Italian Chestnut Jam Cake
Ingredients & Directions 1 lb Cake; sliced horizontally Into 3 equal layers === SYRUP === Rind of one lemon; grated 1 ts Vanilla 1/2 c Brandy 1/2 c Sugar 2 c Sweet Chestnut Puree; see * -Note === BUTTER-CREAM FROSTING -=== 1/2 lb Butter 2 1/2 c Powdered or confectioners’ -sugar 1 ts Vanilla 1 Egg white === GARNISH === 1 c Sliced almonds; toasted 2 Milk-chocolate bars * Note: See the “Sweet Chestnut Puree” recipe which is included in this collection. Mix together the ingredients for the syrup and heat for a moment on the stove or in the microwave. Dribble this mixture on all 3 slices of cake. Spread the chestnut puree on 2 of the slices and place on top of each other, the bare slice going on top. Mix all the ingredients for the icing with an electric mixer. Whip until light and smooth. Ice the cake and top with the toasted almonds. Melt the chocolate bars in a glass measuring cup in the microwave. Then stir in enough very hot water to make a very thick syrup. Dribble this over the top of the cake and allow to cool. This cake serves 8 to 10. Comments: This is a very dramatic presentation, though I have taken some gross liberties with this recipe. The older versions are just too complex to bother with and this one is both simple and delicious. Yields 8 servings
Cocoa Brownie Cookie Bars
Ingredients & Directions 4 Egg whites 1 1/3 c Sugar 1/3 c Oil 1/2 c Cocoa powder 1/4 c Nonfat yogurt 1 1/4 c Flour 1 ts Vanilla 1/4 ts Salt TOPPING 1 tb Confectioners sugar Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil bottom of 9-inch square pan. Place egg whites in a large bowl. Beat until slightly frothy. Add oil, yogurt and vanilla, mix well. Add sugar and cocoa, mix well. Add flour and salt. Mix until blended. Pour into pan. Bake at 360 degrees for 26-28 minutes. Avoid over baking. Dust with confectioners sugar. Yields 2 dozen
Pesto French Bread Pizza
Ingredients & Directions 1 lb Loaf of French Bread Pesto Sauce Black Olives Mozzarella Cheese Fresh Parmesan, grated Fresh Roma tomatoes, sliced Slice French bread in half lengthwise (ie. 2 halves for a 1 lb loaf or 4 “halves” for 2 1/2 lb loaves). Spread cut sides of bread with pesto (about 1 cup). Top with black olives and slices of roma tomatoes. Top generously with mozzarella cheese and 1/4 to 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Bake in oven until cheese is bubbly. Serve as appetizers or as a main meal. Slice as desired. From Yields 1 Servings
Grandmother Sophie's Butter Cookies
Ingredients & Directions 3 Sticks soft unsalted butter 1/4 ts Salt 1 c Sugar 3 lg Egg yolks 1 ts Vanilla extract 1/4 ts Almond extract 3 1/4 c Unbleached all-purpose flour -(up to 3-1/2) 1. Preheat oven to 350. Have ready 3 ungreased baking sheets. The baking sheets can be lined with regular weight aluminum foil or parchment paper for easier clean-up. 2. Put the butter & salt in a large mixing bowl & mix with an electric mixer on low speed for 15 sec.. Add the sugar & beat on medium speed for 1 min. till smooth. Stop the mixer & scrape the sides of the bowl once during the mixing. Mix in the egg yolks, vanilla, & almond extract till the egg yolks are incorporated. Stop the mixer & scrape the sides of the bowl again. On low speed, add 3 1/4 cups of the flour & mix just until the flour is incorporated completely. The dough should feel soft & smooth but not sticky. Add up to 1.4 cup more flour if necessary to achieve a soft dough. 3. To form a cookie, roll 1 Tblsp. of dough between the palms of your hands into a 1-in. ball, & flatten the ball into a 1 3/4-in. circle. Place cookies 1 in. apart on the baking sheets. Set aside 1 baking sheet of cookies at room temp. & bake the other 2 sheets about 18 min. until the edges & bottoms of the cookies are light brown. Reverse the baking sheets after 9 min. from to back & top to bottom to ensure the cookies back evenly. Bake the remaining sheet of cookies on the middle rack of the oven, reversing the baking sheet after 9 min. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 min. Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Variation: Before baking , place a chocolate chip in the center of each cookie. Good Advice: Bake the cookies just until the edges are light brown. This cooks the butter enough to give the cookies their buttery taste. Pale butter cookies will have little flavor. You will need three baking sheets, then the remaining sheet. Even if your oven has tree racks, 3 sheets of cookies won’t bake properly. Doubling the recipe: This is a large recipe, so it is easier to mix separate batches of dough. To Freeze: Place the bottoms of 2 cookies together & wrap them in plastic wrap. Put the wrapped cookies in a metal or plastic freezer container & cover tightly. Freeze up to 3 months. To Serve: Remove as many cookies from the freezer as needed. Unwrap the cookies & place them on a plate. Cover with plastic wrap & defrost at room temp. Serve within 3 days. Yields 54 Cookies
Fresh Orange Cake
Ingredients & Directions 1 lg Navel Orange 1 c Flour 3/4 c Butter 1/4 c Cornstarch 4 Eggs 1/4 t Salt 1 c Sugar 1/4 c Powdered sugar If using thick-skinned orange, remove peel with paring knife and then remove zest from white part of pith. Cut zest and orange into 6 to 8 pieces, place in food processor and process until orange is pulpy and zest is in fine bits. Set aside. Melt butter in small pan over low heat. Set aside to cool. Beat eggs with electric mixer until blended and foamy. Continue beating and slowly add sugar. Beat until thick and light colored, about 5 minutes. Add flour, cornstarch and salt. Mix on lowest speed 1 to 2 seconds. Remove bowl from mixer. Gently fold dry ingredients thoroughly into batter using spatula. Gently fold orange and melted butter into batter. Gently pour batter into greased & floured 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees until wood pick comes out clean when inserted in center of cake, 75 to 80 minutes. If top starts to become too brown, place foil loosely over top. When done, remove from oven. Let stand 5 minutes, then turn out onto rack. Dust top with powdered sugar. Per serving: 376 cal; 5 g pro; 45 g carb; 20 g fat; 153 mg chol; 282 mg sod. Yields 8 servings
Old-fashioned Chocolate Bread Pudding
Ingredients & Directions 2 oz Unsweetened chocolate 1 qt Milk; scalded 2 c Bread crumbs; * see note 1/3 c Sugar 1/4 c Butter; melted 2 lg Eggs; slightly beaten 1/4 ts Salt 1 ts Vanilla extract * It is best to use crumbs from homemade bread. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 1 1/2 or 2 quart baking dish. Break the chocolate into bits and melt in the scalded milk, stirring until smooth. Add the bread crumbs and set aside to cool. When lukewarm, add remaining ingredients. Mix well, pour into prepared dish and bake for about 50 minutes or until set. Soft as a pillow with a full, light, chocolate-pudding taste. Serve this with real whipped cream, not the artificial whipped cream. From Fannie Farmer cookbook– Yields 8 servings
Waldorf Cake
Ingredients & Directions 1/2 c Butter or oleo 2 c Flour 2 c Sugar 3 Eggs, beaten separately 2 oz Baking chocolate 1 1/2 c Sweet milk 1/2 ts Salt 2 ts Baking powder 1 c Nuts 1 ts Vanilla Cream butter and sugar. Add melted chocolate, egg yolks and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients and add. Beat egg whites and fold in. Bake at 350 in two layers. ICING: Mix together: 1 pound powdered sugar 2 oz. melted chocolate – baking 1/4 pound oleo 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. lemon juice Yields 1 cake
