Cherry Almond Baked Alaska

This recipe may seem intimidating in length and steps. The beauty is that you can build any combination of ice cream, filling and cake for an impressive dessert. Included are the cake and filling recipes shown, however any brownie or cake can be used as the base, and the filling can be a frosting, preserve, chocolate or simply eliminated. The molds can be prepared and frozen a week ahead, leaving just the meringue step for serving day!

Makes 8 individual servings.

You will need

• 1 qt. Cedar Crest^® Black Cherry Ice Cream

• 1 recipe Almond Cloud Cake

• 1 recipe Frangipane Filling

• 1 recipe Meringue

• 8 – 3” prep bowls or custard cups

• Cooking torch

Ingredients

Almond Cloud Cake

• 2¼ cups cake flour

• 1 Tbsp. baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• 1¼ cups buttermilk

• 4 large egg whites

• 11/2 cups sugar

• 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp. almond extract

Frangipane filling

• 3/4 cup (about 7 ounces) almond paste (not marzipan)

• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/4 tsp. almond extract

• 1 egg

• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

• 1/4 tsp. salt

Meringue

• 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

• 4 egg whites

• 1/2 cup sugar

Directions

Frangipane filling

Can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the almond paste until it is crumbly. Add the butter, sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, egg, flour and salt, and continue to pulse until the mixture is combined and smooth. Cover tightly and refrigerate until needed.

Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9”x13” pan parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl. Combine the sugar and the butter and beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until very light. Beat in the extracts, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly-mixed and well-aerated. Divide the batter between the pans and smooth the tops with a spatula.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch. Cool completely.

Assembly

1. Line 8 – 3” prep bowls or custard cups with plastic wrap, allowing excess to hang over rim of bowl. Pack ice cream into each cup, flush and smooth to the top.

2. Using a round cutter or knife (using prep bowls or custard cup as guide), cut out 8  – 3” rounds of cake. (Note: scraps of cake can be frozen and later layered with whipped cream and fruit for an easy dessert!)

3. Spread a ¼” layer of almond filling on each cake round. Place each cake round on top of ice cream bowls, filling side to ice cream.

4. Wrap each ice cream/cake bowl in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours or up to 1 week.

5. Prepare meringue: Place cream of tartar and egg whites in a large bowl; beat on medium speed of a hand mixer until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Add sugar, and beat until stiff but not dry peaks form, about 2 minutes.

6. Remove ice cream/cake cups from freezer and unmold. Place, cake side down, on a parchment lined bake pan (if using oven) or individual plates (if using torch).

7. With a spatula, cover each mold with meringue, creating peaks and swirls.

8. Torch: using a cooking torch, brown meringue.

Oven: preheat oven to 450ºF. Bake until meringue turns golden, about 5 minutes.

9. Serve immediately!

Ditch-the-Can Green Bean Casserole

A fresh take on a holiday classic sure to impress the foodies at your table.

Ingredients

1/4 lb. bacon
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup shallots, diced
1 pound crimini mushrooms, chopped
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
Sea Salt
Ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne powder
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. corn starch
1 cup Mountain High™ plain yogurt
1/2 cup whole milk
1tsp. honey
1/8 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup white cheddar cheese
1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed and blanched or frozen, thawed

Crunchy topping:

1/2 cup panko crumbs
1/8 cup grated Parmesan
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
Bacon (from above)

Fried shallots:

3 medium shallots, sliced and separated into thin rounds
1/2 cup all-purpose flour or corn meal
Vegetable oil, for shallow frying

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Fry bacon to crispy in skillet on medium heat. Discard excess fat.
3. Add the butter and oil to the pan. When butter is melted, add the mushrooms, onion and shallots. Cook so the mushrooms begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme and garlic, and continue cooking the mushrooms until brown on the edges. Season with the salt, pepper and cayenne. Cook 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Dust the mushrooms with the flour. Whisk to incorporate the flour and gradually add in the chicken stock.
5. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and add the yogurt and milk. Stir gently and cook over low heat until gravy thickens, 5 to 6 minutes.
6. Add the cheddar cheese and 1/8 cup of the Parmesan, stir until melted.
7. Add the blanched green beans to the pan and fold together so everything is mixed well.
8. Spread out evenly in a greased baking dish. Finish with crunchy topping (below).

