4 Tasty Fall Desserts Just in Time for Thanksgiving

You cant go wrong with these 4 Thanksgiving goodies especially if you have a sweet tooth!

Pecan Squares

(Recipe from foodnetwork.com)

Makes about 20 large squares, Total Time: 55 Mins

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. For the crust, beat the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, until light, approximately 3 minutes. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the batter with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 18 by 12 by 1-inch baking sheet, making an edge around the outside. It will be very sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands lightly with flour. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool.
3. For the topping, combine the butter, honey, brown sugar, and zests in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, using a wooden spoon to stir. Raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and pecans. Pour over the crust, trying not to get the filling between the crust and the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Cut into bars and serve.

Apple Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

(Recipe from foodnetwork.com)

Makes about 6 Servings, Total Time: 50 Mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 stick butter, plus extra for loaf pan
• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored, cut into 1/2-inch dice and tossed with a little lemon juice
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for loaf pan
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 or 4 grates fresh nutmeg (about 1/2 teaspoon)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Pinch kosher salt
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup toasted and chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup golden raisins

Cream Cheese Icing:

• One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 stick butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Instructions

Truffle Turkeys

(Recipe from foodnetwork.com)

Makes about 14 Turkeys, Total Time: 2 Hrs, 15 Mins

Ingredients

• 8 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 6 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons good-quality honey, such as Tasmanian
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 14 candy corns

Instructions

1. Make the truffles: Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl with the chocolate over, but not touching, the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. (Alternatively, put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute. Stir, and continue to heat until completely melted, about 1 minute more.)
2. Meanwhile, bring the cream and honey to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat (or in the microwave). Gradually whisk the cream into the chocolate until smooth and shiny. Whisk in the butter until very smooth. If possible, switch to an immersion blender and blend for about 1 minute for a satiny texture. Cover the surface of the chocolate with plastic wrap; chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour.
3. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the chocolate mixture to a small resealable plastic bag and snip a tiny piece off one corner. Twist the top of the bag to push the chocolate mixture down to the cut corner. Set the prepared bag aside.
4. Line a 13-by-9-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop slightly rounded tablespoon-size portions from the remaining chilled chocolate mixture. With gloved hands, roll each portion into a ball. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.
5. Decorate the truffles: Let the truffles soften slightly at room temperature for about 10 minutes to make it easier to insert the almond slices. Using a tweezers if desired, gently insert a row of 8 almond slices pointed-ends down in the back of each truffle to make a fanned turkey tail. Press a candy corn, pointy-end facing toward you, on the top of each truffle to make the turkeys face and beak. Press an almond slice underneath each candy corn beak to make the turkeys waddle. Place two almond slices underneath each truffle to make the turkeys feet.
6. Warm the reserved bag of chocolate mixture in the microwave until soft, 5 to 8 seconds. Squeeze the bag to pipe eyes onto the candy corn faces, and pipe decorative striped lines across the almond tails. Let set at room temperature for 30 minutes.
7. Once set, the truffles can be held in a cool spot, out of the refrigerator, for up to 2 hours. Otherwise, refrigerate, covered, for up to 5 days. The truffles taste best if served at room temperature, not straight from the refrigerator.

The Best Lemon Meringue Pie

(Recipe from foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients

Pie Crust:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (see Cooks Note)
• 2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 6 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 3 to 6 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

• 1 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice plus 2 teaspoons gently packed lemon zest
• 4 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Meringue:

• 5 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Pinch fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. For the pie crust: Pulse the flour, shortening, sugar, salt and vinegar in a food processor until the mixture looks like damp sand, about 10 pulses. Add the butter and pulse until you can still see large pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough begins to come together. Pinch the dough; if it doesnt hold together, add up to 3 more tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together when pinched. Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap and dump the dough onto the plastic. Using the edges of the plastic, press the dough into a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and preferably overnight. (Freeze up to 2 months.)
2. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 13-inch round. Place in a 9-inch pie dish, gently pressing the dough into the edges and letting the excess dough drape over the sides. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
4. Trim any excess dough with a paring knife and crimp the edges decoratively or press them down with the tines of a fork. Prick the dough on the bottom all over with a fork. Place a sheet of parchment paper inside the dough and fill with pie weights or uncooked rice or beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and weights and bake until the crust is deep golden brown on the edges and lightly golden in the center, 10 to 12 minutes more. Let the crust cool to room temperature.
5. For the filling: Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Add the lemon juice and 1 1/2 cups water and whisk to combine. Whisk the egg yolks in a separate medium bowl. Place the sugar mixture over medium heat and cook, continuing to gently whisk, until the mixture begins to bubble and is extremely thick. Temper the eggs yolks by slowly adding half of the hot sugar mixture to the yolks while constantly whisking. Add the tempered yolks to the saucepan and return to the heat. Bring the mixture back to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and lemon zest until completely melted and incorporated. Pour the filling directly into the pie crust and cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface of the filling (see Cooks Note). Refrigerate while you make the meringue.
6. For the meringue: Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment along with the sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Whisk together to combine. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture feels hot to the touch. Transfer the bowl to the mixer and add the vanilla. Whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 5 to 6 minutes.
7. Remove the plastic wrap from the pie and gently mound the meringue on top of the filling. Use an offset spatula to make sure the meringue completely covers the filling and meets the crust all around the edges. (This will seal in the filling and help prevent weeping.) Use the offset spatula to create swirls and peaks in the meringue. Toast the meringue using a kitchen torch or broil in the oven until golden brown, keeping an eye on the meringue if broiling, 1 to 2 minutes. Refrigerate the pie until the filling is completely cool and set, about 4 hours.

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