Some Sweet Treats for the 4th

With Independence Day just around the corner, I wanted to share a few easy desserts that you can bring to any get togethers you're invited to over the holiday weekend.  They come from Annabel Karmel, who wrote one of my favorite children's cookbooks 100 Finger Foods (I'll be posting more about it in July), and while her recipes may be simple, they'll make a stylish statement for your guests.  Honestly, how yummy do these look?

And you can make them in no time.  

RED, WHITE & BLUEBERRY SUNDAES 

To make 4 large glasses, you'll need:

6 large strawberries, hulled and quartered
One 3-ounce package cranberry-raspberry gelatin dessert (or another red flavor)
1 cup of heavy cream
2 meringue nests
1 cup blueberries
Decoration
Mini flags

1.  Divide the strawberries among four glasses. Prepare the gelatin according to the package instructions and pour over the strawberries. Place in the fridge until set.

2.  Whip the cream.

3.  Break the meringues into pieces and stir into the whipped cream.

4.  When the gelatin is set, divide the cream among the four glasses.

5.  Spoon a layer of blueberries on top and decorate with the U.S. flags.

That's it!  You can even make the gelatin in advance and finish off with the whipped cream, meringue, and fresh berries right before serving. 

Here's another fun patriotic treat.

STARS & STRIPES MINI CUPCAKES

To make three dozen cupcakes (it takes 30 for the flag), you'll need:

1 stick unsalted butter or ½ cup soft margarine
½ cup superfine sugar
1 cup self-rising flour
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the glace icing:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Blue and red food coloring

To decorate:
Mini white sugar stars or piped white icing stars

1.  Preheat the oven to 350˚F.

2.  Put all the cupcake ingredients into a bowl or food processor and beat together until smooth.

3.  Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners and fill each liner about two-thirds full with batter.

4.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes until well risen and the cakes spring back when you press them with your fingertips.

5.  To make the icing, mix the sugar with 3 ½ to 4 tablespoons warm water until you have a good spreadable consistency – it should not be runny. You may need to add a little extra water.

6.  Remove 1 ½ tablespoons of the icing and color it blue.

7.  Remove two-thirds of the remaining icing and color it red.

8.  Ice six of the cupcakes blue, fifteen of the cupcakes red, and nine of the cupcakes white.

9.  Stick white sugar stars on the blue-iced cupcakes and arrange the mini cupcakes in the design of the American flag.

You can make this with the vanilla cupcake mixture outlined above or leave out the vanilla & stir in 2 tablespoons of Dutch-process cocoa powder, ½ cup chocolate chips & the grated zest of ½ orange & have delicious chocolate-orange cupcakes.

You can find more delicious and totally doable recipes like these in Annabel Karmel's book Complete Party Planner.  And if you make one of these desserts for your 4th of July bash, be sure to send us pictures so we can feature you on AFOMFT!

Images: Annabel Karmel