Desserts
Today's desserts include a little of this, a little of that, and a whole lot of yumminess, and includes Summer Berry Buckle and Simple Watermelon Ice Cream. Enjoy!
CRANBERRY-PECAN BAKED PEACHES
This also comes from the November 2014 issue of Heart Insight Magazine. It begins, “Fresh peaches are halved and baked with a tantalizing blend of dried cranberries and finely chopped pecans.” Serves 4; 2 peach halves and 2 tablespoons cranberry mixture per serving.
To view this online, go to http://heartinsight.heart.org/November-2014/Cranberry-Pecan-Baked-Peaches/.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1-1/2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
3 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
4 medium unpeeled peaches, nectarines, or pears, halved, pitted, and skin pierced in several places with a fork
2 teaspoons light tub margarine
1/2 teaspoon grated peeled gingerroot
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Lightly spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Pour the honey into the pan. Heat the pan in the oven for 2 minutes, or until the honey is slightly runny. Remove from the oven, tilting the pan and swirling so the honey lightly coats the bottom.
Sprinkle the cranberries and pecans in the pan. Place the peaches with the cut side down over the cranberry mixture. (Some of the mixture may not be covered.) Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the peaches are tender.
Arrange the peaches with the cut side up on a serving plate. Stir the margarine and gingerroot into the pan juices. Spoon the cranberry mixture into the cavities in the peaches. Spoon the pan juices over all. Serve warm or at room temperature.
RED, WHITE & BLUE POPSICLES
This is from Matt Abdoo and was posted on the TODAY Show’s site. Matt wrote, “Who doesn't love a popsicle? Especially when it's homemade with real fruit! They're easy to eat, a fun dessert and can be color customized to suit the summer celebration. Technique tip: Use silicone molds that will release the popsicles easy.
“Swap option: Swap out raspberries for strawberries or use frozen fruit.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time 3 hours; Yield: 6 popsicles
To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/red-white-blue-popsicles-recipe-t154820.
Ingredients
Red Layer
1-1/2 cups fresh strawberries
1 teaspoon cane sugar
White Layer
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cane sugar
Blue Layer
1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1 teaspoon cane sugar
Preparation
Place the empty popsicle molds in the freezer.
For the red layer:
Puree the strawberries with the sugar in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a container that is easy to pour out of and reserve.
For the white layer:
Whisk together the coconut milk, sugar and vanilla and transfer to a container that is easy to pour out of and reserve.
For the blue layer:
Puree the blueberries with the sugar in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a container that is easy to pour out of and reserve.
To assemble:
Remove the popsicle molds from the freezer and evenly pour the strawberry puree first into the molds. Place the molds in the freezer and allow freezing for one hour or until firm.
Once the strawberry layer has set up, remove the molds from the freezer and evenly pour in the coconut mixture and return the molds to the freezer and allow freezing for 1 hour or until firm.
Finally remove the popsicle molds from the freezer a final time and evenly pour in the final blueberry layer, then insert the popsicle handles and return to the freezer for an additional hour or until the final layer has set. Keep the popsicles in the freezer to fully freeze until ready to serve.
SUMMER BERRY BUCKLE
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, "Softer and more fruit-filled than a coffeecake, but with a higher percentage of buttery batter than a cobbler, buckles are harder to classify than they are to make. This one is tender, moist and filled with sweet summer berries. But feel free to substitute any other juicy fruit that you like: peaches, nectarines, figs, plums or pineapple. If your fruit is very sweet (figs, pineapple), reduce the sugar by a couple of tablespoons, while tart fruit (plums or tart blackberries) may need an extra tablespoon. Buckles are best eaten on the same day they are baked. But since they come together so quickly, you don’t have to plan ahead."
Yield: 8 servings; Time: 1 hour
This was featured in "The Buckle Makes Great Use of Summer Fruit", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017644-summer-berry-buckle.
Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing pan
1/2 cup granulated sugar, more for sprinkling
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
4-1/2 cups summer berries (a mix of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or use any one kind)
Cinnamon, for dusting (optional)
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preparation
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, add butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then add lemon zest and vanilla and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg and baking powder, and whisk to combine. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and mix until just combined.
