Sweet Endings
Like most children, making desserts was a big incentive in my learning to cook. For me the lure was Pecan Pie. For some reason it’s served in the South and in New England, but never in the Mid-Atlantic States and I love Pecan Pie! The old adage; “If you want something done right –or even at all— do it yourself” held true. The search for my ideal Pecan Pie started me on the road to exploring cooking at a young age and though I concentrate on “more serious” food now, I still find desserts the most fun, maybe because they’re the most appreciated offerings. Other courses can be received with approval, appreciation and even enthusiasm, but none make eyes light up the way desserts do.
Over the years, I’ve served multiple desserts at open houses, and buffet dinners. I’ve hosted dessert parties, and other events featuring them like club meetings, card parties and “Mommy and Me Teas”, but I never offered a dessert selection at a family Christmas dinner until recently.
Several months ago I talked about my Mother’s affinity to a freezer being like a duck’s to water. She instinctively knew how to use it to her best advantage. She froze gourmet flour, coffee, meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, when others were still experimenting with commercial ice cream and T.V.Dinners. I described how she kept blueberries so wonderfully fresh. Growing up, those berries were a grand finale to every Christmas dinner. They were layered with raspberry sherbet and whipped cream in parfait glasses and served with a huge platter of home-made Christmas cookies. It was the perfect finish to a large, rich meal, light, fresh tasting and not too sweet.
When I set up my own home, I tried to keep up that tradition. Though I had all the equipment, my Mom had two things I didn’t; room in the freezer and/or someone in the kitchen to build the parfaits as we ate. What I did have, and she didn’t, was more than one child straining to get to the loot under the tree, prompting everyone to move from the table for coffee and dessert. Anything difficult to hold or that would melt was impractical and, in a health conscious society, a cookie or two was enough. More elaborate desserts were saved for holiday parties. Poor sherbet and berries didn’t make the cut, but it is still the prettiest, healthiest, most digestive and satisfying dessert imaginable after a large meal, and I hope someday to serve it again, because I truly miss it.
However times change, families blend, and I now find myself involved in one that traditionally offers a selection of desserts with family holiday dinners. The first thing I realized was that unlike the cookies, which were kept in cans and served throughout the holidays, or the parfaits, which were made to order or even party recipes that were preyed upon by many, these desserts were picked at by a few and basically destined to be leftovers. Moreover, unlike other holidays when there are weeks to gradually consume leftovers, this one leaves only a few days until the next one. It seemed such a waste of time and money to turn around and create more desserts for any entertaining planned later in the week. The answer was to find ways to kill two birds with one stone, and save time, effort and expense by finding desserts that could do double duty, so to speak.
I like to think of these dishes as having the staying power to be made presentable through Act II, rather than being recyclable. They do have to possess certain qualities. They have to keep well either in containers or frozen for a week, better two, to simplify the baking plans and most desserts do freeze, incidentally. Their appearance has to lend itself to alteration and they can’t need last minute attention. Avoid round shapes. Go for square ones. A pie or cake with a slice missing looks used, and slices are awkward to display separately on a platter, but a square item can be divided into smaller pieces, piled on a plate and no one notices a piece or two missing. For example, I bake my Christmas fruit bread (See my blog on Christmas gifting) in a tree mold. It’s easy to cut in angular pieces for Act II. I usually add squares of some quickly made brownies or muffins from mix, baked in a square pan and topped with sugar or icing, to fill the plate. They disappear fast because they’re easy to just pick up. Bar cookies are also a good choice, but I find rather than making them in a sheet pan, they can be made in two square pans and frozen until each is to be served, or even to be baked, just before the event.
It’s far easier to bake things in doubles than to bake in double sessions. This is especially true if your traditional menus call for pies or tarts. As I said, once these items are cut they scream “leftover”, but almost all freeze well before baking. Making two and having one ready in the freezer is a time saver. The idea of dividing a recipe into two containers is really helpful if it involves layers as cakes do. You can bake it in loaf pans and cut the loaves horizontally in two layers making two cakes or you can use a sheet pan and cut it vertically in two, making larger square cake. In the first instance you have one dessert for each holiday. In the other, you can frost only the top, and after Act I, level the cut side, freeze the rest until Act II and serve it as a loaf. You can also make double the amount, using two sheet pans, and cutting the contents into three pieces each, have three desserts. It all depends on the amounts you need.
