Don’t we all wanna cookie?! Well crack open a bag of Oreos because there’s no cookie recipes on this page – but there are plenty for pies and cakes. My photos here are fifteen years old and you can really see how far we still had to go in developing photo resolution in smartphones. Why didn’t you just use a regular camera back then, Chelle? Because I am lazy.. probably from all the sugar! Either put a good camera on my phone or this is what happens. I enhanced them as much as I could but they are, what they are.
Here’s the latest installment of recipes, this “batch” (wakka-wakka) being desserts:
Vanilla Custard
This is the base I use for most of my pies. I add to it to make banana pudding, chocolate pie, and coconut pie.
If you want it thicker and richer, use half and half or cream instead of milk.
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 – 12 ounce can Pet milk
- 1/3 cup milk
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/2 stick of butter
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla
Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Add milk and cook at medium heat, slowly stirring to keep it from sticking or burning. Cook this way until boiling and then two minutes more, then remove from heat. Temper egg yolks by pouring about a half cup of the pudding mixture to the yolks, stirring them until well blended, then adding all back to the sauce pan. Mix well then add butter and vanilla to the pot, letting the butter melt from the heat of the pudding. Stir in butter and vanilla then pour in container of your choice to set.
Mom's Meringue
My mother is very clever, adding marshmallow cream to her meringue to keep it from retracting from the edges of the pie plate. Kenny hates meringue but he loves this one, which I use to top most of my custard pies.
- 3 egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons marshmallow cream (keeps the meringue from retracting from the edges of the dish)
Mix on medium high speed the egg whites, cream of tartar and vanilla for two minutes or until soft peaks form. Add sugar and mix for two more minutes until stiff glossy peaks form. Add marshmallow cream and mix for another one to two minutes. Spoon this onto the top of the pudding, spreading it to the edges, then using your spatula make swirls and peaks in the meringue for pretty and even browning. Broil on medium until peaks are browned then remove from oven. This won’t take long, so don’t leave it for more than a minute and even then be sure to watch closely.
Banana Pudding
- 1 bag Jacksons vanilla wafers
- 4 bananas
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 – 12 ounce can Pet milk
- 1/3 cup milk
- 3 eggs, separated (keep the whites in a mixing bowl to make meringue later)
- 1/2 stick of butter
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla
Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Add milk and cook at medium heat, slowly stirring to keep it from sticking or burning. Cook this way until boiling and then two minutes more, then remove from heat. Temper egg yolks by pouring about a half cup of the pudding mixture to the yolks, stirring them until well blended, then adding all back to the sauce pan. Mix well then add butter and vanilla to the pot, letting the butter melt from the heat of the pudding.
Meanwhile, line the bottom and 1 wafer height of the sides of a 2 quart round glass casserole/baking dish with vanilla wafers. Layer on top of that, two sliced bananas spread evenly, then pour half your pudding mixture on top of that. On top of the pudding, add another layer of vanilla wafers and 2 more sliced bananas, then pour the rest of the pudding mixture on top of that. Put the rest of your wafers on top of the pudding, crunching up any extras and pouring them on top. Top with meringue and brown. (recipe above)
Chocolate Custard Pie
Graham cracker pie shell or pastry pie shell, whichever you prefer. If you use a pastry pie shell, (or make one from scratch – I prefer the recipe on the back of the Crisco can myself) bake it it prior to filling it.
- 1/4 cup flour (doesn’t matter if it is self rising or all purpose)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 12 oz can Pet milk
- 1/2 cup of milk or if you wanna get really ooey gooey, whipping cream
- 3 eggs separated (if you want a meringue on your pie, see the “Mom’s Meringue” recipe above.)
- 1/2 stick of butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Add the milk and cook at medium heat, slowly stirring to keep it from sticking or burning. (I bought a RoboStir – As seen on TV.. lol – from some kitchen store.. BEST $10 I ever spent! The lowest setting on the RoboStir is perfect for keeping your custard stirred and unstuck while you do other stuff.) Cook this way until boiling and then two minutes more, then remove the pan from heat.
