As the snow continues to descend upon us, from the cold and darkened sky above, our only hope of warmth is in the comforts of our home. Next to the fireplace we sit, with book in hand, waiting for the spring to come and delightful memories to be made once again. Though all around the winter winds seem to still the passage of time, like how they froze the gentle waters into thick blocks of ice, we find solace in reading a single book by the fireplace. Not only do we find solace, but we also find ourselves filled with passion, excitement, and hunger from reading that book about how to make delicious winter easy dessert recipes.

It’s probably not a very good idea to read a dessert book at this time of the night… But if you are, you’re probably looking for nice, easy desserts that you can make this winter season. So what type of dessert ideas would work great for the soul that has been chilled by the cold and merciless snow?

Traditional easy dessert recipes filled with warm fruit such as betties, cobblers, crisps, crumbles, grunts, pandowdies, and slumps will definitely heat you up from the inside out. Betties are baked puddings made from putting spiced and sugared fruit in between sweet buttered crumb layers. Cobblers are deep-dish fruit desserts in which biscuit dough is put onto the fruit before baking. Crisps are baked with fruit on the bottom and crumb or streusel topping on top. Crumbles are made with raw fruit and crumbled pastry mixture on top. Grunts are a steamed spoon pie with fruit topped with dumplings and cooked on the stove in a covered skillet. Slumps are similar to grunts, but may have cooked or uncooked fruit, and may be baked, steamed, or made upside down. Pandowdies are deep-dish desserts baked with crumbly biscuit topping, and sweetened with molasses or brown sugar. These are just general definitions, of course. A lot of people may disagree.

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New England Apple - Peach Betty Recipe

Ingredients:

1 each 29 oz. can sliced peaches packed in, juice, drained

1 each 21 oz. can apple pie filling

1 tbsp grated lemon peel

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup margarine, softened

1 each 4 oz. can slivered almonds

1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions: Heat oven to 4250. In greased 9" deep dish pie plate or casserole, genty stir peaches, apple pie filling, grated lemon peel and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg to combine.

In medium size bowl, combine flour, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Using pastry blender or large fork, cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Using sharp knife, chop 1/2 cup almonds, stir in crumb mixture. Spoon crumb mixture over fruit and bake 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle remaning slivered almonds in ring on top of crumb mixture. Bake 5 to 10 minutes longer until filling is hot and top is golden. Meanwhile in medium size bowl using chilled beaters, beat cream at high speed just until soft peaks form. Serve warm accompanied by lightly whipped cream.

Servings: 8 servings

Source: Recipe Ideas

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Fresh Blackberry Cobbler

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup cold water

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

4 cups blackberries, picked over, rinsed & drained

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons butter, cold, cut in small pieces

1/4 cup boiling water

Directions:

In a large bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Add 1 cup sugar, lemon juice, and blackberries; combine gently.Transfer to a cast iron skillet, about 8-inch.

In a bowl, combine the flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1/4 cup boiling water and stir the mixture just until it a soft dough is formed. Bring the blackberry mixture to a boil, stirring.

Drop spoonfuls of the dough carefully onto the boiling mixture, and bake the cobbler on a baking sheet (line with foil to avoid a mess) in the middle of a preheated 400° oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the topping is golden. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Source: Southern Food - About.com

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Apple Crisp Recipe

Ingredients:

4 to 5 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced

3 to 4 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon dash salt

Crisp Topping:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup butter (or margarine)

1/4 cup oats

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Mix apples with sugar, cinnamon and a touch of salt. Place sliced apples in 8 inch square non-stick baking pan or pan sprayed with cooking spray.

For the topping, in a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon, oats and walnuts. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or cross cutting with 2 knives, until you have coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the apples.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until apples are tender and crumbs are golden. Serve warm or cold with a dollop of whipped topping or ice cream.

Suggestions to top it off: Mix together 1 cup of whipped topping and 1 tablespoon of thawed orange juice concentrate. Add a dollop to the top of each serving.

