Vinegar Meringue Pie

Yep, Vinegar pie. I found this old recipe and just had to try it out. I could not imagine any pie made with vinegar being any good. I was completely wrong. I would wager that if this was served and no one told of the vinegar everyone would be pleasantly surprised. It’s filling is a spiced custard topped with meringue. I’m not sure that I would ever make it again; at least I can say I gave it a try.

Vinegar Meringue Pie

Filling:

6 egg yolks

1/2 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon mace

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 cups warm water

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

9 inch pre-baked pie crust

 

Meringue:

6 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

8 teaspoons extra fine granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

In the top of a double boiler, beat the egg yolks, flour, sugar and spices. Whisk in the vinegar and warm water. Cook until mixture thickens. Remove from heat , stir in butter. Set aside to cool slightly.

While filling is cooling slightly , make the meringue.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat together egg whites , salt and vinegar. Beat until soft peaks form. Combine the extra fine sugar and cornstarch and begin adding while beating a tablespoon at a time to the egg whites . Beat until stiff peaks are formed.

Place filling into baked crust. Place the meringue on top of filling , making sure to have the meringue completely to the edges.

Bake in oven until meringue is golden brown. Completely cool pie and place in  refrigerator until well chilled.

 

 

 

Chocolate Coconut Almond Macaroons

Chocolate Coconut Almond Macaroons

1 (14 oz. ) can sweetened condensed milk

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 cups sweetened shredded coconut

3/4 cup chopped roasted salted almonds

3 oz. bittersweet or 70% cacao chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a double boiler or heat-proof bowl placed over pan of simmering water, place the unsweetened chocolate, salt and sweetened condensed milk in bowl and stir until chocolate is melted and combined with sweetened condensed milk.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and coconut. Stir until well combined.

Using a small ice cream scoop or disher about the size of a heaping teaspoon, scoop out macaroons out onto parchment lined baking sheets one inch apart.

Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Watch that they do not brown on bottom.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheets.

Once cooled, drizzle heavily with the melted chocolate. Sprinkle with the chopped roasted-salted almonds.

Set aside and allow the chocolate to set up.

 

Killer Berry Brownies

Killer Berry Brownies

Brownie Batter:

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate

3 oz. semisweet chocolate

1/2 cup butter

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup, chopped toasted pecans

1 cup white chocolate chips

Filling:

1 – 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup mixed berry pie filling or any berry filling

Ganache:

16 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup granulated sugar

Garnish:

1/4 cup white chocolate, melted

fresh berries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment and grease entire pan.

Batter:

Melt the chocolates with the butter; set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugars and vanilla; mix well. Stir in the chocolate mixture . In a separate bowl , whisk the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into chocolate mixture. Stir in the nuts and white chocolate chips. Set aside.

Filling:

Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla and sugar and blend well. Add the eggs and mix well.

Assembly:

In the prepared pan pour half the brownie batter and smooth out evenly. Top with the fillinf batter and smooth out evenly. Drop by spoonful the berry pie filling all over the top in the filling. Dollop the remaining brownie batter over the top and smooth over top the best you can but don’t over work it. You will see all the layers. It’s just more important that it’s level.

Using a knife swirl it through the batter creating a marbling effect. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Once the brownies are cool, make the ganache. In a small saucepan heat the heavy creamm and sugar to boil. Pour the hot cream mixture over the finely chopped chocolate and stir until smooth. Pour over the top of the cooled brownies and spread out evenly quickly. Quickly place berries in position over the brownies according to the number of brownies you will be cutting. The recipe can make 12 -24, so for example 12-24 berries placed accordingly. Place the melted white chocolate into a piping bag and drizzle over the top of the top. Refrigerate until set . Cut and serve.

 

Marzipan Carrot Cake

Marzipan Carrot Cake

2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

4 eggs, room temperature

4 cups shredded carrots

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract

3/4 cup toasted coconut

1 -8oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

12 oz. almond paste, 8 oz. for cake, 4 oz for marzipan carrots

Preheat oven to 350 degrees . Grease and line bottoms with parchment 2-9 inch pans; set aside.

Place sugar, almond extract and oil in a bowl and whisk together. Whisk in eggs one at a time until well combined and light in color. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder , baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir into egg mixture until just combined.  Stir in the carrots, drained pineapple and coconut into the egg mixture. Divide batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for about 30-45 minutes until done or a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 10 minutes before removing cakes from pans. Allow cakes to completely cool.

While cakes are cooling, with 8 oz. of almond paste, roll two disks the diameter of the finished cakes. Keep each disk separated with a silpat , plastic wrap or parchment paper and wrapped in plastic wrap until ready to put together cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pound cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 pound butter, room temperature

2 pounds powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract

Sliced almonds for decoration

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except the almonds and beat until fluffy.

Marzipan Carrots

4 oz. almond paste

orange food coloring

Curly parsley

Combine the food coloring and almond paste and  knead until colored orange.

With disposable plastic  glove pinch of small amounts of almond paste and form into carrot shapes. Set aside on a plate until time to complete cake.

Assembly of the cake

Place first layer onto cardboard cake round or cake plate. Spread a thin layer of frosting on top of cake with a offset spatula. Place a almond paste disk on top . Spread some more frosting on top and place other layer of cake and repeat.

Frost the entire outside of cake. Using the sliced almonds , poke randomly into the side of the cake.

