Desserts
Today's post deals with desserts, and includes Rich Raspberry Swirl Brownies and Chocolate Pudding With Raspberry Cream. Enjoy!
WORLD'S BEST CHOCOLATE PIE
This is from Diana Rattray at The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "This pie is made extra tasty with baker's chocolate and homemade whipped cream topping."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 14 minutes; Total Time: 34 minutes; Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/worlds-best-chocolate-pie-3053489.
Ingredients
Pie:
1 (9-inch) prepared graham cracker pie shell
1 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons flour (all-purpose)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups of milk
3 egg yolks (slightly beaten)
4 (1-ounce) squares Baker’s unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)
2 teaspoons vanilla
Topping:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon Hershey’s cocoa
Directions
Blend the sugar, cornstarch, flour, salt, and 1 cup of milk together with a wire whisk.
Whisk in the remaining 2 cups of milk.
Cook over medium heat for 8 to 9 minutes, until the mixture thickens, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and whisk in the egg yolks.
Return to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes more.
Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate squares, butter, and the vanilla. Stir until smooth and all the chocolate is melted.
Cool for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour into graham cracker pie and shell refrigerate for 4 hours.
For the topping, beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form.
Add the sugar slowly and beat until stiff peaks form.
Spread onto the cooled pie.
Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of Hershey’s cocoa and serve.
WHOLE ROASTED PINEAPPLES
This was in an article titled "Vision Quest, Recipes for Eye Health" in the July 2020 issue of Taste for Life (page 15).
I had picked up a copy of Taste for Life at Rollin' Oats, a Florida health food store with two locations (Tampa and St. Petersburg). Since I live close to the St. Pete store, I try to go there as often as possible (though not often enough, as far as I'm concerned). If you're ever in the area, I highly suggest giving them a try.
This recipe has a prep time of 30 minutes and serves 6.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 pineapples, peeled
To Garnish
Toasted coconut flakes
Dairy-free ice cream
Fresh mint
Maple syrup
Lime zest
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add coconut sugar, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper to a small bowl and mix together.
Place a large non-stick pan over a medium heat and add coconut oil. When hot, add whole peeled pineapples. Turn pineapples so they color on all sides. Sprinkle over sugar mixture while they are cooking.
When pineapples are golden, place them onto a baking sheet and then into over for 15 to 20 minutes.
Once pineapples are baked, carve them at the table. Serve with toasted coconut flakes, ice cream, fresh mint, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a little lime zest.
CHOCOLATE PUDDING WITH RASPBERRY CREAM
This comes from Yossy Arefi on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Yossy wrote, "This rich, creamy chocolate pudding is a comforting dessert for two that comes together in no time at all. Use Dutch-process cocoa powder for the richest chocolate flavor, but natural cocoa will work too, if that’s what you keep around. This pudding is also easy to dress up for any occasion. Raspberry cream and a handful of fresh raspberries adorn this version, but you could also top with a dollop of whipped cream or crème fraîche."
Yield: 2 servings; Time: 25 minutes, plus chilling
You can view this online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021898-chocolate-pudding-with-raspberry-cream.
Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
1 large egg yolk
5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
5 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Pinch of kosher salt
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/3 cup heavy cream
Preparation
Add the milk and egg yolk to a measuring cup. Whisk to combine.
Add 5 tablespoons sugar, the cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt to a medium saucepan, and whisk to combine, breaking up any lumps. Whisk the milk and egg yolk mixture into the sugar mixture until smooth.
Set the pan over medium-low heat and cook the mixture until it thickens and starts to bubble, stirring the mixture constantly with a rubber spatula and making sure to scrape the corners and bottom of the pan. Once it bubbles, cook for an additional minute until thick and creamy, taking extra care to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan to avoid scorching the mixture, 6 to 8 minutes total. If you do get a few small lumps, whisk the mixture vigorously for a few seconds to smooth them. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Spoon the pudding into two small serving bowls or glasses, and press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of each pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Chill for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
When you are ready to serve the pudding, make the raspberry cream: Combine 1/2 teaspoon sugar with about 4 raspberries in a small bowl. Mash them together with a fork and macerate. In a medium bowl, whisk the cream with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to medium peaks. Dollop the mashed raspberries over the top of the whipped cream and fold a few times. (The mixture should be streaky.)
