COMPANY'S COMING DESSERT

Here is a little dressed to impress dessert that will have your guests talking. We all like to entertain. But with the unusually hot weather we are having this summer, we want to prepare something that is quick, easy and special. This would be a perfect choice. It is a grown-up dessert because the ladyfingers are soaked in Moscato d'Asti wine which is sweet and fruity. I hope you will give this a try for your next dinner party. Your guests will love you for it.

3 peaches, pitted and cut into 8 pieces
2 apricots, pitted and cut into 8 pieces
1 pound raspberries, halved
l lemon
2 T. granulated sugar
2 cups heavy cream
2 T. confectioners' sugar
24 ladyfingers
1/4 c. Moscato d'Asti wine

Place fruits in a bowl and add juice and zest from the lemon. Add the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Toss together and let sit for 10 minutes. Whip cream until thickened; add the 2 tablespoons confectioners's sugar and whip until soft peaks form.

Place the wine in a shallow bowl. For each serving, dip three lady fingers into the wine and arrange them in a single layer at the bottom of the serving bowl. Place a heaping tablespoon of fruit on top of the ladyfingers, followed by a heaping tablespoon of whipped cream. Repeat the procedure with the ladyfingers, the fruit mixture and the whipped cream. Top each bowl with a little more fruit. Cover each serving with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until serving.

BLACKBERRY FRUIT FOOL

This little gem is no fool. It is a simple and delicious English dessert, rich and creamy. With a mixture of slightly sweetened pureed fruit, whipped cream and a little flavoring, how can you resist. And it is perfect for summertime with the berries in abundance. Raspberries would be good too. This recipe comes from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food, July/August 2008. I also garnished with some white chocolate curls, because as you know, I love chocolate.

2 C. blackberries, plus more for garnish
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 c. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
white chocolate curls, optional

In a blender, combine berries, sugar and lemon juice; blend until smooth. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing with a rubber spatula to push through. Discard seeds, transfer 1/2 cup berry puree to a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate; reserve for topping.

In a large bowl, combine cream and vanilla; whip until stiff peaks form. Gently fold remaining berry puree into cream. Spoon mixture into cups. Cover loosely and refrigerate 1 hour (or up to overnight). To serve, drizzle fools with reserved berry puree, and garnish with blackberries and white chocolate curls, optional.

LUSCIOUS LEMON CHIFFON PIE

Chiffon Pies were popular under the name of Sissy Pies in the early 1900's. They were also called Fairy Tarts or Fluff, Sponge or Souffle pies. Whatever you call them, they are delicious. A chiffon pie will be light in texture due to either having whipped cream folded into it or by a meringue of egg whites folded in. I have used whipped cream instead of egg whites because of the safety concerns of raw eggs. You may garnish with additional whipped cream, but it really is not necessary. This is a perfect summer pie that I hope you will enjoy.

9-inch graham cracker crust, baked and cooled
1/4 c. cold water
4 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1 c. granulated sugar, divided
1/8 tsp. salt
1 T. freshly grated lemon peel
1/2 c. lemon juice
4 egg yolks
3/4 c. heavy whipping cream, whipped with remaining 1/2 c. sugar

Put the cold water in a saucepan. Sprinkle with gelatin and allow to sit for 3 minutes. Add 1/2 c. sugar, salt, lemon peel, lemon juice and egg yolks. Whisk to blend well. Cook over medium heat, stirrng constantly, until the gelatin dissolves. Do not allow to boil. Remove from the heat. Refrigerate for 45 minutes or until filling mounds when dropped from a spoon. Fold in the whipped cream and spoon filling into prepared crust. Refrigerate until set.

ZUCCHINI MUFFINS

Got Zucchini? Whether you have a little backyard garden or just a few planters, cooks with home gardens can enjoy the taste of fresh picked zucchini. They are also available in many local supermarkets year round. Whether from your garden or supermarket choose smaller ones with bright colored, blemish-free skins. Refrigerate in plastic bags for no more than 5 days. These yummy muffins are an excellent way to use up your garden overload of zucchini.

