Tag Archives: dessert

Dessert, Fruit

Baked Dulce de Leche Apples

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Growing up there was no baking done in our house.  None.  No cookies, no cakes.  Except during the holidays Mama would bake a frozen apple pie and when girlfriends spent the night, which was almost never, she always and without fail prepared Pepperidge Farm Puff Pasty Apple Turnovers.  But Mama had a tendency to burn things…anything…everything and these turnovers were no exception.  She had one baking sheet, an old, warped aluminum sheet covered with burnt-on stains.  I looked at them as friendly reminders of her past culinary disasters.  Saturday mornings during sleepovers Mama couldn’t “pop” the turnovers in the oven, oh no.  Everything she did was done at hyper speed, from the moment she flew out of bed in the morning until the moment she collapsed into bed at night.  As Mama slammed the baking sheet into the oven, the pastries skittering wildly about the tray, the crash of metal on metal and the slamming of the oven door could be heard down the street…or at least on our side of the house.  And as I stretched in my twin bed with its girly white lace bedskirt, I looked over at Dana/Andrea/Ann waking up in the matching twin bed with the identical bedskirt.  We always smiled knowing we could breakfast later at their house with the utmost confidence it wouldn’t be burned.  Sure enough,  Mama rapped on our door on the bedroom door with the back of her hand, her middle knuckle sounding like the rat-a-tat-tat of a machine gun.  “Girls!  Breakfast is ready!”  I always wanted to sing back, “We know.  We smelled the smoke.” but that would have been sassy and disrespectful and Mama DID NOT tolerate any of that in her house.  No, ma’am.  She would not have batted an eye in front of anyone outside of the family, but later?  Holy Mary, mother of Jesus!  She was liable to wash your mouth out with an enormous, white bar of Ivory soap AND ground you.  Uh uh.   Don’t sass Mama.  Anyway, in our soft blue or pastel pink baby doll nighties off we’d saunter into the kitchen to find a bowl of freshly cut fruit, cold glasses of milk and a gorgeous platter of beautifully arranged turnovers, the pastries were all puffed up with layers of crunchy sweetness.  Sadly, the bottom  of each and every turnover was a solid, black charred mess.  Every.Single.Time.  Without speaking, we’d peel off and enjoy the tops which hadn’t burned and scrape the apple and nut goo on the bottoms with spoons while the exhaust fan roared in the background sucking out the smoke. That was the closest Mama came to baking apples and pastry and we were fine with it.  When you’re twelve or thirteen you know when life is good and our lives were good.  Good and rich with Mama’s love!

 

 

Baked Dulce de Leche Apples

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoon corn starch
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 4 apples
  • 1 13-ounce can dulce de leche
  • 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed and kept chilled until needed
  1. Line a small baking sheet with tin foil and set aside.
  2. Mix sugars, corn starch and cinnamon in a small bowl.
  3. Using a melon-baller 1″ in diameter, scoop the core out of each apple beginning at the stem and stopping before you get to the bottom of the fruit.  You don’t want the dulce de leche to run out of the bottom.
  4. Roll each apple in the sugar mixture and press the mixture into the outside and inside of the fruit.
  5. Open both sheets of puff pastry and lay down side by side.
  6. Cut both sheets to make 4 rectangles.
  7. Place an apple in the center of one of the rectangles and fill with 2-3 teaspoons of dulce de leche.  Save the remaining dulce de leche to serve with the hot apples.
  8. Bring up the short sides of the puff pastry and press into the apple.  Gather up the long ends of the pastry and pinch together as if it was a bundle.  Pinch closed any gaps or holes.  Continue with the remaining apples and pastry.
  9. Preheat oven to 400°.
  10. Place apple bundles on the baking sheet and put in the freezer for 15 minutes for the pastry to firm up.
  11. Bake the apples 30-35 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden.
  12. Cool the apples 10-15 minutes before serving.
  13. Warm the remaining dulce de leche in the microwave until runny and serve with the baked apples.

