Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
1 piece pre-made pie dough
Whipped cream, for topping

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

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Cream Scones

Ingredients
2 cups cake flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter or other shortening
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, well beaten
1/3 cup light cream
1/2 cup dried cherries
1 lemon, finely zested
1 egg white, slightly beaten

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Sift the flour, and then add the baking powder, sugar and salt and sift again. In a large mixing bowl, cut in the butter or shortening. Add the egg, egg yolk and cream all at once and stir until all the flour is dampened. Mix in the dried cherries and lemon zest. Then stir vigorously until the mixture forms a soft dough and follows a spoon around the bowl. Turn out immediately onto a slightly floured board and knead 30 seconds. Using a rolling pin, roll out until the dough is about 1/2-inch thick, and then cut into triangles. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush the tops lightly with the egg white, and sprinkle with some sugar. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

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Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients
Crust:
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick melted salted butter
Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


For crust:


In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.


For filling:


Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.


Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place in oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.


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Butterscotch Pie

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups milk
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (9-inch) pre-baked pie shell
1/4 cup butterscotch morsels, plus more for topping
Whipped cream, recipe follows


Directions
1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, add sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Slowly add milk, constantly stirring until it thickens.


2. In a separate bowl temper 2 egg yolks by whisking in a small amount of hot mixture to bowl. Whisk in the eggs and add the butter and vanilla. Allow to cook for a few minutes.


3. Pour into a dish and refrigerate, allowing to cool. When ready, fill pie shell with butterscotch mixture.


4. Mix the butterscotch morsels into the whipped cream. Cover pie and garnish with more butterscotch morsels.


Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar


Using a hand mixer, whip together the heavy cream and sugar until light and fluffy.

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Pie- فطيره

Grapefruit Cake with Grapefruit Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon grapefruit zest
• 3 tablespoons grapefruit juice
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 eggs whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch cake pan with waxed paper and spray with nonstick oil.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center for dry ingredients. Add water, oil, zest, grapefruit juice and egg yolks. Beat until smooth. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar separately until whites are stiff but not dry. Gradually fold egg whites into flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just blended. Do not stir the mixture.

Pour batter into prepared cake pan.

Bake for 25 minutes or until cake springs back when gently touched with a finger. Invert pan on cake rack to cool. Run spatula around edge of cake. Carefully remove from pan. With a serrated knife, gently cut layer in half.

Grapefruit Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 2 (6-ounce) packages cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons grapefruit juice
• 1 teaspoon grapefruit zest
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 to 8 drops yellow food coloring
• 1 (1-pound) can grapefruit sections, well drained

Let cream cheese soften to room temperature. Beat cheese until fluffy. Add grapefruit juice and zest. Gradually blend in sugar. Mix until well blended. Add food coloring. Crush several grapefruit sections to measure 2 teaspoons.

Blend into frosting. Spread frosting on bottom half of cake. Top with several grapefruit sections. Cover with second layer of cake. Frost top and sides. Garnish with remaining grapefruit sections.

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Grapefruit

Fresh Fruit Salad with Creamy Custard

Ingredients

• 6 kiwis, peeled and chopped
• 2 ripe mangoes, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 1 melon, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1 quart strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 1 quart blackberries
• 1/2 quart blueberries

Custard:

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 6 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the fruit:

• Place fruit into a large bowl and toss together.

For the custard:

Directions

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk milk and sugar constantly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly incorporate the hot milk into the egg mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Heat the custard over low heat about 5 minutes or until thickened slightly, stirring constantly. (It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let the mixture come to a simmer or the eggs will curdle.)

Remove from heat and melt the butter into custard. Add vanilla. Immediately strain the custard into a small bowl. Place in refrigerator to cool.

Drizzle over fruit and serve.

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Custard