Baking Desserts In Your Crock Pot

Did you know that you can bake delicious desserts with your crock pot? These days you can cook or bake, almost everything in your slow cooker.

Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. As a rule of thumb is not a good idea to remove the lid during cooking. Removing the lid releases heat and steam that can add-on extra cooking time.

2. When you make 'sticky' type of dessert, spray the inside of your pot with non-stick cooking spray. A light coating will do.

3. When cooking bread and cakes in your slow cooker, you will want to use "high" setting. The 'low' setting is too low to give your cakes and bread texture you're trying to achieve.

4. High Altitude Cooking. Allow more time than specified in the recipe for high altitudes above 4000 meters.

5. If you do not own a kitchen timer, invest in one. When we use the slow cooker to make desserts, use a timer to remind us when they are finished. Do not over-bake desserts.

Here are three easy dessert recipes for you to try out the Crock Pot.

Cherry Cobbler

1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 / 4 c. white sugar

1 1 / 2 tsp. baking powder

1 / 4 tsp. salt

1 / 4 c. butter, melted

1 / 2 c. milk

1 / 2 tsp. vanilla extract

non-stick cooking spray

Coat the inside of your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Pour in cherry pie filling. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make an indentation in the center and pour in the melted butter, milk and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Spread evenly over cherry pie filling. Cover and cook on High for 1 1 / 2 to 2 hours or until a toothpick inserted into topping comes out clean.

Lemon Pudding Cake

3 eggs, separated

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 / 4 c. lemon juice

3 tbsp. butter

1 1 / 2 c. milk

3 / 4 c. sugar

1 / 4 c. flour

1 / 8 tsp. salt

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, set aside. Beat egg yolks and blend in the lemon zest, juice, butter and milk. Combine flour, sugar and salt, add to the egg-milk mixture and beat until smooth. Fold into whipped egg whites. Spoon into slow cooker pot, cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours.

Apple Cranberry Dessert

6 cooking apples, peeled and sliced

1 c. fresh cranberries

1 c. sugar

1 / 2 tsp. grated orange peel

1 / 2 c. water

1 / 4 c. Port

1 container sour cream

Arrange apple slices and cranberries in crock pot. Sprinkle sugar over fruit. Add orange peel, water and port wine. Stir to blend ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until apples are tender. Serve warm with juices, topped with a dab of creme fraiche.