Crunchy topping:

1. Mix together crumbled bacon, remaining Parmesan cheese, panko crumbs and thyme. Season with salt & pepper.
2. Bake until the casserole is bubbly throughout, about 20-25 minutes.

Fried shallots:

1. While the beans are baking, pour the vegetable oil into a deep skillet and heat to 350°F.
2. Pour the flour or corn meal into a Ziploc bag and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss the shallot rounds in the seasoned flour, and shake off any excess.
3. Fry the shallots in the hot oil in small batches until golden brown, 2-4 minutes.
4. Drain on paper towels and season with salt while still hot. Top the green bean casserole with the fried shallots and serve.

Recipe inspired by Guy Fieri

S’more Brownie Cheesecake Skillets

There’s something about these adorable mini cast iron skillets that make for impressive individual desserts.

With brownie as a base, you can create endless ooey, gooey combinations. Here are a few of our favorite ideas:

• Chunks of creamy cheesecake, strawberry sauce and a dollop of fresh whipped cream
• A scoop of coffee gelato, drizzled with sea salt caramel sauce and sprinkled with cashews
• Dark cherry ice cream, fudge sauce and pistachios

Share your favorite idea with us! Let us know on Twitter or Instagram @INFoodMktg.

S’more Brownie Cheesecake Skillets

Yield: 6 (3.5”) skillets

Ingredients

1 cup graham crackers, crushed

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips or toffee bits

1 1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided use

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Toppings

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake (cubed) recipe follows

Hot fudge sauce

Graham cracker crumbs

Marshmallow crème

Alternate Topping Ideas:

Turtle Brownie Skillet

Caramel Sauce

Hot Fudge Sauce

Toasted Pecans, chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a small bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup melted butter.

Place a heaping tablespoon of crumbs in each skillet and loosely spread out.

In a large bowl over simmering water, melt butter, 4 oz. of chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate until smooth. Set aside and let cool for about 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, vanilla and sugar. Stir the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until well combined. In a medium bowl, sift together 1/4 cup of flour, baking powder and salt and add to the chocolate mixture, stirring until just combined.

In a medium bowl, toss together the remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips or toffee bits and 1 tbsp. of flour and fold them into the chocolate mixture. Divide batter into twelve 3-1/2 inch cast iron skillets and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, taking care not to over bake.

Top with Vanilla Bean Cheesecake (recipe follows) chunks. Drizzle with hot fudge. Sprinkle with remaining graham cracker crumbs. Garnish with a dollop of marshmallow crème. For a toasty finish, torch the marshmallow crème!

Note: Cheesecake can be substituted with ice cream.

Basic Vanilla Bean Cheesecake (crust-less)

Yield: 1 – 8”x8” pan

Ingredients

2 (8 oz.) packs Philadelphia brand cream cheese, softened

1 (14 oz.) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk

1/8 cup flour

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla bean paste or 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Line 8”x8” cake pan with aluminum foil, so that batter will not leak through.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add vanilla and flour, mix well. Add eggs one at a time until incorporated, do not over mix.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until center is set. Remove from oven. Allow to cool and then refrigerate. Once chilled, cheesecake can be placed in freezer for a few hours to make cutting easier. Lift foil and cheesecake out of pan. Cut into 1/2” cubes.

Cheesecake Baked Apples

Mmm… morels!

Let them eat cake!

