Eton Mess

When Evan returned from his mission to Australia, he made us a delicious dessert called pavlova. He mentioned that sometimes it is made in "mess" form instead of being built into a pavlova. Same ingredients just easier to dish out in individual servings.

3 egg whites
12 Tbsp white caster sugar (regular sugar processed in your blender or food processor to make it extra fine)
a few drops of vanilla extract
8 ozs mixed berries or other fruit cut into bitesized pieces
1 cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp caster sugar
Confectioner's sugar, for dusting (optional)

Set the oven to 325 F
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
To make the meringues, whip the egg whites to stiff peak stage in a dry, clean bowl. They should be glossy and stand in firm peaks. Gradually add the sugar whipping continuously. Continue for about 5 minutes until the mixture is very thick and stands up on its own. Finally, add the vanilla. Using 2 spoons or a piping bag, place the meringue mixture onto the baking sheet in small mounds (1-2 inches in diameter). Bake for 1-1 1/2 hours. When cooked, they will be firm and crisp and will easily lift off the baking parchment. Check them after an hour and cook longer if required. Once cooked, turn off the oven and leave them in there to dry out further while the oven cools down.
Wash, dry and prepare fruits
Whip the cream until thick and then stir in the sugar.
Assemble the dessert either in one large bowl or in 4 individual sundae glasses. Layer the fruit and cream alternately with the meringues finishing with cream and then fruit. Complete the dish with a dusting of confectioner's sugar just before serving if desired.

Bubbleloaf

Dalene Olson recommended this recipe for the dessert at our Young Women Auxiliary Training in February 2011. Her comment was that she and her husband could sit down and eat the entire thing in one sitting it was so good...even though no one should eat that much. I wasn't convinced it would be that great, but I gave Amy a taste before I left for the training meeting and she chased me out the door trying to convince me to leave the bubbleloaf home for her to eat. Luckily, I made 2 and brought home half of one for Amy and Casey.

18 Rhodes Rolls (I couldn't find Rhodes brand and just used another brand of frozen dinner roll dough)
1/2 packet butterscotch pudding
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
cinnamon (I love cinnamon, so I use a ton, but the recipe only calls for 1 tsp)

Grease a bundt pan. Mix dry pudding and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Cut thawed rolls into halves (easier if still a little frozen). Dip pieces into dry mix of pudding and cinnamon. Arrange rolls in a bundt pan. Sprinkle remaining dry mix over pieces. Combine brown sugar and butter in small saucepan until sugar is dissolved. Pour over rolls and let rise until double in size about 1-2 hours. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

The recipe reminded me of my sticky bun recipe so I altered my second pan slightly. I poured a little of the brown sugar, butter mixture into the bottom of the bundt pan and sprinkled in about 1/2 cup of chopped pecans. Then I added the cut and dipped rolls and followed the rest of the recipe as above. The pecan version was a huge hit with the sisters and I didn't have any leftovers of that version.

Seminary Frosting

When my mom was the seminary teacher while I was in high school, she made it a tradition to bake each student a cake for their birthday. She always bake a sheet cake with this whipped buttercream frosting on top and hence the name "Seminary Frosting". Birthday cake was an interesting breakfast at 6:00am but I don't remember anyone ever complaining! :-)

3 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk (skim is fine)
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

In a saucepot, whisk flour into milk. Stir constantly over medium heat until milk is thickened. Remove from heat, cover with lid, and allow to cool. In a stand mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy; approximately 10-15 minutes. Beat long enough that the sugar is no longer grainy in the frosting but be careful not to overbeat or the bonds will break down. Fold milk mixture into sugar mixture. Use to frost 24 cupcakes or 1 sheetcake.

Frosting Cupcakes Magnolia's Bakery Technique

Magnolia's Red Velvet Cupcakes

The first time I remember red velvet cake was when my Dad and Mike made a red velvet cake for the Father-Son Cub Scout Cake Bake in Virginia. I've loved red velvet cake ever since but never tried to make one myself. Then, we discovered Magnolia's and Amy discovered their red velvet cupcakes and learned they are to die for! She decided that we should make a different dessert together each week and it was no surprise that Magnolia's red velvet cupcakes were first on her list!

