French Silk Mousse

When it's too hot to bake, there is always the option of using pie filling in a different way. This mousse uses the basic French Silk pie filling, but eliminates the crust.

The filling is made extra rich and smooth with the inclusion of pastry cream, made by heating evaporated milk mixed with egg yolk. I use powdered egg yolks for this purpose, because they dissolve readily in the liquid and it eliminates having to separate eggs (and having whites left over). The custard created serves as a vehicle for effectively melting and incorporating chocolate. The end result is a smooth, creamy and very rich chocolate filling that marries well with the whipped cream layers.

French Silk Mousse

2 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. evaporated milk
3 egg yolks
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, shaved
Fresh fruit for garnish
Whipped cream

Using the paddle blade of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy and all of the sugar is incorporated.

Place evaporated milk and egg yolks in a 1 quart saucepan. Heat to a simmer on medium-low, stirring constantly to ensure the solution doesn't stick. Remove from heat once the mixture becomes thick and coats the spoon. Stir the chocolate into the hot mixture, making sure that all of the pieces have melted.

Slowly pour the milk mixture into the cream cheese, beating with the stand mixer on low. Increase the mixer speed to medium and whip all ingredients together.

Layer the chocolate mixture with whipped cream in dessert glasses. Top each serving with fresh strawberries, raspberries or mint leaves. Cover and chill until served. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Sponge Cake and Twinkie © Cream Filling

Sponge Cake with Twinkie © Cream Filling

Sponge cake is a feather light dessert that is traditionally served during Passover. Like angel food cake, sponge cake depends on whipped egg whites for leavening and for its airy texture. The addition of beaten egg yolks adds richness to the cake that isn't present in angel food. In addition, egg yolks help to keep the cake moist.

Sponge cake needs no icing, but it can serve as the base for several different toppings. Among the favorites are flavored whipped cream, lemon curd and fresh strawberries, blueberries or raspberries.

For those of you who miss the Hostess Twinkie ©, use this sponge cake recipe and Twinkie whipped filling to make a Twinkie-like dessert. First, bake the sponge cake in a traditional tube pan. When the cake is cool, slice in half horizontally. Use a sharp knife and cut a shallow tunnel into the bottom layer. Fill the tunnel with the Twinkie whipped filling, and replace the top of the cake.

Of course, you can just slather a slice of the cake with the whipped filling and enjoy it that way too.

Sponge Cake

1 c. all purpose flour
1 1/3 c. sugar, separated
5 eggs, separated*
3 tbsp water
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

* To make this recipe easily, use powdered egg yolks and powdered egg whites. The powdered products combined with water are the equivalent of fresh large eggs. This eliminates the need to separate eggs and because of the product's purity, your meringue will whip higher as well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a standard tube pan or angel food pan with nonstick baking spray.

Place 5 egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Using the wire whip blade on a stand mixer, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add 2/3 c. sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until all sugar is incorporated into the egg white mixture and volume is doubled. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine 5 egg yolks, 2/3 c sugar, water, lemon peel and vanilla. Beat with the flat blade of a stand mixer at medium speed  until yolks are thick and lemon colored. Reduce speed and add flour. Beat until mixture becomes a thick batter.

Using a rubber spatula, gently push beaten egg whites into bowl with egg yolk mixture. Fold egg whites into the yolks until the whites are incorporated into the batter. Pour into the prepared tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 - 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Remove cake from the pan immediately after it is out of the oven, and cool inverted on a rack.

Twinkie © Cream Filling

1/2 cup marshmallow creme
4 tbsp. butter (no substitutions), or 2 tbsp. butter and 2 tbsp. coconut oil
3/4 c. confectioners sugar (or a combination of confectioners sugar and corn starch)

Using the whip attachment of your stand mixer, whip together the marshmallow creme and butter. Add confectioner's sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until mixture is smooth and spreadable.

The combination of confectioners sugar and corn starch helps cut the intense sweetness of the filling.

For the purist, you can purchase what is called a "twinkle pan" that allows you to bake the sponge cake in the shape of the classic Hostess dessert. Then use a pastry bag and an injector tip (long and tubular) to fill your ersatz Twinkies © with the cream filling.

