sweet endings
Save some wiggle room in your meal plan for dessert (and rich, smooth hot chocolate, too)! Whether you’re looking for something fruity, fudgy, lemony tart, or spicy sweet, your slow cooker works like an oven (and like a charm) on these treats.
Rice Pudding with Apricots and a Cherry Swirl
Fudgy Brownies with Strawberries
Lemon-Berry Pudding Cake
PREP: 20 minutes STAND: 30 minutes SLOW COOK: 21⁄2 to 3 hours (high) COOL: 1 hour
MAKES: 6 servings (2⁄3 cup each)
3 eggs
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup fresh blueberries and/or fresh red raspberries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar*
1⁄2 cup granulated sugar*
1⁄4 cup flour
2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 cup fat-free milk
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons tub-style vegetable oil spread
Powdered sugar (optional)
1. Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, coat a 2-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place berries in cooker and sprinkle with the 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
2. For batter, separate eggs. In a medium bowl combine the 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar, the flour, lemon peel, and salt. Add milk, lemon juice, vegetable oil spread, and egg yolks. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
3. Thoroughly wash beaters. In another bowl beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Fold egg whites into batter. Carefully pour batter over berries in cooker, spreading evenly.
4. Cover and cook on high-heat setting for 21⁄2 to 3 hours. If cake begins to look too brown on one side, rotate the crockery liner 180 degrees halfway through cooking. Turn off cooker. If possible, remove crockery liner from cooker; cool, uncovered, on a wire rack for 1 hour before serving. If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
*Sugar Substitute: We do not recommend using a sugar substitute for this recipe.
PER SERVING: 200 cal., 7 g total fat (2 g sat. fat), 107 mg chol., 187 mg sodium, 29 g carb. (1 g fiber, 24 g sugars), 5 g pro. Exchanges: 2 carb., 0.5 medium-fat meat, 1 fat.
Rice Pudding with Apricots and a Cherry Swirl
PREP: 20 minutes SLOW COOK: 41⁄2 hours (low)
MAKES: 16 servings (1⁄2 cup each)
Nonstick cooking spray
61⁄2 cups water
11⁄3 cups uncooked converted rice (do not substitute long grain rice)
1⁄2 cup sugar*
1 cup snipped dried apricots and/or dried cherries
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 6-ounce carton vanilla Greek yogurt
1⁄2 cup sugar-free cherry preserves
1. Coat an unheated 31⁄2- or 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl combine the water, uncooked rice, and sugar. Add apricots, butter, vanilla, and cardamom. Stir well to combine. Transfer to prepared slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 41⁄2 hours (do not stir). Turn off heat; stir in yogurt.
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan heat cherry preserves until melted (or place in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave on 100 percent power [high] for 30 seconds).
4. Stir warm rice pudding and spoon into bowls. Top each serving with 1 to 2 teaspoons cherry preserves. If desired, use a knife to gently swirl in the preserves. Serve warm.
*Sugar Substitute: We do not recommend using a sugar substitute for this recipe.
PER SERVING: 129 cal., 1 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 4 mg chol., 22 mg sodium, 28 g carb. (1 g fiber, 12 g sugars), 2 g pro. Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 carb.
Fudgy Brownies with Strawberries
PREP: 15 minutes SLOW COOK: 21⁄2 hours (high) COOL: 30 minutes
MAKES: 12 servings (1 slice brownie, 1 tablespoon dessert topping, and 1⁄4 cup strawberries each)
Nonstick cooking spray
1⁄4 cup butter, cut up
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1⁄2 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 2 eggs, lightly beaten
1⁄2 cup sugar*
1⁄3 cup seedless sugar-free strawberry or red raspberry jam
1⁄4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
3⁄4 cup flour
1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
3⁄4 cup frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed
3 cups sliced fresh strawberries or raspberries
Unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
1. Lightly coat a 1-quart soufflé dish or casserole** with cooking spray. Tear off an 18×12-inch piece of heavy foil; cut in half lengthwise. Fold each piece lengthwise into thirds. Crisscross the foil strips and place the dish in the center of the crisscross; set aside.
