Nadia's Fondant Icing

10 1/2 oz bag marshmallows
1 lb 4 oz sifted powder sugar
ivory food coloring
corn flour for dusting
1 TBS water

1. Place marshmallows and water and a little food coloring into a microwave-safe bowl.
Heat in short bursts on a medium heat in microwave, stirring each time until marshmallows are melted.

2. Stir in powdered sugar and mix to form a rough paste.

3. Grease your hands and work surface with Crisco. Knead until paste is smooth. Shape into a circle and wrap with cling wrap.

4. Dust a clean surface and rolling pin with corn flour and roll out dough large enough to cover the cake with some excess.

5. Lift the fondant onto the cake and smooth the top using a fondant smoother or hands, making sure you push out any bubbles. You can rub out creases with a little corn flour.  Trim off any excess icing from bottom.

Almond Puff Loaf

 

First Layer

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter*, cut into pats or 1/2-inch cubes

·         1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

·         1/4 cup water

·         *If you're using unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Second Layer

·         1 cup water

·         1/2 cup (1 stick) butter*

·         1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

·         3 large eggs, at room temperature; warm them, in the shell, in hot tap water for 10 minutes if they're cold from the fridge

·         1 teaspoon almond extract

·         *If you're using unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Topping

·         2/3 cup jam or preserves

·         1/2 to 2/3 cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted in a 350°F oven for about 7 to 10 minutes, or until they're a light, golden brown

Icing

·         1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

·         1 teaspoonvanilla

·         4 teaspoons milk or water (approximately)

First Layer

·4 ounces (1 stick) butter*, cut into pats or 1/2-inch cubes

·4 1/2 ounces King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

·2 ounces water

·*If you're using unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Second Layer

·8 ounces water

Directions

1.   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) a large cookie sheet.

2.   First layer: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the butter, flour, and salt (if you're using it), working the butter into the flour with a pastry blender or fork, your fingers, or a mixer. Mix until everything is crumbly, then stir in the water. The dough will become cohesive, though not smooth.

3.   Divide the dough in half; if you're using a scale, each half will weigh about 4 5/8 ounces. Wet your hands, and shape each piece of this wet dough into a rough log. Pat the logs into 10" x 3" rectangles on the sheet, leaving at least 4" (but preferably 6") between them, and 2" on each side. These puff up in the oven (hence the name), and you need to leave them room for expansion.

4.   Second layer: In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the water and butter to a boil. Stir until the butter melts, then add the flour (and salt, if you're using it) all at once. Stir the mixture with a spoon till it thickens, begins to steam, and leaves the sides of the pan; this will happen very quickly.

5.   Transfer the stiff batter to a mixing bowl, or the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat it at medium speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute, just to cool it down a bit.

6.   Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; beat until the batter loses its "slimy" look, and each egg is totally absorbed.

7.   Mix in the almond extract.

8.   Divide the batter in half. Spread half the batter over one of the dough strips on the pan, covering it completely. Repeat with the remaining batter and dough.

9.   With a spatula (or your wet fingers) spread the batter until it completely covers the entire bottom layer of dough. Smooth it out as best you can.

10.           Bake the pastry for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until it's a deep golden brown. Remove it from the oven, and transfer each pastry to a wire rack.

11.           Topping: Spread each warm pastry with about 1/3 cup of jam or preserves. (Any flavor is fine, but our favorites are raspberry and apricot.)

12.           Sprinkle the toasted almonds atop the jam. By this time, your beautifully puffed pastries are probably starting to sink; don't worry, this is all part of the plan.

13.           Icing: Stir together the sugar, vanilla, and enough milk or water to form a thick but "drizzlable" icing.

14.           Drizzle the icing atop the pastries.

15.           Cut into squares or strips to serve.

 

Recipe from King Arthur Flour. Can be made the day before.

Molten Chocolate Cake

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (~1 cup)
4 Tbs unsalted butter
4 Tbs sugar (divided)
2 large eggs, separated
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
Butter and granulated sugar for ramekins

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub four 4-6 oz ramekins with butter then pour sugar & shake around to coat inside. Pour remainder of sugar out. Place on baking sheet and set aside.

2. Boil a pot of water then turn off heat.  Place chocolate and butter in heatproof bowl over pot and allow to melt, stirring occasionally.  Once melted, remove from heat and stir in  2 Tbs sugar & vanilla then egg yolks. Set aside.

3. In medium bowl with electric mixer, beat egg whites & salt until a soft peak forms.  Still beating, add remaining 2 Tbs sugar and beat until mixture is stiff and glossy.

