Welcome 2022 with luscious, unique desserts

Whether you’re having a few close friends over — or just celebrating the arrival of 2022 with family, a small toast to the new year with yummy food is the perfect answer. Today’s offerings run the gamut of elegant, unique, old-timey and show-stopping. Enjoy!

Broiled Pineapple Sundaes

(4 servings)

3 Tbs. brown sugar

3 Tbs. fresh orange juice

1 1/2 tsp. honey

1/2 tsp. EACH ground cinnamon and ground ginger

2 cups coarsely chopped fresh pineapple

1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts*

2 cups vanilla ice cream

Preheat broiler to high: Combine brown sugar, orange juice, honey, cinnamon and ginger in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add pineapple, toss to coat well. Spread pineapple mixture in a single layer on a baking or jelly roll pan lined with foil. Broil 5 minutes or until bubbly. Place nuts in a skillet; cook over medium heat about 3 minutes or till lightly browned, shaking pan frequently. Spoon 1/2 cup ice cream into each of 4 bowls. Top each serving with about 1/4 cup of pineapple mixture and 1 tablespoon nuts. Sensational!

• You may also use chopped pecans, unsalted cashews or macadamia nuts. I do not recommend peanuts. (I DO recommend doubling or tripling this recipe for larger helpings, since it’s utterly delicious)!

Orange Mousse

2 Tbs. plus 1/3 cup water

1 1/2 tsps. unflavored gelatin

1 cup whipping cream

3/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice, measured after straining

1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. grated orange peel

6 large eggs, separated into large bowls

1 cup granulated cane sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. cornstarch

Wash orange before grating and squeezing. Place 2 Tbs. water in heavy large saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand 10 minutes to soften. Add cream, orange juice and peel , and stir over medium heat until gelatin dissolves and mixture is hot. In bowl of 6 yokes, whisk in 1/4 cup sugar and cornstarch. Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into yolk mixture. Return to saucepan. Bring mixture to boil, stirring constantly. Transfer to clean bowl; let stand just until cool.

In heavy small saucepan stir together remaining 1/3 cup water and 3/4 cup sugar over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until clip-on candy thermometer registers 240F, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, with an electric mixer, beat egg whites in their bowl until stiff but not dry. Gradually add hot syrup in steady stream, beating constantly. Continue to beat until meringue is cool.

With a spatula, gently fold cool meringue into custard until completely incorporated. Divide mixture into eight 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups; refrigerate overnight. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream if desired. Need I say this is a natural to pair with a glass of champagne?

For a heavenly old-timey dessert, make this moist and delicious Scandinavian apple cake. Great as is, or dressed up with whipped cream! This is especially nice for a family get-together.

Apple-Walnut Cake

4 cups peeled, cored, finely chopped cooking apples

1 cup cane sugar

1 cup chopped walnuts

2/3 cup butter, melted

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon EACH baking powder and baking soda

1/4 teaspoon EACH ground allspice and cardamom

1/8 teaspoon salt

Set oven to 350F. In large mixing bowl combine apples, sugar, walnuts and melted butter; stir in eggs and vanilla. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon and all remaining dry ingredients. Mix well and add to apple mixture, stirring until just combined.

Butter and flour a 13x9x2-inch baking pan and pour in batter, spreading evenly. Bake about 30 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before serving warm. Top with whipped cream or simply garnish with fresh apple slices, more chopped walnuts, or powdered sugar, as desired (or serve in a bowl covered in rich cream)!

Easy Pineapple Salad/Dessert

Cut a fresh pineapple in half from top to bottom, retaining the pretty leaves on top if you wish, trimming them a bit if necessary. With a sharp knife, cut pineapple out of the halves, leaving a good half-inch outer shell for the bowls. Cut up the removed pineapple over a bowl to retain the juice then add other fruits in season as you desire. On hand now are beautiful huge seedless red, green and black grapes, bananas (tip –slice them into a bowl of lemon juice and toss to coat completely; this keeps them from browning too quickly). Use your favorites: kiwi, papaya, pears, naval or mandarin oranges. Toss your choices together and pile back into the pineapple halves for serving on a pretty platter or tray. You don’t need a dressing for this salad/dessert, simply letting the juices serve. Sometimes I pour a little icy ginger ale atop the fruit. It’s a delicious no-fail beauty whatever you do!

If you’re hosting a New Year’s Eve party and want a piece de resistance type of offering, think the ultimate in ease and elegance — Cherries Jubilee! Conversely, if it’s just “the two of you” it’s a special celebratory gesture of love and togetherness. All you need are individual dessert dishes ready with your choice of a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a slice of pound cake or angel food cake. If you have a copper sauté pan, great; if not, no worries. Here’s how. (Our recipe serves four to six people, so add or divide as necessary).

Cherries Jubilee

1 16-ounce can pitted dark sweet cherries (NOT pie filling!), drained, juice saved

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cinnamon stick (or pinch of ground cinnamon)

1/4 to 1/2 cup brandy

Combine reserved juice, cornstarch, cinnamon and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until thickened. Stir in cherries; remove cinnamon stick. Pour mixture into a pretty (heated) serving dish. Heat Brandy in a small pipkin and immediately pour over cherry mixture and ignite, using a long-handled match. Ladle flaming cherries and juice over the pound cake or ice cream.

I must mention that pretty salad forks work better than spoons — except for ice cream, of course.

Amazing tip: No brandy? No problem! Simply soak sugar cubes (one per person) with lemon extract, pour the hot cherries over the individual dishes, place a soaked sugar cube on each and set alight using the long-handled match for both safety and drama. Happy New Year!

Valle Novak writes the Country Chef and Weekend Gardener columns for the Daily Bee. She can be reached at bcdailybee@bonnercountydailybee.com or by phone at 208-265-4688 between the hours of 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.