Were it not for the other courses which occur in a meal, dessert would be my favorite. There is nothing more comforting than to sit down with a glass of milk, cup of coffee or tea and a delicious brownie or home-made cookie. Face it, human beings would be very sad creatures indeed without dessert.
Table of Contents
Breakfast Treats
Wendy's Mayan Hot Chocolate>
Cantaloupe and Blueberry Soup>
Almond and Raisin Granola>
Crepes>
Stu’s French Toast>
Stu's Waffles>
Glazed Carrot Cake Muffins>
Dessert Breads and Tiramisu>
Wendy's Left Over Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake>
Cranberry and Nut Bread>
Cranberry Corn Bread>
Aunt Sariece’s Easy Pumpkin Bread>
Wendy’s Quick Pumpkin Bread with Nuts and Raisins>
Wendy’s More Favorite Honey Cake>
Mandel Bread>
Chocolate Walnut Biscotti>
Cousin Anna’s Friend Elda’s Authentic Tiramisu>
Wendy's Lemon Loaf>
Brownies, Bars, and Cookies
Brownies and Bars
Lily Bortnick’s Best Brownies in the World>
Cappuccino Brownies>
Wendy’s Fabulous Toffee Bars>
Wendy’s Lemon Brownies>
Wendy's Lemon Bars With White Chocolate>
Cookies
Wendy’s Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies>
Sour Cherry, Chocolate Chip Cookies>
Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chip,Coconut, Fudge Cookies>
Chocolate, Cranberry, Nut Cookies>
Wendy's Oatmeal Craisin Cookies>
Wendy’s Coconut Macaroons>
Wendy's Chocolate Macaroons>
Lemon Cookies>
Lemon Butter Cookies>
Best Butter Cookies in the World>
Cakes, Frostings, and Glazes
Frostings and Glazes
Real Whip Cream>
Chocolate Frosting>
Cream Cheese Frosting>
Lemon Icing>
Almond Glaze for Pound Cake>
Orange-Ginger Icing
Vanilla Glaze
Cakes
Best Ever Chocolate Chocolate Cake>
Chocolate Rum Cake with Flavored Whipped Cream>
Decadent Chocolate Cake>
Wendy’s Chocolate Mousse Layer Cake>
Wendy’s Carrot Cake>
The Most Luscious Pound Cake in the World>
AlmondGlazeforPoundCake
Glazed Lemon Cake>
David and Lois’ Favorite Cheesecake that Wendy Made>
Wendy’s Chocolate Cheesecake>
Pies, Tarts, and Cobblers
Easy Apple Tart>
Wendy’s Cherry, Blueberry, or Apple Cobbler>
No Bake Cherry Cheese Pie>
Easy Pumpkin Pie>
Nancy Johnson’s Chocolate Crunch Pie>
Old Fashioned Lime Meringue Pie>
Wendy’s Easy Berry Pie>
Stu's Favorite Pecan Pie>
Candies and Other Treats
Barbara Nussbaum’s Peanut Butter Balls>
Wendy’s Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter Truffles>
Nancy Johnson’s Microwave Peanut Brittle>
Wendy’s Ice Cream Soda>
Breakfast Sweets
Wendy's Mayan Hot Chocolate
Ok, so this is soooo good and unusual at the same time. Here goes:
One cup combination of non-fat milk and non-fat half and half (or whole milk--
that’s up to you)
Four tablespoons Cocoa (I like Girardelli, but your favorite will work too)
One quarter teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch nutmeg
Heat the milk just before boiling. You can microwave on high for about one minute if you like.
Add the rest of the ingredients. Using a whisk or spoon, mix well.
Adjust seasoning and/or milk proportions and drink while hot.
Now this is a great way to meet the day.
Cantaloupe and Blueberry Soup
Ok, so this is another of those easy to do but oh so delicious summer soups. You could play around with this, substituting various ingredients. I give a few examples below. Oh, yippee!!
1 large cantaloupe, peeled (silly) and chopped
one quarter teaspoon nutmeg
one tablespoon honey
three tablespoons non-fat Greek yogurt ( or other such.) If you are not on the usual low fat diet, three tablespoons our cream or low-fat sour cream will do very nicely thank you very much).
Grated rind and juice of one lemon (consider also some lime juice)
One cup blueberries, chopped into little bits in the food processor
1. Puree the melon with all the ingredients, except the blueberries (see, I told you it was easy!) Chill.
2. Just before serving, add a good sized dollop of blueberries in each bowl.
Very refreshing soup, my dahling!
Almond and Raisin Granola
Vary the ingredients and the syrup mixture to personalize.
three cups old-fashioned oats
one cup slivered almonds (or could use chopped whole almonds)
three quarters cup shredded coconut
one third cup sesame seeds (other favorite seeds?)
four tablespoons pure maple syrup (less?)
six tablespoons packed dark brown sugar (less?)
one quarter cup vegetable oil
two tablespoons warm water
one half teaspoon salt
one half cup golden raisins (more?)
(can add any other chopped nuts or dried fruit)
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Use cooking spray to lightly oil cookie sheet.
2. Toss oats and next three ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Whisk syrup, brown sugar, oil, salt, and water to blend. Pour over the oat mixture and combine.
4. Spread mixture on cookie sheet and bake until evenly browned, stirring occasionally, about one hour and fifteen minutes. Put in a large bowl and mix in raisins and /or other dried fruits. Store in an airtight container when cooled.
Stu’s French Toast
I don’t know why this is called French toast, but I am using this name because you won’t know what I’m talking about if I call it something else like egg battered fried bread! Use any bread you want for this recipe. I suspect it was developed to get some use out of stale bread (I’m sure in the old days there was plenty of stale bread around), so feel free to use that too. Challah works best!
1. Estimate that each person will want as many pieces of French toast as they would have regular toast (about two or three whole pieces). Cut unsliced bread into slices about three quarters of an inch thick.
2. Prepare an egg batter as follows: for each person, break two eggs into a mixing bowl. Use variations of the following proportions for the remaining ingredients:
-- scramble four eggs with one quarter cup milk, a few teaspoons sugar, and a few shakes of salt.
3. Heat a griddle or frying pan to medium high. Melt a tablespoon or so of butter and have it bubbling nicely. Drop bread slices one by one into the batter. Make sure they are well saturated with batter on each side: nice and gooey. Then put the slabs of bread in the pan, spacing so they don’t overlap.
4. Cook each piece until medium brown on each side. Pile them on a plate (or hold in a warm oven until all the slices are done). If the toast is still “bready” inside, keep the bread in the batter longer and cook more slowly.
Crepes
The secret to good crepes is to use as little batter as possible for each crepe. Fill with something wonderful! The recipe makes 18-24 crepes.
1. Beat two eggs only until well blended.
Add:
one cup milk
one half teaspoon salt
one cup flour
Stir until smooth. Cover and let stand at least one half hour. The batter should be thin—jut thick enough to coat a spoon when dipped into the batter. If too thick, add a little more milk, just a teaspoon or so.
2. Heat a small frying pan and grease lightly with salad oil. Pour in just enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan and until the pan so it spreads evenly. The first crepe may be a little greasy. You can use it as a sponge for too much oil!
3. Cook on one side, then the other and turn out on a plate. For best eating, eat immediately, but if you want to wait, keep warm. You can reheat these in the oven, too.
Toppings or fillings for crepes (oh the sky is the limit here!):
- chopped strawberries with a little sugar added and a dollop of sour cream or whip cream
- blue berries (same idea)
- bananas, ice cream and chocolate sauce
- butter and syrup or honey
or, all of the above (heh heh heh )
You could also fill or top with meat such as creamed chicken, but we’ve never tried this.
Stu's Waffles
Waffles make people smile. Stu’s waffles make us downright giddy.
2 cups flour
One and one half tablespoons sugar
two teaspoons baking powder
one teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
two cups 2% milk (or whatever) or more as needed
two large eggs
one teaspoon vanilla
four tablespoons butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
vegetable oil for waffle iron
1. Spread a thin layer of oil onto the waffle iron and then turn it on.
2. Mix together the dry ingredients. Separate the eggs. Lightly beat the yolks. Beat the whites until soft peaks form. Combine the egg yolks, butter, vanilla, and the milk, stirring lightly to combine and then add to the flour mixture. Stir lightly. Gently fold in the egg whites.
