Desserts

                                                    

Adding a dessert stretches your meal creating more leftovers for the following day for lunches or into soup or casserole for supper.  If you find your family isn't eating the dessert, plop that bad boy in the middle of the table as a centerpiece as a reminder that yes, there is dessert so save room.  The leftover dessert can be eaten for breakfast, snacked upon, or used for dessert for the following days dinner.

Pies

Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold
3/4  cup margarine, cold
1/4 cup ice water

Sift together flour, sugar, and salt.  Rub in shortening and margarine.  Rub til mixture is coarse crumbs.  Add ice water a little at a time til dough becomes a ball.  Divide into two, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Pie Crust #2

2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter
4-5 tablespoons water

Prepare as above.

Graham Cracker Pie Crust

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix to form a soft dough.  Press into pie plate.  Bake at 350° for 15 minutes.  Remove and cool.  Fill.

Apple Pie Filling

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
7 medium cooking apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, thinly sliced
1 lemon, juiced
3 tablespoons butter, divided

Preheat oven to 450°.  Mix first 4 ingredients.  In another bowl toss apples with lemon juice.  Stir in sugar to coat apples.  Roll out chilled dough.  Put apples in crust and dot with butter.  Brush top of crust with egg wash.  Bake 45 minutes.  Let rest 20 minutes.

Fruit Pie

4 cups berries or 8 sliced peaches
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

Mix sugar, flour, and salt.  Add lemon juice.  Add berries.  Pour into pie crust.  Cover with top crust.   Bake at 450° for 10 minutes.  Lower heat to 350° then if using peaches bake 35 minutes.  If using berries bake for 20-30 minutes.   

Blackberry Pie

6 cups blackberries
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 large egg
2 pie crusts

Preheat oven to 400°, with baking sheet on middle rack.  In a large bowl toss blackberries, sugar, corn starch, and lemon juice.  Let stand, mixing and coarsely mashing occasionally for 20 minutes.  Spoon blackberry mixture onto bottom crust.  Dot top with butter.  Arrange lattice pie crust on top.  Beat egg with 1 tablespoon water; brush on top and edge of crust.  Place pie on baking sheet in oven and bake til filling is bubbling, 45 minutes to 1 hour.  If crust browns too quickly, cover with foil and continue baking.  Let cool before serving.

Pecan Pie

3/4 cup corn syrup
2 cups pecan halves
3/4 stick butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350°.  Put pie crust in pan.  Prick all over the bottom with fork.  Chill 30 minutes.  Melt butter.  Add brown sugar whisking til smooth.  Remove from heat.  Whisk in corn syrup, vanilla, and salt.  Beat eggs, then whisk in syrup mixture.  Put pecans in pie shell.  Pour syrup mixture over them.  Bake on hot baking sheet 50 minutes to 1 hour.  Cool completely.

Sour Cream Pie

3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup raisins
Salt

Combine all.  Pour into pie shell and bake 450° 10 minutes, then lower heat to 350° and bake 30 minutes longer or until custard is set.

Vinegar Pie

1 cup sugar
3 heaping tablespoons flour
1 cup cold water
3 egg yolks, reserve whites
1 egg whole
2 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons vinegar
1 baked 9" pie crust

Mix sugar and flour in saucepan.  Add water, egg yolks, whole egg, butter, and vinegar.  Cook until thick.  Pour into baked pie shell.  Beat reserved egg whites until stiff.  Beat in 4 tablespoons sugar a little at a time.  Spread over pie.  Bake at 450° just until meringue browns.

Depression Era Lemon Pie

2-3 slices bread, fresh and soft and crusts trimmed
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup boiling water
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch
2 egg yolks, beaten well
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 strips lemon zest
Pie shell, baked just a bit
Meringue:
2 egg whites
4 tablespoons sugar

Break bread into small pieces to make 1 1/2 cups.  Add butter and pour boiling water on top.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Mix sugar and corn starch, add beaten egg yolks, juice, and zest.  Pour over bread and stir til creamy.  Pour into pie shell and bake at 400° about 15-20 minutes.  Cover with meringue.  Bake at 325° til lightly browned.

