Cherry Crumb Dessert

1/2 cup butter or margarine, chilled
1 (18 1/2 ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 (21 ounce) can cherry or blueberry pie filling
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Whipped cream or ice cream (optional)

In a mixing bowl, cut butter into cake mix as for pastry dough. Set aside 1 cup. Pat remaining crumbs onto the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Spread pie filling over crust. Combine the walnuts with reserved crumbs; sprinkle over top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes.

Serve warm, with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

Yields 12 to 16 servings.

Cheddar Apple Kisses

3/4 cup flour
1 cup grated aged Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 medium apple, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
Maple syrup for drizzling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Knead flour, cheese and butter until soft dough forms. Pull of pieces of dough, about 1 tablespoon in size. Flatten with hand into small circle. Place fruit in center of each and pinch to seal. When dough is all used, place pieces on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Bake 12 minutes. Drizzle with maple syrup and return to oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown.

Makes 4 servings (about 14 kisses).

Chocolate and Raspberry Fontaine

Source: Recipe by pastry chef Jacques Torres

This recipe is made of crispy phyllo packages stuffed with warm, bitter-sweet chocolate ganache topped with raspberries. The fontaine can be prepared 6 to 8 hours in advance, wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated, then baked for 8 to 10 minutes just before serving. Once assembled, the fontaines can also be frozen for later use and defrosted for 15 minutes before baking.

7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons raspberry brandy
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar plus extra for dusting
8 (10 x 20-inch) sheets phyllo dough
1/2 cup sweet butter, melted
1 recipe Cocoa Sponge Cake or commercial pound cake
    cut 1/2 inch thick with a cookie cutter
1 pint raspberries

Cocoa Sponge Cake
1 tablespoon sweet butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup flour sifted together with 1/4 cup cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush an 8-inch springform cake mold with the butter and dust with the flour.

With an electric mixer, whip the eggs whites, slowly adding the sugar, and continue to whip until stiff. With a spatula, fold in the egg yolks, then gradually incorporate the sifted cocoa/flour mixture. Pour the batter into the cake mold and bake in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from heat when done and unmold on a pastry rack to cool.

Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan and pour over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted, add 2 tablespoons of the raspberry brandy, and combine until smooth. Set the chocolate ganache aside to cool.

Bring 1/3 cup water to a boil in a small pot, add the confectioners’ sugar, and stir until dissolved. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons raspberry brandy and remove the raspberry syrup from heat.

To assemble, spread 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface, brush with a thin coasting of the melted butter, dust with sifted confectioners’ sugar, and cover with a second sheet. Brush with the melted butter again and dust with the sugar. Cut the rectangular phyllo dough into 3 equal strips, about 6 1/2 inches wide by 10 inches long. Place a disk of chocolate cake in the center of each strip and moisten each disk with a little of the raspberry syrup. Cover each disk with a generous spoonful of the chocolate ganache and place 8 to 10 raspberries on top. First, fold one end of the phyllo dough over fully encasing the chocolate and raspberries. Repeat this process until you have made 12 packages. Brush each one with butter and refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the packages on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle with more sugar. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Keep warm. Top each fontaine with the remaining raspberries and serve hot.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans
1 box graham crackers

Set out cream cheese and margarine until room temperature. Mix together cream cheese, margarine, vanilla extract, both sugars and chocolate chips. Roll into a ball and refrigerate several hours.

Just before serving, roll ball in chopped pecans.

Serve with graham crackers.

Carnival Puffs

1 1/2 cups flour
Pinch of salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 small eggs
1/2 cup water
2 cups vegetable oil

Sift flour, salt, baking powder and 1/4 cup sugar together.

Combine eggs and water and blend into the dry ingredients.

Dip a tablespoon into a glass of cold water and then dip it into the batter for a heaping spoonful. Using a rubber spatula, slide the batter off the spoon into a deep pan or fryer with hot vegetable oil. Fry 2 or 3 puffs at a time until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper toweling and roll in the remaining 1 cup of sugar while still hot.

Makes 10 to 12 puffs.

Cherry Chex Dessert

2 1/2 cups crushed Rice Chex
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup coconut
2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 large container whipped topping
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 can cherry pie filling

Mix Chex, sugar, coconut and butter together. Spread 3/4 of mixture in a 9 x 13-inch pan.

Mix whipped topping, cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar together and spread over crust. Spread cherry pie filling on top. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture on top and refrigerate.

Confetti S’Mores

Source: Honey Maid? Honey Grahams – Jet-Puffed? Marshmallows

Makes 16

40 squares Honey Maid Honey Grahams (2 sleeves)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 (10 ounce) package Jet-Puffed Marshmallows
1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons colored sprinkles

Break grahams into bite-size pieces; set aside.

Heat butter or margarine in large saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add marshmallows, stirring constantly until melted.

Stir broken grahams into marshmallow mixture to coat evenly. Spread mixture into lightly greased 9-inch square pan; sprinkle with chocolate chips and colored sprinkles, pressing lightly with greased hands.

Refrigerate at least 20 minutes before cutting into squares. Store in airtight container.