Tag Archives: dessert

Chocolatey Chew Turtle Brownies

Posted on by
1

P1100666

These brownies are for those days when you have a little extra time, or really want to impress someone that loves chocolate.

6 tbsp unsalted butter

6 oz coarsely chopped good quality semi sweet chocolate

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Not Dutch process)

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350

Line a buttered 8 inch square baking pan wiht foil or parchment paper, letting enough hang over to make it easy to lift the brownies out later.  Butter lining too! 

Heat butter, chocolate and cocoa in either a heatproof medium bowl over warm water, or in a microwave, stirring at 10 second intervals.  If you choose the microwave be careful – they can be over heated in a few seconds.

Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in another bowl and set aside.

Put sugar, eggs and vanilla in bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment and beat on medium speed until pale, golden and fluffy – about 4 minutes.  Add chocolate mixture, and beat until combined.  Add flour, beat again scraping down sides of bowl until well mixed.

Pour batter into prepped pan, smooth top with spatula.  Bake until a tester comes out with a few crumbs but not wet – around 35 minutes.  Let cool for about 15 minutes in pan.  Lift out brownies and allow to cool completely on wire rack before adding topping.

TURTLE CARAMEL TOPPING

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 tsp pure vanilla extract1/2 tsp coarse salt

1 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans

Using medium saucepan combine water and sugar – bring to a boil over med-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved.  When syrup starts to boil – QUIT stirring and wash down your sides with a wet pastry brush.  Continue to cook, swirling pan every so often, until a medium amber – again – this is the place to watch carefully because it will go from a rich amber color to burnt pretty quickly.  Remove from the heat, and quickly add cream, vanilla and salt.  Stir very gently until mixture is smooth.  Add pecans and stir until caramel begins to cool and thicken.  A couple of minutes will do it.

Pour caramel over cooled brownies and spread with an offset spatula.  Refridgerate until cool – at least 30 min to an hour.

Let brownies stand at room temperature at least 15 minutes before serving.  If doing this for a dessert wipe knife with a hot damp cloth between each cut to get a smooth line.  Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Creamy Chocolate Pudding

Posted on by
Reply

Easily as quick and simple as a package, and no preservatives! 

6 tbsp cornstarch

3 cups milk

4 tbsp cocoa powder

1 cup icing sugar

1/2 cup butter

Combine cornstarch, cocoa powder and icing sugar- mix well.  Stir in milk.

Stir dry ingredients together and whisk in milk.  Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a gentle boil and continue to boil – stirring so it doesn’t stick or boil over.  When it has thickened a bit, remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted. 

Easily adapted to the microwave – combine dry ingredients and whisk in milk – heat on high power stirring every couple of moments until it boils and thickens – remove from microwave and stir in butter.

Fancy Fudge Sauce

Posted on by
Reply

We have been using this same recipe for our warm fudge sauce for years, and the girls (all 5 of them) call it fancy … they love it, and we have used it on everything!  I am sure it will also become a favourite in your house too!

2/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

Whisk sugar and cocoa, gradually adding in water.  Stir over medium high heat until mixture comes to a full boil, then gently boil for a few minutes until slightly thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.

For microwave:  Heat sugar, cocoa and water in microwave safe bowl on high until mixture comes to a boil.  Stir well and microwave on medium for 4-5 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.

This sauce stays soft when poured over ice cream – to have it hot just gently warm it up before using.  Keeps well in the fridge (if you can make it last!).

Best Brownies

Posted on by
Reply

It seems hard to believe, but my oldest daughter is 33 years old now, and this brownie recipe is from the girl’s elementary school cookbook … still our favourite!

a pint sized helper is only going to make these brownies taste better

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp butter

1 cup white sugar

6 tbsp cocoa powder

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In medium saucepan, melt the butter and cocoa.  Remove from heat, stir in sugar.  Blend in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after eat.  Add vanilla, flour and nuts.  Stir well.  Spread into a greased 8 x 8 x 2 pan.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Be careful not to overbake. Remove from heat as soon as a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and the brownies are starting to pull away from the edges of the baking pan.

