Just Desserts, Thursday
Here are six Just Desserts to help you through the day, including Fresh Mint Chip Gelato and Carrot Cake. Enjoy!
ORANGE RICOTTA COOKIES
This interesting recipe is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "Tired of making the same, old cookies? These cookie sandwiches are delightfully different. Both the cookies and the filling are made with whole milk ricotta cheese and fresh orange, for a light and fluffy texture and amazing fresh orange flavor. They are a great choice for baby or wedding showers, afternoon teas, or other gatherings where you want cookies that say, “special.” Only you need to know that it took just 45 minutes of hands-on time to make them!
"Hailing direct from our Cookie cookbook, these cuties look fancy, but really aren’t complicated to make. The orange-ricotta cookies are dipped in colored orange sugar for a bit of sparkle and crunch. Filled with a creamy, dreamy orange-ricotta filling, then garnished with candied orange slices and mint leaves to make them extra-special. The soft, tender cookies and creamy filling are an intoxicating combination of flavors and textures that will have your guests coming back for seconds!"
Prep Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes; Servings: 48
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Cookies
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (from 8-oz container)
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
4-1/2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon orange gel food color
1 tablespoon water
Filling
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (from 8-oz container)
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
Garnish
Candied orange slices, cut into small triangles, if desired
Small mint leaves, cut in half, if desired
Directions
In large bowl, beat 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar and 1/3 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Beat in 1/4 cup ricotta cheese, 1 teaspoon orange zest, and the orange juice until well mixed. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; beat until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
Heat oven to 350°F. Line large cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.
Onto cookie sheets, drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart (dough will be sticky).
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
In small resealable bag, add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and the food color; seal bag and shake to color sugar. Transfer colored sugar to small bowl. Lightly brush tops of cookie with pastry brush dipped in water; dip tops in colored sugar; return sugar-side up to cooling rack for sugar to dry.
In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar and 1/3 cup butter until no lumps remain. Stir in 1/2 cup ricotta and 2 teaspoons orange zest until mixed well.
To assemble cookies, pipe or spread about 2 teaspoons filling on the flat side of one cookie; press flat side of another cookie to filling at one spot to look like an open clam. Press a piece of candied orange slice and mint leaf into filling for garnish and place on tray. Loosely cover and refrigerate about 30 minutes or until filling is firm.
DEATH BY CHOCOLATE
This yumminess is from Dan Pelosi in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Dan wrote, "Death by Chocolate, which by name suggests that it’s so rich and decadent that it may cause one to simply expire, commonly takes the shape of a trifle dessert. It consists of layers of crumbled brownies or chocolate cake, chocolate pudding and whipped cream, plus a fourth layer that is either crumbled chocolate sandwich cookies or chopped up chocolate toffee bars. The assembled trifle is placed in the fridge to rest in peace until served cold. While often made with boxed cake, pudding mixes and Cool Whip, this recipe contains easy homemade versions of all three."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes, plust cooling and chilling; Total Time: 3 hours (includes at least 2 hours' cooling and chilling); Yield: 8 to 10 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025378-death-by-chocolate. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap...)
Ingredients
For the Cake
Softened butter or nonstick baking spray for the pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup hot coffee
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup vegetable oil
2 large or medium eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Pudding
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups whole milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
For the Whipped Cream
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Crunch Layer
1 cup chopped chocolate toffee bars (such as Skor or Heath) or 1 cup crumbled chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreo)
Preparation
Prepare the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with softened butter or spray with baking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, and then grease the paper with softened butter or spray with baking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in coffee, followed by buttermilk and vegetable oil. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and let cool completely, about 2 hours.
Meanwhile, make the pudding: In a medium saucepan, whisk to combine the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. Add the milk and whisk until combined. Set the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly as the mixture heats up and thickens. When thick and bubbling all over, about 12 minutes, remove from the heat. Immediately add the butter and vanilla and whisk until butter is fully melted. Pour pudding into a heat-proof bowl and cover the top of the pudding with plastic wrap, gently pressing it directly onto the surface so that it does not form a skin. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Pudding can be refrigerated up to 2 days.)
Make the whipped cream: Add heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat at medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, scraping the bowl with a spatula a few times and stopping when stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Assemble the trifle: Cut the cake into 2-inch squares. Arrange half of the pieces in a pile at the bottom of a 4-quart trifle dish or a large bowl, avoiding large gaps between pieces. Don’t worry if they crumble. Spread half of the chocolate pudding on top of the cake, gently pushing down as you go. Next, add half of the whipped cream on top of the pudding, then sprinkle half of the crunch layer pieces evenly on top. Repeat layering once more, until you have filled the trifle dish. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. Serve chilled, directly from the fridge.
