Easy Creme Brûlée

I made this recipe the other day to my "craving gourmet son". Sometimes he feels like eating some difficult to find things (unless I make them!). So after a week of begging I had him help me bake it. This is a French dessert. It's also a Spanish dish, it's called "catalan cream" in that country. Brûlée means "burned", because the sprinkled sugar on top is burned. You can use a cook's torch to burn the sugar. I don't know the other way, using some metallic utensil.

Ingredients:

3 egg yolks

100 ml (3 oz.) milk

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon sugar to sprinkle

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 250 oF.

Mix the egg yolks, milk, cream, sugar and vanilla. Pour in porcelain ramekins (or other oven-safe cup). Place the ramekins with the cream in a rectangular cake pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Once out of the oven, sprinkle the remaining sugar over each ramekin with the cream. Using the kitchen torch, burn the sugar until it turns golden. Let them cool for a while, or take them to the fridge for a couple of hours before serving. Note that if the creme brûlée is in the fridge for too long, the burned sugar is no longer crunchy.

Easy coconut and parmesan cupcakes (queijadinha)

This is a very easy recipe from Brazil. My grandma made a lot when we went to her house as kids.
I made the queijadinhas (pronounced "kay-ji-dee-nia") for Thanksgiving this year.

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups grated coconut
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup coconut milk

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 390 °F.
Place all ingredients in the order listed above in the blender and turn it on.
Pour the mixture into a cupcake baking sheet lined with paper cupcake cups.
Bake for about 40 minutes or until it starts to brown on top.

Notes:
If you want to enhance the cheese flavor in the queijadinha, add more parmesan.
For less dry cakes, bake them in water bath (putting the cupcake sheet inside a rectangular baking sheet containing hot water). But it is a lot more work, you have to be careful not to "bathe" the cakes in the hot water when you remove them from the oven (it happened to me).

Black Forest Cake with a Shortcut

This is not the original recipe for this famous cake. I liked the taste, anyway. And it is relatively easy to make it. I was inspired by Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade (actually, by the ingredients I had at home).

Ingredients:

1 box of chocolate cake (Pillsbury, Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker)
the other required ingredients in the box (in the Duncan Hines, eggs and oil)
1 can (21 oz., about 600 g) cherry pie filling

For the chocolate buttercream icing:

1 cup (240 ml) vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon (5 ml) flavoring (vanilla or butter)
10 teaspoons (50 ml) water
1 oz (40 g) dark chocolate or chocolate chips or 3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 lb (450 g) confectioner's sugar *
1 pinch salt (optional)

Preparation:

Bake cake as directed on the box. Let it cool on a rack. Cut it in half with the help of a bread knife or a cake leveler, separating the two halves. Spread the cherry filling over the bottom half. Depending on the size of the cake, you may not need to use the entire contents of the can. Cover with the top half.

Preparation of the icing:

Melt the chocolate or the "chocolate chips" according to the manufacturer's instructions (you can use the microwave at 40% power for a minute, then extra 30 seconds, if needed). Beat the shortening in a mixer for 1 minute. Add the flavoring and water, beat for a little while until well blended. Add the other ingredients, beat at medium speed until light and creamy.

 Test of consistency:

By turning the bowl with the icing and spatula, the spatula should move slightly to the side. 
Icing the pie:

Spread icing over a portion of the pie. Smooth with a spatula or knife. Add more icing. Smooth again. When it's got more or less the desired thickness,  pipe the stars with a star tip. One good idea is to spread a little grated chocolate. This option is easier and faster, and it hides the imperfections, if it is not smooth as you want.

* It does not work if you use granulated sugar.

Frozen "Waltz Dream" Candy Dessert

"Sonho de Valsa" can be literally translated to "Waltz Dream". This is the name of the famous Brazilian candy used in this recipe. It is composed of a cashew paste filling, covered with a crunchy crust that tastes like ice-cream cone, then covered with another layer of milk chocolate. There is another version of the candy with white chocolate as the external layer, called "Ouro Branco" ("White Gold"), which is the one I found in the Brazilian/international supermarket close to where I live.
If you don't find this candy, I suggest you try with Ferrero Rocher or other not very hard candy (because it will be frozen). Another idea is to use Kit Kat and Reese's Peanut Cups (break them in pieces).

Ingredients:
Bottom layer:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
The same amount of milk as the can of condensed milk (use empty can)
3 egg yolks
2 teaspoons (10 ml) corn starch
2 tablespoons (30 ml) sugar

Middle Layer:
12 Brazilian candies of "Sonho de Valsa," "Ouro Branco" or "Serenata de Amor" (you may substitute with Ferrero Rocher, or Kit Kat and Reese's Peanut Cups, for a more economic option)
1 cup (240 ml) milk
1 tablespoon (15 ml) corn starch
2 tablespoons (30 ml) sugar
4 tablespoons (60 ml) cocoa powder (unsweetened)

Top layer:
3 egg whites
6 tablespoons (90 ml) sugar
1 1/2 cup heavy cream

Preparation:
Bottom layer:
In a medium saucepan, bring the condensed milk, milk, egg yolks, cornstarch and sugar to medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Turn heat off when you get a creamy consistency.
Pour the cream into a Pyrex-type dish approximately 9" X 13" and let it cool.

Chop the candy and spread it over the cream (bottom layer).

Middle layer:
In a small saucepan, bring the ingredients of the intermediate layer (milk, cornstarch, sugar, cocoa) to medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour over into the dish over the chopped candy.

Top layer:
Beat the egg whites with 6 tablespoons of sugar until fluffy. Add the heavy cream and slowly incorporate it to the egg white mixture.
Pour the mixture of egg whites and cream over the chocolate on the dish.
* Suggestion to decorate the top (optional): In the same pan used to make the chocolate cream, add a tablespoon of milk and a little cocoa powder. Take it to a medium heat and bring it to a boil. Using a small spoon, pour some drops of this liquid over the dessert. Then, using the same spoon or preferably a knife, carefully "drag" each drop of chocolate liquid on the top, making curved drawings.

Bring to the freezer for several hours until firm. Remove from freezer 20 minutes before serving so it is easy to scoop from the dish.