Category: Sweets – Other

Rose’ Gummies

“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

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

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

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

Easy Bavarian Cream

A simple, quick and delicious filling or topping. It is also delicious by the spoonful! It is perfect in or on a variety of breakfasts or desserts!  Great for creampuffs.  

Ingredients:

  • 1 large package vanilla instant pudding
  • 1 c heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ c milk
  • ½ tsp vanilla

Directions:

  1.  Combine all the ingredients into a medium mixing bowl.
  2. Beat on high until it thickens. (If too stiff, thin with a little more milk.)

Serves: About 2 cups

Source:  Chef-in-Training

Donut Holes (Fried, No Yeast)

The grandson, with his cousin as Sous Chef, made these for Christmas dinner.  Easy Bavarian Cream, Chocolate Gnache, and Raspberry (blackberry in our case) filling were served to dip the donut holes.  YUM!

Ingredients:

  • Vegetable oil or canola oil
  • 2 c flour
  • 3 Tab sugar
  • 1 Tab baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 5 Tab butter
  • 3/4 c milk

For rolling:

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

  1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix.
  2. Using a pastry cutter cut butter into your flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. Add milk and mix until all ingredients are combined.
  4. Transfer dough onto a well-floured surface, and knead gently until it forms a cohesive
    ball. If dough is too sticky to manage, continue to work in flour until it is smooth and manageable (On hot days or if the butter isn’t cold enough the dough can bequite sticky)
  5. Break off approximately 1 1/2 Tbsp-sized pieces of dough.
  6. Roll into smooth, tight balls.
  7. Set aside.
  8. Fill a medium-sized saucepan 2-inches deep with your oil over medium-high heat. Use a candy thermometer (make sure it isn’t touching the bottom of the pot) to monitor your temperature.
  9.  Heat oil to 350°. (You will have to monitor the heat pretty regularly and may need to increase/decrease your stove temperature to keep it consistent).
  10. While your oil is heating, prepare your cinnamon/sugar mix by stirring together cinnamon and sugar in a small dish. Set aside.
  11. Prepare two plates for your cooked donut holes by lining them generously with paper towels.
  12. Once oil has reached 350°,  fry your donut holes, about 4 at a time, carefully transferring them to the oil with a slotted spoon (don’t drop them in or the oil for frying cold may splash, lower them into the oil instead).
  13. Fry donut holes for approximately 3 1/2 minutes*.
  14. Remove carefully with a slotted spoon, and place them on a paper towel laden plate.
  15. Allow them to sit for about 30 seconds.
  16. Using another spoon transfer them to the cinnamon/sugar dish.
  17. Roll them in the topping until fully covered, and then transfer to your other paper towel lined plate.
  18. Repeat until all donut holes are cooked and have been rolled in cinnamon sugar.
  19. These donuts are best enjoyed warm/hot, and do not carry over well to the next day.

Recipe Notes:
*For best results, fry only one donut hole the first time you try this, and gauge how thoroughly it is
cooked. After 3.5 minutes has passed, cut into it to check whether it is underdone, just right, or
overdone, and then fry the rest of your donut holes accordingly.
While these should take about 3.5 minutes under optimal conditions with a consistent oil
temperature of 350°, it’s still important to check so that you don’t end up with 1 1/2 dozen donuts
that are still gooey in the middle!

Serves: 1 dozen donut holes

Source:  Sugar Spun Run, Samantha Merritt

The History of Marshmallows – They Came From The Swamp ?????

It’s not a campfire without s’mores, but where did that funny name come from?

AUGUST 14, 2015 The Gooey Story of S’mores
by Rebecca Rupp

Though nobody quite agrees on where s’mores came from (or who gave them their silly name), it’s clear to me that the things could only have been invented by a kid. Nobody over ten years-old would ever think of squishing together a chocolate bar, a toasted marshmallow, and a pair of graham crackers, and calling it food.

