Desserts

Fruit Desserts

Key Lime Pie

Key limes are producing abundant crops in many areas. They are always refreshing in a glass off sparkling soda or other beverage. This key lime pie recipe is a nice way of showing off your produce. Not too sweet, like many other recipes, it allows the quality of the fresh, homegrown limes to really come through.

Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh squeezed key lime juice
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
3 eggs, separated; save the whites for meringue
1 tablespoon butter
Grated rind of one lime
9 inch baked pie shell
Meringue (see below)

Steps

1. Beat the egg yolks in a bowl and set aside.
2. Combine the sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt in a saucpean and gradually stir in the water. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.
3. Remove from the heat, gradually sitr the beaten egg yolks into the mixture, return to the heat and cook, stirring constantly for an additional two minutes.
4. Stir in the butter, lime juice, rind and cool slightly.
5. Pour into the filling into the baked pasty shell and cool completely.
6. Top with meringue and brown in the oven

Meringue

Meringue is a wonderfully versatile topping that can be used to top a variety of pies such as key lime and lemon.

Ingredients

3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar

Steps

1. Beat the egg whites until light and frothy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until the whites are stiff enough to hold a peak.
2. Gradually beat in the sugar and beat until the meringue is stiff and glossy.
3. Pile the meringue lightly on a cooled pie filling, spreading it until it touches the edgges of the pastry to prevent the meringue from shrinking.
4. Bake in a preheated overn at 425 degrees until the top is brown, 5 to 6 minutes.

Goat's Milk-Based Desserts

Dulce de leche (cajeta)

Sometimes mistakenly referred to as caramel sauce, dulce de leche is much finer and more subtle. Although not difficult to make, the key is using superb quality ingredients patience and attention. When achieved successfully, not only do you have a fabulous sauce to mix into ice cream, use with cakes, drizzle onto fruit and popcorn and to put into crepes and empanadas; you also have a wonderful small gift on hand for unexpected occasions and party favors. Once you try making your own dulce de leche, you'll treasure your new-found knowledge.

Ingredients

1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 cups goat's milk
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Steps

1. In a cup, stir the water and baking soda together. Set aside.
2. Put the milk in a saucepan. Using a wooden spoon,stir in the sugar while the milk is cold and then bring to a boil.
3. Immediately remove the pot from the heat and lower the stove temperature to low
4. Stirring constantly, pour in the baking soda and water combination in a thin stream. Be careful not to allow any baking soda sitting in the bottom of the cup to be poured in or you will get granules.
5. Return the pot to the stove and continue cooking at a vigorous boil and stirring constantly.
6. Important note: As the sauce thickens, gradually increase the heat to keep the sauce at a boil.
7. Continue cooking for approximately 1 hour, or until the sauce coats the back of a sppon and turns a rich caramel color and is clear.
8. Pour the mixture into a bowel, stir in the vanilla and let cool.

The dulce de leche will keep for 1 to 2 months refrigerated.

Dulce de leche slowly being mixed with a wooden spoon while cooking on the stove.

Add some pretty decoration and these jars of dulce de leche make great hostess gifts.

Caramelized candy

An easily transportable way to enjoy the delicious flavors of dulche de lech with just a few slight variations to the dulche de leche recipe.

Ingredients

3 quarts whole goat's milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups sugar

Steps

1. Prepare two cookie sheets covered in wax paper or parchment paper.
2. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, dissolve the cornstarch and baking soda in 1 cup of milk and using a wooden spoon, stir carefully to dissolve any lumps.
3. Add the remaining milk and sugar into the sauce pan. Insert a candy thermometer.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil. Continue to stir constantly until the candy coats the back of the spoon. At this point being to cook to a temperature of 150 degrees. Periodically drop the candy in single teaspoonful amounts onto the cookie sheets.Continue cooking and allowing the temperature to increase until the liquid begins to harden once it hits the paper. However, do not allow the mixture to scald or become grainy.
5. Once the candy begins to set, immediately remove the candy from the heat and quickly drop by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. Allow the candy to sit until it's hardened, then remove and store by either wrapping the candies individually or place them in layers with the non-stick paper separating the layers.

