Flourless Chocolate Cake

Or, as Tyler put it:  "Death on a Fork."  Here you go, Hannah! 

1 1/2 lbs. Bittersweet or Semi-sweet chocolate
3/4 lb (3 sticks) Real Butter
10 eggs
1 tsp (or to taste) vanilla, almond, mint or amoretto extract (optional)

Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler over low heat.  Cool slightly.  In large bowl, beat eggs utnil 3x their original volume.  Add flavoring, if using.  Fold 1/2 chocolate mixture into eggs.  Fold remaining chocolate in until there are no streaks left.  Pour into 8" sprinform cake pan.  Cover the bottom of the pan with 3 layers aluminum foil.  Place pan into a 9x13" baking dish and pour boiling water around cake pan to come up the sides about 1 inch.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Lay a sheet of foil over the top and bake for 10 minutes more.  The cake won't look done in the middle.  Refrigerate for 3 hours.  Serve with berries and whipped cream, if desired.  Best at room temperature.

Note:  This is really rich, so serve small slices.

Chocolate Ice Cream

4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch salt

Melt the unsweetened chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not boiling water.  Gradually whisk in the milk and heat, stirring constantly, unitl smooth.  Remove from heat and let cool.

Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.  Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minutes more.  Add the cream, vanilla, and salt and whisk to blend.

Pour the chocolate mixuture into the cream mixture and blend.  Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 1 to 3 hours, depending on your refrigerator.

Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

Yeild: 1 quart

Note:  This is our favorite chocolate ice cream.  It is great alone, but we also like it with crushed mint oreo's or as Rocky Road with marshmallows, mini-chocolate chips and chopped nuts.

Sweet Cream Base

2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk

Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.  Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking until completely blended, about 1 minutes more.  Pour in the cream and milk and whisk to blend.  Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

Note:  This is a great ice cream base - it is especially good as a background for fruit, cookies, and candy.

Cheesecake Ice Cream

6 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 TB lemon juice
2 oz grated chocolate

Place cream chees in a mixing bowl and beat until soft and smooth.  Slowly add sugar and then beat in the sour cream followed by the heavy cream.  Add vanilla and lemon juice and mix unitl thick and smooth.  Cover and chill for 2-3 hours or overnight.  Remove from fridge and beat until cream, then freeze in ice cream freezer according to manufacturer's directions.  Stir in grated chocolate when ice cream is finished.

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

1 can (10 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup milk
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup English Toffee bits (optional)

In a medium saucepan over mediu heat, cook sweetened condensed milk, stirring constantly, until thick and golden brown, about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Meanwhile, in a separate medium saucepan over medium-low heat, bring cream, milk, and cinnamon stick to simmer.  Remove cinnamon stick and discard.

Very slowly and carefully to prevent spattering, pour condensed milk into a large, clean bowl.  Gradually whisk in cream mixture, holding the saucepan at arm's length and averting your face when adding the cream.  Whisk in vanilla.  Cover and refrigerate until completely cold or overnight.

Stir cream mixture.  Transfer to an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.  Add English Toffee bits when ice cream has finished.

Yield:  1 quart

Raspberry Sour Cream Ice Cream

20 oz. fresh or frozen raspberries (if frozen, they will need to be thawed)
4 cups sugar
5 tsp vanilla extract
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
6 eggs
1 quart heavy cream

Combine raspberries and sugar.  Beat together vanilla, evaporated milk, sour cream, eggs and heavy cream.  Add the raspberries and sugar and whisk to combine.  Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. 

Note:  This makes a lot of ice cream - I have to freeze it in two batches.  It does work well to halve the recipe.  My family loves this ice cream - it is one of our favorites!

Snickerdoodle Blondies

After checking out the www.rookie-cookie.com that Hannah suggested I found these. And since I was feeling "inspired" to make an FHE treat I made these. I think she said she made these tonight too. They are WONDERFUL! It doesn't help that my favorite cookies are Snickerdoodles.

