Croissant

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2/3 cup warm milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, chilled
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water

 

Steps

1. Combine yeast, warm water, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Allow to stand until creamy and frothy.
2. Measure flour into a mixing bowl. Dissolve 2 teaspoons sugar and salt in warm milk. Blend into flour along with yeast and oil. Mix well; knead until smooth. Cover, and let rise until over triple in volume. Deflate gently, and let rise again until doubled. Deflate and chill 20 minutes.
3. Massage butter until pliable, but not soft and oily. Pat dough into a 14 x 8 inch rectangle. Smear butter over top two thirds, leaving 1/4 inch margin all around. Fold unbuttered third over middle third, and buttered top third down over that. Turn 90 degrees, so that folds are to left and right. Roll out to a 14 x 6 inch rectangle. Fold in three again. Sprinkle lightly with flour, and put dough in a plastic bag. Refrigerate 2 hours. Unwrap, sprinkle with flour, and deflate gently. Roll to a 14 x 6 inch rectangle, and fold again. Turn 90 degrees, and repeat. Wrap, and chill 2 hours.
4. To shape, roll dough out to a 20 x 5 inch rectangle. Cut in half crosswise, and chill half while shaping the other half. Roll out to a 15 x 5 inch rectangle. Cut into three 5 x 5 inch squares. Cut each square in half diagonally. Roll each triangle lightly to elongate the point, and make it 7 inches long. Grab the other 2 points, and stretch them out slightly as you roll it up. Place on a baking sheet, curving slightly. Let shaped croissants rise until puffy and light. In a small bowl, beat together egg and 1 tablespoon water. Glaze croissants with egg wash.
5. Bake in a preheated 475 degrees F (245 degrees C) oven for 12 to 15 minutes. 

 

Cakes: Ombre & Ruffle Style

                                            

Royal Icing

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract

 

Steps

1. Beat egg whites in clean, large bowl with mixer at high speed until foamy (use only grade A clean, uncracked eggs). Gradually add sugar and lemon extract. Beat at high speed until thickened. NOTE: When dry, Royal Icing is very hard and resistant to damage that can occur during shipping/handling. 

 

Marshmallow Fondant

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces miniature marshmallows (4 cups not packed, or half of a 16-ounce bag)
• 1 pound powdered sugar (4 cups), plus extra for dusting
• 2 tbsp water
• Food coloring or flavored extracts, optional

Preparation:

1. Dust your counter or a large cutting board with powdered sugar. Place the marshmallows and the water in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute, until the marshmallows are puffy and expanded.
2. Stir the marshmallows with a rubber spatula until they are melted and smooth. If some unmelted marshmallow pieces remain, return to the microwave for 30-45 seconds, until the marshmallow mixture is entirely smooth and free of lumps. If you want colored or flavored fondant, you can add several drops of food coloring or extracts at this point and stir until incorporated. If you want to create multiple colors or flavors from one batch of fondant, do not add the colors or flavors now. Instead, refer to step 6 below for instructions.
3. Add the powdered sugar and begin to stir with the spatula. Stir until the sugar begins to incorporate and it becomes impossible to stir anymore.
4. Scrape the marshmallow-sugar mixture out onto the prepared work surface. It will be sticky and lumpy, with lots of sugar that has not been incorporated yet--this is normal. Dust your hands with powdered sugar, and begin to knead the fondant mixture like bread dough, working the sugar into the marshmallow with your hands.
5. Continue to knead the fondant until it smoothes out and loses its stickiness. Add more sugar if necessary, but stop adding sugar once it is smooth--too much sugar will make it stiff and difficult to work with. Once the fondant is a smooth ball, it is ready to be used. You can now roll it out, shape it, or wrap it in cling wrap to use later. Well-wrapped fondant can be stored in a cool room or in the refrigerator, and needs to be kneaded until supple before later use.
6. If you want to add coloring or flavoring to your fondant, flatten it into a round disc. You might want to wear gloves to avoid getting food coloring on your hands during this step. Add your desired amount of coloring or flavoring to the center of the disc, and fold the disc over on itself so that the color or flavor is enclosed in the center of the fondant ball.
7. Begin to knead the ball of fondant just like you did before. As you work it, you will begin to see streaks of color coming through from the center. Continue to knead until the streaks are gone and the fondant is a uniform color. Your fondant is now ready to be used or stored as outlined above.