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Apple Cobbler

Apple Cobbler 

It's spring cleaning time, and one of the first places I wanted to clear out was the freezer. Lodged near the back was a quart of apple slices that I had frozen during the fall harvest. Apples are such a versatile fruit that my options for using these was nearly limitless. The time I had to spend in the kitchen, however, was not. I opted to make a deep dish cobbler. 

What makes cobbler different from, say, a crisp or a crumble? Crisps and crumbles have a streusel topping; cobbler is characterized by its crust of biscuits or dumplings, which soak up spiced and sweetened apple juice as they bake. The apples that I used were a mixture of sweet and tart apples that normally would be used in a cider blend. Any good baking or pie apple can be used to make the filling.

Apple Cobbler 

Filling:
4 cups sliced peeled apples
3/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Topping:
1 c. all purpose flour
1 c. oatmeal
1/3 c. softened butter or shortening
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together apple slices, brown sugar and spices. Spray a 3 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray, and pour apple mixture into prepared casserole. Set aside.

In medium bowl, whisk together flour, oatmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Add softened butter or shortening, and use a pastry cutter to cut into the flour mixture. Fold in milk, one tablespoon at a time, until mixture just holds together.

Drop flour mixture on top of apples using a tablespoon, covering entire surface with biscuits. Bake in preheated oven for 35 - 40 minutes. Biscuits will be lightly browned. Serve warm, spooning apples over biscuit. Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired. Serves 6.

Holiday Favorites: Anise Slices Cookies

Holiday Favorites: Anise Slices

The herb anise is a traditional flavor for Christmas cookies in both Italy and Germany. Anise tastes like black licorice, so if you love black jelly beans then these butter cookies are for you. They are flavored with both essential oil and anise seed; the seed gives them a little crunch as well as taste.

The secret to having these cookies be light and have that melt in your mouth texture is to work the dough just until it comes together. Overbeating the dough will toughen the gluten in the flour, which makes the cookies dense. A good dough will begin to form large clumps, which can be shaped into a log by hand.

Dough shaped into a log and ready to chill

Anise Slices
2 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. anise oil
2 tbsp. anise seed

In medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and anise seed. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add egg and anise oil, and beat until thoroughly mixed. Add dry ingredients, beating slowly to incorporate and then until dough begins to form clumps and comes together.

Separate dough into two halves. Place each half on a separate sheet of waxed paper. Roll into a log 2" in diameter. Twist ends of paper shut and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice each dough log into 1/4" slices, and place slices on baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are slightly golden. Immediately slide parchment off hot baking sheet and allow cookies to cool. Makes 3 dozen.

Holiday Favorites: Gingerbread Cutout Cookies

Soft, chewy and highly dunkable gingerbread cutout cookies

Gingerbread Cutout Cookies

At least once during the Christmas season, the entire family will be involved in making cutout cookies. Mixing, rolling out the dough, testing out the most recently acquired cookie cutter and then frosting and decorating the finished cookies take up the better part of a snowy Saturday.

These gingerbread cookies are soft, chewy and warm with the flavors of ginger and cinnamon. They can be left plain, frosted with buttercream or topped with royal icing and adorned with any number of finishing touches - sprinkles, dragees, sparkling sugars or crushed candies. Let little hands and imaginations go wild and forget about "perfection"; the end results will be an afternoon of incessant chatter, flour-drenched clothing and a plate of cookies that will end up as unique as the family members who created it.

Traditional Gingerbread Cutouts

3 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. unsalted butter
1/4 c. vegetable shortening
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. mild molasses
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Melt butter and shortening together and pour into large mixing bowl. Add sugars and molasses and stir together. Allow to sit for 10 minutes to allow sugars to dissolve into the melted butter.

Add a third of the flour mixture and use a hand mixer to slowly beat into the butter. Beat in egg. Slowly incorporate the rest of the flour, beating just until blended.

Divide dough in half and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough to 1/4" thick on lightly floured surface. Cut out with cookie cutters and place 1" apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 9 - 11 minutes, rotating sheets from bottom rack to top and vice-versa halfway through baking to prevent overbrowning. Allow to cool completely before frosting.  Makes 2 1/2 dozen, using 3" cookie cutters.

