FRUIT SALAD TOPPING
1 1/2 c. milk (skim or 1%)
1 (3 oz.) sugar free vanilla pudding
Add: 2 tbsp. frozen orange juice concentrate
1 tsp. grated orange peel (opt.)
Can be served as a side dish with mixed fruit (fresh) or mix fruit and topping in bowl.
FUDGE SWEET BROWNIES
2/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs, beaten well
1/2 c. melted butter or oil
1/2 c. Fudge Sweet, softened
1/2 c. Fruit Sweet
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped
Sift flour and baking powder; set aside. Blend the eggs, butter or oil, Fudge Sweet, Fruit Sweet and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and blend thoroughly. Add walnuts. Pour mixture into greased and floured 8″x8″ baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, until cake springs back at a light touch. Doubled recipe will fit into double size cookie pan.
Gingered Melon
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons lemon juice
2 to 3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
4 cups watermelon, cantaloupe, and/or honeydew balls
1/3 cup flaked coconut
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine water, sugar, lemon juice, and ginger. Bring just to boiling.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat; stir in lemon peel.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Before using, strain of and discard the ginger and lemon peel.
• Pour syrup over melon balls, stirring gently to coat.
• Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• To serve, spoon melon balls and a little of the syrup into individual dessert dishes. Sprinkle with coconut.
Yield: Serves 6
Fruit with Amaretto Cream
1 1/2 tablespoon Amaretto liqueur
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups fresh fruit
1. In small mixing bowl combine Amaretto and brown sugar.
2. Add sour cream and mix well.
3. Prepare at least 2 hours before serving.
4. Stir occasionally to dissolve brown sugar.
5. Put fruit into sherbet glasses or small soufflé dishes.
6. Drizzle with sauce.
Note: This is especially good with strawberries, blueberries and green grapes.
Yield: Serves 4
Tropical Fruit Canoe
8 lengthwise wedge of pineapple
8 tablespoons pineapple, passion fruit or mango ice cream sauce
8 scoop each of 3 of the following sorbet flavors: mango, pineapple, lime, orange, passion fruit, tropical mix and pina colada
8 slice peeled mango or papaya, halved
16 slices peeled kiwifruit
16 slices star fruit
16 red maraschino cherries, drained and halved
24 red maraschino cherries with stems
1. Remove edible part of pineapple from wedge, leaving 1/2 inch on the skin portion to form a “canoe.”
2. Cut fruit into spears.
3. Spoon sauce in bottom of canoe.
4. Place pineapple spears on sauce.
5. Scoop three flavors of sorbet on sauce.
6. Garnish with remaining fruits and maraschino halves.
7. Top each scoop with maraschino cherry with stem.
Yield: Serves 8
Fruit Glasses
2 bananas - cut in half, quartered and sliced
1 apple - peeled and diced
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup honeydew melon - cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup cantaloupe - cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup blueberries, strawberries (cut in half) or raspberries
1 eight ounce container berry flavor yogurt
6 tsp wheat germ
2 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
1. Place prepared fruit into four stemmed individual crystal dessert dishes in the order listed.
2. Top each mound of fruit with 1/4 of the container of yogurt.
3. Top the yogurt with the wheat germ.
4. Place a kiwi slice on top.
Yield: Serves 4
Pineapple Slices with Maraschino Cherries
Omit the liqueur if serving this to children.
2 slices canned pineapple, with 2 tbs. of their syrup
1 maraschino cherry
1 tbs. maraschino liqueur
1. Put the 2 slices of pineapple in a dish and place the cherry in the center of the hole.
2. Add the 2 tbs. of syrup from the can and 1 tbs. of the liqueur.
3. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
4. Serve chilled.
Yield: Serves 1
Fresh Fruit Compote
1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced
1 mango (peeled, seeded and diced)
2 medium kiwi fruit (peeled, quartered and sliced)
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
1 cup fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, etc.) juice of 1 lemon and 1 lime
3/4 - 1 cup sugar
Dash of salt
3 drops of coconut flavoring (or 2-3 tbsp. Coconut rum)
1. Put all the fruit in a glass bowl.
2. Squeeze the lemon and lime juice over all.
3. Add sugar (to taste), salt and coconut flavoring.
4. Cover, refrigerate and let stand for a 2 hours.
Serving Suggestions:
• Serve chilled with fresh cream, whipped cream or as a topping for other desserts. Decorate with mint leaves.
