11. March 2010 by admin.

Okay, so I have a fettish for chocolate, toffee, and coffee. This dessert will knock your socks off as it is soooo good! The light heavenly flavor of angel food cake combined with whipped cream, coffee, chocolate, and crunchy toffee will send your tastebuds into Glory Land. This happens to be a recipe that my mom used to make years ago, but it is still a great one and so easy to make.

1 package instant chocolate pudding

1-1/3 cups milk

1-1/2 Tablespoons instant coffee

 1 cup heavy cream, whipped

1, 10-inch round angel food cake (Use either your favorite made-from-scratch cake or purchased cake)

2, 3/4 oz. chocolate-covered toffee bars such as Heath bars

Mix coffee and dry pudding together. Prepare according to package directions but use only the 1-1/3 cups milk. Chill. Beat the cream until smooth, about the consistency of pudding. Fold 1/2 of the whipped cream into the pudding mixture. Split the angel food cake into 3 horizontal layers. Spread half of the pudding mixture between layers. For the frosting, fold the remaining whipped cream into the remaining pudding mixture. Frost the sides and top of the cake. Sprinkle with crushed toffee bars. Chill.

Serves 12

To make your own unique flavor, instead of instant coffee, use a flavored powdered instant coffee mixture.

Enjoy!

The Baker

“Life Is Short. Eat Dessert First.”

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12. January 2010 by admin.

If you are looking for an absolutely yummy, easy-to-make dessert, try thisToffee Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball. This is not your ordinary cheese ball. With 1 bite, you will think that you died and went to heaven! (Did I say, creamy, sweet, ambrosia-like with a bit of crunch?) My niece, Celeste, kindly shared this recipe with me. It is wonderfully yummy when served with chocolate graham crackers or chocolate teddy bear crackers. However, my very, very favorite way to enjoy this dessert is to serve it with fresh fruit. Oh my goodness!!

1, 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup toffee bits or crushed chocolated-coated toffee candy bar

3/4 finely chopped pecans

Chocolate graham crackers or chocolate teddy bear crackers

Fresh fruit such as grapes, strawberries, or apples

Beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar, brown sugr, and vanilla extract. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover and chill for 2 hours or more.  Shape the chilled cream cheese mixture into a ball and wrap with plastic. Chill for 1 more hour. Roll the cheese ball in the finely chopped pecans and toffee bits/chopped candy bar before serving. Serve with the chocolate crackers or fresh fruit.

ENJOY!

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12. September 2009 by admin.

Years ago when embarking on this baking adventure in my life, cookbooks authored by Maida Heatter became the inspiration for multiple heavenly desserts that graced our home. Little did I know that while browsing the cookbook section of our local library that Ms. Heatter would be so influential in my culinary dessert creations. Why her, you ask? The answer is simple. Her recipes are flawless. But the best part is reading her warm, encouraging words of inspiration and hints for success that accompany most every recipe. She not only has a love for baking fine desserts, but she wants her readers to enjoy the same fantastic results when they try her dessert recipes.  You will feel like a warm, cozy blanket has just been placed around you when you browse through her dessert cookbooks. I have made something as simple as her “Top Secret” cream  (recipe following) that accompanies fresh fruit to her multiple-layered “Dobosh Torte,” all with mouth-watering success. I encourage you to find a copy of 1 of her dessert cookbooks. You will want to make every recipe she has published!

 ”Top Secret ” from Maida Heatter’s Pies & Tarts, page 252

1/2 cup cottage cheese (4% milkfat or 1% milkfat, but the 4% milkfat is preferred)

1 teaspoon honey or sugar

Few drops vanilla extract

Maida’s directions are as follows: “Place the cottage cheese in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Process for 1 full minute (no less) until as smooth as honey. You will think it is ready sooner, but please do process for the full minute, at least. Stop the machine once to scrape down the sides during processing. When you think it is done, process still a few seconds longer. The sugar or honey and vanilla may be added before, during, or after the processing. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate for several hours or longer.”

Maida says, “I was in some new kind of heaven and vowed that I would eat nothing but strawberries and processed cottage cheese as long as berries were in season; then I would switch to some other fruit. I loved each bite of the pure, simple, natural, bland, maybe-a-bit-sour-but-not-really-sour flavor. ”

Maida goes on to say, “This may be served immediately after it is prepared, but if it is refrigerated for a few hours, the mixture will thicken and become even better. Prepare as much or as little as you want. Plan on 1/2 to 1 cup per person if you are serving this with strawberries or sliced fresh peaches. If you serve it with apple pie or baked apples or with peach or blueberry cobbler or something filling like that, you might not need so much. But when someone knows what this is-how low in calories-they will eat twice as much.”

