Desserts – Brenda blogs about … https://brendablog.com cooking, baking, miscellaneous recipes lying around Mon, 11 Nov 2024 15:49:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 Dangerous Spice Cake https://brendablog.com/recipe/dangerous-spice-cake/ Mon, 11 Nov 2024 15:49:56 +0000 https://brendablog.com/?post_type=recipe&p=618 This recipe is dangerous because it is so quick and easy (and good!) that the temptation to go off one’s diet is very strong…

  • 4 T flour (30 grams)
  • 1 t cocoa
  • 1/8 t baking soda
  • 1 t ginger
  • 1 1/2 t cinnamon
  • 1/16 t nutmeg
  • 1/16 t clove
  • 3 T sugar (or brown sugar, and then less molasses)
  • 2 T oil
  • 2 T molasses
  • 3 T water
  • 1 egg
  1. Combine the dry ingredients and mix well.
  2. Add it the remaining ingredients and mix well.
  3. Put in a microwave-safe 4c dish and cook for 3 minutes.
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Strawberry Tart https://brendablog.com/recipe/strawberry-tart/ Sat, 21 Oct 2023 23:06:52 +0000 https://brendablog.com/?post_type=recipe&p=605
  • 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
  • .5 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • .75 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • .5 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 pound strawberries, hulled, halved
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
    1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9″ round pan.
    2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt; set aside.
    3. Cream sugar and butter. Mix in eggs, then vanilla and buttermilk.
    4. Add flour mixture; combine at low spped.
    5. Transfer to cake pan. Arrange strawberries on top, cut side down.
    6. Bake 50-55 minutes.
    7. Sift powdered sugar on top before serving.
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    Caramel Popcorn https://brendablog.com/recipe/caramel-popcorn/ Sun, 06 Dec 2020 17:24:05 +0000 http://www.brendablog.com/?post_type=recipe&p=581
  • 10 cups popped popcorn
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    1. Melt butter in medium saucepan; mix in brown sugar.
    2. Bring to a boil while stirring continuously.
    3. Boil 4 minutes on medium heat. Add vanilla and stir (careful: it can spatter when you add vanilla).
    4. Boil one minute longer.
    5. Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (caramel will fluff up).
    6. Stir caramel into popcorn. Pour onto a cookie sheet to cool.
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    Toffee Tops https://brendablog.com/recipe/toffee-tops/ Thu, 08 Oct 2020 15:30:58 +0000 http://www.brendablog.com/?post_type=recipe&p=575 Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 8″ square pan.

    Cookie Crust:

    • 1 1/4 cups flour
    • 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 cup butter, cut up and chilled
    • 1/4 cup chopped, toasted, blanched almonds
    • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
    1. Stir together flour, brown sugar, and salt. Cut in butter.
    2. Stir in almonds and extract. Press into pan.
    3. Bake 12 minutes until slightly firm.

    Brown Sugar Layer

    • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
    • 1/3 cup butter
    •  1 tablespoon water
    1. Combine sugar, butter and water in small heavy saucepan.
    2. Bring to a boil, and continue boiling for 1 minute.
    3. Spread over cookie crust base.
    4. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes.
    5. Cool for a few minutes.

    Chocolate Topping

    • 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 3/4 cup chopped, toasted, blanched almonds
    1. Melt chocolate chips with butter in small pan over low heat or microwave.
    2. When brown sugar layer has been crusty (5 minutes or so), pour chocolate over and smooth it out.
    3. Sprinkle with chopped almonds, pressing slightly into chocolate.

     

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    Nana’s Pecan Pie https://brendablog.com/recipe/nanas-pecan-pie/ Sat, 28 Mar 2020 17:19:00 +0000 http://www.brendablog.com/?post_type=recipe&p=571 My grandmother, Nana, gave me this recipe when I visited her in 1984.

