Hot Chocolate Pudding

A hot chocolate pudding makes an especially welcome dessert on a chilly day - its chocolatey richness is a perfect comfort food. This recipe's simplicity is great; it's so simple, and yet so decadent.

INGREDIENTS:
250 grams plain chocolate, with at least 70% cocoa solids, cut into small chunks
250 grams unsalted butter, diced, plus extra for greasing
6 large eggs
5 large egg yolks
125 grams caster sugar, plus extra for dusting
75 grams plain flour

PREPARATION:
Grease 8 individual ramekins (or one large ovenproof dish) with butter and dust with caster sugar. Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the base of the bowl. Leave until melted. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer on full speed, whisk the eggs, yolks and sugar together for about 6 minutes, until they have at least tripled in volume. Sift the flour into a bowl and slowly pour on the melted chocolate and butter mixture, whisking constantly until a thin paste has formed. Fold this into the whisked egg mixture very carefully but quickly, as the chocolate will start to set. Pour into the prepared dishes and bake in an oven preheated to 350°F/180°C/Gas Mark 4, until risen and firm on the outside but soft in the center. A large dish will take about 30 minutes to cook, the individual ramekins about 13 minutes.

Serve with whipped cream, ice cream, or pureed berries.

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Bittersweet Chocolate Fondue

Almost anything tastes better dipped in chocolate. Use your imagination and offer cubes of your favorite cake and sliced fruit for dipping. Marshmellows, fresh strawberries, dried fruit, shortbread or Oreo cookies... the combinations are endless!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup whipping cream
5 tablespoons water
12 oz bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

PREPARATION:
Bring cream and 2 tablespoons water to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low. Add chocolate; whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons water (or substitute with 3 tablespoons liqueur of choice; see variations listed below). Transfer to fondue pot and keep warm over fondue burner. If fondue becomes too thick at any time, mix in more water by tablespoonfuls as needed.

Servings: Makes 2 cups chocolate fondue for dipping

White Chocolate Mousse with Strawberries

If you can't find fresh strawberries in your local supermarket, frozen strawberries may be used in this recipes; substitute two (10-ounce) cans frozen strawberries for the 2 cups fresh strawberries.

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups fresh strawberries, stems removed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp. kirsch (clear cherry brandy) or framboise (raspberry liqueur)
6 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup milk, warmed
1 cup heavy cream
2 egg whites, at room temperature
Pinch of cream of tartar
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

PREPARATION:
In a food processor, combine 1 1/2 cups of strawberries with the sugar. Puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Add the kirsch and stir to mix. Cut the remaining 1/2 cup strawberries lengthwise into thin slices and stir into the puree. Set aside.

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water; do not allow the bowl to touch the water. Heat the chocolate, stirring occasionally, until it is melted and smooth. Gradually add the warm milk to the chocolate, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan of water and let the mixture cool until it is almost at room temperature.

Beat the cream just until soft peaks form. In another bowl beat together the egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fold half of the whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold the remaining whites, whipped cream and vanilla into the chocolate mixture just until combined and no white drifts remain. Do not overmix. (At this point, you may cover and refrigerate the mousse for up to 1 day).

To serve, spoon about half of the mousse into 6 parfait glasses, half filling each glass. Top with the strawberry sauce, again using about half and dividing it equally. Repeat with the remaining mousse and strawberry sauce.

Serves 6.

Banana Rum Cream Pie

The rum and gelatin give this pie a richer taste and satisfying firmness. Vanilla wafer biscuits can be used in place of butter cookies if desired. Garnish pie with fresh banana slices.

INGREDIENTS:
1 ½ cups finely ground butter cookies
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

7 ripe bananas, divided
3/4 cup whole milk
8 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin
3 cups heavy cream

PREPARATION:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°(F). Butter the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. In a small bowl, combine the ground butter cookies and melted butter. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes or until lightly browned; set aside to cool.

Cut 5 of the bananas into 1-inch pieces and combine with the milk in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Puree this banana mixture until smooth. Pour into a medium bowl and stir the white chocolate into the mixture until completely melted; set aside to cool.

