Styling and Photography by Devorah Applegrad

Thank you to Domani Home for the tablecloth used in the shoot. Domanihome.com
Thank you to Tali’s Global Flowers for the beautiful flowers seen in these photos. Globalflowershowell.com

Desserts on Friday night are often just an afterthought. But as the days get shorter, the nights inevitably get longer. And that means long Friday nights filled with talking, bonding, and grazing. With this week’s selection, dessert will no longer be a last-minute mad dash to the cabinet or freezer to see what you have. You’ll keep going back to these recipes all winter long as you look forward to that time after the seudah when you curl up on the couch with a magazine and something sweet and delicious. Enjoy!

Tip: When baking cookies, bake one tray at a time for best results.

Chocolate Chip Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate chip cookie meets crinkle cookie. This melt-in-your-mouth cookie can be the start of any dessert. Serve alongside a mousse, ice cream, or just by itself. You can dress it up by dipping one corner into chocolate or drizzling it with chocolate.

YIELDS 42 COOKIES 

• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ¾ cup oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2½ cups flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup mini chocolate chips

For Coating

• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Beat eggs and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer until light yellow. Drizzle in the oil and beat well. Add the remaining ingredients except the chocolate chips and mix until combined. Then add the chocolate chips and mix until combined.

Prepare three baking sheets and line with parchment paper.

Prepare two small bowls. Place sugar in one bowl and confectioners’ sugar in the second bowl.

Using a small scooper, place one scoop chocolate chip cookie dough in your hand. Roll it into a 3-inch (7½-cm) log. Roll the log shaped dough in the sugar. Next, roll and coat it well in the confectioners’ sugar.

Place the cookie onto the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat process until you’ve shaped all the cookies. You should be able to fit 16 cookies on each cookie sheet, 4 across and 4 down.

Bake for 8–9 minutes on the center rack. Allow cookies to cool. Store in an airtight container or bag.

These cookies are freezer friendly.

Chocolate Decadence

Chocolate three ways? I’m so in! Especially when it prepares and disappears 1-2-3.

SERVES 6-8

Chocolate Rice Krispies Treat Crust

• ¼ cup light corn syrup
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
• 3 Tbsp margarine
• 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 2½ cups Rice Krispies

3-Ingredient Chocolate Mousse

• 8 oz (225 g) pareve whipping cream (set aside 2 Tbsp for ganache)
• ¼ cup nougat powder
• ¼ cup chocolate syrup

Ganache

• 2 Tbsp lotus butter
• 2 Tbsp or 1 oz (30 g) bittersweet chocolate
• 2 Tbsp pareve whipping cream
• 1½ Tbsp corn syrup

Combine corn syrup, brown sugar, margarine, and cocoa in a medium-sized saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches a boil. Remove from heat. Add Rice Krispies, stirring until completely coated. Press evenly into a 9-inch (23-cm) pan or divide evenly among 8 ramekins or glass dessert bowls.

For the chocolate mousse, beat whipping cream to soft peaks in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the nougat powder and beat until combined. Add the chocolate syrup and beat until smooth with stiff peaks. Spread the chocolate mousse evenly over the Rice Krispies treat crust.

Place all ganache ingredients in a 1-quart saucepan. Over low-medium heat, stir together all ingredients until they are completely melted and glossy. Set aside to cool.

Once cool, spread ganache over the mousse.

Freeze until ready to serve. Remove from freezer 10–15 minutes before serving.

Apple Cinnamon Shortcake

May I humbly suggest that this is an apple and cinnamon confection perfection? Try it! You’ll see what I mean.

SERVES 6-10

Moist Cinnamon Cake

• 1 egg
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp oil
• 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ cup oat milk
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

Apple and Cinnamon Pie Filling

• 2 Tbsp margarine
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 4 apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp water
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1 heaping Tbsp cornstarch

Cinnamon Whipped Cream

• 8 oz (225 g) pareve whipping cream
• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Beat egg and sugar in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Add in the oil and beat until light and yellow. Add remaining ingredients and mix until combined.

Spray six 6-oz (170-g) ramekins or ten muffin cups. Fill with ⅓ cup batter per ramekin or ¼ cup batter per muffin cup. Bake for 18–20 minutes. Cool on a cooling rack.

Melt margarine, cinnamon, and vanilla bean paste over medium heat. Stir in apples, sugar, and water. Cover and cook for 10 minutes until apples have softened.

Mix water and cornstarch to make a slurry. Add to the apple mixture while stirring. Continue to cook until thickened. Set aside to cool or refrigerate.

Beat the whipping cream to soft peaks. Add the confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat to stiff peaks.

To serve: Slice each cinnamon cake in half. Spread 1 Tbsp apple pie filling over the bottom half and cover with the cake top. Dallop or spread cinnamon whipped cream on top.

Apple Berry Fruit Compote

This apple berry fruit compote is an updated version to the classic, and I can’t get enough of it!

SERVES 12

• 5 firm apples (Pink Lady, Gala, or Honeycrisp), peeled and sliced
• 4 red plums, peeled and sliced
• 1 lb (450 g) fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 lb (450 g) frozen rhubarb
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup orange juice
• 4 cups water
• 2 3-oz (85-g) pkgs red jello
• 1 lb (450 g) frozen strawberries

Place apples and plums in an 8-quart pot. Add the blueberries, rhubarb, lemon juice, orange juice, water, and jellos. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover and low boil for 20 minutes. Add the frozen strawberries. When strawberries are completely defrosted, puree and let cool. Then refrigerate.

This dessert is freezer friendly.

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 865)