    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1/2 cup corn syrup
    • 1/4 cup butter, melted
    • 3 eggs, well beaten
    • 1 cup pecan pieces
    • 1 unbaked 9″ pie shell
    1. Mix sugar, syrup and butter.
    2. Add eggs and pecans
    3. Fill pie shell with mixture and bake in moderately hot (400F) oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate (350F) and continue baking for 30-35 minutes.
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    Pie Crumbs https://brendablog.com/recipe/pie-crumbs/ Sat, 28 Mar 2020 17:15:43 +0000 http://www.brendablog.com/?post_type=recipe&p=569 From the King Arthur Flour recipe for Classic Double Pie Crust:

    • 300 g all purpose flour
    • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt (less if using salted butter)
    • 46 g shortening (1/4 cup)
    • 142 g cold unsalted butter (10 T)
    1. Combine the flour, salt and shortening in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs.
    2. Cut the butter in to dice-sized pieces, add to food processor and pulse just enough to distribute. Chunks of butter are actually good for the crust.
    3. Store in a plastic bag in the freezer.
    4. To use, about 250g of pie crumbs are enough for one crust. Let them thaw for 30 minutes or so, then work in enough water to make the crust as usual.
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    Italian Cream Cake https://brendablog.com/recipe/italian-cream-cake/ Sun, 31 Mar 2019 17:28:38 +0000 http://www.brendablog.com/?post_type=recipe&p=559 Another favorite from my friend Cathy Cozens. I recall making this for Emily’s third birthday, so that must have been at least 25 years ago!

    • 2 cups sugar
    • 1/2 cup shortening
    • 1 stick butter (8 oz)
    • 5 eggs, separated
    • 2 cups flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 cup buttermilk
    • 1 cup coconut
    1. Cream sugar, shortening and butter.
    2. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
    3. Combine flour and soda. Add to butter mixture in small portions, alternating with buttermilk.
    4. Stir in coconut.
    5. Whip egg whites until stiff. Fold into batter.
    6. Pour into 3 greased and floured 9″ round pans.
    7. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    • 1 stick butter
    • 1 block cream cheese (8oz)
    • 1 lb confectioners sugar
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt.
    • 1-3 tablespoons milk
    1. Have butter and cream cheese at room temperature.
    2. Whip butter and cream cheese together.
    3. Mix in confectioner’s sugar and salt. Whip until desired texture, adding milk as needed.

     

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    Orange Glaze https://brendablog.com/recipe/orange-glaze/ Wed, 20 Dec 2017 17:38:22 +0000 http://www.brendablog.com/?post_type=recipe&p=542
  • 1 cup confectioner’s sugar (125 g)
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • orange zest
    1. Mix ingredients. Enough for 8×8 cake, or lightly on a 9×13.
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    Cranberry Cake https://brendablog.com/recipe/cranberry-cake/ Wed, 20 Dec 2017 17:36:26 +0000 http://www.brendablog.com/?post_type=recipe&p=539
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter softened (must be soft!)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    2. Beat eggs and sugar until thickened and light, about 7 minutes.
    3. With a mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar until slightly thickened and light in color, about 5-7 minutes.
    4. Mix in butter and vanilla.
    5. Mix in flour just until combined.
    6. Stir in cranberries.
    7. Bake in 9X13 until light brown about 40-50 minutes.
    8. Top with Orange Glaze.
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    Graham Cracker Toffee https://brendablog.com/recipe/graham-cracker-toffee/ Sat, 16 Dec 2017 18:08:23 +0000 http://www.brendablog.com/?post_type=recipe&p=535
  • 14-16 graham crackers
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup salted butter
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup pecans, toasted (optional)
    1. Preheat oven to 350F.
    2. Arrange crackers close together on foil- or parchment-lined baking sheet.
    3. Melt butter and brown sugar together in saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly until it boils, them boil for 2 minutes. Pour over graham crackers. Bake 6-7 minutes or until sugar mixture is bubbly.
    4. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Let sit a few minutes until chocolate is melted, then spread chocolate evenly. Top with optional nuts (or whatever). Let sit for 2 hours before cutting.
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