3. Pour about one quarter cup batter into the waffle iron. Bake four minutes (more or less depending on the waffle iron). Take out and eat!
Variations
Before adding the egg whites, mix in a cup or so of sliced banana, rinsed blueberries, chopped strawberries, or other berries. Consider adding a few teaspoons of sugar to taste to the berries before mixing into the batter.
Note: left over batter will keep in the fridge a day or two in a tightly lidded container. You’ll need to ignore the discoloration!
Glazed Carrot Cake Muffins
These are easy to make, delicious, and don’t have a lot of calories. What more can we ask from a muffin??
4 carrots
one large orange
one and one quarter cups flour
three quarters cup whole-wheat pastry flour
three quarters cup sugar
one teaspoon baking soda
one half teaspoon baking powder
one teaspoon cinnamon
one quarter teaspoon salt
two eggs, lightly beaten
one quarter cup molasses
one half cup corn oil
one quarter cup plain yogurt (can be no-fat)
one teaspoon vanilla
one half recipe vanilla glaze
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Wash, peel, and grate the carrots into thin strips (use the large round hole on the grater). Place in a large bowl.
3. Wash and dry the orange. Grate the orange peel to make about one tablespoon or so orange zest (may be a little less). Add to the carrots. Juice the orange to make one quarter cup juice (add ready-made if necessary). Mix the juice into the carrot mixture.
4. Combine the flours, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together.
5. Combine the eggs, molasses, corn oil, yogurt, and the vanilla in a bowl. Add, along with the flour, to the carrot mixture. Mix this gently until the flour is just incorporated. It should be a slightly lumpy mixture: no need to be smooth.
6. Spoon the batter into the cups, filling each about three quarters full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean when the muffins are done. Cool five minutes and then turn out on a rack.
7. Ice the muffins while still warm. When cooled, put them in an airtight container such as a large plastic bag and refrigerate or freeze.
Vanilla Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar,
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
one quarter cup heavy cream
Mix sugar, extract and heavy cream together in a small sauce pan. When combined and the sugar is dissolved, spread on warm cake, muffins, or whatever, at will. Delicious!
Dessert Breads and Tiramisu
Wendy’s Left Over Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake
Now this is a reason all by itself to make cranberry sauce!
One stick butter
One cup sugar
two eggs
One teaspoon baking soda
One teaspoon baking powder
Two cups flour
One half teaspoon salt
One cup sour cream
One teaspoon almond extract
Twelve ounces cranberry sauce (see recipe in the Thanksgiving section)
One half cup chopped pecans
Glaze:
Two thirds cup powdered sugar
Two tablespoons luke warm water
One half teaspoon almond extract
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a ten inch tube pan (any kind will work).
2. Cream butter and sugar together and then add the eggs and extract.
3. Combine all the dry ingredients and add to the butter mixture, alternating with the sour cream in about three increments.
4. Spoon half the batter into the tube pan. Cover with dabs of the half the cranberry sauce and nuts. Lay on the rest of the batter and top with the remaining cranberry sauce and nuts.
5. Bake 35-45 minutes (use the lower time if using convection). Turn the cake out of the pan and then turn upright on a plate. Combine the glaze ingredients and glaze the cake while still warm but not hot.
Cranberry and Nut Bread
Ok: this is so good. It is, basically, the same as the recipe on the fresh cranberry package but it uses butter instead of oil, and pecans instead of walnuts. I am beginning to think that pecans are the superior nut!
Two cups flour
One cup sugar
One Teaspoon salt
One half teaspoon baking soda
Three quarters cup orange juice
One tablespoon orange peel
Two tablespoons butter
One beaten egg
One and one half cups fresh cranberries
One half cup chopped pecan
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan.
2. Mix the everything together. Blend well.
3. Bake for 55 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool, remove from pan.
Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it?
Cranberry Corn Bread
I offer this recipe with no apologies or reservations.
two tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
one and one quarter cups cranberries
one half cup confectioner’s sugar
three quarters cup cornmeal
one cup flour
one half cup sugar
three quarters teaspoon salt
one tablespoon baking powder
one cup milk
one large egg
1. Heat over to 400 degrees. Grease an 8 inch by 8 inch baking pan (can use butter, but not the butter for the recipe).
2. Sort through the cranberries as you rinse them taking out the icky ones. Cut each cranberry in half. Place in a large bowl and mix in the confectioner’s sugar.
3. Sift in the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Mix it all up.
4. Blend the milk, egg and belted butter in a bowl and pour over the cornmeal mixture. Ford and mix together. Pour into the pan and bake for 20 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Eat while still hot and with friends around.
Aunt Sariece’s Easy Pumpkin Bread
3 cups sugar
three and one half cups flour
one teaspoon baking soda
one and one half teaspoons cinnamon
one teaspoon nutmeg (or more)
one half teaspoon salt
four beaten eggs
two thirds cup cold water
one cup salad oil
two cups pumpkin
1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Oil three loaf pans.
2. Mix dry ingredients together.
3. Stir a hole in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, water, oil, and pumpkin and mix well.
4. Bake one hour.
Consider adding nuts and/or raisins to this. Also, a cream cheese frosting might be nice too!
Wendy’s Quick Pumpkin Bread with Nuts and Raisins
one cup pumpkin pie filling
one half cup canola oil (plus oil for the pan)
three quarters cup sugar
one half cup molasses
one teaspoon vanilla extract
one half cup each chopped walnuts and raisins
two cups flour
one and one half teaspoons baking powder
one half teaspoon baking soda
three quarters teaspoon salt (kosher is nice)
one teaspoon cinnamon
one quarter teaspoon ground nutmeg
one quarter teaspoon ground cloves
one half teaspoon ground ginger
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 9” x 5” loaf pan.
2. Combine the pumpkin pie filling, canola oil, sugar, molasses, and vanilla. Stir in the nuts and raisins.
3. Sift together the dry ingredients, including the spices. Slowly the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Pour into the loaf pan. Bake until a testing stick comes out clean, about 60 to 65 minutes.
Wendy’s More Favorite Honey Cake
Rosh Hashanah without honey cake is not a good idea. Come to think of it, any time without honey cake is not a good idea at all. The cake will freeze well in slices, and can be retrieved and thawed to conveniently stave off any dessert emergencies, which may arise. The cream cheese frosting, however, does not freeze well and that’s one of the reasons it’s kept on the side.
Two and one half cups flour
Two teaspoons baking powder
One half teaspoon baking soda
One half teaspoon salt
One and one half teaspoons cinnamon
One teaspoon cardamom
One teaspoon ginger
Three large eggs
One cup sugar
One and one quarter cups olive oil
One cup honey
Three quarters cup red wine
Two teaspoons fresh ginger
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a ten inch Bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl whisk all the dry ingredients together.
3. In another large bowl, whisk the eggs well, then whisk in all the remaining
ingredients. Mix well.
4.Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until smooth.
5. Pour batter into pan and bake until tester comes out clean, about 45 - 50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for about 20 minutes, then unmold the cake and cool completely. Feel free to make your favorite cream cheese frosting and pass it around for people to add to their slice of cake.. or....
Warning: Under no circumstances should the honey cake be eaten without first spreading on a good dollop of cream cheese frosting!
Mandel Bread
three and one quarter cups flour
one cup ground almonds
one teaspoon baking soda
one quarter teaspoon salt
three eggs
one and one quarter cups sugar
zest of one lime (don’t leave this out!!)
one teaspoon almond extract
one teaspoon vanilla extract
one half teaspoon lemon extract
one cup chopped almonds
1. Lightly grease two cookie sheets. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk together flour, ground almonds, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar for five minutes. Beat in lime zest and extracts. Slowly beat in the flour mixture a little at a time. Blend well. Add the chopped almonds.
4. Divide dough in half and shape into two flat loaves on a floured surface. Think: what does biscotti look like and shape accordingly. Place on cookie sheets and bake 35 minutes.
5. Cool the loaves for fifteen minutes, then cut on the diagonal in quarter inch thick slices. Put back in the oven on their sides and bake for 6 to 7 minutes, turn and bake on the other side to crisp things up. Cool and eat or dip into melted chocolate and then eat.
