon Tassies

A “tassie” is a small cup-shaped cookie or tart, and comes from the Scottish word tass + ie. which means small cup.  Taking this idea to its simplest form I made the lemon tassies from supplies that I had on hand.  They were extremely easy to make and insanely good to eat.

I started with a package of refrigerated sugar cookie dough,  the kind that comes in a block and can be separated into 24 “squares”,  one for each cookie.  Using two mini-muffin pans,  I placed a block of cookie dough into each well, and with my fingers pressed it to cover the bottom, and up the sides of the muffin cups.  Then I baked them.  After baking, there was a depression in the center of each one where I spooned about 1 teaspoon of lemon curd.

IMG_3663

The heat from the still warm cookies, softened the curd so that it spread and filled the depression.  After they were completely cool, I put a dab of white frosting on each one.  (Frosting was left over from a previous baking project.)  If I didn’t already have the frosting, I would have dusted them with confectioners’ sugar, because I thought they needed something white on them for garnish.  For a special occasion a candied flower, like a violet, would be a lovely garnish.

IMG_3665

When first made the cookie part was crisp, but I kept them in a covered container, and the next day the cookie had softened and become chewy.  That seemed to fit the smooth, lemony filling better and we liked them better that way.

For some reason I always seem to want something lemon in spring time, and I already had a small amount of lemon curd that I had made, so that’s how I came up with this idea.  I think these little finger cookies ( or tarts) would be great served at a tea, a Mother’s Day Brunch,  a shower, or any other springtime occasion.

A few simple supplies are all you need:

  • mini-muffin pans, for a total of 24 cookies
  • 1 package of preformed , refrigerated sugar cookie dough, 24/pkg.
  • 1 jar lemon curd, or your own homemade.**
  • a small amount of vanilla frosting, or other garnish

Spray the muffin cups with non-stick spray.  Preheat the oven as the cookie package suggests.

Place one block of cookie dough in each of the muffin cups; with your fingers press to cover the bottom and up the sides to form a shell.

Press dough into the wells of a mini-muffin pan.

Press dough into the wells of a mini-muffin pan.

Bake for the recommended time on the cookie package, starting to check on them early, so they don’t get too brown.  Remove from the oven, and while still warm, spoon about 1 teaspoon of the lemon curd into the depression of each cookie.

After baking the shells, fill depressions with lemon curd.

After baking the shells, fill depressions with lemon curd.

Allow to cool completely on a wire rack,  loosening the cookies so they don’t stick.

Garnish the top of each cookie with your choice of frosting or other decorative garnish.

IMG_3667

**If lemon curd is not available, any flavor of jam would be a nice substitute.

SOURCE:  A Carolyn Original

Black and White Bars

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Bars and Cookies, Desserts, Snacks and tagged with , , , , ,
Black and White Bars

Black and White Bars

Black and white, the classic color combination;  found in so many places.  In the fashion world with black and white you can’t go wrong.  I always feel as though I am well put-together when I wear it.  Any season, any reason it’s always right.  Think of a piano keyboard, another perfect example of this combination, and nothing can improve upon it.   Well, in this recipe for black and white bars, the same is true.  White chocolate with bittersweet dark chocolate make beautiful music together.  I can’t think of one thing to make them better.

So good!

So good!

They are pretty simple to make requiring one large bowl, a smaller one, and a hand mixer.  The recipe calls for baking them in a 9 – inch square pan, but I made a mistake and used an 8 – inch pan.  They came out quite thick, but for me, thicker is better, and more chewy.  So use what you have, remembering that if you use a smaller pan you need to bake them at least 5 minutes longer.  (test with a toothpick). You will not be disappointed in these bars, except maybe at how fast they disappear.  Be sure to get yours before they’re all gone!

BLACK AND WHITE BARS

YIELD:  16 squares

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup chopped white chocolate, or white chipsIMG_3617
  • 1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick ) butter
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1  1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup bittersweet chunks or large chips

1.  Preheat the oven to 350*F.  Lightly grease a 9 – inch square pan

2.  Place the white chocolate, butter, and sugar in a heatproof bowl.  Heat at low power in the microwave for 1 minute intervals, or over simmering water, until the chocolate softens.  White chocolate is sensitive to to scorching, so watch carefully.

