Steven showed us one chilled, and one warm dessert - and both use ordinary stuff from the pantry. Why pay for expensive cakes when you can make a 7-layer confection out of cookies? And you don't even have to turn on the oven. It's a no-bake recipe. And old-fashioned cobbler -- cakey goodness over luscious fruit -- was never so easy. Start with pie filling and no one will know you didn't spend hours at preparing dessert!

Watch this segment in Episode 117.

Easy 7-Layer Cake


Use plain, unfilled cookies (not chocolate coated) for this recipe that are less than 1/4-inch (6 mm) thick. After they soften, the texture is rich and cakey.

Ingredients:
1 can (425 g) custard
2 cups (500mL) whipped topping or whipped cream
1 box (300 g) chocolate wafer-thin cookies
1 box (300 g) vanilla wafer-thin cookies
1/2 cup (125 mL) cold coffee (optional)
1/4 cup (50 mL) chocolate, coffee or nut-flavoured liqueur (optional)
1 cup (250 mL) chocolate pudding (2 pudding cups)

In bowl, mix custard and whipped topping or cream. Smear 1/4 cup (50 mL) in bottom of glass or ceramic 8 X 8-inch (20 X 20 cm) pan. Lay vanilla cookies in single layer across bottom of pan, fill in gaps with broken cookies.

Using rubber spatula, spread 1/2 cup (125 mL) custard mixture over cookies, covering to edges of pan. Repeat layering cookies and custard mixture, alternating cookie flavours. End with seventh layer of cookies, which will be vanilla. Do not spread custard mixture on top cookie layer.

Sprinkle cold coffee or liqueur, if using, over cookies.

Frost with chocolate pudding. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight. Makes one Easy 7-Layer Cake (8 to 10 servings).

- Thin, plain wafer cookies work best.
- Fill in gaps between whole cookies with broken cookies.
- There's lots of flavours of cookies to try: Chocolate, vanilla, social tea, lemon, gingersnaps, digestives...
- For extra softness and flavor sprinkle cold coffee and/favourite liqueur on cookies (after layering is completed).

Fruity Cake-Cobbler


A versatile recipe that lets you create assorted combinations of pie filling, fruit and cake. Try cherry pie filling, fresh raspberries and chocolate cake mix. Or apple pie filling, chopped fresh strawberries and lemon cake mix. Or try the wonderful trio below.

Ingredients:
1 can (19 fl. Oz/540 mL) can blueberry pie filling
1 container (160 g) fresh blackberries (1 1/2 cups/375 mL)
1 pack (250 g) vanilla cake mix (1 3/4 cups/425 mL)
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) milk
2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
1/2 cup (2 oz./50 g) sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
Spread pie filling in bottom of 9 X 9-inch (22 X 22-cm) glass or ceramic pan. Sprinkle berries over top, gently press them into pie filling.
In bowl, break up lumps in cake mix. Gradually whisk in milk and oil until smooth. Pour over pie filling. Scatter almonds on top.
Bake 45 minutes, or until cake is golden. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

- Can skip the fresh fruit if you want and just use pie filling, but it's nicer to add some fresh berries for more fruit flavor and texture.
- Switch up combos with different cake mix flavours and different berries. Use cherry pie filling, fresh raspberries and chocolate cake mix as another example.
- Any kind of nuts to add crunch is delicious: chopped pecans, walnuts, sliced hazelnuts...
- Scoop it out to serve with ice cream, if you like.
- This is so easy to make, you can make it even after guests arrive so you can serve it warm.