Banoffee Pie (Remix)

So it’s been awhile. A bit of an understatement, that. Am I back? Who knows, but I do have a high quality camera sort of at my disposal now, so that’s motivation if nothing else. Blah blah blah, straight to the recipe!

Banoffee Pie. I’ve wanted to make one of these for awhile now but I was always turned off by the thought of a “digestive biscuit” crust and a thick layer of caramel. Actually, I was turned off by the thought of making caramel, which I’ve done before and found tedious. And I’m not about to boil condensed milk for two hours in its tin can. I just won’t.



And then I realized that no one is stabbing me with hot pokers to ensure I follow the recipe exactly. I mean, my nature is to find recipes and then disregard them.

So I “remixed” the recipe to include chocolate, which automatically makes it better than the original.



Banoffee Pie (Remix):
1 pkge cinnamon graham crackers, crumbled (I used a hammer on the package. Opened it up, poured it in a bowl, threw away the wrapper—easy!)
6 tbsp butter, melted
3 ripe bananas, sliced
2 cups quality semi-sweet chocolate chips (like Guittard)
2 tbsp whipping cream
2-3 cups whipped cream
¼ c + 2 tbsp caramel sauce

Mix together butter and graham cracker crumbs. Press firmly into a large tart or cake pan. Cover with plastic wrap, weigh it down with a bowl or another pan, put into fridge.

Over a double boiler, slowly melt together chocolate chips and whipping cream. Pour over set crust, spreading evenly over bottom.

Pour ¼ c caramel sauce over the chocolate. Return to fridge and allow to sit uncovered for at least an hour. (The caramel sauce won’t set if it’s store bought but it’s only there for a light caramel-y taste anyway. I added too much sauce and it made the pie really sweet, so I had to cut the pie open and bleed out the caramel. If you want to leave out the caramel altogether, I’m all for it, but a little bit will add a nice dimension of flavor.)

Place sliced bananas over bottom of the tart, working from the outside in. Top with whipped cream and drizzle two tbsp warmed caramel sauce lightly over top. Slice, eat, enjoy!

Double Chocolate Muffins

Even when I try to avoid carbs during cold months, I fail epically. Don't the muffins make you think of a happy winter wonderland?

Or in my case, Choco Mountain from Super Mario N64. Isn't there a winter course under that same cup? My nerd is showing, anyway.

These muffins have lightly crispy shells and soft rich chocolately insides. They just scream for milk, so make sure you don't use it all for the recipe!

Double Chocolate Muffins:

3 cups flour
3 ½ tbsp cocoa powder
1 ½ tbsp baking powder
1 ¾ cup sugar
1 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
½ cup dark chocolate, chopped into chunks
1 ½ cups milk
2/3 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, and baking powder.

In a separate bowl, whisk together butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla.

Combine in a large bowl. Add in chocolate.

Fill cups of muffin tin ¾ full.

Bake 20 minutes.

Makes 18-20 muffins.

--Jirafa

Vanilla Custard

I love custard. As a kid, my favorite donuts came with custard. My favorite cakes had a creamy custard filling. I would antagonize my mother for flan, just so I could enjoy that creamy, slippery feeling on my tongue.

Imagine my delight to learn that custard is insulting easy to make.



These ramekins were a gift from my mother. I remember when she brought them to me. I had just moved into my first apartment and here comes my mom with these onion/garlic-printed ramekins complete with tiny lids, each one carefully wrapped in paper towels. I shunned them. Vehemently. I wanted plain white ramekins like everyone else, not these loserific grandma soup bowls.

She slipped them into my cupboard anyway.

A friend packed my kitchenware when I was moving, so when I found them again at my new apartment, I huffed and shoved them into the back of my pantry. And today I madly cleaned out my pantry in search of them. Thanks to my mother's amazing foresight, I got to eat custard today.

