Sweets – Other

S’mores – Campfire

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S’mores are a recipe that has been passed down through years of family and scout camps.  This American classic is everyone’s favorite childhood treat!  There is no “right” way to make s’mores.  Anyway you like it, is the right way.  These are really detailed instructions – it is not that hard!

Ingredients:

  • Graham crackers, broken into squares
  • Hershey’s plain milk chocolate bars, broken into sizes to fit the graham cracker squares
  • Large marshmallows

Equipment Needed:

  1. 8 wood sticks or long metal skewers, or bent wire coat hangers (for roasting the marshmallows)
  2. Bonfire, campfire, fire pit, or an commercial indoor S’mores Maker (Really??? please don’t unless you are desperate!))

Directions:

  1. Take one (1) large graham cracker and break it in half (one for top cracker and one for bottom cracker).  Notice graham crackers are scored across the middle, creating two sub-crackers.  Break apart at this part.  Repeat with additional graham crackers.
  2. Unwrap chocolate bar.  Break bar into smaller pieces as indicated by manufacturer’s indentations in the surface of the chocolate.  Cover one of the graham cracker halves with chocolate pieces to fit your graham cracker.
  3. Put a marshmallow (or two) on the stick and hold it over the fire until roasted.  Toast marshmallows over a campfire, turning the stick until the outside of the marshmallow is golden brown and just starting to get mushy.  NOTE: Some people like to roast them for a few minutes, then make them catch on fire, blow them out, and then the marshmallows are done to their liking.  Your choice on how you like your marshmallows!
  4. Take your toasted marshmallow (still on the stick), and lay it on the side of the graham cracker with the chocolate.  Now take the other half of the graham cracker and cover the hot marshmallow, pressing down firmly enough to pull out the stick.
  5. When the S’more is fully assembled, let it sit for a few seconds.  The heat will somewhat melt the chocolate and you will not burn your mouth!  Now squish the S’more between your fingers and eat it.  Make sure to lick the “marshmallow goo” that slides out the sides.

Source:  What’s Cooking America ©2004-2017 by Linda Stradley

 

Lemon Mousse

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Good summer dessert.  You can serve it in a dish or over fruit or pound cake.  Or – go all out – pound cake and fruit.

Ingredients:

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1⁄2 c sugar
  • 2 lemons
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1⁄8 tsp salt
  • 1⁄2 c whipping cream

Directions:

  1. Juice and grate the zest from the lemons.
  2. Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl.
  3. Beat until thickened.
  4. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest.
  5. Pour into a double boiler .
  6. Simmer for 10 minutes, until thickened, whisking constantly.
  7. Let stand until cool.
  8. Beat the egg whites and salt in a chilled mixing bowl until stiff peaks form.
  9. Fold into the lemon mixture.
  10. Chill for 2 hours.
  11. Beat the whipping cream in a chilled mixing bowl until soft peaks form.
  12. Fold into lemon mixture.
  13. Chill until serving time.
  14. To serve, spoon the mousse into individual dessert bowls.

Serves:   6

Source: Genius Kitchen

Apple Dip

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Quick and tasty.  Maybe even a little healthy!  You can also dip pretzel sticks or small cookies.  Let your kids make this one.  (Sneak in some math – can they make half a recipe or double it?)

Ingredients:

  •  8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
  • 1/2 c packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 c chopped nuts
 Directions:
  1. Beat cream cheese in small bowl with mixer until creamy.
  2. Add sugar and vanilla; mix well.
  3. Spoon into serving bowl.
  4. Place nuts in separate bowl.
  5. Dip apple slice in cream cheese dip.
  6. Dip again into nuts.

Serves:  12, 2 Tbsp. each

Source:  Kraft

Roasted Fruits

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So, you probably know that roasted vegetables have a sweeter and deeper flavor to them –  and the same applies to roasted fruit!   Roasted fruit is a delicious addition to salads, cereals, rice dishes, chicken, fish, tacos, desserts and more.

Directions: 

1) Toss sliced fruit with a few teaspoons of olive oil or canola oil
2) Use parchment paper or a Silplat mat for easy clean-up
3) If desired, sprinkle with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger
4) Roast in a 400° oven. Times will vary based on the size of fruit – anywhere from 15 – 25 minutes.

