Assorted Sweets

[Mama Mangia]

APPLE CHEESECAKE BARS

Makes 24 bars
1 -1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
3/4 cup butter flavor shortening or 3/4 stick
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Heat oven to 350ºF.
Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in large bowl; mix well. Cut in shortening with fork until crumbs form. Reserve 1 cup mixture. Spray 13x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Press remaining mixture onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake at 350ºF for 12 to 15 minutes or until mixture is set. Do not brown. Place on cooling rack.
Combine cream cheese, eggs, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended. Spread evenly over crust.
Combine apples and raisins in medium bowl. Add almond extract; stir. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice; mix well. Top cream cheese mixture evenly with apple mixture; sprinkle reserved oat mixture evenly over top. Bake at 350ºF for 20 to 25 minutes or until top is golden. Place on cooling rack; cool completely. Cut into bars

[Mama Mangia]

APPLE CORN FLAKE DESSERT


6 c. peeled sliced apples (I used Macs, Cortland and Delicious)
2 T. sugar
1/3 c. orange juice
1/3 c. brown sugar packed
2 T. butter or margarine
1/2 c. cornflakes
1/2 c. flour sifted
1/2 t. cinnamon1 T. grated lemon rind (you can use orange rind)
1 T. butter or margarine


Arrange apples in greased shallow baking dish (11 X 7). Sprinkle with 2 T. sugar; pour half of orange juice over.
Work 2 T. butter into 1/3 c. brown sugar until creamy. Add cereal, flour, cinnamon and rind; mixing into crumbly stage; spread over apples. Sprinkle remaining juice over and dot with butter. Bake at 375* F. for 30 to 40 minutes until apples are soft and top is nicely browned.
This can be served warm or cold, with cream, whipped cream, ice cream or whipped topping.

VARIATION: I have made this with chopped nuts on top or served with nuts on top of whipped cream/ice cream.

[Mama Mangia]

PEAR CRANBERRY WALNUT PIE

Crust:
21/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces and chilled
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, cut into pieces and chilled
3-5 tablespoons ice water
Filling:
5-6 medium ripe, firm pears, peeled, cored, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 cup fresh cranberries
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg white
2 tablespoons butter, cut in pieces
Topping:
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon sugar

To make the crust: In a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt. Add the butter and shortening and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, while pulsing until a dough ball forms. Remove the dough, cut it in half and shape each half into a disc. Wrap each disc in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
To make the filling: In a large bowl, gently combine the pears and cranberries. Squeeze the lemon over the fruit and toss again. Add the flour, walnuts and sugar. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one disc of dough into a 10-inch circle. Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Lightly brush the bottom of the dough with the egg white; this will help prevent a soggy bottom. Add the filling to the pie and dot the filling with the butter pieces. Roll out the remaining dough disc for the top crust and place on top of
filling. Seal and crimp or flute the edges. Cut several slits in the top to vent. Brush the top with the milk and sprinkle with the sugar. Place the pie in the oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until the filling is bubbly and pears are tender, about 40 minutes. If the crust edges begin to brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil. Remove from oven and allow the pie to cool completely before slicing.

[Mama Mangia]

Cheddar Apple Pie

Pastry for two-crust 9-inch pie. When making crust include a cup of extra-sharp finely grated cheddar cheese before adding water to the dough.
2/3 cup sugar
2 Tbls. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup Vermont cheddar cheese
6 or 7 Cortland or Northern Spy apples,
peeled, cored & thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line pie plate with half the pastry. Combine sugar, flour and spices and toss with apples and cheese. Spoon into pie shell, piling apples high in the center. Top with remaining crust. Slit decoratively for steam vents. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake another 40 to 45 minutes until crust lightly browns

[Mama Mangia]

Appelkoek


2 medium apples
1 1/2 cups flour
3 1/2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1 egg, well beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Peel and cut apples into eighths (wedges). Sift together flour, baking
powder and salt with 4 tablespoons of the sugar. Cut in butter.
Combine egg and milk and add to flour mixture. Turn batter into greased
8 inch square cake pan. Press apple wedges partly into batter. Combine
remaining 2 tbsp sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle over apple. Bake at 425
degree F for 25 to 30 minutes. (Serves six)

[Mama Mangia]

Spicy Apple Cake


This moist and spicy cake with a creamy spice icing is a real keeper.

