Makes 1&1/2 cups (12 oz.)
Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 can (5 1/2 oz) evaporated milk (not sweetened)
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 squares (1 oz ea) unsweetened or semi-sweet chocolate (for sweeter sauce)
3 tablespoons butter flavor Crisco or other vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon orange peel, finely grated
2 teaspoons orange-flavored liqueur
OR
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Combine sugar, evaporated milk and corn syrup in a 1-1/2- or 2-quart saucepan. Heat to a full boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; add chocolate and stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Blend in butter-flavored Crisco, orange peel, liqueur and salt. Serve warm over ice cream or cake.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Date & Walnut Cake
Like many Greek and Middle Eastern sweets, this date-walnut cake is infused with a honey syrup. Semolina flour makes it moist and dense.
Ingredients
Cake
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 1/2 cups semolina flour
3/4 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
1 teaspoon baking soda
Honey Syrup
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup orange juice, juice
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preparation
1.To make cake: Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat an 8-by-12-inch or 7-by-11-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2.Stir together sugar and yogurt in a mixing bowl. Add semolina, dates, walnuts, orange zest and baking soda; stir until well combined. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake until the top is golden and the cake is set in the center, 30 to 40 minutes.
3.To make honey syrup and finish cake: While the cake is baking, combine sugar, orange juice, honey, lemon juice and cinnamon in a saucepan; bring to a simmer and cook over low heat for 4 minutes. When the cake comes out of the oven, cut it into 15 pieces. Spoon the hot syrup evenly over the top, getting some around the edges and into the cuts. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
Per serving: 198 calories; 3 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 42 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 2 g fiber; 91 mg sodium; 124 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (23% daily value).
3 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fruit, 1 1/2 other carbohydrate, 1/2 fat
Ingredients
Cake
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 1/2 cups semolina flour
3/4 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
1 teaspoon baking soda
Honey Syrup
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup orange juice, juice
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preparation
1.To make cake: Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat an 8-by-12-inch or 7-by-11-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2.Stir together sugar and yogurt in a mixing bowl. Add semolina, dates, walnuts, orange zest and baking soda; stir until well combined. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake until the top is golden and the cake is set in the center, 30 to 40 minutes.
3.To make honey syrup and finish cake: While the cake is baking, combine sugar, orange juice, honey, lemon juice and cinnamon in a saucepan; bring to a simmer and cook over low heat for 4 minutes. When the cake comes out of the oven, cut it into 15 pieces. Spoon the hot syrup evenly over the top, getting some around the edges and into the cuts. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
Per serving: 198 calories; 3 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 42 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 2 g fiber; 91 mg sodium; 124 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (23% daily value).
3 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fruit, 1 1/2 other carbohydrate, 1/2 fat
Frangelico & Toasted Hazelnut Meringues
Perfect meringues depend on totally yolk-free whites. The seemingly fussy step of separating each egg into a small bowl before combining them guarantees yolk-free whites for bakeshop-quality meringues every time. These crispy little morsels travel well and make great gifts too.
About 80 (1 1/2-inch) cookies ; Active Time: 15 minutes ; Total Time: 2 hours
Ingredients
3 large egg whites, at room temperature (see Tip)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons Frangelico liqueur
1/2 cup toasted finely chopped hazelnuts, (see Tip)
Preparation
1.Separate one egg at a time into a small bowl, letting the white fall into the bowl and discarding the yolk. If there’s any trace of yolk in the white, discard the white and start over. If it’s yolk-free, transfer to a clean medium mixing bowl. Repeat with the remaining 2 eggs.
2.Add cream of tartar to the whites and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until all the sugar has been added. Continue beating until the whites are stiff and glossy. Add vanilla and beat for 30 seconds more. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold Frangelico and hazelnuts into the meringue until combined; do not overmix.
3.Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 200°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place a small amount of the meringue under each corner of the paper to secure it to the pan. Fill a 1-quart sealable plastic bag (or pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip) with the meringue. Seal the bag almost completely, leaving a small opening for air to escape from the top as you squeeze. Snip off one corner of the bag with scissors, making a 3/4-inch-wide opening. Fold the top of the bag over a few times, then gently push the meringue down to the snipped corner. Working with the bag perpendicular to the baking sheet, pipe the meringue into 1 1/2-inch-diameter cookies, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart.
4.Bake the cookies until dry and crisp throughout, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let the cookies cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Cookies can be held at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If stored meringues are chewy, bake at 200°F for about 10 minutes to restore their original crisp texture.
Tips: To get the most volume from beaten egg whites, it's best to start with whites at room temperature. Submerge them in their shells in a bowl of lukewarm (not hot) water for about 5 minutes before using.
To toast chopped hazelnuts: Toast in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
Nutrition
Per cookie: 14 calories; 0 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrates; 0 g protein; 0 g fiber; 2 mg sodium; 9 mg potassium.
Exchanges: Free food
Ingredients
3 large egg whites, at room temperature (see Tip)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons Frangelico liqueur
1/2 cup toasted finely chopped hazelnuts, (see Tip)
Preparation
1.Separate one egg at a time into a small bowl, letting the white fall into the bowl and discarding the yolk. If there’s any trace of yolk in the white, discard the white and start over. If it’s yolk-free, transfer to a clean medium mixing bowl. Repeat with the remaining 2 eggs.
2.Add cream of tartar to the whites and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until all the sugar has been added. Continue beating until the whites are stiff and glossy. Add vanilla and beat for 30 seconds more. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold Frangelico and hazelnuts into the meringue until combined; do not overmix.
3.Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 200°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place a small amount of the meringue under each corner of the paper to secure it to the pan. Fill a 1-quart sealable plastic bag (or pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip) with the meringue. Seal the bag almost completely, leaving a small opening for air to escape from the top as you squeeze. Snip off one corner of the bag with scissors, making a 3/4-inch-wide opening. Fold the top of the bag over a few times, then gently push the meringue down to the snipped corner. Working with the bag perpendicular to the baking sheet, pipe the meringue into 1 1/2-inch-diameter cookies, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart.
4.Bake the cookies until dry and crisp throughout, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let the cookies cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Cookies can be held at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If stored meringues are chewy, bake at 200°F for about 10 minutes to restore their original crisp texture.
Tips: To get the most volume from beaten egg whites, it's best to start with whites at room temperature. Submerge them in their shells in a bowl of lukewarm (not hot) water for about 5 minutes before using.
To toast chopped hazelnuts: Toast in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
Nutrition
Per cookie: 14 calories; 0 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrates; 0 g protein; 0 g fiber; 2 mg sodium; 9 mg potassium.
Exchanges: Free food
Italian Hazelnut Cookies
About 2 1/2 dozen cookies
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Ingredients
2 cups hazelnuts, toasted and skinned (see Tip)
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
1.Position 2 racks as close to the center of the oven as possible; preheat to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
2.Pulse nuts and sugar in a food processor until finely ground. Scrape into a large bowl.
3.Beat egg whites and salt in another large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the nut mixture. Add vanilla and gently but thoroughly mix until combined.
4.Drop the batter by the tablespoonful 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
5.Bake the cookies until golden brown, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Gently transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. When the baking sheets are thoroughly cooled, repeat with the remaining batter.
Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Equipment: Parchment paper or nonstick baking mats
Tip: Toast whole hazelnuts on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 7 to 9 minutes. Let the nuts cool for a few minutes, then rub together in a clean kitchen towel to remove most of the papery skins.
Nutrition
Per cookie: 88 calories; 5 g fat (0 g sat, 4 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 1 g fiber; 46 mg sodium; 61 mg potassium.
1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 other carbohydrate, 1 fat
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