Did you know - in 1381 the first recipe for Tartys in Applis, or apple pie was printed
1400-Gingerbread was made by soaking bread crumbs in honey and spices
1600-Pralines were created by a table officer of French nobility
1700-Eclairs with a cream center and chocolate topping evolved slowly over several hundred years
1740-Cupcake recipes were commonly recorded by this time
1800s-Lemon meringue pie wasn't invented until the 19th century but meringue and lemon custards were common before then. It seems the "sweet tooth" has been around for awhile.
Nobility in the Elizabethan times loved their sugar and sweets so much they were addicted to it. Sugar was considered a luxury item, so the rich tried to use it as much as possible. Queen Elizabeth liked sugary sweets so much that her teeth turned black. This was turned into a fashion, so all ladies blackened their teeth and whitened their faces, following the example of their Queen. I know this is one trend that will never come back into fashion.
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I've listed below. And remember, as adults you can eat dessert first!
Cream Puff Wreath – Love this and it’s beautiful for the holidays or any special occasion. I have been making this for years.
1 cup butter
2 cups boiling water
2 cups all purpose flour (sifted)
1/2 tsp. salt
8 eggs
1/2 gallon french vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup brandy
1/2 cup chopped candied fruit
2 (10 oz) packages frozen red raspberries, thawed
2 Tbl. cornstarch
1 (10 oz) jar currant jelly
Fresh mint leaves
Fresh raspberries
Preheat oven to 450. Melt butter in boiling water, add flour and salt all at once. Stir vigorously over medium heat and cook and stir until mixture forms a ball that does not separate. Remove from heat, cool slightly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 1 1/2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Then lower oven temp to 325 and bake for additional 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool on rack.
Slice tops from puffs. Stir brandy and candied fruit into softened ice cream. Fill cooled puffs with mixture and replace tops. Cover puffs and freeze immediately until needed. Crush raspberries and combine with cornstarch. Add current jelly and cook and stir until bubbly. Cool 1 minute more. Strain through sieve and cool. About 15 minutes before serving, remove ice cream puffs from freezer. Arrange on large platter to form a wreath. Spoon some raspberry sauce over. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and fresh raspberries (if desired) pass additional sauce. Note: This was one of those recipes I’ve had for many, many years and it always get glowing remarks when it’s served.
White Chocolate and Lime Cheesecake – Delicious!!
6 white chocolate squares
6 oz. soft lady fingers
2 packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
2 tsp. lime zest
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
strawberries
lime slices
Melt chocolate over double boiler, when melted cool slightly. Halve the lady fingers lengthwise. Line the bottom and side of an 8 ½ spring form pan with lady fingers. Beat the cream cheese on low speed until smooth. Blend in sugar and a small amount of melted chocolate; mix well then incorporate rest of chocolate. Sprinkle gelatin on top of lime juice in saucepan. Let stand 5 minutes to soften. Stir mixture over low heat until gelatin is dissolved. Blend warm gelatin and lime zest into cheese mixture. Fold cheese mixture into whipped cream. Pour into pan. Chill at least 3 hours. Garnish with strawberries and lime slices.
Red Velvet Cake – a true Southern favorite that I really enjoy
Cake:
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbl. (1 oz.) red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. white distilled vinegar
Frosting:
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
12 oz. butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa, and salt into a medium bowl. Beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Divide batter evenly between 3 greased and floured 8" round cake pans. Bake cakes, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 25–30 minutes. Let cakes cool 5 minutes, then invert each onto a plate, then invert again onto a cooling rack. Let cakes cool completely before frosting.
Frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Add sugar and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, 5–7 minutes. Put 1 cake layer on a cake plate; spread one-quarter of the frosting on top. Set another layer on top and repeat frosting. Set remaining layer on top and frost top and sides with the remaining frosting. Press pecans into the sides of the cake. Chill for 2 hours to set frosting, if you like.
Baked Alaska - When I was in high school I was obsessed with making Baked Alaska’s. My parents and sister finally got tired of them. Sometimes I would use a cake recipe or sometimes I would use brownies as the base. No matter what you use, Baked Alaska is fantastic.
Filling:
2 pints ice cream, slightly softened
Cake:
1 tsp. butter, softened
1⁄2 cup cake flour
Pinch salt
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
Meringue:
4 egg whites
2 pinches cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
For the filling: Line a 7"-diameter bowl with a 15" piece of plastic wrap, allowing excess to hang over rim of bowl. Pack ice cream into bowl, smoothing out top, and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours.
For the cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter an 8" round cake pan with half the butter. Line pan with an 8" disk of parchment paper, butter paper with remaining butter, and set aside. Sift together flour and salt into a small bowl and set aside. Put egg yolks into a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until pale yellow, about 1 minute. Gradually add sugar while continuing to beat; beat until fluffy, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon zest and juice and set aside. Put egg whites into another mixing bowl and beat with clean beaters on medium-high speed until stiff but not dry peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold whites into yolk mixture with a rubber spatula. Fold in flour mixture in two batches, taking care not to deflate batter. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20–25 minutes. Set aside to cool completely, then invert onto a rack, peel off and discard parchment, and set cake aside.
