Dessert « The Hip Hostess

Apple Crisp with Crystallized Ginger & Almond Topping October 20, 2010

When fall hits, my kitchen is overwhelmed with delicious apples. After eating my fair share raw, I inevitably turn to making an apple crisp. The smell of apples and cinnamon fills my apartment and suddenly makes a cool fall day seem warm and comforting. This time, I added crystallized ginger and almonds to my crisp topping (I was testing recipes – a ginger and champagne punch, to be exact – and was left with massive amounts of crystallized ginger that I have been looking for ways to use), which both pair beautifully with apples.

This crisp can be made gluten-free by using certified gluten-free oats and gluten-free flour, or making your own oat flour. I used oat flour, which can be made in seconds in a mini food processor. Just pulse until the oats resemble the texture of flour.

Apple Crisp with Crystallized Ginger & Almond Topping

1 cup raw old fashioned oats, roughly chopped
1 cup all purpose, gluten-free or oat flour
1 cup natural cane sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
¾ cup raw slivered almonds, chopped finely
¼ cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. kosher salt
6 Tbs. cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½” pieces
8 large apples
1 Tbs. cane sugar (reserve to toss with sliced applies)

1. Mix dry ingredients (oats through salt), and stir with a whisk break up any lumps.

2. Peel apples, core and slice into thin slices. Toss sliced apples with 1 Tbs. sugar. Spray baking dish with cooking spray or coat with butter and place sliced apples in dish.

3. Add butter to oat mixture and blend by using your fingers to combine and crumble, until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Take a small handful of topping and squeeze it into a compact chunk and crumble it over apples. Continue with remaining topping and crumble evenly over the filling until all of the crumble is used up.

4. Bake in upper third of oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until the apple filling is soft when pierced with a fork and the topping is golden. Serve immediately or at room temperature, topped with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Serves 8 people

Tips:
• To prevent the apples from browning, mix dry ingredients before peeling apples.
• Use a mini food processor to make quick work of chopping the dry ingredients.
• Reduce the sugar if you prefer desserts that are less sweet.

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons April 19, 2010

Don’t save coconut macaroons for a once-a-year treat during Passover. Coconut macaroons are a delicious gluten-free, dairy-free dessert that’s quick and portable. These macaroons taste nothing like the bland, dry canned varieties available at the store. A home-made version will make a convert of anyone who generally likes coconut, but doesn’t care for canned macaroons.

This recipe is a variation on a recipe from Cooks Illustrated.

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons

14 oz sweetened coconut flakes

1 ½ C. granulated sugar

1/3 cup + 1 Tbs. egg whites (use pourable egg whites or about 3 large eggs)

½ tps. almond extract (you can substitute vanilla but almond really makes these special)

½ C. dark chocolate chips or chunks (or more as needed, for dipping bottoms)

1. Place oven racks in upper-middle and lower-middle of oven; preheat 325 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpats (reusable nonstick mats).

2. Chop coconut in food processor for 1 minute. Add sugar and process for an additional 20 seconds. Add egg whites and extract; process for 1 additional minute, until the mixture resembles a paste, like slushy snow. Scrape down sides of work bowl with a rubber spatula and process again, until stiff but malleable paste forms, about 5 seconds longer. If mixture is crumbly or dry, turn machine back on and add water by drops through feeder tube until mixture forms a paste.

3. Using a 1” spring-loaded scoop or 2 tablespoons, drop mounts of paste onto prepared cookies sheets, forming 12 mounts on each sheet (24 total), spacing the mounds about 1 ½ inches papart.

4. Bake macaroons for about 20-25 minutes or until slightly golden brown, switching cookie sheet positions midway through baking. Be careful not to overbake the macaroons or they will become dry when stored. Cool macaroons completely on cookies sheets (removing them when warm will cause them to break). Regular macaroons (without chocolate dipping) can be store in an airtight container for 5 days.

5. When macaroons are completely cool, carefully remove them from the sheets. Melt chocolate in a bowl in the microwave, at 30 second intervals, stirring rigorously between each interval to melt the chocolate. It will likely require 1 minute in the microwave total. Once melted chocolate is shiny and smooth, carefully hold each macaroon by its top and dip the bottom into the chocolate. Twist to cover the entire bottom of the macaroon and to get a bit of the chocolate up the sides. Place dipped macaroon on waxed paper and allow chocolate to harden. Chocolate-dipped macaroons can be store in an air-tight container for up to 2 days (after that the chocolate will look dry).