If you want an extra hit of chocolatey goodness, as soon as it comes out of the oven sprinkle a generous layer of chocolate chips over and allow to sit long enough for the chips to melt …. spread and smooth with a knife or offset spatula.  Allow to cool slightly and cut up – they won’t last long!  In order to turn this into dessert, serve warm with ice cream, and my Fancy Fudge Sauce drizzled over top.

p.s.  did I mention how easy clean up is with only the one pot to wash???

Limoncello Cake Pops

Posted on by
3

Cake pops are such a fun little bite of deliciousness.  These ones were made for a stagette/shower – the brides colors are purple and yellow so of course we had to make the cake pops to match – they were fantastic.

A piece of styrofoam works well to stand the cake pops in, but if you want to get creative, like my daughter Hayley, drill holes into a 2 x 6, sand it well, give it a light brushing of stain, and finish it with decorative edges!

As well as the cake and icing ingredients you will need chocolate (whatever color you like – for this one we used purple chocolate wafers), lollipop sticks and whatever you would like to decorate with.

LIMONCELLO CAKE

Preheat oven to 325

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 stick butter

2 oz cream cheese

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 tbsp limoncello

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon

Soften the butter and cream cheese – beat well.  When incorporated well add the sugar and beat until it is creamy in color and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time beating well each time, finally adding the limoncello.  In a separate bowl sift flour, baking powder and salt.  Add the buttermilk and the flour mixture alternately to butter.  Gently fold in the lemon juice and zest until just blended.

Bake at 325 in a greased, lined 8×8 cake pan for about 20-25 minutes, then cool completely.

ICING

1/2 stick butter

6 oz cream cheese

4 cups icing sugar

2 tbsp limoncello

Bring butter and cream cheese to room temperature and beat well.  Add limoncello and whip.  Beat in icing sugar until it is as thick as you would like.

ASSEMBLY

When cake has completely cooled crumble it into a large bowl – make sure there aren’t any large bits.  Add the buttercream icing until it can be easily rolled into a ball.  (no larger than 1 inch)  You may not need all the icing.

Roll all the cake/icing mixture into little 1 inch balls and set in container – freeze if you don’t have time to complete the next step.

Melt chocolate over warm water just until smooth and creamy – taking care not to get any water into the chocolate.  A small canning jar works really well for this – set into a pot of gently simmering water.

Dip the lollipop stick into the melted chocolate and press deep into the cake ball.

Amy and Tyler were a great help making cake pops!

Allow to harden (we found it easiest to place the cake with stick into the freezer until that part was completed)  Only take out what you need so it all stays cold.

Then dip the cake pop into the melted chocolate until coated nicely – gently turning it and tapping on the edge of the jar the chocolate is in so the excess chocolate falls away.  If you want to press any cake decorating sprinkles etc on, now is the time.

A large piece of styrofoam is perfect to set the lollipop sticks in so that the chocolate hardens without touching anything.  Once hardened they are pretty sturdy, and you can further decorate or just put on display.

If you don’t have a styrofoam block for display, using a covered cardboard box works well too but it will be a little harder to get the cake pops to all stand at attention …

Boston Cream Pie

Posted on by
1
Boston Cream Pie

This Boston Cream Pie is much easier to make than many desserts, and will quickly be a family favourite.

Boston Cream with fruit

Look what I did here.  Topped with fruit instead of chocolate.  Make a slurry out of juice and cornstarch, cook over medium heat until thickened, and spread that lightly on top of the cake just enough to set the fruit onto, then cover the top of the fruit with what’s left.  So light tasting, and even though it isn’t spring here yet, this made me feel like it’s on the way!

CAKE

Preheat oven to 350                       

  • 1 cup flour
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs

(I have listed these ingredients in random order to show you just how simple this cake is – throw everything in a bowl and mix!)  It will quickly become your “go to” cake any time you need a simple white cake. If you really feel the need to get technical, mix the butter, eggs and vanilla together until light and fluffy, then add the rest.

