Swap Shop: Cookies with a kick, and an impressive cake
By Sandy Thorn Clark November 15, 2011 11:02AM
Lime zest and a pinch of ancho chile powder perk up these cookies, a Nestle Kitchens recipe.
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Updated: December 17, 2011 8:00AM
A request by B.W. of Chicago for a cookie recipe that would be appealing to men, and one from G.U. of Chicago for Eclair Cake, brought solutions of Cocoa-Ancho Chile Cookies from Nestle and Eclair Cake variations from Carol Kurczak of Roselle, Ruth Kluchenek of Burr Ridge, J. Konopacki of Chicago and Mary Daly of Park Ridge.
Swap Shop is printing Kurczak's version because she's been making it, with success, for 30 years. Her recipe calls for ready-to-spread frosting, making the cake's preparation easy enough for youngsters. Overnight refrigeration is the secret to the best Eclair Cake.
Should you prefer to make the frosting, Daly recommends:
Combine ½ cup melted chocolate chips, 2 teaspoons white corn syrup, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 3 tablespoons softened butter and ½ cup confectioners' sugar. Spread on cake after cake has chilled about 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate frosted cake overnight.
Though Kurczak uses French vanilla pudding, you can make a refrigerator cake with other pudding flavors - for example, substitute banana pudding and include a layer of sliced fresh bananas.
Requests
Please print recipes for tartar sauce. My family doesn't care for the commercial products.
B.P., Elgin
I would love a recipe for what used to be called Harvest Hamburger Casserole - I think it had hamburger, mushroom soup, mixed veggies and cheese.
C.H., Chicago
My teen grandchildren enjoy lettuce wraps. Could someone help with a recipe I could make?
M.R., Des Plaines
Send recipes and requests to: Swap Shop, Chicago Sun-Times, 350 N. Orleans St., 9th Floor, Chicago 60654 or by e-mail, swapshop@suntimes.com. Please include a daytime telephone number.
