Baking 30 Minute Desserts

Expert Author Juliana Montgomery
These 3 quick desserts are perfect for those last-minute guests or when you need a quick dessert recipe.
Candy Bar Imitations
1/2 cup butter
1 package devil's food cake mix
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
Mix the butter and cake mix in a large bowl until crumbly. Evenly sprinkle this mixture into a jelly roll pan (15 x 10 x 1-inch). Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Put the butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, coconut, and pecans over the top of the mixture in an even layer. Add the sweetened condensed milk over the entire mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes. The top should be light golden brown. Allow it to cool and cut it into bars.
Caramel Brownies
1 package (14 ounces) caramels
1 can evaporated milk
1 package German chocolate cake mix
2/3 cup melted margarine
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans
In a small saucepan over low heat melt the caramels and 1/3 cup of the evaporated milk. While those are melting, mix together the cake mix, margarine, and 1/3 cup of the evaporated milk. Put half of the cake mixture into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Put it into a 350 degree oven for 6 minutes. Add the chocolate chips and pecans in an even layer over the baked cake mix. Pour the caramel mixture evenly over the chocolate chip/pecan layer. Then pour the other half of the cake mix over the caramel layer. Bake for 20 additional minutes. Allow brownies to cool and cut into bars.
Easy Lemon Bars
1 package lemon cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup oil
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
In a medium bowl, mix the cake mix, egg and oil together. Reserve 1 cup of this cake mixture. Put the remaining cake mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. While this is baking, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and lemon juice. Mix well. Spread this mixture over the baked cake mixture. Take the 1 cup of reserved cake mixture and sprinkle over the top. Bake for 15 additional minutes. Allow it to cool and cut into bars. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Juliana_Montgomery

2 Delicious No Bake Banana Dessert Recipes

Expert Author Shelly Hill
Are you looking for some great no baking involved dessert recipes? If so, I think you will enjoy these two recipes which use bananas, along with some additional ingredients.
I try to feed bananas to my family almost on a daily basis because they are healthy for us. They are high in potassium and low in sodium, making them the ideal healthy fruit. They are great for reducing depression, achieving bone and intestinal health, and for regulating high blood pressure.
Bananas can be used in a variety of ways. You can eat them plain as a snack, make some bread, pudding, cakes or even a pie.
The following 2 recipes are great tasting and easy to make.
No-Bake Banana Split Dessert
4 large bananas
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 1/2 sticks of margarine, melted
3 cups crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups confectioners sugar
2 eggs
1 small package chopped nuts
1 large tub of Cool Whip
1 jar maraschino cherries
*optional* Chocolate Sauce
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the 1/2 stick of melted margarine and graham cracker crumbs. Spread mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9 x 13" baking pan and place in the freezer for 15 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, 2 cups of melted margarine and confectioners sugar. Mix those 3 ingredients together using a mixer for 10-15 minutes. Remove baking pan from freezer and spread this mixture over top of the graham cracker crumbs. Slice bananas on top and then add the drained crushed pineapple. Cover pineapple with Cool Whip and sprinkle chopped nuts and cherries on top. Cover pie and refrigerate for 6 hours before serving. If desired, you can serve chocolate sauce over top of the pie but don't add it until 15 minutes before serving the pie to your guests.
No-Bake Banana Pudding Dessert
1 (12 ounce) box vanilla wafers
4-5 bananas
2 (4-ounce) boxes vanilla or banana cream instant pudding mix
3 cups of cold milk
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (14-ounce) tub Cool Whip, thawed
Line a 13 x 9" baking dish with a single or double layer of vanilla wafers, then add banana slices. In a large bowl, prepare instant pudding mixes according to box directions and using the 3 cups of cold milk; mix in the sweetened condensed milk and then fold in the thawed Cool Whip. Pour this mixture immediately over the sliced bananas and vanilla wafers. Refrigerate dessert for 4-6 hours before serving.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelly_Hill

