Pumpkin Dessert Bars

Ingredients:

• 1-3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1-1/3 cups Imperial Sugar® / Dixie Crystals® Granulated Sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 5 eggs
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup cold water
• Whipped topping and ground nutmeg, optional

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and 1/3 cup sugar; stir in butter. Press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
2. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and 2/3 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in 2 eggs just until blended. Pour over crust. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.
3. Meanwhile, separate remaining eggs and set whites aside. In a large saucepan, combine the yolks, pumpkin, brown sugar, milk, salt and cinnamon. Cook and stir over low heat for 10-12 minutes or until mixture is thickened and reaches 160°. Remove from the heat.
4. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Heat over low heat, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir into pumpkin mixture; set aside.
5. In a large heavy saucepan, combine reserved egg whites and remaining sugar. With a portable mixer, beat on low speed for 1 minute. Continue beating over low heat until mixture reaches 160°, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat; beat until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved.
6. Fold into pumpkin mixture; spread evenly over cream cheese layer. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or until set. Garnish with whipped topping and nutmeg if desired. Yield: 15 servings.

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Make Your Own Marshmallows

ingredients

• Vegetable oil for brushing pan
• About 1 cup confectioners' sugar for coating pan and marshmallows
• 3 (1/4-ounce) envelopes powdered unflavored gelatin
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Special equipment:

• Pastry brush; 1 (9-inch) square baking pan; small, fine-mesh sieve; 4 1/2-quart or larger stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; candy thermometer

preparation

Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with vegetable oil. Using a small, fine-mesh sieve, dust the pan generously with confectioners' sugar, knocking out any excess.

Put 1/2 cup water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Sprinkle the gelatin into the bowl and stir briefly to make sure all the gelatin is in contact with water. Let soften while you make the sugar syrup.

In a heavy 3- to 4-quart saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water. Place over moderate heat and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Put a candy thermometer into the boiling sugar syrup and continue boiling (the mixture may foam up, so turn the heat down slightly if necessary), without stirring, until the thermometer registers 240°F (soft-ball stage). Remove the saucepan from the heat and let stand briefly until the bubbles dissipate slightly.

With the mixer on low speed, pour the hot sugar syrup into the softened gelatin in a thin stream down the side of the bowl. Gradually increase the mixer speed to high and beat until the marshmallow is very thick and forms a thick ribbon when the whisk is lifted, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.

Scrape the marshmallow into the prepared pan (it will be very sticky) and use wet fingertips to spread it evenly and smooth the top. Let stand, uncovered at room temperature, until the surface is no longer sticky and you can gently pull the marshmallow away from the sides of the pan with your fingertips, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Dust a cutting board with confectioners' sugar. Use a rubber spatula to pull the sides of the marshmallow from the edge of the pan (use the spatula to loosen the marshmallow from the bottom of the pan if necessary) and invert onto the cutting board. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar. Brush a long thin knife or a chef's knife with vegetable oil and dust with confectioners' sugar to prevent sticking; continue dusting the knife as necessary. Cut lengthwise into 8 strips, then crosswise into eighths, to form a total of 64 squares. (For larger marshmallows, cut lengthwise into 6 strips, then crosswise into sixths, to form a total of 36 squares.) Coat marshmallows, one at a time, in confectioners' sugar, using a pastry brush to brush off any excess. DO AHEAD: Marshmallows can be stored, layered between sheets of wax paper or parchment in an airtight container in a dry place at cool room temperature, for 1 month.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Homemade-Marshmallows-51152000#ixzz2aCrSEfuV

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Chocolate and Peanut Butter Parfaits

For the chocolate base:
1 cup milk, 2% or higher
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon butter
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped

For the peanut butter base:
1 cups milk, 2% or higher
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 egg yolk
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoons butter

For the whipped cream:
1 teaspoon powdered gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
1 pint (2 cups) heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

 

In a medium sauce pan combine the milk, sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and egg yolk.  Whisk until very well incorporated then cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it begins to simmer and thicken.  Remove from the heat and add the vanilla, butter and chopped chocolate and stir until melted.  Pour through a strainer into a separate bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium sauce pan combine the milk, sugar, peanut butter, cornstarch, and egg yolk.  Whisk until very well incorporated then cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it begins to simmer and thicken.  Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and butter, and stir until melted.  Pour through a strainer into a separate bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Allow to cool to room temperature.

Next, prepare the whipped cream.  Pour the gelatin into the cold water and allow to stand for five minutes, or until completely bloomed.  Heat for five seconds in the microwave, making sure it is melted, and cool to room temperature.  Pour the cold cream into the bowl of a stand mixer.  Add the powdered sugar and vanilla.  Whisk on medium low speed until the sugar is blended then increase the speed to medium high.  When the cream is softly whipped pour in the cooled gelatin.  Whip until the cream forms medium peaks.  Chill for thirty minutes, covered, in the refrigerator.

Gently stir both the chocolate and peanut butter bases until smooth.  Add 1/3 of the whipped cream to each base and fold until the mixtures are uniform in color.

Fill three piping bags with the peanut butter mousse, the chocolate mousse, and the whipped cream.  Pipe the mousse into your serving dishes/glasses in alternating layers, starting with chocolate and ending with whipped cream.  Chill the parfaits for at least two hours before serving. 

Source: http://www.evilshenanigans.com/2010/10/short-rib-sandwiches-sweet-potato-chips-chocolate-peanut-butter-parfaits-and-blood-orange-and-ginger-sparkler/

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