Desparate for your best dessert!

[Lee]

Help!

I just moved into a new neighborhood and have been invited over to a neighbor's for Easter. I need to bring a dessert. I never make fancy deserts, so I desparately need ideas. It doesn't have to be low fat, just delicious, and hopefully, easy to make!
Thanks for your help!

[Peeps]

I'm sure you'll get a bunch of great responses by my favorite dessert ever is the Cooking Light Chocolate Banana Pudding with Toffee Bars thing (like a gourmet version of the famous banana pudding). The recipe is on this thread: http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/005857.html
Everytime I make it for people they all love it and its a big hit and its very easy (do it in a glass trifle dish and it looks very fancy too). I'm sure you'll get better ideas but I just love this recipe!

[JillC]

My very favorite dessert happens to be a CL recipe--Blackberry Lemon Pudding Cake. My husband and I are both big chocolate fans and we still agree that this is the best dessert ever. You can make it with your choice of berries, but we like blueberries best. I think it would make a great Easter dessert.
Here's a thread on it that contains the recipe. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/003914.html
Jill

Lee, I just read your msg again and had to let you know that even though I think you should definitely try the lemon pudding cake, it may not be the best thing to bring to your dinner since, like a souffle, it is at its best shortly after you take it out of the oven. It's still delicious the next day (if there's any left over)--just a little deflated.

[This message has been edited by JillC (edited 04-11-2001).]

[KValley]

Lee- welcome! I hope you settle in well to your new neighborhood.

THe April 2000 issue of Cooking Light has some outstanding pound cake recipes. These have now become my potluck dessert of choice- they are simple, elegant, travel well, and with fresh fruit and/or ice cream, or whip cream, can be easily assembled on-site- allowing people a choice of how little or how much they want to add to the foundation.
I don't have MasterCook or I would happily reprint the recipes! Try a search on the CL Recipe Search..

I'm eturning with a couple of recipes from the CL Recipe Search (under "pound cake")

Blueberry Pound Cake

This light-textured loaf cake stands out from the crowd with light yogurt and cream cheese proudly making the cut.


Ingredients
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light butter
1/2 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
1 large egg white
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8-ounce) carton lemon low-fat yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cooking spray
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 teaspoons lemon juice


Directions
Estimated Total Time: 2 hours

Preheat oven to 350º.

Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs and egg white, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 tablespoons flour and blueberries in a small bowl, and toss well. Combine remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in blueberry mixture and vanilla; pour cake batter into a 10-inch tube pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350º for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool cake in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl; drizzle over warm cake. Cut with a serrated knife.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sour Cream Pound Cake

This cake is very tender, moist, and buttery tasting.



Ingredients
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup stick margarine, softened
1-1/3 cups egg substitute
1-1/2 cups low-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
4-1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cooking spray
Note: Eight egg whites can be used in place of egg substitute.


Directions
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Preheat oven to 325º.

Beat sugar and margarine at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Gradually add egg substitute, beating well.

Combine sour cream and baking soda. Stir well; set aside. Combine flour and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in vanilla.

Pour batter into a 10-inch tube pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325º for 1 hour and 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan. Let cool completely on a wire rack.



[This message has been edited by KValley (edited 04-11-2001).]

[This message has been edited by KValley (edited 04-11-2001).]

[kwormann]

By far, I think the CHocolate Eclair Icebox Cake is the best. It is easy, can by made ahead (In fact gets better) and has ALWAYS been a crowd pleaser for me...no one believes it is light or easy to make!


* Exported from MasterCook *

Chocolate-Éclair Icebox Dessert

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 18 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Desserts Jan/Feb '98


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
22 1/2 sheets low-fat honey graham crackers (about 1
[14-ounce] box) -- 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

Arrange 7 1/2 graham cracker sheets in the bottom of a 13 × 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.

Description:
""I've had a not-so-light version of this dessert in my recipe box for
years. I kept bypassing it until one day I decided to try it using
some of the new low-fat ingredients. Now my guests beg me to give them
the recipe."—Shay Collier, Camarillo, Calif."
Source:
"Cooking Light, January/February 1998, p.168"
Copyright:
"© Cooking Light"
T(Chill Time):
"4:00"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 202 Calories; 6g Fat (25.3%
calories from fat); 4g Protein; 34g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 5mg
Cholesterol; 317mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0
Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.


Nutr. Assoc. : 649 0 4938 0 0 2861 4938 2394 0 0 0

[valchemist]

Peeps,

For that chocolate-banana pudding recipe...

