Holiday Desserts

[LV426]

So with Thanksgiving coming up and xmas just around the corner, it's time to share the holiday dessert recipes.

Caramel Apple Pecan Pie

2 pastry shells, 9-inch
4 Granny Smith apples peeled and cored, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Pecans chopped
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 lb Caramels coarse chopped
2 tb Flour
1/4 cup Milk
Milk for top
Sugar for top

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 375°. Fit 1 round of rolled pastry into a 9-inch pie pan.

In a large bowl, toss together apples, pecans, sugar, caramels, flour and milk. Spoon mixture into pie shell.

Top with the remaining rolled pastry.

Fold the edge of the top pastry under the bottom pastry. Pinch together and flute the edge all around with a fork. Cut several slits in the top so the steam can escape during baking. Brush top with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake until crust is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Pie is best served slightly warm.

Now the above is the original recipe but I like to fiddle around with recipes and I found that if you melt the caramels, sugar, and pecans with 2 tablespoons of butter 1/4 cup of milk and the 2 tbs of flour, and a tsp of cinnamon and then stir in the apples right before you pour them into the shells that the coating is more even on the apples and the caramel flavor continues throughout the pie and the cinnamon gives it a nice flavor.

One of my other favorite recipes.

Pumpkin Crunch Torte

Preheat oven to 350*

1 1/2 cup fine chopped pecans
1 1/2 cup vanilla wafers crumbled up
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup melted butter

Mix these four ingredients until well blended,divide into 4 -9" round cake pans and pat evenly into the bottoms careful to avoid the sides.


1 1/4 Cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
3 eggs
10 oz of pumpkin
2 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1 tbs pumpkin pie spice
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda

In large bowl mix sugar and butter.Start on low and increase to medium speed until fluffy. Reduce mixer speed to low and add eggs, pumpkin, flour, yogurt and all spices. Divide into 4 equal parts and pour into prepared cake pans over the crust. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp almond extract

Whip all three ingredients together until stiff peaks form. When ready to serve flip one cake onto the serving platter, crunch side up and top with 1/4 of the whipping cream evenly. Then add another cake on top of that one and repeat until you have 4 layers tall. Top the last layer with whipped cream and serve.

[Tempest]

I usually go a little overboard with Christmas cookies. Here are a couple of the recipies I make every year:

Chocolate Crescents

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter or margarine
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds, walnuts, or pecans
Confectioners' sugar for dusting cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and adjust two racks to divide the oven into thirds. Have ready two ungreased baking sheets.
2. In a medium-size bowl, combine flour and cocoa until thoroughly mixed.
3. In a large bowl, with a mixer, beat together the butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until blended. With a mixing spoon, stir in the nuts until evenly distributed. Scoop heaping teaspoonfuls of the dough out of the bowl and shape them into crescents with your fingers. Arrange the crescents on the ungreased baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until firm when lightly touched. Reverse the baking sheets on the racks and from front to back once during baking. Immediately transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Sprinkle lightly with confectioners' sugar while still warm.



Turtle Cookies (these are so popular that I adjusted the ingrediants to make 4 times as much as it has in the book. This is the original recipie though)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pecan halves
8 caramels, each cut into fourths
Chocolate Glaze (below)

Mix brown sugar, margarine, water and vanilla. Stir in flour and salt until dough holds together (If dough is dry, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons water).
Heat oven to 350 degrees. For each cookie, group 3 to 5 pecan halves, split if necessary, on ungreased cookie sheet. Shape dough by teaspoonfuls around caramel pieces; press firmly onto center of each group of nuts. Bake until set but not brown, 12 to 15 minutes; cool. Dip tops of cookies into Chocolate Glaze. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Glaze

Beat 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon water, 1 ounce melted unsweetened chocolate (cool) and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. If necessary, stir in water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until frosting is of desired consistency.



