Individual Boston Cream Pies {In a Jar}

Makes 11 individual cakes

Custard:

1 large egg

3 large egg yolks (you�ll use the whites in the cake)

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3 cups milk (I used 2%)

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Cake:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup milk (I used 2%)

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large egg whites (you�ll use the yolks in the custard)

Dark Chocolate Ganache:

8 oz good quality bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate (chocolate chips will also

work)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons milk (I used 2%)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

White Chocolate Buttercream (adapted slightly from my recipe for White Chocolate
POM Buttercream):

4 oz (about 2/3 cup) white chocolate chips

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

6 tablespoons vegetable shortening, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3/4 lb powdered sugar

2-4 tablespoons milk (more or less to achieve desired consistency)

Other:

Butter, to grease the jars

Preheat oven to 350F and grease 11 (8 oz) jelly jars with butter.

For the Custard: Whisk together the egg, egg yolks, and vanilla in a medium bowl
and set aside. Whisk together the milk, sugar, flour, and salt in a medium
saucepan; bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off
the heat and very slowly ladle the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture while
whisking, adding just a drop at a time at first, then whisk in the butter. Strain
the custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps. While it�s still hot,
slowly pour the custard into the prepared jars, being careful not to splash the
sides of the jar. Cool the custard a bit (so that it�s set) before you pour the
cake batter on top.

For the Cake: While the custard cools, make the cake batter. Whisk together the
butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and milk in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk
together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whip the egg whites
to stiff peaks. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet, then fold in the egg
whites, 1/3 at a time. Carefully pour the batter onto the set custard (you can use
a small ladle or put the batter into a pastry bag and pipe it).

Arrange the jars (so that they don�t touch each other or the sides of the pan) in a
large, deep roasting pan; add enough hot (not boiling) water to come up to the top
of the custard (but not the cake batter). Bake until the cake is light golden on
top and a toothpick inserted into the cake inside comes out clean or with just a
couple crumbs, about 45 minutes. Cool completely before proceeding.

For the Dark Chocolate Ganache: Melt the chocolate and butter together in a
microwave or double boiler; add the milk and vanilla and stir until smooth. Spoon
over the cooled cakes, and let the chocolate set before piping the White Chocolate
Buttercream on top.

For the White Chocolate Buttercream: Melt the white chocolate in a microwave or
double boiler. Beat together the melted chocolate, butter, shortening, and
vanilla. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar; while still beating add the milk (a
little at a time) until the frosting reaches your desired consistency. Pipe the
frosting on top of the cakes once the ganache is set.

Serving & Storing: Serve these within 1 to 2 hours of having them fully assembled.
Otherwise, you can make them up to 3 days ahead of time; store them in the fridge
and let them sit at room temperature for about an hour before serving.

his recipe made 12 portions (12 half pint jars ; half pint=236 ml) of Tiramisu.

Ingredients:
For the sponge cake:
7 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
7 tablespoons vegetable oil (canola, sunflower or corn)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (I started using pure vanilla bean paste lately,
as I adore seeing the small vanilla seeds in my desserts, and is more economical
than using vanilla beans)

For the syrup:

1 cup strong brew espresso (I made 6 regular espressos, but you can make less, and
dilute it with water to get to one cup, if you don't want it to be too strong,
especially if you have kids ;) )
1/4 cup sweet Marsala wine
1/4 cup granulated sugar

For the Mascarpone cream:

5 egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine
1 cup Mascarpone cheese
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2-3 tablespoons confectioner's sugar (powder sugar)

You will also need:

3-4 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder
12 half pint jars

Optional for garnish:

1 pint of raspberries or other fresh berries/fruit of your choice
fresh mint

Method:

Start by making the sponge cake, so it has time to cool:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C), and prepare a baking pan (9x13 inch) with
parchment paper, or butter and flour.
Separate the eggs, putting the egg whites in the clean bowl of your mixer, and the
yolks in another bowl and set aside.
Beat the egg whites on lowest speed for 30 seconds-1 minute, then increase the
speed to medium-high and beat for 2-3 minutes until soft peaks form. Add the sugar
gradually and continue beating on high for other 3-4 minutes to stiff peaks.
Careful not to over beat it though. It has to look glossy not grainy for best
results. But hey, no one will know that you over beat it, so don't worry, it should
be OK.
Mix the egg yolks and oil very well. I use my blender for this step. Add the
vanilla extract and mix.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in another bowl.
With the mixer on low, or even better with a wooden spoon or spatula, add the egg
yolk mixture to the egg whites, slowly folding them in, just a few seconds. Add the
flour mixture, and fold in gently, just until incorporated. This should mean 10-15
folding moves, or 10-15 seconds with the mixer on low.

Pour the batter in the pan, spread evenly using an off set spatula, and bake on the
middle rack for 23-25 minutes. Check on it after 20 minutes pass. It is done when
the cake springs back after gently pressing your finger on it, in the middle of the
pan.
When done take out and let it cool completely.

