Coconut Cupcakes

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 
2 cups sugar 
5 extra-large eggs at room temperature 
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract 
3 cups flour 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
1 cup buttermilk 
14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut 
For the frosting: 
1 pound cream cheese at room temperature 
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract 
1 1/2 pounds confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. 
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. 
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut. 
Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely. 
Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth. 
Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut. 

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Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Ingredients

1. 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2. 3/4 cup sugar
3. 4 eggs
4. 2 tablespoons flour
5. 1/2 cup sour cream
6. 1 teaspoon vanilla
7. 16 Reese’s cups, chopped

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
4. Add flour, sour cream and vanilla.
5. Pour half of batter in crust lined 9” springform pan (see below for crust recipe).
6. Sprinkle Reese’s on top.
7. Pour remaining batter over top.
8. Bake at 425F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 225F and bake for an hour. (This 2 different heat seatings worked wonderfully! My cheesecake didn’t even crack!)
9. Chill cheesecake in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.
10. Garnish with Reese’s cups and drizzle warmed chocolate over the top.

Crust

1. 1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs
2. 1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs
3. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Mix together and press onto bottom and sides of greased 9” springform pan.

Here are some pictures from the one I made last night.

This is the center of the cheesecake. Look at all those yummy chunks of Reese’s!

Here’s the second layer of cheesecake going over the top of the Reese’s.


Here’s the top of my finished cheesecake. I didn’t have time to drizzle melted chocolate over it.

Vanilla Cheesecake with Cherry Topping

Ingredients

CRUST: 
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs 
1/4 cup sugar 
2 tablespoons butter, melted 
2 teaspoons water 
Cooking spray 

FILLING: 
3 (8-ounce) blocks fat-free cream cheese, softened 
2 (8-ounce) blocks 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened 
1 cup sugar 
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1 (8-ounce) carton fat-free sour cream 
4 large eggs 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise 

TOPPING: 
2/3 cup tawny port or other sweet red wine 
1/2 cup sugar 
2 (10-ounce) bags frozen pitted dark sweet cherries 
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
4 teaspoons cornstarch 
4 teaspoons water 

Preparation

To prepare crust, combine first 3 ingredients, tossing with a fork. Add 2 teaspoons water; toss with a fork until moist and crumbly. Gently press mixture into bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes; cool on a wire rack.

Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

To prepare filling, beat cheeses with a mixer at high speed until smooth. Combine 1 cup sugar, flour, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Add to cheese mixture; beat well. Add sour cream; beat well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; stir seeds into cheese mixture, reserving bean halves.

Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan; bake at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched. Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife around outside edge. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

To prepare topping, combine port, 1/2 cup sugar, cherries, and reserved vanilla bean halves in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until cherries are thawed and mixture is syrupy. Remove vanilla bean halves; discard.

Combine juice, cornstarch, and 4 teaspoons water, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Stir cornstarch mixture into cherry mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 3 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened and shiny. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Cover and chill. Serve over cheesecake.

Yield

16 servings (serving size: 1 slice cheesecake and about 2 tablespoons topping)

Snickers Pie
(adapted from Mimi Silbert’s recipe found in the SF Chronicle)
(makes one 9-inch pie; approximately 12 to 16 servings) 

Crust 
2 cups graham cracker crumbs 
3 tablespoons light brown sugar 
4 ounces (1 stick/ 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted 

Fudge Layer 
4 ounces (1 stick/ 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces 
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped 
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
1/8 teaspoon salt 
1/2 cup granulated sugar 
1 large egg 
1 large egg yolk 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces of Snickers candy bars, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
(I weighed the Snickers without wrappers)

Cream Cheese Layer 
10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature 
1/3 cup granulated sugar 
1 large egg 
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped 
3 tablespoons heavy cream 

(I used a different chocolate glaze recipe to top my pie but I didn’t like it my topping recipe. I included the original glaze recipe instead of the one I used. So if you make the pie, your topping might look different from what is shown in my photos.) 

For the crust: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch deep-dish glass pie pan. 

Combine graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Add melted butter, stirring until well incorporated. Press mixture evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of prepared pan. Bake for 5 minutes, until crust is set. Transfer to a rack to cool. 

Keep the oven temperature at 350 degrees. 

For the fudge layer: 
Combine butter and bittersweet chocolate in the top of a double boiler; set over simmering water and stir until melted and smooth. Remove top insert and cool slightly. 

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl. Set aside dry ingredients.

Using an electric mixer, beat together sugar, egg and egg yolk in a large bowl for 1 minute, until slightly thickened. Add vanilla and cooled chocolate mixture and mix until well blended. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour into crust. 

Bake for about 15 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with moist batter still attached. If crust browns too quickly, cover with foil. 

Transfer pan to a rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Evenly arrange Snickers bars over the top. 

For the cream cheese layer: 
Using an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add egg, egg white and vanilla and beat until smooth. Carefully spread mixture over the Snickers bars. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cream cheese is set. Transfer to a rack to cool. 

