Blended Banana White Russian

Start to finish: 15 minutes
Impresses: 2 (12-ounce servings)

Ingredients
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
½ cup leftover Peanut Butter & Roasted Banana Pudding filling
2 cups vanilla ice cream
¼ cup whole milk
3 ounces vanilla vodka, optional
2 cinnamon sticks, optional for garnishing

Method
In a shallow bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar. Pour sweetened condensed milk into a separate shallow bowl. Dip rim of a highball glass into the sweetened condensed milk, then into the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat the rim. Set aside. Combine pudding filling, ice cream, milk and vodka, if using, into the pitcher of a blender. Blend until fully combined. Pour into prepared glasses. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Notes: If not using vodka, add more milk to achieve a milkshake consistency.

Candy Corn Tres Leches Snack Cake

Start to finish: 1 hour 20 minutes
Makes: 9-16 slices

Ingredients
For the cake:
1¼ cups (150 grams) all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
5 large egg yolks
¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ cup (80 grams) whole milk
5 large egg whites 

For the tres leches:
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
6 ounces evaporated milk
¼ cup (56 grams) whole milk 

For the whipped cream:
1 cup (227 grams) heavy cream, cold
¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar

For assembly:
¼ cup candy corn 

Method
For the cake:
Heat oven to 350 F and grease a 9-by-9-inch pan with softened butter.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, add egg yolks and granulated sugar. With an electric mixer, whisk on high speed until the mixture is very pale in color and has doubled in volume. Mix in vanilla extract and milk. Then, gently fold in the dry ingredients in 2 additions, until just combined.

In a separate medium bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped egg whites into batter until fully combined, careful not to deflate it.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the middle is fully puffed up and the top is evenly golden. Allow the cake to cool for about 30 minutes, then use a fork to poke holes all over the cake.

Pour tres leches over the cake, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

For the tres leches:
In a medium bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and whole milk.

For the whipped cream:
In a medium bowl with an eclectric mixer, whisk heavy cream and sugar until soft peaks form.

To assemble:
Just before serving, top the cake with whipped cream and decorate with candy corn.

Notes: Since the cake soaks overnight, it’s the perfect make-ahead dessert. The day before, whip up the cake batter, bake it and soak it overnight. Just before serving the next day, top with freshly whipped cream and candy corn.

Classic Caramel Apple

View fullsize

Start to finish: Active: 1 hour | Inactive: 2 hours 30 minutes
Makes: 12 pieces

Ingredients
For the caramel:
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1¾ cups heavy cream
½ cup light corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons salted butter (half stick)
1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the classic caramel apples:
8 small Granny Smith apples
Small wooden dowels
Crushed salted nuts, optional 

Method
For the caramel:
Combine all caramel ingredients in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Once the butter has melted, let cook without stirring until the sauce bubbles and a candy thermometer reads 240 F, about 15 minutes. Remove caramel from heat and allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Stir and then coat as instructed below.

If you are making the caramel in advance, place it in a slow cooker on the lowest setting. Stir every 10 minutes until ready to use.

For the classic caramel apples:
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Rinse and dry apples completely. Set on prepared baking sheet. Remove the apple stem and insert a small wooden dowel/stick into the apple, about two-thirds of the way.

Once caramel is warmed, dip the apple into the caramel by holding the dowel. Lift the apple and swirl gently by turning your wrist away from you to allow excess caramel to drip off. Roll into nuts, if using.

Set back on prepared pan and let rest 1 hour, until set. Enjoy immediately or store loosely covered in the refrigerator. 

Blueberry and Brown Sugar No-Churn Ice Cream

Start to finish: Active: 30 minutes | Inactive: 5 hours
Impresses: 4

Ingredients
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup fresh blueberries

Method
Whisk together condensed milk, brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt in a large bowl; set aside.

Whip the cream with a mixer on medium-high speed until firm peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold about 1 cup of the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture with a rubber spatula until combined. Then, fold the lightened mixture into the whipped cream until well blended.

Pour into a chilled 9-by-5-by-3-inch metal loaf pan, and freeze, covered, until thick and creamy, about 2 hours.

In a small bowl, slightly smash blueberries with a fork. Gently fold blueberries into cream mixture.

Continue to freeze, covered, until solid and scoopable, about 3 hours more.

