Making wonderfully elaborate strawberry desserts during Michigan’s strawberry season is one of my favorite things to do. Yet, with all the jam, jelly, pie filling, lemonade concentrates, and glazes to make, I don’t always have the time. Continue reading
I love desserts so rich, that a little goes a long way.
A couple of years ago I had a holiday party and after dinner was over, served seven different mini desserts. There were Various Mini Pies, Creamy Frozen Mini Fruit Cups, Single Serving Tiramisu, Nutella Cheesecake Trifles, Peanut Butter Pie Shooters, and Layered Jello Cups. Although mini desserts have been around for some time, this was my first foray into serving them at a dinner party. Needless to say, they were a huge hit and ever since I have been keeping a running list of desserts that would be perfect served in mini dessert cups/glasses, so next time I decide to serve mini desserts, I’ll have all new ones to try.
Anything served with mascarpone cheese in it would definitely be something I’d consider adding to my mini dessert list. Note that tiramisu already made that list! So when I made a whipped mascarpone cream and topped it with sweetened Marsala fresh fruit, there was no doubt this recipe would make it to the top of the list.
This dessert came together in just about half an hour and could easily be made one to two days before serving. The list of ingredients is simple: heavy cream, sugar, mascarpone cheese, lemon zest, mixed berries, Marsala wine and if you like, a little honey for drizzling.
First you want to whip 1 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a very cold mixing bowl with cold beaters. Be sure to add the sugar right at the beginning so as to give it the best chance for dissolving and not leaving the cream gritty.
Beat for 30 seconds on low and then increase speed to medium.
Beat until the beaters begin to leave a trail, about 30 -45 seconds.
Increase speed to high and continue beating another 30 -45 seconds until stiff peaks form. Do not over-beat or the cream my fall.
Transfer the cream to a clean bowl.
In the same bowl used for the whipped cream, add 8 ounces mascarpone cheese. No need to clean the bowl.
Beat at medium speed until aerated and light, 30 -45 seconds.
Add the whipped cream back into the bowl and beat at medium speed until completely incorporated.
Add 1/2 tsp lemon zest and beat 10 seconds more. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
While the cream chills, clean 2 pints blackberries and 1/2 pound strawberries (or any combination of berries you choose). Slice and hull strawberries if you use.
Add 3 heaping tablespoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons Marsala wine to the fruit. Let stand 5 – 10 minutes until sugar dissolves.
To serve, place a small amount of cream in serving dish and top with berry/wine mixture. Drizzle with honey.
I served this for dessert the other night and used custard dishes. When I serve this along with other mini desserts I will probably use small square plates. First I’ll pipe a dollop of cream (about 2-3 tablespoons, this is extremely rich) onto each plate, place a few berries on the side, and then drizzle the cream and berries with honey. I think it will be an impressive presentation.
Mini desserts are fun because it gives me a chance to make a lot of different desserts to serve at one time as well as offering my guests many choices in how they wish to end their meal. This cream and berry dessert is sure to be a hit, and for this I am — Simply Grateful.
Ingredients
Directions
Cook’s Note
Although I have not tried this, ricotta cheese might be able to be substituted for the mascarpone, as it can be rather pricey. Be sure to use a dry ricotta, such as impastata, though otherwise the cream my not be firm enough.
Other fruit that could be used in this include fresh peaches or nectarines, mandarin oranges, or very ripe pineapple, mango and/or papaya. Another alternative would be to serve the cream with cherries jubilee.
Most of the time when I find and try a recipe, the first thing I do after making it as written, is to try to find ways to improve or change it. Sometimes this works in my favor, other times I realize it was better left alone.
One of my absolute favorite recipes that my mother gave me was for her pineapple upside down cake. I loved it. Everyone loved it. I can’t think of one person who ever had it that didn’t ask for the recipe. It was perfect — or so I thought.
Once I started making the cake, I quickly realized, either out of laziness or perhaps divine inspiration, that using pineapple slices, as my mother had, for the top of the cake looked nice enough, but when I switched things up and used crushed pineapple instead — WOW, what a difference. Not only was there pineapple in every bite, but the pineapple was easier to eat and somehow more tender.
When I made my version of my mother’s pineapple upside down cake one time for my parents, my mother was very critical. She eyed my cake sitting on the kitchen counter before dinner and asked, “Is that MY pineapple upside down cake recipe?” I smiled and told her it was, but with a slight tweak.
After dinner I brought the cake to the table and began to serve it. My father, of course, got the first piece (pineapple upside down cake is his absolute favorite). Without waiting for anyone else he cut into his slice. Before even swallowing he blurted out, “This is REALLY good!”