Goat's Cheese (Chevre) Cheesecake (Pay de Queso)

Although this may sound counter-intuitive at first, the chevere makes a lovely light and slightly tart cheesecake that combats all the overly sweet concocatiosn that frequently come to mind when you think "cheese cake". Give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

Ingredients

For the crust:
5 slices of bread (you can use white, but we experimented with a home-made honey wheat that made a delicious crust)
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening

For the filling:
1 pound natural cream cheese at room temperature (chevre works very well)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus a little more for the egg whites
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extracts
3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 large egg whites, at room temperature

Steps

The crust:

Pulverize the break in a blender or food processor; there should be about 1 and 2/3 cups.
Combine the crumbs and sugar in a bowl. Melt the butter with the shortening, then pour over the crumbs and mix well.
Pat into an even layer in a 9" pie pan. Chill 20-30 minutes.

The filling:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and position the rack in the upper 1/3 of the oven.
Place the cheese in a food processor or electric mixer, add 1/2 cup of the sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, the cinnamon, flour, vanilla and egg yolks, and process or beat until very smooth. If using a food processor, scrap the mixture into a large mixing bowel.
Using a large wire whisk or electric mixer at medium speed, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold a firm peak, then beat in the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar at half minute intervals, one tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until they hold a stiff, shiny peak again.
Stir 1/3 of the egg whites into the cheese batter, then gently fold in the remainder in two additions.
Scoop into the crust.
Baking: immediately set the pie in the oven. Bake 5 minutes, then lower the heat to 325 degrees and bake 25 minutes; turn off the oven and let the pie cool for 15 minutes with the door closed.
Remove from the oven and cool completely before serving. It will have puffed and browned during baking, but will settle to its original height as it cools.

Baked Custard

When you are looking for ways to use milk and eggs, this is a great, easy-to-make dessert that is sure to please everyone. This versatile baseline recipe can skip the cinnamon and you can pure cajeta over the top, or substitute vanilla for cinnamon and nutmeg. This dish can be served warm or cold. Top with whipped cream, berries, a sprig of mint or basil leaves as desired. It is best to consume the custard within 24 hours of preparation

Ingredients

2 cups milk, cream or a mixture
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg(or ground)
2 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
Salt
1/2 cup sugar

Steps

1. As you will bake the custard in a water bath, find a baking dish large enough that your custard pan or custard cups will fit into. Ideally the pan should be at least 2 inches deep.
2. Put a pot or kettle or water on the stove to boil
3. Put the milk, cinnamon and half the nutmeg in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until it just begins to steam.
4. Heat the oven to 300 degrees.
5. Using a whisk, beat the eggs and yolks wit the salt and sugar until pale yellow and fairly thick.
6. Gradually add the cream to the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Pour the mixture into an oven proof baking dish or custard cups and sprinkle with the remaining nutmeg,
7. Put the dish or cups in a baking pan and pour the hot water into the baking pan to within about 1 inch of the top of the custard pan or cups.
8. Bake until the mixture is not quite set. It should be wobbly in the center. This will take about 20 minutes in the baking dish and 30 in the cups.

Fire and Ice Ice Cream

This recipe offers a great combination of peppers from your garden as well as goat's milk. You may want to try eliminating the pepper seeds the first time you make it and adjusting for taste in future batches. If you have fresh strawberries from the garden, put them into the freezer to firm them. By using a powerful blender the job is quick and simple with minimal clean-up.

Ingredients

1 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries
1 roasted jalapeno pepper, with or without seeds
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup ice cubes

Steps

1. Place ingredients in the blender in the order listed.
2. Secure lid and set variable.
3. Turn on the blender and quickly incase to the highest speed. Use a ramper to occasionally press ingredients into the blades while processing.
4. When mounds form in the mixture stop and serve immediately. Over-mixing will cause melting to occur.