SWEETS AND TREATS

Exploring recipes and techniques for special occasions, 

we baked a selection of Sweets and Treats.

Pumpkin Roll  Cake

1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup pumpkin

1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

FILLING

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

Directions

FOR CAKE:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with powdered sugar.
COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a small bowl. Beat eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until the top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.) Immediately loosen and turn cake onto prepared towel. Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with narrow end. Cool on wire rack.
FOR FILLING:
BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth. Carefully unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Re-roll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.
COOKING TIP:
Be sure to put enough powdered sugar on the towel when rolling up the cake so it will not stick.

 Coconut Cream Pie

4 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

1/2 Tbsp flour

1 large can evaporated milk

1 cup sweet milk or water

2 tsp butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup Coconut (reserve 2 Tbsp for the top)

Prepare a pie crust shell.

Mix flour and sugar, add egg yolks, condensed milk, and sweet milk.  Beat until the egg yolks are thoroughly blended.  Add vanilla, butter. Cook until mixture thickens, stirring continuously while cooking. Stir in coconut. Pour into a cooled pie shell.   Top with meringue. 

Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes.

May omit the coconut and substitute bananas.

1-2 Bananas. Cut bananas in round slices about 1/4” thick. Evenly arrange slices on top of cream filling. Top with meringue. 

Basic Meringue

        Add 1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar per egg white to the unbeaten eggs. 

    Whip to medium-soft peaks. Beat in 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup white sugar per egg white. Continue to beat until egg whites are glossy and hold a firm peak.

    Adding sugar early in the beating process results in a firmer finer-textured meringue.

    Cream of tartar, white vinegar, or lemon juice can all be used to stabilize a meringue.

Perfect Pie Crust

2 Cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp Sugar

3/4 cup vegetable shortening

1 egg lightly beaten

1 tsp vinegar

3 - 4 Tbsp cold water

*Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a 2 qt. bowl. Evenly cut shortening into flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork.   *Combine egg and vinegar in a small bowl and add to flour mixture.   

*Add water a tablespoon at a time until the dough is moist enough to form a ball.  

*Shape dough into 2 balls. Flatten one ball to 1/2 inch thickness, rounding and smoothing edges.  *On lightly floured surface roll into 11-inch circle.

*Fold pastry in half and place in 9" Pie Plate.

*Unfold gently and press in bottom and up sides of the plate.

*Roll out remaining pastry; set aside. Continue as directed in pie recipe.

*If making apple pie and apples are already cooked, then fill the pie with apples, top with pastry, flute edges and bake at 450 for 15 - 20 minutes.

Rustic Pear Tart

Crust::

1 1/3  cups all-purpose flour

3 Tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

7  Tbsp  cold butter, cubed

2 to 3 Tbsp cold water

Filling:

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel

1/2 to 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

4 medium ripe pears, peeled and sliced 1/4”

1 Tbsp butter

Glaze: ( optional)

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 1/2 tsp milk

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt: cut in butter until crumbly.  Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Roll out to a 14” circle.  Transfer pastry to a 14” Pizza pan.  In a bowl, combine the sugar, almonds, flour, lemon peel, and cinnamon.  Add pears; toss to coat. Spoon over the pastry to within 2 in. of edges; dot with butter. Fold edges of pastry over pears.  

Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla. Pour over warm tart.  Sprinkle with almonds. Cool on a wore rack.  Yield 8-10 servings.

Pecan Pie Tarts

6 ounces cream cheese

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:

1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

2.Grease 30 tart tins or muffin cups and set aside.

3. To Make Crust: In a medium mixing bowl cream together cream cheese and 1 cup butter until light and fluffy. Blend in flour, 1/2 cup at a time, forming a smooth dough. Roll into 30 equal balls and press one into each greased tin so it lines the bottom and sides, like a pie crust.

4. To Make Filling: In a medium mixing bowl cream together 1/4 cup butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until thoroughly blended. Stir in pecans. Fill each lined tin half full. The mixture will rise as it bakes.

5.Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool in tins, then use the end of a table knife to flip each tart out of its tin.                  

We learn so much from sharing our processes and techniques. 

This was a very successful day!