recipelink.com Chat Room
10-22-99 Just Desserts - Part 1

Lottie-AK (08:45:16) : Since this is a traditional New Orleans dessert, I should probably wait for Burgundy to come on and post it! But its good nonetheless. (If you don't use alcohol, you could probably use non-alcoholic rum flavoring.)

BREAD PUDDING WITH RUM SAUCE
9 slices white bread
1 cup sugar
13 oz. can evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
4 egg yolks
2 cups milk
1/3 cup melted butter

RUM SAUCE
1 cup evaporated milk
2 oz. rum
1 cup milk
3 TBS. butter
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 TBS. cornstarch

Break bread. Place in bowl with 1 cup sugar, evaporated milk, regular milk, vanilla, yolks and butter. Mix well and pour into 10x8x2 baking pan. Let soak for about an hour. Bake at 450 degrees F. for 15 minutes.

While pudding bakes, place milks, sugar and butter in top of double boiler. Stir until hot and add cornstarch that has been dissolved in a small amount of water. Stir constantly until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add rum. Pour sauce over pudding squares and serve immediately.

Nan(SC) (08:29:36) : Brandy Ice

2 ounces Drambuie
2 ounces Brandy
1/2 gallon French Vanilla Ice Cream, softened.

In a blender mix drambuie and brandy.
Slowly add ice cream blending until smooth..
Serve this in Brandy Snifters with a good butter cookie..

Shelby,.IA (07:52:03) : CHOCOLATE DREAM DESSERT

1 pkg(18-1/4oz) chocolate cake mix
1 pkg(3.4oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup chocolate syrup, divided
1 carton(12oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Prepare and bake the cake according to package directions, using a greased 13x9x2 baking pan. Cool on a wire rack. Mean while, prepare pudding according to package directions; pour into a 13x9x2 dish. Tear cake into small pieces and gently push down into the pudding. Drizzle with 3/4 cup of chocolate syrup. Spread with whipped topping. Drizzle remaining chocolate syrup. Sprinkle with pecans . Regrigerate until serving. Yield: 16-20 servings.

Julie.C.S.Africa (05:45:26) : Lemon fudge tart
Serves: 4-6

175g (6oz) shortbread biscuits, crushed
150g (5oz) butter, melted
3 medium lemons
3 medium eggs
100g (4oz) caster sugar
25g (1oz) milk chocolate drops
mini chocolate eggs and lemon rind to decorate

Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas 2

1 Place the crushed biscuits in a mixing bowl and stir in 50g (2oz) melted butter. Press into the base of a 20cm/7 inch round baking dish and freeze whilst preparing the topping.

2 Grate the rind of the lemons finely and extract the juice. Place in a jug along with the remaining melted butter, eggs and sugar. Mix well together.

3 Pour over the biscuit base and bake for 40 minutes until set. Allow to cool then loosen round the edge using a palette knife. Chill for 2 hours.

4 Just before serving, melt the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl above a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from the saucepan.

5 Carefully lift out the tart on to a serving plate and using a teaspoon, drizzle the melted chocolate over the top. Decorate with eggs and lemon rind and slice to serve.

Cook's tip: if preferred, you can decorate the tart without turning it out – simply serve straight from the baking dish.

Julie.C.S.Africa (05:43:28) : Gateau de mousse a la nectarine
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This is devine!!!!!!!!

Nectarine mousse:
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1 1/2 lb Nectarines
1/2 c Sugar
5 ts Unflavored gelatin
1/4 c Lemon juice
1/4 c Peach schnapps
1 1/2 c Heavy cream, well chilled
Genoise cake (see recipe)
Peach syrup:
1/4 c Sugar
1/3 c Peach schnapps
Peach glaze:
1 1/4 ts Unflavored gelatin
3/4 c Peach preserves or jam
3 tb Peach schnapps

Halve, pit, and chop nectarines and, in a heavy saucepan, combine them with sugar and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring, and cook it at a slow boil, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. In a food processor, puree the mixture and force it through a fine sieve into a large bowl, pressing hard on the solids.

In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over the lemon juice and schnapps, let it soften for 5 minutes, then heat mixture over low heat, stirring, until gelatin has dissolved. Stir gelatin into nectarine puree, blending the mixture well. Let it cool to room temperature.

In a chilled bowl, beat the cream until it holds soft shapes, (not as stiff as soft peaks) and fold it into the nectarine mixture.

Trim the Genoise and cut it into three layers, horizonally.

Peach Syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and stir in the schnapps. Let the syrup cool to room temperature. Assembly: Center one layer in the bottom of a 9-1/2-inch springform pan and brush with half the peach syrup. Pour half the mousse over the cake
and top it with another layer of Genoise. Brush with the remaining peach syrup and pour the remaining mousse over the cake, rapping on the side of the pan to expel any air bubbles and smoothing the surface. Chill for 2 hours, or until it is set.

Peach Glaze: In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 3 Tbsp cold water and let it soften for 5 minutes. In a small saucepan, combine the preserves and schnapps, bring mixture to a boil, stirring, and simmer it for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat, add gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved, and strain the mixture through a
fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on the solids.

Assembly: Pour all but about 2 Tbsp of Peach Glaze over top of the mousse cake, covering it completely, and chill the cake for 2 hours, or until glaze is set.

While cake is chilling, in a food processor, grind the remaining Genoise layer into fine crumbs. Toast the crumbs in a jelly-roll pan in a preheated 350f oven for 5-8 minutes or until they are golden. Reserve.

Cut half the nectarine into thin slices, and arrange them decoratively on top of the cake in a pinwheel pattern. Brush the remaining glaze over the nectarine slices and chill the cake, covered, for 1 hour, or until the newly applied glaze is set.

Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan and remove the side of the pan. Working over a sheet of wax paper, coat sides of cake with the cake crumbs.

Let cake stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

Julie.C.S.Africa (05:40:35) : DUTCH APPLE PIE
MAKES 1 9-INCH PIE

8 cups pared, sliced tart baking apples (about 3 pounds apples)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoon butter
Pastry dough for a double crust pie (See Favorite Crust recipe)
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream

Roll out 1/2 of pastry dough and place in a 9-inch pie pan. Preheat oven to 425° F.
Combine apple slices, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg salt lemon rind and lemon juice in large bowl. Turn into pie plate. Dot with butter.
Roll out remaining 1/2 of pastry dough. Place on top of apples and crimp with bottom crust edge to seal. Cut several slits in top crust. Brush with egg yolk mixed with water. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Enlarge the slits as needed and pour in the 1/2-cup heavy cream. Bake an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on rack. Serve warm or room temperature.
Notes: Sometimes, we omit a small portion of the sugar and drizzle corn syrup over the apples before baking.

Julie.C.S.Africa (05:38:16) : Chocolate dessert cake

250 g butter, softened
250 g castor sugar
6 eggs
250 g dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
250 g ground almonds
100 g fresh white breadcrumbs
white chocolate curls to decorate (see Cook's note)
ICING
300 g dark chocolate
15 ml (1 tbsp) honey
75 g butter

Preheat oven to 190oC. Grease a 20 cm diameter springform cake pan. Cut butter into small pieces. Add sugar and beat until pale and creamy. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition, then gradually stir in chocolate. Fold in almonds and breadcrumbs. Pour batter into pan and bake for 1 - 11/2 hours, or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool in cake pan, then remove.
ICING: Melt all ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Pour over cake and decorate with chocolate curls.

note:
Leave 100 - 200 g white chocolate in a warm place until slightly softened. Carefully shave off thin slivers, using a potato peeler. Chill until needed.

Julie.C.S.Africa (05:35:50) : Caramel mascarpone cheesecake
Serves: 4-6
Make and cook time: approx 30 minutes

100g (4oz) caster sugar
200g (7oz) butter crunch biscuits
65g (2 1/2 oz) butter
200ml (7fl oz) double cream
2 x 250g tubs mascarpone cheese
25g (1oz) plain chocolate

1 Place the sugar in a small saucepan along with 4 tbsp water. Stir gently over a medium heat until dissolved, then raise the heat and bring to the boil. Without stirring, boil the sugar for 6-7 minutes until it turns to a rich golden caramel.

2 Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream. Return to the heat to dissolve the caramel, if necessary. Transfer to a heatproof jug and set aside for 10 minutes.

3 Meanwhile, place the biscuits in a clean plastic bag. Seal and crush with a rolling pin. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and and stir in the crushed biscuits.

4 Line the bottom of a 20cm (7 inch) spring clip round cake tin with a piece of baking parchment and pile the biscuit mixture on top. Press down well and place in the freezer.

5 Turn the mascarpone cheese into a mixing bowl and beat gently to soften. Mix in 1/2 the caramel sauce. Pile on top of the biscuit base, smooth the top and grate the chocolate on top. Freeze for 10 minutes.

6 Carefully release the cheesecake from the tin and cut into slices. Serve each slice with some of the remaining caramel sauce.

note:
If you have more time, chill the cheesecake in the fridge rather than the freezer, for about 30 minutes until set. You may need to reheat the caramel sauce to soften it to a pouring consistency.

Shelby,.IA (02:15:02) : Dessert from the Grill

1 can(20oz) sliced pineapple
1 Tbsp butter or margarine
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
6 slices pound cake
Vanilla ice cream
Caramel ice cream topping

Drain pineapple, reserving 1/3 cup juice and six pineapple rings(save remaining juice and pineapple for another use). In a microwave-safe dish, combine butter, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and reserved pineapple juice. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 1-2 minutes or until bubbly. Brush half of the mixture on both side of pineapple rings and cake slices. On a uncovered grill over med. heat, cook pineapple and cake for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown, brushing occasionally with remaining pineapple juice mixture. Top each slice of cake with a pineapple ring and scoop of ice cream; drizzle with caramel topping. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

Dawn.NYS (12:35:03) : NORWEGIAN ALMOND BARS

BASE
1 3/4 c All-purpose flour
3/4 c Sugar
1 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Salt
3/4 c Margarine or butter; softened

FILLING
1 1/4 c Powdered sugar
1/2 c Mashed potato flakes
1/2 c Water
1 ts Cinnamon
1/2 ts Cardamom
1 Egg
1 Tube (7 oz) almond paste

Heat oven to 375. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In large bowl, combine flour and remaining base ingredients; blend until crumbs form. Press half of mixture in ungreased 13x9" pan. Reserve remaining mixture for topping.

In large bowl, combine all filling ingredients; blend well. Spread over base; sprinkle reserved mixture over filling. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely; cut into bars.

eggy/oz (10:13:47) : Swiss Chocolate Squares and Icing (not tried)
(a recipe from a cookbook (1930's).

1 cup water
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Icing:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
6 tbsp milk
1 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla
pecan halves, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine water, butter and chocolate in saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Mix together flour and sugar. Stir in flour and sugar. Add eggs, sour cream, baking soda and salt. Mix well.

Pour into greased 15 1/2 x 10 1/2" jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Frost while warm with milk chocolate frosting. Cool. Cut into squares.

For the Frosting: Combine butter, chocolate and milk in saucepan. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add sugar. Beat until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Spread on squares. Garnish with pecan halves if desired.