Desserts These recipes will change monthly. |
CREAM PUFFS INGREDIENTS Nonstick spray coating 1 cup water ¼ cup margarine ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup all-purpose flour 4 eggs 1/3 cup sugar 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1/8 teaspoon salt 3 cups skim milk 1 slightly beaten egg 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 drop yellow food coloring (optional) 12 large strawberries, sliced DIRECTIONS Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray coating. Bring water, margarine, and the ¼ teaspoon salt to boiling. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook and stir till mixture forms a ball that doesn't separate. Cool 10 minutes. Add the 4 eggs, one at a time, beating till smooth after each addition. Drop batter by heaping tablespoons, 3 inches apart onto baking sheet, making 12 mounds. Bake in a 400° oven for 30 minutes or till golden brown and puffy. Cool. Split cream puffs and remove any soft dough from inside. Meanwhile, for pudding, in a saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Stir in milk. Cook and stir till bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Gradually stir 1 cup of the hot mixture into the beaten egg. Return all to saucepan; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and food coloring, if desired. Pour into a bowl; cover surface with clear plastic wrap. Chill. To serve, fill cream puffs with pudding and strawberries. Serves 12. |
BROWNIE BITES INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons margarine 1/3 cup sugar ¼ cup cold water ½ teaspoon vanilla ½ cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder ½ teaspoon baking powder 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts or pecans Nonstick spray coating 1 teaspoon powdered sugar DIRECTIONS In a small saucepan melt margarine; remove from heat. Stir in sugar, water, and vanilla.
Stir in flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder till well mixed. Stir in
chopped nuts. Spray the bottom only of an 8x4x2-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray coating. Pour batter into pan. Bake in a 350° oven about 20 minutes or till a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool thoroughly. Remove from pan. Cut into 8 bars. Sprinkle with the powdered sugar. Makes 8 servings. |
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE INGREDIENTS 3 cups sliced fresh strawberries 2 tablespoons sugar 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda 3 tablespoons margarine 1 beaten egg ½ cup buttermilk or skim milk Nonstick spray coating 1 1.4-ounce envelope whipped dessert topping mix ½ cup skim milk DIRECTIONS Combine strawberries and the 2 tablespoons sugar. Cover and let stand in the refrigerator at least 1 hour. In a mixing bowl stir together flour, the 1 tablespoon sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Cut in margarine till mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine egg and buttermilk. Add to flour mixture all at once, stirring till combined. Spray an 8-inch round baking pan with nonstick spray coating. With lightly floured hands, pat dough into pan. Bake in a 450° oven about 10 minutes or till golden. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely, or serve shortcake warm. Meanwhile, prepare whipped dessert topping mix according to package directions using the skim milk. Split shortcake into 2 layers. Place the bottom layer on a serving plate. Top with some of the berries, then add the second layer of shortcake. Spoon dessert topping and the remaining strawberries on top of cake. Makes 8 servings. |
M & M Cookies Ingredients: 1 cup shortening 1 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups M & M candies Directions: 1 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). 2 Thoroughly cream together shortening, sugars, eggs and vanilla. 3 In a separate bowl, mix togerther the dry ingredients, except the candies. Add to creamed mixture and mix well. 4 Stir in 1/2 cup M & M's. Mix well. Drop by teaspoon unto cookie sheets and decorate with remaining M & M's. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Makes 2 dozen |
ABC (Absolute Best Chewy) Chocolate Chippers Ingredients: 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon regular table salt) 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup 1 tablespoon light cream or whole milk 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped toasted walnuts or pecans Directions: 1 Position oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). (Using an oven thermometer will ensure proper baking temperature since ovens vary.) Line cushion-type baking sheets with baking parchment; set aside. (Professional bakeries double their baking sheets and use baking parchment.) 2 In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder; set aside. In a large mixer bowl, cream together butter, sugars and vanilla at medium speed until creamy and light. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in corn syrup and cream or milk. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour mixture, in 3 separate batches, scraping down bowl after each addition. Mix well to ensure full incorporation of flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate) and nuts. 3 For each cookie, using a 1- 3/8 inch spring-loaded scoop (or 1 tablespoon measuring spoon), scoop 2 level spoonfuls of dough and roll into a ball with wet hands. (Dough will be very sticky. Wetting hands between every 3 rollings of dough will prevent sticking. Simply hold hands under running tap water and shake hands 10 times over sink before handling dough. Don't worry, this will not harm the cookies. I guarantee that this added effort will be worth it for these cookies!) Arrange at least 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. (Cookies will spread a bit during baking.) Flatten each ball of dough slightly with heel of hand or fingers. 4 Bake for 14 minutes or until light golden brown around edges and centers are still a little puffy. (Do not underbake this particular cookie or they will be too soft.) Allow cookies to cool at least 5 minutes while on baking sheets before transferring (with a thin, metal cookie spatula) to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough and fresh sheets of baking parchment. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. (These chewy chocolate chip cookies keep better than traditional types.) 5 Note: Professional chefs and pastry chefs use coarse kosher salt and I use it in my everyday cooking and baking. It really does have a better flavor. However, you may substitute 1 teaspoon regular table salt for 1- 1/4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt. 6 To Toast Nuts: Toasting nuts brings out their flavor and makes them crisp. It is easy to do. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place nuts, in a single layer, on an ungreased baking sheet. (I like to use my round non-stick pizza pan because it has a lip on it which prevents the nuts from rolling off.) Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring halfway through baking time, or until nuts become fragrant and are lightly browned. (Watch nuts closely to prevent burning.) Cool nuts completely before chopping and adding to recipe. (You can speed up the cooling process by immediately placing hot, toasted nuts onto a plate and place in the freezer for 5 to 8 minutes. Halfway through chilling time, stir the nuts to aid the cooling process.) Makes 2 1/2 dozen |