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie (Makes 2 pies)

1 package cream cheese
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks slightly beaten
1/4-1/2 cup half and half
1/4 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350°.  Freeze pie shells for 1 hour.  Cover crust with aluminum foil then 2 pounds of beans to weight down and bake 10 minutes til it just begins to color.  Beat cream cheese.  Add pumpkin and beat til combined.  Add sugar and salt, and beat til combined.  Add vanilla and spices and beat til incorporated.  Bake in crust 50-60 minutes until center is set.  Place on rack to cool and chill overnight.

Chocolate Pie

2 cups sugar
2 egg yolks
4 tablespoons cocoa
2 cups milk
2-3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 pie crusts, baked

Beat egg yolks in a separate bowl.  In a large saucepan, sift the dry ingredients together and add butter and milk.  Add yolks.  Cook on medium heat until mixture thickens, stirring regularly.  When mixture gets to consistency of pudding dripping off spoon in almost globs, pour into crusts.  Meanwhile beat whites with 3/4 tablespoon sugar til stiff.  Spread over cooling pie filling.  Bake at 425° for 10 minutes.  Cool before serving.

Butterscotch Pie

1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 cup brown sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon burnt sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt

Bake pie crust.  Melt butter, mix with flour and beaten egg yolks;  then brown sugar and burnt sugar, salt, vanilla, and milk.  Cook to custard consistency.  Put in baked crust and make a meringue with the egg whites.  Put on top of pie.  Brown in the oven just long enough for meringue to be golden brown.

Peanut Butter Pie

1/3 cup peanut butter
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 (9 oz) container Cool Whip, thawed
1/4 cup milk
Graham cracker crust

Combine all and freeze in crust.  Optionally you can spread fudge syrup in the bottom before you add the peanut butter filling and sprinkle peanuts on top.


Sweet Tart Dough

1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/4 sticks cold butter
1 egg yolk
2-4 tablespoons ice water

Whisk dry ingredients.  Rub in butter.  Whisk egg yolk and 2 tablespoons water.  Make a ball adding more water if necessary.  Chill overnight.  Put whole fruit, such as pitted peaches or cored and peeled pears cut in half in bottom of pan.  Sprinkle with sugar and put tart dough over the top.  After baked invert and serve.

Peach Cobbler

4 cups peeled, sliced peaches
2 cups sugar, divided
1/2 cup water
8 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups milk
Cinnamon

Combine the peaches, 1 cup sugar, and water in saucepan.  Mix well.  Bring to a simmer and simmer 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Preheat oven to 350°.  Put butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven.  Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping.  Pour mixture over melted butter.  Do not stir.  Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup.  Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon.  Batter will rise to the top during baking.  Bake for 30-45 minutes.

5-Minute Peach Crisp

1 (29-oz) can sliced peaches, drained
2 envelopes (1.6 oz) cinnamon spice instant oatmeal
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup margarine, melted

Place peaches in 1 1/2-quart greased baking dish.  Mix rest of ingredients together and sprinkle on top of peaches.  Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until golden.

Cakes

Irish Apple Cake

4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten, room temperature
4 Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled, and diced
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350°.  Generously grease 8" square cake pan.  In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add egg, apples, nuts, and vanilla.  Stir well.  Sift in dry ingredients.  Mix well.  Pour batter into prepared pan and bake about 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and let stand in pan 5 minutes.  Remove from pan.

Poor Man's Cake

1 1/2 cups raisins
1 cup water
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups sifted flour

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.  In a saucepan combine raisins and 1 cup water.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.  Stir in 1/2 cup cold water and 1/4 cup shortening.  Combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, baking soda, and flour.  Stir in raisin mixture til well blended.  Pour batter into greased and floured 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.

Bread Crumb Cake

3 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cold water
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup soft bread crumbs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon melted shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 large egg whites, beaten stiff
 Whipped Cream

Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored.  Add sugar and water.  Add nuts, bread crumbs, baking powder, and shortening.  Mix well.  Add vanilla and fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.  Bake in 2 greased cake pans in a hot 400° oven for 15-20 minutes.  When cool, spread whipped cream between layers and on top.

Washington Cake

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg

Mix all ingredients together.  Bake in a 10x7 pan at 350° for 30 minutes.  Sprinkle powdered sugar on top once cooled completely.

Spice Cake

2 cups sugar
2 cups strong coffee (or water or apple juice)
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups raisins or prunes
1 apple (peeled and shredded)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon each cinnamon, allspice, and cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped nuts

In a medium saucepan, simmer sugar, coffee, shortening, raisins, and apple together for 10 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes.  In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices and nuts.  Pour the cooled mixture into the dry and mix well.  Pour batter into a greased 13x9 pan.  Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes.