Healthy Sugar Alternatives For Guilt Free Desserts

Expert Author Lee Dobbins
If you're at all concerned about your health, then you probably know that sugar is, perhaps, the worst thing that you can eat. But, if you have a sweet tooth, it can be hard to give up those comforting desserts. Luckily there are some healthy sugar alternatives you can use to make your own guilt free desserts that will actually help your health instead of harm it.
Brown Rice Syrup
Brown rice syrup is made by culturing white rice with enzymes. It is not made from brown rice as you might assume from the name, the name actually refers to the color of the syrup which, obviously, is brown. By combining enzymes with rice the starch is broken down and the resulting liquid is cooked, turning into a syrup that has about half the amount of sweetness as sugar.
To use it in your baking you want to substitute 1 1/3 cups of brown rice syrup for every cup of sugar and reduce the other liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup and then add a quarter teaspoon baking soda to the ingredients of the recipe.
Honey
Honey is one of the healthy sugar alternatives that everyone should be considering as a substitute in baking. Honey, especially raw honey, is extremely healthy and loaded with antioxidants as well as antiviral and anti-bacterial properties. It has a host of vitamins and minerals that will help your health unlike white table sugar that is devoid of any nutrients, vitamins or minerals.
To use it in your baking substitute equal amounts of honey for white sugar. You'll also need to reduce the liquids in the recipe in order to get the batter to come out to the proper consistency since honey has more liquid than sugar.
Maple Syrup
If you are looking for healthy sugar alternatives that will add unique flavor to your baking, then look no further than maple syrup. Made from the sap of Maple trees, this thick syrup can add n interesting flavor to any recipe. Be careful when buying it though because you want to be sure to buy pure maple syrup otherwise you are just simply buying flavored corn syrup with no nutritional value. Pure maple syrup is loaded with nutrients and is actually three times sweeter than table sugar.
To use maple syrup in your baking, substitute 3/4 cup maple syrup for every cup of sugar and reduce the other liquids in the recipe by 3 tablespoons.
There are two reasons why you want to consider using a healthy alternative to sugar in your baking. The first is that the process of making table sugar, strips all the nutrients out of it. It is just empty calories that does your body no good. The second is that table sugar is very high on the glycemic index and, therefore, will cause a spike in your blood sugar which is harmful to your health and will also eventually result in a drop in your blood sugar, thus creating moodiness, tiredness and food cravings.
Look for healthy sugar alternatives that have vitamins, minerals and other nutrients as well as ones that are low on the glycemic index like brown rice syrup (which has a GI of 25) so that you can bake desserts that are nutritious and good for your overall health and that won't give you that sugar high and subsequent crash or result in food cravings.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Dobbins

Take Your Desserts to a Whole New Level With Baking Classes

Expert Author Rob Hamilton
You love making desserts and you are interested in perfecting your skills and even turning your hobby into a profession? Baking classes will give you the skills needed to achieve your goals.
Choosing the right baking class is very important. The curriculum and the experience of the instructor are both determining for the quality of the cooking class and the practical skills that you will get from it.
What are You Going to Learn in a Baking Class?
A baking class will teach you a number of different things, depending on the skill level that you choose. Some baking schools are designed for beginners and for amateurs, while others will give you professional baking and cake decorating skills.
A typical baking school will teach you how to prepare different kinds of cakes, how to bake them properly and how to use a number of decorating techniques. A course can last anywhere between a few hours and a few months.
You will learn how to perform each step from a professional. There are specifics when it comes to making the dough, storing it, rolling the dough, cutting, baking, glazing and finishing your cake with the perfect decorative elements. Some courses have a few additional skills added to the curriculum. Go carefully over the items included in the course to make sure it is the right one for you.
How to Choose the Best Baking Class
Just perform an online search and you will find out there are dozens of schools teaching baking for you to choose among. How can you pick the best one?
For a start, take a look at the name of the institution that is organizing the cooking class and the names of the instructor. Some schools and culinary institutes have a better reputation than others. The same applies to professionals in the world of cake baking and dessert making. Don't settle for names you have just seen in the blink of an eye. You don't want to waste your money and time because of that mistake.
Next, figure out what kind of certificate or degree you will be getting at the end of the training period. A certificate is obtainable fastest. Diplomas are typically received after one year of studying and the diplomas give you the chance to work in a restaurant. Finally, you can opt for a university program that will teach you restaurant management skills apart from dessert making.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rob_Hamilton

Take Your Desserts to a Whole New Level With Baking Classes

Expert Author Rob Hamilton
You love making desserts and you are interested in perfecting your skills and even turning your hobby into a profession? Baking classes will give you the skills needed to achieve your goals.
Choosing the right baking class is very important. The curriculum and the experience of the instructor are both determining for the quality of the cooking class and the practical skills that you will get from it.
What are You Going to Learn in a Baking Class?
A baking class will teach you a number of different things, depending on the skill level that you choose. Some baking schools are designed for beginners and for amateurs, while others will give you professional baking and cake decorating skills.
A typical baking school will teach you how to prepare different kinds of cakes, how to bake them properly and how to use a number of decorating techniques. A course can last anywhere between a few hours and a few months.
You will learn how to perform each step from a professional. There are specifics when it comes to making the dough, storing it, rolling the dough, cutting, baking, glazing and finishing your cake with the perfect decorative elements. Some courses have a few additional skills added to the curriculum. Go carefully over the items included in the course to make sure it is the right one for you.
How to Choose the Best Baking Class
Just perform an online search and you will find out there are dozens of schools teaching baking for you to choose among. How can you pick the best one?
For a start, take a look at the name of the institution that is organizing the cooking class and the names of the instructor. Some schools and culinary institutes have a better reputation than others. The same applies to professionals in the world of cake baking and dessert making. Don't settle for names you have just seen in the blink of an eye. You don't want to waste your money and time because of that mistake.
Next, figure out what kind of certificate or degree you will be getting at the end of the training period. A certificate is obtainable fastest. Diplomas are typically received after one year of studying and the diplomas give you the chance to work in a restaurant. Finally, you can opt for a university program that will teach you restaurant management skills apart from dessert making.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rob_Hamilton