Temper your egg yolks by pouring about a half cup of the pudding mixture into the bowl with your yolks, stirring them until well blended, then add it all back to the sauce pan. Mix well then add butter, vanilla and chocolate chips to the pan, letting everything melt in from the heat of the pudding.
Stir everything together then pour into your pie shell.. if it is a pastry pie shell, it should have already been cooked. If not, you aren’t screwed, just put it in the oven on 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the rim of the pie shell looks right. (Don’t bother with covering anything with foil, you’re just trying to brown your shell, not cook your pie, which was cooked on the stove top.) Chill and serve with whipped cream or meringue.
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F: Mix together butter, flour, and confectioner’s sugar. Press into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan, a pie plate, tart pan, or other pan for your baking.
Bake for approximately 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before filling.
Sweet Pie Crust
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick cold butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (add 1 to 2 tablespoons shortening if you want it to be flakey)
2 to 3 tablespoons ice water
Sift the flour, sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Using your fingers, work in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons of ice water and work with your fingers until the water is incorporated and the dough comes together. Add more water as needed to make a smooth dough, being careful not to over-mix. Form the dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Skillet Peach Cobbler with Lattice Top
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 6 large peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced or two large cans of peaches, drained (about 6 cups)
- 1/3 cup peach juice from canned peaches
- 1-1/2 tablespoon bourbon or brandy
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Sweet Pie Crust (see recipe above)
- 2 tablespoons cream
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon combined for sprinkling crust top
- French vanilla ice cream
Preheat the oven to 350°F: In a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the peaches and juice and cook, stirring gently, for 1 minute. Add the sugar-flour mixture, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and begins to boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the bourbon or brandy and vanilla. Let cool.
Mix a basic sweet pie crust and divide the dough in 2, one portion slightly larger then the other. Roll out the larger portion on a lightly floured surface to about 11 inches in diameter. Transfer to an 10-inch cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, fitting the dough up the sides. Roll out the remaining dough into a large rectangle and cut into 1-inch thick strips.
Pour the peach mixture into the bottom dough. Working one strip at a time, create a lattice top crust by laying the strips across the top in 1 direction, then turn and lay across in the other, interweaving the strips, if desired. Brush the top with the cream, dot with butter and lightly sprinkle with the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Bake until the crust is golden and the juices are bubbly, about 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream on top.
Quick Caramel Sauce
- 1 packed cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 4 tablespoons butter
- Pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Mix the brown sugar, half-and-half, butter and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook while whisking gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until it gets thicker. Add the vanilla and cook another minute to thicken further. Turn off the heat, cool slightly and pour the sauce into a jar. Refrigerate until cold.
Gateau in a Cage
Yeah, I made this once. And while I am sure I took a photo of it, my effort preceded the invention of the smartphone – so who knows where it would be. I can tell you that at the end, I was pretty unimpressed with the whole idea.. who wants to eat a bunch of sugar shards? Maybe go eat a Jolly Rancher, Julia, you’ve lost direction here..
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1/4 cup of water
- 1/3 cup of corn syrup
Bring to boil, edges will bubble, then cover with a lid that allows steam to escape. When caramelized (311°F) dip the tines of a fork in the caramel to quickly spiral cover or weave cover in layered lines the outside of your cake pan and half of the outside of a stainless steel bowl (half of it – both pan and bowl coated in butter).. let it cool and set.
Slice lengthwise a sponge cake into thirds. Place the bottom layer inside your bottom cage (as if it was the cake pan) then sprinkle your layer with rum sauce (sugar, water, rum melted down). Spiral a layer of whipped cream from a pastry bag, top with sliced, sugared strawberries, thin layer of raspberry preserves or jam, another layer of whipped cream, then put another third of the cake on top of that. Repeat. When you get to the top layer, arrange the strawberries in halves around the center, leaving the very middle open for a nice big star of whipped cream and the outside rim open to cover in stars of whipped cream. Place the bowl cage over the top. Viola!