Servings: 6 servings

Source: Cooking Nook

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Apricot Pandowdy

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb fresh apricots, quartered lengthwise and pitted

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup plus

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 (10-inch) refrigerated pie dough (from a 15-oz package), unrolled

1 tablespoon milk

Directions:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Toss apricots with cornstarch and 1/2 cup sugar until coated. Heat butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides, then stir in apricot mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, then immediately transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold pie dough into quarters and trim 1 inch from rounded edge. Unfold (trimmed round should be 8 inches in diameter) and put on top of fruit.

Brush pastry with milk and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon sugar. Bake until apricot filling is bubbling and crust is golden, about 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Epicurious

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Peach Slump

Ingredients:

8 cups peeled, pitted and thinly sliced peaches (about 8 medium peaches)

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

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1-1/2 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 egg

Directions:

Preheat oven to Preheat the oven to 400F. Lightly butter a 1-1/2 quart baking dish. Combine first set of ingredients. Spread in the bottom of dish.

Stir together flour, baking powder, and sugar with wire whisk. Cut the butter into the flour mixture, until it forms coarse crumbs. Combine milk, buttermilk, and egg. Add to flour mixture. Do not knead; the dough will be sticky, stiff, and lumpy. Drop by the spoonful over the peaches.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is golden and the juices are bubbling. Cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Then loosen the biscuit from the sides of the pan and invert onto a serving platter.

Source: Baking - About.com

Fruits always make a great addition to the dessert table, especially when they are cooked by stewing, poaching, or however else. This helps bring out their flavour, making them sweeter and warmer than ever before. Add syrup, cinnamon, and other spices to your heart’s desire. Perfect on a cold winter’s day! If you fancy dates, take out the seeds and try some filled with flavoured almond paste. Try some hot fruit compote for a great easy dessert recipe too: 

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Hot Fruit Compote

Ingredients:

1 can peaches, drained

1 can pears, drained

1 can pineapple chunks, drained

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 stick butter or margarine (4oz)

1 can cherry pie filling

Directions:

Cut all fruit into bite-size pieces. Add rest of ingredients. Stir all together. Cover and cook on low 3 to 6 hours. Use as a side dish for breakfast or a meal, or as a topping for a dessert.

Source: Southern Food - About.com

Soufflés are hot and wonderfully light dessert dishes made with egg yolks and beaten whites. Flavours used for the base in the soufflé include fruits, chocolate, cheese, and berries.

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Orange Souffle recipe

Ingredients:

4 large oranges

1 lemon

30 g (2 tbsp) butter

30 g (2 tbsp) plain flour

4 eggs, separated

45 g (3 tbsp) sugar

icing sugar

Directions:

Cut the oranges in half crossways and carefully remove the flesh. Squeeze to extract the juice.Add the juice of the lemon to the juice of the oranges. Carefully cut strips of peel off half of each orange. Blanch in boiling water for 5 minutes.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until all the butter has been absorbed. Slowly add in the fruit and juice and peel, stirring constantly, and cook until the sauce thickens and comes to the boil. Simmer gently for 2 minutes.

Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until they are thick and frothy. Stir into the sauce, off the heat. Whisk the egg whites until they are stiff but not dry. Gently fold them into the sauce, starting with just one spoonful and gradually adding the remainder.

Grease a 600 ml (1 pt) souffle dish and sprinkle the base with sugar. Pour in the souffle mixture and bake at 200°C (400°F) Gas 6 for approximately 25 minutes or until well risen. Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.

Serving: Serves 4

Source: Cook It Simply

The traditional pudding has always been a favourite during winter gatherings. Make them baked, steamed or simmered, and watch them disappear in a few seconds.

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Baked Apple Butterscotch Pudding

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup butter

1 cup water

1 1/3 cup sifted all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup milk

2 1/2 cups sliced apples mixed with 1/3 cup brown sugar

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine 1 cup brown sugar, and cornstarch, 1/4 cup butter. Stir in 1 cup water; cook over low heat until thickened. Pour mixture into a lightly buttered 10x6-inch baking dish.

