Category Archives: dessert

Gingerbread Cookies with Juniper Berry Glaze

dessert, tastes scrumptious

yield: Makes about 64 cookies

Juniper berries add a wintery, almost piney flavor. They’re available in the spice section of many supermarkets and online from deandeluca.com

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses

Glaze and decoration

  • 3/4 cup half and half
  • 1/3 cup (1 ounce) juniper berries, lightly crushed
  • 1 pound powdered sugar
  • Assorted decorations (colored sugars, nonpareils, and dragées)

Preparation
For cookies:
Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in molasses. Beat in dry ingredients. Gather dough; divide into 4 pieces. Shape into disks. Wrap; chill at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Roll out 1 dough disk to 1/8-inch thickness. Using 3 1/2-inch cutter, cut out cookies. Transfer to sheet. Gather scraps; chill.

Bake cookies until almost firm in center, 12 minutes. Cool on sheets 2 minutes, then cool on racks. Repeat, using all dough. Store airtight at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.

For glaze and decoration:
Bring first 2 ingredients to simmer. Cover; chill 5 hours. Strain. Place powdered sugar in bowl. Whisk in half and half by spoonfuls until glaze is spreadable. Frost cookies; decorate. Let stand until glaze sets. Store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

Hot Chocolate Fudge Cakes

dessert, winter

From Cooking Light

These hot-from-the-oven desserts are ideal for a holiday celebration and can mostly be made up to two days ahead.
Yield 10 servings (serving size: 1 cake)

Ingredients

  • 3.4 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3/4 cup)
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 5 teaspoons instant espresso powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup egg substitute
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 (2.6-ounce) bar dark (71% cocoa) chocolate (such as Valrhona Le Noir Amer), finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Preparation

1. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Sift together flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt.

2. Place butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 1 minute. Add granulated and brown sugars, beating until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add egg substitute and vanilla, beating until well blended. Fold flour mixture into sugar mixture; fold in chocolate. Divide batter evenly among 10 (4-ounce) ramekins; arrange ramekins on a jelly-roll pan. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or up to 2 days.

3. Preheat oven to 350°.

4. Let ramekins stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Uncover and bake at 350° for 21 minutes or until cakes are puffy and slightly crusty on top. Sprinkle evenly with powdered sugar; serve immediately.

Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies

dessert

from epicurious.com

Makes about 24

Made without butter or flour, these dense, chewy cookies will satisfy even the most intense chocolate craving.

Ingredients

  • Nonstick vegetable oil spray
  • 1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (about 9 ounces), divided
  • 3 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray. Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in glass bowl in microwave, stirring twice, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly.

Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar. Continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow creme. Whisk 1 cup sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. On low speed, beat dry ingredients into meringue. Stir in lukewarm chocolate and 1/2 cup chocolate chips (dough will become very stiff).

Place 1/2 cup sugar in bowl. Roll 1 rounded tablespoon dough into ball; roll in sugar, coating thickly. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10 minutes. Cool on sheets on rack 10 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool.

fruit and nut chocolate chunks

dessert

Active time: 15 min
Start to finish: 35 min
Servings: Makes 36 candies.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 lb fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), broken into small pieces
  • Vegetable oil for greasing pan
  • 2/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 2/3 cup raisins
  • 2/3 cup salted roasted shelled pistachios (3 oz)
  • 2/3 cup salted roasted cashews (3 oz)

Preparation
Melt chocolate in top of a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.

While chocolate is melting, line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang, then lightly oil foil.

Remove chocolate from heat and stir in fruit and nuts, then spread evenly in baking pan. Freeze until firm, about 20 minutes. Lift candy in foil from pan using overhang and transfer to a cutting board. Peel off foil and cut candy with a long heavy knife into 36 pieces.

Cooks’ notes:
If you have more time, chill the candy in the refrigerator (instead of in the freezer) until firm, about 1 hour. Candy keeps, wrapped well in foil and chilled, 2 weeks.

Coconut Date Nut Balls

dessert, easy

Gourmet | March 1992

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Servings: Makes about 32 confections.

Ingredients
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 pound (about 1 1/2 cups) pitted dried dates
1 1/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut, toasted and cooled
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped fine

Preparation
In a food processor blend the graham cracker crumbs, the dates, 1/2 cup of the coconut, and the honey until the mixture is just combined. Add the walnuts and blend the mixture until it forms a ball. Have ready in a shallow dish the remaining 3/4 cup coconut, form the date mixture into walnut-size balls, and roll the balls in the coconut, pressing the coconut slightly to make it adhere.

Walnut-Date Torte

dessert, tastes scrumptious

Serves 8
Active time:30 min
Start to finish:1 1/2 hr

Ingredients of Sephardic cooking—dates, cardamom, and orange zest—bring a mosaic of Mediterranean scents and textures to the Passover table. The cake has a coarse crumb yet is incredibly moist and chewy, thanks to the dates.

