The Ultimate No-Bake Dessert Cookbook: Over 600 Simple and Delicious No-Bake Recipes (34 page)

3.
     
Add
the figs and simmer just until figs are heated through.

4.
     
Allow
the figs to cool until they are warm to the touch but not hot.

5.
     
Place
scoops of gelato in two stemmed glasses and top it with the figs and some of
the poaching liquid.

6.
     
Serve
immediately.

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) can figs

½ cup port or claret

Procedure:

1.
     
Drain
the figs, reserving ½ cup of the syrup.

2.
     
Combine
the reserved syrup and the wine.

3.
     
Pour
the mixture over the figs and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Ingredients:

½ pound dried apricots

½ pound dried prunes

2 slices candied pineapple

¼ pound candied cherries

1 cup walnuts

1 cup honey

¾ cup powdered sugar

Procedure:

1.
     
Grind
the fruit and nuts very finely but do not purée.

2.
     
Place
the ground fruit and nuts in a bowl and mix well.

3.
     
Add
the honey to the fruit mixture and mix well.

4.
     
Shape
into balls.

5.
     
Roll
the balls in powdered sugar.

6.
     
Store
in a covered container in cool place.

Ingredients:

1½ ripe bananas, peeled

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter

⅛ teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons banana liqueur

¼ cup white rum

1 pint vanilla ice cream

Procedure:

1.
     
Slice
the bananas in half lengthwise.

2.
     
Brush
the banana pieces with lemon juice.

3.
     
Melt
the sugar and butter in a flat chafing dish or a 10-inch skillet.

4.
     
Add
the bananas and sauté then until they are just tender.

5.
     
Sprinkle
the bananas with cinnamon.

6.
     
Remove
the pan from the heat and add the liqueur and rum.

7.
     
Immediately
ignite the rum and baste the bananas with the warm liquid until the flame burns
out.

8.
     
Divide
the sauce and bananas over 4 scoops of ice cream in two serving dishes.

9.
     
Serve
immediately.

Ingredients:

1 (21 ounce) can apricot, peach or cherry fruit pie filling

8 ounces non-dairy whipped topping

½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Procedure:

1.
     
Fold
together the pie filling and the whipped topping just enough to present a
marbled appearance.

2.
     
Spoon
the mixture into 6 parfait glasses.

3.
     
Sprinkle
each with nuts.

4.
     
Serve
immediately.

Ingredients:

2 pounds pitted Bing cherries

1 cup sugar

⅛ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1½ cups water

2 pints vanilla ice cream

¼ cup brandy

Square toasted bread cubes

Procedure:

1.
     
Combine
the sugar, salt, cornstarch and water in a saucepan.

2.
     
Add
the pitted cherries and cook until thickened, stirring constantly.

3.
     
Soak
the bread squares in the brandy.

4.
     
Scoop
very hard vanilla ice cream into individual dessert cups.

5.
     
Pour
the jubilee mixture over the ice cream and place the brandied bread on top.

6.
     
Ignite
the bread cubes and serve immediately.

Ingredients:

2 pounds apricots

1⅓ cup sugar, divided

1 cup water

3 eggs

1 envelope gelatin

3 tablespoon lemon juice

½ cup passion fruit pulp

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Procedure:

1.
     
Peel
the apricots, halve and remove the stones.

2.
     
Combine
1 cup sugar and water in saucepan, stir constantly over heat, without boiling,
until the sugar is dissolved.

3.
     
Add
the apricots and bring the water to a boil.

4.
     
Reduce
the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, without stirring, until the apricots
are tender.

5.
     
Remove
the apricots from the syrup.

6.
     
Reserve
the syrup and 8 apricot halves.

7.
     
Purée
the remaining apricots.

8.
     
Beat
the eggs and the remaining sugar in the top half of a double boiler over simmering
water until they are thick.

9.
     
Transfer
the egg mixture to a large bowl and cool.

10.
 
Sprinkle the gelatin over
the lemon juice and dissolve over a hot water bath.

11.
 
Cool the gelatin to room
temperature but do not allow it to set.

12.
 
Stir the apricot purée into
the egg mixture.

13.
 
Add the gelatin mixture,
passion fruit and cream.

14.
 
Pour into a lightly oiled
ring pan

15.
 
Refrigerate overnight.

16.
 
Turn onto a serving plate
and top with the reserved apricots and syrup.

Ingredients:

⅓ cup sugar

¼ cup water

6 large nectarines

2 cups Moscato d'Asti

½ cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon sour cream

2 teaspoons sugar

¼ cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and coarsely chopped

Procedure:

1.
     
Stir
together the sugar and the water in a small saucepan.

2.
     
Bring
the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

3.
     
