Tag Archives: Desserts

Cupid’s Arrow (A Valentine’s Martini)

Posted on by Laurie

 

For the February issue of The Morning Star’s newsletter, I wanted to create a Valentine’s recipe that would be both easy and fun. With the recent popularity of Chocolate Martini’s, I decide to create my own version of this dessert cocktail – an enjoyable little project if I do say so! This is what I came up with …

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Cupid’s Arrow

– makes 2 strong cocktails –

3 oz.  Chocolate Vodka (I use Cupcake Devil’s Food Vodka)

2 oz. Raspberry Liqueur (I use Pallini Raspicello)

2 oz. Chocolate Liqueur (I use Meletti Cioccolato)

Half-and-half

Dark chocolate

Fresh raspberries

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add vodka and liqueurs. Shake well. Strain into two chilled martini glasses. Drizzle a little half-and-half over the top of each. (It will sink to the bottom then raise to the top, creating a marbleized effect.) Shave a little chocolate over the top of each cocktail then garnish with fresh raspberries. Enjoy!

Tips: Chill glasses in freezer for ten minutes before serving. Use chilled ingredients. The drink should be served very cold, but you do not want it diluted by melting ice.

 

2LC Monthly Cooking Challenge: Mexican Wedding Cookies

Posted on by Laurie

Thank you once again to Bebe and Ridha for hosting this month’s Two Little Chefettes Cooking Challenge. The theme for this month is nuts. I just made a batch of Mexican Wedding Cookies – the pecan version – to put out for our guests. Here is the recipe. Enjoy!

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Mexican Wedding Cookies*

Makes about 32

Known by various names, including Russian Tea Cakes, these buttery nut cookies, rolled in confectioner’s sugar, are good for entertaining because you can make them up to a week ahead of time and store them in an airtight container without any loss of quality.

1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened

2 T. confectioner’s sugar + about 1/2 c. extra for rolling cookies

1 t. vanilla extract*

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. pecans or walnuts finely chopped or ground to the texture of coarse kosher salt

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In large bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 T. of the confectioner’s sugar and the vanilla extract. On lowest speed, beat in flour and then nuts. The mixture will be very crumbly.
  3. Spoon a small about (about 1 heaping teaspoon) of mixture into one of your palms. Squeeze lightly until the mixture holds together then shape into a ball. Place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture, spacing the balls well apart on the 2 baking sheets.
  4. Bake for about 11 to 13 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned on the bottom. Place baking sheets on wire racks and allow cookies to cool. Once cool, roll the cookies in confectioner’s sugar until well coated. If desired, roll a second time.

* This recipe is from my cookbook, Confectionately Yours: A Collection of Cookies, Candies & Yummy Confections.

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Indian Pudding

Posted on by Laurie

Indian Pudding is a traditional New England dessert which can be traced back to the 18th century. I developed a  fondness for it when I lived in the Boston area. For some reason, though, it is relatively unknown outside of New England.

Here is a brief history of the dish …

When British settlers moved to this country they brought their Hasty Pudding recipes with them. I’ve never had Hasty Pudding, but apparently it is a dish made from wheat cooked in water or milk until it develops the consistency of a porridge. Wheat was in short supply in New England, so the settlers adapted to the new world by substituting corn meal – which they called Indian flour. Being along a trade route with plentiful molasses and spices, they embellished the dish with these flavorful additions as well as with dried fruits and sometimes nuts … and thankfully, the new dessert, Indian Pudding, caught on.

IndianPudding

Indian Pudding Ingredients

Butter or vegetable shortening to grease the cooking dish

4 c. milk (soy or almond milk can be substituted for vegan)

1 c. coarse cornmeal or polenta

4 T. melted butter (coconut oil can be substituted for vegan)

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/3 c. unsulfured molasses

1/2 t. salt

1 t. ground ginger

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

2/3 c. dried fruits (such as raisins, yellow raisins, cranberries, cherries)

3 large eggs (3/4 c. packed pumpkin can be substituted for vegan)

Cooking Methods

(1) Prepare cook surface  Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F. and grease a 2-quart baking dish; or grease and then preheat a crockpot on low or high heat. (A crockpot works well for holiday cooking when oven space is at a premium.)

