DESSERT IN A DASH
The sweet curtain call of any meal is always a treat, but it doesn’t have to involve pastry chef techniques and hours of whisking, baking, and frosting. These sublime sweet endings are simple and swoon worthy.
STRAWBERRY-GINGER LEMONADE FLOATS
Though the ginger is optional, it gives these refreshing floats their signature zing. If you can’t find sparkling lemonade, substitute fizzy lemon-lime soda or ginger ale.
10 MINUTES • SERVES 4
2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
⅛ teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger (optional)
Premium vanilla bean ice cream
Sparkling lemonade
Process the first 3 ingredients and, if desired, the ginger, in a blender until smooth. Divide half of the mixture among 4 tall sundae glasses; top each with the desired amount of ice cream. Spoon the remaining strawberry mixture over the ice cream; top with the desired amount of sparkling lemonade. Serve immediately.
AMBROSIA MERINGUE TRIFLES
To keep this recipe quick and easy, we use refrigerated orange segments and refrigerated grapefruit segments. A drizzle of honey brings just a little more sweetness. Store-bought meringue cookies crumbled over the citrus segments add a nice crunchy texture to the trifle.
10 MINUTES • SERVES 4
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup refrigerated orange segments, drained
1 cup refrigerated grapefruit segments, drained
1 ½ teaspoons honey
1 store-bought vanilla meringue cookie
1 ½ tablespoons toasted unsweetened flaked coconut
1. Beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form.
2. Combine the orange segments and grapefruit segments; divide half of the citrus mixture evenly among 4 (10-ounce) glasses.
3. Drizzle the fruit with half of the honey. Crumble half of the cookie over the fruit in each glass; top evenly with half of the whipped cream mixture. Sprinkle with half of the coconut. Repeat the layers once.
PREP & FORGET
CHOC-CINN LATTE CAKE
Have your cake and coffee, too! This dessert starts with a rich cake mix that gets spiked with cocoa, cinnamon, and coffee before it is transformed into a decadent, moist cake in the slow cooker.
10-MINUTE PREP! • 2 HOURS 10 MINUTES • SERVES 10
1 (16.25-ounce) box white cake mix (such as Betty Crocker Super Moist)
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
1 ¼ cups hot strong brewed coffee
3 large eggs
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (10-ounce) package dark chocolate chips
Sweetened whipped cream or coffee ice cream
Fresh raspberries (optional)
1. Whisk together the cake mix and the next 6 ingredients.
2. Line the bottom and sides of a 6-quart slow cooker with lightly greased aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over the sides. Add half of the batter, and sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Top with the remaining batter.
3. Cover and cook on HIGH 1 ½ hours or until set. Remove the lid; let stand 30 minutes. Lift the cake from the slow cooker, using the foil sides as handles. Serve warm with the whipped cream or ice cream. Garnish with the raspberries, if desired.
BERRY SHORTCAKE ICE-CREAM SANDWICHES
This kid-friendly summer dessert idea is perfect for the lake or the beach because it takes barely any time to assemble.
20 MINUTES • SERVES 10
1 pound fresh strawberries, sliced
2 cups fresh blueberries
3 tablespoons sugar
10 vanilla or chocolate miniature ice-cream sandwiches
½ (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Fresh mint sprigs (optional)
Combine the strawberries and blueberries; sprinkle with the sugar and toss. Let stand 10 minutes. Spoon the fruit mixture evenly over the miniature ice-cream sandwiches. Top with dollops of whipped topping. Garnish with the mint sprigs, if desired.
APRICOT-PISTACHIO COOKIES
If a cookie can be called healthy, then this might fit the bill. Antioxidant-rich apricots and dark chocolate combine in a cookie studded with pistachios. A hit of salt really helps the flavors come together.
20 MINUTES • SERVES 10
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
¼ cup chopped pistachios
¼ cup chopped dried apricots
½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
1. Place the chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until melted, stirring after 30 seconds.
2. Spoon the chocolate by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle evenly with the pistachios, apricots, and sea salt. Refrigerate 10 minutes or until firm.
QUICK APPLE CRISP
Crisp and flavorful apples are delicious just as they are, so you do not need to spend a lot of extra time turning them into a dessert. The addition of some light brown sugar, cinnamon, apple cider, and flour creates a warm and welcome treat.
20 MINUTES • SERVES 4
3 tablespoons butter
2 large Honeycrisp apples
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅓ cup apple cider
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
¼ cup maple-pecan granola
Ice cream
1. Peel and thinly slice the apples. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the apples; increase heat to high, and cook until the apples begin to soften, about 3 minutes, stirring once. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and cinnamon, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar melts and the apples are tender, about 3 minutes.