Tips:
Molasses has a slightly bitter taste that some people don't like. Dark corn syrup or dark honey (buckwheat or alfalfa) can be substituted for the molasses.

Use essential oils instead of ground spices for a more intense flavor. 1/2 tsp. ginger oil and 3 - 4 drops of cinnamon easily flavor a batch. The cookies will be a lighter color than those made with ground spices.  Essential oils can be found in the cake decorating section of Meijers or online at Amazon.com or from Lorann Oils.

Fresh cranberries and wine vinegar give this
a distinctively tangy taste

Sweet and Sour Cranberries

Thanksgiving is over, and many refrigerators across the US are filled with leftover turkey, duck, venison or ham. Yes, that means there will be sandwiches and casseroles galore for the next few weeks - until the Christmas feast takes place.

Turkey sandwiches can be dry and a little lackluster, but this cranberry condiment will liven up even the tamest turkey. It also tastes terrific with ham, duck, chicken, venison or pork tenderloin. And it's versatile enough to use as a glaze for the next poultry roast.

This starts with fresh cranberries, which are readily available at this time of year in the produce aisle of most grocery stores. The final product is a very thick jel, which stays nicely put on a sandwich.

The original recipe called for pureeing and then straining the cooked cranberry mixture. The texture was to resemble that of tomato catsup. I personally like the texture of the whole berries, and choose not to go through the additional steps of pureeing and straining.

Sweet and Sour Cranberries
1 lb (2 cups) fresh cranberries
3/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 c. light brown sugar, packed
4 cinnamon sticks
2 whole nutmegs
1 tbsp. allspice berries

In a large saucepan, gently warm the wine vinegar to a simmer. Place cinnamon sticks, nutmegs and allspice into a small cheesecloth bag tied off at the top. Steep the spice bag in the warm vinegar for at least an hour.

Remove spice bag from vinegar, add brown sugar and cranberries, and return mixture to medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved and cranberries begin to pop. Continue cooking until mixture begins to thicken, about 10-15 minutes.

Pour into a heat-safe container and allow to cool at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate.

Pumpkin Rum Pie With Vanilla Wafer Crust

Pumpkin Rum Pie With Vanilla Wafer Crust

The holiday season kicks off officially with the Thanksgiving celebration on November 23. Pumpkin pie is one of the traditional desserts, but too often, pumpkin pie tastes like it should be a side dish instead of a dessert.

Pumpkin has a distinct flavor, but it is mild. It needs some embellishment and enhancement in order to make a standout dessert. This pie recipe gives it a much needed kick, and it also avoids dealing with making, rolling and shaping a traditional pie crust.

The secret ingredient is rum - or bourbon, if you prefer. Both of these alcoholic beverages complement the flavor of pumpkin. In addition, because the alcohol bakes out of the filling, it leaves the filling firm. The vanilla wafer crust is also much easier to make than a traditional pie crust, and the slight vanilla flavor also helps to pump up the pie's flavor.

This recipe makes a lot of filling, so if you have a deep dish pie pan, use it. You can also substitute a 10" tart pan and double the ingredients.

Pumpkin Rum Pie with Vanilla Wafer Crust

Crust:
2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1/3 c. melted butter

Filling:
2 c. canned pumpkin (do not use canned pumpkin pie filling)
1 can (12 oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
dash salt
1/4 c. dark rum or bourbon
2 large eggs

Chill the crumb crust before baking to
prevent it from falling apart when pie is served

To make crust:
Using a food processor, pulse enough vanilla wafer cookies to make 2 cups of fine crumbs. Place crumbs in medium mixing bowl.

Melt 1/3 c. butter. Pour melted butter into crumbs, and use a fork to stir and coat crumbs with butter.

Spray a 9" pie pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the plate with crumb mixture, using a wooden spoon to press crumbs evenly along the bottom and sides of the pie pan. Chill crust for an hour in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chilled crust into preheated oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Crust will be slightly brown. Do not overbake. Allow to cool before adding filling.

To make filling:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, rum, eggs, salt and spices. This will be a thick liquid. Gently pour into prepared crust.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake pie for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake an additional 30-40 minutes or until a knife inserted 1" from the crust comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely before serving. Cover and refrigerate any leftover pie.

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