Desserts - to enjoy after any meal!

Maple Sugar Ragamuffins

Yield: Makes 12 servings
Active time: 25 min.

Total time: 1 hr

Ingredients:
For dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon Briggs Maples granulated maple sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup of whole milk

For filling:

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, well softened

1 cup Briggs Maples granulated maple sugar (6 ounces)

Special equipment: parchment paper

Preperation
Make dough:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Line a large (17-by 14 -inch) baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk together flour, maple sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
• Blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.
• Add milk and stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms.
• Gently knead dough 8 to 10 times with floured hands on a lightly floured surface.

• Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 13-by 11-inch rectangle.

• Spread softened butter evenly over dough and sprinkle all over with maple sugar, pressing firmly to help adhere.

• Beginning with one long side, roll up dough snugly, jelly-roll style. 

• Cut roll crosswise into 12 slices with a sharp knife.

• Arrange slices, cut sides down, 2 inches apart on baking sheet.

• Gather any maple sugar from work surface and sprinkle on top of rolls.

• Bake until rolls are puffed and golden, 18 to 20 minutes.

• Transfer to a rack to cool until warm, about 15 minutes.

Maple Apple Crisp

5 medium apples, peeled & sliced (5)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (3 ml)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg (1 ml)
1 tsp. corn starch (5 ml)
1/2 c. maple syrup (125 ml)
1/2 c. all-purpose flour (125 ml)
3/4 c. rolled oats (190 ml)
1/2 c. brown sugar (125 ml)
1/2 c. butter (125 ml)

Directions:

• Mix apples with cinnamon, nutmeg & corn starch.
• Arrange apples in a greased 2-L baking dish.
  
• Pour maple syrup over apples.
• Combine flour, oats & brown sugar, cut in butter and mix well.
• Sprinkle topping over apples.
  
• Bake at 350º F (175º C) until apples are tender and topping is lightly browned, about 25 minutes.
• Serve with ice cream or real whipped cream. Enjoy!

Maple New York Cheesecake

Crust:
1-1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs (375 ml)
4 tbsp. melted butter (60 ml)
2 tbsp. granulated maple sugar (30 ml)

Filling:
2-8oz blocks cream cheese, softened (2 - 225 g blocks)
1/2 c. maple syrup (125 ml)
2 eggs (2)
1/2 c. sour cream (125 ml)
1/8 c. all-purpose flour (30 ml)

Topping:
1/2 c. water (125 ml)
1-1/2 tbsp. corn starch (23 ml)
1 c. maple syrup (250 ml)
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (125 ml)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350º F (175º C).
• Grease a 9-inch spring-form pan.
  
• In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter & maple sugar.
  
• Press into bottom of spring-form pan.
• In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with maple syrup until smooth.
• Add eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate.
• Mix in sour cream & flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for one hour.
  
• Turn the oven off and let the cake cool in oven with the door closed for 2-3 hours to prevent the top from cracking.
• Chill in refrigerator. Cut into portions.
  
• Combine water & corn starch together, and incorporate maple syrup.
  
• In a small saucepan, heat up mixture until it thickens.
• Add walnuts. Pour on top of cooled cheesecake portions.

Maple Fondue

2 c. maple syrup (500ml)
2 tbsp. corn starch (30ml)
2 c. 18% cream (500ml)
Fresh fruit (strawberries, bananas, etc.) for dipping

Directions:

• Heat maple syrup for 5-10 min. Mix corn starch with 2 tbsp. of cream.
• Heat the rest of the cream until it comes to a boil. Add it to the maple syrup.
• Add corn starch mixture.
  
• Heat at low temperature, stirring constantly until it thickens.
  
• Serve warm or cold.