Desserts

- Annette Thomas

Desserts

Pecan Tassies - Janelle Odom

Cream Cheese Pastry:
1 (3oz) pack cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour

Mix and chill for 1 hour. Make 24 balls and shape into shells (Mini muffin tins for these.)

Filling:
1 cup pecans chopped
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 Tbsp. butter

Mix and fill pastry 3/4 full. Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes.


Five Flavor Cake - Leslie Vardeman
Cream until light and fluffy:
2 sticks butter or margarine
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 cups sugar

Add:
5 eggs, well beaten

Combine and add alternately with milk to creamed mixture:
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk

Flavorings:
1 tsp. coconut flavor
1 tsp. rum extract
1 tsp. butter flavor
1 tsp. lemon flavor
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Stir in flavorings. Spoon mixture into prepared 10" tube pan (the Bundt pan must be 10" or hold 12 cups; an angel food pan may also be used) and bake at 325 for 1 1/2 hours or until cake tests done. Add glaze if desired. Cool in pan about 10 minutes before turning out.

Glaze:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. each coconut, rum, butter, lemon, vanilla, and almond extracts

Combine ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir until sugar is melted. Pour on one half of the glaze while cake is in bundt pan and the other half when removed.

Spiced Nuts - Kimberly & Leslie Vardeman
*Note : If you can't find superfine sugar, process granulated sugar in a food processor for 1 minute.

1 egg white
1 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. salt
1 pound pecans, cashews, walnuts, or whole unblanched almonds
2/3 cup superfine sugar
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. paprika

1. Adjust two oven racks to the upper and lower middle positions and heat the oven to 275 degrees. Whisk the egg white, water, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the nuts and toss to coat. Drain in a colander for 5 minutes.

2. Mix the sugar, cumin, cayenne, and paprika together. Toss the spices with the drained nuts. Spread the nuts evenly on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until the nuts are dry and crisp, about 50 minutes, stirring occasionally and rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Remove from the oven and let the nuts cool completely on the baking sheet, about 30 minutes. Break the nuts apart and serve.

Lemon Cream Dessert - April Ashton
Crust:
1 cup flour
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
½ cup cold butter

Crust: In a bowl combine flour & nuts, cut in butter until coarse crumbs, press to bottom of a greased 9*13 pan. Bake at 350º for 15-20 min. or until edges are golden brown. Cool.

Filling:
1 ½ cup sugar
1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 ½ cup cold water
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp. butter, cubed
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
½ cup lemon juice

Filling: In a saucepan combine sugar & cornstarch, gradually stir in water until smooth, bring to boil. Cook and stir for 1 min. or until thickened, remove from heat. Stir small amount of filling into egg yolks, return everything to pan and stir constantly. Bring to a gentle boil, cook and stir for 1 min Remove from heat and stir in butter & lemon peel, gently stir in lemon juice. Refrigerate until cool.

Toppings:
1 pkg. 8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups cold milk
2 sm. pkg. jello instant vanilla pudding
1 tsp. vanilla
1 16 oz tube Cool whip

Toppings & Assembly:
~Beat cream cheese & powdered sugar until smooth.
~spread cream cheese mix over cooled crust
~spread cooled filling mix over cream cheese
~Beat milk & pudding on low for 2 min. beat vanilla, fold in half of cool whip.
~spread pudding mix over filling mix.
~spread remaining cool whip over top.
~chill for 4 hours or overnight.

Green Grape Salad - Sarah Brown

4 pounds seedless green grapes
1 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese
1 (8oz) container sour cream
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 ounces chopped pecans
2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Wash and dry grapes. In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Add grapes and mix until evenly incorporated. Sprinkle with brown sugar and pecans, mix again and refrigerate until serving.

Pumpkin Pie Cake - Rhonda Johnston

1 large can pumpkin pie filling
4 eggs
1 13 oz can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 box yellow or white cake mix
1 stick margarine, melted
chopped nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix pumpkin, eggs, milk, sugar, and spices in a large bowl. Pour into a 9*13 ungreased pan. Sprinkle the cake mix on top. Pour melted margarine over the dry cake mix. Sprinkle with nuts, if desired. Bake until tester comes out clean (but not more than 1 hour).

Monster Cookies Ingredients: Kelly (friend of Jill)
2 Cups Brown Sugar
2 Cups Granulated Sugar
2 Sticks Butter (I use 2 sticks margarine)
5 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups All purpose Flour
4 tsp Baking Soda
1 Cup Chocolate Chips (Regular Size)
16 oz Peanut Butter (I use crunchy)
4 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
1 1/2 Cups M&M (Regular Size)

Directions: Heat oven to 325 degrees. First mix butter, both sugars, and eggs in mixer. Combine flour and baking soda together. Then add flour/soda mixture to mixer mix. Now add peanut butter to mixer batter. Finally, add the remaining ingredients to the batter: oats, chocolate chips, and m&ms. I would add oats before chocolate to prevent grinding the chocolate down in mixer. One may have to finish incorporating last ingredients by hand if mixer unable to do it. It is a hefty mix by the end. Place 5-6 big spoonfuls to cooking sheets. These cookies tend to be the size of 11/2 to 2 regular cookies. Bake 12-15 minutes. The cookies tend to be shiny even when cooked thoroughly (due to the fat content and oils!). They will be puffy when taken out of the oven and then will deflate. One must give them a minute to cool and they will harden (they look kind of gooey at first). It is kind of trial and error until you figure out your oven and how you like the cookies to taste. Good luck!