That said, the s’more’s long yet vague history, dates back at least to 1927 when a recipe for the more formally designated “some mores” appeared in Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts, a helpful tome which also includes instructions for building 12 different kinds of campfires. Other sources attribute the original recipe to the Campfire Girls; and there’s also an argument that the gooey treat has its origins in the Victorian era, when popular picks for desserts were “sandwich cookies” and sponge cakes, variously filled with jam, cream, or lemon curd.

Alternatively, if the jump from elegant tea cake to sticky campfire snack seems a little much, other inspirational possibilities include the Mallomar—a graham cracker cookie topped with a blob of marshmallow and coated with chocolate, manufactured by Nabisco and first sold in Hoboken, New Jersey, in 1913; or the MoonPie—a pair of graham cracker cookies with a marshmallow filling, dipped in chocolate – that first went on the market in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1917.

Well, maybe. But my bet is still on a bunch of messily-experimental little girls.

By the time the Scouts were first scarfing down their s’mores, the marshmallow was no longer the healthful all-natural preparation it had been in ancient times. According to Tim Richardson’s Sweets: A History of Candy, the original marsh mallow (Althaea officinalis) was a swamp plant somewhat resembling a hollyhock, native to Europe and West Asia. Its roots produce a sticky white sap used medicinally for centuries as a sore-throat cure. In the Middle Ages, chunks of the marsh mallow root were candied to make “suckets,” the medieval version of cough drops.

In the mid-1800s, the culinarily adept French came up with the idea of turning marsh mallow sap into something that was simply good to eat, whipping it into a meringue-like froth with egg whites and sugar and pouring it into molds to form fat, squashy confections that Richardson describes as “halfway between air and toffee.” Producing these primal marshmallows was time-consuming and labor-intensive. They were accordingly expensive and only the upper classes got them.

By the late 1800s, however, the mallow plant extract was replaced by the more readily available gelatin, which is what keeps modern marshmallows so light and fluffy. The average marshmallow is over half just plain air. (Don’t believe it? Check out this experiment.) The gelatin – a breakdown product of collagen—provides the skeleton that holds the air bubbles securely in place. Cheap gelatin combined with faster production processes meant that marshmallows were now affordable, and—no longer an elite treat—they were soon increasingly ubiquitous.

By the 1890s, according to period newspaper reports, marshmallow roasts were the latest in summer fads. “The simplicity of this form of amusement is particularly charming,” reads a description of 1892. “One buys two or three pounds of marshmallows, invites half a dozen friends, and that is all the preparation required.” The proper means of consuming marshmallows, the author adds, is to nibble them directly off the end of the stick—or off the end of your neighbor’s stick, which may be why the author also touts the marshmallow roast as “an excellent medium for flirtation.”

The roasted marshmallow—and by extrapolation, the s’more—traditionally requires a campfire. (Unless, like New Zealand climber Simon Turner, you’re brave enough to roast your marshmallows over an active volcano.) Most of us, after a couple of incendiary experiments, come to terms with the best way to brown a marshmallow, though for those who don’t, the National Marshmallow Roasters Institute (which has branches in Sacramento, Columbus, and Paris) provides helpful tips.

Once you’ve mastered the marshmallow, the s’more is simply a matter of assembly. The original 1827 recipe (for 8) calls for eight sticks, 16 graham crackers, 8 bars of plain chocolate (each broken in half), and 16 marshmallows.

“Toast two marshmallows over the coals to a crisp gooey state and then put them inside a graham cracker and chocolate bar sandwich. The heat of the marshmallow between the halves of chocolate bar will melt the chocolate a bit.”

Nowadays alternative fillings for s’mores include everything from raspberry jam to peanut butter, hazelnut butter, Nutella, caramel, and lemon curd; substitutes for graham crackers include chocolate chip cookies and wheat crackers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, cautioning that the traditional s’more is hardly a healthy snack, proposes substituting low-fat vanilla yogurt and strawberries for the chocolate and marshmallow. The graham crackers, says the government, are still OK.

Or s’mores eaters can simply exercise restraint.

“Though it tastes like ‘some more,’” the 1827 directions conclude dampingly, “one is really enough.”

Source:  theplate.nationalgeographic.com

PS If you put leftover marshmallows in the freezer, they will not stick together.