Snickerdoodle Blondies

2 2/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
a pinch nutmeg

Set oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick spray. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and set aside.

In large bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar for 3-5 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, and beat until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture until well blended. Spray your hands with non-stick spray and gently press the batter into the pan. Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a little bowl. Evenly sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the top of the batter.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until surface springs back when gently pressed. Cool before cutting.

Snickerdoodle Pie

I got this recipe from here it is AWESOME! Of course it helps that my favorite cookie is a Snickerdoodle. It came out looking like a very yummy HUGE cookie. We baked the pie on a Sunday night and had a small slice then. However, when we had it for FHE tonight after being re-warmed it was even better than last night! It had a little bit of a crunch to it tonight. Next time I make this however I will double the part that gets boiled in the pan (i.e. 1/4 cup butter, water, corn syrup, and cinnamon) so it's thicker on the bottom of the pie.

Snickerdoodle Pie
adapted slightly from Better Homes and Gardens
Crust
1 9-inch pie crust (unbaked, rolled into a pie pan)
2 tsp butter, melted
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon

Filling
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature and divided
3 tbsp water
2 tbsp corn syrup
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350F.
Prepare the pie crust by brushing the inside of the crust with melted butter. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Pour into pie plate and turn to coat the entire inside of the crust with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Set aside.
Prepare the filling.
In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, water, corn syrup and cinnamon. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Once sugar has dissolved, boil the syrup for 2 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together remaining 1/4 cup butter, sugar and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in baking powder, cream of tartar and salt. Beat in egg and remaining 1 tsp vanilla extract, followed by the milk. When mixture is smooth, blend in the flour, mixing only until no streaks of flour remain visible.
Pour flour mixture into prepared pie crust. Pour syrup over the cookie mixture. Do not mix. Carefully transfer pie to the oven.
Bake for about 45 minutes, until pie is browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

Serves 10.

Blondies, Blondie Cookies & Caramel frosting

All I have to say is....YUM!!!

Blondies

melt 2/3 cup butter, 2 cups brown sugar.
Mix with 2 eggs, 2tsp vanilla, add 2 cups flour, 1tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp soda, 1 tps salt
Put in a 9x13. Bake at 350 degrees for 23- 25 min. Eat plain or put the Caramel Frosting from below on it.

caramel frosting
1/2 c butter
1 c brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 cups powdered sugar
melt butter and brown sugar over med heat. Stir and boil 2 min, remove from heat and stir in milk then cool until it is luke warm about 30 min. Gradually stir in powdered sugar and beat until it is spreadable if it is too stiff, add milk 1tsp at a time until desired consistency is reached.

It refrigerates well, and is YUMMY!

For Blondie Cookies, use your favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe and instead of using white sugar; replace it with brown sugar. Make sure you also use the other brown sugar in the recipe as well. Mix and bake according to your recipe and then frost with Caramel Frosting.

Monkey Bread made with Amish Bread

Amish Bread (this is a sweet bread)

• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 6 cups bread flour

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.
2. Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
3. Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.

Once you have the Amish bread made then you gather these things and do this:

Brown Sugar: 1/2cup will be needed
* 2 sticks of butter (1 cup)
* Bundt Cake Pan (feel free to use dorky shapes)
* Cinnamon: 2-3 teaspoons
* 3 cans of Buttermilk Biscuits (the non-flaky ones)
* Sugar!: 1 cup

Now before you do anything…go ahead and preheat that oven to 350 degrees You’ll need this in about 10 minutes.