Warm Almond Cherry Cake

1 stick of butter at room temperature
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 bag frozen cherries, thawed and dried
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350°.  Butter and flour pie plate.  In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.  Beat butter and sugar til light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.  Beat in extract.  Incorporate flour slowly.  Transfer to pie plate.  Scatter cherries and almonds on top.  Bake 45-50 minutes.  Let cool 10 minutes.

Swedish Jam Cake

1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs, seperated
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 cup strawberry jam

Cream butter and sugar; add beaten yolks and salt.  Dissolve soda in buttermilk.  Sift together flour and spices and add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, adding flour last.  Beat well and add jam.  Fold in beaten egg whites.  Bake in a greased and floured 8x8 pan at 375° for 35-40 minutes.

Chocolate Depression Cake

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
10 level tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cups vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups cold water

Stir dry ingredients together.  Add remaining ingredients and mix with large spoon until smooth.  Spoon into a greased and floured pan.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.  Frost when cool.


Peanut Butter Cake

1 tablespoon butter
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar
6 eggs, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350°.  Coat the insides of two 9x5-inch pans with 1 tablespoon butter; coat with sugar.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.  Combine milk and vanilla, set aside.  Cream peanut butter, sugars, on medium-high about 5 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time beating well after each.  Alternately add flour and milk mixtures, beating on low after each addition until just mixed.  Bake 50 minutes.  Sprinkle tops with sugar.  If edges get too brown tent with foil.  Return to oven.  Bake 10-15 minutes more.  Let rest in pans on racks 20 minutes.  Slice as bread with blackberry jam and Peanut Butter Frosting (recipe under Frosting below).

Carrot Cake

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups shredded carrots
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350°.  Grease bottom and sides of one 13x9 baking dish or two pie pans.  Lightly flour.  In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, and eggs on low speed about 30 seconds until blended.  Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and salt.  Beat on low speed 1 minute.  Stir in carrots and nuts.  Pour into pan.  Bake 13x9 pan 40-45 minutes or cake pans 30-35 minutes.  Cool in pan on rack.  If using cake pans cool in pans on racks for 10 minutes then remove from pans onto racks and cool completely, about an hour.  Cream Cheese Frosting recipe below under Frosting.


Frosting

Fluffy White Frosting (for dipping cupcakes)

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a saucepan, stir together sugar, water, and cream of tartar.  Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved and mixture is bubbly.  In a medium mixing bowl, whip the egg whites and vanilla to soft peaks.  Gradually add the sugar mixture while whipping constantly until stiff peaks form, about 7-10 minutes.

Fluffy Icing

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1/3 cup cold water
3 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 pint fresh raspberries

In a small heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and cold water.  Bring mixture to boil over medium, heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.  Boil uncovered to 240°, about 3-4 minutes, to the soft ball stage.  While syrup is cooking beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt at medium-high til foamy.  Slowly pour syrup into egg whites in a slow, thin stream while all the time beating.  Add vanilla and continue to beat until fluffy and shiny, and has cooled to room temperature, about 7-8 minutes.  Ice cake and decorate with raspberries.

Poor Man's Whipped Cream Icing

1 cup whole milk
5 tablespoons flour
1 stick butter, room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium saucepan, combine milk and flour with a whisk til all lumps are dissolved.  Cook over medium heat til very thick whisking occasionally.  Remove from heat and transfer to bowl.  Let cool on counter.  Loosely cover with waxed paper, refrigerate til cold.  In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, and vanilla til creamy.  Add milk and flour mixture.  Combine well.  Beat on high 10 minutes til mixture is a fluffy white icing.  It will be lumpy in the beginning, just keep beating.  It's ready when all sugar crystals have melted.  Scrape bowl often.

Vanilla or Chocolate Frosting

2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (optional)

Cream sugar, butter, and vanilla.  Add in a small amount of milk (1-2 tablespoons)  Add cocoa if desired and beat til fluffy.  If frosting is too sweet add more milk or a touch of salt.

Peanut Butter Frosting

3/4 cup peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Beat peanut butter and butter about 5 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Layer between 2 pieces of Peanut Butter Cake (recipe above under Cakes) with blackberry jam.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

In a medium bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter til creamy.  Mix in vanilla, then gradually stir in powdered sugar.

