DARK CHOCOLATE LEMON TRUFFLES

Coated in White Chocolate

Ingredients:

1 cup dark chocolate

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter

3 Tbsp. heavy cream

1 tsp.  – 2 tsps lemon extract

icing sugar, for dusting

melted white chocolate for dusting, optional

chocolate powder for dusting, optional

sprinkles for dusting, optional

Directions:

Melt chocolate, butter and cream in a microwave. Stir until smooth.

Stir in extract. Cool for about 5 minutes.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm enough to handle.

With a melon baller or small spoon scoop out mixture and form into 1 inch balls. Toss with chocolate powder, melted white chocolate or sprinkles to coat.

Store covered in the fridge for up to one week. Freeze for longer storage.

Makes: 24

You can also use melted white chocolate to coat these truffles.  And, if you like, you can use a little red and some yellow food coloring to make the white chocolate orange.

Chocolate powder or sprinkles can also be used to coat the truffles.

Ingredients

Melted and Ready to set in the Refrigerator

All kinds of coating

LEMON TRUFFLE PIE

Lemon Truffle Pie – page 310 of “Pillsbury Baking Book”

I found this years ago in the Pillsbury Baking Book and it is the most delicious pie I have ever made.  It is creamy and delicious.  I make it when guests come for dinner and they rave over it.  It tastes so good, I am posting it because I want others to be able to experience the decadence.

Crust:

1 refrigerated pie crust for 9 inch pie crust (from 15 – oz. pkg.)

Filling:

1 cup sugar (I used Extra Fine Baker’s Sugar)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 cup water

2 egg yolks, beaten

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

¼ cup lemon juice

1 cup vanilla milk chips

1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

Topping:

½ cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon sliced almonds, toasted

-          Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Prepare pie crust for one-crust baked shell using 9-inch pie pan.  Prick crust with fork.  Bake at 450 for 10 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool 10 minutes. 

-          In medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and flour; mix well.  Gradually stir in water until smooth.  Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat. 

-          Blend about ¼ cup of hot mixture into egg yolks.  Gradually stir yolk mixture into hot mixture in saucepan.  Cook over low heat until mixture comes to a boil, stirring constantly.  Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. 

-          Remove from heat; stir in butter, Lemon peel and lemon juice.  Place 1/3 cup of hot lemon mixture in small saucepan; cool remaining mixture 15 minutes.  Add vanilla milk chips to hot lemon mixture in small saucepan.  Stir over low heat just until chips are melted.

-          In small bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Add vanilla milk chip mixture; beat until well blended.  Spread over bottom of cooled, baked pie shell.  Spoon remaining lemon mixture over cream cheese layer.  Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or until set.

-          In small bowl, beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form.  Pipe or spoon over pie.  Garnish with toasted almonds.  Store in refrigerator.

-          Yield 8 to 10 servings.

ORANGE & CHOCOLATE CHIP YO-CREAM

(Greek yogurt meets heavy cream, then gets churned and frozen)

Refreshing, Orangy, Creamy and Delicious.  The healthy benefits of Greek yogurt and the creaminess of ice cream combine for a spectacular flavor fantasy in this NEW frozen dessert.  (Very much like Swiss Orange Chip Ice Cream)

Ingredients:

1 cup plain non fat Greek yogurt

1 cup vanilla non fat Greek yogurt

¼ plus1/8 teaspoon pure orange extract
¾ cup  milk or almond milk
¾ - 1 cup sugar (I used extra fine baker’s sugar)
¾ cup heavy whipping cream

4 drops red food coloring and 6 drops of yellow food coloring (whatever combination to make orange), optional

2 teaspoons orange zest (grated in small pieces), or zest of 1 medium orange

1 to 1 ½ cups mini semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

In a blender, blend all of the ingredients (except chocolate chips and orange zest) just for about 30 seconds. Chill the blender mixture in the fridge for about an hour or so. Then churn according to your ice cream maker’s manufacturer’s instructions.  Just before you remove the yogurt from the ice cream machine add the mini chocolate chips and the orange zest. Be sure that the chips and zest mix in. Freeze for 3 hours before serving.  Top with your favorite topping.