Can you do that custard part in a regular sauce pan on the stove or should you do it in a double boiler becasue of the yolks. I suppose you don't need a double boiler, or you would have said so...

Thanks for the other tips on the recipe and for the review. This recipe is now officially on my "to try" list.

Val

[SusanL]

My neighbor gave me some Raspberry Walnut Bars, which were killer. She brought the recipe over last night and I can hardly wait to make some more for Easter. I am not a big dessert fan, but I really, really liked these. I will post, if anyone is interested. It looks like an easy recipe to make and tor transport!

[lindrusso]

Lee,

Here are some of my favorites - if anything jumps out and you'd like a recipe, just holler (you can email me too).

Walnut Tartlets with Chocolate Ganache Filling

Cooking Light's Chocolate-Chip Bundt Cake - easy, moist and yummy.

CL's Chocolate-Cream Pie - you'd never guess it was light.

Good luck!

[Janet K]

Susan,

Could you please post the Raspberry Walnut bars? They sound sooo good... Thanks!

[SusieO]

CL's Mocha Fudge Pie is truly amazing. Here's a link to a thread with the recipe.
www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/002873.html

Have a great holiday, and enjoy your new place!


[This message has been edited by SusieO (edited 04-12-2001).]

[Vanessa]

This is the nicest recipe and it makes your kitchen smell so nice!
Cinnamon-Apple Cake (Cooking Light)
1 3/4 cups sugar -- divided
1/2 cup stick margarine -- softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces block-style fat-free cream cheese -- softened (about 3/4 cup)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups chopped peeled Rome apple (about 2 large)
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Beat 1-1/2 cups sugar, margarine, vanilla, and cream cheese at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 4 minutes). Add
eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture,
beating at low speed until blended.

3. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Combine 2 tablespoons cinnamon mixture and apple in a bowl, and stir apple mixture into batter. Pour
batter into an 8-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon mixture.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack, and cut using a serrated knife. Yield: 12 servings.

Note: I use a 9.5 springform pan

[SusanL]

Janet K - I thought that this was easy for someone starting out, yet delicious.Let me know if you try them, I hope to make them this weekend for Easter. Here goes...

Raspberry Walnut Shortbread Bars

1 ¼ c "plus" 2 T flour, divided
½ c sugar
½ c butter or margarine
1/3 c raspberry jam (she used with seeds)
2 eggs
½ c brown sugar
1 t vanilla
1/8 t salt
1/8 t baking soda
1 c chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Combine 1 ¼ c flour and sugar in medium bowl. With a pastry blender, cut butter into dry ingredients, resembling coarse crumbs. Press onto bottom of lightly greased 9 X 9 baking pan.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
3. Remove from oven, spread raspberry jam over shortbread.
4. In medium bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar and vanilla until creamy. Combine 2 T flour , salt, and soda; add to egg mixture and blend. Stir in walnuts. Spoon over jam, spreading lightly to corners of pan.
5. Bake 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or more until top is set. Cool in pan and cut into bars.



[This message has been edited by SusanL (edited 04-13-2001).]

[Janet K]

Susan L,

I might just make these today since i have all the ingredients already. Just one question... Is the 1/2 t of butter the right amount? Can't wait to try these.

[KValley]

SusanL- these do sound good- I love jammy things and need to use up some blackberry preserves...

DO you have the nutritional information?

TIA- Julie

[Peeps]

Originally posted by valchemist:
Peeps,

For that chocolate-banana pudding recipe...

Can you do that custard part in a regular sauce pan on the stove or should you do it in a double boiler becasue of the yolks. I suppose you don't need a double boiler, or you would have said so...

Thanks for the other tips on the recipe and for the review. This recipe is now officially on my "to try" list.

Val

Hi Val-
No, you do not need a double boiler but you do have to watch it and stir almost constantly but it seems to go pretty quickly and isn't too much trouble.

[ElinorC]

Bumping this up to get SusanL's answer to the amount of butter in the Raspberry Bar recipe. It sounds great!

[woodsl]

My favorite desserts are: Chocolate Peanutbutter Cup Cheesecake and a fabulous Coconut Layer Cake from Southern Living. I have taken each of them to dinners or parties several times and everyone loved both of them. Unfortunately, neither of these recipes are light. The Coconut Cake is particularly pretty because you frost it with Whipping Cream so you can easily make lot of swirls and curls in the frosting. If you like coconut - it is to die for!!!

[This message has been edited by woodsl (edited 04-12-2001).]

