Category: Sweets – Other

Double Chocolate Souffles

These can be prepared ahead.  Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 week, do not thaw frozen soufflés before baking.  Makes for a really impressive (and delicious) dessert.

Ingredients:

  • 2 T (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
  • 2 T flour
  • 1 c whole milk
  • 8 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chopped
  • 6T sugar, divided
  • 1 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 4 large eggs separated
  • 1/4 t salt
  • Lightly sweetened whipped cream

Directions:

  1. Butter eight 3/4 cup ramekins or custard cups.
  2. Dust with sugar.
  3. Arrange dishes on rimmed baking sheet.
  4. Melt 2 T butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat.
  5. Add 2 T flour.
  6. Whisk until the mixture is bubbling, about 1 minute.
  7. Increase heat to medium high.
  8. Gradually whisk in 1 c milk.
  9. Cook until mixture thickens and boils, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes.
  10. Remove from heat.
  11. Add bittersweet chocolate, 4 T sugar, and unsweetened chocolate.
  12. Whisk until melted and smooth.
  13. Pour soufflé base into large bowl.
  14. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
  15. Whisk egg yolks into soufflé base.
  16. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt in medium bowl until soft peaks form.
  17. Gradually add remaining 2 T sugar, beating until stiff and glossy.
  18. Fold 1/4 of whites into soufflé base.
  19. Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions.
  20. Divide soufflé mixture among prepared ramekins.
  21. Preheat oven to 400°.
  22. Bake soufflés uncovered on rimmed baking sheet until puffed and centers move slightly when baking sheet is shaken gently, about 17 minutes for fresh or chilled soufflés or 22 minutes for frozen.
  23. Server chocolate soufflés immediately with sweetened whipped cream.

Serves:  8

Source:  A mystery!  Found it in my “desserts” file.

Grand Marniar Souffle

Somewhat last minute but sometimes a delay between dinner and dessert is good.

Ingredients:

  • 2 c milk
  • 3.4 c sugar
  • 1/3 c flour
  • 2 oz butter (2 Tab) melted
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 7 egg whites
  • 2 oz Grand Mariner

Directions:

  1. Beat egg whites until stiff.
  2. Heat milk.
  3. Add sugar.
  4. Stir and bring to a boil.
  5. Mix melted butter with flour.
  6. Stir into boiling mil,.  Blend until a thick creamy consistency.
  7. Off the fire, add the Grand Mariner.
  8. Beat the yolks until lemon color.
  9. Add to mixture stirring continually.
  10. Gently fold in beaten egg whites.
  11. Place a foil collar around a souffle dish. (“Paste” it on the outside with butter. )
  12. Butter the inside of the souffle dish.
  13. Dust the inside of the dish with sugar.
  14. Pour into buttered, sugared souffle dish
  15. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes with oven door closed.
  16. Serve immediately.

Serves: 6

Source:  Off the Grand Mariner bottle via Bob Dell-Imagine

Note:  Related hits from the internet.  I have not tried them.

  1. For Fail-Proof Meringue, Add Acid! This is not required by any means, but if you have trouble getting your egg whites or meringue to peak properly, you can always add a little lemon juice or cream of tartar to help strengthen the structure of the mixture.
  2. Don’t Overfold: The tendency with many people is to really whip the whites into the base mixture. This is a mistake. You want to gently fold in the whites only until the point where the streaks of white disappear. Until you do this a few times, you’ll probably feel as though you’re under-mixing. Chances are: you’re not.
  3. Use Fresh Room Temperature Eggs: Your eggs will act the way you want them to if they’re room temperature. Whipping cold eggs is harder work and you won’t get as much lift.
  4. Level off the Top of Your Soufflé With a Knife: You don’t have to do this, but you know that magical flat top that soufflés have when you order them at restaurants? That’s achieved with the swipe of a flat knife on the top of your souffle.
  5. Use the Bottom Oven Rack: Generally speaking (although each oven is certainly different), the bottom oven rack is what you want to use to achieve lift. So for anything light and airy that needs rise, bake on the bottom.

Weeknight Tip: Did you know that you can make a soufflé ahead of time and bake them off when you’re ready? This is a great party tip — make them the day before, cover and refrigerate them and take them to room temperature before you bake them off. They can be refrigerated for up 2 to 3 days.

Mock Devonshire Cream

Traditionally served with scones at high tea, this makes a great topping for many pudding type deserts or fresh fruit (even jello).

Ingredients:

  • 3 oz cream cheese
  • 1/2 c chilled whipping cream.

Directions:  

  1. Mash cream cheese until soft.
  2. Add cream and blend thoroughly.

Serves:  Makes about 1/4 c – enough for 2 desserts.

Source:   Bobby Westling at Girl Scout Camp Scherman

An Even More Wicked Mock Devonshire or Clotted Cream

Ingredients:

  • 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/4 c butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 c sour cream

Instrictions:

  1. Place the cream cheese in a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer until fluffy and smooth.
  2. Add butter and beat.
  3. Add sour cream and beat once more until smooth.
  4. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for about a week. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes or so before serving.