4.  Using rubber spatula, mix 1/3 egg white mixture into chocolate.  Gently fold in additional egg white mixture just until combined.  Divide among ramekins. (Can be made ahead up to this point, covered and refrigerated for 1 day.)

5.  Bake until tops are puffed and cracked but insides are still quite soft (15-30 minutes depending on ramekin size and if pots were refrigerated.)

Serve with Mascarpone Cream or whipped cream.

Mascarpone Cream

4 oz Mascarpone cheese
1-3 oz heavy cream
dash powdered sugar

1. Using electric mixer, combine Mascarpone cheese with 1 oz cream and a dash of powdered sugar.

2. Add additional cream as needed until desired consistency is reached.

Apricot Cake

1 pkg yellow cake mix
3/4 cup apricot nectar (1 small can)
3/4 cup salad oil
2 tsp lemon extract
4 eggs, one at a time

Preheat oven 350oF
Add ingredients to cake mix in order of listing.
Beat 4 min. longer.
Bake in ungreased tube pan for 35 to 45 min.

Glaze: 1 & 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice

Mix powdered sugar and lemon juice.
Pour over hot cake in pan.
Let cool before removing.

Crazy Cake

Preheat oven 350oF

Sift together into greased 8" sq pan:

1 & 1/2 cups flour
3 Tbs breakfast cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Add in separate holes in dry ingredients:

1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
5 Tbs salad oil
1 cup water over all

Mix until smooth and bake for 35 min.
Serve plain or with whipped cream or ice cream & chocolate
sauce.

Orangies

Ingredients
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure orange extract
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1 recipe Orange Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.

Orange Brownies:
Stir together flour, granulated sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add butter, eggs, orange extract, and orange zest. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until light golden brown and set. Remove from oven, allow to cool and pierce entire cake with a fork. Spread the Orange Cream Cheese Frosting over completely cooled brownies. Cut into squares.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 4 tablespoons softened butter
• 1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange zest
• 2 tablespoons orange juice

In a large mixing bowl, whip the butter and cream cheese together with a hand-held electric mixer. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until it is all combined and smooth. Beat in the orange zest and juice. Spread over brownies.
Yield: enough frosting for 1 batch of brownies
Prep Time: 10 minutes

From http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/orange-brownies-recipe2/index.html

Ocracoke Fig Cake

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk (see Note)
1 teaspoon baking soda, dissolved in a little hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped preserved figs, or fig jam (see Note)
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
Buttermilk glaze, see recipe at left below

Directions:
This moist spice cake will keep for at least a week, which makes it an ideal choice when you have house guests. The cake also will keep in the freezer for six months.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan and set aside. Beat the eggs until light yellow and smooth. Add the sugar and oil and continue beating well to make a thick, smooth batter.

Combine the flour with the nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well. Add half the flour mixture to the egg-and-sugar mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to blend well. Add the buttermilk and mix well. Add the remaining flour along with the baking soda dissolved in water and the vanilla, and stir everything together into a fairly smooth batter. Gently stir in the figs and the nuts, mixing just until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Quickly scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and bake at 350 degrees 40 to 50 minutes until the cake is handsomely brown and firm on top, and until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. While the cake bakes, prepare the buttermilk glaze (see recipe below) and set aside until the cake is done.

Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack or folded kitchen towel for about 15 minutes. Loosen the cake from the pan gently, running a table knife around the sides of the pan, and then gently turn it out onto the wire rack. Turn the cake top side up, and carefully place it on a serving plate or cake stand.

Spoon the buttermilk glaze over the warm cake, and cool completely before serving.

Note: If you don't have buttermilk, stir 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup of milk and let stand for 10 minutes.

If you want to use dried figs, remove the stems, halve lengthwise and simmer for 30 minutes in 1 cup of water mixed with 1 cup of sugar, and then cool and chop.
Makes 10 servings.
Per serving: calories, 664; fat, 36 grams (48% of calories); cholesterol, 77 milligrams, carbohydrate, 80 grams; fiber, 2 grams; protein, 6 grams; sodium, 435 milligrams; sugar, 56 grams Source: “Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations,” by Nancie McDermott



Buttermilk Glaze

Ingredients:
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch or flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions:
While the cake is baking, make the glaze in a medium saucepan, combining the buttermilk, sugar, butter, cornstarch and baking soda and bringing to a gentle boil. Remove at once, stir well and cool to room temperature. Add the vanilla and set aside until the cake is done.