Place the dark rum in a small microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over and let stand for 5 minutes to soften. Microwave the gelatin mixture on HIGH for 7 seconds until melted. Let stand 2 minutes. Stir ½ cup of the banana mixture into the gelatin. Fold the banana gelatin mixture into the remainder of the banana puree and set aside.

Whip the cream until stiff peaks start to form. Stir 1/4 of the cream into the banana filling to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whipped cream in three additions. The filling may have a slightly grainy appearance. Cut the remaining bananas into 1/4-inch pieces. Place the banana slices evenly over the bottom of the crust. Spoon the filling into the cooled crust and refrigerate for 5 hours or overnight until set.

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Creme de Menthe Cheesecake

This fantastic looking cheesecake has a minty taste that adds a refreshing touch.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup chocolate cookie crushed
1/4 cup unsalted butter melted

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 packages cream cheese at room temperature
2 eggs
3 tbsp Creme de Menthe liqueur
2 oz. chopped chocolate thin mints (Optional)
1/2 tsp all purpose flour (if using chocolate mints)

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Blend cookie crumbs and butter in medium bowl. Press mixture over bottom of springform pan. Bake crust until lightly browned at edges, about 8 minutes. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.

In an electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Slowly mix in sugar and beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy (1 to 2 minutes). Continue beating, adding eggs 1 at a time, until well mixed - do not over beat. Stir in liqueur by hand. In a small bowl, mix the chopped chocolate mints with the flour. Gently fold in chopped mints into cream cheese mixture. Pour filling onto crust. Bake cake until edges are set and center moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 45 mins - 1 hr. Cool completely in pan on rack. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

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Mocha Truffles

This truffle recipe has a subtle mocha flavour. It's very good and you will feel guilty after just eating two of them, so you know they're good truffles! These quantities will make around 30 - 40 truffles.

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 lb. dark chocolate
1/2 lb. milk chocolate
3 cups whipping cream
3 tablespoons espresso powder
1/4 cup Kahlúa

About 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (to coat hands for rolling)
3 lb. dark chocolate (for dipping)

PREPARATION:
Chop the dark and milk chocolate into small pieces and melt in a double boiler of hot water. Do not boil the water — melt the chocolate slowly. Take your time to avoid overheating the chocolate. Stir the chocolate occasionally to help with melting.

While the chocolate is melting, heat the cream over medium heat, stirring frequently until the cream boils. Add the espresso powder and mix thoroughly. Let the cream mixture cool just a bit from boiling before adding it to the thoroughly melted chocolate. Keep stirring until the cream has disappeared into the chocolate. Wipe the bottom of the double boiler with a towel to remove water and pour ganache into a bowl to cool.

Once the ganache is cool, spoon into a plastic bag (preferably with sharp corners), snip one corner off, and pipe the filling into small mounds. Coat your palms with cocoa powder and roll mounds until round. Melt the 3 lbs of dark chocolate slowly. You can dip the rolled centers by hand or using dipping tools. Dip the truffle centers in chocolate and then quickly transfer them to a cookie sheet lines with wax paper.

Decorate with melted white or milk chocolate.


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Fruit Sautéed with Ginger, Honey and Rum

This tangy, sweet delight is very quick to make and absolutely delightful to eat. You can use almost any fruit with this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Mango
1 Pear
1 cup Seedless Grapes
1/2 Papaya
4 Dried Apricots
1 Lime
1 Vanilla Bean, Seeds Scraped (or 1 tsp. extract)
4 tbsp. Honey
2 tbsp. Butter
3 inches Fresh Ginger
Dark Rum (optional)

PREPARATION:
1. Mix the small vanilla seeds (cut bean in half lengthwise, and scrape out seeds with the tip of a knife) with the honey.
2. Peel and cut mango, papaya, and pear. Cut lime (with skin on) into very thin slices. Peel and slice ginger into thin sticks.
3. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add all fruits and ginger. Cook for about 5 minutes on a high flame. Then, lower flame, and add the vanilla honey. Stir delicately. Flambé with rum if desired. Serve right away with sorbet or ice-cream.


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Banana Fritters

Banana Fritters are a favorite, especially in tropical or hot countries whose climates are ideal for bananas. Variations of this popular recipe are found in Malaysia, Brazil, Jamaica and Africa. Like a lot of desserts, this goes well with ice-cream!

