EASTER CASSETE

Recipe from: Paula Mastrio (aka Romano-Hunley)

Oven temp: 375
Baking time: 25-30 min.

INGREDIENTS
DOUGH
Flour: 4 c.
Crisco: 6 oz.
Sugar: 1.5 c.
Baking Powder: 2.5 tsp.
Eggs: 5
Water: a little (dough should be a little hard)

FILLING
Ricotta: 3 lbs.
Salt: 1/2 tsp.
Eggs: 4
Nutmeg: 1/2 tsp.
Sugar: 1 c.

INSTRUCTIONS
DOUGH:
Cream Sugar & Crisco;
Add eggs and beat;
Add flour & baking powder;
Little water.
Roll dough;
Cut circles large enough to “”fold”" into muffin cups without hangover (no drinking on the job). (We use a plastic bowl about 5″”-6″” dia.

FILLING
Mix all ingredients.
Fill cups to the very top, even rounded but not falling over sides.

Preheat oven to 375; bake for 25-30 minutes.
Eat warm!

If you make extra dough you can shape chickens and put a hard-boiled egg in the “”belly”" and secure it to the body with a cross shape made from the dough.

for the chocolate meringue base:
6 egg whites
300g/1 cup caster (caster) sugar
3 Tbl unsweetened cocoa powder, sieved (sifted)
1 tsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
50g/2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

for the topping:
500ml/2 1?4 cups double (heavy) cream
500g/1 pint raspberries
2-3 Tbl coarsely grated dark chocolate

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark4/350F and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Beat the egg whites until satiny and then gently fold everything until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in. Mound onto a baking sheet in a fat circle approximately 23cm/9 inches in diameter, smoothing the sides and top. Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 150C/gas mark 2/300F and cook for about one to one and a quarter hours. When it¬s ready, it should look crisp around the edges and on the sides, and be dry on top, but when you prod the centre you should feel the promise of squidginess beneath your fingers. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly, and let the chocolate meringue disc cool completely.

When you¬re ready to serve, invert onto a big, flat-bottomed plate. whisk the cream till thick but still soft and pile it on top of the meringue, then scatter over the raspberries. Coarsely grate the chocolate so that you get curls rather than rubble, as you don¬t want the raspberries¬ luscious colour and form to be obscured, and sprinkle haphazardly over the top, letting some fall, as it will, on the plate¬s rim.

serves 8-10

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drop the garlic into a small pot of boiling water for about 5 minutes.

Peel and mince the garlic and soak it in the maple syrup for about 20 minutes.

Cream the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla together until light and fluffy.

Mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture.

Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Drain the garlic and add it to the batter.

Mix well.

Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until light golden brown.

Cool and enjoy!

2½ cups flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 pieces candied ginger
1 cup sugar
¼ cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons orange zest, finely chopped
3 large eggs
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted and crushed
¾ cup apricots, chopped and soaked in ½ cup Pete¬s Wicked Ale
Melted bitter chocolate (optional)

1. Stir flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.

2. In a food processor, puree candied ginger and sugar until very fragrant.

3. In a mixer, beat the butter and ginger sugar until fluffy. Stir in vanilla
and orange zest. Add eggs and continue beating for 2 minutes.

4. Stir in the flour, beating until smooth. Stir in soaked apricots and
almonds. Wrap and chill. Form the dough into a rectangle and press the dough
into a form, or shape into a 5×9-inch log.

5. Slice ½-inch thick. Place on baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for
35-40 minutes or until dry. Cool and sip one side of the biscotti in
chocolate.

1 pound unsalted butter
1½ cups sugar
1 cup Lyles golden syrup or corn syrup
½ cup Pete¬s Wicked Ale
½ cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces quality chocolate, melted
2 cups lightly toasted, crushed nuts

1. Combine butter, sugar, syrup and Pete¬s Wicked Ale in a heavy bottomed
pan. Heat on medium, stirring until sugar dissolves.