Melting the white chocolate, sugar and butter over simmering water.

Melting the white chocolate, sugar and butter over simmering water.

3.  When the butter is melted and the white chocolate looks soft, stir in the vanilla, nutmeg and salt.  Let the mixture cool to lukewarm,  then beat in the eggs.

Beating in the eggs.

Beating in the eggs.

4.  In a separate medium bowl whisk together the flour and baking powder; stir into the egg mixture.

Stir in the flour and baking powder.

Stir in the flour and baking powder.

Stir in 3/4 cup of the dark chocolate chunks.

Stir in the dark chocolate chunks or chips.

Stir in the dark chocolate chunks or chips.

Spoon the batter into a greased 9″ square pan, and sprinkle the remaining chocolate chunks over the top.

In the pan, ready for the oven.

In the pan, ready for the oven.

5.  Bake the squares for 25 minutes,  ( 30 minutes for a smaller pan), until light golden brown and the edges pull just slightly away from the pan.  Remove from the oven and cool before cutting.

It was hard to wait for them to cool.

It was hard to wait for them to cool.

I cheated a little and cut them before they were completely cool, so the chocolate is still warm and melty-like—nothing wrong with that–except you don’t get a nice clean cut.  Who cares when they taste this good!

SOURCE:  King Arthur Flour.com/recipes/bars

Tiramisu, a Lightened-up Version

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Desserts and tagged with , , , , , ,

Today marks the beginning of my second year writing this blog, and I wanted to share with you something fabulous.  I think this recipe is certainly that.  Rich, indulgent and just plain delicious!

Tiramisu, with less calories and fat but still rich and delicious.

Tiramisu, with less calories and fat but still rich and delicious.

Most likely you have had tiramisu at one time or another.   You know, the elegant, espresso-soaked sponge cake dessert, which is characterized by its rich layers of buttery mascarpone cheese and sweetened whipped cream, topped off with shaved chocolate.  If you have never had it, then I suggest you try this lightened up version for a treat that still delivers the flavor of the original without all the fat and calories.

Tiramisu, an elegant dessert.

Tiramisu, an elegant dessert.

The classic recipe packs a wallop;  a day’s worth of fat and almost 600 calories.  Mascarpone is Italy’s version of a dessert butter;  delicious to be sure, but you don’t need so much to make a dessert which is still rich tasting.  To lighten it , this recipe subs in 1/3 less fat cream cheese, with still a bit of mascarpone for richness, and mixes it into a lightly sweetened egg custard.  Egg whites are whipped, then folded into the custard, eliminating the need for whipped cream.  Crisp lady-fingers get dipped into Kahlua-spiked coffee and are then layered with the creamy custard-like filling.  A dusting of bittersweet chocolate adds one more layer of flavor for an indulgent treat that will truly be a pick-me-up, for that’s what “tiramisu” means.

Two layers of sweet, creamy indulgence.

Two layers of sweet, creamy indulgence.

We were guests at my  sister-in-law’s home for Easter dinner, and this is what I brought for dessert.  Everyone thought it was divine.  I needn’t have  worried that they would detect it wasn’t the original version. It disappeared so fast no one even questioned it.

TIRAMISU

SERVINGS:    10

INGREDIENTS

Ladyfingers, 2 kinds of cheese, Kahlua, and eggs.

Ladyfingers, 2 kinds of cheese, Kahlua, and eggs.

  • 1  1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup ground dark roast coffee
  • 1/2 cup sugar, divided
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 2 Tablespoons Kahlua  (coffee-flavored liqueur), divided
  • 5 large egg whites
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • 8  ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
  • 2  ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
  • 24 crisp savoiardi ladyfingers  ( 1  [ 7oz.] pkg.)
  • 3/4  ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely grated

1.  Bring 1  1/2 cups water to a boil, and remove from heat.  Add coffee; cover and let stand for 10 minutes.  Strain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a medium bowl; discard grounds.  Cover and refrigerate until needed.  I brewed extra coffee in the morning, then into 1 1/2 cups coffee I added 1 Tablespoon espresso  powder; heated up the mixture to dissolve the espresso, then chilled it.

