Desserts

Ingredients
Meringues:
3 Egg Whites
¾ cup Sugar
½ tsp. Cinnamon
¼ tsp. Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Salt
Pumpkin Cream:
1 ½ cups Heavy Cream
½ cup Pumpkin
¼ cup Sugar
½ tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
Pumpkin Seed Brittle:
1 cup Sugar
½ cup Corn Syrup
¼ cup Water
½ cup Butter
½ tsp. Baking Soda
¾ cup Pumpkin Seeds
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds:
1/3 cup Pumpkin Seeds

❃❃Makes 6❃❃

Preparation
Preheat oven to 200, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray for the meringues.  Line another baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray for the brittle.
Set up a large baggie to pipe meringues or if piping with a tip set up your piping bag with the large star tip.

Meringues
Place egg whites into a stand mixture with the whisk attachment or use a handheld mixer.  Beat on high speed until the egg whites become frothy and then slowly add the sugar.  Add vanilla, salt and cinnamon.  Continue to beat on high until stiff peaks form.
Once egg whites are beaten to stiff peaks add the mixture to the baggy or piping bag and push the mixture down to one corner of the baggy or down to the bottom of the piping bag removing all the air.
Pipe 6 equal size meringues starting in the middle and circling outward.  Double the layer on the last ring to create a well in the middle.
Place into oven and bake for 2 hours.  Once the two hours are up turn the heat off and let the meringues sit in the oven to cool.
Once cooled remove from oven and place in an airtight container for storage. (These can be done at least 3-4 days before assembly.  The mixture can also spooned onto the baking sheet if you are not comfortable with piping.  Just ensure there is a well in the center.)

Pumpkin Seed Brittle
In a deep sided, heavy bottomed pan add the sugar, corn syrup and water.  Heat to 280 degrees stirring every few minutes.  Once the temperature reaches 280 turn heat off and add softened butter stirring until butter is incorporated.  Remove from burner and add baking soda stirring the entire time.  This will bubble up.  Stir in the pumpkin seeds and pour onto the baking sheet spreading the mixture out.  Allow to completely cool and then break into desired pieces.

Pumpkin Cream
In a mixing bowl with the whisk attachment or with a handheld mixer mix together heavy cream, pumpkin, sugar and pumpkin pie spice.  Beat on high until there are stiff peaks that hold onto the bottom of the whish attachment.

Toast Pumpkin Seeds
Add seeds to a dry skillet and toast, stirring occasionally, until the nuts begin to slightly brown.  Immediately remove from the heat onto a separate plate to allow to cool.  Watch these the entire time as they can burn quickly.

Assemble
Place meringues on a plate, evenly distribute the pumpkin cream among the six and then top with broken brittle and toasted pumpkin seeds.

 

Ingredients
½ cup Butter
½ cup Sugar
½ tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 Egg
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 ½ cups Flour
Pinch of Salt
1 lb. Strawberries
½ cup Nutella
2 Tbsp. Strawberry Jam

❃❃Serves 8❃❃

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350, slice strawberries and set aside.

Cookie
Cream butter and sugar together in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer.  Add egg and vanilla until combined.  Add flour, pinch of salt and baking powder mixing until combined.
Once combined roll dough out into a circle on a piece of parchment paper and transfer parchment paper to the baking sheet.  Ensure the circle will fit onto the baking sheet.
Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, remove from oven and cool.

Assembly
Once cookie has cooled evenly spread the Nutella leaving ¼ inch around the edge.  Evenly place sliced strawberries in a circular pattern overlapping slightly.
Heat strawberry jam in microwave for 15 – 30 seconds until loosened.  Brush over strawberries.

Note:  The tart can be assembled two hours before serving.  If assembled too early the strawberries will begin to release juice and the tart will become soft.

Ingredients
2 – 3 Stalks Rhubarb, approximately 1 cup chopped
1 1/3 cups Sugar
1/3 cup Water
1/2 cup Coconut Oil
1 Egg + 1 Egg Yolk
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 1/4 cup ground Pistachios (1 cup whole, shelled) + 1/8 cup whole, shelled Pistachios
1/2 cup Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 cup Vanilla flavored Greek Yogurt, two 5.3 oz containers
Vanilla Ice Cream

❃❃Makes 6 Individual Rectangular Cakes❃❃

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 and generously spray a 6-slot rectangular shaped baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Rough chop 2 Tbsp. of pistachios and set aside.
Chop rhubarb and grind 1 cup pistachios in a food processor until the consistency is close to unground flour.