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 lg. eggs
1/2 c. canola or vegetable oil
2 c. finely shredded, unpeeled zucchini
1 c. chopped walnuts, optional


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

In a large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Combine the eggs and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts (if using). Fill muffin cups 3/4 full with batter. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Yields 12 muffins.

MOLTEN CHOCOLATE CAKES

As you can see from my last two posts, I am craving chocolate. Soo, here is another great little chocolate dessert for a special occasion or just because. Molten cakes have a rich chocolate flavor with a pudding like center that is dense and moist. This recipe was adapted from Williams-Sonoma Collection Series, Dessert, by Abigail Johnson Dodge (Simon & Schuster 2002). A double boiler cooks foods gently on the stovetop, but a makeshift one is easy to assemble. Choose a saucepan and a heatproof bowl that rests securely in the top. Fill the saucepan with water to a depth of 1 to 2 inches. Once the bowl is placed atop the pan, the water must not touch it. Remember that boiling water bubbles up, so check the water level before setting the bowl in place. Bring the water to a boil, set the bowl in place, and reduce the heat so the water simmers gently.

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
4 T. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
4 egg yolks
6 T. sugar, divided
2 T. Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted
1 tsp. finely grated orange zest (optional)
3 egg whites, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly butter six 3/4-cup ramekins and dust with cocoa powder. Set the ramekins on a small baking sheet.

In the top pan of a double boiler, combine the chocolate and 4 T. butter. Set the pan over but not touching barely simmering water in the bottom pan and melt the chocolate and butter, then whisk until the mixture is glossy and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks, 3 T. of the sugar, the cocoa powder and the orange zest on medium-high speed until thick. Spoon the chocolate mixture into the yolk mixture and beat until well blended. The mixture will be very thick.

In a bowl, using clean, beaters, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they are very foamy and thick. Sprinkle in the remaining 3 T. sugar and increase the speed to high. Continue beating until firm, glossy peaks form. Spoon half of the beaten whites onto the chocolate mixture and whisk in until just blended. Add the remaining whites and stir gently until just blended. Spoon into the prepared ramekins, dividing evenly.

Bake the cakes until they are puffed and the tops are cracked, about 13 minutes. The inside of the cracks will look very wet. Remove from the oven and serve immediately in the ramekins. Or run the tip of a small knife around the inside of each ramekin to loosen the cake, then invert the cakes onto individual plates. Serve with whipped cream, clotted cream, creme fraiche, or vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce.

Variation: If you would like your cakes to have crunchy bottoms and sides, dust the buttered ramekins with superfine sugar instead of with cocoa powder.

BLACK AND WHITE COOKIES

I was thinking about my days growing up in New York and these wonderful cookies immediately came to mind. If you have never had a black and white cookie, you are in for a treat. All the bakeries in New York carry them and I especially remember the ones from Zabars. They were big fat cookies. And of course, everyone has a different way of eating the cookie. Should you eat the chocolate side first? Or the vanilla? Nibble a little bit of both? The possibilities are endless. So for those of us that are not living in New York, this is a great recipe to try. I bet you can't guess how I eat these cookies. I will give you a little hint, I LOVE chocolate.

Cookie
1 c. cake flour
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
½ c. (1 stick) butter, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 lg. egg, room temperature
½ c. buttermilk

Chocolate Glaze
4 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
¼ c. heavy whipping cream
1 T. light corn syrup

White Glaze
1 c. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3 T. heavy cream
1 tsp. light corn syrup
½ tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Have ready baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar, vanilla extract and lemon extract with mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined. Using a ¼ cup ice cream scoop or measure cup, scoop 14 mounds of dough onto prepared sheets, spacing them 3-inches apart. Moisten the palm of your hand and pat the mounds into 2 ½-inch disks. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 14-17 or just until they begin to turn lightly golden. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Chocolate Glaze: In small saucepan, melt the chocolate, cream and corn syrup over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Let cool about 30 minutes. White Glaze: In small bowl, whisk the confectioners’ sugar, cream, corn syrup and vanilla extract until smooth. Add a little more cream, if necessary. When the cookies are completely cool, turn them upside down, brush off any excess crumbs, and using a small offset spatula or butter knife, spread half of the flat side with the vanilla glaze. Let set for 10 minutes. Use spatula or butter knife to spread chocolate glaze on bare half of cookie. Allow to set. Store in airtight container. Makes 14 cookies.

CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM CUPCAKES

Cupcakes are all about having your own little cake just for yourself. There are many cupcake flavors but chocolate and vanilla are still the most popular. This chocolate cupcake recipe is a favorite of mine. It has a great chocolate flavor and the addition of the sour cream makes it very moist. Frost with your favorite frosting. And if you need a larger cake, it can be made in cake pans. Either way, I think you are going to enjoy them.

1/2 c. butter, cubed

4 (1 oz.) squares, unsweetened chocolate

1 c. water

2 c. all-purpose flour

2 c. granulated sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. sour cream, room temp

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 lg. beaten eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin cups with paper liners.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate with the butter and water. In large mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugar and salt. Add melted chocolate mixture to flour mixture and beat with mixer on low speed just until combined. Add sour cream, vanilla, baking soda and eggs and mix well for 2 minutes with mixer on medium speed. Fill muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Frost with your favorite frosting.

VARIATION: Spray 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with nonstick baking spray containing flour. Divide batter between pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and unmold cake to cake rack to cool completely.

BLUEBERRY CRUMB PIE

Sweet, juicy, blueberries. I just love them. And at this time of the year, this pie comes to mind. Not only is this pie delicious, but as you know, blueberries are good for you. So, I hope you give this a try. The filling is yummy and the topping is oh-so-good. Enjoy!

1 9-inch unbaked pie crust

FILLING
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 T. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 T. lemon juice
5 c. fresh blueberries

TOPPING
2/3 c. packed light brown sugar
3/4 c. quick cooking oats
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
6 T. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Press pie crust into 9-inch pie plate. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cornstarch and cinnamon. Mix in blueberries. Add lemon juice and fold gently to combine. Pour into pie crust.
Topping: In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, oats, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix in melted butter with fork (or hands) until crumbly. Spread evenly over the pie filling. Bake for 60 minutes or until top is browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.

STRAWBERRY STREUSEL BARS

Bar cookies are easy and fun to make. And these are no exception. The buttery base, strawberry filling and streusel topping are sure to be a crowd pleasure. Experiment with other preserves too. I hope this recipe will become one of your go-to favorites. Enjoy!

Base
1 c. (2 sticks) butter softened
1 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 lg. egg
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 (10 oz.) jar strawberry preserves

Streusel
1 c. all-purpose flour
¼ c. cold butter
¼ c. granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan. In large mixing bowl, cream the butter, 1 cup granulated sugar and the vanilla extract on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture until well blended. Press into prepared pan. Heat the strawberry preserves until melted. Spread over the base to within ½-inch of edges. Struesel: Combine streusel ingedients til crumbly using a pastry blender or two forks. Sprinkle evenly over the preserves. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until top is golden brown. Remove to wire rack to cool completely. Cut into bars. Store in airtight container. Makes about 24 bars.

PEANUT BLOSSOM COOKIES

This recipe is one of those classics that will continue to be popular as long as there are peanut butter lovers. I know I told you I love chocolate, but guess what, I love, love peanut butter too! I believe a woman submitted a recipe for Peanut Blossoms back in the late 1950's and won the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest.

These cookies aren't just for your holiday trays. Serve them all year round. Too Yummy.

1 bag (8 oz.) Chocolate Kisses
1/2 c. butter flavored shortening
3/4 c. creamy peanut butter
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/3 c. packed light brown sugar
1 lg. egg
2 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
additional granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove wrappers from chocolate. In large mixing bowl, beat the shortening and peanut butter with mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add the 1/3 c. granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add the egg, milk and vanilla until well mixed. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Reduce the mixer speed and gradually add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheets spacing 2 inches apart. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie until you see the cookie slightly crack. This way kiss will stand upright. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Makes about 4 dz. cookies.

