Here is a delicious dessert for your next simple celebration. Most of the steps can be prepared in advance. Dark chocolate and cherries – yes please!
Dark Chocolate and Cherry Bread Pudding
Equipment
- 8 - 3/4 cup ramekins
Ingredients
- butter for greasing ramekins
- 4 croissants
- 4 ounces dark chocolate broken into pieces
- 1/4 cup pecans toasted and chopped
- 1 cup dark, pitted, sweet cherries - defrosted drain very well and chop
- 1 ¾ cup whole milk
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ⅔ Tbsp sugar
- 1 ¼ cup cream
Instructions
- Butter each ramekin.
- For each ramekin, tear half a croissant into large pieces and put in cup.
- Add chocolate and sprinkle with nuts.
- Distribute cherries among ramekins.
Custard
- Whisk milk, eggs, vanilla, sugar and cream. Refrigerate until 1 hour before using.
- Pour custard over prepared ramekins.
- Put ramekins in a glass baking dish with hot water halfway up the dish.
- Bake in a 325° oven for 40 minutes, until set. Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving,
- Turn oven to broil and cook about 2 minutes, until browned.
Notes
To make ahead, prepare ramekins with croissants, chocolate and nuts and set aside. Prepare custard and cherries and refrigerate until ready to use.
Vicki’s sister, Kristal, told us about this cake recipe from WWII which doesn’t use eggs or butter. It seemed like a good time to give it a try since these days our groceries are running low.
Dairy Free Dark Chocolate Cake
Servings 9
Calories 259kcal
Equipment
- 8 inch square glass cake pan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 Tbsp Special Dark cocoa powder
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla or vanilla bean paste
- 6 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- fresh berries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Mix all the dry ingredients in a non-greased 8 inch glass cake pan.
- Make 3 wells in the dry ingredients with the back of a tablespoon.
- Put the vinegar, vanilla, and vegetable oil in each of the 3 wells. Pour water over ingredients.
- Mix all ingredients until everything is well combined.
- Bake for 26-28 minutes.
- Cool completely.
- Sift powder sugar on top of cake and top with fresh berries.
Notes
Any berries you have on hand would work great. Placing a scoop of ice cream next to the cake makes it extra special!!
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Sweeten up your dinner with these tasty mini cheesecakes. Put them together early in the day of your simple celebration or the day before.
Mini Pomegranate Cheesecakes
Servings 6
Calories 400kcal
Ingredients
- 6 round shortbread cookies
- 8 oz. low-fat ricotta cheese
- 8 oz. low-fat cream cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1/2 tsp lime zest
- 2/3 cup pomegranate seeds we found these at Trader Joe's
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Place one shortbread cookie in the base of 6 ramekins (5 oz size).
- In a food processor, add the ricotta, cream cheese, eggs, sugar, lime juice and zest. Process until the mixture is smooth and put into a bowl.
- Stir in the pomegranate seeds.
- Fill each ramekin 3/4 full (place a few seeds on top of each dish). Bake for 20-25 minutes.
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This make-ahead ice cream dessert is a fabulous dish that feeds a crowd!
Ice Cream Sundae Cake
Servings 30
Calories 292kcal
Ingredients
- 24 ice cream sandwiches
- 1 container 16 ounce whipped topping
- 1 jar 12 ounce fudge ice cream topping
- 1 jar 12 ounce caramel ice cream topping
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts optional
- Cocoa powder for dusting
Instructions
- Place 12 (or as many that fit) ice cream sandwiches on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Top with 1/3 of the container of whipped topping.
- Next top with 1/2 jar of caramel and fudge toppings.
- Add remaining ice cream sandwiches.
- Top with 1/3 more of the whipped topping and remaining caramel and fudge.
- Put in the freezer to set for about an hour.
- Top with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle with nuts (if using) and dust with cocoa powder.
- Put in freezer for 2-3 hours before serving.
Notes
Leftovers? Just put back in the freezer (lasts a few months) and re-serve.
We absolutely love the cookie crust in this recipe – you could eat it all by itself! This is one of those recipes that can be changed according to the flavors you like best. Substitute the blueberry spread for raspberry or strawberry. On vacations or even in your home town, keep your eyes out for unique spreads, jams, chutneys, etc., they are great to have on hand!
Blueberry Squares
Servings 9
Ingredients
Cookie Crust
- 3/4 + 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 stick chilled unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- 1 tsp lemon rind
- 1 tsp ice water if necessary
Cheesecake filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 egg slightly beaten
- 1/2 cup blueberry jam or spread
Instructions
Cookie Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a 8″ x 8″ pan.
- Place flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse.
- Add butter and lemon rind and process until the dough begins to form a ball, adding ice water if necessary.
- Press dough evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until crust is lightly golden, about 20 minutes.
- Let cool for 30 minutes.
Cheesecake filling
- While crust is cooling, prepare the filling.
- Mix softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until well blended.
- Add the egg and mix until incorporated.
- Pour cheesecake filling evenly over the cooled crust.
- Spoon spread or jam randomly on top of the filling and swirl with a knife.
- Bake for approximately 35-45 minutes, or until center is set.
- Allow to cool in pan, cut and serve.
The Simple Celebration prides itself on simple recipes, which this is, it just has many ingredients. If you are an apple cake fan, give this a try … it’s worth the effort!
Apple Cornmeal Cake
Servings 10
Equipment
- 10 inch springform pan
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup + 1 ½ Tbsp unsalted butter cubed at room temp
- 3/4 cup + 3 Tbsp sugar + 1 Tbsp for topping
- 2 eggs
- 4 ½ Tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp vanilla
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ cup flour
- 3/4 cup cornmeal
- 2 ¼ tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon + 2 tsp for topping
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp low fat plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup cream cheese low fat ok
- 2 granny smith apples peeled and thinly sliced
- powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and place rack in middle.