Chocolate Walnut Biscotti
one cup flour
one half cup sugar
one quarter cup unsweetened cocoa powder
one half teaspoon baking powder
one quarter teaspoon baking soda
one quarter teaspoon salt
one egg
one egg white
one and one half teaspoons vanilla
two ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped up
one quarter cup chopped walnuts
1. Heat the oven to 400 Degrees. Spread the walnuts evenly on a pie plate or baking sheet and bake for five minutes. Take out and cool. Reduce the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, egg white, and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture and stir until evenly distributed. The batter should look like peas. Stir in the chocolate and walnuts.
4. Coat a 9 x 9 inch pan with cooking spray. Press the dough into the pan and bake for 25 minutes until firm. Cut immediately into about 20 pieces (or fewer) and lay out to cool.
Eat and enjoy how variation is the spice of life!
Cousin Anna’s Friend Elda’s Authentic Tiramisu
Ahhh…remember? Not only is this recipe authentic, but also you get to use the word: “zabaglione!”
two 8 ounce packages Mascarpone cheese
three eggs, separated keeping three whites, two yolks
one half cup sugar
one package lady fingers
cocoa
eight cups strong coffee
rum or brandy
1. beat egg whites until stiff. Beat yolks in another bowl with the sugar until creamy. Add the mascarpone and blend until smooth. This is the zabaglione. Add a splash of rum and mix well.
2. Fold egg whites into the zabaglione to make a light cream.
3. Soak the lady finger biscuits in the strong coffee and a splash of rum. Make sure the coffee is strong and the biscuits well soaked.
4. In a tin cooking pan, layer lady finger biscuits soaked in strong coffee and a splash of rum, then zabaglione, then another layer of lady fingers, then zabaglione. Sift cocoa powder over the top in a thin layer.
5. Refrigerate for two hours. You can also freeze this. Doesn’t this sound good?
Wendy’s Lemon Loaf
Cake Batter:
Four lemons, zested and juiced
One stick butter at room temperature
Three eggs at room temperature
One and one half cups flour
One quarter teaspoon baking powder
One quarter teaspoon baking soda
One half teaspoon salt
One cup sugar
One half cup butter milk
One teaspoon vanilla
One quarter cup lemon juice
Glaze:
One half cup sugar
One half cup lemon juice
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Carefully grease a loaf pan.
2. Mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the three eggs and the lemon zest.
4. In a small bowl, add together the butter milk, vanilla, and the lemon juice.
5. Add the flour mixture and the butter milk mixture to the batter and combine well.
6. Pour into the loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes.
7. While the cake is baking, make the glaze by combining the sugar and lemon juice in a sauce pan and cooking over low heat until the sugar is dissolved.
8. When the loaf is done, take it out and cool it for about ten minutes. Then, take it out of the pan and place it on a wire rack. Pour the glaze over the cake. Let it cool completely.
This is so good: you won’t be able to stand it!!!
Brownies, Bars, and Cookies
Brownies and Bars
Lily Bortnick’s Best Brownies in the World
No further discussion is necessary about whether the above is true: just make the brownies and you’ll see.
4 one ounce squares unsweetened chocolate (sometimes squares have slits down the middle, so this can make them look like two pieces and be confusing, but you can always figure out the ounce thing by dividing).
1 third cup butter
two eggs
one cup sugar
one half cup sifted all purpose flour
one half cup chopped walnuts
one teaspoon vanilla (get a small bottle of the real thing)
one quarter teaspoon salt
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 by 9 inch pan, line with wax paper, and grease the paper. For maximum esthetic effect, be sure to cut the paper to fit the bottom and sides of the pan and not hang out over the sides. This extra step keeps the edges of the brownies from going whacky.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a little sauce pan. Be patient and don’t scorch this, melt slowly. Beat eggs with the sugar until all fluffy (but not dry) and combine with the chocolate mixture.
3. Add flour, blend, then add the nuts, vanilla, and salt. Stir until well mixed. You’ll be sorry if you don’t mix the salt in well.
4. Spread the batter into the pan. It’s fairly thick, so that’s why it says to spread it, as opposed to pouring it in. Tap the pan so that the batter is level. Lick the bowl.
5. Bake about 25 minutes. It’s done if a tester pushed inside doesn’t come out all gooey. If it is, cook only about one minutes longer, then test again. If still gooey, cook another minute and continue testing and cooking until done.
6. Sprinkle a handful of semi-sweet chocolate bits on top of the brownies. Wait an few minutes until they are melty, then spread evenly with a knife. Cool in pan, then turn out. Peel off the wax paper and cut into squares. Store in an airtight container. You can freeze these.
Cappuccino Brownies
My friend Jeanne’s favorite brownies, of the brownies that I make! For best effect, eat them right away.
Brownie Base
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
one stick butter (one half cup)
one cup sugar
two eggs
one teaspoon vanilla
two thirds cup flour
one quarter teaspoon baking soda
Cappuccino Filling:
1 teaspoon instant coffee crystals
one tablespoon whipping or heavy cream
one cup sifted powdered sugar
two tablespoons butter, softened
Frosting:
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
one third cup whipping or heavy cream
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an eight by eight by two baking pan. Set aside.
2. Melt the chocolate and the butter over low heat, and don’t scorch! Remove from heat and cool slightly (put in a small bowl).
3. Stir in sugar and eggs one at a time, not beating. Stir in vanilla.
4. Sift flour and baking soda together and then add to the chocolate mixture. Stir lightly until combined. Spread in pan and bake for 30 minutes exactly.
5. Make the cappuccino filling by dissolving the coffee in the cream then adding to the brown sugar and butter. Beat until combined (watch out for lofted puffs of sugar). Add a bloop more cream to make it spreadable. Spread carefully over warm brownie base. Chill one hour.
6. Combine the frosting ingredients in a pan and heat until the chocolate morsels are melted. Spread carefully over the cooled brownies. Chill again to set the frosting. Eat and be happy.
Wendy’s Fabulous Toffee Bars
So, what’s not to love: butter, chocolate, toffee, and walnuts—yow!
1 and one third cups flour
two thirds cup brown sugar
one and one half sticks butter
one slightly beaten egg
two cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels (divided)
one cup chopped nuts
one can (14oz)sweetened condensed milk (not powdered or evaporated_
one and three quarters cups toffee bits
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a rectangular baking pan thirteen or so by nine or so by two inches (spray is ok).
2. In a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar and flour. Cut the butter into small bits and cut them into the flour mixture, using two knives. Mixture should look like small crumbs. Don’t’ melt the butter thinking it would be easier.
3. Add egg and mix. Then add chocolate chips, reserving one half cup for later, and all of the nuts. Reserve one and one half cups of this crumbly mixture and set aside. Press the remaining crumbly mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake 10 minutes.
4. Pour condensed milk evenly over the cooked crumbly mixture, then add evenly all but one quarter cup toffee bits, followed by the remaining crumbly mixture. Top with the remaining chocolate chips sprinkled evenly across. Bake 25 – 30 minutes until golden brown. Sprinkle remaining one quarter cup toffee bits on top.
Wendy’s Lemon Brownies
This is an easy recipe unless you don’t have a grater or fresh lemons, in which case, impossible.
Crust:
1 stick butter, cut into pieces
one half cup confectioner’s sugar
two cups flour
Filling:
2 cups sugar
one third cup flour
juice of two lemons plus bottled lemon and bottled lime juice to make eight tablespoons
grated lemon zest of two lemons (the stiffest part of the lemon rind).
Two well beaten eggs
Confectioner’s sugar to sprinkle over the top
One third cup coconut
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a thirteen by nine inch baking pan with butter (not the butter for the recipe).
2. Put the flour and sugar into a food processor and pulse. Then add the butter piece by piece through the tube, running the processor until the mixture looks like wet sand. Press gently into the baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
3. Beat together the eggs, lemon zest, sugar, flour and juice. Spread one third cup chopped coconut on the crust. Then pour filling over the cooled crust and bake until firm on the sides, a little soft in the middle, about 25 minutes. Cool.
4. Sprinkle very lightly with confectioner’s sugar. Cut into squares and eat. Freeze leftovers, so as not to die from spoiled left-over disease. “Leftovers”—hah!
