5 Quick and Easy Desserts

We all deserve a nice treat now and again, but often desserts are overlooked as they take too much time. Rather than spend a lot of money on a ready-made dessert, we give you five quick and easy desserts that you can you can whip up in no time.

Instant Chocolate Cake >

There are not many people in this world who can resist chocolate cake and when you see how easy this recipe is to put together, you will find it even more difficult to say no.

Method

1. Whisk 1/4 cup of flour
2. 5 tablespoons of sugar
3. 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
4. 1 egg, 3 tablespoons of milk
5. 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
6. a dash of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt in a large mug until smooth.
7. Microwave until puffed, about 2 minutes.

Cashew Caramel Sundaes >

Ice cream is the go to mid-week dessert when there truly is no time to whip up something for the kids. To add an adult twist to this dessert, why not follow this yummy caramel sauce recipe.

Method

1. Bring 1/4 cup of sugar and 1 tablespoon each of light corn syrup and water to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Swirl (don't stir) until it is dark amber, about 8 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat then whisk in 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
4. Stir in 1/2 cup of chopped cashews, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla and a pinch of salt. Serve over ice cream.

Quick Banana Cream Pie >

Baking your own pastry is something of a luxury these days, as there are just not enough hours in the day. To be honest, there are so many great frozen pastries in stores that there is no real need to spend hours perfecting a perfect crust. This quick banana cream pie recipe shows just what you can do with store bought pastry.

Ingredients

• 1 frozen pie shell, pricked several times with the tines of a fork
• 1 packet of instant chocolate pudding, prepared to package directions
• 2 ripe bananas, sliced thin on an angle
• 1 can of spray whipped cream
• 1 dark chocolate candy bar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C/Gas mark 7 and bake the pie shell for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
2. Line the baked and cooled pie shell with a layer of the chocolate pudding, half of the prepared amount.
3. Add a layer of bananas. Top with the remaining prepared instant chocolate pudding and the remaining bananas. Cover the top with a giant swirl of whipped cream from the spray can, starting at the center and working your way out. Shave a chocolate bar with a vegetable peeler and top the pie with the shavings. Serve immediately.

Blueberry Pie >

If you have people over for dinner and are looking for a firm favorite dessert, look no further than a classic blueberry pie. Too much time, you say? Not with this recipe, as it uses cheeky shortcuts that save on time but do not compromise on flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 store-bought frozen piecrusts
• 1 cup of sugar
• 4 1/2 cups of blueberries
• 1 lemon
• 5 tablespoons of flour
• Salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Unfold the first pie crust and press into a pie dish.
3. Place the blueberries in strainer and rinse. Drain the berries and add to a large bowl.
4. Add the flour and toss to coat.
5. Add the sugar, a squeeze of lemon and a dash of salt. Pour the berries into the pie shell.
6. Cut the other pie crust into 1'' strips. Place strips on top of crust in criss-cross pattern to form a lattice.
7. Bake for 45 - 60 minutes or until bubbly. Serve.

Lemon Cream Squares >

We have made this recipe a few times and the zingy lemon flavor hits the spot every time. This dessert is great for finishing off a heavy meal as it is light and will not leave you feeling overly full.

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 ounces) box lemon cake mix (recommended: Betty Crocker)
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 16 ounces cream cheese (recommended: Philadelphia) softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 (3-ounce) box lemon or lime gelatin (recommended: Jell-O)
• 2 eggs

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas mark
2. Spray the 9 by 13-inch baking pan lightly with cooking spray and set aside.

For lemon layer: In a large mixing bowl, beat, with an electric mixer on low speed, the cake mix, butter and egg until well combined and smooth. Press cake mixture evenly into the prepared pan and set aside.

1. For top layer: In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and lemon or lime gelatin on a medium speed until creamy.
2. Add the eggs and beat until smooth.
3. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cake layer.
4. Place the foil pan in a second foil pan for stability and insulation. Cover and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking.
5. Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting into squares.

If these desserts are making your mouth water, check out the Remember Stuff recipe search for more quick and easy dessert ideas.