Your favorite dessert recipe

I like the Cooks Illustrated brownies. The raspberry coconut bars I posted somewhere around here are a hit too. (I'm assuming it is that casual). You could make a fudge or caramel sauce for icecream.

I need to stop thinking about this.

ETA: I'm going through some sort of withdrawal. I haven't baked something sweet, save some muffins, in *gasp* over a week and most of that went to the kindergarten teacher. I am going to make this (which would also be an option):
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/r ... EEFE6B5D84

[Vishenka69]

Trader Joe's anything (especially creme brulee). Since we gained so much weight when I started cooking, I'm afraid to bake.

[Meenah]

Key Lime Pie!!!!!!!!!!!

[SuzySunshine]

Ooh, I'll have to post my cheesecake recipe sometime, to DIE for - but expensive.

[DCJenn]

Favorite dessert? My mom's Graham Cracker Pie (basically a graham cracker crust, custard and merengue. She and my Uncle Mike are having a competition to see who makes the better GCP. It's my grandmother's recipe. It just cracks her up to see her eldest daughter and her eldest son duke it out. You should hear the 'discussions' about the family ginger snap recipe.)

but I digress- for a quickie dessert I'm quite fond of Ice cream with a drizzle of orange marmalade that has been heated and had crystalized ginger added.

Jenn

but I digress- for a quickie dessert I'm quite fond of Ice cream with a drizzle of orange marmalade that has been heated and had crystalized ginger added.

That sounds really good.

[Ravenclaw]

For casual get-togethers, I usually bring Magic Cookie Bars. So easy to make...
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Magic-Cook ... etail.aspx

I like the Cooks Illustrated brownies.

those are truly fabulous. there is only enough flour in them to hold the chocolate together.

dh loves my banana bread - still warm, with vanilla bean ice cream. i like pretty much anything that can be classified as a dessert.

has anyone seen that new philly cream cheese cheesecake filling in a tub? I will never ever buy it. Not out of some "I must slave to make a REAL cheesecake" ideal, but b/c of the knowledge that if I were to buy it, it would never see the inside of a crust. I would eat it ALL straight from the tub.

[Vanquisher]

has anyone seen that new philly cream cheese cheesecake filling in a tub? I will never ever buy it. Not out of some "I must slave to make a REAL cheesecake" ideal, but b/c of the knowledge that if I were to buy it, it would never see the inside of a crust. I would eat it ALL straight from the tub.

OMG, so I saw that commercial and thought to myself. I could just bring a plastic spoon to the store with me. I would too.

[Vanquisher]

http://www.medicalspouse.com/forums/vie ... hp?t=10024

This one is my favorite.

Did anyone try it? I promise...so yummy.

[Michele]

I'm going to have to try Heidi's.



I like this one:

Strawberry Chocolate Cream Cheese Pie

1 Oreo-cookie crust
½ cup chocolate chips + 2 tbsp chocolate chips
8 ounces of cream cheese
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
1 pint of fresh strawberries, halved
1 tbsp milk

1. Melt ½ cup chocolate chips in microwave or over double broiler.
2. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.
3. Beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth.
4. Add brown sugar and vanilla and beat until well blended.
5. Add cooled chocolate and beat well.
6. Fold in whipped cream with a spatula.
7. Spoon mixture into crust.
8. Arrange sliced strawberries on top decoratively.
9. Cover and chill for at least 8 hours.
10. Melt 2 tbsp chocolate chips and add milk. Drizzle over the top of the pie.


I've also made the peanut butter cups from allrecipes.com
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Peanut-But ... etail.aspx

They were a big hit as well as the carrot cake recipe I found on that site (Carrot Cake III). I made cupcakes. The cream cheese frosting recipe that came with it was too thick, though. When I make it now I just add the sugar slowly until I get a good consistency (usually about 2-3 cups...).

[Michele]

Is this the Cook's Illustrated Recipe?

Classic Brownies

The recipe is quite involved, as Cook's recipes tend to be, and you can't improve on the directions offered by America's Test Kitchens, so I'm cutting and pasting from my source, Smitten Kitchen. It seems like a lot of work, but the perfect, crackly top and moist dense inside are worth it.

Be sure to test for doneness before removing the brownies from the oven. If underbaked (the toothpick has batter clinging to it) the texture of the brownies will be dense and gummy. If overbaked (the toothpick comes out completely clean), the brownies will be dry and cakey.

1 cup (4 ounces) pecans or walnuts, chopped medium (optional)
1¼ cups (5 ounces) cake flour
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking powder
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into six 1-inch pieces
2¼ cups (15¾ ounces) sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 18-inch length foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch width. Fit foil into length of 13 by 9-inch baking dish, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhand pan edges. Cut 14-inch length foil and, if using extra-wide foil, fold lengthwise to 12-inch width; fit into width of baking pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet. Spray foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. If using nuts, spread nuts evenly on rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl; set aside.

4. Melt chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan of almost-simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. (Alternatively, in microwave, heat butter and chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl on high for 45 seconds, then stir and heat for 30 seconds more. Stir again, and, if necessary, repeat in 15-second increments; do not let chocolate burn.) When chocolate mixture is completely smooth, remove bowl from saucepan and gradually whisk in sugar. Add eggs on at a time, whisking after each addition until thoroughly combined. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, folding with rubber spatula until batter is completely smooth and homogeneous.

5. Transfer batter to prepared pan; using spatula, spread batter into corners of pan and smooth surface. Sprinkle toasted nuts (if using) evenly over batter and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of brownies comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours, then remove brownies from pan by lifting foil overhang. Cut brownies into 2-inch squares and serve. (Store leftovers in airtight container at room temperature, for up to 3 days.)

[Sheherezade]

I'd go with easy. I like Jenn's ice cream idea. I'm a baking fan but it can take a lot of time.

I've gotten addicted to browsing this site.

http://www.joyofbaking.com

Michele, that may have come from CI but is not quite the recipe I use. I was referring to the Bake Sale Brownies in the Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, p 616.

Similar instructions but the flour isn't added in 3 additions and it is in a 8x8 pan. If that isn't the one you have or you want me to post it, I can. It's pretty easy.

My most favorite brownie recipe is this:
http://www.scharffenberger.com/re0105.asp

Though I have never noticed the cooling instructions until just now. They are a little messier and I don't share Scharffenberger with just anyone. The Bake Sale Brownies cut and serve much better.

Gah! Now I want a Key Lime Pie. I made the cake last night but was distracted (imagine) and put in too much butter. It came out as more of a pound cake but still pretty good.

I have some ginger preserves. I think that would be good warmed and on top of icecream.

[Michele]

I just googled Cook's Illustrated Brownies....I've never made that recipe. I always make the box kind I'd love to make them from scratch though!!