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!