Ingredients

Ready to Put in the Ice Cream Machine

Just Out of the Ice Cream Machine, ready to Freeze

LEMON PEPPER PASTA WITH SWEET BELL PEPPERS AND ROASTED PINE NUTS

Ingredients:
1 (8 oz.) bag Trader Joe’s Lemon Pepper Pappardelle Pasta

1 cup chopped sweet bell peppers, sautéed in 1 tablespoon butter

3 Tablespoons roasted pine nuts*

2 Tablespoons chopped green onion

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Parmesan Cheese to sprinkle over pasta

Directions:
Boil Pasta as directed 8 – 10 minutes.  While the pasta is boiling, sauté the chopped bell peppers in 1 tablespoon butter.  Sauté on low until the peppers are soft.  Drain pasta and toss with olive oil in a medium serving bowl.  Add the sautéed sweet bell peppers, roasted pine nuts and chopped green onion.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired.  Serve with Garlic Bread Sticks, and Lemon Pepper Chicken.

Toasted Almond Frozen Yogurt

Take your taste buds on a tantalizing toasted almond adventure trip.  Creamy and delicious.


Ingredients:

1 cup plain non fat Greek yogurt

1 cup vanilla non fat Greek yogurt

¼ teaspoon almond extract, optional
1 ½ cups original almond milk (in the dairy case)
¾ cup sugar (I used extra fine baker’s sugar)
¼ cup heavy whipping cream

½ to ¾ cup toasted sliced almonds*

Directions:

In a blender, blend all of the ingredients (except the toasted almonds) just for about 30 seconds. Chill the blender mixture in the fridge for about an hour or so. Then churn according to your ice cream maker’s manufacturer’s instructions.  Just before you remove the yogurt from the ice cream machine add the toasted almonds and be sure they stir in. Freeze for 3 hours before serving.  Top with your favorite topping.  My favorite is caramel topping, especially on toasted almond.

*To Toast Almonds, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place sliced almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees F. for approximately 3 minutes.  Stir, then cook for approximately 1 minute more.  For a burnt almond flavor, toast the almonds about 1 minute longer.  Remove from oven and let cool completely (you may freeze them if you wish).

Ingredients

Just finished churning

Just out of the freezer

Serving Time

with Fresh Strawberries and Chocolate Syrup

With Caramel Sauce

Toasted Trio

CREAMY COCONUT & VANILLA FROZEN YOGURT

Creamy Coconut & Vanilla Frozen Yogurt with a Trio of Toppings

2 cups non fat vanilla Greek yogurt
1 ¾ cup vanilla coconut milk (in the dairy case)
¾ cup sugar (I used extra fine baker’s sugar)
¼ cup heavy whipping cream

½ cup coconut flakes

In a blender, blend all of the ingredients (except coconut flakes) just for about 30 seconds. Chill the blender mixture in the fridge for about an hour or so. Then churn according to your ice cream maker’s manufacturer’s instructions.  Just before you remove the yogurt from the ice cream machine add the coconut flakes and be sure it stirs in. Freeze for 3 hours before servings.

For a pina/colada treat serve with fresh pineapple or pineapple ice cream topping.

For a refreshing berry delight, serve with berry freezer jam

Just for fun, serve with chocolate fudge or chocolate syrup

Just out of the ice cream machine and ready for the freezer

Pineapple Ice Cream Topping

Berry Freezer Jam Topping

Chocolate Syrup Topping

COCONUT PARADISE PUDDING COOKIES

Makes 36 large cookies

Wet Ingredients and sugar:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

½ cup butter, softened

½ cup extra fine baker’s sugar

½ Tablespoon vanilla extract

3 Tablespoons coconut milk

2 Eggs

Dry Ingredients:

4 cups flour (self rising)

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¾ to 1 cup sugar (extra fine baker’s sugar)

1 small package coconut cream instant pudding

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

Pineapple chunks, drained (optional garnish)

Chocolate kisses (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit.

Cream the cream cheese and butter.  Add ½ cup sugar.  Cream together.  Add vanilla and the coconut milk.  Mix well. Add the Egg and mix well.

Sift together the Flour, baking soda, salt sugar and coconut cream instant pudding

Slowly add the sifted ingredients to the wet ingredients.  Stir in the flaked coconut and the macadamia nuts.

Optional:  Top with a pineapple chunk or a chocolate kiss.

Place parchment paper on a baking stone (or a baking sheet).   Drop by large tablespoons full (if desired gently press a chocolate kiss or a pineapple chunk into the center of the cookie) and bake for 16 minutes or until set, rotating once during cooking.  Let set on baking sheet about 3 minutes then let cool on a cooling rack.

Serve with water, milk or juice.  

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

with Kisses Ready for the Oven

With Kisses just out of the oven

With Pineapple Ready for the Oven

With Pineapple, just out of the oven

Plated

Plated