The Letter D

D

Desserts

Apple crumb pie, Mississippi mud pie, German chocolate cake and strawberry or chocolate ice cream. These are just a few of my favourite desserts. Oh how I try and stay away from these sinful delights but I am only human. I buckle and let my sweet tooth and the little person on my left shoulder chanting….. eat it, eat it, eat it get the better of me. Even as a child I can remember the familiar whirl of the hand held beater as my mom made up a cake batter. I didn’t care if it contained raw beaten eggs. It was mixed in with the flour, sugar and coco powder or vanilla extract so I couldn’t taste it anyway. I eagerly sat on the stool watching moms every move and then when she finally clicked off the mixer and released the beaters I was willingly there to help with the clean up. I licked and lapped…errr I mean I cleaned those beaters well making sure the batter was gone before placing them in the sink. I would then hold my breath making sure my bother or sisters never heard the noise going on. If it was heard I would not be able to be the helpful assistant in charge of rinsing the bowl. Of course before I rinsed it I would have to be diligent in making sure any remaining batter was removed from the inside the bowl. It would seem like an eternity before I had a chance to assist on the clean up after the icing was made and smothered carefully over the cake. There were more than a few times when my hand was sharply slapped just as my finger was inching towards the fully iced cake. Even to this day I can still feel it…lol. I can still hear my mother’s voice as I picked and poked at the vegetables (especially broccoli) “if you don’t finish your dinner there will be no dessert”. When I grew up and had children of my own I had to gracefully hand down the baker’s assistant job to my own kids. I couldn’t help but smile as their small tongues diligently cleared off all the batter from the beaters and then clean the bowl after.

The word Desserts is a very magical word. In fact it is known to thousands of women all over the world as it has not one, but two meanings. If you don’t believe me, just spell the word Desserts backwards. That’s right it does spell stressed! J That’s my excuse for loving Desserts and I’m sticking to it!!!!!

Always remember…….

Life is uncertain.  Eat dessert first. (Ernestine Ulmer)

My all time favourite...Mississippi Mud Pie!

Mississippi Mud Pie

Makes one 9-inch pie

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1 1/4 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs or other chocolate cookie crumbs, such as Oreo (I

used chocolate graham crackers and processed them in the food processor to make the crumbs)

• 5 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

• 3 tbsp. sugar

For the ganache:

• 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

• 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. heavy cream

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the filling and garnish:

• 1/2 cup Heath bar, chopped, divided (or other candy, chopped into small bits)

• 3-4 cups coffee ice cream, softened

Directions:

1. To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine the chocolate

graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Toss with a fork until well combined and all

the crumbs are moistened. Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 5 minutes. Transfer

to a wire cooling rack and let cool while you make the ganache.

2. To make the ganache, transfer the chopped chocolate to a small heatproof bowl. In a small

saucepan set over medium heat, bring the cream to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the

chocolate and let stand 1 minute. Whisk the mixture in small circular motions until the ganache

forms. Whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until completely incorporated.

3. Spread a thin layer of ganache over the bottom of the pie crust, just enough to cover it

completely (about 1/3 cup). Sprinkle half of the candy bits over the ganache. Transfer the pie

plate to the freezer and chill for about 30-60 minutes, until the ganache is set. Leave the

remaining ganache at room temperature, whisking occasionally.

4. Stir the ice cream with a spoon or spatula to be sure it is evenly softened and spreadable. Mound

the ice cream into the pie shell and smooth the top. Return to the freezer and chill until the ice

cream is set, about 2 hours.

5. If the ganache has firmed up while the pie was chilling, soften it again by heating it in a double

boiler or microwaving it in 15-second intervals, just until it is spreadable but not hot. Spread a

thin layer of ganache over the ice cream, or drizzle it over the ice cream with a spoon. Sprinkle

the remaining toffee bits on top. (Work fast, as the ganache will harden quickly after

making contact with the ice cream.) Return to the freezer and chill for 1-2 hours. Reserve any

remaining ganache and let cool until thickened. Transfer to a pastry bag and pipe on decorative

swirls, if desired. Chill until set.

6. Let the pie stand at room temperature for several minutes before slicing. Use a warm, dry knife

to slice and serve.

If you make this I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!