In a bowl, combine sifted flour, baking powder, salt, and 2/3 cup brown sugar. Blend in 1/4 cup butter and the 1/2 cup milk, stirring just until dampened. Stir in the sliced apples with 1/3 cup brown sugar. Pour apple batter over syrup in baking dish. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Source: Southern Food - About.com

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Steamed Chocolate Pudding

Beat together:

1 egg

1 c. sugar

2 tbsp. soft butter

2 sq. unsweetened chocolate, melted

Sift together:

1 3/4 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1/4 tsp. soda

Directions:

Beat dry ingredients into chocolate mixture, alternating with 1 cup milk. Pour into a greased 1 quart mold (a casserole dish will do) and steam over water for 2 hours. Serve with cream sauce.

Vanilla Cream Sauce: A perfect topping for chocolate steamed pudding.

1 egg, whipped until foamy

1/3 c. melted butter, beaten into egg

1 1/2 c. sifted confectioners' sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla, stirred into egg mixture

1 c. stiffly beaten cream, folded in

Refrigerate until serving time. Spoon over warm pudding.

Source: Cooks.com

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Non-dairy Chocolate Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

1 C Brown Rice (sweet is best)

1 1/2 C Water

2 C Rice Dream Vanilla dash of Salt

1 8 oz Package Sugar Free Fat Free Jello Cook and Serve CHOCOLATE Pudding

1/4 C Almonds (optional)

Directions:

Bring water, rice and salt to a boil. Simmer gently for 30 mins. covered, until water is absorbed. Add Rice Dream. Mix well.

Add pudding mix and bring back to a boil. Reduce to gentle simmer and cover for another 5 mins. Pour into dessert dishes and top with almond (if you like.) I created this with adaptations from the Rice Dream website's Stove Top Rice Pudding.

You could make a simple vanilla rice pudding by using vanilla pudding mix and adding cinnamon and nutmeg. Be sure to use the COOK and SERVE type of pudding so that it can be simmered longer. Enjoy!

Servings: 4

Source: Sparkpeople

Last but not least, what could be better than a steaming cup of hot chocolate after a fine meal in the warmth of your own home? A cup of my personal super special amazing ultimate wonderful easy hot chocolate deluxe recipe! The name of my recipe belies the simplicity needed to make it. It’s not as complicated to make as it sounds. Just follow the recipe below:

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Super Special Amazing Ultimate Wonderful Easy Hot Chocolate Deluxe Recipe (SSAUWEHCDR)

Ingredients:

Hot chocolate powder

3-5 triangles of Toblerone chocolate (White)

Hot steaming water

Directions:

Add hot chocolate powder to a cup according to amount instructed on the label. Add 3-5 Toblerone chocolate triangles to the cup. Pour hot, steaming water into the cup, and keep mixing till everything melts. Watch the almond and honey nougats float to the top, grab your dessert book, sit down by the fireplace, and enjoy!

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Super Special Amazing Ultimate Wonderful Easy Hot Chocolate Deluxe Recipe 2 (SSAUWEHCDR2)

Ingredients:

Hot chocolate powder

3-5 triangles of Toblerone chocolate (Dark)

1 piece of Andes Mint chocolate (or After Eight Mint chocolates are good too)

Hot steaming water

Directions:

Add hot chocolate powder to a cup according to amount instructed on the label. Add 3-5 Toblerone chocolate triangles and 1 piece of Andes Mint chocolate to the cup. Pour hot, steaming water into the cup, and keep mixing till everything melts. Watch the almond and honey nougats float to the top, grab your dessert book, sit down by the fireplace, and enjoy!

Source: Easy Dessert Recipes 

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Feel free to add whipped cream, chocolate shavings, sprinkles, cinnamon, or whatever else your heart desires. Now you can get back to reading your dessert book by the fireplace…