Polka Dot Sandwich Recipes

POLKA DOT MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, mix ground beef, 1/4 cup of the ketchup, the bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, salt and egg. Press 1/3 of mixture in bottom of ungreased 8x4-inch loaf pan.
• Place 2 pieces of the string cheese lengthwise and evenly spaced over beef mixture, with one end of the cheese about 1/2 inch from one end of pan. Cut 2 pieces of string cheese in half crosswise. Place 2 half pieces on beef mixture so cheese extends full length of pan. Press cheese into beef mixture.
• Top with half of remaining beef mixture; pat evenly in place. Top with remaining string cheese in 2 rows; press in. Press remaining beef mixture over cheese. Press ends and edges of beef mixture well to seal in cheese; smooth top.
• Bake 45 minutes. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix remaining 1/4 cup ketchup, the mustard and brown sugar.
• Remove meatloaf from oven. Spoon juices from meatloaf; spoon ketchup mixture evenly over top.
• Return to oven; bake 30 to 45 minutes longer or until thermometer inserted in center of meatloaf reads 160°F. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting into slices.

SPRING POLKA DOT CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• Make cake batter as directed on cake mix box, adding gelatin with the water. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about two-thirds full).
• Bake 22 to 27 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat powdered sugar and butter with spoon or with electric mixer on low speed until well blended. Beat in vanilla and 2 tablespoons of the milk. Gradually beat in just enough of the remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. Divide frosting among 4 small bowls. Stir 6 drops yellow food color into frosting in one bowl. Stir 4 drops red food color into frosting in second bowl. Stir 6 to 8 drops blue food color into frosting in third bowl. Stir 4 drops yellow and 2 drops red food color into frosting in fourth bowl.
• Frost 6 cupcakes with each color of frosting. Poke 4 or 5 white vanilla baking chips, flat side up, into frosting on each cupcake to look like polka dots. Store loosely covered.

POLKA DOT SANDWICH

Steps:

• Spread bread with cream cheese spread.
• Top 1 bread slice with bananas in 3 rows of 3 slices each. Sprinkle remaining bread slice with raisins; press gently into cream cheese to secure.
• Close sandwich to serve.

POLKA-DOT PETITS FOURS

Steps:

• Genoise:Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place rack in lower third of oven. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment; butter and flour paper. Sift together flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt; set aside. Pour melted butter into a large bowl; set aside.
• Combine remaining sugar, eggs, and yolks in bowl of electric mixer. Using whisk attachment, mix on medium-high until pale in color and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla and orange zest.
• Detach bowl from mixer. Add one-third of flour mixture. With spatula, gently fold in until just incorporated. Add remaining flour mixture in two more additions. Add one-third of batter to butter; gently fold into butter until just combined. Fold in remaining batter. Divide into prepared pans. Bake until just golden and cake springs back when gently touched, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool in pans, running knife around edges occasionally. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate in pans overnight. Make this cake up to 1 week ahead and freeze.
• Orange Glaze:Melt butter in heatproof bowl over pan of simmering water. Add confectioners' sugar, milk, and orange juice; stir until smooth and pourable. Thin with milk a bit at a time if needed. Keep warm; use immediately.
• Royal Icing:In bowl of mixer fitted with paddle, mix meringue powder, sugar, and 7 to 8 tablespoons water on low. Mix until icing holds a line when a spatula is pulled through it, about 15 minutes. If making ahead, store in an airtight container; color just before using by adding coloring a bit at a time, stirring with spatula.
• Working with one cake at a time, invert genoise onto clean surface. With serrated knife, trim cake level; cut in half horizontally. With pastry brush, brush away crumbs. Spread half the marmalade over top of one half. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut one round from unglazed half, then move to glazed half and cut again. The two pieces will stick, creating a petit-four cake. Remove petit-four cake from cutter; set on wire rack over rimmed baking sheet. Continue, making 8 petit-four cakes from each cake.
• Place petit-four cake on fork; hold over pan of orange glaze. With ladle, pour glaze evenly over cake, repeating to cover all surfaces. Slide glazed cake onto rack. Continue to coat remainder. Let set, 5 minutes.
• Fit pastry bag with a #1 Ateco tip; fill bag with royal icing. Pipe dots over each petit four. Serve.

POLKA DOTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• In large bowl, combine brownie mix, oil and eggs. By hand, stir until well-blended. Stir in chips.
• Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake in heated oven for 8-12 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from baking sheets.