And I think these garlic-printed ramekins are so much cooler than boring white ones. (Not to mention they look fab in my LIME GREEN BAKING DISH [Also a gift from my mother] <3)


Can't touch this

Vanilla Custard:

2 eggs, 1 egg yolk
½ cup white sugar
2 cups milk
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
Nutmeg or cinnamon for dusting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Whisk eggs, egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla together. Meanwhile, heat milk in a saucepan until it reaches a simmer. (Add cold milk to cold pot, then heat slowly. DO NOT add cold milk to a hot pan, unless you hate your pan and need an excuse to get a new one.)

When milk is hot, slowly add to egg mixture while whisking constantly. (Nice to have a helper at this point). Strain mixture and pour into three small ramekins placed into a large baking dish. Dust with cinnamon or nutmeg, if desired.

Fill the baking dish with boiling water until it reaches about ¾ of the ramekins. Bake for 40 minutes, until custard is set but slightly jiggly.

Remove from oven and let custard sit in the water for 30 minutes. Then remove from the baking dish and cool to room temperature. Then place cooled custard into refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

Serves 3.

~Jirafa

Chocolate Krisp Cookies

These are like Nestle Crunch bars meet cookie dough, thanks to the addition of Rice Krispies! On the outside these look like regular chocolate chip cookies, but one bite reveals the crispity crunchity secret inside! (Shut up spell checker, 'crispity' and 'crunchity' are too words.)

Also, this is an epic output recipe. You can make 4 dozen cookies out of this, no problem. I froze half my dough for later; otherwise I'd be spending my entire evening feverishly checking the oven.


Mmmmmmmmmmmm, cookie dough.

Chocolate Krisp Cookies

2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 ½ cups flour
1 ½ cups rice krispies
¼ cup oats
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups chocolate chips (whatever kind you want, really)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together butter and sugars until fluffy. Add oil, egg, and vanilla. Blend.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, rice krispies, baking soda, and salt. Mix into butter mixture until just combined. Add chocolate chips and mix until combined.

Use an ice cream scoop to drop dough onto lined baking sheets and bake for 12-14 minutes until center is set and edges are golden-brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes 4 dozen easily, probably more. I ended up halving my dough and freezing it, but I got 2 dozen out of the half I baked.

--Jirafa

Chocolate Toffee Cookies

I love to make cookies but I don't quite like eating them. However, I think my roommates are fine with this arrangement (so are my thighs).

These cookies have a lot of dough with subtle chocolate toffee crunches, if that's your thing. You can always add in another bar and amp up the crunchy yumminess!

Chocolate Toffee Cookies:

2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 bar Lindt Toffee Crunch, chopped

In a large bowl (or in a mixer) cream butter and sugars together for 4 minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl occasionally. Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Putting the mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture until just combined. Mix chocolate toffee pieces in with a wooden spoon.

Chill dough at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake 10-12 minutes, until cookies are browned but slightly soft still. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

--Jirafa

Pear Crisp

After being introduced to this Paradise of a produce market by a friend I ended up buying an 8-pound bag of pears which sat on my counter. And sat. And sat. And continued sitting until my resolution to no longer waste food kicked in and I ravaged the internets for a good pear crisp recipe.



Soooooo delicious. The nutmeg was cruelty though, because now all I can think of is making gingersnaps until I pass out. Oh winter baking, how I miss thee...

Pear Crisp:

5 pears, peeled, cored, sliced
1/2 cup brown sugar
½ tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix pears, lemon juice, brown sugar, and vanilla; pour into a greased 8x8 baking pan. In a large bowl, mix flour, white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together. In a separate bowl, beat together melted butter and egg; add to flour mixture and stir until it forms a strudel-like consistency. Cover pears with floury mixture and bake 30 minutes until top is golden brown.

Serves 4-6.

Lemon Bars

My roommate loves lemon bars. The upscale grocery chain here, Nugget Markets, makes gorgeous lemon bars that she adores.

The challenge was for me to make lemon bars as good as Nugget's. Well my roommate thinks these are even better and so do I.

Find this recipe and other great recipes here at Crepes of Wrath

I Hate Jury Duty Bento

I have to report for jury duty tomorrow and since I have no idea how long they're going to want me to wait, I decided to make a bento just incase.