CAKE MIX PEACH COBBLER
This is from Sarah Holden at the Food Network.
This recipe begins, "Much like a dump cake, this easy peach cobbler is made by spreading dry cake mix over a syrupy filling and then covering the top with pats of butter. In the oven, the juices from the filling and the melting butter slowly moisten the cake mix to create the batter."
Active Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, for the baking dish
5 cups sliced peeled fresh or thawed frozen peaches (about 2 pounds)
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Juice of 1 lemon
One 15.25-ounce box yellow cake mix
1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, thinly sliced
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Toss together the sliced peaches, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Let sit 15 minutes.
Transfer to the prepared baking dish and top evenly with the cake mix. Cover the top with the slices of butter.
Bake until golden brown and the juices are bubbling, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving with ice cream.
CARROT CAKE
This is from Dorie Greenspan in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yumminess, Dorie wrote, "This classic carrot cake recipe is not overly spiced, and it has texture from the grated carrots, shredded coconut, chopped nuts and raisins. If your dried fruit feels dry, plump it either by steaming the fruit for a couple of minutes; pouring boiling water over the fruit then draining it; or even just running it under hot tap water. Pat the fruit dry before using it. There’s enough frosting to fill the layers and cover the sides and top of the cake, but each layer is covered generously, so generously that when the next layer goes on the frosting ripples out around the edges. Then just swirl the frosting over the top, leaving the sides bare."
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes, pluse at least 15 minutes' refrigeration; Yield: 8 to 12 servings
This was featured in "The Baker’s Apprentice: Carrot Cake," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015523-carrot-cake. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap...)
Ingredients
For the Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups grated carrots (you can grate the carrots in a food processor fitted with a shredding blade)
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened
1/2 cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden) or dried cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola or safflower oil
4 large eggs
For the Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 pound (3-3/4 cups) confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract
1/2 cup shredded coconut, optional
Toasted finely chopped nuts and/or toasted coconut, for topping, optional
Preparation
For the cake: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour three 9-inch round, 2-inch deep cake pans, flour the insides and tap out the excess.
Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut and raisins.
Working in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a whisk, beat the sugar and oil together until smooth. Add the eggs one by one and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother. If you are working in a mixer, reduce the speed to low, if you're working by hand switch to a large rubber spatula, and gently stir in the flour mixture — mix only until the dry ingredients disappear. Just as gently, stir in the chunky ingredients.
Divide the batter among the baking pans and slide the pans into the oven. Bake the cakes for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cakes are properly baked when a knife inserted into the centers of the cakes comes out clean; the cakes will just start to come away from the edges. Transfer the pans to cooling racks, cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool to room temperature. (At this point, the cakes can be wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months; thaw before frosting.)
For the frosting: Working in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the lemon juice or extract.
If you'd like to have coconut in the filling, scoop out about 1/2 of the frosting and stir the coconut into this portion.
To frost the cake, place one layer of the cake, right-side up, on a cardboard round or a cake plate. If you've added coconut to the frosting, use half of coconut frosting to generously cover the first layer. Use an offset spatula or a spoon to smooth the frosting all the way to the edges of the layer. Top with the second layer, this time placing the cake top-side down. Frost with the remainder of the coconut frosting. Top with the last layer, right-side up and use the plain frosting to cover the top — and the sides, if you want – of the cake. Finish the top layer with swirls of frosting. If you want to top the cake with toasted nuts or coconut, sprinkle on these ingredients now, while the frosting is soft. Slide the cake into the refrigerator for 15 minutes, just to set the frosting.
Serving: The cake can be served as soon as the frosting is set. It can also wait, at room temperature and covered with a cake keeper, overnight. The cake is best served in thick slices at room temperature and, while it's good plain, it's better with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or even some lemon curd with a little whipped cream folded in.
Storing: Covered the cake will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. It can also be frozen, uncovered, and then, when it is firmed, wrapped airtight and kept in the freezer for up to 2 months; defrost, still wrapped, in the refrigerator overnight.
FRESH MINT CHIP GELATO
This is from Chip Stone on the Food Network, and begins, "Mint and chocolate were just made for each other and, when combined, just happen to be my favorite gelato flavor."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Inactive Time: 7 hours; Total Time: 7 hours 45 minutes; Yield: about 2 quarts; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/fresh-mint-chip-gelato-3364225.