- Spray a 10" springform pan with cooking spray.
- In a mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Add one egg at a time beating after each addition.
- With mixer running on low speed, add vegetable oil, maple syrup and vanilla.
- Add salt, flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, yogurt and cream cheese and incorporate until smooth (it will be thick). Pour batter into pan.
- Lay apple slices in a pattern on top of batter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
- Bake for 1 ¼ hours or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool for 5 minutes and remove side of pan.
- Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
Keeps at room temperature for two days or freeze.
This recipe is reminiscent of the classic chocolate and coconut flavors of Mounds and Almond Joy bars. It can be made with or without almonds because as the saying goes, “Sometimes you feel like a nut … Sometimes you don’t.” Which bar was your favorite?
Mounds bars were introduced in 1920 by Peter Paul in New Haven, Connecticut, and quickly became a best seller. Though Peter Paul made other bars over the years, the only two that remain are Mounds and the sister milk chocolate and nut bar, Almond Joy, which was introduced in 1946. In 1978 Peter Paul merged with Cadbury and then in 1988 Cadbury sold it off to Hershey’s, who continues the production today keeping the Peter Paul name on the product.
The original slogan, “Indescribably Delicious,” was created when Mounds ran a contest to come up with the best two words to sell a candy. Leon Weiss, the person who came up with the slogan, won $10, while Mounds went on to use the slogan in advertising and on the wrappers, still continuing today.
Serve this “grown-up” dessert at your next get together!
Delectable Coconut and Dark Chocolate Tarts
Servings 8
Equipment
- 8 - 6 oz. ramekins
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut usually in the organic section
- 1 ¼ cup heavy cream
- 10 ounces quality dark chocolate 72% cacao, chopped
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds optional
- raspberries or blackberries for garnish
Instructions
Coconut Shell
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Place egg whites, sugar, and coconut in a bowl and mix.
- Place 8 (6 oz. capacity) ramekins on a cookie sheet.
- Put a little more than 1/4 cup of coconut mixture in each ramekin.
- Either using the back of a spoon or dampened fingers, push coconut up the sides and bottom of ramekin, forming a shell.
- Bake in the oven for about 10 - 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Chocolate Filling
- In a saucepan over medium heat, cook cream until it almost comes to a boil. Take off heat and add chocolate.
- Stir until chocolate has melted (if using almonds, add after chocolate has melted).
Assembly
- Pour chocolate into the tart shells. Place in the freezer for about 15 minutes until chocolate sets.
- Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Top with fresh berries.
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The wonderfully warm flavors of apples, raisins, and walnuts in this recipe will definitely have you thinking about Fall. This cake is extremely moist – serve it along with some vanilla beach ice cream and you have the perfect dessert! Leftovers? No problem. Freeze leftovers and when you want to serve them, just remove from the freezer and let come to room temperature.
Apple Cake Loaded with Goodies
Servings 16
Equipment
- 9" springform pan
Ingredients
- 2 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and medium-diced
- 1 ¾ cup sugar
- 3/4 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
- 2 ½ cup flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 cup + 1 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- In a large bowl, stir together the apples, sugar, raisins and walnuts.
- Place a sifter over the bowl and add flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sift into bowl and stir all ingredients with a wooden spoon.
- Add beaten eggs and melted butter and stir.
- Spray a 9" springform pan with cooking spray and spoon in batter.
- Bake for 60 minutes or until cake feels firm to the touch.
- Place on a cooling rack and after 5 minutes remove sides of pan.
- Dust with powdered sugar just prior to serving.
Notes
Serve with vanilla bean ice cream and enjoy!
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The recipe for this non-pictured coconut cake comes courtesy of Vicki’s friend Paula from Australia who is Italian, married to a man named John, who is Greek, and this is his family’s recipe.
Greek Coconut Cake
Servings 12
Ingredients
Cake
- 4 ounces unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 eggs well beaten
- 2 cups flaked coconut
- 1 cup self-rising flour sifted
Syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- water sightly less than 1 cup
- 4 thin strips of lemon rind
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and beat until combined.
- Fold in coconut and flour, mix well.
- Spread mixture into a greased 8-inch springform pan.
- Place in oven for 10-15 minutes, until top is golden brown, reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake an additional 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cake rest for 5 minutes.
Syrup (make this when cake comes out of the oven)
- Place all ingredients in a saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Then increase heat and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove lemon.
- Place cake on aluminum foil and pour syrup on top.
- You may want to poke some thin holes (with a long toothpick) into the cake so the syrup is absorbed easier.
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We are sure your family and friends will love this simple dessert – give it a try!
Tiramisú
Servings 8
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp instant espresso powder such as Café Bustelo
- 3 Tbsp boiling water
- 1 1/2 cups cold water
- 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 packages 3 ounces each of soft ladyfingers usually found in the bakery section
- 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate such as Perugina or Godiva
- unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Place the coffee and boiling water in a heat-proof bowl. Stir to combine then add cold water. Set the bowl aside.
- Using your electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, heavy cream, and sugar until fluffy.
- In a 1 1/2 to 2-quart glass bowl (7 or 8-inch diameter), spread 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture on the bottom.
- Dip 1/3 of the ladyfingers (one at a time and very quickly) in the espresso mixture and place them single file on top of the cheese.
- Then place 1/3 of the remaining cheese mixture on top of the ladyfingers and smooth.
- Using a vegetable peeler, shave chocolate on top the cheese.
- Repeat each layer two more times, finishing with cheese mixture and shaved chocolate.
- When you serve the tiramisú, dust it with the unsweetened cocoa powder.
