Here's one I seved in glasses, just scoop it out and top with a little frsh whipped cream, I used challah or brioche bread. Chocolate Bread Pudding 2 cups heavy cream 2 cups milk 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise, seeds scraped 3 cinnamon sticks (optional) 1 loaf brioche(about 1 pound, or you may substitute white bread) 12 ounces chopped Valrhona or other bittersweet chocolate, plus 1/2 ounce or 1/4 cup shavings for garnish 8 large egg yolks 3/4 cup sugar 1 container(8 ounces) Creme Fraiche Heat the oven to 325°. Place the cream, milk, vanilla seeds and pod, and cinnamon sticks, if using, in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 30 minutes to infuse flavors. Cut the brioche into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut slices into quarters, setting aside the rounded top pieces. Fill a 9-by-12-inch gratin dish or a deep oval roasting dish with the quartered pieces. Return the milk mixture to a boil, remove from heat, and discard vanilla pod and cinnamon sticks. Add chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Combine egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl, and whisk to combine. Pour chocolate mixture very slowly into egg-yolk mixture, whisking constantly, until fully combined. Slowly pour half the chocolate custard over bread, making sure all the bread is soaked. Arrange the reserved bread on top in a decorative pattern, and press firmly so bottom layer of bread absorbs chocolate mixture. Spoon remaining custard over bread until completely covered and all cracks are filled. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the dish; press down to soak bread thoroughly. Remove plastic, wipe edges of the dish with a damp towel, and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Place gratin dish in a larger pan; fill outer pan with hot water halfway up the sides of the gratin dish. Bake until set, about 35 minutes. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Whisk the crème fraîche until soft peaks form. Serve pudding warm, garnished with crème fraîche and chocolate shavings. NOTES : A nine-by-thirteen-inch glass baking dish may be used in place of a gratin dish. ------------------------------------------------- I've never made this but it looks nice served in a martini glass. I love zabaglione! Zabaglione with Strawberries (serves 4) 8 large egg yolks, at room temperature 3/4 cup dry marsala 1/2 cup sugar 1 pint strawberries, sliced Put the egg yolks, the marsala, and then the sugar into a large stainless-steel bowl. Set the bowl over a large saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water. Using a hand-held electric mixer on low speed or a whisk, beat the egg-yolk mixture until it is hot and the mixture forms a ribbon when the beaters are lifted, 5 to 8 minutes. Don't cook the zabaglione for too long, or it will curdle. Put the strawberries in stemmed glasses or in bowls. Top with the hot zabaglione and either serve the dessert immediately or refrigerate it for up to an hour. NOTES : Serve the zabaglione hot, when it's just made, but if you want to prepare the dish ahead of time, mix the zabaglione with whipped cream and refrigerate it as described in the first variation below. Variations For a zabaglione that will last up to six hours in the refrigerator, add whipped cream. Beat half a cup of heavy cream just until it holds firm peaks. When the zabaglione is done, remove the bowl from the heat and continue beating until it's cool. Fold the cooled zabaglione into the whipped cream. Put the strawberries in bowls, top with the zabaglione, and refrigerate. Substitute blueberries, raspberries, or sliced peaches for the strawberries. Test-Kitchen Tip What you need to make zabaglione is, in effect, a double boiler that's wide enough to accommodate an electric mixer. This is easy to rig up with a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan. Food and Wine Magazine ------------------------------------- I've made this one, but I used a baking dish instead of ramekins. It could be scooped out and served in glasses. Caramel Apple Bread Pudding 2 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled and cut into matchsticks Juice of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature 1 day-old 8-ounce loaf brioche 1 1/4 cups heavy cream 3 large eggs 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg Caramel Bourbon Vanilla Sauce: 2 cups sugar 1 cup heavy cream 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon bourbon Heat oven to 325°. Place apples in a small bowl, and toss with lemon juice; set aside. Butter six 8-ounce ramekins or custard cups; place in a roasting pan. Cut brioche into eight slices, then quarter each slice; set brioche aside. In a large bowl, whisk together cream, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla, and nutmeg. Add brioche, and toss to coat. Place 1 tablespoon caramel sauce into each ramekin. Add approximately 1/3 cup apple mixture, then 1/3 cup bread mixture. Add a second layer of sauce, apple, and bread. Carefully place the roasting pan on the center oven rack. Fill roasting pan with hot water to within 1/2 inch of ramekin tops. Cover pan with aluminum foil. Cook 20 minutes. Remove foil; cook 20 minutes more. Remove roasting pan from the oven, and transfer ramekins to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes. Using a towel, invert ramekins onto serving platter. Serve warm with remaining caramel sauce on the side. CARAMEL VANILLA BOURBON SAUCE: Combine sugar and 1/2 cup water in a 2-quart saucepan set over medium heat. Without stirring, cook mixture until dark amber in color, swirling the pan carefully while cooking, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Slowly add cream, stirring with a wooden spoon. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the pan, and add the pod. Add lemon juice, butter, and bourbon. Stir to combine. Cover, and store, refrigerated, up to 1 week. Bring sauce to room temperature, or warm over low heat, before using. NOTES : My notes- I used a large baking dish and kept it covered for 30 minutes and then baked it for about 30 minutes more without the foil.