Enjoy!

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21. May 2008 by admin.

During my holiday from blogging to you, I have tested numerous recipes. My tastebuds are particularly in love with this wonderful dessert! Now, my website features a most delicious Tiramisu Cheesecake, but this new recipe is for, what I know to be, the original Tiramisu. It is particularly easy to make when you use a purchased frozen pound cake as the base for your layers. I use pound cake versus lady fingers as the pound cake not only gives a wonderful vanilla bean flavor, but it also seems to hold up more substantially when soaked in the daring coffee-brandy-rum syrup. Try this recipe and enjoy the little tweaks I have given it!

JANINE’S EXQUISITE TIRAMISU

1-16 ounce purchased frozen pound cake loaf

1/3 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. instant espresso coffee powder

2 Tbsp. rum

1 Tbsp. brandy

1/3 cup water

2,  8-ounce cartons mascarpone cheese, softened

1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 ounces semisweet chocolate, grated

1 cup whipping cream

2 Tbsp. strong coffee

1 tsp. baking cocoa

Cut frozen pound cake into 1/4-inch thick slices. (The cake slices better when frozen.)

For syrup, in a small saucepan combine sugar, espresso coffee powder, and 1/3 cup water. Cook over medium heat until boiling. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in rum and brandy. Cool completely.

For filling, stir together the mascarpone, powdered sugar, and vanilla. stir in the grated chocolate.

To assemble, using a 9-inch square pan, place a layer of the cake slices in the bottom of the pan. (You may need to cut a slice or 2 into small odd shapes to fill in all the little spaces between the slices.) Brush layer with 1/3 of the syrup and spread with half of the mascarpone filling. Add the second cake layer, again tucking small pieces of cake into the spaces between the slices. Top with 1/3 of the syrup and the remaining filling. Top with the third cake layer; brush with remaining syrup.

In a mixing bowl, combine whipping cream and coffee. Beat until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream over top cake layer; sprinkle with cocoa. (Now, put the cocoa in a small sieve or strainer. While holding the sieve over the top of the tiramisu, gently tap the sieve to get a beautiful light dusting of cocoa on top of the whipped cream.) Cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving. I discovered that if you can allow the dessert to sit up to 24 hours before serving, the syrup has had a longer chance to flavor the pound cake layers. This is perfecto!  But, of course, if you are running short of time before serving or if you are just dying to taste this creation, forget the time length and dig in!

ENJOY!

The Baker

“Life Is Short. Eat Dessert First.”

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2. January 2008 by admin.

As with all arts and crafts, using great tools makes the experience of creating the end product more enjoyable and heartwarming. Over the years, I have found that I just cannot get along without some of my favorite baking tools. One of my favorite kitchen helpers is my spatula. I absolutely love the new colorful spatulas that can withstand those terrific high temps. Plus, my spatulas must have flexibility to get all of the delicious batter out of the bowl and into the pan. The spatula is a well-used baking tool in my kitchen. I couldn’t be without an entire fleet of them! In honor of this little helper, I penned  the following:

ODE TO A SPATULA

I’m just a little spatula.

I stand up straight and tall.

And though I’m not a beauty queen,

My talent is here for all.

Call me your baking helper

When you use your mixing machine.

I’ll scrape each drop of batter

To make your bowl shiny clean.

I’m made in differnt colors

To make your room so bright.

For I’m just a little spautla

On call all day or night.

Tell me about your favorite baking “helper.”

ENJOY!

The Baker

“Life Is Short. Eat Dessert First.”

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27. November 2007 by admin.

When I was a little girl and heard the story of The Night Before Christmas, I always marveled at the line “…while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads.” Then, of course, the song title, “Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies” from The Nutcracker ballet always intrigued me, too. First of all, what are sugarplums? Are they a sweet treat? Are they only a figment of a writer’s imagination? Have you ever wondered what a sugarplum is? The other day I came across a recipe for Sugarplums. My mystery now has been solved. Of course, I had to test the recipe and found that sugarplums are these sweet, delightful, sugary treats that are so very easy to make and so wonderful to share during the Christmas season. Let your children enjoy helping you make these yummies. Then share the story of The Night Before Christmas or attend The Nutcracker ballet to make a lasting impression in the minds of those little children you love.

