Make yummy desserts in your slow cooker

In addition to being useful for soups and one-pot dishes, slow cookers can also bake moist, mouthwatering desserts. Here's how to use your slow cooker for cakes, cobblers and puddings to enjoy a homemade treat.

Some of the simplest desserts are also the best in a slow cooker, due to the fact that they don't require special amounts of heat or specific techniques.

One great idea is to make baked apples in your slow cooker.

Using the following ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (125 ml) brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped dried cherries or raisins
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp (1 ml) grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) apple cider or apple juice
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) butter, melted
• 2 tsp (10 ml) cornstarch
• 6 whole cored and peeled apples (Golden Delicious work well in this recipe)

Directions:

1. Combine the dry ingredients (reserve the cornstarch) and pack into cored apples.
2. Whisk the butter and cider, and pour over top.
3. Set to low, and three to four hours later, these apples will come out of your cooker tender and ready to please.
4. Whisk the cornstarch into the drippings to create a lovely sauce.

Puddings are a snap in the slow cooker as well. People have used stove top recipes for years to make rice and tapioca puddings; however, making a creamy pudding this way can be difficult: blink and they can scorch or stick.

A slow cooker version takes much less watching and time spent at the stove.

To make a classic tapioca pudding, combine:

• a cup of small pearl tapioca with 4 cups (946 m) milk
• 2/3 cup (158 ml) white sugar
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• add 1 tsp. (5 ml) vanilla extract if desired

Pour into the slow cooker and cook for 3 hours on medium heat or six hours on low heat.

A yummy dessert is just that easy!

Cakes can be created in the slow cooker as well.

• A moist chocolate cake can be prepared in the slow cooker and set to cook about three hours before serving.
• Add some whipped cream, ice cream, or other toppings to turn this already scrumptious cake to a heavenly treat.

• Most slow cooker dessert recipes call for a large slow cooker. Generally, a 3-quart model is considered large enough to cook a standard size meal, though 4-quart and 5-quart models are available.
• Be careful of using a recipe that is meant to be cooked in a smaller slow cooker, which can lead to shortened cooking times or a need to modify the recipe.
• Make sure to pick a slow cooker with at least two temperatures, high and low, and a warm setting if you want to set your dessert to cook and serve it warm later.