Top the pudding with the remaining raspberries and a dollop of the whipped cream. Serve immediately.
ALMOND BERRY LAYER CAKE
This is from The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, "Behold! An ode to summer in cake form. In this towering dessert from the food stylist and cookbook author Susan Spungen, crumbly yet tender layers of almond cake are layered with mounds of fresh berries and a rich filling of mascarpone and crème fraîche. It's not difficult to make, but it does take some time, so save this for a lazy Saturday when you've just scored piles of perfect berries from the farmers' market."
Yield: 1 cake; Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
This was featured in "Trunk Food," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/8588-almond-berry-layer-cake.
Ingredients
For the cake:
Unsalted butter, for greasing pans
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
1-3/4 cups whole blanched almonds
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla or almond extract
For the filling:
1 pound mascarpone cheese
8 ounces crème fraîche
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon kirsch or amaretto, optional
For assembly:
2 pounds (about 6 cups) mixed berries
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Preparation
For the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush 3 (8-inch) round baking pans with butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper cut to fit. Brush with butter again and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
Place 1 tablespoon flour, the almonds, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
Fill a pot (large enough to set the bowl of an electric mixer in it without the bowl touching the bottom) with 1 inch water and bring to a simmer over low heat.
Place the eggs, egg whites and sugar in the bowl and gently whisk to incorporate. Place the bowl over the pot of steaming water and whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes.
Return bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until pale yellow, thick and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Add vanilla and gently stir to combine.
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold almond mixture into batter. Divide batter evenly among pans and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. The centers will rise and fall during baking. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cool 5 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the cakes and turn them out onto a flat plate or cardboard round. Peel off parchment and invert onto another plate or round. Cakes should be right-side up. Cool completely and wrap in plastic wrap if not using immediately.
For the filling:
In a chilled metal bowl, whip the mascarpone and creme fraiche, either by hand or with an electric mixer, until it holds its shape and is not at all runny. Add the lemon zest, confectioners' sugar and liqueur, if using, and beat to combine well. Add up to 2 tablespoons more sugar, to taste, if you choose.
To assemble:
Place one of the cakes on a serving plate. Top with 1/3 of the mascarpone filling and 1/3 of the berries. Repeat with the remaining 2 layers, leaving the prettiest berries for the top. If not serving right away, chill until ready to serve. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve.
GRANDMA'S CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
This is from AllRecipes, and begins, "This old-fashioned style of peanut butter fudge is not that easy to find out there. The ones I tend to run across always seem to be the soft, creamy version, which is not what I'm into. If it's going to feel like peanut butter in my mouth, then what's the point? No, I want something that feels dense and firm in my fingers but will almost instantly liquefy in when it hits my tongue."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 5 minutes; Additional: 1 hour; Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Servings: 64; Yield: 64 small cubes.
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/276663/grandmas-creamy-peanut-butter-fudge/.
Ingredients
1 pound powdered sugar
1-1/4 cups unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Sift sugar through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl.
Heat butter and peanut butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine and cook until bubbles appear on the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in salt and vanilla extract. Pour over powdered sugar in the bowl. Mix together using a spatula until smooth.
Spread mixture into an 8x8-inch baking pan lined with plastic wrap. Wrap fully and refrigerate until firm enough to cut but not too hard, 1 to 3 hours.
Unwrap fudge and cut into small cubes. Let warm up on the counter before cutting if needed.
Chef's Notes:
This technique will work with other nut butters, smooth or chunky, like almond or cashew.
Use 1/4 teaspoon fine salt instead of kosher if desired.
RICH RASPBERRY SWIRL BROWNIES
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Yield: 16 brownies
Ingredients
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs, divided
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup seedless red raspberry jam
1-2/3 cups (10 oz) Toll House Swirled Morsels, divided
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 9 inch square baking pan. Combine cocoa, flour, and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixer bowl until creamy. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Spread 1 cup of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle pecans over the batter. Stir jam until smooth. Drizzle over the pecans. Beat remaining batter and egg in the same large bowl until light in color. Stir in 1 cup swirled morsels. Spread evenly over raspberry jam. Top with remaining swirled morsels. Bake for 30 to 33 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.
