Coconut Cream Pie

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 1 9-inch pie

 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

 4 cups half-and-half

 3 eggs, beaten

 1 cup white sugar

 2 cups all-purpose flour

 1/4 teaspoon salt

 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

 1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked

 1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and bake it, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine the half-and-half, eggs, sugar, flour and salt and mix well. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in 3/4 cup of the toasted coconut and the vanilla extract. Reserve the remaining coconut to top the pie.
4. Pour the filling into the pie shell and chill until firm, about 4 hours.
5. Top with whipped topping and with the reserved coconut.

Chocolate Eclair

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 1 9x13-inch pan

 2 individual packages graham crackers

 2 (3 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix

 5 cups milk

 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

 1 (16 ounce) package prepared chocolate frosting

Directions

1. Line the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan with graham crackers.
2. In a large bowl, combine pudding mix and milk; stir well. Mix whipped topping into pudding mixture. Spread half of mixture over graham cracker layer. Top with another layer of graham crackers and the remaining pudding.
3. Top all with a final layer of graham crackers and frost with chocolate frosting. Refrigerate at least two hours before serving to allow the graham crackers to soften.

Italian Plum Clafouti

Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 8 servings

 7 tablespoons white sugar, divided

 16 Italian prune plums, halved and pitted

 5 eggs

 2 cups milk

 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

 3 teaspoons grated lemon zest

 4 teaspoons vanilla

 1 pinch salt

 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 4 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter a 10 inch pie plate, and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over the bottom.
2. Arrange the plum halves, cut side down, so that they cover the entire bottom of the pie plate. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar over the top of the plums. In a blender, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar, eggs, milk, flour, lemon zest, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Process until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour over the fruit in the pan.
3. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Passion Fruit Mousse

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 6 servings

 12 passion fruits

 2 tablespoons white sugar

 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

 4 cups cream

Directions

1. Break passion fruits in half, and empty contents into a bowl. Use a little water to help rinse the juice out of the skins. Mix with hands to soften pulp. Strain through a sieve or cheesecloth. Stir in sugar and sweetened condensed milk.
2. In a chilled bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the cream into the passion fruit mixture, then quickly fold in remaining cream until no streaks remain. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

California Cupcakes

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 4 dozen cupcakes

 2 (19.8 ounce) packages brownie mix

 1 1/2 cup vegetable oil

 5 eggs

 1/4 cup water

 1 (18.25 ounce) package strawberry cake mix

 1 cup water

 4 eggs

 1/2 cup vegetable oil

 2 cups unsalted butter

 1 (16 ounce) package confectioners' sugar, sifted

 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2-Line 48 muffin cups with paper liners.

3-Stir both packages of brownie mix with 1 cup vegetable oil, 4 eggs, and 1/2 cup water in a large bowl until evenly combined and smooth.

4-Mix strawberry cake mix with 1 cup water, 3 eggs, and 1/3 cup vegetable oil in a separate bowl until moistened. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.

5-Spoon about 2 tablespoons brownie batter into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup.

6-Top the brownie batter with strawberry cake batter, filling each cup about 2/3 full.

7-Bake in the preheated oven until the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

8-Cool in pans for about 10 minutes before removing to finish cooling on racks.

9-Beat unsalted butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a bowl until butter is pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.