Manchester baker shares holiday dessert recipes

MANCHESTER - Betty Kruse has turned her love of cooking into a “dream job.”

Kruse, 65, opened Betty's Bread Basket and Tea Room in downtown Manchester 12 years ago.

“I love my occupation,” she says. “The faithfulness of the people is wonderful.”

At an early age, she learned how to cook from her mother and grandmothers.

“It's in my blood,” she says.

She honed her skills as a member of a 4-H club and has read a lot of cookbooks and magazines.

Much of her cooking has been done on the farm near Greeley where she and husband, Al, have lived for 47 years.

Her two children and five grandchildren still love “to come home to the farm.”Holidays on the farm and in the restaurant are filled with indulgent desserts like the Snow Cake passed down from Kruse's mother, Anita Eike.

It is denser than angel food cake, Kruse says, and has “very soft frosting, like snow.”

She decorates the cake with fresh raspberries and thyme twigs to add a festive touch.

But, she says recipes and desserts can be adjusted.

“Recipes are only guidelines,” she says. “You can create them to your own taste.” Presentation is important, she says, but nothing to get too stressed about.

“Remember it's (the holidays) all about family and precious memories,” she says. “If it doesn't look right, just eat it.”

Here are some of Kruse's favorite holiday dessert recipes, including Snow Cake.

SNOW CAKE

1 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco)3 cups cake flour, sifted2 cups sugar4 teaspoons baking powder3/4 teaspoon salt1 cup cold water2 teaspoons vanilla extract3/4 cup egg whites (about6 large eggs)Cream shortening. Sift together cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; add to the shortening with water and vanilla. Mix until all flour is dampened, then beat vigorously for 2 more minutes. Add egg whites and beat 2 minutes longer.Grease, flour and line the bottom of two 9-inch pans with parchment paper. Pour equal amounts of batter into pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.Let cakes cool. Remove from pan. Frost each with Snow Drift Frosting (see below). Spread Raspberry Filling (see below) over one of the cakes. Place the other cake on top. Frost the sides and place fresh raspberries on top.1 cup raspberry pie filling1 teaspoon orange zest or 1 teaspoon triple sec8 ounces sour cream1 cup heavy whipping cream3/4 cup powdered sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extractCombine all in a large bowl on medium speed until frosting holds stiff peaks. Refrigerate.From Anita Eike

BETTY'S APPLE RASPBERRY PIE

3 cups flour1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon sugar1 cup lard, cold1/2 cup ice waterIn a food processor, blend the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Add lard and blend to a crumbling stage. Add ice water and blend until combined. Makes three 9-inch single pie crusts6 cups apples, pared and sliced1 1/2 cup sugar1/3 cup flour3/4 cup raspberries1/2 teaspoon cinnamon2 teaspoons butterCombine all in a large bowl and stir with spoon until all ingredients are blended.1/2 cup butter1 cup flour3/4 cup sugarCombine all in small bowl and mix with fork until crumbly. Pour filling into pie crust cover with topping. Bake at 375 degrees for 60 minutes or until apples are tender.From Betty Kruse

CHOCOLATE ANGEL FOOD DeLUXE

3/4 cup cake flour, sifted1/4 cocoa powder1 1/2 cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar1 1/2 cup egg whites (about 12 large eggs)1 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar1/4 teaspoon salt1 cup sugar1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extractSift together cake flour, cocoa powder and confectioner's sugar three times. In a large mixing bowl combine egg whites, cream of tartar and salt. Beat with a wire whip or electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time. Continue beating until meringue holds stiff peaks. Fold in vanilla extract. Gradually sift the flour mixture over the meringue and fold in gently until the flour disappears. Push batter into ungreased rectangular angel food loaf pan. Gently cut through batter with a knife to take out any large air bubbles. Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Invert to cool. Cover with frosting (recipe below).From Betty Crocker8 ounces cream cheese1/2 cup white sugar1 cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar1/2 cup cocoa powder1 (8-ounce) tup Cool Whip, thawedCream together cream cheese and sugar. Blend in powdered sugar. Lightly mix in Cool Whip.From Betty Kruse

