Friday Desserts
It's Friday, time to get ready for the weekend. What better way than with six Just Desserts? Check out the Slow-Cooker Apple Crisp, the Chai-Spices Pear Pie, and the rest of today's yumminess. Enjoy!
SHORTBREAD COOKIES
This yumminess is from Ina Garten on the Food Network.
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Inactive Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 20 cookies
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 to 7 ounces very good semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a 3 by 1-inch finger-shaped cutter. Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.
When the cookies are cool, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Put 3 ounces of the chocolate in a glass bowl and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. (Don't trust your microwave timer; time it with your watch.) Stir with a wooden spoon. Continue to heat and stir in 30-second increments until the chocolate is just melted. Add the remaining chocolate and allow it to sit at room temperature, stirring often, until it's completely smooth. Stir vigorously until the chocolate is smooth and slightly cooled; stirring makes it glossier.
Drizzle 1/2 of each cookie with just enough chocolate to coat it.
CHERRY-MALLOW CAKE
This recipe is from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list and begins, “This cake is a snap to make because you use a mix. As the marshmallows melt, they rise to the top and make a glaze.”
Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 45 to 50 minutes; Serves: 15
Ingredients
4 cups miniature marshmallows, (about 3/4 of a 10-1/2 ounce package; you can use vegetarian marshmallows, which I highly recommend)
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Lay the marshmallows evenly over the bottom of the pan.
Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Pour the batter over the marshmallows. Spoon the cherry filling evenly over the cake batter.
Remove pan from oven and cool on wire racks.
After the cake is cool, cut into squares.
CHAI-SPICED PEAR PIE
This is from Audra, otherwise known as The Baker Chick. If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you might remember me posting quite a few recipes from Audra (although it’s been a while). Her blog rocks! If you haven’t checked it out, you really should. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
This recipe begins, “I can’t possibly let you enter Thanksgiving week without another pie recipe. As the person in charge of desserts in my family, I’m always looking to make something classic with a twist and this gorgeous pie is just that apples get all the attention in the fall, but baking with firm, sweet pears is in my opinion just as good but way more unique and impressive.
“This pear pie is tossed with warm chai spices like cardamon, cinnamon, ginger and even a crack of black pepper. The result is just a bit more kick than what you’re probably used to with apple pie, but that same warm, melt-in-your-mouth goodness just waiting for a scoop of vanilla.”
Yield: 1 9-inch pie
To view this online on Audra’s blog, click here.
Ingredients
2-3 single layers of Pie Crust (see note)
10 cups of peeled, thinly sliced pears (from about 8-10 pears depending on size, use something firm like bosc)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3-4 twists of freshly ground black pepper (1/8 teaspoon, optional)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Keep crust chilling in the fridge while you prep the pears.
In a large pot or dutch oven, toss together the pears, brown sugar, flour, and spices. Stir in water and dot with the butter.
Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, tossing everything around to par-cook the pears a bit. Keep checking to see when a pear slice is "bendy" and slightly tender, but for me I cooked them for 10-15 minutes.
Allow pears to cool while you prep your dough. If you are doing a lattice or braided crust, roll some of the dough out now, form the braids, and freeze them until pie is ready to be assembled. If you are just doing a double crust- wait until the pears are mostly cool.
Roll out one layer of crust and drape over the bottom of a 9- inch pie pan leaving a bit of overhang. Pour the cooled pears into the crust and top with another sheet of pie crust, a lattice top, or the braids.
Trim and crimp edge of crust and pop the whole thing in the freezer for 10-30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425.F. Place pie onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes, then reducing the heat to 350F and baking for another 45-50 minutes.. If the crust seems to be getting too dark you can drape some foil on top for the remainder of the baking.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
*If you want a little extra pie dough to work with for a decorative crust, I like to have a bit extra and usually make 3 batches of crust. If you are just doing a classic top, two single layers is fine!
ALMOND JOY ENERGY BITES
I found this on Runner’s World website in an article titled “18 No-Bake High-Protein Energy Bites for Easy Fueling.”
This particular recipe is from Ali at Gimme Some Oven. It begins, “These Almond Joy Energy Bites taste like the candy bar we all love, but are made with healthier ingredients and sweetened with dates.”
Total Time: 15 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes.