http://www.theirreverentkitchen.com

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Dessert

Classic Tiramisu

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Tiramisu is the Italian creation which will save your ass when the 3:00 slump hits you at your desk, stove, steering wheel or washing machine.  Tiramisu literally means “pick me up” and with the coffee and sugar called for in the recipe, it will!  I first made this dessert in 1991.  I had decided to have an Italian Thanksgiving as I’ve never been a huge fan of turkey and the traditional “fixin’s”.  Our guests were family plus one of Jimmy’s students from MIT, Laura Duenes, and her boyfriend, Forest McKennie.  When Laura decided to pull up stakes and move to Fort Lauderdale, Jimmy immediately offered her a plum job.  She knew all of us…my entire family.  We loved her and she loved us.  Laura was young, smart, beautiful… the quintessential cheeky, sassy Chicana.   While she flew all over the country standing up to banks, my little sister, Pamela, kind of ran the office… answering the phones, filing, etc.  Nothing made them happier than when they were both in the office together.  One afternoon Jimmy returned to the office from a meeting.  Walking in, he found the office surprisingly quiet.  Turning a corner he found Laura’s and Pamela’s eyes riveted to the television set and his desk had been somewhat reorganized.  They were both doing their nails; his desk was covered with cuticle sticks, base coat, polish, top coat, nail files and all manner of hand creams.  As Jimmy exclaimed, “What’s going on here?   This is a business, ya know!” both girls, without moving a muscle, answered, “SHHHHH! We’re watching our story.  It’s General Hospital.  It’ll be over in a minute.”  Can you imagine saying that to your boss, never mind giving yourself a manicure at work!  Knowing he was outnumbered, Jimmy just shook his head and muttered, “Girls!”.  Laura was family.  We had a superb Thanksgiving that year.  I found the menu and have to say, it was pretty great.

The wine flowed and laughter rang out all afternoon.   The tiramisu was a huge hit, smooth, rich and cool on a hot south Florida day.  Laura and Forest eventually married and accepted positions in D.C., then south Africa and back to D.C..  Those were some good days and every single time I make tiramisu I think of that girl.

Tiramisu is a glorious make-ahead treat.  Granted, there are several steps in making it but, boy, is it worth it!  It can be prepared in a 9X13 inch dish, individual pots or wine glasses.  Some folks make their own ladyfingers but I find store-bought are fine.  Because the bags of cookies in my store are 7 ounces, I try to make a somewhat double layer of ladyfingers on the bottom of the dish.  One bag isn’t enough for this recipe and the extra cookies give the dish added structure.  There’s quite a bit of liquid in the recipe and the cookies soak it up in a most delicious way.  Tiramisu should be served as cold as you can get it, so feel free to chill your dishes if you’re inclined.  The set, chilled texture is not even as firm as Jello although it is not runny either.  If you prepare this dessert in one large dish it’s best to serve it up in the kitchen.  And be assertive with your serving spoon and spatula.  The tiramisu will lose its shape, fall over and slide around making serving a bit of a challenge but it’s not meant to be pretty.  It’s meant to be spectacular!

Classic Tiramisu

  • Servings: 14-16
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

  • 14 ounces ladyfingers
  • 1 cup espresso
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons rum, dark or golden, divided
  • 4 tablespoons Gran Marnier
  • 1 pound mascarpone cheese
  • 5 large eggs, separated
  • 6 tablespoons sugar, divided
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa, to cover top of dish
  1. Set a 9X13 inch baking dish aside.
  2. In a large shallow bowl mix the espresso, 2 tablespoons of rum and Gran Marnier.
  3. Working quickly, dip each ladyfinger, one at a time, into the espresso mixture, moistening each side then placing on the bottom of the baking dish.  Continue until the bottom of the dish is completely covered.  I make a second layer of cookies, completely optional, with about 1″ in between each ladyfinger.  Reserve enough cookies for a final layer in between the mascarpone mixture.  Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl place the remaining rum and mascarpone and beat until smooth.  Set aside.
  5. In a small double-boiler over medium-low heat, beat the egg yolks with 3 tablespoons of sugar until light and foamy, about 4 minutes.
  6. Pour the hot yolks into the mascarpone mixture, mix well to combine and set aside.
  7. In a separate bowl, whip the cream with the  vanilla extract until soft peaks are formed  when the beaters are lifted.
  8. Add 1/3 of the whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture and gently fold in.  Fold in the remaining cream adding 1/3 at a time.  Set aside.
  9. In a separate bowl and using a hand mixer with clean beaters, whip the egg whites until foamy.  Slowly add the remaining sugar and continue beating the egg whites until the peaks hold their shape.  Do not over beat.
  10. Add the egg whites to the mascarpone mixture and gently fold in until there are no streaks of egg white.
  11. Pour half of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers in the baking dish.
  12. Lightly dip the remaining ladyfingers, one at a time, in the espresso mixture and layer evenly over the poured mascarpone.  Break the cookies to cover any holes.
  13. Pour the remaining mascarpone mixture over the cookies, smooth the top and refrigerate uncovered overnight.
  14. Prior to serving, cover the top of the tiramisu with a thick dusting of unsweetened cocoa powder.
  15. Serve immediately.

