Monday Desserts

What better way is there to start the week than with Just Desserts? Check out the Rhubarb Crisp, the Creamy Lemonade Pie, and the rst of today's yumminess. Enjoy!

HOT CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

How does Hot Chocolate Cheesecake sound? Yum!

This comes from The Food Network Kitchen, and starts off, “Use your leftover hot chocolate or cocoa mix in both the crust and the filling of this super-rich cheesecake that tastes just like the classic drink.” Total Time: 3 hr 45 min; Prep: 30 min; Inactive: 45 min; Cook: 2hr 30 min; Yield: 12 to 14 servings; Level: Easy

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/hot-chocolate-cheesecake.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients

Crust:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more butter for the pan

9 graham crackers (about 1 sleeve)

1/4 cup hot chocolate or cocoa mix

Pinch fine salt

Filling:

Four 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup hot chocolate or cocoa mix

1 cup sour cream

6 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

10 marshmallows

Directions

Special equipment: a 9-inch springform pan

For the crust: Position a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 325 degrees F. Butter the inside of a 9-inch springform pan.

Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground. Add the butter, hot chocolate mix and salt, and pulse until the mixture comes together and holds its shape when squeezed. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, and press it into the bottom to make an even layer. Bake until the crust is just firm, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Place the pan on a large piece of foil, and fold the foil up the sides of the pan. (This helps seal the pan, to keep water out while baking.)

For the filling: Wipe out the food processor. Pulse the cream cheese, sugar, hot chocolate mix and sour cream until completely smooth, without any lumps, scraping down the side of the bowl a few times. Add the eggs and vanilla, and pulse until incorporated. Pour the filling into the crust, and set the pan inside a roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with enough hot water to go halfway up the side of the springform pan (but not above the foil).

Bake the cheesecake until the edge is set but the center jiggles slightly (when you gently shake the pan, the cheesecake should move in a cohesive wave motion), 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn the oven off, and open the door for a few seconds to let out some heat. Close the door, and let the cheesecake sit in the oven until cooked completely through, 1 hour more.

Transfer the springform pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge, and let the cheesecake cool to room temperature. Wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.

Before serving, cut the marshmallows on the diagonal, and arrange them, cut-side down, in a neat line all over the top edge of the cheesecake.

CREAMY LEMONADE PIE

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk

1 (3.4 oz) pkg. instant lemon pudding mix

2 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese softened

3/4 C. lemonade concentrate

1 graham cracker crust

Directions

In mixing bowl combine milk & pudding mix; beat on low speed for 2 minutes. In another mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until light & fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in lemonade concentrate. Gradually beat in pudding mixture. Pour into crust. Cover & refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

RHUBARB CRISP

This is from Mark Bittman at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Mark wrote, "When you think of rhubarb you probably think of strawberry-rhubarb pie, a quintessential spring dessert, especially if it’s made by someone who makes good pies. I usually manage around one pie crust annually, so I need alternatives. Thus, when the spring’s first rhubarb shows up, I adjust the execution and produce a crisp. If rhubarb is young and fresh, you can trim it in seconds. If it has fibrous outer strings, peel them off as you would those of celery. Toss the rhubarb with orange or lemon juice and zest, and only a little sugar. (You can also substitute strawberries for some of the rhubarb if you want the classic combination.) Blend the ingredients for the crisp topping in a food processor, crumble the topping over the rhubarb mixture, and bake — it is nearly effortless and as good or better than a pie."

Time: 1 hour; Yield: 6 to 8 servings

This was featured in "Rhubarb Crisp That Stands Up to Pie", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013147-rhubarb-crisp.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing pan

2-1/2 to 3 pounds rhubarb, trimmed, tough strings removed, and cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces (about 5 to 6 cups)

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon orange or lemon juice

1 teaspoon orange or lemon zest

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste

Pinch salt

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup pecans

Preparation

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking or gratin dish with a little butter. Toss rhubarb with white sugar, orange or lemon juice and zest, and spread in baking dish.

Put the 6 tablespoons butter in a food processor along with brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt, and pulse for about 20 or 30 seconds, until it looks like small peas and just begins to clump together. Add oats and pecans and pulse just a few times to combine.

Crumble the topping over rhubarb and bake until golden and beginning to brown, 45 to 50 minutes.

CLASSIC BANANA SPLIT

This is from Melissa Clark at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Melissa wrote, "The key to a great banana split is a combination of textures and temperatures. There’s the velvety cold ice cream, the pleasingly sticky hot fudge and the crunchy wet walnuts (here, made with maple syrup and honey), all nestled in a sliced ripe banana and topped with whipped cream. You can use any ice cream flavors you like: classics like chocolate, vanilla or strawberry, or get creative with your favorite varieties — maybe even a scoop or two of fruity sorbet. Naturally, banana splits are meant to be split between two (or three) people, so find some friends to share the sweetness."

Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings

This was featured in "The Best Summer Desserts Are the Classics," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024310-classic-banana-split. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.

Ingredients

For the Walnuts

1 cup walnut halves

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup honey

Pinch of fine sea salt

For the Hot Fudge Sauce

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons honey

1-1/2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder

Pinch of fine sea salt

3-1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cubed

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, or 1/2 tablespoon brandy or rum

For Assembly

2 bananas, halved lengthwise and peeled

2 pints ice cream, any flavors

Whipped cream, for serving

Cherries, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Prepare the walnuts: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread walnut halves evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until nuts smell toasted and are slightly darker in color. Transfer to a rack to cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together maple syrup, honey and salt. Add nuts (it’s OK if they are still hot) and stir to combine.

Prepare the fudge: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream, sugar, honey, cocoa and salt to a simmer, whisking until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the chocolate and let cook until the chocolate melts, about 2 minutes. Stir in butter and vanilla (or liquor). Let cool slightly. Serve warm, not piping hot. If the fudge sauce begins to separate, vigorously whisk in 1 tablespoon hot water. Fudge sauce can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and stored in the fridge. Gently reheat before serving.

Line a banana split bowl or other bowl with the banana halves. Top with scoops of ice cream, hot fudge and walnut sauce. Cover with whipped cream. Top with a cherry, if you like. Serve immediately.

OPAL'S CHERRY DELIGHT

This is from NancyJo922 at AllRecipes, and begins, "Cherry refrigerated cheesecake. Delicious and simple. Very quick, simple to make with no special ingredients!"

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Additional Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Servings: 9; Yield: 1 9X9-inch pan

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/231310/opals-cherry-delight/.

Ingredients

20 graham crackers, finely crushed

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature

1 (8 ounce) container whipped topping (such as Cool Whip®)

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 (12 ounce) can cherry pie filling

Directions

Mix graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, and butter together in a bowl; press into a 9x9-inch pan.

Whisk cream cheese, whipped topping, and 1 cup confectioners' sugar together in a bowl until smooth; spread over graham cracker crust. Pour cherry pie filling over cream cheese mixture layer. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

CHEWY BROWNIE COOKIES

This yumminess is from Vaughn Vreeland in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Vaughn wrote, "The perfect union of two of America’s most popular desserts, brownies and cookies, this recipe offers all the goodness of a brownie and bakes up in a fraction of the time. A blend of chopped chocolate, unsweetened cocoa and espresso powder lends enormous depth to the base of these cookies. The only time-intensive step in this recipe is beating the eggs and sugar, but don’t skimp on that process, as it helps the cookies rise without any baking soda or baking powder, giving them structure and shine. Banging the sheet pan on the counter 8 minutes into the baking process creates fudgy cookies and helps create that hallmark cragged surface atop a tray of brownies. Whether you’re the type of person who races to get a corner brownie or you patiently await a middle piece, these chewy brownie cookies offer all of the best textures a brownie has to offer."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 18 cookies

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025868-chewy-brownie-cookies. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I hightly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.

Ingredients

3/4 cup finely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon espresso powder

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 large eggs, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 packed cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Put chocolate, cocoa powder and espresso powder in a small heatproof bowl or glass measuring cup. Melt butter in a skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat until bubbly but not browned, about 3 minutes, then pour over the chocolate mixture. Without stirring, let the mixture sit so the residual heat can melt the chocolate thoroughly while you whip the eggs and sugar.

Put the eggs, both sugars and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. (If using a hand mixer, a large bowl will do.) Whisk on medium-high speed until the mixture is pillowy and the sugars have begun to dissolve, 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir the chocolate mixture until glossy and smooth. (If any solid pieces of chocolate remain, you can microwave the mixture in 10-second bursts until everything is melted.)

With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla extract and then the chocolate mixture. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure the chocolate is evenly distributed, then add the flour and mix on low speed until only a few streaks of flour remain. To avoid overmixing, use a spatula to finish folding in the flour. The dough should be glossy and resemble a very thick brownie batter.

Using a 2-tablespoon/1-ounce scoop, scoop a heaping amount of the dough into mounds directly onto the parchment-lined baking sheets, with each portion at least 2 inches apart, yielding about 18 cookies. Work quickly to ensure the cookies stay shiny once baked.

Bake for 8 minutes until the cookies have started to spread and take on a shiny outer surface, then remove the pans from the oven and whack them on the countertop a couple times to create a cragged top. (This also helps create a fudgier consistency.) Top with flaky sea salt and return to the oven to finish baking, for another 2 minutes until shiny and slightly puffed. Cool for a couple minutes directly on the baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

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