Desserts

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Beat cream cheese, 3/4 cup butter, granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add flour and baking soda; mix well. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

Press dough onto bottom of 15x10x1-inch pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, melt remaining butter and pour into medium bowl. Add eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup and remaining vanilla. Mix well and stir in nuts.

Spread nut mixture over warm crust, then bake for additional 20 to 25 minutes - or until topping is firm around the edges but still soft in the center. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Unfold puff pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll pastry into 12-inch square. Cut pastry into 9 four-inch squares. Place about 1 tablespoon each of hazelnut spread and raspberry jam into center of each square. Brush edges of the squares with water. Bring corners of each square to the center on top of filling. Twist tightly to seal, fanning out corners. Place pastries at least 2 inches apart on baking sheet.

Bake pastries for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove pastries from baking sheet and cool on wire racks for at least 10 minutes. Sprinkle pastries with confectioner's sugar.

Preheat oven to 325F degrees. In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add sour cream and honey, mixing until incorporated.

Sift baking soda and flour together. Add to the creamed mixture, alternating with eggs (beating each egg one at a time). Add vanilla and pour mixture into a greased and floured bundt cake pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Let cool for 20 minutes before inverting onto wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve with your favorite fresh fruit and whipped cream, or cover with a decadent chocolate ganache. A simple and delicious option for breakfast or a light dessert.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. In large mixing bowl, combine applesauce, cinnamon and brown sugar. Mix until well combined. Slowly mix in flour, baking powder and salt - stirring until well combined. Stir in oats and dried cranberries.

Drop dough by round teaspoonfuls onto baking sheet lined with Silpat or parchment paper. Slightly flatten cookies with back of tablespoon (wet with warm water to keep dough from sticking to spoon).

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 30 cookies.

Line 13x9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing foil to extend one inch over the sides. Butter the sides of a heavy, 2-quart saucepan. Put the butter in the pan and heat over medium until melted. Stir in the sugars, corn syrup and water. Bring to a boil. Place candy thermometer in the mixture and cook toffee, without stirring, to 290F degrees (takes about 10 minutes). Watch carefully as it approaches final temperature.

Remove toffee from heat and quickly - but carefully - stir in ginger, cinnamon, cloves and vanilla. Pour toffee evenly into prepared baking pan and set aside for 5 minutes, or until it begins to harden.

Sprinkle chopped chocolate evenly over the hot toffee and let it sit for 30 seconds, or until chocolate begins to melt. Using a spoon or spatula, carefully spread the melting chocolate over the toffee. Sprinkle the pistachios and cherries over the top and set aside on a wire rack to cool (or place in the refrigerator) until toffee is firm (about one hour).

Lift the firm toffee out of the baking pan, using the edges of the foil. Carefully peel away the foil and break the toffee into pieces. Store toffee in airtight container, layered with parchment or waxed paper, in a cool area or refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

This recipe was slightly adapted from one appearing in Gingerbread: Timeless recipes for cakes, cookies, desserts, ice cream and candy.

Preheat oven to 375F degree. Mix apples, lemon juice, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon together. Spoon into 8x8-inch greased, shallow baking dish. Set aside. Mix butter, flour, remaining brown sugar, remaining cinnamon and nutmeg in medium bowl until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over apples. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Make the cupcakes by sifting together flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir together milk and vanilla.

Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With mixer running, add egg one at a time. Beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk mixture.

Line standard muffin tin with baking cups. Fill each with 1 tablespoon batter, 1 heaping tablespoon chopped peaches, and an additional 2 tablespoons batter. Bake until edges begin to turn golden, about 25 minutes. Cool in baking tin.

Make the topping by whisking together cream, sour cream and 3 tablespoons sugar to medium peaks. Top cupcakes with a dollop of cream.