Source: “Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations,” by Nancie McDermott

Chocolate Stuff

Beat
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
½ cup flour

Add
¼ tsp salt
1 stick melted butter
2 heaping Tbs cocoa

Stir in
1 over-running tsp vanilla extract

Pour into a greased glass loaf pan.
Set in a pan of water.
Bake at 300 degrees for 40-50 minutes.
Let cool. (Great with vanilla ice cream.)

Apple Cranberry Crisp

Preheat oven at 375 degrees.

Combine filling and put into a 9 x 13 baking dish:
5 medium Granny Smith apples, peel, cored and sliced
(or 1 can or White House canned apples, drained)
16-oz can whole cranberry sauce
¾ cup sugar
2 Tbs flour

Combine topping:
¼ cup chopped nuts
1 cup rolled oats
⅓ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon

Melt ¼ cup margarine over other ingredients and stir.

Sprinkle topping over cranberry filling and bake 35-40 minutes until fruit is tender.

Plum Tart

Pastry:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
4 Tbs (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter
¼ cup Crisco
3-4 Tbs cold water

Stir together flour and salt. Cut in butter and Crisco. Sprinkle water 1 Tbs at a time and stir gently with a fork. Form into a ball. Flatten into a disk and use immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.

Place a baking sheet upside down on the middle rack in the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

On a floured surface, roll out dough to ¼ inch thickness. Transfer to a tart pan.

Filling: Combine
1 lb plums, pitted and cut into ½-inch wedges (about 8 plums)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
¼ cup sugar
3 Tbs all-purpose flour
½ tsp cinnamon

Transfer to tart shell and bake on the cookie sheet for 45 minutes.
Cool and drizzle warmed and strained apricot jam (about ¼ cup) over top.


Serve with ice cream, if desired.

Coffee Torte

Meringues:
6 egg whites
¼ tsp cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
1½ cups sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp almond extract
dash allspice and mace

Beat egg whites until foamy; add cream of tartar. Continue beating until egg whites hold a stiff peak. Slowly add sugars one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Add extract, allspice and mace; beat 2 minutes longer.

Cut four 8-inch circles from heavy brown paper. Divide meringue into 4 parts and spread evenly over the circles of paper. Place on baking sheets. Bake at 250oF oven 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Remove paper from bottom of meringue layers.

Filling:
6 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
½ cup cold strong coffee
1 Tbs flour
½ cup soft butter
½ pint heavy cream, whipped

Combine egg yolks, sugar, coffee, and flour in the top of a double boiler. Cook over boiling water, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Cool to lukewarm. Add butter; stir until well blended.

Assembly:

Spoon and spread filling over top of meringue layers, stacking as a layer cake. Decorate with rosettes of whipped cream. Chill. Serves 8 to 10.

Almond-Filled Strudel

Preheat oven 425 F

1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup margarine, at room temperature
1 large egg
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
1 egg mixed with 1 tsp water

In a small bowl beat sugar and margarine together until creamy. Beat in egg, almonds, and almond extract. Cover and chill 35-40 minutes.

Thaw pastry 20 minutes; unfold and roll on a lightly floured surface to a 14-x-10-inch rectangle. Transfer to a large ungreased cookie sheet. Spoon almond filling lengthwise down the center third of the sheet. Brush edges with egg-water mixture. Fold left side over filling. Fold right side over the entire filling, enclosing it completely. Pinch edges to seal. Turn the pastry over so that the folded edges are on the bottom; seal the ends by pressing with the tines of a fork. Brush the top with the egg-water mixture; refrigerate 30 minutes.

Using a sharp knife, score the top of the pastry several times being careful NOT to cut through the pastry. Bake 30 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for several hours before serving. Serves 8.

Raspberry-Orange Sauce

2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, thawed
3/4 cup sifted powder sugar
1/4 cup Cointreau or other orange liqueur
1 Tbs frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed


Place raspberries in a container of an electric blender or food processor; process until smooth.

Add powdered sugar and remaining ingredients; process until blended.

Pour through a wire mesh strainer; press mixture with back of spoon to squeeze out liquid. Discard seeds.

Serve with pound cake. Makes 1 cup.

Sour Cream Pound Cake

1 cup margarine, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup sour cream (8 oz. carton)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Beat margarine at medium speed with an electric mixer about 2 min. or until soft and creamy.
Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed 5 to 7 min.
Add eggs one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears.
Combine flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Mix at lowest speed just until blended after each addition.
Stir in the flavorings.
Pour batter into a greased and floured (use crisco) 10-inch tube pan.
Bake at 325 F for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until inserted pick comes out clean.

Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes; remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire rack.

Serve with Raspberry-Orange Sauce.

