Desserts

There are cooks and then there are bakers. It is rare to find someone who is genuinely good at both. I am considered a cook but I do occasionally dabble in desserts. It is not my strong suit but here are a few ideas to get you started.

Easy As Pie

When I was in college I started making desserts with ready-made crusts like graham cracker and chocolate cookie crusts. These are very basic recipes and some of the ingredients are not the healthiest but, hey, it’s dessert. And, if you have never made anything before, successfully producing an attractive and delicious dessert will give you the confidence to try harder stuff later on. So here are some entry level pies:

Chocolate pie

1 chocolate cookie crust

1 box instant chocolate pudding

1 container ready made whipped cream

Chocolate chips or chocolate shavings for garnish

Make a box of instant chocolate pudding and mix with an equal amount of a whipped cream topping.
Pour the combination into a chocolate cookie crust.
Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour until it sets.
Before serving top with more whipped cream and garnish with shavings from a chocolate bar (use a vegetable peeler or grater) or chocolate chips.

Oreo pie

1 chocolate cookie crust

1½ cups oreo ice cream

1½ cups ready made whipped cream

Oreo cookies

Leave oreo ice cream in the refrigerator for an hour and then mix with an equal amount of whippped cream topping.
Pour the combination into a chocolate cookie crust.
Chill in the freezer for at least an hour.
Before serving top with more whipped cream and garnish with oreo cookies and cookie crumbs.

Fruit tart

1 graham cracker crust

Jam or preserves (any flavor)

1 package instant vanilla pudding

Spread a layer of fruity jam over the bottom of a graham cracker crust.
Prepare instant vanilla pudding and pour it on top of jam.
Let it set in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Before serving top with fresh fruit and garnish with whipped cream.

Banana Cream pie

1 graham cracker crust

2-to-3 bananas

1 package instant banana pudding

Ready made whipped cream

Chopped nuts

Line the bottom of a graham cracker crust with a layer of sliced bananas.
Mix instant banana pudding with an equal amount of whipped cream topping.
Pour mixture into a graham cracker crust and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Before serving top with more whipped cream and sliced bananas.
Sprinkle some chopped nuts on top for color.

*Note: If you are not going to serve your pie the same day, cover it using the inside liner of the ready-made crust. Flip it upside down and it makes the perfect lid.

Fruit Cobbler

There are lots of recipes for cobbler but it gets its name from the fact that the crispy topping is “cobbled” together like decorative tiles. I make this in late summer when Maine’s fresh blueberries are in season. You can use any fruit you like but go easy on the strawberries because they contain a lot of moisture and will make your cobbler too soupy.

1 Tablespoon butter

4 cups fruit in season (berries, peaches, apples, pears, rhubarb or any combination)

Juice of half a lemon

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup flour

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 stick unsalted butter cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter a 9x13 inch pyrex dish or baking pan. (Adjust recipe if pan size is different).
Mix fresh fruit with lemon juice and pour into baking dish.
In a mixing bowl combine brown sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and butter.
With a fork mash butter into flour and sugar until all flour is moistened.
When combined shape clumps into small “tiles” and place them side by side across the fruit
Bake for about 20 minutes or until cobbler is golden and fruit is bubbly.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Reese's Sundaes

(Serves as many as you want)

Vanilla or Chocolate ice cream

Peanut butter

Hot fudge sauce

Whipped cream

It’s a hot fudge sundae with peanut butter added.

Heat up your peanut butter and hot fudge either in the microwave or put the jar in a pot with a couple inches of hot water and bring to a simmer.
Make sure you have a pot holder or kitchen towel on hand when you pull it out because it will be hot.
Scoop ice cream into a bowl or cup.
Pour or scoop about 2 Tablespoons each of peanut butter and hot fudge onto ice cream.
Top with whipped cream.

A few more thoughts on easy beginner desserts:

Make Rice Krispy treats with M&M’s (recipe on the cereal box)

Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies (recipe on the bag of chips)

Quaker Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (on the round oatmeal box)

Greek Rice Pudding

(This one doesn't fit into the beginner category. It is something I make today. An inexpensive dessert that is the ultimate comfort food. It is not hard but it is time consuming)

(Serves 6-to-8)

6 cups milk

1 cup sugar

4 Tablespoons butter

1 cinnamon stick

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup white rice (not instant)

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Cinnamon and/or whipped cream for garnish

Combine milk, sugar, butter, cinnamon stick and salt in a large saucepan.
Bring to a boil.
Add rice and bring back to a boil briefly and then reduce heat to a low simmer.
Cover and cook for one hour, but come back every 10 minutes or so to give it a stir.
After an hour remove the cinnamon stick.
Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add vanilla and lemon zest.
Pour eggs into milk and rice, stir until combined and then turn off heat. (The eggs will cook slowly and thicken the pudding)
Pour into a large serving dish or individual bowls and chill.
Top with a little grated cinnamon or whip cream (or both) to serve.