H&J's Raspberry Tart

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1 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs (about 8 whole crackers)

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

1/4 Cup Melted Unsalted Butter

6oz Cream Cheese, room temperature

1/3 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Sour Cream

2 Tsp Fresh Lemon Juice

1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

1.5 Pints Fresh Raspberries

1/4 Cup Seedless Raspberry Jam

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  

Pulse cracker crumbs and brown sugar in a food processor to combine. Add butter and process until blended (crumbs evenly moistened). Press crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9inch tart pan (w/ removable bottom preferred). Bake crust in oven until firm, 6-8mins. Place crust on a cooling rack and let cool. 

For the filling, beat cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth (use an electric mixer). Beat in sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla. Evenly spread filling in cooled crust and refrigerate 4hrs so it can firm.  

Arrange raspberries on filling. Whisk jam into a loose consistency, then drizzle over berries. 

Serve immediately or chill up to 2hrs.

Cake

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

2 tsp Baking Soda

2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1 tsp Ground Cloves

1 tsp Ground Nutmeg

1 tsp Ground Allspice

¾ tsp Salt

3 cups Grated Carrot

1 cup Coarsely Chopped Walnuts

1 cup Shredded Sweetened Coconut

¼ cup Raisins

2 cups Granulated Sugar

1 cup Canola Oil

4 Eggs

Frosting

16 oz Cream Cheese room temperature

10 Tbsp Unsalted Butter room temperature

3 cups Powdered Sugar

Pinch of Kosher Salt

1 ½ tsp Vanilla Extract

For the cake, position the racks in the oven into thirds and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour three 9in round cake pans, Place the pans on cookie sheets (2 on one, 1 on another).

In a small bowl, whisk together the first 8 ingredients. In a separate bowl, stir together the carrots, nuts, coconut and raisins. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, with a paddle attachment, beat the sugar and oil together on medium speed until smooth (about 5 min). Add the eggs one at a time, then beat until the batter is smooth. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Using a spatula, scrape down the bowl sides and bottom and then gently mix in the carrot mixture. Divide the batter into the prepared pans.

Bake for 40-50 minutes turning the pans and switching the pans from the top to bottom halfway through. Cakes will be done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean and the cakes start to just pull away from the pan. Transfer cakes (still in the pan) to cooling racks and  let sit 5 minutes, then run a knife around the pans, invert the cakes out onto the cooling racks to cool to room temperature.

For the frosting, in a stand mixer use the whisk attachment to beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed for 2 minutes (stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl at least once). Reduce speed to low, add the powdered sugar a little at a time mixing between each addition until fully incorporated. Scrape down the side and bottom of the bowl, add the vanilla extract and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes), stopping to scrape the side and bottom of the bowl at least once. 

Decorate with additional chopped walnuts or various other décor.

Coming Soon!

Coming Soon!

1 box Devil’s Food Cake mix

1 1/3 cups Water

3 Large Eggs

½ cup Vegetable Oil

8 Tbsp Amaretto Liqueur divided

¾ tsp Almond Extract divided

3 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips divided

¼ cup Unsalted Butter

¼ cup Whipping Cream

2/3 cup Sour Cream

1 cup Powdered Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 9 inch cake pans with non-stick spray. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, water, eggs, oil, 3 Tbs Amaretto, and ½ tsp almond extract; whisk until well blended. 

Divide batter in pans and sprinkle 1 cup chocolate chips over the batter. Bake cakes for 15-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake come out clean. Cool cakes on cooling racks for 10 minutes and then run a knife around the outside of the pans and turn out on racks to fully cool to room temperature. Brush the middle layer with 2 Tbsp Amaretto.

Meanwhile on the stove, melt butter and whipping cream in a medium saucepan over medium low heat until small bubbles form on the outside of the pan. Add remaining 2 cups of chocolate chips and whisk until melted and smooth. Mix in remaining 3 Tbs Amaretto and cool for about 5 minutes. Whisk in sour cream, remaining ¼ tsp almond extract and powdered sugar until fully mixed. Refrigerate until thick enough to spread, about 10 minutes.

Assemble cake, spreading about 1/3 cup frosting between each layer, then over the top and sides. 

Decorate as desired then chill at least 2 hrs.

Purchased Graham Cracker Pie Crust

4 Eggs

2/3 Cup Sugar

2 Tbsp Water

8 oz Semisweet Chocolate Bar, very finely chopped

1 ½ Sticks (12 Tbsp) Unsalted Butter, cubed and softened

1/8 Tsp Table Salt

3 Cups Heavy Cream, divided

2 Tbsp Sugar

5 Tbsp Powdered Sugar

3 Tsp Vanilla Extract, divided

Place eggs, 2/3 cup sugar and water in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (ensure the bowl does not make contact with the simmering water). Whip egg mixture with a hand-mixer on medium speed until eggs double in volume and an instant read thermometer registers 160 degrees, 10-12 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and continue beating. Sprinkle chocolate into cooked egg mixture a handful at a time, with the mixer running, until it all has been added (The mixture will deflate and lose volume). Once chocolate melts, continue beating until mixture is no longer warm to the touch, 7-10 minutes.

Beat butter into chocolate mixture a few cubes at a time. Once butter has been incorporated, the mixture will be thick; beat in the salt and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whip 1 cup of heavy cream, 2 Tbsp of sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla extract using a hand mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold into into the chocolate mixture in 3 additions, folding until ingredients are blended.

Transfer filling into pie crust. Cover pie and refrigerate 3 to 24 hours. Let pie stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving. 

Once pulled out after chilling, beat 2 cups heavy cream, 5 Tbsp powdered sugar, and 2 tsp vanilla in a bowl with the hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Cover pie with whipped cream mixture and sprinkle pie  with grated chopped chocolate pieces.

Chocolate Cake

6 oz Bittersweet Chocolate, finely chopped

2/3 Cup Cocoa Powder

1 1/2 Cups Strong Hot Coffee

1 1/2 Cups Bread Flour

1 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Baking Soda

12 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

4 Eggs

4 Tsp White Vinegar

2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease your cake pans or line a standard-size muffin pan with liners. 

Place the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Pour the hot coffee over the mixture and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate mixture for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside.

Whisk the oil, eggs, vinegar and vanilla extract into the cooled chocolate mixture until smooth. Add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.

Divide the batter evenly between the cake plan or muffin pan cups. 

Bake until the cake or cupcakes are set and just firm to the touch, 27 to 30 minutes for cake, 17 to 19 minutes for cupcakes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and place on the wire rack to cool completely, before frosting.

Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting

2 Cups Creamy Peanut Butter

2 Cups Powdered Sugar

10 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, room temperature

1 ½ Tsp Vanilla Extract

½ Tsp Kosher Salt

2/3 Cup Heavy Cream

With the whisk attachment, beat the Peanut Butter, Powdered Sugar, Butter, Vanilla and Salt in a stand mixer. Mix on low speed until well mixed and creamy, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Pour in half of the Heavy Cream and beat on high speed until light and smooth, adding additional Heavy Cream until you receive the consistency you are looking for.

Note: Add chopped Reese’s Cups between the layers and on top to add additional texture and flavor!