Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever (50 page)

The slow cooker takes very good care of pears in this dessert, poaching them in red wine and spices, to pair with tangy Stilton, an English blue cheese. Make sure the pears are not soft but rather under-ripe, otherwise they will fall apart in the slow cooker.

1 cup full-bodied red wine

1 cup Ruby Port

1½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar

One 4-inch cinnamon stick

6 large firm red pears, halved and cored

6 ounces Stilton cheese, at room temperature

combine the wine, port, brown sugar, and cinnamon stick in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the pears to the slow-cooker insert, arranging them in layers, and spoon some of the sauce over the pears.

cover and cook on high for 2 to 2½ hours, until the pears are softened. Uncover the slow cooker and allow the pears to cool to room temperature. Carefully remove them from the cooker and arrange them on a platter. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve and boil for 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce becomes syrupy.

spoon the syrup over the pears on the platter and scoop a bit of Stilton into the center of each pear. Serve at room temperature.

serves 6–8

Poached pears infused with five-spice powder make a delicious dessert to serve with green tea ice cream or crème fraîche. They are also terrific as a garnish for a large platter of roasted pork or chicken. Or chop the pears and spoon them over hot cereal for a breakfast treat.

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar

½ cup dry sherry

1 teaspoon five-spice powder

1 cup pear nectar

8 firm pears, peeled, halved, and cored

mix together the butter, sugar, sherry, five-spice powder, and pear nectar in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the pears to the slow-cooker insert and turn to coat them with the liquid. Cover and cook on high for 2½ hours until tender.

remove the pears with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl and spoon the liquid from the slow cooker over the pears. Serve warm or chilled.

serves 8

Sweet red strawberries and tart rhubarb cook together beneath a layer of oatmeal and white chocolate crumble, creating a delectable dessert to serve with vanilla ice cream.

4 cups strawberries, hulled and cut into quarters

4 stalks bright red rhubarb, cut into ½-inch slices

1½ cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Grated zest of 1 orange

1 tablespoon cornstarch

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cup old-fashioned rolled oats

¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

½ cup finely chopped white chocolate

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½-inch pieces

Vanilla ice cream for serving

coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Stir the berries, rhubarb, granulated sugar, cinnamon, zest, and cornstarch together in the insert. Set aside while making the crumble.

stir together the oats, brown sugar, chocolate, and flour in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and cut the butter into the dry ingredients, using a blending fork or pastry blender, until the mixture forms coarse crumbs about the size of peas.

sprinkle the crumble over the fruit. Cover and cook on low for 2½ hours, until the crumble is set and the fruit is bubbling. Uncover the slow cooker and allow to cool for 30 minutes.

serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

serves 8

Amaretto, pears, cinnamon, and nutmeg bake under an almond crumble topping. Choose pears that are firm so they don’t disintegrate when cooked. Serve the crumble with a large dollop of whipped cream.

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

¼ cup amaretto liqueur

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted

8 large firm pears, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

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cup sliced almonds

Whipped cream for serving

coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Add the brown sugar, amaretto, and ½ cup of the butter to the slow-cooker insert and stir until blended. Add the pears and turn the pears to coat with the syrup.

stir together the granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and almonds in a small bowl. Drizzle the remaining ¼ cup butter into the flour mixture and stir with a fork until the mixture begins to form crumbs. Sprinkle over the top of the pears. Cover and cook on high for 2½ hours, until a skewer inserted into the crumble comes out clean. Uncover and allow to cool for 30 minutes.

serve the crumble warm with a dollop of whipped cream.

serves 8

Juicy peaches bake in a caramel sauce under a brown sugar–pecan crumble. Make this when peaches are in season for the most delicious crumble you will ever eat! Of course, ice cream is the perfect accompaniment, but you can also serve this with unsweetened whipped cream.

2½ cups firmly packed dark brown sugar

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons bourbon

8 large ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into wedges

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup chopped pecans

Vanilla ice cream for serving

coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Add 1½ cups of the sugar, the ginger, cinnamon, cornstarch, and bourbon to the slow-cooker insert and stir until blended. Add the peaches and stir to coat them with the sugar. Melt ¼ cup of the butter, add it to the slow-cooker insert, and stir to blend. Stir together the flour, remaining 1 cup sugar, and the nutmeg in a mixing bowl.

add the remaining ½ cup butter to the mixing bowl and cut it in, using a blending fork or pastry blender, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

sprinkle over the top of the peaches and spread the pecans evenly over the crumble. Cover and cook on high for 2 to 2½ hours, until a skewer inserted into the crumble comes out clean. Uncover the cooker and allow to cool for 30 minutes.

serve with vanilla ice cream.

serves 8

Sweet Golden Delicious apples are paired with tart cranberries and bubble under a buttery cobbler topping flavored with maple syrup. With its tantalizing aromas of cinnamon, apples, and cloves, this cobbler will remind you of fall.