Open up all three cans of biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters. (Or in our case cut up your bread dough into small pieces.)
At this time you’ll want to combine the 1 cup of regular sugar with 2-3 teaspoons of cinnamon. I use 3 teaspoons of cinnamon and this gives it a fairly strong cinnamon flavor. If you’re not so hot on cinnamon, cut it back to 2 teaspoons. Dump these into a 1 gallon zip bag and shake to mix evenly. Drop all of the biscuit quarters into the cinnamon-sugar mix. Go ahead…all of them. Yes, they’re sticking together right now, but just trust me.
Once all the biscuit quarters are in the bag, seal it and give it a vigorous shake. This will get all those pieces unstuck from one another and nicely coated with the cinnamon-sugar. You might have some excess sugar left over and that’s okay.
Spread these nuggets out evenly in your bundt pan. I suppose you might want to grease this pan before doing this, but I’m pretty sure the gallon of butter we are about to add will keep it safe.
At this point, you’re going to want to melt those two sticks of butter together with 1/2cup of brown sugar. This can be light or dark brown sugar. Stir together over a medium-high heat until the two become one.
Once the brown sugar butter has become one color, you can pour it over the biscuits.
At first…it’s going to look like too much. It’s okay though.

Bake this @ 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes until the crust is a deep brown on top.

If you have the willpower, allow this to cool for about 15-30 minutes before turning it over onto a plate. If it doesn’t slide right down onto the plate, give it a few love-taps until it plops. It’ll hold.


If you'd like a tutorial (probably because it just looks SOOOO yummy) click here.

Carrot Applesauce Layer Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour (spoon-and-sweep)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup store-bought unsweetened applesauce, at room temperature
2/3 cup golden raisins (optional)
2/3 cup walnuts (optional)
1 cup finely shredded carrots

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 deg. Line the bottoms of two 9x2-inch round cake pans with parchment or wax paper.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, and cloves onto a piece of wax paper; set aside. Combine applesauce and shredded carrots; set aside.

In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle blade, beat the butter on medium speed until it is lighter in color, about 45 seconds. Add the sugar in a steady stream, then stop the machine and scrape down the bowl. Return to medium speed and beat, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the mixture is very light in color and texture, about 3 minutes. One at a time, beat in the eggs, beating well after each addition, then add the vanilla.

Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions of the applesauce mixture. After each addition, beat just until smooth and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gently fold in the raisins and nuts. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pans.

Bake until the tops spring back when the cakes are lightly pressed in the centers and a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Transfer to wire cooling rack and cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto the racks or plates and remove the pans. Peel off the paper liners and place them back on the layers, sticky sides up. Invert onto wire racks, right side up, and cool completely on the wax paper.

Black Forest Pie

Black Forest Pie

I got this from Taste of Home. It's really chocolaty and VERY rich, but it's good.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup Domino or C&H Granulated Pure Cane Sugar
1/3 cup baking cocoa
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, cubed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling, divided
1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)
Whipped Topping (optional)

Directions:
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa and flour. Stir in milk until smooth. Add butter. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into eggs; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Fold in half of the pie filling.
Pour into pastry shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until filling is almost set. Coll completely on a wire rack. Just before serving, top with remaining pie filling and whipped topping if desired. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake

¾ cup dried, pitted cherries
1 Chocolate cookie crust, baked in 9-inch springform pan, cooled
2 lbs. Cream cheese, softened 3-4 hours at room temperature
1 ¼ cup plus 2 TB sugar
2 TB unbleached all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
1 TB fresh lemon juice
2 TB whipping cream
6 oz. Semisweet chocolate, chopped into approx. ½ -inch pieces

