SWEET TOOTH

JUST A NOTE:

THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR DESSERT

PRE-MADE CRUST IS THE BAKING GODS' GIFT TO HOME BAKERS

COOKIES & COFFEE ARE THE PERFECT PAIR

(NOT MY) GRANDMA'S GINGER MOLASSES COOKIES

Makes 24ish

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
¾ cups of melted butter
1 cup of sugar, plus a bit more to roll them in
1 egg room temperature
¼ cup of molasses

In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Set aside. At your mixer, mix the butter, sugar and egg until smooth. Stir in molasses. Gradually add the dry mixture to the machine on low. Once completely combined, cover and put in the fridge for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 375. Roll out the dough to walnut sized lumps and roll in a bowl of sugar. Place on a cookie sheet 2in. apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies have cracked. Best under baked.

CHERRY PIE

Makes 1 Pie

1 box of pre-made crust

1 bag of cherries
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
¾ cup of sugar
3 tablespoons of quick make tapioca
1 egg
1 tablespoon of water
1 tablespoon of Turbinado sugar

Preheat to 350 and de-pit all the cherries and toss with the lemon juice.

In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and tapioca. Fold this mixture into the cherries and let sit for 15 minutes. While waiting, in a small bowl combine the water and egg, and beat until thoroughly combined, this will be your egg wash.

Line the pie tin with your crust. Pro Tip: By buying an extra box of pre-made crust, you can layer the bottom with a second crust for more of a homemade feel. Place the cherries in the pie tin. With the top crust, either cut out a small design and layer on top or cut small holes for venting while baking. Place the crust on top of the cherries. Brush with egg wash and then sprinkle the Turbinado sugar on top.

Bake for 50 minutes, let cool for two hours.

BOURBON APPLE PIE

Makes 1 Pie, or 4 Mini Pies (Pictured)

7-8 Apples, cored, peeled, and sliced thin
Juice of 1 Lemon
½ cup bourbon
1 cinnamon stick
½ cup granulated sugar
½ light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ cup apple juice
1 large egg

1 box of pre-made crust

Combine the apples, bourbon, cinnamon stick and the lemon juice into a large sauce pan. Add both sugars, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, and stir to coat. Bring to a boil and cook for 5-7 minutes until apples are tender.

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and apple juice and stir until dissolved. Add this to the apple mixture and continue to stir over medium heat until syrup is translucent and thickened. Remove from heat and let cool. While cooling mix egg and 1 tablespoon of water, this will be your egg wash.

Line the pie tin with your crust. Pro Tip: By buying an extra box of pre-made crust, you can layer the bottom with a second crust for more of a homemade feel. Place the apples in the pie tin. With the top crust, either cut out a small design and layer on top or cut small holes for venting while baking. Place the crust on top of the apples. Brush with egg wash and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Bake for 35 minutes at 375 or until the crust is golden.

WESTERN BANANA PUDDING

Makes 6 individual desserts

½ cup sugar

2 ½ tbsp cornstarch

¼ tsp salt

3 egg yolks

2 cups whole milk

2 ½ tbsp unsalted butter, cubed

1 tsp banana extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

1-2 bananas slices

1 box reduced fat Nilla Wafers

1 can Reddi whip

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large saucepan. Whisk in egg yolks and milk then heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 10-12 minutes or until thickened.

Once thickened, remove from heat and stir in butter, banana extract and vanilla extract. If not serving immediately, cover with plastic wrap making sure that it is touching the pudding so it doesn't develop a skin. Refrigerate until set usually overnight.

Serve by stacking Nilla Wafers, pudding, banana slices and a dollop of Reddi whip in a small glass. Pro tip: Stemless wine glasses work really well. Repeat 2-3 times until you have your desired layers. Then enjoy!

Just a note - this is a western take on the classic southern dish. I realize it's slightly sacrilege to not include a whole tub of cool whip, but it's worth a try especially if you love bananas.

MOM'S DUTCH BABY

Feeds my family (approx. 4-6)

4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
Mixed fruit
Confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Melt 3 tablespoons in a 9 in round oven safe dish - this can be done in the oven or over low heat on the stove, however you want to get the pan hot.

Take the remaining tablespoon of butter and melt in the microwave. Add milk, eggs and vanilla to the bowl, whisking to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, and the salt. Whisk the flour mixture into the milk mixture, whisking until there are no lumps. Pour the batter in the hot butter pan and immediately place in the oven.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pancake is puffed and the edges start to get crispy and browned. Once cooled slightly, add fruit and dust lightly with sifted confectioners’ sugar. Serve as a whole and let everyone grab a fork full (like we did growing up).

DUTCH CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Makes 12-24ish (depends on how you like them)

1 cup flour

1/2 cup Ghirardelli Unsweetened 100% Dutch Process Cocoa

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups granulated sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 eggs

1 cup semisweet chocolate
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line a pan with parchment paper. In a small bow, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt then set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk together the sugar, melted butter and vanilla then add in 1 egg at a time until creamy. Add the flour mixture and whisk together until it's just combined, do not over mix. Then fold in chocolate chips using a spatula or wooden spoon.

Pour into the baking tin, making sure to distribute the batter evenly and bake for 25-30 minutes. I generally aim for under baked brownies because I like them really fudgy. Let them cool before cutting and dusting with Confectioners' sugar and enjoy!

CARROT CAKE

CARROT CAKE
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
3 cups grated carrots (5-6 carrots, not 5lbs)
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup shredded coconut,
1/2 cup raisins
2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
4 eggs

FROSTING
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1lb. (3 3/4 cups) confectioners' sugar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

DECORATIONS
Toasted finely chopped nuts and/or toasted coconut, for topping, optional
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 large carrots outer skin removed
Birthday candles

CARROT CAKE
Preheat the oven to 325 and grease 2 9in. round cake pans. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut and raisins.

Working in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a whisk) beat the sugar and oil together until smooth - it takes a little bit, be patient. Add the eggs one by one and continue to beat until the batter is smooth. Reduce the speed to low (or switch to rubber spatula if working by hand) and gently stir in the flour mixture until the dry ingredients disappear. Then gently stir in the chunky ingredients.

Divide the batter among the baking pans and slide the pans into the oven. Bake the cakes for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cakes are properly baked when a knife inserted into the centers of the cakes comes out clean. Transfer the pans to cooling racks, cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool to room temperature.

FROSTING
Working in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the lemon juice.

Place one layer of the cake, right-side up, on a cardboard round. Put a layer of frosting down, then top with some of the chopped walnuts.

Place the second round on top and begin to cover the cake in a crumb coat. Place in the fridge 15 minutes until set and then come in with a second and final layer to have a clean outer layer. Put the cake back into the fridge for another 15 minutes to set the frosting.

DECORATIONS
Preheat the oven to 225. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking oil. Using a vegetable peeler, remove 15-20 long strips from the carrots. Bring water and sugar to a boil in a saucepan. Add the carrot strips to the pan, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently so the mixture doesn’t burn. Drain carrot strips and allow them to cool for 5 minutes. Lay strips out in a single layer on the baking sheet, making sure they don't touch. Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove carrot strips from the oven and work quickly to wind each carrot strip around the handle of a wooden spoon, slide off, and sprinkle with sugar. Allow carrot curls to cool for 30 minutes. Layer between wax paper and store at room temperature in an airtight container. Before serving, garnish the top of the cake with the remaining nuts/coconut mixture, the candied carrots and some candles. Add in an awkward rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ and enjoy!