by Kathy Douglas | Dec 15, 2020 | Desserts
Celebrate the season with this easy no-bake holiday dessert. Using only five ingredients, it
comes together quickly and taste delicious.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for sprinkling
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Strawberry jam, homemade or high quality
24 Chocolate cups
INSTRUCTIONS
Sift the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa together. With an electric hand mixer, start whipping
the cream. Slowly add the sugar-cocoa mixture. Whip to the consistency of soft whipped
cream, about 4 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of strawberry jam teaspoon to the chocolate cups,
top with the whipped cream and sprinkle with chocolate. Serve immediately.
by Kathy Douglas | Dec 8, 2020 | Desserts, Holiday
Nothing smells better during the holidays then ginger cookies baking in the oven. So, get your
holiday baking going with these delicious rum raisin and candied ginger favorites.
INGREDIENTS
½ cup raisins
½ cup dark rum
2 ¼ cups White Lily flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 ½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp kosher salt
1 cup Dark Muscovado sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup molasses
1 large egg
1-1/2 cups chopped crystallized ginger
turbinado sugar for rolling
INSTRUCTIONS
Place the raisins and rumin a sauce pan on the stove top and over medium heat to a simmer.
Remove from the heat and set aside so the raisins can soak up the rum for about 15 minutes.
Drain off any remaining rum.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger and salt
together. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the dark muscovado sugar, oil and molasses on
medium for about 5 minutes. Add the egg and beat for another minute. Scrape the bowl, beat
again for another minute and turn the mixer to low. Add the dry ingredients slowly, then
increase the speed to medium and mix until everything is well combined about 2 minutes. Stir
in the crystallized ginger and the rum soaked raisins. Place in the refrigerator and chill for 24-36
hours.
Heat the oven to 350˚F. Scoop the dough into a 1-1/2 inch balls and roll in turbinado sugar. Place on the parchment covered baking sheet about 3 inches apart and bake for 13-15 minutes.
Cool on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes and then cool completely on a rack. Store in
an air tight container.
by Kathy Douglas | Dec 1, 2020 | Desserts
Our deep dark chocolate two-bite Peppermint Bark Cookie Cups – Mini-muffin size dark
chocolate & black chocolate crisp cookie cups are filled with melted white chocolate and
topped with a sprinkle of crushed peppermint.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups flour
1/4 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/4 cup black cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup room temperature butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
¼ cup crushed candy cane
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two mini cupcake pans with cooking spray.
Whisk together flour, cocoa powders, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Beat the butter and sugars on med-high until light and fluffy. Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time and vanilla.
Beat until combined. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Scoop about a tablespoon of dough into muffin cups in the pan. Bake for 10-13mins or until set, but still soft in the middle.
Remove from oven and immediately use a small spoon to press firmly down in the center to create a well. Evenly sprinkle the white chocolate into the well in each cup. Place back in the oven for 3 minutes to melt the chocolate. Immediately top with a sprinkle of the crushed candy cane. Cool completely until the chocolate is set.
by Kathy Douglas | Nov 3, 2020 | Desserts
Pumpkin Cheesecake and rich Chocolate Brownie make a delicious combination. Baking these together in a brownie bite pan allows everyone to have that favorite crunchy-edge end piece.
For the brownie
2 eggs
¾ cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks or chips
¾ cup all-purpose flour
For the pumpkin layer
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Orange Food Coloring*
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 12 square brownie bite pans.
To make the brownie – In a large bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, and vanilla. Beat for about 4 minutes.
Melt the butter with the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the sugar dissolves and becomes shiny. Add the sugar/butter mixture to the cocoa mixture and mix well. Fold in the flour and semisweet chocolate and mix until evenly combined. Add the batter evenly into the prepared brownie bite pans.
To make the pumpkin – mix all the ingredients together and whisk until thoroughly combined. *If desired, add a drop or two of orange food coloring and mix to an orange color.
Spoon the pumpkin mixture over the brownie layer. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center has a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Let cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a cooling rack.
by Kathy Douglas | Oct 26, 2020 | Desserts, Holiday
A delicious combination of sweet, salty, nutty, and crunchy in one easy to make treat. These seasonal popcorn balls are a perfect snack for celebrating Halloween.
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, plus more for buttering hands
1 package miniature marshmallows (10 ounces)
¼ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
12 cups popped popcorn, we use Skinny Pop Popcorn
½ cup candy corn
½ cup salted roasted cashews
½ cup Halloween caviar sprinkles, spread out on a plate
Melt the butter in a large heavy pot over low heat. Add marshmallows and brown sugar and stir until completely melted and combined. Add the popcorn, candy corn, and cashews into a large bowl, mix well. Remove the marshmallow mixture from the heat and pour over the popcorn mixture and toss well to combine. With buttered hands, shape into 2 ½ inch balls and then immediately roll in Halloween caviar sprinkles. Set on parchment lined baking sheet to dry slightly, then serve.
by Kathy Douglas | Sep 21, 2020 | Desserts
This easy fall Apple Tart uses only five ingredients and is as pretty as it is delicious. Thinly sliced apple halves arranged over tasty caramel are then topped with cinnamon sugar in crunch puff pastry tart shell.
INGREDIENTS
One Sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
¼ cup homemade caramel sauce, or high-quality store purchased
4 large apples Granny Smith, peeled, cored, halved, and sliced very thinly sliced
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
For serving:
Freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat to 400°F. Roll the puff party to 12”x12” inch square. Transfer to a 10” square tart pan and gently ease into the pan and up the sides to make a pastry shell. Trim off any extra pastry. Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Remove from the refrigerator and pour the caramel into the pastry shell. Spread evenly across the bottom of the pan. Peel the apples, slice in half and remove the seeds with a melon baller. Thinly slice the apple keeping together in haves. Arrange apple slices in the caramel in halves, separating the slices slightly when set. Combine the sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle evenly over the slices.
Place in the oven and bake the tart until the crust and edges of the apples are golden brown, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Cut into pieces and serve topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
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