Tips on roasting specific fruits:

Oranges/Grapefruit – Slice thinly (1/8-inch thick) and roast for 25 minutes. You can drizzle a little bit of honey over the grapefruit slices. Toss in salads, serve over fish or snack and enjoy them on their own. Try Roasted Orange, Asparagus and Cheddar Grilled Romaine Salad or Roasted Citrus and Kiwi – @MJ and The Hungryman

Grapes – Keep on the stems and roast for about 20 minutes. Mix into oatmeal, granola or rice dishes or try these recipes:  Honey-Roasted Grapes with Peanut Butter Granola
Maple + Mustard Roasted Chicken with Roasted Figs & Grapes – @Katie Cavuto
Sweet & Savory Harvest Rice Bowl – Natalie @Nutrition Ala Natalie

Avocados – Use firmer avocados. Peal, cut in half and remove pits. Sprinkle with a dash of cumin and sugar. Place cut sides up and roast for 15 minutes. Serve with tacos, nachos, chicken, fish or mash onto toast or try this Roasted Avocado Salmon Taco Salad.

Strawberries: My new favorite – each piece is tastes like a burst of strawberry jam – without the added sugar. Slice in half and place cut side down on parchment. Roast for 20 minutes.  Try Maple Vanilla Oatmeal with Roasted Strawberries – @Uproot From Oregon

And here are even more types of fruit to try roast along with some recipes for inspiration:

Figs:  Roasted Figs Blue Cheese & Walnut Spread – @Craving Something Healthy

Peaches:  Roasted Peach Salad with Peach Vinaigrette @Marisa Moore, Roasted Peaches and Figs with Mascarpone and Almonds – @Avocado A Day

Apricots: Roasted Apricot-Almond Smoothie – @The Foodie Dietitian, Brown Sugar Roasted Apricots with Creme Fraiche – @Mom’s Kitchen Handbook

Cranberries:  Spiced Cheese Cakes with Roasted Cranberries @My Cape Cod Kitchen,
Roasted Cranberry Brie Pastry Puffs @The Nutrition Adventure. )I made these at Christmas – delish!) Butternut Squash and Roasted Cranberry Quinoa @Nutritioulicious

Pears: Maple Pecan Roasted Pears – @Your Choice Nutrition, Spinach Salad with Roasted Pears @Food Confidence, Roasted Pears with Dried Plums and Pistachios @Nutrition Starring You

Apples: Autumn Salad with Roasted Chicken and Apples @Edwina Clark, Cinnamon Roasted Apples @Amy Gorin

Roasted Grapes with Walnut Oil
Roasted Orange Wedges with Herbs

 

How to Roast Fruit

  • Select fruit that’s ripe, but still firm — using fruit that’s too soft will lead to the fruit steaming, which will minimize browning.
  • Tossing fruit with a touch of oil (olive or nut oils are nice choices), citrus juice, or a splash of wine (or rum or beer) will ensure the fruit produces a sauce during roasting.
  • Add a little sugar to further encourage caramelization. Dust cut sides of the fruit with raw sugar for extra crispy edges. Try mixing sugar with warm spices like cinnamon and mace before sprinkling on the fruit.
  • Spread fruit out in a single layer on a parchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet to maximize browning and ensure even cooking.
  • Roast the fruit for 20-40 minutes depending on the size of the fruit. Roasted fruit should be tender throughout — test for tenderness by poking cooked fruit with the tip of a paring knife. If the knife easily pierces the fruit with little resistance, it’s ready.

Whole Fruit

  • Fall fruits with edible seeds, like figs and grapes, are excellent roasted whole.
  • Larger fruits like apples and pears should be cored before roasting (and stuffed, if desired), and then served whole or sliced.

Chopped Fruit

  • Fruit should be evenly chopped to ensure even cooking.
  • Fruit that is cubed then roasted will have a more uniformly browned exterior and crispier exterior than fruit that is roasted whole and then chopped.

Perfect Pairings

  • Cored apples stuffed with raisins, hazelnuts, and brown sugar, and then roasted whole.
  • Figs roasted with rosemary and walnut halves, served chilled with blue cheese (or goat cheese!) and crackers.
  • Pears roasted with cinnamon and a split vanilla bean, and then chopped and served as a compote over ice cream.
  • Toss quartered and seeded apples alongside a pork roast during the last 20-30 minutes of cooking.
  • Persimmon wedges (try underripe fuyu persimmons for best results) roasted with grated nutmeg and honey.
  • Roasted red grapes lightly coated in a splash of sherry vinegar and tossed with cooked farro and big flakes of Parmesan.
  • Tuck maple-drenched, roasted fresh cranberries into your favorite pancake batter.
  • Roast all the fall fruit you can get your hands on, squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over the top (add a drizzle of honey, if necessary) and serve as an elegant warm fruit salad.

Dip for Fruit

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An alternative dessert is fruit and dip.  Nice on a buffet with more calorie rich offerings.  This works with berries, stone fruit and even melons.  