Nothing says “I love you” quite like rich chocolate cake. Lori’s go-to recipe for Flourless, (and almost) Effortless Chocolate Kahlua Cakes is the perfect easy Valentine’s Day recipe. Baked in individual ramekins, these gluten-free chocolate cakes pair perfectly with fresh strawberry-basil compote for a unique and delicious dessert.

Flourless Chocolate-Kahlua Cakes

Yield:
8-10 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter
4 oz. semisweet chocolate
4 oz. dark chocolate
7 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 oz. coffee liqueur (Kahlua)
5 egg whites

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 10 – 6 oz. ramekins. In the top of a double boiler, melt the butter and chocolate and stir until smooth. Whip the egg yolks and the sugar until fluffy and pale in color. Fold butter and chocolate mixture into the egg yolk and sugar mixture, adding the coffee liqueur. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks and gently fold into the chocolate mixture. Pour into ramekins and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until centers are just set. Allow to cool completely. Top with Strawberry Basil Compote or other variation listed below.

Strawberry-Basil Compote:
1 1/2 pints strawberries, cut into bite size pieces
5-6 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips (chiffonade)
Zest from 1 lime
1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Mix strawberries, basil chiffonade, lime zest, lemon juice and sugar until well incorporated. Add freshly ground pepper to taste.

Variations:
• Drizzle with prepared caramel or fudge sauce, and toasted salted cashews, pecans or hazelnuts
• Dust with powdered sugar
• Finish with a dollop of freshly whipped cream

Honey-Tomato Bruschetta with Homemade Ricotta Recipe

Homemade Ricotta – makes for a fresh, festive bruschetta spread!

This is delicious topped with a thin slice of prosciutto and a dollop of fruit preserves, like fig or apricot, or simply drizzle with truffle oil (yum!) and sprinkle with fresh herbs.

Rich Homemade Ricotta

Makes about 1 cup

• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Pour the milk, cream and salt into a 3-quart nonreactive saucepan. Attach a candy or deep-fry thermometer. Heat the milk to 190°F, stirring it occasionally to keep it from scorching on the bottom. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice, then stir it once or twice, gently and slowly. Let the pot sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.

Line a colander with a few layers of cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl (to catch the whey). Pour the curds and whey into the colander and let the curds strain for at least an hour. At an hour, you’ll have a tender, spreadable ricotta. At two hours, it will be spreadable but a bit firmer, almost like cream cheese. (It will firm as it cools, so do not judge its final texture by what you have in your cheesecloth.

Eat the ricotta right away or transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Note: Ricotta can be prepared and stored in airtight container for 3-4 days.

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen

Honey-Tomato Bruschetta with Ricotta

Servings: 12 bruschetta

• 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons clover honey
• 2 teaspoons thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 12 baguette slices, cut 1/2 inch thick on the bias
• 1 cup fresh ricotta (see recipe above)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 6 basil leaves, thinly sliced or torn

Preheat the oven to 300°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with the olive oil, honey, thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Scrape the tomatoes onto the prepared baking sheet and turn them cut side up. Bake the tomatoes for about 1 hour and 25 minutes, until they begin to shrivel and brown. Let cool.

Preheat the broiler. Spread out the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Broil for about 30 seconds on each side, until the edges are golden brown.

Spread the ricotta over the baguette slices and top with the slow-roasted tomatoes. Lightly drizzle the tomatoes with the buckwheat honey, sprinkle with the sliced basil and serve with additional buckwheat honey on the side.

Note: Roasted tomatoes can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving. 

Recipe was adapted from Susan Spungen’s recipe in Food & Wine.

Lori’s Delicious Bacon Jam Recipe

After our bacon brand test, we convinced our talented Creative Director and Team Chef, Lori, to whip up her famous bacon jam recipe for the team—and even better, we asked her to share the recipe with all of you! We love it on everything, but especially tangy goat cheese, turkey sandwiches, rosemary crackers and spoons.

