2 delectable slow cooker dessert recipes

Best known for dishes like chilli and pot roast, slow cookers are actually incredibly versatile and can be used to cook almost anything. Here are 2 recipes for appetizing desserts that you can whip up with a slow cooker.

It may seem like a strange idea, but yes, you can make desserts in a slow cooker. Sometimes called a crock pot or wonder pot, a slow cooker features controlled temperature and heat circulation. This gives you the versatility needed to create desserts with the texture, form and taste of traditional baking or griddling.

The 2 recipes below can be cooked in a standard 3.3-litre to 4.7-litre slow cooker that has been pre-coated with cooking spray.

A slow cooker is one of the best ways to cook fruit, as it patiently extracts the natural juices and better retains the shape. Many fruits and berries are grown in Canada, such as blueberries, cranberries, blackberries and grapes. As such, slow cooker compotes like this Fruits and Berries Medley make for a great-tasting and nutritious dessert in any season.

Time: 3 hours

Yield: 12 servings

Directions

1. Put a small cinnamon or vanilla stick in the slow cooker.
2. Combine 1 cup each of diced fresh apples, pineapples, peaches, cranberries, blueberries and grapes (or any fruits and berries in season) and put the mixture in the slow cooker.
3. Pour in 1 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of orange juice (or natural juice mix) and 1/2 cup of sweet red wine, Port wine or warm water.
4. Cook on a low setting for 3 hours.
5. Serve the compote in elegant glass bowls.

Traditional cheesecake requires baking, but this step is skipped in slow cooker cheesecakes. The secret is to use a smaller dish like a pie pan or a medium-sized ramekin inside the cooker, making it function as a compact oven. Give this Citrus Holiday Cheesecake a try to discover how easy it is to make a slow cooker cheesecake.

Time: 3 hours

Yield: 4 slices

Directions

1. Weave a simple foil mat using 6 to 8 strips of foil (each 15x3 centimetres) and place your pie pan on the mat's centre.
2. For the cheesecake filling, combine 3 cups of cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of flour, 2 tablespoons of orange juice, 1/2 cup of sour cream, 1/2 cup of sugar and 3 eggs in a blender and run it until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the mixture into the pie pan and cover with foil.
3. Pour just enough water into the slow cooker to reach halfway up the side of the pie pan. Lift the foil mat with the pie pan on it into the slow cooker.
4. Cook on a medium setting for 2 hours. Then adjust the temperature to low and cook for another 1 hour.
5. Lift the pie pan out of the slow cooker using the ends of the foil mat.
6. Garnish the cheesecake with fresh orange slices and candied orange bits. Chill and serve with drizzled fruit syrup.

These slow cooker desserts are so delicious and easy to make, they'll soon be on your family's list of favourites!