Prep Time: 10 min.
Total Time: 40 min, plus cake cooling time.
Ingredients
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 cup 35% whipping cream
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup toffee pieces
1 cup desiccated coconut flakes
Preparation Instructions
1. Cook chocolate cake in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan according to package directions. Let cool completely.
2. Whip cream with an electric hand mixer until stiff. Mix in sugar and vanilla. Spread whipped cream over top of cooled chocolate cake. Top with toffee pieces and coconut flakes.
1 pkg (6 oz) Strawberry Jello
2 cups boiling water
1 ½ cups cold water
4 cups sliced strawberries
Preparation Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
2. Mix crushed pretzels with sugar and butter. Press mixture evenly into prepared baking dish. Press with the back of a spoon or measuring cup. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool.
3. With an electric mixer beat together cream cheese, cool whip and sugar until well combined and smooth. Spread mixture evenly over cooled pretzel base. Refrigerate while you make the top layer.
4. In a large bowl mix together Jello powder with boiling water. Whisk well to combine and have powder completely dissolve. Whisk in cold water. Refrigerate for about 1 hour, or until thickened slightly. Stir in sliced strawberries. Pour over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until completely set, about 3 to 4 hours. Slice into squares to serve.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Total Time: 2 ½ hours plus cooling time.
Ingredients
Pie Dough:
2 ½ cups flour
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
3- 4 tbsp ice water
Filling:
5 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp butter, cubed
1 egg, beaten
Preparation Instructions
1. In the bowl of a food processor pulse to combine flour, salt and sugar. Add cubed butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1 tbsp ice water at a time, pulsing to combine. Mixture should hold together when pressed together but will still look a bit crumbly. Transfer crumbly dough to countertop. Press into two discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. While dough is chilling make apple pie filling. In a large bowl combine apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and flour.
3. Preheat oven to 400F. Roll out 1 disc of pie dough into an 11-inch circle. Place in a 9-inch pie dish. Top with filling. Dot filling with cubed butter. Roll out remaining disc of dough to a 10-inch circle. Brush rim of pie dough with beaten egg. Top with dough and press edges to seal. Trim edges so there is a 1-inch overhang. Crimp edges of dough. Brush top of pie with egg.
4. Cut four or five slits in top of pie. Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake pie in bottom third of oven for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and continue baking until pie is bubbling and golden, about 40 to 50 minutes. Cool completely before serving.
With Passover fast approaching, we thought we should ask our friend Norene Gilletz of Gourmania.com for some traditional recipes. She suggested this apple Kugel and I’m glad to report that it’s simply delicious.
Ingredients
6 eggs, beaten
1/2 c sugar
6 apples, peeled and grated
1/4 cup matzo meal
juice of 1 lemon
1 c dried apricots, cut up
2 tbsp sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs with sugar, mix well. Add apples, matzo meal and lemon juice. Mix until smooth. Soak apricots in hot water for 5 minutes, then drain.
Spray a 7×11 pyrex casserole dish (Virginie’s note: I used individual ramekins, baked them for 45 minutes) with non-stick spray. Spread half of the mixture on the pan. Add the apricots in a single layer over the batter. Top with remaining apple mixture. Spread evenly. Sprinkle cinnamon with sugar mixture. Bake for about an hour, until golden.
This recipe comes from Healthy Helpings by Norene Gilletz (formerly published as MealLeaniYumm!)
Note
. If you are not making this for passover, or are not jewish and can mix dairy with your meal, try it with a vanilla custard sauce. It’s divine!
Here’s a quick and easy four ingredient recipe (five if you count the optional rum!) that you can throw together in a flash. It’s sure to impress guests!
Ingredients
1/4 package of frozen puff pastry
4 ripe bananas
1/2 cup Dulce de Leche
1 tsp rum (optional)
1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped
1/4 cup sugar
Preparation Instructions
Thaw puff pastry, roll out, and cut into 2″ squares. Bake according to package instructions. Let cool completely.