BBQ/ Grill Theme Cake June 29, 2009

This is definitely not a cake for a high-brow soiree, but it’s perfect for a casual BBQ/ grill theme party. Serve this as dessert at your Fourth of July cookout and you are sure to get a few laughs.

To make this fun grill cake: Bake a traditional round layer cake and frost it with your favorite chocolate frosting. Use chocolate or black licorice for the grill outline and lines (black will stand out better against the chocolate frosting but chocolate is generally softer and easier to cut through when slicing the cake). Use softened tootsie rolls to form the hamburger pattie, and black shoestring licorice pressed into the pattie as the grill lines (you can press your pattie into an actual grill pan for guidance on how to space the grill marks). Use softened pink starbursts mixed with a few tootsie rolls to form the hotdog. Cut wooden skewers to scale and thread on chunkes of “beef” (three softened red startbursts formed into chunks) and “peppers” (yellow and orange starbursts flatened and shaped like pieces of bell pepper).

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Memorial Day Dessert – Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp with Pistachio Oat Crumble May 23, 2009

A friend of mine picks his own veggies at a nearby farm and brought me some of the farm’s first-picked rhubarb of the season. If you have never tried rhubarb you are in for a treat! It’s deliciously tart and pairs beautifully with sweet ingredients like sugar, berries and red wine. Rhubarb looks like large stalks of celery and ranges in color from green with a hint of pink to deep purple-red (though I have never detected a different in taste between the lighter and darker stalks). When buying rhubarb, pick stalks that look sturdy and crispy with fresh looking ends.

If you are new to the world of rhubarb this is a great introductory recipe for you to try; rhubarb is paired with several sweet ingredients that mellow the rhubarb’s tart flavor. This recipe is a variation of a recipe I found on Epicurious.

This is a great dessert for a Memorial Day cookout or any spring dinner. It’s definitely a crowd-pleaser so double the recipe if you have more than 6 guests. Happy baking!

Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp with Pistachio-Oat Crumble

1/3 C. natural cane sugar
2 Tbs. minute tapioca
2 ½ – 3 ½ C. rhubarb (1-1.5 lbs), trimmed and cut into ½” pieces
3 C. fresh or frozen blueberries

½ C. shelled raw pistachios, finely chopped
½ C. all purpose flour or gluten-free flour
½ C. old fashion oats, roughly chopped in a mini food processor
½ C. natural cane sugar
¼ C. brown sugar, packed
6 Tbs. cold unsalted butter

Fresh whipped cream or vanilla bean ice cream (optional)

1. Move oven rack to upper third of oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare 2 quart baking dish by coating bottom and sides with non-stick spray or softened butter. In a medium bowl, stir together sugar and tapioca. Add in rhubarb and blueberries and toss to coat. Spread mixture in the bottom of prepared baking dish.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats and sugars and whisk until well combined. Cut butter into ½” pieces and blend butter with oat mixture by using your fingers to combine and crumble, until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add pistachios to oat mixture and stir until well combined.

3. Take a small handful of topping and squeeze it into a compact chunk and crumble it over blueberry filling. Continue with remaining topping and crumble evenly over the filling until all of the crumble is used up.

4. Bake in upper third of oven for about 45 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the topping is golden crisp. Serve immediately or at room temperature, topped with a dollop of fresh whipped cream or a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Comments (1)

Blueberry-Pomegranate Bread Pudding with Key Lime Curd April 1, 2009

As they say, necessity is the mother of ingenuity. I was in need of a dessert to go with mustard crusted lamb and swiss chard. With little more than baking staples, frozen berries and the remains of a multi-grain baguette, I whipped up with this hip twist on a classic comfort food within an hour. The pomegranate juice keeps the pudding moist and adds depth and interest to the blueberries. The tart key lime topping is a nice contrast to the sweet pudding. Next time you find yourself in need of a comforting dessert give this one a try. You won’t be disappointed.

This pudding would be a nice end to an Easter dinner. The unique combination of flavors makes it worthy of a special occasion and the key lime curd definitely adds a “spring” quality to the pudding.

