King’s Wrath

Use a 2-quart slow cooker. Combine all the ingredients except for the brandy and whipped cream. Cook on low for 4 hours. Stir in the brandy. Refrigerate in a sealed plastic container for 48 hours, then remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

The Verdict

This is my mom’s friend Carol’s traditional family Christmas dessert, and I can see why. It’s marvelous. Carol wrote to me that the original recipe called for using canned peach halves, but there was too much “slipping and sliding” with the halves, so she now uses slices or pieces instead. The flavor is rich and pronounced, and you can definitely taste the brandy. This is not a recipe for children!

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND TAPIOCA PUDDING

serves 8 to 10

The Ingredients

2 quarts 1 percent milk (half gallon)

1½ cups sugar

1 cup small pearl tapioca (not instant)

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

The Directions

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Combine the milk, sugar, and tapioca in the stoneware insert. Stir well to mix. Cover and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours. You are looking for the tapioca to soften a bit and get slimy—it will still be very liquidy.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, almond extract, and cocoa powder together. Measure out ½ cup of the tapioca mixture from the crock, and whisk it into this egg mixture. Add another ½ cup of the tapioca mixture, and whisk that into the eggs, too. And then another! You are doing this to “temper” the eggs so they won’t scramble when added to the slow cooker. Pour the egg mixture into the slow cooker, and stir well to combine. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the tapioca has begun to swell and thicken.

Unplug the cooker, and leave the lid off for 1 hour while the tapioca cools. Your pudding will have become quite thick by now, and will be ready to chill in the refrigerator.

The Verdict

I thought I couldn’t possibly love tapioca pudding any more than I already did, but then I tried this. The bit of cocoa powder and almond extract changes ordinary tapioca pudding from an afternoon snack to a sophisticated dessert.

OREO COOKIE CHEESECAKE

serves 6

The Ingredients

For the crust

10 chocolate cream–filled sandwich cookies (I used Glutino brand)

3 tablespoons butter, melted

For the filling

2 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese, at room temperature

½ cup sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (I used a gluten-free baking mix)

¼ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

10 chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies, crushed (I used Glutino brand)

The Directions

Use a 6-quart slow cooker and an oven-safe dish that can fit all the way into your stoneware for the cheesecake. You are going to create a bain-marie, or water bath. I used a 1½-quart Corningware dish and it fit perfectly inside of my 6-quart stoneware insert. In a zippered freezer bag, crush 10 of the chocolate sandwich cookies into tiny crumbs. Pour the melted butter into the bag, and squeeze the bag until the butter fully coats the crumbs. Press this crumb mixture into the bottom of your dish.

In a separate bowl, cream the cheese, sugar, eggs, flour, cream, and vanilla with a handheld or stand mixer. Stir in the crushed cookies. Pour the batter on top of the crust. Add ½ to 1 cup water to the bottom of your slow cooker, and slowly lower the dish into the stoneware, being careful not to slosh water into your cheesecake. Cover and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours, checking after 1 hour. Your cheesecake is done when the edges are no longer shiny and have begun to brown. Lightly touch the center to see if it has set.

Unplug the cooker. Let the cheesecake sit in the cooker for an hour before removing and transferring it to the refrigerator. Chill in the refrigerator completely before slicing and serving.

The Verdict

It’s probably no surprise that my kids loved this. I have made about a dozen cheesecakes now in the slow cooker, and I’m always impressed with how well they turn out. The cakes are moist and gooey, and perfectly cooked. I will never again attempt cheesecake in the oven.

RED WINE–POACHED PEARS

serves 6

The Ingredients

2 (29-ounce) cans pear halves, drained

1 (750-ml) bottle red wine (I used an inexpensive merlot)

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cinnamon stick

2 star anise

6 tablespoons sweetened whipped cream (the canned stuff)

The Directions

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Drain pears, and put into your slow cooker. Add the entire bottle of wine and stir in the sugar, taking care to not break up the pear halves. Add the vanilla, and float the cinnamon stick and the star anise on top. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, or high for 2 hours. Serve warm with a big dollop of whipped cream.

The Verdict

I ate a double portion of these pears to see if the alcohol cooks away. It does not. This is not a dessert for small children!

My mom’s friend Carol sent me this recipe, which she got from an inn in Napa, California. The pears turn a lovely shade of purple, and are rich and delicious. I really liked the whipped cream on top, which melts instantly, creating a sweet creamy sauce.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE (AKA CHOCOLATE MESS)

serves 8

The Ingredients

cooking spray

1 (16-ounce) package chocolate cake mix (I used Betty Crocker’s Gluten-Free)

1 (4-ounce) package instant Jell-O^® pudding mix

¾ cup canola or vegetable oil

1 cup water

4 eggs

1 (16-ounce) container sour cream

1 (6-ounce) package chocolate chips

The Directions

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Spray the stoneware insert very well with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, oil, water, eggs, and sour cream. Beat with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Stir in the chocolate chips. Scrape the batter into your prepared slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Your cake will set on top, pull away from the sides, and an inserted toothpick will come out clean—just like a “real” cake!

The Verdict

Oh, my. Yum. This cake is like eating a hot chocolate volcano. The cake batter floats to the top, and the chocolate chips sink to create molten lava gooey fantastic goodness on the bottom. This recipe comes from Allison R., who says that she and her husband enjoy this cake warm with lots of vanilla ice cream.

TURTLE PUDDING

serves 8

The Ingredients

1 (16-ounce) box brownie mix (I used Betty Crocker’s Gluten-Free)

1 large egg

¼ cup canola oil

¼ cup water

1 cup chocolate chips

½ cup chopped walnuts

20 wrapped soft caramels (unwrapped!)

whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)

The Directions

Use a 4- or 6-quart slow cooker with an inserted oven-safe dish. I used a round 4-quart cooker with a 2-quart inserted Corningware casserole dish. In a mixing bowl, combine the brownie mix, egg, oil, and water. When fully mixed, stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour the batter into your casserole dish. Push the caramel candies halfway into the brownie batter.

Add ½ to 1 cup water to the bottom of your slow cooker (you’re using it as a bain-marie, or water bath), and lower in the dish. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, or until the edges have pulled from the side and the center has set. Unplug, and let the dish sit in the slow cooker for 1 hour before removing. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

The Verdict

Super rich, and super satisfying. This is a terrific treat to make when you’re craving chocolate.