Pralines and lemon pie

By Susan McClanahan

Over the past few days I have come across several recipes for dessert items that sound interesting and fairly simple to make. I have made note of them and they are on my radar to prepare in the very near future. I am especially interested in the blondie recipe and the lemon pie. For the lemon pie you use the whole lemon and bake it. I love anything lemon, and to have an entire whole lemon in a pie is just my kind of dessert.

Pecan Praline Blondies

These Pecan Praline Blondies are fantastic. Rich and sinfully sweet with crunchy pecans and loads of butter and brown sugar. A must-make.

For blondies:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

For praline icing:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/8 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, extending the sides of the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil with cooking spray and set aside.

To make the blondies: In a medium/large sauce pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the brown sugar until combined. Let cool for about 5-10 minutes. After it's cooled off a little, whisk in the eggs and the vanilla until combined. Lastly, whisk in the salt, baking powder and flour until a soft batter forms.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake for approximately 19-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Wipe out the sauce pot and return it to the stove.

To make the praline icing: Add the butter and brown sugar to the sauce pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir constantly for 2 minutes. Add in the heavy cream and bring back up to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat and cool slightly, about 10-15 minutes. Once cooled off a little bit, add in the powdered sugar. Fold in the pecans. Working quickly, spread the praline icing over the blondie base in an even layer. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set the icing before cutting into bars.

Arizona Sunshine Lemon Pie

For the pie:

• 1 large lemon
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 (9 inch) pie crust, unbaked (You can use a frozen deep dish)

For the topping: (optional)

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Take the pie crust out of the freezer or make your own. If using ready-made, place it on a cookie sheet because the metal pan was not that strong but if using a glass pie plate you won't need to do this.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Wash the lemon then cut up and remove all the seeds. (Don't peel it, you will blend the whole lemon!) Place in your high powdered blender (such as a Vitamix). Add the eggs, butter, vanilla and sugar. Blend until smooth. start at power 5 then move up to 10. Pour the mixture into your piecrust. Bake for about 40 minutes or until set. Let cool then chill in the fridge.

For the topping: Place your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for about 20 minutes.

Add your whipping cream and sugar. Whip until peaks form. Slice pie and serve chilled with a dollop of the whip cream on top. This can be enjoyed warm (is just won't be as firm) or room temperature but we preferred it chilled.

Pecan Pie Pound Cake

• 4 sticks butter
• 4 cups sugar
• 4 cups flour (cake or all purpose)
• 8 large eggs
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 2 to 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 jar of caramel ice cream topping

Leave cream cheese, butter, and eggs out to reach room temperature. In mixer, cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time. Then, add flour, one cup at a time. Last, add vanilla flavoring. Grease and flour a tube or Bundt pan and pour in batter. Pour in batter first, then sprinkle pecans and brown sugar on top (a cup or little more of each). Lightly press into the batter. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. (You may want to tent the top with foil to keep the nuts from scorching.) Then, increase the temperature to 325 degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Test the cake with a fork or wooden skewer to check for doneness. The utensil should come out dry and clean (no batter). Bake 5 more minutes if not quite done.

Remove from the oven and allow a few minutes to cool before removing from pan. When you invert onto a plate, you may lose a few nuts, but most will bake into the top layer of crust. Then, turn the cake onto another plate so that the nuts are on top. Drizzle with jar of caramel ice cream topping. Heat from the cake will make the caramel melt over the pecans.

Strawberry Triple Layer Cake

Cake Ingredients:

• 1 box white cake mix
• 1 (3 ounce) box strawberry Jello
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup all-pursose flour
• 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, finely chopped
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup milk

Strawberry butter cream frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 (16 ounce) packages powdered sugar
• 1 cup fresh strawberries finely, chopped

Make the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 3 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray (preferred to use the baking nonstick cooking spray that contains flour). Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix all cake ingredients with an electric mixer on low until just combined. Scrape the side of the bowl, and increase mixer to medium and beat for 3 minutes. Pour cake batter into prepared pans and bake until a tooth pick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 23 minutes. Cool cake in pans on rack for about 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely.

If using the following recipe for strawberry butter cream refrigerate cakes until completely chilled.

Meanwhile make frosting: In a large bowl, beat the butter at medium until it's pale yellow and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and strawberries and beat at low until well combined and creamy. Set in the refrigerator for about 5-10 minutes to firm it up slightly (you don't want it to be runny).

Spread one of the layers of cake with frosting then refrigerate. Frost the second layer and refrigerate until the frosting on both layers has firmed up a bit. Assemble all the layers and frost the top and sides. Refrigerate.