For the meringue: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put egg whites and cream of tartar into a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and gradually add sugar, beating until thick, shiny, stiff but not dry peaks form, about 2 minutes.
Assembly: Put cake onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Invert ice cream onto cake and peel off plastic. Cover ice cream and cake with meringue. Bake until meringue begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Carefully transfer to a cake plate and serve immediately.
Genoise - light sponge cake which can be filled with fresh blackberries, raspberries or strawberries and frosted with buttercream
6 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
6 Tbl. butter, melted and cooled
simple syrup - see below
buttercream - see below
Fresh raspberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. In large bowl mix eggs and sugar. Place egg mixture over a large pan with water over medium heat. Stirring occasionally heat until mixture is lukewarm and sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.
With mixer at high speed, beat egg mixture until thick and lemon-colored and form ribbon when beaters are lifted. In small bowl mix flour and salt. In two additions sift flour mixture over egg mixture and fold in until just blended; fold in vanilla and melted butter.
Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until cake is golden. With knife loosen layers from sides of pans and immediately invert onto wire rack to cool.
Simple Syrup
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 Tbl. brandy or flavored liqueur
In saucepan heat sugar and water over high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. remove from heat and stir in brandy.
Buttercream
2/3 cup milk
4 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
In saucepan heat milk to boiling over medium heat. In another bowl, whisk eggs yolks with sugar until blended. Gradually whisk hot milk into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly just until thickened slightly and coats back of wooden spoon well. Do not boil! Remove pan from heat and strain custard through sieve into clean large bowl. Cool to room temperature. With mixture at medium speed, beat softened butter into custard 1 Tbl. at a time beating until completely smooth after each addition. If mixture begins to appear oily, refrigerate 20 minutes. Beat in vanilla.
Place 1 layer on plate and brush with simple syrup and spread with 1/2 of buttercream. Repeat layering and finally frost sides and top of cake with remaining buttercream. Place fresh raspberries over the top in pretty arrangement.
Raspberry Charlotte - Simply heavenly
Cake:
1 Tbl. butter
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
7 Tbl. cake flour
1 1⁄4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Filling:
9 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
3⁄4 cup sugar
1 package unflavored gelatin
1⁄4 cup pear brandy
2 cups heavy cream
Sauce:
3 Tbl. superfine sugar
2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbl. pear brandy
Cake: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9" springform pan and line bottom with buttered parchment. Whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale yellow. Gradually beat in flour until mixture is smooth. Add vanilla and set aside. Whisk egg whites in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form, then fold whites into yolk mixture taking care not to deflate whites. Pour into pan and bake until brown, 25–30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Filling: Put raspberries, sugar, and 1 cup water into a medium saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until sugar dissolves and berries break down, about 10 minutes. Press through a sieve set over a bowl to catch purée. Return 2 cups purée to pan and set over low heat. Reserve remaining purée for sauce. Sprinkle gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water, set aside until softened, then add to purée in pan, stirring until dissolved, 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat, add pear brandy, and set aside to cool. Whip cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Gently fold cooled purée into cream. Unmold cake and discard parchment. Slice cake in half crosswise, then return cake bottom to pan with ring reattached. Pour in filling, then replace cake top, brown side up. Cover with plastic; refrigerate for 24 hours.
Sauce: Combine reserved berry purée, sugar, lemon juice, and pear brandy in a bowl and stir until sugar has dissolved. Slice cake and serve with sauce.
Banana Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
3 mashed ripe bananas
3 large eggs
1½ cup sugar
½ cup shortening
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour milk (1 cup whole milk + 2 tsp white vinegar, let stand 5 minutes)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup walnuts, chopped and lightly toasted
Sift flour, salt, soda, and baking powder and set aside. Mix bananas, eggs, sugar, shortening and vanilla with hand mixer for about 1 minute. Add sour milk and blend. Slowly add flour mixture. Stir in walnuts. Once it is all combined pour into 9x13 pan and place in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. Bundt pan takes 45 minutes.
Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
½ cup browned butter
1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 Tbl. whole milk
In a saute pan add butter and cook until lightly browned, do not let burn or you will need to start over then let butter cool. Once butter is cooled mix with cream cheese, vanilla and milk. Add powdered sugar to thicken.
Hummingbird Cake (Kentucky Derby recipe) We have always wanted to go the the Kentucky Derby, I think I just want to go to wear a spectacular hat. This is a very good recipe
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 eggs, well beaten
1 1/4 cups salad oil
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup chopped black walnuts
2 cups chopped banana
Frosting2 packages cream cheese (8 oz/each) softened
1 cup butter, room temp.