Presenting my "I Hate Jury Duty" Bento:


Hard-boiled egg surrounded by Italian Orzo Salad
For dessert, a piece of instant cheesecake with strawberry jam and almonds


And a face to express how I feel about having to find a courthouse in a town I'm unfamiliar with.

:)

--Jirafa

Blueberry Vanilla Cake with Blueberry Whipped Cream Frosting

I have created the most amazing thing in the world. /modesty.

But in all honesty, blueberry whipped cream is the most fantastic creation ever. So...DELICIOUS.





Mmm...watashi no ke-ki...

Blueberry Vanilla Cake with Blueberry Whipped Cream Frosting:


Cake:
2 cups flour
1 ½ cups sugar
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup butter or shortening
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
4 egg whites
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two 8 or 9 inch round pans.

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Add butter (or shortening), milk, and vanilla. Mix on a low speed for about 1 minute. Scrape bowl and add egg whites. Mix on a medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute. Fold in blueberries.

Pour batter into greased pans and bake for 30-35 minutes.

COOL COMPLETELY BEFORE FROSTING.

Frosting:
1 pint whipping cream
1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Start whipped cream in a mixer on setting 6 (medium-high) speed. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Meanwhile, blend the blueberries until they’re in liquid form; pour this into the whipping cream as it mixes.

Mix until fluffy; whipping cream should form peaks.

Spread over cooled cakes, put in coffee or hot chocolate, etc.

Orange-Vanilla Banana Muffins with Brown Sugar Streusel

I know, I never update. I am shamed. Please accept this offering of muffins.


Orange-Vanilla Banana Muffins with Brown Sugar Streusel:

2 cups flour
½ cup sugar
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
1 stick butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup vanilla yogurt
2-3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup orange marmalade

Streusel:
1 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon


Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mix streusel ingredients until coarse; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Fold banana mixture into dry ingredients with a wooden spoon or spatula. Batter will be thick and chunky.

Fill muffin cups ¾ full and sprinkle streusel mixture over top.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until fork inserted comes out clean.

Yields 12-14 muffins.

Serve with cold milk or hot cocoa! Mmmm.

--Jirafa

No-Bake Cheesecake

My first attempt at a no-bake cheesecake. I modified a recipe that came with my KitchenAid mixer and it came out delicious! A lot of the joy was in the chocolate crumb base that gave the cheesecake an extra subtle flavor.



No-Bake Cheesecake (adapted from KitchenAid)

2 8-oz packages low-fat cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cup whipped topping, either homemade or packaged

1 ½ cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
½ stick butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar

First prepare the crumb mixture. Mix together graham cracker crumbs, ½ stick butter, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Line a 9-inch cake round with wax paper, overlapping to create handles, then fill with crumb mixture. Press this firmly into the cake pan, cover with another sheet of wax paper, and weight with something heavy (I used a glass mixing bowl). Refrigerate while you prepare the cheesecake.
*Most boxes of graham crackers divide the crackers into packaged groups of 5 or 6 sheets. One of these groups is perfect and you can smash it all up in the thick plastic, then just cut open and
voila!

Place cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla into mixer bowl. Mix until well-blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add whipped topping, mix another 1 minute. Pour over prepared crust and smooth out. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

To serve, remove from pan using wax paper handles. Slice and top with sugared strawberries or chocolate sauce!

Serves 8




--Jirafa

White Chocolate Berry Banana Muffins

Sorry for the lack of updates. College has turned into an absolute beast. Junior year is like being on the boss stage of your standard video game. A 9 month long boss stage.

Which is why there are muffins. These muffins give me secret joy since I found a new use for my unwanted foodstuffs. Unwanted foodstuffs sound terrible, don’t they? I’m just talking about this:



Yes. Yoplait yogurt. A little too sweet by itself, but in muffins? Ooh la la.

And yes, I’m proud of this. So shhhhhh. Some of us don’t have access to fresh delicious berries right now.


White Chocolate Berry Banana Muffins

2 cups flour
¾ cup white sugar
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
3 ripe bananas, mashed well
1 container Yoplait Mixed Berry yogurt (or 1/2 cup of your favorite yogurt)
2 eggs
1 stick butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, mix together bananas, vanilla, eggs, butter, and yogurt. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, white sugar, baking soda, and salt.