I cringed just a little. That’s all I needed, another excuse for my mother to get mad at my father. Thankfully he hadn’t said anything like ‘this is the best cake I’ve ever had.’ His “REALLY good” comment, though was enough to make my mother’s eyebrows raise and her face tighten.
Quickly I cut another slice and gave it to my mother. Critically she cut into the piece with her fork, slowly brought it to her nose, sniffed it, and then slipped it into her mouth. She chewed for what seemed like hours, but finally her eyes widened and her features softened as she exclaimed, “This really is GOOD. The crushed pineapple really makes this even better.”
Whew! What a relief. She liked it and her feelings weren’t hurt because I’d tweaked her recipe.
For the past ten years or so my mother and I have been making this recipe for pineapple upside down cake using crushed pineapple and loving it each and every time. This year however, once again, I had to throw a wrench in the recipe and tweak it again.
After trying a recipe for shredded zucchini faux pineapple, I knew right away that this would work perfectly in my mother’s recipe for pineapple upside cake. Instead of making a cake however, I decided to switch things up even more and make individual cupcakes — thus my very own (sort of) recipe for:
Glazed Pineapple-Zucchini Upside Down Cupcakes
1 1/2 Pints Shredded Zucchini Faux Pineapple (recipe found on Simply Grateful Canning)
1 Pkg. (4-serving size) Jell-O Vanilla Pudding & Pie Filling
1/2 Cup Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
1 Pkg. (2-layer size) Yellow Cake Mix (do not use pudding included type cake mix)
1 Pkg. (4-serving size) Jell-O Vanilla INSTANT Pudding & Pie Filling
4 Eggs
1 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Vegetable or Peanut Oil
Combine zucchini, regular pudding mix, and brown sugar in bowl. Fill bottoms of cupcake sections with mixture.
Combine cake mix, INSTANT pudding, eggs, water and oil in large mixing bowl. Blend and then beat at medium speed of electric mixer for 4 minutes. Pour batter over zucchini mixture in pan being careful cake mixture covers zucchini well.
Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean and cupcakes begin to pull away from sides of pan.
Cool in pan 5 minutes. Invert onto cookie sheet and let stand 1 minute; then remove carefully from pan. They are going to stick. You will probably have to loosen them by running a knife around the edges first, but even then, they will stick.
Also, the zucchini will stick to the pan — without fail.
Remove the zucchini carefully from the pan and basically frost the tops of the cupcakes with it, glazing well.
Note: To make this the traditional Glazed Pineapple Upside Down Cake, use a 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple in place of the zucchini and bake in a 13 x 9 pan for 55 to 60 minutes.
I made these the day after I made my first batch of shredded zucchini faux pineapple and could hardly wait to share them. My parents just happened to stop by that day — what luck. I told them I had something I wanted them to try, but I wasn’t going to tell them what it was. I gave them each a cupcake on a plate with a fork. Immediately my mother asked, “What’s that green stuff?”
She has never been very adventuresome when it comes to trying new food, so I suppose I shouldn’t have expected anything else. My father on the other hand dove right in. Again, before even swallowing he blurted out, “Wow, this tastes just like pineapple upside down cake.”
My mother immediately popped a bite into her mouth and nodded in agreement. Then I told them what the “green stuff” was. Neither of them could believe it, but my father right away asked if he could have a jar of my faux pineapple so they could take it home.
Everyone I’ve shared these cupcakes with I’ve refused to tell what the “green stuff” was until after they’ve tried it. I’m not sure if knowing it’s zucchini or not would influence their pallets, but I’m not taking a chance. We really like it and so far those who have tried it have too, and for this I am — Simply Grateful.
Note: There Suzanne, now you know what the “green stuff” on top of those cupcakes I gave you a while back was. Hope you enjoyed them.
When I was growing up, going out to dinner was something we did only a few times a year. There was one Italian restaurant, one Mexican restaurant, and then of course the family style restaurant — Big Boy. The Italian and Mexican restaurants were visited usually for dinner to celebrate a grandparents birthday or perhaps an anniversary, but Big Boy was strictly a lunch place for us.
Twice a year my mother and I would head out to the local mall for school clothes shopping and then Christmas shopping and during each of these trips the highlight was always going to Big Boy for lunch. We would typically meet up with my grandparents and even my father on his lunch break and share a wonderful meal and then dessert.
The one dessert I always got when at Big Boy was their Hot Fudge Ice Cream Cake. I looked forward to this all year-long and would have much rathered just eaten dessert than have to fill up on lunch first, but rules were rules — no dessert until you’ve cleaned your plate.