Brown Sugar Shortbread

• 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup coarse sugar for rolling, optional

Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, light brown sugar, and dark brown sugar together on medium-high speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. On low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer up to high speed and beat until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and, with floured hands, divide into two. Shape each half into an 8-inch log, about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Tightly wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 5 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough. It is best to chill overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

Remove logs from the refrigerator and roll into coarse sugar, if desired. It's added only for a little crunch and to look pretty. Slice each log into 12 equally thick cookies and place cookies on baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. Cookies will stay fresh covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 1 week.

Make ahead tip: Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Cookie dough logs freeze well too, up to 3 months. Allow the logs to thaw overnight in the refrigerator then continue with cutting and baking instructions.

1950's German Chocolate Sheet Cake

• 1 package Baker's German sweet chocolate (4 ounce)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups purpose flour, sifted, then measured
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large egg yolks, room temperature (reserve whites)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 4 large egg whites, beaten to form stiff peaks

Coconut pecan filling and frosting:

• 1 can evaporated milk (12 ounce size) (not sweetened condensed)
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted
• 4 large egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 7 ounces Baker's Angel flake coconut
• 1 1/2 cups broken pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 X 16-inch sheet or jelly roll baking pan. If you prefer a thinner cake, use the larger pan. You may also use three 9-inch pans and frost between the layers. Sift two cups flour and then measure again for accuracy. Stir in baking soda and salt and set aside. Microwave chocolate in the water until chocolate is melted, about 1 minute and 30 seconds, depending on microwave. Remove from microwave and stir well, set aside.

Separate eggs. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and set aside. Using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar just until combined. Add egg yolks one at a time, mixing after each addition. Slowly add melted chocolate to butter mixture while mixing. Scrape sides of bowl with spatula and mix well. Add vanilla and mix well. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Do not use a mixer on this part!! Stir by hand using a spatula or spoon. Once mixed, you may use your hand mixer for no more than 10-20 seconds, just to make sure batter is mixed well.

Fold in beaten egg whites. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, depending on the size pan you used.

For the frosting: Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Add milk, sugar, vanilla and egg yolks and cook over medium heat for about 12 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and add coconut and pecans. Stir until combined. Pour warm frosting over cooled cake.

Note: If you're making the three 9-inch layers, you'll want to let the frosting cool a bit to thicken.

Caramel Stuffed Krispie Treats

For the caramel filling:

• 14 ounces caramel pieces, unwrapped
• 1 can (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup butter

For the Krispie layer:

• 12 tablespoons butter, divided in half
• 10 cups Rice Krispie cereal, divided in half
• 10 cups mini marshmallows, divided: 4 cups, 4 cups and 2 cups

Grease a 9×13 pan, set aside.

Caramel Filling: In a large microwave safe bowl combine caramel pieces, sweetened condensed milk and 1/2 cup butter. Microwave on high in 1 minutes increments (stirring after each) until caramels are melted, approx 3-4 minutes. Stir until smooth, set aside.

Krispie Treats: Take 6 tablespoons butter and 4 cups marshmallows. Heat in microwave for 1 minute, stir, repeat if necessary in 20 second increments until marshmallows are melted. Stir until butter and marshmallow are combined. Pour 5 cups Krispie Rice Cereal into marshmallow mixture, stir until coated. Lightly press into the bottom of prepared pan. Pour caramel mixture over top of Krispie layer and then sprinkle 2 cups mini marshmallows on top of that.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes until caramel has set. When caramel has set repeat the Krispie layer with remaining ingredients. Lightly press final Krispie layer on top of caramel. Tip: Spray a piece of parchment or wax paper lightly with cooking spray and press the Krispies lightly and evenly into pan. Let Krispies set up for at least 2 hours before cutting into squares. The caramel layer takes a bit of time to set up.

Loaded Chunky Brownies

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup banana, mashed with a fork (about one medium-large banana)
• 12-ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, reserve 1/4 cup for top
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips for the top

Mix butter, eggs, sugars, salt and vanilla with an electric mixer until well mixed. Add flour, mashed banana and chocolate chips. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Spray a 9×13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spread brownie mixture into prepared pan. Smooth the top with a knife or rubber spatula. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes just until lightly golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

5 Minute Creamy Key Lime Pie

• 1/4 cup water
• 1 package (4-serving size, 0.3 oz) sugar-free lime Jell-o
• 2 containers (6 ounces each) Key Lime Pie yogurt (Yoplait)
• 1 tub (8 ounces) frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed
• 1 pre-made graham cracker crust

In a microwave-safe measuring cup, heat water for 45-90 seconds or until boiling. Whisk in Jell-o until dissolved. In a large bowl, whisk together Jell-o mixture and yogurt. Fold in whipped topping. Carefully spread in crust. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or until set. Garnish as desired. Store in refrigerator.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.