Sometimes, it makes sense to skip the meal and go right to dessert. Treat the special people in your life to these scrumptious desserts created by the Classic Catering People. We can’t think of a better way to express your love.
Heart-Shaped Red Velvet and Cheesecake Puff Pastry (Above)
Red velvet ingredients:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
4 red velvet cupcakes (without icing)
1 puff pastry sheet
1 egg yolk
Cheesecake ingredients:
1 1/2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 ounces sour cream
Instructions:
Mix cream cheese and sugar together until smooth.
Add eggs and vanilla; mix until smooth.
Add sour cream; mix until combined.
Layering the Dessert:
Cut the puff pastry with a heart-shaped cookie cutter. Cut enough pieces to have a top and bottom for each heart.
Layer graham cracker in a heart shape on top of the puff pastry, keeping it away from the edges.
Then, pipe a layer of cheesecake in a zigzag pattern on top of the graham cracker crumbs.
Crumble the red velvet cupcakes and sprinkle some on top of the cheesecake, covering the cheesecake as much as possible.
Pipe another layer of cheesecake on top of the cake, making sure to stay away from edges.
Put a puff pastry heart on top of the layers; line it up to meet the edges of the bottom heart.
Using the same cookie cutter push down to cut the edges off the heart and seal the pastry together.
Brush with egg yolks and bake at 365°F until golden brown, turning over once.
Chocolate Cherry Cordial Bars
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cinnamon
1 cup cold butter (diced)
1 cup cherry filling
2 cups maraschino cherries (chopped)
6.75 ounces chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions:
Combine flour, oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Mix well.
Add cold butter and mix until mixture gets slightly crumbly. Reserve 3 cups of mix for the top.
Press mixture into cookie sheet.
Add maraschino cherries to cherry filling and layer on top of crumb mixture in cookie sheet.
Sprinkle heavily with chocolate chips.
Sprinkle walnuts on top of chocolate chips.
Add the rest of crumb topping and pack into one layer.
Bake at 375°F for 30-35 minutes until brown and bubbly.
Poached Pear and Crème Caramel Duo
Poaching Liquid for Pears
4 cups water
2 cups white wine
3 lemon peels
3 orange peels
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon cloves (whole)
1/2 teaspoon allspice (whole)
1 1/2 cups sugar
12 pears (baby)
Instructions:
Mix ingredients together and bring to boil.
Put pears in and lower to simmer.
Leave to simmer until tender, about 30-45 minutes.
Crème Caramel
2 cups heavy cream
Pinch of salt
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Caramel topping (preferably in a squeeze bottle)
Instructions:
Beat eggs and sugar in a bowl; let sit.
Bring heavy cream and salt to a boil.
Add heavy cream mixture to the egg mixture a little at a time until all combined. Then mix in vanilla.
Spray a 1-ounce dish with cooking spray and drop a dime-size amount of caramel topping at the bottom. Leave room for the caramel to spread; it should be dime-size in the end.
Use a strainer to skim the foam off the cream.
Pour the cream mixture into the dishes and set the dishes in a larger baking dish.
Fill the baking dish with water about 1/3 of the way up.
Bake at 350°F until brown. This could take up to an hour.
Beignets
(Makes 24 Beignets)
Ingredients:
1/8 teaspoon dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 cup shortening
2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions:
Put water into a large bowl.
Add yeast to the water; stir to dissolve.
Add sugar, salt, eggs, heavy cream to the bowl of yeast.
Add first measure of flour to the mixture.
Add shortening to the mixture.
Add the other measure of flour.
Mix until dough forms; roll into a ball.
Spray a clean bowl with cooking spray. Leave dough in it, covered, for 1 hour.
Roll out dough ½-inch thick into 24 squares 2 inches wide.
Let beignets rise for 30-45 minutes until they feel like soft pillows.
Fry beignets until brown on both sides.
Apricot and White Chocolate Beignet Filling
Ingredients:
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup apricot filling
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup white chocolate coins
Instructions:
Cream all ingredients together; put into small piping bag. Using a knife, poke a small hole into the side of the beignet; fill with cream.
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