Cut bananas into slices or quarters. Place in a saucepan with Dulce de Leche and rum. Heat until boiling, and let boil 3 minutes.
Whip cream until almost stiff. Add sugar and continue whipping.
To assemble Napoleons, pull one puff pastry square in half. Layer warm bananas, whipped cream, and pastry top. Top with more whipped cream and drizzle caramel sauce over top.
Hint: Puff pastry makes a wonderful topping for a meat pie. I often use if when I’m making leftover chicken or turkey pot pie…
I grew up knowing this cake as Flourless Chocolate Cake, so was amused as an adult to learn that it actually does have flour in it! It’s a rich, thick cake that’s almost like a brownie, delicious served with custard sauce, raspberries, whipped cream, or just plain.
A glass of bubbly is always nice on the side too!
Ingredients
6 oz good quality baking chocolate (dark, not milk)
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 320. Grease and flour an 8 or 9″ pan.
Melt the chocolate over a double boiler. Add butter and stir until melted. Beat egg yolks with sugar until soft ribbon forms. Add to chocolate mix and stir. Add flour and mix.
Beat egg whites until smooth. Gently fold egg whites into chocolate mixture.
Bake 40 minutes, or until just set.
These decadent treats have a chewy gingery crust, a creamy layer of pumpkin cheesecake and crunchy spiced pecans on top. And they’re surprisingly easy to make!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups crushed ginger snaps (about 30 cookies)
1/2 can sweetened condensed mil
1 brick of cream cheese
2/3 cup of pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 sour cream
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
100 gr (small bag) chopped pecans
Preparation Instructions
Preheat over to 350.
Line a 9″ square baking pan with parchment paper.
Place crushed cookies into bottom of pan. Pour sweetened condensed milk over top. Place in over for 5 minutes. Remove from over and mix until combined.
Mix cream cheese with pumpkin and brown sugar. Beat until smooth. Gradually add eggs one at a time, and beat each time until smooth. Pour over cookie base.
Bake 35-40 minutes, until set. Cool completely.
Prepare spiced nuts: (you could just as easily add store bought pralines here!)
In a frying pan, add sugar, spices and butter. Heat until melted. Pour pecans in. Cook until sugar is dissolved, about 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour out onto parchment paper to cool.
Before serving, top squares with cream cheese and pralines. Cut and serve immediately.
This is the first recipe I remember my mom making. It’s an easy no-bake dessert that impresses a crowd. I’m glad to report it gets two thumbs up from my 4 year old daughter Penny.
2 cups frozen unsweetened raspberries,thawed, with juice
1 cup sugar
2 egg whites
juice of half a lemon
dash of salt
1 cup whipping cream
Combine raspberries, sugar, egg white, lemon juice and salt.
Beat 15 minutes in a stand mixer, with the whisk attached (or with electric beaters), until stiff and fluffy.
While mixture is mixing, whip cream.
Fold whipped cream into raspberry mixture
Freeze in individual bowls for 4 hours, or in a large bowl, 6 hours.
2 egg whites, unbeaten
1 1/2 c. sugar
5 tbsp water
1 1/2 tsp light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
Preparation instructions
Combine egg whites, sugar, water, and corn syrup in top of double boiler, beating with rotary egg beater until thoroughly mixed. Place over rapidly boiling water, beat constantly with rotary egg beater and cook 7 minutes, or until frosting will stand in peaks. Remove from boiling water; add vanilla and beat until thick enough to spread.
Variation: fold in chopped nuts, coconut or pieces of fried or candied fruit, or by tinting delicately with colorings.
1 egg; beaten
1/2 c. sugar
1 tbsp orange rind; grated
1 tsp lemon rind; grated
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 c. whipping cream; whipped
Preparation instructions
Cook egg, sugar, orange rind, lemon rind,and lemon juice; Stir over low heat for 5 minutes until thick.
Fold whipping cream into cooked mixture.
After it has cooled slightly, enjoy.
