1)Granola Bark:
Ingredients:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup granola
1/4 cup dried cranberries, blueberries or cherries
1/4 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted
Preparation:
1. Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with foil.
2. Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; do not let water boil or allow bowl to touch water. Cook, stirring often, until chocolate has melted, about 5 minutes.
3. Spread chocolate in an even layer in pan (use an offset spatula or tilt pan). Quickly sprinkle with granola, fruit and almonds. Refrigerate bark until solid, about 1 1/2 hours.
4. Break bark into pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
2)Salted-Peanut Butterscotch Bars:
Ingredients:
15 whole graham crackers, broken up
3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 11-oz. package butterscotch morsels (about 1 3/4 cups)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup chopped salted roasted peanuts
Preparation:
1. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with foil, allowing ends to overhang by 2 inches.
2. Process graham crackers with sugar and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Pulse in butter until moistened. Transfer to lined pan and press crumbs down evenly and firmly.
3. Place butterscotch morsels in a large bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove and stir until smooth and creamy. (Continue to microwave in 10-second intervals if morsels have not melted. Do not overheat or mixture will seize up and turn into a stiff mass.) Stir in peanut butter and peanuts. Blend well and spread evenly over graham-cracker crust. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour 30 minutes or until firm.
4. Lift bars out and remove foil. Use a sharp knife to carefully cut into squares.
3)Lemon-Graham Icebox Cake:
Ingredients:
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup plus 1 tsp. sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 tsp. cornstarch
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup lemon juice (from about 3 lemons)
12 graham crackers
1/2 cup heavy cream
Preparation:
1. In a small saucepan, whisk together yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and salt. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in lemon juice. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Cover with plastic (pressing directly onto surface of custard to prevent a skin from forming) and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes.
2. Line bottom of an 8-inch baking dish with 6 graham crackers (break into pieces to fill space, if necessary). Spoon 1/2 of pudding over graham crackers, spreading into an even layer. Repeat with remaining 6 graham crackers and rest of pudding. Cover; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
3. Just before serving, whip cream with remaining 1 tsp. sugar until it holds stiff peaks. Spread whipped cream in a thin layer over top of cake. Cut into squares and serve.
4)Strawberry Shortcake Trifle:
Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 loaf pound cake, cut into 16 slices
1/2 cup strawberry jam
2 cups thinly sliced strawberries
2 tablespoons triple sec (or orange juice)
Preparation:
1. In a pan, combine milk and salt. Warm over medium heat until milk is just below a simmer. In a bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch and eggs until smooth.
2. Whisking constantly, slowly pour 1/3 of milk into sugar mixture. Whisk mixture back into pan with remaining milk; return pan to medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl; whisk in butter and vanilla. Cover with plastic, pressing it directly on surface of custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely cool, about 1 hour.
3. When custard is cool, arrange cake slices on a work surface. Spread one side thinly with jam. Line bottom of a glass trifle dish with 1/3 of pound cake slices, jam side up. Top with 1/3 of strawberries, and drizzle with 1/3 of triple sec. Spread with 1/3 of custard. Repeat layering until you have used all cake, berries, custard and triple sec, ending with custard. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
5)Ice Cream Bonbons:
Ingredients:
1 pint ice cream, any flavor
1/4 cup sprinkles
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
Preparation:
1. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Using a small ice cream scoop, portion 12 scoops of ice cream. Put 6 on each sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or overnight.
2. Place sprinkles in a bowl. Combine chocolate and vegetable shortening in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan filled with about 1 inch of water. Place over low heat until water is just simmering (be sure bowl's bottom does not touch water). Cook, stirring often, until shortening and chocolate are melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from pan and let stand until chocolate is just warm (not hot) to the touch.
3. Working quickly, scoop up 1 ball of ice cream with a fork; hold ball over bowl of chocolate and spoon chocolate over to coat, letting excess chocolate drip back into bowl. Hold coated ice cream ball over bowl of sprinkles and top ball with sprinkles. Use another fork to gently push coated ice cream ball back on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining ice cream balls. Freeze until ready to serve, at least 30 minutes.
6)Coffee-Toffee Ice Cream Cupcakes:
Ingredients:
1 10 3/4-oz. frozen pound cake
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 pints coffee ice cream, slightly softened
1 cup chocolate-covered toffee bits, such as Heath Bar Bits
Preparation:
1. Arrange 12 paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. Cut pound cake into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Use a 2-inch biscuit cutter to cut 12 circles from slices, reserving scraps for another use. Place circles in bottoms of cupcake liners.
2. Combine heavy cream and confectioners' sugar in a bowl and whip with an electric mixer until cream holds stiff peaks.
3. Scoop ice cream into a large bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup Heath Bar Bits; add remaining Bits to bowl with ice cream. Combine by mashing ice cream and candy with back of a large spoon. (If ice cream gets too soft, place bowl in freezer for 10 minutes before continuing.)
4. Top each pound-cake circle with a scoop of ice cream and cover with whipped cream. Sprinkle with remaining Heath Bar Bits. Lightly drape cupcakes with plastic wrap and place in freezer until firm, at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
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