Tag: dessert

Six No Bake Desserts Worth Trying

As summer’s end is approaching and you find that the heat isn’t departing any time soon, there’s no better dessert than one that doesn’t require you to sire up the oven. SeriousEats released a recipe collection of over a dozen no-bake desserts that are a perfect answer to the sun’s scorching rays and your sweet-craving taste buds. With this compilation ranging from a fruit mousse that only takes but five minutes to prepare to a chocolate cake that can be easily made in a microwave, you shouldn’t have to break a sweat- in the kitchen at least!

Ultimate Strawberry Popsicles

This recipe has “ultimate” in its title for a reason; it’s a grand collection of all of the sweet tanginess that comes when biting into a strawberry-laden dish and its many forms of delivery. These popsicles are made possible by combining fresh strawberries, strawberry jam, and freeze-dried strawberry powder in a blender. While the preparation is easy, the toughest part will have to be waiting for this fruity mixture to freeze, so you’re free to keep yourself busy with errands or chores in between your freezer-checks.

Microwave Rocky Road Sponge Cakes No-Bake Dessert

While some may be adverse to a microwaved cake upon hearing it mentioned, once tasted, it’s quite difficult to object to its taste and impossible to find fault with its low-maintenance prep or convenience of cooking time. This mug-filling sponge cake is made with finely-whipped egg whites, sugar, flour, chocolate, walnuts, bourbon, and a few other pieces; an added treat of mini marshmallows are a fine suggestion to add to your batter, for instance, giving the the familiar flavor of rocky road a lightness to the texture and compliment to the flavor profile.

30-Minute Philadelphia-Style Ice Cream

When making ice cream from home, it’s a great idea to look to the north for inspiration, specifically New England’s Philadelphian tradition of eggless ice cream production. Because of the lack of eggs, this ice cream retains a lightness and fluffy texture that’s oft-lost with traditional homemade ice cream batches, though it turns “icy” fast, so plan this meal ahead of time on a day you know that the batch will be gone by nightfall.

Easy No-Bake Cheesecake

Cheesecake is the one item on a menu that the accomplished baker hopes to perfect, and with this unique recipe, there’s no baking involved. This basic collection and combination of ingredients uses a subtle, sweet cream cheese filling alongside heavy cream, salt, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. While a traditional cheesecake can be partially-achieved in texture and style with the graham cracker crust, the SeriousEats team invites you to prepare an aromatic Biscoff cracker crust.

Light and Easy 5-Minute Fruit Mousse No-Bake Dessert

This recipe is simplicity defined, due to it only taking five minutes to prepare. All the kitchen check needs to do is whip up the (non-expired) frozen fruit that lines the back of any resourceful chef’s freezer along with fruit, sugar, and egg whites in a food processor until it’s all smooth and fluffy in appearance and texture, and it’s made especially great when utilizing the raspberries that often go un-utilized in frozen form.

Homemade Star Crunch No-Bake Dessert

Give the petite girl named Debra a run for her money with this texture-rich callback to a simpler time. This is one chocolatey, crunchy, stovetop delight that will satisfy your craving for a cookie without you having to start preheating your oven. Begin with a simple caramel made with sugar and water, slowly adding in chilled cream and simmer it briefly on the stovetop. After the mixture has cooled, you’ll add in a hefty handful of chopped milk chocolate to give the cookie its fudge-like quality and Rice Crispies to give it that spacious, yet hollow texture that many recall from a childhood bagged lunch. While the recipe lessens from there with only flattening and portioning remaining, the hardest part will be waiting for this quasi-batter to set completely without the interruption of a stealing spoon.

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Top Five Dessert Recipes

Almost everyone loves desserts, whether it’s ice cream, cookies, or cake. So, when Taste of Home shared their most liked, most shared, and highest-rated dessert recipes, we knew we had to share it here too!

“Awesome, delicious, and so easy to make. I took it to a Christmas party and they had a contest for the best dessert. I won! Everyone loved it!!”  – Estelle

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°.

