Desserts

Since we're coming up on the final holidays of a rough year, we all could use something decadent. And how better to do that than with six yummy desserts?! Try your hand at the Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake or Chocolate Peppermint Bars and go from there. Enjoy!

PEANUT BUTTER BARS WITH SALTED CHOCOLATE GANACHE

This is from Nancy Fuller of The Food Network’s Farmhouse Rules.

Total: 1 hr 10 min; Active: 25 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/peanut-butter-bars-with-salted-chocolate-ganache.

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray, for baking dish

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup creamy peanut butter

Kosher salt

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

8 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped into small pieces

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, optional

Directions

Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, stir to combine the confectioners' sugar, graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and melted butter. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish and set aside.

Place the chocolate and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles start to form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate, let sit for 1 minute and then whisk until completely melted and smooth.

Pour the ganache over the peanut butter mixture and refrigerate until the chocolate is cooled and set, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.

Sprinkle evenly with the flaky sea salt. Cut into squares to serve.

FOUR-FAVOR SHEET PAN PIE

This yumminess comes from the Food Network, and begins, “A clever sheet pan hack gives you quadruple the Thanksgiving pie fun (and saves the time and effort of making four individual pies). Apple, cherry, pumpkin and pecan coexist peacefully in one giant slab that feeds a crowd.”

Level: Intermediate; Total: 2 hr; Active: 1 hr; Yield: 16 to 18 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Crusts:

Two 14.1-ounce boxes refrigerated rolled pie crust (4 crusts total)

All-purpose flour, for dusting

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup turbinado sugar

Apple Pie:

2 pounds mixed apples (such as Granny Smith, Gala and McIntosh), peeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Kosher salt

Sour Cherry Pie:

2 cups drained jarred sour cherries, plus 3/4 cup juice from the jar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Pumpkin Pie:

1 1/3 cups canned pure pumpkin puree

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 large egg

Pecan Pie:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Kosher salt

3/4 cup roasted pecan halves

Directions

For the crusts: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Unroll 3 of the pie crusts on a lightly floured work surface. Stack them on top of each other. Roll out the thick, layered dough to a 15-by-21-inch rectangle. Press into a rimmed baking sheet so that the crust comes up the sides and hangs over slightly. This will be the bottom crust. Chill until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.

Use the remaining crust for the top of the pie. Unroll it on a lightly floured work surface and roll it to a 14-by-18-inch rectangle. Cut the dough in half so you have two 7-by-9-inch pieces. One half will be the top crust for the apple portion of the pie. Cut the other half into 1-inch diagonal strips to use for the lattice on the cherry pie. Place the rectangle and strips on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill until ready to use.

For the apple pie: Toss the apples in a medium bowl with the sugar and lemon juice. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, cinnamon and a pinch of salt and cook until thickened, about 1 minute more. Cool completely.

For the sour cherry pie: Place the cherries in a medium bowl. Whisk 1/4 cup cherry juice with the cornstarch in a small saucepan until completely smooth. Add the remaining cherry juice and sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy, about 30 seconds. Pour the sauce over the cherries and gently fold to combine. Cool completely.

For the pumpkin pie: Whisk together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and the egg and in a medium bowl until smooth. Set aside.

For the pecan pie: Whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, eggs and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fold in the pecans and set aside.

Once all fillings are made, begin assembling the pie. Remove both baking sheets with dough from the refrigerator.

Visualize the sheet pan is divided in half lengthwise and then crosswise so you have 4 equal quadrants. Each quadrant will hold a different pie filling. Prick the bottom crust all over with a fork.

Add the pie fillings in this order: Add the apple pie filling to the upper left quadrant of the crust; spread it to cover a 7-by-9-inch rectangle. Moving counter clockwise, pour the pumpkin filling right under the apple pie filling and spread it the same size as the apple filling. Spread out the cherry filling next to the pumpkin filling. Fill the top right empty space with the pecan filling.

Cover the apple pie quadrant with the reserved rectangle of dough. Lay the pie strips out diagonally over the cherry pie quadrant. Press any remaining strips of dough around the edge of the pie to thicken the rim. Crimp the edge of the pie, making sure to incorporate and crimp together the dough from the apple quadrant. Brush the edges and the dough on top of the pie with egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Cut decorative slits in the apple pie crust.

Bake until all pies are set and the crust on the apple pie and cherry pie is golden brown and crisp, 55 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes.