1/4 cup boiling-hot water
1 1/2 cups pitted dates (1/2 lb), finely chopped
1 1/2 cups walnuts (5 oz), toasted and cooled
3/4 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup matzo meal
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature 30 minutes

Garnish: Passover powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Generously grease a 9- by 2-inch round cake pan with softened butter or vegetable oil and dust with some matzo meal, knocking out excess. Pour hot water over dates in a large bowl and let stand 15 minutes to soften. Pulse walnuts in a food processor until chopped, then add 1/4 cup sugar and pulse until nuts are finely ground. Add matzo meal (2/3 cup), zest, cardamom, and salt and pulse until combined.

Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl using an electric mixer at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a slow stream, beating until whites hold stiff glossy peaks.

Whisk yolks into date mixture. Fold one third of yolk mixture into whites, then fold in remaining yolk mixture gently but thoroughly. Fold all of nut mixture into batter.

Spoon batter into cake pan and bake until golden and springy to the touch and cake just begins to pull away from side of pan, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 30 minutes, then invert onto rack and cool completely.

Cooks’ note: Cake can be made 2 days ahead and kept, in a sealed bag or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

Recipe by Melissa Roberts

Aunt Holly’s Banana Bread

bread, dessert
  • 3 to 4 ripe bananas
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • Chocolate chips (as many as you want!)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mash the bananas in a bowl. Add all the
remaining ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon. Bake in a
buttered loaf pan until a toothpick stuck into the bread comes out
clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Slice and serve.

From epicurious.com

Yellow Layer Cake With Chocolate Frosting

dessert

For the cake:
Butter, for greasing cake pans
1-2/3 cups sifted cake flour
1 tbsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
10 extra-large eggs, separated
1-1/3 cups sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
½ tsp pure lemon extract
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
½ tsp cream of tartar

For the macaroon crunch:
1½ cups finely chopped nuts (almonds, pecans, and/or walnuts)
½ cup sweetened coconut flakes

For the chocolate frosting:
8 cups (2 lbs) sifted confectioners’ sugar
1-2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp salt
1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup margarine, at room temperature
¼ cup dark corn syrup
2 tbsp vanilla extract
¾ cup heavy cream, or as needed

For the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter two round 9-inch cake pans; line bottoms with parchment or wax paper. Sift cake flour, baking powder, and salt together. Using a stand mixer, beat egg yolks on high for 5 minutes. With mixer still running, gradually add 1 cup sugar
and continue beating until thick, light yellow ribbons form in bowl, about 5 minutes more, scraping bowl two or three times. Beat in vanilla and lemon extracts. Sift flour mixture over batter; stir it in by hand until blended. Add melted butter; stir until completely incorporated.

2. In large, clean bowl, using mixer’s whisk attachment, beat egg whites and cream of tartar together on high until frothy. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, and continue beating until whites are stiff but not dry. Stir 1 cup of white mixture into batter, then gently fold in remaining whites until blended. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until golden and center springs back when lightly touched, about 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely.

For macaroon crunch:

Toss nuts and coconut together; spread on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until golden and crunchy, 10 to 15 minutes, tossing twice. Set aside to cool.

For chocolate frosting:

Sift confectioners’ sugar, cocoa, and salt together. Using a stand mixer, cream together butter and margarine on high until light yellow and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. With mixer still running, add corn syrup and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add sugar mixture in two batches, beating well after each. Blend in ¾ cup cream until frosting is at spreading consistency, adding more if needed. Increase speed to high and beat until light and creamy, about 2 minutes more; there will be about 8 cups of frosting. Spoon about 1 cup into a pastry bag fitted with medium star tip.

For assembly:

Using long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally into two equal layers. Spread first layer with about a fifth of frosting, then place second layer on top of it and frost it, too. Repeat with third and fourth layers. Frost sides with all remaining frosting except what is in pastry bag. Pat macaroon crunch on sides of cake (not top) until covered. Using frosting in pastry bag, pipe 6 rosettes on top of cake. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate, allowing cake to stand at room temperature for about an hour before slicing.

This recipe is adapted from Junior’s, the legendary Brooklyn restaurant that’s most famous for its cheesecake. Published in The Week.

patt male’s microwave caramel corn

dessert, easy, taste unknown
  • 1 cup popcorn, unpopped
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup corn syrup
  • 1/2 t baking soda

Pop corn. Combine butter, sugar, and corn syrup. Microwave on high for 3-5 minutes. Immediately stir in baking soda until caramel is smooth and well mixed. Toss with popcorn.
From ‘Weasel Cooks 2007′ by Jenifer Burke – a collection of favorite family recipes.

oatmeal cookies

dessert, taste unknown
  • 1 cup shortening
  • 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs

Cream together.

  • 1/2 cup buttermilk ( or sweet milk – reduce soda to 1/2 t, increase powder to 2 t)
  • 1 3/4 cup flour
  • 1 t baking soda
  • 1 t baking powder
  • 1 t salt
  • 1 t cinnamon
  • 1 t nutmeg

Stir in milk. Then add the rest of the ingredients.

  • 3 cups oatmeal
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup wheat germ

Add in remaining ingredients. Mix well. Drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheet.

Bake at 350° until golden.
From ‘Weasel Cooks 2007′ by Jenifer Burke – a collection of favorite family recipes.