by Kathy Douglas | Jul 1, 2019 | Desserts
The ice cream sandwich for celebrating – filled with a confetti-style sprinkle-loaded vanilla ice cream that’s sandwiched between two delicious chocolate brownie layers. It’s the perfect treat for celebrating our country’s birthday.
You can find the 13-ounce jarred sprinkles at Williams Sonoma. Please note this recipe takes two-three days to make before serving. You will need to freeze the cookie exterior overnight to prevent the ice cream from melting during assembly and freeze the ice cream. The second night you need to freeze to set the ice cream sandwich to cut the next day.
INGREDIENTS
To make the cookie exterior
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus more for the pan
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
To make the Ice cream
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
⅔ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 13-ounce jar Williams Sonoma Chocolate Dessert Sprinkle Mix
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 350˚F. Butter two 9 by 13-inch baking sheets and line them with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar mixing until creamy. One at a time, add the eggs and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla and combine. Add the flour mixture in three equal batches and beat until well combined. The batter should be thick and slightly sticky.
Divide the batter evenly in each pan, smooth to a thin even layer, and leave a small border of parchment paper around the edge of the pan. Place in the oven and bake until cake is set, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the pans to cooling racks. When completely cooled place the pans in the freezer and freeze overnight.
Make the ice cream:
Fill a very large mixing bowl with ice and add a smaller metal bowl into the center.
Combine the milk and cream in a medium saucepan, cooking over medium-low heat until small bubbles form around the edge of the pan. Meanwhile in a medium bowl, add the egg yolks and sugar whisking until the yolks become pale yellow.
Slowly whisk in the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture. Start by adding small amounts to temper the eggs. When mixed together, pour back into the pot and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard lightly coats the back of the spoon, about 10 minutes.
Strain the custard through a sieve into the bowl that is in the center of the ice. Stir occasionally to cool. When cooled add the vanilla and whisk in then refrigerate overnight.
The next day churn the ice cream. When the ice cream is almost done add 1-1/2 cups of the sprinkle and finished churning to start the assembly.
Assembly
Remove the cookie exteriors from the freezer. Add the ice cream evenly over the top of one of the cookies remaining in the pan. Using an offset spatula to spread the ice cream into an even layer. Place the remaining piece of cookie on the ice cream with the top facing down, and the flat side up, to make a large ice cream sandwich. Gently press together. Still in the pan, immediately wrap it well in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 8 hours or overnight.
Add ½ cup of sprinkles to a flat dish. Remove the large ice cream sandwich from the freezer and take off the plastic wrap and parchment. Place on a cutting board and trim about ¼ inch off of each edge and then cut into 12 smaller sandwiches. Dip the edges of each side in the sprinkles and then wrap each sandwich well in plastic wrap and freeze until firm for 2-4 hours until ready to serve. Makes 12 ice cream sandwiches.
by Kathy Douglas | Jun 24, 2019 | Desserts
Sour cherries and almonds harmonize perfectly for dessert. We cooked tart cherries in a sweet sauce and added orange and cinnamon to make delicious cold sour cherry soup shooters. Topped with a crème fraîche and cream sauce, we served them with crisp almond flavored macaroon cookies topped with almond slivers.
Sour Cherry Soup Shooters
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 cups fresh sour cherries, pitted
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup crème fraîche
2 tablespoons cream
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat then add fresh cherries and sugar then simmer, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Continue to simmer until cherries are tender but not falling apart, about 8 minutes. Whisk together 2 tablespoons water and cornstarch to form a thick paste, then stir into simmering cherries and boil, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.
Place the cherries in a blender with all their juices. Add the cinnamon and orange juice. Blend until creamy. Taste, and adjust the thickness with orange juice if needed. Chill until ready to serve. When ready to serve add to six shooter glasses.
Almond Macaroons
INGREDIENTS
10 ounces almond paste
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
Pinch of coarse salt
2 large egg whites
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup sliced almonds
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 300˚F. Place parchment paper on two baking sheets and set aside.
In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, put the almond paste, sugar, and salt. Mix on medium speed until crumbly, about 3 minutes. Add the egg white and vanilla. Mix until smooth and thickened, about 3 minutes.
Add the batter to a large pastry bag fitted with a round tip and pipe onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Place almond slices on top of each cookie. Bake until cookies are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack and serve with the soup shooters. Makes 6 servings.
by Kathy Douglas | Jun 10, 2019 | Desserts
Our favorite summer dessert with a spicy ginger twist. This biscuit version is surprisingly simple to make – sweet and crunchy then topped with sweetened macerated berries and freshly whipped cream.
Strawberries With Ginger Shortcakes
INSTRUCTIONS
1 quart farm fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons mint simple syrup or sugar
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for dusting
⅓ cup sugar
2 teaspoons freshly ground dried ginger
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
1 cup cold buttermilk
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cream
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon sour cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
INGREDIENTS
Slice the larger berries into quarters or halves, keeping the smaller ones whole, and place in a large bowl. Gently toss with the mint syrup or sugar; set aside.
