Author Topic: Recipes - Cookies, Pies, Cakes, and Other Sweets  (Read 148566 times)

Offline Meryl

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Re: Recipes - Cookies, Pies, Cakes, and Other Sweets
« Reply #30 on: December 05, 2006, 02:04:08 pm »
APPLE, WALNUT AND POPPYSEED BARS

(From KAFFEEHAUS by Rick Rodgers)

This is no throw-together dessert, but oh boy, it's worth it.  Satisfying and delicious. :P

Dough

3-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup solid vegetable shortening cut into 1/2" cubes
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. water
2 large egg yolks

Stir the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl.  Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.  Stir the water and yolks together in a small bowl.  Using a fork, stir into the flour mixture to make a soft dough, adding a bit more water if needed.  Gather up into a ball, then divide into 4 equal portions.  Pat each portion into a 5" x 4" rectangle (will make it easier to roll out later), wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.

Apple Filling

6 Golden Delicious apples (about 2-1/2 pounds), peeled
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 Tsp. ground cinnamon

Cut 1/4" slices from 4 of the apples, turning the apples as you reach the cores to slice from all sides.  Grate the other 2 apples on the large holes of a box grater, turning the apples when you reach the cores.  Discard cores.  Combine all ingredients in a covered medium saucepan over medium-low heat until the apples give off some juices.  Uncover and cook until the sliced apples are barely tender, about 8 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely.

Walnut Filling

2 cups (8 ounces) coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

Process the walnuts and sugar in a food processer until very finely chopped.  Transfer to a medium saucepan and add the water.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Cook until thickened to a moist paste, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely.

Poppy Seed Filling

1 cup (5 ounces) poppy seeds, ground
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

(It's best to use poppy seeds bought in bulk from a purveyor with a steady turnover.  They're cheaper and less likely to be rancid than supermarket poppy seeds.)

Cook the poppy seeds, sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring almost constantly, until the mixture has thickened into a moist paste, about 2 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely.

Assembling and Baking

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Butter the inside of an 11-1/2" x 8" baking dish.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out a portion of dough into a rectangle the size of the baking dish.  Place in the dish and spread evenly with the apple filling.  Roll out a second rectangle of dough and place over the apple filling, pressing lightly to make as flat as possible.  Spread with the walnut filling.  Place a third layer of dough over the walnuts and spread with the poppy seed filling, then top it with a last layer of dough.  Pierce the top dough with a fork in a few places. 

Beat together one large egg yolk and 1 tsp. heavy cream or water and brush some of it over the top dough.

Place on a baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake for 10 minutes.  Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake until the top is golden brown, about 50 minutes.

Serving

Let cool for 15 minutes.  Run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan.  Hold a baking sheet over the pan and invert to unmold the dessert in one piece.  Hold a rack or tray over the unmolded dessert and invert again so it is right side up.  Cool at least 2 hours.  For best flavor, wrap in plastic wrap and let stand overnight before cutting.

Cut in half lengthwise, then crosswise into sixths to make 12 bars.  Serve at room temperature.
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Marge_Innavera

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Re: Recipes - Cookies, Pies, Cakes, and Other Sweets
« Reply #31 on: December 14, 2006, 10:04:54 am »
Kansas City Plum Pudding

4 slices bread, in small pieces
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 beaten eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp brandy flavoring
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt

Soak the bread in milk until soggy; beat to break up. Stir in the shortening, sugar, eggs, orange juice concentrate, vanilla and brandy flavoring.

In a separate bowl, combine the raisins, dates and walnuts.  Mix the rest of the dry ingredients and add; then stir in the bread mixture.

Pour into a lightly greased baking dish, cover with foil. Place in an ovenproof Dutch oven or roasting pan on a rack or trivet. Pour water in the bottom of the pan to cover about 1/2 inch of the bottom of the baking dish. Cover the Dutch oven or roasting and cook at 350 degrees for about 2 hours. Check once in awhile and add more water if it's getting low.

Brandy sauce (brandy optional):  Mix one cup powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon butter, 3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate 1 tsp vanilla, 3/4 tsp brandy flavoring. Stir in enough milk to make a sauce; adjust thickness as desiired with more powdered sugar.




SInce this recipe requires a roasting pan so it might be awkward for Christmas Day, but it's great for a day after Christmas special dessert.



Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Recipes - Cookies, Pies, Cakes, and Other Sweets
« Reply #32 on: December 25, 2006, 04:18:32 pm »
Here's a pie I am making for the second time during this holiday season, and I think it's not the last!!

