Cherry Blossom Mold – Unknown source

2 cups boiling liquid (water or fruit syrup)
1 package (6 ounces) cherry Jell-O
2 cups sour cream
2 cups pitted dark sweet cherries (1 pound can)

Pour boiling liquid over Jell-O, stir until dissolved, and cool. Add sour cream, eat until smooth and chill until slightly thickened but not set. Stir in cherries. Pour into individual bowls or serving bowl and chill until firm. Garnish with additional cherries.

Chocolate Delight – Detroit friend, Eleanor Bloom

1 egg yolk
2 ounces semisweet chocolate
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla

Combine egg yolk and vanilla in food processor. Combine chocolate and heavy cream in heavy saucepan; stir over low heat until chocolate is melted, cool slightly, and pour over ingredients in food blender. Blend until thoroughly mix. Pour into individual bowls and refrigerate until cold and firm.

Flan – Unknown source

Beat 4 eggs lightly with 4 tablespoons of sugar. Slowly add 2 cups of hot milk. Stir in 4 teaspoons of vanilla. Caramelize ¾ cup of sugar and pour into butter baking dish. Add custard mixture and place pan in hot water in 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until know comes out clean.

Fruit Compote – Unknown source

Dried fruit
1 medium can cherries (not pie filling)
1 small can mandarin orange sections
1/3 cup sherry
1 can cherry pie filling
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix these ingredients together in a baking casserole. Top with can of cherry pie filling, sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Do not mix into dried fruit mixture. Cover tightly and bake for one hour at 350 degrees.

Chocolate Cream Slices – Time Life Cookbooks

THE CAKE

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
¾ cup (1½ quarter-pound sticks) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup sugar
4 eggs Separated
Pinch of salt
½ cup sifted flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. With a pastry brush or paper towel, butter an 11-by-17-inch jelly-roll pan and sprinkle the flour over the butter. Tap the edge of the pan on a table to knock out the excess flour.

Melt the chocolate over low heat in a heavy 1-quart saucepan or in the top of a double boiler placed over simmering water. Set the chocolate aside to cool to lukewarm. Cream the butter and ¼ cup of the sugar by beating them against the side of a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, continuing to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate and beat in the egg yolks, on at a time.

In another mixing bowl preferably of unlined copper, beat the egg whites and a pinch of salt with a wire whisk or rotary beater until the whites cling to the beater; add the remaining cup of sugar and beat until the whites form stiff, unwavering peaks. With a rubber spatula, stir about 1/3 of the whites into the chocolate base, then pour the chocolate mixture over the rest of the whites. Sprinkle the flour lightly on top. Gently fold the flour into the mixture until no white streaks are visible.

Pour the batter into the prepared jelly-roll pan, spreading it evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake in the middle of the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the cake shrinks slightly away from the sides of the pan and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, loosen it from the pan by running a sharp knife around the sides, and turn it out on a rack to cool.

THE FILLING

1 cup heavy cream
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken or chopped into small chunks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a heavy 1-quart saucepan, combine the cream and chocolate, and stir over medium heat until the chocolate dissolves. Then reduce the heat to very low and simmer, stirring almost constantly, until the mixture thickens into a heavy cream. Pour it into a bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. When the mixture is very cold, pour in the rum and vanilla and beat with a wire whisk or rotary or electric heater until the filling is smooth and creamy and forms soft peaks when the beater is lifted from the bowl. Do not overheat or the cream will turn to butter.

Cut the cake in half to make two layers, each 8 ½ inches wide. Over one layer spread the filling, which will be about 2 inches thick. Set the other layer on top. Refrigerate on a rack for about 1 hour.

THE GLAZE

7 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken or chopped into small chunks
1 cup fine powdered sugar
1/3 cup water

While the cake is refrigerating, make the glaze. In a heavy 1-quart saucepan, heat the sugar, water and chocolate over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar and chocolate are dissolved, Remove the pan from the heat, cover and let the glaze cool for about 20 minutes.

Set the rack holding the cake on a jelly-roll pan and, holding the sauce­pan with the glaze 2 inches above the cake, pour the glaze over it. Refriger­ate the cake on the rack 20 minutes longer, or until the glaze is firm.

