Chapter 14. Desserts

Carrot Tea Bread
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks(3/4 cup butter)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup grated raw carrots
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 12-inch loaf pan.

Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Cream the butter and sugar until thick and fluffy. Add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually stir in the flour mixture until smooth. Mix in the carrots and nuts. Turn into the prepared pan. Bake 1 hour, or until top springs back when pressed lightly with the finger. Invert and cool on a cake rack.

Carrot Torte
12 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup grated carrots
3/4 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup grated apple
1 teaspoon lemon juice
12 egg whites

Preheat the oven to 375. Grease a 10-inch spring form and dust with flour.

Beat the egg yolks; add the sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Stir in the carrots, almonds, apple and lemon juice.

Beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry; fold into the carrot mixture. Turn into the prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool before removing from pan. Delicious with whipped cream. Serves 10-12.

Sweet Potato Biscuits
1 cup sifted flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
1/4 cup light cream

Sift together the flour, salt, nutmeg and baking powder. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives. Work in the sweet potatoes and cream. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough about 5 minutes. Roll out i/-inch thick. Cut with a floured biscuit cutter. Transfer to a greased baking sheet. For soft biscuits, place close together. For crisp ones, leave space between each. Bake in a preheated 450 oven 12 minutes, or until browned.

Makes about 24 biscuits.

Sweet Potato Cake
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 pound butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup milk

Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. Cream the butter; beat in the sugar until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the potatoes, nutmeg and lemon juice. Add the flour mixture, alternately with the milk; blend well.

Turn into a greased 9-inch loaf pan. Bake in a preheated 325 oven 1 hour, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a cake rack. Ice with a lemon icing.

NOTE: This is a moist, not very sweet cake, more suitable as a tea bread than as a dessert.

Sweet Potato Custard Pudding
1 1/2 sticks(3/4 cup) butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 cups grated raw sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons grated orange rind
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon mace
2 tablespoons cognac

Cream the butter, gradually adding the sugar; add salt and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 egg at a time, then the sweet potatoes, orange rind, ginger, mace and cognac. Turn into a buttered 8-by-12-inch baking dish. Bake in a preheated 350 oven 1 hour. Serve warm, cut into squares, with cognac-flavored whipped cream. Serves 4-6.

Sweet Potato Nut Pie
4 eggs
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup light cream
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9-inch unbaked pastry shell

Beat the eggs and sugar until thick. Beat in the potatoes, then the salt, cream and orange juice. Stir in the nuts and vanilla. Turn into the lined pie plate.

Bake in a preheated 425 oven 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and bake 30 minutes longer, or until firm. Cool. Serve with nutmeg-flavored whipped cream.

Sweet Potato-Pineapple Pudding
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 egg yolks, beaten
1/2 cup drained, crushed, canned pineapple
2 eggs whites, beaten stiff

Beat together the potatoes, butter, honey, cream, salt, and ginger. Beat in the egg yolks, then stir in the pineapple. Fold in the egg whites. Turn into a buttered baking dish. Bake in a preheated 325 oven 1 hour, or until browned and set. Serve warm, with whipped cream, if desired. Serves 4-6.

Sweet Potato Whip
2 pounds sweet potatoes
1/2 cup hot light cream
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ginger
? teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons ground nuts

Cook the sweet potatoes until tender; peel and mash. Beat in the cream, butter, salt, ginger and nutmeg until very fluffy. Turn into a buttered 1 1/2-quart casserole; sprinkle with the nuts. Bake in a 400 oven 20 minutes, or until browned. Serves 6-8.

Pumpkin Custard
2 eggs
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1 cup cooked pured pumpkin
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon cognac
2 tablespoons grated orange rind

Beat the eggs, sugar, salt, nutmeg and ginger until blended. Mix in the pumpkin, then the cream, cognac and orange rind. Pour into 6 buttered custard cups. Set the cups in a shallow pan of hot water. Bake in a preheated 325 oven 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cups from the pan. Serve warm or cold, with ginger-flavored whipped cream. Serves 6.