Cream Cheese Cookie Wreaths (For this you need a pastry press, like this (http://www.kitchenwarehouse .com.au/common/dspProductImage.cfm? id=702&n=i1). Use the icing tip that is shaped like a star...the cookies will come out kind of thin; maybe the thickness of a pencil)

1 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
Candied cherries (I use M&Ms instead)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix margarine and cream cheese. Stir in remaining ingredients except candied cherries. Fill cookie press with dough. Using star plate, hold press in semi-horizontal position and form wreaths on ungreased cookie sheet by moving press in a circular motion. Gently push ends of dough together to form wreaths. Use bits of red and green candied cherries (or M&Ms) to form holly berries and leaves. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

[punxnotdead]

I'll start off by saying that this recipe is absolutely deliscous. I make them whenever I can.

Orange Slice cookies
Dough:
1 Cup Softened butter
1/2 Cup icing sugar
1 tbsp fresh grated orange peel
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder

Beat all of the above ingredients on medium speed until fluffy.
Then beat in 1 Large egg and (reduce speed) blend 2 1/2 C. of flour.

Divide dough in half. Shape in 10" log and press to flatten on 1 side. Wrap in plastic and freeze for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 325

Cut 1/4" thick 1" apart on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 11-13 minutes, or until light brown.
Allow it to cool before applying icing.

Icing:
2 1/2 Cups icing sugar
1 tbsp orange peel
3 tbsp orange juice

Wisk together icing sugar and orange juice until smooth.
Apply icing to cookies and sprinkle with orange peel.

[Faolan]

LV that pie sounds like it be the death of me... a good death none the less.

[Dalmatas]

Is Ambrosia a regional thing? Way back, my Grandmother would delegate my Grandad to make it for the holiday crowd. He'd spend all day, first scooping the pulp out of 5 pounds of oranges, then grating up a whole coconut. Then add sugar, stir, taste, repeat. You can add jarred red cherries for color. It doesn't sound all that exciting, but it's good in a bowl with pound cake or cookies on the side.

Now here's the easy way to do it, that oddly, doesn't involve oranges.

EASY AMBROSIA

1 sm. can frozen orange juice
1 flat can crushed pineapple
5 med. size yellow delicious apples
or any grainy cooking apple
1 med. can coconut
2 cans water (this may be adjusted according to taste)
Cherries to garnish (add just before serving)

Peel the apples. Rub them down on an old-fashioned box grater, into little slivers.
Open all the cans. Dump the cans, with juice, into a bowl with the apples. Stir. Add water until it is thin enough to ladle, but not so thin as to be drinkable.

This needs to be made 24-48 hours ahead to develop full flavor. Mix all ingredients; cover and refrigerate.
Tastes exactly like the real thing!

[Faolan]

Hot Apple Cider

1 gal. dark apple cider
4 cinnamon sticks
4 cloves
1 orange, sliced

In a crock pot or a large pan with cover, combine apple cider, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Add half of the orange slices, let steep for a minimum of 1 hour - the longer the better! Serve in brandy glasses using the remaining orange slices as garnish.

Now if you really want to warm the inner or quickly get into a Holiday Spirit, add 1 jigger (1.5 ounces) of brandy per glass.

More holiday dessert drinks to come!

[LV426]

OK so my dad is coming into town ON Thanksgiving. He lives in Miami and I live in Seattle, so now I'm all a frenzy because he's bringing his boyfriend (yes dad is gay just in case you did a double take), so I had to whip up some cookies for them along with the other pies I'm making.

Snickerdoodles.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping
4 tablespoons white sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400* F
Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. You can do this part with a hand mizer.

THEN BY HAND (this is really important or they don't come out pretty)

Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.


Mix the 4 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon in a ziplock bag. Toss balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake 8 Minutes. Just 8 Minutes.

Remove immediately from baking sheets.


Here are the ones I made tonight.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11/LV-426/IMG_1294.jpg

[Faolan]

I swear... if I was a bit more drunk right now, I would've reached out for those cookies. They look so amazingly tasty! :drool:

[LV426]

Peppermint cookies


1 c. butter, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
10 drops red food coloring
1/3 c. sugar

Chocolate dip
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1 tsp crisco
1/2 tsp peppermint extract



Combine butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and peppermint. Stir in flour and salt. Separate out 3 spoon fulls of dough and work food color into just that amount. Chill 1/2 hour.