Cake:

½ cup butter or shortening
¾ cup lightly packed brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ cup milk
2 cups finely chopped apple

Icing:

¼ cup butter or shortening
2 cups sifted icing (confectioners) sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
¼ cup evaporated milk, light cream or milk


Cake: Cream butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla in large bowl on medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add remaining ingredients except apple (sprinkle chopped apples with 1 tbsp of flour so that they don't sink to bottom of cake). Beat on low speed until blended, then on medium speed for 1 minute. Fold in apples. Spread evenly in greased 9-inch square cake pan. (Pan will be full.)

Bake at 350 F for 35-45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Icing: Beat all ingredients together until light and creamy, adding just enough milk to make a spreading consistency. Spread over top of cake.

Helpful Hint: Substitute rhubarb for the apple.

[Mama Mangia]

Jewish Apple Cake

Makes 1 cake


6-8 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
2 teaspoons cinnamon
5 tablespoons sugar
3 cups flour
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange juice
2.5 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water (or less)


Preheat oven to 350. Place apple slices in a large bowl. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and toss apples until evenly coated with mixture. Set aside. In a large bowl put remaining ingredients and beat these together until smooth. Pour half of the batter into a greased tube pan. Arrange half of the apple mixture over it. Pour remaining batter and top with the rest of the apple mixture

[Mama Mangia]

Almost As Good As Sex Cake


1 package (18 oz size)yellow cake mix (I use a homemade cake recipe)
1 can (14 oz. size) sweetened condensed milk
1 package (10 oz. size) frozen strawberry halves, in syrup, thawed
1 jar (19 oz. size) strawberry ice cream topping
1 carton (8 oz. size) cool whip
3/4 cup cocktail salted peanuts (optional)


Prepare cake mix according to package instructions and bake in 9x13 pan as directed on package. Cool.

Poke holes in cake with the handle of a wooden spoon. Pour milk evenly over cake and into holes.

Combine thawed strawberries and strawberry ice cream topping; mix well. Spoon evenly over cake and into holes. Spread whipped topping over the cake. Chop peanuts, if using, and sprinkle on top of whipped topping.

Chill 1 - 2 hours before serving. Cut into serving size squares.

[Mama Mangia]

Amaretto Cake


Cake

3/4 cup slivered almonds
1 box chocolate cake mix
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup amaretto liqueur

Glaze

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup Amaretto

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 12-inch Bundt or tube pan. Sprinkle almonds over bottom of pan.

Combine cake mix, pudding, eggs, oil, water and liqueur. Beat 4 minutes on high speed until light and fluffy. Pour into pan and bake 1 hour. Cool slightly and remove from pan. Prick top of cake with skewer and spoon glaze over warm cake.

Glaze: Place butter, sugar and water in saucepan. Bring to boil. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in liqueur. Pour over warm cake.

[Mama Mangia]

Strawberry-Pineapple Bundt Cake

2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 (13 ounce) can crushed pineapple
1 (18.25 ounce) box strawberry cake mix
1 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs

Glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon pineapple
1 to 2 tablespoons pineapple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease and flour Bundt pan.

Mix butter, nuts and coconut; sprinkle in bottom of pan. Drain pineapple, reserve syrup and 1 tablespoon pineapple for glaze.

Blend cake mix, water, oil and eggs at low speed until moistened. Beat at high speed for 4 minutes. Pour 1/2 of batter on top of nut mixture. Spoon pineapple over batter and pour remaining batter on pineapple. Bake 45 to 50 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan.

When cooled completely top with glaze.

Glaze: Mix all ingredients to reach proper glaze consistency.