Gently fold berries into the batter, then spread batter in pan and sprinkle lightly with more granulated sugar. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until top is golden and cake is cooked through.
Allow cake to cool, then sprinkle with cinnamon, if using, and confectioners’ sugar.
DOLESTER MILES'S COCONUT PECAN CAKE
This is from Kim Severson in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kim wrote, "This is a rich, special-occasion cake that takes the traditional Southern coconut cake to another level, with ground toasted pecans in the batter and an easy-to-make Chantilly cream for frosting. It has become the signature dessert for Dolester Miles, who serves slices over a little puddle of crème anglaise at Chez Fonfon and Bottega, and sometimes at the Highlands Bar & Grill, the Birmingham, Ala., restaurants owned by Frank and Pardis Stitt. Assembly can be a challenge, so she suggests building the cake by stacking the delicate slabs of cake with filling in between each layer into a deep, round cake pan, then slipping it into the refrigerator for about an hour. The filling acts like a delicious glue. When the cake is inverted and unmolded, the edges have an even, professional appearance."
Yield: 12 to 14 servings; Time: About 1-1/2 hours, plus chilling
This was featured in "An Alabama Chef and Her Beloved Desserts Hit the Big Time", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019330-dolester-miless-coconut-pecan-cake.
Note: Seriously, check out the article that this was featured in (link above). Makes for some interesting reading.
Ingredients
For the cake:
1 cup firmly packed sweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup pecan halves, toasted
2 cups granulated sugar
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1-1/2 sticks), softened, plus more for the pans
1/4 cup cream of coconut
4 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk
For the filling and simple syrup:
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon cream of coconut
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup granulated sugar
For the icing:
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper, then dust with flour, tapping out excess.
Finely grind the coconut in a food processor, then transfer to a bowl. Add pecans to the food processor, along with 2 tablespoons sugar, and finely grind them.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in coconut and pecans.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, cream of coconut and the remaining sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as necessary, then beat in coconut extract.
Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the coconut milk, starting and ending with flour mixture. Divide batter between the pans and smooth the top of each with a spatula. Bake until cakes are golden and a tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each cake, invert onto rack, and remove the parchment. Let cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the filling: Place egg yolks in a small heatproof bowl and set aside. In a saucepan, combine condensed milk, butter and cream of coconut and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until hot, about 4 minutes. Whisk 1/3 of the hot milk into the egg yolks. Transfer egg mixture to the saucepan of milk and whisk constantly over medium-low heat until mixture has the consistency of pudding, about 4 minutes. Do not let the custard get too thick. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the shredded coconut. Let cool completely.
Make the simple syrup: In a saucepan, heat sugar and 1/2 cup water, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.
Assemble the layer cake in a pan: Cut each cake in half horizontally. Place one layer in the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan, moisten the top with 2 to 3 tablespoons simple syrup and spread 1/2 cup of the coconut filling in a thin, even layer with an offset spatula. Repeat to make 2 more layers of cake and filling, then place the last layer on top. Refrigerate cake for about 1 hour. To unmold, run a spatula around the edges, invert a cake plate over the top, and flip the cake over onto the plate.
Make the icing: Whip the cream with the confectioners’ sugar and coconut extract until stiff peaks form. Spread on the top and sides of the cake and sprinkle with toasted coconut. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
SIMPLE WATERMELON ICE CREAM
This is from a Publix email. Servings: 6; Active Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 6 hours, 16 minutes
To view this online, go to https://ww4.publix.com/recipes-planning/aprons-simple-meals/barbecue-cheddar-chicken-pasta-with-simple-watermelon-ice-cream. It comes with another recipe (Barbecue-Cheddar Chicken Pasta).
Note: Remove ice cream from freezer 15 minutes before serving for easier scooping.
Ingredients
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled/grated
2 cups fresh watermelon chunks
4 fresh mint leaves
3 cups heavy whipping cream
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Plastic wrap
Directions
Peel ginger, then grate (2 tablespoons). Place watermelon in blender (or food processor); blend until smooth and pureed. Add mint leaves; blend until combined.
Beat whipping cream, condensed milk, ginger, vanilla, and salt with electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form. Slowly pour in 1 cup watermelon mixture, while continuing to beat on high, until combined.