Pumpkin Custard Pie
1 1/2 cups pured pumpkin
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons grated orange rind
3 egg whites, stiffly beaten
9-inch pastry shell, baked 10 minutes and cooked

In a bowl, beat together the pumpkin, egg yolks, sugar, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Gradually mix in the sour cream. Pour into the top of a double boiler; place over hot water and cook, stirring steadily, until thickened. Cool 15 minutes, then fold in the orange rind and egg whites. Turn into the pie shell. Bake in a preheated 350 oven 25 minutes, or until set and browned. Serve warm or cold, with whipped cream flavored with orange liqueur.

Pumpkin Cream Pie
2 cups pured pumpkin
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups light cream
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons cognac
9-inch unbaked pastry shell

Mix together the pumpkin, sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Gradually beat in 1 cup cream until smooth. Beat the eggs, cognac and remaining cream. Beat into the pumpkin mixture. Turn into the pastry shell. Bake in a preheated 325 oven 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Pumpkin Spice Cake
3 cups sifted flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/4 pound butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups pured pumpkin

Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and ginger. Cream the butter; gradually beat in the sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg at a time, beating after each addition. Add the pumpkin alternately with the flour mixture, beating until well blended. Turn into a greased 12-inch loaf pan. Bake in a preheated 325 oven 40 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a cake rack.

Squash Pie
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon mace
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups cooked pured squash
3/4 cup light cream
3 egg whites, beaten stiff
9-inch unbaked pastry shell

Beat the egg yolks and sugar until thick and light. Beat in the melted butter, salt, mace, cinnamon and vanilla. Mix together the squash and cream until smooth; beat into the yolk mixture, then fold in the egg whites.

Turn into the lined pie plate. Bake in a preheated 425 oven 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and bake 20 minutes longer, or until firm. Cool.

Green Tomato Pie
Pastry for 2-crust pie
1 tablespoon melted butter
3 cups thinly sliced green tomatoes
1/2 cup brown sugar
5 tablespoons butter
3 cups thinly sliced apples
3 tablespoons apple brandy
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Line a 9-inch pie plate with half the pastry; brush with the melted butter and chill 1 hour. Spread half the tomatoes on the bottom. Sprinkle with some brown sugar and dot with 1 tablespoon butter. Spread 1/2 the apples over the tomatoes; sprinkle with brown sugar and dot with butter. Cover with the remaining tomatoes; sprinkle with sugar and dot with butter. Make second apple layer; sprinkle with sugar and dot with butter. Pour the apple brandy over all.

Roll out the remaining pastry, cover the pie and seal the edges. Make a few slits in the top; brush with the cream. Bake in a preheated 375 oven 40 minutes, or until browned. Serve warm or cold.

Baked Yams and Coconut
4 medium yams(1 1/2 pounds), or 1 1-pound can yams
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/4 cup seedless raisins
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons melted butter

Cook the fresh yams until tender, but firm. Drain, peel and cut in 1-inch slices. Or drain the canned yams; cut in 1-inch slices. Arrange the yams in a greased shallow baking dish.

Mix together the coconut, raisins, lemon rind and ginger. Spread over the yams. Pour the lemon juice mixed with the butter over all. Bake in a preheated 350 oven 25 minutes, or until browned. Serves 4-6.

Pumpkin is a word with a fascinating history. The original Greek word for this vegetable actually means mellow, or sun-ripened, as most pumpkins grow into full maturity with plenty of sunshine. The original Greek word was modified by the French into pompion, and subsequently became "punkin"; ultimately it reached its final form as "pumpkin."

In England, the word "pumpkin" is sometimes used to mean a large squash. The English marrow, or vegetable marrow, however, is not a pumpkin, but a long, narrow squash.

As if all of this were not confusing enough, the Algonquin Indian word "squash" actually means green or unripe. Contrast this meaning with the Greek word for pumpkin-mellow, or sun-ripened.

Sweet potatoes are generally believed to have originated in India, from which point they moved into Burma and Thailand. These delicious tubers are very popular throughout southeast Asia even today.

On the other hand, there are those who believe that sweet potatoes were first grown on the American continents, North and South, and then brought to Europe.

"Now good digestion, wait on appetite, and health on both."

Shakespeare: Macbeth