Bolo de Prestigio

Filling:
3 egg whites
1/2 C granulated sugar
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 C shredded coconut, toasted


Cake:
1/2 C butter
1 1/2 C granulated sugar
6 eggs- separated
1/2 C Milk
1  1/2 Flour
1 C  Cocoa Powder
1/2 TB Baking Powder

Soak:
1/2 C Almond Milk
2 TB Coconut Milk


Ganache:
9 oz bittersweet chocolate
1 C heavy cream

Filling:
In a saucepan, combine the egg whites with the sugar and stir over low heat, stirring constantly, to warm (about 3 minutes), without boiling. Remove from heat and transfer to a mixer still warm, beating until the mix is cool and forms a meringue (firm peaks). Add the sweetend condensed milk, toasted coconut, and mix gently. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to fill the cake.


Cake:
With an electric mixer, place the butter and sugar in bowl and beat until it forms a whitish mixture. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth. Add the flour and cocoa powder gradually, alternating with the milk and mix. Finally, add the baking powder and egg whites- beaten stiff, mixing gently. Pour into a round (28 cm in diameter) and greased and floured Bake in oven (180 ° C) preheated for about 30 minutes. Unmold the cake is still warm and set aside.

Topping: (Ganache) In a bowl, combine the cream and chocolate and cook in double boiler, stirring constantly until creamy smooth and well blended. Remove from heat and set aside. allow to cool slightly before pouring over cake-

Assembly: Cut the cooled cake into two or three parts horizontally. Line a round (28 cm diameter) with plastic wrap, place each (one by one wrapped in foil) cake piece and moisten with almond milk mixed with coconut milk. Soak overnight.    To Assemble: Layer cake and coconut mixture and other cake layer. (continue with another layer of coconut mix and cake if you make three layers instead of two). Cover with plastic wrap and chill for about 3 hours. Unmold the cake on a serving plate, spread the icing, decorate with ribbons of fresh coconut and serve.

Crepes- savory

1 1/2 C  Flour
1  TB sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 C milk
2  Eggs
 1/2 tsp vanilla
2  TB  melted Butter

Mix all ingredients in a blender.  Chill for at least 30 minutes.  (don't ask me how to cook them- I am not good at that.)

Cook crepes in pan- then fill with desired fruit, nutella, jams, etc.  Roll up and serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

Krispy S'mores Bars

1/4 C butter or margarine
45-50 regular sized Marshmallows
1 tsp Vanilla
1  Box ( smaller- like 14 or 15 oz size) Golden Grahams

4-6 whole chocolate bars. Depends on person preference.

Bag of mini-marshmallows.

Spray or butter a 9x13 pan. Unwrap Chocolate bars.

Melt butter and marshmallows over medium low heat in a large pan.  Add Vanilla.  Add box of cereal and stir well, to coat all.  Pour cereal mixture into prepared pan and press level with buttered hands.  Place pieces of chocolate bars across the top, using as many as you want.  We broke them into the 3part sections and placed them across with a little space in between- we used 5 bars I think.

Then cover with mini marshmallows so that you can't see the chocolate.  (We also use regular marshmallow cut in half.)

Now- for the tricky part.  Try not to start a fire in your oven.  This helps it to remain edible.  :)

Turn the oven broiler on to LOW-  I don't recommend using high because- well- in about 30 seconds you might just see lots of flames.  Make sure to keep the pan far enough away from the broiler as well. (you want about three inches clearance).  Now- broil until the marshmallows are nice and golden.  I don''t recommend blackened, although it does make for a more authentic s'more taste. Watch CAREFULLY- because it goes pretty fast. Remove from oven, let cool, and cut and serve.

Now- if you HAPPEN to burn your marshmallows, you just might be able to carefully scrape off the marshmallows and try that again.  Not that we have personal experience with that scenario or anything.  It is purely hypothetical. And no permanent damage incurred.  Except to my waistline.

"Black" and White Brownie Bites and Tarts

This topping for brownie bites or even for tarts is just a bit yummy- and obviously very easy.



Easy Topping/ Filling:

Mix together :

3 oz instant pudding (chocolate or white chocolate is yummy)
1 C cold milk
1 C Cool Whip-

allow to set up a little then pipe it on top- you can garnish with fruit or chocolate shavings if desired.