Surprisingly, cakes freeze and re-freeze well even iced and/or filled ones. So if your gatherings are small or your cakes larger in shape, like logs, don’t worry about baking ahead and freezing until “the day” or popping the item back in the freezer and pulling it out a few days later to be “dressed “for the next occasion. “Dressing” them for Act II is the trick. Making frosting for a special event such as a birthday, is one thing, but when it comes to major baking projects, I’m a fan of commercial canned ones. They’re useful in many ways. They hold layers together, and a dab can re-attach a piece that breaks off or hold cookies or pastry leaves together to build shapes and decorations. Better still, microwaved for about 45 secs. the frosting becomes the consistency of thick syrup. At this point flavorings and coloring or pieces of fruit and/or nuts can be stirred in. It can be used like a ganache and spooned over an item, allowed to drip down the sides, or decoratively dribbled over the top. When it cools it stays glossy, resembling a ganache. If you want to disguise the fact that a few pieces have been cut from a cake, applying the frosting in this molten form allows you to cover the cut with another coat at a later date, something cold frosting can’t do. Frosting regains its original texture as it cools and extra can be re-heated as needed.
I doubled the Crazy Cake recipe I gave you in my blog suggesting Christmas gifts. I cut it into three layers, spread each with raspberry preserves and filled them with a 50-50 blend of cool whip and cream cheese flavored with almond extract. Then I covered it with molten chocolate frosting and sprinkled it with toasted coconut. I made only one cake because there will be fewer for dinner this Christmas and I know, from experience only two guests will choose this dessert. Later, to get it ready for Act II, I’ll remove the decoration, re-heat the extra frosting, add another layer of it to the cake, covering the cut end, top it with fresh coconut and freeze it to be served on New Years.
The filling of cool whip and cream cheese is also used in the Yule Log Cake I made but, here, it’s flavored with maple and contains toasted walnuts. I like it because it has body, a silky texture, isn’t too sweet and freezes well. The log is made from gingerbread cake mix. The recipe is below. Again, from experience, I estimate only three or four pieces will be cut. By placing the branch nearer the top, I leave room to cut one or two pieces from each and three from the bottom or trunk. It dosen’t take much to monitor the slices, just turn the plate on the table and reposition the knife. Usually enough remains to simply freeze the cake and table it again but if it looks off-balance, carefully even the ends and rearrange it to form one long log. Mask the connection with frosting at room temperature, and decorate the top with a scattering of toasted walnut pieces.
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Of course if you’re really rushed for time, you can always buy a pound cake and using the tips in my Blog # 27 “Sweet Liberty” and the ones given here, create something special all your own. There are any number of options, I only want to point out that you can get everything done without fraying around the edges or blowing your budget: AND that doing things once is easier than doing them twice. Simply plan ahead and you’ll be able to relax and enjoy time with your family and friends.
YULE LOG—Serves 16-18
Using a boxed Gingerbread cake mix, I replace half the water with applesauce, add ¼ cup oil and use 2 eggs. Beat only until well incorporated – about 2 mins.
Grease the bottom only of a 19 x 11 inch jelly roll pan. Line it with parchment paper and grease the paper.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and bake on the middle rack for 16 to 18 mins. or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar. Cover with a tea towel, and using a board as a brace invert the cake. Peel off the parchment and roll the long side of the cake in the towel. Resting the edge on the bottom let the cake cool completely.
Meanwhile, beat 8oz. cream cheese with 8oz. Cool Whip until smooth adding flavoring and nuts to taste.
Carefully unroll the cake and fill with the cheese mixture. Re-roll. Trim ends evenly.
Cut a piece about 3inches long from one end on an angle and position it along the “trunk” to form a branch. Secure it with a bit of frosting.
Frost the cake and add any decorations. Freeze until ready to serve. Allow to thaw 30 to
45 mins.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!!!