INGREDIENTS:
2 oz flour
¼ tsp salt
1 egg
¼ pt milk
¼ tsp baking powder
2 large bananas, barely ripe
Lime or lemon juice
Batter
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Sugar for tossing

PREPARATION:
Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the center, break the egg and add it to the flour. Add a small quantity of milk and stir. Continue adding the milk gradually, stirring all the while, until the batter is a smooth consistency. Beat for about 5 minutes, cover and set aside.

Peel and slice the bananas diagonally into ¼ inch pieces. Coat thoroughly with batter. Heat the oil and fry the coated banana pieces until golden brown. Drain and sprinkle with lemon juice. Toss in sugar and serve hot.

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Dark Chocolate Mousse

This velvet-like chocolate mousse recipe is a delicious classic. If possible, use dark chocolate with around 75% cocoa solids; this will make the mousse beautifully rich.

INGREDIENTS:
7 oz (200 g) dark chocolate, broken into pieces
3 large eggs, separated
1½ oz (40 g) golden caster sugar

PREPARATION:
Melt the chocolate slowly – it should take around 6 minutes. Now remove it from the heat and give it a good stir until it's smooth and glossy, then let the chocolate cool for 2-3 minutes before stirring in the egg yolks. Then give it another good mix with a wooden spoon.

Whisk the egg whites to the soft-peak stage, then whisk in the sugar, about a third at a time. Whisk again until the whites are glossy. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Divide the mousse between the ramekins or glasses and chill for at least 2 hours, covered with clingfilm. Serve the mousse with a blob of softly whipped cream on top.

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New York Cheesecake

This recipe makes a cheesecake that tastes like it came from a deli. Serve this with berry toppings (cherries, raspberries, strawberries or blueberries), or make variations using an Oreo cookie base and Bailey's Irish Cream in place of the milk.

INGREDIENTS:
15 graham crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted

4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan.
In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.
In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

From AllRecipes.com

Baked Apples With Berries

Bursting with fruit, this recipe couldn't be simpler. Serve with cream or custard.

INGREDIENTS:
900g/2lb (approx 5) apples, peeled, cored and halved
100g/4oz caster sugar
225g/8oz frozen mixed berries

PREPARATION:
1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Fan 180ºC/400ºF/Gas Mark 6. Place the apples in a shallow ovenproof dish. Add the sugar and toss until the apples are coated.
2. Shake the apples so they form a single layer and bake for 10 minutes.
3. Add the frozen fruits and bake for a further 15 minutes or until the Bramleys are tender. Serve warm with ice cream, cream or custard.

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Easy Cookie Ice-Cream

Cookies and Cream ice-cream is a universal favorite. This great recipe shows you how to make it quickly and easily, without needing an ice-cream maker.

INGREDIENTS:
3 egg yolks
1 (14-ounce) can condensed milk
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate sandwich cookies, coarsely crushed
2 cups heavy cream, whipped

PREPARATION:
In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and stir in the condensed milk and vanilla. Fold in the crushed cookies and whipped cream. Pour mixture into a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan lined with foil. Cover and freeze for 6 hours or until firm.
To serve, scoop ice cream from pan or cut into slices.

From The Food Network

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White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

This cheesecake absolutely could not taste better - people go CRAZY over it.

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups crushed Oreo cookies
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
6 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 cups white chocolate chips
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

PREPARATION:
In a medium bowl, mix together cookie crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
Preheat oven to 325 °F (165 °C). Microwave jam on medium for 30 seconds until it has the consistency of sauce. Melt white chocolate chips and half-and-half in microwave, stirring occasionally until smooth.
In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla and melted white chocolate. Pour half of batter over crust. Spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over batter. Pour remaining cheesecake batter into pan, and again spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over the top. Swirl batter with the tip of a knife to create a marbled effect.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours before removing from pan. Serve with white chocolate buttons, and remaining raspberry sauce and Oreo crumbs.

Tiramisu Cheesecake

This recipe combines the coffee flavors of Tiramisu with the creamy richness of New York cheesecake.

