I’m still analyzing my Scrabble games from the Crescent City Cup and sorting through pictures of New Orleans, but I’ve been meaning to post these two recipes for a while so I don’t lose them. Here are two desserts I’ve made recently. The first is a cream cheese banana pudding, and the second is a ricotta cheesecake with caramelized apples. The pictures are of my own final creations. The pudding is fast and easy to make. The cheesecake takes significantly longer but is unquestionably worth the time and effort.

Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

4 to 6 sliced bananas
1 11-ounce box vanilla wafers
8 ounces cream cheese
1 5-ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 1/2 cups milk
1 8-ounce container Cool Whip
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sliced strawberries or other berries

In one bowl, combine milk, instant pudding mix, and vanilla extract. In a second bowl, beat cream cheese and condensed milk until smooth. Combine the two bowls and whisk until smooth, gradually adding in half of the Cool Whip. Whisk until fully combined. Line the bottom of a large bowl with vanilla wafers, then a layer of sliced bananas, followed by the banana pudding mixture. Repeat layers until complete. Top with the remainder of the Cool Whip, then decorate with crushed wafers and/or berries of your choice. Chill four hours before serving.

Ricotta Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces sour cream
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
20-30 gingersnaps
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract -or- seeds from one whole vanilla bean
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/8 cup crushed walnuts
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/4 cup apple cider
2-3 tart apples (Rome, Jonathan, Granny Smith, Blushing Golden, etc.)

In a springform pan, apply cooking spray then add mixture of crumbled gingersnaps, 2 tbsp butter, and brown sugar, press until crust is flat. Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees F. Then mix ricotta, vanilla (extract or bean), and 3/4 cup sugar until smooth. Add sour cream and cream cheese and continue mixing until smooth. Whisk 3 eggs and gradually add ricotta/cream cheese mixture to eggs until fully combined. Pour evenly onto gingersnap crust and bake 45 minutes. The middle will be soft still but the edges should be slightly raised. Allow to cool before covering and refrigerating overnight.

To caramelize apples, peel, core, and slice apples, then combine 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a skillet over medium heat and dissolve until golden brown. Add the sliced apples and 2 tbsp butter and stir until apples are fully coated, 10-12 minutes. Remove caramelized apples with a fork or spatula and arrange on top of cheesecake. Add 1/4 cup apple cider to the remaining caramel and stir for a couple of minutes, then pour over apples and cheesecake. Top with crushed walnuts. Take apart springform pan to serve.