Chocolate Sour Cream & Buttermilk Cake
- 2-1/2 cups cake flour (cake flour substitute: For every 1 cup of cake flour, replace with 3/4 cup sifted flour plus 2 tbsp corn starch)
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
- 1/2 cup salted butter (if unsalted, add 1/2 tsp salt)
- 2-1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1-1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup buttermilk (if substituting milk, deduct 1/4 cup flour and 1 egg)
- 1 tbsp dark cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- Additional butter and cocoa powder to coat your baking pans
Dust 2 or 3 buttered round layer cake pans with cocoa, depending on the numbers of layers you prefer and set the oven to 350°F. Make sure all dairy and your chocolate is room temperature. Melt your chocolate in your buttermilk in the microwave in 30 second increments (stirring every 30 seconds and repeating) until the chocolate is melted but not burned. Set it aside to cool while you are mixing your ingredients.
In a stand mixer, cream your butter until fluffy then add your sugar and mix well. Add eggs one at a time, not overbeating, just mixing in, then beating at level 5 for 4 minutes more.
Lower the mixer speed and add your vanilla and chocolate. Add in your sour cream and flour (starting with flour, then alternating with sour cream 1 cup to 1-1/2 cups and ending in flour). Finally mix in your cocoa powder.
Divide and pour into your cake pans and bake for approximately 35 minutes until smooth and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool before layering and covering with fudge icing (see fudge icing recipe below this one). If you want a four layer cake (holy cow!) wrap the cakes in Saran wrap, refrigerate overnight, then half each cake horizontally the next day, making two layers from each one you baked.
Chocolate Fudge Icing
- 3/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 lbs (2 boxes) confectioner’s sugar
- 6 ounces unsweetened baker’s chocolate, melted and cooled
- 1 tbsp dark cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
Beat together the butter, eggs and vanilla till fluffy. Gradually beat in the sugar and chocolate mix and cocoa powder until well blended.
Brush any loose crumbs from the cakes. Place one cake layer, flattest crust side up, on a cake plate.
Spread with a thick layer of frosting. Set another layer on top, flattest crust side up and spread with more frosting, repeat if more than two layers. Frost the top and sides of the cake, frequently scraping the frosting from your knife onto the rim of the bowl to clear your knife, then rinse it off with hot water and shake your knife dry, using the heat from the hot water to help in spreading your frosting smoothly.
Chill or leave it out at room temperature, in a covered cake plate to keep it fresh.
Modified Texas Sheet Cake
I modified the time because the 20 minutes bake time the original recipe called for was nowhere near enough time. Adding ten more minutes made it just right. Also, I mixed the icing with an electric hand mixer because that knocks out any clumps in un-sifted powdered sugar. I’m not sifting powdered sugar unless there’s a gun to my head.
Cake Recipe – Bring to a Boil:
- 1 stick of butter
- 1 cup of water
- 4 tbsp of cocoa
Remove from heat and add:
- 2 cups of flour
- 2 cups of sugar
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1 tsp of baking soda (as in Arm & Hammer, not baking powder)
Beat in:
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup of sour cream
Pour into large greased 15.5″ x 10.5″ pan/casserole dish and bake for 25-30 mins 350°F. Let cool 10 mins and then ice cake.
Icing Recipe – Bring to a Boil:
- 4 tbsp cocoa
- 6 tbsp milk
- 1 stick butter
Remove from heat and add:
- 1 pound of confectioners sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup of chopped walnuts (optional.. for someone else, not happening here!)
- Pour over cake and spread
Keep refrigerated
Peanut Butter Cup Cake
Prepare the recipe for Modified Texas Sheet Cake (above), but mix and add this layer between the cake and frosting.
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 3 tbsp butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, heaped
Keep refrigerated
New York Cheesecake with Fruit Topping
I like mine topped with canned, cherry pie filling but you can change the topping to your preference, you crazed, blueberry freak!
