Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

 Time needed

2 hour preparation + 30 min cooking

Serving Size / Yield

24 servings

Ingredients

■2 pkgs.yeast

■1/4 C. water (105-115)

■1 1/2 C. whole milk

■1/2 C. sugar

■1 tsp. salt

■2 eggs

■1/3 C. shortening

■5 C. all-purpose flour

■canola oil

■Glaze:

■1/3 C. butter

■2 C. powdered sugar

■1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

■4 -6 Tbs. hot water

Directions

1.Dissolve yeast in warm water in 2 1/2-quart bowl. Add milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and 2 cups flour.

2.Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.

3.Stir in remaining flour until smooth. Cover and let rise until double, 50-60 minutes.

4.Turn dough onto floured surface; roll around lightly to coat with flour.

5.Gently roll dough 1/2-inch thick with floured rolling pin.

6.Cut with floured doughnut cutter. Cover and let rise until double, 30-40 minutes.

7.Heat vegetable oil in deep fryer to 350 degrees.

8.Slide doughnuts into hot oil with wide spatula. 13 Turn doughnuts as they rise to the surface.

9.Fry until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side. Remove carefully from oil (do not prick surface); drain.

10. Dip the doughnuts into creamy glaze set on rack then when slightly cooled spread chocolate frosting on top.

11.For the glaze: Heat butter until melted then remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.

Zola's Greek Restaurant Pastry

A Greek version of the classic baklava with pistachios, walnuts, dates and more!

Ingredients

■1 C. pistachios

■1 C. walnuts

■1 C. hazelnuts

■1 C. almonds

■1 C. chopped dates

■1 egg

■2 Tbs. melted butter

■1 C. granulated sugar

■1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

■1 tsp. nutmeg

■1/2 tsp. cloves

■1/4 C. brandy

■Zest and juice of 1 orange

■Zest of 1 lemon

■1/2 tsp. salt

■1 box filo dough

■1/2 C. (1 stick) butter, melted

■

■Sugar Water:

■2 C. granulated sugar

■3 C. water

■4 or 5 whole cloves

■1 (4-inch) cinnamon stick

■Zest of 1 lemon

■1/2 C. brandy

Directions

Combine nuts, dates, egg, butter and sugar in food processor. Pulse until nuts are broken up and mixture holds together. Place in work bowl with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, brandy, orange juice and zest, lemon zest and salt and combine.

Cut filo in half to form a stack of rectangles. Each pastry will use three sheets. Brush butter lightly on the 3 sheets. Place 1/4 C. nut mixture on bottom of filo sheets. Tuck edges in (1/2-inch on each side) and roll up. Brush with butter and place on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake 15-20 minutes in 350 degree oven, or until lightly browned.

In small saucepot combine sugar water ingredients. Simmer 15 minutes. Place cooled pastries in a pan with edges, fit snuggly together. Pour warm sugar water over pastries. Allow to soak up all liquid, turning if necessary. Refrigerate to help set, if needed. Slice and serve with fresh fruit whipped cream.

 

White Chocolate Berry–Cherry Bread Pudding by Wolfgang Puck

 

 “Bread pudding is great for entertaining because you can serve it hot, warm, or at room temperature. Frozen spring and summer fruits bring bright, festive color and flavor to this winter dessert.”

 Serving Size / Yield

8 servings

Ingredients

■5 C. cubed stale brioche, challah, croissants, or crustless French bread (1-inch cubes)

 ■Butter-flavored or plain nonstick cooking spray

■3 C. whole milk

■1 C. heavy cream

■1 C. sugar

■1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

■4 lg. cage-free eggs

■4 lg. cage-free egg yolks

■Pinch of salt

■3⁄4 C. white chocolate chips

■11⁄2 C. frozen mixed berries and/or frozen pitted cherries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Spread the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet, place in the oven, and toast until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the bread cubes from the oven, but leave the oven on.

Generously spray a 12-inch round ovenproof pan or a 3-quart baking dish with nonstick spray. Transfer the bread cubes to the pan, spreading them evenly.

In a large saucepan, combine the milk, cream, and sugar over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Stir in the vanilla and remove from the heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and salt. Slowly pour 1⁄2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the eggs while whisking continuously. Then, while whisking the milk mixture in the pan continuously, carefully pour the egg mixture into the pan, using a rubber spatula to scrape every bit from the bowl.

Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Then, using the spatula or the back of a large spoon, gently press the bread down into the custard mixture. Sprinkle the white chocolate chips evenly over the top, and fold them gently into the bread mixture. Evenly spread the berries and/or cherries on top.

Place the baking dish inside a larger roasting pan. Open the oven door, pull out the center rack most of the way, but not so far that it will tip when the pan is set on it. Set the roasting pan holding the baking dish on the rack, and then pour hot water into the roasting pan to reach about halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Slowly slide the rack into the oven and close the oven door. Bake until the pudding appears just set in the center when the baking dish is gently jiggled and the top is just beginning to color, about 45 minutes.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven, being careful to avoid splashing the water, and lift the baking dish out of the pan. Serve the pudding hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Cherpumple

The Turducken of Deserts!

 


The Cherpumple is the desert version of the Turducken. It’s a three-layer cake with a pie stuffed in each layer. YUM! Cherpumple is short for CHERry, PUMpkin and apPLE pie. The apple pie is baked in spice cake, the pumpkin in yellow and the cherry in white. I DARE YOU TO TRY IT AT HOME!…& SEND PIX! Share your Cherpumple “Monster” Pie Cake creation!


The inspiration for the Cherpumple came from the typical desert table selection you would find at one of my family’s holiday celebrations. Seems there’s always cherry, pumpkin, and apple pie and a cake that’s a family tradition. It has a layer of spice and a layer of yellow. Since I always want to have a piece of each of the pies and the cake I figured why not make that waaaaaaaay more convenient. So I baked them all together as one and the Cherpumple was born.

 

THE CHERPUMPLE “MONSTER” PIE CAKE


1 8″ frozen pumpkin pie

1 box spice cake mix

 

1 8″ frozen apple pie –

1 box yellow cake mix

 

1 8″ frozen cherry pie

1 box white cake mix

 

eggs and oil according to the cake mix

 

3 tall tubs of cream cheese frosting

 

3 8.5″ round cake pans


Bake pies according to instructions and cool to room temperature overnight. Mix cake batter according to instructions. For each layer pour about 1 1/3 cup of batter in the cake pan. Carefully de-tin the baked pie and place it face up on top of the batter in the cake pan. Push down lightly to release any trapped air. Pour enough batter on top to cover the pie. Bake according to box instructions. Cool and remove from pans the frost it like you mean it.


Since it’s the most wonderful time of the year …perhaps the cream cheese frosting should be dyed mint green! And, yes, you can serve your Cherpumple FLAMING! Then you can call it CHERPUMPLE PIE CAKE FLAMBE! Why, oh why didn’t think of that sooner? Well actually I did but I was afraid that I would burn the vintage stove shop down where we filmed the video. I’ve heard those old stoves have a lot of trapped gas!


…BTW, to serve your “monster” pie cake FLAMING …its easy… just make a little puddle of lemon extract in the frosting on the top of your cake. Just before you light it gather friends and family around, turn out the lights and watch it burn. Make sure to have 911 on speed dial just in case. Just how would you explain to your nosy neighbors that the desert version of the turducken burned your house down and singed theirs? Be fully prepared for gasps and ahhhhs as your guests see pie inside cake for the first time. Cherpumple ala mode anyone? Pie cake and ice cream go SO well together.


 

Lemon Raspberry Trifle by Tim Scott

 

“A trifle is an easy way to serve an elegant dessert to a lot of people. If you’ve got a little more time, make individual servings by layering the same ingredients in martini glasses.”

16-20 servings

Ingredients

■Lemon Curd

■12 egg yolks

■3 C. sugar

■1 C. fresh lemon juice

■11⁄2 C. unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small cubes

■3 Tbs. grated lemon zest

■Lemon Syrup

■1⁄2 C. granulated sugar

■5 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

■1⁄4 C. water

■2 lbs. raspberries

■3⁄4 C. sugar

■1 (1-pound) good-quality pound cake, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 10 cups)

■Whipped cream for serving

■Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

Directions

For the lemon curd: Pour water to a depth of about 3 inches into a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Meanwhile, in a metal bowl that will rest in the rim of the saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and lemon juice until blended. Set the bowl over (not touching) the simmering water and stir the mixture until it is warm, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the butter and lemon zest and continue to stir until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency and registers 170°F on an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan and pour the curd into a clean medium bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. You should have about 6 cups curd. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 4 days.

