No Bake Pudding Cake

I can't take the credit for this recipe, but I really would like to. It is so simple and still rich and delicious, a winner in my book, and I don't even like pudding (usually). Yes, I don't like pudding. It is a texture thing, I think.

This is a no-bake cake, meaning it is supposed to simulate a cake-ish texture without actually being a cake. For those of you who hate baking (gasp!), this is fantastic. I should warn you, this doesn't really have a cake-like texture. That being said, it's still yummy.

I found the recipe here. But you can substitute the from-scratch pudding with any instant pudding mix (1 large box or 2 small). I used pumpkin. But I think vanilla, chocolate, Oreo, cheesecake...any of those would be good, too. I did find that I needed more than one box of graham crackers. I am not sure if my pan was too big or I used to many per layer, but I could have used one more sleeve of crackers to finish the top layer.

Layering the graham crackers and pudding

To keep things extra delicious, I used Martha Stewart's recipe for chocolate ganache glaze instead of their recipe for chocolate glaze. I am a firm believer that ganache makes things that much better. If you opt for Martha's ganache recipe, make sure you use a DOUBLE recipe. One batch just wasn't thick enough...at least not for me. If you don't know how to make ganache glaze, I highly recommend you learn. It is really simple, and trust me, you'll love it.

Making ganache

Good luck, and comment back on what pudding flavor you use!

Final piece! Wish this was a better photo...

Sauce Saving Tip

Here's a quick tip for saving sauces that I usually find comes in handy when I'm making pizza. Pizza sauce comes in a 14 oz. jar or can, but I rarely use the entire jar making a pizza, especially if it's a personal sized pizza. Sometimes I like to buy the 2 packs of Boboli pizza crusts for a quick dinner where my boyfriend and I can personalize our pizzas (he likes pepperoni and bacon and I like vegetables). But back to the sauce. If you have leftover sauce from making pizza, chances are you won't use the rest in the same week. Sure it refrigerates for a few days, but freezing is best for longevity. The only problem is that saving the sauce in a ziplock can force you to use all your leftover sauce at once AND it takes quite a while to defrost.

I freeze my sauce in ice cube trays. Then once frozen, I pop each cube out and store them in a ziplock freezer bag until next time. That way, I can thaw out only as many cubes of sauce as I will need. They don't take long to thaw, and you get to choose how much sauce you have to use. So maybe one night I decide I want some sauce to dip a side in, or another night I want to make a pizza. I just pull out as many cubes as I think I'll need! Nothing goes to waste!

P.S. This is also a great way for someone cooking for one to preserve spaghetti sauce. You can always boil up some fresh pasta and defrost a few cubes of sauce for a quick dinner. I especially like this idea because I hate spaghetti leftovers.

Sesame Candy

A simple recipe that is similar to making Rice Krispie Treats. Brown sugar and honey are easily accessible ingredients, but finding enough sesame seeds at a fair price can be tricky. I found mine in the international spice section of my local grocery store. They weren't nearly as expensive as buying the little spice jars that can cost $3-$5 per jar, which is important since you will need approximately 5 oz. of seeds and most jars are about 2 oz. This is a sweet treat with a strong sesame flavor!

(yogabuffs.com)

Ingredients:

1 C sesame seeds (or approx 5 oz)

3 T packed brown sugar (light preferred)

3 T honey

1/2 T butter

Other:

Non-stick cooking spray

Parchment paper

Medium skillet

Small saucepan

Rolling pin

Coat 2 sheets of parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium skillet, toast sesame seeds with melted butter over medium-low heat. Stir to prevent burning until seeds are golden. Approximately 5 minutes.

In small saucepan, combine brown sugar and honey, cooking on low heat. Stir often to prevent burning. Sugar will melt, and mixture will thicken. Approximately 5 minutes.

Add toasted sesame seeds to sugar mixture, and stir well with wooden spoon or scraper.

Spoon mixture onto first piece of prepared parchment paper. Place second piece of prepared parchment paper on top of seeds, prepared side down to prevent sticking. Use rolling pin to roll  mixture into approximately 1/4 inch thick slab. 

Remove top sheet, and carefully cut candy into small squares. Some seeds will stick to knife. Let the candy cool completely before storing in airtight container. I do not recommend stacking the pieces without a divider. They will stick together, even after cooled.