INGREDIENTS:
3 8 oz. packages cream cheese
1 C. sugar
8 oz. mascarpone cheese
3 eggs
4 T. flour
4 T. coffee flavored liqueur or espresso
1 12 oz. package Lady Fingers
4 T. butter, melted

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a pan or baking dish filled with about an inch of water on the bottom of oven rack.

Crush the package of ladyfingers to fine crumbs. In a small bowl, melt the butter, add 2 T. of the coffee flavored liqueur or espresso and add the crumbs. Mix to moisten the crumbs. Press the crumb mixture into an 8 or 9 inch springform pan.

In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and sugar until very smooth. Add 2 tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur or espresso, and mix. Add the eggs and the flour and mix slowly until just smooth. The consistency of the mascarpone can vary sometimes making your batter too thick - if this happens add about a teaspoon to a tablespoon of cream. Be careful not to over mix. Pour batter into crust and place on the middle rack of the oven.

Bake at 350°F / 180°C for 40 to 45 minutes, or until just set.

Let cool by opening the oven door with the heat off for about 20 minutes. Let the cake continue to cool and then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Dust with chocolate powder and serve.

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Ultimate Banoffee Pie

Banoffee Pie is reputed to be the most popular 'named' pudding in the world - with this recipe it is easy to see why!

INGREDIENTS:
100g (3½oz) butter, melted
250g (9oz) digestive biscuits
100g (3½oz) butter
100g (3½oz) dark brown soft sugar
397g can Condensed Milk
4 small bananas
284ml carton double cream, lightly whipped
Cocoa powder, for dusting

PREPARATION:
To make the base, crush the biscuits until like fine crumbs then tip into a bowl. Stir in the melted butter. Press the mixture into the base and 4cm (1½in) up the sides of the tin. Chill the base while you make the filling.

Place the butter and sugar into a non-stick saucepan over a low heat, stirring until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Add the condensed milk and bring gently to the boil, stirring continuously to make the caramel. As soon as it thickens, remove from the heat. Spread the filling over the biscuit base, cool, and then leave to chill for about 1 hour, until firm.

To serve, remove the pie from the tin and place on a serving plate. Slice the bananas; fold half of them into the softly whipped cream and spoon over the toffee base. Decorate with the remaining bananas and dust liberally with the cocoa.

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Easy Creme Brulee

Creme Brulee is a timeless classic, a simple yet delicious custard.

INGREDIENTS:
8 egg yolks
1 cup (225 ml) sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla
1 quart (950 ml) whipping cream

PREPARATION:
Heat cream in saucepan on low heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges.
In large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and creamy.
Add vanilla.
Gradually add cream to egg and sugar mixture while mixing.
Pour into eight 4 oz (112 grm) ramekins or custard dishes.
Place in a pan with warm water (bain-marie).
Bake at 350 degrees (175 C.) for 45 minutes.
Chill. Can be prepared ahead of time up to this point.

Just before serving, sprinkle top with 1 tbsp (15 ml) sugar and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until golden brown in color. Or use a torch to caramelize the sugar.

Blueberry Cobbler

In this versatile recipe, you can use just about any fruit, fresh or frozen, in place of the blueberries.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
4 cups blueberries (fresh, or leave frozen)
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup whole milk

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in a 2 quart saucepan and stir in blueberries and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture boils and thickens. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Pour into ungreased 2 quart glass casserole dish and keep mixture hot in oven.
In a medium bowl, cut butter into flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in milk. Drop dough by 6 spoonfuls onto hot blueberry mixture.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until topping is golden brown. Serve warm topped with whipped cream or ice cream.

Makes 8 servings.

Watermelon Sorbet

This refreshing sorbet recipe has less than a gram of fat per serve, and is wonderfully light and refreshing. It only requires a process of mixing together and freezing fruit, water, sugar, and egg whites.

