League recipes

By Times staff
© St. Petersburg Times
published November 13, 2002

Tropical Layer Bars

• 1 box graham crackers, finely crushed
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 cups (18 ounces) chocolate chips
• 2 cups flaked coconut
• 2 cups (4 sticks) butter
• 1 cup light corn syrup or honey
• 3 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups chopped macadamia nuts

Combine the crushed graham crackers, 3/4 cup melted butter and sugar in a bowl, and mix well. Press into the bottom of an 11- by 7-inch baking pan. Sprinkle evenly with the chocolate chips and coconut.

League's new cookbook recipe: slimmer, sleeker, modern As Junior League cookbooks go, The Life of the Party is different.

Combine 2 cups butter, corn syrup and brown sugar in a heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, stirring with a wooden spoon. Increase the heat and bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream, vanilla and macadamia nuts. Pour over the chocolate chip and coconut layer.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the center is set. Cool. Chill until firm. Cut into small bars to serve.

Yield: 7-dozen small squares.

Source: The Life of the Party, Junior League of Tampa.

Caramel Apple Cake

For cake:

• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups chopped Granny Smith apples (3 to 4 large apples)

For glaze:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup milk

For the cake, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl; set aside.

Beat the brown sugar, sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and beat until well-blended; mixture will be very thick. Fold in the apples. Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Invert onto a serving plate.

For the glaze, combine the butter, brown sugar and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes, 30 seconds. Pour the hot glaze over the cooled cake.

Yield: 12 servings.

Chocolate Cloud

For cake:

• 8 ounces good-quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pats and softened
• 1 egg
• 5 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons liqueur (Frangelico, Grand Marnier or Kahlua)
• 5 egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar

Whipped cream:

• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream, chilled
• 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cake, line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with a round piece of waxed paper. Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Stir in the butter until melted and well-blended. You may also melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Set aside.

Whisk the egg in a bowl with the egg yolks. Whisk in 1/2-cup sugar until pale yellow and thickened. Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture until well-blended. Stir in the liqueur; set aside.

Beat the egg whites in a mixing bowl until foamy. Add 1/2 cup sugar gradually, beating until soft peaks form. Spoon about 1/4 of the meringue into the chocolate mixture. Fold in the remaining meringue. Pour the batter into the springform pan, smoothing the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until the top is puffed and begins to crack; do not overbake. Remove to a wire rack to cool; the top of the cake will fall slightly.

For the whipped topping, immediately before serving, beat the cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl until stiff peaks form.

To serve, spoon the topping into the center of the cake. Run a knife around the side of the pan to loosen the cake. Remove the side from the pan and cut into slices to serve.

Yield: 8 to 12 servings.

Source: The Life of the Party, Junior League of Tampa.

Espresso Martini

• 2 ounces Irish cream
• 2 ounces Kahlua
• A splash of Grand Marnier
• 2 ounces espresso or strong coffee
• 1 ounce premium vodka
• Crushed ice

Combine first five ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add crushed ice. Cover and shake vigorously. Strain and serve straight up in martini glasses.

Yield: 2 servings.

Source: The Life of the Party, Junior League of Tampa.

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