Best Chocolate Mousse EVER!

Just made the best chocolate mousse.  The recipe was good, but since I tweaked it a bit I needed to write it down for the future.  Enjoy.

Best Chocolate Mousse

Vanilla Pastry Cream:

6 large egg yolks

¾ cups granulated sugar

4 tbsp. cornstarch

3 cups whole milk

2 tbsp. good vanilla

Chocolate Mousse:

2 cups vanilla pastry cream

7 oz. chocolate

1 tbsp. gelatin

¼ cup water

1 ½ cups whipping cream

3 tbsp. powdered sugar

For pastry cream:

                In a heavy bottomed saucepan cook milk over medium low heat until bubbles start forming on the edges but does not boil.

                In a separate bowl beat eggs, sugar, and cornstarch together.  When milk is ready slowly add to egg mixture a little at a time while stirring constantly.  Stop when half of the milk is incorporated.  Pour egg mixture into the milk in the saucepan (stirring the whole time) and cook until thickened (stirring constantly). 

For the Mousse:

                Melt chocolate and add to warm pastry cream.  Soften gelatin in ¼ cup water and add to vanilla pastry cream while warm to melt it.  Stir until well combined.  Now I placed this bowl on top of another bowl full of ice and occasionally stirred until it became lukewarm.  You could also refrigerate it until lukewarm.  Beat whipping cream, add powdered sugar, and fold into the vanilla pastry cream/chocolate mixture.  

Chocolate Velvet Pie

Chocolate Velvet Pie

1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust

4 ounces semisweet chocolate

¾ cup cream

3 eggs, divided

1 egg yolk

10 Tbsp. sugar, divided

1 tsp. vanilla, divided

1/8 tsp. salt

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened)

¼ cup whipping cream

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Prick holes in the crust with a fork and bake for 10 minutes.  Cool on a rack.

Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees.  Combine chocolate and cream in a medium saucepan, heat over low heat and stir frequently until the chocolate is melted.  Add 6 Tbsp. sugar, ½ tsp vanilla, and salt.  Beat until blended.  Spread into the crust.

Beat cream cheese and 4 Tbsp. of sugar together until smooth.  Beat in the cream, 1 egg, and ½ tsp. vanilla.  Carefully spread this on top of the chocolate layer.

Bake for 40 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack and refrigerate for 2 hours.  Serve with whipped cream.

Maple Pecan Pie

This pie was amazing.

Pecan Maple Syrup Pie

Favorite pie crust

3 eggs

1 cup maple syrup

6 Tbsp. packed brown sugar

3 Tbsp. melted butter

½ tsp. salt

¾ tsp. vanilla

1 ½ cups coarsely chopped pecans.

Prepare your favorite pie crust.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Roll out pie crust.  Place it in your pie pan.  Bake for five minutes.

Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees.  Melt your butter in the microwave and allow to cool.  Mix all the other ingredients into except pecans.  Mix well and then add the pecans. 

Bake for 45 minutes.  Check to make sure the edges aren’t getting too brown.  Remove from oven when set.

Fruit Pizza for the Olympics

In honor of the opening ceremonies tonight we are having a Brazilian party with friends but I had to make my mom's fruit pizza recipe with the Olympic rings because its fun.  Couldn't tell from pictures if the right bottom ring was orange or yellow so I added both.  I have a bowl of fruit to add to pieces that are spare on fruit once its cut.  P.S. I never do the glaze.

Fruit Pizza

Make in a sheet cake pan

Crust-

2 c. flour

2 cubes margarine

4 Tbl. Powdered sugar

(add nuts if wanted)

          Combine and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.  Cool.

Cream-

8 oz. Cream cheese

1 c. powdered sugar

1 c. whipped whipping cream

         

Spread on top of crust.  Mix cheese and sugar, add to whip.  Arrange fruit (peaches, grapes, strawberries, kiwi, bananas, etc.)

Glaze-

½ c. sugar

¼ c. water

2 Tbl. Cornstarch

½ c. orange juice

½ c. lemon juice

         

Heat to a boil, and stir until it is thick and clear.  Cool in refrigerator.  Spoon over arranged fruit.

Fourth of July Dessert- Danish Dessert

This is one of my most favorite desserts of all time.  It reminds me of my birthday which is on the Fourth of July.  

Danish Dessert

To make crumbs- mix together:

2 c. flour

1 c. brown sugar

1 cube soft margarine

1 c. chopped walnuts

Spread in 9x13 baking pan

       Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes.  Stir several times.

Cream filling- whip together:

1 pint of cream (whipped)

1-8 oz. Pkg. Cream cheese

1 c. powdered sugar

         

Press about half of the crumbs into a pan, and then cool.  Fill with cheese mixture, cover with remaining crumbs.  Set in refrigerator.

Topping:

          Prepare 1 pkg. Danish Dessert and add 1 pkg. Frozen or frozen raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries. Spread over cheese layer, and refrigerate.