While the cake bakes, make the mascarpone cream:

First we will make a Zabaione:
Place a sauce pan or other small pot with an inch of water on fire, to get to a
simmer.
Beat the egg yolks and the sugar on medium-high, preferably in a heat proof bowl,
until fluffy and light, for about 5 minutes. Mix in the Marsala wine. Sweet Marsala
is a delicious wine! Pour yourself a glass and cooking will be even more fun! You
can substitute Marsala with Port or Madeira wine, any sweet wine you like really,
or brandy, cognac, even rum.
Put the mixture in a heat proof bowl, over the pot of simmering water, on low heat.
It is important for the water not to be boiling at all, just simmering, and the
water not to be touching the bowl, otherwise you will end up with sweet scrambled
eggs.
With a whisk keep beating the mixture, constantly, for about 15 minutes, until it
cooks and becomes thicker, airy, and super creamy and well, insanely delicious.
Take off heat. You just made Zabaione! Zabaione is another Italian dessert staple.
It is traditionally served simply over figs. Keep this recipe, you can use this
cream in many delicious treats, or just by itself. It is highly addictive, though,
be careful!
Let it cool, and place in the fridge for at least an hour, to cool completely.
In another bowl mix the Mascarpone cheese gently, until soft, with a fork. Don't
whip it.
Using again your trusted mixer, beat the heavy cream and confectioner's sugar on
medium-high for 3-4 minutes, to stiff peaks.
Gently fold in together the softened Mascarpone with the whipped cream. Pour the
cold Zabaione on top, and mix everything, still very gently, just until combined...
this is such a dainty delicate dessert!
It would be best to let the cream chill in the fridge for a couple of hours. I did
not. I have no patience what so ever! It still worked out fine.

Make the syrup:

Mix the espresso, wine and sugar in a sauce pan, and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Set
aside and let it cool.

You will need some round biscuit or cookie cutters, in same diameter as your jars,
a small sifter, and optional an ice cream/cookie dough scoop.
Using the cookie cutter cut out circles of cake. Cut them very close to one
another, so you get as many cake rounds as possible.
Place a tablespoon of Mascarpone cream in each jar. Place a cake round on top of
it, with the bottom side (with no crust) facing up. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of
coffee syrup over the cake.
Put two heaped tablespoons of Mascarpone cream on top of the cake round. I use an
ice cream scoop, to make sure I put equal amounts of cream between the layers.
Using the small sifter, add a fine layer of cocoa powder on top.
Place another cake round, then syrup, then two tablespoons of cream, then sift
cocoa. Repeat.
The last layer has to be Mascarpone cream, dusted with a generous layer of sifted
cocoa.
Chill in the fridge for several hours... at least 4, over night would be better...
Eh, if you can't resist, go ahead an eat one immediately!
Garnish with the fresh fruit or whipped cream and fresh mint before serving or
leave as it is.

Baked apples
Ingredients:
1/2 pound sliced apples, about 25 to 30 slices
1 tablespoon softened butter
Ground cinnamon
Granulated sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place sliced apples into shallow baking dish.
Spread butter evenly over top side of sliced apples.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
Bake in oven for 25 to 30 minutes until apples are soft.
Remove from oven and set aside.
Whipped cream
Ingredients:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Directions:
In a large bowl, whip cream until soft peaks are formed.
Add vanilla and powdered sugar and whip until peaks form.
Place bowl in refrigerator to keep cold until ready to use.
homemade whipped cream
Granny Lowe cookies
Ingredients:
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In food processor, beat egg, sugar, baking soda, butter and vanilla until creamy.
Add flour and buttermilk alternatively until it has the right consistency to roll
out.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out and cut into 1/4 inch round cookies.
Bake until cookies are golden brown around the edges, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Cool cookies for 5 minutes on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely.
Now it's time to assemble the Mason jar layered apple crumble cookie desserts!
Directions:
In a small Mason jar, spoon some homemade whipped cream to cover the bottom.
Crumble 1 Granny Lowe cookie on top of whipped cream.
Place 3 to 4 baked apple slices on top of crumbled cookie.
Spoon more whipped cream into Mason jar.
Crumble another Granny Lowe cookie over whipped cream and top with 2 apple slices.
Serve and enjoy!

Brownie, Pudding & Milky Way Mousse Trifle {In a Mason Jar}
Makes: 8 jars

Ingredients

For the brownies:

1 box brownie mix plus the ingredients called for on the box
For the pudding:
1/4 cup corn starch
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
3 cups milk
6 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Milky Way Mousse:
1 Milky Way bar (2.05 oz), chopped
1 cup plus 1 1/2 tbs heavy whipping cream
1oz bar of chocolate, for garnish (optional)
Instructions

For the brownies:

Grease 8 mason jars and place on cookie sheet.
Prepare the brownie batter based on the package instructions.
Pour 1/4 cup of batter into each mason jar.
Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes
out almost clean.
Remove from the oven and let cool.
For the pudding:
In the bowl of a double boiler, combine the cornstarch, sugar and salt.
Whisk in the milk and use a spatula to scrape down the bowl and incorporate dry
ingredients.
Place over gently simmering water and stir occasionally, scraping the bottom and
sides as needed. Cook for 15-20 minutes.
When the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of the spoon, stir in the the
chocolate.
Continue stirring for about 2 to 4 minutes, or until the pudding is smooth and
thickened.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
If you have lumps in your pudding, run it through a mesh strainer.
Transfer pudding to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. I don't like skin on my
pudding so I put the plastic wrap on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin
from forming as it cools.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
For the Milky Way Mousse:
In a small sauce pan, combine Milky Way and 1 1/2 tbsp whipping cream. Stir until
melted.
Place melted mixture in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.
In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat 1 cup of whipping cream with the
cooled milky way mixture until fluffy, about 1 minute.
Assembly:
After the brownies have cooled, wipe away any excess batter with a damp paper
towel.
Spoon about 1/2 cup of pudding on top of the brownie layer of each jar.
Fit a pastry bag with a large round pastry tip and fill bag with Milky Way Mousse.
Pipe mousse into jars, on top of the pudding layer.
Use a vegetable peeler to create chocolate shavings and sprinkle on for garnish.