Category: Desserts

Chocolate · Desserts · Holiday Fare

Christmas Crack Candy

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Oh Great, something else for me to get addicted to. As of 2 days ago, I am not additcted to the Red Velvet Cookies and now this. A friend just called me and said, “RUN do not walk to the store and buy everything you need for this candy.” So as soon as I post this, Frosty is driving our sleigh to Kroger so I can get the necessary ingredients. Will let you know if I am checking myself into Candy Treatment Center’s of America tomorrow.
1 16 oz jar salted peanuts
1 16 oz jar unsalted peanuts
1 – 12 oz bag(s)
semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 – 12 oz bag(s)
milk chocolate chips
2 – 10 oz bag(s)
peanut butter chips
2 – 1 lb pkg
white almond bark or vanilla candy coating

Directions Step-By-Step

1

Spray your crockpot with Pam then layer all ingredients in a large crockpot (starting with peanuts). Turn the pot on low, cover with lid, and leave sitting for 2 hours. Then, remove lid and stir to combine. Replace lid and leave sitting for another 30 minutes. Stir again and then spoon mixture on to wax paper or non-stick aluminum foil. Allow to harden for at least 1 hour. Then break off into chunks.  Enjoy!

Chocolate · Cookies · Desserts · Holiday Fare

Red Velvet Cookies (Thank you Duncan Hines)

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This is an infomercial! I thought since most of us are in a time crunch, but are still desiring to bake Christmas cookies, this would come in handy. I have heard of the cookies made from cake mixes, but until two nights ago, I had never really liked the ones that I had tasted. A friend came by with snickerdoodles which were awesome. When I told Peggy how good they were, she said, “glad you liked them, I made them from a cake mix”. I was shocked. So today, I stopped and bought a Duncan Hines Red Velvet cake mix and am making the cookie recipe on the side of their box. Am making one little change. I am making them into thumbprint cookies and filling the indention with my cream cheese frosting. Am so excited that I can whip up a batch of cookies that taste like homemade, in less than 5 min…I thought it would be fun to color the cream cheese frosting green so, wa-la, Christmas cookies that taste like red velvet and it was really so easy. The picture below is a plate of the original directions on Duncan Hines, each ball dipped in Powdered sugar, the ones on the outside are the ones I ended up just baking as balls and then added colored cream cheese frosting and sprinkles. Merry Christmas from my heart to yours…tkbakesalot2014-12-21 14.04.58

If you happen to have a box of red velvet cake mix that doesn’t have the recipe on the side, here it is:

1 box red velvet cake mix

6 tables softened butter

2 eggs

Mix until well blended with mixer on low to medium speed. Drop 1″ balls into powdered sugar and onto lightly greased cookie sheet if you are not using Parchment paper or coated cookie sheets. Bake at 375 for about 9-10 min. If you use the cream cheese frosting, do not roll the balls in the powdered sugar. Just drop the balls onto the cookie sheet and using a Thumbie or your thumb, make an indention in the center of each cookie. The indention will almost disappear when cookies are baked, but don’t worry about that. Fill in with frosting of your choice.

Cookies · Desserts · Holiday Fare

Cherry Thumbprints with White chocolate Frosting

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This is the second year I have participated in the Food Blogger’s Cookie Swap where you send a dozen cookies to 3 different food bloggers. This was the recipe I sent this year. I love anything with cherries and these cookies will now be made each Christmas season at our house. You can experiment with different toppings, such as using chocolate kisses or m&m’, but I love to fill the thumbprint with white chocolate frosting.

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter,

1/2 teas salt

1 tables maraschino cherry juice, (I use a little more)

1/2 teas almond extract

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries (I dry them on a paper towel to absorb some of the juice first)

In a medium size bowl, blend together the sugar, butter, salt, cherry liquid and almond extract. Beat for 3 min until the butter is fluffy.

Add flour to mixture until just mixed well. DO not over mix the flour.

Add chopped cherries and blend in well with wooden spoon. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or over night in covered bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 and remove dough from fridge. All the dough to sit for 30 min. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and scoop out dough with a scoop or teaspoon. You will have between 24 and 30 cookies.

Roll dough in a ball and place about 2″ apart on cookie sheet. Using Thumbie or your thumb, make an indention in the center or each ball. Bake for about 9-10 min or until edges are slightly golden brown. Remove and allow to cool on racks. While cookies are cooling, make the frosting.

Frosting

6 oz white chocolate chips

2 cups powdered sugar

5 oz softened butter

1 teas almond extract

3 tables heavy cream or milk ( do not add all at once, but 1 tables at a time) Remember you are going to be adding the cherry juice also, so you want to leave “room” for adding the juice, so frosting won’t be too runny.

Enough cherry juice from maraschino cherries to get frosting to consistency that you can use in a frosting press, or bag with star tip.

