GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn.-- This morning Lisa Patrin joined us with some sweet ways to enjoy your desserts without over-doing it. Lisa said making mini desserts not only look elegant, they also let you indulge your sweet tooth after the holidays.
For more of Lisa's fun dessert ideas, visit her Minneapolis Dessert Examiner articles at www.examiner.com.
Mini Chocolate Raspberry Trifles
Ingredients:
• 1 small loaf of Sara Lee Pound Cake, thawed
• 1 ½ cups cup heavy whipping cream
• Powdered sugar
• 6 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 pint fresh raspberries
Preparation:
Cut thawed pound cake into small cubes.
Sweetened whipping cream: using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer beat 1 cup of whipping cream with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Set aside.
Ganache: combine remaining ½ cup of whipping cream and 1 tablespoon of light corn syrup in a small pan and bring just to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until smooth. Cool for at least 10 minutes.
Layer pound cake, sweetened whipping cream, chocolate ganache and raspberries and repeat. Serve immediately.
Chocolate Wafers with Raspberry Filling
Ingredients:
• 9 ounce package of Famous Chocolate Wafers (can be found in the cookie aisle at Byerly's and Lunds stores)
• 8 ounce block of cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
• 2 cups powdered sugar
Preparation:
Beat cream cheese and heavy cream until smooth. Beat in raspberry jam and powdered sugar.*
Spread the raspberry filling on the flat side of a chocolate wafer cookie then place another wafer cookie flat side down onto the filling.
Serve immediately or refrigerate overnight in an airtight container -bring to room temperature before plating.
* If cream cheese mixture is too thick add more heavy cream in 1 tsp amounts until smooth and spreadable.
Chocolate Soufflé with Powdered Sugar & Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans
Ingredients:
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 10 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate (or chocolate chips)
• 1 1/3 cups whole milk*
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 large egg yolks, room temperature, lightly beaten
• 6 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/3 cup sugar; plus additional for soufflé ramekins
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar for dusting
• 12 chocolate covered espresso beans
Preparation:
Heat oven to 400°. Butter and lightly sprinkle sugar on the bottom and sides of six 6-ounce ramekins. Place on a rimmed baking sheet; set aside.
In a double boiler over medium heat, melt the semisweet chocolate until smooth. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
In a medium heavy-bottom saucepan combine milk and cornstarch. Stir well with a wooden spoon to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring continuously, until thick.
Remove milk mixture from the heat and stir in warm melted chocolate. Stir in vanilla extract and let cool slightly. Add lightly beaten egg yolks and stir until well combined. Set aside.
Using a hand mixer or stand mixer beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Slowly add sugar and increase speed to high. Whip until shiny and stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.
Using a whisk, lighten the chocolate mixture with about 1/3 of the beaten egg whites. Stir until well-combined.
Using a rubber spatula, fold in remaining egg whites until just incorporated. Spoon mixture into prepared soufflé ramekins; the mixture should come right to the top of the ramekins. Transfer filled soufflé ramekins on rimmed baking sheet to oven. Bake until risen and puffed slightly, 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool just slightly. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar, place two chocolate covered espresso beans on each soufflé and serve warm.