5 Easy Weeknight Desserts
June 27, 2012
•Le Cordon Bleu
•Sacramento
• 0 Comments
5 Easy Weeknight Desserts
Who says dessert has to be a time consuming, expensive, once-in-a-while affair? With these five ideas, you are well on your way to having a tasty, inexpensive dessert to top off any meal. Who knows, you may even be inspired to take baking classes to learn new skills and recipes!
The first dessert is a family favorite that is simple to make and wonderfully tasty. All you need is two boxes of your favorite Jell-O instant pudding mix, milk, vanilla wafers, and cool whip or whipped topping. Mix up the pudding mix with milk until firm. In a serving bowl (any shape), layer the bottom with vanilla wafers until covered. Cover the wafers with half of the pudding mix. Repeat with another layer of vanilla wafers, then the rest of the pudding mix, and then top with the cool whip or whipped topping. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. You can use any flavor of pudding, or even two flavors of pudding – you are limited only by your imagination and taste.
Another dessert that is quick and easy to make is strawberry shortcake. You can use a pound cake, or an angel food cake or even a large Bisquick-style biscuit for the base of this dessert. To make the strawberries ready for the dessert, wash and remove the stems from one to two pounds of strawberries, reserving a few whole strawberries for garnish. Place the berries in a bowl and using a biscuit cutter, chop them well. Do not strain, but add about a cup of sugar to the strawberries. Cover and refrigerate the strawberries until time to make the shortcakes.
When ready to make the shortcakes, place a slice of your choice of cake, or split the biscuit in half and place in a single serving bowl. Place a generous scoop of strawberries and juice over the top of the bottom layer. Top with whipped topping and place a whole strawberry on top for garnish and serve. Strawberries could be substituted for other berries or combined, such as strawberry-raspberry. The results are fabulous and your family will think you have been taking baking classes when they taste these wonderful treats! Enjoy!
This next cheesecake recipe is basic, and can be topped with your choice of toppings, or served plain, depending on one’s taste. The simple crust is made up of two sleeves of graham crackers, crushed, two tablespoons of sugar and 1 ½ cups of butter. Mix well, and press into a spring-form pan, coming up on the sides about 2 inches. Place in freezer to mold for about 10 minutes. While the crust is hardening, in a mixing bowl place two 8 ounce blocks of cream cheese (room temperature), a 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk ( about 1 ¼ cups), ¼ cup of lemon juice and 1 tsp of vanilla extract; Mix well until smooth. Pour into the crust, smoothing the top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Remove spring-form before serving. Serve plain, or with your choice of topping. Yummy!
This next recipe is definitely for adults only, and is very simple, yet elegant and cool. In a martini glass (or other style decorative glass), place two scoops of a fruity sorbet. Add one ounce of flavored vodka, and top with fresh lime zest. The combinations are as varied as the flavors of sorbet and vodka. Don’t be afraid to experiment to find your personal favorite! Remember, though, it is an adult delight. For children, leave off the vodka.
The last dessert is simple and tasty. You need skewers and a few various kinds of fruit, such as apples, bananas, strawberries, pineapple. Slice the fruit into bite sizes and place on skewers. Place skewers on a serving tray and drizzle with chocolate or a fruity yogurt topping. Cover and place in refrigerator for about ½ hour. Enjoy this cool and tasty dessert anytime.
Any of these desserts can be prepared in well under an hour and will not break the bank. They are tasty and varied, and can be used in many different ways, depending on one’s tastes. Enjoy any or all of them!
This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Sacramento. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Sacramento offers culinary arts and pâtisserie and baking training programs in Sacramento, California. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit Chefs.edu/Sacramento for more information.
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