desserts 2

1. Put sugar and flour in a large bowl.
2. Bring 2 sticks of butter, water and cocoa to a boil. Pour oven the sugar and flour. Mix well.
3. Add buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, cinnamon and vanilla.
4. Bake in a large sheet pan (11x16) for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. 
5. ICING:  Melt together and bring to boil 1 stick of butter, cocoa and water. 
6. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, vanilla and pecans.
7. Spread on hot cake!

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 8-inch round pans or three 6-inch round pans with  a nonstick and flour spray or butter them generously.
2. Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the bananas, yogurt, and oil until smooth.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the sugar and butter on medium-low speed until the mixture looks like dampened sand, about 1 minute.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, giving the first about 30 seconds to incorporate before adding the second. Increase the speed to medium-high, beating until light in texture and much paler in color, 4 to 5 minutes (don't skimp on the beating time, here - the significant change in color will be your cue that the sugar has begun to dissolve). Beat in the vanilla extract.
6. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Stir in the dry ingredients and banana-yogurt mixture in five alternating additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, letting each addition fully absorb into the batter before adding the next. Finish folding the batter gently by hand to ensure it is well blended.
7. Divide the batter into two or three prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the cakes for 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a wire rack. Cool completely.
8. Place one cake on a stand or platter. Ice layers and top of cake with the buttercream icing.

1. For crust: Combine the Oreo crumbs and the melted butter in a mixing bowl, stir till well blended. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9" pie plate. I doubled this recipe and put it in a 9" springform pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool completely.
2. For filling: Break Symphony bars into pieces and place in a large glass bowl with the milk. Melt at 50% power in microwave. Be careful to not overheat. Cool slightly.
3. Whip the cream till stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla. Stir into the cooled chocolate mixture. Spoon into the crust.
4. Cover pie and freeze for at least 3 hours. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. 
5. Garnish with additional whipped cream and broken Symphony bars if desired. I used crushed oreos.

1. Crust: In a food processor or blender, grind the gingersnaps until fine. Pour into.a bowl and stir in the pecans, melted butter, brown sugar and salt. Press into the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Filling: Beat the cream cheese in a stand mixer until soft, scraping the sides once. Mix in the pumpkin, scraping the sides once or twice. Add the eggs 1 at a time, allowing them to mix in, then add the sour cream and mix. With the mixer on low, add the granulated sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg. Thoroughly scrape the bowl and mix to ensure everything is smooth and mixed in.
4. Pour the filling into the pan, smoothing the top. Set the pan on a baking sheet and bake until the filling is no longer soupy but still slightly jiggly, about 50 minutes. Turn off the oven, open the door just a hair and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 15 more minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 30 minutes, then cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours to overnight.
5. Slice the cheesecake and top with whipped cream and chopped pecans.

1. Mix first 4 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs one at a time. Beat mixture 6 minutes at medium speed. Add vanilla and butter flavoring.
2. Grease a bundt pan well and then sprinkle a few chopped pecans all around the pan. 
3. Mix streusel ingredients together.
4. Put half the batter in the bottom of your bundt pan. Layer with the streusel and then the rest of your batter.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.
6. Cool cake completely.
7. Mix the glaze ingredients together and drizzle over the cake. Add chopped pecans if desired.

NEW TIP IN VIDEO: Take the cinnamon out of the streusel mixture and add it directly to the cake!

