Cookie Gift Baskets Tip & Recipe Blog

• 4 egg yolks
• 1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 egg whites
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons grated orange rind

Preheat oven to 350°. Place oven rack on middle level. Grease a 9-inch layer cake pan and dust lightly with flour.

Beat the egg yolks, and then gradually add the sugar (reserving 2 tablespoons) beating with an electric mixer or wire whisk until thick and light. Beat in the orange juice and rind, and then mix in the flour.

Beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks are formed then beat in the reserved sugar until stiff but not dry. Fold half the egg whites into the flour mixture then fold in the remaining egg whites lightly. Turn into the pan. Bake 30 minutes or until browned and slightly shrunk away from the sides of the pan. Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then run a spatula around the edge and turn out onto a cake rack. Turn right side up and let stand until cold. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

• 1/2 lb. fresh orange peels
• 1/4 lb. chopped mixed nuts
• 1/2 lb. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Use about six large oranges. Peel thickly with a sharp knife. Soak peels in cold water for 24 hours. Drain. Weigh peels. Place in saucepan; cover with cold water; bring to a boil. Cook about 10 minutes or until soft; drain.Chop orange peels fine; mix with sugar; cook slowly over low flame about 10 minutes or until a small quantity dropped into cold water forms a soft ball. Add vanilla; blend thoroughly. Remove from fire; cool; shape into small balls about the size of a small walnut. Roll in sugar; dip in finely chopped nuts.

• 8 egg yolks
• 8 egg whites
• 2 tsp. grated lemon rind
• 2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 tbs. water
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Use large mixing bowl. Sift ½ cup sugar with flour several times to blend well. Place egg yolks, water, and grated lemon rind in a bowl. Beat lightly; add almond extract. Gradually sift flour very lightly over beaten egg yolks. Fold in gently.

Place egg whites in another mixing bowl and beat until stiff. Gently fold the stiff egg whites into flour mixture. Pour into 10 or 12 inch ungreased cake pan. Bake in moderate oven 45 minutes, or until cake separates from the side of the pan. Be careful not to jar cake while baking, as it may become heavy.

When cake is done, invert pan on wire for about 1 hour or until cold. Remove from pan.

• 6 large firm pears
• 3 oz. powdered sugar
• 4 maraschino cherries
• 1/4 lb. shelled toasted almond extract
• 1/2 cup sherry

Wash pears. Cut in half lengthwise; scoop out cores. Chop cherries very fine. Grind almonds until almost mealy; add extract. Blend very thoroughly all ingredients except sherry.

Fill pear halves with this mixture. Place in baking dish. Pour sherry over pears; bake in a medium oven for about 15 minutes, or until pears are done but not too soft.

Serve either very hot or cooled, as preferred. Serves 6 to 8.

• 1 large ripe peach
• 2 oz. burgundy (chilled)

Peel one large ripe peach; slice lengthwise. Place in large sherbet glass; pour 2 ounces of burgundy over peach. Serve immediately. Serves 1.

• 3 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 5 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 squares (ounces) unsweetened chocolate

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease three 9-inch layer cake pans and dust lightly with flour. Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. In a saucepan, beat 1 egg. Add the chocolate, broken into small pieces, ¾ cup milk and 1 cup sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate melts. Cool.

Cream the shortening; gradually beat in the remaining sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 of the remaining eggs at a time, beating after each addition. Add the flour mixture alternately with the remaining milk, beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla and chocolate mixture. Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a cake rack 20 minutes before removing from pans. Cool thoroughly before frosting.

• 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup fine-grated coconut
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon cognac
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 9-inch pastry or coconut shell

Preheat oven to 325°.

Beat the cream cheese until smooth, and then beat in ½ cup sugar gradually. Add 1 egg yolk at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the flour, salt and coconut, then the cream and cognac.

Beat the egg whites until stiff; gradually beat in the remaining ¼ cup sugar. Fold into the cheese mixture. Pour into the lined pie plate. Bake 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Open the door and let the cake cool in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven to finish cooling.

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup sifted flour
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 5 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese,
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 egg whites

Mix together the crumbs, nuts and melted butter. Pack onto the bottom of a greased 10-inch spring form. Chill 30 minutes.  Beat together the cheese, 1 cup sugar and the salt.  Add the flour and 1 egg yolk at a time, beating until very smooth. Beat in the lemon juice, vanilla, almond extract and sour cream. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually beat in the remaining sugar until stiff but not dry; fold into the cheese mixture. Slowly pour into the prepared chilled spring-form. Bake in a preheated 325° oven for 1¼ hours. Open the oven door and leave cake to cool for 1 hour. Remove from oven and finish cooling on a cake rack, then chill before removing the sides of the pan.

Serves 10-12

• 5 cups cooking apples, peeled and finely sliced
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 3 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp. all purpose flour
• 2 tsp. grated lemon rind
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 unbaked, 9 in. pie crust bottom

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place apples into a bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. In another bowl, combine sugar, flour, lemon rind, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well.Sprinkle apples with mixture and coat well.Pour into unbaked pie crust bottom.Garnish

• ¼ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• 3 tbsp. instant oatmeal
• 3 tbsp. whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. butter
• ¼ cup plain yogurt

Mix brown sugar, oatmeal, flour and cinnamon in a bowl. Add butter and yogurt. Mix until mixture is lumpy. Spread over apples.Bake at 425 degrees F. for 15 minutes, lower heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 30 to 35 minutes until garnish is golden. [8 servings]

• 3 1/4 cups 2% low-fat milk, divided
• 6 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder, perferably Dutch-processed
• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup half-and-half or light cream

Recommendation: Use Dutch-processed cocoa powder, which has a milder flavor than regular unsweetened cocoa powder.

1. In a 1-quart microwave safe pitcher, heat up 1/2 cup of milk 1 minute.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and sugar. Add to the hot milk, stirring with a long spoon until mixture is smooth and syrupy. If lumps form, whisk to break them up.
3. Add the vanilla and half-and-half or light cream. Fill the rest of the pitcher with milk, stir, and heat in the microwave 2 minutes. Remove and stir, and then heat another minute, or until almost steaming.