INGREDIENTS:
500ml (2 cups) water
215g (1 cup) caster sugar
1.2kg seedless watermelon, rind removed, coarsely chopped
2 egg whites

PREPARATION:
1. Combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan and stir over low heat for 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes or until mixture thickens. Set aside for 30 minutes to cool.
2. Blend watermelon until pureed. Strain puree through a fine sieve into a jug, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible (you should have about 600ml of watermelon juice).
3. Add sugar syrup to watermelon juice and stir until well combined. Pour into an airtight container, cover and place in the freezer for 4-5 hours or until almost set.
4. Roughly break up the sorbet with a metal spoon and transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Process briefly until sorbet is smooth and has a soft, icy texture.
5. Return sorbet to container and place in the freezer for a further 4 hours or until firm. Remove from the freezer and repeat step 4. Return sorbet to the container and place in the freezer for a further 5 hours or until firm.
6. Place the sorbet and egg whites in the bowl of a food processor and process until sorbet is pale and smooth. Return to the container and place in the freezer for a further 4 hours or until almost firm. Scoop into serving glasses or bowls and serve immediately.

Chocolate Icebox Cake

This is a very sweet little recipe and easy to make. The cake can be chilled for up to 1 day.

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup chilled heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 chocolate wafers such as Nabisco Famous
1/3 cup fresh raspberries

PREPARATION:
Beat cream with sugar and vanilla in a small deep bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks.

Spread 1 heaping teaspoon cream onto each of 4 wafers. Arrange enough raspberries side by side (as close together as possible) on 1 cream-topped wafer to form an even layer. Stack 2 cream-topped wafers on a plate (cream sides up) and top with berry wafer, then carefully spread another teaspoon cream over berries. Top with last cream wafer and cover cream with remaining plain wafer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining cream. Cover with an inverted bowl and chill at least 4 hours.

Serve cake with remaining berries.

Fruit Gratin

This is perhaps the quickest recipe on our site. Can you open two cans, chop a banana, mix and grill? Congratulations – you’ve got a delicious dessert! Serve these in individual ramekins with an ameretti biscuit for a quick triumph on special occasions.

INGREDIENTS
1 banana, peeled and diced
410g / 15 oz can Fruit Salad, well drained
420g / 15 oz can Vanilla Creamed Rice
2 tbsps toasted flaked almonds (optional)
1/4 cup brown sugar

PREPARATION
1. In a bowl mix together the banana, Fruit Salad, Vanilla Creamed Rice, and flaked almonds (if using).
2. Divide among 4 ramekin dishes and sprinkle each evenly with 1 Tbsp brown sugar. Fan grill in the middle of the oven at 190°C for 10 minutes until the top is golden and the creamed rice hot.

Serves 4.

French Chocolate Silk Pie

This delicious recipe is sweet and rich with the texture of silk. The secret is in the mixing of the eggs - be sure to mix for a full 5 minutes per egg.

INGREDIENTS
4 x eggs
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cup white sugar
4 (2 oz) squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 prepared 8" pastry shell, baked and cooled


PREPARATION
Cream butter in a mixing bowl. Gradually beat in the sugar with an electric mixer until light colored and well blended. Stir in the thoroughly cooled chocolate, and vanilla extract. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating 5 minutes on medium speed after each addition. Spoon the chocolate filling into a cooled, baked pie shell.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Chocolate Trifle Supreme

This recipe makes a devine trifle that every chocoholic will need second helpings of!

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup water
1 x 20 oz / 500 gm package brownie mix
1 x 4 oz / 100 gm pack instant chocolate pudding mix
1 x 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 x 12 oz / 330 gm container French Vanilla Cool Whip
Approx half a pint of heavy whipped cream
Approx half a bottle of caramel topping
1 x 1.5 oz / bar chocolate candy


PREPARATION
Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and cool completely. Cut into 1 inch squares.
In a large bowl, combine pudding mix, water and sweetened condensed milk. Mix until smooth, then fold heavy whipped cream until no streaks remain.
In a trifle bowl or glass serving dish, place half of the brownies, half of the caramel topping, half of the pudding mixture and half of the 12 ounce container of Cool Whip. Repeat layers. Shave chocolate onto top layer for garnish. Refrigerate 8 hours before serving.

Reeses Cup Pie

If you know someone who loves Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, then this is the recipe for them! Garnish with shaved chocolate.

INGREDIENTS
2 pkg. instant chocolate pudding
1 (8 oz.) Cool Whip
6 Reese Cups
2 chocolate Graham Cracker pie crust

PREPARATION
Follow directions for mixing instant pudding. Dice Reese Cups up; mix into pudding and mix well. Mix in Cool Whip until smooth. Pour into pie crust. Freeze 4-6 hours. Let thaw 10 minutes before serving.

