no-bake desserts – Still A Chick Lit Fab And Forty Plus

Summer Celebrations

With the unofficial start to summer just a few weeks away, we’re beginning to see summer grilling displays in every grocery, big-box store, and supermarket. Backyard barbeques have come a long way from the days of simple grills with charcoal, long wooden benches, and citronella candles.

Many people have turned their backyards into five-star outdoor cooking and entertaining areas with gas grills so elaborate it puts the kitchen stove to shame. Then there’s the outdoor brick oven to make pizza, nan, or pitas. Folding lawn chairs have been replaced with sumptuous outdoor living rooms to keep guests happy and the party going.

Nevertheless, there is one area where outdoor cooking falls a little short, and that’s dessert. Granted, ice cream, sorbet, gelato, and smores, are all easy and sweet ways to cap off a meal, but what if you want to make a splash for dessert without overheating yourself or your kitchen?

Try the no-bake dessert route. All you need is a premade graham cracker, or cookie crust of your choice and a filling. What better way to start than with this no-bake key lime pie? It’s quick, easy, elegant, and can be made ahead of time. Your guests will be wowed while they stay cool.

Three Ingredient No-Bake Key Lime Pie by Kirbie’s Cravings adapted by Still A Chick Lit

Makes: 1 8 or 9-inch pie or 12 mini pies

Serves: 10 (pie)

INGREDIENTS

- 3/4 cup (177 ml) lime juice + 1 tbsp lime zest
- 2 (14 oz) cans of full-fat sweetened condensed milk (vegan sweetened full-fat condensed milk)
- 1 pre-made graham cracker pie crust (Gluten-free graham cracker crust)

INSTRUCTIONS

Add lime juice and condensed milk to a large mixing bowl. Stir until evenly combined and lime juice is fully incorporated into the condensed milk. Stir in lime zest.
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Pour into pie crust. Level the surface with a spatula. Place pie into fridge for several hours or overnight to set. Keep the pie in the fridge until ready to serve. If you want to decorate the pie, wait for the filling to set and then decorate. Then put the pie back into the fridge until ready to serve. You can make the pie 2-3 days in advance.

NOTES

You want to leave the pie in the fridge until right before serving because of its creamy filling. When you first take it out of the fridge, the custard will be just firm enough for you to cut through into slices. As the filling comes to room temperature, it will start to soften and won’t be as stable for cutting, which is why you want to keep it chilled until right before serving. If you want a more stable filling, try the cream cheese version.
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I have only tested this recipe using fresh squeezed lime juice. You can use regular limes or key limes. Regular limes are easier and you will need approximately 6 regular limes to produce the amount of juice needed. If using key limes, you will need approximately 20 key limes.
This recipe uses two 14 oz cans of condensed milk, for a total of 28 oz or 794 grams. 14 oz refers to weight, not volume.
I piped dollops of whipped cream on top and sprinkled on some additional lime zest for decoration.
I used a 9-inch graham cracker pie crust for this recipe. You can also use a 10-inch pie crust but your filling won’t be as tall (though it will be a little more stable).
This pie is very sweet but traditional key lime pie is very sweet. If you prefer a less sweet pie, you can make the cream cheese version which will taste more like a lime cheesecake.
Cream Cheese Version:
1 can sweetened condensed milk (vegan sweetened condensed milk)
1 block cream cheese (dairy: light cream cheese) (non-dairy- vegan cream cheese)
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 tablespoon lime zest
Bring the cream cheese to room temperature first to soften it, then beat it with a mixer until light and fluffy. Then mix in the condensed milk, juice, and zest. Pour batter into pie crust. Place the pie into the fridge for several hours until set.

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Adaptable Recipes, Dessert, Makeover Monday Meals

Makeover Monday Meals-No Bake Dessert Edition

May 29, 2022 ccanton84

We are dedicated to bringing you recipes to make breakfast, lunch, or dinner a little easier for you on a Monday. However, now that it’s almost summetime, a lot of us will be taking things outside to grill and spending less time in the kitchen. That said, we will continue tobring you recipes for the grill along with easy salads that come together in a flash.

Nevertheless, there’s one thing that everyone loves and that’s dessert. The only problem is when the mercury is rising, no one wants to turn on an oven. Ice cream, gelato, Italian ices, milkshakes, and sorbet are great frozen treats that are perfect for those hot summer evenings, but we found a dessert that you can make at home and it only has two ingredients.

