DESSERTS

Cashew Caramel Crunch Squares
Double Layer Pumpkin Pie
White Chocolate Mousse Pastries
Black Forest Cake
Honey, Nut and Cranberry Granola
Buttermilk Pralines
Apple and Cheddar Souffle
Regal Custard

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CASHEW CARAMEL CRUNCH SQUARES

  1. Grease a 13 x 9-inch pan.
  2. Put the caramels, butter and water into a large saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Place over medium-low heat and cook 18 minutes, stirring occasionally, or microwave on high 3-4 minutes, stirring every minute, until caramels melt and mixture is smooth.
  3. Stir in cereal and nuts. Let cool 1 minute, the stir in white chocolate chips.
  4. Press into prepared pan and let cool. Invert onto cutting board. Cut in 2-inch squares.

Makes 24.

DOUBLE LAYER PUMPKIN PIE

  1. Mix cream cheese, 1 tbsp. milk and sugar in a large bowl with a wire whisk until smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spread on bottom of crust.
  2. Pour 1 cup cold milk into large bowl. Add pumpkin, pudding mixes and spices. Beat with wire whisk until well mixed. (Mixture will be thick.) Spread over cream cheese layer.
  3. Refrigerate 4 hours until set. Garnish with additional whipped topping, if desired.

Makes 8 servings.

WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PASTRIES

  1. Bake pastry shells as directed on package. Cool on wire rack.
  2. Microwave white chocolate and 1/4 cup of cream in a large microwavable bowl on high 2 minutes or until white chocolate is almost melted. Stir completely until melted. Cool 20 minutes or until room temperature, stirring occasionally.
  3. Beat remaining 1 1/4 cups cream in chilled medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Do not overbeat. Fold 1/2 pf the whipped cream inot white chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whipped cream just until blended. Spoon into pastry shells. Drizzle with melted chocolate.
  4. Refrigerate up to 6 hours.

Makes 6.

BLACK FOREST CAKE

  1. Bake cake according to manutfacturer's directions in a 13" x 9" pan.
  2. Mix pie filling and almond flavoring.
  3. While cake is still warm, poke top with fork and spread cherry filling over cake.
  4. While cake cools, prepare pudding, adding extra vanilla flavoring. Fold in whipped topping.
  5. Spread mixture over cake, carefully covering cherry pie filling.
  6. Decorate with chocolate sprinkles and Maraschino cherries. Cover and refrigerate.

Serves 10-12.

HONEY, NUT AND CRANBERRY GRANOLA

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Have ready a large roasting pan.
  2. Stir oats, almonds and coconut in pan to mix well.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk butter, sugar, honey, vanilla and cinamon until smooth. Pour over oat mixture. Toss with a fork to coat.
  4. Bake 50 minutes, stirring with a fork every 10 minutes, until mixture is golden brown and toasted.
  5. Cool in pan on a wire rack about 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cranberries. Store airtight.

Makes 11 cups.

BUTTERMILK PRALINES

  1. Grease 3 cookie sheets.
  2. Bring sugars, buttermilk, butter and corn syrup to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stiring occasionally. Boil 8 minutes or until a candy thermometer reads 230 degrees F. (Or when a small amount of syrup dropped into very cold water forms a 2-inch thread.) Add pecans and stir 10 seconds or until bubbling subsides. Return to a boil and boil 5 minutes or until thermometer reads 240 degrees F. (Or when syrup dropped into very cold water forms a soft ball, which flattens when removed.) Remove from heat (take extra care not to spatter the sugar mixture) and stir vigorously 3 minutes or until mixture thickens and turns from clear to opaque.
  3. Working quickly, drop tablespoonfuls at least 1 inch apart onto prepared cookie sheets. (Stir briefly over low heat if mixture gets too thick.) Cool completely. Store in airight containers with waxed paper between layers.

Makes about 40.

APPLE AND CHEDDAR SOUFFLÉ

  1. Heat milk slowly in saucepan. Remove form heat before it boils.
  2. Melt butter in saucepan. Whisk it as you gradually sprinkle in flour and keep cooking and whisking resulting in a roux for another 5 minutes.
  3. Still whisking roux, drizzle in still-hot milk. Cook over low heat, stirring steadily until sauce thickens (approximately 8-10 minutes). Remove from heat.
  4. Stir in spices, salt and honey. Pre-beat the egg yolks and drizzle them into hot mixture, beating constantly. Transfer whole thing to a large bowl. Stir in cheese, apple and walnuts. Let it cool at room temperature, stirring occasionally.
  5. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold them gently and quickly into sauce. Turn souffle into its baking dish.
  6. Place in preheated oven, turn temperature down to 350 degrees F, and leave the soufflé to bake in total concentration for 40 minutes, then remove and serve.

Serves 6.

REGAL CUSTARD

meringue:

  1. Add sugar to hot milk; stir to dissolve.
  2. Beat yolks until frothy; gradually beat in hot milk mixture. Add vanilla extract.
  3. Pour into well-greased 1-quart baking dish. Bak at 350° F for 30-35 minutes; remove from oven. Pour cream of cocoa over surface.
  4. To make a meringue, beat egg whites until stiff; gradually beat in sugar replacement and vanilla extract.
  5. Spread half the meringue over custard. Decorate with remaining meringue, pressing it into a pastry tube or dropping from a teaspoon.
  6. Return to oven and bake 12-15 minutes more or until meringue is lightly brown.

Serves 12.