To view this online, go to https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/almond-joy-energy-bites-recipe/
Ingredients:
12 oz. (about 2 cups, loosely-packed) Medjool dates (**see note below about types of dates and substitutions**)
2 cups almonds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract (optional)
Directions:
Add dates and remaining ingredients to a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine, then use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl. Blend the mixture for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture has moved past the crumbly stage and begins to clump and stick to the sides of the food processor.
Use a spoon or small cookie scoop to measure out a tablespoon of dough (or your desired size) and roll it into a ball. If desired, roll the ball in a bowl of coconut flakes. Or just set it aside to eat as-is. Repeat with the remaining dough. (Alternately, you can flatten the dough into the bottom of an 8×8-inch parchment-lined baking dish, then cut it into bars.)
Store the energy bites in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
**I used Medjool dates in this recipe, which are already nice and soft. If you substitute another kind of date, you may need to soak them in warm water for 10 minutes first in order to soften then. (Then drain them before using.)
SLOW-COOKER APPLE CRISP
This is from Pillsbury, and begins, "Skip the oven and make dessert in your slow cooker with this Slow-Cooker Apple Crisp recipe! This decadent dessert cooks up beautifully in the slow cooker to a warm, delicately spiced treat packed with fresh apples and finished off with an irresistible oat topping. Serve with a scoop of ice cream and gather the family together to enjoy this ultimate fall treat."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes; Servings: 6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
6 small apples, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices (6 cups)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 8 pieces
Ice cream, if desired
Directions
Place apples in large bowl; add granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and the cinnamon. Stir until apples are evenly coated.
Spray 4- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place apple mixture into slow cooker.
In large bowl, mix 1/2 cup flour, the oats, brown sugar and salt. Stir until well combined. Using fork or pastry blender, cut cold butter into mixture until crumbly. Sprinkle over apple mixture. Cover and cook on High heat setting 2 hours. Turn off heat; remove cover, and cool 30 minutes.
Serve warm with a scoop of your favorite ice cream.
Tips from the Pillsbury Kitchens
tip 1
Choose a firm, tart apple variety for this Slow-Cooker Apple Crisp with oats recipe, such as Granny Smith.
tip 2
Be sure to cut apples into even 1/2-inch slices—too thick, and they won't be tender enough; too thin, and they might turn to mush in the slow cooker.
tip 3
Swap old-fashioned oats for quick-cooking oats when making this Slow-Cooker Apple Crisp, if desired.
tip 4
Make this the very best Slow-Cooker Apple Crisp you've ever dreamed up by serving with a scoop of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream.
tip 5
Keeping the cover off the slow cooker for 30 minutes after cooking helps to evaporate any excess liquid as the crisp cools.
EASY SKILLET BROWNIES
This yumminess is from Melissa Clark at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Melissa wrote, "These simple brownies are mixed and baked in the same skillet. Chewy and fudgy, they’re everything you want in a brownie but faster and with less mess to clean up. If you don’t have an ovenproof nonstick skillet (preferably ceramic, or you could try this in a very well-seasoned cast-iron pan), pour the batter into a greased 9-inch square pan for baking. You can let the brownies cool and cut them into wedges or squares. Or, serve them warm from the oven and straight from the pan, preferably with a scoop of ice cream plopped on top."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes, plus cooling; Total Time: 40 minutes, plus cooling; Yield: 8 to 12 brownies
This was featured in "The Easiest Brownies Are Mixed and Baked in the Same Pan," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024690-easy-skillet-brownies. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
3/4 cup unsalted butter
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional)
Flaky sea salt (optional)
Ice cream, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In an ovenproof 10- or 11-inch nonstick skillet (preferably ceramic nonstick) set over medium-low heat, combine the butter, chocolate and salt. Let butter and chocolate melt, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat.
Carefully whisk in sugar until smooth, then whisk in eggs and vanilla. Finally, whisk in flour until no streaks remain. Using a spatula, fold in the nuts, if using. Smooth top and sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt if you like.
Bake until the top is set, the center is soft and the edges are firm and start to pull away from the pan, 20 to 27 minutes. (A toothpick inserted into the center will come out gooey.) Transfer to a wire rack to cool. You can serve these still a little warm and straight from the pan, with ice cream on top if you like. Or, let cool completely before slicing into wedges or bars.