Nectarine and Cherry Salsa
This is especially appreciated in the summer.
1 quart (4 cups) fresh sour cherries, pitted and halved, with juice (or substitute 1 quart frozen pitted sour cherries, whole and unthawed)
2 nectarines, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 small red onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
1. Combine all ingredients in glass bowl and stir well.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow flavors to meld.
3. Serve with grilled chicken, pork, and other meats or with corn chips.
4. Keeps for several days refrigerated.
Yield: 9 cups.
Raspberry and Cranberry Gelatin Mold
1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries - thawed and drained, juice reserved
1 cup water
12 ounces cranberries
1/2 cup white sugar
2 (3 ounce) packages raspberry flavored gelatin mix
Butter for greasing the mold
1. In a saucepan, combine the reserved raspberry juice, water, cranberries and sugar. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the skins of the cranberries burst.
2. Be careful not to over-boil and spill the mixture.
3. Remove from heat and add gelatin.
4. Stir until dissolved.
5. Gently fold in raspberries, and pour into a 2 quart greased mold.
6. Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours or until chilled.
Yield: serves 10
Pears in Wine
3 dozen pears
1 bottle of good Italian wine
3 cups sugar
12 whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks
6 strips each of lemon peel and orange peel, remove the white pith
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Peel the pear, leaving them whole with stems on.
• Cut a very thin slice off the bottom of each pear so that they will stand upright.
• Arrange them as close together as possible in one or two large baking dishes.
• Put the rest of the ingredients into a pot and bring to a boil, stirring frequently until all the sugar is dissolved.
• Pour over the pears and bake basting several times until done.
• This may take 30 minutes but it depends on the variety of the pears.
• Arrange the pears on serving platters.
• If the wine mixture has become thick and syrupy, strain and pour it over the pears.
• If not, pour it into a pot and cook it over high heat until it is.
• Then strain and pour over the pears.
• It can be served hot, cold or at room temperature.
Additions: Ice cream or whipped cream topping
Pear Coulis
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 pounds cooking pears, such as Bartlett or Bosc, cored and chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups water
4 ounces toasted pecan pieces
½ cup Poire William or other pear flavored liqueur
1. In a sauté pan, over medium heat, melt the butter.
2. Add the sugar and water and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the pears and cinnamon.
4. Continue to cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
6. In a blender, combine the pears and water, and puree until the mixture is smooth.
7. Add the liqueur and chill.
Working time: 15 minutes
Preparation time: 1 hour
Serves 4
Grilled Nectarines with Honey Balsamic Glaze
1/2 cup honey plus 2 tbs.
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) container Crème fraiche
6 firm but ripe nectarines, halved, pitted
• When using an outdoor grill, add a handful of fresh charcoal to the embers after serving the main course.
• When it’s time to cook the nectarines, the fire should be at the right temperature. Remember to brush the grill clean before adding the fruit.
• Sour cream is a good substitute for the Crème fraiche.
• Whisk 1/2 cup honey, vinegar, and vanilla in small bowl.
• Whisk Crème fraiche and remaining 2 tablespoons honey in medium bowl to blend.
• Glaze and Crème fraiche mixture can be made 1 day ahead.
• Cover separately.
• Refrigerate Crème fraiche mixture.
• Rewhisk both before using.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat).
• Brush nectarines generously with half of glaze.
• Grill until heated through, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes.
• Arrange 2 nectarine halves, cut side up, on each plate.
• Drizzle with remaining glaze.
• Spoon some Crème fraiche mixture into center of each nectarine half and serve.
Serves 6
Chocolate Wrapped Pears
2 cups sugar
8 cups water
Juice of 2 lemons
4 cinnamon sticks
8 whole cloves
¼ cup crème de menthe
12 firm, ripe pears with stems
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
¼ pound butter, softened
Fresh or crystallized mint
• Dissolve the sugar in the water.
