Best summer desert EVER!

This started out from this recipe in July's Woman's Day. (find it online here) I originally made the recipe as called for using the frozen whipped topping. While shopping for ingredients to make it for the 4th of July I came across mini angel food cakes. A light began to shine & these deserts were born. Yeah, I know the little brown slug things don't look so good & my camera doesn't take very good photos in the near dark but work w/ me here. Use your imagination & I promise you that you will LOVE (as long as you like the ingredients - *g*) this desert. Bonus? Quick & EASY!

Mini angel food cakes

Frozen orange sherbet (the commissary by us only stocks the orange cream variety)

Using a teaspoon, stuff the softened sherbet into the center of the angel food cake.

I smashed it around on the bottom a bit too, to give it a little more flavor throughout.

Put the filled cakes back in the cartoon & cover w/ plastic wrap. Place cartoon in freezer for 4 hrs or overnight.

Take the frozen cakes out of the freezer & place on plate. I just happened to have leftover small blue plates. Very 4th of July, yes?

Whip up some heavy cream until nice & frothy. Add sugar to taste. Then top frozen cake w/ as much whipped cream as you'd like. (those aresol canned whipped cream won't do. Make the good stuff!)

These little orange squiggles are amazingly awesome. Trust me when I tell you that they help to make the cake perfect. Put these on top of the whipped cream & then enjoy heaven.
For a little extra awesomeness (& don't photograph the chocolate once it's been in the fridge for a few hours. It gets pretty solid), drizzle some chocolate ganache on top.

Recipes -

6 mini angel food cakes
orange sherbet
heavy cream
sugar to taste
ganache * recipe follows
candied orange peel** recipe follows

Stuff mini angel food cakes w/ orange sherbet. Stuff as much sherbet in as possible. Put cakes back into cartoon, cover w/ plastic wrap (tightly) & place in freezer for 4 hrs or overnight.

Take cakes out of freezer 5 - 7 min before using. Whip heavy cream until stiff. Add sugar to taste. Top mini cakes w/ whipped cream, chocolate ganache & candied orange peels. Serve & await the applause!

*ganache -

1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup 60% cacao Ghiradelli chocolate bar broken into small pieces.

Pour cream into glass bowl. Put bowl in microwave for 1 minute or until cream is bubbly. Take from microwave & add chocolate pieces. Let cream & chocolate set for 1 minute. Whisk cream & chocolate until smooth. Pour over mini angel food cakes. If any ganache remains, place in bowl w/ tight seal & refrigerate. Next time you use it, take it from the fridge & let set for a minute. Then stir w/ spoon until smooth.


**candied orange peel - from Woman's Day Creamsicle cake recipe

Using a citrus zester, remove the peel from 1 orange in strips. Or use a vegetable peeler to remove the peel from the orange in vertical strips, avoiding as much of the white pith as possible; cut into smaller strips. Bring 2 cups cold water and the peel to a boil in a 2-qt saucepan; drain. In the same saucepan, whisk 1 cup water with 2 cups sugar until sugar dissolves. Add the peel and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer the peel 10 to 15 minutes until tender and translucent. Drain; let cool. Toss the peel in 1/2 cup sugar. Using a fork or your fingers, remove peels, gently shaking off excess sugar. Store in an airtight container for 1 week.