SHORTBREAD COOKIES
This yumminess is from Ina Garten on the Food Network.
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Inactive Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 20 cookies
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 to 7 ounces very good semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a 3 by 1-inch finger-shaped cutter. Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.
When the cookies are cool, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Put 3 ounces of the chocolate in a glass bowl and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. (Don't trust your microwave timer; time it with your watch.) Stir with a wooden spoon. Continue to heat and stir in 30-second increments until the chocolate is just melted. Add the remaining chocolate and allow it to sit at room temperature, stirring often, until it's completely smooth. Stir vigorously until the chocolate is smooth and slightly cooled; stirring makes it glossier.
Drizzle 1/2 of each cookie with just enough chocolate to coat it.
CHERRY-MALLOW CAKE
This recipe is from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list and begins, “This cake is a snap to make because you use a mix. As the marshmallows melt, they rise to the top and make a glaze.”
Prep. time: 15 minutes; Cooking time: 45 to 50 minutes; Serves: 15
Ingredients
4 cups miniature marshmallows, (about 3/4 of a 10-1/2 ounce package; you can use vegetarian marshmallows, which I highly recommend)
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Lay the marshmallows evenly over the bottom of the pan.
Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Pour the batter over the marshmallows. Spoon the cherry filling evenly over the cake batter.
Remove pan from oven and cool on wire racks.
After the cake is cool, cut into squares.
CHAI-SPICED PEAR PIE
This is from Audra, otherwise known as The Baker Chick. If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you might remember me posting quite a few recipes from Audra (although it’s been a while). Her blog rocks! If you haven’t checked it out, you really should. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
This recipe begins, “I can’t possibly let you enter Thanksgiving week without another pie recipe. As the person in charge of desserts in my family, I’m always looking to make something classic with a twist and this gorgeous pie is just that apples get all the attention in the fall, but baking with firm, sweet pears is in my opinion just as good but way more unique and impressive.
“This pear pie is tossed with warm chai spices like cardamon, cinnamon, ginger and even a crack of black pepper. The result is just a bit more kick than what you’re probably used to with apple pie, but that same warm, melt-in-your-mouth goodness just waiting for a scoop of vanilla.”
Yield: 1 9-inch pie
To view this online on Audra’s blog, click here.
Ingredients
2-3 single layers of Pie Crust (see note)
10 cups of peeled, thinly sliced pears (from about 8-10 pears depending on size, use something firm like bosc)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3-4 twists of freshly ground black pepper (1/8 teaspoon, optional)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Keep crust chilling in the fridge while you prep the pears.
In a large pot or dutch oven, toss together the pears, brown sugar, flour, and spices. Stir in water and dot with the butter.
Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, tossing everything around to par-cook the pears a bit. Keep checking to see when a pear slice is "bendy" and slightly tender, but for me I cooked them for 10-15 minutes.
Allow pears to cool while you prep your dough. If you are doing a lattice or braided crust, roll some of the dough out now, form the braids, and freeze them until pie is ready to be assembled. If you are just doing a double crust- wait until the pears are mostly cool.
Roll out one layer of crust and drape over the bottom of a 9- inch pie pan leaving a bit of overhang. Pour the cooled pears into the crust and top with another sheet of pie crust, a lattice top, or the braids.
Trim and crimp edge of crust and pop the whole thing in the freezer for 10-30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425.F. Place pie onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes, then reducing the heat to 350F and baking for another 45-50 minutes.. If the crust seems to be getting too dark you can drape some foil on top for the remainder of the baking.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
*If you want a little extra pie dough to work with for a decorative crust, I like to have a bit extra and usually make 3 batches of crust. If you are just doing a classic top, two single layers is fine!
ALMOND JOY ENERGY BITES
I found this on Runner’s World website in an article titled “18 No-Bake High-Protein Energy Bites for Easy Fueling.”
This particular recipe is from Ali at Gimme Some Oven. It begins, “These Almond Joy Energy Bites taste like the candy bar we all love, but are made with healthier ingredients and sweetened with dates.”
Total Time: 15 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes.
