In the South, pound cake, cobbler, chocolate chip cookies and banana pudding are considered the usual suspects when it comes to desserts. They are always present at family gatherings, and we never tire of them! Here are a few variations of those tried-and-true recipes to give us even more reasons to love them.
Photo by Gina Moore
ALMOND POUND CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE
SERVES 8–12
Cake
3½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
6 large eggs, room temperature
1 pound unsalted butter (4 sticks), room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons almond extract
Zest of one lemon
½ cup milk, room temperature
Ganache
6 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
⅔ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon amaretto liqueur
½ cup toasted sliced almonds
Cake
Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 12-cup fluted pan with nonstick baking spray and sprinkle with flour. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt together. Into a 2-cup measuring cup with a spout, carefully crack the eggs without breaking the yolks. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter until pale yellow and add sugar, beating another 2–3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add almond extract and lemon zest. Mix well and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce speed to lowest setting and add flour mixture, alternating with milk, until all flour is incorporated into the batter.
Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake for 60–70 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack—positioned over a foil-lined sheet pan, and cool completely.
Ganache
Place chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, heat cream until it just starts to bubble around the edges—do not allow to come to a boil. Pour over chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds. Whisk gently, starting in the center and moving out in concentric circles until chocolate is melted and smooth. Whisk in amaretto and let cool for 15–20 minutes. Stir occasionally until ganache has thickened slightly. Pour ganache over the top of cake, allowing to drizzle down the sides. Sprinkle with sliced almonds while ganache is still wet. Allow ganache to set before serving.
Quick and Easy Berry Cobbler
Photo by Iuliia Nedrygailova
SERVES 6–8
4–6 cups seasonal berries (can be mixed)
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon cardamom
Pinch, kosher salt
1 pie dough, store-bought or homemade
Ice cream, optional
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a 9- or 10-inch cast-iron skillet, toss the berries with lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, cardamom and salt. Spread to make an even layer. Roll out pie dough into a thick circle, large enough to cover the top of the berries. Tuck in sides all around. Bake in oven 35–40 minutes until golden brown on top and juices are bubbling. Remove from oven. Using the sharp sides of a large spoon, break dough in several places, allowing juices to bubble up through the crust. Allow to cool 30 minutes; serve in individual bowls with ice cream.
Supersized Chocolate Chip Cookies
Photo by Karen Hermann
Supersized Chocolate Chip Cookies
MAKES 16–19 OVERSIZED COOKIES
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 egg yolk
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or coat lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix butter, sugars, vanilla, eggs and egg yolk. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into the bowl and stir the ingredients together to form a soft dough. Stir in chocolate chips.
Using a 2-ounce, self-releasing ice cream scoop,* form large balls of cookie dough. Place on baking sheets, 9 to a sheet, to allow room for spreading. With the back of the scoop, pat them down ever so slightly. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F. Bake cookies 18 minutes, rotating pans halfway through cooking time, until golden brown and crisp around the edges. Cookies will still be slightly soft in the center. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before eating.
* A 2-ounce scoop is also referred to as a #16 scoop and holds about 4 tablespoons of cookie dough.
Banana Pudding Cups
Photo by Gwénaël Le Vot
SERVES 12
Homemade pudding
1 cup sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
6 large egg yolks (save whites for later)
3 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 12-ounce box of vanilla wafers
4–6 bananas (depending on size), sliced
Meringue
6 large egg whites (see above)
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup sugar
Pudding
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, flour and salt. Add egg yolks and half of the milk. Whisk until smooth. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add remaining milk and heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges of pan. Slowly pour 1 cup of hot milk into egg yolk mixture and whisk until combined. Transfer the tempered mixture back to the pan with remaining milk. Whisking constantly, cook 10–12 minutes until pudding has thickened. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
Meringue
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer), beat egg whites, cream of tartar and vanilla. Add sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form, about 3–5 minutes.
Assembly
In the bottom of 10-ounce short glasses, spread some pudding. Add a layer of wafers followed by a layer of banana slices and 2 tablespoons pudding. Repeat once and finish the top with 1–2 tablespoons of meringue. Garnish the top with broken vanilla cookies or crumbs.
___
Related Stories
Happy holidays in the kitchen
The year-end holidays are just around the corner. Start planning your menus today with these recipe collections from Chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan.
Festive holiday salads—Add a healthy crunch to the holiday spread.
Holiday pies—Move over cake, and make room for these delicious holiday desserts.
Festive finger foods—Entertain your holiday guests with these elegant bite-sized goodies.
Holiday desserts—What separates holiday meals from all the rest? The desserts, of course!