chocolate-eclair icebox dessert?

[blrn1]

One more question...

I'm planning to make the chocolate-eclair icebox dessert to take to a baby shower, and I was wondering if it would be okay to prepare it in one of those disposable, foil 9x13 pans. Do you think not having it in a glass baking dish will affect how it turns out?

[Leonard]

I have prepared it in a disposable pans many times. It will be fine! Just remember to use a sturdy one. This dessert is quite heavy! I remember once, I bought a cheap aluminum one at the dollar store!! I had to be so careful when transporting it. Other than that word of caution, you should be fine!! YUM! I LOVE that dessert!

[Joanie B]

I've made 3 of these puppies in the last 2 weeks in the sturdier disposal pans to take to bbqs & sick folks, cause it's too hot to bake! Even w/the sturdy, I've transported in the cardboard bottom that comes in a case of water, or used a copy paper box top, just to make sure--too much goodness to take a chance on losing, like Leonard says, this has some heft. I also plopped one of those squishy casserole coldpacks underneath to help keep it cool.

If you make this and let it sit overnight, it gives the graham crackers a chance to soften a bit. For some reason, my July 4th one (made in the AM) didn't soften much (guess those grahams were just too fresh!), and while still the best dessert on the table, I didn't like the crunch of the graham crackers competing w/the luscious creamy & chocolatey.

[Ann1965]

Ok, I want this recipe! Sounds delish and just what we need here in the South with almost 90 percent humidity!

[Joanie B]

Ann, here ya go. This is one of the most requested things I have ever made, and it's one of my personal faves, and I'm a hard-to-please desserter. The only things I do differently is I don't bother w/the cooking spray, I don't sift the powdered sugar in the icing, and I whip the cream cheese a minute or 2 before dumping in the milk/pudding, just to smooth it out a bit (lesson learned from Ms. Jewel's pumpkin squares recipe). It'll still look a bit lumpy, but it smooths out in the fridge, it's CL magic! I don't remember when it first came out in the magazine (2000, 2002?), but it's also in the CL Complete book. I think the nutritional info on this copy I pulled from the CL board is off a bit, based on what I recall from the CL Complete...

Chocolate-Eclair Icebox Dessert

A fabulous iced topping gives this chilled graham cracker, cream-filled pastry its uniqueness.


INGREDIENTS:
22-1/2 sheets (about 1 [14-ounce] box) low-fat honey graham crackers, divided
Cooking spray
3 cups fat-free milk
2 (3.4-ounce) packages fat-free vanilla instant pudding mix
1 (8-ounce) tub fat-free cream cheese
1 (8-ounce) tub frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed

1/4 cup fat-free milk
2 tablespoons stick margarine or butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1-1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar


INSTRUCTIONS:
Estimated Total Time: 45 minutes
Arrange 7-1/2 graham cracker sheets in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine 3 cups milk, pudding mix, and cream cheese in a large bowl, and beat at low speed of a mixer 1 minute or until thick. Fold in whipped topping. Spread half of the pudding mixture over graham crackers, and top with 7-1/2 graham cracker sheets. Repeat the procedure with the remaining half of pudding mixture and 7-1/2 graham cracker sheets.

Combine 1/4 cup milk, softened margarine, honey, and unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl, and beat well with a mixer. Gradually add powdered sugar to milk mixture, and beat well. Spread chocolate glaze over graham crackers. Cover dessert and tent with foil; chill 4 hours.


NUTRITIONAL INFO:
calories: 234 carbohydrates: 41.5 g cholesterol: 3 mg fat: 5.8 g sodium: 352 mg protein: 5.4 g calcium: 105 mg iron: 1 mg fiber: 0.8 g

[blrn1]

Thanks for all the quick replies and good advice. I hadn't thought about putting a cardboard box/tray underneath -- good idea. And I'm going to try whipping the cream cheese separately this time. You're right -- it's magic the way those lumps "disappear." I was really nervous the first time I made it because it was so lumpy.

If anyone's making it for the first time, do as Joanie suggested and give it a full day in the refrigerator. Even though the recipe says "chill 4 hours" it's not quite "done" by then, and is much better after 24 hours -- or even 48, if you have any left!

[fairie28]

This sounds amazing, can't wait to try this! Thanks for posting the recipe.

[KristiB]

Just chiming in to say this is one of my all time faves too!

[CindyWeightWatcher]

I brought this to a dinner party tonight! I love this recipe!