 

Creamy Peach Tart with Smoky Almond Crust

An almost-instant crust, made with vanilla wafer cookies and smoked almonds, is the secret to this simple and unusual tart.  Bonus – a few cookies to eat!

Ingredients:

  • 2 c vanilla wafer cookies (1 12 oz box = 2 1/2 c crumbs)
  • ½ c smoked almonds
  • ¼ c sugar
  • 2 Tab sugar
  • 4 Tab. unsalted butter
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • ¼ c sour cream
  • 1 egg
  • 2 medium firm, ripe peaches

Directions: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  2. In a food processor, combine the vanilla wafers with the almonds and 2 tablespoons of the sugar and process until fine.
  3. Add the melted butter and pulse until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
  4. Press the crumbs into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the side of a 9-inch springform pan.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes, until the crust is set.
  6. Meanwhile, wipe out the food processor bowl.
  7. Add the cream cheese, sour cream, egg, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar and process until smooth.
  8. Pour the custard into the crust and bake for 15 minutes, until set.
  9. Let the tart cool slightly and transfer to the freezer to chill, about 15 minutes.
  10. In a bowl, toss the peaches with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
  11. Arrange the peaches in 2 concentric circles over the custard.
  12. Remove the ring, cut the tart into wedges, and serve.

Serves: 8

Source:  Foodandwine.com Grace Parisi, August 2011

No-Churn Ice Cream

“Despite the fact that I have an ice cream maker, I often opt to make the no-churn variety. No ice cream is truly instant (well, unless you have your own liquid nitrogen), but no-churn ice cream is about as fast as it gets. And you don’t have to freeze your ice cream canister 1 to 2 days in advance of wanting it. Just whip together a few ingredients, freeze for 4–5 hours, and you’re in business!
I will say though that the ice cream definitely has the flavor of sweetened condensed milk to it, so if you’re not a fan of sweetened condensed milk (this isn’t usually a problem, right?) then you won’t like the flavor of the ice cream.”
Ingredients

  • 1 can (14 Oz. Size) Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Paste (or Extract)
  • 10 Sandwich Cream Cookies, Crushed
  • 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

Directions:

  1. Place a 6-cup container into the freezer.
  2. In a large bowl, mix to combine sweetened condensed milk, vanilla paste, and crushed sandwich cookies. Set aside.
  3. In another large bowl, use a hand mixer to whip the cream to stiff peaks, taking care not to over-whip the cream.
  4. Fold about 1 cup of the whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milk mixture, to lighten, then fold in the remaining whipped cream.
  5. Get the container from the freezer and quickly transfer the ice cream mixture to the container.
  6. Freeze for 4–5 hours, until firm.
  7. Then scoop, serve, and enjoy!

Or line loaf pan with plastic wrap, unmold and slice.

Food and Wine variation.  Add 3/4 c pure pumpkin puree, 1 tsp vanilla,. 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, kosher salt

Other possibilities:  chopped Reeses pieces, honeycomb candy, or go to Coldstones and make a list of the stuff on the counter.

Serves:  12

Source:    thepioneerwoman.com

Peaches and Sour Cream Ice Cream

This peachy ice cream uses sour cream as the base to make a sweet and tart frozen treat!  Delish!

Ingredients:

  • 1 c. peaches
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • ½ c. sugar or more to taste
  • 1 c. sour cream

Directions:

  1. Peel peaches and remove pits.
  2. Cut enough fruit into 1-inch chunks to make 1 very firmly packed cup.
  3. In a food processor or blender, purée peaches with lemon juice until fairly smooth.
  4. Add sugar and sour cream, and pulse to mix.
  5. Scrape mixture into a shallow pan, cover, and freeze.
  6. Break frozen mixture into small chunks with a fork, and process in a food processor or blender until smooth.
  7. Serve immediately as a slushy spoon drink, or scrape into a firm container and refreeze until firm enough to scoop, at least 3 hours.

Yield:  1 pint

Source:  Food52 Adapted from Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts (Artisan, 2013) —Alice Medrich