Blueberry-Pomegranate Bread Pudding with Key Lime Curd

For the Bread Pudding

½ C. pomegranate juice

¾ C. granulated sugar

1 ¼ C. skim milk

3 eggs

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

4 C. leftover bread (multi-grain baguette works well), cut into small pieces

Key Lime Curd

1 egg

1/3 C. granulated sugar

¼ C. key lime juice

1 Tbs. butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine wet ingredients (juice through vanilla) in a medium bowl and whisk until slightly frothy. Add bread to juice mixture and let sit for at least 30 minutes or up to two hours. Stir a few times to moisten all sides of the bread.

2. While bread mixture sits, make the key lime curd. Make an ice bath (fill a large bowl with ice and water, leaving some room at the top). Heat small saucepan over medium, add egg and whisk to break up the yolk. Add sugar and whisk until sugar is incorporated and the mixture is a creamy light yellow color (it’s ok if it looks slightly grainy). Add key lime juice and continue to whisk until fully incorporated. Add in butter and continue to whisk until melted and combined with other ingredients. Once the mixture has thickened slightly (after about 2 minutes), remove from heat and place saucepan in ice bath to cool curd.

3. Coat a 9.5” square baking dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Pour moistened bread mixture into prepared baking dish. Place in center of preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes or until the pudding is set but not dry. Cool for 5-10 minutes. Cut into squares and drizzle with key lime curd before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings

Tips:

I like to use Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice. It’s 100% pom juice and thicker than other brands I have tried (such as the shelf-stable jars that aren’t refrigerated until opened). Pomegranate juice is tart with a hint of natural sweetness. I used plain pomegranate juice but Pom also makes a blueberry pomegranate flavor, which would work well in this recipe.
If I am not juicing fresh key limes, I use Nelly and Joe’s Key Lime Juice

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Hip Tip – Make Your Own Chocolate Covered Strawberries February 11, 2009

choc_covered_berry

Why pay for expensive chocolate covered strawberries when you can make your own batch in about 15 minutes? These are perfect with a glass of champagne for dessert on Valentines Day. Or place them in individual candy wrappers (as shown), and place them in a small box or bag as a party favor or gift for your Valentine.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

8oz high quality dark (70% cacao) or semi-sweet chocolate

1 lb. strawberries with stems attached, preferably organic

1. Wash strawberries carefully to keep stems intact. Dry them completely – you don’t want any water left on the berries. Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper and set aside.

2. Chop chocolate with a serrated knife and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave at 30 second intervals until half of the chocolate is melted, stirring each time you take it out. Once half is melted, stir until the chocolate is smooth and shiny (the heat from the melted chocolate will melt the remaining chocolate and this method ensures that the chocolate won’t seize or burn).

3. Hold the stems of the strawberries away from the berry and dip the berries into the melted chocolate. Twist the berries as you lift them out of the chocolate to let the extra chocolate drip back into the bowl. Place dipped strawberry on prepared parchment lined pan. Repeat with remaining strawberries. Allow the chocolate to harden at room temperature (about 30 minutes). If you make these in advance or on a warm day you can put them in the refrigerator after they have set but cover them with plastic to prevent the chocolate from absorbing other flavors in your refrigerator.

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Football Cocoa Krisy Treats February 1, 2009

They key to any super bowl dessert is to make it bite-size so it can be eaten without looking away from the game. These krispy treats fit the bill. Whip up a batch of these quick-cooking treats for your super bowl party tonight. Serve them for dessert or wrap them individually in cello bags and give them as party favors. These football treats are also great for a kids’ sports theme party.

Football Cocoa Krispy Treats

3 Tbs. unsalted butter

10 oz marshmallows

5-6 C. cocoa krispies

1 C. crushed cocoa krispies, reserved

Nonstick cooking spray

vanilla frosting in a piping bag or a tube* fitted with a pinpoint piping tip

1. Melt butter is a large sauce pan over low heat. Once butter is melted add in marshmallows and stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.

2. Add 5-6 cups of cocoa krispy treats to marshmallow mixture (until desired consistency), stirring to mix.

3. Crush reserved cocoa krispies in the bowl of a mini food processor to form fine crumbs or crush by hand in a ziplock bag using a rolling pin. Place crumbs on a plate.

