Carries Best Rhubarb Muffins

I just loooove rhubarb. When I was growing up we had a large garden, even larger if weeds count. The elementary school was right behind my parents house. I just climbed up the chain link fence, fell over the top and I was in the schoolyard. After school or at lunch I would just reverse the process - climb > curl > fall. How hard is that? My siblings also followed this routine but occasionally mishaps occurred. Once my big little brother (he's younger than me but a whole lot bigger) somehow became entangled. Frankly I have no idea how but it wasn't my fault and I hear he was found hanging by a few fingers from the top of the fence. My mother was peering through kitchen window - probably to make sure he actually went to school - and saw him dangling form the top of the fence and flapping his free arms and legs. She rushed out and rescued him saving his fingers and his dignity. Anyway - he's okay, he didn't lose any fingers or anything, he can still count in whole numbers. So all's well that ends well even when much discomfort is involved. 
I always came home for lunch that way as as did my siblings -well, my brother may have started walking the long way home after his experience. After lunch we would dawdle although I don't dawdle at all anymore - or at least I don't call it dawdling anymore nor do I do appreciate it when others use the term in reference to me. What was once dawdling I now recognize as an early zen like awareness of how much more pleasant it is to take my time - anyway - as we dawdled our way off the porch and past the laden apple trees (we won't talk about the caterpillar nests) through the backyard past the garden we would invariably be distracted by the huge deep green leaves of rhubarb. I mean they were big. Like 2 feet by 1 1/2 foot leaves. The size of a kiddy umbrella. Frequently I would break off a big piece of rhubarb and carry it back to the house holding it upright and twirling it about like an umbrella. In my fancy I liked to pretend I was a fairy, albeit a overlarge one. I would pour lots and lots of white sugar into a cup and dip my torn rhubarb stem into the sugar - just coating it with a crusty layer of pure white sweetness - then take a little tiny bite (very sour - even with the sugar)and dip it into the sugar again and take another tiny little bite.  God knows how long it actually took me to eat the thing, probably an hour at that rate. I probably got as much sugar as rhubarb. Well, healthy eating wasn't much on my mind then. Being a fairy with an edible umbrella - a child of nature was pretty neat - fairies don't worry about healthy eating and fibre content and such. 
This is all to say - in case you are wondering if I have a point - yes, I do - these are just my most favorite muffins in the world. I don't really care much for 'cake' muffins. The best muffins are hearty and flavorful and dense and moist like most quick breads. I don't usually like those cakey things at all - unless it actually is a cake. These are lovely - if you love rhubarb and want another way to use it in which it is the showcase then this is for you. I developed this recipe by finding about16 recipes for rhubarb cakes and muffins then taking what I wanted from them and creating this recipe. I have no idea why the first time I made it it was super. But it was. That'll never happen again. The only change I needed to make was to add more rhubarb. Recipes with rhubarb always call for one cup of rhubarb. Whatever. I can hardly taste it. So I use 1 3/4 cups in my recipe. Go big or go home. This is Alberta, big sky and big muffin country. Big hats too, lots of trucks, even though the farmer's don't even live in the city. I have no idea why all males in Calgary feel they need a truck but for some bizarre reason they all share this strange need - there must be something in our air here or maybe it's being surrounded by prairie and the foothills to the Rockies. Honestly,it is a mystery - even to them. Something about the prairies makes all men want to be a hayseed. Don't get me wrong. I like hayseeds, I just don't like their trucks because a man driving a truck never exceeds 40 kilometers an hour unless it's an emergency - then they race along madly at 50 kilometers an hour. I swear, you would think trucks are made of glass the way city boys drive them. It's enough to drive me to drink if I didn't already. I digress - it is time to lay the wine aside for the evening. 

Anyway, if you love rhubarb try this recipe and let me know what you think.


Carol's Best Rhubarb Muffins

Dry

    1 cup all-purpose flour

    1/2 cup whole wheat flour
    3 tablespoon wheat germ
    1/3 cup bran  
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    1 cup loosely packed dark brown sugar
   

Wet

    ¼ cup milk  plus ¾ tsp lemon juice or vinegar OR ¼ c.buttermilk

    ½ cup plain yogurt
    2 tablespoon canola oil
    2 tablespoon Tbsp margarine, melted
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 egg  

    1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups frozen chopped rhubarb 

Mix the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls. Then add the contents of the wet bowl to the contents of the dry bowl and stir just until mixed. You will see little spots of dry 'unmixed' ingredients. That's okay. Now, add the frozen chopped rhubarb. Some pieces may be about 1 inch by 1/2 inch around. That's okay. Leave them alone. If they are larger you may cut them in half, leave large chunks alone.
Spoon into 12 greased muffin cups.  
Bake 25-30 minutes.

