Pecan Bourbon Crunch Italian Cream Cups Recipes

BOURBON YAMS WITH PECAN TOPPING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a shallow 2-quart casserole.
• Bake the yams on an oven rack for 45 minutes, or until soft. Halve and scoop out pulp.
• Mash pulp, then add eggs, sugar, butter, cream, bourbon, and vanilla. Stir well to combine.
• Pour into prepared casserole.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• To prepare Pecan Topping. Combine last four ingredients sprinkle over yams. Decorate top with whole pecans if you would like.
• Bake uncovered, 40 minutes, or until heated through and top is lightly browned.

PECAN CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• To Make Crust: In a medium mixing bowl blend softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup butter or margarine until thoroughly combined. Add flour and mix well. Place in refrigerator to chill.
• In a medium mixing bowl combine brown sugar and 1 tablespoon butter or margarine. Add egg and vanilla, and blend well. Stir in pecans.
• Pat crust into the bottoms of paper muffin cups. Pour in filling, distributing evenly between all cups. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

PECAN BOURBON CREME BRULEE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Place six 3/4-cup custard cups in large roasting pan.
• Whisk egg yolks, sugar, bourbon and vanilla extract in large bowl to blend. Bring whipping cream to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk hot whipping cream into egg yolk mixture. Pour custard into souffl
 dishes, dividing equally.
• Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of souffl
 dishes. Bake custards until just set in center, about 30 minutes.
• Remove from water and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours. (Custards can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Keep covered and refrigerated.).
• Preheat broiler. Arrange custard dishes on baking sheet. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon golden brown sugar evenly over each. Broil until sugar melts and turns dark brown, rotating baking sheet for even browning and watching closely, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle creme brulees with chopped toasted pecans, dividing equally.

CARAMEL PECAN BOURBON SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat over to 325 degrees.
• Spread pecans on a baking sheet and bake until lightly browned. This takes approximately 5-8 minutes. Watch them carefully so they don't burn. Set aside toasted pecans.
• In a large heavy sauce pan, combine brown sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking. Stir constantly so it doesn't burn. Cook until mixture is reduced to 3 cups. This takes about 10-15 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Stir in bourbon, vanilla and pecans. Let cool.
• NOTES: If made in advance, cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. To reheat in microwave use 30% power for a minute or two. For the power notation--adjust to your microwave. The goal is to bring this to a room temperature or slightly warm temperature.

ITALIAN CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease 13x9-inch pan with shortening; lightly flour. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat sugar, butter and shortening with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating until blended. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating until blended after each addition. On low speed, beat in coconut and 1 cup pecans until blended.
• In another large bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer on high speed just until stiff peaks form. Fold one-fourth of egg whites into cake batter; fold in remaining egg whites. Pour batter into pan.
• Bake 45 to 48 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Frost cake. Garnish with additional chopped pecans.

PECAN-BOURBON CRUNCH ITALIAN CREAM CUPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 20 regular-size muffin cups.
• In 2-cup glass measure, mix eggs, water, 4 1/2 teaspoons bourbon and the vanilla with wire whisk. In medium bowl, mix flour, granulated sugar and baking powder. Remove 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture to small bowl; add 3/4 cup of the glazed pecans and toss to coat. Set aside. Reserve remaining glazed pecans for frosting.
• Cut butter into tablespoon-size pieces. Cut 3 tablespoons of the cream cheese into cubes; reserve remaining cream cheese for frosting. Add butter pieces and cream cheese cubes, a few at a time, to flour mixture in medium bowl, beating with electric mixer on low speed. Pour in all but 1/2 cup of the egg mixture. Beat on low for 30 seconds, then medium for 30 seconds, scraping bowl occasionally. Add remaining egg mixture in a slow stream; beat 30 seconds longer. Stir in reserved pecan mixture.
• Spoon into muffin cups. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat 9 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons bourbon, the lemon peel, salt and reserved cream cheese with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup of the reserved glazed pecans and the coconut.
• Pipe or spread frosting on top of each cupcake; sprinkle with remaining glazed pecans.