Pour cream mixture into large loaf pan. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of cream mixture to help prevent ice crystals. Freeze 6 hours (or overnight) until firm. Serve. (Makes 8 servings.)
HUMMINGBIRD CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
This comes from Diana Rattray, the Southern cuisine writer on The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, "This hummingbird cake is always a hit with families or for any celebration. It's a moist cake flavored with cinnamon, pineapple, pecans, and bananas and topped with a cream cheese frosting.
"The cake originated in Jamaica in the 1960s and was part of an Air Jamaica tourism campaign. It was named the "doctor bird cake," after the national bird of Jamaica. The doctor bird is a member of the hummingbird family. You'll enjoy a little tropical vacation with a cake you can make anywhere and anytime. Wouldn't it be perfect at a bon voyage party for friends who are going on a Caribbean cruise?"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes; Yield: 1 cake (16 servings)
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/classic-hummingbird-cake-recipe-3051129.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs (beaten)
1-1/4 cups vegetable oil
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple (well-drained)
1 cup pecans (chopped)
2 cups banana ( firm ripe, chopped)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
16 ounces cream cheese (softened)
1 cup butter (room temperature)
2 pounds confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 to 1 cup pecans (chopped, toasted, if desired)
Directions
Note: while there are multiple steps to this recipe, this hummingbird cake is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and baking.
Make the Cake
Gather the ingredients.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Generously grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
Sift the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon together into a large mixing bowl several times.
Add the eggs and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients are moistened.
Stir in vanilla, drained pineapple, and 1 cup pecans.
Stir in the chopped bananas.
Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pans.
Bake the layers in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn them onto cooling racks. Cool completely before frosting.
Make the Frosting and Assemble
Gather the ingredients.
To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer; beat until smooth and creamy.
Add the confectioners' sugar and beat on low speed until combined.
Increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Stir in vanilla.
Frost the tops of all three layers of the cake and then stack them.
Frost the sides of the cake.
Sprinkle the top of the cake evenly with the 1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans.
Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Tip
To toast the pecans, spread them in a dry skillet over medium heat; cook while continually stirring until the nuts are lightly browned and aromatic. Remove to a plate at once to stop the cooking process.
CRANBERRY-PECAN BAKED PEACHES
This also comes from the November 2014 issue of Heart Insight Magazine. It begins, “Fresh peaches are halved and baked with a tantalizing blend of dried cranberries and finely chopped pecans.” Serves 4; 2 peach halves and 2 tablespoons cranberry mixture per serving.
To view this online, go to http://heartinsight.heart.org/November-2014/Cranberry-Pecan-Baked-Peaches/.
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1-1/2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
3 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
4 medium unpeeled peaches, nectarines, or pears, halved, pitted, and skin pierced in several places with a fork
2 teaspoons light tub margarine
1/2 teaspoon grated peeled gingerroot
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Lightly spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Pour the honey into the pan. Heat the pan in the oven for 2 minutes, or until the honey is slightly runny. Remove from the oven, tilting the pan and swirling so the honey lightly coats the bottom.
Sprinkle the cranberries and pecans in the pan. Place the peaches with the cut side down over the cranberry mixture. (Some of the mixture may not be covered.) Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the peaches are tender.
Arrange the peaches with the cut side up on a serving plate. Stir the margarine and gingerroot into the pan juices. Spoon the cranberry mixture into the cavities in the peaches. Spoon the pan juices over all. Serve warm or at room temperature.
RED, WHITE & BLUE POPSICLES
This is from Matt Abdoo and was posted on the TODAY Show’s site. Matt wrote, “Who doesn't love a popsicle? Especially when it's homemade with real fruit! They're easy to eat, a fun dessert and can be color customized to suit the summer celebration. Technique tip: Use silicone molds that will release the popsicles easy.
“Swap option: Swap out raspberries for strawberries or use frozen fruit.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time 3 hours; Yield: 6 popsicles
To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/red-white-blue-popsicles-recipe-t154820.
Ingredients
Red Layer
1-1/2 cups fresh strawberries
1 teaspoon cane sugar
White Layer
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cane sugar
Blue Layer
1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1 teaspoon cane sugar
Preparation
Place the empty popsicle molds in the freezer.