Using a toothpick, gently poke a hole in the top of the marzipan carrots. Clip pieces of parsley to represent carrot tops and poke into holes made on top of carrots. Arrange completed marzipan carrots on top of cake.

Store refrigerated but serve at room temperature.

Ruth’s Rhubarb Cake

Ruth's Rhubarb Cake.

Ruth’s Rhubarb Cake

I was rummaging through some Amish and Mennonite recipes and came across this interesting recipe for rhubarb cake. It’s not only delicious but very quick and simple as well. I’m not a food snob and from time to time will use a cake mix which is what this recipe calls for.

Ruth’s Rhubarb Cake

3 cups 1/4 inch sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb

1-3 ounce box strawberry gelatin

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup water

1 box yellow cake mix

1-10.5 ounce bag mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees for a metal pan or 325 degrees for a glass baking dish.

Mix rhubarb, sugar, strawberry gelatin, and water in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan or dish. Cover bottom of prepared dish with the mini marshmallows.

Mix the box of cake mix together as directed on the box. Pour batter over the marshmallows and spread out evenly.

Spoon the rhubarb sauce over the top of the batter.

Bake for 45 minutes.

I suggest you place a baking pan underneath ; it has a tendency to bubble over just a bit.

I serve it with slightly sweetened whipped cream.

Old Fashion Custard Pie

Custard Pie
Filling:
4 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Freshly grated nutmeg, about a pinch.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat eggs slightly . Mix in the remaining ingredients. Pour into a unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle additional grated nutmeg on top.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the center. Remove to wire rack to cool and then refrigerate until well chilled.

Low Carb Cabin Cajeta-Cheesecake

Low Carb Cabin Cajeta-Cheesecake

This is a not too sweet cheesecake. I choose less sweet because of the decadent, gooey Cajeta sauce. More Stevia sweetener could always be added for more sweetness, if desired.

Crust:

1 1/2 cups almond flour/meal

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 Tablespoon Stevia sweetener

4 Tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the crust ingredients well and press into the bottom of a 9-10 inch greased spring form pan. Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool completely.

Cajeta Sauce:

2 cups goats milk

2 cups Stevia sweetener

1 vanilla bean, split and seeded

1/2 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 tablespoon water

Combine milk, Stevia, split vanilla pod, scraped of seeds in to a large heavy bottomed pan. Place over medium heat.

Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until Stevia is dissolved. Remove from heat and remove the vanilla pod; stir in the baking soda dissolved in water. Mixture will bubble up. When the mixture stops bubbling, return to heat; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often until thick and golden. Once golden, stir  constantly until Cajeta is a deep rich brown and coats the back of a spoon. Set aside.

 

Filling:

1 1/2 lbs. cream cheese , room temperature.

3/4 cup Stevia sweetener

2 Tablespoons soy flour

3 eggs, room temperature

1 egg yolk, room temperature

1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine the cream cheese and Stevia until blended smooth but not over beaten. Blend in the soy flour. Add the eggs one at a time. Pour in the cream and add vanilla extract. Blend until well combined. Evenly pour into prepared cooled crust. Wrap the outside of cheesecake pan with foil . Place foil wrapped cheesecake in a larger roasting pan . Pour hot water half way up the sides of the roasting pan.

Bake for about 1 1/2 hours in a water bath until set 3/4 of the way into the center. Remove from the water bath to cool completely.

Spread the cooled Cajeta sauce over the top.

1/2 cup Cinnamon covered almonds, chopped, optional. Used to sprinkle over top as garnish.

Little Smokey Crinkle Cookies

Little Smokey Crinkle Cookies

These little beauties came about because I’m currently at my one butt cabin kitchen and too far from a grocery to simply run down and get supplies. I used what was hanging around the cabin. They are light, chewy chocolateness (I’m saying that’s a word).

12 oz. chocolate chips, melted and slightly cooled

6 egg whites, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 cup chopped toasted pecans

2 cups broken shortbread style cookies, the ones that I used were chocolate covered shortbread but any shortbread/vanilla wafer sort of cookie would work

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Beat the egg whites, vanilla and salt until frothy. Slowly add the sugar while beating the egg whites until they hold firm peaks. Fold in the slightly cooled melted chocolate until smooth. Stir in nuts and broken cookies. Using a ice cream scoop of about 1/4 cup capacity, drop cookie mounds onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. These do spread. Set the scooped out cookies on baking sheets out to set before baking for at least 30 minutes to dry out a bit. Bake for  15 minutes and allow to cool completely before carefully removing from parchment paper. These cookies would be awesome used for ice cream sandwiches. Makes about 3 dozen.

 

Baked Custard

Baked Custard

6 egg yolks

5 oz. sugar

scant 1/2 teaspoon salt

1  cup half-and-half

2 cups  heavy cream

1 1/2 teaspoons  pure vanilla extract

nutmeg

9 custard cups or 2 quart baking dish large enough to hold all custard cups or baking dish and pan . Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl whisk together all the ingredients except nutmeg until well combined. Strain through a fine sieve into picture and pour evenly into custard cups placed in a large pan or pour into a 2 quart baking dish place into a larger pan. Sprinkle nutmeg over the top of the custards. Carefully pour into large pan with custard dishes inside, hot water 1 inch up the sides of the baking dish/dishes. Place in oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a sharp thin knife inserted into center comes out clean, Remove immediately from hot water and cool on rack.

This can be easily turned into crème brulee by sprinkling sugar over the top of the baked custards and then caramelizing the sugar using a torch or placing under a broiler.