Your Cake Is in the Mail : Do-It-Yourself Catalogue Food

Desserts in holiday gift catalogues always look tempting. But their prices can be hard to swallow. The solution? Make the desserts at home.

What follows are recipes for some of the desserts available in this year’s crop of mail-order gift catalogues. Some are recipes directly from mail-order companies, one comes from a local restaurant, and the rest are facsimiles of catalogue desserts developed in The Los Angeles Times Test Kitchen. All make delicious gifts.

Be sure to prepare the more perishable desserts at the last minute. The Gift Catalogue Strudel made with apples and ricotta cheese should be made no sooner than one day before giving. The Lemon Cake, Gift Carrot Cake, Chocolate Fudge Cake and Macadamia Nut Bread all store well in the refrigerator for about a week.

There are a few things to remember if you’re mailing the desserts. The obvious: Be sure to allow plenty of time for mailing cakes cross-country--especially during the holidays. The post office has delivery schedules you can check to calculate how many days your package will spend in transit. Using the proper mailing container is essential for on-time delivery. Tins are best for cookies. Heavy boxes will probably do fine for firm cakes. Perishable desserts such as strudel should be packed apropriately with dry ice and sent through a next-day delivery service. If in doubt about the proper packing equipment, leave the packing to a professional.

LEMON GLAZE CAKE (Facsimile)

1 (1-pound, 2.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix

1 (3 1/2-ounce) package instant lemon pudding mix

4 eggs

3/4 cup oil

3/4 cup water

Lemon Icing

Combine yellow cake and lemon pudding mixes with eggs, oil and water. Mix well 2 to 3 minutes with mixer. Turn into ungreased (12-cup) bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees 40 to 50 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. (Cover with foil if cake is getting too browned. Remove from oven.

While warm, pierce surface of cake with tines of fork and pour Lemon Icing evenly over cake. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Lemon Icing

1/2 (1-pound) box powdered sugar, sifted

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine

1 tablespoon water

Combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, melted butter and water and beat with mixer until smooth. Pour over cake while still warm.

Variation:

Orange Glaze Cake:

Use orange pudding mix in place of lemon pudding mix and orange icing instead of lemon icing, using orange juice in place of lemon juice.

SOFT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (Facsimile)

1 cup butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

2 1/2 cups oats

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate pieces

1 (4-ounce) bar milk chocolate, grated

1 1/2 cups chopped nuts

Cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well.

Mix together flour, oats, salt, baking powder and soda. Place small amounts in blender and process until mixture turns into powder.

Mix butter-egg mixture with flour mixture until just blended. Add chocolate pieces, milk chocolate and nuts. Roll into balls about size of golf ball and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees 12 minutes. Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies.

MACADAMIA NUT BREAD (Facsimile)

3 cups coarsely chopped macadamia nuts

1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks, very well drained

1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flake coconut

3/4 cup sifted flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Place nuts, pineapple and coconut in large bowl. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in sifter and sift over nut mixture. Mix until nuts and fruit are completely coated with flour.

Beat eggs until foamy, then add vanilla. Stir in nut mixture. Spoon into greased wax paper-lined 8x4-inch loaf pan. Bake at 300 degrees 50 minutes or until bread tests done with wood pick. (Cover with foil if cake is browning too fast.) Remove from pan and cool completely, When cool, wrap in foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate. Makes 1 loaf.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE (Pillsbury’s Tunnel of Fudge Cake)

1 3/4 cups butter or margarine, softened

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

6 eggs

2 cups powdered sugar

2 1/4 cups flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups chopped walnuts

Glaze

Cream butter and granulated sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add powdered sugar, blending well. By hand, stir in flour, cocoa powder and walnuts until well blended.

Spoon batter into greased and floured 12-cup bundt pan or 10-inch angel-food tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees 58 to 60 minutes. Cool upright in pan on cooling rack 1 hour. Invert onto serving plate. Cool completely. Spoon Glaze over top of cake, allowing some to run down sides. Makes 16 servings.

Note: Nuts are essential for success of recipe. Since cake has soft tunnel of fudge, ordinary doneness test cannot be used. Accurate oven temperature and baking time are critical. In altitudes above 3,500 feet, increase flour to 2 1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons.