Lemon Delicious

Under the feathery sponge top of this dessert is a golden pool of lemon custard that beckons only for a little whipped or double cream to be served alongside. A classic recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
50 grams / 1.75 oz softened butter
grated rind two large lemons
1/4 cup flour, sifted
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 cup milk

PREPARATION:
1. Beat the butter, sugar, lemon rind and egg yolks together until light and fluffy.
2. Gently stir in the flour, milk and lemon juice.
3. Put the egg whites in a clean bowl and beat until they form stiff peaks but are not dry.
4. Fold the two mixtures together and pour into a well-greased 3-4 cup capacity oven-proof dish.
5. Bake at 160°C / 320°F for 30-40 minutes in a water bath until the top is golden and firm to the touch. Serve hot.

Classic Apple Crumble

This is another deliciously quick fruit recipe. You can use other fruit, such as canned pears, stewed rhubarb or frozen berries, in place of the apples if preferred.

INGREDIENTS:
Filling:
2 x 410g / 15oz cans diced apples

Topping:
1 cup plain flour
125g / 4½oz butter, cubed
½ cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ cup desiccated coconut
Icing sugar to dust

PREPARATION:
1. Heat oven to 180°C / 350°F. Place diced apple in an ovenproof dish.
2. In a bowl, rub butter into flour with your fingertips, or process in a food processor to look like breadcrumbs. Transfer to a bowl and stir in sugar, cinnamon and coconut.
3. Sprinkle crumble mixture over apple and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until topping is crisp and golden brown. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Double Chocolate Cheesecake

Dont let the long list of ingredients fool you - this recipe is really as simple as mixing all the crust ingredients together, mixing the filling ingredients, then mixing the glaze ingredients together. This great cheesecake can be prepared a day ahead - cover and refrigerate until needed.

INGREDIENTS:

For crust
1 9-ounce box chocolate wafer cookies
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For filling
1 1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs

For glaze
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

PREPARATION

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap outside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with double thickness of foil. Spray bottom of pan with vegetable oil spray. Finely grind cookies in processor. Add butter and process until blended. Press mixture onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

Make Filling:
Combine cream and coffee powder in a medium saucepan. Stir until the coffee powder dissolves. Reduce heat to low. Add chocolate; whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Cool for 10 minutes.

Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Beat in cornstarch. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat well. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Whisk 1 cup cheese mixture into chocolate mixture. Return chocolate mixture to remaining cheese mixture; whisk until smooth.

Pour batter into crust. Place springform pan in large baking pan. Add enough hot water to baking pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake cheesecake until softly set and slightly puffed around edges, about 1 hour. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in oven 45 minutes. Transfer springform pan to a rack and cool. Cover; chill cake overnight.

Make glaze:
Bring cream to boil in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add 4 ounces chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Pour glaze over top of cake. Using spatula, smooth glaze evenly over top. Refrigerate until glaze is set, at least 2 hours.

Using a knife, cut around sides of pan to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Cut into wedges and serve.

From http://www.epicurious.com

Pumpkin Pie

This is a sweet pumpkin pie that is quick and easy, and spiced with ginger and cinnamon. Delicious!

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree, canned or fresh
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup evaporated milk, undiluted
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 unbaked pastry shell (9-inch)

PREPARATION:
Combine pumpkin, sugar, salt, spices, and flour in a medium mixing bowl. Add eggs; mix well. Add evaporated milk, water, and vanilla; mix well. Pour into pastry-lined pie pan. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350° and bake about 35 minutes longer, or until the center is set.

From http://southernfood.about.com

Apple Dumplings

This is a great dessert to make ahead if you have lots of apples around!

Ingredients

6 Apples, peeled and cored
Lemon juice
1/2 c White sugar, approx
1 ts Cinnamon
Brown sugar
Butter
Pie pastry for 2 pies

Sugar sauce:
2 c Water
3/4 c Sugar
2 ts Vanilla
2 tb Butter
1/4 ts Nutmeg
1/4 ts Mace

Instructions

Roll out pastry and cut into squares enough to cover apples completely. Peel and core apples. Roll in lemon juice. Then roll in white sugar and cinnamon combined. Place on pastry square. Stuff core cavity with brown sugar, butter, brown sugar in equal parts. (The amount depends on size of core cavity, just stuff it full.) Fold the pastry up around apple to completely enclose it. Place in pan.

