Orange Coffee Rolls | Mom's Easter Egg Rolls | Frosted Salad | Green Grape Dessert Salad
24 Hour Salad | Flourless Chocolate Torte | Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Peeps
 


Old Traditions, New Renditions
From old family classics to new finds, Cyndi's favorite Spring recipes! 
Orange Coffee Rolls, Frosted Salad, Flourless Chocolate Torte and more!


By Cynthia Bowan
Return to Index

 

I have been trying off and on for a long time this month to get a column written.  Between going back and forth on the phone and Internet with family about our oldest grandson Will’s mystery illness, to writer’s block and other family things, I have been basically unable to write. 

When I want to write and I can’t – well, it is a horrible feeling.  Fortunately, Will is doing better, and is now home and back in school.

Now I’ve gotten “the bug” again, and find that I want to try some wonderful recipes I’ve either been given or found online the past month or so.  I also bought some of the new Nestle Chocolatier products, and, as everyone knows, chocolate can do so much for a person!  I made a flourless chocolate cake, which disappeared in one evening!  I also made my Mocha Mountain cookies with them, and couldn’t believe how much better the cookies tasted.

I’ve tried a new orange breakfast roll, too.  Our Bethany recently had to do a project for culinary school, and in doing so, was going through old cookbooks, including some hand-written ones from her Grandmother Bowan.  We found the recipe for Mom’s Easter Egg Rolls, and I am sure that they would delight both children and adults.

The next recipes are for light fruit-based salads, perfect with Spring ham. 

The final recipe is a silly, fun one that I make for the grandsons.  I hope you will enjoy the following and perhaps try one for your own upcoming holiday!  And as always, please CYH – consider yourself hugged!!!


Orange Coffee Rolls

1 package active dry yeast
1/4 c. water (105º to 115º
1 c. sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. plus 2 T. butter, melted 
1 tsp. salt
2-3/4 to 3 c. all-purpose flour
2 T. butter, melted, divided
1 c. flaked coconut, toasted, divided
2 T. grated orange rind
Glaze (recipe follows)

Combine yeast and warm water in a large mixing bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add 1/4 c. sugar and next 4 ingredients; beat at medium speed of an electric mixer until blended. Gradually stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes).

Place dough in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85º), free from drafts, 1-1/2 hours or until doubled in bulk.

Punch dough down, and divide in half. Roll one portion of dough into a 12" circle; brush with 1 T. melted butter. Combine remaining 3/4 c. sugar, 3/4 c. coconut and orange rind; sprinkle half of coconut mixture over dough. Cut into 12 wedges; roll up each wedge, beginning at wide end. Place in a greased 13 x 9 x 2" pan, point side down. Repeat with remaining dough, butter, and coconut mixture.

Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Bake at 350F. for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. (Cover with aluminum foil after 15 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary). Spoon warm Glaze over warm rolls; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup coconut. Yield: 2 dozen

Glaze

3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. butter
2 tsp. orange juice

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Boil 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool slightly. Yield: about 1-1/3 cups.


Mom's Easter Egg Rolls

3 3/4 to 4 1/4 c. flour, divided
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 T. grated fresh lemon peel
2 pkg. dry yeast
3/4 c. milk
1/2 c. water
1 c. margarine (2 sticks)
3 egg yolks
Tinted confectioners' sugar frosting
Cake decors, opt.

Mix 1 1/4 c. flour, sugar, salt, yeast and lemon peel in large bowl. combine milk, water and margarine in saucepan. Heat just until warm, margarine need not be melted. Add to dry ingredients, beat with electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add egg yolks and 1 c. flour, beat 2 more minutes on high speed. Stir in enough flour to make a stiff batter. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 2 hr. or overnight.

Divide dough in half. Form each half into 24 smooth pieces. Place in two 9-inch
cake pans. Cover and raise 1 hr. Bake at 400F., 25 minutes. Cool completely.

Decorate with tinted icing so they look like Easter eggs. Can add cake decors
like flowers or dots etc. to decorate as well.


Frosted Salad

Salad

2 pkg. lemon Jell-O
2 c. boiling water
2 c. 7-Up
1 (20-oz.) can drained pineapple
1 cup miniature marshmallows
2 sliced bananas

Frosting

1/2 c. sugar
2 T. flour
1 c. pineapple juice (from drained pineapple above)
1 beaten egg
2 T. butter or margarine.
2 c. whipped cream

Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. Add 7-Up; let partially set. Add drained pineapple, marshmallows and sliced bananas. Chill until set.

For frosting, cook sugar, flour, pineapple juice, and egg until thick. Cool. Add butter/margarine. When completely cool, fold in whipped cream. Spread over top of salad, refrigerate until serving.


Green Grape Dessert Salad
Source: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of American Cooking, published by The Southwestern Co., Nashville, TN.

2 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. flour
3/4 c. orange juice
Juice of 1 lemon
1 c. heavy cream, whipped
3 c. green grapes
1 No. 2 can pineapple chunks, drained
1 10 1/2 oz. pkg. miniature marshmallows
1/2 c. chopped nuts

Combine eggs, sugar, flour, orange and lemon juices in double boiler. Cook over simmering water until thickened; cool. Fold whipped cream into cooled mixture. Fold remaining ingredients into dressing; cover. Chill for 8 hours or overnight. Yield: 8-10
servings.


24 Hour Salad

3 beaten egg yolks
2 T. sugar
2 T. vinegar
2 T. pineapple syrup (from drained chunks)
1 T. butter
dash salt
2 c. Queen Anne cherries
2 c. pineapple chunks
2 pared oranges, cut up
2 c. miniature marshmallows
1 c. whipping cream, whipped

Combine first 6 ingredients in top of double boiler. Cook and stir over hot but not boiling water until thick. Cool. Stir in fruit and marshmallows. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon the mixture gently into the serving bowl. Chill 24 hrs. Garnish with orange sections and green grapes, if desired.


Flourless Chocolate Torte

7 oz. Nestle Chocolatier bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (3/4 c.)
4 large eggs
1 1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder

Do not use unsweetened chocolate. Preheat oven to 325F. Butter and sprinkle with sugar an 8-inch springform pan. Wrap foil around outside of pan.

Melt chocolate and butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Whisk eggs, sugar and coffee powder in large bowl until well blended. Whisk in chocolate mixture.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Place cake in large baking pan. Add enough hot water to baking pan to come halfway up sides of cake. Bake until knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hrs. (The cake will be about 1/2" high.)

Remove cake from water bath and cool. Remove foil. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (This can be prepared up to a week ahead, keep refrigerated.) Release pan sides from cake. Cut cake into wedges and serve cold. Also good served with whipped cream or raspberry sauce.


Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Peeps

bittersweet chocolate
Peeps candy, frozen

Melt Bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water (or in the microwave). Using a toothpick, dip a frozen Marshmallow Peep Chick in the chocolate, swirling until covered. Let excess drip off. Place the toothpick in a piece of Styrofoam so the Peeps can dry. Once dry, place the Peeps on tray and put them in the refrigerator to harden.

Note: Freezing the peeps assures that they will not melt when dipped in the warm chocolate.


By Cynthia Bowan
Return to Index


Orange Coffee Rolls | Mom's Easter Egg Rolls | Frosted Salad | Green Grape Dessert Salad
24 Hour Salad | Flourless Chocolate Torte | Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Peeps