Slow Cooker_ The Best Cookbook Ever - Diane Phillips [150]
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
Mexican Hot Chocolate Lava Cake
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
Perfect Crème Brûlée
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
2/3 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