http://www.theirreverentkitchen.com

Cakes & Pies

Southern Peanut Butter Cake Squares

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Growing up here in Fort Lauderdale I was lucky enough to attend a grade school close to home, with all my friends from kindergarten, boasting a killer baking staff.  The East Side School cafeteria ladies didn’t open boxes when it came to cakes, pies and cookies for us kiddies.  No ma’am.  The predominantly black women who staffed the cafeteria were accomplished cooks and bakers who cranked out old school baked goods on a daily basis.  They were kind to all of us students and we in turn bowed down to them with reverence and respect because they were grown ups…you watch your p’s and q’s around grown ups.  These ladies were experts in the kitchen and coming from a home where Mama didn’t cook or bake I was highly appreciative and anticipated lunch every day knowing it would be far better than anything I would ever be served at home.  Do you recall the peanut butter cake you had in grade school?  The squares were heavy and thick in texture yet the cakes melted in your mouth leaving a certain salty sweet taste.  Oh, heaven.  Lately I’ve been craving that same salty sweet sensation and set about to have it.  I came up with this.  Alone in the house with two pans was virtual diet suicide.  I took four squares over to my friend Rob’s house.  He had fiddled with my father’s ancient bedside table lamp which wasn’t working.  At 94 years old Daddy really depends on that lamp for the inordinate amount of reading he does.  And after 5 minutes of fooling with it Rob had tightened it up, fine tuned the sockets and turned the on/off chains to a place where Dad could control the lamp with ease.  Make my Daddy happy, make me happy.  I made Rob take a bite of the cake and watched his reaction like a hawk.  His first words after clearing his palate of the dense stuff were, “I’m sorry Miz Whitcomb, but I don’t have my math homework cuz I didn’t do it!”  He was back in grade school and that’s what I wanted.  Old school peanut butter cake will take you back…and in a good way.

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This is a crazy simple cake recipe.  It’s best served with coffee or milk.  Iced water will do but coffee or milk are best.   When the cake smells done it probably is done.  I have light-colored baking sheets however if yours are dark keep an eye on them as they’ll bake your cake much faster.  It’s a thin cake, not big and puffy and you don’t want it to burn.  When preparing the icing you must stir continuously.  I can’t stress that enough.  Peanut butter scorches easily.   But if you use a whisk and keep stirring until smooth you will be rewarded with a trip back in time.  When you serve this to your children or grandchildren you can regale them with stories of how you had to walk 10 miles uphill BOTH WAYS to school.  Enjoy!

Southern Peanut Butter Squares

  • Servings: 24 squares
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Cake:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
  • 3/4 cup butter (12 tablespoons)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Icing:

  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 cups confectioners sugars
  1. Pre-heat oven to 400°.  Set aside a standard 12’X17″ light-colored baking sheet with a lip or 2 12″X9″ light colored baking sheets each with a lip.
  2. In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.
  3. In a medium saucepan combine peanut butter, butter, water and whisk over medium heat until completely combined.
  4. Remove from heat and whisk in milk, eggs and vanilla extract.
  5. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the flour mixture in the large bowl and stir until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
  6. Pour into baking sheet/ sheets and bake 18-20 minutes or until the sides of the cake pull away from the pan.  If using dark-colored baking sheets test for doneness at 15 minutes.
  7.   Remove cake from oven and cool on cooling rack, make the icing as the cake cools.

