Instructions

1. Pulse flour with cocoa, sugar, coconut and salt in a food processor. Pulse in butter until finely crumbed. Whisk egg yolk with 2 tbsp (30 mL) ice water; pulse into flour mixture until it clumps together.
2. Press dough evenly into the bottom and 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) up the sides of a 10-inch (25 cm) springform pan. Prick with a fork. Freeze for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake, on a lower rack, for 15 minutes or until set. Cool to room temperature.

1. Whisk milk with sugar and cornstarch in a heavy saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often, until thickened. Whisk some of the hot milk mixture into egg yolks. Whisk back into remaining milk. Cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.
2. Line cooled shell with bananas. Pour hot filling over top to cover bananas completely. Cool to room temperature; chill for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Just before serving, remove ring and arrange on serving platter. Pipe coconut whipped cream to cover custard completely and garnish with toasted coconut

• To make individual pies
• Divide dough between eight, 5-inch (12-cm) mini pie plates or foil pot-pie pans; pressing evenly into bottom and up sides.
• Arrange on a baking sheet; bake for 15 minutes.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Divide bananas and custard between the cooled shells.
• Chill until set.
• Garnish with whipped cream and toasted coconut.

Tips:

Instructions

1. Combine 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) chocolate chips with corn syrup in large, heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until chips are melted. Meanwhile, whisk 1/2 cup (125 mL) milk with cornstarch until smooth; gradually whisk into remaining milk, then into chocolate mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 4 minutes or until thickened.
2. Remove pudding from heat. Whisk some of the hot pudding mixture with egg yolks and vanilla; stir into remaining hot pudding mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 4 minutes or until thick and glossy. Remove from heat and stir in butter; divide among 8 ovenproof bowls. Let cool to room temperature.
3. Place bowls on baking sheet. Divide marshmallows, graham cracker crumbs and remaining chocolate chips evenly among each bowl. Broil for 1 minute or until marshmallows are golden.

• When cooling warm puddings, press microwave safe plastic wrap directly onto surface of each pudding to prevent a “skin” from forming on top.

Tips:

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Beat butter with sugar until very light and fluffy. Beat in sour cream, egg yolk, rum extract and nutmeg until well combined. Stir flour with baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually blend into butter mixture on low speed.
3. Transfer dough to a cookie press. Press the dough onto ungreased, baking sheets. Decorate as desired.
4. Bake, in batches, for 6 to 8 minutes or until just pale golden on bottom. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet; transfer to a rack to cool completely.

• If the dough sticks to the cookie press, to help it release, chill the baking sheets and be sure not to grease or line with parchment paper.
• For those without a cookie press, reduce the flour by 1/2 cup (125 mL) and use a piping bag fitted with a wide star tip. Pipe loonie-sized mounds, decorate and bake as directed above.
• Replace the rum extract with vanilla and replace the nutmeg with 2 tsp (10 mL) finely grated orange zest for an orange scented spritz.
• Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Tips:

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. In bowl, mix first three ingredients. Whisk together butter, 2 eggs and vanilla; pour over flour mixture and stir until combined. Press into 9” (23 cm) square parchment paper-lined baking pan. Sprinkle with berries.

1. In another bowl, whisk together sour cream and remaining ingredients. Pour over top.
2. Bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour or until light golden and firm on top, but with movement in centre. Cool completely before serving.

Tips:

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
2. In small bowl, mix graham cookies with butter. Press mixture evenly into a 9″ (22.5 cm) buttered springform pan.
3. Purée sour cream, cottage cheese and egg whites in food processor until creamy. Add sugar, flour, lime juice, vanilla extract and raspberries. Purée again until smooth. Pour mixture into pan and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let stand for one hour.
4. Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Garnish with fresh fruits and serve cold.

• The tang of the sour cream and the sweet hint of tartness of the raspberries makes a perfect taste combination, but any mix of fresh berries in season will be delicious.

Tips:

Instructions

1. Pulse pecans in food processor until finely ground. Add flour, sugar, butter and salt; pulse until crumbly. Drizzle ice water over mixture; pulse just until the dough is moist and clumps together. Turn out and shape into a disc; divide into 8 equal portions. Press each portion of dough evenly into 5″ (12 cm) mini pie plates or foil meat pie pans. Chill for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Arrange pie shells on a baking sheet.
3. Line each pastry shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake on lowest rack for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and weights. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until golden. Cool completely.