Note :  If you wish to simplify the recipe you can do so easily - use 3 tablespoons of all purpose flour instead of the wheat germ and us 4 tablespoons margarine in place of the oil and margarine.  I don’t add salt. 
 
Do use 1 ½ - 1 ¾ c.  I tend to use closer to 1 ¾ c.  These freeze beautifully.

Note
Thanks Stephanie - I don't have your email.
Carol

  

   

Love my molasses ... and Olives muffins ...

Who doesn't love molasses? Well, everyone loves this thick rich gooey syrup. I always welcome an opportunity to use it and I have a lovely new quick and delicious way to enjoy it more frequently. Molasses lover's unite! This recipe came to me by way of my good friend Olive. The last time we visited she served me rich perked coffee and these beautiful moist muffins cut in half and slathered with butter. They drove me crazy and I must confess to eating more than my share. 'Would you like another muffin?' ... 'Oh I don't want to take more than my share!' (well I do actually ... and I did) ... what can I say - I love them.  When I asked Olive for her recipe she said that she actually used a mix and just made a few changes. Low and behold - when she showed me the package I was thrilled! It was the same muffin mix I use except that she had boldly played about with hers! Wow! These are fantastic and it is a real bonus to whip them up so quickly from a mix. I added nuts to the top of mine for the protein to give me super powers and also - I just love the flavor of nuts.

Olives Molasses Bran Muffins (with Nuts)

3 cups Quaker bran muffin mix
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup (heaping) fancy molasses
1 egg
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts.

Pre-heat oven 400 farenheit.

In a medium sized bowl mix the muffin mix and the wheat germ. In a measuring cup mix the molasses and egg and water. Pour the contents of the measuring cup into the bowl and mix until just mixed.
Fill paper muffin cups 3/4 full. (Use cupcake liners as these are tricky to get out of greased muffin tins because of the molasses. Don't ask me how I know this - just trust me on this.) Bake on the center rack of the oven for 12 minutes then start checking. Cook these less time than the package directs as they can overcook quickly with the molasses. They are ready when the top bounces back when gently poked with a fingertip (like a little pillow).

Pour yourself a coffee, slather a few of these up with butter - find a chair in the sun and enjoy one of the loveliest muffins you will ever have!

Crunchy Cranberry Orange Biscotti

Biscotti is just one of those great little snacks that is impossible not to like. The crispy, crunchy texture and subtle flavors are just wonderful ... and really - they are very little work. With little effort and no fuss you can enjoy these fabulous cookies and they are so so much better than anything you will find in any package. I'm not sure why - as they are so easy to make. It is easy to adjust them to suit your own tastes - use a different kind of nut or dried fruit or extract. All you need is a great basic recipe and this is it.

I love these things with coffee or tea or - yes - even straight up (when they first come out of the oven that is). Citrusy orange and sweet tangy dried cranberries have such wonderful flavors and when you put them together - bang - they are a culinary delight and an object of beauty as well. Add some earthy hazelnuts or sweet pecans and they are exquisite.

Crunchy Cranberry Orange Biscotti

1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon orange zest
2 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup chopped pecans or hazelnuts (whatever you want the most)

1 egg for wash

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a large baking pan or use a large insulated cookie sheet.

In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, vanilla and zest. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into the cream mixture until just blended. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Divide dough into two long flat loaves - each 1/2 inch tall and 12 inches long and place 2 inches apart on baking sheet.

Bake 25 - 30 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes.

Beat the egg well with a fork then paint the biscotti with it. With a serrated knife, cut the biscotti diagonally into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Stand the biscotti up on the baking sheet with a bit of space between them. Bake 10 - 15 minutes longer.

Store biscotti at room temp in an airtight container until they are gone.

Thanksgiving isn't enough ....