PUMPKIN FLAN WITH MAPLE CARAMEL

This yumminess comes from The Barefoot Contessa (otherwise known as Ina Garten). Serves 8 - 10; level: beginner

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

for the caramel:

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup pure Grade A maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel

for the pumpkin flan:

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

1/2 cup (4 ounces) Italian mascarpone

4 extra-large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon pure maple extract, such as Boyajian

2 teaspoons grated orange zest (2 oranges)

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the caramel, combine the sugar, maple syrup, and 1/3 cup water in a small, deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, swirling the pan (don’t stir!) to dissolve the sugar. Cook at a low boil without stirring for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture turns a golden brown and registers 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn! Off the heat, swirl in the fleur de sel, and immediately pour into an 8 × 2-inch round cake pan (not a springform!). Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, canned pumpkin, and mascarpone in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-low speed until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, maple extract, orange zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Gently pour the pumpkin mixture into the pan with the caramel so they don’t combine.

Place the pan in a roasting pan large enough to hold the cake pan flat and fill the roasting pan with enough of the hottest tap water to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 70 to 75 minutes, until the custard is just set. It will be firm but still jiggle slightly in the middle; a knife inserted into the center of the flan will come out clean. Remove the flan from the water bath, place on a cooling rack, and cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Don’t tilt the pan or the caramel will run out!

Run a small knife around the edge of the flan. Turn a flat serving plate with a slight lip over the cake pan and flip them, turning the flan out onto the plate. The caramel should run out over the flan. Cut into wedges and serve with the caramel spooned over each slice.

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CAKE

This recipe comes from Publix.

Servings: 8; Total Time: about 3 hours; Active Time: 10 minutes

To view this recipe online, click here.

Ingredients

Butter-flavor cooking spray

1 (15.25-oz) box devil's food cake mix

2 cups water, divided

2 large eggs

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 (4-oz) semisweet chocolate bar (or morsels)

1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

8 tablespoons whipped topping

Directions

Coat 4-quart slow cooker with spray. Place cake mix, 1 cup water, and eggs in large bowl; beat with hand mixer until blended. Add peanut butter; mix well and pour mixture into slow cooker.

Microwave remaining 1 cup water on HIGH for 2 minutes or until steaming. Break chocolate into pieces, if needed, then place in water and stir until melted; let stand 1 minute to cool. Pour chocolate over batter in slow cooker.

Cover and cook on LOW for 2–2 1/2 hours (or HIGH for 1 1/2–1 3/4 hours) or until toothpick inserted near center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Chop peanuts. Serve cake straight from slow cooker topped with whipped topping and peanuts.

IMPOSSIBLY EASY FRENCH APPLE PIE

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, “Create tasty apple pie with a crisp, nutty topping the impossibly easy Bisquick® mix way! There's no crust to roll.”

Ingredients

3 cups sliced peeled all-purpose apples (3 large)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs

Streusel (See Below)

Directions

Heat oven to 325ºF. Grease 9-inch pie plate.

Stir together apples, cinnamon and nutmeg; turn into pie plate. Stir remaining ingredients except Streusel until blended. Pour into pie plate. Sprinkle with Streusel.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.

Streusel

Ingredients

1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix

1/4 cup chopped nuts

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter or margarine (firm)

Directions

Stir together all ingredients until crumbly.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft):

Heat oven to 375ºF.

CHOCOLATE CHIP PUMPKIN BARS

This is from Kariely Tillman on OneGreenPlanet. Kariely wrote, “These chocolate chip pumpkin bars are perfect if you love the pumpkin and chocolate combination. It would be safe to say it runs a close second only to the peanut butter and chocolate combination. Not only do these bars have a chocolate crust, but a creamy pumpkin filling loaded with chocolate chips. And best of all … they’re healthy and super easy to make! You can have them mixed up and in the refrigerator to firm up in less than 10 minutes using only a food processor.”

These are gluten-free, with no refined sugar, an are also listed as paleo vegan and vegan. Serves 14 - 16.

To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/clean-eating-chocolate-chip-pumpkin-bars/.

Ingredients

For the Crust:

2 cups pecans

1/4 cup raw cacao powder

4 Medjool dates, pitted

1 tablespoon coconut oil

For the Bars:

1 cup pumpkin purée

1/2 cup cashew butter

1/2 cup coconut flour

4 Medjool dates, pitted

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 pinches ground cloves

1 cup vegan mini chocolate chips

Preparation

To Make the Crust:

Add all ingredients for the crust to a food processor and process until it is well blended and has a crumbly texture.

Remove and spread evenly in an 8x8-inch baking dish and press down firmly.

Set aside.

To Make the Filling:

Add the cashew butter and dates to a food processor and process until creamy and well blended.

Add the remaining ingredients (except the mini chocolate chips) to the food processor and process until well blended.

Transfer the mixture to a medium sized bowl and gently stir in the mini chocolate chips by hand.

Add the mixture on top of the crust and spread evenly.

Put it in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes, or until it becomes firm.

Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve because it will get soft and lose it's shape if left out at room temperature.

Notes:

Feel free to adjust the pumpkin spices (nutmeg, clove, vanilla) to your preference.