French Chocolate Cake

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 10 (1 ounce) squares semi-sweet chocolate
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 5 eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 dash cream of tartar
• salt to taste

 

STEPS

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Generously grease a 9 1/2 inch springform cake tin. Dust with a little sugar, and tap out the excess.
2. Set aside 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Place the chocolate, butter, and remaining sugar in a large, heavy-based pan. Cook over moderate heat until the chocolate and butter have melted, and the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from heat. Stir in vanilla, and leave the mixture to cool slightly.
3. Beat the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the flour.
4. In a large bowl, scrupulously clean and grease free, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt, and beat to stiff peaks. Sprinkle reserved sugar over egg whites, and beat until stiff and glossy. Beat 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then carefully fold in the remaining whites. Carefully pour batter into the prepared tin, and tap the tin gently to release air bubbles.
5. Bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until well risen and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. If the cake appears to rise unevenly, rotate after 30 to 35 minutes. If the cake starts to crack or become too brown, place a piece of foil lightly over the top. Transfer the cake to a wire cooling rack, and remove the sides of the springform tin. Cool completely, and then remove the base. Do not attempt to remove the cake before it 's completely cooled as this cake is very fragile. 

 

 

Blackberry Cheesecake

 INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 3 (8ounce) packages cream cheese
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• Topping
• 1/2 pint sour cream
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 jar blackberry jam
• 1/2 package thawed frozen blackberries-- fresh is better and if you can find them

STEPS

1. Preheat oven to 300° degrees F. Combine crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and butter.  Press onto bottom of springform pan.  A little oil on your fingers helps to keep the crust from sticking to your fingers. 

2. Blend in cream cheese and add eggs one at a time, whipping after each addition.  Gradually add sugar and mix. 

3. Pour over crust.  Bake 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. 

4. Whip sour cream, sugar and vanilla.  Pour on top of baked cake and bake for 10 more minutes. 

5. Remove and chill until firm.  When ready to serve, heat jam and blackberries.  Pour hot over the cake slices or entire cake.  Serve your Blackberry Cheesecake Recipe. 

This cheesecake is really delicious the combination of the blackberry with all the other ingredients is FANTASTIC!!! you should really try making this cheesecake!

 

Betty Crocker's Turtle Tart

 

 INGREDIENTS

 

Cookie Base

1

pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® oatmeal cookie mix

1/2

cup butter or margarine, softened

1

tablespoon water

1

egg

1

cup chopped pecans

Filling

40

caramels, unwrapped

1/3

cup whipping cream

3/4

cup chopped pecans

Topping

1

bag (11.5 oz) milk chocolate chips (2 cups)

1/3

cup whipping cream

1/4

cup chopped pecans

STEPS

• STEP 1
•   Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, water and egg until soft dough forms. Stir in 1 cup pecans. Press dough in bottom and up sides of ungreased 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom.
• STEP 2  
• Bake 19 to 21 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 10 minutes.
• STEP 3  
• Meanwhile, in medium microwavable bowl, microwave caramels and 1/3 cup cream on High 2 to 4 minutes, stirring twice, until caramels are melted. Stir in 3/4 cup pecans. Spread over cooled crust. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
• STEP 4 
•   In another medium microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and 1/3 cup cream on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until chocolate is smooth. Pour over filling. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup pecans. Refrigerate 2 hours or until set. To serve, let stand at room temperature 10 minutes before cutting. Store covered in refrigerator.

Personally I like this tart a lot, but I think for some people it will be a little bittersweet...I think Betty Crocker has some of the most delicious desserts I've eaten.