Icing:

  1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat combine peanut butter, milk and butter and whisk until all ingredients have dissolved and are combined.
  2. Add confectioners sugar and continue whisking until completely smooth.
  3. Remove from heat and pour over cake.
  4. Allow icing to set, about 30 minutes.
  5. Cut into 3″X3″ squares and serve.

http://www.theirreverentkitchen.com

Dessert

Silky Coconut Cream Cheese Flan

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One of my favorite Christmas scents is alcohol breath at midnight Mass.  It’s almost tradition for grownups to show up lit up.  Consider this.   If one sits down to Christmas Eve dinner at 7:00pm and the meal is concluded at, say, 8:30pm…well, there’s quite a bit of time to get into trouble before sliding into your pew to hear a few carols before the service begins.  We started our tradition years ago.  And when I say “we” I mean Pamela, my little sister, and me.  Mama would have a Puerto Rican Christmas Eve dinner with many of the typical dishes shipped to us in dry ice.   Remember, Mama didn’t cook.  After a rich, heavy dinner we had to move so Pamela and I took off  and met our friends at Mai Kai, a famous Polynesian restaurant and bar here in town known for their island dancers and rum drinks.  It was great when Jimmy and I started dating because then we had a driver.  The three of us would have two or three barrels of  rum, (that was the name of the drink….lethal), and at 11:30 the three of us would stumble out of the bar and Jimmy would drive to church where Mama would be waiting for us.

I love out beautiful church, Saint Anthony. We've been parishioners over 55 years. Mama so loved our church.
I love our beautiful church, Saint Anthony. We’ve been parishioners over 55 years. Mama so loved our church!

Midnight Mass was always packed, standing room only, with all dressed in their holiday finery.  If we had a cold snap a few furs would be seen.  As we maneuvered through the crowd waving at friends and the parents of friends, our eyes scanned our beautiful church searching for Mom.  And then, suddenly, there she was soaking in the exquisite music of the choir.  The moment we laid eyes on her the ruckus began.  We thought we were whispering but apparently not.  “Mama!  MAH-MUH!!  I love you, Mama.”  Her mouth set in an angry line she’d make room for us in the pew.  By the time Mass ended we’d pretty much be forgiven but then Pamela always, always had to do cartwheels on the church’s front lawn.  Boy, did we catch heck all the way home.  “Your father and I have a name in this town!  Are you trying to ruin us?  Alicia, what are you thinking?  You’re supposed to set an example for your sister, caramba!”  Pamela and I laugh about it now but only because we truly believe Mama’s enjoying celestial, angelic music in Heaven.  Though we miss Mom so much we ache, we do wish her a merry, merry Christmas!

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One of the few dishes Mama made herself for Christmas Eve was flan.  It was a traditional flan, the flavored ones had not yet begun to appear.  This flan is silky smooth, redolent with the flavor of coconut and the more subtle notes of cream cheese.  What I really enjoy about it is it never has that “eggy” taste many flans have.  And since only coconut cream and milk are used there are no little flecks of grated coconut meat floating around in your mouth.  Bleah.  Most recipes call for a 10″ cake or round pan.  I used an 8″ round cake pan with 4″ tall sides.  If you use a pan smaller than 10″ make certain the sides are 4″-5″ tall.  This dish needs to be made in advance, yay!, in order to set and chill.  I’ve made it 2 days before serving and it’s perfection.  It is like nothing you’ve ever tasted.  My friend, Andrea, said it should be made illegal.  Or at least made every Christmas Eve!

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Coconut Cream Cheese Flan

  • Servings: 10-12
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 3 cups cream of coconut
  • 1 13.66-ounce can coconut milk
  • 10 large eggs
  1. Preheat oven to 325°.
  2. In a medium size pot pour the sugar and water and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Do not stir! When it turns caramel in color pour into waiting baking pan.  Immediately rotate the pan so the caramel completely covers the bottom of the pan.  The caramel hardens quickly so move fast.  Set pan aside.
  3. Place cream cheese in a large bowl and using a hand mixer beat until fluffy.
  4. Add the cream of coconut to the cream cheese and mix well.
  5. Add the coconut milk to the cream cheese mixture and beat well until all ingredients are well incorporated. Set aside.
  6. In a medium size bowl break the eggs and, using a hand whisk, gently beat the eggs until the yolks and whites are thoroughly mixed.  You want to minimize the air bubbles so don’t use a hand mixer or blender.
  7. Pour the eggs into the cream cheese mixture and using the hand whisk blend well.
  8. Pour the cream cheese and egg mixture into the baking dish and place the filled baking dish into a larger baking pan, for instance a casserole dish.
  9. Heat some water to the boiling point and  carefully pour the water into the larger baking pan or casserole dish.  The water should reach 3/4 of the way up the sides of the flan pan.  In other words, you’re making a bain Marie.
  10. If using a 10″ pan bake for 1 hour or until the middle of the flan is “jiggly”.  For a taller 8″ pan bake for 2 hours.
  11. Remove from oven, place on a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature.
  12. Cover with plastic wrap directly onto flan and chill overnight up to 2 days.
  13. Right before serving remove plastic wrap, run a knife around the edge of the flan, cover the flan with your serving platter and quickly invert.  The flan should slide right out onto your platter.  If not, gently tap the platter on your counter or carefully shake the inverted pan.  Once a little air gets around the flan it’ll come right out with the melted caramel syrup.
  14. Spoon a bit of syrup over every slice prior to serving.