(2) Cook the cornmeal  Bring the milk (or substitute) to a low boil then whisk in cornmeal. Reduce heat to low, and continue to cook, whisking frequently until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is softened (about 15 to 20 minutes).

(3) Add remaining ingredients  Whisk together the remaining ingredients.  Once the cornmeal mixture has thickened and the cornmeal has softened, set it aside to cool slightly and then whisk in the mixture of remaining ingredients. If you are not using eggs, then you can skip the brief cooling period.

(4) Finish cooking  Pour the pudding mixture into greased baking dish or crockpot. Bake in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes; or cook in the crockpot for 2 hours on high heat or 4 to 5 on low heat . The finished “pudding” will be quite thick.

(5) Serve  Serve hot with ice cream or whipped cream and serve leftovers cold with ice cream, whipped cream or just milk.

Crazy Good Coconut Oil Coffee

Posted on by Laurie

When Veronica of Veronica’s Cornucopia blogged about coconut oil coffee, which she had read about on The Veggie Nook, I thought that it sounded quite strange. Nevertheless,  her enthusiasm about this drink, made me curious; so I decided to try it. At first, I just wound up with an oily cup of coffee because I didn’t read the instructions and so neglected to put the ingredients in a blender. Once I whipped the coffee, though, it turned out perfectly.

I substituted turbinado sugar for stevia and added some shaved chocolate to the top. When I tasted it, I thought that it would make an excellent dessert coffee, especially with a splash of brandy. Being 8:30 in the morning, though, I decided to try that variation on another occasion. Nicole thought that amaretto would be a good addition and then one could have an Almond Joy Coffee (almond, coconut and chocolate).

While I was photographing the coffee, my husband came along and polished off  my prop in about 3 “sips”. So that was the end of my photographs!

One note: since virgin coconut oil is rather expensive, I would save this coffee for special occasions.

Coconut Oil Coffee:

Whip the following together in a blender until frothy and serve topped with shaved chocolate.

1/2 c. hot coffee

2 T. virgin or extra-virgin coconut oil

2 t. turbinado sugar

Whipping the coffee cools it off somewhat. If desired, microwave the coffee afterward to make it hot again.

Enjoy!

Halloween Bars

Posted on by Laurie

Halloween Bars*

Makes about 30 bars

Similar to Hello Dolly Bars, I make these fun treats to use up leftover Halloween candy.

1 1/2 c. sweetened shredded coconut

1 c. graham cracker crumbs

1/2 c. unsalted butter melted

1 1/4 c. chopped walnuts

1 c. finely chopped candy bars such as Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Nestle’s Crunch Bars, Snickers, or Milky Ways

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips, peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 13 x 9” baking pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together coconut, graham cracker crumbs and butter. Spread evenly over bottom of the baking pan and then press crumb mixture down firmly.
  3. In the same bowl mix together the remaining ingredients.  Spoon the mixture evenly over the crumb crust.
  4. Bake for approximately 25 to 28 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges and no longer wet looking. Place baking pan on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Once cooled, cover pan with plastic wrap and allow to firm up overnight before cutting to serve. If desired, chill the bars for an hour or two before serving in order to make them less sticky.

Variation: Combine all of the ingredients, except the sweetened condensed milk, in a large bowl. Press evenly into buttered baking pan. Spoon sweetened condensed milk over the top and bake.

*Recipe from my cookbook Confectionately Yours.

Just Out of the Oven: Chai Spice Snickerdoodles

Posted on by Laurie

Soft and sugary, but spicy too, Chai Spice Snickerdoodles are one of my favorite cookies. I just baked this batch for our guests.

