Ten Minute, No Bake Summer Dessert: "Tiramisu" pudding cups

Two things I love on a level that is probably somewhat unreasonable:

1. Tiramisu, the coffee-and-custard layered cake of Italian heaven

2. No-bake desserts, especially in summer time

Thus, today, after seeing a picture of a perfectly constructed tiramisu cake on someone's facebook feed, I decided to combine the two. My first priority was eschewing the somewhat tedious and time-consuming construction of a traditional tiramisu. On top of that, I only used ingredients already in my pantry, and I refused to turn the oven on. What I came up with was a 10 to 15 minute pudding concoction that I wouldn't be ashamed to serve at a fancy party. 

Tiramisu pudding cups

Ingredients:

-One package Jello instant pudding in cheesecake flavor

-1/2 tbsp coffee extract (You could also use espresso powder, but I like the vague booziness of extract)

-a couple handfuls Nilla wafers

-a couple handfuls semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (mini chips if possible)

-unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions:

1. Combine pudding packet and cold milk as instructed on packet, allow time to set

2. Whisk in coffee extract until smoothly combined

3. Crush Nilla wafers into chunks and add to pudding (The ratio of pudding:wafers:chocolate is up to you)

4. Add chocolate chips

5. Spoon or pipe into serving cups and sprinkle with cocoa powder

6. Serve room temperature or (preferably) chilled

"Pregnancy Brain" Cake Batter Ice Cream Popsicles

Some of my readers are probably familiar with the phenomenon of "pregnancy brain"-- the unexplained inability to complete even basic tasks without encountering moments of complete mental blankness. For those of you who are not, think stopping at green lights, signing your maiden name four years into marriage, turning on the wrong burner and starting fires, etc. 

One of the symptoms of pregnancy brain is the inability to focus on even simple documents like bills or, in this case, recipes. Yesterday my husband forwarded me this delicious-sounding recipe from The Baking Robot (http://thebakingrobot.com/2014/05/06/cake-popsicles/) that apparently actually creates ice cream-based Popsicles with cake crumble and frosting cores. That is not, however the impression I got when I failed to read the recipe even remotely correctly. It wasn't until I went back to try to figure out why I was having to make so many adjustments that I realized how off-base I was. 

Fortunately, my lack of reading comprehension resulted in a happy accident of delicious proportions. And so, I give you...

One-Bowl Cake Batter Ice Cream Pops:

(Makes 12)

Ingredients:

-7 oz boxed cake mix (I chose Duncan Hines strawberry supreme)

-2 tbsp cake frosting (Pillsbury strawberry)

-1 pint softened ice cream (Ben & Jerry's vanilla)

-1/4 to 1/2 milk

-Sprinkles etc for texture, if desired

-Popsicle mold & sticks

Directions:

-Beat ingredients together in listed order in large mixing bowl until smooth and thin enough to slosh in the bowl

-Spoon or pour into Popsicle mold

-Push a stick 3/4 of the way down in each

- Freeze until solid. (6 hrs-overnight)

Enjoy! 

These are lighter & more airy than straight ice cream bars, and they would follow a large meal or a hot activity beautifully. I chose strawberry because I thought a fruity approach was best for the hot summer, but imagine all the combinations one could try: devil's food cake and dolce de leche ice cream, red velvet and creole cream cheese, Funfetti and cotton candy-- the list is endless!

Nutella And Banana Stuffed King Cake with Peanut Butter Glaze

Since Carnival season is nearly 2 months long this year, we all have an obscene amount of time to try out amazing king cake flavors we might not have considered in a more restrictive time line. As a result, and with the help of the incredible KitchenAid stand mixer my always-thoughtful husband got me for Christmas, I have jumped right in. Yesterday, craving something sweet and salty, I decided to play with the classic peanut butter/chocolate combination, and throw in some fruit for, er, health... The result is delicious but not overly rich, and the recipe is below.