• Add the lemon juice, spices and crème de menthe and simmer, tightly covered for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Peel the pears carefully; leaving the stems intact, and cut a slice off the bottoms so they will stand upright.
• Poach the pears in the gently boiling syrup until tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Cool the pears in the syrup and then chill thoroughly, preferably overnight.
• Melt the chocolate in a bowl over warm water.
• Add the butter and stir until it is melted and the mixture is smooth.
• Remove the pears from the syrup and dry carefully with paper towel.
• Dip each pear into the melted chocolate to coat evenly.
• Use a spoon, if necessary, to fill in the uncoated spots.
• Lift the pears out of the chocolate to drain off the excess.
• Arrange on a serving dish.
• Decorate the top of each pear with a sprig of parsley or crystallized mint.
• Chill until ready to serve.
Yield: 12 servings
Cherry Clafoutis
Butter and sugar for the baking dish
1-1/4 lb. cherries, pitted
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cream
2/3 cup milk
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
3 Tablespoons kirsch (optional)
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
1. Brush the baking dish with some melted butter and coat it with some sugar.
2. Shake out the excess sugar.
3. Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl and make a well in the center.
4. Pour the milk and cream into the well and stir to make a smooth paste.
5. Add the eggs, egg yolks and sugar.
6. Continue whisking to make a smooth batter.
7. Put the cherries into the buttered and sugared pan.
8. Ladle the batter over the cherries.
9. Bake the clafoutis for 30 to 35 minutes.
10. It should be puffed up and just beginning to brown.
11. Remove from oven.
12. Allow to cool slightly, then dust with the confectioner’s sugar and serve.
Cheddar Apple Cobbler
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
Dash nutmeg
1/4 cup Flour
6 cup tart apple slices, cored, peeled and sliced thin
Topping:
1 cup Unbleached Flour
1 1/2 Cups shredded, mild cheddar cheese
1/4 cup Sugar
1/3 cup Butter; Melted
1 1/2 Ts Baking Powder
1/4 cup Milk
1/2 Tsp Salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
1. Combine the sugar, flour, nutmeg and cinnamon, and then toss the mixture with the apple slices.
2. Pour into a 9-inch buttered square-baking pan.
3. Combine the dry ingredients, of the topping, with the cheddar cheese, mixing well.
4. Add the butter and milk, mixing until well blended with the flour mixture.
5. Spoon the dough over the fruit mixture and bake for 30 minutes.
Serves 4
Baked Grapefruit
2 Grapefruit split
4 tsps Brown Sugar
4 tsps Butter
1 tsp Cinnamon
1. Cut fresh grapefruit in half.
2. Cut out the center and around the sections, being careful not to pierce the skin.
3. Fill center cavity with melted butter; sprinkle a mixture of sugar and cinnamon over the top.
4. Broil until slightly browned or bake at 375 degrees F. for about 10 minutes.
5. Garnish grapefruit with fresh fruit or as desired.
Yield: 2 servings
Apricots in Red Wine
3 pounds large apricots
2 cups dry red wine
1 cup Ruby Port
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
1 pint vanilla ice cream
• In a large, heavy saucepan, bring the red wine, Port, sugar, honey and cinnamon stick to a simmer and cook until the sugar is dissolved.
• Cut a small “x” into one end of each apricot with a paring knife.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil.
• Poach the apricots for 30 seconds.
• Remove with a slotted spoon to a colander and slip the skins from the fruit.
• Add the apricots, adding more wine as necessary to cover the apricots, and simmer covered, turning occasionally, until tender, about 15 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and divide the apricots among 4 bowls.
• If desired, cut in half first and discard seed.
• Bring the poaching liquid to boil and reduce by half.
• Discard the cinnamon stick.
• Let the syrup cool slightly.
• Place one scoop of ice cream over each apricot serving, and top with poaching liquid. Sprinkle toasted almond slivers over each serving, and serve immediately.