Serve by cutting it into 35 small equal pieces, 5 in each row across and 7 in each row down. Use a sharp knife that his been dipped in warm water. Rinse the knife and dip it again in warm water before each cutting.

Chocolate Mousse – Detroit neighbor, Mimi Habert

3 eggs separated
2 ½ to 3 cups whipping cream
8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
1 tablespoon instant coffee dissolved in 3 tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons Kahlua

Heat water and coffee with chocolate over very low heat. Cool slightly. Beat egg whites until firm but not dry. Beat whipping cream to soft peaks. Beat egg yolks until fluffy and add cooled chocolate (slowly), mix thoroughly and carefully add Kahlua. Add chocolate to whipped cream and mix thoroughly. Fold ¼ of the egg whites into the cream mixture and then fold the remaining egg whites into the cream mixture. Make sure there are no streaks of egg whites. Pour into serving bowl or individual bowls and chill thoroughly.

Fruit Trifle – Unknown source

Serves 10

¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
3 beaten egg yolks
2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 ounce package (12) ladyfingers, halved lengthwise
1/3 cup dark rum
2 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped (1 cup)
1 quart fresh strawberries
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup currant jelly

In heavy medium saucepan, combine the ¼ cup sugar and the flour. Blend in milk, egg yolks and lemon peel. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and add the first teaspoon vanilla. Cover the surface with wax paper. Cool to just warm, about 30 minutes.

In a 1 ½ quart soufflé or serving dish, arrange half of split ladyfingers. Sprinkle with half the rum. Top with peaches. Spoon half of the warm custard over the peaches. Slice 1 cup of the strawberries; leave remaining whole and reserve for garnish. Top with remaining custard. Whip cream with the 2 tablespoons sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla just to soft peaks. Spread about half the whipped cream atop sliced berries. Pipe the remaining whipped cream with pastry tube and tip around edge.

Chill at least 4 hours. Just before serving, melt jelly in a small saucepan. Dip reserved whole strawberries in jelly; place atop for garnish.

Mocha Cream Roll – Unknown source

5 eggs separated
1 cup confectioner sugar
Dash salt
3 tablespoon cocoa

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease jelly roll pan and line with wax paper; grease and flour paper. In a large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks, continue beating at high speed and add ½ cup sugar until stiff glossy peaks; set aside. Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Reduce speed to low and beat in salt, ½ cup sugar, and cocoa. Fold yolks into whites until blended. Sprinkle cloth towel with cocoa. Spread batter in pan and bake for 15 minutes. When cake is done immediately loosen edges, invert over cloth, remove wax paper and roll towel around cake; cool seam side down on rack. When completely cooled, unroll and remove towel, fill with mocha filling and re-roll. Spread icing over top and sides; drizzle with glaze and refrigerate until serving.

Mocha Cream Filling

In medium bowl at medium speed beat 1 ½ cups cream, ½ cup cocoa, ¼ cup confectioner sugar, and 2 tablespoons Kahlua until stiff peaks form.

Chocolate Icing

In double boiler over hot water, melt 6 ounces chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons butter. Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons white corn syrup and 3 tablespoons milk.

Sugar Glaze

Stir ¾ cup confectioner sugar and 4 tablespoons water until smooth.

Mocha Mousse Ice Cream Pie – Birk’s mom, Rosemarie

1 package chocolate Famous cookie crumbs (about 2 cups)
½ cup melted butter

Press crumbs into bottom and sides of springform pan. Freeze until solid. Spread with 1 quart of slightly softened coffee ice cream. Freeze until solid.

6 ounces semisweet chocolate
5 eggs separated
4 tablespoons Kahlua
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 tablespoon sugar

Carefully melt chocolate and carefully stir in Kahlua. Add egg yolks one at a time, stirring constantly. Stir in vanilla. Beat egg whites until soft peaks, add sugar, and then beat until stiff. Stir one third of whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whites. Spread mousse over top of frozen ice cream. Top with whipped cream. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes prior to serving.