2. Whisk together the apple cider and flour; add to the pan, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute. Divide the apple mixture evenly among 4 bowls; sprinkle each with granola, and top with a scoop of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream.
CHOCOLATE-PECAN BUTTER CRUNCH CANDY
Savor this barklike candy for its ease of preparation and rich taste. And it’s light! It’s a go-to holiday recipe for gift-giving or an everyday indulgence. Make a batch in 20 minutes flat, and then let it sit in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up so you can break it into pieces.
20 MINUTES • SERVES 16
68 reduced-fat round butter crackers (such as Ritz, 2 sleeves)
½ cup (4 ounces) light butter
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 ½ cups milk chocolate chips
½ cup chopped pecans
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Chill a jelly-roll pan in the freezer.
2. Place the crackers, slightly overlapping, on a separate jelly-roll pan lined with parchment paper. Bring the butter and brown sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Pour the mixture evenly over the crackers.
3. Bake 10 minutes. Turn off the oven. Sprinkle the crackers with the chocolate chips; let stand in the oven, with the door closed, 3 minutes or until the chocolate melts. Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the crackers; sprinkle with the pecans.
4. Carefully slide the parchment with the candy onto the chilled jelly-roll pan. Refrigerate the candy until the chocolate is firm, about 1 hour. Peel the parchment from the candy, and break the candy into 16 pieces.
LOADED BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE BARK
Three types of chocolate make these decadent yet light nibbles a powerhouse of fun and flavor.
30 MINUTES • SERVES 16
1 (11.5-ounce) package bittersweet chocolate chips (such as Ghirardelli)
1 cup thin salted pretzel sticks, broken
⅓ cup finely chopped white chocolate
¼ cup crushed low-fat granola without raisins (such as Kellogg’s)
1 (6-ounce) package dark chocolate-coated dried plum bites (such as Sunsweet), coarsely chopped
1. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 2 minutes or until melted, stirring after 1 minute. Stir in the pretzel pieces.
2. Line a greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish with wax paper. Spread the chocolate-pretzel mixture in the prepared dish. Sprinkle the white chocolate, granola, and plum bites evenly over the top, pressing into the chocolate-pretzel mixture. Refrigerate the candy 20 minutes or until firm.
3. Invert the candy onto a cutting board; peel off the wax paper. Cut into 16 pieces.
PUMPKIN-GINGERSNAP BARS
A creamy, fluffy pumpkin layer tames the peppery, spicy bite of ginger in these bars. Cinnamon-sugar adds another element of flavor to the thin cookie-crust base.
30 MINUTES • SERVES 15
1 ½ cups crushed gingersnap cookies (about 26 cookies)
3 tablespoons light butter, melted
3 tablespoons bottled cinnamon-sugar
Pumpkin Filling
1 cup frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Combine the crushed cookies, butter, and 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon-sugar in a small bowl. Press the mixture evenly into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking pan. Bake 6 minutes or until set.
3. While the crust bakes, make the Pumpkin Filling. Spread the filling evenly over the crust. Bake an additional 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Cool completely on a wire rack, and then cut into 15 bars. Serve with a dollop of whipped topping, and sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1 tablespoon cinnamon-sugar.
PUMPKIN FILLING
1 cup (about 4 ¼ ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup reduced-calorie sugar for baking blend (such as Splenda)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon table salt
1 cup canned pumpkin
½ cup egg substitute
2 tablespoons canola oil
1. Weigh or lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine the flour and the next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl.
2. Combine the pumpkin, egg substitute, and oil in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until blended. Makes 2 ¼ cups
HONEY CUSTARD WITH BERRIES
Balsamic vinegar is a classic with berries. The acid balances the sweetness of the fruit and the richness of the custard in this cup of springtime dessert perfection.
30 MINUTES • SERVES 8 TO 10
1 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
¼ cup honey
¼ cup white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
6 to 8 cups mixed fresh berries (such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries)
Fresh mint leaves (optional)
1. Beat the cream in a medium bowl at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Cover and chill until ready to use.
2. Whisk together the egg yolks, honey, wine, and balsamic vinegar in the top of a double boiler. Bring the water in the bottom pan to a light boil. Cook the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until thick and foamy.
3. Remove from heat. Fill a large bowl with ice. Place top of the double boiler containing the egg yolk mixture in the ice, and whisk 5 minutes or until completely cool. Remove from the ice bath, and fold in the whipped cream. If desired, cover and chill up to 24 hours. Spoon the berries into the bowls, and serve with the custard. Garnish with the mint leaves, if desired.