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a 10x15 jelly roll sheet pan with parchment paper. Fold the paper so it will hold in place. Spray lightly with a cooking spray.
2. Sift the flour, salt, spices, baking powder, and soda into a medium bowl and then whisk together and set aside.
3. Combine eggs, vanilla and granulated sugar in a large bowl then whisk or beat until lighter in color and smooth.
4. Add the pumpkin puree and mix until smooth.
5. Pour the dry mixture into the wet  and then fold in until just combined.
6. Transfer the batter onto your prepared baking sheet and use a spatula or offset spatula to smooth out. 
7. Bake for 13-15 minutes at 375 degrees. The cake is done when the center springs back when pressed lightly.
8. While the cake bakes prepare your thin kitchen towel by dusting it with powdered sugar. When the cake is done lift it out of the pan and invert onto the sugared cloth. This should be done immediately after removing from the oven.
9. Peel back the parchment paper and roll tightly. Place the rolled cake on a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Make the cream cheese icing by creaming the butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a large bowl if using a hand mixer. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat until fluffy, smooth, and light in color.
11. Unroll the cooled cake on your counter and spread the icing evenly on the cake.
12. Roll the cake back up and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour so the icing can set up.
13. Once the cake is chilled you can dust with powdered sugar and cut with a sharp knife. This also freezes well, just remove it from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before you want to serve it.

1. Thoroughly cream shortening, sugar, and vanilla. Add egg and milk; beat till light and fluffy.
2. Sift together dry ingredients; blend into creamed mixture.
3. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.
4. On lightly floured surface, roll to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut in desired shapes with cutters. 
5. Bake on ungreased (I use parchment paper) cookie sheet at 375 degrees for about 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges.
6. Cool slightly; remove. Makes about 3 dozen.

1. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg, then molasses. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture. Divid dough in half, wrap and chill for 2 hours.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. On a well-floured surface, roll half the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into shapes with assorted-size gingerbread cookie cutters; transfer to ungreased (I use parchment paper) baking sheets. Re-roll scraps and cut. Repeat with rest of dough.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks to cool. Decorate as desired.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the middle position. Mist the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray, line the bottom with a round of kitchen parchment, then mist the parchment.
2. In a large bowl, combine the white sugar, whole eggs, and egg whites salt and both extracts. Whisk vigorously until well combined, 30 to 45 seconds. The mixture will be slightly frothy and the sugar will not be fully dissolved. 
3. Add the almond flour and whisk until incorporated. 
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, then sprinkle evenly with the turbinado sugar and chopped almonds. 
5. Bake until deeply browned and the crust feels firm when gently pressed with a finger, 45 to 55 minutes. 
6. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
7. Run a knife around the edges of the cake, then invert onto a plate. Remove the pan and parchment then reinvert the cake onto a serving plate. Let cool completely before serving.

1. For the topping, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Use a fine grater to zest 1 tsp of zest from the grapefruit, orange, and blood orange (for a total of 1 tbsp zest). Reserve the zest for the cake.
3. Cut the top and bottom off of each citrus and place them with a flat side on the cutting board. Then, following the curve of the fruit, use a sharp knife to cut off the peels and as much of the white pith as possible. Slice the fruit crosswise into 1/4 inch thick rounds; carefully remove any seeds.
4. Combine the butter and both sugars in a small saucepan and warm over medium-low heat until melted. Pour into the prepared cake pan and spread evenly. Top with the citrus rounds so they fit very snugly and are slightly overlapping (you may not use very slice). Drizzle with the orange liqueur, if using.
5. For the cake, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl. Put the butter, sugar, and reserved zest in another bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour; mix until just combined.
6. Pour the cake batter over the citrus and bake until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cake and let it cool for 15 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a platter, replacing any citrus that may have stuck to the pan. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat butter and zest at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating well.
2. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Shape dough into a disc.
3. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness on al lightly floured surface. Cut with desired cookie cutters. 
4. Place 1/2 inch apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
5. Bake at 325 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
6. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes.  Transfer to wire racks; cool completely.
7. Fill or decorate as desired.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine blueberries and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a medium bowl. Toss to coat blueberries in the sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper. Place eight 8-ounce baking dishes on prepared baking pan. Place 1 tbsp butter in the bottom of each baking dish. Transfer to oven until butter is melted and bubbling, 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 3/4 cup sugar, flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Add milk slowly, whisking until completely combined. Divide batter evenly among hot baking dishes. Spoon an equal amount of blueberries with their juice into the center of each baking dish, keeping an outer edge of batter if possible. Return to oven, and bake until tops are golden brown, about 1 hour.