To view this online, go to https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/almond-joy-energy-bites-recipe/
Ingredients:
12 oz. (about 2 cups, loosely-packed) Medjool dates (**see note below about types of dates and substitutions**)
2 cups almonds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract (optional)
Directions:
Add dates and remaining ingredients to a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine, then use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl. Blend the mixture for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture has moved past the crumbly stage and begins to clump and stick to the sides of the food processor.
Use a spoon or small cookie scoop to measure out a tablespoon of dough (or your desired size) and roll it into a ball. If desired, roll the ball in a bowl of coconut flakes. Or just set it aside to eat as-is. Repeat with the remaining dough. (Alternately, you can flatten the dough into the bottom of an 8×8-inch parchment-lined baking dish, then cut it into bars.)
Store the energy bites in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
**I used Medjool dates in this recipe, which are already nice and soft. If you substitute another kind of date, you may need to soak them in warm water for 10 minutes first in order to soften then. (Then drain them before using.)
SLOW-COOKER APPLE CRISP
This is from Pillsbury, and begins, "Skip the oven and make dessert in your slow cooker with this Slow-Cooker Apple Crisp recipe! This decadent dessert cooks up beautifully in the slow cooker to a warm, delicately spiced treat packed with fresh apples and finished off with an irresistible oat topping. Serve with a scoop of ice cream and gather the family together to enjoy this ultimate fall treat."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes; Servings: 6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
6 small apples, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices (6 cups)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 8 pieces
Ice cream, if desired
Directions
Place apples in large bowl; add granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and the cinnamon. Stir until apples are evenly coated.
Spray 4- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place apple mixture into slow cooker.
In large bowl, mix 1/2 cup flour, the oats, brown sugar and salt. Stir until well combined. Using fork or pastry blender, cut cold butter into mixture until crumbly. Sprinkle over apple mixture. Cover and cook on High heat setting 2 hours. Turn off heat; remove cover, and cool 30 minutes.
Serve warm with a scoop of your favorite ice cream.
Tips from the Pillsbury Kitchens
tip 1
Choose a firm, tart apple variety for this Slow-Cooker Apple Crisp with oats recipe, such as Granny Smith.
tip 2
Be sure to cut apples into even 1/2-inch slices—too thick, and they won't be tender enough; too thin, and they might turn to mush in the slow cooker.
tip 3
Swap old-fashioned oats for quick-cooking oats when making this Slow-Cooker Apple Crisp, if desired.
tip 4
Make this the very best Slow-Cooker Apple Crisp you've ever dreamed up by serving with a scoop of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream.
tip 5
Keeping the cover off the slow cooker for 30 minutes after cooking helps to evaporate any excess liquid as the crisp cools.
EASY SKILLET BROWNIES
This yumminess is from Melissa Clark at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Melissa wrote, "These simple brownies are mixed and baked in the same skillet. Chewy and fudgy, they’re everything you want in a brownie but faster and with less mess to clean up. If you don’t have an ovenproof nonstick skillet (preferably ceramic, or you could try this in a very well-seasoned cast-iron pan), pour the batter into a greased 9-inch square pan for baking. You can let the brownies cool and cut them into wedges or squares. Or, serve them warm from the oven and straight from the pan, preferably with a scoop of ice cream plopped on top."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes, plus cooling; Total Time: 40 minutes, plus cooling; Yield: 8 to 12 brownies
This was featured in "The Easiest Brownies Are Mixed and Baked in the Same Pan," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024690-easy-skillet-brownies. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
3/4 cup unsalted butter
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional)
Flaky sea salt (optional)
Ice cream, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In an ovenproof 10- or 11-inch nonstick skillet (preferably ceramic nonstick) set over medium-low heat, combine the butter, chocolate and salt. Let butter and chocolate melt, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat.
Carefully whisk in sugar until smooth, then whisk in eggs and vanilla. Finally, whisk in flour until no streaks remain. Using a spatula, fold in the nuts, if using. Smooth top and sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt if you like.
Bake until the top is set, the center is soft and the edges are firm and start to pull away from the pan, 20 to 27 minutes. (A toothpick inserted into the center will come out gooey.) Transfer to a wire rack to cool. You can serve these still a little warm and straight from the pan, with ice cream on top if you like. Or, let cool completely before slicing into wedges or bars.
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