Desserts

I want something snacky!

Who hasn't said that, or at least thought that once or twice?

Desserts are the perfect remedy for that. To that end, here are six yummy dessert recipes, including Gingerbread Whoopie Pies With Tahini Cream Filling and Earl Grey Tea Cake With Dark Chocolate and Orange Zest. Enjoy!

OLD-FASHIONED BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING

This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking section. For this, Melissa wrote, "This creamy pudding, thickened with cornstarch and egg yolks and stirred together on the stove, is as homey as it gets. Spiking the mixture with a little bourbon or Scotch isn’t strictly traditional, but it does add a pop of flavor. Choose bourbon to underscore the caramelized notes of the brown sugar, or Scotch for a savory smokiness and a nod to the name. Here’s a tip: Make sure to bring the pudding to a full, vigorous boil to activate the cornstarch. Otherwise, it may not set. If you’ve ever ended up with thin, runny pudding, undercooking may have been the issue."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes, plus 2 hours' chilling

This was featured in "The Best Butterscotch Pudding Is Homemade" (which includes the line, "This unfussy, old-fashioned recipe is easy to stir together on top of the stove, and hard to mess up."), and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021800-old-fashioned-butterscotch-pudding.

Ingredients

4 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

3/4 packed cup dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon bourbon or Scotch whisky (optional)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche, for serving

Chopped candied ginger, sliced almonds, Demerara sugar, shaved chocolate, cocoa nibs or flaky sea salt (or a combination), for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Put egg yolks, cornstarch and salt into a large heatproof bowl, and whisk until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps.

In a medium pot over medium heat, combine brown sugar and butter, whisking, until the brown sugar melts, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture starts to smell like hot caramel and darkens slightly, about 1 minute longer. (Don’t walk away, or the mixture may burn.)

Immediately pour the milk and cream into the pot. (It will bubble fiercely and seize up.) Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the clumps melt, 2 to 4 minutes.

Slowly whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking yolks until smooth, then whisk in the remaining hot cream mixture. Pour the egg-cream mixture back into the saucepan and place it over medium heat.

Cook pudding, whisking constantly especially around the bottom and edges of the pot, until it comes to a full boil. (Don’t worry about the eggs curdling. You’re going to strain the mixture later.) Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring the mixture constantly, until it thickens enough to mound thickly on the spoon, 4 to 7 minutes. If at any point the pudding looks curdled, whisk to help smooth it out.

Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a heatproof container or bowl, then stir in the Scotch or bourbon, if using, and vanilla. To prevent a skin from forming, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding. (If you like the skin, don’t cover pudding until it cools.) Chill for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

When serving, spoon pudding into dishes. Top with dollops of whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche, and any of the optional garnishes.

Tip

Make sure to bring the pudding to a full, vigorous boil to activate the cornstarch. Otherwise, it may not set. If you’ve ever ended up with thin, runny pudding, undercooking may have been the issue.

CHOCOLATE CRINKLES

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, though it's attributed to Betty Crocker® Cookbook. This begins, "These cookies have an attractive light and dark contrast perfect for aninteresting addition to a cookie tray or for serving by themselves, any time of year!"

Prep Time 15 minutes; Cooking Time 12 minutes; Serves makes 6 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil

4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled

2 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions

Mix oil, chocolate, granulated sugar and vanilla in large bowl. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheet.

Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar; roll around to coat. Shape into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly in center. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

EARL GREY TEA CAKE WITH DARK CHOCOLATE AND ORANGE ZEST

This is from Samantha Seneviratne in The New York TImes cooking page. Samantha wrote, "Loose Earl Grey tea stirred into buttery cake batter adds a sweet, floral essence that’s subtle but lovely. A little dark chocolate and orange zest makes this cake extra special. While you could use chocolate chips, using chocolate chopped from a bar produces the best result: The varying sizes of chopped chocolate blend in nicely without overpowering the delicate tea flavor."

Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 1 hour, plus chilling

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021062-earl-grey-tea-cake-with-dark-chocolate-and-orange-zest.

Ingredients

For the Frosting:

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons loose Earl Grey tea

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup mascarpone or softened cream cheese (see Tip)

For the Cake:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon loose Earl Grey tea

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest (from 1 large orange)

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature

1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate

Preparation

Prepare the frosting: In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup heavy cream to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in the tea, remove from the heat, cover and let stand for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Strain the tea through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids, and chill the remaining cream until completely cold, at least 1 hour.

Prepare the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, tea, baking powder and salt.

In large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the orange zest and beat to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the flour mixture on low, until just combined, then beat in the milk. (Don’t overmix.) Add the chocolate and fold it in using a spatula. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake just until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Then tip the cake out onto the rack to cool completely.

To finish the frosting, add the remaining 1/4 cup cream and the confectioners’ sugar to the tea cream. With an electric mixer on medium, beat the cream mixture until medium-stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mascarpone and beat just until stiff peaks form. (Do not overmix.) Top the cake with the frosting to serve. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days; let come to room temperature before serving.

Tip

If using cream cheese instead of mascarpone, because it has a thicker consistency, whip the cream cheese with the confectioners' sugar first, then add the whipped tea cream.

RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE MINI MACARONS

This is from American Heart Association, and begins, “Our version of these French cookies gets their traditional nutty flavor from almond flour and their sweetness from stevia rather than sugar. The tart smooth filling is the perfect complement to the sweet, chewy cookies.”