Apple Cake

3 or 4 peeled and sliced apples 2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups plus 5 Tbs sugar 4 eggs
1 cup oil 1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 tsp vanilla 3 cups flour
1 Tbs baking powder

Peel, core, and slice apples.
Place in a bowl with cinnamon and 5 Tbs sugar. Mix well.
In a large bowl, beat eggs and stir in oil, orange juice,
2 cups sugar, and vanilla.
Add flour and baking powder and beat well.
Stir in apples.
Pour into a buttered and floured 10 inch tube pan.
Bake 60 minutes at 350 F or until it tests done.

Cherry Cobbler

Preheat oven 375 F

Place into a greased pie pan:
1 17 oz can pitted tart cherries, drained

In a medium bowl beat together until fluffy:
1 stick margarine
1 cup sugar

Add:
1 large egg

Beat until fluffy.

Add in and mix until well combined:
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

Spoon batter over cherries. Do NOT cover cherries completely.
Bake for 40-50 minutes or until top is browned and fruit is bubbly.
Serve warm with ice cream.

Chocolate Raspberry Torte

Cake:
Preheat oven 350 F

Shift together:
1 cup flour
2 1/2 Tbs cocoa
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Add:
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vinegar
4 Tbs salad oil
1/4 cup framboise
1/2 cup water

Gently fold:
1 cup raspberries

Pour into one prepared 8" round spring form pan. Bake for 35 40 min., or until skewer comes out clean. Cool; remove sides of pan and cool on rack. Remove bottom of pan.

Glaze:
In a heavy saucepan combine:
1/3 cup raspberry jam
1 Tbs sugar

Stirring, boil mixture for 3 min. Force the mixture through a fine sieve directly onto cake. Discard seeds. Spread glaze over top and sides of cake. Let stand until glaze is set (about 1 hour).

Ganache:
1/4 cup heavy cream
6 oz chocolate chips

In microwave or heavy saucepan, bring cream to a boil.
Remove from heat and add chocolate chips. Stir until melted and ganache is smooth. Let cool 3 minutes. Pour over the torte and spread over top and sides.
Coarsely chop 1/2 cup slivered almonds and press to sides of torte.
Let stand 1 hour.
Garnish with mint or lemon balm leaves and fresh raspberries.

Upside Down Pineapple Cake

1/4 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecan (optional)
8 slices drained canned pineapple
8 maraschino cherries

Melt margarine in a 9 or 10 inch iron skillet.
Mush in sugar until dissolved.
Remove from heat and add nuts if desired.
Place pineapple and cherries in the bottom of skillet.
Pour in Cottage Pudding batter.

Cottage Pudding:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup margarine
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk

Cream sugar and margarine.
Beat in egg and vanilla.
Sift flour with baking powder and salt.
Alternate adding to batter in 3 parts with milk.
Beat until smooth.
Pour into skillet on top of pineapple.
Bake at 350 F for about 30 min.

Note:
This recipe can be adjusted to use other fruits or to use ramicans for individual servings as in the Upside Down Pear cake shown below.

Chocolate Cherry Cake

1 pkg Devil's Food Cake Mix
21 oz can Cherry pie filling
1 tsp almond extract
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water

Preheat oven: 350 F
Grease & flour 2 round cake pans.
In large bowl, combine wet ingredients of cake and blend,
Add cake mix and pie filling and stir by hand until well
blended.
Pour into cake pans and bake 30-35 min.

Frosting:
1 cup sugar
5 Tbs margarine
1/3 cup milk
6 oz pkg (1 cup) semi sweet chocolate chips
In small saucepan, combine sugar, margarine and
milk. Boil, stirring constantly 1 min. Remove from
heat.
Stir in chocolate chips until smooth. Pour over cake and
smooth sides.

Triple Chocolate Fantasy Cake

1 3/4 cups flour 1 small pkg instant chocolate pudding
3/4 cup cocoa 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder 2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt 1/2 cup oil
1 cup milk 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup boiling water with 2 tsp instant coffee added
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Grease and flour one 13" x 9" pan.
In a large mixing bowl combine and sift dry ingredients
together.

At medium speed on mixer, gradually blend in the vegetable
oil, milk, vanilla and eggs.
Slowly add the boiling water/coffee mixture and mix for
another 2 minutes.
Stir in the chips by hand.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-40 min.
Cool and frost.

Frosting:
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup margarine
2 Tbs milk mixed with 1/2 tsp instant coffee powder
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup cocoa
plain M&M's for garnish

Cream margarine and sugar until smooth and fluffy.
Add milk/coffee mixture and vanilla. Continue to beat.
Gradually add the cocoa and mix until smooth and well
blended.
Frost cooled cake and garnish with M&M's. Serves 12.