Coconut bars

The favorite treat of the manfriend, and most people I've shared it with.  This dessert features walnuts (or pecans if you prefer), coconut, chocolate and butterscotch.  I usually hate butterscotch, but in this dessert, I love it.  Nuts are also something I typically omit from my desserts...they're good...they just don't belong in sweets.  However, once again, I prefer this with the nuts.

Ingredients:
12 oz (2 packets) chocolate graham crackers
1/4 c sugar
3/4 c butter
*1 c chocolate chips
*2/3 c butterscotch chips
*4 oz walnuts
*8 oz sweetened flaked coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk

*I'm kind of guessing on the amounts.  I just sprinkle enough over the top to make a layer...adding extra of what I really want and less of what I don't.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.  Line glass baking dish with parchment paper.  Crush graham crackers and add melted butter.  Stir to mix completely.  Press into bottom and up sides of baking dish.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool (about 20 minutes).  Sprinkle chocolate and butterscotch chips and pecans over crust.  Drizzle condensed milk over mixture.  Add a layer of coconut.  Return to oven until coconut is toasted, about 10-15 minutes.  Let cool.

White Chocolate Tart...finally!

My parents just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.  I'm so proud to have parents that can be partners and keep the love going strong for 50 years.  They are are real testament to what marriage is all about.

So, of course, we threw them a big party.  I, naturally, signed up to bring dessert...I mean, c'mon, it's me.  I brought Phyllo Cups with Chocolate Mousse and Fruit, and a White Chocolate Tart, at the request of my sister-in-law.

The phyllo cup recipe is already on my blog, so here's the tart recipe that many people have begged me for since I created it.

Ingredients for crust:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
zest of 1/2 lemon
2 oz chocolate chips*

Ingredients for filling:
10 oz vanilla/white chips
1/4 cup and heavy whipping cream
1 8-oz package neufchatel cheese (or cream cheese)

Ingredients for whipping cream:
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp sugar

Ingredients for topping:
Fresh fruit of your choice

Preheat oven to 300.

In a small mixing bowl, cream together butter and powdered sugar.  Gradually mix in flour and lemon zest.  Press into 11 inch tart pan.  Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove crust from oven and place 2 oz chocolate chips on crust.  Return to oven for 2 minutes until chocolate has melted.  Spread chocolate over crust with spoon.  Allow crust to cool.

While waiting for crust to cool, melt white/vanilla chocolate.  Beat together melted chips and 1/4 heavy cream.  Add neufchatel cheese and continue beating until smooth.  Spread over cooled crust.

Place a medium mixing bowl and metal beaters in freezer for 5 minutes.  Remove bowl and beaters and beat 3/4 cup heavy cream until soft peaks form.  Add lemon juice and sugar and continue beating until you have stiff peaks.

Layer whipped cream over chocolate filling.  Cut up fresh fruit and place in a design on top of tart.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

*I'm guessing on the amount.  You want the chocolate to form a thin layer on the crust when melted.

Banana dessert rolls

There isn't really a recipe for this...I just kind of threw these things together. My inspiration for these bananas came from friend bananas at the Thai restaurants we love, as well as Banana Spring Rolls with Coconut Ice Cream from P.F. Chang's.

I thought they were a bit too banana-y for me, but would love to replace the banana with berries, or peaches. Bananas aren't exactly my favorite fruit...but the man friend loves them and keeps begging for this dessert (and telling me I could sell it. Ssshhh, don't tell him I just gave you the recipe).

Ingredients:
2-3 sheets phyllo dough
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon
Nutella
2 bananas

Preheat oven to 350.

Take a sheet of phyllo dough and lay it on a large cutting board. Melt buttress and brush it on the dough. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over sheet. Place a second sheet of phyllo on top. Repeat process if going to use a third sheet. Once the last sheet is placed, cut phyllo stack into 6 equal sections.

Coat top piece of phyllo with nutella, staying 1/2 inch from all sides. Cut each banana into three equal sections. Roll phyllo around a piece of banana and fold ends in. Brush with melted butter and place on a cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining.

Bake for 5-7 minutes, until phyllo is golden brown. Remove from oven and serve warm.

Phyllo cups with chocolate mousse and fresh fruit

Phyllo cups are easy to make, yet very elegant. They become heavenly once you throw in some chocolate mousse. I mean, what isn't better with chocolate mousse? The fruit is almost optional with this recipe...

For the phyllo cups:
3 sheets phyllo dough
4 tbsp butter
Cinnamon
Sugar

For the mousse:
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup (4tbsp) unsalted butter
1/4 cup water
1 tsp instant coffee
8 oz bittersweet chocolate


Preheat oven to 375. Grease every other cup in a muffin tin. Set aside.

Melt butter on stove. Remove from heat. Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a large cutting board, and cover remaining phyllo with plastic wrap and a damp cloth to prevent dough from drying. Brush phyllo with melted butter. Evenly sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over the entire sheet. Place a second sheet of phyllo on top of the first. Repeat buttering process and add cinnamon and sugar again. Add third piece of phyllo on top. Do not butter this one.

With a sharp knife, cut phyllo down the center and then into sixths by cutting lengthwise twice. Gently place stacks of phyllo dough into a lightly greased muffin tin. Repeat with remaining sections, for a total of six cups (or start over and make another six...there will be plenty of mousse for 12 cups).

Bake until phyllo is golden, about 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool completely and gently remove from tin.

While waiting for cups to cool, whisk egg yokes, sugar, butter, water, and coffee in a double boiler or large metal bowl until combined. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, or turn on your double boiler. Whisk constantly until mixture thickens slightly - about 3-5 minutes (if using a thermometer, until 160 degrees). Add chocolate and continue to whisk until melted and smooth. Turn off heat.

In a large bowl, beat egg whites and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until soft peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the beaten eggs into the chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining mixture. Cover and chill until set, a minimum of three hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, fill phyllo cups with mousse and sprinkle fresh fruit on top. My favorite is raspberries, if I can wait long enough to put fruit on top...which has only happened once.