Wendy's Lemon Bars With White Chocolate
one half cup butter
one cup white chocolate chips (you could double this, but I don’t see the need)
two eggs
one half cup sugar
one cup flour
one half teaspoon salt
one teaspoon almond extract
one half cup lemon curd (find it in the jam and jelly department)
1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a nine inch square pan.
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add half the white chocolate chips. Let stand: no need to stir.
3. Beat eggs until foamy. Gradually add the sugar, beating at high speed until smooth. Stir in the white chocolate chip mixture. Add flour, salt, and almond extract and combine.
4. Spread one half of the batter (about one cup) into the pan. Bake 15-20 minutes until the edges are golden.
5. Spread the remaining white chocolate chip mixture into the remaining batter and set aside.
6. Warm the lemon curd in the microwave or on the stove. Spread over the partially baked crust. Spoon the remaining batter over the lemon curd. No need to make it smooth.
7. Bake for 25-35 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Cool and cut into squares.
Cookies
Wendy’s Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies
The original toll house cookie recipe with raisins. Yow!
2 and one quarter cups flour
one teaspoon baking soda
one teaspoon salt
two sticks butter, softened
three quarters cup sugar
three quarters cup brown sugar, firmly packed
one teaspoon vanilla (get the real one, not the imitation)
two eggs
one and one half cups semi-sweet morsels
one cup chopped walnuts
one half cup yellow raisins or dried cranberries
(or any combination of nuts, raisins, and chips to equal three cups).
1. Heat oven to 375. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Mix together the two sugars.
2. Beat the softened butter, vanilla, and mixed sugars and until well combined. Add each egg one at a time and beat in well. Gradually add the flour mixture. Stir in the three cups of morsels/nuts/raisins (whatever).
3. Drop a heaping teaspoon full on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 9 – 11 minutes. Check at nine minutes to see if they are nicely golden brown on top.
Store in a tight container away from predators. These can be frozen and thawed as needed.
Sour Cherry, Chocolate Chip Cookies
One and one half cups flour
One half teaspoon baking soda
One half teaspoon salt
Three quarters cup dark chocolate chips
One half cup bittersweet chocolate chips (or milk chocolate)
One half cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
One half cup firmly packed brown sugar
One half cup sugar
One large egg
Two teaspoons vanilla
One cup dried sour cherries (or dried cherries, or cherry craisins, but try not to)
One half cup chopped pecans
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Set oven rack to the lower third of the oven. Line two cookie sheets with wax paper or parchment.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside. Mix all the chips and pecans together and set aside.
3. Beat butter, both sugars together two or three minutes. Beat in the egg and the vanilla.
4. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until just absorbed. Add the nuts and chips.
5. Drop by tablespoon onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake 9 to 11 minutes. Let sheets cool after baking about 10 minutes then remove to a rack to cool completely.
Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chip, Coconut, Fudge Cookies
3 quarters cup chopped walnuts
one half cup plus two tablespoons flour
one half cup sweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted (microwave on high for about one and one half minutes—do not scorch).
one half teaspoon baking powder
one half teaspoon salt
one half cup unsalted butter
six ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
two cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
four teaspoons instant coffee crystals
one tablespoon vanilla
one and one half cups sugar
four large eggs
one half cup peanut butter chips
1. Heat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with aluminum foil.
2. Combine chopped walnuts, toasted coconut, flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir until well blended.
3. Combine butter, unsweetened chocolate and one cup chocolate chips and cook until melted (try using a double boiler for this).
4. whisk instant coffee crystals with the vanilla in a large bowl until they dissolve. Add sugar and eggs and beat for two minutes. Beat in chocolate mixture, then walnut mixture. Stir in one cup chocolate chips and the peanut butter chips.
5. Mound two tablespoons of batter for each cookie onto prepared sheets, about two inches apart. Cook until puffed and cracks form on top, but the center is still soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool for ten minute on rack and then… what are you waiting for? Eat eat eat!
Chocolate, Cranberry, Nut Cookies
two cups flour
ten and one half tablespoons cocoa—use a good quality
one half teaspoon baking powder
one half teaspoon kosher or sea salt
two sticks plus two tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
three quarters cup sugar
three quarters cup brown sugar
one and one half teaspoons vanilla
two eggs
four ounces vanilla chocolate morsels or four ounces chopped baking vanilla chocolate bar (consider using more)
three quarters cup chopped nuts, macadamia or walnut
one cup dried cranberries (could use the cherry flavored)
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
3. Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time until well blended. Stir in remaining ingredients.
4. Drop by rounded tablespoonful onto baking sheets and bake 11 to 12 minutes. Cookies will have risen, but the center will still be soft. Cool slightly, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Wendy’s Oatmeal Craisin Cookies
The important thing about these cookies is that they don’t contain cinnamon. I believe cinnamon is ruinous. Without it, the cookies take on a lighter and sweeter flavor that is very nice.
2 sticks butter, softened
one cup firmly packed brown sugar
one half cup sugar
two eggs
one teaspoon vanilla
one and one half cups flour--I prefer unbleached whole wheat flour
one teaspoon baking soda
one half teaspoon salt
3 cups old fashioned oats, uncooked
one cup craisins (I like the cherry flavored ones for this) or yellow raisins
one quarter to one half cup white chocolate chips
Optional ingredients include: one half cup chopped walnuts and one half cup unsweetened coconut (mix this with the white chocolate chips and craisins)
1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Beat the sugars and butter together until creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well.
3. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and mix well.
5. Stir in oats,craisins, and white chocolate chips.
6. Drop by mounded tablespoons of batter onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Cool on the sheets one minute before turning out onto a rack to cool completely. Refrigerate or freeze the cookies if you aren't planning to eat them right away.
Lemon Cookies
These cookies are light and lemony and great as is, or glazed with the lemon glaze below.
2 and one half cups flour
one and one half cups sugar
one cup unsalted butter, softened
two eggs
one tablespoon grated lemon peel
one and one half teaspoons cream of tartar
one teaspoon baking soda
one quarter teaspoon salt
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Beat at low speed until well mixed. This will take several minutes.
2. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto a cookie sheet. Keep them well spaced, about two inches apart.
3. Bake six to eight minutes until edges are lightly browned.
Spread a bead of lemon glaze across each cookie, while still warm.
Lemon Glaze
Combine one and one quarter cups powdered sugar and one fourth cup real lemon juice. Spread gently on cookies.
Lemon Butter Cookies
Now, these are so delicate, it’s hard to eat just one.
one half cup sugar
one half cup powdered sugar
three quarters cup butter, softened
one quarter cup oil
one tablespoon lemon zest (do not under any circumstances use lemon peel in a jar)
one tablespoon lemon juice
one egg
two and one half cups flour
one half teaspoon cream of tartar
one half teaspoon baking soda
one quarter teaspoon salt
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat the sugar, powdered sugar, butter, and oil until light and fluffy.
3. Add lemon zest, lemon juice and egg. Stir in everything else and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.
4. Make the dough into one inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar. This last step is essential or you won’t be able to handle the balls without crushing them.
5. Place two inches apart on cookie sheets. Hers another important step: if you put the balls any closer together, they will stick to each other and be a mess.
6. Bake until set, about 7-12 minutes. Remove from the sheets immediately and place on a rack to cool. Or, just go ahead and eat the things. They’re soooooo good!
Best Butter Cookies in the World
Ok, so you’ll see that this is a very simple recipe, but the cookies are very delicious. What can I say when the main ingredient is butter! You can add flavorings if you want, like lemon peel and lemon extract, or chocolate chips, but, I why??
One half pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
Three quarters cup sugar
One egg yolk
One and one half cups flour
One half cup cornstarch
One quarter to one half teaspoon salt
1. Use a mixer on low speed to combine he butter and sugar, about 30 seconds. Keeping the speed on low, beat in the egg yolk, then the remaining ingredients. Only beat until the batter comes together. Don’t over do, or the cookies will be hard.
2. Form the dough into a ball by placing on a sheet of plastic and then gently molding it.Wrap the plastic around the ball and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until firm.
3. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about one quarter inch thickness. You can then either use a cookie cutter to make shapes, or you can just slice into small squares. Arrange on a cookie sheet.
