"Diet" Chocolate Kahlua Cake

May is Customer Appreciation Month at the Hidden Valley.  This will be our second annual "Just Desserts" weekend where guests bring a sweet treat to share to an RV Park organized potluck.  Since the weather is so cooperative we'll be gathering at the Bonfire Cove this year.  We may have to put our "bounce" sheets in our pockets to stave off the hungry mosquitoes and hopefully the bonfire will keep them at bay.  If not we'll just have to break out the "No Mosquitoes" sign and issue biting tickets.

Our contribution to the potluck is a lovely recipe I pinned from Charissa over at "Madtown Macs."  It is the perfect rich, yet light dessert with a little nip a Kahlua (or a big nip if you prefer.)  It's so easy you really don't need a recipe once you've read it over a little.  There's really only four parts and then some quick assembly.

1. Cake - Bake any chocolate cake in a 13 X 9" pan. (To make it 'diet' use applesauce instead of oil in the cake mix.) When it's cool, cut into 1" cubes.  Pour at least 1/2 cup of Kahlua over the top and let sit for an hour or overnight.  (Don't think they make 'diet' Kahlua.
2. Mousse - You can buy this pre-made or buy a mix.  I used a product called Dream Whip (need to add milk) then followed the recipe on the box for mousse which requires a 4 serving box of pudding.  I used sugar free to lessen calories.
3. Cool whip - 16 oz (you may have some leftover.) Use low fat if desired.
4. Candy - My favorite is definitely Skor Bars but they are hard to find (four or five of then will do.)  You could substitute and kind of chocolate, hard toffee candy.  I hammer them while in the package and this smashes them into small chunks.

Now here's the fun part.   Any deep bowl is okay, like a trifle bowl.  I was making it for a large crowd so I used a glass cake holder with the cover turned upside down in the base.   Clear glass is nice to show off the layers but taste is the same no matter the container. 

Start with a layer of cake cubes. Then goes a layer of the chocolate mouse. Then a layer of Cool Whip. Then sprinkle candy pieces. Repeat ending with the Cool Whip and candy on top.


The trick is getting through making the layers without eating too much of the mousse.


Well, once we get together this evening and share all our desserts I'll be back to share the recipes.

PS. I made this in an RV with a small kitchen and only a few ingredients so it's a keeper for travelers.  I also thought that experimenting with small servings in a custard cup would make a nice dessert just for Mark and I.

Fruity, Gooey and Warm

While S'Mores are traditional bonfire fare, these STUFFED GRILLED BANANAS are a somewhat healthier and very unique alternative. A little advance thought into choosing your favorite toppings and fillings and having them on hand will make this your "go to" dessert for an evening by the fire with friends and family. Add to the deliciousness, the fact that there are no dishes or clean up...and that's my kind of food. It's been a long time addition to our bonfires at Hidden Valley cause we never know how many will show up and you can always use leftover bananas so there's no waste.

Put together some topping ideas: peanut butter, chocolate or toffee chips or broken chocolate bar bits, coconut, nuts, berries, mini marshmallows or caramel bits. Have enough bananas for one banana per person. I promise they won't want to share. Slit the bananas in half lengthwise, but be careful not to cut all the way through to the bottom. Spread apart the peel a bit and stuff full of the toppings. Place on a foil lined grill for about 5 minutes, or until the bananas are heated and the toppings are softened and melty.

Alternatively, you can wrap it in the foil with the top slightly open and lay it safely on a side portion of a fire pit. We've even done them on a marshmallow roasting fork. With this method I like to roast it alone over the fire first then after the skin turns a little dark (a couple minutes) remove fork from the fire, slit fruit in half, adding the toppings. They melt almost immediately but a few extra seconds of roasting over the fire will finish the job. With kids among us, the final roasting can be foregone in the interest of not losing your fruit in the fire with all those luscious toppings.


 
Grab a spoon and scoop away.

Keep this a secret but I'm not above sticking one of these in the microwave, no foil of course.


Aren't these scrumptious?

