Entries Tagged as 'Desserts'

Pear Banana Bread with Hazelnuts

2

16.4.13

I really don’t indulge in desserts much. I like to bake but usually, I just end up taking the sweets as treats to the office. It’s not that I don’t enjoy eating sweet things, I just don’t prefer the way  rich food makes me feel. Instead of feeling satisfied, I usually just feel sluggish and bloated.  Plus, I have a really sensitive stomach and I never know what’s going to set it off. It could be anything from eating too much sugar to too much dairy. So to avoid any discomfort, I just tend to stay away from anything overly sweet.

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When I do decide to indulge, I choose recipes that don’t require a ton of sugar or a pound of butter. I also like to Incorporate fresh or dried fruit whenever possible. It’s my favorite way to add a little sweetness naturally. And if you sub out at least half of the white flour with whole wheat pastry flour, it helps make dessert feel a little more filling.

This quick bread basically has every component. I kept the sugar as minimum as possible by adding mashed banana and grated pears for unrefined sweetness. When choosing the “processed” portion, I used some raw sugar I had on hand. You could also use white sugar. If you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour around, feel free to use whole wheat (it will be a bit more dense). Or,  just use all all-purpose flour if you don’t have either. Because the cake is incredibly soft, I threw in some hazelnuts for texture. The chewy cake and crunchy, roasted nuts is the perfect texture juxtaposition. If you don’t have hazelnuts, feel free to substitute any nut you have on hand. I imagine almonds or macadamia nuts would be delightful as well.

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When baking, this fruit-filled bread will permeate your house with the most magnificent smells of warm spice, which makes this a great dessert to prepare right before entertaining guests. The flavors of cinnamon and banana will bring you right into nostalgia. For me, I am reminded of my mother and her amazing banana bread. I used to get so excited once our bananas reached the ripening stage past raw enjoyment. Brown, speckled nanners always meant my mother would soon be in the kitchen whipping up my favorite treat. While I cannot say this bread quite compares to hers (is it possible to top your mother’s baking?), it does come pretty close. I love the soft, crumbly cake texture combined with a bite of crunchy hazelnuts. Each slice is laced with hints of pure sweetness. It’s truly a perfect combination.

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Pear Banana Bread with Hazelnuts

makes one 9 x 5 inch loaf

3/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour*

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 cup mashed banana (1-2 ripe medium bananas)

1 cup grated pear (1-2 ripe pears)

6 tablespoons coconut oil, melted**

1/2 cup raw sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup raw hazelnuts

7-10 pear slices for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Grease and flour one 9×5 inch loaf pan. Set aside.

3. Evenly distribute hazelnuts across a dry baking sheet. Roast for 5-8 minutes or until fragrant and skins begin to peel. Place semi-cooled hazelnuts into a tea towel and fold the towel over the nuts. Using both hands, roll nuts around in the towel until skins begin to remove. I wasn’t able to remove all skins, so if a few pieces remain no worries. Keep oven preheated.

4. In a medium sized bowl, add flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix lightly with a fork. Add hazelnuts to quickly coat with some flour (it prevents sinking) and remove floured nuts a small bowl. In a large mixing bowl, add mashed bananas, grated pears, melted coconut oil and sugar. Whisk everything together until it’s fully incorporated. Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, using a spatula or spoon to completely incorporate the flour until adding more. Once consistency is similar to banana bread, stir in hazelnuts. Pour into prepared loaf pan and top with pear slices for garnish. You could also add some raw sugar on top for crunch.

5. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until the bread is lightly browned on the edges and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before serving.

Notes

*Substitute whole wheat flour or just use all all-purpose flour if you don’t have whole wheat pastry flour.

*Substitute canola oil, butter, or vegetable oil if you don’t own coconut oil.

 

2 comments categories: Breakfast, Desserts, Vegetarian

Chocolate Cake Strawberry Trifle

1

12.2.13

I am not the biggest fan of Valentine’s Day, but rest assure, I won’t use fifteen minutes of your day to rant about my feministic theories about romance, love and a holiday that is as much appreciated as it is despised. I will, however, use up every last minute (that you would be so kind to give me) to tell you about how rich and luxurious this dessert is. Layers of decadent chocolate cake, vanilla yogurt cream and fresh strawberry puree make for one sensually scrumptious dessert. The small bites of soft, rich chocolate cake holds up to its tangy and sweet counterparts. The combination of tart yogurt and sweet cream cheese is the perfect partner for orange-zest scented strawberry sauce. It’s like the pseudo super-sweet form of peanut butter and chocolate, which might I add should be refrained from the other 364 days of the year. Of course I am being sarcastic because this definitely qualifies as a “I officially live for the weekends where I have just about enough time to sleep and do housework” occasions as well. Basically, whenever you need a little reminder that life is really glorious because there are things like chocolate, strawberries and cream cheese.

