Jonnie Downing - Slow Cooker Desserts: Hot, Easy, and Delicious Custards, Cobblers, Souffles, Pies, Cakes, and More

Thanks to all the slow cooker warriors out there
paving the way online and offline.

Text Copyright 2013 by Jonnie Downing. Photographs Copyright 2013 JudiSwinksPhotography. com except as noted below. Copyright concept and design 2012 by Ulysses Press and its licensors. All Rights Reserved. Any unauthorized duplication in whole or in part or dissemination of this edition by any means (including but not limited to photocopying, electronic bulletin boards, and the Internet) will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Published by:
Ulysses Press
P.O. Box 3440
Berkeley, CA 94703
www.ulyssespress.com

ISBN: 978-1-61243-160-4

Library of Congress Catalog Number 2012951894

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Acquisitions editor: Keith Riegert

Project editor: Alice Riegert

Managing editor: Claire Chun

Editor: Phyllis Elving

Proofreader: Elyce Berrigan-Dunlop

Cover design and layout: what!design @ whatweb.com

Cover photographs: JudiSwinksPhotography.com

Photographs of featured recipes: JudiSwinksPhotography.com

Clip art: all from shutterstock.com p. 8 chocolate curls Tobik; p. 10 vanilla Diana Taliun; p. 14 eggs Elena Schweitzer; p. 23 peanut butter bonchan; p. 24 lemons Volodymyr Krasyuk; p. 26 walnuts Standret; p. 32 pineapple Viktar Malyshchyts; p. 34 cherries Nattika; p. 39 plums Viktar Malyshchyts; p. 40 apples Maks Narodenko; p. 42 bananas Kletr; p. 49 eggs and whisk Africa Studio; p. 53 pumpkin JIANG HONGYAN; p. 54 raspberries Mauro Rodrigues; p. 58 coconut Tomukas; p. 63 yams Viktar Malyshchyts; p. 72 lemon zest zkruger; p. 77 chocolate and butterscotch chips Jenn Huls; p. 78 strawerries Alexander Dashewsky; p. 83 cranberries and apple Valentin Mosichev; p. 87 peaches Maks Narodenko; p. 95 chocolate chips M. Unal Ozmen; p. 104 blueberries Zigzag Mountain Art; p. 109 pecans draconus

Production: Jake Flaherty

Food stylist for featured recipes: Anna Hartman-Kenzler

IMPORTANT NOTE TO READERS: This book is independently authored and published and no sponsorship or endorsement of this book by, and no affiliation with, any trademarked brand of slow cookers or other products mentioned or pictured within is claimed or suggested. All trademarks that appear in ingredient lists, photographs, and elsewhere in this book belong to their respective owners and are used here for informational purposes only. The authors and publishers encourage readers to patronize the quality brands of slow cookers and other products mentioned and pictured in this book.

We all have busy lives. Between working, taking care of our families, or simply taking care of ourselves by making sure we put balanced meals on the table, its hard to plan a dessert that is easy to make, requires little cleanup, and can complement more than one meal. Thats where the slow cooker comes in.

Here Ive compiled dozens of delicious slow cooker dessert recipes, many from my blog Crockpot Ninja (CrockpotNinja.com), that will satisfy the sweet tooth and be a hit with families, coworkers, and neighbors. Most of the recipes make several servings and keep very well in the refrigerator, so one dessert can last for several dayseliminating the need to rush out for a pint of ice cream, a frozen pie, or some other store-bought confection.

This book includes slow cooker recipes for fruit desserts, puddings, brownies, cakes, and cobblers. Whatever your hankering, theres a recipe here to satisfy and delight. All of the recipes have been tested, tasted, and approvedand are easy to make in your slow cooker. Desserts generally taste best and make the most attractive presentation when fresh ingredients are used. Sometimes, however, time is limited, so Ive offered alternatives where possible. There is an Emergency Desserts chapter for when you need to just throw something in the slow cooker and go. No matter which chapter you open, youll find elegant desserts that you can prepare for any occasion.

Slow cookers come in different sizes and shapes. You can find them from 4-quart to 8-quart capacity, either round or oval. All of the recipes in this book were tested in a 6-quart round slow cooker. Some recipes call for a smaller slow cooker, which is indicated in that particular recipe. While all can be made in the 6-quart, a smaller size works better in these instances.

Many of the desserts go right into the slow cooker. For others, youll need a few additional pieces of equipment. Its helpful to have the following on hand.

SPRINGFORM PAN One of these pans with the removable sides is essential for cheesecake recipes. Make sure you get one that will fit inside your slow cooker. For a 6-quart slow cooker, a 7-inch springform pan fits perfectly.

CORNINGWARE OR OTHER BAKING DISH Sometimes recipes call for these when a cake or pudding requires a water bath in order to remain moist. A 57 inch dish should fit in the 6-quart slow cooker.

TRIVET A springform pan or baking dish sometimes needs to be elevated above the bottom of the slow cooker. A good heatproof trivet or wire rack should do the trick. If necessary, a ring of aluminum foil will also work to keep the pan off the bottom of your slow cooker.

RAMEKINS For individual dessert servings, you cant beat ramekins. Four standard 3-inch ramekins will fit into a 6-quart slow cooker.

BREAD PAN To make delicious slow cooker breads, a disposable 3 3/4 x 8-inch bread pans in a 6-quart slow cooker works great.

When you remove your dessert from the slow cooker, be very careful. Sometimes you can turn the slow cooker upside down to flip your dessert onto a serving plate. Other times you have to remove bread pans, baking pans, or ramekins. It is not a bad idea to line the slow cooker in foil beforehand, so that you can grab onto the foil to help lift out the dessert.

Or, using oven mitts, lift the ceramic liner of your slow cooker out and place it on a heatproof surface. Unless the recipe states otherwise, allow your dessert to cool for at least 30 minutes inside the ceramic liner with the lid on.

While cooking times will be similar for most slow cookers, its good to check in on recipes from time to time to make sure your desserts arent being overcooked.

The better the ingredients, the better your desserts. Invest in great quality vanilla extract and spices for better flavor. I recommend Baldwins for vanilla and Penzeys Spices for fresh flavoring.