Pineapple and Banana Cream Fruit Topping

If you love pineapple and bananas & cream...you will love this delicious topping for your next fruit salad.  It will take your simple salad to a whole new level.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

1 1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
8 ounces crushed pineapple
3.4 ounce package banana cream instant pudding

LET'S BEGIN:

Whisk the milk, sour cream and crushed pineapple together.  Slowly mix in the instant pudding package until well combined.

You can spread over the top of the trifle and top with sliced bananas & strawberries to decorate or leave on the side for your guests to lavish on their individual servings...provide a ladle.

You can make this ahead of time and refrigerate overnight, or whip up minutes before you are ready to serve.  It is a quick and easy solution to fancy-up your fruit!

Coconut Flour Lemon Pound Cake

I found this amazing recipe on Pinterest.  It is both a Gluten Fee, and Sugar Free cake, but it really tastes amazing!  My husband and my children loved it.  I think I will add a little lemon glaze drizzle on the top - because I like lemon, and I like sweet.  And lemon pound cake and glaze just seem to go hand in hand.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

6 (yes, six!) eggs
1/2 cup avocado oil or 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup raw honey
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 - 1/2 cup water
1 Tbs. lemon zest (don't skimp)
3 tsp. vanilla
1 pinch nutmeg

LET'S BEGIN:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs.

Add all remaining ingredients and mix together - start with 1/4 cup of water, slowly adding as the batter takes shape.  I used the entire 1/2 cup and came to the consistency of (canned) pumpkin puree.

Line an 8-inch loaf pan (I only had a 9-inch available) and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for at least 20 minutes.  Add lemon glaze to each slice, rather than on top of the entire cake.

This pairs well with jam, honey or fresh fruit.  You can also add 1/2 cup chopped pecans to the recipe before baking, of course.

Cookie Dough ~ White Chocolate Truffles

I thought these would be kinda fun to help celebrate the Feast Day of St. Lucia...the Saint of Light.

Patron saint of the blind.

Here is my version of Cookie Dough ~ White Chocolate Truffles (pictured on left).  The Cinnamon Ring Cake with Icing is for another post.

TRUFFLES -  You will need:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour

4 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS:

Melt or soften butter and add to sugar, mix until creamy.

Add cinnamon and salt, mix.

Add flour, mix well.

Add milk, mix well.  Dough should not be too stiff, if needed, add one more tablespoon of milk.

Roll dough into small balls and set on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper.

Place in freezer for about 30 minutes.

CHOCOLATE COATING - You will need:

8 oz white chocolate

2 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional)

2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon; set aside.

Melt the white chocolate (microwave on 50% for 30 second intervals, stir between each turn.

Dip truffle into the melted chocolate, roll to cover.  Place on wax paper lined cookie sheet.  Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of truffle immediately (or place any other coverings on top at this time; ie candied eyes)

You can use a variety of coatings.  I also melted some Wilton Candy Melts in the Candy Cane Colorburst & Dark Chocolate Mint flavors.

Allow chocolate to set, enjoy!

You can store truffles in the refrigerator (if you have any leftovers).

Makes about 40 Truffles

Papal Cream Cake

or Kremowka Papieska (kreh-MOOV-kah  pah-PYESS-yah)

Delicious custard cream filled pastry that does not take a lot of time...using frozen puff pastry dough.

I have also included a 'from scratch' pastry dough recipe.  There may be a time when I will need to make my own.

What you NEED:

2 sheets frozen puff pastry dough, thawed
Custard Pastry Cream (recipe below)
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place one sheet of pastry dough on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Cover with a second piece of parchment paper and place a cooling rack on top of the dough, keeping the pastry flat while baking.

Bake for 15 minutes, before removing the cooling rack & parchment paper.  Continue baking for another 15 minutes or until the pastry is crispy with golden flakes.  Cool completely on a cooling rack.

Place one layer of pastry on a tray or pan, pouring custard cream on top.

Place second layer of cooked pastry on top of the custard cream.  Dust the cake with confectioners' sugar.  Eat warm or refrigerate for later.

CUSTARD CREAM RECIPE:

2 CUPS MILK
3/4 CUP SUGAR
1 TEASPOON VANILLA
1/8 TEASPOON SALT
5 TABLESPOONS CORNSTARCH
6 LARGE EGG YOLKS

In a medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, vanilla, salt cornstarch and egg yolks.  Stir with a wire whisk.  Bring just to boil and reduce heat, cooking cream for 1 minute more.  Stir constantly so as not to scorch the cream mixture.

Remove the pan from the heat and place it in an ice-water bath as shown below.

Now you are ready to assemble your Papal Cream Cake.  Refer to above directions.

Kremowka from scratch:

8 ounces butter
3 cups flour
3 tablespoons water
3 egg yolks
salt (pinch)

Cut butter into the flour.  Beat egg yolks into the water and mix into the flour.
Divide the dough in half.  Cover the bottom of well greased 8 or 9 inch baking pan with dough half. Repeat with second half.
Bake for 30 minutes in 325 degree pre-heated oven.  Remove and allow to cool completely.  Remove from pans.

Simple Patriotic Dessert

Everyone loves this dish.  And it takes almost no time to prepare.  You can prepare ahead of time or after your guests arrive.

THE INGREDIENTS:
Fresh strawberries
Fresh blueberries
Cool Whip

THE DIRECTIONS:
Of course this looks best if using a trifle dish, but any dish will suffice.

Rinse fruit and trim greens off the strawberries.  I cut my strawberries in half.
Place all strawberries in dish, cover with cool whip, place blueberries on top.

Festive.  Fresh.  Fun.  Very Fourth of July-ish!

Star Studded Chocolate Cake

If you are looking for a deliciously moist cake, with a rich chocolate flavor, this is the cake for you.

It originated from allrecipes.com, but I recommend using a touch less sugar and definitely a dark chocolate ganache icing, rather than the chocolate butter-cream.  I also added some fresh raspberries, which compliment the chocolate, adding texture and a pop of tartness through the dense & moist cake.

Is your mouth watering yet?  Let's begin.

You will Need:
2 cups white sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
Fresh raspberries or strawberries (optional)

~ Chocolate Ganache Icing Recipe ~

Step One:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees C).  Grease and flour one baking sheet or two 9 inch cake pans.    Start water to boil.

Step  Two:
In a medium bowl, mix together the first six dry ingredients (sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt).
In the same bowl, add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.  With an electric mixer, mix for 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl to get all the dry ingredients.  By hand, stir in the boiling water until completely mixed.  Now you are ready to pour evenly into the prepared baking pans (or pour the entire amount into baking sheet).

Step Three:
In the preheated oven, bake for 30 to 35 minutes for baking pans (or 20 - 25 minutes for baking sheet). Test by inserting a toothpick into center of the cake; it is done if the toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from pans and then make sure cake is completely cooled before icing.

If you decide to use fresh berries (strawberries or raspberries, place in between the two round cakes, on top of ganache icing, then 2nd round cake on top of the ganache icing & raspberries.  Top with a final pour of ganache icing and allow to drizzle off the sides of the cake.  Optional:  Set aside about 1/2 Tablespoon of ganache icing to use as a binding agent for any fondant decorations.

You can store the cake in the refrigerator.  
Tip:  When applying the fondant, use the extra ganache icing (room temperature or warm) to adhere to the cake and/or solidified ganache.  This recipe serves about 12 - 16 generous slices.  When I used the baking sheet, I served about 20+ single layer servings (vanilla or chocolate mint ice cream on the side.  So good).