Cookie Gift Baskets Tip & Recipe Blog

Archive for October, 2007

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup sifted flour
• ½ cup ground almonds
• 5 egg yolks
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 ½ pounds cream cheese,
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract at room temperature
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 ¼ 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.

Gourmet Cheesecake serves 10-12.

• 3 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup sifted cake flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
• 1/3 cup cognac
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 egg whites
• 3/4 cup ground blanched almonds
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

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 with an electric mixer or wire whisk; gradually add the sugar (reserving 2 tablespoons) beating until thick and light. Beat in the cognac and almond extract. Mix in the gourmet nuts and flour. Fold in the butter. Beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks are formed. Beat in the reserved sugar until stiff but not dry. Fold half the egg whites carefully. Turn into the prepared pan. Bake 30 minutes or until browned and top springs back when pressed with the finger. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, run a spatula around the edge and turn out onto a cake rack. Turn right side up and finish cooling. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Better than cookies and considered candy, this recipe calls for a 6-inch pan, but a plastic sandwich box works well if you don't have a 6-inch pan. The candy is notoriously difficult to remove from the pan. If you’re having trouble, try working the edges of the pan with a knife dipped in water.

The mixture must be chilled overnight in order to set, so plan accordingly. The texture of this Turkish Delight improves after sitting for a day, so feel free to make it at least a day in advance.

• 3 (.25 ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/2 cups hot water
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
• About 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

1. Pour the gelatin into the cold water. Set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring the hot water and granulated sugar to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low. Add the salt, and stir in the softened gelatin until completely dissolved. Simmer 20 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and let cool 20 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon extract.
4. Rinse a 6-inch square pan with cold water. The pan should be wet but not have standing water. Pour the mixture into the pan. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
5. Sift some of the confectioners' sugar onto a plate. Moisten a sharp knife in very hot water and run it around the edges of the pan to loosen the candy. Invert the pan over the plate. It may be necessary to work on the edges to loosen them enough to turn the candy out on top of the sugar (see note). Cut the square into equal-width strips, about 1 inch wide. Coat each strip in confectioners' sugar; then cut into cubes. Coat each cube in additional confectioners' sugar. Store covered at room temperature.

• 1 pound of butter (2 cups)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 cups flour

Cream softened butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla and flour. Mix well. Shape into rolls. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees F until golden brown. Remove cookies and allow them to cool before serving.

• 4 cups strawberries
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• Dash of salt
• Vanilla ice cream

Toss strawberries and lemon in an ungreased 1-1/2 quart casserole. Mix 1/3 cup brown sugar and the cornstarch. Stir in the strawberries. Mix oats, flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar and salt. Blend in butter. Sprinkle over strawberries. Bake uncovered in a moderate oven until topping is light brown and strawberries are bubbly. About 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream. This is a great option to add to a fruit gift basket.

• 1 pie crust
• 1 cup of raspberries, fresh or thawed
• 1 banana, sliced
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup ground almonds
• 2 tbsp. melted butter
• 1 cup 2 % milk, warm
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp. banana cream
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. icing sugar

Preheat oven to 300° F. Place pie crust in a 9 inch pie pan and garnish with raspberries and bananas. Set aside. In a bowl mix eggs, sugar and butter. Add milk, vanilla extract, banana cream and flour. Mix well. Pour mixture over fruit and bake in oven for about 45 minutes. Let cool and sprinkle with icing sugar. Be sure to add this dessert to your fruit gift basket this year.

[ 6 to 8 servings ]

It's hard to top cookies or pie, but this recipe is sure to please the taste-buds.

Strawberry Preparation

• 2 eggs
• oz. cream cheese
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 10 oz. frozen strawberries, thawed
• 2 tbsp. honey [optional ]

Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, mix eggs, cheese and flour. Add strawberries and honey, mix gently with spatula. Pour into a 9 inch greased crowned cake mold: set aside.

Cake

• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ½ cup soft butter
• 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 2/3 cup ground almonds
• 2 tsp. almond extract

In a food processor or electric mixer mix all cake ingredients. Beat until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour cake mix over strawberry preparation and bake for 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes and turn out cake. Garnish with strawberries and blueberries.

Garnish

• 10 strawberries, sliced
• 1/3 cup blueberries

Strawberry Coulis

• 10 oz. frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1 tbsp. honey
• ½ cup unsweetened apple juice

In a small saucepan, simmer strawberries, honey and apple juice for 2 minutes.In a food processor or with a mixer, mix coulis preparation into a puree. Strain. Garnish cake with coulis and serve. [12 servings]