- 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1-1/4 cups sugar, divided
- 4 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp vanilla in cheesecake
- 1 tsp vanilla in sour cream top layer
- 1 container (16 oz) sour cream, divided
- 4 eggs
- 1 can cherry pie filling (or blueberry pie filling, or leave plain, or top with 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries)
Heat oven to 325°F and place a cookie sheet holding approx 4 cups of water (humid oven environment = crack-free cheesecake). Prepare a large round springform pan, lined with a square of parchment paper (if you’d like to slide the pan bottom out from under the cake at presentation) and clamp the wall with the paper edges outside of it, 1″ – 2″ larger than pan diameter. Mix crumbs, butter and 2 tbsp sugar; press onto bottom of pan.
Beat cream cheese, 1 cup of the remaining sugar and 2 tbsp vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add 1 cup sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
Bake 50 minutes or until center is almost set. This part is hard for OCD people like me because the center is still wet looking and you will think you should leave it in longer. You can, but your cheesecake’s gonna crack… just sayin’.
Mix remaining sour cream, sugar and vanilla; carefully spread over cheesecake. Bake 10 – 15 minutes, turn off oven and leave it there to cool completely (about 3 hours).
Refrigerate afterwards, 3 to 4 hours (or until presentation, whichever is longer). I top mine with cherries before refrigeration because I like the fruit cold, but if you want a more spilling/flowing/dramatic presentation, top when serving after springform pan is removed. You could refrigerate the can/fruit prior to serving if you like your cherry topping (or blueberries if that’s your thing) chilled. Top with sliced berries at presentation.
Buttercream Frosting
This is as good a time as any to do some humble-bragging. When I list ingredients like butter, vanilla extract, and whipped cream, that is exactly what I am using – not imitations or decoys. I haven’t consumed margarine, whipped topping made of hydrogenated vegetable oil (Cool-Whip), or imitation vanilla extract in decades. However: there is a satisfying experience in a birthday cake from the bakery at Sam’s Club – but they are using vegetable shortening in their frosting. That being said, if you use my recipe with butter, it will be a softer icing which makes for a delicious cake, but won’t be as pretty or malleable for decorative frosting. You have to decide what is more important to you, my choice is for taste. I like to look at a cake decorated with fondant icing, but I’m not looking forward to eating it.
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream
In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes. Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency. Add drops of food coloring to achieve desired shade.
Cinnamon Sticky Buns
- 4-3/4 to 5-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or substitute 1 cup finely chopped, peeled apple for apple-cinnamon sticky buns)
- 1 tbsp half and half or light cream
In a large mixing bowl combine 2-1/4 cups flour and yeast. In a sauce pan heat and stir milk, 1/3 cup butter, granulated sugar and salt just until warm (120 to 130 degrees) and butter almost melts. Add to flour mixture all with eggs. Beat with electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl.
Beat on high speed 3 minutes. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Turn once, cover, and let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 1 hour).
Punch dough down, turning out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half, cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, lightly grease two 9 x 1-1/2 inch round baking pans or 2 baking sheets, setting aside. For filling, stir together brown sugar, the 1/4 cup flour and cinnamon, cutting in 1/3 butter until the mixture resembles course crumbs.
Roll each half of dough into a 12 x 8 inch rectangle and sprinkle filling over dough rectangles, then sprinkle with pecans. Roll up each rectangle starting from a long side and seal the seams. Slice each roll into 12 pieces, placing the cut sides down in prepared pans/dishes.
Cover dough loosely with plastic wrap, leaving room for rolls to rise. Chill for 2 to 24 hours. Uncover and let stand at room temperature before baking. (Or to bake rolls right away don’t chill the dough, but cover loosely, letting the dough rise in a warm place until nearly double or 30 minutes.)
Break any surface bubbles with a greased toothpick and brush dough with half and half. Bake at 375 for 20 to 25 minutes or until light brown (if necessary cover with foil the last five to ten minutes of baking to prevent over browning).
Remove from oven, brush again with half and half. Cool for 1 minute then carefully invert the rolls onto a wire rack. Cool slightly. Invert again on a serving platter and drizzle with vanilla glaze. Serve warm.
Vanilla Glaze
In a small bowl stir together 1-1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1 tsp light colored corn syrup and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Add enough half and half or light cream (1 to 2 tbsp) to reach drizzling consistency.