Combine, mixing thoroughly. Add in white chocolate chips; mix.

Grease a standard muffin tin and fill each place with a heaping tablespoon of batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

Continue until all the batter has been used!

Makes about 18 muffins.

By the way, you can always use a different yogurt flavor. I’m going to play around with the ones I have leftover in my fridge.

--Jirafa

Apple Pie Bars

Sometimes it’s too much to ask to roll out one’s own dough and cut cute little leaves and put together an entire pie. Sometimes you just want apple pie and you want it NOW. Or as close to now as you can get.

Apple pie bars for the win. Good warm and ever better when cold and topped with homemade vanilla whipped cream.



Apple Pie Bars:
(Taken from Cuisine at Home’s Holiday Cookies magazine)

2 cups flour
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp table salt
9 tbsp butter (6 tbsp cold, 3 tbsp melted)
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1/3 cup white sugar
¼ cup heavy cream
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp cinnamon

In a large bowl combine 2 cups of flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Remove ¾ of the mixture to a small bowl and set aside for the streusel. Returning to the remaining mixture, cut in 6 tbsp cold butter and the milk using either a pastry blender or your fingers until clumps form.

Using a greased 9x9 pan, pat the base mixture into the pan, pressing down firmly to make a stiff crust. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.

In another bowl, toss together apples, white sugar, heavy cream, 1 tbsp flour, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and ¼ tsp cinnamon. Pour this overtop of the finished crust.

Mix 3 tbsp melted butter into the reserved streusel mixture and sprinkle evenly over the top of the apples. Return to the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until apples are soft.

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Makes ~six servings.

--Jirafa

Parfait Project (1)--Cookie Pudding Parfaits

Just a quick dessert that is fun to look at and better to eat!


Cookie Pudding Parfaits:
1 5 oz box Jell-O instant vanilla pudding
5 chocolate cookiescrumbled finely
1 banana, sliced


Prepare pudding as directed. Cover bottom of parfait glasses with some of the crumbled cookies; layer with pudding. Add more cookies, top with banana slices, reserving a few for the top. Continue alternating with pudding and cookies until glasses are full; top with remaining banana slices.

*This can be done with more than one type of pudding, or even vanilla yogurt, granola, and berries! It’s very, very basic so HAVE FUN.

Serves 2-3 depending on size of glasses.

--Jirafa

Chocolate Cherry Crinkle Cookies

This is my first experience with a chocolate-based cookie. All the cookies I’ve made previously incorporated chocolate in some way but never to this extent.

Verdict: deeeeeeeeelicious.



Cookies are so magical, aren’t they? They shouldn’t work, all of this and that thrown into them and warmed to a crisp.

And yet somehow they do. Cookies, Eighth Wonder of the World. I’m telling you.



¾ cup flour
½ cup white sugar
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ table salt
½ stick butter, melted
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk chocolate chips (semisweet work fine, too)
1/3 cup dried cherries, chopped roughly
¾ cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, mix together butter, cocoa powder, egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; mix in sugar. Combine with wet goods. Add chocolate chips and dried cherries to batter, mixing well.

Roll into roughly 2’’ balls and coat in powdered sugar. Be sure to coat thickly so the cracks will show as the cookies bake. Place on a lined cookie sheet and bake 12-14 minutes.

Yields about 24 cookies.

--Jirafa

White Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Banana Muffins

Whew, back from hiatus. In celebration, I bring you a recipe for delicious muffins, two ways.





I use a basic banana bread recipe that is moist and flavorful. You can throw both kinds of chocolate chips in if you’d like. You can do whatever you want really. Think of your kitchen like Burger King: you can always have it your way.



This batter can house chocolate, nuts, cherries, wedding rings…

You get the idea.



The problem with these muffins is that they come out so cute and warm and delicious that it’s hard to back away from them. And you’ll probably want milk, so go buy some before you make them.

I mean it. Go. Store. Now.

And after you’ve devoured them all and licked the muffin pan (wait ‘till it cools, just throwing that out there), you’ll want to do this:




White Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Banana Muffins

2 cups flour
¾ cup white sugar
2/4 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3 ripe bananas, mashed well
¼ cup plain yogurt
2 eggs
6 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup dark chocolate chips
½ cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, mix together bananas, vanilla, eggs, butter, brown sugar, and yogurt. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, white sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Combine, mixing thoroughly.

Separate batter into equal parts in two bowls. Mix into one bowl dark chocolate chips and the other with white chocolate chips.

Grease a standard muffin tin and fill each place with a heaping tablespoon of batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

Continue until all the batter has been used!

Makes about 24 muffins.

-Jirafa

Gingersnaps

It’s not the holidays without cookies! I’ve never been a fan of ginger but the elusive gingersnap won my heart and I promised I would create a recipe that didn’t bring tears to my eyes.

Well. At least not ginger-spicy tears.



These delicate cookies cook up nicely with a delicious golden brown color and light ginger flavor that is assisted by the addition of candied ginger. Not to mention they’re easy and oh so tasty.

But don’t trust me. Never trust me. Make them yourself.

Trust me a little.




Gingersnaps:

½ tsp ground ginger (you can add another 1/2 tsp for extra ginger flavor)
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 1/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup vegetable shortening
1/3 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 stick of butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 tbsp crystallized (candied) ginger, finely chopped

In a large bowl, mix together shortening, molasses, eggs, butter, and sugar. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt. Add in batches to wet goods, mixing well after every addition. Stir in candied ginger with a wooden spoon or spatula at the end; chill dough for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment. Flatten slightly and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and firm in the middle.

--Jirafa

Cookie Bonanza Night

(Oatmeal Raisin, Snickerdoodles, Thumbprints)

Tomorrow is my Japanese class party (end of the quarter, YAY) so I volunteered to bring cookies. And cookies. Oh yeah, and more cookies.



At this point…I think I hate cookies. But 3+ hours of baking will do that to a person. Not to mention out about five dozen cookies my roommates were only allocated three each. I sense their disapproval.

Nevertheless, I’ve included the recipes used for your perusal. Cookies are fun, especially when they’re meant for other people.


Oatmeal Raisin Cookies:

I used the recipe on the inside lid of my Quaker oatmeal which is as follows:

2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup raisins

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, mix butter and sugars over medium speed until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla, mix until smooth. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add this to the wet goods in three batches, mixing well after each addition. Stir in oats and raisins, mixing well.

Drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Allow to cool on a wire rack. If you’re like me, pull out the second rack inside your oven and use it as a cooling rack because you’re a poor college student. Grumble as hot cookie breaks apart and slips through wide gaps. Eat broken cookies. Rejoice.



Snickerdoodles:

I used the recipe here: Eat Me, Delicious

Quite delicious.



Thumbprint Cookies, Two Ways:

½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup shortening
2 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ¼ cups finely chopped almonds (or whatever nuts you like)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, mix together brown sugar, butter, and shortening; beat in egg yolks and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to wet goods, mixing thoroughly. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Dip balls into egg white then roll into finely chopped almonds. Place cookies about 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet; press thumb deeply in center of each. Bake until light brown, about 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Fill thumbprints with jam or melted chocolate.


--Jirafa

Vanilla Whipped Cream

Just a quick but necessary recipe post. Everyone should make their own whipped cream. I mean everyone.


So deliciously sweet and simple. I brought it to one of my roommates over top of lime Jell-O and he said he'd rather have a bowl of the whipped cream alone.


Yes. It's that good.



Lime Jell-O+vanilla whipped cream+Prince Caspian DVD=best Wednesday night ever.



Vanilla Whipped Cream:

1 pint whipping cream
1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl mix whipping cream and vanilla. Add the powdered sugar in batches, beating on medium-high speed in between additions. Be sure to taste it while it's still in liquid form; once it starts forming peaks you won't really be able to sweeten it. Continue mixing on medium-high speed (for a long, long time *cough*) until whipping cream becomes solid and forms peaks.

Serve over top of nearly any dessert! It's also delicious on cakes as a substitute for frosting!