APPLE CAKE WITH VANILLA SAUCE

• 2 cups sugar

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 2 eggs
• 4 large apples, cored and grated
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

For Vanilla Sauce (Makes 3/4 cup.)
•1 cup water
•1/2 cup sugar
•1 tablespoon cornstarch
•2 tablespoons butter
•2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•pinch salt

• Cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs one at time. Add grated apples. Sift together flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add in half of flour mixture stir in until incorporated, add second half and still until just mixed. (I stir in the flour by hand to avoid over-mixing.)
• Pour into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. (less if you bake convection)

Vanilla Sauce Directions

1. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Combine sugar and cornstarch, blend well. Add sugar and cornstarch mixture to boiling water; reduce heat to medium, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and add the butter, vanilla, and salt, stirring until butter is melted. Spoon over dessert Enjoy!

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SCRUMPTIOUS CHOCOLATE CAKE/RASPBERRY SAUCE

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
2/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
raspberry sauce (recipe follows)
fresh raspberries for garnish, if desired
16 mint sprigs for garnish, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan; set aside.

In a large mixer bowl with mixer set at low speed, combine the flour, sugar, buttermilk, eggs, cocoa, butter, baking powder, baking soda, and vanilla extract just until completely blended.  Increase mixer speed to high and beat 3 minutes.  Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Set pan on a wire rack to cool.  Cut cake into 16 squares and top pieces with the raspberry sauce when serving.  Garnish with a couple of fresh berries and a mint sprig if desired.

RASPBERRY SAUCE:
2 cups thawed frozen raspberries in syrup
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch

Puree the raspberries in an electric blender; strain and place in a small saucepan.  Stir in the sugar and cornstarch; cook mixture until thickened and boiling.  Sauce may be covered and kept in the refrigerator.

RICH HOT FUDGE SAUCE

1 pkg (8 squares) unsweetened chocolate

1/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla

Microwave the chocolate and butter in a large microwaveable bowl on high for 2 minutes or until butter is melted.  Remove from microwave and stir until the chocolate is completely melted.

Add the sugar, milk, and whipping cream to the chocolate mixture and stir until blended.  Microwave 5 minutes or until the sauce is thickened and the sugar is completely dissolved.  Stir after the first 3 minutes of cooking.  Add the vanilla and stir in.

Serve immediately over ice cream, pound cake, etc.  May also be served warm as a fondue for dipping fresh fruits, cookies, pound or angel food cake cubes, etc.

the file photo

BUTTERSCOTCH NUT SAUCE

This is an old Nestle recipe and photo.

1 pkg (6-oz) Nestle Toll House butterscotch flavored morsels
1/4 cup evaporated milk
5 tsp orange flavored liqueur or orange juice
5 tbsp  finely chopped orange sections
2 tbsp chopped nuts

Over hot, not boiling, water in the top of a double-boiler, melt the butterscotch morsels, stirring until smooth.

Add the evaporated milk and orange liqueur or juice to the melted morsels; blend with a fork or wire whisk until smooth.

Stir in the orange sections and chopped nuts.

Serve while warm over ice cream, pound cake, etc.

Yield: 1 1/3 cups sauce

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HOMEMADE FRUITY MAPLE SYRUP

1/2 cup real maple syrup
1 bag (12-oz) frozen mixed berries, thawed
1 tsp lemon zest 
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl.  Serve over waffles, pancakes, or even ice cream, if desired.

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WW DARK CHOCOLATE SAUCE

8-oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup water

pinch salt

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

Fill a medium saucepan with 1 1/2-inches water and set over medium-low heat; bring to a slow simmer.

Combine chocolate, water and salt in a medium bowl and set over the saucepan; whisk until the chocolate mixture is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove bowl from the saucepan, whisk in the vanilla extract. Use immediately or cool to room temperature. Cooled sauce may be transferred to a covered container and refrigerated for up to 1 month. Stir well to serve chilled or gently reheat.

Yield: 2 cups

Per serving of 2 1/2 tablespoons: 88 Calories, 6 g fat (4 g sat), 25 mg sodium, 10 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein, 10 mg calcium

WW Points 2 

Note: to make a deep dark mocha-flavored sauce, substitute 1 cup of strong brewed coffee for the water.

WW Photo

FRESH STRAWBERRY-RASPBERRY COMPOTE

This berry compote is great served over pound cake or angel food cake for a light dessert.

1/4 cup maple syrup
1 quart strawberries
1 pint raspberries
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

In a large bowl, gently stir all the ingredients together (a large silicone spatula works well for this.) Serve over slices of cake.

file photo - not this exact recipe

STRAWBERRY DESSERT AND PANCAKE SAUCE

1 cup whole strawberries

1/3 cup apple juice
1 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt

Put the whole strawberries and apple juice in blender container and puree. Pour mixture into a bowl. Stir in the sliced strawberries and gently fold in the yogurt.

Serve over pancakes, waffles, angel food or pound cake.

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HOMEMADE HOT FUDGE SAUCE

8-oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan with a heavy bottom; cook over low heat, stirring constantly until completely melted. Cook until steamy and uniformly smooth but do not boil!!