1. Whisk milk, sugar and cornstarch in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high, stirring every 2 minutes for 7 to 8 minutes or until hot and thickened. Whisk in butter and vanilla; immediately divide the hot filling between cooled shells.

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Using a mixer on high speed, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Still on high speed, add sugar, a spoonful at a time, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Divide meringue between pies, mounding onto the still warm filling; spread to edge of crust and use the back of a spoon to swirl decoratively. Bake for 7 minutes or until golden. Cool completely before serving.

• Excellent source of folate.

Tips:

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
2. Butter two 9” (23 cm) round baking pans. Line bottom of each pan with parchment or waxed paper. Butter paper.
3. In large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, baking soda and sugar. Blend well. Add butter, milk and vanilla; beat well. Add eggs one at a time, beating for 2 minutes. Divide batter between pans and bake for about 30 minutes or until tops spring to touch and cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pans. Cool on rack. Decorate as desired.

Tips:

Instructions

1. Beat in the flour on low speed. (Dough will be crumbly.) Stir in the dried cherries. Turn out onto a work surface and knead gently until the dough comes together. Divide the dough into two portions and transfer to sheets of plastic wrap. Use the wrap to shape each into a log, about 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) diameter. Chill for 1 hour or until firm enough to slice easily.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Slice the logs into 1/4-inch (5 mm) thick rounds. Arrange, at least 1-inch (2.5 cm) apart, on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
3. Bake, in batches, for 10 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom. Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Let ice cream stand at room temperature until slightly softened. Place a 1 tbsp (15 mL) scoop on half the cookies; cap with remaining cookie and press down carefully to adhere. Freeze for at least 30 minutes before serving.

• Make-ahead: Store the baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Store the assembled sandwiches in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 week.
• Sensational Shortbread: The cookies are delicious on their own. Create endless variations on the base recipe by adding complementary flavours such as finely grated orange zest, chopped candied ginger, chopped dark or white chocolate.
• Simple Substitution: Use dried cranberries instead of cherries.
• Main Event: Make these ice cream sandwiches dessert course worthy by increasing their size. Form the dough into 3-inch logs and bake for 12 minutes or until golden. Fill the cooled cookies with about 1/4 cup (50 mL) softened ice cream.
• Frozen Assets: Replace the chocolate ice cream with vanilla ice cream, lemon ice or pistachio gelato.

Tips:

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. In a non-stick frying pan over medium heat, sauté cinnamon and apple together in butter until tender.
3. Place 3/4 of bread into lightly buttered 8”x 8” (20 x 20 cm) baking dish. Spread apple mixture, cheese and brown sugar evenly over bread.
4. Beat milk and eggs together until frothy and stir in remaining bread.
5. Add to baking dish to baking dish and bake 45 to 60 minutes until set. Great chilled.

• Simple Weeknight Dessert: Apples sautéed in a little butter and sprinkled with cinnamon make a scrumptious dessert. Make extra and enjoy with a chunk of old cheddar for a super snack.

Tips:

Instructions

1. Beat the butter with the sugar and vanilla until fluffy.
2. In a separate bowl stir the flour with the cornstarch, cardamom and salt; beat into the butter mixture on low speed. Divide the dough into two portions and shape each into a log, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Chill for at least 1 hour or until firm enough to slice easily.
3. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) and position the racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven. Slice the logs into ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick rounds; transfer to parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake in batches and rotate the sheets halfway through baking for 15 minutes or until bottoms are pale golden. Cool completely on a rack.

1. Meanwhile, beat egg whites with lime zest and juice until foamy. Add the icing sugar and beat on low until combined. Beat on high until fluffy; chill if needed until firm but spreadable. Spread 1 tsp (5 mL) frosting onto the bottom of half of the cookies.
2. Sandwich with a second cookie and serve with Chai Floating Islands.

1. Heat the milk, Chai tea bags and half the sugar in a deep skillet set over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until simmering. Meanwhile, beat egg whites with vanilla until fluffy. With the mixer on high, gradually add remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Use two spoons to create eight smooth ovals from the meringue mixture and float on the warm tea mixture. Simmer gently spooning the warm tea mixture over the meringues every 2 minutes, until set (about 6 minutes). Carefully divide the tea mixture between eight teacups and top with a meringue. Serve immediately with sandwich cookies.

Tips: