Ranger Recipes: Sweets

What's cooking in our kitchens? Join our park rangers and find out!

NPS

 

Louisiana is like a gumbo. Many different cultures contribute to the southern Louisiana cooking scene. With a rich history and the wide variety of habitats like swamps, prairies, and forests, it’s no wonder Louisiana is known for its unique food.

Follow along on the Jean Lafitte Facebook page for our series What’s Cooking Wednesday, which gives some great and easy recipes for you to try out. Along the way, you’ll learn a little about the influences and history of Louisiana cooking.

 

Ranger Recipes: Sweets

Below are some of the past sweets recipes from What's Cooking Wednesday. Take a look and try them out!

Banana Sushi

Looking for an afterschool snack?
Kids of all ages love making and eating Banana Sushi. We can’t decide if making it or eating it is more fun! Banana Sushi packs a mighty taste punch in a small package. It’s quick and easy to make, the presentation is elegant and the variety of ingredients you can use are limited only by your imagination.

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana
• Peanut butter (allergen note: almond butter, hazelnut butter, apple butter, homemade fig preserves, or sunflower butters are alternatives)
• Toppings of choice (crushed granola, crushed pecans, chocolate chips, ice cream sprinkles, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, popped quinoa, popped rice)
• Tortilla (variation 2)
• 2 slices of bread (variation 3)

Directions - Variation 1

1. Peel a banana.
2. Slice the banana into 1 inch pieces.
3. Spread the slices with peanut butter (or other spread of choice).
4. Roll each slice in the toppings of your choice. If you are crushing cereal or nuts, put them in a pag and use a rolling pin. Just make sure you get all the air out of the bag before you start crushing! 

Directions - Variation 2

1. Peel a whole banana.
2. Spread a flour tortilla with a nut or seed butter, jelly or preserves.
3. Sprinkle the banana with a topping.
4. Roll the banana up in the tortilla.
5. Slice into one-inch pieces.

Directions - Variation 3

1. Remove the crust of two slices of bread. Place them side by side slightly overlapping.
2. Using a rolling pin, roll the two slices till very thin to make one large wrapper.
3. Spread the flattened bread with nut, seed butter, jelly or preserves.
4. Sprinkle with a topping.
5. Peel a banana leaving it whole.
6. Roll the banana up in the flattened bread.
7. Slice into one-inch pieces. 

Cajun Hot Chocolate

Spice up your traditional hot chocolate this season. Enjoy a twist on the classic hot chocolate beverage this winter season!

Ingredients

• 4 cups whole milk
• ¼ tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, oregano, chili pepper, onion powder, paprika, red and green bell peppers)

Directions

1. Pour the whole milk into a medium sauce pan over medium heat until warm.
2. Add the cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and brown sugar. Whisk together, making sure to stir the bottom of the pot.
3. Add the Cajun seasoning and whisk until combined. Serve in a mug and enjoy!

Chocolate Bread

Thinking back to your childhood, what afterschool snack comes to mind? Here's a reminder of that classic afterschool snack, chocolate bread!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup regular milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp butter
• 8 slices fresh bread

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, blend the sugar and cocoa powder.
2. Add the milk, butter, vanilla extract, and salt to the saucepan mixture.
3. Stir or whisk over medium heat until the mixture starts to turn creamy. Once creamy and blended, spread over each slice of bread. 

Fig Cake

Celebrating Women’s History Month, does the name Enola Prudhomme sound familiar? How about Paul Prudhomme? Enola was Paul’s sister, and she was an excellent cook in her own right. Born in Opelousas, Louisiana and settling in Carencro, Louisiana, she had a restaurant too. Enola’s Cajun Café in Carencro was a very busy place with wonderful food! One of the things she was known for, with health issues in her family, was her “Low Calorie Cajun Cooking” cookbook among a couple of others. Enola is gone now, but you can still find her cookbooks around.

Warning! This is one of her recipes, but it is not low calorie.

Ingredients

• 1-½ cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil or 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• 1-½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 cups flour
• 2 eggs
• Dash salt
• 1 pint fig preserves, mashed
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well if using oil. If using butter, cream with sugar before adding remaining ingredients; beat well.
2. Pour into well-greased and floured 12-inch tube pan.
3. Bake at 325 degrees for 1-½ hours or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
4. Cool in pan; run knife around sides and turn out.

Gâteau de Sirop

The syrup cake, or in Cajun French “gâteau de sirop,” is a classic Cajun dessert. Having a rich bold flavor, it pairs well when served warm with vanilla ice cream, a hot cup of coffee, or a cold glass of milk. Care to try making one?

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup sugar
• ½ cup vegetable shortening
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup pure cane syrup
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp salt 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine sugar and shortening in a medium mixing bowl, creaming well. Add eggs; mix well.
3. Add syrup and milk to mixture; mix until smooth.
4. Add the dry ingredients; mixing well until blended.
5. Pour batter into a well-greased and floured 10-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350ºF for 30 to 35 minutes or until done. 

Iris Italian Dessert

The entire iris plant may be toxic due to irisin, irone, and iridin, however there is a delicious way to enjoy Iris with this traditional Italian recipe!