For the lemon syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, lemon juice, and water and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

In a large bowl, combine the raspberries and sugar and mash gently with a fork until most of the raspberries are bruised and their juices are beginning to flow. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.

Arrange half of the cake cubes snugly in the bottom of a 4-quart footed trifle dish or glass bowl. Drizzle the cake with half of the lemon syrup. Spoon half of the lemon curd on top and, using a small offset spatula, spread it gently and evenly over the cake cubes. Pour half of the raspberries evenly over the lemon curd. Top with the remaining cake cubes, followed by the remaining lemon syrup, the remaining lemon curd, and finally the remaining raspberries. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Just before serving, garnish the trifle with the whipped cream and mint sprigs.

Two-ingredient Chocolate Pop TartThe holidays are a time to indulge. And yet, they can also be a very busy time. So treat yourself and your special loved ones to a delicious treat that won't leave you slaving away for hours in the kitchen. Two ingredients is all you need to make these glorious confections, reminiscent of the chocolate-filled croissants you find in many a French bakery. They are simple, flaky, and perfectly divine.

Chocolate Poptarts

Ingredients:

-2 prepared pie crusts

-2 dark chocolate bars (I used Lindt with a hint of Sea Salt)

 

Step 1. Break the chocolate into 2-square pieces. Place three pieces of chocolate on one half of the pie crust.

 

Step 2. Place the second half of pie crust over the top of the chocolate. Use a pizza cutter or crimped-edge knife to slice around the chocolate, leaving a 1/4″ space around each edge of the chocolate. Crimp the edges with a fork and transfer to a baking sheet.

Step 3. Bake poptarts in an oven preheated to 425 degrees for 9-11 minutes, or just until the edges are golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack. Melt the extra pieces of chocolate in a small ziploc bag, snip off the corner of the bag, and drizzle over the poptarts.

Serve poptarts hot or cold, with a glass of cold milk. Recipe makes 6 small Pop-Tarts.

Strawberry Pop Tarts

 

It seems there are more over-processed, preservative-laden options offered in the grocery aisles for breakfast than there are for any other meal of the day. Just look at the ingredients on the side of most boxes of cereal, granola bars, instant oatmeal. You’ll likely find a list of unnatural sounding words. Things like high fructose corn syrup, sodium acid pyrophosphate, thiamine mononitrate. Thanks, but no thanks. I prefer to start my day with a hearty helping of whole grains and organic berries. But, what to do when you crave the sweet stuff of childhood? Stuff like chocolate-chip cookies cereal, apple turnovers glazed with a plastic packet of frosting, strawberry poptarts with sprinkles. Well, you pull out a bowl and get baking, that’s what. You mix and whisk and roll together a batch of these gorgeous whole wheat strawberry pop tarts. Then, you pour a big glass of milk and start your day off the right way.

 

1 prepared batch of my super flaky Whole Wheat Pie Crust


Fresh Strawberry Filling:

1 T. butter, sliced

1 c. strawberries

1 tsp. lemon juice

½ c. sugar

1 T. cornstarch


Glaze:

2 c. powdered sugar

1 T. honey

1 tsp. vanilla

2-3 T. heavy cream

Pink Icing gel

Sprinkles


In a small saucepan, combine all Strawberry Filling ingredients. Heat over medium-high heat until mixture begins to thicken. Allow to cool. On a lightly-floured cutting board, roll pie crust ¼” thick. Use a pizza cutter to cut pie dough into same-sized rectangles, approximately 4” tall x 3” wide. Spoon a 2-3 Tablespoons of the strawberry mixture on top of one of the rectangles. Gently place a second rectangle of pie dough atop. Secure edges together by pressing them gently with the tines of a fork. Transfer to a cookie sheet and bake in an oven preheated to 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges of the tart begin to brown slightly. Remove and cool.


To make the glaze, stir together all ingredients until a thick, spreadable consistency is reached. Spoon a thin layer of the frosting on top of cooled strawberry tarts. Allow frosting to harden before serving.