Browned Butter Toffee Tartlets

I’ve had this recipe a long time. I don’t remember where I got it. It’s probably from one of my old cookbooks, though I don’t remember which one. I made it once years ago and then never made it again. For the life of me, I don’t know why. They were a hit when I made them all those years go. These tartlets are not only yummy, but they’re super-duper easy to make. The recipe makes a lot, too, which is perfect for a party or get-together.

BROWNED BUTTER TOFFEE TARTLETS

• 3 pkgs. (15 pcs. each) baked miniature phyllo dough shells
• ½ cup butter
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsps. vanilla
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¾ cup toffee pieces
• 2 ozs. bittersweet chocolate, chopped or bittersweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Place phyllo dough shells on a cookie sheet.
3. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; then reduce heat to medium-low.
4. Continue to cook, without stirring, for 5 to 6 minutes or until butter becomes brown and fragrant.
5. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
6. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, sugar, flour, vanilla and salt. Whisk vigorously to combine.
7. Whisk browned butter into egg mixture.
8. Stir in toffee pieces.
9. Spoon filling into tartlet shells.
10. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until tops are light brown.
11. Transfer carefully to wire rack and allow to cool completely.
12. Melt chocolate in microwave in 30-second increments, stirring until smooth.
13. Drizzle melted chocolate on top of cooled tartlets in any design you want.
14. Let stand until set.

NOTE:

• You should get at least 40 tartlets (if not more) from this recipe, depending on how full you fill the shells.
• If you can’t get toffee pieces, you can substitute chocolate-covered toffee candybars, like Skor, Heath or Daim, and chop them up.
• To store, layer tartets between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container. Cover and store in refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw tartlets at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.

Orange Petit Fours

I decided to try making petit fours for my Mother’s Day Tea Party this year. I found this Betty Crocker recipe, so armed with all the ingredients and my daughter, Bashful, by my side, we set to work. While I baked up the petit fours and got them glazed, Bashful set about rolling the gummy candies and cutting out adorable little flower and leaf shapes to place on top of each one. Don’t they look cute? I think she did an excellent job!

Petit Fours (pronounced peti fur) are a confectionery typically made of tiny little pound cakes or sponge cakes that are glazed and decorated. The name petit fours is French in origin and literally means “small oven.” They can be covered with fondant or coated with any flavor of frosting or glaze. Sometimes they’re filled with jam, chocolate, buttercream frosting, or whipped cream. Decorated with piped rosettes, hearts or ribbons, chocolate swirls, fondant flowers, dragees, nonpareils, or any tiny edible ornamentation, they make a sweet and elegant addition to a baby or bridal shower, afternoon tea, or dessert table.

ORANGE PETIT FOURS
(Makes 54 petits fours)

Cake:

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 tsp. grated orange peel
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp. orange-flavored liqueur (can substitute orange juice)

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Spray bottom and sides of 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan with baking spray with flour.
2. In large bowl, beat all cake ingredients except liqueur with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
3. Pour batter into pan, spreading evenly to edges.
4. Bake 22 to 28 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in center.
5. Brush liqueur over top of cake.
6. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
7. To avoid cake crumbs when adding icing, freeze cake 1 hour before cutting.

Icing:

• 8 cups powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup pulp-free orange juice
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 tsp. almond extract

1. In large bowl, beat icing ingredients on low speed until powdered sugar is moistened.
2. Beat on high speed until smooth.
3. If icing is too thick, add more orange juice, a teaspoon at a time, until icing is pourable.

Decoration:

• gum drops
• orange jellies

1. Sprinkle sugar onto work surface.
2. Roll gum drops and orange jellies flat with a rolling pin.
3. Cut out tiny flower and leaf shapes with a sharp paring knife,

Assembly:

1. Place cooling rack on cookie sheet or waxed paper to catch icing drips.
2. Cut cake into 9 rows by 6 rows.
3. Working with one piece at a time, remove cake square from pan and place on cooling rack.
4. Spoon icing evenly over top of cake square, letting icing drip down sides till cake is completely coated. (Icing that drips off can be reused.)
5. Place a little gum drop or orange jelly flower on top of cake square.
6. Let stand until icing is set, about 2 hours.
7. Store in single layer in airtight plastic container.

[Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker]

Shrimp Mousse

This is an old recipe of my Mom’s. She made it all the time for get-togethers or when we were expecting company. It’s very addictive and you’ll find yourself heading back to the appetizer table again and again for just a little bit more.

It always reminds me of my mother-in-law whom I miss terribly. She absolutely loved this mousse! When the party was over, you just knew any leftover shrimp mousse was hers. She would spread it on toast and eat shrimp mousse sandwiches for breakfast, lunch or a snack the next day. I have to say, I picked up that habit from her and on the rare occasion that we actually have leftover shrimp mousse, I find myself having a shrimp mousse sandwich for lunch the day after.

SHRIMP MOUSSE

• 1 packet Knox unflavored gelatin
• 2 tbsp. cold water
• 1 box (8 ozs.) cream cheese
• 1 can Campbell’s cream of celery soup
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 lb. cooked small shrimp, finely chopped
• 1 large stalk green onion, green and white part, finely minced
• 1 stalk celery, finely minced (optional)

1. In a small bowl, dissolve the Knox gelatin in 2 tbsp. cold water and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the cream cheese and celery soup over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth.
3. Remove saucepan from heat, add in the gelatin, and stir until well-blended.
4. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.
5. Pour into an oiled mold and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until firm.
6. Unmold and serve with crackers.

NOTE:  You can easily turn this into “Crab Mousse” by substituting 1 pound crabmeat for the shrimp. I’ve also made it into “Seafood Mousse” by making it with ½ lb. shrimp and ½ lb. crab.