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
6 fresh mint sprigs
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), chopped
Directions
In a large heavy saucepan, stir the sugar and cornstarch to blend. Whisk in the cream and milk and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, about 10 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
Transfer the cream mixture to a heatproof bowl and add the mint. Set the bowl over a bowl of ice water to cool the mixture down quickly and stir occasionally until cool; discard the mint after 5 minutes. (Don't steep the mint for too long or it will impart a grassy flavor; a quick steep while the cream cools will do.) Cover the mint cream and refrigerate about 4 hours, or until completely cold.
Freeze the mint cream in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions until frozen.
Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set it over a saucepan of simmering water and stir the chocolate until it has just melted. Remove from the heat and cool until the chocolate is barely warm and still fluid.
Transfer the gelato to a large bowl set over a bowl of ice. Working quickly, drizzle the melted chocolate into the gelato while whisking or stirring vigorously. The chocolate will flake apart as it hits the cold gelato, forming bits of chocolate throughout. If you prefer larger pieces of chocolate throughout the gelato, use a wooden spoon to slowly stir in the melted chocolate. Serve immediately, or transfer to a container and freeze until firm, 3 to 4 hours.
Curtis serves his homemade gelato between waffle cookies.
SERIOUS VANILLA ICE CREAM
This is from Alton Brown on the Food Network.
Prep: 10 hours; Cook: 1 hour; Total Time: 11 hours; Yield: 1 quart; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/profiles/talent/alton-brown.
Ingredients
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup minus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons peach preserves (not jelly)
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
Directions
Combine all ingredients (including the bean and its pulp) in a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Attach a frying or candy thermometer to inside of pan. (see note below) Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to 170 degrees F. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Remove the hull of the vanilla bean, pour mixture into lidded container and refrigerate mixture overnight to mellow flavors and texture.
Freeze mixture in ice cream freezer according to unit's instructions. The mixture will not freeze hard in the machine. Once the volume has increased by 1/2 to 3/4 times, and reached a soft serve consistency, spoon the mixture back into a lidded container and harden in the freezer at least 1 hour before serving.
NOTE: If you do not have a thermometer, bring the mixture just barely to a simmer. As soon as you see a bubble hit the surface, remove it from the heat. Do not let it boil.
ORANGE RICOTTA COOKIES
This interesting recipe is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "Tired of making the same, old cookies? These cookie sandwiches are delightfully different. Both the cookies and the filling are made with whole milk ricotta cheese and fresh orange, for a light and fluffy texture and amazing fresh orange flavor. They are a great choice for baby or wedding showers, afternoon teas, or other gatherings where you want cookies that say, “special.” Only you need to know that it took just 45 minutes of hands-on time to make them!
"Hailing direct from our Cookie cookbook, these cuties look fancy, but really aren’t complicated to make. The orange-ricotta cookies are dipped in colored orange sugar for a bit of sparkle and crunch. Filled with a creamy, dreamy orange-ricotta filling, then garnished with candied orange slices and mint leaves to make them extra-special. The soft, tender cookies and creamy filling are an intoxicating combination of flavors and textures that will have your guests coming back for seconds!"
Prep Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes; Servings: 48
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Cookies
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (from 8-oz container)
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
4-1/2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon orange gel food color
1 tablespoon water
Filling
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (from 8-oz container)
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
Garnish
Candied orange slices, cut into small triangles, if desired
Small mint leaves, cut in half, if desired
Directions
In large bowl, beat 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar and 1/3 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Beat in 1/4 cup ricotta cheese, 1 teaspoon orange zest, and the orange juice until well mixed. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; beat until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
Heat oven to 350°F. Line large cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.
Onto cookie sheets, drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart (dough will be sticky).
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
In small resealable bag, add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and the food color; seal bag and shake to color sugar. Transfer colored sugar to small bowl. Lightly brush tops of cookie with pastry brush dipped in water; dip tops in colored sugar; return sugar-side up to cooling rack for sugar to dry.
In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar and 1/3 cup butter until no lumps remain. Stir in 1/2 cup ricotta and 2 teaspoons orange zest until mixed well.
To assemble cookies, pipe or spread about 2 teaspoons filling on the flat side of one cookie; press flat side of another cookie to filling at one spot to look like an open clam. Press a piece of candied orange slice and mint leaf into filling for garnish and place on tray. Loosely cover and refrigerate about 30 minutes or until filling is firm.
