Summer Baking Tips for Serving Desserts & Staying Cool

While many of us love desserts the heat of the summer can slow our love of baking down a bit. There are a few different things that you can do to avoid the heat.

• Using the microwave to cook delicious desserts can save time, and help you avoid the heat.
  5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake
  
  4 tablespoons flour
  4 tablespoons sugar
  2 tablespoons cocoa
  1 egg
  3 tablespoons milk
  3 tablespoons oil
  3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
  1 dash vanilla extract
  
  Add dry ingredients to a large, microwave-safe mug and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. EAT ! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous). And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night! Source: CD Kitchen


• Cook early in the morning or late at night can help you avoid the heat as well. The sun is down and often the house is cooler at these times


• Use the crockpot to bake those desserts. The house will stay cool and you will have a delicious dessert as well.

Crockpot Apple Crisp
6 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored, sliced
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
***Optional toppings:***
Vanilla ice cream, if desired
Maraschino cherries, if desired
Whipped cream or whipped topping, if desired

Grease crockpot, line with apples. Mix together flour, sugar, spices and margarine in a bowl. Cover the apples with this mixture. (Pack it on top.) Cook on high for 3-4 hours.
Scoop out a portion and serve with any or all of the optional toppings.

• Quick and Easy Desserts are great for summer time. They keep the house cool, are easy to fix and are less time demanding

Heavenly Hash

1 small box instant vanilla pudding
1 medium can crushed pineapple
2-3 handfuls miniature marshmallows
1 can fruit cocktail
1 9-oz Cool Whip

Mix pineapple, juice and all, with pudding mix. Drain fruit cocktail. Add other ingredients. Stir together. Chill.

• Cold desserts such as ice cream, pudding and desserts that are kept cool are wonderful for the summer time.

Apple Snicker Dessert

4-6 red or green Delicious apples
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
4 Snicker candy bars
1 cup milk
8 oz tub Cool Whip

Blend pudding, milk and Cool Whip together. Dice unpeeled washed apples and add to vanilla pudding mixture. Add cut up Snicker bars. Refrigerate until ready to serve

I love to serve desserts to my family year round. I hope that these tips have helped to inspire you of ways to serve desserts to your family and staying cool.