Servings:  4

Source:  Pioneer Woman, May 22, 2016

 

Cream Puffs

Do not be afraid – it is not that hard.  And so impressive!  Have the ingredients at room temperature.  We stuff 2 inch puffs with a mixture of crab, hard boiled eggs, celery, and mayonnaise for a fancy hors d’oeuvre.  

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 c flour – sift before measuring
  • 1/2 c milk
  • 1/4 c butter (1 stick)
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 400°.
  2. Heat milk.
  3. Add butter.
  4. Bring to the boiling point.
  5. Add the flour and salt.
  6. Cook and stir (with a wooden spoon) until the batter leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball.
  7. Remove from fire.
  8. Beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure to blend well before adding second egg.
  9. Chill the dough for at least half an hour.
  10. Place a spoonful of batter in 2 inch round on a greased tin, heaping them well in the center.   Allow 2 inches between the puffs.
  11. Bake them at 400° for 30 minutes.
  12. Reduce heat to 350° for 5 minutes.
  13. Test the puffs by removing one from the oven.  If it does not fall i is done.
  14. When the puffs cool cut a gash in the side of each puff and fill them with sweeten whip cream, custard, or ice cream.

Serves:   Makes 6 large puffs or eclairs or 30 1 inch puffs.

Source:   Joy of cooking.

Notes:   When you double the recipe, use only one extra egg. (today’s eggs are larger than when the book was written)

We used a 1 oz scoop to make the cocktail puffs.  Baked them 20 minutes at 400° and 10 minutes at 300°.  Cut the top almost off to fill.  2 time the recipe made 40 puffs.

Pudding Shooters

Simple, fun, not for the kids!

Ingredients:

  • 3 1/2 ounces instant chocolate pudding mix
  • 1 c milk
  • 3 oz Kahlua
  • 3 oz Irish cream
  • 8 oz Cool Whip –  defrosted

Instructions:

  1. Combine cold milk and pudding mix with an electric mixer.
  2. Blend in liquors
  3. Fold in Cool Whip until thoroughly blended
  4. Fill and chill.

Serves:  Made 20 small dishes

Source:    Food.com by Kitchen_Kouture

Notes:   I used 1/2 and 1/2 and divided the milk/pudding mixture, add in 6 oz of Irish Cream to one half and 6 oz of Kahlua to the other and added half the Cool Whip to each bowl.  Math never was my best class!

Some people freeze these.

Orange Cream Ladyfinger Cake

A bit of work, but you make it the day before so you can spend the time.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tab unflavored gelatin (2 envelopes)
  • 1 c sugar (divided)
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 12 oz frozen orange juice concntrate
  • 6 eggs, separated
  • 2 Tab lemon juice
  • 1 tsp orange peel, grated
  • 1 tsp lemon peel, grated
  • 1 pt whipping cream
  • 16 ladyfingers

Directions:

  1. Line the sides and bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with split lady fingers (cut side in).
  2. In the top of a double boiler, mix gelatin, 3/4 c sugar and salt.
  3. Stir in OJ concentrate.
  4. Heat to scalding.
  5. Remove from heat.
  6. Beat egg yolks until light.
  7. Add some of the OJ mix to the egg yolks, beating constantly (to warm up the eggs – otherwise, if you put the cold eggs into hot stuff they with come out scrambled eggs – they cook instantly.)
  8. When you have added enough OJ to the eggs to warm them,  you can add them into the OJ.  Just keep beating.
  9. Stir in lemon juice and peels.
  10. Cool until syrupy.
  11. Beat egg whites until stiff.
  12. Beat in the reaming 1/4 cup sugar.
  13. Gently fold in the OJ mixture.
  14. Whip cream until stiff.
  15. Fold into the egg white/OJ mixture.
  16. Turn into springform pan.
  17. Chill overnight.

Serves: 12

Source:  Sunset Cookbook

Gingersnap Ice Box Pudding

This was one of the favorite desserts at Florence Moore Hall at Stanford.

Ingredients:

  • 1 c ginger snap crumbs
  • 2 c powdered sugar
  • 6 Tab butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 12 oz pineapple, drained and diced
  • 4 bananas
  • 1/3 c walnuts
  • 1 c cream, whipped
  • 1/4 c powdered sugar
  • 1/3 c gingersnap crumbs

Directions:

  1. Cream 2 c powdered sugar with butter.
  2. Add eggs and blend until creamy.
  3. Combine whipped cream with bananas, pineapple and nuts.  fold in 1/4 c powdered sugar.
  4. Grease 9×13 pan with butter.
  5. Sprinkle with 1 c ginger snap crumbs.
  6. Spread butter mixture over crumbs.
  7. Cover with fruit/cream mixture.
  8. Sprinkle top with remaining crumbs.
  9. Refrigerate.
  10. Cut into 4×6 pieces.

