Vanilla Gelato Bites with Chocolate and Hazelnuts Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Vanilla Gelato Bites with Chocolate and Hazelnuts Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
1 pint vanilla gelato or ice cream
1 (12-ounce) bag chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
1 cup finely chopped toasted hazelnuts (about 5 ounces)
Special equipment: bite-sized ice cream scoop and wooden popsticks
Place a small tray or a plate in the freezer. Remove the gelato from the freezer to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove the chilled tray from the freezer. Scoop out 16 bite-sized balls of gelato and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour. Remove from the freezer and quickly insert a wooden popstick into each gelato ball. Return them to the freezer for at least 1 hour.
When the gelato balls have frozen with their sticks in place, place the chocolate in a double-boiler over very gently simmering water until melted. Next to the pot of chocolate, place the toasted, chopped hazelnuts in a shallow bowl.
Remove the gelato balls from the freezer, 4 at a time. Working quickly, hold the gelato ball by the stick and dip into the melted chocolate, then dredge it in the hazelnuts. Return them to the freezer and continue with 4 more gelato balls, until all the gelato balls are covered in chocolate and nuts. Freeze the chocolate-and-nut-covered gelato for at least 1 hour.
These are very fun, festive, and tasty. The ice cream scoop I used is a number 40 (holds 1 tablespoon, is 1 1/2 inches in diameter.)
Monkey Bread
MONKEY BREAD
4 cans refrigerator biscuits (about 40)
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup pecans, raisins and/or coconut, if desired
Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Pour sugar and cinnamon into a plastic bag and mix.
Add biscuit pieces, several at a time; shake to coat well.
Place pieces in a buttered tube or Bundt pan until all are used.
Sprinkle layers with nts, raisings or coconut.
Bring brown sugar and butter to a boil in saucepan. Cool 10 minutes, then pou over tp of biscuits.
Bake at 350F for 45 minutes. Allow to cool 15 minutes before removing from pan. Turn upside down to serve.
Sex in a Pan – My niece Julia named this
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SEX IN A PAN
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1/2 c. chopped nuts
1/2 c. butter
1 c. flour
1 lg. carton Cool Whip
1 c. powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
2 sm. pkgs. chocolate pudding
3 c. milk
Mix nuts, butter and flour. Press in 9×13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees
for
10 minutes. Cool.
Mix 1/2 of the Cool Whip, powdered sugar and cream cheese.
Spread on crust. Mix pudding and milk and spread over crust. Spread
other
1/2 of Cool Whip on top. Chill.
Janes Poor Man’s Toffee
My next door neighbor Jane used to make up huge platters of yummies on the holidays and then bring it to our house….and these things are just totally addictive….
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
Enough graham crackers to make a layer on a cookie sheet (regular size cookie sheet… if it’s a large sheet you will need to increase butter and sugar to 1 1/2 cups of each!)
1 12-ounce bag of chocolate chips
1/2 12 ounce bag of toffee chips (you can substitute SCOR bars or Heath Bars if your store is out of toffee chips)
Line a cookie sheet with foil(cleanup easier). Bring the butter and brown sugar to a boil in a saucepan and simmer it for about 5 minutes. Put a layer of crackers on the cookie sheet, close together. ‘
Pour the brown sugar mixture over the crackers and bake for about 6-10 minutes(I do the 10 it should be bubbley) at 350F.
Remove and immediately pour the chocolate chips over the crackers, evenly distributing them. Let it sit a minute and then spead the chocolate across the mixture with the spatula gently so as not to disturb the crackers underneath. Let it sit for another 30 seconds and at this point it pretty much spreads like frosting.
Then I top with toffee bits. You can top with whatever you like.
My favorite is just some chopped walnuts, but you can also try dark chocolate with candy cane bits, white chocolate with dried cherries, rocky road, m&m’s…just about every combo you can think of. Put it in the refridgerator to let it set up… then break apart into toffee shaped pieces. I’ve seen recipes using other types of crackers too, but the graham crackers are my favorite.
This makes alot.. but it won’t last long!
Champagne Salad – Jim’s Favorite Holiday Dessert
Champagne Salad
1 [8 oz.] pkg. cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 large can crushed pineapple
1 [16 oz.] pkg. frozen strawberries
2 large bananas, sliced
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (except that Jim makes me leave out the nuts!)
1 [8 oz.] Cool Whip
Soften and blend cream cheese with sugar. Mix together the drained pineapple, strawberries with their juice, bananas, chopped nuts, and Cool Whip. Combine the two mixtures. Put in 9×13 inch pan and freeze. To serve, thaw slightly and cut into squares. Can be refrozen. Note: You may slice the bananas into drained pineapple juice before adding to fruit mixture to prevent darkening.
You also don’t have to freeze it, you can just mix it up in the bowl and keep cold. Great either Way
Happy Holidays!
Applesauce Bread
Applesauce Bread Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup applesauce
2 large eggs
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8 by 4 by 3-inch loaf pan.
Cream the butter and brown sugar. Add the remaining ingredients except the raisins and nuts. Mix well until blended. Stir in the raisins and nuts. Pour into the loaf pan. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes.