WORLD'S BEST CHOCOLATE PIE
This is from Diana Rattray at The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "This pie is made extra tasty with baker's chocolate and homemade whipped cream topping."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 14 minutes; Total Time: 34 minutes; Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/worlds-best-chocolate-pie-3053489.
Ingredients
Pie:
1 (9-inch) prepared graham cracker pie shell
1 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons flour (all-purpose)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups of milk
3 egg yolks (slightly beaten)
4 (1-ounce) squares Baker’s unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)
2 teaspoons vanilla
Topping:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon Hershey’s cocoa
Directions
Blend the sugar, cornstarch, flour, salt, and 1 cup of milk together with a wire whisk.
Whisk in the remaining 2 cups of milk.
Cook over medium heat for 8 to 9 minutes, until the mixture thickens, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and whisk in the egg yolks.
Return to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes more.
Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate squares, butter, and the vanilla. Stir until smooth and all the chocolate is melted.
Cool for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour into graham cracker pie and shell refrigerate for 4 hours.
For the topping, beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form.
Add the sugar slowly and beat until stiff peaks form.
Spread onto the cooled pie.
Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of Hershey’s cocoa and serve.
WHOLE ROASTED PINEAPPLES
This was in an article titled "Vision Quest, Recipes for Eye Health" in the July 2020 issue of Taste for Life (page 15).
I had picked up a copy of Taste for Life at Rollin' Oats, a Florida health food store with two locations (Tampa and St. Petersburg). Since I live close to the St. Pete store, I try to go there as often as possible (though not often enough, as far as I'm concerned). If you're ever in the area, I highly suggest giving them a try.
This recipe has a prep time of 30 minutes and serves 6.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 pineapples, peeled
To Garnish
Toasted coconut flakes
Dairy-free ice cream
Fresh mint
Maple syrup
Lime zest
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add coconut sugar, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper to a small bowl and mix together.
Place a large non-stick pan over a medium heat and add coconut oil. When hot, add whole peeled pineapples. Turn pineapples so they color on all sides. Sprinkle over sugar mixture while they are cooking.
When pineapples are golden, place them onto a baking sheet and then into over for 15 to 20 minutes.
Once pineapples are baked, carve them at the table. Serve with toasted coconut flakes, ice cream, fresh mint, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a little lime zest.
CHOCOLATE PUDDING WITH RASPBERRY CREAM
This comes from Yossy Arefi on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Yossy wrote, "This rich, creamy chocolate pudding is a comforting dessert for two that comes together in no time at all. Use Dutch-process cocoa powder for the richest chocolate flavor, but natural cocoa will work too, if that’s what you keep around. This pudding is also easy to dress up for any occasion. Raspberry cream and a handful of fresh raspberries adorn this version, but you could also top with a dollop of whipped cream or crème fraîche."
Yield: 2 servings; Time: 25 minutes, plus chilling
You can view this online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021898-chocolate-pudding-with-raspberry-cream.
Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
1 large egg yolk
5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
5 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Pinch of kosher salt
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/3 cup heavy cream
Preparation
Add the milk and egg yolk to a measuring cup. Whisk to combine.
Add 5 tablespoons sugar, the cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt to a medium saucepan, and whisk to combine, breaking up any lumps. Whisk the milk and egg yolk mixture into the sugar mixture until smooth.
Set the pan over medium-low heat and cook the mixture until it thickens and starts to bubble, stirring the mixture constantly with a rubber spatula and making sure to scrape the corners and bottom of the pan. Once it bubbles, cook for an additional minute until thick and creamy, taking extra care to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan to avoid scorching the mixture, 6 to 8 minutes total. If you do get a few small lumps, whisk the mixture vigorously for a few seconds to smooth them. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Spoon the pudding into two small serving bowls or glasses, and press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of each pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Chill for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
When you are ready to serve the pudding, make the raspberry cream: Combine 1/2 teaspoon sugar with about 4 raspberries in a small bowl. Mash them together with a fork and macerate. In a medium bowl, whisk the cream with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to medium peaks. Dollop the mashed raspberries over the top of the whipped cream and fold a few times. (The mixture should be streaky.)
