Making desserts in a slow cooker

When people hear the words “slow cooker,” they tend to think about recipes such as pot roast and taco soup.

But many favorite desserts can also be made in a slow cooker.

Karen Bellessa Petersen is a popular food blogger at www.365daysofcrockpot.com and the author of the recently published “365 Days of Slow-Cooking.” She came up for the idea for her cookbook after doing an experiment using a slow cooker for 365 days straight.

When Petersen was compiling her cookbook, she knew that she wanted to include a variety of desserts.

“(When you bake desserts in a slow cooker) you have the added benefit of an appealing aroma drifting through your home for hours,” Petersen said.

Using the slow cooker for desserts also frees up your oven for making the main dish in the oven, she says.

Here are some of Petersen’s favorite dessert recipes.

CREAM CHEESE BROWNIES

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 1/4 cup sugar, divided

2 eggs, divided

1/2 cup flour

1/4 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 teaspoons vanilla, divided

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1. In a medium bowl, beat butter, 1 cup sugar, and 1 egg until well blended. Stir in flour, salt, cocoa and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Pour into greased slow cooker.

2. In a small bowl with a mixer at low speed, beat cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until just mixed. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. Drop dollops of cream cheese mixture on top of batter. Using the tip of a knife, lightly score the top surface to mix the cream cheese mixture in slightly.

3. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Makes 8 servings.

— “365 Days of Slow-Cooking,” by Karen Petersen

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