Glaze

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Combine sugar, cocoa and milk in small bowl until well blended. Store tightly covered.

GIFT CATALOGUE STRUDEL (Harry and David)

1 pound filo dough

1/2 cup clarified or melted butter or margarine

1 (12 1/2-ounce) can poppy seed filling

Ricotta Cheese Filling

Apple Filling

Unwrap filo pastry. Trim to fit 13x9-inch baking pan. Cover with damp towel to prevent drying when not in use. Layer well-buttered pan with 1/3 filo pastry, brushing each sheet with clarified butter. Spread poppy seed filling over bottom of pastry. Top with 4 sheets filo, brushing each sheet with butter.

Top with Ricotta Cheese Filling. Top with 4 more sheets filo, brushing each sheet with butter. Spread Apple Filling over filo sheets. Cover with remaining filo, brushing each sheet and top sheet with remaining butter. Brush top layer with butter.

Bake at 375 degrees 1 hour or until golden. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or cold. Makes 6 to 12 servings.

Ricotta Cheese Filling

1 pint ricotta cheese

1 egg

1/4 cup sugar

Dash nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Stir ricotta cheese until smooth. Stir in egg, sugar, nutmeg and vanilla until well blended. Fold in raisins and nuts.

Apple Filling

6 cooking apples, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs or graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Combine apples, bread crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in large bowl.

CITY RESTAURANT POPPY SEED CAKE

1 cup poppy seeds

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup water

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Lemon Glaze

Butter and flour 1 (10-inch) angel food tube pan. Set aside.

Combine poppy seeds, honey and water in saucepan and cook over low heat 4 to 5 minutes or until water evaporates, stirring frequently. Cool.

Cream together butter, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla. Add eggs, 1 at time, beating well after each addition. Add and combine thoroughly at low speed sour cream, poppy seed mixture, salt and lemon juice. Sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder. Add flour mixture to poppy seed mixture. Beat at low speed until thoroughly combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake at 325 degrees about 60 to 75 minutes or until cake draws from sides of pan and center is dry when tested. Cover with foil if cake browns too quickly. Cool about 15 minutes in pan. Invert and cool to lukewarm. Pour hot Lemon Glaze over cooled cake. Makes 1 (10-inch) cake.

Lemon Glaze

6 tablespoons lemon juice

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Combine lemon juice and powdered sugar in saucepan. Bring to boil and boil 1 to 2 minutes or until thin syrup is formed.

STOLLEN

1 package dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup melted butter or shortening

2 3/4 to 3 cups sifted flour

1 egg

2 tablespoons rum

1/2 cup chopped blanched almonds

1/4 cup finely cut candied citron

1/4 cut finely cut candied cherries

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon soft butter or margarine

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Icing

1 cup toasted almonds or diced candied fruit

Sprinkle dry yeast into warm, not hot, water. Scald milk. Pour into large mixer bowl. Add 1/4 cup sugar, salt and melted butter. Cool until just warm. Stir in 1 cup flour. Mix in dissolved yeast. Add egg and beat well. (Egg may be beaten separately and then added to batter.) Stir in rum, 1 1/2 cups flour, almonds, citron, cherries and lemon zest.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of remaining 1/4 cup flour on board or pastry cloth. Turn dough out on flour and knead, adding more flour as needed to make soft dough. Knead until dough is smooth and satiny, about 5 minutes. Shape into smooth ball. Place in lightly greased bowl. Gently press top of dough ball into bowl, then turn dough over. Cover with clean cloth and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours. Punch down. Cover and let rest 5 to 10 minutes.

Press dough into oval shape about 1/2-inch thick. Spread half of oval with 1 tablespoon soft butter. Sprinkle with remaining sugar mixed with cinnamon and cardamom. Fold unspread half lengthwise over sugar mixture, making edges even. Lift to lightly greased baking sheet. Curve ends slightly. Press down folded edge (not open edge). This helps loaf keep its shape as it rises and bakes. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/4 hours.

Bake at 350 degrees 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from baking sheet. When cool, spread with icing, allow icing to drip down sides, and sprinkle generously with toasted sliced almonds or candied fruit. Makes 1 loaf.

Icing

3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 tablespoon half and half

Mix sugar and half and half to make smooth, thick frosting of pouring consistency.