For the red layer:
Puree the strawberries with the sugar in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a container that is easy to pour out of and reserve.
For the white layer:
Whisk together the coconut milk, sugar and vanilla and transfer to a container that is easy to pour out of and reserve.
For the blue layer:
Puree the blueberries with the sugar in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a container that is easy to pour out of and reserve.
To assemble:
Remove the popsicle molds from the freezer and evenly pour the strawberry puree first into the molds. Place the molds in the freezer and allow freezing for one hour or until firm.
Once the strawberry layer has set up, remove the molds from the freezer and evenly pour in the coconut mixture and return the molds to the freezer and allow freezing for 1 hour or until firm.
Finally remove the popsicle molds from the freezer a final time and evenly pour in the final blueberry layer, then insert the popsicle handles and return to the freezer for an additional hour or until the final layer has set. Keep the popsicles in the freezer to fully freeze until ready to serve.
SUMMER BERRY BUCKLE
This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, "Softer and more fruit-filled than a coffeecake, but with a higher percentage of buttery batter than a cobbler, buckles are harder to classify than they are to make. This one is tender, moist and filled with sweet summer berries. But feel free to substitute any other juicy fruit that you like: peaches, nectarines, figs, plums or pineapple. If your fruit is very sweet (figs, pineapple), reduce the sugar by a couple of tablespoons, while tart fruit (plums or tart blackberries) may need an extra tablespoon. Buckles are best eaten on the same day they are baked. But since they come together so quickly, you don’t have to plan ahead."
Yield: 8 servings; Time: 1 hour
This was featured in "The Buckle Makes Great Use of Summer Fruit", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017644-summer-berry-buckle.
Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing pan
1/2 cup granulated sugar, more for sprinkling
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
4-1/2 cups summer berries (a mix of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or use any one kind)
Cinnamon, for dusting (optional)
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preparation
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, add butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then add lemon zest and vanilla and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg and baking powder, and whisk to combine. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and mix until just combined.
Gently fold berries into the batter, then spread batter in pan and sprinkle lightly with more granulated sugar. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until top is golden and cake is cooked through.
Allow cake to cool, then sprinkle with cinnamon, if using, and confectioners’ sugar.
DOLESTER MILES'S COCONUT PECAN CAKE
This is from Kim Severson in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kim wrote, "This is a rich, special-occasion cake that takes the traditional Southern coconut cake to another level, with ground toasted pecans in the batter and an easy-to-make Chantilly cream for frosting. It has become the signature dessert for Dolester Miles, who serves slices over a little puddle of crème anglaise at Chez Fonfon and Bottega, and sometimes at the Highlands Bar & Grill, the Birmingham, Ala., restaurants owned by Frank and Pardis Stitt. Assembly can be a challenge, so she suggests building the cake by stacking the delicate slabs of cake with filling in between each layer into a deep, round cake pan, then slipping it into the refrigerator for about an hour. The filling acts like a delicious glue. When the cake is inverted and unmolded, the edges have an even, professional appearance."
Yield: 12 to 14 servings; Time: About 1-1/2 hours, plus chilling
This was featured in "An Alabama Chef and Her Beloved Desserts Hit the Big Time", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019330-dolester-miless-coconut-pecan-cake.
Note: Seriously, check out the article that this was featured in (link above). Makes for some interesting reading.
Ingredients
For the cake:
1 cup firmly packed sweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup pecan halves, toasted
2 cups granulated sugar
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1-1/2 sticks), softened, plus more for the pans
1/4 cup cream of coconut
4 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk
For the filling and simple syrup:
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon cream of coconut
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup granulated sugar
For the icing:
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper, then dust with flour, tapping out excess.
Finely grind the coconut in a food processor, then transfer to a bowl. Add pecans to the food processor, along with 2 tablespoons sugar, and finely grind them.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in coconut and pecans.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, cream of coconut and the remaining sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as necessary, then beat in coconut extract.
Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the coconut milk, starting and ending with flour mixture. Divide batter between the pans and smooth the top of each with a spatula. Bake until cakes are golden and a tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each cake, invert onto rack, and remove the parchment. Let cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the filling: Place egg yolks in a small heatproof bowl and set aside. In a saucepan, combine condensed milk, butter and cream of coconut and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until hot, about 4 minutes. Whisk 1/3 of the hot milk into the egg yolks. Transfer egg mixture to the saucepan of milk and whisk constantly over medium-low heat until mixture has the consistency of pudding, about 4 minutes. Do not let the custard get too thick. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the shredded coconut. Let cool completely.
Make the simple syrup: In a saucepan, heat sugar and 1/2 cup water, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.
Assemble the layer cake in a pan: Cut each cake in half horizontally. Place one layer in the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan, moisten the top with 2 to 3 tablespoons simple syrup and spread 1/2 cup of the coconut filling in a thin, even layer with an offset spatula. Repeat to make 2 more layers of cake and filling, then place the last layer on top. Refrigerate cake for about 1 hour. To unmold, run a spatula around the edges, invert a cake plate over the top, and flip the cake over onto the plate.
Make the icing: Whip the cream with the confectioners’ sugar and coconut extract until stiff peaks form. Spread on the top and sides of the cake and sprinkle with toasted coconut. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
SIMPLE WATERMELON ICE CREAM
This is from a Publix email. Servings: 6; Active Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 6 hours, 16 minutes
To view this online, go to https://ww4.publix.com/recipes-planning/aprons-simple-meals/barbecue-cheddar-chicken-pasta-with-simple-watermelon-ice-cream. It comes with another recipe (Barbecue-Cheddar Chicken Pasta).
Note: Remove ice cream from freezer 15 minutes before serving for easier scooping.
Ingredients
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled/grated
2 cups fresh watermelon chunks
4 fresh mint leaves
3 cups heavy whipping cream
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Plastic wrap
Directions
Peel ginger, then grate (2 tablespoons). Place watermelon in blender (or food processor); blend until smooth and pureed. Add mint leaves; blend until combined.
Beat whipping cream, condensed milk, ginger, vanilla, and salt with electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form. Slowly pour in 1 cup watermelon mixture, while continuing to beat on high, until combined.
Pour cream mixture into large loaf pan. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of cream mixture to help prevent ice crystals. Freeze 6 hours (or overnight) until firm. Serve. (Makes 8 servings.)
HUMMINGBIRD CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
This comes from Diana Rattray, the Southern cuisine writer on The Spruce Eats. Diana wrote, "This hummingbird cake is always a hit with families or for any celebration. It's a moist cake flavored with cinnamon, pineapple, pecans, and bananas and topped with a cream cheese frosting.
"The cake originated in Jamaica in the 1960s and was part of an Air Jamaica tourism campaign. It was named the "doctor bird cake," after the national bird of Jamaica. The doctor bird is a member of the hummingbird family. You'll enjoy a little tropical vacation with a cake you can make anywhere and anytime. Wouldn't it be perfect at a bon voyage party for friends who are going on a Caribbean cruise?"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes; Yield: 1 cake (16 servings)
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/classic-hummingbird-cake-recipe-3051129.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs (beaten)
1-1/4 cups vegetable oil
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple (well-drained)
1 cup pecans (chopped)
2 cups banana ( firm ripe, chopped)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
16 ounces cream cheese (softened)
1 cup butter (room temperature)
2 pounds confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 to 1 cup pecans (chopped, toasted, if desired)
Directions
Note: while there are multiple steps to this recipe, this hummingbird cake is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and baking.
Make the Cake
Gather the ingredients.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Generously grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
Sift the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon together into a large mixing bowl several times.
Add the eggs and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients are moistened.
Stir in vanilla, drained pineapple, and 1 cup pecans.
Stir in the chopped bananas.
Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pans.
Bake the layers in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn them onto cooling racks. Cool completely before frosting.
Make the Frosting and Assemble
Gather the ingredients.
To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer; beat until smooth and creamy.
Add the confectioners' sugar and beat on low speed until combined.
Increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Stir in vanilla.
Frost the tops of all three layers of the cake and then stack them.
Frost the sides of the cake.
Sprinkle the top of the cake evenly with the 1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans.
Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Tip
To toast the pecans, spread them in a dry skillet over medium heat; cook while continually stirring until the nuts are lightly browned and aromatic. Remove to a plate at once to stop the cooking process.
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