Preheat oven to 425˚F. In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, ginger, baking powder, and salt; process until mixture is combined. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the processor running add the buttermilk; then pulse just until moistened, 4 or 5 times. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface; with floured hands, gently pat dough into a circle. Cut as many as possible with a round large biscuit cutter, then pat the remaining dough together and continue cutting until you have used all the dough. Transfer the rounds to a parchment lined baking sheet; brush the tops with the 2 tablespoons of cream and sprinkle the tops with the turbinado sugar. Place in the oven and bake until golden, 25 to 30 minutes; cool on baking sheet.
Whisk the whipped cream with the sour cream. Add the powdered sugar and the vanilla. Whip until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To serve, split biscuits with a serrated knife. Top with the berries and fresh whipped cream. Makes 8-10 servings.
by Kathy Douglas | May 7, 2019 | Desserts
This elegant and easy Strawberry Cake has a soft and moist crumb bursting with fresh strawberry flavor in a pool of strawberry. It’s the perfect gift for Mom.
Strawberry cake
INGREDIENTS:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
1 extra large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound strawberries, stems removed, cut in halves
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line an 8” square baking pan with one large parchment sheet in the bottom and up two sides. Butter and flour the pan and parchment.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Add butter and 1 cup sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla to a small bowl and whisk together. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the egg/buttermilk mixture. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Transfer the batter to the ban. Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut sides down and as close together as possible. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the berries.
Place the cake in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake until cake is golden brown about 45-50 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes. Using the parchment remove the cake and place on a wire rack. Cool completely.
Strawberry Sauce
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound strawberries
½ cup simple syrup
INSTRUCTIONS:
Add the strawberries and simple syrup to a high-speed blender. Process until smooth.
Assemble
INGREDIENTS:
Whipped Cream
INSTRUCTIONS:
Add sauce to cover the bottom of the bowl. Cut the cake into 16 pieces. Add one piece of cake over the sauce and whipped cream on the side.
by Kathy Douglas | Apr 15, 2019 | Desserts, Holiday
Greet spring in a cheerful manner at any holiday celebration with these cute birds’ nest lemon cheesecake trifles. Using a no-bake recipe, the lemon cheesecake is a yummy whipped mixture of lemon curd and mascarpone. The “nest” is made with thinly slice phyllo dough, topped with cinnamon/sugar and the base is shortbread crumbles. If you need to cut some time, you can always use high-quality store-purchased shortbread cookies.
Phyllo Dough Nest
INGREDIENTS:
6 sheets of phyllo dough
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet tray. Cut 6 sheets of phyllo dough in half to make 12 shorter sheets. Roll together tightly and very thinly slice into long thin pieces then transfer to a baking sheet carefully separating the layers. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle with butter, then with cinnamon sugar. Bake until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
Shortbread Crumbs
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for the pan
½ cup plus two tablespoons granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon vanilla
6 glass serving cups
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter an 8×8” pan. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes. Fold in flour and vanilla and blend until a soft dough forms. Press into the 8” x 8” pan and bake until light brown, about 40 minutes; remove and cool completely. Crumble then divide equally among the cups and press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the cups.
Lemon Cream Cheese Layers
INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
¾ cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
2½ cups cold heavy cream
1 cup homemade or store-bought lemon curd
Candy bird eggs
INSTRUCTIONS:
Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat mascarpone, powdered sugar, and lemon zest in a large bowl until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the cream. When combined, increase the speed to medium and beat until medium peaks form. Transfer half of mascarpone mixture to another bowl. Add the lemon curd to the remaining half and beat in until combined.
Dividing the mixtures evenly, layer the lemon curd mixture over the shortbread crumbs in each cup followed by the plain mascarpone /cream mixture. Smooth the top, cover, and refrigerate for at least two hours and up until 24.
When ready to serve, form a nest in the top of each cup using the shorter pieces of cinnamon phyllo in the center and longer on the outside. Add the candy eggs into the center of the nest and serve immediately.
by Kathy Douglas | Apr 8, 2019 | Desserts
Rhubarb is back and we couldn’t be happier. This upside down cake has cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger tossed together with rhubarb before baking under a tasty lemon cake. Serve warm and topped with fresh whipped cream for a sweet spring dessert.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound fresh rhubarb stalks, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ½ cups granulated sugar, divided
2 teaspoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ cup butter, plus more for the pan, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan, divided
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Whipped cream for serving
INSTRUCTIONS:
Line a 9-inch springform pan base with parchment. Butter and flour the pan sides and the parchment. Combine the rhubarb, ½ cup granulated sugar, ginger, cinnamon, and cornstarch in a bowl. Toss to coat; set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.
Whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the remaining ½ cup butter, lemon zest, and the granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing just until incorporated then add the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in 3 batches, mixing at low speed after each addition until just combined.
Arrange coated rhubarb pieces in a single layer on the buttered parchment in pan, sprinkle over any excess sugar from bowl. Pour the batter into pan then smooth with a spatula. Gently drop the pan on the counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350°F until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Rest for fifteen minutes then remove the ring from the springform pan. Immediately place a cooling rack on the top of the cake and flip over. Place the cooling rack over foil to collect any dripping sugar syrup. Cool completely and serve warm with whipped cream.
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