For the glaze: 
Combine chocolate and cream in the top of a double boiler. Set over simmering water and stir until chocolate is just melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Spread or drizzle decoratively over the pie. 

Refrigerate until well chilled. Serve cold. The pie may be prepared up to 3 days ahead. Cover loosely with foil and keep refrigerated. 

A cross between - “Death by Chocolate/To Die for Cake

Ingredients:

Chocolate cake mix
Chocolate mouse or pudding mix (your choice)
Cool whip
Chopped nuts (your choice)
Crushed chocolate covered toffee bars
Strong coffee

Directions:

Bake cake according to package directions, let cake cool. Poke holes in top of cake, pour a cup of coffee over cake, let liquid absorb. Crumble cake into trifle bowl, top with chocolate mouse or pudding, then sprinkle nuts and crushed candy over pudding, top with cool whip, and repeat layers. Sprinkle nuts and candy on top.

Enjoy!

Mama Daisy’s Banana Pudding

2 1/2 cups sugar 
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
Pinch salt 
2 (12-ounce) cans evaporated milk 
4 egg yolks 
1/2 stick butter, cubed 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 box vanilla wafers, plus more for garnish, crumbled 
5 bananas, sliced 
Whipped cream

In a 3-quart heavy saucepan on low heat, add sugar, flour and salt. Pour in the evaporated milk and stir constantly. The mixture will thicken slowly, about 10 minutes.

Lightly beat the egg yolks in a medium size bowl. Add a ladleful of the thickened milk mixture to the eggs and whisk, to temper the eggs. Add the egg mixture into the saucepan and continue to whisk and cook until incorporated, roughly 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter and the vanilla extract. Place the pudding into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let cool in refrigerator for 2 1/2 hours.

Into a large bowl or trifle dish, add a layer of vanilla wafers, a layer of sliced bananas, and top with pudding. Add the whipped cream and then repeat the layers. Garnish with crumbled cookies on top. 

Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 ¼ cups lightly packed brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 heaping TBSP cocoa powder
2 ¼ cups sifted cake flour
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
¾ cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350F.
Grease cupcake pans and set aside.
Place the butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl often , until  well blended, about 3 minutes.  Add the cocoa powder. Mix until combined. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, on at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl and mixing well after each addition. Continue to beat for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Stop the mixer, add the melted chocolate, and mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add about ½ the ingredients followed by about ½ of the sour cream and beat well. Add the remaining dry ingredients followed by the remaining sour cream, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beating well after each addition. Add the boiling water and beat until smooth.
Scoop(ice cream scoop works best) batter into prepared pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cake springs back when touched lightly in the center. Let cool for about 10 minutes and remove from pan. Let cupcakes cool completely.
Peanut Butter Filling

4 ounces or 1/2 package of Philly cream cheese
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
milk to thin out filling

Beat cream cheese and peanut butter until combined.
Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until combined.
Add the milk and beat until combined. Add milk until your reach desired consistency.

Chocolate Ganache

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
5 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
2-3 cups powdered sugar

Chop chocolates and transfer into a heat proof bowl.
Heat cream until bubbles form around the edge of the pan, pour cream over the chocolate.
Let sit for 1 minute then stir until combined.
Add butter and vanilla and stir until combined.
Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixture and let cool for 10 minutes.
Sift powdered sugar into the mixture and beat until combined. Add more sugar if needed.
Continue to beat with an electric mixer until lighter in color and creamy.

Assemble
Using a small pairing knife, cut off the top of the cupcake in the shape of a cone. Flip the top over and cut off the cone.
Fill the cavity with a teaspoon or so of peanut butter filling. I used a piping bag, this makes it much easier.
Replace top.
Frost with ganache.

1 Dish Blueberry Cheesecake

• Batter

• Mazola Pure^TM Cooking Spray
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 envelopes Fleischmann’s® RapidRise Yeast
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup milk (very warm 120-130°F)
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1 egg

• Blueberry Sauce

• 1-1/2 cups blueberries, fresh OR frozen
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

• Cheesecake

• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg

Sweet Potato Souffle


3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (baked 4 sweet potatoes for about 50 minutes wrapped in foil, let cool, peeled and mashed)
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1 cup flaked coconut
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350.In a large bowl with an electric mixer; combine potatoes, white sugar, soft butter, beaten eggs, vanilla and milk. Spoon into a 2 quart oven proof baking dish.
In a smaller bowl combine the coconut, flour, brown sugar, chopped nuts and melted butter. Sprinkle over the top of the sweet potatoes.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Easy Tiny Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

1 (8-ounce) can refrigerated crescent rolls 
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar 
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar 
1 teaspoon milk 
1 drop vanilla extract 

Preparation

Stir together sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over rectangles.

Roll up, jellyroll fashion, starting with a long side; press edges to seal. Cut each log into 5 slices, and place in a lightly greased 8-inch round cakepan.

Bake at 350° for 12 minutes.

Combine powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla, stirring until smooth; drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls.

Yield

20 rolls