Food for Your Fireworks Celebration

Show your patriotic colors by what you serve for dessert this Fourth of July weekend.



Mary Crafts-Homer recommends three recipes to light up your party.
Buttermilk Panna Cotta
1/4 cup Water
1 TB. Gelatin
2 cups Cream
2 tsp. Lemon Zest
1 cups Sugar
4 cups Buttermilk
2 tsp. Vanilla

1) Bloom gelatin in ice cold water for 10 minutes



2) Heat cream, zest and sugar to low boil.



3) Add gelatin off of heat. Stir until dissolved.



4) Cool mixture to lukewarm stirring often.



5) Stir in buttermilk and vanilla.



6) Pour into ramekins or glasses, chill at least 4 hours.

Liège Sugar Waffles
2/3 cup Water
½ oz. Yeast
¼ cup Sugar
6 Eggs
4 cups All-purpose flour
¼ tsp. Salt
1 lb. Butter, melted
2 TB. Vanilla
1 ¾ cups Pearl sugar

1) Combine water, yeast and sugar in mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Scale out remaining ingredients.



2) Add eggs and vanilla slowly mixing between each addition. Add flour and salt and mix on low just until ingredients begin to come together. Mix will be dry.



3) Add melted butter slowly in three additions, incorporating fully between each. Once incorporated cover and let rest for 45 minutes.



4) When dough is almost through resting and has doubled in size preheat waffle iron to medium heat. You can also use a cast iron waffle maker on the stove over medium heat.



5) Once dough is ready add pearl sugar to batter and mix by hand. This will deflate the dough and it will be ready to cook.



6) Using a scoop or your hand place in a hot waffle iron and cook on medium heat 2-3 minutes until crispy and golden on the outside. The sugar causes these waffles to crispy and get lots of color leaving bits of pearl sugar on the inside. Serve immediately.

U.S. Flag Cake Pops

1) Crumble 9×13 cake into bowl and add 2 cups prepared frosting. You want to be able to roll cake pops into a ball and have them stay together. You can add more frosting if the mix sees to dry and will not stay together. Start with less, you can always add more.



2) Once mixed scoop pops with a cookie scoop or tablespoon. Roll into a smooth circle.



3) Melt coating chocolate on a double boiler or in the microwave on 30 second intervals. Do not cook longer than 30 seconds at a time or your chocolate will scorch. Continue to stir until smooth. It shouldn’t take longer than 2 minutes to melt completely.



4) Place the rolled pops onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the end of the stick in white chocolate and then stick straight into the cake pop. This chocolate will act as a sealer and hold the stick in place. Let set in the fridge for twenty-thirty minutes.



5) Remove cake pops from fridge and dip into warm melted chocolate. Decorate with sprinkles, nuts or candy.



6) Let the chocolate set and enjoy!

Perfect Whipped Cream
1 cup Whipping cream
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 cup Granulated sugar

1) Chill the mixing bowl from a stand mixer and whisk in the freezer for 10 minutes



2) Use cold whipping cream and put it in the bowl and whisk on medium until it gets foamy (about 1 minute.)



3) Gradually add the vanilla and sugar. It’ll only take about 2 minutes until it gets to soft peak.



4) After the soft peak, it can only take a few seconds to get perfect. Watch it carefully! If you do over beat it, you can add in a little bit more whipping cream and fold it, not mash it, into your already whipped cream.



5) When the whipping cream is done, put it in a piping bag and pipe onto your dessert!



*Note: Do NOT whip on high! It will over beat, get grainy, and will deflate faster.