Two Wicked Desserts

by Lynn Cahoon

  “So, dinner at the Lodge? Are you in?” Mia asked as they made their way up the stairs to the apartment. And to the next chapter of their lives.

  Two Wicked Desserts

  Dear Readers,

  Cheesecake wasn’t made or served at my house until I left for my own place. Then my mom tried a few at Easter. I’m pretty sure they used some sort of Jell-O. I didn’t make my first cheesecake until a few years ago. In fact, I’d told several people I didn’t like cheesecake. I think I was crazy or thinking of something else at the time.

  If I’d known they were this easy, I would have tried making one earlier. Anyway, once I made my first cheesecake, I was hooked.

  The chocolate version below was on my Christmas menu for a lot of years. It’s very chocolaty, so make sure you serve it with lots of whipped cream.

  The pumpkin version was my Thanksgiving recipe. I love both.

  Enjoy.

  Lynn

  Pumpkin Cheesecake

  Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

  In a large bowl, cream the following

  2 pkgs. cream cheese

  ¾ cup sugar

  1 tsp. vanilla

  Then mix in

  3 eggs

  Beat after each addition.

  Add

  1 cup pumpkin

  ¾ tsp. cinnamon

  ¼ tsp. nutmeg

  Pour mixture into a graham cracker crust (premade)

  Bake for 55 minutes.

  Cool and chill. Serve with whipped cream.

  Dark Chocolate Christmas Cheesecake

  Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees.

  ½ cups chocolate cookie crumbs

  3 tbsp. melted butter

  NOTE: You can replace the above items with a premade graham cracker crust.

  Mix butter into the cookie crumbs, then push into a greased pan (springform or pie plate).

  2 8-oz. packages of cream cheese, room temperature or

  softened

  In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.

  1 14-oz. can of chocolate sweetened condensed milk

  Gradually beat in the sweetened condensed milk.

  3 eggs

  3 tbsps. Cornstarch

  1 tsp. peppermint extract (or almond if you want a

  different flavor)

  Add the eggs, cornstarch, and extract, beating until well mixed.

  Pour mixture into the prepared pan.

  Bake 55 minutes or until center is set.

  Cool and chill. Decorate the edge of the cheesecake with crushed peppermint candies (if you used the mint extract, slivered almonds if not). Serve with whipped cream.

  Can’t get enough of Mia’s spooky adventures?

  Be sure to read

  ONE POISON PIE

  and the novellas

  CHILI CAULDRON CURSE

  and

  MURDER 101

  Available now from

  Lynn Cahoon

  and

  Kensington Books