Put the cherries in a small bowl and pour boiling water over them, just to cover the cherries. Let the cherries sit in the hot water for 30 minutes. Drain the cherries and pat dry with paper towels.
Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap the outside of the springform pan with curst with a large piece of heavy aluminum foil and place it in a large baking pan with sides at least 2 inches high.
Put the cream cheese in a large bowl. Mix on low speed until the cream cheese is smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and mix until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Mix in the flour. Add the eggs, two at a time, mixing the batter smooth after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl twice during this mixing. Mix in the vanilla, almond extract, and the lemon juice. Mix in the whipping cream. Stir in the soaked and drained cherries and chopped chocolate. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Put the cheesecake in the oven and pour hot water into the large baking pan to reach 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan. Bake 1 hour, or until when you give the cheesecake a gentle shake, the top looks firm. (see note at bottom)
Cool the cheesecake, covered loosely with paper towels, in the water bath for 1 hour on a wire rack. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath. Remove the paper towels and cool 1 hour more. The cheesecake should feel cool to the touch. Cover with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Rachel's note: I didn't bother with the crust when I made this. Also, after the cheesecake baked for one hour, instead of taking it out of the oven and cooling it on a rack, I left the oven door closed and just turned off the oven. I let it sit there for another hour before taking it out of the oven to cool for another hour on the counter. This cheesecake is so thick it really needs the extra "baking" time.

Chocolate Crinkles

I got this recipe from Family Fun magazine about a year ago, and finally just tried it yesterday. They were really good!

3/4 c melted butter

1/2 c cocoa

1 c sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 c flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

6 ounces mini chocolate chips (I just used regular chocolate chips)

3/4 c powdered sugar

In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, cocoa, and sugar. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use a large spoonj to slowly add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture. Stir in the chips. Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours. Heat the oven to 350. Form the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll them in powdered sugar. Bake the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet for 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes then lightly dust the cookies with the remaining powdered sugar. Makes 4 dozen.

Cinnamon Rolls

One batch traditional roll dough
1/2 c melted butter/margarine
1 c brown sugar
cinnamon
raisins
chocolate chips
chopped nuts

Roll dough into rectangle 1/4 inch thick. Spread with butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, raisins or chocolate chips, and nuts. Roll up the dough and slice into 1 inch thick rolls. Place rolls in 9x13 baking pan and let rise for 30 min. Bake at 375 for 25 min. Remove from oven and immediately invert onto foil. These cinnamon rolls do not need frosting because of all the butter and brown suger. If you want gooier cinnamon rolls just use more butter and sugar.

Brownies

This is actually Heidi's recipe, but I love it and thought it out to be here. I had her permission!

Brownies

1 C margarine/butter
2/3 C cocoa
2 C sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 ½ C flour
½ -1 bag chocolate chips

Heat and combine margarine/butter and cocoa in pan on stove top. Remove from heat, stir in sugar, add eggs one at a time, add vanilla, add flour, last add, chocolate chips. Bake in greased 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

No Bake Cookies

This recipe came from my Parker-Egin cookbook and was submitted by Bron Orr.

2 c. sugar
1 cube of butter or margarine
1/2 c. milk
2 1/2 Tbsp. cocoa

3 1/2 c. oatmeal (quick oats or regular)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. peanut butter

Combine the first 4 ingredients in saucepan and boil for 1 1/2 min.
Remove from heat, then add last 3 ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper and let cool.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Original Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies
the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I've ever found

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (opt.)

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE at 375 for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.

Aimee's note- I usually have to add 1/2 c of flour and then they are perfect.

Dad's Authentic Key Lime Pie

One 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup key lime juice
One 9-inch baked pie shell(or grahm cracker crust)

Whisk the egg yolks into the condensed milk. Add lime juice a little bit at a time, stirring until mixture starts to thicken. Scrape into the pie shell. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Place in the fridge for it to set and chill.

Some people like to put meringu on top, and some like to put whipped cream on top. I prefer whipped cream(home made if possible).

Heidi's note- This pie is way yummy, and it tastes even better the next day. It does not store well though, so eat within two days. Keep refridgerated.

Applesauce Cake

1 quart applesauce or other blended fruit (peaches, pears)
4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
4 c flour
1 c oil
2 c sugar
1 tsp cloves (opt)
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon

It is really fun to put the baking soda in the applesauce and let it sit for a few minutes. It's quite surprising.

Mix ingredients in order given. Bake at 350 for 35-40 min.