Try this super simple, sure to please recipe this fall:

Bacon Jam

Ingredients

1 pound bacon, chopped in 1-inch squares (I used applewood smoked)
2 large shallots, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup strongly brewed coffee
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (I used 1/3 cup white balsamic)
3 Tbsp. real maple syrup
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. water

In a heated skillet, cook bacon until crisp, remove bacon from pan and reserve the grease.
Sauté the garlic and shallots in the bacon grease until soft.
Add brown sugar, coffee, vinegar and syrup to the shallots and garlic and simmer 5 minutes.
Add bacon, pepper flakes and water and stir gently.
Simmer on low for about 35 minutes stirring often until the liquid is evaporated and the mixture is syrup-y.
Place the entire mixture in a food processor and pulse a few times until it reaches the consistency of chunky jam.

This recipe makes approximately two cups.

Unsure of which bacon brand to use for this recipe? Check out our Bacon Brand Test.

Is Nutella Good for You?

The New York Times recently published a story about Columbia students stealing Nutella from campus dining services, who was caught in the struggle between offering brands students love and running a profitable business. The school was losing thousands of dollars weekly due to Nutella theft. The saga sounds far from over, but it got us thinking about Nutella and what a popular brand it’s become on this side of the pond.

We attribute some of the Nutella craze to the increasing number of students studying abroad who return with an incurable love for this delicious chocolate-hazelnut spread, but we also recognize their interesting marketing strategy. Nutella markets their product as part of a healthy breakfast, however, it basically has the nutrition content of a melted candy bar. Their description makes it sound wholesome, a “combination of roasted hazelnuts, skim milk and a hint of cocoa,” but it has 200 calories per 2 Tbsp serving, with 2g protein and 21g of sugar – almost the same as a standard sized milk chocolate Hershey bar (210 calories, 24g of sugar, 3g protein). Even in the office we had to convince a few team members that Nutella isn’t healthy—it’s just marketing! After a little research we discovered there was actually a consumer class action settlement against Nutella for misleading marketing.

While we aren’t going to recommend it as the next health food, we think Nutella is delicious in moderation. Try topping your favorite cereal treats with Nutella as a decadent frosting—because that’s basically what it is!

**We don’t own the above image. Click to view source.

Hot Dogs Go Gourmet!

Betsy's Gourmet Hot Dogs

The arguments against eating hot dogs are long and easy to find, but we thought there was more to this ballpark classic. Our graphic designer Betsy will stand up for her favorite food any day, so she set out to show the IN crew and our readers just how great they can be.
First and foremost, they are very convenient and easy to make. Most hot dogs are pre-cooked so you can just pop them in the microwave if you don’t have time to grill or boil water. Their easy prep is great for kids and non-cooks. They are also convenient for on-the-go meals, whether you’re throwing them in the cooler for a barbecue or packing a lunch for work.
For many of us, hot dogs taste like summer. As Betsy says, “What’s a barbecue without hot dogs?!” They are a crowd pleaser; great for kids and adults. It’s also easy to swap out meat hot dogs for vegan-friendly fake dogs. While you most often see hot dogs on a bun with ketchup and mustard, they are very versatile. Betsy showed us just how easy it is to make gourmet hot dogs with these great recipes.

Bacon – Ranch – Avocado Dog
This was the team’s favorite spin on a classic. We couldn’t decide what ingredient made it best, but we’d happily eat this again.

Mac ‘n Cheese Dog
Macaroni and cheese is great with hot dogs! We didn’t love the carb-on-carb of noodles on bread, so next time we’ll ditch the bun.

Caprese Ka-dogs
Betsy skewered buffalo mozzarella pearls, halved grape tomatoes, basil leaves and hot dog slices to make a great little toothpick kabob. Tip: try drizzling it with a little olive oil.

Taco dogs
Skip the bun and use a tortilla! Betsy topped this hot dog with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, jalapenos, sour cream and salsa.

Did Betsy’s recipes convince you to give hot dogs a second chance?