Ingredients

• 5 ½ cups flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 packet yeast
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 ¼ cup ricotta cheese
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Mix together the flour, 1 egg, yeast, milk, sugar, and butter to form a dough. Cover with a towel and let double in size. 
2. Once the dough has doubled, divide into 12 pieces.
3. Drain 1 ¼ cup ricotta cheese.
4. After it has drained, add 2/3 cup powdered sugar and mix well.  
5. Flatten the 12 pieces of dough and add a spoonful of ricotta cheese mixture, then seal tightly. 
6. Whisk 1 egg and mix with a bowl of breadcrumbs. Coat the balls then fry in hot oil (340 degrees Fahrenheit) until golden.
7. Cool, drain and enjoy!

Moon Cookies

“Mawmaw! We want cookies!” 

“Cher bébé, July in Louisiana is too hot for the oven. Let’s make no bake moon cookies!”  

Grab the whole family - everyone can help make this Ranger Recipe adapted from NASA Science for Kids!

Ingredients

• ½ cup wheat germ 
• 1 ½ cups peanut butter (allergen note: nut-free butters, such as sunflower seed butter, can be used instead) 
• 1 ½ cups honey 
• 3 cups powdered milk 
• ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs 
• ½ cup powdered sugar (for dipping)

Directions

1. Mix the first 5 ingredients together with a wooden spoon, then use your hands to mix when it becomes stiff. Wet your hands for easier mixing. 
2. Use your hands to shape the dough into small round balls or moons. You can shape crescent moons too.
3. Roll each moon in powdered sugar. Enjoy! If there are any left over, keep them in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. 

Pfeffernuse (German Holiday Cookies)

Germans have been part of the Louisiana cultural Gumbo since 1722 when the first immigrants arrived in the French colony as evidenced today by the place name "des Allemands!"
To celebrate some of their wonderful culinary contributions, this Ranger Recipe is for National Pfeffernusse Day, a German spice cookie. These popular treats are fluffy cookies made with ground nuts and spices and covered in powdered sugar, which is not just for beignets! Celebrate German culture today with this sweet treat!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter  
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar  
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 egg  
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt  
• 1/2 teaspoon each of powdered cinnamon, anise, and black pepper  
• 1/4 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and allspice  
• 1/8 teaspoon each ground cardamom, and cloves  
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar for dusting after the cookies are baked  

Directions

1. Combine the butter, brown sugar and molasses, then add the egg.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and all of the spices. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine.
3. Chill the dough in the refrigerator 1-2 hours.  
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Form dough balls from 2 tablespoons of cookie dough and place on a lined baking sheet.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, and then remove from the oven and let the cookies cool for a few minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy! 

Popcorn Balls

Sugar cane grinding season starts around September in Louisiana, so one thing to look forward to in the fall season is popcorn balls made from local cane syrup. Grab a bottle of syrup and make these delicious treats!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups 100% pure cane syprup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 quarts popped popcorn
• Optional: 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts

Directions:

1. Place popped corn in a large bowl.
   1. Optional: Add the dry roasted peanuts to the bowl of popped corn before adding the hot syrup mixture.
2. In a heavy saucepan, combine syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly. Have a clear cup of cool water handy. When a few drops of the hot syrup tested in the water becomes brittle, remove the pan from heat.
3. Add butter and stir quickly to blend.
4. Immediately pour the mixture evenly over the popped corn and mix well.
5. With buttered hands, form baseball-sized balls, pressing each ball tightly. Work quickly while the syrup mixture is still warm, and butter your hands as needed.
6. Place balls on a sheet of wax paper to cool and harden. Yields 12 balls.

 

Pouding de Figues

In South Louisiana, fig trees, originally brought to North America from the old world by early settlers, are prized for their shade, beauty, and delicious sweet fruit. From the 1700’s on, figs have been treasured, prized for the sweet flavor they add to our meals. By 1910, the Picayune Creole Cookbook listed recipes for fig pickles, fig preserves, fig puddings, and fig cake. Today figs are prepared in many ways.
Try this Ranger Recipe for fig pudding adapted from the 1910 Picayune Creole Cookbook!

Ingredients

• 1 pint fresh figs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup butter

Directions

1. Peel the figs and cut fine.
2. Make a batter of the eggs, flour, milk, baking powder, and grated nutmeg. When smooth, add the fruit.
3. Turn into a baking pan, and bake for an hour. Serve with wine sauce. 

Satsuma Pie

What do you think of when you imagine "Fall"? For some, it illicits changing leaves, pumpkin patches, or bowls of gumbo. For some people in Louisiana, they think of satsuma season. The common citrus found in Louisiana, the satsuma, ripens in the fall. Grab some satsumas and make this delicious pie!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese (warmed to room temperature)

• 8 oz Creole cream cheese (warmed to room temperature)

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup satsuma orange juice

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, add cream cheese, Creole cream cheese, sugar, and satsuma orange juice.

2. Mix together until well blended.

3. Pour the mixture into a chilled pie crust until set.

Whipped Cream

To celebrate National Milk Day, Ranger Allyn shared a whipped cream recipe. It's the perfect addition to our Cajun hot chocolate recipe!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, add the heavy whipping cream and sugar together. Whip until stiff peaks form.
2. Optional: Add a few drops of vanilla, peppermint, or chocolate extract.