Melt the white chocolate chips with 1 oz of the butter in microwave. On 50% power. Stir until all chips are melted and add to the powdered sugar, rest of the butter, milk (or cream) and cherry juice and extract. Beat until frosting is consistency of placing in

pastry bag and using star tip, press about 1/2 teas frosting in center indention of each cookie. 2014-12-10 17.05.35 2014-12-01 08.57.58

Chocolate · Desserts

Praline Chocolate Cake

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Last evening we were invited to a birthday dinner for my BFF here in Dallas. One of Cora’s favorite things is to stand in my kitchen and eat my praline frosting with a spoon straight out of the pan. She also loves chocolate cake, so I thought about it and decided to combine her two favorite flavors into one big chocolate cake with praline frosting. The inside layers of frosting were the praline and the outside was covered with a great chocolate cream cheese frosting. The results were amazing.

Cake:

1 box Duncan Hines Devils Food Cake mix

4 eggs at room temp (this is important as they whip up and allow the cake layers to be fluffier)

1 cup COLD water

1 envelope of Dream Whip (yes you can still find it on the shelves in baking isle of grocery)

Mix all ingredients, beating well for 4 min on medium speed. Bake in 3 prepared pans as directed on back of box. When you have turned the cake layers out on waxed paper allowing to cool, until you frost them, prepare the frosting.

Praline Frosting

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 stick of butter

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup whipping cream

1 teas vanilla

Combine the butter, brown sugar and whipping cream in a sauce pan to allow the sugar and butter to melt. Stir constantly and when mixture begins to bubble around the edges, pour over the powdered sugar which has been placed in a mixing bowl. Beat well until all powdered sugar is incorporated then add 1 teas vanilla and beat until spreading consistency. Add a little more whipping cream as needed to spread over the layers of cake. If frosting begins to get to thick while waiting to spread on 2nd inside layer, add a little more whipping cream. Place the bottom layer on a serving platter and spread half of the praline frosting over the cake layer. Place the 2nd layer on top and use the other half of the frosting (I saved about 2 tables to drizzle over the top of the cake) to spread over the layer. Then place the 3rd chocolate layer over the praline frosting but do not frost it until the sides of the cake have been frosted with the chocolate frosting. Then frost the top of the cake with the chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Frosting

1 (1 lb) box powdered sugar

1 stick of butter

1 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teas vanilla

In a small saucepan, combine the butter,  chocolate chips and cocoa. Stir until all is melted and combined well. Pour over the powdered sugar and add the softened cream cheese. Mix on medium speed until it is combine and no more lumps remain in the frosting. If necessary, you may use milk or whipping cream to thin frosting to spreading consistency. I did add just a touch of whipping cream. (about 2 tables). 2014-12-05 12.42.04 2014-12-05 19.52.41 Add the vanilla and blend in well. Frost sides and top of cake with chocolate mixture. I drizzled a little of the praline frosting over the top of the cake as well.

Chocolate · Desserts

Chocolate Croissant Cocottes

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I’m so glad I just have to type the wood “cocottes” and not have to pronounce it…wouldn’t have a clue. If it does rhyme with butter, sugar or cream, your guess is as good as mine. Upon leaving Costco yesterday, the sweet little teeny bopper at the exit door handed Frosty one of their yearly cookbooks that they give away each Christmas. Thumbing through it, I found this and it sounds like something Paula Deen would put her stamp of approval…

4 large butter croissants

Butter for greasing ramekins or “cocottes” (oh I bet it is those cute expensive little dishes you find at Williams Sonoma)

2/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

3 large eggs

2 tables brown sugar, packed

Pinch of ground cinnamon

1 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Powdered sugar, for dusting

Whipped cream, crème fraiche or vanilla ice cream for serving

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut croissants into small cubes. Butter six (8 oz) ramekins or cocottes.

Melt bittersweet chocolate chips in a double boiler over simmering water or in a heatproof bowl in the microwave. Whisk until smooth.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs with brown sugar, cinnamon, milk and cream. Pour 1/3 of egg mixture into melted chocolate, whisking and then return all of chocolate mixture to remaining egg mixture, whisking to combine. Add croissant pieces, coating them well to soak up liquid. Mix in semisweet chocolate chips.

Divide mixture between buttered ramekins or cocottes, filling to the top.

Place ramekins or cocottes on a baking sheet and bake 20-30- min, until filling is set.

Bust with powdered sugar. Serve warm with whipped cream, crème fraiche or vanilla (or cinnamon ice cream), as desired. Makes 6 servings.

Chocolate · Desserts

Chocolate Creme Brulee

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Having just returned from Corpus where we go to see my mom, as usual, we stay with the friends who I have mentioned several times. They treat me like their daughter and Randy, well, Hal, who is 90 bends Randy’s ear about the oil field surveying business. Hal still goes to work everyday and Jane cooks non-stop. She is 80 and has so many of the best old cookbooks that I love to look through as we sit and talk in the evening. I copied several of the recipes that caught my eye. Frosty loves crème brulee and I love chocolate, so when I read this recipe, I couldn’t wait to come home and make it. Since we will be having pecan pie and piles of whipping cream piled on pumpkin pie this week, I think I had better hold off since this recipe has lots of heavy cream and 4 egg yolks. Do not want to spend our Thanksgiving in the hospital having our arteries unclogged.