Mix well with hand beater at low speed until mixed, then high speed for 2 minutes.  Pour into greased and floured 9″ round cake pan.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, check with cake tester.  Cake should be just baked enough to be pulling away slightly from the sides of the baking pan, and tester should come out clean.  Let rest for 10 minutes then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

CREAMY CUSTARD FILLING 

  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch

In heavy saucepan, whisk all ingredients until incorporated very well then cook over medium-low heat until mixture thickens and boils, about 20 minutes.  Boil 1 minute stirring frequently.  Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla.

I have also done this part in the microwave – stir every 2 minutes until mixture has thickened well.  Make sure you use a large bowl as the mixture will raise and lower several times while it cooks.

Cover right on the surface of the pudding with saran until cool, but not set, about 30 minutes.

CHOCOLATE ICING

  • 2 squares semisweet chocolate
  • 1 tbsp butter or margarine
  • 1/2 cup icing sugar
  • 2-3 tbsp milk

In heavy saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate and butter.  Remove saucepan from heat.  With wire whisk beat in 1/2 cup icing sugar and 2-3 tbsp milk until smooth and easy spreading consistency.

ASSEMBLY

With serrated knife, cut cake horizontally in half to form 2 equal layers.  Place 1 cake layer on cake platter, spread evenly with the cooled custard.  Top with 2nd cake layer, pressing down gently but firmly.  Cover top of cake with chocolate icing.  Try to spread chocolate cover to the edges so it drips down over the sides.  Refrigerate until serving time.

This cake is so versatile.  If you have a large crowd, double the recipe and make it 4 layers high!  So impressive looking – for extra flair, save some of the custard and spread it around the outside of the cake, then press in sliced toasted almonds.  You can also make one cake with chocolate  (add 1/4 cup cocoa powder to cake batter or use your own favorite chocolate cake) and add your toasted almonds to the top.

Creamy Raspberry Cheesecake

Posted on by
Reply

Image

CRUST

1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs

4 tbsp butter or margarine – melted

4 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.  To prepare cheesecake, mix crumbs, melted butter, sugar and cinnamon together.  Press evenly and firmly over bottom of an 8 1/2 – 9″ springform pan.  Bake until lightly browned (8 – 10 minutes).  Set aside to cool

CHEESECAKE

16 ounces cream cheese (softened)

1/2 – 3/4 cup sugar (to your taste)

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp grated lemon rind

3 eggs

1 cup sour cream

Beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Gradually beat in sugar, then beat in vanilla andlemon rind.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Blend in sour cream.  Pour mixture into cooled crust.

The best way to cook the cheesecake is in a bain marie.  Fancy expression for a water bath.  Double or even triple wrap the springform pan in tin foil, bringing the foil right up to the top.  Using a large enough roasting pan, place the wrapped springform pan in the center, and pour really hot water in the pan to about halfway up the springform pan.  I think it is easiest to get the springform pan into the roasting pan first, set that on your oven rack, and then pour in the hot water.

Bake at 350 until knife inserted near center comes out clean (50 – 60) minutes.  Turn off oven and let cheesecake stand in oven with door ajar for about 30 minutes.  Cool.

RASPBERRY TOPPING

10 ounces raspberries (frozen in syrup)

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp corn starch

2-3 cups fresh raspberries

Defrost and drain very well.  Prepare slurry with sugar, corn starch and cold raspberry juice.  Heat over medium temperature until mixture is very thick and has boiled clear (if you leave it cloudy you will taste the corn starch).  Add the drained raspberries and set aside to let cool.

When both the cake and the topping are cool, spread the raspberry topping over the cake and immediately press fresh raspberries gently into the topping all the way around in circles until you have covered the surface of the cake.  Let rest for at least 4 hours.

When you slice into a cheesecake, always dip your knife into hot water, wipe it dry and then slice.  If you do this with each slice your slices will all be nice and clean.

This cake is equally delicious if you use different fruit – go ahead and experiment.  The process is the same, just substitute the fruit you want to use.  If you are using fresh fruit for the topping altogether and no frozen fruit, just make sure you use a juice concentrate to make your slurry with corn starch otherwise their won’t be quite enough flavour.

Image