DEATH BY CHOCOLATE
This yumminess is from Dan Pelosi in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Dan wrote, "Death by Chocolate, which by name suggests that it’s so rich and decadent that it may cause one to simply expire, commonly takes the shape of a trifle dessert. It consists of layers of crumbled brownies or chocolate cake, chocolate pudding and whipped cream, plus a fourth layer that is either crumbled chocolate sandwich cookies or chopped up chocolate toffee bars. The assembled trifle is placed in the fridge to rest in peace until served cold. While often made with boxed cake, pudding mixes and Cool Whip, this recipe contains easy homemade versions of all three."
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes, plust cooling and chilling; Total Time: 3 hours (includes at least 2 hours' cooling and chilling); Yield: 8 to 10 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025378-death-by-chocolate. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap...)
Ingredients
For the Cake
Softened butter or nonstick baking spray for the pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup hot coffee
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup vegetable oil
2 large or medium eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Pudding
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups whole milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
For the Whipped Cream
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Crunch Layer
1 cup chopped chocolate toffee bars (such as Skor or Heath) or 1 cup crumbled chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreo)
Preparation
Prepare the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with softened butter or spray with baking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, and then grease the paper with softened butter or spray with baking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in coffee, followed by buttermilk and vegetable oil. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and let cool completely, about 2 hours.
Meanwhile, make the pudding: In a medium saucepan, whisk to combine the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. Add the milk and whisk until combined. Set the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly as the mixture heats up and thickens. When thick and bubbling all over, about 12 minutes, remove from the heat. Immediately add the butter and vanilla and whisk until butter is fully melted. Pour pudding into a heat-proof bowl and cover the top of the pudding with plastic wrap, gently pressing it directly onto the surface so that it does not form a skin. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Pudding can be refrigerated up to 2 days.)
Make the whipped cream: Add heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat at medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, scraping the bowl with a spatula a few times and stopping when stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Assemble the trifle: Cut the cake into 2-inch squares. Arrange half of the pieces in a pile at the bottom of a 4-quart trifle dish or a large bowl, avoiding large gaps between pieces. Don’t worry if they crumble. Spread half of the chocolate pudding on top of the cake, gently pushing down as you go. Next, add half of the whipped cream on top of the pudding, then sprinkle half of the crunch layer pieces evenly on top. Repeat layering once more, until you have filled the trifle dish. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. Serve chilled, directly from the fridge.
CAKE MIX PEACH COBBLER
This is from Sarah Holden at the Food Network.
This recipe begins, "Much like a dump cake, this easy peach cobbler is made by spreading dry cake mix over a syrupy filling and then covering the top with pats of butter. In the oven, the juices from the filling and the melting butter slowly moisten the cake mix to create the batter."
Active Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray, for the baking dish
5 cups sliced peeled fresh or thawed frozen peaches (about 2 pounds)
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Juice of 1 lemon
One 15.25-ounce box yellow cake mix
1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, thinly sliced
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Toss together the sliced peaches, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Let sit 15 minutes.
Transfer to the prepared baking dish and top evenly with the cake mix. Cover the top with the slices of butter.
Bake until golden brown and the juices are bubbling, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving with ice cream.
CARROT CAKE
This is from Dorie Greenspan in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yumminess, Dorie wrote, "This classic carrot cake recipe is not overly spiced, and it has texture from the grated carrots, shredded coconut, chopped nuts and raisins. If your dried fruit feels dry, plump it either by steaming the fruit for a couple of minutes; pouring boiling water over the fruit then draining it; or even just running it under hot tap water. Pat the fruit dry before using it. There’s enough frosting to fill the layers and cover the sides and top of the cake, but each layer is covered generously, so generously that when the next layer goes on the frosting ripples out around the edges. Then just swirl the frosting over the top, leaving the sides bare."
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes, pluse at least 15 minutes' refrigeration; Yield: 8 to 12 servings
This was featured in "The Baker’s Apprentice: Carrot Cake," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015523-carrot-cake. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap...)
Ingredients
For the Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups grated carrots (you can grate the carrots in a food processor fitted with a shredding blade)
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened
1/2 cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden) or dried cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola or safflower oil
4 large eggs
For the Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 pound (3-3/4 cups) confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract
1/2 cup shredded coconut, optional
Toasted finely chopped nuts and/or toasted coconut, for topping, optional
Preparation
For the cake: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour three 9-inch round, 2-inch deep cake pans, flour the insides and tap out the excess.
Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut and raisins.
