I was looking for a dessert that wasn’t too sweet… although my “too sweet” may be different than most, because I love desserts.  I found this recipe again in the Southern Cookbook “The Back in the Day Bakery”.  I am such a fan of their sweets!  This recipe was very easy and tastes complicated, a perfect combination.  I recommend you use freshly squeezed lemons.

INGREDIENTS:
• 3 cups graham cracker crumbs (approximately 24 crackers)
• 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 – 14oz cans sweetened condensed milk
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 recipe fresh whipped cream (Recipe below)

DIRECTIONS:
• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350˚F.  Grease a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan and line with parchment, allowing the ends of the paper to hang over two opposite edges of the pan.

• To make the crust:  In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar and blend with a fork until the crumbs are evenly moistened.  Press the graham cracker mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.  Use a piece of parchment to press on the crust with the palm of your hands to make sure it is completely level.

• Bake the crust for about 8 minutes, until lightly golden.  Let cool completely before adding the filling.  Turn the oven temperature down to 325˚F.

• To make the filling:  In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, sweetened condensed milk, and egg yolks.  Pour the filling over the cooked crust.

• Place the baking pan inside a larger baking pan and pour enough hot water into the larger pan to come halfway up the sides of the smaller pan.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the filling is puffed at the edges and no longer jiggles in the center when the pan is tapped.  Remove the pan from the water bath and set it on a rack to cook for 1 hour, then refrigerate until cold.

• Cut the bars into squares and serve chilled, with the whipped cream.  The bars will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

RECIPE: Fresh Whipped Cream

INGREDIENTS:
• 2 cups heavy cream
• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar

DIRECTIONS:
• Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer), whip the cream on medium speed until is starts to thicken.  Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until the cream holds nice soft peaks.

This is such an easy dessert and always delicious.  I made chocolate and vanilla swirl cookies.  I purchased a vanilla bean and chocolate fudge swirl ice cream.  I also had mini chocolate chips and Heath bar chocolate chip brittles.  Leave your ice cream out to soften a bit.  Then spread the ice cream on one cookie top it with another cookie and then roll the edges in whatever toppings you choose.  Wrap and put in the fridge and you’ll have these on hand!  I usually hide them because in my house they will be eaten quickly!  You can use any type of cookie and you can vary the size.  I like a smaller cookie so it isn’t such a huge dessert.  Have fun!

Everything apple is what I want in the fall… apple pie, apple crisp, caramel apples, and this apple cake from “Food & Wine”!  It is an explosion of brown sugar, caramel, and apples.  It’s a special dessert to serve for a fall get-together or even for Thanksgiving.  Enjoy!

CAKE INGREDIENTS:
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 large Granny Smith apples—peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

TOFFEE SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup water
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon brandy

CARAMELIZED APPLES INGREDIENTS:
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 3 large Granny Smith apples—peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges each
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons water
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat the oven to 325°. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform tube pan. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the salt and baking soda. In a large bowl, whisk the oil with the granulated sugar. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Add the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Fold in the diced apples with a rubber spatula. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the lower third of the oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool slightly.

• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the butter, cream and brown sugar and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring. Remove the toffee glaze from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

• Place the warm cake (still in its pan) on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the hot glaze over the cake and let it seep into the cake, poking lightly with a toothpick. Let the cake cool completely, about 2 hours. Invert the cake onto a plate, and invert again onto another plate, right side up.

• In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Using a moistened pastry brush, wash down any sugar crystals on the side of the pan. Cook without stirring until a medium-amber caramel forms, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and quickly but carefully stir in the cream and butter. Simmer the sauce over moderate heat for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in the brandy. Pour the toffee sauce into a pitcher.

• In a large skillet, melt the butter and the brown sugar. Add the apples and cinnamon and cook over moderately high heat, turning the apples once or twice, until they are tender and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the water to dissolve the caramel in the skillet, then transfer the caramelized apples to a plate.

• Slice the cake and serve with the caramelized apples, toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream.

MAKE AHEAD: The unmolded cake can be stored in an airtight container overnight at room temperature. The toffee sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week; reheat gently before serving. The apples can be made up to 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature.

What could be better for dessert than a delicious homemade Banana Cream Pie?  I have never made this pie before and the banana cream is luscious.  If you love whipped cream, bananas, and old-fashioned vanilla wafers, then you’ll love this pie.  This recipe is from a wonderful dessert cookbook called “Back In The Day Bakery Cookbook”, by Cheryl & Griffith Day.  This is a collection of recipes from as they say “the best little bakery in the south’.  I can’t wait to try the S’More Pie, stay tuned next week!  I need to get a kitchen blowtorch to melt the marshmallows.

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 large egg yolks
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons banana liqueur, such as crème de banana, or 2 teaspoons banana extract
• 2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes, at room temperature
• 1 recipe Nilla wafer piecrust, prebaked (Recipe below)
• 3 large bananas, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices, plus more for decorating
• 1 recipe fresh whipped cream (Recipe below)
• Freshly grated nutmeg for garnish
• Nilla wafers for decorating

DIRECTIONS:

• In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until thick and pale in color.  Set aside.

• In a medium saucepan, heat the half-and-half to just below a boil.  Whisk about 1 cup of the hot half-and-half into the egg yolk mixture to temper the yolks, so they won’t curdle, then, continuing to whisk, add the remainder of the half-and-half in a steady stream.

• Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water) and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.

• Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and banana liqueur or extract until well combined.  Let the filling mixture sit for 2 to 3 minutes to cool slightly, then whisk in the butter until the custard is smooth and silky.  Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the custard so that a skin does not form and let cool for 30 minutes, or until it reaches room temperature.

• When the filling has cooled, pour half of it into the prepared piecrust.  Add a layer of the sliced bananas, followed by the rest of the filling.  Cover with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

• Pile the whipped cream on top of the pie with a spatula.  Sprinkle with grated nutmeg and decorate with vanilla wafers and banana slices.  The pie is best served the same day, but it can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

TIP – Here is a great way to prevent bananas from turning brown in your pie.  Using a pastry brush, brush them with lemon or orange juice.  Other liquids you can use are lime juice, pineapple juice, orange soda, or lemon-lime soda.

RECIPE: Fresh Whipped Cream

INGREDIENTS:
• 2 cups heavy cream
• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar

DIRECTIONS:
• Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer), whip the cream on medium speed until is starts to thicken.  Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until the cream holds nice soft peaks.

RECIPE: Nilla Wafer Piecrust

INGREDIENTS:
• 3 ½ cups Nilla wafers
• 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

DIRECTIONS:
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

• Put the cookies in a zip-top plastic bag and pound them with a rolling pin until they become coarse crumbs.  Alternatively, pulse the cookies in a food processor.  You should have 2 cups.

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer), mix the cookie crumbs, flour, sugar, salt, and butter on low speed until the crumbs and flour are evenly moistened, 3 to 5 minutes.  You may be tempted to add more butter – don’t.

• Press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie dish.  Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until golden brown.  Let cool completely before filling.