Dessert is most people's favorite meal of the day. Having a few staple recipes can go a long way.

Flourless Chocolate Cake 

(it is gluten free)

(embellished using the Raspberry Coulis, Creme Anglaise, and Chocolate sauce)

8 eggs
8 oz butter

8 oz sugar (I use vanilla sugar)
8 oz. chocolate chips (any kind your preference)

Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Make sure butter is soft and mix the butter and sugar together. Add the egg whites. Continue to beat it until the meringue becomes thick.Melt the chocolate on the stove (using double burner or just a big pan on top of a smaller one). Mix in the egg yolks to the cooking chocolate. When chocolate is melted and the mixture is foamy (if it went to cottage cheese mixture throw it out and start again!) you will fold 1/3 of the meringue mixture into the chocolate. Lightly mix. Add the rest of the mixture and put into a spring form pan or a cake pan with parchment paper on the bottom. Cook at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Crème Anglaise

 (vanilla bean sauce)

2 c. heavy cream
1” piece of vanilla bean, split and scraped
Pinch of sea salt

¼ c. vanilla sugar
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract

Put cream, salt, vanilla bean, and sugar in sauce pan and cook until the sugar dissolves. Pour a little of the liquid into the egg yolks to temper the eggs. Pour yolk mixture back into sauce pan and cook on low heat until thick, stir it regularly. Remove from heat add vanilla extract. Strain over an ice bath. Store in fridge, keeps about 5 days.

Raspberry Coulis

2 c frozen or fresh raspberries
½ c water

1 tsp fresh lemon juice
¼ c sugar

Make simple syrup by combining sugar and water in saucepan. Cook until sugar dissolves. Combine raspberries, simple syrup, and lemon juice in a food processor. Puree until smooth.
Strain through a small sieve or by using 2 layers of cheesecloth to get the seeds out. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

Chocolate Sauce

1 c (or 5 oz) of chocolate pieces
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional: 1 tbsp cognac or brandy

5 tbsp warm water
¾ c heavy cream
1 tbsp honey

Heat chocolate, water, honey, butter, and a pinch of sea salt in the top of a double broiler on low heat. Stir until chocolate is melted. Stir in cream, cognac, and vanilla extract. Serve or cool and store in an airtight container.

CARAMEL SAUCE

1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
 
In a heavy saucepan, stir together 1 1/2 cups of sugar, water, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and cook without stirring until the syrup is a deep amber color. For an accurate color check, dip a metal spoon into the syrup and lift it out of the pan to check the color. Once the syrup is amber, remove from the heat. Gradually stir in the cream. The mixture will bubble vigorously. If lumps form, stir gently over low heat to dissolve them. Stir in 2 tablespoons of butter.

Easy Fudge

(hint; mix and match this, you can add other treats, use white chocolate, or peanut butter chips instead of butterscotch. My favorite is white chocolate with craisins, my neice loves the regular fudge with marshmallows and toffee bits)

1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Stir the chips and milk until they melt together, if you have a double broiler use that (or one pot sitting in a bgger pot of water), but usually I just use a lower heat and cook it directly in a huge pot.

 Super Easy Toffee

(hint: change it up by using different flavors of graham crackers and chips) 

1 lb butter
½ box of graham crackers

1 c brown sugar
1 bag of chocolate chips

Step 1: Preheat the oven at 325 degrees. Put the butter and brown sugar in a
microwave safe bowl and cook it in the microwave for 3 minutes. Step 2: Put the
graham crackers on a cookie sheet (just lay them so they are all touching). You
should be able to put down about a half of the box of graham crackers. If your
cookie sheet is smaller, you should adjust the butter and brown sugar. Step 3:
Pour the sugar and butter mixture over the graham crackers. Bake in oven for 13
minutes at 325 degrees. Step 4: When you take the baked mixture out sprinkle
chocolate chips over the top of the crackers. As the chips melt spread them out
to coat the top. You can sprinkle the top with almonds or other nuts if you would
like. Step 5: Put in fridge to cool.