Prepare sugar sauce by mixing water, sugar, vanilla, butter, nutmeg, and mace and boiling for 1 minute. Let cool slightly. Pour over Apples. Bake in a 375F oven for 1 hour. Serve warm.

Serves 6.

Snickers Pie

The caramel, nut and chocolate bar provides the basis of this delicious and easy chocoholic pie recipe!

INGREDIENTS:
8 (2.07 oz) Snickers bars, divided
4 oz. semisweet chocolate
1 T. Bailey's Irish Creme liqueur
1 egg, seperated
1 T. sugar
2 C. whipping cream

PREPARATION:
Chop 7 of the Snickers bars and press into the bottom of a 9", non-stick pie pan for the crust. Chop and reserve the remaining bar. Melt semi-sweet chocolate over hot water or in the microwave. Stir in liqueur. Beat in egg yolk. In a med. bowl, whip egg whites to a soft peak and gradually add sugar until it holds a stiff peak. Fold in chocolate mixture. Whip cream to soft peaks. Fold 2/3 of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Place chocolate mixture on top of pie crust. Garnish with remaining whipped cream and reserved chopped Snickers bars.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

Dulce de Leche is a fancy, fashionable name for a very simple thing - caramelised condensed milk. You can buy it ready-made, or make your own by boiling an unopened can of condensed milk in a pot of water for an hour and a half. However, you need to take care when boiling it, that the water level remains high. Here's a recipe to make into no-churn ice-cream.

Ingredients:
300mls cream
1 x 395g can of caramelised condensed milk, chilled
sliced peaches or nectarines to serve

Method:
Whip the cream until medium-stiff peaks form. Gently fold this into the caramelised condensed milk in 3 batches, taking care not to lose all the air from the cream. Pour into a container and freeze overnight. (The high level of sugar will slow the freezing process.) Scoop into bowls and serve with sliced peaches or nectarines.

Serves 6-8.

Cinnamon Crumble Apple Pie

A thick layer of finely textured crumb topping crowns a tall mound of apple filling.

Crust
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup frozen solid vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons (or more) ice water
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Filling
3 1/4 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Topping
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Vanilla ice cream

For crust:
Mix flour, salt, and sugar in large bowl. Add butter and shortening; rub in with fingertips until coarse meal forms. Mix 3 tablespoons ice water and vinegar in small bowl to blend. Drizzle over flour mixture; stir with fork until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate 30 minutes. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch; turn edge under and crimp decoratively. Refrigerate while preparing filling and topping.

For filling:
Mix all ingredients in large bowl to coat apples.

For topping:
Blend first 5 ingredients in processor. Add chilled butter cubes; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles wet sand. Toss filling to redistribute juices; transfer to crust, mounding in center. Pack topping over and around apples. Bake pie on baking sheet until topping is golden, about 40 minutes (cover top with foil if browning too quickly). Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake until apples in center are tender when pierced and filling is bubbling thickly at edges, about 45 minutes longer. Cool until warm, about 1 hour. Serve with ice cream.

Makes 8 servings.

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake

1 pound chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies, finely crushed
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream
6 large eggs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch spring form pan. Use a food processor to crush the cookies or place them, 3 or 4 at a time inside a sturdy plastic bag. Roll over them with a pie roller until crushed. Mix half of the crumbs with melted butter and press into the bottom of the prepared spring form pan. Refrigerate pan while preparing the filling.

Filling: In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese with the sugar and whipping cream; mix until no lumps remain in the batter. Add eggs, flour, and vanilla and beat until just smooth. Pour half of the filling over the prepared crust and scatter the remaining cookie crumbs over the top. Pour remaining filling over the cookie crumbs. Bake until the cheesecake is golden on top and the center is almost solid, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Remove cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. Run a table knife around the outside edge of the cheesecake to loosen cake from the pan. Remove the spring form and place cake on a serving platter. Decorate the cheesecake with whipped cream and chocolate sandwich cookies.

Makes 12 servings.