I'm going to make these for CHristmas Eve: Key Lime Mini-Tarts 1 cn (14oz) sweetened condensed milk 1/2 c key lime juice (I've used lemon or regular lime as well.) 1 container (8oz) Frozen whipped topping, thawed 4 packages frozen mini fillo dough shells Raspberries, if desired 1. Bear milk and lime juice in a large bowl on medium speed until smooth and thickened. Fold in whipped topping. 2. Spoon heaping teaspoonful lime mixture into each fillo shell. Cover and refrigerate tarts at least 1 hour or until set but not longer than 24 hours. Garnish with raspberries. 60 Tarts I made this Rum Cake from Southern Living yesterday for a Christmas Party, not one crumb left: Rum Cake: 1 1/2 cups butter, softened 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 3 large eggs 1 egg yolk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 tablespoons grated lemon rind 1/2 cup dark rum 1/4 cup banana liqueur* 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 cup whipping cream Rum Syrup Powdered sugar Beat butter and granulated sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla, beating until blended. Add lemon rind, beating until blended. Gradually add rum and banana liqueur, beating until blended. (Batter will look curdled.) Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients; add to batter alternately with whipping cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat batter at low speed just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt pan. Bake at 350° for 55 to 60 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Pierce cake multiple times using a metal or wooden skewer. Pour Rum Syrup evenly over cake. Let stand 45 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle evenly with powdered sugar before serving. *1/4 cup dark rum may be substituted. Rum Syrup: 10 tablespoon butter 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup dark rum 1/4 cup banana liqueur* Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat; stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring often; reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, and cool 10 minutes I used all rum for the cake and syrup.

Kids might like the cupcakes more but here's the lemon bar recipe I always use: LEMON BARS DELUXE 2 1/4 cup flour 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus additional for sprinkling 2 sticks butter 4 beaten eggs 2 cups granulated sugar 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 1/2 tsp baking powder Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk together 2 cups of the flour & the confectioners' sugar. Cut in the butter until the mixture clings together. Press the dough into a 13x9x2" baking dish. Bake 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, beat together the eggs, granulated sugar & lemon juice. Mix the remaining 1/4 cup flour with the baking powder; stir into the egg mixture & pour over the hot baked crust. Bake for 25 minutes longer. Remove from the oven & sprinkle w/confectioners' sugar. Cool. Cut into squares.~~From Mountain Measures. KILLER CUPCAKES (makes 20-22) Cupcakes: 4 squares (4 oz) semisweet chocolate 1 tsp vanilla 2 sticks butter 4 eggs 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 cup flour Preheat oven to 350°. Line standard muffin tins w/paper cupcake liners. In the top part of a double boiler over simmering water, melt the chocolate w/the vanilla & butter. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until thick & add the sugar. Beat in the flour. Fold in the butter-chocolate mixture. Spoon into the prepared tins, filling the cups 2/3 full. Filling: 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup sugar 1 egg, beaten Dash of salt 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips Mix the cream cheese, sugar, egg & salt until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop a rounded teaspoon of filling onto the top of each cupcake. Bake 30 minutes.~~ San Francisco Encore

Does anyone know where I can find a no bake cookie crumb crust recipe to use in a shot glass or mini dessert cups? thanks