Puddings

Bread Pudding

2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar (white or brown)
3 eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups tough bread torn into small pieces
1/2 cup raisins
Bread Pudding Sauce:
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon flour
Dash of salt

In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat milk just until film forms over top.  Combine butter and milk stirring until butter is melted.  Cool to lukewarm.  Combine sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.  Beat with mixer on medium 1 minute.  Slowly add milk mixture.  Place bread in lightly greased 1 1/2-quart casserole.  Sprinkle with raisins.  Pour batter on top.  Bake at 45-50 minutes or until set.  Bread Pudding Sauce:  Mix everything together and bring to a boil for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Set aside for 5 minutes, then pour on warm bread pudding.  Serve warm.

Rice Pudding

1/2 cup long-grain white rice
1/2 cup sugar
1 can evaporated milk with enough water to make 1 quart (must use evaporated milk)
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon to taste

Mix up all ingredients except cinnamon in greased, glass 9x13 pan.  Generously sprinkle top with cinnamon.  Bake in a preheated 300° oven about 1 1/2 hours til rice is tender.  At least once during baking stir cinnamon crust into the rice and sprinkle again with cinnamon.  Serve warm or cold.

Indian Pudding

3/4 cup cornmeal
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup molasses or 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger

Whisk cornmeal into 2 cups almost-boiling water, lower heat.  Cornmeal will thicken as it cools.  Stri constantly, add butter and milk.  Stir in molasses and seasonings.  Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Vanilla Pudding Mix

1 1/2 cups dry milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup corn starch
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine 1/4 cup mix, 1 cup milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in medium sauce pan.  Stir constantly over low heat until thickened.

Chocolate or Vanilla Pudding

2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa (if making chocolate pudding)
2 1/2 cups milk
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, corn starch, and salt.  Add cocoa if making chocolate pudding.  Whisk in milk a few tablespoons at a time, taking care to dissolve corn starch.  Whisk in egg yolks.  Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the first large bubble forms and sputters.  Reduce heat to low, still whisking, cook 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Immediately pour through sieve into bowl.  Stir butter and vanilla into pudding.  Place plastic wrap directly on pudding to prevent skin from forming.  Chill at least 3 hours to 3 days.  Whisk til smooth before serving.

Lemon Curd
makes 2 half-pints...only process in half-pints

6 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
Generous 1/2 cup lemon juice
1 stick of butter, cut into chunks

In a small heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar.  Add the lemon juice and switch to stirring with a wooden spoon, so as not to aerate the curd.  Stir continually for 10-15 minutes, adjusting heat as you go so that it does not boil.  It's done when it has thickened and coats the back of a spoon.  Drop in the butter and stir til melted.  Position a fine mesh sieve over a glass and pour the curd through it, to remove any bits of cooked egg.  Whisk in some zest if desired.  Pour the curd into jars - 1/2" head-space.  Process in hot water bath 20 minutes.  Eat on toast or stirred into plain yogurt.

What To Do With Pudding

 Dress it up with chopped toasted nuts, whipped cream, fruits, colorful sprinkles, crushed cookies or graham crackers, and/or cake, brownie, or pie crust crumbs.  Piping pudding creates quick, clean layers so it shows off in a nice tall glass. 

Cake Batter:  Stir in 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 tablespoon vanilla, and 1/2 cup sprinkles.  Put in pudding, then crumby cake, then pudding in a tall glass.

Other

Italian Ice

Mix 2 cups water with 1/2 cup of sugar and heat on high.  Stir often.  When sugar completely dissolves, cool for 15 minutes.  Add lemon or lime juice.  Place contents into the freezer for about an hour then take it out and stir.  Do this ever hour for 4-5 hours.  It will become more difficult to stir. 

Cinnamon Apples

4 apples, peeled and cored
1/4 to 1/2 cup cinnamon candies

Place apples and candies in saucepan with enough water to cover.  Cook about 15-20 minutes, or until apples become tender.  Stir every once in a while to help the candies dissolve.  Apples will be a beautiful, bright red.

Baked Apples

Wash and core two apples.  Mix 4 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon together.  Put mixture into middle of apples.  Place a thin slice of butter on bottom to keep from spilling out.  Place a little water in pan then apples and bake 30-40 minutes.