This topping is also yummy but more involved:


2 oz of Baking White Chocolate
2 TB milk
1 8oz pkg of softened cream cheese
1/4 C powdered sugar
1 C Cool Whip


Microwave milk and chocolate for 1 min. Stir until smooth. Mix sugar and cream cheese well and add chocolate mix. Fold in Cool Whip. Let set up- then pipe onto brownie bites or tarts.



Brownie Bites:

For the brownies- you can make from scratch if the recipe is more cake like- if not use a mix and follow the directions to make the cake like version (usually just an additional egg). Then using a mini muffin tin- grease

Indent brownie cups immediately when you remove them from the oven. I have a tart shaper for that- but you could use something else- like a medicine measuring cup or something else that fits inside of the muffin tin and leaves about 1/8 inch or so around the edges. Cool 15 minutes and remove from pan- finish cooling completely before topping.



Tarts:

1/2 C butter
1/3 C sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1&1/3 cups flour

Beat butter until fluffy. Add sugar until well blended. Add yolk and vanilla-mix well. Add flour gradually, beat constantly until blended.

make small balls from dough- approx- 1 tbsp size- you want enough that it come up to the top of the cup when it is formed. Place in mini muffin tin or mini tart pan. Push down with tart shaper to form or the back of a round measuring spoon. Bake at 350-

If using jelly to fill-

bake 8-10 min. Fill indentation with small amount of jelly. Bake an additional 8-12 minutes. Cool 2-3 minutes only- then remove to cooling rack. you can also put jam in afterwards- which is what I did


If filling after baking-

then cook for approx 13- 15 minutes- cool 2-3 minutes ONLY- then remove to cooling rack and allow to cool completely before filling with pudding filling.

It is important to remove from pan quickly or you will have a tough time getting them out.

Sour Cream Shortcake Biscuits

This is a yummy alternative to the yellow sponge cake or angel food cake that you can buy. It is from an episode of M. Stewart years ago-

SOUR CREAM SHORTCAKE BISCUITS

Makes 6 large or 8 smaller biscuits

2 Cups all purpose flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 Cup sugar plus 2 TBSP or more- for sprinkling
4 TBSP unsalted butter- CHILLED
1 Cup sour cream (not low-fat)
1/4 Cup whole Milk (although I do use 2% just fine.)

Preheat oven to 425-. Line a baking sheet with a silpat baking mat or piece of parchment ( or spray lightly). In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in 1/4 C sugar. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture looks like it is course meal. Stir in milk and sour cream. Scoop dough into high mounds- evenly spaced on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining sugar (I like mine nice and sparkly). Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool slightly before splitting. (These are best fresh- but still good if saved- just not crispy)

Pile with fruit (sweetened) of choice- Strawberries for strawberry shortcake, peaches, blueberries, or whatever suits your fancy and whipped topping. An easy way to impress company for dessert or a treat.

Blueberry Cobbler

This is a dutch oven recipe that can be made in the oven- but it can't be beat in the mountains-

Blueberry Cobbler-

2 cans of Blueberry pie filling
1 box of French Vanilla Cake mix
1 can of lemon lime pop
1/4 c butter or margarine
Vanilla
Cinnamon

Completely line your dutchoven (12 in) with foil- NO CLEANUP LATER! Fill bottom with pie filling. Sprinkle liberally with cinnamon and about 1 tsp of vanilla- more if you like vanilla. Next cover with the dry cake mix. Put the butter in small pats around the top of the cake mix. Sprinkle with more cinnamon and vanilla. Finally, pour the pop over the top. Place the lid on and cook with coals on top and underneath, rotating every so often to help it cook evenly. In about 30 min- you have a heavenly dessert- you can serve with whipped topping or your sister-in-law's vanilla ice cream while camping in the mountains- The mountain air is sure to cancel out those pesky calories-

Oh Henry- Rice Crispy bars

O' Henry's

2 C sugar
2 C White Karo Syrup
7 C Crispy Rice Cereal
2 C salted peanuts
2 c peanut butter
12 oz pkg butterscotch chips
12 oz pkg chocolate chips

Bring sugar and Karo just to a boil. Don't overcook or bars will be hard. Add peanut butter and peanuts and stir. Add cereal. Pour into large 12 x 17 inch cookie sheet. Melt both flavors of chips, blend and spread over the top of the mixture in the pan. Let set. Cut into bars.