Desserts

What's your favorite part of your meals? If you're like many of us, it's dessert. Yum! Today's offerings include Mississippi Mud Pie and Brigadeiros. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE PUDDING WITH RASPBERRY CREAM

This comes from Yossy Arefi on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Yossy wrote, "This rich, creamy chocolate pudding is a comforting dessert for two that comes together in no time at all. Use Dutch-process cocoa powder for the richest chocolate flavor, but natural cocoa will work too, if that’s what you keep around. This pudding is also easy to dress up for any occasion. Raspberry cream and a handful of fresh raspberries adorn this version, but you could also top with a dollop of whipped cream or crème fraîche."

Yield: 2 servings; Time: 25 minutes, plus chilling

You can view this online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021898-chocolate-pudding-with-raspberry-cream.

Ingredients

1 cup whole milk

1 large egg yolk

5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

5 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Pinch of kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup fresh raspberries

1/3 cup heavy cream

Preparation

Add the milk and egg yolk to a measuring cup. Whisk to combine.

Add 5 tablespoons sugar, the cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt to a medium saucepan, and whisk to combine, breaking up any lumps. Whisk the milk and egg yolk mixture into the sugar mixture until smooth.

Set the pan over medium-low heat and cook the mixture until it thickens and starts to bubble, stirring the mixture constantly with a rubber spatula and making sure to scrape the corners and bottom of the pan. Once it bubbles, cook for an additional minute until thick and creamy, taking extra care to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan to avoid scorching the mixture, 6 to 8 minutes total. If you do get a few small lumps, whisk the mixture vigorously for a few seconds to smooth them. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Spoon the pudding into two small serving bowls or glasses, and press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of each pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Chill for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

When you are ready to serve the pudding, make the raspberry cream: Combine 1/2 teaspoon sugar with about 4 raspberries in a small bowl. Mash them together with a fork and macerate. In a medium bowl, whisk the cream with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to medium peaks. Dollop the mashed raspberries over the top of the whipped cream and fold a few times. (The mixture should be streaky.)

Top the pudding with the remaining raspberries and a dollop of the whipped cream. Serve immediately.

WORLD'S BEST CHOCOLATE PIE

This is from Diana Rattray at The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "This pie is made extra tasty with baker's chocolate and homemade whipped cream topping."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 14 minutes; Total Time: 34 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/worlds-best-chocolate-pie-3053489.

Ingredients

Pie:

1 (9-inch) prepared graham cracker pie shell

1 cup of sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons flour (all-purpose)

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups of milk

3 egg yolks (slightly beaten)

4 (1-ounce) squares Baker’s unsweetened chocolate

2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)

2 teaspoons vanilla

Topping:

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon Hershey’s cocoa

Directions

Blend the sugar, cornstarch, flour, salt, and 1 cup of milk together with a wire whisk.

Whisk in the remaining 2 cups of milk.

Cook over medium heat for 8 to 9 minutes, until the mixture thickens, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and whisk in the egg yolks.

Return to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes more.

Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate squares, butter, and the vanilla. Stir until smooth and all the chocolate is melted.

Cool for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour into graham cracker pie and shell refrigerate for 4 hours.

For the topping, beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form.

Add the sugar slowly and beat until stiff peaks form.

Spread onto the cooled pie.

Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of Hershey’s cocoa and serve.

SWEET AND TANGY LEMONADE PIE

This is from Linda Larsen on The Spruce Eats. She wrote, " Ice cream pies are the perfect dessert for any summer meal. They are super simple to make, easy to serve, and fun to eat.

"Try substituting different fruit juice concentrates in this delicious, super easy three-ingredient recipe. I like putting the lemony ice cream mixture into a chocolate or gingersnap cookie crust for a nice flavor contrast.

"You could also make this recipe into little tartlets by spooning the ice cream mixture into small tartlet shells. If you don't like crumb crusts, make a pastry crust, bake it, let it cool completely, then fill with the ice cream mixture.

"This recipe can also be changed by adding more ingredients. Some finely chopped dark or white chocolate would be delicious. Add chopped fresh or frozen fruit, or top the pie with whipped cream or, for a flavor contrast, some hot fudge sauce. Use your imagination and enjoy making tons of ice cream pies all summer long."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Freeze Time: 4 hours; Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/lemonade-pie-483231.

Ingredients

6 cups vanilla ice cream (or lemon ice cream, softened)

1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate (thawed)

1 9" graham cracker crust (either homemade or purchased)

Directions

If you're making your own graham cracker crust, make it in a nine-inch pan. If you're buying a crust, buy the 9-ounce size that is labeled "two extra servings". Otherwise, there will be too much filling for the crust.