To view this online, go to https://recipes.heart.org/en/recipes/raspberry-chocolate-mini-macarons

Ingredients

1/4 cup stevia sugar blend

1 teaspoon cornstarch

3 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4 cup almond flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

10 drops chocolate-flavored liquid stevia sweetener

1 cup raspberries (or)

OR

1 cup unsweetened, frozen raspberries

1/2 cup fat-free, plain Greek yogurt

1/2 teaspoon stevia sweetener or 1 packet stevia sweetener

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor, process the stevia sugar blend and cornstarch for 40 to 50 seconds, or until the mixture has a powdery texture (like confectioners’ sugar).

Place the egg whites in a medium bowl. With an electric or hand mixer on medium-high speed, beat the egg whites for 1 minute, or until frothy. Add the cream of tartar. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes. or until soft peaks form. Gradually add the stevia sugar blend mixture, beating for one minute, or until stiff peaks form (the peaks don’t fall when the beaters are lifted).

In a second medium bowl, sift together the flour and cocoa powder. Sift again. Pour the flour mixture into the egg whites. Add the liquid stevia sweetener. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the flour mixture into the egg whites, using about 30 strokes, or until no flour is visible.

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a round tip (between 1/4-inch and 1/2-inch wide), or if using a disposable piping bag, cut a 1/2-inch hole at the pointed tip. Pipe the batter on the parchment paper into 1-tablespoon round portions (about 1-inch in diameter), leaving 2 inches between each, piping a total of 20 macarons.

Lift the baking sheet about two inches from the counter and drop it. Repeat four times. (This will help release any air bubbles that may be in the batter.) Let stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes (depending on the humidity of the room). The batter should form a thin skin and feel slightly tacky.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are set. Let the macarons cool thoroughly (about 1 hour).

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mash the raspberries with a fork. Stir in the yogurt and stevia sweetener.

Once the macarons have cooled, place ten of them flat-side up on a cutting board or sheet of wax paper. Spread 1 tablespoon of the filling on each. Top with the remaining macarons.

Cooking Tip: This fresh filling is moist, so it’s best to fill the macarons just before serving.

Cooking Tip: You can download an online macaron template to use as a guide to space out the macarons. If you use a template, be sure to place it under the parchment paper.

GINGERBREAD WHOOPIE PIES WITH TAHINI CREAM FILLING

This is from Anita Schecter in The Spruce Eats. She wrote, " Whoopie pies might be the state treat of Maine, but that doesn't mean they can't be enjoyed everywhere. Typically made with two soft, round mini chocolate cakes with a marshmallow cream center, the dessert lends itself to a whole host of delicious variations.

"It's common to find a pumpkin version in autumn, and a gingerbread one during the winter holidays. In addition, although less traditional, the marshmallow cream filling is sometimes substituted with a cream cheese frosting.

"Adding tahini to the cream is definitely not traditional, but it is greats an amazing taste that you should treat yourself to. The buttery marshmallow filling can be overly sweet due to the amount of powdered sugar needed to thicken it. The sesame paste tones down the sweetness a bit and brings in a wonderful nutty, sesame flavor. It's a great match to the gingerbread flavor and it's so good you may find yourself slathering it on everything."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 12 minutes; Total Time: 37 minutes; Makes 10 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/gingerbread-whoopie-pies-4154741.

Ingredients

For the Gingerbread Whoopie Pies:

1 egg

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon salt

For the Tahini Cream Filling:

4 ounce marshmallow fluff (homemade or store bought)

1 cup powdered confectioner's sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted and cooled)

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon sesame paste (tahini)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Pinch of sea salt

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

To make the gingerbread whoopie pies, pre-heat the oven to 350 F.

Add the egg and light brown sugar to a large bowl. Using a stand or hand mixer, beat until smooth and slightly lightened in color. Beat in the molasses, melted butter and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, sift together the all purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg and salt.

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet batter.

Using a 1 ounce cookie scoop, scoop the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking mat, and keep the scoops at least 2" apart because they will spread in the oven. You can use a couple of baking sheets or just work in batches, but you should end up with about 20 scoops.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool thoroughly before handling.

To make the tahini cream filling, whisk together the marshmallow fluff, powdered sugar, melted butter, milk, sesame paste, vanilla and sea salt until smooth. Let sit for a few minutes while the whoopie pies cool to let the filling set and thicken a bit. This will help the filling stay put when you spread it between the two pies.

To assemble the whoopie pies, place about a tablespoon of tahini cream in between the bottoms of two of the cookies (use more if you want them thicker) and gently sandwich together.

Enjoy!

CHEWY OATMEAL MOLASSES COOKIES

This is from Diana Rattray in The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "These oatmeal molasses cookies are wonderfully chewy, and the cinnamon and ginger add just the right amount of spice.

"If you love oatmeal cookies for their chewiness and molasses cookies for their flavor, this recipe is an excellent choice. Add some chopped walnuts or pecans for extra texture."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 12 minutes; Total Time: 22 minutes; Servings: 36 to 48 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/chewy-oatmeal-molasses-cookies-3058382.

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 cup molasses

2 cups/9 ounces all-purpose flour

1 scant teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1 cup quick-cooking oats

Directions

Heat the oven to 375 F.

Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Cream the sugar and shortening together in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer.

Add the vanilla, egg, and molasses; beat until well blended.

Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices in another bowl; blend well.

Add the dry mixture to the first mixture; mix well. Fold in the oatmeal.

Shape the cookie dough into 1-inch balls or drop the dough from a small cookie scoop onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes.

Cool the cookies completely and store in a tightly covered container or food storage bag for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe Variation

Add about 1/2 cup of finely chopped pecans or walnuts to the cookies.