Pavlova

We've been studying the continents in our history lessons.  Grant has a passport and we "travel" to the various continents and learn about them.  The first continent we visited was Australia.  I thought it would be fun to find a food that they eat in each place and try it together.  This recipe is for pavlova--a meringue shell topped with whipped cream and fruit.  It turned out really yummy.  It was crispy on the outside and creamy in the middle.  

4 egg whites
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp cornstarch
Whipped cream (preferably homemade)
Fresh fruit

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Draw a 9-inch circle on the parchment paper.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry.  Gradually add in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat until thick and glossy.  (Overbeaten egg whites lose volume and deflate when folded into other ingredients.)  Be absolutely sure that no particle of grease or egg yolk gets into the whites.  Gently fold in vanilla extract, lemon juice, and cornstarch.

Spoon mixture inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper.  Working from the center, spread mixture toward the outside edge, building edge slightly. This should leave a slight depression in the center.

Bake for 1 hour.  Cool on a wire rack.

For the whipped cream, beat 1 pint heavy cream until it becomes the consistency of yogurt.  Gradually add in powdered sugar until you reach the desired sweetness.  Add a splash of vanilla extract.

To serve, fill the center of the meringue with whipped cream and top with fruit.

Recipe and photo source: www.allrecipes.com

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

I needed some easy cookies for Christmas, so I tried these. They're not fancy, but they're moist and yummy. I used low-fat cream cheese instead of regular.



1 (8-oz) brick cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 (18-oz) box moist chocolate cake mix
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla. Beat in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so you can roll into balls. Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon-sized balls then roll them in confectioners' sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and "gooey." Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Recipe Source: Paula Deen (www.foodtv.com)

Pretzel Turtles

These are super easy and really yummy! I made about 300 of them this week for gifts.

Rectangular pretzels
Bag of Rolos
Pecan halves
White chocolate (for drizzling on top)

Preheat oven to 300. Place pretzels in a single layer on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Put one Rolo candy on top of each pretzel. Place in the oven for 4 minutes. Remove from oven and gently press one pecan half into each piece of candy. Drizzle with melted white chocolate.

Recipe Source: www.allrecipes.com

Caramel Apple Cake

This recipe is actually called Fresh Apple Cake, but it has a yummy caramel sauce that makes Caramel Apple Cake a more fitting name. I always bake the cake in a bundt pan, let it cool for a while in the pan, then put on a cake plate before pouring the caramel sauce over the top. The recipe actually says that you pour the topping over the cake THEN remove it from the pan so the sauce soaks into the bottom of the cake. I believe my sister has done it that way (which makes a really moist cake) then has extra caramel sauce to pour over the top. That was really yummy! I just think the caramel sauce on the top of the cake is visually appealing.

Cake:

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 ¼ cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

3 cups apples, peeled and chopped

1 cup nuts, chopped

1 tsp vanilla

Caramel Sauce:

1 stick butter or margarine

1 cup brown sugar

¼ cup evaporated milk

Combine oil and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Stir dry ingredients into mixture and mix well. Stir in apples, nuts, and vanilla. Blend well. Bake in greased and floured tube pan at 350 for 1 ½ hours. Makes a large cake that freezes well.

Blend sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Boil for 2 minutes. Pour over cake while hot. Let sauce soak into cake while pouring. Remove from pan when cool.

Coconut Layer Cake

I don't consider myself a coconut person. Nate saw this cake on one of my cooking shows and said that he wanted THAT cake for his birthday so of course that's what I made. I can count on one hand the number of times I've made a cake and frosting from scratch and I've never been too excited about the results. This cake was so delicious. I will use less frosting next time--it was a little too much, even for me.

*The recipe calls for cream of coconut--this is NOT coconut milk. It is used to make Pina Coladas and is therefore found in the liquor aisle near the rum and Pina Colada mixes.