RUM GLAZED APPLE CHEESECAKE

2 cups Graham cracker crumbs1/3 cup sugar1/3 cup butter, meltedCombine and press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch spring form pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Set aside.2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened1/2 cup sugar2 eggs1 teaspoon vanilla extract4 cups apples, pared and thinly sliced1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1/3 cup sugar1/3 cup apple jelly1 tablespoon rumCombine the cream cheese and sugar, mixing until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in vanilla. Pour into prepared crust.Toss the apple slices with sugar and cinnamon and spoon apple mixture over the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with chopped pecans and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until done.Warm apple jelly until melted and add the rum. Brush over the baked cheese cake. Allow to sit until completely cool. When cooled completely, remove the outer ring of the spring form pan and chill well, about 4 hours.

SNOW CAKE

1 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco)

3 cups cake flour, sifted

2 cups sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup cold water

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup egg whites (about

6 large eggs)

Cream shortening. Sift together cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; add to the shortening with water and vanilla. Mix until all flour is dampened, then beat vigorously for 2 more minutes. Add egg whites and beat 2 minutes longer.

Grease, flour and line the bottom of two 9-inch pans with parchment paper. Pour equal amounts of batter into pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cakes cool. Remove from pan. Frost each with Snow Drift Frosting (see below). Spread Raspberry Filling (see below) over one of the cakes. Place the other cake on top. Frost the sides and place fresh raspberries on top.

Raspberry Filling

1 cup raspberry pie filling

1 teaspoon orange zest or 1 teaspoon triple sec

Snow Drift Frosting

8 ounces sour cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all in a large bowl on medium speed until frosting holds stiff peaks. Refrigerate.

From Anita Eike

BETTY'S APPLE RASPBERRY PIE

Crust

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup lard, cold

1/2 cup ice water

In a food processor, blend the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Add lard and blend to a crumbling stage. Add ice water and blend until combined. Makes three 9-inch single pie crusts

Filling

6 cups apples, pared and sliced

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

3/4 cup raspberries

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons butter

Combine all in a large bowl and stir with spoon until all ingredients are blended.

French Crumb Topping

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

Combine all in small bowl and mix with fork until crumbly. Pour filling into pie crust cover with topping. Bake at 375 degrees for 60 minutes or until apples are tender.

From Betty Kruse

CHOCOLATE ANGEL FOOD DeLUXE

3/4 cup cake flour, sifted

1/4 cocoa powder

1 1/2 cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar

1 1/2 cup egg whites (about 12 large eggs)

1 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sift together cake flour, cocoa powder and confectioner's sugar three times. In a large mixing bowl combine egg whites, cream of tartar and salt. Beat with a wire whip or electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time. Continue beating until meringue holds stiff peaks. Fold in vanilla extract. Gradually sift the flour mixture over the meringue and fold in gently until the flour disappears. Push batter into ungreased rectangular angel food loaf pan. Gently cut through batter with a knife to take out any large air bubbles. Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Invert to cool. Cover with frosting (recipe below).

From Betty Crocker

Chocolate Swiss Creme Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup white sugar

1 cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 (8-ounce) tup Cool Whip, thawed

Cream together cream cheese and sugar. Blend in powdered sugar. Lightly mix in Cool Whip.

From Betty Kruse

RUM GLAZED APPLE CHEESECAKE

2 cups Graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

Combine and press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch spring form pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Set aside.

Filling:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups apples, pared and thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup sugar

Topping:

1/3 cup apple jelly

1 tablespoon rum

Combine the cream cheese and sugar, mixing until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in vanilla. Pour into prepared crust.

Toss the apple slices with sugar and cinnamon and spoon apple mixture over the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with chopped pecans and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until done.

Warm apple jelly until melted and add the rum. Brush over the baked cheese cake. Allow to sit until completely cool. When cooled completely, remove the outer ring of the spring form pan and chill well, about 4 hours.

From Betty Kruse