The search for the perfect dessert to share with friends and family can lead to frantic searching in the kitchen cabinets and unwelcome stress. Until you think Semi-Homemade chocolate. Chocolate is a delicious after-dinner treat that can please everyone, whether it’s white, dark, semi-sweet or white. The health benefits of chocolate make it even more appealing for guilt-free consumption.

These tips are provided by Semi Homemade and will provide you with some new ideas.

* Melt together 1 cup of chocolate chips and 3/4 cup of cream, and add 1 teaspoon of the extract of your choice for a custom chocolate sauce.

* Stir 2 to 4 ounces of bittersweet chocolate into a finished pot of chili or stew.

* Stir 1/2 cup of chocolate chips into sweet baking mixes or pancake and waffle batters.

* Melt chocolate chips in the microwave, and use them to coat your favorite store-bought cookies or fruit.

A quick recipe such as the hot chocolate cherry crumble makes it easy to make a dessert everyone will love.

Hot Chocolate Cherry Crumble

8 servings

1 1/2 cans (21 oz.) Cherry pie filling

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 box (6.88 oz.) chocolate

biscotti cookies

2 envelopes hot cocoa mix

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 teaspoon baking flour

3/4 cup milk chocolate chip

6 tablespoons melted Butter

Chocolate syrup (for consumption)

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking oil and set aside. Combine almond extract and cherry pie filling. Place in a pan and let cool.

Crush biscotti cookies in a food processor. Blend in hot chocolate packets, sugar and flour until well combined. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Add chocolate chips to the bowl. Stir in the melted butter until everything is well combined. Sprinkle the cherry mixture on top.

Bake in a preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until bubbling. Serve warm with a drizzle o chocolate sauce.

Additional tips and recipes are available in the new publication “Semi-Homemade Cooking 3.”Visit this site for more information and quick tips. www.semihomemade.com.