4. Heat the oven to 275 degrees. Bake until just firm about 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
Wendy’s Coconut Macaroons
Please follow this recipe carefully to avoid having a nightmare baking experience. This should be easy and the result: lusciously chewy: simply “mahvelous.” Bring some with you when you come to visit.
1 pound shredded coconut
one can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk (non-fat is ok)
two teaspoons vanilla
one and one half teaspoons almond extract (essential)
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Carefully and generously grease cookie sheets.
Note:A relatively new non-stick baking sheet will do best. Used cookie sheets tend to have baggage which will attach to the macaroons and make it difficult to get them off. Special care taken with the greasing will help later on. Regrease the cookie sheets for subsequent batches only when they are back to room temperature.
Regard this instruction as essential.
2. Mix all the ingredients together and drop by heaping teaspoon full on the greased cookie sheet. Keep at least a cookie and a half distance, or so, between each cookie.
3. Bake for eight minutes. Remove the sheets from the oven and let sit until at room temperature. Carefully pry up cookies from the sheet and continue drying on racks. When completely cooled and hardened, transfer to storage container.
Alternative Finishes:
Serve the macaroons “as is”, or:
1. Melt one quarter cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels and dab a small amount of the melted chocolate on each fully cooked macaroon.
2. Before putting the macaroons in the oven, garnish the top of each one with one half maraschino (cancer) cherry.
Wendy’s Chocolate Macaroons
These are so delicious and simple you won’t believe it!!
one and one third cups dark chocolate (70% cacao bar) melted
two large egg whites
one quarter teaspoon salt
one half cup sugar
one half teaspoon vanilla extract
one and one half cups sweetened flaked coconut
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Large two large rimmed cookie sheets with wax paper or parchment paper.
2. Beat egg whites and salt in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, then vanilla, beating until the whites are thick and glossy. Fold in melted chocolate and coconut.
3. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets, keeping cookies about one cookie apart (about 12 cookies per sheet maximum).
4. Bake about 20 minutes or until tops are dry and tester comes out with moist crumbs. Cool cookies on sheets on racks. Store carefully at room temperature a few days, then refrigerate.
Frostings, Glazes, and Cakes
Frostings and Glazes
Real Whip Cream
Real whip cream is superior to the “store bought” varieties (although not as much fun to play with as the spritzing kind). In any case, for that extra special crepe topping, or to go with chocolate cake or whatever, try this:
1 little container heavy cream (not half and half and not regular cream)
a few drops vanilla
large pinch sugar (optional)
Pour heavy cream into a small bowl and whip. This will take several minutes so an electric beater is helpful. It would be fruitless to try whipping this by hand. You can also use one of those old fashioned crank style egg beaters if you are interested in building up your arm muscles.
The liquid at the bottom of the bowl should disappear and be replaced by fluffy whip cream. While beating the cream, add the two drops vanilla and the pinch of sugar. Just in case, taste the whip cream at several points to see if more seasoning is needed. Finished whip cream should be fluffy and not wet. Finger prints will hold their shape.
Chocolate Frosting
(for decadent chocolate cake)
2 tablespoons butter
three quarters cup semisweet chocolate (can use chips)
six tablespoons heavy cream
one and one quarter cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
one teaspoon vanilla
1. Place all ingredients in a heavy sauce pan over low heat and whisk until smooth. Cool slightly.
2. Add more sugar if necessary to achieve a “spreading consistency” (in other words: until it looks like frosting).
3. Spread on cake while frosting is still warm but the cake is not.
Lemon Icing
(for glazed lemon cake)
1 half pound powdered sugar
one half stick butter—softened
one and one half tablespoons lemon zest
one quarter cup fresh lemon juice
1. Combine the sugar and the butter, taking care not to loft clouds of sugar into your face while mixing.
2. Mix in lemon zest and juice. Spread on warm cake and eat eat eat: what are you waiting for?????
Cream Cheese Frosting
(for honey cake and carrot cake)
One cup confectioner’s sugar
Twelve ounces cream cheese (you can definitely substitute low fat)
One half teaspoon vanilla
One or two teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Combine the ingredients in a bowl. Try not to loft clouds of sugar in your face. Taste the frosting. Enough lemon juice for ya? Then, eat: oh right, frost the cake with it!
Orange-Ginger Icing
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
one quarter cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoons grated orange peel
one half teaspoon vanilla
½ pound box powdered sugar
one ounce minced crystallized ginger
1. Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Mix in orange peel and vanilla.
2. Beat in the sugar and add the ginger.
Vanilla Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar,
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
one quarter cup heavy cream
Mix sugar, extract and heavy cream together in a small sauce pan. When combined and the sugar is dissolved, spread on warm cake, muffins, or whatever, at will. Delicious!
Cakes
The Most Luscious Pound Cake in the World
If you are a fan of pound cake, and what normal human mammal isn’t, then this is the cake for you.
3 sticks butter
three cups sugar
six eggs (omigod)
one teaspoon vanilla
two teaspoons almond extract
three cups flour
one quarter teaspoon salt
one half teaspoon baking powder
eight ounces plain yogurt (low fat is fine)
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Carefully grease and flour an angle food cake pan (google this to see size and shape: about ten inches around the top, the narrow tube in the middle).
2. Soften the butter and then blend with the sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating each in completely. Mix in the extracts.
3. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder and blend into the batter.
4. Add the yogurt and blend.
5. Bake one hour and forty minutes (tester will come out clean). Let the cake cool and then either leave in pan or turn out for slicing.
Almond Glaze for Pound Cake
2 cups powdered sugar,
1 teaspoon almond extract
one quarter cup heavy cream
Mix sugar, extract and heavy cream together in a small sauce pan. When combined and the sugar is dissolved, spread on warm pound cake at will. Delicious!
Best Ever Chocolate Chocolate Cake
Move over Lily’s brownies and any other cookies you might make. This really is the best one (except for all the others!!). To make this, though, you must have an electric mixer, a spring form pan and four extra hours waiting time for the cake to chill. If you have those three things, then by all means make this cake!
1 pound semisweet baking chocolate
five ounces butter, softened
four eggs, separated
one tablespoon flour
pinch of salt
one tablespoon sugar
whipped cream (only optional if you want to be disappointed!)
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Butter the pan sides and bottom, then line with wax paper. Butter the paper.
2. Melt the chocolate, then beat in the butter a little at a time.
3. Beat egg yolks for five minutes (that’s a long time, but it turns into this nifty custardy looking stuff). Wisk in the flour, then fold the egg yolk mixture into the chocolate. Folding means exactly that: dump the yolk mixture in the middle and carefully fold the chocolate over it. Try to gently mix the stuff together.
4. Beat egg whites with the salt until soft peaks form (that means when you pull out the beater, the whites lift into peaks and gently recede). Ad the sugar and continue until the whites hold the peaks but are still creamy (if you go too far, the whites get dry, but use them anyway).
5. Fold one third of the whites into the chocolate. Mix gently, then fold in the rest. Stir gently to mix (get it? Be gentle already!!). Pour batter into pan. Bake 15 minutes (no longer). Cool to room temperature, then put in fried for four hours. Serve with whipped cream (use the real stuff). And, eat eat eat. Do not share (except with me!).
Chocolate Rum Cake With Flavored Whipped Cream
This is rich and so good, we might as well erase the other chocolate cake recipes! But, we must have choices!!
1 half cup rum
nine ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
two sticks minus one tablespoon butter
one and one half cup sugar
six eggs, separated
two-thirds cup flour
one cup whipping cream (plus one tablespoon each of sugar and rum)
1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Butter and flour a nine inch spring form pan.
2. Boil one half cup rum for three minutes exactly, so that it reduces to two tablespoons. Set aside to cool.
3. Melt the chocolate and butter together, pour into a bowl, and cool slightly. Whisk the sugar, egg yolks, and rum into the chocolate mixture.
4. Beat egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold one third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold the chocolate mixture into the rest of the egg whites. Sprinkle the flour over the batter and fold in until just blended. Mix away lumps or spots gently.
5. Pour into pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top cracks and a tester inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs (as opposed to completely slimy). Cool the cake completely, then wrap and keep at room temperature.