Serves: 12

Source:  Florence Moore Hall kitchen

Fruitcake

The only fruitcake worth making – no citron!  A three generations favorite.  Make it before Thanksgiving so it can “age”.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lb white raisins
  • 1 lb fruit cake mix
  • 1/4 lb yellow pineapple
  • 1/4 lb red pineapple
  • 1/4 lb  green cherries
  • 1  lb red cherries (reserve 20 for decoration)
  • 1/2 c bourbon
  • 1 1/2 lb butter, softened
  • 3 c sugar
  • 15 eggs
  • 2 lb pecans (reserve 60 whole halves for decoration)
  • 1 1/2 lb cake flour
  • 1 egg and a little milk for the glaze
  • more bourbon for watering

Directions:

The night before:

  1. Cut fruit into smaller pieces. (except cherries)
  2. Mix fruit with raisins. (except 20 cherries saved for decoration.
  3. Pour bourbon over the mixture and let stand covered overnight.

Mixing:

  1. Preheat oven 300°.
  2. Cream butter well.
  3. Add sugar slowly.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing between each egg.
  5. Transfer to very large bowl.
  6. Stir in fruit and pecans with a spoon. (except decorations)
  7. Sift in the flour while stirring with a spoon or hands.
  8. Carefully line bread pans with heavy duty foil.  Small pans ( ?x?) make 1 lb, medium (?x?)1 1/2 lb.
  9. Scoop the batter into pans within 1/2 in of the top.
  10. Decorate with reserved fruit and pecans.
  11. Brush with egg/milk glaze.
  12. Place a large pan of hot water on the rack below the rack for the fruitcake. (You may have to refill it while baking)
  13. Bake for approximately 1 hr 20 min for small, 1 hr 50 min for medium pan.  They are done when a toothpick comes out clean.  Do not remove fruitcake from pans at this time.
  14. Brush with glaze twice during baking.
  15. Watering: Sprinkle the cakes with a little bit of bourbon once or twice a week from Thanksgiving to Christmas.  Also keep the air saturated with bourbon.
    Method A:  Place pans in covered container with a shot glass of bourbon.
    Method B:  Place in a closed room with 3.6 liters of bourbon dumped on the floor.  Be careful not to drown the fruitcake.
  16. Now you can take the fruit cake out of the pans.  Leave the foil on and place in ziplocks.
  17. Enjoy, gift, freeze (it will keep for years in the freezer)

Serves:  Makes 3 medium and 6 small pans, or 4 medium and 5 small pans.  ( Large 8 1/2 x 4 12 (6 cups), Med 7 1/2 x 3 3/4 (4 cups), small 6 x 2 1/4 (3 cup))

Source:  Winifred Kleerup – contributed to the Kenilworth Union Church Cookbook,

 

 

 

 

Quick Chocolate Mousse/Custard

Here’s an easy, impressive dessert which keeps (if any is left) 3 – 4 days.

Ingredients:

  • 24 oz chocolate chips (4 cups)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 Tab brandy or other liqueur (Grand Marnier for orangey taste) (more)
  • dash salt
  • 1 1/2 c milk (and use skim)

Directions:

  1. In a blender, place chocolate bits, eggs, brandy, salt.
  2. Heat milk to just beginning to bubble.
  3. Add milk to blender
  4. Blend for one minute or until chocolate is melted.
  5. Pour into 8 ramekins or custard cups if needed quickly.  Refrigerate the rest. If not in a hurry refrigerate the whole batch and spoon out later.
  6. Serve with whipped cream and/or raspberry sauce.

Serves:  12

Source:  Judi Mailto, New Hampshire, August 2000

Cherries Jubliee

This was oh, so the rage in the 50’s – all the fancy restaurants did this tableside.   Still works to impress.  “This version is designed for two.  If you wish, prepare it at the table.  If you are timid, just flame it at the table.  Either way, (s)he’ll know you can cook.”  

Ingredients:

  • 1 can pitted dark sweet cherries (try it with the current frozen cherries too)
  • 1 Tab corn starch
  • 2 Tab sugar
  • dash salt
  • dash cinnamon
  • 1 Tab lemon juice
  • 1/4 c brandy
  • vanilla ice cream (or maybe cherry garcia?)

Directions:

  1. Drain cherries, saving 1/2 cup of the syrup.
  2. In a chafing dish, fondue pot, or saucepan combine cornstarch, the reserved syrup, sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
  3. Bring to a boil over direct heat.
  4. Stir and cook until the liquid is clear and thickened.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and cherries.
  6. If you prepare sauce in the kitchenm reheat at the table.
  7. In a small, long-handled pan heat the brandy.
  8. Ignite.
  9. Pour over fruit, stirring.
  10. Spoon flaming fruit and sauce over individual servings of ice cream.

Serves:  2

Source:  Sunset Chafing Dish and Fondue Cookbook