A Dessert & Champagne Party Menu
Hello everyone. The move was a success! Thank goodness for my friends and
all the help they contributed. I am now back from vacation and in need of a
rest. Jetting all over the country can wear one out. I shouldn’t complain however,
it’s better than sitting at home. Take that back, I’m not sitting at home, I’m
still moving in it. Well…. I owe my friends a treat, so I will share it with
you all as well.
I also have included the recipe for the German Chocolate Brownies, which
someone neglected to include in my absence. I should just be grateful that this
letter was sent out at all. With that in mind, I believe I’ll throw a dessert
and Champagne party to really treat my friends for their spectacular efforts.
Include the German chocolate brownies this time.
Wesley’s Dessert Party for Her Fabulous Friends
German Chocolate Brownies
The Best Pound Cake
Chocolate Roulade with Coffee Ice Cream and Kahlua Sauce
Fresh Fruit Tart
Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake
German Chocolate Brownies:
1 stick butter
4 ounces sweet baking chocolate
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup flaked coconut
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan over very low heat, melt
1/2 stick butter and chocolate together; set aside to cool to room temperature.
Grease a 9 inch square pan. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon,
baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat eggs until thick
and lemon colored. Gradually beat in white sugar and vanilla. With a wire whisk,
fold in melted chocolate mixture and flour mixture until batter is well blended,
scraping down side of bowl frequently with a rubber spatula. Turn batter into
prepared pan, leveling surface.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until center is firm and a toothpick inserted
in center comes out clean. Remove pan to a rack and let cool 30 minutes. When
brownies have cooled, in a small saucepan, bring remaining 1/2 stick butter,
brown sugar and cream to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring
until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in pecans and coconut. Spread
topping over brownie layer in pan. Let cool, cut, and serve.
The Best Pound Cake:
8 eggs, separated
6 tablespoons sugar
1 pound butter (4 sticks)
2 3/4 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
Separate eggs and beat whites stiff with 6 tablespoons sugar. Place in refrigerator.
Cream butter and sugar, add egg yolks. Alternate mixing with flour and cream.
Add vanilla. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in large tube pan in 325
degree oven for about 1 hour and fifteen minutes. Check doneness with a toothpick.
Chocolate Roulade with Coffee Ice Cream and Kahlua Sauce:
Chocolate Roulade:
5 eggs
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Separate the eggs and beat the yolks, adding
the cup of sugar gradually until thick and creamy. Add the vanilla. Beat the
egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Continue to beat and add the cocoa 1
tablespoon at a time. Fold lightly into the yolk mixture and spread into a 15x10
1/2 inch jelly roll pan that has been lined with parchment paper and greased.
Bake at 325 for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake shrinks from the edges
of the pan. With the paper side up, turn out onto a clean cloth that has been
dusted with 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar. Peel off the paper and cover
the cake with a slightly dampened cloth. Cool.
Coffee Ice Cream:
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons rum
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup strong coffee
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Scald the milk, cool slightly. Mix the sugar and salt with the eggs. Pour
about half the hot milk into the egg/sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Slowly
pour the egg/sugar mixture back into the saucepan. Cook 15 to 20 minutes over
low heat, stirring constantly until it has thickened and coats the back of a
spoon. Cool. Blend in the vanilla and the rum.
Combine the custard mixture with the cream, coffee, and nutmeg. Freeze in
an ice cream maker.
Spread half the coffee ice cream onto the cake; freeze the rest for another
time. Begin forming the roulade by using the cloth underneath to aid in rolling
evenly into a log shape. Place the roll on a cookie sheet with the seam side
down and freeze until serving time.
Kahlua Sauce:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
5 ounces half and half
1 cup sugar
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 tablespoons Kahlua
Melt the butter with the cream and sugar, stirring until the mixture is
opaque and the sugar is dissolved. Add the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate
melts. Remove from the stove, cool slightly and add the Kahlua.
To serve, nap the bottom of a dessert plate with the Kahlua sauce and top
it with a slice of the roulade.
Fresh Fruit Tart:
1 1/2 cups pastry flour (not bread flour, use low gluten)
1/2 cup sugar
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1 extra large egg yolk
1 tablespoon whipping cream (steal from ice cream recipe)
Combine the flour and sugar in food processor. Cut in butter using on/off
turns until it resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolk and cream; blend until dough
begins to come together. Gather dough into ball and flatten into disk. Wrap
in plastic and refrigerate at least an hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll
dough out on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Place dough into
9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim edges. Refrigerate while preparing
filling.
Filling:
3/4 cup unsalted butter
3 extra large eggs
1 cup sugar
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
Melt butter in small heavy saucepan; cook until light golden brown. Blend
eggs and sugar in large bowl. Add flour and vanilla; whisk until combined. Whisk
in butter. Place tart shell on heavy baking sheet; pour in filling. Bake until
pastry and filling are golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes. If tart starts
to brown too quickly, lower oven temperature to 325 degrees. Transfer tart to
wire rack to cool. May prepare one day in advance; cover with plastic wrap and
store at room temperature.
Fruit topping:
1 8-ounce jar apricot jelly
Any combination of sliced fruits
Melt apricot jelly in small heavy saucepan. Set aside. Arrange sliced fruits,
such as kiwi, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, mandarin
oranges, fresh pineapple, or red grapes, in pattern on top of filling. Spread
melted apricot jelly over fruit using pastry brush. Serve.
Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake:
2 1/;2 sticks butter, chilled
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
Salt
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
14 ounces cream cheese, softened
Freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon
8 large egg yolks
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1 pint blueberries, rinsed and dried
Remove 1/2 stick butter from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature
until soft. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, 2 tablespoons sugar,
1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt. When well blended, work in 3/4 cup
flour. If more liquid is needed to make a smooth dough gradually 2 to 3 teaspoons
ice water. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out
the dough with a rolling pin until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Center a 10 inch
springform pan on the dough and trim around the edge to make a circle of dough.
Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet and prick with a fork. Place in the preheated
oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Leave
the oven at 350.
Melt 1 1/2 sticks butter in a small saucepan over low heat. In a large bowl,
beat together the cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar. When well blended add the
lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in
1 tablespoon of flour then add the egg yolks one at a time, stirring after each
addition. Beating constantly with an electric mixer set on low speed. Add the
melted butter in a slow steady stream. Set aside.
Using a pastry blender, combine the remaining half stick of butter and 1/4
cup sugar in a medium bowl. Cut in the remaining 1/2 cup flour and the baking
powder to form pea-sized crumbs. Do not over mix.
To assemble, Place the baked crust in the springform pan. Spread the apricot
preserves over it. Add the blueberries in a layer, followed by the cream cheese
filling. Sprinkle the crumble on top and place in the preheated oven. Bake for
about 30 minutes, or until the crumble is golden brown. Remove from the oven
and set aside to cool. May be served chilled or at room temperature.
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