Serve over ice cream, pound cake, etc.

 

CHOCOLATE PRALINE ICE CREAM TOPPING

1 cup whipping cream

2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring cream, brown sugar and butter to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat then simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat.

Stir the chocolate chips into the hot mixture until melted and smooth. Stir in the pecans.

Serve warm over ice cream (also good over pound cake).

Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Yield: 3 cups

FULE PHOTO

PENNY SMART'S AMAZING CARAMEL SAUCE

 Other than correcting some spelling, this is copied directly from Penny Smart.

Amazing Caramel Sauce

Alright everyone, this recipe is too good to keep to myself!
I love a tablespoon of this added to my coffee and nothing more,
or on ice cream, or for dipping apples, the possibilities are endless!
Anyone can make this, and if you are having difficulties send me a
message and I'll help you!!
Recipe yields 1 1/2 cups (although I usually double it but its just
as easy to only make a half batch)

1 cup packed brown sugar (I use light brown or golden)

1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter
Pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Melt butter in pot, mix in brown sugar, cream and salt.
Cook over medium-low heat and whisk gently
for about 7 minutes or longer if you doubled.
I remove the pot from the heat, add vanilla and return to
cook for another minute or so to thicken a bit more.
Take it off the stove and pour into a jar then pop it into the
fridge and VOILA you're done.

VERSATILE STRAWBERRY-LEMON SYRUP

3 cups sliced strawberries, divided
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon rind

Combine 2 cups of the strawberries, the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a non-aluminum medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, approximately 20 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and let stand 10 minutes.

Stir in the remaining strawberry slices and the lemon rind.

This syrup is good hot or cold. Perfect over pancakes, pound cake, frozen yogurt, ice cream, etc.

Yield: 2 cups
Per tablespoonful: 20 cal, 0.1g fat, 0.1 g protein, 7.3 g carbs, 0 sodium

Sauce shown here on peanut butter pancakes. 

Pancake recipe is on my quick fix recipes blog.

BAKED HAM WITH A PEACH SAUCE

I know, you are thinking why a baked ham on a sweets blog!  Well this yummy peach sauce gives this ham a sweet taste so I thought I would share it here.  If you are looking for a different ham for Easter this year, maybe this is the one.  You obviously love a sweet taste, or you wouldn't be on a "sweets" blog.  But don't worry, the next post will go back to desserts!

1 (approx 8-lb) fully cooked shank ham
1 cup peach preserves
1 jar (7.3-oz) coarse-grained Dijon mustard
2 cups peach nectar, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove the skin from the ham and discard.  Score the fat 1/8-inch deep in a diamond pattern.

Place the ham, fat side up, on a lightly greased rack in a shallow roasting pan.  Insert a meat thermometer; be sure it does not touch the bone.

In a large bowl, stir the preserves, mustard, and 1 cup of the nectar together; pour over the ham.

Bake ham at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 2 hours and 20 minutes or until the meat thermometer registers 140 degrees; baste with the pan juices every 20 minutes during cooking.

Transfer to serving platter but allow to stand 15 minutes before carving.

Make a sauce to serve with the ham by pouring the pan drippings into a large saucepan.  Add the other can of peach nectar and bring mixture to a boil.  Serve with the ham.


Yield: 8 to 10 servings

PECAN-PRALINE SAUCE

This sauce is great over ice cream, brownies, crepes, pancakes, etc.  It can be made 2 or 3 days ahead of serving and just reheated at serving time.

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 stick butter
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, bring the brown sugar, butter, and cream to a boil while stirring constantly.  Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and pecans.  Allow to cool slightly before serving but it should be served warm.

Yield: approximately 1 pint.

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CARAMEL SAUCE

This is an old recipe from Kraft Foods and the picture is from Kraft Foods, too.

1 bag (14-oz) caramels
1 pkg (8-squares) Semi-Sweet chocolate
1 can (12-oz) evaporated milk
1 cup Touch of Butter spread

Microwave ingredients in 2-quart microwave-safe bowl on High 6 to 8 minutes or until caramels are almost completely melted, stirring every 2 minutes.

Beat with an electric mixer until smooth; cool.

Yield: 4 cups

May be kept in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Place 1 cup in a small decorative jar or 2 cups into a pint jar, tie with a pretty ribbon and give as a gift.

Variation: For Fudge Caramel Sauce, increase chocolate to 12 squares.

RICH FUDGE SAUCE (PERFECT FOR GIFTING)

This lusciously rich fudge sauce is great at home or make a batch, put it in pretty glass jars, tie a ribbon around the neck and give as a delicious gift.

1 cup whipping cream
3/4 cup granulated sugar
8-oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
1/3 cup clear corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
dash of salt

In a heavy saucepan combine the cream and sugar.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Stir in the chopped chocolate, corn syrup, and butter.  Lower heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted and ingredients are blended.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.  Allow sauce to cool to room temperature then pour the sauce into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and store in refrigerator.  Or as suggested above, pour into small jars with tight-fitting lids, decorate with a pretty ribbon and a label to give as gifts. 

To serve:  Spoon into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 15 second intervals, stirring after each, until sauce is pourable.

 

 This is a file photo.