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb cream cheese (1 c soft cream cheese works too)
  • 2 c sour cream
  • 1 c brown sugar
  • dash of vanilla, almond extract, or rum extract

Directions:

  1. Beat the cream cheese until soft.
  2. Add sour cream
  3. Add brown sugar
  4. Add flavoring

Serves:  Makes 3 cups

Source:   I think the Girl Scouts

 

Cobbler with Cake Mix

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This is usually made in a dutch oven over a campfire.  (You can get foil liners now – no cleanup!).  Most people don’t cook that way.  Here is the oven method.  You can do the same thing with applesauce and spice cake.  It’s called Brown Bears in the Apple Orchard by the Girl Scouts.

Ingredients:

  • 2 (21 ounce) cans pie filling (half a #10 can) peach, apple or cherry work best.
  • 1 c butter, melted (if camping just chunk it)
  • 18 ounces yellow cake mix or 18 ounces white cake mix

Directions:

  1. Spread 2 cans of pie filling in bottom of 9 x 13 pan.
  2. Sprinkle with cake mix.
  3. Pour melted margarine over the cake mix.
  4. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes.
  5. Cool slightly – hot sugar  will burn your mouth!
  6. Top with  whipping cream when cooled.

Serves:  16 – 20 unless they are Boy Scouts – then about 6.

Source:    30 years of camp-outs.

Rose’ Gummies

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“Take everything you love about your favorite bottle of rosé — that lush, pale pink color; the crisp, refreshing finish; a fruity, just sweet-enough edge — and now imagine it packed into a gummy bear! That collision between the candy we munched on as kids (and probably still do now) and the “it” wine of the moment makes this surprisingly easy-to-make candy even more delightful. There’s just something about biting into a gummy bear that tastes like your favorite bottle of wine.  With just a few steps and some chill time (which you could very easily pass with a glass of rosé) you can make these charming, lightly fruity, just a bit tangy rosé-flavored gummy bears.”   These are really fun!  Next time – maybe Zinfandel.

Ingredients:

  • 2 c rosé wine, divided
  • 1/4 c unflavored powdered gelatin, about 5 (.25-ounce each) envelopes
  • 3/4 c granulated sugar
  • 1 drop pink or red food coloring (optional but recommended)

Directions: 

  1. Get the molds ready: Place the gummy bear molds on a rimmed baking sheet and make sure there is room in your refrigerator for the baking sheet to sit flat.
  2. Concentrate 1 cup of the rosé:.
  3. Bring 1 cup of the rosé to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat.
  4. Cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
  5. Remove from the heat and cool while blooming the gelatin.
  6. Bloom the gelatin: Combine the gelatin and remaining cup of rosé in a 2-cup measuring cup.
  7. Stir to make sure all of the gelatin is wet, then leave the gelatin to “bloom” for 5 minutes. The gelatin should swell, thickening the mixture.
  8. Add the sugar to the saucepan with the concentrated rosé.
  9. Add the bloomed gelatin and rosé mixture to the pan as well and stir to combine.
  10. Return the pan to medium-low heat and bring the mixture to a bare simmer, stirring constantly.
  11. Do not boil the gelatin mixture, but the gelatin and sugar should dissolve completely and the mixture should have the consistency of a thick syrup, like maple syrup.
  12. Remove the pan from the heat and add the food coloring if using.
  13. Pour the mixture into squeeze bottles or a measuring cup with a spout (a small dropper works best)
  14. Squeeze a small amount of the gelatin mixture into each cavity of the molds, or pour using the spouted measure cup.
  15. Use an offset spatula (or the flat end of a spatula) to level the molds and wipe away excess gummy mixture.
  16. Refrigerate the gummies until set, about 90 minutes.
  17. Push the candies out from the bottom of the mold to remove. Store them in the refrigerator.

Makes about 150 gummy bears depending on the mold used.

Recipe Notes:
Mold alternatives: You can pour the gelatin mixture into a 8×8-inch dish lined with a parchment sling or non-stick foil, then set until firm. Use a pizza cutter to cut the gummies into 1/4- to 1/2-inch squares by cutting 18 rows by 18 rows. Yield: about 300 gummies.

Storage: These gummies taste best within a week of making. Store the gummy bears covered in plastic wrap or sealed in an airtight zip-top bag in the fridge. They will dry out and become tough if you leave them uncovered for very long.

For more information on gelatin check this blog for Gelatin – What is it? How to use it.

Gummy bear molds are available at Amazon, Target, Walmart, etc.  Google it.

Source:  thekitchn.com

 

Wyoming Chocolate Extravaganza – Chocolate Fountain

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Two challenges:  1. Making sure the fountain is level, 2. Cleaning up afterward!

