Category: Sweets – Other

Lemon Surprise Cheesecake

This looks a lot more complicated than it really is.  You can make the crust – do something else, make the filling, do something else.  Then make the cheesecake part and put it all together.

Crust Ingredients:

  • 1-1/2 c crushed lemon cream-filled sandwich cookies (Girl Scout cookies – hint, hint)
  • 2 Tab sugar
  • 1/4 c butter, melted

Lemon filling Ingredients: 

  • 2/3 c plus 2 Tab sugar
  • 5 Tab cornstarch
  • 1 c water
  • 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 1/3 c lemon juice
  • 2 Tabs butter
  • 1 tsp grated lemon peel

Cheesecake layer Ingredients: :

  • 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
  • 1/2 c lemon juice
  • 3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 c sugar
  • 1 c heavy whipping cream, whipped
  • 2 tsp grated lemon peel

Crust Directions:

  1. Preheat oven 350°. 
  2. Combine the cookie crumbs and sugar; stir in butter.
  3. Press onto the bottom of a lightly greased 9-in. springform pan.
  4. Place on a baking sheet.
  5. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until crust just begins to brown.
  6. Cool pan on a wire rack.

Lemon filling Directions:

  1. In a large saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch.
  2. Stir in water until smooth.
  3. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly.
  4. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
  5. Remove from the heat.
  6. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks.
  7. Return all to pan, stirring constantly.
  8. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
  9. Remove from the heat.
  10. Gently stir in the lemon juice, butter and peel.
  11. Cool to room temperature without stirring.

Cheesecake Directions:

  1. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over lemon juice;.
  2. Let stand for 1 minute.
  3. Heat over low heat, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. 
  4. Remove from the heat. 
  5. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar.
  6. Gradually beat in gelatin mixture until combined.
  7. Fold in the whipped cream and lemon peel.

Assembly Directions:

  1. Spoon three-fourths of cheesecake mixture into crust;.
  2. Build up edges slightly.
  3. Chill for 5 minutes.
  4. Spoon lemon filling over cheesecake layer to within 1/2 in of edges.
  5. Top with remaining cheesecake mixture.
  6. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 
  7. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan; remove sides of pan.
  8. Refrigerate leftovers.

Serves: 12

Source: © Taste of Home 2014 Karen Chesnut, Clarksburg, California

Villa Park Women’s League – GOURMET – March 15, 2014

Honey Cinnamon Filo Roll-ups

This cinnamony treat is almost baklava, but with only a few easy ingredients, and a fraction of the work.  If using on a plat of mixed filo treats, cut the rolls into smaller pieces. Remember, there are approximately 24 sheets of dough in 1/2 a pound of filo – box is 1 pound.  Might as well double everything and freeze some.

Ingredients:

  • 2 c ground walnuts, toasted
  • 1/4 c sugar
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 12 sheets frozen filo dough, thawed
  • 1/2 c butter, melted  (1/4 pound)

Syrup:

  • 1/2 c honey
  • 1/2 c sugar
  • 1/2 c water
  • 1 Tab lemon juice

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Combine walnuts, sugar and cinnamon.
  3. Place one sheet of filo dough on a 15×12-in. piece of waxed paper; brush with butter.  Don’t be too worried if it tears – rolling will cover it up.
  4. Place a second filo sheet on top, brushing it with butter. (You can keep remaining filo covered with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.)
  5. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup walnut mixture.
  6. Using waxed paper, roll up tightly jelly-roll style, starting with a long side, removing paper as you roll.
  7. Slice roll into four smaller rolls; transfer rolls to a greased 13×9-in. baking dish.
  8. Repeat with remaining filo dough and 1/4 cupfuls of walnut mixture.
  9. Bake until light brown, 14-16 minutes.
  10. Cool dish on a wire rack.
  11. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine all syrup ingredients.
  12. Bring to a boil.
  13. Reduce heat.
  14. Simmer 5 minutes.
  15. Cool 10 minutes.
  16. Drizzle cinnamon rolls with syrup.
  17. Sprinkle with remaining walnut mixture.

Servings:  24

Source: Taste of home

Chocolate-Dipped Phyllo Sticks

Looking for a little something special to share with friends or family? Try these crunchy treats. Remember, there are approximately 20 sheets of dough in each 1/2 pound of filo dough.  As long as you are at it, make more! They have a way of disappearing.  Multiply by 4 and you should be good to go.

