Butter Cream Frosting

3/4 c crisco

1/2 c butter

1 teas vanilla

2 lbs powdered sugar

1/2 c cream

Mix in order given. Beat until well mixed.

Mischell Shapiro

Strawberry Pavlova

• 4 egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced

Place egg whites in a large mixing bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1-1/4 cups sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle cornstarch over egg white mixture; fold in. Fold in lemon juice and extract. Coat a 14-in. pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon meringue onto pan, forming a 12-in. heart; build up edges slightly. Bake at 250 degrees F for 45-55 minutes or until crisp. Cool on pan on a wire rack. In a mixing bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Spoon over meringue; arrange strawberries over top. Serve immediately.

Roz Hawk

Boston Creme

3 c sugar (divided)

1/8 t salt

1 c cream

2/3 c whole milk

Caramelize one cup of sugar until light brown and is a smooth syrup. Add cream (it will splatter). Stir until resultant lump is gone (may need to warm slightly) then add remaining sugar and milk. Dissolve as described above. Cook to 228 then remove from heat. Add butter. Cool and beat as described for penuche. The beating takes a lot longer than other candies - a good one to use the Kitchenaid for.

Julia Blake

Penuche (a caramel-flavored fudge)

1 c brown sugar

3 c white sugar

2 c heavy cream

2-3 T corn syrup

Dissolve as described for caramels. Then cook to 228. Pour onto a marble slab and add 1 T. butter. Cool to luke warm then knead with a wide spatula or clean putty knife. It is done when the glossy appearance is gone and it is opaque (looks like light-colored fudge). Can add nuts at the end. We like to roll in small balls and dip in tempered chocolate, but it can be eaten just like fudge. I've been told that you can skip the marble slab part and just beat it in your Kitchenaid mixer.

Julia Blake

Caramels

3 c sugar

1 c. light corn syrup

2 c heavy cream

1/2 c melted butter

Heat on low until sugar is completely dissolved. Stir constantly and brush sides of pan with wet pastry brush to wash all the sugar crystals into solution. Make sure sugar is dissolved by rubbing some between your finger and thumb. DO NOT BOIL UNTIL ALL SUGAR IS DISSOLVED. Once dissolved, turn up the heat and boil (stirring occasionally) until it reaches 240 degrees (or 245 if you like your caramels a bit chewier). Pour into a buttered 9x13 pan and let cook. Cut into squares and wrap or dip intempered chocolate.

Julia Blake