2 boxes powdered sugar (16 oz/each)
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon together several times. Put into mixing bowl. Add eggs and salad oil. Stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not beat with a mixer. Stir in vanilla, pineapple and both nuts. Finally add the bananas. Spoon the batter into 3 well-greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto cooling rack. Cool completely.
Frosting: Combine softened cream cheese and butter. Cream until smooth. Add powdered sugar, beating with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, stir in vanilla. Frost the tops of all 3 layers and then frost sides. Carefully draw a circle on the top layer with a toothpick and fill in the circle with the chopped pecans.
Loganberry Cake
1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbl. Loganberry Liqueur or Raspberry Liqueur
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ¾ cups sugar
4 (1 oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
4 eggs, room temperature
¾ cup milk
Filling4 ½ (1 oz) squares semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 (1 oz.) square unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup plus 3 Tbl. heavy whipping cream
3 Tbl. seedless raspberry jam
1 Tbl. loganberry liqueur or raspberry liqueur
Preheat oven to 300. Butter a 13 x 9 baking pan. Dust with flour and shake out excess. For the cake; sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Put the liqueur into a 1-cup glass measuring cup and add enough water to equal ½ cup. In the large bowl of electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Gradually pour in the melted chocolate beating until blended, scraping down sides. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well. Add the flour in 3 additions alternating with milk and diluted liqueur, beating after each addition until smooth. Spread batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 50 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cake cool on rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of pan to loosen the cake, place rack over cake and invert onto rack. Let cake cool completely.
Filling:
In top of double boiler over simmering water, melt the semisweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate and 3 Tbl. of cream, stirring frequently until smooth. Pour the chocolate into a bowl and let cool to room temperature, stirring often.
Stir the jam to soften it, then gradually stir in the cooled chocolate mixture. In a chilled bowl of mixer at high, bet the remaining 1 cup of cream to soft peaks. Add the liqueur and beat until stiff peaks form. Stir a few spoonfuls of whipped cream into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remaining cream.
To assemble; with a long serrated knife, cut the cake in half horizontally. Place the bottom layer on a serving plate and spread with filling. Top with remaining cake and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut cake into small squares and dust with powdered sugar.
Rhubarb Pound Cake - Rhubarb is one of my all time favorites
Rhubarb:
2 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup sugar
Batter:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
12 Tbl. unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
For Rhubarb: In a small saucepan, combine rhubarb and sugar. Cover and cook over very low heat until rhubarb is tender. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Drain, discarding liquid. Let cool to room temperature.
For Cake Batter: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together. Beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Whisk eggs and vanilla together and add to butter mixture. On low speed, add flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold in rhubarb. Pour batter into prepared pan. Smooth with a spatula. Bake until cake is browned and a tester comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Turn out cake and let cool right side up on a wire rack.
Bon Appetit
1 (1 oz.) square unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup plus 3 Tbl. heavy whipping cream
3 Tbl. seedless raspberry jam
1 Tbl. loganberry liqueur or raspberry liqueur
Preheat oven to 300. Butter a 13 x 9 baking pan. Dust with flour and shake out excess. For the cake; sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Put the liqueur into a 1-cup glass measuring cup and add enough water to equal ½ cup. In the large bowl of electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Gradually pour in the melted chocolate beating until blended, scraping down sides. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well. Add the flour in 3 additions alternating with milk and diluted liqueur, beating after each addition until smooth. Spread batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 50 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cake cool on rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of pan to loosen the cake, place rack over cake and invert onto rack. Let cake cool completely.
Filling:
In top of double boiler over simmering water, melt the semisweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate and 3 Tbl. of cream, stirring frequently until smooth. Pour the chocolate into a bowl and let cool to room temperature, stirring often.
Stir the jam to soften it, then gradually stir in the cooled chocolate mixture. In a chilled bowl of mixer at high, bet the remaining 1 cup of cream to soft peaks. Add the liqueur and beat until stiff peaks form. Stir a few spoonfuls of whipped cream into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remaining cream.
To assemble; with a long serrated knife, cut the cake in half horizontally. Place the bottom layer on a serving plate and spread with filling. Top with remaining cake and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut cake into small squares and dust with powdered sugar.
Rhubarb Pound Cake - Rhubarb is one of my all time favorites
Rhubarb:
2 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup sugar
Batter:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
12 Tbl. unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
For Rhubarb: In a small saucepan, combine rhubarb and sugar. Cover and cook over very low heat until rhubarb is tender. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Drain, discarding liquid. Let cool to room temperature.
For Cake Batter: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together. Beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Whisk eggs and vanilla together and add to butter mixture. On low speed, add flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold in rhubarb. Pour batter into prepared pan. Smooth with a spatula. Bake until cake is browned and a tester comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Turn out cake and let cool right side up on a wire rack.
Bon Appetit
“Pride goes before destruction”.
Proverbs 16:18
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