I like using raspberries or blackberries best.  You can use blueberries too.  I usually make the Danish Dessert first (the instructions for the fruit glaze) that way it has time to cool while you make everything else. 

To make this into a flag I reserved a 1/2 cup of the fruit sauce for the blueberries and added a small amount of dark blue gel food coloring. 

 Then the rest gets raspberries.

 I used the 9 x 13 pan I baked the crumbs in and layered 1/2 of the crumbs first.

 Then the cream (reserve about 1 cup).

 Then lay on the rest of the crumbs.

 The blueberries don't have much liquid in them on purpose.  Lay them out in a square in the upper right corner.

 Then carefully pour on the raspberries and spread them out to the corners.

 Then I piped on the rest of the whipped cream mixture in lines.  My kids were so thrilled!

Filled Oatmeal Bars

My friend gave me these cookies after I had my first baby and they were mind blowing.  I think that was mostly in part to post labor starvation, but they are still good today.

Somehow my kids ate all the cookies before I got a picture of them.

Chocolate Filled Bars:

    Melt and mix together...

1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk

12oz pkg. milk chocolate chips (or whatever kind you like)

3 Tbsp. butter

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup nuts (optional)

Cream together...

1 c. butter

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour

3 c. oats

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

Press 2/3 of the dough into bottom of 9x13 pan. Pour chocolate or butterscotch mixture on   top.

Sprinkle with remaining dough.

Bake @ 350 for 20-25 min. 

Ooey Gooey Caramel Popcorn

My sister made this popcorn on the Fourth of July and I had to call her this week to get it from her.  

Ooey Gooey Caramel Popcorn

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
2 cups of brown sugar
1 cup white corn syrup
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk (buy the good stuff for this recipe)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 batches of popcorn (about 6 cups)

   Combine the sugar, butter, and syrup in a heavy bottomed saucepan on medium high heat until the mixture comes to a good rolling boil.  STIR THE ENTIRE TIME!  Turn the heat to low and add the sweetened condensed milk.  Turn the heat up to medium and heat while stirring the entire time to another rolling boil.  Cook for 45 seconds longer and take off the heat.  Let this cool for 1-2 minutes.  Add vanilla and stir.

Pour over popcorn and gently mix in.  I ended up with a little too much caramel and not enough popcorn so I just popped some more and mixed it in.

Caramel Apples

My kids love caramel apples.  As soon as there is a hint of fall in the air they beg for them.  

The most important rule for caramel apples is preparation.  You need the apples room temperatures, washed, dried, and Popsicle sticks inserted BEFORE you make the caramel.

 Caramel Apples
Adapted from Carnival Caramel Apples

 Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
a dash of salt
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
10-12 Popsicle sticks
10-12 medium tart apples, prepped (I love Granny Smiths!)

Decorations like gummy worms, gummy bears, sprinkles, candy corn, peanuts, chocolate, etc (optional)

Prep your apples by washing and drying them, and inserting Popsicle sticks.  Make sure they are at room temperature or the caramel will not stick!

Mix the first four ingredients in a small saucepan.  Stir constantly on medium heat for about 10 minutes.  Stir in sweetened condensed milk and cook until it reaches 248 degrees or firm ball stage. Remove from heat and add the vanilla.   

 Now dip the apples one by one and swirl to cover them.

 Set to dry on a Silpat or on wax paper.  Now let your kids add decorations!

Enjoy!

Mint Brownies

There was a woman from church when my husband and I got engaged who made these killer mint brownies.  My husband (fiance at the time) begged me to get the recipe from her.  Here it is.

Mint Brownies

Ingredients for Brownies

1 1/2 cup butter (melted)

3 cups sugar

3 tsp. vanilla 

6 eggs

3/4 cup cocoa

2 1/4 cup flour

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Ingredients for the mint frosting:

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup butter (softened)

1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

5 drops green food coloring

Ingredients for the Fudge Frosting:

1/2 cup butter

3 1/2 Tbsp. cocoa powder

1/3 cup milk

1 lb. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2/3 cups chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Melt margarine in a microwave safe bowl, a big one so you don't have to wash another dish.  Stir in the cocoa and the sugar.  When its cool enough add the eggs one at a time.  Stir in vanilla, flour, nuts.  Mix well.  Spread in a greased jelly roll pan and bake for 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.  

Cool for 1/2 hour and then frost with the mint frosting.  For the mint frosting mix the butter until fluffy and then add all the other ingredients. Beat well.

For the fudge frosting melt the butter, cocoa, and milk on a low heat.  If you heat it up too fast everything does not combine well and bad things happen.  I know, I've done it.  Bring just to a boil.  Take it off the heat and add the powdered sugar and vanilla.  Spread this carefully over the mint frosting so you have two layers.  Add nuts if you want.  Cool and enjoy!