2. For batter, in a medium saucepan melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs, sugar, jam, applesauce, and vanilla. Using a spoon, beat lightly until combined. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour batter into prepared dish. Cover dish tightly with foil.
3. Pour the warm water into a 6-quart slow cooker. Using the ends of the foil strips, transfer dish to cooker and leave foil strips under dish.
4. Cover and cook on high-heat setting for 21⁄2 hours or until an instant-read thermometer registers 170°F when inserted in the middle. Using foil strips, carefully remove dish from cooker; discard foil strips. Turn off cooker. If possible, remove crockery liner from cooker. Cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack. Top each serving with dessert topping and, if desired, sprinkle with cocoa powder, serve with strawberries.
*Sugar Substitutes: Choose from C&H® Light Sugar and Stevia Blend, Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking, or Sun Crystals® Granulated Blend. Follow package directions to use product amount equivalent to 1⁄2 cup sugar.
**Test Kitchen Tip: Before beginning this recipe, check to make sure that the dish or casserole you plan to use fits into your slow cooker.
PER SERVING: 153 cal., 7 g total fat (4 g sat. fat), 10 mg chol., 111 mg sodium, 23 g carb. (2 g fiber, 11 g sugars), 3 g pro. Exchanges: 1.5 carb., 1.5 fat.
PER SERVING WITH SUBSTITUTE: Same as above, except 140 cal., 19 g carb. (7 g sugars). Exchanges: 1 carb.
Slow-Cooked Pineapple
PREP: 15 minutes SLOW COOK: 3 to 4 hours (low) or 11⁄2 to 2 hours (high)
MAKES: 8 servings (1 pineapple spear, sliced if desired; 3 tablespoons yogurt; 1⁄2 tablespoon pistachios; and 1⁄2 tablespoon coconut each)
1 whole pineapple, peeled
1⁄4 cup water
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 2- to 3-inch stick cinnamon
2 6-ounce containers fat-free vanilla yogurt
1⁄4 cup coarsely chopped pistachio nuts
1⁄4 cup shredded coconut, toasted
1. Cut the pineapple lengthwise into eight spears; remove and discard the core from the spears. In a 3- to 4-quart oval slow cooker combine water, vanilla bean, and cinnamon. Add pineapple spears.
2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 3 to 4 hours or on high-heat setting for 11⁄2 to 2 hours. Remove and discard the vanilla bean and cinnamon.
3. If desired, slice each pineapple portion into 2 to 3 long slices. Serve pineapple topped with vanilla yogurt, pistachios, and toasted coconut.
PER SERVING: 91 cal., 3 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 1 mg chol., 30 mg sodium, 15 g carb. (2 g fiber, 10 g sugars), 3 g pro. Exchanges: 1 fruit, 0.5 fat.
Cook Well: Some supermarket produce departments sell peeled, ready-to-slice pineapple, and that’s a good option if you’re pressed for time.
However, peeling it yourself isn’t all that tricky. Here’s how:
• Thoroughly rinse the pineapple and scrub with a clean produce brush. Use a knife to cut off the bottom stem end and the green top crown of the fruit.
• Stand the pineapple on one end and slice off the peel in strips from top to bottom. If desired, cut narrow wedge-shape grooves into the pineapple to remove as many “eyes” as possible. Cut the pineapple into spears and core as directed in the recipe.
Cinnamon-Spiced Hot Chocolate
PREP: 10 minutes SLOW COOK: 3 to 31⁄2 hours (low)
MAKES: 14 servings (1⁄2 cup each)
6 cups reduced-fat milk
9 ounces semisweet chocolate pieces
1 teaspoon instant espresso coffee powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Ground cinnamon (optional)
1. In a 31⁄2- or 4-quart slow cooker combine milk, chocolate pieces, coffee powder, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 3 to 31⁄2 hours; halfway through cooking, whisk vigorously. Whisk well before serving. If desired, sprinkle each serving with ground cinnamon.
PER SERVING: 140 cal., 8 g total fat (5 g sat. fat), 8 mg chol., 51 mg sodium, 17 g carb. (1 g fiber, 15 g sugars), 4 g pro. Exchanges: 0.5 carb., 0.5 milk, 1.5 fat.