http://www.theirreverentkitchen.com

Cakes & Pies, Dessert

No-bake Diplomatico Cake

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Part store bought, part homemade, this cake is a winner.  How can you lose when you’re working with coffee, rum, chocolate and cream?  I started making this cake back in the ’80’s and it has never let me down.  Light yet rich and luxurious, Diplomatico cake is typically credited to Marcella Hazan.  I lost my original recipe, however, this one is quite close to hers.  A cheap, store bought pound cake is best as it’s sturdy and will keep its shape.  It’s a super easy going recipe…a little more of this and a little less of that is not an issue.

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I’ve made it with 4 eggs and I’ve made it with 6.  Sometimes I have espresso and at times I’ve only had the morning’s cold coffee available.  It all works beautifully.  The coffee and rum are strong and aromatic.  The intense chocolate mousse inside is…well, it’s chocolate, it’s heavenly.  And that cloud of whipped cream softens and compliments the entire cake.  Keep in mind the eggs are raw, not cooked, so if anyone has allergies or food issues maybe they should have their own little dish of berries.  Hope you’ll try it!

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No-Bake Diplomatico Cake

  • Servings: 6-8
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

  • 1/2 cup brewed espresso
  • 3 tablespoons rum, preferably dark or golden
  • 3 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 12-ounce store-bought pound cake, cut into 1/4″-1/2″ slices, you’ll need about 16 slices
  • 5 large eggs, separated
  • 7 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
  • 3 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  1. Line a 1 1/2 quart loaf pan with plastic wrap and set aside.
  2. Lay the cake slices out flat so they are not overlapping each other.
  3. Combine espresso, rum and 3 teaspoons of sugar in a small bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved.  Using a pastry brush,  paint the espresso mixture evenly over one side of each slice.
  4. Line the bottom and sides of the loaf pan with the cake and the pan and remaining slices aside.
  5. In a medium bowl whip the egg yolks until pale and thick.  Add the remaining 3 teaspoons of sugar and mix well.  Set aside.
  6. Melt chocolate over a double boiler and slowly mix into the whipped egg yolks.  Do not allow to cool completely.
  7. Whip the egg white until stiff peaks form.  Mix a little of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture just to loosen it up then gently fold in the remaining egg whites.
  8. Pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared loaf pan and cover with the remaining cake slices, coffee side up.
  9. Cover cake with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator over night.
  10. Prior to serving turn cake onto serving platter and discard plastic wrap.
  11. Pour whipping cream into a medium size bowl and whip until soft peaks form.  Add confectioner’s sugar and vanilla extract and continue whipping until stiff, firm peaks form.
  12. Smooth the cream over the cake and garnish with berries, shaved chocolate or nuts.
  13. Store in the refrigerator.

http://www.theirreverentkitchen.com

Breads

Pumpkin Spice Bread with Ginger Cream Cheese Icing

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What a week, huh?  And it’s only Tuesday!  I learned a dear, dear cousin of mine in Puerto Rico is sick.  The family here stateside was devastated.  My cousin in Tallahassee and I were in the process of planning a last minute trip to PR, furiously texting back and forth, when suddenly I received not a text but a phone call from her.  She had been pulled out of her grad class and was on her way to the emergency room and would I please say a prayer for her.  Her oldest of three had been hit by a car while riding his bike home.  She knew nothing else of his condition but that.  She heard my voice calm and soothing assuring her my siblings and I would immediately start a prayer circle.  She heard my words of quiet strength and hope.  She could not see my knees buckle with fear nor did she see my eyes fill up with tears.  Hours later I received the text stating he was fine!  His face and hands were all bloodied up.  His glasses were lost and his bike mangled but he was more than okay.  He had worn his protective helmet and it had done its job.  I wanted to do something for them.  I wanted to jump in my little car and 400 miles later show up at her door arms filled with baked goods.  I wanted to wrap her entire family in my arms because family is everything to us.  fullsizeoutput_14d5

