Great Endings
Holiday Toffee
1 c. finely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 stick butter
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Butter an 8 or 9-inch square pan. Sprinkle nuts evenly on the bottom of the pan. In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat and stir in brown sugar. Increase heat to medium low; and stirring constantly bring to a boil. (From this point, toffee takes approximately 6 minutes to completion). Stir constantly while mixture passes the foamy stage, then darkens, thickens and begins to be pulled from the bottom and sides of the pan during the stirring process. Do not overcook or butter and sugar mixture will begin to smell burnt. Pour over nuts evenly. Sprinkle semi-sweet chocolate over toffee and cover with a cookie sheet or tray for chocolate to melt. In about 2-3 minutes, use the back of a spoon to spread chocolate over toffee. While still hot, use a sharp knife to score toffee into squares. Once cooled and chocolate is set, follow the scores to cut (break toffee) for serving.
Italian Pineapple Gelato
½ c. water
1 c. sugar
3 egg whites
1 lg. Can crushed pineapple (Drained)
8 oz. whipped cream
Heat sugar and water in a saucepan to dissolve sugar into syrup. Keep hot. Beat egg whites until foamy, and slowly add syrup on low speed to “cook”, yet not get large scrambled lumps. Once all syrup has been added, beat on high speed until thick, glossy and double in volume. Stir pineapple into mixture, then fold in whipped cream ½ cup at a time.
Grease a loaf pan and line with plastic wrap. Spread mixture into pan, cover with plastic and freeze until hard. When ready to serve, peel away plastic wrap, slice pieces onto serving plates, and garnish with crumbled almond cookies or fresh fruit.
Chocolate – Berry Torte
1 box (1 lb 2.3 oz) Fudge brownie mix
¼ c. water
2/3 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
½ c. miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 16-oz can jellied cranberry sauce
1 8-oz cream cheese, softened
Chamborg, Fresh mint leaves and raspberries
Mix brownie mix, water, oil, eggs, and chips, and pour into a round pie pan that has been sprayed (bottom only) with no-stick cooking spray. Once cooled, mix cranberry sauce and cream cheese and spread on top of chocolate torte. To serve, drizzle plate with Chamborg and garnish with mint and fresh raspberries
Royal Hawaiian Tiramisu
¾ c. cold espresso or strong coffee
¼ c. coffee liqueur
8-oz. pkg. Softened cream cheese
2 small packages instant vanilla pudding
3 c. half and half
3 T. amaretto liqueur
4-oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
16-oz. loaf King’s Hawaiian sweet bread
Topping:
1 ½ c. whipping cream
½ c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
¼ c. toasted almonds, sliced
Blend espresso with coffee liqueur. Set aside. Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth. On low speed, slowly add pudding mix, half and half, and amaretto. Beat 1 minute until blended. Set aside.
Trim off 1 inch of bread dome to make level, and do not include in recipe. Cutting horizontally, slice remaining loaf into 3 equal layers. Place the top slice into the bottom of an 8 or 9-inch pan. Drizzle half of espresso on first layer of bread, then top with 1/3 of the pudding mixture and ¼ of the chocolate. Repeat layering with remaining 2 bread slices. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
Whip cream and powdered sugar with vanilla until fluffy. Spread over top and sides. Garnish with almonds and remaining chocolate. Makes 12 servings.
Yummy Yellow Cake
1 yellow cake mix
1 can crushed pineapple with juice (20 oz.)
1 small instant vanilla pudding
1 c. milk
8-oz. Cool Whip
Bake cake as directed for an oblong baking pan. While still hot, poke cake with fork, and pour pineapple with juice over all. Cool. Mix pudding and milk, beat, then fold in Cool Whip. Spread over cake and refrigerate.
Joshua’s Monkey Cake
¾ c. unsalted butter, softened (plus more for pan)
3 c. sifted flour (plus more for dusting)
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 very ripe mashed bananas (1 1/3 c.)
¾ c. buttermilk
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ c. packed light-brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 black licorice drop candies
Black licorice rope for decorating
BUTTERCREAM FROSTING Makes 3¾ c. chocolate and 1¼ c. yellow frosting
1 pound unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5¼ c. sifted confectioner’s sugar
Yellow food coloring
¾ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
With an electric mixer, combine 1 stick butter, ½ tsp. vanilla and 1½ c. sugar; mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Stir in food coloring to make a pale yellow. Cover.
Put remaining 3 sticks of butter into a mixing bowl, and beat on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add cocoa. Mix until smooth. With mixer running, gradually add remaining 3 ¾ c. sugar, one cup at a time. Add remaining ½ tsp. vanilla; mix on high for about 10-20 seconds.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter and flour an 8 ½ inch diameter 3-quart stainless steel bowl and 1 cup muffin tin. Set aside.
In medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Mix in eggs, reduce speed to medium, and mix in flour by 2 batches – alternating banana mixture.
Fill muffin cup ¾ full. Transfer remaining batter to bowl. Bake cupcake until a tester comes out clean (about 30 minutes). Continue baking larger cake about 1 hour and 10 minutes more. Allow bowl to cool about 30 minutes, then invert to cool completely.
Trim flat side of cake to be level, and trim away top of cupcake to be level. Cut cupcake in half vertically for the two monkey ears. Cut bowl cake in half horizontally to make 2 layers. Spread ¾ c. chocolate buttercream on top of flat layer. Top with domed layer and transfer to a cake plate. Spread a thick layer of chocolate buttercream over the entire monkey head. Spread chocolate buttercream over the monkey’s ears and attach to the sides of head, securing with toothpicks. Place remaining chocolate buttercream into a piping bag and place dots around the bottom edge and pipe hair on the top of head.
Use yellow buttercream to pipe an oval near the front base of cake. Fill in with buttercream and smooth. Place 2 small pieces of licorice rope inside of this oval for the nose and a long piece of rope for the mouth. Use licorice drops above oval for the eyes. Pipe yellow half circles in centers of ears, fill with frosting and smooth. Decorated cake can be refrigerated up to 3 hours.
Mimi’s Rice Pudding
3/4 cup uncooked white rice
2 cups milk, divided
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup raisins
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon
Precook rice according to instructions on box to yield 2 cups. Allow to cool.
In another saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups cooked rice, 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy (milk is absorbed), 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk, and beaten egg. Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in raisings, nutmeg, butter and vanilla. Pour into bowls and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve warm.
Crème De' Menthe Ice Cream Dessert
1/2gallon vanilla ice cream
30 Oreo cookies
3 (1 ounce) baker’s unsweetened chocolate squares
3 eggs, well beaten
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup crème de menthe
Crush 20 oreos and place in 9x13 pan. Melt margarine and chocolate over medium heat. Remove & add beaten eggs & sugar. Pour over Oreo crumbs. Freeze for 1/2 hour. While waiting, combine ice cream with crème de'menthe until well combined. NOTE: If making a non-alcohol version, use green mint ice cream and add crème de' menthe during serving. Pour over frozen crust. Sprinkle with remaining 10 crushed Oreos. Refreeze and serve.
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1 c. finely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 stick butter
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Butter an 8 or 9-inch square pan. Sprinkle nuts evenly on the bottom of the pan. In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat and stir in brown sugar. Increase heat to medium low; and stirring constantly bring to a boil. (From this point, toffee takes approximately 6 minutes to completion). Stir constantly while mixture passes the foamy stage, then darkens, thickens and begins to be pulled from the bottom and sides of the pan during the stirring process. Do not overcook or butter and sugar mixture will begin to smell burnt. Pour over nuts evenly. Sprinkle semi-sweet chocolate over toffee and cover with a cookie sheet or tray for chocolate to melt. In about 2-3 minutes, use the back of a spoon to spread chocolate over toffee. While still hot, use a sharp knife to score toffee into squares. Once cooled and chocolate is set, follow the scores to cut (break toffee) for serving.
Italian Pineapple Gelato
½ c. water
1 c. sugar
3 egg whites
1 lg. Can crushed pineapple (Drained)
8 oz. whipped cream
Heat sugar and water in a saucepan to dissolve sugar into syrup. Keep hot. Beat egg whites until foamy, and slowly add syrup on low speed to “cook”, yet not get large scrambled lumps. Once all syrup has been added, beat on high speed until thick, glossy and double in volume. Stir pineapple into mixture, then fold in whipped cream ½ cup at a time.
Grease a loaf pan and line with plastic wrap. Spread mixture into pan, cover with plastic and freeze until hard. When ready to serve, peel away plastic wrap, slice pieces onto serving plates, and garnish with crumbled almond cookies or fresh fruit.
Chocolate – Berry Torte
1 box (1 lb 2.3 oz) Fudge brownie mix
¼ c. water
2/3 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
½ c. miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 16-oz can jellied cranberry sauce
1 8-oz cream cheese, softened
Chamborg, Fresh mint leaves and raspberries
Mix brownie mix, water, oil, eggs, and chips, and pour into a round pie pan that has been sprayed (bottom only) with no-stick cooking spray. Once cooled, mix cranberry sauce and cream cheese and spread on top of chocolate torte. To serve, drizzle plate with Chamborg and garnish with mint and fresh raspberries
Royal Hawaiian Tiramisu
¾ c. cold espresso or strong coffee
¼ c. coffee liqueur
8-oz. pkg. Softened cream cheese
2 small packages instant vanilla pudding
3 c. half and half
3 T. amaretto liqueur
4-oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
16-oz. loaf King’s Hawaiian sweet bread
Topping:
1 ½ c. whipping cream
½ c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
¼ c. toasted almonds, sliced
Blend espresso with coffee liqueur. Set aside. Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth. On low speed, slowly add pudding mix, half and half, and amaretto. Beat 1 minute until blended. Set aside.