Chocolate Nut Pie

By Snooks Howard, Charlotte, North Carolina, published in the November 1985 issue of Gourmet Magazine

For the crust:
1 1/4 cups ground walnuts
1 cup ground pecans
1/3 cup sugar
3 T. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the filling:
6 oz. semisweet chocolate
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
4 large eggs, separated, plus 2 large egg whites
2 T. Kahlua
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 T. sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 T. ground pecans

Make the crust: in a bowl combine the walnuts, pecans, sugar, and butter, and press into a 10-in (5-cup) glass pie plate. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned, and let cool.

Make the filling: IN the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, melt together the chocolate and the butter until the mixture is smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in a pinch of salt, the egg yolks, the Kahlua, and 1/2 tsp. Of the vanilla, combining well.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks, add the sugar, and beat again until they hold stiff peaks. Stir one-third of the whites into the chocolate mixture and fold in the remaining whites. Spoon the filling into the prepared crust and chill the pie for several hours.

In a chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream until it holds soft peaks. Add the remaining vanilla and beat until it holds stiff peaks. Spread the cream over the pie with a spatula and sprinkle with the pecans. Chill the pie before serving up to 24 hours.
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Offline Meryl

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Re: Recipes - Cookies, Pies, Cakes, and Other Sweets
« Reply #33 on: December 25, 2006, 08:17:29 pm »
Oh boy, that sounds great, Lee!  :P
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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Recipes - Cookies, Pies, Cakes, and Other Sweets
« Reply #34 on: December 26, 2006, 10:52:31 am »
That is a pretty easy pie since you only have to bake the crust. If you like, you can substitute any regular crust, even those that are rolled out from a package. If you make the nut crust, don't put pie weights in...I did, and then I had to dig them out. Also, make this pie in a large (9-in diameter) pie pan, because otherwise you'll have filling left over, and the pie is so popular that it will be gone too soon if it's just an 8-incher.

For the semisweet chocolate, I substituted special dark chocolate because it was all I had and there was a blizzard outside!! In fact, I think it improved the pie.

There is also a recipe called Jacques Cagna's Chocolate Mousse Cake which is very similar, is a more sophisticated presentation, which I make almost every year and is available on the web. Anything with Jack in it!!
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Offline Dobie1018

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Re: Recipes - Cookies, Pies, Cakes, and Other Sweets
« Reply #35 on: December 09, 2007, 09:33:23 pm »
These recipes all sound great!  I especially love the one that tamarack put up - the Cherry Festival Cake.  I'm a 50's child and my mom used to make this cake each and every Christmas without fail.  It just wasn't Christmas without this cake.  I moved to Florida when I was in my early 30's and gone was the cherry cake.  One year I phoned her and asked her for the recipe and she gave it to me.  I've made it a couple of Chrismases since then, and it makes Christmas complete for me! 


Marge_Innavera

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Re: Recipes - Cookies, Pies, Cakes, and Other Sweets
« Reply #36 on: December 14, 2007, 12:36:14 pm »
My Mom has made these for years. She uses pecans and I use walnuts; both make very rich cookies. I've thought of making this recipe using cashew nuts, but haven't yet gotten around to it.


Nutty Shortbread

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
3 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 cup ground pecans or walnuts -- use a blender or food processor to make a nut ‘meal’
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp (approximate) cold water
2 scant cups flour (2 cups minus about a tablespoon)
Additional powdered sugar

Mix softened butter or margarine, powdered sugar and nut meal.  Stir in vanilla and water.  Then add flour and mix until it forms a stiff dough.

Form into small flat cookies or roll into crescent shapes, and bake on a greased cookie sheet, 20-25 minutes at 325°.

While the cookies are still hot, dust with or roll in additional powdered sugar.


Offline Meryl

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Re: Recipes - Cookies, Pies, Cakes, and Other Sweets
« Reply #37 on: December 14, 2007, 12:45:17 pm »
Yum, those sound good, and easy, too.  Thanks, Marge!  8)
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Offline Dobie1018

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Re: Recipes - Cookies, Pies, Cakes, and Other Sweets
« Reply #38 on: December 14, 2007, 03:53:26 pm »
Thanks for the great recipe Marge!  It sounds like these would just melt in your mouth! 

Offline Artiste

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Re: Recipes - Cookies, Pies, Cakes, and Other Sweets
« Reply #39 on: December 21, 2008, 04:22:23 pm »
Since you do not go to my threads on recipes nor origins of words or First Nations,
as I had no time to add such lately with death in family,
maybe some of you heard that cranberries is an First Nation food called atoka ?

Atoka Ice Cream
1 oz atoka juice
2 tbs sweet or not sweet dried cranberries (maybe whole fresh ones as I never tried that?)
3 cups 1/3 soft vanilla ice cream

Combine. Store to freeze until set.
Serve as cones or in bowl(s)

Me dire vos résultats (tell me your results) ??

Au revoir,
hugs!