Gundry - No-bake desserts: 103 easy recipes for no-bake cookies, bars, and treats

103 Easy Recipes for No-Bake
Cookies, Bars, and Treats

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To Miss Porters School, a magical place.
Thank you for instilling in me a brave sense of
confidence, teaching me independence and kindness,
and, most important, for giving me sisters.

I went to an all-girls boarding school. You might imagine crisp, plaid uniforms; books balanced on top of heads; and single-file lines around every corner, but it wasnt like that at all. It was at Miss Porters, in AP Physics, that I learned how to fly a paper airplane. It was there that I discovered my favorite book, The Great Gatsby, and proceeded to read it over and over in my free time. I played sports all three seasons, spent a majority of my time muddy, and none of my clothes were ironed. It was there that I learned what a party really was.

At the time I didnt know how to cook very well, nor did we have ovens to cook in, but I began reading about food. I ripped out magazine articles to study why ingredients worked together, and why cooking times and temperatures could make or break a recipe. I found that without an oven I still could not be stopped, and thus my love for semi-homemade, no-bake desserts came to be. I learned that if I wanted to throw parties for a living and fill a table with beautiful food, I could. I learned how to learn, why a work ethic and education were important, and that allowed me to study and pursue a career in something I was passionate about. It may have been confusing to my American History and French teachers, but fast-forward a few years, and I was formally trained in the culinary arts.

Back then, and still today, it wasnt about the color coordinating, or the dcor hanging high, the picture-perfect moments we share on social media. Its about the people who surround the table, like those girls from Miss Porters. It was, and still is, about the company and conversation, and the good food (no matter if some was store-bought). Ive used my experience and excitement for food and entertaining to create each one of the 103 no-bake desserts in a unique way. Why 103? When you come to our house for dinner or dessert, we want you to know you can always bring a friend, or two, or three... and for those who have been to our home, you know firsthand that guests tend to multiply as the food continues to come out of the oven and cocktails are poured. One hundred recipes felt too rigid, so finite, and so by adding the extra three it became more welcominga reminder that there is always more room at the table.

As the ice cream became a melty mess on a hot weekend at home in June, more guests arrived, making the last-minute sticky situation a fun one. Strawberries were buy-one-get-one-free, and you better believe the Chocolate Mousse (page 173) I make now is far less temperamental than the recipe I learned in culinary school in France. When I melted chocolate to make Rainbow Mint Bark (page 60), I had a lot of pretzels and with a little extra white chocolate, a few got covered until smothered by sticky fingers and excited friends. Those vanilla cookies, that I did not bake, were turned into Vanilla Cookie Sandwiches (page 109), and the Almond Brittle (page 76) is probably the most sophisticated item on the menuthat, and the prosecco. On the flip side, the Mint Chocolate Chip Cups (page 200) are made with store-bought pudding, so although elegant, they remain easy. A perfect party isnt perfect. Thats what makes it a party. In the end, you wont remember the little things that didnt go quite as smoothly as you hoped. But you will remember that it was a great party, and that is what is important.

Addie Gundry

As Julia Child once said, A party without a cake is just a meeting. I happen to agree. In this chapter you will find cheesecakes, beautiful pies, fruit tarts, and moreall with the magical ability to turn any day into a party.

Yield: 1 cake; serves 10 to 12 | Prep Time: 1 hour | Chill Time: 1 to 2 hours

When I was a kid visiting family in Chicago, the highlight of the experience was always getting to dine at my favorite restaurant, The Cheesecake Factory. With so many cheesecakes to choose from, I was always happy to share, so I could try multiple flavors. One of my favorites was a brownie cheesecake because it was a mash-up of two great desserts. This one isnt quite as giant as the cheesecake I ate on the first floor of the Hancock building, but it equally delicious.

INGREDIENTS

2 dozen brownie bites

1 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

4 tablespoons ( stick/ cup) unsalted butter, softened

teaspoon instant espresso powder

cup granulated sugar

1 cup cold heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

cup mini chocolate chips, plus additional for serving

1 (12.25-ounce) jar store-bought sea saltcaramel sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Lightly grease an 8-inch springform pan.
2. Arrange the brownie bites to fit in the bottom of the pan.
3. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave the bittersweet chocolate chips on high for 1 minute. Stir and continue to microwave in 30-second intervals until the chocolate has melted, about 3 minutes total. Set aside to cool while you prepare the cream cheese.
4. Using a hand mixer and a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the cream cheese, butter, espresso powder, and granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth.
5. Add the cooled melted chocolate and beat on medium speed until combined.
6. Mix the heavy whipping cream with the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
7. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Add cup of the mini chocolate chips.
8. Spoon the batter into the pan over the brownies.