Ingredients:

  • 4 sheets phyllo dough
  • 1/2 c butter, melted (1/4 lb)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (more if you dip them as deep as you can and still hold on to them.)
  • 1/2 teaspoon shortening
  • 1/2 ounce white baking chocolate, melted

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425°.
  2. Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface.
  3. Brush with butter.
  4. Cover with a second sheet of phyllo.
  5. Brush with butter. (Keep remaining phyllo dough covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.)
  6. Cut phyllo lengthwise in half.
  7. Cut each half crosswise into five rectangles (4-1/2×2-3/4 in.).
  8. Tightly roll up rectangles jelly-roll style, starting with a long side.
  9. Mix sugar and cinnamon.
  10. Lightly brush sticks with butter.
  11. Sprinkle with 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar mixture.
  12. Place on an ungreased baking sheet.
  13. Bake until lightly browned, 3-5 minutes.
  14. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
  15. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
  16. In a microwave, melt semisweet chocolate and shortening.
  17. Stir until smooth.
  18. Dip one end of each phyllo stick in chocolate.
  19. Allow extra to drip off.
  20. Place on waxed paper.
  21. Let stand until set.
  22. Drizzle with white chocolate.

Serves:  Makes 20 rolls

Source:  Taste of Home

Date and Walnut Phyllo Rolls with Greek Yogurt and Honey

You know Bon Appetite – must be fancy!  You can use any dates (buy the  pitted for heaven’s sake) and any honey.  If you are putting these on a tray with other filo dough goodies, cut them into 2 inch pieces.  

Ingredients:

  • 14 oz Medjool dates (about 1 1/2 cups), pitted
  • 1/2 c walnuts, toasted
  • 3 Tab plus 1/4 cup Greek honey or other honey
  • 1 tsp finely grated orange peel
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom seeds (from about 10 pods), finely ground in spice mill or in mortar with pestle (Really? Use 1/4 tsp of the already ground stuff!)
  • 20  sheets fresh phyllo pastry or frozen, thawed (1/2 a package)
  • 1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 c Greek whole-milk yogurt

Directions:

  1. Combine dates, walnuts, 3 tablespoons honey, orange peel, and cardamom in processor.
  2. Blend until paste forms.
  3. Preheat oven to 375°.
  4. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
  5. Cover phyllo stack with plastic wrap, then damp kitchen towel.
  6. Remove 1 phyllo sheet from stack and place on work surface.
  7. Brush with melted butter.
  8. Top with second sheet.
  9. Brush with butter.
  10. Starting 1 inch from edge at short end of phyllo, spoon 3 tablespoons date mixture in dollops in row parallel to edge.
  11. Mold date mixture into log, leaving 1/2-inch border at edges of phyllo.
  12. Roll up date log in phyllo, enclosing filling and forming roll (filling will be exposed at ends).
  13. Transfer to baking sheet; brush with butter.
  14. Repeat with remaining phyllo, butter, and date mixture.
  15. Bake until golden, about 23 minutes.
  16. Cool on baking sheet.
  17. Spoon yogurt into small bowl (or 10 individual bowls).
  18. Drizzle remaining 1/4 cup honey over yogurt.
  19. Place 1 phyllo roll on each plate. Serve with honey-yogurt for dipping.

Serves:  10

Source:   Bon Appetit

 

 

 

Orange-Almond Choclava

A twist on classic baklava, this recipe adds semisweet chocolate to the nut filling and drizzles even more on top.  Phyllo (filo) dough is not as tricky as it seems.  Works really well to have two people to do this – one to layer and one to brush.  Buy a soft 2 inch paint brush to speed things up. (Run it through the dishwasher first – duh!)

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb slivered almonds (4 cups)
  • 1 c semisweet chocolate chips
  • 3/4 c sugar
  • 2 Tab grated orange zest
  • 1-1/2 c butter, melted
  • 1 package (16 ounces)frozen phyllo dough, thawed (Should be approximately 40 sheets.  It is ok if the top set is short one or two.)

Syrup

  • 1-1/4 c orange juice
  • 3/4 c sugar
  • 1/2 c honey
  • 2 Tab lemon juice

Drizzle:

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325°.
  2. Place almonds and chocolate chips in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped.
  3. In a large bowl, combine almond mixture, sugar and orange zest.
  4. Brush a 15x10x1-in. baking pan with some of the butter.
  5. Unroll phyllo dough.
  6. Layer 10 sheets of phyllo in prepared pan, brushing each with butter. Keep remaining phyllo covered with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.
  7. Sprinkle with a third of the almond mixture.
  8. Repeat 10 layers plus filling twice, brushing each sheet with butter.
  9. Top with remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter.
  10. Cut into 1-in. diamonds.
  11. Bake until golden brown, 50-60 minutes.
  12. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine syrup ingredients.
  13. Bring to a boil.
  14. Reduce heat.
  15. Simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes.
  16. In a small heavy saucepan, heat chocolate and water over very low heat until melted and smooth, stirring constantly.
  17. Pour syrup over warm baklava.
  18. Drizzle with chocolate mixture.
  19. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
  20. Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight.
  21. You may have to re cut the diamonds.
  22. Serve at room temperature.