Spice Cookies with Pumpkin Dip - Valerie Munk

1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup molasses
4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cloves
additional sugar

Pumpkin Dip
1 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/4-1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 18oz. can pumpkin pie mix
1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each additions. Add molasses; mix well. Combine flour, soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. add to creamed mixture and mix well. Chill overnight. Shape into 1/2 inch balls and roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
For Dip: beat cream cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add pumpkin pie mix; beat well. Add sugar, cinnamon and ginger; beat until smooth. Serve with cookies. Store leftover dip in refrigerator.

Pumpkin Pecan Pie - Valerie Munk
3 slightly beaten eggs
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark-colored corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust
1 cup chopped pecans
whipped cream (optional)
ground cinnamon (optional

In a medium mixing bowl combine eggs, pumpkin, sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and 3/4 tsp. cinnamon; mix well. Pour into pie crust. Sprinkle with pecans.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50-55 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate within 2 hours; cover for longer storage. If desired, serve pie with whipped cream and sprinkle with additional cinnamon.

Orange Dessert Fondue - Valerie Munk
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup. lemon juice
1/4 cup hot water
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 tsp. each grated orange and lemon peel
Dippers (below)

In a saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt. Slowly stir in orange and lemon juice and water. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter and grated peel.

Pour into dessert fondue pot to keep warm. Spear dippers and swirl in fondue. About 2 cups.

Dippers : Day-old gingerbread squares, cream cheese squares rolled in toasted sesame seed, cantaloupe balls, nut-stuffed dated, doughnut slices.

Chocolate Fondue - Valerie Munk
Melt 12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
Add 3/4 cup light cream

Dip with fruit, pound cake, marshmallows, pretzels etc.....


German Chocolate Cake with Coconut-Pecan Filling - Kimberly Vardeman
Serves 12 to 16.
When you assemble the cake, the filling should be cool or cold (or room temperature, at the very warmest). To be time-efficient, first make the filling, then use the refrigeration time to prepare, bake, and cool the cakes. The toasted pecans are stirred into the filling just before assembly to keep them from becoming soft and soggy.

Filling:
4 egg yolks
1 can evaporated milk (12 ounces)
1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (1 3/4 ounces)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into 6 pieces
1/8 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups sweetened shredded coconut (7 ounces)
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans (6 1/2 ounces), toasted on baking sheet in 350-degree oven until fragrant and browned, about 8 minutes

Cake:
4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate , chopped fine
1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa , sifted
1/2 cup boiling water
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces), plus additional for dusting cake pans
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces)
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar (about 4 3/4 ounces)
3/4 teaspoon table salt
4 large eggs , room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream , room temperature

Instructions:

FOR THE FILLING: Whisk yolks in medium saucepan; gradually whisk in evaporated milk. Add sugars, butter, and salt and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is boiling, frothy, and slightly thickened, about 6 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl, whisk in vanilla, then stir in coconut. Cool until just warm, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cool or cold, at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. (Pecans are stirred in just before cake assembly.)

FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine chocolate and cocoa in small bowl; pour boiling water over and let stand to melt chocolate, about 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth; set aside until cooled to room temperature.
Meanwhile, spray two 9-inch-round by 2-inch-high straight-sided cake pans with nonstick cooking spray; line bottoms with parchment or waxed paper rounds. Spray paper rounds, dust pans with flour, and knock out excess. Sift flour and baking soda into medium bowl or onto sheet of parchment or waxed paper.
In bowl of standing mixer, beat butter, sugars, and salt at medium-low speed until sugar is moistened, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula halfway through. With mixer running at medium speed, add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down bowl halfway through. Beat in vanilla; increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 45 seconds. With mixer running at low speed, add chocolate, then increase speed to medium and beat until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl once (batter may appear broken). With mixer running at low speed, add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream (in 2 additions), beginning and ending with dry ingredients, and beating in each addition until barely combined. After final flour addition, beat on low until just combined, then stir batter by hand with rubber spatula, scraping bottom and sides of bowl, to ensure that batter is homogenous (batter will be thick). Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans; spread batter to edges of pans with rubber spatula and smooth surfaces.
Bake cakes until toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then invert cakes onto greased wire rack; peel off and discard paper rounds. Cool cakes to room temperature before filling, about 1 hour. (Cooled cakes can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 1 day.)

TO ASSEMBLE: Stir toasted pecans into chilled filling. Set one cake on serving platter or cardboard round cut slightly smaller than cake, and second cake on work surface (or leave on wire rack). With serrated knife held so that blade is parallel with work surface, use sawing motion to cut each cake into two even layers. Starting with first cake, carefully lift off top layer and set aside. Using icing spatula, distribute about 1 cup filling evenly on cake, spreading filling to very edge of cake and leveling surface. Carefully place upper cake layer on top of filling; repeat using remaining filling and cake layers. If necessary, dust crumbs off platter; serve or refrigerate cake, covered loosely with foil, up to 4 hours (if refrigerated longer than 2 hours, let cake stand at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes before serving).

Step-by-Step
Assembling the German Chocolate Cake

1. With serrated knife, halve each cake evenly through equator.
2. Carefully lift off upper cake layer and set aside.
3. Evenly distribute about 1 cup filling on bottom cake layer.
4. Place next cake layer on top and repeat process.