6. At serving time, whip the cream with the sugar and rum and add a dollop to each slice.
Decadent Chocolate Cake
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
one stick butter
one teaspoon vanilla
two cups sugar
two eggs separated (see instructions below)
one teaspoon baking soda
one half cup sour cream
two cups minus two tablespoons flour sifted
one teaspoon baking powder
chocolate frosting (see recipe)
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan (fairly low sides and open in the middle—not a bundt pan). Knock out excess flour. The pan should be evenly covered with both.
2. Pour one cup boiling water over the butter and chocolate. Let stand until melted, then stir in vanilla and sugar. Whisk in egg yolks.
3. Mix baking soda and sour cream together then whisk into chocolate mixture. Sift flour and baking powder together and ad to batter, mixing thoroughly.
4. Beat egg whites in a little bowl until stiff but not dry. Stir one quarter of the whites into the batter. Pour the remaining on top of the batter and fold in gently.
5. Pour batter into prepared tube pan and bake for 40 minutes. If the edges have not pulled from the sides of the pan and a tester inserted into the middle of the cake does not come out clean, cook for five to ten minutes longer, then give u and take the cake out. Cool in pan 10 minutes.
6. Take the cake out of the pan and cool completely before frosting (see recipe below). Do not try to eat this without milk, ice cream, and/or real whip cream, and, of course, me.
Wendy’s Chocolate Mousse Layer Cake
"La Stupenda of chocolate cakes"
This layer cake is a lot of work. The recipe is adapted from one for Cuban Opera Cake, but leaves out a layer of butter cream and opts for two layers of coffee mousse instead. What a wonderful trade off! You can make the cake as a single layer that is then cut in half, or two layers, which would both be sliced to make a four layer cake. I suggest you make the coffee mousse filling and the frosting ahead of the cake because they both need two hours in the refrigerator. Ah, planning!
To Make the Cake (halve the recipe if only making one layer)
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
two cups flour
two teaspoons baking soda
one half teaspoon salt
two cups brown sugar
one half cup unsalted butter, room temperature
three and one half teaspoons vanilla extract
four large eggs
one cup sour cream
one half cup crème de cacao (in the liquor store)
one half cup freshly brewed coffee, lukewarm
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter two nine inch round cake pans with two inch high sides. Line bottom with parchment paper rounds. Dust pans with flour and tap out the excess.
2. Melt chocolate stirring until melted and smooth. Cool to lukewarm.
3. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium sized bowl.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl to blend. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Gradually beat in lukewarm melted chocolate.
5. Beat in dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the sour cream in two additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (dry, wet, dry, wet, dry—get it?) Beat in crème de cacao and coffee.
6. Divide the batter between the two cake pans and bake about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on racks for ten minutes. Invert onto flat plates and cool completely.
Coffee Mousse Cake Filling (double the filling if making two layers)
1 half cup half and half or heavy cream
four tablespoons sugar
one tablespoon instant coffee powder (I think Folgers instant coffee is the best one to use. One small box will last years and years and still be quite potent).
four large egg yolks
one teaspoon unflavored gelatin, softened in one tablespoon water for ten minutes
one cup chilled whipping cream
one teaspoon vanilla
1. Bring half and half or cream, two tablespoons sugar, and coffee powder to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Whisk egg yolks and remaining two tablespoons sugar to blend. Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into yolk mixture.
3. Return mixture to saucepan and stir constantly over medium heat about two minutes (thermometer will register 160 degrees). Pour into large bowl. Add softened gelatin and stir until completely dissolved.
4. Beat until cool, about ten minutes. In the meantime, whip the whip crème with the vanilla until stiff peaks form. After the coffee mixture has cooled, fold in the whip cream and refrigerate for at least two hours.
Chocolate Glaze Frosting
1 and one half cups sugar
one cup water
one half cup unsweetened cocoa powder
twelve ounces bitter sweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1.Stir sugar and one up water in medium saucepan over medium hat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Whisk in cocoa. Remove from heat.
2. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Let stand until cool, but still pourable, about two hours.
Construction of the Cake (after the cake is baked, filling and frosting made)
1. The cake will collapse if the mousse is not cooled and fairly hardened. If after two hours, the mousse is not completely cooled, wrap the cooled cake layers and set aside for a few more hours.
2. Cut the completely cooled cake rounds in half. A bread knife works well for this, to make four cake layers (or if only one layer was made, two cake layers).
3. Place one cake layer in the bottom of the prepared nine inch spring form pan. Cover with half the mousse. Add a second cake layer on top. Spread with some of the frosting. Add the third cake layer and spread on the remaining mousse. Add the fourth layer, cover and refrigerate about two hours, or over night (make frosting the next day if you are making the cake ahead).
4. Run knife around the sides of the cake and release. Put cake on a rack over a cookie sheet. Pour the icing over the cake and run it down the sides. Cover the entire cake. Cover and refrigerate two hours or more to allow the glaze to set. Best served at room temperature.
Wendy’s Chocolate Cheesecake
If you are ever wondering what dessert to make for a chocolate loving friend, I think this would be it!!!
Crust
One nine-ounce box chocolate wafer cookies, broken (these are not hard to find, should be in the cookie aisle of most grocery stores)
Two tablespoons sugar
Two teaspoons instant coffee powder
Three ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Six tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and still hot
1. Finely grind cookies, sugar, and instant coffee in a food processor. Add chocolate and process until fine. Add butter and blend. Press moist crumbs onto the bottom and up the sides of a nine-inch spring form pan with high sides (two and three quarters inches)
2. Chill while preparing the filling
Filling
Four eight-ounce packages cream cheese (you could use low fat) softened
One and one fourth cups sugar
One-fourth cup coffee liqueur
Three tablespoons instant coffee powder
One-tablespoon vanilla extract
Four eggs
Six ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until well blended.
3. Combine coffee liqueur and instant coffee powder in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until coffee dissolves.
4. Mix vanilla into coffee mixture and then add to the cream cheese mixture. Beat until smooth.
5. Add eggs one at a time, beating until just combined. Pour filling into two bowls, dividing equally.
6. Melt chocolate and stir into one of the bowls of filling.
7. Pour the plain filling into the crust. Bake until partially set and crust forms on filling, about 25 minutes. Spoon chocolate filling over coffee filling. Bake until set at the edges, but center two inches jiggles slightly when moved, about 30 minutes.
8. Cool cheesecake for twenty minutes but leave the oven on.
Topping
One and one fourth cups sour cream (can use low fat)
Three tablespoons sugar
Two teaspoons instant coffee powder
1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Spoon topping over cheesecake.
2. Bake ten minutes. Transfer cake to a rack. Run knife around crust sides to loosen. Cool completely. Chill overnight.
Garnish
Melt two ounces bittersweet chocolate. Dip a spoon in and wave it over the cake from side to side. It will look beautiful.
Invite me over for this one!
David and Lois’ Favorite Cheesecake that Wendy Made:
1 and one half cups graham cracker crumbs (or you could try pulverized ginger snap cookies)
one cup sugar (divided)
one half cup melted unsalted butter
one and one half pounds cream cheese (must be at room temperature or it just won’t work)
four eggs
three teaspoons vanilla—divided
(optional: one teaspoon lemon extract in the filling)
grated zest of one lemon
two cups sour cream
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the graham crackers with one quarter cup of the sugar and the butter. Press into the bottom and part way up the sides of a nine inch, ungreased, springform pan. Chill crust while preparing the filling.
2. Beat the cream cheese, one half cup of the sugar, the four eggs, two teaspoons of the vanilla (and optional lemon extract) and lemon zest, until smooth. Pour into the chilled crust and bake 50 minutes to an hour, until the cheese is set and starting to turn golden in spots. Remove from the oven, but leave it on. Cool for 15 minutes.
3. Blend the sour cream, remaining one quarter cup sugar, remaining teaspoon vanilla, and spread over cooled cake. Bake for 12 minutes until glossy and set. Cool completely, cover, and chill at least eight hours.
Glazed Lemon Cake
It is not an exaggeration to say that this is the most delicious cake in the whole world. Really!!!
2 sticks butter—softened
two cups sugar
three eggs
three cups flour, sifted
one half teaspoon baking soda
one half teaspoon salt
one cup buttermilk (don’t use regular milk)
two tablespoons lemon zest
two tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a ten inch tube pan (google this to see what it looks like).
2. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, blending well after each.
3. Sift flour, baking soda and salt. Stir into the egg mixture alternating with the butter milk. Add the zest and juice.
4. Pour into the tube pan and bake for 55 minutes or until cake is golden, pulls away from the sides of the pan, and tester comes out clean.
5. Cool cake in the pan ten minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Glaze with lemon frosting while still hot.
Invite me over why dontcha!!!!!!
Lemon Icing
1 half pound powdered sugar
one half stick butter—softened
one and one half tablespoons lemon zest
one quarter cup fresh lemon juice
1. Combine the sugar and the butter, taking care not to loft clouds of sugar into your face while mixing.
2. Mix in lemon zest and juice. Spread on warm cake and eat eat eat: what are you waiting for?????
Wendy’s Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
For the Cake:
One and one half cups brown sugar
Three fourths cup canola oil
One third cup unsweetened applesauce
Four egg whites
On half tablespoon vanilla
Two cups flour
Two teaspoons baking soda
Two teaspoons cinnamon
One half teaspoon salt
One fourth teaspoon nutmeg
One fourth teaspoon ground ginger (or more)
Two and one half cups grated carrots
One half cup drained, crushed pineapple
One third cup chopped almonds (or walnuts)
One cup shredded coconut
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a ten cup bundt or tube pan
2. Combine the brown sugar, oil, applesauce, egg whites and vanilla in a large bowl. Blend well.
3. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and ginger.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Stir in the nuts, coconut and pineapple.
5. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until tooth pick comes out clean.
This cake cries out for cream cheese frosting. Arrest anyone who fails to make frosting. I guess you can tell I feel strongly about this. However, you can put the frosting on the side and people can then slather it on as much as they want. This makes the cake easier to refrigerate.
Cream Cheese Frosting
One cup confectioner’s sugar
Twelve ounces cream cheese (you can definitely substitute low fat)
One half teaspoon vanilla
One or two teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Combine the ingredients in a bowl. Try not to loft clouds of sugar in your face. Taste the frosting. Enough lemon juice for ya? Then, eat: oh right, frost the cake with it!
Pies, Tarts, and Cobblers
Easy Apple Tart
1 lemon, halved
two nice sized green or other very tart apples
one ready to use puff pastry sheet (about 7 to 8 ounces or so)
two tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
one tablespoon melted butter
vanilla ice cream
1. Squeeze the lemon halves into a shallow dish and add a cup or tow of water to make a lemon water bath for the apples.
2. Take out one puff pastry sheet and let it thaw (about 30 minutes). When thawed, unfold the puff pastry sheet and lay it out carefully on a large cookie sheet. Put it in the fridge while you prepare the apples.
3. Peel and core the apples. Cut them in half, and lay the cut pieces in the lemon water. Take out a half at a time and cut the half into four pieces. Then, thinly slice each piece. Do this for both halves. Lay the cut pieces in the lemon water.
4. Take out the puff pastry. Score the pastry one half inch around the edge. Don’t cut all the way through. This will allow the pastry to puff up around the apple slices. Sprinkle one tablespoon of the sugar on the puff pastry.
5. Pat the apple slices dry and lay on the pastry in rows, with each little slice overlapping the one before. Place the apples in tight rows to get as many slices in as possible, without building up. Brush the apples with the melted butter and then sprinkle the sugar over them.
6. Bake at 425 until nicely puffed and browned, between 15 and 20 minutes.
Wendy’s Cherry, Blueberry, or Apple Cobbler
This is so good and easy to do. I adapted the original blueberry cobbler recipe for cherries and Stu said it had to go into the cookbook that very same night. So, follow the recipe for the cherry, but consider doing the variations as well.
1 large can cherry pie filling (one pound five ounces)Forget trying to use fresh cherries.
Alternative: two cups washed and rinsed blueberries
Alternative: two cups skinned and cored and finely chopped apples
1 half cup sugar (decrease to one quarter cup sugar for the apples and blueberries)
one stick cold butter, cut into small bits
one half cup flour
one half teaspoon baking powder
one egg
one half teaspoon vanilla
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter an eight or nine inch square or round baking dish.
2. Combine the flour, half the sugar, and the baking powder. Add the butter and process about ten seconds until well blended. By hand, beat in the egg and vanilla.
3. Add the remaining sugar to the fruit (might want to add some cinnamon and/or ginger, or a pinch of allspice if using apples).
4.Pour the fruit into the casserole dish and cover with tablespoons of all the topping. Do not flatten the topping lumps. Bake until the top is golden yellow, about thirty five minutes or so.
Eat with the best vanilla ice cream you can find and some friends.
No Bake Cherry Cheese Pie
I shudder to share this recipe, especially in this brilliant compendium of recipes, and I wouldn’t dream of preparing this pie myself for “company.” After all, this recipe uses prepared crusts and filling. There isn’t much cooking going on and you don’t even have to bake the pie. So what?? Everybody seems to like it and wonder when we’ll have it again. So here it is!
1 eight ounce package cream cheese softened
one can sweetened condensed milk
one half cup lemon juice (fresh is nice, but who has time?)
one teaspoon vanilla
one nine inched prepared reduced fat graham cracker pie rust (sure: reduced fat on the crust, an entire bar of cream cheese in the pie)
one can cherry pie filling, chilled
1. Beat cream cheese until all fluffy. Add condensed milk. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into pie crust and chill three hours.
2.Top with pie filling. Serve.
Easy Pumpkin Pie
Use one already prepared pie crust such as Pillsbury. Do not be ashamed of using a “store-bought” crust. That’s what I do! Otherwise, there is too much crying.
Heat the oven to 400.
Carefully lay out the pie crust in a nine inch pie plate. Bake for 14 minutes, checking occasionally to see if it's baking nicely. If it is puffing up, or falling off the sides of the plate, gently press with the back of a fork. Cool slightly. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees.
Filling
1 fifteen ounce can pure pumpkin
two thirds cup brown sugar
two thirds cup whipping cream
one third cup milk
two large eggs
one quarter cup sugar
one teaspoon vanilla
one and one quarter teaspoons cinnamon
three quarters teaspoon ground ginger
one fourth teaspoon ground nutmeg
one fourth teaspoon salt
one eight teaspoon ground allspice
Whisk the twelve filling ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into prepared crust. Bake until filling is set, about 55 minutes. If the crust is getting too dark during baking, cover the edges with pieces of tin foil
Transfer to rack and cool. You could sprinkle some walnuts on top as the pie is cooling, but…why???? Top with homemade whip cream or push face into cooled pie and eat, eat, eat.
Keep in fridge, if by some miracle there are leftovers.
Nancy Johnson’s Chocolate Crunch Pie
This keeps well in the freezer, cut into slices. Take out a slice and thaw for a few minutes. After ramming it into our mouth, pull out a few more and call it breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
Crust:
1 third cup butter or margarine
one third cup firmly packed brown sugar
one third cup chopped pecans
one third cup coconut
one graham cracker crust (unbaked) or one Oreo cookie crust
1. Combine the first four ingredients in a sauce pan and heat until butter and sugar are melted. Spread in bottom of pie shell.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes.
Filling:
4 ounces sweet cooking chocolate
one third cup milk
two tablespoons sugar
one package cream cheese, softened
one eight ounce container cool whip, thawed
1. Heat chocolate and two tablespoons of the milk, stirring until the chocolate melts.
2. Beat sugar into cream cheese. Add remaining milk and chocolate mixture. Beat until smooth.
3. Fold chocolate mixture into the cool whip, blending until smooth. Spoon into crust.
4. Freeze about four hours. Let stand for 20 – 30 minutes to thaw before eating whole pie, or slice it up and store in the freezer.
Old Fashioned Lime Meringue Pie
This is really key lime pie, but with regular limes. Key limes are small and you would need millions to make the pie. Plus, regular limes are easier to find. So there it is!
Crust:
1 and one quarter cups graham cracker crumbs
one third cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
six tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1. Combine all three ingredients in a bowl and press into a pie pate to form a crust.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes until lightly browned. Cool on rack.