Top the pudding with the remaining raspberries and a dollop of the whipped cream. Serve immediately.
ALMOND BERRY LAYER CAKE
This is from The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, "Behold! An ode to summer in cake form. In this towering dessert from the food stylist and cookbook author Susan Spungen, crumbly yet tender layers of almond cake are layered with mounds of fresh berries and a rich filling of mascarpone and crème fraîche. It's not difficult to make, but it does take some time, so save this for a lazy Saturday when you've just scored piles of perfect berries from the farmers' market."
Yield: 1 cake; Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
This was featured in "Trunk Food," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/8588-almond-berry-layer-cake.
Ingredients
For the cake:
Unsalted butter, for greasing pans
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
1-3/4 cups whole blanched almonds
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla or almond extract
For the filling:
1 pound mascarpone cheese
8 ounces crème fraîche
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon kirsch or amaretto, optional
For assembly:
2 pounds (about 6 cups) mixed berries
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Preparation
For the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush 3 (8-inch) round baking pans with butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper cut to fit. Brush with butter again and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
Place 1 tablespoon flour, the almonds, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
Fill a pot (large enough to set the bowl of an electric mixer in it without the bowl touching the bottom) with 1 inch water and bring to a simmer over low heat.
Place the eggs, egg whites and sugar in the bowl and gently whisk to incorporate. Place the bowl over the pot of steaming water and whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes.
Return bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until pale yellow, thick and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Add vanilla and gently stir to combine.
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold almond mixture into batter. Divide batter evenly among pans and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. The centers will rise and fall during baking. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cool 5 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the cakes and turn them out onto a flat plate or cardboard round. Peel off parchment and invert onto another plate or round. Cakes should be right-side up. Cool completely and wrap in plastic wrap if not using immediately.
For the filling:
In a chilled metal bowl, whip the mascarpone and creme fraiche, either by hand or with an electric mixer, until it holds its shape and is not at all runny. Add the lemon zest, confectioners' sugar and liqueur, if using, and beat to combine well. Add up to 2 tablespoons more sugar, to taste, if you choose.
To assemble:
Place one of the cakes on a serving plate. Top with 1/3 of the mascarpone filling and 1/3 of the berries. Repeat with the remaining 2 layers, leaving the prettiest berries for the top. If not serving right away, chill until ready to serve. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve.
GRANDMA'S CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
This is from AllRecipes, and begins, "This old-fashioned style of peanut butter fudge is not that easy to find out there. The ones I tend to run across always seem to be the soft, creamy version, which is not what I'm into. If it's going to feel like peanut butter in my mouth, then what's the point? No, I want something that feels dense and firm in my fingers but will almost instantly liquefy in when it hits my tongue."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 5 minutes; Additional: 1 hour; Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Servings: 64; Yield: 64 small cubes.
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/276663/grandmas-creamy-peanut-butter-fudge/.
Ingredients
1 pound powdered sugar
1-1/4 cups unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Sift sugar through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl.
Heat butter and peanut butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine and cook until bubbles appear on the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in salt and vanilla extract. Pour over powdered sugar in the bowl. Mix together using a spatula until smooth.
Spread mixture into an 8x8-inch baking pan lined with plastic wrap. Wrap fully and refrigerate until firm enough to cut but not too hard, 1 to 3 hours.
Unwrap fudge and cut into small cubes. Let warm up on the counter before cutting if needed.
Chef's Notes:
This technique will work with other nut butters, smooth or chunky, like almond or cashew.
Use 1/4 teaspoon fine salt instead of kosher if desired.
RICH RASPBERRY SWIRL BROWNIES
This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Yield: 16 brownies
Ingredients
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs, divided
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup seedless red raspberry jam
1-2/3 cups (10 oz) Toll House Swirled Morsels, divided
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 9 inch square baking pan. Combine cocoa, flour, and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixer bowl until creamy. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Spread 1 cup of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle pecans over the batter. Stir jam until smooth. Drizzle over the pecans. Beat remaining batter and egg in the same large bowl until light in color. Stir in 1 cup swirled morsels. Spread evenly over raspberry jam. Top with remaining swirled morsels. Bake for 30 to 33 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.
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