Rainbow Banquet Mold – Detroit NCJW – prepared for Beth’s Bat Mitzvah in September 1985

Two 3 ounce packages strawberry Jell-O
One 1 pound can sliced peaches
Two 3 ounce packages orange Jell-O
One 1 pound can peeled apricots pureed
Two 3 ounce packages lime Jell-O
One 1 pound can pear halves
Two 3 ounce packages raspberry Jell-O
One 14 ounce can blueberry pureed and strained
Two 3 ounce packages lemon Jell-O
One 1 pound can pineapple
1 pint sour cream
Two 8 ounce packages cream cheese

Dissolve each flavor of Jell-O in 1 ½ cups liquid (use fruit juice and water to make up the difference). Divide each flavor of Jell-O into two portions. Add sour cream to raspberry and 4 ounces of cream cheese to each of the other half portions. Brush 5 quart trifle bowl with oil. Use clear half of strawberry and peaches for bottom layer, then add creamed strawberry. Follow with orange and apricot puree. Cover with orange cream cheese; then lime and pear halves, covered with lime cream cheese, then lemon and pineapple, covered with lemon cream cheese. Chill between each layer. Serves approximately 35.

Pastry Cones Filled With Whipped Cream and Berries – Time Life Cookbook

Makes 16 to 18

2 eggs
1 cup superfine sugar
3 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons soft butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup chilled heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
16 to 18 fresh strawberries or ¾ cup lingonberries

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar until they are thoroughly combined. Now stir in the flour, a little a time, and mix until smooth. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with the 2 teaspoons of soft butter and sprinkle it with flour, tipping the sheet to coat it evenly. Turn the sheet over and tap it lightly against a table or counter to knock off any excess flour.

Place 2 tablespoons of the batter on the cookie sheet and with the back of a large spoon or a rubber spatula, spread the batter out to form a thin circle about 4 ½ inches in diameter. (Do not place more than 3 or 4 circles on the sheet; they dry out rapidly after having been baked and must be relatively moist if they are to be successfully formed into cones.) Set the cookie sheet in the middle of the oven and bake 6 to 8 minutes, or until the circles are a pale gold around the edges. Now quickly lift a circle loose from the cookie sheet with the flat of a metal spatula. Holding the circle gently in both hands, fold the two sides toward the center to form a cone. Stand the cone up in a water glass and let it remain there for 1 or 2 minutes, until it has dried and holds its shape. Now quickly shape the remaining baked circles, replacing the cookie sheet in the oven for a minute if the pastry has cooled too much and become brittle. Repeat with the remaining batter, using a newly greased and floured cookie sheet for each batch you prepare.

The cones can be baked several days in advance and kept crisp in airtight containers, just before you are ready to serve the cones as a dessert or confection - whip the chilled heavy cream with a wire whisk, rotary or electric beater in a large chilled bowl until it begins to thicken. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until it is firm enough to hold its shape. Spoon the whipped cream into the cones (or pipe it in with a pastry bag) and top each with a strawberry or a few lingonberries. A traditional and practical way of serving the cones is to place a drinking glass in the center of a shallow round bowl. Place 1 cone in the glass, then circle it with the others, leaning them against the glass.

NOTE: Forming the cone does take practice and some dexterity. For a simpler, but equally delicate dessert - a pastry sandwich - Place 1 tablespoon of batter on the buttered and floured cookie sheets and spread it into a 2-inch circle. Bake a dozen or so circles at a time, for 4 to 5 minutes, lift them from the cookie sheet with a metal spatula, and let them cool on a wire cake rack. When ready to serve, spread the whipped cream over half of the circles and cover them with the remaining circles.

Perfect Piecrust (directions for an unfailingly flaky piecrust) – Unknown source

No matter how much you handle this dough (and you can beat it with your rolling pin if you like), it will always be flaky, tender and delicious. Scraps can be rerolled if necessary and crust will never be tough. Dough can be left in the refrigerator up to 3 days. It remains soft and can be taken out and rolled at once. Or it can be frozen until ready to use. Thaw until soft enough to roll. Recipe makes two 9” double-crust pies and 1 pie shell (or single-crust pie) or about 20 tart shells. Use standard measuring cups and spoons for measuring ingredients, leveling off top with edge of spatula. Give recipe your undivided attention.