I love these muffins!  Two of my favorite foods at Thanksgiving are cranberries and pumpkin pie.  I can't get enough of those tangy deep red cranberries (whole cranberry sauce please - not that jelly stuff for me) and the earthy rich not to sweet spiced pumpkin flavors.  So if you feel that way to ... well - this is the recipe for you.  They are delicious and hearty and full of lovely tang and great texture.  They are also very healthy.  When I am in a hurry and feel the need for a quick breakfast muffins are just right. Not to big, not to small, not to messy, no work. Frankly, you can just cram half in your mouth if you feel the need and sometimes ... well ... sometimes it is necessary. Also, these are a great filling snack at work.  Add a cup of strong aromatic coffee or cold white milk and you are in heaven.  At least as long as the muffin lasts or until your break is over.  Usually I consider muffins to be a small meal so I like them to be substantial and healthy.  You won't find any of those cake type muffins here.  As usual - this goes for most of my my recipes - I tend to like my food a little less salty and sweet than some people so I encourage you to add add a bit more of each if you like those flavors to be a little more dominant.

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

Muffins
1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
3/4 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c. wheat bran
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/3 c. sunflower seeds
1/3 c. pumpkin seeds (or walnut crumbs or pecan crumbs)
1/4 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar (lightly packed)
2 eggs
1 c. mashed pumpkin
2 tsp. finely grated orange peel
1 c. milk
1/3 c. yogurt
1 tablespoon orange juice
3 tablespoons canola or olive oil
4 Tbsp butter, melted
2 1/2 c. (generous) thawed cranberries

Topping
Mix 3 tbsp. each of oat bran, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds (or walnut or pecan crumbs)
in a small bowl and set aside.

Pre-heat oven to 350.
Spray muffin tins with oil.
Whisk dry ingredients (from flour to the brown sugar) in a large bowl.
In another bowl stir together eggs, pumpkin, buttermilk and oil then pour into the dry ingredients
bowl and stir until just mixed. Fold in cranberries.
Fill muffin cups to 4/5 full.
Sprinkle with the topping, gently pressing the topping in a bit.

Bake 17-18 minutes or until the muffin springs back when the top is poked. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes then remove from pan.

Makes 18 muffins.

Lavender Honey Baked Apples

Autumn is here again. Lovely, long lazy days. Indian Summer we call it in the north. The sun bathes us in a warm yellow light. The trees have donned their most beautiful dress for one last dance before the winter comes upon us. We marvel at their beauty - orange and brown, red and yellow leaves - until the fall winds pluck their rich finery away and carry them off, swirling round our feet, scattered over our yards, entangled in our gardens. Red leaved fruit trees, rosehips the size of nickels, windfall apples. Oh my - this is a Northern autumn!

It is the most beautiful time of the year for me - for many of us. As fall sweeps over the land it brings back childhood memories of .... apples. Some of my favorite deserts are made with apples. Everyone has a favorite - mine - Macintosh. Hands down. There is no other apple in my narrow little world. I like many but love only one .... the lovely sweet and sour taste is perfect for eating out of hand and for cooking. I love the soft lovely texture but some find it to soft. You should use your own favorite apple though most types will require a few minutes longer baking time then our soft fleshed Macintosh.   

One of the deserts my mother made us frequently was baked apples. We never tired of them. I recently rediscovered them once again and here is my recipe for them - a new take on an old favorite.  Frankly, if you choose an apple you like and a honey you like it is impossible to go wrong. If the apple has little sour tang (such as Golden Delicous) I would add a bit more lemon juice to it the filling.

Lavender Honey Baked Apples

Preheat oven to 375 farenheit

4 large Macintosh apples
4 tbsp butter
2 heaping tbsp brown sugar (I like Demerara)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp lemon juice
2 heaping tbsp raisins
2 heaping tbsp chopped walnuts

1 cup water
2 Tbsp lavender honey (or any honey you like the flavor of)
4 tsp sugar


Mix together butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, lemon juice, raisins and walnuts.  Core apples down to 1/2 inch from bottom of apple. Peel away first 3/4 inch of peel from top of apple. Fill each hollow with 1/4 of the filling and place in a small casserole dish. 
Pour the water around the apples. Add the lavender honey and sugar to the water in dish and stir about a bit.
Bake uncovered about 25 - 30 mins until tender. Add another 5 - 10 minutes if you used a harder apple. Serve warm with the lavender honey syrup spooned over. Serve straight up or with and scoop of vanilla ice cream if you like.

