Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Prepare the almond shortbread crumbs by rolling the almond shortbread between sheets of wax paper. Or place a little at a time in a blender or in a food processor at low speed until finely crushed.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar. Slowly add the whole eggs and the egg yolks to the butter mixture.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine cake flour, almond meal, cinnamon, almond shortbread crumbs and lemon zest.

Add this to the eggs and butter mixture and blend. The mixture should be well blended but not over mixed.

Using a spatula, spread the mixture on the base of the tart mold about 1/4' thick.

Spread a thin layer of Bonne Maman Apricot Preserves over the crust, leaving 1/4' around the edges free of preserves. Fill a pastry bag with a medium star tip and pipe criss-cross decoration over the preserves. To finish the crust, pipe a border around the edge of the mold.

Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool and dust with powdered sugar. Serve with whipped cream.

You may also make individual tarts or cookies. To make cookies, fill a pastry bag with the mixture and use a medium star tip to pipe small round circles onto a baking sheet. Fill the center with Bonne Maman Apricot Preserves and bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Directions

Shortbread Cookie Crust:
Grind shortbread cookies in a food processor or crush until very fine with a rolling pin. Mix cookie crust ingredients together and pat only on the bottom of the prepared pan.

Almond Praline Cheesecake:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. The temperature is correct. The Almond Cheesecake batter is made using a different recipe than most cheesecakes, and therefore needs a lower baking temperature.

Take a 9" springform pan apart, line the bottom plate with aluminum foil, then reassemble the pan. Pull the excess foil up and around the pan to prevent any batter from leaking into the oven. Spray sides and bottom with vegetable spray.

Place a pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven and close the door.

In a mixing bowl on medium speed, beat cream cheese until smooth for approximately 2- 3 minutes. Scrape down sides. Add sweetened condensed milk and beat again, scraping a few times during mixing. The batter should be smooth. Add almond extract and eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition until creamy. Add flour, and beat only until the batter is lump-free and filling is nice and fluffy. Scrape as needed.

Pour batter into prepared pan on top of the shortbread crust, and bake at 300 degrees for 55-65 minutes.

When completely chilled, and removed from the pan, carefully spoon the Almond Praline Topping over the top of the cheesecake. Likewise, the Praline Topping can also be spooned on each individual slice just before serving.

Almond Praline Topping:
Mix brown sugar and cream together in a small saucepan. Bring to a slow simmer until sugar is dissolved. Simmer for 5 minutes longer stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in almonds and brandy. Let cool until ready to top the cheesecake.

Makes one 9" cheesecake. Serves 12 - 14. Wrap and refrigerate any leftovers.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, pour the bourbon or apple juice over the raisins and microwave on high for 45 seconds. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Combine the raisins, apples, lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon, brown sugar, cookie crumbs, pecans and butter in a large bowl.

Remove the phyllo dough from the box, unfold, and cover with a damp towel. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on the work surface and brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat with the remaining sheets, brushing each with melted butter, stacking when done, being sure to keep the unbuttered phyllo covered.

Place the apple mixture on the nearest third of the phyllo stack, being sure to leave a 2-inch border. Gently lift the bottom edge of the phyllo stack to cover the filling and fold the side edges over. Continue to roll the stack away from you until the filling is completely sealed in and the seam is on the bottom. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Pour over the glaze and sprinkle with cinnamon and confectioners' sugar. Pass warm caramel sauce, to drizzle over the strudel.

For the Glaze:
Mix ingredients thoroughly.

*Cook's Note: If too thick add a little bit of milk. If too thin add a little bit of confectioners' sugar.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Score the apples around the middle. Place in an ovenproof dish. Fill the cored apples with a mixture of marmalade, shortbread crumbs and raisins. Pour the wine over the filled apples and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for one hour, basting occasionally. Peel the orange with a potato peeler, squeeze it and save the juice. Cut the rind into slivers. Transfer the cooked apples to a serving dish. Reduce the orange juice and the cooking liquor in a pan. Decorate the apples with the orange rind. Serve with the sauce and yogurt.

Directions

Blend 1/2 and 1/2 blue cheese and cream cheese. Serve as a spread on top of the Mini Oatcake with a slice of apple and toasted walnuts.

Directions

For the tart crusts, preheat oven to 350F and place four 4 1/2' tart pans with removable bottoms on a large baking sheet. (Alternatively, you could make one large tart in a 9' tart pan, or 12-16 mini tartlets). Process oatcakes in food processor until they become fine, even crumbs, about 30 seconds. Place crumbs in medium bowl and stir in butter and egg white until well combined.

Divide oatcake mixture between prepared pans. Using your fingers, press mixture firmly to bottom and up sides of pans. Bake in oven 10-12 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Melt butter in a large, heavy-duty skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add fresh thyme and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until onions are golden, about 15 minutes.

Divide chopped brie between tart shells, sprinkling in an even layer over each crust. Sprinkle onions evenly over cheese in tarts. Bake until brie is melted and slightly bubbly, about 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir fig jam and water together. Drizzle over tarts. Once pans are cool enough to handle, remove tarts. Serve warm.

