Recipe(tried): Freezable Desserts

Hi Susan,

Any bar or cookie or candy (fudge, truffles etc.) or cake (cheesecake or any regular cake) can be made ahead of time and most of them can be frozen. Here are a few.

MY SISTER'S OATMEAL BARS

When my sister, Susan, sent me this recipe, she wrote;"You can't believe something this simple is so
good." After trying them, I knew exactly what she meant. With only three ingredients that take about two
minutes to mix together, these crisp, buttery bars are a recipe to treasure.

GOOD ADVICE - Cut the bars while they're hot, then let them cool in the pan. The crisp bars will break
and crumble if you try to cut them after they cool.

Makes 12 to 16 bars

1/4
1/2
1
pound (1 stick) soft unsalted butter
cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
cup oatmeal, not quick cooking


Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Butter an 8 X 8 X 2-inch pan.

Put the butter and sugar in the large bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed for 1 minute, until
it is blended and smooth. Mix in the oatmeal until it is incorporated. Press the mixture evenly in the
prepared pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the edges are light brown and the top is golden. Remove
from the oven and immediately cut into 16 pieces. Cool the bars in the pan. They will crisp as they cool.

TO FREEZE - Wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap. Put the wrapped bars in a metal or plastic
freezer container and cover tightly. Label with date and contents. Freeze up to 3 months.

TO SERVE - Remove as many bars as you want from the freezer and defrost the wrapped bars at room
temperature for about 2 hours. Leftover bars can be covered with plastic wrap and stored at room
temperature up to 3 days.

A REALLY GOOD BROWNIE


This brownie has been our family fudge brownie since Doris Kovner shared her recipe with me over
twenty years ago. That's a pretty long track record for a family of brownie lovers. The secret of their
success is twofold. Unsweetened chocolate gives the brownies an almost black color and rich chocolate
taste that isn't too sweet, and a combination of butter and vegetable shortening create an especially dense,
fudge texture.

GOOD ADVICE - Using some vegetable shortening in these brownies gives them their particular
texture. I use Crisco and buy it in the easy to measure sticks. Read the label carefully and buy shortening
that is not butter flavored.

Makes 12 to 16 brownies

1/4
1/2
5
4
1/4
2
2
1
pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
cup (8 tablespoons) vegetable shortening. cut into 4 pieces
ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
large eggs
teaspoon salt
cups sugar
teaspoons vanilla extract
cup unbleached all-purpose flour


Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Lightly grease a 9 X 9 X 2-inch pan
with vegetable shortening.

Put the butter, vegetable shortening, and chocolate in a heatproof container and place it over, but not
touching, a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir the mixture over the hot water until it is melted and
smooth. Remove the container from over the water and cool 5 minutes.

Put the eggs and salt in the large bowl of an electric mixer and mix at medium speed for about 30 seconds,
until the eggs just begin to look fluffy. Add the sugar and beat for 1 minute until the mixture thickens and
the color lightens. Decrease the speed to low and mix in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla until it is
combined thoroughly. Add the flour, mixing just until the flour is incorporated.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for about 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the
center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it. Cool the brownies in the pan on a wire rack, about 1*
hours. Cut into 12 to 16 pieces.

TO FREEZE - Wrap individual brownies tightly in plastic wrap. Place in a metal or plastic freezer
container and cover tightly. Or, put the wrapped brownies in a plastic freezer bag and seal. Label with date
and contents. Freeze up to 3 months.

TO SERVE - Remove only as many brownies from the freezer as you need. Defrost the wrapped
brownies at room temperature for about 3 hours. Leftover brownies can be covered with plastic wrap and
stored at room temperature up to 3 days.


White Chocolate
and
Raspberry Ripple
Cheesecake

Serves 12 to 16







1
1 1/2
1 1/4
1
8

2
2
4
2
1/2
2
1
Chocolate Wafer Cookie Crumb Crust baked in a 9-inch springform pan
cups fresh raspberries, or unsweetened frozen raspberries, defrosted and
drained
cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
teaspoon fresh lemon juice
ounces white chocolate, chopped (Callebaut or Baker's Premium preferred)
pounds cream cheese, softened 3 to 4 hours at room temperature, 60 F. to 70
F. if measured with a food thermometer
tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
large eggs, room temperature
teaspoons vanilla extract
teaspoon almond extract
tablespoons whipping cream
cup fresh raspberries for serving with the cheesecake (optional)



Wrap the outside of the 9-inch springform pan with a large piece of heavy aluminum
foil and place in a large baking pan with at least 2-inch high sides. The springform pan will be
watertight.

Puree the raspberries in a food processor. Use the back of a spoon to press the
raspberries through a strainer to remove the seeds. Measure * cup strained puree into a small
bowl and mix with 1 tablespoon sugar and the lemon juice. Set the sauce aside and save any
additional puree for another use.

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 175 F. Place the
white chocolate in a non-reactive ovenproof container and melt it in the oven, 8 to 10 minutes.
As soon as the white chocolate is melted, remove it from the oven and stir it smooth. Increase
the oven temperature to 350 F. Set the white chocolate aside to cool slightly while you mix the
cheesecake.

Put the cream cheese in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed until
the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Add the remaining 1* cups sugar and mix until
smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Mix in the flour. Add the eggs, 2 at a time, mixing the
batter smooth before the next addition of eggs and again after all of the eggs are added. Stop
the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl twice during this mixing. Mix in the vanilla and
almond extract. Mix in the whipping cream. Stir in the melted white chocolate. Pour the batter
into the prepared springform pan. Use a small spoon to drizzle the raspberry sauce over the
batter, leaving a 1-inch plain edge. Dip the spoon gently into the batter and swirl some of the
sauce into the batter, leaving some swirls of sauce on top of the batter in a marbleized pattern.
Do not disturb the crumb crust. Put the cheesecake in the oven and pour hot water in the large
baking pan to reach 1-inch up the sides of the springform pan. Bake about 1 hour or until you
give the cheesecake a gentle shake and the top looks firm.

Cool the cheesecake in the water bath for 1 hour on a wire rack covered loosely with
paper towel. Carefully remove the cheesecake from the water bath. Remove the paper towel
and cool 1 hour more. The cheesecake should feel cool to the touch. Cover with plastic wrap
and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, at least 6 hours or overnight.

TO FREEZE - Use a small, sharp knife to loosen the cheesecake from the sides of
the pan. Release the sides of the springform pan. Either leave the cheesecake on the
springform bottom, or use the small, sharp knife to loosen the crust from the bottom of the
pan. Slide the removable bottom of a tart pan under the crust and move the cheesecake to a
serving plate or cardboard cake circle. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap then heavy aluminum foil.
Label with date and contents. Freeze up to 1 month.

TO SERVE - Defrost the wrapped cheesecake in the refrigerator overnight.
Uncover the cheesecake and let it sit at room temperature 1 hour before serving. Fresh
raspberries can be scattered on the individual serving plates. Leftover cheesecake can be
covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator up to 5 days.