4. Coat hands with a few sprays of nonstick cookie spray and rub hands together to coat them with spray. Grab about 3/4 C. of cocoa krispy mixture and form into the shape of a football. Place bottom of the football on the counter and press down to create a flat side. Reshape if necessary. Roll football in crushed cocoa krispies to coat (you are creating a smoother surface to pipe the frosting lacing). Repeat until you have used up all of the cocoa krispy mixture. One recipe should make 10-12 footballs, depending on how large you make the footballs.

5. Place footballs on a cookie sheet coated with waxed paper. Using a fine piping tip, pipe a straight line lengthwise in the middle of the football. Pipe arches along each tip of the football. Let the frosting dry so the laces are easier to pipe. Once the first frosting lines are dry, pipe short perpendicular lines across the middle line to create “laces” on the football. If the edge of each lace is not completely even use the tip of a sharp knife to even them out (wipe the tip of the knife after each cut to remove extra frosting and prevent smudging). Let frosting dry and serve. You can make these up to 1 day in advance.

*Wilton makes vanilla frosting in a tube that is available at most grocery stores in the baking aisle. Couplings and assorted tips are usually available in the same aisle, or pick them up at a cake decorating store, Joanna Fabrics or Michaels.

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Peppermint Bark Chocolate Chip Cookies December 23, 2008

These Peppermint Bark Chocolate Chip Cookies are an annual favorite. I came across this recipe on Heidi Swanson’s blog, 101cookbooks.com, several years ago and I have been making them for Christmas ever since. They are a variation on the famous Neiman Marcus cookie recipe. Heidi has changed her recipe but I am still using the original. If you give her updated version a try let me know how they compare.

These cookies are always gone by the end of a party – literally not one left after I serve them. They taste like chocolate chip cookies with a minty finish. They have been dubbed the “fresh breath” cookies by a few of my friends, which is an added bonus for when you are caught under the mistletoe.

Peppermint Bark Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 C. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 C. light brown sugar

3 Tbs. granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 3/4 C. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

12-14oz peppermint bark, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream softened butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Scrape down sides as needed. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, beating at a low speed for about 15 seconds. Stir in the chopped peppermint bark.

3. Using a 1/2 ounce scoop or a 1 Tbs. measuring spoon coated with nonstick spray, drop cookie dough onto ungreased cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, about 2 inches apart (more if your cookies are larger). Bake for about 8 minutes, until very slightly browned around the edges. Bake for a few additional minutes if you prefer a crisper cookie (about 10 minutes). Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.

Makes about 4 dozen mini cookies

Heidi’s updated version of the recipe appears at: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000015.html
As Heidi notes, don’t substitute crushed candy canes for the peppermint bark. The peppermint chunks need a little chocolate to float on, otherwise they leave little pock marks in the cookies.
I make these into mini cookies so they are bit size, but they are equally great in a larger version. Adjust the cooking time if you are making them larger; 20-25 minutes, depending on whether you like them chewy or crisp.
Peppermint bark can be pricey if you get it from Williams-Sonoma or a similar high-end store. I have found it for less at Trader Joe’s, Century 21 and certain Duane Reade stores (i.e. Lincoln Center DR carries it downstairs by the Christmas goods). Of course, you could always make your own, which will always be less expensive than buying it pre-made.

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Chewy Molasses-Spice Cookies December 5, 2008

molasses_cookies

I have several cookie recipes in my holiday-recipe arsenal that never disappoint and Martha Stewart’s Molasses-Spice Cookies are near the top of the list. They are moist and chewy and have tons of flavor. I like to make them into mini cookies (makes 64 mini cookies) using a small spring loaded scoop.

Click here for the recipe: http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/chewy-molasses-spice-cookies?autonomy_kw=molasses%20spice%20cookies&rsc=header_17

These cookies are a great make-ahead dessert. They will keep for 2-4 days in a air-tight container (I add in a piece of bread to keep them chewy), and they freeze beautifully. To freeze them, prepared the dough and roll the balls in sugar. Line the balls in rows on a cookie sheet. Cover well with plastic wrap and freeze. Once frozen solid, transfer the balls to a freezer bag and label with the oven temperature and cooking time (I cook the mini cookies at 350 degrees for 8 minutes, if frozen).