Plummy Plum Jam

I love home made jams and jellies. They are wonderful tasting, lovely textured and evocative of another time that I did not live in but I like to idealize sometimes. Naturally this requires a little selective imagination such as conveniently forgetting that I don't have to chop a neverending supply of wood or smack my clothes against a washboard with a lye and ash concoction to clean my clothes or do any other myriad labour intensive chores.) Nonetheless ... the idea of a simpler way of life (translation - less choices) appeals to me for a short period of time. One of the reasons I prefer to make my own jams and jellies is because I can control the amount of sugar and the texture and softness of the final product. To me the best jam and jelly is soft, not hard, contains lots of fruit or fruit flavour and is not too sweet. Always they need a bit of sour to make the most of their tangy and fruity natural flavours. My grandmother always made her own preserves and jams and jellies and did a lovely job of it to. She always made black currant jam and that is the jam that I always associate with her. Jam and jelly making is a far faster process today and can pretty much involve as much or as little work as you are willing to go to.

Freezer jams are so fast, no sterilizing of jars, no processing (boiling) of the jam. But still, I love the old fashioned kind of jam as well and it is a pleasurable endeavor. So, here is my plum jam. It has far less sugar than most so be warned if you like a very sweet jam, this is not the one for you. If you like lots of lovely fruit flavor you will find it in this recipe. 

 Plummy Plum Jam

 3 lbs. plums, red or black, half of them ripe, the rest underipe

3 cups sugar
2 - 1/2 envelopes Knox powdered pectin (2 envelopes + 1 tsp)

• Wash and chop plums coarsely. Put in 6 quart pot with 1 1/2 cup water. Cook over medium heat about 15 minutes until plums fall apart and are lumpy. Cool then fish out pits.
• Add sugar, stir and taste. (Add up to 1 cup more sugar if you wish.) Remove 3/4 cup of jam to a measuring cup. Add pectin and stir. Add 3/4 cup boiling water. Stir then add to jam.
• Bring to a boil while stirring constantly. After 1 minute remove the pot from the heat and do a spoon test and cold saucer test as described below. If too soft - put pot back on heat and repeat tests every 1 minute until ready. (I add the pectin, bring the jam to a boil and boil 4 minutes. I like a soft but not runny jam.)
• Remove pot from heat and skim off foam. Place jars on tray. Ladle jam into jars. Place lids on and screw rings over. Place jars in canner and boil for 7 mins plus 1 min more for each 1,000 feet above sea level that you are at. (In Calgary, Alberta you need to boil for 11 mins). Start timing once water reaches a boil.
• Remove jars to dishtowel covered tray and let sit 12-24 hours. After 12 hours check lids. If any lids are not sunken in then the jar is not sealed. Unsealed jars must be placed in the refrigerator and used first. Put other jars away in dark place until you want them.
• Makes 9 - 125 ml jars or 4 - 250 ml jars

To prepare jars:

To prepare jars you can boil the jars, lids and rings and ladle in boiling water and keep them in the water until you use them. Place on a towel lined tray just before filling them. Or you can wash them in the dishwasher and remove the warm jars from the dishwasher just before filling them. I've done both... so handy...

Spoon test:

Dip the spoon into the jam and lift out. Tilt spoon to side and watch how the jam drips off. If it forms two drops that come together to form a sheet that falls from the spoon it is ready.

Cold saucer test:

Drizzle a bit (1/2 tsp) onto a saucer that has been chilling in freezer. Swirl plate a bit to spread it out then run your finger through it. This is the thickness the prepared jam will be, if processed for a while the jam will be a bit thicker than this. If it is to soft for your taste then boil jam again for 1 more minute, remove the pot from the heat, and perform saucer test.

Sucre A La Creme or Sugar with Cream ...

This fudge is the best. Fabulous fudge. It is a rich concocotion of sugar and butter and cream and how can you go wrong with that? You can't ... we all know it. Butter, cream and sugar are like a holy trinity to food lovers and non-food lovers alike. This is a French Canadian fudge recipe - and therefore it always includes brown sugar and cream. Many French Canadian fudge recipes include maple syrup as well though this one does not. This fudge melts in your mouth literally and is rich and creamy and decadent and when you look at the recipe you can see why. While most fudge recipes do include 1-3 tablespoons of butter - this one has lots of butter - like a caramel recipe but it is definitely a fudge. It contains 3/4 of a cup of butter. Oh yes, that is not an error. Make sure you make it when someone else will be around as this is so melt in your mouth delicious that you will eat all of it yourself instead of sharing it.
Perhaps that isn't such a bad thing ... is it?
Cook it, cool it, cut it and try not to eat it all in one sitting ...