Trim off 1 inch of bread dome to make level, and do not include in recipe. Cutting horizontally, slice remaining loaf into 3 equal layers. Place the top slice into the bottom of an 8 or 9-inch pan. Drizzle half of espresso on first layer of bread, then top with 1/3 of the pudding mixture and ¼ of the chocolate. Repeat layering with remaining 2 bread slices. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
Whip cream and powdered sugar with vanilla until fluffy. Spread over top and sides. Garnish with almonds and remaining chocolate. Makes 12 servings.
Yummy Yellow Cake
1 yellow cake mix
1 can crushed pineapple with juice (20 oz.)
1 small instant vanilla pudding
1 c. milk
8-oz. Cool Whip
Bake cake as directed for an oblong baking pan. While still hot, poke cake with fork, and pour pineapple with juice over all. Cool. Mix pudding and milk, beat, then fold in Cool Whip. Spread over cake and refrigerate.
Joshua’s Monkey Cake
¾ c. unsalted butter, softened (plus more for pan)
3 c. sifted flour (plus more for dusting)
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 very ripe mashed bananas (1 1/3 c.)
¾ c. buttermilk
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ c. packed light-brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 black licorice drop candies
Black licorice rope for decorating
BUTTERCREAM FROSTING Makes 3¾ c. chocolate and 1¼ c. yellow frosting
1 pound unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5¼ c. sifted confectioner’s sugar
Yellow food coloring
¾ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
With an electric mixer, combine 1 stick butter, ½ tsp. vanilla and 1½ c. sugar; mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Stir in food coloring to make a pale yellow. Cover.
Put remaining 3 sticks of butter into a mixing bowl, and beat on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add cocoa. Mix until smooth. With mixer running, gradually add remaining 3 ¾ c. sugar, one cup at a time. Add remaining ½ tsp. vanilla; mix on high for about 10-20 seconds.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter and flour an 8 ½ inch diameter 3-quart stainless steel bowl and 1 cup muffin tin. Set aside.
In medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Mix in eggs, reduce speed to medium, and mix in flour by 2 batches – alternating banana mixture.
Fill muffin cup ¾ full. Transfer remaining batter to bowl. Bake cupcake until a tester comes out clean (about 30 minutes). Continue baking larger cake about 1 hour and 10 minutes more. Allow bowl to cool about 30 minutes, then invert to cool completely.
Trim flat side of cake to be level, and trim away top of cupcake to be level. Cut cupcake in half vertically for the two monkey ears. Cut bowl cake in half horizontally to make 2 layers. Spread ¾ c. chocolate buttercream on top of flat layer. Top with domed layer and transfer to a cake plate. Spread a thick layer of chocolate buttercream over the entire monkey head. Spread chocolate buttercream over the monkey’s ears and attach to the sides of head, securing with toothpicks. Place remaining chocolate buttercream into a piping bag and place dots around the bottom edge and pipe hair on the top of head.
Use yellow buttercream to pipe an oval near the front base of cake. Fill in with buttercream and smooth. Place 2 small pieces of licorice rope inside of this oval for the nose and a long piece of rope for the mouth. Use licorice drops above oval for the eyes. Pipe yellow half circles in centers of ears, fill with frosting and smooth. Decorated cake can be refrigerated up to 3 hours.
Mimi’s Rice Pudding
3/4 cup uncooked white rice
2 cups milk, divided
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup raisins
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon
Precook rice according to instructions on box to yield 2 cups. Allow to cool.
In another saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups cooked rice, 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy (milk is absorbed), 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk, and beaten egg. Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in raisings, nutmeg, butter and vanilla. Pour into bowls and sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve warm.
Crème De' Menthe Ice Cream Dessert
1/2gallon vanilla ice cream
30 Oreo cookies
3 (1 ounce) baker’s unsweetened chocolate squares
3 eggs, well beaten
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup crème de menthe
Crush 20 oreos and place in 9x13 pan. Melt margarine and chocolate over medium heat. Remove & add beaten eggs & sugar. Pour over Oreo crumbs. Freeze for 1/2 hour. While waiting, combine ice cream with crème de'menthe until well combined. NOTE: If making a non-alcohol version, use green mint ice cream and add crème de' menthe during serving. Pour over frozen crust. Sprinkle with remaining 10 crushed Oreos. Refreeze and serve.
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