Ingredients

For dough:

1/4 oz packet of yeast

1/2 cup hot water

1/2 cup warm milk

1 tsp salt

1 lg, cold egg

1/3 cup melted butter

4-5 c flour (I use all purpose, bread flour works, too)

For filling:

6-10 tbsp nutella

2 bananas

Brown sugar

For glaze:

4 tbsp hot water

1-2 c confectioners sugar

1-2 tbsp smooth peanut butter

Process:

First, you must make the dough. **The most important and problematic part of this entire recipe is making 100% sure that your yeast activates and your dough rises properly. I heat a mug of water to boiling and put it in the microwave with both my yeast and later my bowl of dough after kneading.**

--First, combine the packet of yeast and the 1/2c hot water and place in a warm place to activate, such as above-mentioned (off) microwave

--Combine milk, butter, salt, egg, and 1-2c flour in stand mixer or large bowl w/hand mixer until smooth and not splashing

--Add yeast mixture (make sure it is bubbling or frothy)

--Continue to add flour until the dough can be handled without sticking to your fingers. (Usually 4-5 c total)

-- Take dough out and knead on floured surface 5 mins until elastic (You can also use dough hooks to knead, but I like to get my hands involved in this stage). Add flour as you knead if stickiness arises. 

-- When dough is smooth and elastic, roll into a ball and place in an oiled, large bowl (dough will double, plan accordingly). Flip dough once so both sides are greased, cover with towel, and place in warm spot. (An oven w/ a pot of boiled water is also great)

--Let rise until doubled in size, about one hour
**If your dough does not rise properly (you'll know), you can fix it! Don't start over. There are a few strategies to reseed yeast. I do 1/8 oz yeast in 1/4 cup hot water, activate, and knead that slop thoroughly into the dough, adding flour. It's messy but effective. Then you have to wait another hour.**

--When dough has doubled, punch down into bowl, and take it out onto a clear, floured surface. Roll into a 17in x 9in(ish) rectangle. It should be about 1/2in thick

--Spoon ample amt of nutella along the length of the center of the rectangle

--Cut bananas in half lenth-wise and slice 1/4 in thick. Sprinkle on top of nutella

--Sprinkle brown sugar over bananas

--Brush egg wash, oil, or water along one long edge of the dough, and roll the other edge over to come to rest on the oiled edge, forming a tube with filling in the middle. Pinch edges together

--Pull ends of the roll together to make a circle and pinch them together. Transfer the circle to a baking sheet (greased or lined with parchment paper)

--Heat oven to 350 and allow dough to double again, about 40mins

--Once risen, bake 30 mins or until golden and outside stands up to light flicking

--Make glaze: combine whatever ratio of confectioner's sugar, peanut butter, and hot water gives you the texture you desire. I like mine thick and use about 1 1/2 c sugar, 2 tbsp peanut butter, and 4 tbsp water

-spoon glaze over slightly cooled cake and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar, if desired

Cut in slices and Enjoy! (You can pop a pecan, bean, or plastic baby through the bottom after baking if you so desire)

My No-Bake To-Die-For Dessert Secret

     Those of you who know me know that I'm a bit of a bakeaholic, but I'm aware that not everyone is as fond of baking as I am. With the holidays coming up, everyone probably has all kinds of family and company events to attend, and many of these events are probably pot-lucks. I have a way for people who hate baking to call dessert duty and impress the pants off of everyone at the party.
    I have been making this recipe for a few years, but I have been trying not to tell everyone how freakin' easy it is because I wanted to keep it for myself. Alas, I cannot keep up the charade any longer. There are a lot of these recipes on the internet, but the one I use is the easiest and best.  So here it is,  Three Ingredient No-Bake Oreo Truffles:

You need:
1 pack Oreos
1 8 oz package cream cheese (I prefer Philadelphia)
6 oz chocolate
(Optional) toppings

    You can use whatever kind of chocolate you enjoy. I am partial to Baker's semisweet squares, but anything that melts smoothly is fine. Dark and white chocolate also suit this recipe.

The prep:
1. Blend the Oreos and cream cheese together. The easiest way to do this is in a food processor. I have a Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor (Google Affiliate Ad) that I adore. A blender also works. In a bind, throw those suckers in a big, sturdy ziplock bag and bash them with a mallet. In the end, you want the mixture to be smooth.

2. Roll the Oreo mixture into 1-2 inch balls

3. Refrigerate for half an hour. The balls should be sturdy enough to withstand being rolled in your palms

4. Melt chocolate over low heat until smooth.

5. Roll Oreo balls to desired roundness, and roll in chocolate until coated. Remove the coated balls to a plate or baking sheet and refrigerate until hardened.

*Optional: Before refrigerating chocolate-coated balls, sprinkle with desired toppings. Decorative sprinkles and toasted almonds work well. You can also put aside a few Oreos and crumble the chocolate part to be sprinkled on top. If you're feeling fancy, melt another kind of chocolate and pipe designs onto your truffles. (A plastic bag with a small part of the corner cut off works just as well as a professional piping bag.)

That's it. These things are seriously delicious. Everyone will be asking you for the recipe! Bon appetit.