Espresso mixed with brewed coffee for a strong coffee flavor.

Espresso mixed with brewed coffee for a strong coffee flavor.

2.  Combine  1/4 cup sugar, egg yolks, and 1 Tablespoon Kahlua in the top of a double boiler, stirring well with a whisk.  Cook over simmering water, whisking constantly, until thick and candy thermometer registers 160* (about 9 minutes).  Remove from heat; refrigerate 10 minutes.

Cooking the egg yolks with sugar and Kaluha.

Cooking the egg yolks with sugar and Kaluha.

3.  Place egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until medium peaks form.  Combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil.   Cook, without stirring, until the candy thermometer registers 250*.  With mixer at low speed,  carefully pour hot syrup over egg whites.  Gradually increase speed to high; beat for 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form  (do not over mix )

4.  Combine egg yolk mixture, cream cheese, and mascarpone cheese in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.

Egg yolk mixture beaten with cream cheese and mascarpone.

Egg yolk mixture beaten with cream cheese and mascarpone.

Gently stir one-fourth of egg white mixture into cream cheese mixture;  gently fold remaining egg white mixture into cream cheese mixture.

Fold egg whites into egg/ cheese mixture.

Fold egg whites into egg/ cheese mixture.

5.  Add remaining 1 Tablespoon Kahlua to coffee.  Quickly dip 12 ladyfingers into coffee mixture; arrange in the bottom of an 11 x 7-inch baking dish.  Note:  I used an 8″ x 12″ pan and 15 ladyfingers, without changing anything else, and there was enough coffee and custard to cover adequately.

Ladyfingers dipped and placed into bottom of baking dish.

Ladyfingers dipped and placed into bottom of baking dish.

Spread half of cream cheese mixture over ladyfingers.

Spread with half the cream cheese mixture.

Spread with half the cream cheese mixture.

Sprinkle with half of the chocolate.

Sprinkle with half the chocolate.

Sprinkle with half the chocolate.

Repeat procedure with the remaining ladyfingers, coffee mixture, and cream cheese mixture .  Sprinkle with remaining chocolate.  Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

This makes a full pan.

This makes a full pan.

Cut into squares and remove with a spatula.

Cut into squares and remove with a spatula.

Try it. I'm sure you will love it!

Try it. I’m sure you will love it!

SOURCE:  Cooking Light

Hidden Egg Cupcakes

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Cupcakes, Desserts and tagged with , , , , , ,

Happy First Day of Spring, Everyone!

In celebration of the first day of Spring, I thought I would bring you an Easter/Springtime recipe to get you in the mood if you’re not already.  We are preparing for yet another snow storm as I write this, and most everyone I know has had it up to HERE with cold, winter weather.  So let’s all think of green grass, daffodils, tulips, bright spring clothes and no more jackets and coats.

Hidden Egg Cupcakes with Peeps.

Hidden Egg Cupcakes with Peeps.

We know that Easter egg hunts are great fun for children (of all ages).     Another thing we know is that everyone loves cupcakes, and chocolate-filled eggs.  Two delish things in one cupcake?  Yes, mam!  This recipe combines a Cadbury egg baked inside a chocolate cupcake, topped with vanilla buttercream.  To take this concept one step further, after I had frosted the cupcakes I topped each one with a “peep” to give the idea of a bird or chicken sitting on an egg.

These were made and photographed last Easter just after I started writing this blog.  My photography skills were not very good back then and I have since improved quite a bit,  but I’m sure you will get the idea of what they looked like.  For the eggs I used Cadbury Eggs, the regular size ones, not the minis, and the cupcakes are a fudge chocolate recipe that I like a lot.

Chicks and ducks make us think of Easter and Spring.

Chicks and ducks make us think of Easter and Spring.

There are two secrets to these cupcakes.  They get their rich, extra-chocolaty flavor from a combination of unsweetened cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate, and their soft, moist texture from a simple hand-mixing method.  The frosting is a butter cream which I have written about before and you can find the recipe here.