4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour (not instant or self-rising), lightly spooned into cup
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 ¾ cups solid vegetable shortening (not refrigerated; do not use oil, lard, margarine or butter)
1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar
1 large egg

1. Put first 3 ingredients in large bowl and mix well with table fork.

2. Add shortening and mix with fork until ingredients are crumbly.

3. In small bowl, beat together with fork ½ cup water, the vinegar and egg.

4. Combine the two mixtures, stirring with fork until all ingredients are moistened.

5. Divide dough in 5 portions and, with hands, shape each portion in a flat round patty ready for rolling.

6. Wrap each in plastic or waxed paper and chill at least ½ hour.

7. When ready to roll piecrust, lightly flour both sides of patty; put on lightly floured board or pastry cloth.

8. Cover rolling pin with stockinet and rub in a little flour. Keeping pastry round, roll from center to 1/8” thickness and 2 larger than inverted pie pan.

9. Fold In halves or quarters; transfer to pie pan, unfold and fit loosely in pie pan. Press with fingers to remove air pockets.

For One Crust Pie

Trim overhanging edge of pastry about 3/4” from rim of pan. Fold and roll pastry under, even with edge of pan. Flute edge by pacing right index finger on inside of pastry rim, left thumb and index finger on outside. Pinch pastry into V shape; pinch again to sharpen. If preferred, omit fluting and flatten pastry evenly on rim of pie pan. Press firmly around edge with tines of fork, dipping fork in flour occasionally to prevent sticking. Fill and bake as directed in individual recipe.

For Baked Pie Shell

Using table fork; prick bottom and sides of pastry thoroughly. (This keeps shell flat and helps it to hold its shape;) Put on rack in center of preheated very hot oven (450 F.) and bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown (pastry in aluminum pan may take a little longer than glass). Cool on cake rack (shell will shrink some and edges will pull away from side of pan). Fill as desired.

For Two Crust Pie

Turn desired filling into pastry-lined pan. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1/2” from rim of pan. Roll second round of dough, fold in halves or quarters and cut slits for steam to escape. Moisten edges of lower crust well with cold water. Transfer top crust to pie pan, unfold and roll top edge under lower edge, pinching top and bottom edges together (or press together with fork). Form a stand-up rim on edge of pan to seal well arid make fluting easier. Flute edge. To prevent excessive browning, cover edge with a 2” to 3” strip of foil; remove for last 15 minutes of baking. Bake pie as directed in individual recipe.

For Tart Shells

Roll piecrust patty to 1/8 inch thickness as above. Cut in 4 rounds 1 larger in diameter than tart pans, rerolling scraps if necessary. Press each round well into tart pan. Even off edges with thumb. Then prick bottoms with fork, set pans on cookie sheet and bake in very hot oven (450° F.) 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool slightly on cake rack arid carefully remove from pans by turning each out in hand. Put on rack to cool com­pletely and fill as desired. Note If tart pans are very small it may be easier to shape pastry on outside of pans. Cut and bake as directed. Loosen edges carefully with spatula to remove from pans.

Pots de Crème au Chocolat – California friend, Sue Talley

4 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 cup cream
1 large egg
2 egg yolks
1 ½ tablespoons dark rum

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the chocolate and cream in a medium saucepan. Stirring occasionally over low heat, cook until chocolate is completely melted. Whisk the egg and egg yolks together. Continue stirring the eggs and gradually, in a thin stream, pour on the hot chocolate mixture. Stir in the rum, and then pour through a fine mesh sieve into a 4 cup measure. Remove all foam from the top with a spoon. Slowly pour the mixture into ramekins and again remove all the foam from the top. Place the ramekins in the baking pan, place the dish in the middle rack of the preheated oven and pour in boiling water to come two-thirds up the sides of the ramekins. Set a sheet of foil loosely on top and bake about 20 minutes. A cake tester or point a thin knife should come out cleanly. Check during the baking time to be sure the water does not boil. If you feel it is coming close to boiling, add a few tablespoons of cold water and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and allow to cool at room temperature. You may serve these custards warm or chilled. Decorate with a bit of whipped cream if desired.