3 1/3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
6 Tbsp red food coloring (I used about 2 1/2 Tbsp because that's all I had and they the cupcakes had a nice red color)
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tsps vanilla
1 1/2 tsps salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 tsps cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsps baking soda

Fill cupcake tins with paper liners. In a small bowl, sift the cake flour and set aside. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, whisk together the red food coloring, cocoa, and vanilla. Add to the batter and beat well. In a liquid measuring cup, stir the salt into the buttermilk. Add to the batter in three parts, alternating with the flour. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not overbeat. In a small bowl, stir together the cider vinegar and baking soda. Add to the batter and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended and the batter in smooth. Fill each cupcake tin about 2/3 full with batter. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in pans for 1 hour. Remove from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack. (I removed them from the pans immediately because I only have one cupcake tin and I needed it to bake the rest of the cupcakes). Yields: 30-36 cupcakes

Cream Cheese Frosting

2-8oz packages cream cheese, softened
6 Tbsp butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
5 cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar

In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer cream the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy bout 3 minutes. Gradually add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating continuously until smooth and creamy. Cover and refrigerate icing for 2-3 hours (but no longer) to thicken before using. When cupcakes are cool, spread the frosting liberally on the cupcakes.

Magnolia's Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup canola oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsps vanilla
2 cups lightly packed shredded carrots
1-8oz can crushed pineapple in its own juice, with juice
1 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and lightly flour 2 9x2 inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together the oil and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until light and thick, about two minutes. Add the vanilla and beat well. Gradually add the dry ingredients, beating until well incorporated. Stir in the carrots, pineapple with juice, pecans and coconut, Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the layers cool in the pans for 1 hour. Remove from the pans and cool completely on wire racks. When the cake has cooled, ice between the layers, then ice the top and sides of the cake with cream cheese icing. Garnish with toasted pecans if desired. You can also make these as carrot cake cupcakes. I baked them at 350 for 20-25 minutes...they were fabulous and a huge hit at the Duty to God fireside!

Cream Cheese Icing

1 lb cream cheese, softened and cut into small pieces
6 Tbsp butter, softened and cut into small pieces
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
5 cups sifted confectioner's (powdered) sugar
cream or milk, if desired to adjust consistency

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, about 3 minutes.
Add the vanilla and beat well. Gradually add the sugar, one cup at a time, beating continuously until smooth and creamy. Cover and refrigerate icing for 2-3 hours (but no longer) to thicken before using. Thin with milk or cream if desired

Thai Mango Sticky Rice (Khao Niaow Ma Muang)

I was very tempted to put this recipe in the "On the Side" category but I guess it really is a dessert. When we visited Thailand in August 2006, I was first introduced to Mango Sticky Rice. It was so delicious, I ordered it every day for lunch. Everyone would let me know I was ordering dessert but I figured with the rice and the fruit, it was a perfectly good lunch! I wanted to try making it myself but was always a little bit nervous about getting the rice just right. Finally, I googled the recipe and tried this one...it turned out fantastic!

1 cup Thai Sweet Rice (available at Asian food stores)...I used regular rice from my pantry and it was fine
1 3/4 cups water
1-2 ripe mangoes, cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 can good quality coconut milk
1/4 tsp plus pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsp water

Soak the rice in 1 cup water for 20 minutes or up to 1 hour in a rice cooker.
Add 3/4 cup more water to the rice plus 1/4 can of coconut milk, 1/4 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp brown sugar. Stir this into the rice.
Cook rice according to rice cooker instructions. To make the sauce, warm the rest of the can of coconut milk together with 1/4 cup sugar, a pinch of salt, 1 tsp vanilla over medium heat (5 minutes). Add cornstarch (dissolved int he water) to the sauce and stir to thicken it slightly. As it thickens, turn down heat to low. When thickened, remove from heat. Tip: do not boil the sauce or you will lose the wonderful coconut flavor! To serve: Place scoops of sticky rice in bowls. (It can be served cold, warm or at room temperature) Ladle a generous amount of warm coconut sauce over the rice creating an "island" of sticky rice. Add slices of ripe fresh mango.