Good things come in threes: Three amigos. Three coins in the fountain. The Three Stooges?
But what about desserts made with only three ingredients? It sounds restrictive, or a recipe for baking failures, but myriad candies, cookies, cakes and crumbles can turn just a triad of pantry staples into sweet successes.
Nut spreads such as peanut butter or Nutella can set up into decadent baked morsels, with the help of eggs and flour or sugar. In other recipes, sweetened condensed milk serves as a binder and a sugar, turning coconut flakes into macaroons or a box of crackers and some chocolate-covered toffee into a salty-sweet treat. Cake mixes fulfill roles beyond their original destinies when combined with pie fillings or fruit curd and butter.
Some may quibble about what constitutes an ingredient, but since these recipes are aiming for ease over homemade bona fides, prepared foods such as cake mixes or cereals count as single ingredients despite their compositions. Besides, prepared shortcuts tend to cut back on complexity: Some of these three-ingredient sweets are so simple a kid (with supervision) could make them.
For some, dessert isn't satisfying if it doesn't contain chocolate. Whether it's rich candies or chocolate cookies combined with cream cheese and coated in chocolate, an update to the movie-theater favorite of chocolate-covered raisins or a simplified chocolate-hazelnut brownie, three simple ingredients can provide dessert in virtually no time.
Oreo Drops
1 pound chocolate sandwich cookies such as Oreos
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (8-ounce) bag white chocolate melts
In a food processor, pulse the cookies into fine crumbs. Add the cream cheese and process until thoroughly mixed (it will form a ball).
Form the mixture into walnut-size balls and chill until firm.
Melt the white chocolate according to package instructions. Dip balls into melted white chocolate. Place dipped balls on a parchment or wax paper lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until set.
Makes about 31/2 dozen.
Recipe adapted from Nathania Sawyer
Chocolate-Covered Raisins
1/4 cup dark or bittersweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 teaspoons coconut oil
1 1/2 cups raisins
In the microwave, melt together chocolate chips and coconut oil for about 1 minute on 100 percent power. Stir until smooth.
Add raisins a half cup at a time, stirring to thoroughly coat between additions. Pour chocolate-coated raisins onto a large plate lined with parchment paper and spread into a thin layer. Freeze until firm, 5 to 10 minutes. Break apart the raisins before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
Recipe adapted from the blog ohsheglows.com
Nutella Brownies
1 (13-ounce) jar Nutella chocolate-hazelnut spread, about 11/4 cups
2 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8- or 9-inch-square baking pan.
In a large bowl, combine the Nutella, eggs and flour and mix until smooth.
Pour into prepared baking pan and spread batter in an even layer. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let brownies cool and set in pan before cutting and serving.
Makes about 16 small brownies.
Recipe adapted from RealMomKitchen.com
Peanut butter plays a major role in several 3-item recipes.
Here peanut butter, sugar and egg combine to create a simple gluten-free cookie.
Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup granulated or brown sugar
1 egg
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the peanut butter, sugar and egg; mix until smooth. Drop spoonfuls of dough spaced 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheet. If desired, flatten dough slightly using the tines of a fork creating a cross-hatch pattern. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until cookies are just set and browned on the bottom. Do not overbake. These cookies are best when they are still soft.
Makes about 11/2 dozen.
Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
1 (12-ounce) package chocolate chips
1 (12-ounce) jar chunky peanut butter
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter in the top part of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in sweetened condensed milk. Pour into 8-inch-square pan and refrigerate overnight or until set.
Makes 16 pieces.
Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com
Tiger Butter
1 pound milk chocolate, chopped
1 pound white chocolate, chopped
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Line an 11-by-15-inch rimmed baking pan with parchment paper.
Melt milk chocolate in the top part of a double boiler set over barely simmering water.
Meanwhile, melt white chocolate separately in the top part of a double boiler set over barely simmering water.
Pour the melted milk chocolate onto the prepared pan. Spread to cover pan.
Immediately combine melted white chocolate with peanut butter. Pour over milk chocolate in pan. Swirl 2 layers with a fork in such a way as to make "tiger" stripes.
Refrigerate several hours or until set. Cut into small squares with sharp knife.
Recipe adapted from food.com
Marshmallows or sweetened condensed milk can transform savory cereals and crackers into conveniently quick confections.
Cheerios Marshmallow Bars
3 tablespoons butter
6 cups miniature marshmallows
5 cups toasted oat cereal such as Cheerios
Generously grease a 9-by-13-inch pan or line with parchment paper.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, microwave the butter and marshmallows, stirring after each minute, for 2 minutes or until smooth.
Immediately stir in cereal, mixing until it is completely coated by the marshmallow mixture. Press mixture firmly into prepared pan. Let cool or chill, cut into bars and serve.
Recipe adapted from food.com
Sweetened condensed milk is used to replace the milk and sugar in the next two recipes.
Toffee Squares
1 1/3 cups chocolate-coated toffee chips such as Skor or Heath
1 (12-ounce) box buttery crackers such as Ritz, crushed
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all the ingredients together and spread in a greased 8-inch square pan. Bake 25 minutes.
Recipe adapted from food.com
Chewy Macaroons
5 1/3 cups long, shredded sweetened coconut
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. (Do not just grease sheet, as macaroons will stick.) Mix all the ingredients together until well combined.
Drop onto the cookie sheets using a spoon or an ice cream scoop. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool.
Recipe adapted from baking.food.com
These cookies are great on their own, but also make a delicious base for strawberry shortcake.
Shortbread
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar plus more for sprinkling
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Heat oven to 300 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together with an electric mixer. Add flour and mix until texture is like clay.
Press dough into a 9-by-13-inch pan, prick all over with a fork, and sprinkle with sugar (tilt pan to cover the top evenly).
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Let cool 5 minutes, then cut into squares. Cookies will crisp as they cool.
Recipe adapted from food.com
Cake mix is an easy replacement for several ingredients.
Black Forest Dump Cake
2 (20- to 22-ounce) cans cherry pie filling
1 box chocolate or devil's food cake mix
1 cup butter, melted
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Dump cherry pie filling into 9-by-13-inch cake pan; spread evenly. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over filling and drizzle butter over the top.
Bake for 1 hour.
Recipe adapted from food.com
Easy Lemon Crumble
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 box angel food cake mix
2 (20- to 22-ounce) cans or jars lemon pie filling
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
In a bowl, combine softened butter with dry cake mix using your hands. Mixture will be crumbly. Set aside 1/2 cup of mixture.
Press the remaining mixture into baking dish evenly with your hands. Spoon lemon pie filling onto crust.
Sprinkle reserved mixture over top.
Bake until bottom is browned and top is golden, 25 to 40 minutes. Cool completely before serving. Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.
Recipe adapted from thecountrycook.net
Food on 06/25/2014