Filling:
1 half teaspoon lemon extract
four egg yolks
one 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
one half cup lime juice, divided into quarter cups (use fresh)
one half teaspoon cream of tartar
1. Beat the egg yolks until lighter in color and very creamy.
2. Add one quarter cup lime juice and the cream of tartar. Mix. Add the other quarter cup lime juice. Mix.
3. Spoon filling into pie crust and bake at 325 degrees until filling sets, about 10-15 minutes (check after 10 minutes).
4. Freeze for at least two hours.
Meringue:
4 egg whites
one quarter cup sugar
1. Beat the egg whites with the sugar until stiff. Spread over the pie, to the edges.
2. Bake at 450 degrees until meringue is golden, no more than three minutes or so. Check after two minutes and each minute thereafter until the golden color appears. Remove immediately.
Wendy’s Easy Berry Pie
You may have noticed that some people can make a great piecrust and other people not so much. I am in the not so much category but I believe this deficit may be somewhat corrected by store bought crusts which taste good (lots of luck finding one). Now that the excuses are over, we can now make the pie.
Crust:
Thaw the crust if frozen following package directions. I prefer frozen crusts for some reason. Fit the crust over a 9-inch pie plate and make nice flutes around the edge. Chill until ready to use
Filling:
Three cups fresh strawberries
Three cups fresh blackberries
Three cups fresh raspberries
Two tablespoons Grand Marnier
One half cup packed brown sugar
One-fourth cup cornstarch
One and one half teaspoons cinnamon
Crumb Topping:
Two thirds cup flour
Two thirds cup whole oats (not instant)
Two-thirds cup packed brown sugar
Two thirds cup walnuts or almonds
One half-cup butter (cold)
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Wash all the berries, and cut the strawberries in half or more to get a nice bite sized piece. Toss with the Grand Marnier.
3. Combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Add to the berries and stir gently to combine.
4. For the topping, combine the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until they are combined and small, like peas.
5. Fill the pie shell with the filling and cover completely with the topping. Bake one hour until bubbling and golden brown on top.
Boom done! Then eat with vanilla ice cream and thank yourself several times for making this ridiculously delicious pie.
Stu’s Favorite Pecan Pie
In all its simplicity, pecan pie with a slab of vanilla ice cream or whip cream on top is sheer delight!
One unbaked nine inch pie crust
One cup light corn syrup
One cup firmly packed brown sugar
Three eggs slightly beaten
One third cup butter, melted
One third to one half teaspoon salt
One teaspoon vanilla
One cup pecan halves
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine corn syrup, sugar, eggs, butter, salt and vanilla. Mix well. Pour into crust.
3. Sprinkle with pecan halves and bake for 45-50 minutes or until center is set (an electric oven could take longer--be patient). Tester will come out clean when pie is done.
4. Cool and then invite Stu over for a slice.
Candies and Other Treats
Nancy Johnson’s Microwave Peanut Brittle
Before you make this luscious dessert, please ask yourself the following question: “do I really feel like eating a lot of sugar and nuts right now?” Because, if you make this recipe, that is exactly what will happen. Your best defense is to make sure other people are around to help eat this by the time it cools.
1 and one half cups peanuts (dry roasted, unsalted). Or, you can also use cashews or some of both, or whatever
one cup sugar
one half cup white corn syrup (such as Karo)
one tablespoon butter
one teaspoon baking soda
one eighth teaspoon salt (add salt if salt is not listed on the nuts label. Some dry roasts have salt, so you need to check).
One teaspoon vanilla
1. Thoroughly butter a small cookie sheet and set aside.
2. In a one and one half quart microwave-safe dish, stir together the peanuts, sugar, syrup, and salt. Make sure all the sugar from the bottom of the dish gets mixed into the syrup. This could take ea few patient minutes of stirring.
3. Microwave on high for four minutes. Carefully stir. Microwave on high for four more minutes. Stir in butter and vanilla. Be careful: this is very hot and bubbly.
4. Return to microwave and microwave two times for one minute each, stirring in between. Remove from oven. Quickly stir in baking soda and immediately (do not wait or you’ll have sugar and nut cement in the baking dish) spread onto cookie sheet to one peanut thick. Cool.
5. Pull candy off the cookie sheet in one block and blot on paper towels to remove excess butter. Break up into bit sized pieces and try not to eat all of it without help. Store in Ziploc bags.
Note: This hardens fast and sticks like mad. Do yourself a favor and soak bowl and utensils in hot soapy water before trying to clean.
Barbara Nussbaum’s Peanut Butter Balls
Sarah asked me to include the all-famous Nussbaumian peanut butter balls. What is Passover without them? Barbara is a casual cook, but she gets results! This recipe is a distillation of Barbara’s approach. If these don’t turn out, eat them anyway. With chocolate and peanut butter, how can it be bad?
1. Melt one cup peanut butter in a small pan or double boiler. Add about one eight cup butter and melt it in the peanut butter.
2. Take the pot off the stove, and begin adding confectioner’s sugar about a tablespoon or so at a time. Stir the peanut butter and continue adding the sugar until it is difficult to stir. Cool until you can handle it. Make into little balls, plunk onto a small cookie sheet, which has been covered with wax paper, and refrigerate. (Stop here if you are making chocolate peanut butter truffles—see next page).
3. Melt some chocolate morsels with a pat of butter, enough to cover all the peanut butter balls (start with melting about a half cup of morsels and a tablespoon butter and go from there if you need more.) Cool slightly.
4. Dip the cooled balls into the chocolate. Put on wax paper and refrigerate until the chocolate is hard. Eat. If you have left over chocolate, dip in some cleaned strawberries or other fruit and eat that too.
Now, you might want to try using crunchy peanut butter, or put a “surprise” in the middle of each ball, before refrigerating for the first time, but then again, you might be eating them too fast to really notice anything inside. You could also use low fat peanut for surprising good (but not as good) results.
Wendy’s Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter Truffles
If you use good dark chocolate for this recipe, you’ll have great results. I prefer Lindt dark chocolate, but you can also look for other varieties, such as Belgian chocolates, Ghirardelli, etc.
1 half pound 60, or higher, percent, dark chocolate
one fourth cup heavy cream or whipping cream
one teaspoon vanilla
cocoa powder
1. Make one half recipe Barbara Nussbaum’s Peanut Butter Balls (without the chocolate covering). Make the balls small, slightly larger than the diameter of a dime. Put on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper, and chill.
2. Heat the heavy cream until just before boiling. Pour over the chocolate pieces and, stirring occasionally, melt them. If this doesn’t work, gently microwave until melted.
3. Cool the melted chocolate mixture slightly, so it can be handled and won’t melt the peanut butter balls. Stir in the vanilla. Dip the cooled peanut butter balls into the chocolate and coat completely. Chill at least 30 minutes and then dip again, if necessary. Chill again.
4. When cold: roll balls in the cocoa powder and store in a covered container.
Dark Chocolate Truffles (without peanut butter):
1. Make the chocolate ganache as described above (without the peanut butter balls). After stirring in the vanilla, refrigerate the chocolate until it is cold, about 45 minutes. Roll the chocolate into small balls. Place on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper and chill 30 minutes. Sprinkle each ball with a few grains of kosher salt and then roll in the cocoa. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
2. You could also roll the balls in confectioner’s sugar, ground nuts, sweetened coconut, or… other ideas are always welcome!
Wendy’s Ice Cream Soda
A well placed ice cream soda is a joy to behold! And, with all the calories, it can be lunch and dinner to! Here’s one way to make one:
1 third cup chocolate syrup. It is amazing how much is needed to get the right flavor—say to yourself “ok, so this is all the syrup I’m gonna have for the rest of the____.(fill in the blank with day, week, month, year or whatever).
1 quarter cup half and half (or whole milk—less fat, less joyful experience, but what is life without a few compromises?)
12 ounces plain seltzer
two large scoops of chocolate ice cream (consider this—the old icy ice cream in the freezer will not taste as good as fresh ice cream would). You could use vanilla or another favor, I guess, but why would you? Why???
1. Using a tall glass, stir the chocolate syrup and milk together. Fill with seltzer part way and mush in one scoop of ice cream enough so the seltzer can get around the ice cream.
2. Fill the rest of the way to the top of the glass with seltzer and then mush another scoop of ice cream on the edge of the glass, taking care not to have it all over-flow or fall off. Stir carefully and drink.
Summer has arrived! Invite me over.
