Arnold - Best sweets & treats for two: fast and foolproof recipes for one, two, or a few

FOR MY MOM
THANKS FOR BEING
THE SOUS-CHEF OF MY LIFE

Maybe its 10:00 p.m. and your late-night chocolate craving has hit, or maybe its Saturday after a great cookout and you want something sweet to finish the mealbut you dont have anything on hand. So what do you think? I hate bakingI dont want to pull out all of the measuring cups and spoons. Desserts take too much time. But it doesnt always have to be that way. With these recipes, you can have an easy and delicious dessert for two on the table in no time.

Whether baking is your forte or you find it a struggle, whats great about these desserts is how easy they are to make. The key is to follow the steps, relax, and use store-bought solutions to help you along the way. Substitute pre-cut frozen strawberries for fresh to take away the hassle of cleaning and chopping the fruit. Use quick baking mixes to make biscuits or cakes, and add your own touch with fresh ingredients and new spices. These are just some of the sweet solutions provided in these recipes. And with a serving size of two, dessert becomes even easier to prepare.

At a dinner party, smaller desserts can be betterthey allow guests to consider dessert optional or to have a smaller serving if they are feeling full or watching what they eat. For larger gatherings, you can serve these desserts in shot glasses or on bread-and-butter-size plates as a fun way to provide a smaller portionand with less cooking for you. Even if you are just having a quiet night at home, small portions can be welcome after large meals. Here, you will find easy cookie, cake, ice cream, tart, and crumble recipesyou will discover new favorites that friends and family will be asking for every time they come over for dinner. The sweet tooth will come out and request the Warm Skillet Cookie on movie nights, quick Strawberry Shortcake after summer meals, and Berry Crumble after a long day at work.

To make great use of this book, keep your favorite store-bought cake mixes, brownie mixes, frozen fruit, chocolate chips, and pie doughs on hand. To make great use of this book, keep your favorite store-bought cake mixes, brownie mixes, frozen fruit, chocolate chips, and pie doughs on hand.

These store-bought items will become your best friends when tackling quick desserts that taste 100 percent homemade. What is great about Best Sweets & Treats for Two is that most of these cake and brownie recipes call for half a box of store-bought cake or brownie mix (1 to 2 cups of store-bought mix from a 15.25ounce box of cake mix or an 18.3ounce box of brownie mix)which means that you always have half a box of cake or brownie mix left over to make another dessert the next night or week. Be sure to store your leftover dry boxed mixes in a zip-top bag in the freezer before using again. With baking for two comes a recipe yield that is a quarter or half the size of a regular dessert recipe. Fewer ingredients means it is necessary to bake in smaller vessels, so having the right equipment is essential. For these recipes to be most successful, you will need: Mini muffin tins and full-size muffin tins 8-inch cast-iron skillet 4-ounce and 8-ounce ramekins or mason jars 9- by 5-inch standard loaf pan and 6- by 3.5-inch mini loaf pan 8-inch square baking dish The best part about these recipes is that they are quick and easy.

Most of the treats can also be frozen and reheated in the oven, so dessert never ends!

Warm and gooey, you will be craving this cookie at any time of the day.Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Makes one 8-inch cookie 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened cup granulated sugar cup light brown sugar 1 large egg teaspoon vanilla extract teaspoon salt 1 cup all-purpose flour teaspoon baking soda 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips cup walnuts, chopped (optional) Vanilla ice cream, for serving Preheat the oven to 350F. Beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar together using a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and salt and beat until just combined. Add the flour and baking soda and mix until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour the batter into an 8-inch cast-iron skillet.

Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until golden brown and gooey in the center. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

What could be better? Everyones favorite chocolate hazelnut spread now in a cookiedig in!Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Makes 1 dozen cookies 4 tablespoons ( stick) unsalted butter, softened 3 tablespoons brown sugar 1 large egg cup chocolate hazelnut spread 1 cup all-purpose flour teaspoon baking soda cup shelled hazelnuts or walnuts, chopped (optional) Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat the butter and sugar together using a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy.

Add the egg and beat to combine. Add the chocolate hazelnut spread and fold with a spatula to combine. Add the flour and baking soda and mix to combine. Fold in the hazelnuts or walnuts if using. Drop the dough onto parchment paper, leaving 1 inch between each cookie. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cookies are set, but still soft in the center.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer to a baking rack. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer the cookies to the baking rack to cool completely.

Combine oats and your favorite nut for this easy cookie. Anything you have in your pantry will have you making dessert in no time!Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Makes 1 dozen cookies 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened cup granulated sugar cup brown sugar 1 large egg teaspoon vanilla extract teaspoon salt 1 cup all-purpose flour teaspoon baking soda cup old-fashioned oats 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips cup pecans or other nuts, chopped Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar together using a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy.

Add the egg, vanilla, and salt and beat to combine. Add the flour and baking soda and mix until combined. Add the oats, chocolate chips, and nuts and fold to combine with a spatula. Drop the dough onto parchment paper, leaving 1 inch between each cookie. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cookies are just set. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer to a baking rack and allow the cookies to cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet.

Transfer the cookies to the baking rack and allow to cool completely.

Why decide between cookies and brownies when you can have both in one bar! This recipe is easy, using your favorite boxed brownie mix.Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 50 minutes Makes 8 bars FOR THE BROWNIE BATTER 2 cups of your favorite boxed brownie mix 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons milk 4 tablespoons ( stick) unsalted butter, melted FOR THE COOKIE BATTER 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened cup granulated sugar cup light brown sugar 1 large egg teaspoon vanilla extract teaspoon salt 1 cup all-purpose flour teaspoon baking soda 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips To make the brownie batter: Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Combine all brownie ingredients and mix until smooth. Add the brownie mixture to the prepared baking dish and smooth.Next page