Cake
2 1/4 cups cake flour, plus extra for the pans
3/4 cup cream of coconut*
5 large egg whites plus 1 large egg, room temperature
1/4 cup water
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
1 TB baking powder
3/4 tsp table salt
12 TB (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened

Frosting
2 TB heavy cream
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch table salt
16 TB (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into chunks and softened
1/4 cup cream of coconut
3 cups powdered sugar
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, toasted (at 350 for about 10 minutes stirring often)

FOR THE CAKE:
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Whisk the cream of coconut, egg whites, egg, water, and extracts together in a medium bowl.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and beat the butter into the flour mixture, one piece at a time, about 30 seconds. Continue to beat the mixture until it resembles moist crumbs, about 1 minute.

Beat in all but 1/2 cup of the cream of coconut mixture, then increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the batter until smooth, light, and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly beat in the remaining cream of coconut mixture until the batter is combined, about 30 seconds.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pans, smooth the tops, and lightly tap the pans against the countertop 2-3 times to settle the batter. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 30-35 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time.

Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a small knife around the edge of the cakes, then flip them out onto a wire rack. Peel off the parchment, flip the cakes right side up, and cool completely before frosting, about 2 hours.

FOR THE FROSTING:
In a small bowl, stir the cream, extracts, and salt together. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream of coconut together on medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and gradually beat in the powdered sugar, then continue to beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in the cream mixture. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.

To frost, place one of the cake layers on a platter. Spread 1 cup of the frosting over the cake, right to the edges. Place the other cake layer on top and press lightly. Frost the cake with the reamining frosting. Press the toasted coconut into the sides of the cake and sprinkle it over the top. Transfer cake to cake stand and serve.

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated

Crustless Custard Pie

I love custard pie, but I'm totally talentless in the crust department. This pie forms a crust in the oven. It's super easy and really yummy. The original recipe called for an optional addition of 1 1/2 cups of flaked coconut that is to be added right before pouring into the pie pan (not to be put into the blender with the other ingredients). Maybe I'll try it next time. I thought it was in need of nutmeg, so I added it.

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups milk
4 whole eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1 TB vanilla
Nutmeg, optional

Combine all ingredients (except nutmeg or coconut) in the blender for 10 seconds. Pour into a buttered deep dish pie plate. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Cool, then refrigerate.

Recipe Source: www.tastykitchen.com

Eclair Cake

This is one of Nate's favorite desserts. It doesn't look that special from the list of ingredients, but when put together it tastes like an eclair.

1 1-pound box graham crackers
2 small packages instant vanilla pudding
3 1/2 cups milk
1 (9 oz.) container Cool Whip

Grease a 9x13-inch pan. Line with graham crackers. Mix pudding with milk. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Blend in Cool Whip. Pour 1/2 of the pudding over the crackers. Place a second layer of crackers; add the rest of the pudding. Cover with a final layer of crackers. Frost and refrigerate.

Frosting
2 oz melted unsweetened chocolate
2 tsp light corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla
3 TB butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 TB milk

Beat all ingredients until smooth. After frosting, refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Strawberry Shortcakes

My mom liked to make these for the family when strawberries were in season. I started making them for Nate when we got married and he loves them--even without strawberries. We always sprinkle a little extra sugar on the top before putting them in the oven. You can make individual shortcakes or you can spread the dough into a round cake pan and cut slices when it's cooled. These aren't traditional style shortcakes. They are basically sweet biscuits.

2 1/3 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup milk
3 TB sugar
3 TB melted butter

Strawberries
Sugar

Slice the strawberries and mix with sugar. Set aside.

Mix all ingredients. Divide dough into 4-6 servings (large biscuit-sized)and bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes or until done.

Cut shortcake in half and top with strawberries and the juice they released. Serve with milk poured over the top.

Recipe Source: Bisquick

Grandma's Caramels

My grandma used to make these caramels and send them home with us. We always had a stash in the freezer. They're hardly diet food, but so delicious.

2 cups white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white corn syrup
1 cup milk
1 cup butter
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 tsp vanilla

Cook first 6 ingredients (sugar through whipping cream) slowly over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook to 248 degrees. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour into buttered 9x13 pan. Cool and cut into squares. Wrap in waxed paper.

Recipe Source: Hazel Plack