And this is what I would have taken.  It’s an easy quick bread that when baking fills your house with the  warm smells of fall.  The smells that make you feel cozy and safe from harm.  Whether you have a slice with a cup of coffee or hot tea or even a glass of milk, this quick bread is satisfying and positively luscious.  I use reduced fat cream cheese in the icing because it’s a bit tangier than whole fat and that tang is more than welcome in the rich frosting.  It also marries quite well with the piquant ginger.  Here’s to hoping the rest of the week is a little easier to handle.  I heard a rumor today’s election day but after last night I can handle this hands down.  Good luck everybody!

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Pumpkin Spice Bread with Ginger Cream Cheese Icing

  • Servings: 8-10
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350°.
  2. Cover a 1.5 quart glass loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, allspice and nutmeg.  Set aside.
  4. In a separate bowl use a hand mixer to combine pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, butter, canola oil and vanilla.  Mix until all ingredients are well combined and mixture is smooth.
  5. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir by hand until there are no more flour streaks.
  6. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
  7. Place pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes then turn bread out of pan and allow to cool completely on cooling rack.

Ginger Cream Cheese Icing

  • 1 8-ounce block cream cheese, I prefer reduced fat, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons ginger paste or finely grated fresh ginger.  Ginger paste is in a tube found in the produce department of your grocery store.
  • 1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
  1. Using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese, butter and ginger until completely combined.
  2. Add the confectioners sugar and mix until smooth.
  3. When the pumpkin bread has completely cooled mound the icing on top and smooth to your liking.
  4. If you’re not serving the bread for a day or two keep the bread in the refrigerator.  Just prior to serving mix up the icing, top the bread with it and serve.  Or serve the icing dolloped on top of individual slices.

http://www.theirreverentkitchen.com

Dessert

The Ultimate Dark Chocolate Mousse with Rum Spiked Whipped Cream

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My mother was a complete fool for chocolate.  From the cheapest drug store candy bar to the finest handmade chocolates from Switzerland, Belgium or France, she loved it all and all was eaten in a frenzy and with abandon.  Mama was crazy for chocolate.  I made this mousse often in the 70’s and 80’s when we entertained and always made sure Mama got some.  This dessert is unbelievably easy and simple.  Velvety smooth and elegant, its depth and richness will make you swoon.  The recipe calls for just a few ingredients so use the best dark chocolate, the freshest eggs and highest quality whipping cream available to you.  Now is not the time to skimp.  It can be made a day ahead of serving and is excellent with after dinner coffees and dessert wines.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I have…like right now when I pulled out a cup from the refrigerator just to “even it off”.   I had a little bit more because, well, it’s so good.  And then I couldn’t stop and didn’t until I thought, “I must have some kind of disease.  Like those people who can’t control themselves and eat dirt.”   I think all you ladies out there understand.  Enjoy but be forewarned.  This stuff is dangerous!

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The Ultimate Dark Chocolate Mousse with Rum Spiked Whipped Cream

  • Servings: 2 3/4 cups or 4-6 servings
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

  • 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
  • 3 tablespoons brewed espresso or strong coffee
  • 3 tablespoons confectioners sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
  1. In a double boiler or a bowl set over simmering water but not touching the water, whisk the chocolate until it has completely melted.  Do not let the water boil as the chocolate will easily scorch and be ruined.
  2. Whisk in the coffee and sugar.  Continue to whisk while adding one egg yolk at a time.
  3. Continue whisking until the mixture has thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
  5. While the chocolate is cooling, whip the cream to soft but almost firm peaks using a hand mixer.  Watch the cream, you don’t want it to get “grainy” or turn into butter.  You just want it to hold its shape.
  6. Whisk the vanilla extract into the partially cooled chocolate mixture then fold in the whipped cream folding until all streaks of cream are gone.
  7. Spoon into serving dishes or glasses, lightly cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours up to 24 hours.
  8. Top each serving with a dollop of Rum Spiked Whipped Cream right before serving.
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 level tablespoon confectioners sugar
  • 1 tablespoon spiced rum, orange liquor or liquor of choice
  1. Pour cream into a small bowl and whip until cream starts to thicken.
  2. Add the sugar and liquor and continue whipping cream until soft peaks form.
  3. Spoon a dollop of cream over each serving of mousse.

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