January/February 2000 Issue

Sweetness!
Sugar and spice and everything nice to end the meal

The anticipation of great flavors at the end of a meal beckons our taste buds.
   Dessert is that irresistible jewel we can’t pass up. Just the melodious sounds of rich dark chocolate, succulent mango, and fragrant apples can break anyone’s resolve.
   Desserts bring out a childlike joy of anticipation and eating. Rich dark chocolate pie satisfies our soul, while mango upside-down cake and fragrant apple crisp with vanilla ice cream could be considered fruits of the gods.
   Enjoy the moment and savor these simply irresistible endings.

Jan Campbell, a lifelong resident of Southwest Florida, is a cookbook author and catering consultant.

Apple Crunch
6 to 8 apples, peeled and sliced
2/3 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of apple juice
2 tablespoons of butter
2 teaspoons of cinnamon

Place apples in a 9- by 12-inch pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Combine sugar and juice, then pour over the apples. Dot with butter.

Crunch topping:
1 stick of butter
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/3 cup of quick-cooking oatmeal

Melt butter and combine with all other ingredients. Crumble over the top of apple mixture. Bake about one hour at 350 degrees. Serve with vanilla ice cream sprinkled with a bit of cinnamon.

Rich Dark Chocolate Pie
Chocolate crust:
16 Oreo cookies, crushed in the food processor
1/3 cup of butter, melted

Mix all ingredients and press into a deep-dish pie pan.

Filling:
1 six-ounce package of semi-sweet morsels
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 eight-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1 small container of Cool Whip

Heat morsels in the microwave at one-minute increments until chocolate is melted. Don’t overcook. Whip cream cheese in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Mix chocolate and condensed milk until thoroughly combined. Slowly pour chocolate mixture into cream cheese bowl and mix well. Fold in Cool Whip. Pour into a chilled chocolate crust.

Cover and chill pie for at least four hours or overnight. Garnish with one teaspoon of Oreo cookie crumbs.

Mango Upside-down Cake
1 box of Lemon Supreme cake mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup of Wesson oil
2 tablespoons of vanilla
1 cup of mango juice or apricot nectar (available in a can at most grocery stores)

Mix all ingredients well and beat with a mixer on medium speed for about five minutes.

Upside-down topping:
2 cups of sliced mangoes
1/2 stick of butter
1/2 cup brown sugar

In a large skillet melt butter. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the butter. Arrange mango slices decoratively over the sugar mixture. Pour cake mix on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool slightly and turn gently onto a large platter.