This no-bake berry cloud cake comes from Kirbie’s Cravings

I’d long been intrigued when I see posts for cakes recipes that only have 2, 3, or 4 ingredients. I’m an old-school baker and I love to make everything from scratch, which means the minute I see a cake recipe with a box mix, it’s a pass for me. (By no means do I have anything against cake mixes, if you love them, use them). Nonetheless, in this case it was the two ingredients and no butter, eggs, sugar, flour, or oil that moved me to give it a try.

I wasn’t sure what to think, but it worked. I didn’t add any sugar to the mixed berry applesauce, and I whipped it for 15 minutes to get a light cloud-like texture. It took no time to prep or cook, then all I did was put it in the refrigerator for an hour. The consistency is very light and airy. I reccommend using an 8-inch or a 6-inch square pan.

I adapted the recipe for vegans, by adding the substitute for gelatin.

All in all, I think this dessert would be a breeze and something everyone can enjoy guilt-free.

Servings: 12 slices

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes

Chilling Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 23 minutes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

2 Ingredient No Bake Berry Cloud Cake by Kirbie Cravings

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups (408 g) unsweetened mixed berry applesauce

4 1/2 tsp (15 g) unflavored gelatin powder

For vegans use 3 teaspoons (6g) agar-agar powder to replace gelatin

Instructions

Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.

Add applesauce and gelatin to a large heat-proof mixing bowl. Whisk until the gelatin is fully incorporated. The gelatin powder should make your applesauce thick and a little chunky.

Using the double boiler method on the stove, dissolve the gelatin completely. When the gelatin is dissolved, your mixture should become thinner and smoother. The applesauce should feel warm to the touch, but not hot. Be careful to not let the mixture get hot or boil. Remove bowl from stove and let it sit for about 5 minutes to cool to room temperature.

Pour applesauce mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the wire whisk attachment, beat on highest speed for about 15 minutes. Your mixture should more than triple in volume and should look like airy whipped cream. When you stop your mixer, your wire whisk should be able to hold a soft peak. See photo in post for reference.

Pour the applesauce mixture into your prepared pan. Use a spatula to spread it evenly across and smooth the surface. Place into the fridge for at least 1 hour to set.

Keep the cake in the fridge until ready to serve. Before serving, you can first decorate the cake with whipped cream or another frosting. Slice the cake with a very large and sharp knife. The cake is best served chilled. Store any uneaten cake in the fridge.

Notes

This recipe must be made with unsweetened applesauce. Sweetened applesauce will not work because the added sugar makes the cake batter too dense and moist.

This berry cloud cake is tart from the berry applesauce. It doesn’t really have much sweetness to it. If you are on a low sugar diet, I don’t think you will mind. The cake is flavorful even though it’s not sweet.

If you want to add sweetness, it has to be in the form of the frosting. I made a whipped cream frosting lightly sweetened with sugar. The whipped cream can also be sweetened with stevia or other sugar substitutes.

I recommend using a stand mixer if you have one to mix this. You do need to whip the batter for about 15 minutes on highest speed and it’s just easier to do with a stand mixer. There is also less splatter because a stand mixer bowl is generally deeper.

The double boiler method is a stovetop method used to heat up your applesauce mixture using indirect heat. Use a saucepan that is smaller than your mixing bowl and add about 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer. You want to choose a saucepan where you will be able to place the bowl on top that fits snugly and won’t touch the water in the saucepan. Once the water has reached a simmer, place your mixing bowl on top. Stir the applesauce mixture with a whisk to dissolve the gelatin as the mixture begins to heat up. Be careful to not let the mixture boil or get too hot.

For the whipped cream frosting, add 1 cup of cold heavy cream and 3 tbsp of sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat on highest speed until stiff peaks form. You can add more or less sugar to taste. You can substitute the sugar with stevia or other sugar substitutes. You can also use Cool Whip instead.

Adaptable Recipes, Food Glorious Food, Holiday Food

Independence Day Desserts

July 4, 2021July 4, 2021 ccanton84

Desserts to top off your celebration

After you’ve had the hotdogs, hamburgers, chicken, ribs, and anything else your family and friends crave, it’s time for dessert. There’s nothing like no-bake desserts to beat the heat. Here are two recipes to end your celebration on a sweet note.

