Cool idea: With no-cook desserts, forget about getting hot under the collar

Mixed Berry Trifle combines store-bought pound cake, instant vanilla pudding, fresh berries and whipped cream for a cooling, no-cook dessert.
Mixed Berry Trifle combines store-bought pound cake, instant vanilla pudding, fresh berries and whipped cream for a cooling, no-cook dessert.

Summer sweets are full of cooling options: ice cream, popsicles, sno-cones. But some occasions call for a dessert to savor, not slurp.

photo

Food styling/KELLY BRANT

Espresso Mascarpone Icebox Dessert is similar to tiramisu but does not contain alcohol or eggs.

photo

Food styling/KELLY BRANT

Peaches, gingersnaps and whipped cream combine for an easy shortcake.

photo

Food styling/KELLY BRANT

Chocolate Mint Cookie Trifle

Enter the trifle and icebox cake. Traditional trifles are made by layering fruit, custard and whipped cream with spongecake spread with jam or soaked in wine or sherry.

Icebox cakes simplify the process and combine cookies, whipped cream and sometimes fruit or other flavorings. Traditional icebox cakes are made with chocolate wafer cookies that can be hard to find. (According to a product locator on Nabisco's website, only a handful of stores in Arkansas sell Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers.) So we turned to more common cookies for our icebox cake: the graham cracker and filled sandwich cookies.

By taking advantage of store-bought cakes and cookies and instant puddings, both desserts are easy to make at home without ever turning on the stove.

And as long as they can be kept chilled until serving time, they're ideal for summer get-togethers.

Cook's note: We made the following recipes using 2 percent milk and Neufchatel (1/3 less fat) cream cheese.

Peach-Gingersnap "Shortcake"

2 to 3 ripe peaches, pitted

1 teaspoon sugar or other sweetener

1 1/2 cups whipped cream

About 20 gingersnap cookies

Slice peaches into thin wedges. Set aside 4 wedges. Cut the remaining slices in half crosswise. Toss peaches with sugar.

In each of 4 individual serving dishes such as half-pint jars, layer peaches, whipped cream and gingersnaps. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours before serving. Garnish each dish with a cookie half and one of the reserved peach wedges.

Makes 4 servings.

We've omitted the alcohol from this trifle, but it isn't lacking in flavor.

Mixed Berry Trifle

1 (3- to 3.5-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding

2 cups cold milk

2 cups whipping cream

6 to 8 cups cubed cake such as pound cake, angel food cake or spongecake, divided use

1/2 cup berry jam or jelly, warmed to thin

1 pint blueberries

1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced

In a medium bowl, whisk pudding mix and milk until smooth; set aside.

In a separate bowl, whip cream to firm peaks; set aside.

In the bottom of a trifle bowl or other large, deep dish, layer half of the cake pieces. Spoon a small bit of jam over the cake, then top with half of the pudding, followed by half of the fruit and half of the whipped cream. Repeat layers. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours before serving. Garnish with additional berries just before serving.

Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Chocolate-Hazelnut Pudding Trifle

1 (3-ounce) package ladyfingers

1 ounce Frangelico or other hazelnut liqueur (see note)

1 1/2 cups milk

1 (3- to 3.5-ounce) box vanilla pudding mix

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

Heaping 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Splash vanilla extract

1/2 cup Nutella or other chocolate-hazelnut spread

1 cup whipping cream

Drizzle ladyfingers with liqueur and layer a third of them in the bottom of a 1-quart bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk the milk with the pudding mix until smooth. Pour pudding over ladyfingers in bowl. Top pudding with half of the remaining ladyfingers.

In a second bowl, beat cream cheese with confectioners' sugar, vanilla and Nutella until smooth and creamy.

In a third bowl, beat whipping cream to stiff peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream into the Nutella mixture.

Spread the Nutella mixture over the ladyfingers and pudding. Top with the remaining ladyfingers, then the whipped cream.

Cover and refrigerate several hours and up to 2 days.

Makes about 6 servings.

Note: For an alcohol-free version, substitute 1 teaspoon hazelnut extract mixed with 2 tablespoons milk or water.

Variation

Chocolate-Banana Hazelnut Trifle: Add 1 or 2 sliced, ripe but firm bananas over the ladyfingers.

We used Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur in these individual trifles, but white chocolate sauce would work just as well for an alcohol-free version.

White Chocolate-Raspberry Trifle

1 (3-ounce) package ladyfingers

2 ounces white chocolate liqueur OR white chocolate sauce such as Torani

2 cups milk

1 (3- to 3.5-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding

1 (6-ounce) carton fresh raspberries

1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Separate ladyfingers into individual cakes. Break each one in half. Drizzle with white chocolate liqueur or white chocolate sauce.

In a medium bowl, whisk milk with pudding mix for 2 minutes.

In 6 individual serving dishes (or half-pint Mason jars), layer ladyfingers, pudding, raspberries and whipped cream, repeating layers as necessary to fill the dishes. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours before serving.

Makes 6 servings.

Key Lime Icebox Cake

1/4 cup Key lime juice

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 generous tablespoons sour cream

2 sleeves honey graham crackers from a 14.4-ounce box, about 18 full rectangles

1 cup whipping cream, whipped

1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

Line a 9-inch square baking dish with plastic wrap; set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat Key lime juice, condensed milk and sour cream until thick and creamy.

Arrange a single layer of graham crackers in the prepared dish. Spread half of the Key lime mixture over the crackers. Add another layer of graham crackers and top with whipped cream. Add a third layer of graham crackers and spread crackers with remaining Key lime. Add the fourth and final layer of graham crackers and top with remaining whipped cream. Sprinkle with lime zest. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours.

Makes 9 to 12 servings.

Espresso, mascarpone and ladyfingers combine for an eggless version of tiramisu in this no-cook recipe.

Espresso Mascarpone Icebox Dessert

2 cups whipping cream

1 (8- or 9-ounce) tub mascarpone cheese

6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 (3-ounce) packages ladyfingers

2/3 cup espresso or very strong coffee

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, optional

In a medium bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks; set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat mascarpone cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Fold in about 3/4 cup of the whipped cream.

Drizzle the ladyfingers with espresso.

In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and espresso powder; set aside.

Line the bottom and sides of an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish with the espresso-drizzled ladyfingers. Spread the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers and dust lightly with some of the cocoa. Top with remaining whipped cream. Dust top with additional cocoa. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 12 hours before serving.

Makes about 10 servings.

The cookie trifle combines the best of both desserts. It is lusciously layered like a trifle but gets its structure from softened cookies.

Chocolate Mint Cookie Trifle

1 (15.25-ounce) package mint-creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies

1 (3- to 3.5-ounce) package instant chocolate pudding

1 3/4 cups milk

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature

4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

Line the bottom of a trifle bowl or other deep, 2- to 3-quart serving dish with a single layer of cookies.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes. Pour over cookies.

In a separate medium bowl (or wash and dry bowl used for pudding), beat cream cheese with butter, vanilla and confectioners' sugar until smooth; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat whipping cream to firm peaks with an electric mixer. Add 3/4 to 1 cup of the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and beat on lowest speed.

Spread the cream cheese mixture over the pudding. Top with remaining whipped cream.

Break the remaining cookies into quarters and sprinkle over the whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Can be made up to 2 days in advance.

Makes 12 servings.

Variations

Lemon Cookie Trifle: Substitute lemon-creme-filled cookies for the mint-filled and lemon pudding for the chocolate pudding.

Peanut Butter Cookie Trifle: Substitute peanut-butter-filled sandwich cookies for the mint-filled and add 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter to the cream mixture.

Food on 06/29/2016

Upcoming Events