Barefoot Contessa Whipped Cream Recipes

TRES LECHES CAKE WITH BERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl and set aside. Place the eggs, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and the vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed for 10 minutes (really!) until light yellow and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add half the flour mixture, then the milk, and finally the remaining flour mixture. Mix with a rubber spatula to be sure the batter is well mixed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 25 minutes, until the cake springs back when touched lightly in the middle and a cake tester comes out clean. Set aside to cool in the pan for 30 minutes.
• In a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk together the heavy cream, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, almond extract, and vanilla seeds. Using a bamboo skewer, poke holes all over the cooled cake and slowly pour the cream mixture over the cake, allowing it to be absorbed completely before continuing to pour on more of the mixture. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
• To serve, toss the fruit with the 5 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Dust the cake with confectioners' sugar, cut in squares, and place on dessert plates. Surround the cake with the fruit, put a dollop of Make-Ahead Whipped Cream on top, and serve.
• Place the cream, confectioners' sugar, granulated sugar, creme fraiche, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed, until it forms soft peaks. Serve cold.

STRAWBERRY COUNTRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans. Then line them with parchment paper and butter and flour the lined pans.
• Cream the butter and sugar on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, then the sour cream, zests, and vanilla, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix well. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and combine just until smooth.
• Pour the batter evenly into the pans, smooth the tops, and bake in the center of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then remove to wire racks and let cool to room temperature. If using 1 cake, wrap the second well and freeze.
• To make the filling for one cake, whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until firm. Slice one of the cakes in half with a long, sharp knife. Place the bottom slice of the cake on a serving platter, spread with 1/2 the whipped cream and scatter with sliced strawberries. Cover with the top slice of the cake and spread with the remaining cream. Decorate with strawberries.

SALTED CARAMEL SUNDAE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the peanuts on a sheet pan and roast for 7 minutes, until they become fragrant. Pour into a medium bowl, add the popcorn, and set aside. Line the sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Place the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium (10-inch) saute pan and mix with a fork until all the sugar is moistened. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves--from this point on, don't stir the caramel, swirl the pan! (Don't worry if the mixture looks as though it's crystallizing.)
• Continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes until it becomes a clear golden brown, swirling the pan constantly at the end. (Be careful, the caramel is very hot!) Off the heat, quickly add the corn syrup and vanilla (it will bubble up!) and swirl the pan to combine. Working quickly (the caramel will continue to cook in the pan), add the popcorn and nut mixture plus the kosher salt and toss with two large spoons until the popcorn and nuts are completely coated.
• Pour the mixture plus any extra caramel in the pan onto the prepared sheet pan and spread the mixture out in one layer, pulling it apart with two forks. Sprinkle with the fleur de sel and set aside to cool. When it's completely cooled, carefully break into large clusters with your hands.
• To serve, pour puddles of Chocolate Sauce into shallow bowls. For each serving, place 3 small scoops of gelato on the chocolate sauce, sprinkle with some of the caramelized popcorn, and add a dollop of the Sweetened Whipped Cream in the middle. Serve immediately.
• Place the chocolate, cream, corn syrup, and coffee in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Be sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Heat the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Serve warm.
• Pour the cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on high speed until the cream forms soft peaks.

RUM WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar, vanilla, and rum. Continue to whip until it forms stiff peaks. Serve cold.

CHOCOLATE BANANA CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• For the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter in a bowl. Press the mixture into an 11-inch false-bottom tart pan, making sure the sides and the bottom of the crust are an even thickness. Bake for 10 minutes and set aside to cool completely.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the scalded milk until the mixture is combined.
• Pour the mixture into a large saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is very thick. Off the heat, add the chocolate, butter, coffee liqueur and coffee powder and stir until the chocolate is melted. Pour the filling into the cooled tart pan and smooth the top. Place plastic wrap directly on top of the chocolate filling and chill for 6 hours.
• When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap from the chocolate and arrange the banana slices in concentric circles on top of the filling.
• Place the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until the cream forms firm peaks. Spoon the whipped cream on top of the bananas and gently spread the cream with a spatula to cover the pie, leaving a border of bananas visible at the outside edge. For a garnish, shave curls of milk chocolate on top of the whipped cream. Remove the pie from the pan, place it on a cake plate and serve.