Red, White, and Blue No-bake cheesecake and Black Bottom Chocolate Pie

No-bake red white and blue vanilla cheesecake Martha Stewart adapted by Chamein Canton

Easy
Prep time 25 minutes
Total 40 minutes
10 servings

Ingredient Checklist

15 graham crackers (8 ounces) (Gluten-free graham crackers)

1 stick unsalted butter, melted (vegan butter, or margarine)

3 tablespoons granulated sugar (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, monk fruit sweetener granulated, coconut, raw cane, or turbinado sugar pulsed fine)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 bars (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature (1 ½ package full-fat cream cheese plus ½ package of light cream cheese, not Neufchatel cheese) (vegan cream cheese)

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar (Swerve confectioner’s sugar substitute or organic confectioner’s sugar)

1 cup Greek yogurt (full-fat) (coconut yogurt, plain)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream, whipped (1 cup full-fat coconut milk or 2/3 cup almond milk with 1/3 cup melted unsalted vegan butter, cooled. With a stand or hand mixer, mix the butter into the almond milk, then add ½ teaspoon of agar-agar or cream of tartar to help the cream get whipped and stabilized.)

2 cups fresh berries

Directions

Instructions Checklist

Step 1

In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until finely ground (you should have about 2 cups). Add butter, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; pulse until combined. Press crumbs evenly onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

Step 2

In a large bowl and using an electric mixer on high, beat cream cheese until fluffy, 3 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, yogurt, vanilla, and a pinch of salt; beat until smooth. With a rubber spatula, fold in whipped cream. Pour cream cheese mixture into crust and smooth top. Cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 8 hours (or overnight).

Step 3

Combine berries and remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; let stand 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake; release sides to remove from pan. Top with berries and juices.

Cook’s Notes

When you’re pressing the crumbs into the pan for the crust, use a flat-bottomed measuring cup. It makes it easy to get an even thickness — and to get into the pan’s corners.

Chocolate Black Bottom Pie by Southern Living adapted by Chamein Canton

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

1 (9-oz.) package chocolate wafers (gluten-free chocolate wafers)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (vegan unsalted butter)

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

2/3 cup sugar (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, monk fruit granulated sweetener, golden sugar, coconut, turbinado, or raw cane sugar pulsed finely)

3 tablespoons cornstarch

4 egg yolks (1/4 cup soy lecithin or 1/3 cup Aquafaba)

2 cups milk (dairy: 2 cups whole milk, or 1 ½ cups 2% plus ½ cup half and half or light cream) (non-dairy: almond, soy, rice, or light coconut milk)

2 (4-oz.) bittersweet chocolate baking bars, chopped (vegan chocolate)

1 tablespoon dark rum

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups heavy whipping cream (2 cups full-fat coconut milk or 1 2/3 cup almond milk with 1/3 cup melted unsalted vegan butter, cooled. With a stand or hand mixer, mix the butter into the almond milk, then add 1 teaspoon of agar-agar or cream of tartar to help the cream get whipped and stabilized.)

1/4 cup sugar (Swerve sweetener, Splenda granulated, monk fruit granulated sweetener, golden sugar, coconut, turbinado, or raw cane sugar pulsed finely)

Garnish: bittersweet chocolate shavings

Directions

Instructions Checklist

Step 1

Pulse chocolate wafers in a food processor 8 to 10 times or until finely crushed. Stir together wafer crumbs and butter, and firmly press mixture on the bottom, up the side, and onto a lightly greased 9-inch pie plate. Freeze crust for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Whisk together 2/3 cup sugar and 3 Tbsp. cornstarch in a 3-qt. heavy saucepan.

Step 3

Whisk together egg yolks and milk in a small bowl; whisk yolk mixture into sugar mixture in pan, and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture thickens. Cook 1 more minute. Remove from heat.

Step 4

Microwave chocolate in a microwave-safe glass bowl at HIGH 1 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk melted chocolate, rum, and vanilla into the thickened filling. Spoon filling into prepared crust. Place plastic wrap directly onto filling (to prevent a film from forming), and chill for 8 to 24 hours.

Step 5

Beat whipping cream and 1/4 cup sugar at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Top pie with whipped cream, and garnish, if desired.

Notes: You can use a pre-made chocolate wafer pie crust to save time.

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Tag: no-bake desserts