Dessert Stuffing with White Chocolate Gravy

My Thanksgiving menu, for the most part, is very traditional. Yet, while I’m fond of the old favorites, I am always itching to try something new. So I devised a way to turn a Turkey Day cornerstone on its head: Dessert Stuffing with White Chocolate “Gravy.” (Yes, it’s stuffing; you may not stuff it in a turkey, but you will want to stuff it in your face.) It will make a great addition to any Thanksgiving dessert lineup—complementing the pies you no doubt already have on the docket. Plus, you make it on the stove top, so you aren’t taking up precious oven space.

Dessert Stuffing
(serves 6-8)

Ingredients

Gravy

• 1/2c heavy whipping cream
• 1/4c powdered sugar
• 1/3c white chocolate chips

Stuffing

• 1 1/2c half and half
• 1/4c brown sugar
• 1t vanilla
• 6oz dried plain stuffing bread cubes (I got a bag from the bakery at the grocery store)

Mix-ins

• 1/2c granny smith apple, diced
• 1/2c pecans, toasted and chopped
• 1/3c craisins
• 1/2c white chocolate chips
• 2-3T brown sugar (start with 2 then add later when directions specify to taste)
• 1-2t cinnamon (start with 1 then add later when directions specify to taste)

Directions

Gravy:

1. In medium glass bowl, heat whipping cream to boiling in microwave.
2. Pour in white chocolate chips, let sit for 1 minute, and then stir until smooth (you may need to reheat to get out all the clumps.
3. Stir in powdered sugar, then chill in fridge/freezer until cold and thick.

Stuffing:

1. Chop, toast, and cool pecans. Dice apple. In medium bowl combine pecans, apples, craisins, white chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside.
2. In large pot, stir together half and half and brown sugar and bring to a boil.
3. Remove pot from heat, stir in vanilla, then stir in bread cubes and cover for five minutes.
4. Stir fruit and nut mixture into stuffing. Adjust brown sugar and cinnamon to taste.
5. Serve warm, topped with white chocolate gravy.

While it’s OK if you mince the apples, I’m not going to mince my words: dessert stuffing is pretty on point. The nuts, apples, and Craisins create a nice texture (and they taste much better than celery), and overall, it has a lot of good flavors in it without being overly  sweet. If you haven’t yet decided on what you are bringing to Thanksgiving, let me decide for you: bring dessert stuffing… and people may just be giving thanks that they invited you to dinner.