Serves 6
Pineapple with Lime and Coconut Recipe
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 limes, zested and juiced
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1 inch ginger root, peeled
1 pineapple, fresh, cored – available in produce department
1 kiwi
1. Combine coconut flakes with lime zest.
2. Toast in a small skillet or in a toaster oven until coconut is golden brown remove from heat to a plate and reserve.
3. Add lime juice, water, sugar and ginger to the pan or a small sauce pot.
4. Bring to a bubble and dissolve the sugar.
5. Remove syrup from heat and let stand.
6. Cut pineapple into bite-size chunks and arrange on a plate.
7. Peel and slice the kiwi into thin disks and arrange on pineapple.
8. Scatter lime-scented toasted coconut over the fruit and drizzle the syrup down over the fruit in a slow, even stream.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Working time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Pears Belle Helene
1 quart Water
4 ounces Dark sweet chocolate
2 1/2 cups Sugar
1/2 cup Whipping cream
1 Vanilla bean split
French vanilla ice cream
4 Pears — peeled
• Combine water,sugar and vanilla bean in large sauce pan and bring to boil.
• Add pears, reduce heat and cook gently until tender (30 minutes).
• Refrigerate pears and syrup for 24 hours.
• Remove vanilla bean from syrup.
• Melt chocolate in heavy pan over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth and glossy. Scrape vanilla bean pulp into chocolate.
• Add cream and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat.
• To serve, place scoop of ice cream in bowl.
• Place pear alongside ice cream and spoon chocolate sauce overtop.
Yield: Serves 4
Hot Fruit Compote
8 soft coconut macaroons
1 (16 1/2 oz.) can dark sweet cherries, drained
1 (16 oz.) can sliced peaches, drained
1 (15 1/4 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained
1 (17 oz.) can apricot halves, drained
1 (16 oz.) can pear halves, drained
1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling
1/2 c. brandy
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Crumble macaroons in shallow pan.
• Bake at 400 degrees F. for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly toasted.
• Cool.
• Sprinkle 1/2 amount in 2 1/2 quart casserole.
• Layer remaining ingredients in order given.
• Sprinkle remaining macaroons on top.
• Cover and refrigerate 8 hours.
• Remove from refrigerator.
• Let stand 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbly.
Yields 8 to 10 servings.
Chestnut Puree
1 1/2 pounds chestnuts
Milk as needed
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 pint whipping cream for topping
1. Put chestnuts in a large saucepan and cover with water.
2. Boil for10 minutes.
3. Remove outer and inner peel from chestnuts.
4. Take only a few out of the water at a time as they are easier to peel when warm.
5. Cut the nuts in half and scoop out the meat with a nut pick.
6. Put the chestnut meat into a saucepan, cover with milk and simmer until the chestnut meat is soft enough to easily mash and the milk is absorbed.
7. Press the chestnuts through a sieve — though you might also try a food processor.
8. Boil the sugar and water to make a thick syrup (don’t brown).
9. Immediately add to the chestnuts and cool.
10. Add only enough liquid so that the chestnuts can be put through a potato ricer and still hold their shape
11. Add the vanilla.
12. Put the chilled mixture through the potato ricer, making a small mound in the center of individual dessert plates.
13. Top with the whipped cream.
Serves 4
Cherries Jubilee
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1 pound Bing cherries
Juice of one lemon
Zest of one lemon
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1 cup Cherry Brandy
1 pint vanilla ice cream
• In a large sauce pan, over medium heat, melt the butter.
• Stir in the sugar and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves.
• Add the cherries, orange juice and orange zest.
• Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
• In a small cup, stir the cornstarch and water together.
• Stir this into the cherry mixture and cook for 1 minute.
• Remove the pan from the heat and pour the brandy over the cherries.
• Place the pan back on the heat and carefully ignite the pan to flame the cherries.
• Divide the ice cream between four shallow bowls.
• Spoon the cherry mixture over the ice cream and serve.
Serves 4
Broiled Peaches
Nice with ice cream on the side.
4 medium-ripe peaches, halved and pitted
8 tablespoons light brown sugar
4 tbs. butter
½ cup slivered almonds
• Sprinkle peach halves with sugar and or with butter.
• Scatter with almonds.
• Place under broiler and broil about 5 to 7 minutes until sugar is caramelized.
Serves 8
Baked Bananas
2 tbs. butter
4 bananas
2 tbs. light brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
• Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet.