Chai Spice Snickerdoodles*

2 c. all-purpose flour

3/4 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. ground ginger

1/8 t. ground cardamom

1/8 t. ground nutmeg

3/4 t. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 1/3 granulated white sugar

2 lg. eggs

1 t. almond extract

3 T. spiced sugar (2 T. + 1 t. granulated white sugar blended with 1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon, 1/4 t. ground ginger, 1/8 t. ground cardamom, and 1/8 t. ground nutmeg)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time and then beat in extract. Scrape down sides of the bowl as needed.

3. Gradually beat in the dry ingredients just until well combined. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.

5. Remove dough from refrigerator and remove plastic wrap. Scoop by rounded tablespoonfuls. Roll dough between palms to form balls and then roll the balls in the spiced sugar mixture. Place 3 inches apart on baking sheets.

6. Bake for approximately 12 to 14 minutes or until just set and slightly golden. Place baking sheets on wire racks and allow cookies to cool. Enjoy!

* Recipe from my second cookbook, Confectionately Yours: A Collection of Cookies, Candies & Yummy Confections.

Two Little Chefettes Monthly Cooking Challenge: Zucchini

Posted on by Laurie

Once again, thank you to Bebe and Ridha for putting together this month’s cooking challenge! Visit Two Little Chefettes to check out other entries and also to view the rules if you are interested in participating.

I thought about trying to come up with an exotic and creative way to use zucchini for the challenge; but since these muffins are such a nice way to start the day, I decided to  use this recipe instead. Basically, a variation on zucchini bread, these moist and flavorful muffins are best served warm and can be eaten with butter or cream cheese, though no further adornment is needed.

Lemon-Glazed Zucchini Muffins

Makes 10 – 12

2 c. all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour

1/2 c. granulated white sugar

1/2 c. light brown sugar, firmly packed

2 1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. ground Vietnamese cinnamon

1/4 t. ground ginger

1/4 t. ground aniseed

1/4 t. ground allspice

1/4 t. salt

pinch of ground cardamom

1 c. lowfat buttermilk

1/2 c. canola oil

2 lg. eggs

2 t. lemon extract

1 1/2 c. coarsely grated zucchini

1 c. chopped pecans

1 c. confectioner’s sugar

2 T. fresh lemon juice

(1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare 12 standard muffin cups or 10 one-half cup ceramic ramekins with baking spray, or with butter and flour, or by lining with muffin papers. (For gluten-free use butter and gluten-free flour or use muffin papers.)

(2) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, baking powder and spices. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, oil, eggs, and lemon extract until well combined. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until the dry ingredients have been absorbed. Do not overmix. Fold in zucchini and pecans.

(3) Divide batter between prepared muffin cups or ramekins. (If using ramekins, divide them between 2 baking sheets.) Using the back of a spoon, smooth muffin tops. Bake until muffins are firm to the touch, about 15 – 17 minutes for 12 standard muffins, about 20 – 23 minutes for 10 ramekin-size muffins.

(4) While muffins are baking, make glaze by slowly stirring lemon juice into confectioner’s sugar and beating with a spoon until perfectly smooth. Spoon glaze over muffins as soon as muffins come out of the oven. Place on wire cooling racks until muffins are cool enough to handle. Then unmold.

I’ve Been Inspired By … Donuts

Posted on by Laurie

It’s been a while since I’ve posted in my “Let the Inspiration In” series; but I just had to try Frugal Feeding‘s Cinnamon Dipped Doughnuts recipe. Since I am gluten-sensitive, and couldn’t imagine making donuts and not having one, I used white rice flour instead of wheat flour in the recipe. (My batter looked a little thicker than Frugal Feeding’s appears in his photos.) The only other change that I made was that I needed to double the amount of butter used for dipping the donuts. I served these for breakfast this morning – with roasted turkey and fresh tomato omelettes and dishes of fresh berries – and everyone, including me, agreed that they are delicious. Thank you, Frugal Feeding for the recipe!