Directions

Lay the shortbread cookies out on a utility platter.

Heat the caramel topping in a small saucepan so that it is viscous and spoon some on each cookie.

Place the brandy and bananas in a saute pan and light the brandy to flambe the bananas. When the brandy has burnt off, place a banana piece on top of the caramel on each cookie.

The chocolate to coat the bananas will be tempered, a term used to describe the successive melting and cooling of the chocolate within a certain temperature range. This process allows the molecules of the chocolate to align so that it will retain a silky appearance without a chalky finish. To temper the chocolate, place half of the semisweet chocolate pieces in each of 2 stainless steel bowls which will fit over a saucepan double boiler fashion. Bring an inch or so of water to a boil in the saucepan and fit 1 of the bowls of chocolate pieces over it and heat until those chocolate pieces are just melted (about 90 to 100 degrees F on the candy thermometer). Then pour this just-melted chocolate into the other bowl with the unmelted chocolate, stir to combine, and return all of the chcolate to the double boiler and heat to about 105 degrees F. Remove from the heat and immediately whisk in the ground espresso.

You will need to work quickly to spoon the espresso chocolate over the caramel coated bananas, and sprinkle each with a teaspoon of shredded coconut before the chocolate hardens. Allow chocolate to harden, remove carefully from the utility platter using a thin bladed spatula, and serve.

Directions

In a heavy saucepan, combine water and caramels over low heat to melt the caramels. Stir frequently until smooth. Dip the shortbread fingers in the hot caramel sauce, turning until coated. Roll in the chopped cashews and place on wax paper.

Directions

For the Cake: Prepare an 8" springform pan buttering the inside lightly. Break up the biscuits into 1/2" chunks, not fine crumbs, placing in a bowl, set aside.

Place the cream, honey, butter, and all the chocolate pieces into a bowl over simmering water. Stir until combined and all the chocolate is melted. Add the vanilla, cherries, stir and pour the chocolate mixture over the biscuit chunks. Stir well to coat.

Pour into the pan, tapping lightly on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Chill for 3 hours. Unmold, invert and place on a rack, with a cookie pan underneath; remove bottom.

Prepare the ganache: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and cream. When the mixture reaches a boil, remove it from the heat and pour over the chocolate bits, stirring until completely melted and smooth. Pour the glaze evenly over the cake, allowing it to drip down and completely cover the top and sides. Allow it to firm up, transfer it to serving plate.

Chill for 20 minutes or until firm. Cut with sharp knife that has been dipped in hot water.
Serve with whipped cream if desired. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Directions

Using an electric standing mixer, fitted with wire attachment, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Set the cream aside.

Change the wire attachment to a paddle attachment. In another bowl, cream the cream cheese, 1/2 cup melted chocolate, and orange liqueur. Mix thoroughly, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.

Line 6 small heart-shaped ceramic molds with dampened cheesecloth, allow the cheesecloth to hang over the sides of the mold. Fill each mold with the chocolate filling. Fold the overlapping cheesecloth of the filling, covering tightly. Place the molds on a baking sheet and refrigerate overnight, at least 12 hours. Remove the hearts from the molds and discard the cheesecloth.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dip about 3/4 of each strawberry in the 1 cup melted chocolate. Place the strawberries on the baking sheet and chill the berries until the chocolate is set, about 4 to 6 hours.

Serve the hearts on individual plates with the strawberries and cookies.

Directions

Line a plate or pan with a sheet of parchment paper.

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter together until it is smooth and pourable. If the mixture is too thick, you can stir in a touch of heavy cream to thin it out. Set the burner to a simmer and let sit while you continue with the following steps.

Take one shortbread cookie, bottom side facing up, and place a teaspoon of the fruit preserve in the center. Take a second cookie, bottom side facing down, and place it on top of the first cookie. With the sandwich in your hand, gently apply pressure until the preserve has spread throughout the middle. Wipe away any excess fruit preserve that may have emitted from the cookie. Repeat steps with remaining cookies.

Dip the end of one sandwich in the chocolate. Place the cookie on the parchment paper and repeat the steps for the remaining shortbread.

Place the tray or plate in the refrigerator for at least an hour and then transfer to a storage container.

Can be served immediately or stored up to a week.

Directions

Place graham crackers and cookies in food processor or blender, and pulse until fine crumbs. Add sugar and butter, and pulse again to mix thoroughly. Empty into bottom of springform cake pan (or pie tin). Set to side.

Break chocolate into pieces and place in the top of a double boiler. Melt slowly.

Place water in small sauce pan. Sprinkle gelatin on top of the water and let sit for 10 minutes. Then heat the water slowly until gelatin dissolves. Do not boil.

Blend gelatin mixture, cream cheese, sugar and lemon juice in food processor or mixer. When thoroughly blended, fold in melted chocolate. Pour mixture over prepared crust.

Refrigerate overnight for best results. Suggested wine: Justin Obtuse Port Wine