FRESH PEACH POUND CAKE

While in the produce department at my local supermarket, I noticed how delicious the peaches looked. Here in Georgia our peaches are so juicy and mouthwatering when they are in season. With this pound cake recipe, the peaches are the star of the show. If you like, you can make a vanilla or caramel glaze. But I just prefer a dusting of confectioner's sugar and serve it with peach ice cream. Very yummy!

3 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 2/3 c. granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. rum extract

6 lg. eggs, room temp

1/2 c. sour cream

1 (3 oz.) pkg. peach flavored gelatin

2 c. chopped and peeled fresh peaches

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt or spray with nonstick baking spray containing flour. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Sift again. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar, vanilla extract and rum extract on medium speed for 10 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the sour cream and gelatin. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the sour cream mixture and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just enough to blend the batter after each addition. Gently fold in the peaches. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 70-90 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the cake is browning too quickly, cover the top with aluminum foil. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove the pan and place the cake on a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Serve with peach ice cream. Serves 16.

CARROT LOAF

Oh these lazy, hazy days of summer. I just realized that it has been awhile since I posted a recipe. This recipe is from my baking cookbook and it makes a wonderful, moist loaf. You can add pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts. The cream cheese topping can be spread over the loaves or served on the side. I love loaf cakes because they are perfect when a large cake is just too much. This recipe makes two 8x4 loaves, so you can freeze one of them for later use. Just remember to freeze unfrosted and when thawed and ready to use, make the cream cheese topping.

Loaf
2 ½ c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup chopped walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts
¾ c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 lg. eggs, lightly beaten
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. packed light brown sugar
3 c. grated carrots

Cream Cheese Topping
1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 (8x4 loaf pans) with nonstick baking spray containing flour.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Stir in walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts. Set aside.
In large mixing bowl, combine the oil, buttermilk, vanilla extract, eggs and sugars on medium speed until well blended. Reduce mixer speed to low and add flour mixture to egg mixture. Mix just until combined. Fold in the carrots.
Spoon batter into prepared pans and spread evenly. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove the pans and place the loaves, top side up, onto a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with the cream cheese topping. Each loaf serves 8.
Cream Cheese topping: Beat cream cheese and flour. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

COCONUT BUTTERSCOTCH COOKIES

Coconut cookies made even more delicious with the addition of butterscotch chips. I think you will agree. This is another old-fashioned go-to recipe when you are craving a simple, down home cookie, that is oh-so-good. Be sure to share with your kids too!

1 ¾ c. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ c. (1 stick) butter, softened
1 c. packed light brown sugar
3 T. granulated sugar
1 T. vanilla extract
1 lg. egg
1 ½ c. sweetened shredded coconut
1 ½ c. butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugars and vanilla extract with mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and blend well. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture. Mix jut until blended. Fold in the coconut and butterscotch chips. Using a 2 tablespoon measure, drop dough on cookie sheets, spacing them about 3-inches apart. Gently press down on cookies with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2-inch circle. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight container. Makes about 24 cookies.

LEMON DELIGHT POUND CAKE

If you are a lemon lover like I am, you will enjoy this pound cake. It is from my Sweet Kathleen's Cookbook and it is rich, dense and moist. The glaze is lemon white chocolate and is so yummy. So pucker up, and if the weather cools down a bit, please be sure to give it a try. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Cake
3 c. all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 2/3 c. granulated sugar
4 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 T. grated lemon peel
6 lg. eggs, room temperature
1 c. sour cream
2 T. heavy cream

White Chocolate Lemon Glaze
¼ c. milk
5 T. butter
½ c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 c. white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt or 10-inch tube baking pan or spray with nonstick baking spray containing flour. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Sift again. Set aside.
In large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for 10 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the lemon juice, lemon extract and lemon peel. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the sour cream and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just enough to blend the batter after each addition. Stir in the heavy cream.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 65-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Remove from the pan and place the cake on a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Pour glaze over cooled cake. Serves 16.
Prepare glaze: In saucepan bring milk, butter, and sugar to boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and whisk in the lemon extract and the chips until the chips are melted. Strain mixture through mesh strainer and cool about 3 minutes before using.