Roll out 1" balls from the regular dough. Then from the red colored dough roll out long thin lines and roll the white dough balls through in random patterns. Roll into a ball to make the red dough stick firmly and then slightly pat down on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 375 degrees 8-10 minutes until set. Once cool to the touch melt the Chocolate chips, peppermint extract and crisco in a pan on low or in a double boiler and then dip the cookie into the chocolate. Let cool on wax paper. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.


Here are the ones I made tonight.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11/LV-426/IMG_1299.jpg

[UNODRAGONE]

I'm not a Christmas person :shrug: but I do take my cheesecake and put a little twist to it and it comes out pretty cool:

Cheesecake cupcakes



8 oz cream cheese
8 oz sour cream
8 oz cool whip
1/3 cup sugar
1 table spoon vanilla extract
red and green sprinkles
2 packages of grahm cracker miniture pie crust

mix (electric mixer works best) cream cheese, sour cream, cool whip, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl until smooth. Poor into miniture pie crust and top with sprinkles. Chill over night. I swear by this recipe it is the BOMB.

[Faolan]

Egg Nog

Give this recipe a try.

Ingredients
8 eggs, separated
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups light rum OR 2 Tablespoons rum flavoring
2 Tablespoons finely ground nutmeg (the finer ground, the better)
2 cups heavy cream
6 cups milk

Be sure to first separate the eggs, meaning to remove the white from the yolk. Keep both parts in separate containers. Beat the whites until soft peaks form. Set this aside and now do the same for the yolks until it becomes thick and lemon colored. Gradually pour and beat in the sugar into the egg yolks. At this point add the rum or rum flavoring, then mix in the ground nutmeg. Beat this mix until it is well blended, you could cheat and use a blender if you wish but keep it on a low speed. Now with a whisk or spoon, stir in the heavy cream and all of the milk. Now add in the egg white mixture and fold together until it becomes a more uniformed blend. Chill the nog for at least 30 minutes or even over night before serving. Also when serving stir it with a whisk so that the heaver ingredients wont be at the bottom of your serving bowl. Enjoy!

BTW as for adding Rum or a "Rum flavoring" substitute isn't needed, however it will lack a more robust flavoring. Be sure to also have extra nutmeg and some cinnamon on hand for your guests.

[LV426]

I love good fresh, rich egg nog.

My grandfather had THE best recipe in the world and now, I am here to share it with you.

Now mind you we had a big family so we made large batches of this stuff but you can halve the recipe easily.

This makes 24 servings:

Ingredients:

12 FRESH eggs separated into whites and yolks. (this is important they need to be separated but you will use all of the egg)

1 1/2 cups white sugar divided into two equal parts.

1 1/2 cup White or Dark Rum

4 1/2 cups whole milk

3 cups Whiskey (I prefer canadian)

4 cups Heavy Cream divided into two parts

Ground Nutmeg enough to sprinkle on every serving.


Now you start out with a high speed mixer for best results. You can do this with a whisk but your arm will want to retire after this so use a mixer.


Start with your egg yolks and beat with half of the sugar until fluffy and creamy. Then set aside.

Next take your eggs whites and beat them until stiff then mix in the other half of sugar. You want a meringue like consistency.

Then you take the yolks and pour slowly into the egg whites while beating them continuously to keep them light and fluffy.

Stir in the rum SLOWLY, if you do it too fast it loses fluffiness.

Stir in your milk slowly.
Stir in Whiskey slowly.

Then stir in half of the heavy cream slowly.

Then whip the other half of the cream until stiff peaks form and then fold that gently into the rest of the mixture.

Chill and serve with a sprinkle of Nutmeg.

Now yes the above has alcohol in it and it can be strong so you can cut back on the alcohol and just replace what you cut out with milk.

If you want completely non-alcoholic egg nog (for the kids) just replace all of the alcohol with milk and it's good but the alcohol is better.

[LV426]

Well here it is, the Caramel Apple Pecan Pie.

I know some people are visual eaters although really just the mention of this pie should make you drool.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11/LV-426/IMG_1302.jpg