SUCRE À LA CRÈME

¾ cup of soft butter (not margarine)
2 cups brown sugar (not packed, not loose)
¾ cup evaporated milk
2 cups of icing sugar
½ cup of walnuts (optional)
1 tsp of vanilla extract

In medium saucepan mix brown sugar, evaporated milk and butter together. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture reaches full boil - stirring frequently. After perhaps 10 mins the mixture will start to thicken slightly. Begin to test it to see if it has reached the soft ball stage. Remove the pan from the heat and perform the following test.  Test - drop 1/2 tsp or so into very cold tap water. Form into a ball with your fingers . If the ball loses shape and/or collapses when removed from the water it is ready. If it cannot form a ball put the pan back on the heat and keep cooking and testing every 1 -2 mins. ) Once it reaches the soft ball stage remove pot from heat and add icing sugar. Beat on low speed with an electric beater until the icing sugar is incorporated (1-2 mins).Pour into buttered or parchment lined 8" x 8" pan. Wrap your hand in plastic wrap and dab in butter lightly. Now lightly pat the fudge all over to smooth it down and make it 'level'. Cut and eat up.

Triple Ginger Molasses Crisps

These are another cookie my friend and co-worker discovered and they are the best! I am utterly smitten with these cookies. Lots of ginger and a beautiful 'crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside texture'. I have added more ginger.  The original recipe calls for 1 tsp fresh grated/finely minced ginger and 2 Tbsp candied ginger. As I love ginger, especially candied ginger I have added more. What an excellent balance of flavours! An awesome cookie!

Triple Ginger Molasses Crisps

1 c. softened butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 egg + 1 yolk
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp fr. grated ginger
4 Tbsp ch. crystallized (candied) ginger
2 c. + 2 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp bkg powder
1/3 c. dark molasses

Preheat oven to 350. Grease cookie sheet if using but best to use a non stick cookie sheet. Beat butter & sugar. Add egg, yolk, salt, fr. ginger, crystallized ginger & molasses. Mix flour, powdered ginger & bkg soda together. Whisk dry into wet ingredients.

Make into 2 inch rolls and roll in coarse sugar. Chill a couple hours in fridge then slice 1/8 inch thick & bake. Or - roll into 1 inch balls, press onto cookie sheet. Sprinkle with coarse sugar & bake.

Bake 12 mins. Makes 6 dozen.

Fabulous Coconut Macaroons

These are my co-worker's Coconut Macaroons! She has an innate ability to find fantastic cookie recipes.  I'm sure I've seen her wandering about with a little divining spatula in her hands. These are delicious sweet little clouds of coconut with just the perfect amount of sweetness.  A little advice to the uninitiated - do not make these when you are alone or you will eat every single one by yourself.

Preheat oven to 325°

4 egg whites
1 tsp almond extract
4 cups coconut
1 cup sugar

Beat egg white until frothy. Add almond extract and mix more.
Fold in coconut and sugar.
Drop into aproximately 1in circles (a mini muffin scoop is perfect for this) and place on cookie tray (works best when lined with parchment paper if not then greased.

Bake for 20 minutes. Brown a little on top if you like (broil for no more than 3 minutes.

Indian Rice Pudding

Indian rice pudding is easily my favorite rice pudding.  It is far moister, less thick and less sweet than the British, European and Scandanavian rice puddings. All these are dryer and denser than the Indian style which is fine if that is what you want. I like it to be light and moist, wet really and not to rich and not to filling (because then I can eat more of it).  Even after filling yourself to the rafters with a heavy spicy Indian meal you can still enjoy a bowl of this wonderful pudding. 

It is pretty hard to go wrong with almost any Indian rice pudding recipe really though this is the one that I like.  Just use very little rice and sugar.  These are key.  The biggest difference will be how sweet it is and what little additions in the form of spices or nuts or fruit have been added.