In a medium bowl, mix the ice cream and lemonade concentrate with a hand mixer until blended.

Immediately spoon the ice cream mixture into the graham cracker crust.

Freeze at least four hours until firm.

Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting to make serving easier.

BRIGADEIROS

This is from Natalia Pereira (and adapted by Tejal Rao) on The New York Times cooking site. Tejal wrote, "The Brazilian sweets known as brigadeiros are a classic treat at birthday parties and family get-togethers, where the fudgy, chocolate-milk caramels are often rolled in sprinkles. The chef Natalia Pereira of Woodspoon in Los Angeles also makes more grownup, bittersweet brigadeiros by rolling them in cocoa powder or shredded coconut. Try her recipe, which she learned from her mother in Minas Gerais, Brazil, using either canned condensed milk or a homemade version. Either way, the candies will be tender and delicious."

Yield: About 24 pieces; Time: 1-1/2 hours, plus cooling

This was featured in "A Brazilian Treat for Home Cooks in a Hurry" (in The New York Times Magazine on February 21, 2021), and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021918-brigadeiros.

Note: I originally read the article that this was featured in back in February, and reread it again when I was looking at this online. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend doing so.

Ingredients

For the Sweetened Condensed Milk (optional):

5 cups whole milk

1 cup granulated sugar

For the Brigadeiros:

2 teaspoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing your hands

1-3/4 cups homemade sweetened condensed milk or 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

5 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted

Pinch of flaky sea salt

1 cup chocolate or rainbow sprinkles

Preparation

If using store-bought condensed milk, skip to Step 2. If making the sweetened condensed milk from scratch, add the milk and sugar to a large saucepan. Heat over medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally and scraping the sides and bottom of the pan with a spatula, for about 30 to 40 minutes. When the milk reduces to about 1 3/4 cups, thickens to a syrup texture and turns slightly yellow, it is ready.

Prepare the brigadeiros: Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over low heat. Add the condensed milk, cocoa powder and salt, and whisk until no trace of cocoa remains, about 5 minutes.

Turn the heat up to medium, and use a heatproof spatula to stir the mixture constantly until it becomes thick and shiny and pulls away from the bottom of the pan as a mass when you drag the spatula across it, about 7 minutes. If you’re not sure the mixture is ready, take 1/2 teaspoon of it and run it under cold water. When it’s cool enough to touch, squish it with your fingers — it should be the texture of a soft and fudgy caramel.

Scrape all of the mixture onto a piece of parchment paper, and let it cool down until it’s easy to handle, about 30 minutes. Lightly butter your hands, and use them to shape a scant tablespoon of the mixture into a ball or rough cube, then roll it in the sprinkles. Place each one on a paper wrapper, if you like. The brigadeiros will keep in the fridge for 1 week, or in the freezer for 1 month. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

FRESH FRUIT YOGURT POPS

This comes from Vegetarian Times (July/August 2005 issue, page 65), and begins, "Corn syrup keeps these super-simple treats from developing ice crystals or freezing into blocks. Feel free to play around with fruit combinations." It also states, "Any summer fruit except watermelon, which has too high of a water content, will work in this recipe for healthy, colorful popsicles." Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/fresh-fruit-yogurt-pops-recipe/.

Ingredients

2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup corn syrup

2 cups fresh summer fruit, such as raspberries, pitted cherries, etc.

Preparation

Place yogurt, vanilla, lemon juice, corn syrup and 1 cup fruit in blender or food processor, and purée until smooth. Add remaining fruit, and pulse 3 or 4 times, or until fruit is broken down into small pieces.

Pour mixture into 8 1/2-cup frozen-pop molds. Place top on mold; insert wooden sticks. Freeze at least 4 hours.

MISSISSIPPI MUD PIE

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

1 prepared 9-inch chocolate crumb pie crust

1 cup Powdered sugar

1 cup (6 oz.) NESTLÉ ® TOLL HOUSE ® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, cut up

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup chopped nuts, divided (optional)

2 pints coffee ice cream, softened slightly, divided

1 garnish of whipped cream (optional)

Directions

Heat sugar, morsels, butter, cream & corn syrup in small, heavy-duty saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted & mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract. Cool until slightly warm.

Drizzle 1/3 cup chocolate sauce in bottom of crust; sprinkle with 1/4 cup nuts. Layer 1 pint ice cream, scooping thin slices with a large spoon; freeze for 1 hour. Repeat with 1/3 cup sauce, 1/4 cup nuts and remaining ice cream. Drizzle with remaining sauce; top with remaining nuts. Freeze for 2 hours or until firm. Top with whipped cream before serving.