When ready to serve, let ice cream sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before scooping. Serve in a bowl or on a waffle cone.

Rosemary Blood Orange Tart

Start to finish: 5 hours 30 minutes
Impresses: 8

Ingredients

1 cup blood orange juice
2 sprigs rosemary
1 raw pie crust
6 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 egg, separated
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 orange, zested
1 tablespoon sugar

Method

Heat oven to 325 F.

Bring blood orange juice and rosemary to a boil in a small pot. Reduce to simmer for 3–5 minutes, or until mixture has reduced by about a third. Set aside to cool.

Unroll pie crust into a springform pan and press into the bottom and along the sides. Trim the sides at 1-inch height.

Poke the bottom of the crust with a fork and bake 10 minutes.

Remove and let cool completely.

Remove rosemary from orange juice and add ½ cup of the mixture to a medium-sized bowl. Store the remaining mixture in the fridge (see page 76 for how to use it up). Add sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks and whisk to combine.

Using a handheld mixer, beat egg white until stiff peaks form. Fold into the orange mixture.

Pour the mixture into the pre-baked crust.

Bake 25 minutes or just until filling is set.

To make the whipped cream, beat together heavy cream, orange zest and sugar until soft peaks form.

Let tart cool in the refrigerator for at least four hours before topping with whipped cream to serve.

Espresso White Russian

Start to finish: 5 minutes
Impresses: 1

Ingredients

2 ounces freshly brewed espresso or strong coffee
1 ounce sweetened condensed milk
1 ounce coffee liqueur
1 ounce vodka
1 ounce half and half

Method

Stir together espresso and sweetened condensed milk. Add in coffee liqueur and vodka and stir to combine.

Pour into a high-ball glass over ice and top with half and half.

Pumpkin Donuts

Start to finish: 4 hours; Active: 30 minutes; Inactive: 3 hours 30 minutes

Makes: 1 dozen

Ingredients

For the dulce de leche glaze:
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup half and half

For the donuts:
1 box yellow cake mix
15-ounce can pumpkin puree
1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Method

For the dulce de leche glaze:
Place can of sweetened condensed milk in the bottom of a pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer and heat condensed milk for 2 hours, adding extra boiling water to ensure can remains covered with water while cooking.

Remove from water with tongs and let cool completely. 

Whisk together dulce de leche and half and half to combine.

Glaze baked donuts.

For the donuts:
Heat oven to 325 F and grease a donut pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together cake mix, pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice until combined

Fill a gallon-sized zip-top bag with mixture and seal. Cut the tip off one of the bottom corners of the bag.

Pipe mixture into greased donut pan. 

Cook for 12–14 minutes.

Let donuts cool in pan 5 minutes before removing and cooling completely on a wire rack. 

Once cool, frost donuts with dulce de leche glaze. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container.

Creative Caffeinations

View fullsize

Six luscious ways to spice up your morning (or anytime) cup of joe.

Sundae times
This is one to write home about. Plop two scoops of ice cream — we’re partial to traditional vanilla — into a low glass and top with four ounces of hot, strong coffee. Sip with a thick straw or enjoy with a spoon.

Ice, ice, breve
Brew a pot of your favorite coffee, chill and then pour into ice cube trays. Once frozen, pop them out, fill your vessel of choice and top with half and half for an iced coffee that won’t get watered down.

The caveman
For a cup that will keep you full until lunch, blitz together eight ounces of warm coffee and one tablespoon of butter in a blender (careful, hot liquids expand, so make sure to have plenty of room in the blender or use a milk frother for this step) for 20–25 seconds or until frothy. Add in a splash of vanilla extract and drizzle of honey if you’re feeling extra sweet.

Crema crema
A toasty (in more ways than one) take on the traditional Vietnamese-style coffee. Pour a healthy tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk into your mug, stir and sprinkle with a dash of cayenne for a real kick start.

Whip it
Ribbons of freshly whipped cream take the place of creamer for a subtly sweet take on the classic. Whip together heavy cream and a sprinkling of sugar until airy peaks form, then top your cup with a dollop or swirl in a spoonful.

Cocoa au lait
Recover from a tough workout with a jolt or just enjoy the benefits of mocha madness. Fill a to-go cup with ice and pour in equal parts chocolate milk and iced coffee.