In a
large mixing bowl, combine the Moscato d'Asti and the sugar syrup

4.
     
For
each nectarine, slice off the top and insert a paring knife against the pit.
Gently carve around the pit, loosening it from the flesh. Press the knife
against the bottom side of the pit and gently push it up and out of the
nectarine.

5.
     
Place
the nectarines in the Moscato d'Asti mixture and marinate overnight.

6.
     
Whip
the cream until soft peaks form.

7.
     
Fold
in the sour cream, sugar and chopped hazelnuts.

8.
     
When
ready to serve, remove the nectarines from the marinating liquid.

9.
     
Shave
⅛ inch off the bottoms of the nectarines so that they sit flat.

10.
 
Place each nectarine on a
plate.

11.
 
Fill the nectarines with the
hazelnut cream.

12.
 
Serve immediately.

Ingredients:

1 (17 ounce) jar applesauce

½ cup miniature marshmallows

⅛ teaspoon cinnamon

Procedure:

1.
     
Mix
the ingredients.

2.
     
Refrigerate
for 4 hours.

Ingredients:

1 (20 ounce) can pineapple tidbits, reserve juice

2 cups miniature marshmallows

½ cup sugar

1 egg, well beaten

1½ tablespoons vinegar

1 heaping tablespoon all-purpose flour

12 ounces non-dairy whipped topping

2 cups diced apples, unpeeled

1½ cups Spanish peanuts

Procedure:

1.
     
Mix
the pineapple and marshmallows together and refrigerate overnight.

2.
     
Mix
the pineapple juice, sugar, egg, vinegar and flour together.

3.
     
Cook
over low heat until the mixture is thickened and refrigerate it overnight.

4.
     
On
the next day, mix the whipped topping, apples, peanuts, pineapple and marshmallow
mixture and the thickened juice mixture.

5.
     
Refrigerate
for 8 hours.

Ingredients:

2 cups applesauce

¼ cup lemon juice

⅛ teaspoon cinnamon

⅛ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2 egg whites

¼ cup sugar

Red cake decorating sugar

Procedure:

1.
     
Combine
the applesauce, lemon juice, cinnamon, salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar and mix
well.

2.
     
Beat
the egg whites until they are foamy and then gradually add the ¼ cup of sugar
while beating until stiff peaks form.

3.
     
Fold
the egg whites into the applesauce mixture.

4.
     
Garnish
with the red sugar.

Ingredients:

6 large Granny Smith apples

1 cup sugar

3 cups water

⅓ cup cinnamon drops (i.e., red hot cinnamon candies)

Few drops red coloring

Procedure:

1.
     
Peel,
core and cut the apples into quarters.

2.
     
Bring
the sugar, water, cinnamon drops and red coloring to a boil and boil for 10
minutes.

3.
     
Slowly
add the apples, to the boiling mixture.

4.
     
Reduce
the heat.

5.
     
Simmer
20 to 30 minutes until apples are cooked throughout.

6.
     
It
may be necessary to cook the apples in multiple batches, depending on the size
of the apples.

7.
     
Remove
the apples from the mixture and refrigerate overnight if desired.

Ingredients:

Seedless grapes

¼ cup brandy

1 cup heavy whipping cream

¼ cup sugar

Procedure:

1.
     
Sprinkle
the grapes with the brandy.

2.
     
Refrigerate
for at least 1 hour.

3.
     
Whip
the cream until soft peak form while slowly adding the sugar.

4.
     
Top
the grapes with the whipped cream prior to serving.

Gelatin desserts were once wildly
popular and I believe they will be again. They have everything going for them.
They are inexpensive, delicious and beautiful. And many of them are quite
healthy. I am sure that your family will love any of these gelatin desserts you
make.

Many of these recipes call for a
gelatin mold. You may either purchase special-made molds or use a bowl. There
are a number of ways to free the gelatin from the mold. You may coat the mold
with a thin layer of cooking spray. Vegetable oil or mayonnaise works just as
well. Heavily flavored oils should, of course, be avoided since they will
impart an unwanted flavor to the dessert.

If you do not coat the mold with
oil or mayonnaise, you can dip the mold up to the rim into warm (but not hot)
water for about 15 seconds. This causes the gelatin to melt. Clearly, you do
not want to keep the gelatin in the hot water for long. Shake the pan to loosen
the gelatin.

Whichever method you use, place a
moistened plate on top of the mold and invert both the plate and mold. Shake
the mold to loosen the gelatin onto the plate. Remove the mold, and since the
plate is moistened, you can slide the gelatin to the center of the plate.

The recipes may describe the
different consistencies reached by the gelatin at different stages of its
setting. Refer to the following table for more information