• Add the peeled bananas whole or slip lengthwise.
• Mix sugar and cinnamon.
• Sprinkle with half of the mixture and sauté until brown.
• Turn and sprinkle with the rest of it.
• Serve warm for dessert or serve it with ham or chicken.
Additions:
• You can ignite this and it makes a great dinner display.
• Using two tablespoons of rum pour it over the bananas in the pan and ignite it. Voila!
Serves 2
Apple-Berry Crisp
Ingredients for Topping:
1 cup quick or old-fashioned oatmeal, uncooked
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup margarine or butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
3 Tablespoons flour
Ingredients for Filling:
4 cups thinly sliced and peeled apples, about 4 medium
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries or sliced strawberries
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
1. Combine topping ingredients and set aside.
2. Combine filling ingredients and stir until fruit is evenly coated.
3. Spoon filling into an 8-inch square glass baking dish.
4. Sprinkle topping evenly over fruit.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until apples are tender.
6. Serve warm with yogurt or ice cream, if desired.
Serves 4
Almond-Streusel Peach Pie
-Jo Ferry cmsj69b 2 c Flour
3/4 ts Salt
10 tb Butter; chilled
2 tb Shortening; chilled
1 c Brown sugar
3/4 ts Nutmeg
1/2 c Almonds; sliced
1 Lemon
9 Peaches; about 3 pounds
3 tb Cornstarch
1/4 ts Almond extract
2 tb Dry bread crumbs
Combine 1 cup flour and 1/2 ts. salt. Cut in 4 tb. of butter and the shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal with a few pea-sized pieces remaining. Sprinkle in 3 to 4 tb ice water, a tablespoon at a time, until dough just comes together. Gather into a disk. Wrap and chill at least 30 minutes. Combine remaining cup of flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 ts. salt, and 1/4 ts. nutmeg. Cut in remaining 6 tb. of butter until crumbly. Stir in almonds. Chill. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out chilled pie pastry to fit a 9″ pie pan. Fit pastry into pan. Trim and flute edges. Chill. Heat oven to 475. Grate 1 ts. of lemon zest from the lemon and squeeze 1 tb. of juice. Peel peaches and slice. Combine with remaining 2/3 cup brown sugar, remaining 1/2 ts nutmeg, lemon zest and juice, cornstarch and almond extract. Sprinkle bread crumbs over bottom of pie shell and fill with peach mixture. Sprinkle almond crumb mixture on top. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350. Continue baking until top is browned and fruit juices are bubbling, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool completely before cutting.
Almond-Snow Fruit Boats
Apple; unpeeled, thin sliced
3 Banana; peeled, thin sliced
3 Pear; unpeeled, thin sliced
2 Pineapple; fresh (with tops)
2 Strawberry; halved, -tops
1 1/2 lb Grape; halved, seeded
1 pt Kumquat
1 1/2 c Whipping cream
1 1/2 c Powdered sugar; sifted
4 ts Vanilla
1/4 ts Almond extract
2 qt Ice; finely crushed
3/4 c Almonds; toasted & slivered
3/4 c Fresh orange juice
1/4 c Kirsch
Sprinkle bananas, apples and pears with fresh lemon juice. Cut pineapples in half. Using curved serrated knife, hollow out pineapple halves, leaving 1/2″ shell (reserve shells and all juice). Discard core. Cut pineapple into
1/4″ cubes. Transfer to large bowl. Add sliced fruit* and toss lightly.
Cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours. For ice cream: Blend cream, powdered sugar and extracts in large bowl. Gradually fold in ice (or fresh clean snow) until mixture is consistency of ice cream. Fold in nuts. Add reserved pineapple juice to fruit. Blend in orange juice and kirsch. Spoon fruit into pineapple shells. Top with ice cream. Serve immediately.
*Can substitute any fresh seasonal fruit and combination of purple and green grapes and red and green apples.
Almond Berries
1 pint Fresh strawberries
1/2 pint Fresh blueberries
Toasted almond slivers Amaretto liqueur=7F
Mix berries together in bowl. Pour in 1 cup Amaretto. Toss well. Cover and chill. Spoon into dessert cups to serve. Sprinkle on toasted almonds.