Gear Guide 2012: Food – Dessert
Sweet treats to close a campside meal--and help you recoup after an energy-zapping hiking day.
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Enertia Trail Foods Bananas Foster Bread Pudding
“The banana flavor is so real,” says one tester, “that I kept expecting to bite into a section of flambéed fruit.” Though this dessert doesn’t have caramelized bananas like a real-deal Foster—you won’t spot a single bananalike bit in the moist bread pudding— testers loved the rich texture, the creamy vanilla mix- in, the strong (but not artificial) banana taste, and supereasy prep of this sweet-tooth-satisfier. $5; 1 serving; trailfoods.com
Madyson’s Marshmallows Roasting Chip Fluffs
The original campfire dessert gets a delicious update: “Putting chocolate chips inside a creamy marshmallow revolutionizes s’mores!” says a tester who noted the smooth melting and even roasting of these single-serving puffs. Each larger-than-bite-size confection is layered with chocolate, butterscotch, mint, peanut butter, cinnamon, or toffee chips for a luxe twist on the quintessential camp treat. Making s’mores? BYO graham crackers. $8; 12 servings; madysonsmarshmallows.com
Packit Gourmet Boston Crème Parfait
Mix, layer, repeat, eat. This dessert is as delicious as it is fun to make: Alternate spoonfuls of cold-water-prep pudding, drizzles of chocolate fudge frosting, and sprinkles of sweet, croutonlike vanilla “toastees.” The two-serving packet provides generous helpings—easily enough for four hikers after a satisfying dinner, say testers. $7; 2 servings; packitgourmet.com