Rhubarb
In a saucepan combine the chopped rhubarb, water and 1/3 cup sugar, cook on medium heat until rhubarb is soft but there are still some whole pieces left.  Through a fine mesh strainer, with a wooden spoon or spatula, push juice into a bowl until all the liquid has been removed.
Reserve and refrigerate liquid for a sauce to be served over the ice cream and cake.  Set aside the soft rhubarb that is left in the strainer.

Cake
In the bowl of a mixer cream together coconut oil and 1 cup sugar.  Add egg and egg yolk making sure to combine well and finally add vanilla.
In another bowl sift together or whisk together, ground pistachios, flour, salt, cinnamon and baking powder.
On low speed add the flour and yogurt mixture, alternating, starting and ending with the flour mixture.  Remove bowl from stand mixer and fold in softened rhubarb.
Evenly distribute mixture into the 6-slot cake pan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cakes.
Let cool about 10-15 minutes, remove cakes from pan and continue to cool on a cooling rack.  Once cooled cover and store until ready to serve.

Assembly
On each serving plate place a cake, top with a scoop of ice cream, drizzle rhubarb sauce over the cake and ice cream and finally add some of the chopped pistachios.

Ingredients
½ cup Butter
1 cup Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
½ cup Flour
¼ cup Semi Chocolate Chips
¼ cup Milk Chocolate Chips
¼ cup Peanut Butter Chips
2 Eggs
½ tsp. Salt
1 sleeve Graham Crackers
¼ scant tsp. Cinnamon
7 oz. Marshmallow Fluff
Optional:
24 Popsicle Sticks

❃❃Makes 24❃❃

Preparation
Preheat oven to 325 and generously spray a 9.5 X 13 sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Cover the bottom with parchment paper that slightly overhangs the pan and spray the parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray.
Melt the semi, milk and peanut butter chips over a double boiler or in the microwave in 10 – 15 second intervals stirring in between.
Crush graham crackers or run them through the food processor and mix in scant ¼ tsp. cinnamon.

Brownies
In a bowl mix, by hand, melted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, salt and melted chips.  Transfer to the baking sheet and spread in an even layer.  Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool.  Once cooled remove from pan and cut the brownie in half across the short way of the brownies.

Assembly
Turn one of the halves of brownie over so that the top is facing down.  Spread with marshmallow fluff in an even layer and then brown marshmallow fluff with a kitchen torch or under the broiler.  Once browned top with the other half of the brownies with the top facing up.
Cut brownies into 24 pieces and insert a popsicle stick into each.  Roll and generously coat each brownie pop with the graham cracker and cinnamon mixture.

 

Ingredients
1/2 cup Butter
¼ cup Vegetable Oil
3 Eggs
2 cups Sugar
2 cups Flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 ½ cups Lite Coconut Milk
1 ½ tsp. Banana Extract
Pinch of Salt
6 oz. Dulce De Leche
Frosting:
1 ½ sticks Cream Cheese
2 sticks Butter
1 cup Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Topping:
7 oz. Sweetened Coconut

❃❃Serves 4 – 6❃❃

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350.
Spray 3 six-inch cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and cut parchment paper to fit the bottoms.  Spray the parchment paper as well.
In a bowl whisk or sift together flour, salt and baking powder.

Cake
In a large bowl cream butter and sugar together.  Add oil and continue mixing adding one egg at a time until fully combined.  Add banana extract.
Start adding coconut milk and flour mixture alternating between the two starting and ending with the flour mixture.
Evenly divide the batter between the three pans which will be approximately 1 ½ cups per pan.
Bake for 30 – 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean from the middle.  Remove from oven and cool.

Frosting
Add 1 ½ sticks of room temperature cream cheese, 2 sticks of room temperature butter, vanilla and 1 cup of powdered sugar to a large bowl and mix until well by hand or with a hand mixer.
Set aside to frost cakes once they have cooled.

Coconut
Evenly spread coconut on a baking sheet and put into oven right after cakes are removed from the oven.  Keep your eye on the coconut and toss a few times when in the oven to ensure the coconut does not burn and toasts evenly.  This will take about 10 minutes.

Assembly
Cut the domed tops off the cakes with a serrated knife so the tops are even.  Put four strips of parchment paper around the perimeter of the cake stand and put first layer of cake in the middle.  Add ½ of the Dulce De Leche and spread evenly.
Top layer with next layer of cake.  Top this with the other ½ of Dulce De Leche.  Top this layer with the last cake layer.
Frost entire cake and ensure all areas are covered.  After the cake is frosted lightly push handfuls of coconut onto the sides of the cake ensuring that the coconut sticks.  Top the cake with a layer of coconut and put cake into refrigerator for an hour or so to tighten the frosting.