Food Super-Fast Quick desserts for the holidays, or any time. Eileen Goltz Jewish Telegraphic Agency W e've all had that moment of panic when we think that the amount of food prepared for our yom toy guests isn't going to be enough. This is called the "crazy factor!' Crazy is probably in the eye of the beholder and I guess I'm old school when it comes to the sweet stuff at the end of a meal. More is marvelous and leftovers are lovely (seems like there's always another yom tov next week we could use it for). So, with that in mind I'm offering you these simple yet extraordinarily different desserts that can all be made in half an hour or less and will keep in the freezer or fridge until you need them. FIVE MINUTE TIRAMISU Dairy or pareve. 14 chocolate chunk cookies 1 /3 to 1/2 cup coffee liqueur 4 bananas, sliced 1/2 to 1 cup toasted chopped pecans 1 (12 oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed Cocoa or chocolate shavings Quickly dip each cookie in a bowl with the liqueur and line the bottom of a 10- inch square dish with seven cookies. Slice 2 bananas over cookies and cover with half the whipped topping. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with cocoa and pecans and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 2 hours. Serves 10 to 12. - CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CUPCAKES Dairy or pareve. 2 1/2 cups flour, unsifted 1 /2 cup cocoa 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 3/4 cup soft butter or margarine 2 cups sugar 3 eggs 2 tsp. vanilla 2 tsp. grated orange peel 2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini 1 /2 cup milk 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans Glaze: B40 September 25 • 2008 iN 2 cups powdered sugar 3 Tbsp. milk or nondairy substitute 1 tsp. vanilla Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside. With a mixer, beat together the butter and the sugar until they are smoothly blended. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. With a spoon, stir in the vanilla, orange peel and zucchini. Alternately stir the set- aside dry ingredients and the milk into the zucchini mixture, including the nuts with the last addition. Pour the batter into a greased and flour- dusted (or use paper liners) cup-cake pan. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes (test at 20 minutes!) or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes; place on wire rack to cool thoroughly. Make glaze: Mix together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cup cakes. Makes 12 servings. MINI BLACK-BOTTOM CHEESECAKES Dairy. 24 plain chocolate wafer cookies (Oreos work great) 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted 8 oz. cream cheese, at room tempera- ture 1 /4 cup sugar 2 /3 cup sour cream 2 large eggs 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 /4 cup seedless raspberry preserves, warmed Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a stan- dard 12-cup muffin pan with foil baking cups. In a food processor, crush the chocolate wafer cookies. Add the butter and process until fine crumbs form. Spoon the choco- late cookie crumbs into the prepared bak- ing cups and press down with your fingers to compact it. Bake for 5 minutes, or until almost set. Leave the oven on. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the sour cream, then add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Pour the cheese- cake batter into the baking cups, filling them three-quarters full. Bake the cheese- cakes for 15 minutes, or until slightly jig- gly in the center. Remove from the oven and spread 1 tsp. of the warmed raspberry preserves on top of each cheesecake. Transfer the muffin tin to the freezer and chill the cheesecakes until set, about 15 minutes. Remove the cheesecakes from the pan and peel off the foil baking cups. Transfer the cheesecakes to a platter and serve. BAKED PEACHES WITH ALMOND PASTE Dairy or pareve. Puree the almond mix- ture ahead of time if you like, but wait until the last minute to cut and stuff the peaches, or they'll turn brown. 4 peaches, halved and pitted 6 oz. almond paste (about 1/2 cup) 3 Tbsp. hot water 1 tsp. lemon juice 1 1/2 tsp. cold butter or margarine, cut into 8 pieces Heat the oven to 400F. Put a rack on a baking sheet and then put the peaches on the rack, skin-side down. In a food processor, puree the almond paste, water and lemon juice. Spoon the almond mixture into the centers of the peaches. Top each mound of almond paste with a piece of the butter. Bake in the lower third of the oven until the peaches are tender and the almond paste is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve warm. Serves 8. BANANA CHOCOLATE SPRING ROLLS Dairy or pareve. 2 medium bananas Eight 7 1/2-inch-square spring-roll (egg roll) wrappers 1 egg white, lightly beaten 32 semisweet chocolate chips 8 tsp. shredded, sweetened coconut Vegetable oil, for frying Confectioners' sugar and cocoa, for dusting Cut each banana in half lengthwise and halve each piece crosswise. Work with 1 wrapper at a time; cover the rest with a damp paper towel. Lay 1 wrapper on a work surface and lightly brush the edge with beaten egg white. Place a banana quarter 2 inches from the bottom of the wrapper and top it with 4 to 6 chocolate chips and 1 tsp. of coconut. Fold the bottom edge over the filling and roll up 1 complete turn. Fold in the sides and continue rolling to form a tight cylinder. Repeat with the remain- ing ingredients. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 inches of vegetable oil to 350F. Add 2 spring rolls at a time and fry until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Drain on paper towels. Dust the spring rolls with the sugar and cocoa and serve. Serves 8. BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE ALMOND CRACKER TOFFEE Dairy or pareve. 1 1/2 cups sliced almonds (6 oz.) Approximately 60 saltine crackers (not low-sodium) 11/2 cups sugar 3 sticks (3/4 pound) unsalted butter or margarine 2 Tbsp. light corn syrup 1 /2 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces Preheat the oven to 350F, spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast for about 6 minutes, until golden. Line a 12-by-17-inch rimmed bak- ing sheet with a silicone mat or lightly buttered parchment paper. Arrange the saltine crackers on the baking sheet in a single layer, patching any holes with cracker bits; slight gaps are okay. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter and corn syrup and cook over low heat until the sugar is melted. Brush the side of the pan with a moist- ened pastry brush to wash down any sugar crystals. Cook the syrup over moderate heat without stirring until it starts to brown around the edge, about 5 minutes. Insert a candy thermometer into the syrup and simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon, until honey-colored car- amel forms and the temperature reaches 300F, about 6 minutes longer. Slowly and carefully pour the caramel over the crackers, being sure to cover most of them evenly. Using an offset spatula, spread the caramel to cover any gaps. Let cool for 3 minutes, then sprinkle the chopped chocolate evenly on top. Let stand until the chocolate is melted, about 3 minutes, then spread