Desserts Designed to Avoid the Oven

(CBS)  The heat of the summer can take all the appeal out of running your stove for hours, so why not beat the heat with some delicious and easy dessert recipes that will keep your kitchen cool?

Dede Wilson, contributing editor of Bon Appetit magazine shared some fantastic sweets on "The Early Show" Thursday that will make you wonder why you ever used you ever used your stove.

No-Bake Chocolate-Raspberry Cream Pie
7 ounces chocolate wafer cookies (about 32), coarsely broken
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup sugar
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup crème fraîche
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
2 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (two 6-ounce containers)

Place broken cookies in processor. Using on/off turns, process until finely ground. Place chocolate chips, butter, and sugar in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high at 15-second intervals until melted, stirring occasionally. Add chocolate mixture to processor and blend until combined. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch glass pie dish (do not pack firmly). Chill crust while preparing filling.

Whisk condensed milk, crème fraîche, lemon juice, and lemon peel in large bowl to blend. Add half of raspberries. Stir, pressing gently on some raspberries, until raspberries begin to break apart and filling turns pink. Transfer filling to crust. Chill until filling is set, about 2 hours.

Scatter remaining raspberries over pie. Cut into wedges and serve.

Chinese Noodle Cookies
1 11-ounce package of butterscotch chips
1 5-ounce can chow mein noodles
2/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Heat butterscotch chips in large glass bowl in microwave on high until melted, about 2 minutes. Gently stir in noodles, then pecans. Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper. Let cookies stand until cool and set, about 1 hour.

Simplest Chocolate Honey Mousse
2 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
12 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
5 tablespoons honey

Stir 3/4 cup cream, chocolate and honey in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Cool, stirring occasionally.

In large bowl, beat 1 1/4 cups cream until soft peaks form. Fold cream into chocolate mixture in 2 additions. Divide mousse among eight 3/4-cup ramekins. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
Whip remaining 1/2 cup cream to firm peaks. Spoon a dollop of cream in center of each mousse.

Buttermilk Panna Cotta
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Assorted frozen berries (such as blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries), thawed

Pour 2 tablespoons water into small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. Lightly spray six 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups with nonstick spray.

Heat cream, lemon peel, and sugar in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring just to low boil, stirring occasionally. Add gelatin mixture; remove from heat. Stir until gelatin dissolves. Cool mixture to lukewarm, stirring often. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla; divide mixture among prepared ramekins. Refrigerate panna cotta until set, about 4 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Using small sharp knife, cut around panna cotta in each ramekin. Place plate atop each ramekin and invert, allowing panna cotta to settle onto plate. Top with berries and serve chilled.

---

For more from Bon Appetit:
Get recipes for a week of no-cook dinners
See Four Easy No-Cook Sauce Recipes

[Rozelleb123]

I watched the show this morning and did not like the fact that the lady was wiping her face, moving her hair out of her face and licking her fingers twice. I did not see her wash or even wipe her hands, so I just think that a bowl of water should be made available for the chefs and cooks who prepare the food.