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1 teas vanilla or 1 vanilla bean

1 (4 oz) dark chocolate, chopped

4 egg yolks

t Tables sugar

4-6 Tables sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 300. Mix cream and vanilla together in a double boiler. Heat mixture for 10-15 min and stir in chocolate. Remove vanilla bean if that is what you used instead of extract. Whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a mixing bowl.. Slowly pour chocolate mixture into egg mixture, continuously stirring.

Place bowl over simmering water (which was under the chocolate mixture) until cream mix thickens and coats back of spoon. This takes about 6-8 min. Pour into 4 (4 oz) custard dishes. Place in a large baking pan and add enough water to come up halfway to the sides of the custard cups. Bake until custard is set, about 1 hour. Remove from water and cool. Cover and refrigerate; sprinkle 1 tables of sugar over top of each cup and with a brulee torch, caramelize the top before serving.

Desserts

Texas Sheet Pumpkin Cake

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The Pioneer Woman just posted a recipe that she made by altering the Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake. It sounds delish and since the Pioneer Woman says it is wonderful, it must be, because if you can’t believe the Pioneer Woman, who can you believe?

So in case you don’t take her daily email here it is….Many of you have ask if we just have desserts for Thanksgiving since I do seem to post more desserts than any thing else. We do have other things on the table, like, brown sugar coated brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes with sugary marshmallow topping, ham with brown sugar-pineapple sauce and strawberry-pretzel salad,

So see, I can cook something besides desserts,  As long as the recipe has sugar in it.

Pumpkin Sheet Cake

2 sticks butter

2 cups pumpkin puree (not the pumpkin pie filling)

3/4 cup boiling water

2 cups flour

1/4 teas salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 large eggs

2 teas baking soda

2 teas vanilla

1/2 teas maple extract (opt)

Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 pound (about 3 1/2 cups) sifted powdered sugar

1 tables half and half or milk (might require a little more than this, add slowly)

Preheat oven to 350 Spray a sheet pan (jelly roll pan) with baking spray (such as Pam). Set aside

In a medium saucepan, melt 2 sticks of butter. Whisk in the pumpkin puree until it is totally blended. Whisk in boiling water until mixture is combined well. Set aside.

In a measuring pitcher, combine buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, vanilla, and maple extract (if using). Whisk together and set aside..

In large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Pour in the pumpkin mixture and stir until halfway combined. Pour in the buttermilk mixture and stir until combined. Pour into the pan and smooth until mixture is evenly distributed. Bake for about 20 min or cake tests done. Remove and allow to cool.

Frosting:

Mix together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar until well combined. Add half and half as needed to all the frosting to be of spreading consistency. It should be somewhat thick but thin enough to spread over cake.

Cut into squares to serve. Keep leftovers in the fridge, as frosting will get to soft if left out.

Desserts

Luby’s Millionaire Pie

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  Yesterday at the craft show, a friend ask me if I ever saw the recipe for her favorite pie at Luby’s Cafeteria. I told her I would find it and send it to her. So here it is, Betty Jo, enjoy and save one of the pies just for yourself…..
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
  • 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
  • 2 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crusts
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Directions

  1. Blend together the cream cheese and condensed milk; gently fold in the whipped topping.
  2. Stir in the crushed pineapple and pecans; pour into pie crusts and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
Breads · Breakfast · Desserts

Streusel Pumpkin Loaf

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Just finished participating in a craft show the last 2 days and sold cakes and casseroles. We sold out and one of the best sellers was this streusel pumpkin loaf. I have learned to always keep samples out for the customers and that is a guarantee of selling your baked goods. As soon as I put the sample out, the cakes sold themselves. It was such a simple cake to make and proved to be delicious. Tried to take a picture but my dropbox is full and I don’t have a clue how to delete some of the pics so I can add others to it to post on here. Fortunately, I bake better than I compute….

Mix up your favorite pumpkin bread according to directions on box. I used the little paper loaf pans that I purchased at Home Goods. I did rub a little butter on the bottom of the paper pans, just in case. I don’t think you need to do this, but just wanted to be sure they didn’t stick when the ladies got them home.

Streusel Topping

1 cup flour

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into slices

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 teas cinnamon

Using a pastry blender, blend the cold butter with the flour, sugar and cinnamon. As soon as it resembles coarse crumbs, dividing the crumbs evenly between the amount of pans you are using, sprinkle over the pumpkin batter. Bake according to directions on your box of pumpkin bread or cake. It adds a crunchy delicious buttery topping to any pumpkin or spice cake. I drizzled a little cream cheese frosting over the cakes as soon as they were cool….sold them all!