Dreamy desserts

‘Tis the season to indulge. The following desserts, which will feed a crowd if you are entertaining, can be made ahead of time and are somewhat economical. And even better they are far superior to any store bought dessert and made with the best ingredients possible.

Mocha dream pie

Crust

2 cups digestive biscuit crumbs or chocolate cookies

2 tbs sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

Place cookies in a food processor and process until crumbs form, add the sugar and butter and process for a few seconds more.

Press into the bottom of a 10-inch pie plate, bake for 5 minutes at 325F until just firm, cool.

Filling

1½ tbs gelatin

2 tbs warm water

2 tbs instant coffee granules (extra strong)

½ cup hot water

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, separated

2 8-oz packages cream cheese

2 cups whipped cream

1 tbs cocoa powder

Chocolate shavings and chocolate chips for garnish

Dissolve gelatin in 2 tbs warm water, gently warm until melted.

Combine coffee with hot water and stir into gelatin mixture.

Beat eggs with ½ cup sugar, add to gelatin mixture and cook over low heat until thick, about 5 minutes, remove and cool.

Beat cream cheese until smooth, add egg and gelatin mixture, combine.

Fold in whipped cream. Spoon into prepared crust and chill overnight until firm.

Place cocoa powder into a strainer and sift over cake, line the edge with chocolate chips and sprinkle with chocolate shavings. Chill further until ready to serve.

Makes one 10-inch cheesecake.

A lighter side: Use low fat cream cheese and whipped cream

Trini chocolate layer cake

¾ cup powdered Trinidad cocoa

½ cup hot water

¾ cup milk

2½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

¾ cup unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla essence

3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350F

Grease sides and base and line 2 nine-inch layer cake tins with waxed paper.

Combine cocoa with hot water, stir then add milk.

Sift together flour, baking powder, soda and salt.

Cream butter with brown sugar for about 4 minutes, then add the granulated sugar beat until light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time, making sure to beat well between additions, batter must be fluffy. Add vanilla.

Add flour to batter alternately with cocoa liquid in three additions, flour in 3 parts, liquid in 2.

Beginning and ending with the flour. Spoon batter evenly into prepared tins, bake for 35-40 minutes until done and cake pulls away from the sides of the tin.

Makes 2 layer cakes.

Shiny fudge frosting

½ cup sugar

¼ cup water

1 tbs corn syrup

4 ozs Trinidad chocolate, bittersweet

2 tbs butter, softened

1 cups sifted icing sugar

2 tbs very hot water

¼ cup Trinidad cocoa powder

Combine sugar, water and corn syrup, cook gently until sugar is dissolved, 3 mins.

Add chocolate stirring until melted.

Beat in the butter, and add the icing sugar with the cocoa powder alternately with the hot water.

Frost cake.

Makes about 1 cup

Fruited cheesecake trifle

½ cup granulated sugar

4 egg yolks

¼ cup dark rum (optional)

1 tsp vanilla

1 lb cream cheese cut into pieces

1½ cups whipping cream

Italian ladyfinger biscuits or one 12-oz butter less sponge cake cut into 3-inch-by-1 inch pieces

1 28-oz can peaches, chopped, and drained, save peach juice

cup peach juice

½ cup toasted almonds

Cherries to garnish

With an electric mixer beat sugar with egg yolks until thick and fluffy, add vanilla and continue beating, add cream cheese and continue beating until smooth.

Refrigerate for about one hour or until chilled.

Beat whipping cream until stiff; fold into cream cheese mixture.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Line the base of a glass dish with ladyfingers, sprinkle with juice/rum mixture or dip ladyfingers into juice and arrange at the bottom of your dish.

Top with half the cheese mixture.

Repeat with another layer of ladyfingers and cream cheese mixture.

Sprinkle on the toasted almonds, garnish with cherries and cover with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Serves 8 to 10

Pineapple icebox cake

For the Sponge:

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 one-inch strip of lime peel

Make the sponge:

Beat the eggs with the sugar and lime peel until thick and ribbons form from the beaters when lifted. Fold in the flour. Spread batter into a prepared cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until cake springs back when touched. Remove from oven, place a clean tea towel on a wire rack and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Turn out cake onto towel and carefully remove waxed paper.

Line a loaf tin with plastic wrap and cut the cake to fit the base of the loaf tin, you will need 4 pieces

For the filling:

½ cup unsalted butter

1 cup sifted icing sugar

2 cups heavy cream

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1½ cups crushed pineapple, drained

¼ cup toasted, chopped almonds

Cream the butter with the icing sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the egg and beat until creamy, add the vanilla

Place the cream in a small bowl and whip until light, add 1½ cups to the butter mixture and combine. Fold in pineapple.

To assemble:

Place one layer of cake at the base of the loaf tin, spread ¼ the mixture over the cake, repeat using 4 layers, top with the balance of the cream and sprinkle on almonds.

Serves 10