[Gina O]

Lee-

Just wanted to add a super easy favorite of mine that looks (and tastes) absolutely fabulous. It is lemon blueberry cake. I mix up a lemon cake mix then add a pint of fresh blueberries. Divide among two nine inch cake pans and bake according to the box directions. Cool, invert a layer and frost with cream cheese icing. Top with the other layer, inverted, then ice. Garnish with blueberries and/or lemon slices.

[SusanL]

Eegads, Janet and Eleanor- it was 1/2 CUP, I am so sorry, I thought I had checked the recipe twice!! I am making it today to serve on Sunday.
KValley Go for it, delicious!!
Sorry, no nutritional values, it was on the back of a bag of walnuts that my neighbor had.


[This message has been edited by SusanL (edited 04-13-2001).]

[ElinorC]

SusanL, thanks for the corrected butter amount.

The Raspberry Bar nutritional info (according to MasterCook) for 16 servings (?) is:

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 200 Calories; 11g Fat (47.3% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 23g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 39mg Cholesterol; 97mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

[This message has been edited by ElinorC (edited 04-13-2001).]

[KValley]

Thanks ElinorC and SusanL

Have a lovely weekend!

Julie

[Lee]

Thanks everyone for your dessert ideas! They all sound wonderful!
~Lee

[yomomma]

Originally posted by lindrusso
Lee,

Here are some of my favorites - if anything jumps out and you'd like a recipe, just holler (you can email me too).

Walnut Tartlets with Chocolate Ganache Filling

Cooking Light's Chocolate-Chip Bundt Cake - easy, moist and yummy.

CL's Chocolate-Cream Pie - you'd never guess it was light.

Good luck!

Lindrusso, Is it too late to request the Walnut Tartlets w/ Chocolate Ganache Filling reicpe? Please?

[JulieM]

Originally posted by JillC
My very favorite dessert happens to be a CL recipe--Blackberry Lemon Pudding Cake. My husband and I are both big chocolate fans and we still agree that this is the best dessert ever. You can make it with your choice of berries, but we like blueberries best. I think it would make a great Easter dessert.
Here's a thread on it that contains the recipe. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/003914.html
Jill

This link didn't work, so does anyone have th Blackberry Lemon Pudding Cake recipe they could post?

Thanks, yomomma, for bumping up this old thread!

[lindrusso]

Originally posted by yomomma
Lindrusso, Is it too late to request the Walnut Tartlets w/ Chocolate Ganache Filling reicpe? Please?

No problem, here it is:

WALNUT TARTLETS WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE FILLING
(makes about 30)

My notes: The leaves look pretty in the picture, but I must confess that I've never tried making them - too much fuss! I usually just garnish them with a bit of chopped nuts. The ganache doesn't come close to filling the shells, but the chocolate is so rich, that it seems to work fine for me. I like these because they can be made well ahead of time and you can also freeze them.

Chocolate leaves (optional):
assorted nontoxic fresh leaves, such as rose, lemon or camellia (check with florist)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) chopped semisweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon shortening

Tartlets:
1/2 cup walnut halves
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/3 cup butter or margarine, cut into pieces
1 egg, slightly beaten

Chocolate Ganache:
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup (2 ounces) choppped semisweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Prepare Chocolate Leaves: Wash leaves; pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. Place large sheet heavy-duty foil on counter. Fill saucepan 1/4 full (about 1 inch deep) with warm water. Place chocolate and shortening in 1-cup glass measure. To melt chocolate, place measure in warm water; stir frequently with rubber spatula until smooth. (Be careful not to get any water into chocolate or chocolate may become lumpy.) Brush melted chocolate onto underside of each leaf with paint brush or pastry brush, coating leaf thickly and evenly. Carefully wipe off any chocolate that may have run onto front of leaf. Place leaves, chocolate-sides up, on foil. Let stand 1 hour or until chocolate is set. Carefully peel leaves away from chocolate beginning at the stem ends; refrigerate chocolate leaves until ready to use.

2. Prepare tartlets: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To toast walnuts, spread walnuts in a single layer in baking pan. Bake 8-12 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently with wooden spoon. Place walnuts in work bowl of food processor. Process using on/off pulsing action until walnuts are finely chopped, but not pasty. Reserve 2 tablespoons walnuts. Place remaining walnuts in a medium bowl. Add flour, sugar, and lemon peel; blend well. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in egg with fork until mixture holds together. Spoon 2 teaspoonfuls mixture into ungreased mini-muffin cups. Press dough onto bottom and up side of each cup with fingers. Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes in pan. Remove shells from pan. Cool completely on wire racks.