Mississippi Mud

Mississippi Mud

I made this for Family Home Evening tonight. Its one of my fall-back recipes when I can't think of anything to make. Its delicious and really bad for you. My husband likes to brag to people about how many cubes of butter are in them.


Mississippi Mud
(by my mom-Norma Jensen)

First, preheat oven to 350. Put two cubes of margarine or butter in 13x9-inch pan and put in oven for the margarine to melt while the oven preheats.

Meanwhile, mix 2 cups of sugar and 2 eggs.

Then add:
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour

Mixture should be pretty crumby.

When the margarine is melted, should take about five minutes, add 4 tbl. cocoa to the margarine. Mix until a chocolatey syrup in pan.  Sprinkle crumb mixture on top of the chocolate mixture.

Bake at 350 for 27 minutes.

Rasp. Cheese Danish

Rasp. Cheese Danish

Raspberry Cheese Danish
 I discovered this recipe a while back and its one of my husband's favorites.

It makes four loafs and it also freezes well so its easy to store. I recommend making the whole recipe and then freezing the leftovers.

Raspberry Cheese Loaves

Adapted from a Taste of Home magazine
What you need:

2 packages yeast (about 2 tbsp.)
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter or margarine cubed
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
4 cups flour

For the filling:
One 8 oz. package of cream cheese and one 3 oz. package
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 can (21 ounces) raspberry pie filling

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

I do the dough in the bread machines but you could use a mixer or do it by hand.

In a large bowl (or bread machine) dissolve yeast in warm water.

In a saucepan mix the sour cream and cubed butter over medium heat to about 110 degrees. I used my candy thermometer. Stir often or the entire time.

Add this to the yeast mixture. Then add sugar and eggs. Mix well. (If you are using the bread machine put it on the pizza dough setting and start mixing.)

Gradually add flour and mix well. Do not knead. (In the bread machine let it mix until dough becomes a well formed ball then stop and take it out.)

Cover and refrigerate overnight. I only put it in the fridge for four hours and it turned out fine.

For the filling: beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and extract until it is smooth.

Take the dough out and divide it into four equal sized balls. Roll onto a floured surface to make a 12x8 inch rectangle.

Spread a fourth of the cream cheese mixture into middle and then 1/4 of the pie filing on top of that.

 Fold over the edges.
Then fold it into thirds by folding over one flap.
 And then the next.
Pinch the seems together and flip over onto on a well-greased cookie sheet or a Silpat. Cut with scissors or a knife to make diagonal cuts into the loaf.
 Repeat three more times. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour. I put mine in the oven without the heat on. Then bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Careful that you don't burn it. They seem to brown quickly.
 Then drizzle on the glaze while its still warm. Cool and refrigerate leftovers or freeze it in aluminum foil when completely cool. Enjoy!

 You can make 1 or two big Danish or lots of little ones.

Trifle

I made English Trifle for mutual tonight. We're having a cultural night and I'm doing mine on New Zealand. They eat a lot of old fashioned English stuff there. It is so good and so easy!

English Trifle

Here's how you do it. Bake a cake or use an old, stale cake. Its actually meant to use an old cake, but I usually just bake mine that day. Allow the cake to cool and then cut it into strips. Place those on the bottom of a dish. Make some vanilla pudding ahead of time and put a layer of that on top of the cake. The pudding re-hydrates the cake. That's why you can use a stale cake.

Then add some fruit. I used raspberries here, but you can use anything. Fresh is best but not vital. Use raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, or bananas... Then whip some cream or use cool whip and put that on top of the fruit. You can then add another layer of cake and start all over again until you feel like stopping. I always finish with some whipped cream on top and then a few pieces of fruit.


Then you're supposed to put it in your fridge overnight to let the pudding sink in but I rarely do this. I sometimes make it just before serving it. If you are using fresh strawberries or bananas this is a must or they get brown and soggy.

Icecream Sandwich Cake

Once upon a time I went to a dinner where they served this awesome cake and I finally made it for Father's Day.  This is a great one to do with the kids.

First make Hot Fudge Sauce or buy some.  Mine favorite comes from Our Best Bites. 

You melt a 1/2 a stick of butter and a can of Sweetened condensed milk.  Stir often.  When the butter is melted you add 1/2 cup chocolate chips until those melt and everything is creamy deliciousness.  Let this cool.

Whip some cream or you can use Cool Whip, but I personally don't believe Cool Whip should be counted as a food.  Get a 9x13 pan.  I bought three boxes of Ice cream sandwiches and my kids ate four and it ended up being perfect.  I bought some square sandwiches and some rectangle and that worked great.

Place sandwiches in the pan like so...

Then add some cooled hot fudge sauce, then a layer of whipped cream, and then more sandwiches.

More Hot Fudge, more whipped cream, and then some crushed up Heath bits or really whatever candy bar you want or even M&M's.  Go wild.

Then cover and place in the freezer.  Eat whenever you want.  I love desserts you can make way in advance.