Banana’s Foster
Bananas Foster Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse
4 ripe bananas, peeled
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup banana liqueur
1/2 cup dark rum
1 pint Vanilla Ice Cream, recipe follows, or good quality store bought vanilla ice cream
Cut the bananas in half across and then lengthwise.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Add the bananas and turning, cook on both sides until the bananas start to soften and brown, about 3 minutes. Add the banana liqueur and stir to blend into the caramel sauce. Carefully add the rum and shake the pan back and forth to warm the rum and flame the pan. (Or, off the heat, carefully ignite the pan with a match and return to the heat.) Shake the pan back and forth, basting the bananas, until the flame dies.
Divide the ice cream among 4 dessert plates. Gently lift the bananas from the pan and place 4 pieces on each scoop of ice cream. Spoon the sauce over the ice cream and bananas, and serve immediately.
MAHOGANY SOUR CREAM CAKE
I had this last night at a Chef’s birthday party.. it was to DIE for!
Here are the two versions I found online… she said she used Chocolae Gnash so I stuck a chocolate gnash recipe after these two.
MAHOGANY SOUR CREAM CAKE
A lusciously moist cake, with a rich, creamy frosting – a delicious delight for all chocolate lovers!
3 sqs. Baker’s unsweetened chocolate
1/2 c. water
1 c. sour cream
1 3/4 c. unsifted SwansDown cake flour
1 1/2 tsp. Calumet baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2/3 c. butter
1 c. granulated sugar
2/3 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
Continental Flair Frosting (recipe follows)
Heat chocolate and water in saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Cool thoroughly; stir in sour cream. Mix flour with baking powder, salt and soda. Cream butter. Gradually beat in sugars; beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add flour mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, mixing well. Add vanilla. Pour into 2 generously greased and floured 9-inch layer pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans; finish cooling on racks.
IN HIGH ALTITUDE AREA: Use large eggs; increase flour to 2 cups and water to 2/3 cup; reduce baking powder to 1 teaspoon, soda and salt to 1/2 teaspoon, brown sugar to 1/2 cup and granulated sugar to 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon; bake at 375 degrees.
CONTINENTAL FLAIR FROSTING:
Combine in saucepan:
1 c. sugar
1 c. heavy cream
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; boil gently for 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Add:
4 sqs. Baker’s unsweetened chocolate
Stir until melted. Stir in:
1/2 c. softened butter
1 tsp. vanilla
Chill until slightly thickened; then beat until thick and creamy. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.
MAHOGANY SOUR CREAM CAKE
3 sq. Baker’s unsweetened chocolate
1/2 c. water
1 c. sour cream
1 2/3 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2/3 c. butter
2/3 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 c. granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
Melt chocolate in water in saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Cool; then stir in sour cream. Mix flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Cream butter. Gradually beat in sugars; beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each. Alternately add flour and chocolate mixtures, beating after each addition until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour into 2 well greased and floured 9 inch layer pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans and finish cooling on racks. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake.
CONTINENTAL FLAIR FROSTING:
1 c. sugar
1 c. heavy cream
4 sq. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 c. butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. rum extract or vanilla
Combine sugar and cream in saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted. Blend in butter and rum extract. Chill until mixture begins to thicken; then beat until thick, creamy and of spreading consistency. Makes about 2 1/2 cups or enough to cover tops and sides of two 8 or 9 inch cake layers. The top and sides of one 9 inch square or 13 x 9 inch cake, or the tops of 24 cupcakes.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE GLAZE
1 Hershey’s special dark sweet chocolate bar (8 oz.), broken into pieces
1/4 c. heavy or whipping cream
1 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tsp. creme de cacao
Combine chocolate bar pieces, cream, and butter in medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is melted and smooth. Stir in creme de cacao. Cool to lukewarm (glaze will be slightly thickened).
Shoo-Fly Pie
Shoo-Fly Pie Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence
Pastry:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small chunks
2 tablespoons ice water, plus more if needed
Filling:
1 cup unsulphured molasses or Pennsylvania Dutch Table Syrup
3/4 cup hot water
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Crumb Topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Whipped cream, for serving
To make the pastry: combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in the ice water and work it in to bind the dough until it holds together without being too wet or sticky. Squeeze a small amount together, if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Sprinkle the counter and a rolling pin lightly with flour. Roll the dough out into a 10-inch circle; to check the size, put the 9-inch pie pan upside down over the dough. Carefully roll the dough up onto the pin (this may take a little practice) and lay it inside the pie pan. Press the dough firmly into the bottom and sides so it fits tightly. Trim the excess dough around the rim. Place the pie pan on a sturdy cookie sheet so it can prevent spills from burning in the bottom of the oven.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the filling: In medium-size mixing bowl, combine the molasses and water; stir in baking soda, eggs, and spices.
To make the crumb topping: With a pastry blender, mix together the flour, brown sugar, and butter, until it is the texture of coarse crumbs. Take 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture and put it in the bottom of the pie shell, pour in the molasses filling, and scatter the remaining crumbs on top.
Bake for 30 minutes, until the filling jiggles slightly and the top is firm. Let cool to room temperature before cutting. Serve with whipped cream.
