Fall/Winter Gear Guide: Desserts

Tropical Rice Pudding

Sweet warmth with Fruity flare

2 cups instant rice

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons potato starch

8 tablespoons powdered milk

2 tablespoons shredded coconut

4 tablespoons chopped dried mango

At home

Combine all the ingredients in a zip-top bag. Shake to mix.

In camp

Divide dry mixture equally into four mugs or bowls. Add boiling water, stir well, cover, and wait five minutes before eating. Serves four.



Equal Exchange Spicy Hot Cocoa

Spiked with cayenne and cinnamon, this rich, aromatic cocoa mix (milk powder already included) delivers a few extra degrees of warmth. So good, it’s dessert-worthy. $8 (12 oz. dry mix); equalexchange.coop

Packit Gourmet Cheesecakes

Even a hard-to-please sweets fan says these 10-minute treats have a “texture better than any instant cheesecake I’ve ever made at home.” Lemon, pumpkin, and strawberry flavors all come with a salty-sweet gingersnap crust that you can layer into a dish for the best presentation—or sprinkle on top if you’re eating from the bag. $4.50 (1 serving); packitgourmet.com



ProBar Halo Bar

These new sweet-tooth-satisfiers are better than candy: Each has fewer than 160 calories, is sweetened with slow-metabolizing brown rice syrup, and has a healthy dose of omega-3s, thanks to hemp and flax seeds. Nostalgic flavors (s’mores and rocky road are tester favorites) top off the tanks without the mess of marshmallow roasting. Tasty for on-trail energizing, too. $1.60 (1 bar); theprobar.com