EASTER EGG CUPCAKES    (aka Fudgey Chocolate Cupcakes)

SERVINGS:    Makes  12  cupcakes

Count off by color!

Count off by color!

INGREDIENTS

  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2  1/2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup plus 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 12 Cadbury eggs, regular size
  • Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
  • 12  candy “Peeps”,  your choice of color

1.  Preheat oven to 350*F.   Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

2.  In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.  Place the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan.  Stir frequently until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes.  Remove the bowl from the saucepan;  let the mixture cool to room temperature,  10-15 minutes.

3.  Using a wooden spoon, stir the sugar into the chocolate mixture until combined.  Stir in the eggs one at a time, beating until combined after each addition, and then beat in the vanilla.  Gently fold in the flour mixture just until no traces of flour remain;  do not over mix.

4.  Spoon about 1/4 – 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup.  Place a Cadbury Egg in each cup large end down.  Continue to fill the muffin cups with the remaining batter.  Bake  22 – 24 minutes or until the tops seem set and “spring back” when touched lightly.  A toothpick inserted a little off-center may come out with a few moist crumbs attached.

5.  Let the cupcakes cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  Transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.

6.  Frost cup cakes with vanilla buttercream, and place a “Peep” on top of each one.   CUTE!

Chicks of a feather-----

Birds of a feather—–

SOURCE:  cupcake recipe from Cupcakes, by Shelly Kaldunski

Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Bars and Cookies, Desserts, Snacks and tagged with , , , , , ,
Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Who doesn’t like chocolate chip cookies?   If a vote were taken for favorite cookie they would probably win by a landslide, and it seems as though every cook has their favorite recipe for making them.   Mine would have to be the traditional Toll-House cookie, so I don’t usually look at other recipes for chocolate chippers.   But you know how popular the addition of salt has become in the dessert world, so when I happened on this recipe for Salted Chocolate Chip cookies, I was curious what they would be like and had to try them.

IMG_3430

A sprinkle of salt on the cookies before baking is the finishing touch that brings out the chocolate flavor and tones down the sweetness, creating the ultimate sweet and salty snack.  We found these cookies to have a very nice taste, but they do flatten out quite a bit as they bake.  I normally like a thick, chunky cookie with lots of depth to bite into, and these were not that, but I did enjoy that hit of salt against the sweetness of the chocolate.  These cookies are crisp on the outside but chewy on the inside; a nice contrast in textures.  We both liked them enough for me to make them again, so I would recommend you try them especially if you would like to experience that sweet and salty combination.

IMG_3429

After baking the first sheet of cookies and seeing how they turned out, I put the remaining two sheets in the refrigerator to chill the dough and firm up the butter, before they hit the heat of the oven.  It’s important also be keep your oven at 375*F  throughout the baking time. For best results  bake only one sheet of cookies at a time, instead of two and rotating them, as the recipe suggests.

When using salt on your desserts, a sprinkle of one of the following will get the job done—just don’t use table salt.   Kosher salt, large crystals, dissolve quickly;   flaky sea salt,  light, crunchy texture, provides ideal finishing touch on cookies, etc.;  coarse sea salt,  grains are crunchy, but don’t dissolve as quickly, good with assertive flavors and textures.

SALTED CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

YIELD:   makes about 30 cookies

INGREDIENTSIMG_3423

  • 1  1/2  cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 cup  ( 1 stick ) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup ( packed ) light brown sugar
  • 1/2 granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 8 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks
  • flaky sea salt

1.  Preheat oven to 375*F.  Prepare baking sheets with non-stick spray or line with parchment paper.

2.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside.

3.  Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, sugar, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Beat, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl, until mixture is pale and fluffy,  4-5 minutes.  Reduce mixer speed to low; slowly add dry ingredients, mixing just to blend.  Using a spatula, fold in chocolate.

4.  Spoon rounded tablespoons full of cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 1″ apart.  Sprinkle cookies with sea salt.

5.  Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until just golden brown around the edges, 10 – 12 minutes.  Cookies will firm up as they cool.  Let cool slightly on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks;  let cool completely.   Store airtight at room temperature.

IMG_3426

SOURCE:   adapted from Bon Appetit,  January, 2013