Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever (58 page)

Although there are mac and cheese recipes elsewhere in this book, this one is so special that you should serve it only to your very closest friends. Filled with gourmet cheeses and a sauce flavored with brandy, this dish is special as a side or light dinner entrée.

1 pound elbow pasta, cooked in salted water till al dente and drained

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

4 medium shallots, finely chopped

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1½ cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup brandy

2½ cups shredded Gruyère cheese

¾ cup shredded Comté cheese

¾ cup shredded Manchego cheese

½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce

coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Put a layer of the pasta in the insert. Melt the butter in a medium sauce panover medium-high heat. Add the shallots and sauté until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes. Whisk in the mustard, milk, cream, and brandy and bring the sauce to a boil while continuing to whisk.

remove the sauce from the heat, add 1½ cups of the Gruyère and ¼ cup each of the Comté and Manchego cheeses and the Tabasco, and stir until the cheeses melt. Spoon some of the sauce over the pasta in the insert, then spr inkle with some of the remaining cheeses, reserving some of the Gruyère for the top. Continue to layer the pasta, sauce, and cheese, ending with the Gruyère.

cover and cook on high for 2 hours, until the mac and cheese is heated through and bubbling. Remove the cover and cook for another 30 minutes. If you would like a crunchy top, fire up your crème brûlée torch and brown the cheese on the surface.

serve the mac and cheese from the cooker set on warm.

serves 8

The end of the meal is what your guests will probably remember long after your party, so make sure to serve something that is showstopping, whether it’s a decadent hot fudge cake topped with caramel ice cream, fruits slow cooked in syrup, or a bread pudding filled with delicious flavors. These desserts all fit into the category of simple-but-delicious, and the best news is that the slow cooker will do all the work, leaving you more time to tend to the other parts of the meal.

There is nothing better than a decadent hot fudge sauce to serve over ice cream, cake, or bread pudding. This recipe is simple, and the results are spectacular. The sauce can be made in a 1½- to 3-quart slow cooker and any leftover hot fudge sauce may be refrigerated for up to two weeks or frozen for up to six months.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

8 ounces unsweetened chocolate, grated

3 cups sugar

2 cups evaporated milk

put all the ingredients in the insert of a 1½- to 3-quart slow cooker and whisk to blend the sugar into the butter and milk. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, stirring once during the cooking time to distribute the melted chocolate.

serve from the cooker set on warm.

Makes about 6 cups

Bananas Foster was made famous at Brennan’s Restaurant in New Orleans. There are many versions of this flambéed dessert, but I love to make it into a bread pudding filled with bananas, brown sugar, and dark rum. Serve the bread pudding with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream.

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

4 medium bananas, cut into ½-inch rounds

8 large eggs

3 cups heavy cream

¼ cup dark rum

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

8 cups 1-inch cubes stale challah, egg bread, or Hawaiian sweet egg bread

¼ cup cinnamon sugar

Whipped cream for serving

coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line the insert with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturer’s directions.

melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup of the sugar and heat, stirring, until the sugar melts. Add the bananas and stir to coat. Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the bananas to cool slightly.

whisk together the eggs, cream, remaining 1 cup sugar, rum, cinnamon, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the bread to the custard and stir to blend, making sure to saturate the bread. Spoon half of the custard-soaked bread into the cooker and top with half the bananas. Repeat the layers, ending with the bananas.

sprinkle the top with the cinnamon sugar. Cover and cook on high for about 3 hours, until puffed and an instant-read thermometer registers 185°F. Allow the pudding to cool for about 30 minutes.

serve with whipped cream.

serves 8

Although I don’t use the slow cooker often to bake cakes that could go into the oven, this cheesecake is not only incredibly smooth, but the steam from the cooker gives it an enhanced texture. Infusing the batter with the crystallized ginger will require an extra step, but the results are worth the time. You will need to use a rack for the inside your slow cooker and a six-inch springform pan that is three inches deep.

1 cup crushed gingersnaps

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

coat the inside of a 6-inch-wide and 3-inch-deep springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Put the cookie crumbs, butter, and sugar in a mixing bowl and stir until well combined.

pat the mixture over the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan.

½ cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons crystallized ginger, finely chopped (see savvy)

Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese at room temperature

¾ cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ cup sour cream

1 teaspoon orange extract

Orange slices for garnishing

put the cream and ginger in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let the ginger steep in the cream.

cream the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until smooth. Add the flour and beat to incorporate. Strain the ginger cream through a fine-mesh sieve and add it to the batter along with the sour cream and orange extract. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Pour the batter into the crust and smooth the top with an offset spatula.

pour ½ inch of water in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker and arrange a rack in the bottom. Place the cheesecake on the rack, cover, and cook on high for 2 to 2½ hours. Remove the cover, turn off the slow cooker, and allow the cheesecake to cool for 2 hours. Remove from the slow cooker, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator 1 hour before serving. Release the sides of the springform pan and remove the cake from the bottom, using a long offset spatula.

transfer the cake to a serving platter or a cutting board. Dip a chef’s knife into hot water, wipe dry, and cut the cheesecake into wedges, dipping the knife into hot water after each cut.

serve each piece of cheesecake garnished with orange slices.

serves 8–10

ginger savvy

To keep the ginger from sticking to your knife, coat the knife with nonstick cooking spray.

Pumpkin and maple are two of my favorite flavors during the fall, and this bread pudding is a terrific dessert to serve during the holidays. The slow cooker will keep it warm for you until it’s time for dessert. Serve this with whipped cream flavored with maple syrup.

1½ cups heavy cream

One 16-ounce can pumpkin purée (2 cups)

4 large eggs

½ cup maple syrup

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¹
/
₈
teaspoon ground ginger

9 cups torn egg bread or leftover croissants

coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturer’s directions.

whisk all the ingredients except the bread in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Add the bread to the bowl and stir to soak the bread. Transfer the mix ture to the slow-cooker insert. Cover and cook on high for about 3½ hours, until puffed and an instant-read thermometer registers 185°F. Allow the pudding to rest for about 30 minutes.

serve from the cooker set on warm.

serves 8

Fresh figs are a luxury, but if you live in an area where you can find them, I urge you to try this delicious recipe. Bathed in a port wine syrup, the figs are plump and caramelized when they emerge from the slow cooker. A bit of Point Reyes or your favorite blue cheese and some toasted walnuts make the perfect accompaniment.

1½ cups Ruby Port

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 whole cloves

12 fresh figs

1½ cups crumbled Point Reyes blue cheese

1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

combine the port, sugar, and cloves in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the figs stem-end up to the slowcooker insert and spoon some of the syrup over the figs. Cover and cook on low for 1½ to 2 hours. Allow the figs to cool in the syrup for 1 hour.

remove the figs to a serving platter. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan and boil for 5 to 10 minutes until it is thickened. Allow the syrup to cool slightly.

arrange 2 figs in a pool of the syrup on each plate. Sprinkle with the crumbled blue cheese and toasted walnuts before serving.

serves 6

New Orleans is famous for its bread pudding, and each restaurant has its spin on this classic dessert. The famed bread pudding soufflé from Commander’s Palace is a guilty pleasure, but any bread pudding is comfort food for the soul. This bread pudding is made with a rich custard flavored with cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg, but remember that this is just a template for you to follow. Have fun and add your own personal touches. Don’t forget the whiskey sauce!

8 cups torn stale bread (a soft-crusted baguette works well as does sturdy white bread, such as Pepperidge Farm)

2½ cups heavy cream

6 large egg yolks

1 cup sugar

½ cup bourbon

½ cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Whiskey Sauce (recipe follows) for serving

coat the inside of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line the insert with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturers directions.

put the bread in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the cream, egg yolks, sugar, bourbon, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour the mixture over the bread and stir to saturate the bread. Transfer the bread mixture to the slow-cooker insert and drizzle with the butter. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, then remove the cover and cook for another 30 minutes.

serve with the whiskey sauce.

serves 8–10

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar

2 cups heavy cream

¼ cup whiskey or bourbon

melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and heat, stirring, until the sugar begins to bubble. Stir in the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the bourbon.

serve the sauce warm over bread pudding, or let cool completely and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

makes about 3 cups

As a child, sitting in a fancy restaurant, when I saw the waiter pulling up to the table with a chafing dish on a cart, I knew one of two desserts was coming my way: crepes suzette or cherries jubilee. The brandy-flamed cherries, bathed in a spiked buttery sauce and served over vanilla ice cream, were my reward for not asking “Are we done yet?” I’ve taken that delicious dessert one step further by adding chocolate cake and sauce. The cherries bake underneath the hot fudge cake. Make sure to serve this with good-quality vanilla ice cream.

Two 16-ounce bags frozen unsweetened pitted sweet cherries, defrosted and drained

¼ cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons brandy or Grand Marnier

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, not Dutch process)

2 teaspoons baking powder

¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1¼ cups boiling water

coat the insert for a 3½- to 4-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Add all the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, and brandy to the slow-cooker insert and stir to combine.

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 evenly over the cherries in the 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 spooned from the slow cooker, so the cherries are a surprise resting on top of the cake.

serves 4–6