As a parent, I am far less strict on this “no dessert until you’ve cleaned your plate” rule. In fact, during the 24 days leading up til Christmas, I have many times given the kids ice cream sundaes for breakfast.
Now that the kids are older, I figured we should perhaps improve on our ice cream for breakfast tradition and make the meal just a bit more substantial, so I decided to see if I could duplicate the hot fudge ice cream cake. Of course I had to do a trial run prior to December. I wouldn’t want things not to turn out and perhaps end up having to give them candy or cookies instead, what kind of mother do you take me for. So a little bit ago I made my version of this.
Ingredients
Fudge Sauce:
Whipped cream and maraschino cherries for garnish
Directions
Recipe by: Tilly Frueh – Simply Grateful Cooking 2015
This turned out perfect. Not only did it taste exactly as I remember the ice cream cake from Big Boy, but the hot fudge sauce was so good that Grace told me she never wants to buy store-bought chocolate sauce for ice cream again. Plus, you can use any flavor ice cream you want. You are limited only to what you can find in brick containers. I actually used chocolate chip for my first try.
As an adult, I go to restaurants infrequently. I’d have to say if we go out to dinner three times a year, that’s a lot. Being able to duplicate some of my favorite things prepared in restaurants, especially desserts, is a great way to bring the experience home. Sure I still have to prepare the food, serve it, and then do the clean up, but it’s all in the comfort of my own home and I know exactly what’s going into it, and for this I am — Simply Grateful.
I don’t know about you, but whenever we have someone over for dinner, my first thoughts go to what I’m going to serve for dessert. Of course if I am planning a themed dinner, the dessert might have to be changed or decided on a little later in the planning process, but dessert is by far the one aspect of any dinner that I believe must hold the “WOW” factor.
Don’t think for one minute however that every time someone crosses our threshold to break bread with us that I serve something they’ll be talking about for weeks to come. No, it is probably more of a rarity for that to happen than the norm. When I can accomplish the “WOW” factor however and really give our guests something to rave about, it’s as if the stars have all aligned and everything is right with the world.
A bit dramatic for sure, but after all the canning and harvesting I’ve been inundated with the past couple of weeks, breaking the monotony with an absolutely awesome dessert for a change really helped rejuvenate my spirits.
We had my parents over for dinner a few nights ago. Nothing special, just stuffed burgers on the grill, homemade onion rings, fresh vegetables from the garden, and some sweet Michigan corn. Seeing as the dinner was just a typical “barbecue” I thought I would spice up the evening a bit with a little cake – a strawberry truffle cake.
Strawberry Truffle Cake
Cake
Ganache
Garnish
Prepare cake according to package directions in a 13 x 9 inch pan and allow to cool completely. I made the cake the night before.
In a large bowl, place chopped chocolate, set aside.
In 2-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream and butter over medium heat until butter is melted and mixture comes to a boil.
Pour cream over chocolate.
Stir until chocolate is dissolved.
Line bottom of 8-inch springform pan with a circle of waxed paper.
Cut cake into 1-inch cubes.
In large bowl, beat half of the cake cubes on low speed until crumbly.
Add remaining cake cubes and 13/4 cups of ganache (reserve remaining). Beat on low speed until well combined, about 30 seconds. The mixture should look like fudge.
Fold in 2 cups cut-up strawberries.
Spoon mixture into springform pan and press down to flatten; smooth top.
Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 45 minutes or firm enough to unmold.
Run knife around side of pan. Place serving plate upside down on pan and turn pan and plate over. I actually just ran the knife around the side of the pan, loosened the band on the springform pan and slid the cake onto the serving plate. Either way should work.
Top cake with remaining ganache.
Arrange strawberries on top of ganache.
In small bowl, microwave baking chips and oil for 45 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds until melted. Place in small resealable food-storage plastic bag; cut off tiny corner of bag. drizzle over top of cake.
This cake is definitely best served the day it is made, but it will keep in the refrigerator for two to three days, if it lasts that long.
Ingredients
Cake
Ganache
Garnish
Directions
Cooking Note
This cake is definitely best served the day it is made, but it will keep in the refrigerator for two to three days, if it lasts that long.
Recipe by: Tilly Frueh – Simply Grateful Cooking
Hubby, Zeb, and Grace all fought over who was going to get the few leftover pieces of this cake. To me this means it was a success and one that I will most certainly be making again. In fact, I’m thinking of how I can make individual ones for Christmas get-togethers — wouldn’t that be decadent!
Taking a break and mixing up my daily to do list really makes a huge difference in my attitude and resolve, and for this I am — Simply Grateful.
Simply Grateful Cooking 