For a wintery twist on the cookie sandwich, use two cooled cookies to sandwich a scoop of pumpkin, ginger or vanilla ice cream. Freeze the sandwiches until ready to serve (individually wrap them in plastic if you will be leaving them in the freezer for more than a few hours.

These little cookies would also make a great party favor or homemade gift. Wrap several of them in a cello bag or glass jar and tie with a ribbon or string.

*Picture above is of raw cookies before I put them in the freezer

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Heath Bar Crunch Pumpkin Pie November 18, 2008

Heath Bar Pumpkin Pie

In my family, pumpkin pie is a must for Turkey Day. I like to add a hip twist on the classic by making a Heath bar crunch topping. The toffee and chocolate take pumpkin to a whole other level. You can use your favorite pumpkin pie recipe and add the heath bar topping to it (see step 4 below), or use my favorite (healthier) version as your base.

Heath Bar (Toffee) Crunch Pumpkin Pie

3/4 C. brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

12oz can fat-free or low-fat evaporated milk

1 large egg + 2 egg whites (or 2 large eggs total)

15oz unsweetened pumpkin, pureed (homemade from pie pumpkin or canned)

1 pie crust (homemade or store bought)

2/3 C. crumbled heath bar baking bits or chocolate toffee crumbles

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine the first 8 ingredients (sugar through egg) in a large bowl with a whisk. Add the pumpkin puree and continue whisking until well combined (should be a smooth mixture).

2. Take prepared pie crust dough and roll it into a 10” circle or the size of your pie plate. Coat the pie plate with cooking spray and place the rolled out crust into the plate, leaving an even amount of dough hanging over the edges of the plate all the way around. Using your fingertips, press the dough into the bottom and along the sides of the plate. Take remaining dough and fold in under the top edge of the plate all the way around. Using your index fingers, press one finger down on the dough and the finger from your other hand up from the under side of the dough next to the first finger. Continue all the way around the edge of the plate to make a fluted crust.

3. Pour pumpkin filling mixture into the prepared crust. Place the pie plate on a baking sheet (optional: line with tinfoil for easy clean up). Bake at 425 degrees for the first 10 minutes. Leave the pie in the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for an additional 40-50 minutes, checking the crust periodically and if it is already golden brown make a pie shield (cut tinfoil into long strips and carefully place if over the edge of the pie – just over the crust). Bake until the center is almost set; with an oven mitt on your hand, gently jiggle the oven rack to check the firmness of the filling – it should be mostly firm with a slight jiggle. Remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire rack.

4. While the pie is still hot, sprinkle the heath bar bits evenly around the edges and in the middle of the pie. The heath bar bits will melt slightly and adhere to the top of the filling. Let the pie cool completely before serving.

Notes:

You can find heath bar baking bits in the grocery store near the chocolate chips. If you can’t find the pre-crumbled baking bits buy whole Heath bars, put them in a plastic ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin or can until you have crushed them into small chunks.

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The Hip Hostess

Menus, tips and ideas for hosting with style!

Apple Crisp with Crystallized Ginger & Almond Topping October 20, 2010

BBQ/ Grill Theme Cake June 29, 2009

Memorial Day Dessert – Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp with Pistachio Oat Crumble May 23, 2009

Blueberry-Pomegranate Bread Pudding with Key Lime Curd April 1, 2009

Hip Tip – Make Your Own Chocolate Covered Strawberries February 11, 2009

Football Cocoa Krisy Treats February 1, 2009

Heath Bar Crunch Pumpkin Pie November 18, 2008

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Menus, tips and ideas for hosting with style!

Apple Crisp with Crystallized Ginger & Almond Topping October 20, 2010

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Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons April 19, 2010

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BBQ/ Grill Theme Cake June 29, 2009

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Memorial Day Dessert – Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp with Pistachio Oat Crumble May 23, 2009

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Blueberry-Pomegranate Bread Pudding with Key Lime Curd April 1, 2009

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Hip Tip – Make Your Own Chocolate Covered Strawberries February 11, 2009

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Football Cocoa Krisy Treats February 1, 2009

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Peppermint Bark Chocolate Chip Cookies December 23, 2008

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Chewy Molasses-Spice Cookies December 5, 2008

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Heath Bar Crunch Pumpkin Pie November 18, 2008

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