Ingredients:

  • 72 oz chocolate chips
  • 9 oz unsweetened chocolate squares, chopped
  • 2 ¼ c canola oil
  • ¾ c Kahlua

Directions:

  1. Place chocolate and oil in large glass bowl.
  2. Microwave on medium for about 2 minutes.
  3. Stir then continue microwaving and stirring until the chocolate is liquid and smooth.
  4. Stir in Kahlua.
  5. Assemble chocolate fountain and turn heater on for 3-5 min.
  6. Pour 1 recipe of the chocolate into the bowl at the base of the unit.
  7. Let the fountain run for 2 minutes, then shut off for about 30 seconds to eliminate air gaps, and then turn the fountain back on.
  8. If the chocolate does not flow smoothly, add another 1/8 c oil to the chocolate in the base.
  9. Serve with tooth picks.
  10. Have dried fruit, marshmallows, lady fingers, brownie bites, strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, oranges, tangerines, angel food cake to dip.

Serves: 30

Source: Upton Branch Library, Wyoming

EASY Spiked Chocolate Mousse

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O.M.G. is this a find!!  It really is as easy as it says.  We tried Amaretto and Cherry Herring – there did not seem to be too much difference in the taste, but that did not matter. It is sooooo rich and sooooo good!  Many other choices should be as good.  Lesson learned – be sure the cream and coffee are HOT.  Otherwise you have little bits of chocolate in the mousse – not bad, but not creamy delish.

“When I say easy – I mean easy – as this Maybe takes all of 5 minutes of total prep time figuring 4 minutes to make it and get it in the dish and then 1 more minute to tease it up for the table. Most of the work is done by the refrigerator. This is not a classic out of Grandma’s recipe box – this is a fashionable food for today.”

Start by making a pot of very hot, strong coffee…….

In a small saucepan over medium high heat scald (meaning heat to hot but not boiling, you should see steam coming off and tiny bubbles forming around the outside of the pan then quickly remove from heat)……

  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

As coffee is brewing and cream is heating, add to your blender…

  • 1 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips (we prefer Hershey’s)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 Tablespoons of your favorite liqueur (we suggest Spiced Rum, Amaretto, Creme de Menthe, or Raspberry di Amore)

When coffee and cream are ready add the hot cream to the blender along with…..

  • 3 Tablespoons hot coffee

Blend at high speed for two minutes. Pour into serving dish(es) and chill. Before serving top with…..

  • whipped cream

…..and your favorite topping to compliment your liqueur of choice. We suggest these toppings…..

  • Spiced Rum with a few mini chocolate chips
  • Amaretto with a few slivered almonds
  • Creme de Menthe with a couple sprigs of fresh mint
  • Raspberry di Amore with a couple fresh raspberries

NOTE: When I make one of each flavor I simply omit blending the liqueur into the chocolate mixture and instead just add a 1/2 a Tablespoon of liqueur to a small pyrex liquid measuring cup, add in 1/2 cup of the chocolate mixture, stir to combine and pour that into one of the ramekins. Then I rinse and dry my pyrex measuring cup and repeat one at a time with each of the other liqueurs.

Serves: 4

Source:  kristinashouse.com

Simple Tiramisu

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This is the classic Italian dessert – made a little easier than the recipe from  Italian chefs Alessandro Negrini, Fabio Pisani, and the rest of the gang.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb  mascarpone cheese (or make a substitute- see Misc. Info)
  • 1 c of heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 c sugar
  • 3 Tab rum (brandy also works well)
  • 20 Italian lady fingers (a light, crisp, oblong Italian cookie with powdered sugar on one side – not the soft ones)
  • cocoa powder
  • a double shot of espresso coffee (I used 2 tsp instant expresso and 1/4 c boiling water )
  • 1/2 c of coffee
  • shavings of unsweetened dark chocolate to top (1 oz. should do)

Directions: 

  1. Chill whipping cream and bowl.
  2. Mix coffee and espresso and chill.
  3. Beat whipping cream until stiff peaks.
  4. Put the cheese, sugar, and brandy into a medium bowl and mix until smooth.
  5. Add more sugar or alcohol as desired.
  6. Fold in whipping cream to create cheese mixture.
  7. Soak lady fingers in espresso for a couple seconds, rotating to coat all sides.
  8. Place lady fingers side by side on bottom of a 7×7 pan.
  9. Put half the cheese mixture on lady fingers in pan.
  10. Smooth with a spatula or spoon.
  11. Sift cocoa powder liberally on surface of layer.
  12. Apply second layer of lady fingers and remaining cheese.
  13. Sift cocoa powder and half of chocolate shavings.
  14. Cover in plastic wrap and chill.
  15. To serve, use the remaining chocolate shavings by sprinkling a bit onto eight plates.
  16. Cut tiramisu into eight rectangles and serve on plates (or simply spoon them out).

Serves: 8

Sorce:  Cooking for Engineers