Working in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a whisk, beat the sugar and oil together until smooth. Add the eggs one by one and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother. If you are working in a mixer, reduce the speed to low, if you're working by hand switch to a large rubber spatula, and gently stir in the flour mixture — mix only until the dry ingredients disappear. Just as gently, stir in the chunky ingredients.
Divide the batter among the baking pans and slide the pans into the oven. Bake the cakes for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cakes are properly baked when a knife inserted into the centers of the cakes comes out clean; the cakes will just start to come away from the edges. Transfer the pans to cooling racks, cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool to room temperature. (At this point, the cakes can be wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months; thaw before frosting.)
For the frosting: Working in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the lemon juice or extract.
If you'd like to have coconut in the filling, scoop out about 1/2 of the frosting and stir the coconut into this portion.
To frost the cake, place one layer of the cake, right-side up, on a cardboard round or a cake plate. If you've added coconut to the frosting, use half of coconut frosting to generously cover the first layer. Use an offset spatula or a spoon to smooth the frosting all the way to the edges of the layer. Top with the second layer, this time placing the cake top-side down. Frost with the remainder of the coconut frosting. Top with the last layer, right-side up and use the plain frosting to cover the top — and the sides, if you want – of the cake. Finish the top layer with swirls of frosting. If you want to top the cake with toasted nuts or coconut, sprinkle on these ingredients now, while the frosting is soft. Slide the cake into the refrigerator for 15 minutes, just to set the frosting.
Serving: The cake can be served as soon as the frosting is set. It can also wait, at room temperature and covered with a cake keeper, overnight. The cake is best served in thick slices at room temperature and, while it's good plain, it's better with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or even some lemon curd with a little whipped cream folded in.
Storing: Covered the cake will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. It can also be frozen, uncovered, and then, when it is firmed, wrapped airtight and kept in the freezer for up to 2 months; defrost, still wrapped, in the refrigerator overnight.
FRESH MINT CHIP GELATO
This is from Chip Stone on the Food Network, and begins, "Mint and chocolate were just made for each other and, when combined, just happen to be my favorite gelato flavor."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Inactive Time: 7 hours; Total Time: 7 hours 45 minutes; Yield: about 2 quarts; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/fresh-mint-chip-gelato-3364225.
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
6 fresh mint sprigs
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), chopped
Directions
In a large heavy saucepan, stir the sugar and cornstarch to blend. Whisk in the cream and milk and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, about 10 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
Transfer the cream mixture to a heatproof bowl and add the mint. Set the bowl over a bowl of ice water to cool the mixture down quickly and stir occasionally until cool; discard the mint after 5 minutes. (Don't steep the mint for too long or it will impart a grassy flavor; a quick steep while the cream cools will do.) Cover the mint cream and refrigerate about 4 hours, or until completely cold.
Freeze the mint cream in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions until frozen.
Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set it over a saucepan of simmering water and stir the chocolate until it has just melted. Remove from the heat and cool until the chocolate is barely warm and still fluid.
Transfer the gelato to a large bowl set over a bowl of ice. Working quickly, drizzle the melted chocolate into the gelato while whisking or stirring vigorously. The chocolate will flake apart as it hits the cold gelato, forming bits of chocolate throughout. If you prefer larger pieces of chocolate throughout the gelato, use a wooden spoon to slowly stir in the melted chocolate. Serve immediately, or transfer to a container and freeze until firm, 3 to 4 hours.
Curtis serves his homemade gelato between waffle cookies.
SERIOUS VANILLA ICE CREAM
This is from Alton Brown on the Food Network.
Prep: 10 hours; Cook: 1 hour; Total Time: 11 hours; Yield: 1 quart; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/profiles/talent/alton-brown.
Ingredients
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup minus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons peach preserves (not jelly)
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
Directions
Combine all ingredients (including the bean and its pulp) in a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Attach a frying or candy thermometer to inside of pan. (see note below) Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to 170 degrees F. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Remove the hull of the vanilla bean, pour mixture into lidded container and refrigerate mixture overnight to mellow flavors and texture.
Freeze mixture in ice cream freezer according to unit's instructions. The mixture will not freeze hard in the machine. Once the volume has increased by 1/2 to 3/4 times, and reached a soft serve consistency, spoon the mixture back into a lidded container and harden in the freezer at least 1 hour before serving.
NOTE: If you do not have a thermometer, bring the mixture just barely to a simmer. As soon as you see a bubble hit the surface, remove it from the heat. Do not let it boil.
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