Serves:  6 dz pieces

Source:  Taste of Home

Chocolate Filling for Chocolate Cups

Use this to fill little chocolate cups (that you buy – don’t work so hard!) or a crumb pie crust or just in pretty glasses.  Too easy! If you want to be trendy, sprinkle a little sea salt on the chocolate cups.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pkg. (8 oz.)  cream cheese, softened
  •  2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  •  1 tub (8 oz.) cool whip, thawed
  • 2/3 c powdered cocoa
  • chocolate sprinkles

Directions:

  1. Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with whisk or mixer until blended.
  2. Stir in cocoa and vanilla.
  3. Stir in cool whip.
  4. Refrigerate 3 hours.
  5. Serve topped with chocolate sprinkles

Serves:  a lot of chocolate cups or 8 as pie.

Source:  Kraft Recipes – Cool whip

Lemon Sour Cream Frosting

Use this to fill little chocolate cups, or frost a lemon cake, or dip strawberries and angel cake chunks in.  Yummmm!

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 C powdered sugar
  • 2 Tab sour cream
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 Tab lemon juice
  • Lemon zest

Directions:

  1. Place the sour cream in a mixing bowl with 2 cups of the powdered sugar.
  2. Mix and add salt and lemon juice.
  3. Add more powdered sugar until icing is desired consistency.

Serves:    ?

Source:  A Bountiful Kitchen

Coconut Filling for Chocolate Cups

Use this to fill little chocolate cups (that you buy – don’t work so hard!) or a crumb pie crust or just in pretty glasses.  Too easy!

  • 1 pkg. (8 oz.)  cream cheese, softened
  •  2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1 tub (8 oz.) cool whip, thawed
  • 2 c coconut
  • toasted coconut
  1. Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with whisk or mixer until blended.
  2. Stir in coconut and almond extract.
  3. Stir in cool whip.
  4. Refrigerate 3 hours.
  5. Serve topped with toasted coconut

Serves:  a lot of chocolate cups or 8 as pie.

Source:  Kraft Recipes – Cool whip

Rum Pineapple Delight

Who said jello is just for children???

Ingredients:

  • 1 3 oz pkg pineapple jell-o
  • 1 c Malibu rum (use plain rum if you don’t like coconut)
  • 1 c Water

Directions:  

  1. Dissolve jello in boiling water completely.
  2. Stir in rum.
  3. Pour into 2 ounce shot glasses 3/4 of the way up.  (use those little plastic portion cups)
  4. Chill till set and serve.

Serves:    12

Source:  Genius Kitchen

Molded Strawberry Salad

This is a vintage recipe, filled with the wonderful blended flavors of strawberries, bananas and pineapple. The sour cream layer in the middle gives a tangy counterpoint to the sweetness of the Jell-O and fruit.  It works for dessert too.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large box (6 ounce) strawberry or strawberry/banana Jell-O (regular or sugar-free)
  • 1 c boiling water
  • 3 bananas, peeled and mashed (I put the bananas on a plate and mash them with the tines of a fork.)
  • 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen strawberries with juice, defrosted
  • 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
  • 1/2 – 1 c chopped pecans, toasted (optional)
  • 1 1/2 c sour cream, can use regular or light

Directions:  

  1. In a large bowl, stir Jell-O and the 1 cup boiling water together until the jello is completely dissolved.
  2. Add the mashed bananas, strawberries with juice, drained crushed pineapple, and pecans (optional).
  3. Stir to blend.
  4. Pour half of the Jell-O mixture into a 9″ x 13″ glass dish.
  5. Spread evenly.
  6. Chill until set. This goes quickly because of the low moisture content in the Jell-O.
  7. Set aside the other half of the jello – do not chill or else it will set.
  8. Once the jello in the dish has set, gently spread the sour cream evenly over the Jell-O. Before spreading the sour cream, you may want to stir it to loosen it and make it more of a spreading consistency.
  9. Pour the remaining half of the Jell-O mixture over the sour cream, gently spread evenly, cover.
  10. Chill until jello is set.
  11. The Jell-O can be cut into squares if desired for serving. Otherwise – serve it family style and let everyone scoop out their desired portion.

Servings: 12 -15 servings

Source: Terri @ that’s some good cookin’.  Recipe given to me by my Grandmother, Thelma Lucille Bates