2. Stir in the heavy cream and bring to a low boil. Cook syrup until it
reaches 290 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour onto a baking sheet lined
with parchment.

3. Allow to partially cool. Score deeply with a sharp knife when still
pliable but somewhat hardened.

4. Spread melted chocolate over the top of the toffee, distributing evenly.
Sprinkle nuts over the top and if necessary, lightly press them into the
chocolate. When completely cool, break the toffee into pieces. Store in an
air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Gingered Apricot Biscotti
Crisp and warmly flavored, these biscotti will entrance all who nibble on
them. Makes 18.

2½ cups flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 pieces candied ginger
1 cup sugar
¼ cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons orange zest, finely chopped
3 large eggs
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted and crushed
¾ cup apricots, chopped and soaked in ½ cup Pete¬s Wicked Ale
Melted bitter chocolate (optional)

1. Stir flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.

2. In a food processor, puree candied ginger and sugar until very fragrant.

3. In a mixer, beat the butter and ginger sugar until fluffy. Stir in vanilla
and orange zest. Add eggs and continue beating for 2 minutes.

4. Stir in the flour, beating until smooth. Stir in soaked apricots and
almonds. Wrap and chill. Form the dough into a rectangle and press the dough
into a form, or shape into a 5×9-inch log.

5. Slice ½-inch thick. Place on baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for
35-40 minutes or until dry. Cool and sip one side of the biscotti in
chocolate.

2 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup corn oil
1/4 cup orange juice
3 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
5 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 lb. toasted whole almonds OR sliced
1 egg yolk

Directions:
Cream eggs, sugar and corn oil. Add 1/4 cup orange juice. Add dry ingredients to mixture. This makes a stiff batter. Fold in toasted almonds and mix well.

With greased make two rolls on a greased or floured 14×17 inch pan. 1-1/2 inches in diameter. flatten slightly. brush with egg yolk with a little bit of water.

Bake at 350 deg F for 20 minutes.

Cool 4-5 minutes, cut while warm with serrated knife diagonally. Separate them while cutting.

6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup crisco, melted
6 tsp baking powder
1 tsp orange juice
3-4 cups flour

Directions:
Combine eggs with sugar, then add melted crisco and orange juice. Then add dry ingredients and mix.

Run thru a grinding machine, but if you don¬t have one, roll into thin long strips and cut to 2 inches long and twist for decoration.

Frost with a bit of powdered sugar mixed with milk and teaspoon of butter. Add food coloring to different batches to make nice colors.

2 lbs. flour (7-8 cups per lb.)
1 lb. Sugar (2 c. per lb.)
1 lb. Crisco, melted (2c. per lb.)
1 tbsp Ground cloves
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tbsp nutmeg
2 tbsp baking powder
1 box raisins, ground
6 tbsp cocoa
1 pint (2 cups) strong black coffee or espresso

Directions:

Combine crisco and sugar first, then mix dry ingredients and then cool coffee, combine coffee with raisins then add to mixture. Roll into small balls (approx. 1″ round).

375 degrees F for 15 minutes.

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease and flour 12-cup bundt pan.
COMBINE cake mix, eggs, pumpkin, evaporated milk and vegetable oil in large mixer bowl. Beat at low speed until moistened. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes; stir in morsels. Pour into prepared bundt pan.
BAKE for 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 25 minutes; invert onto wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle half of Glaze over cake; serve with remaining Glaze.
FOR WHITE CHIP CINNAMON GLAZE:
HEAT 3 tablespoons NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk in small, heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat just to a boil; remove from heat. Add 1 cup (6 ounces) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Morsels; stir until smooth. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

PREHEAT oven to 425° F.
COMBINE eggs, pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, pumpkin pie spice, orange peel and salt in medium bowl; mix well. Pour into prepared pie shell.
BAKE for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on wire rack.
COMBINE sour cream, sugar, orange juice concentrate and remaining orange peel in small bowl. Spread sour cream topping over pie.
BAKE for an additional 8 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.