Paula Deen's Heavenly Desserts

Paula Deen is one of America's biggest food stars. She brings viewers a taste of Southern food and hospitality through her hit show, "Paula's Home Cooking," on the Food Network. She has authored four cookbooks and her restaurant, The Lady and Sons, is located in the heart of Savannah, Ga.'s historic district.

Deen visited The Early Show Friday with mouth-watering desserts from her latest cookbook, "The Lady and Sons Just Desserts."

RECIPES

Orange-Walnut Sunrise Coffee Cake
1 17.3 ounce can Pillsbury Grands refrigerated flaky biscuits
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 ounces (half of a 3-ounce bar) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon orange juice, or more as necessary

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Separate biscuit dough into eight biscuits. Place one biscuit in the center of pan. Cut the remaining biscuits in half, forming 14 half-circles. Arrange the pieces around the center biscuit, with the cut sides facing in the same direction.
In a small bowl, combine walnuts, granulated sugar, and orange peel and mix well. Brush butter over tops of biscuits and sprinkle with the walnut mixture. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
In a small bowl, combine confectioner's sugar, cream cheese, and enough orange juice for desired drizzling consistency. Blend until smooth, then drizzle over warm coffee cake. Cool 10 minutes. Serve warm. Serves 8.

Douglas's Dark Rum Pecan Pie
I always look forward to having my friend Douglas Boyce come to Savannah to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day with me and my family, because we know Douglas is gonna be making and serving us up the meanest margaritas in town. Know what? His pies ain't bad, either!

1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup dark Karo syrup
3 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 to 2 cups pecan halves, according to taste
2 tablespoons Myers's Original Dark Rum (1 for the pie, 1 for you!)
1 unbaked deep-dish 9 inch pie shell

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine sugar and butter in a bowl; stir in syrup, eggs, pecans, and rum. Pour into the unbaked pie shell and place the shell on a heavy-duty cookie sheet.
Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 and continue to bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until pie is set. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Banana Split Brownie Pizza
1 20-ounce box Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix (plus ingredients to prepare)
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved
2 tablespoons sugar
2 bananas sliced and tossed in lemon juice to prevent browning
1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
1 cup chopped nuts
Chocolate ice cream topping or chocolate syrup (for drizzling)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 15-inch pizza pan. Prepare brownie mix according to directions on box. Pour onto prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and cool.
Beat cream cheese, pineapple, and sugar together in a bowl. Use any reserved pineapple juice at this time if needed to soften sugar together in a bowl. Otherwise dispose of or save juice for another use. Spread the mixture over the brownie crust.
Arrange banana and strawberry slices over the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and drizzle with chocolate ice cream toppings. Refrigerate.
To serve, slice as you would a pizza and enjoy! Serves 8 to 10.

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