3. Prepare Chocolate Ganache. Heat whipping cream and butter in small saucepan over medium heat until butter melts and mixture boils, stirring frequently with wooden spoon. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in chocolate and vanilla until mixture is smooth, returning to heat for 20 to 30 second intervals as needed to melt chocolate. Keep warm (ganache is semi-firm at room temperature). Makes about 1/2 cup.

4. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon ganache into each shell. Sprinkle reserved 2 tablespoons chopped nuts evenly over shells. Gently push chocolate leaf into each shell. Store tightly covered in refrigerator up to 1 week.


Enjoy!

[yomomma]

You da best - thankx, I can't wait to try it - hopefully this week.

[yomomma]

I need this thread to go around again for more recipes. I just took a part-time job where I will be making the desserts (and hopefully someday the breads too) for a 1st class small town steakhouse restaurant. I need somewhat fancy desserts w/ WOW eye appeal and knock your socks off flavor and that will keep for more than a day or two. Tips on "plating" would be welcome too. I have to come up w/ five menu items w/in two weeks so it can go to the printer. I also want to include a jazzy/yummy description to have them print also. Thankx ya'll! I'm thinking a creme burlee, Lindrusso's walnut tarlets and mocha fudge pie (for the lite side). I'm not set on anything yet and open to all input.

[Paula H]

Originally posted by lindrusso
Here are some of my favorites - if anything jumps out and you'd like a recipe, just holler (you can email me too).

Walnut Tartlets with Chocolate Ganache Filling

Cooking Light's Chocolate-Chip Bundt Cake - easy, moist and yummy.

CL's Chocolate-Cream Pie - you'd never guess it was light.

Okay, I'm hollering - could you post the Chocolate-Chip Bundt Cake and Chocolate-Cream Pie, please please please lindrusso??

[valchemist]

Originally posted by yomomma
I need this thread to go around again for more recipes. I just took a part-time job where I will be making the desserts (and hopefully someday the breads too) for a 1st class small town steakhouse restaurant. I need somewhat fancy desserts w/ WOW eye appeal and knock your socks off flavor and that will keep for more than a day or two. Tips on "plating" would be welcome too. I have to come up w/ five menu items w/in two weeks so it can go to the printer. I also want to include a jazzy/yummy description to have them print also. Thankx ya'll! I'm thinking a creme burlee, Lindrusso's walnut tarlets and mocha fudge pie (for the lite side). I'm not set on anything yet and open to all input.

what a cool job.

I think you should start a new thread on this. I have a feeling your request is going to be buried on this thread.

[lindrusso]

Originally posted by Paula H
Okay, I'm hollering - could you post the Chocolate-Chip Bundt Cake and Chocolate-Cream Pie, please please please lindrusso??

Here they are!

CHOCOLATE CHIP BUNDT CAKE
(from CL J/A 1998)

My notes: I like to do this cake with yellow cake mix and vanilla pudding (skipping the coffee). Yum.

Cooking spray
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free sour cream
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon warm water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons instant espresso
OR
4 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1 (8-ounce) carton egg substitute
1 (18.25-ounce) package devil's food cake mix (without pudding in the mix)
1 (3.9-ounce) package chocolate instant pudding mix
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350º.

2. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray, and dust with flour; set aside.

3. Combine the sour cream and next 6 ingredients (sour cream through chocolate pudding mix) in a large bowl, and beat mixture at medium speed of a mixer for 3 minutes. Add the chocolate chips, and beat the mixture for 30 seconds.

4. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Bake cake at 350º for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Invert cake onto a wire rack, and cool completely. Sprinkle cake with powdered sugar.


CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE
(from CL, November 1999)

Crust:
40 (10 full sheets) graham crackers
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, melted
1 large egg white
Filling:
2 cups fat-free milk, divided
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
3/4 teaspoon grated semisweet chocolate

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. To prepare crust, place crackers ina food processor; process until crumbly. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, butter, and egg white; pulse 6 times or just until moist. Press crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes; cool on a wire rack 15 minutes.

3. To prepare filling, combine 1/2 cup milk, 2/3 cup sugar, and next 4 ingredients (sugar through egg) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.

4. Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat to 180 degrees or until tiny bubbles form around the edge (do not boil). Remove from heat. Gradually add hot milk to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Add chopped chocolate; cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook 2 minutes, stirring constanly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour into prepared crust; cover surface of filling with plastic wrap. Chill 3 hours or until cold. Remove plastic wrap; spread whipped topping evenly over filling. Sprinkle with grated chocolate.

5. Yield 10 servings. 242 calories, 8g fat (30% calories from fat).

Enjoy!