There’s something special about a hot dessert on wintry days. It doesn’t even have to be a cold day, particularly, just a gray one or a windy, blowy one. You find yourself wanting the comfort of sweet and hot, no matter how many cookies you have in the cupboard or how big a cake there is on the counter.
Try these really simple and quick to prepare hot treats and see if they don’t satisfy that cold-day dessert desire way better than store-bought doughnuts or ice cream.
CARAMEL BANANAS
An easy treat adapted from Kraftrecipes.com
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/3 C packed brown sugar
1/3 C sour cream
2 bananas
1/2 C dry roasted peanuts or other nut, chopped as necessary (OPTIONAL)
1 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, either chips or baker’s chocolate, melted
1/2 C thawed frozen whipped topping or scoop per dish vanilla or other ice cream
Melt butter in a large fry pan over medium heat. Add sugar and cook until melted, stirring occasionally. Gradually mix in sour cream; cook on low heat 1 min. Slice bananas lengthwise, then crosswise in half. Add bananas, cut sides down, to the pan. Cook for 1 minute, basting occasionally with sauce from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in nuts. Spoon bananas evenly into 4 dessert dishes (2 per dish) and top each dish with remaining sauce from the fry pan. Drizzle with chocolate and top with whipped topping or ice cream. Makes 4 desserts.
CHOCOLATE LAVA MINI CAKES
THE dessert for a romantic evening
1 pkg. (4 oz.) semi-sweet baker’s chocolate
1/2 C butter
1 C powdered sugar
2 whole eggs plus 2 egg yolks
6 Tbsp. flour
1/2 C thawed frozen whipped topping
Fresh fruit to garnish (optional)
Heat oven to 425°F. Butter 4 small custard cups; place on baking sheet. Microwave chocolate and butter in a medium-sized microwaveable bowl on High for 1 minute or until butter is melted. Whisk until all chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar. Add whole eggs and egg yolks and mix well. Stir in flour. Spoon batter into the prepared cups.
Bake 13 to 14 min. or until edges of desserts are firm but centers are still soft. Let stand 1 minute. Carefully run a sharp knife around the cakes to loosen and invert onto dessert plates. Serve warm with whipped topping. Serves 4.
TIP: Dip the sharp knife in butter or margarine before loosening the cake from the cups. The cake will be easier to loosen.
MAPLE BAKED APPLES
Warming, aromatic, delicious
4 large apples
3/4 C maple syrup or maple flavored syrup
1/2 C (about 2 ounces) walnut pieces or other nuts
1/4 C golden raisins
2 Tbls unsalted butter, cut into pieces
ground nutmeg
Ice cream (optional)
Heat oven to 400° F. Use a paring knife to remove apple cores and trim about a 1/2-inch slice from the bottom of each apple, so they sit flat. Place apples in an ovenproof skillet or an 8- to 9-inch baking dish. Drizzle with the syrup.
Divide the walnuts and raisins to fill the cavities of each apple, and place any extra in the dish. Dot the apples with the butter. Bake until tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove to separate plates for serving.
Pour the liquid from the baking dish into a small pan or, if using a skillet, leave in and place skillet on the stove. Bring sauce to a boil over medium heat. Cook until it thickens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon this sauce over the warm apples. Serve with the ice cream, if desired. Makes 4 servings.
Tip: For a little more sweetness and crunchiness, use sesame coated glazed walnuts or try chopped almonds.
EASY OLD-FASHIONED RICE PUDDING
Your grandmother would approve.
2 C instant rice
1/2 C vanilla ice cream
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, plus more for garnishing (optional)
Prepare the rice according to the package directions for 2 cups. When fully cooked and fluffy, uncover the pan and add the ice cream and cinnamon. Stir. Divide the pudding among individual bowls and top with additional cinnamon, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tip: Add raisins or dried cranberries to the rice before you take off the stove, and stir in. Let sit a minute to warm the fruit, then stir in the ice cream. Or simply garnish the bowls with fruit or drizzle the top with fruit syrup or compote. Serves 4.