Here is a simple recipe that just makes about 2 - 1/2 cups to start you off ..... you can easily double it or triple it. Just be sure to use a wide bottomed pot or it will take much longer to reduce the milk to the right consistency.

Indian Rice Pudding

3 Tbsp basmati rice
3 Tbsp sugar
1 litre whole white milk
1/2 tsp ground green cardamon
2 Tbsp sliced almonds and roughly crushed pistachios (and a bit of colorful dried fruit to if you wish for colour).

In a heavy bottomed pot bring the milk to a boil. Watch it as once it starts to foam up it will overflow the pot in seconds and make a huge mess - so....
bring milk to a boil. Add rice and reduce heat to medium. Stir very frequently until milk is reduced to almost half. It will be thick and creamy (as thick as cream). Add sugar & cardamon and continue to cook a couple minutes until the sugar is completely disolved. Pour it into a bowl and chill in the refridgerator until cool. Garnish with nuts and dry fruit if you wish.

Delicious No Bake (No Joke) Frozen Chocolate Cheesecake

This is a lovely no bake chocolate cheesecake given to me by my friend at work. I did not even realize that it was a no bake cheesecake until I asked her how she made it! Not too rich, not too sweet, not too heavy on the cream cheese - but it is still undoubtably a cream cheese cheesecake. Not overly dense and heavy like most. Nor is it one of those light fluffy little phony cheesecakes that make you shudder - this is the real thing but with a lighter touch than the baked kind. Oh yeah, this went so fast - if I had realized how fast it would go I would have taken a second piece and hidden it deep within the hidden recesses of the overcrowded refrigerator among the plastic bags and containers and mystery foods and whatever the hell else is in there cluttering it up.
The ingredients in this recipe can easily be adjusted to make it more chocolaty (with the additon of more cocoa or melted chocolate). Or softer with the addition of more whipping cream or coffee or liquors could be added. It is very very flexible - no fail - no bake - no joke. A really lovely cheesecake.

No-Bake Frozen Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust
Oreo cookie crumbs (12 box)
1/3 c. melted butter

In a springform pan pour Oreo cookie crumbs and pour melted butter over. Mix with fork and flatten down evenly with hand or spoon (when using your hand please remember you are cooking for others ie. under fingernail remenants not required) Bake for 10-15min at 375 degrees (sure hope you pre-heated!)

Cheesecake Filling
125 ml whipping cream (35%)
1 large package cream cheese (light if you want to fool yourself into thiniing this will be low fat.) Lit this sit out at room temperature to make it easier (or don't - whatever.)
3/4 to 1 c. white sugar (to taste - less if you think you are sweet enough)
1/4 c. cocoa

In a large bowl whip the whipping cream - set aside.  In another large bowl (I know you have 2!) whip the cream cheese.  In a 2 cup measuring cup mix together with a fork the sugar and cocoa (just to get the lumps out of the cocoa) and add sugar to cream cheese mix.  Taste filling to be sure it is chocolaty/sweet enough (adjust as needed).  *When the crust is cooled spread filling evenly around (or don't - whatever), cover, and put in freezer for a minimum of 1 hour - I suggest overnight. Serve immediately and put back in freezer if getting to soft.
Enjoy!

Mango Rabri

This is a creamy luscious desert from India with a soft mango flavor and chunks of soft tropical fruit.  It is hearty enough to feel like a real desert but is actually not to heavy.  There are two versions.  Old style and new style. They are both equally good - truly.  The old style rabri is made in the manner of an Indian rice pudding - milk heated and stirred over medium heat for a long time until the milk is reduced to a thick pudding. The new style uses either cream or condensed milk for a fast but thick pudding. The traditional one is fantastic but if you don't care whether it is low fat or not and do not have the patience to stir a pot for an hour or so then make it this way. This is fast and utterly delicious.     

Mango Rabri

1 can of Alphonso mango puree (1 pound can)
1 1/2 litres 18 %  cream
1/3 c. sugar
1 - 20 oz. can diced papaya or tropical fruit or a mixture of both.

Whisk mango puree, creams and sugar together. Stir well. Add can of fruit - dice large chunks into smaller 1/2 inch cubes. Add the syrup a bit at a time so that you can make the pudding as thin or thick as you please. Pour pudding into large bowl and chill. Sprinkle with something for colour - bit of crushed pistachios or a sprinkling of crushed almonds and slivers of diced tropical fruit.