Cinnamon Dipped Donuts

1 3/4 c. + 2 T.  (250 g.) sifted all-purpose flour or  1 3/4 c. (250 g.) sifted white rice flour for gluten-free

1/3 c. (80 g.) granulated white sugar + 3 T

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

pinch of salt

3/4 c. (180 ml.) buttermilk

2 lg. eggs, beaten

4 – 6 T. unsalted butter

1 T. ground cinnamon

(1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a six-mold donut baking pan with oil.

(2) Melt 2 T. of the butter. In a small bowl, beat together butter, eggs, and buttermilk. Set aside.

(3) In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, 1/3 c. sugar, baking powder and nutmeg. Whisk in buttermilk mixture until smooth.

(4) Divide batter between molds. Bake for 6 to 10 minutes or until they spring back when pressed or until they are firm to the touch (if using rice flour). (I baked my rice flour donuts for 10 minutes.)  Let pan cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before turning the donuts out. Meanwhile combine the remaining 3 T. sugar and the cinnamon.

(5) Melt the remaining 2 – 4 T. butter. Dip both sides of donuts in melted butter then in cinnamon sugar. Serve right away.

Two Little Chefettes Monthly Cooking Challenge: Strawberries

Posted on by Laurie

Thank you to Bebe and Ridha from Two Little Chefettes for suggesting this month’s cooking challenge. My entry is a Strawberry Watermelon Soup with Blueberries swirled with Blueberry Honey Sauce. (These recipes are from my first cookbook A Taste of Morning after which I named this blog). I serve the soup as a fruit course for special occasions or as a light summer dessert paired with a sweet wine. It is easy to make and very refreshing.

Strawberry Watermelon Soup with Blueberries

Serves 4

Except for the sugar, use chilled ingredients.

3 c. sliced fresh strawberries

2 c. seedless watermelon chunks

1/2 c. fresh orange juice

1/3 c. granulated white sugar

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1/2 c. fresh blueberries

Blueberry Honey Sauce for garnish (recipe below)

Place strawberries, watermelon, orange juice, sugar, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until fruits are puréed. Divide blueberries between four dessert bowls. Top with soup.  Swirl 1 T. Blueberry Honey Sauce through each bowl of soup, being careful not to blend it in.

Blueberry Honey Sauce

2 c. frozen blueberries

1/4 c. cold water

1/3 c. honey

1 t. fresh lemon juice

In a medium non-stick pan, bring blueberries, water and honey to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until blueberries begin to pop. Stir in lemon juice. Push berries and liquid through a sieve to remove skins. Use right away or pour into a glass jar, cover and refrigerate. (Yields about 1 cup.)

Just Out of the Oven: Strawberry Buttermilk Muffins

Posted on by Laurie

A summertime favorite of our guests at The Morning Star Bed & Breakfast …

Strawberry Buttermilk Muffins

2 c. all-purpose flour (or, for gluten-free muffins, white rice flour)

1 c. granulated white sugar + 2 to 3 T. extra for sprinkling tops of muffins

1 T. baking powder

8 T. unsalted butter, melted

1 c. buttermilk

2 lg. eggs, beaten

2 t. orange extract

2 c. chopped ripe, fresh strawberries (washed & stems removed)

(1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Prepare 10 one-half cup ramekins or 12 standard muffin pans for baking using one of the following methods: spray with baking spray (not for gluten-free), butter and flour (rice flour for gluten-free), or line muffin pans with muffin papers/foils. (Using foils is the safest way to prevent cross contamination of foods for people who are gluten-intolerant.)

(2) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and baking powder. In a medium bowl, whisk together butter, buttermilk, eggs and orange extract. Stir buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients. Fold in strawberries.

(3) Scoop batter into ramekins or muffin pans. Sprinkle tops of muffins with sugar. If using ramekins, place them on baking sheets. Bake for about 20 minutes or until muffins are firm to the touch and lightly golden brown. (Gluten-free muffins will just be brown around the edges.)

(4) Place muffin pans or baking sheets on wire racks until muffins are cool enough to serve – about 10 minutes.