6 large Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped

One 12-ounce package fresh cranberries washed and picked over (discard any white cranberries)

2½ cups sugar

1 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon cloves

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teaspoon ground ginger

1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ cup maple syrup

2 large eggs, beaten

Vanilla ice cream for serving

coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Add the apples, cranberries, 1 cup of the sugar, the cornstarch, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger to the slowcooker insert and stir to combine.

stir together the butter, flour, remaining 1½ cups sugar, the maple syrup, and eggs in a mixing bowl and spread the batter over the apple mixture. Cover and cook on high for 2½ hours, until a skewer inserted into the center of the batter comes out clean. Uncover and cool for 30 minutes.

serve the cobbler warm with vanilla ice cream.

serves 8

Traditional soufflé pudding cakes puff up and separate into a pudding-like layer on the bottom covered by a sponge cake on the top. This pudding cake takes that one step further and incorporates blueberries into the pudding layer for a delicious surprise. Serve the cake warm.

1 cup fresh blueberries

4 large eggs, separated

Grated zest of 1 lemon

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cup fresh lemon juice

4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, at room temperature

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cups milk

1 cup sugar

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cup all-purpose flour

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teaspoon salt

coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Spread the blueberries over the bottom of the slow-cooker insert. Beat the egg whites in a large mixing bowl until soft peaks form, and set aside.

whisk the egg yolks in another mixing bowl. Add the zest and juice, butter, and milk and whisk until blended. Stir together the sugar, flour, and salt in another bowl and add to the egg yolk mixture. Beat until smooth, then fold into the reserved egg whites.

transfer the batter to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2½ hours.

allow the cake to cool slightly before serving.

serves 6

I will readily admit that I am not a baker, because baking involves science and following directions to the letter. I look for dessert recipes that are simple to make yet produce amazing results. This cake is just one of those recipes that I go back to time and time again. The top layer is an intensely flavored, tender chocolate cake, while the bottom layer is a cross between hot fudge sauce and chocolate pudding. I’ve adapted this recipe for the slow cooker, which keeps the cake moist on the top and saucy on the bottom.

½ cup milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup cocoa powder (make sure to use natural cocoa powder and not Dutch process)

2 teaspoons baking powder

¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1¾ cups boiling water

Vanilla ice cream or unsweetened whipped cream for serving

coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Stir together the milk, butter, and vanilla bean paste in a mixing bowl. Gradually stir in the granulated sugar, flour, ¼ cup of the cocoa powder, and the baking powder. Spread the batter in the prepared slow-cooker insert.

mix together the brown sugar and remaining ¼ cup cocoa powder in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the batter. Pour in the boiling water (do not stir). Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Uncover and allow to cool for about 20 minutes.

serve in bowls with vanilla ice cream.

serves 4-6

A guilty pleasure when the weather gets cool here in San Diego is a steaming mug of Mexican hot chocolate, fragrant with cinnamon and a touch of coffee. This cake has all those flavors and separates like Hot Fudge Upside-Down Cake. It is perfect served with cinnamon gelato or coffee ice cream.

½ cup milk

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup cocoa powder (make sure to use natural cocoa powder and not Dutch process)

2 teaspoons baking powder

¾ cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1¾ cups boiling water

Cinnamon gelato or coffee ice cream for serving

coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spr ay. Stir together the milk, but ter, espresso powder, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Gradually stir in the granulated sugar, flour, ¼ cup of the cocoa powder, and the baking powder.

spread the batter in the prepared slow-cooker insert. Mix together the brown sugar and remaining ¼ cup cocoa powder in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the batter. Pour in the boiling water (do not stir).

cover and cook on high for 2 hours, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Uncover and allow to cool for about 20 minutes.

serve in bowls with cinnamon gelato.

serves 4–6

Crème brûlée is said to have been first served at Trinity College in Cambridge, England, where my daughter studied during college. She lived in a turret (literally) while there, and I have a feeling that pub grub was on the menu for her more times than crème brûlée!

Originally called “burnt cream,” crème brûlée will sometimes get grainy in the oven if your oven doesn’t heat evenly. In the slow cooker with its constant temperature, custard comes out silky and delicious.

8 to 10 cups boiling water

3½ cups heavy cream

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cup superfine sugar

10 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

¼ cup raw sugar

place a rack on the bottom of a 5- to 7-quart slow-cooker insert and set out eight 4-ounce ramekins.

pour in enough of the boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins when they are eventually added to the cooker. Cover the cooker and set on high to keep the water hot.

whisk together the cream, superfine sugar, and egg yolks in a large mixing bowl until blended. Add the vanilla bean paste and whisk until the vanilla is incorporated. Pour the custard into the ramekins, cover each one with aluminum foil, and set on the rack in the slow-cooker insert.

cover and cook on high for 1½ to 2 hours, until the custards are set. They may be a bit jiggly in the middle but will firm as they cool. Take the cover off the cooker and allow the custards to cool. Remove the foil, replace with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled.

just before serving, sprinkle the raw sugar over each custard. Using a torch or under a preheated broiler, heat the sugar until it begins to bubble and caramelize. If you are broiling, caramelize just a few custards at a time.

allow to cool slightly and serve.

serves 6–8