SUGARPLUMS

Place 1 cup each of dried date pieces and golden raisins in a food processor. Add 1/2 cup each dried cherries, apricots, white chocolate chips, and walnuts. Pulse several times to chop coarsely. Add 1 Tbsp. orange juice and pulse until mixture holds together. Form into 1/2-inch or 1-inch balls and roll in 1/3 cup granulated sugar. Cover and refrigerate until firm. May be frozen. Makes 36 balls.

Desserts from Encore Desserts set a beautiful dessert table.

Make an everlasting impression in the minds of friends and family with a delectable gift from Encore Desserts.    Tis the Season!

ENJOY!

The Baker

“Life Is Short. Eat Dessert First.”

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28. October 2007 by admin.

Do you get in the baking mood when the weather starts to turn crisp and the leaves turn  to beautiful golds, reds, and rust? Fall is that exceptional time of year that seems to say, “Come on, let’s bake!”

When I was growing up my Mom made wonderful oatmeal cookies. I particularly liked them because they were crisp and without raisins.  (As a little girl, raisins weren’t on my favorite foods’ list.)  The wonderful aroma of these oatmeal cookies is an invitation to pour a glass of milk, grab some homemade goodness, and sit awhile to enjoy that wonderfully caramel-sweet flavor that is in an Oatmeal Crispie.  The dough is shaped into a log and refrigerated before slicing, so it does take some preplanning before you bake. I hope you enjoy these wonderful cookies as much as I do.

OATMEAL CRISPIES

1 cup shortening                                        1-1/2 cups sifted flour

1 cup brown sugar                                     1 tsp. salt

1 cup white sugar                                       1 tsp. baking soda

2 beaten eggs                                              3 cups quick cooking oatmeal

1 tsp. vanilla                                                1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Sfit four, salt, and soda together. Thoroughly cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients. Add oatmeal and nuts. Form dough into 2-3 logs that are about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the logs well in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake, cut off 1/4 to 1/3 inch slices and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees about 10 minutes. They will spread some while baking. Enjoy!

Until next time,

The Baker 

“Life is short. Eat Dessert first.”

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1. October 2007 by admin.

In the following recipe, 1 cup of butter is one of the ingredients. Now I know some of you buy margarine to use in your cooking and baking.  With any recipe that I use that calls for using either butter or margarine, there never is a doubt in mind which I will use to help guarantee a rich, lip-smacking end product. Butter is the only choice for me! The fat in butter helps tenderize the product and make a wonderful flavor as well! 

Baking is an act of love from you to those who eat your tasty treats. If you take precious time from your schedule to make a snack or delicious dessert and want an excellent food product as the result of your efforts, I encourage you to use the richest ingredients you can find such as butter. When friends or family taste your treats, you will receive many pats on the back for your labor of love. 

Fresh buttered popcorn seems to be a staple food in my family. I like to dress up popcorn with more goodies. 

The following is an often requested recipe I received from a friend many years ago. Let me know if you try my POPCORN CRAZY DESSERT CRUNCH. I know you will love it!

2 quarts popped corn, 2/3 cup almonds, 1-1/2 cups pecans, 1-1/2 cups sugar, 1 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup clear corn syrup.

Mix popped corn, almonds, and pecans on cookie sheet. Combine butter, sugar, and corn syrup in a 1-1/2 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring occasionally 10-15 min. til color is a light caramel. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Pour over popped corn and nuts and stir. When cool, break apart and ENJOY!

Until next time,

The Baker

“Life Is Short. Eat Dessert First.”

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22. September 2007 by admin.

Hello Dessert Enthusiasts!

The creation and testing of dessert recipes has been my passion for years. Now, what fun it will be to chat with you about this passsion!

Feast your eyes on the delicious desserts that are featured throughout my website.  They taste just as wonderful as they look!

I always bake “from scratch” and never use a mix. My thought always is, “If I am going to indulge in sweets, I don’t want to waste my calories on something that isn’t of superb taste, texture, and moistness.” This is  especially  true if I have taken a precious amount of time out of my busy day to bake something special for my family or friends.  And, you know, it’s really fun getting out the ingredients, measuring, leveling, mixing, and baking. Then, my oh my, it’s even more fun to indulge in the finished product! ! YU…MMY!

How about you? Is baking your passion, too? I’d love to know!

Until next time,

The Baker

“Life Is Short. Eat Desserts First”

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