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Delightful
Holiday
Desserts

Butterscotch Berry Tart
Easy Truffles
Caramel Swirled Cheesecake
Rugelach
Toffee Pecan Squares
(Family Features) - Master holiday entertaining this year with decadent desserts that
are simple to make.
For the chocolate lovers, create a batch of truffles using
chocolate frosting as the base ingredient. Make extra and
surprise the hostess at your next holiday party.
Keep a variety of ice cream toppings on hand they're the
perfect way to enhance any dessert. Swirl caramel or butterscotch
topping into cheesecake batter for an irresistible twist on the
traditional favorite. Or, for a lighter dessert, serve a fresh
berry tart, drizzled with caramel or butterscotch topping.
Whether you're hosting a holiday dinner for the entire family or
a casual dessert party, these recipes are sure to please all your
guests. For more delicious recipes and cooking tips, visit
www.smuckers.com and www.pillsburybaking.com.
Host a Sweet Gathering
No time to host a holiday dinner? Dessert parties are one of the
easiest ways to entertain during this busy time of year. Here are
a few tips for a successful event:
- Bake batches of plain sugar cookies and invite quests to
decorate them.
- Serve a selection of regular and flavored coffee. Provide
cinnamon and chocolate-coated spoons for added flavor.
- Set up a personalized dessert station. Offer pound cake or angel
food cake, fresh fruit and toppings such as chocolate sauce or
whipped cream.
- Decorate a large table with festive holiday decorations and use
clear plastic plates and flatware for easy clean up.
Butterscotch Berry Tart
1 cup Pillsbury BEST All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons Crisco Butter Flavor
All-Vegetable Shortening, chilled
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Smucker's Seedless Red Raspberry Jam, divided
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Smucker's Butterscotch Topping, divided
5 cups fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) quartered if large
Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine flour, sugar and salt in food
processor; blend 10 seconds. Add shortening, blending until
mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg and vanilla and almond
extracts. Process until moist clumps form, turning processor
on/off to scrape sides.
Gather dough into ball and, using floured fingertips, press onto
bottom and up sides of 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom.
Press 1/2 cup almonds over bottom of crust. Spread 1/2 cup jam
over almonds followed by 1/2 cup butterscotch topping.
Bake tart until crust is golden at edges and jam is thick and
bubbly, about 40 minutes. Cool completely on rack. Push up pan
bottom to release tart.
In large bowl, toss berries with remaining 2 tablespoons to coat.
Top tart with berries; sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons almonds
around edge of tart. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons butterscotch
over top.
Makes 8 servings
Easy Truffles
1 (12-ounce) package (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 can Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Chocolate Fudge or Chocolate Frosting
Toppings: coconut, chocolate sprinkles, ground nuts and/or cocoa
Melt chocolate chips in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring
constantly; remove from heat. Stir in orange extract and
frosting; blend well. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until firm.
Place toppings in pie pans. Scoop mixture into 1-inch balls (will
be sticky.); drop each onto topping of choice. Roll to coat.
Place in foil candy cups, if desired. Store in refrigerator.
Makes 72 truffles
Caramel Swirled Cheesecake
1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 tub (4 cups) whipped topping, thawed and divided
1/2 cup Smucker's Caramel Microwave Topping or Smucker's Butterscotch Topping, divided
1 (9-inch) prepared graham cracker crust
Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until
smooth. Gently stir in 3 cups whipped topping (reserve 1 cup for
garnishing). Add 1/4 cup caramel or butterscotch topping into
mixture and mix thoroughly. Spoon mixture evenly onto crust.
With knife, make 3 deep S-shaped channels in batter and fill each
with remaining topping. With knife, draw 2 more channels in
opposite direction to swirl batter and create marble effect.
Spread remaining whipped topping evenly over top of batter.
Decorate with remaining caramel or butterscotch topping.
Refrigerate until set.
Makes 8 servings
Rugelach
1-1/4 cups butter, softened, divided
2 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup sugar, divided
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups Pillsbury BEST All Purpose or Unbleached Flour
1/2 cup finely chopped dates
1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Crisco No-Stick Cooking Spray
In large bowl, combine 1 cup butter, 2 tablespoons sugar and
cream cheese; beat until light and fluffy. Add flour to butter
mixture; blend well. Shape dough into ball; divide into 4 pieces.
Shape each piece into ball; flatten into 1/2-inch-thick disk.
Wrap each in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour for easier
handling.
Heat oven to 375°F. Grease 2 cookie sheets or spray with no-stick
cooking spray. In small bowl, combine dates, pistachios, 1/3 cup
sugar, cinnamon and 1/4 cup butter; blend well.
On floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll out 1 disk of
dough at a time to 1/8-inch thickness, forming 12-inch round.
(Keep remaining disks refrigerated while working.) Sprinkle 1/4
of date-nut mixture onto round; press into dough slightly. Cut
round into 16 wedges. Roll up each wedge from curved edge to
point. Place on greased cookie sheets.
Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately
remove from cookie sheets; place on wire racks. Cool 30 minutes
or until completely cooled. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Makes 64 cookies
Toffee Pecan Squares
Base
1 (18.25-ounce) package Pillsbury Moist Supreme Yellow Cake Mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
Filling
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup toffee bits
1 cup chopped pecans
Powdered sugar and pecan halves, to garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl of mixer, combine all base
ingredients; blend at low speed until crumbly. Press in bottom of
ungreased 13 x 9-inch pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until light
golden brown.
In large bowl, combine condensed milk, vanilla and egg; mix well.
Stir in toffee bits and pecans. Pour filling evenly over warm
base. Return to 350° oven; bake additional 20 to 25 minutes or
until filling is set. Cool 1 hour or until completely cooled. Cut
into squares.
If desired, sprinkle each bar with powdered sugar and top with a
pecan half. Store in refrigerator.
Makes 36 bars
SOURCE: J.M. Smucker's Products
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