Top Three "Last Minute" Desserts

Like anyone else out there, I often have situations that require a last minute dessert. If this hasn’t happened to you, don’t worry because it will at some point. You may forget a party that is coming up or have friends over with no more than an hour’s notice. But, what can you always have on hand to make. You need some back-up. Always.

Here are the top three “last minute” desserts that you always should have the ingredients for. Just in case something comes up- and it will!

Top 3 Must-Have Desserts on Prezi

Pumpkin Chip Cookies

I happened to randomly get a can of pumpkin filling the other day and remembered a recipe my mom told me about last fall that I hadn’t tried yet. This is the wrong time of year for autumn baking recipes, but I couldn’t just let this pumpkin go to waste. Even though spring fever would be more appropriate for this time of year, this yummy pumpkin cookie recipe was worth it! J

1 and 1/2 cup butter softened
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup sugar
15 oz can pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
2 cups quick oats
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Cream butter and both sugars together
Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla
Combine flour, oats, soda, cinnamon and salt
Add gradually to sugar mixture
Stir in chocolate chips
Drop by spoonful on ungreased cookie sheet
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or till lightly brown

Whatever time of year, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies sounds delicious! Enjoy! :)

Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate

You can never ever have enough chocolate. I doubt a more wonderful taste exists in this wide world. Dark, white, milk. It’s all great!

Whenever I am bored, the first thing I look for in my kitchen to eat is chocolate. Recently, I have used this recipe for a chocolate topping for many dessert options. I have to give credit to the Steuerwald family for this recipe. Although I have discovered a few other similar recipes, this is by far the best I’ve made so far.  

Chocolate Fudge Sauce

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons margarine

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips

Mix. Melt(but do not boil). Enjoy. J

This delectable chocolate fudge sauce can be used on ice cream, cake, brownies, pudding, fruits, or any other dessert option involving chocolate you can think of.

Cupcake = Little Piece of Heaven

One of the first posts that I have planned on doing is about my recent obsession with cupcakes! However, I know nearly nothing about this delicious, wonderfully-sized dessert. So, for an answer to my questions, I was honored to have an interview with Tina Horneck. I found her to be quite an expert on the topic! J

The first cupcakes that Tina decorated were for a baby shower in October 2010, although she has been making various delicious desserts for years. She described cupcakes as ‘the perfect dessert’ – an opinion that I share, also. Over the past year and a half Tina has made various designs for baby showers, bridal showers, birthdays, holidays, and everything in between.

When I asked Tina what major components one would need to know about cupcakes, she summarized basic knowledge of cupcake making into the following two points:

1. Moisture in the cupcake is vital. A tip she gave is to make the cakes ahead of time, wrap, and freeze them until they are ready to be served so they conserve moister.
2. Four basic frostings are used for cupcake decorating. Each of these frosting is used for a different design.

·         Whipped – a light frosting made of cream and sugar

·         Buttercream – thicker frosting used for support designs

·         Royal – dries stiff and can be used for the creation of stick designs

·         Ganache – both used as filling or icing

In the future, Tina will be busy with more cake/cupcake decorating as she is planning to make the cupcakes for her brother and future sister-in-law’s wedding this summer. The theme of this design is Christmas in July. Can’t wait to see how she pulls this cupcake extravaganza off! J   

Confectionery, Corner ...Crepe!

The very first post on my very first blog - and I have had a lot of trouble deciding just what to do first. The first post could shape the entire personality of my blog. This is a  huge decision, but after much contemplation, I finally have settled on what I hope will be a hit-Crepes!

 

This recipe was one of the first that my sister and I tried as teenagers and every so often, I return to it with a new twist. The possibilities with this recipe are endless!

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

2 eggs

½ cup milk

½ cup water

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter (melted)

Simply whisk the ingredients, add to a griddle pan with slightly heated oil, and cook a ¼ cup of the batter for 2 minutes or until golden brown.

Now, here is where the real fun begins! Remember, I said the possibilities are endless… One of the most loved options is cream cheese, strawberries, and powdered sugar. But, what about peanut butter with bananas? Or any other type of fruit, jam, or syrup? Instead you could add Nutella, an ever-loved ingredient in my house! Really, you could do anything you like with this simple breakfast, lunch, or dinner recipe! Be creative! J