Line a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate or cast-iron skillet with the pastry. Then, trim and flute the edges.

Next, beat cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg, and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth. Spread into pastry shell and sprinkle with pecans.

Whisk remaining eggs in a small bowl, then gradually whisk in caramel topping until egg and caramel are blended. Slowly pour mixture over pecans.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Once finished cooking, cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight before slicing. Garnish with additional caramel ice cream topping.

“This has turned into a family favorite, especially with the grandkids. Easy to make!!” – Cheryl Green

Directions:

Let cookie dough stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften. Press into an ungreased 13×9-inch baking pan and bake at 350° until golden brown, about 14-16 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Beat cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Fold in 1-3/4 cups whipped topping. Spread over crust.

Whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes in a large bowl. Spread mixture over the cream cheese layer. Top with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate curls if desired.

Cover and refrigerate until firm, 8 hours or overnight.

“Delicious! A light, sandy cookie. I like the addition of the cherries. Would make again!” – Sue Falk

Directions

Cream butter and confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Flour and cornstarch gradually, beating until well blended.

Dust hands lightly with additional cornstarch and roll dough into 1-in. balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Press lightly with a floured fork. Top with nonpareils or cherry halves.

Bake at 300° for 20-22 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

“Every time I make these delicious banana bars, they get gobbled up so fast! A great way to use use up ripe bananas and have a great desert. I always half the amount of frosting because it makes so much.” – Laurie Par

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt and stir into creamed mixture just until blended.

Transfer to a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter in a small bowl until fluffy. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Frost bars.

“The family loved getting more of their favorite part, the filling! Total hit!” – Kim

Directions:

Pulse cannoli shells in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Add sugar, cracker crumbs and melted butter and pulse just until combined. Press onto bottom and sides of a greased 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Beat the first four filling ingredients until blended. Then, beat in ricotta cheese and extracts. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread into crust.

Refrigerate, covered, until set, about 4 hours. If desired, top with pistachios.

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Best Bread Pudding in New Orleans

 

  1. Commander’s Palace

Commander’s Palace, nestled in the middle of the tree-lined Garden District, has been a New Orleans landmark since 1893. Known for the award-winning quality of its food and its convivial atmosphere, the history of this famous restaurant offers a glimpse into New Orleans’ storied past and has been the go-to destination for Haute Creole cuisine and whimsical Louisiana charm. The winner of six James Beard Foundation Awards, Commander’s Palace has evolved into a culinary legend.

When Ella, Dottie, Dick and John Brennan took over personal supervision of the restaurant in 1974, they began to give the splendid old landmark a new look both inside and out including painting the outside the iconic “Commander’s Blue.”

Now under the watchful eye of co-proprietors Ti Adelaide Martin and Lally Brennan, the Brennan family’s dedication to perfection has never wavered. A steady parade of renowned chefs like Emeril Lagasse, Paul Prudhomme, Jamie Shannon, and now Tory McPhail have made Commander’s Palace the world-class restaurant what it is today and its leading-edge Haute Creole cuisine reflects the best of the city.

 

  1. Boucherie

When southern Louisiana was still new, the tradition of a Boucherie must have been as ritual to the first Cajun peoples as Mardi Gras and Jazz fest are to us now.

Communities would gather at the beginning of the more difficult times of year to help one another complete their seasonal stores born out of the feast made possible by the whole of the people gathered. Each family that took part in a Boucherie would take home a portion of the hogs slaughtered during the celebration, and every community that held one did so in turn; ensuring that the rotation of the pigs that made up the celebration could last through the winter.

Today, as in the past, Boucheries are both performed as traditional intimate family affairs, as well as being the basis for huge festivals and celebrations throughout southern Louisiana.

 

  1. Red Fish Grill

This vibrant, seafood-centric, polished-casual landmark anchors the first block of Bourbon Street and delivers innovative twists on casual New Orleans seafood. The lively décor, expansive bar, and laid-back vibe beckons both the young and young at heart.

 

  1. Gumbo Shop

This New Orleans institution has won the Best Gumbo category in the Best of New Orleans poll every year since 1999. Instead of a house gumbo, this restaurant offers seafood, okra and chicken-andouille versions of this indigenous soup as well as file gumbo with chicken. They are offered as sides or starters for a full menu of Creole cuisine served at the restaurant or in a variety of sizes to take home for dinner or a party. And the Gumbo Shop’s roux always comes out right.

 

  1. Lil Dizzy’s Cafe

At Lil’ Dizzy’s, producing great fried chicken is a matter of historical pride.Owner Wayne Baquet learned the restaurant trade from his father Eddie, namesake of the legendary 7th Ward restaurant Eddie’s, who got into the business in the 1940s working at Paul Gross Chicken Coop with his aunt, Ada Baquet Gross. Lil’ Dizzy’s is the only Baquet-owned restaurant still going, and Wayne is serious about doing the Creole-Soul tradition proud.

 

  1. Mother’s Restaurant

Mother’s Restaurant opened its doors in 1938 on Poydras Street’s “Restaurant Row”, situated between a thriving waterfront and the courthouse. Owners Simon and Mary (Mother) Landry and his large family cooked up po’ boys for lines of longshoremen and laborers, newspapermen and attorneys. During and after World War II, Mother’s became a local hang-out for “the few and the proud” – the U.S. Marine Corps. The Marine spirit was in the family – five of the seven Landry children (five sons and two daughters) joined the Marine Corps. Francis Landry was the first woman in Louisiana to be accepted into the Corps. This special association with the Marines earned Mother’s the title of “TUN Tavern New Orleans” in the late ’60s. The original TUN tavern was the official birthplace of the Marines during the Revolutionary War.  Mother’s is not just a part of this great American tradition, but also stands as a uniquely New Orleans institution. The likes of other family-owned local businesses such as D.H. Holmes Department Stores, K&B Drug Stores, MacKenzie’s Bakery, and Werlein’s Music have all departed from the landscape, while Mother’s Restaurant has not only remained almost exactly the same, but has flourished.

  1.     Bon Ton Cafe

Originally opened in the early 1900’s, it has long been a favorite of local dining connoisseurs. After a brief recess, Al and Alzina Pierce came to New Orleans in the early 1950’s from their home along the bayous of South Louisiana and reopened the Bon Ton. With them came recipes that their families had created while living deep in the Cajun country of Lafourche and Terrebonne Parishes.

 

  1. Muriel’s Jackson Square

While dining at Muriel’s Jackson Square, you’ll be enveloped by the rich history of the Vieux Carre while celebrating the life of today. Indulge in the spirits of our Courtyard Bar while Sir Antoine and the spirits of yesteryear dine alongside of you. Embrace the historical ambience, feel the energy, and taste the love in every bite as the flavors dance on your palate while you discover a local treasure. Today you can find locals socializing just as they first did when our city was built. Within Muriel’s historic walls, the city of New Orleans was built by citizens that passed through. Today that savor for life can be experienced by our patrons in the award-winning contemporary Creole cuisine we serve.

 

  1. Mr. B’s Bistro

Mr. B’s is one of the brightest stars in the New Orleans restaurant scene. Nestled in the heart of the French Quarter, Mr. B’s Bistro is located at the corner of Royal and Iberville Streets. Cindy Brennan and her famous restaurant family opened Mr. B’s in 1979 and it has become a true French quarter fixture famous for deft cooking of regional specialties in a casual bistro setting.

 

  1. K-Paul’s

In 1979, when Chef Paul Prudhomme and his late wife, K, opened their “modest”, 62-seat K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen on Chartres Street in the historic French Quarter of New Orleans, they had no idea the restaurant was soon to become a sensation, with nightly lines of eager diners waiting sometimes hours to be seated. That was back in the days when K-Paul’s didn’t accept reservations or credit cards! But now, under the hands-on direction of Chef Paul the restaurant has flourished.

 

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