Cheesecake in Natural Containers

 

These are to die for and can be made in just a few minutes for a quick elegant dessert. Great for a potluck or as snacks on Super Bowl Sunday too. 

You need: 

dozen or more large strawberries
8 oz cream cheese (I used low fat)
8 oz cool whip
2-4 TBSP powdered sugar
1-2 tsp vanilla
1/2 C graham cracker crumbs
Chocolate syrup, melted chocolate or shaved chocolate (optional)

• Cut out the stem, making a little hollow in the top of the berry.

• Mix softened cream cheese,cool whip, powdered sugar and vanilla. 

• Put the mixture in a ziploc bag and cut off a small corner to pipe the filling inside. 

• Top with graham cracker crumbs or dip in upside down.

You can leave out the cool whip if you like, I think it's a bit heavy with just the cheese, but that's just me :) I think for a romantic dessert I might dip them in chocolate, or maybe drizzle chocolate on them.  A mint leaf also dresses them up.

I always want to experiment with how well or long they will store in the refrigerator but they're always scarfed up with no leftovers. So i you have any leftovers,  let me know how they taste the next day.  I won't hold my breath.  hehe!

The Legendary Nanaimo Bar

From Vancouver Island, British Columbia and now to Hidden Valley, these little bars were one of several desserts that we munched, savored and enjoyed this past weekend at our "Just Desserts" event. 

First Layer:

With Vanilla Filling

1/2 CUP Butter, Melted

1/2 CUP Brown Sugar

5 TBSP Cocoa Powder

1 Egg, Beaten

1 3/4 CUPS Graham Wafer Crumbs

1 CUP Flaked Coconut (a little less is fine or substitute more graham wafer crumbs if allergic)

1/2 CUP Chopped Walnuts or almonds.

To make first layer: Combine ingredients and pat into a 9” square ungreased pan. Chill for 1/2 hour.

With Pistachio Filling

Second Layer

2 CUPS 10X (Icing) Sugar

1/4 CUP Butter, Softened

1/4 CUP Cream or Milk

2 TBSP Custard Powder (vanilla, pistachio or mint)
To make second layer: Beat all ingredients until smooth and fluffy. Spread carefully on top of first layer

Third Layer

3 x 1 Oz. Chocolate Squares(sweet or semi-sweet)

1/4 CUP Butter
To make third layer: Melt chocolate and butter together. Spread over second layer and chill. Cut in small bars – very rich and very delicious!

Exquisite Eruption

Molten Lava Cakes

No where is it written that RV eating cannot be fancy and romantic.  These little cakes are touted to be the "mistake" of famous Alsatian chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's premature removal of a test chocolate cake from the oven.  To his surprise and delight, when a fork broke the brownie-like crust to test his creation, a warm, sensual river of chocolate oozed from its center like slow-moving lava from a volcano.  And, voila!  Jean-Georges had created the Molten Lava Cake.  This adaptation turns the fancy restaurant, $10 version into a 10 minute baking RV masterpiece for under a dollar per serving.

Ingredients
1 stick butter plus extra to grease custard cups or ramekins
4 oz bittersweet baker's chocolate
2 eggs
2 extra egg yolks
1/4 c. sugar
2 teaspoons flour
Cocoa or flour to dust baking cups
Toppings: powdered sugar, whipped or ice cream, fruits

Preheat oven to 450 degrees (RV oven) or 375 for a house oven.
Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat.
In a mixing bowl, beat together eggs, yolks, and sugar.
Whisk the melted chocolate and butter until smooth, then pour into the egg and sugar mixture.  whisk again until smooth.  add flour and whisk for another couple seconds.
Grease four baking cups and dust with cocoa.  Distribute batter evenly into four baking cups.
Bake for 6 to 7 minutes or up to 10 minutes if you like a less runny center.  Remove from oven and let sit for a minute.
Either serve in cooking cup or flip out upside down for a fancy presentation.  You may either lightly dust with powdered sugar or top with whipped cream or ice cream.