Actually, I should clarify that this is not a recipe you want to start making on the regular. Unless you are training for a marathon, then I say what the heck! So I guess I am saying there are always exceptions.

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Just as there is for the senseless holiday we like to call Saint Valentine’s Day. Yes, it’s origins are far from the silly escapades we see today. I can’t fathom Valentinus ever imagined his actions in a prison cell would lead to florists pumping out nearly 200 million red roses each year in his name. Most people during that era would probably have to sell their belongings to buy a dozen roses, but today it’s something we consider mandatory. Well, at least for one gender because you know, women deserve at least one day of recognition.

These are obvious flaws that exist in the celebratory day, but like I’ve established, there are always exceptions. I think the simple idea of showing attention to another human being, whether it be with a card, flower or date, is one that creates happiness among us all. When decide to let our own needs go and choose to think of how the other person feels, it creates a special moment in humanity — when we choose to empathize. And when we choose to value the other person’s feelings as much as our own, our lives become better as well.

trifle

I used a cake recipe from Martha Stewart

Adapted from Allrecipes.com and Smitten Kitchen

Chocolate Cake Strawberry Trifle
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 8×8 pan batch chocolate cake or brownies
  • ½ pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • for the vanilla yogurt cream:
  • 16 ounces plain greek yogurt
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • for the strawberry puree:
  • 1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons cold water

Instructions
  1. Slice cake or brownies into 1½ inch cubes. Set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, cream greek yogurt, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract until all clumps are gone. Chill in fridge until ready to use.
  3. In a small sauce pan, combine strawberries, sugar, orange zest, orange juice and balsamic vinegar and bring to a simmer.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for 15 minutes (keep an eye on the pan as mine began to bubble once).
  5. Whisk cornstarch with cold water in a small bowl.
  6. Mix cornstarch mixture with strawberry mixture and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes.
  7. Remove from heat and let cool.
  8. Pour into blender and blend on high until smooth. Pour into a measuring cup or other spouted glass.
  9. To assemble trifles, start with a layer of cake or brownie cubes. Next, add a layer of sliced strawberries and spoon over about 1 tablespoon of cream. Pour over 1 teaspoon of the strawberry puree. Repeat layering as necessary. Top with powdered sugar if desired.

Notes
Adapted using Allrecipes.com and Smitten Kitchen recipes

 

 

1 comment categories: Desserts, Vegetarian

No Bake Peanut Buttter Oatmeal Balls

2

21.1.13

I am the kind of perosn who doesn’t feel satisfied with a meal until it’s ended on a sweet note. Nothing too big or too rich. Just something that can ease my sugar fix without making me feel too full. Recently, my favorite after-lunch dessert has been a couple of handfuls of dried berries.  They’re sweet, chewy and give me a healthy burst of energy to power through the rest of the work day.

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The problem is I am nearing the end of the bag but can’t bring myself to spend the $7 to replace it. It’s not that I am cheap, just too frugal to regularly spend that much on a bag of fruit. So, I decided to make something homemade and hopefully use ingredients I already had on hand. During my online search for something “sweet but nourishing,” I stumbled upon Jessica’s no bake peanut butter oatmeal bites. They are packed with super foods like chia seeds and old-fashioned rolled oats but sweetened with yummy things like peanut butter and chocolate. A perfect combination of health and indulgence.

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My favorite part is the coat of chopped honey-roasted peanuts. They add the perfect amount of texture and the  pop of salty goodness pairs perfectly with the sweet chocolate.

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They’re best after being chilled for at least 3 hours, but it could be too hard to wait that long so enjoy immediately if you must. I just did both. These little treats would also make perfect pre or post workout snacks. I plan to eat one with a little yogurt before yoga tomorrow night. And probably when I get home as well. They are just that good.

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Recipe adapted from How Sweet It Is

No Bake Peanut Buttter Oatmeal Balls
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
  • a pinch of salt
  • ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
  • ¼ cup almond butter
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup mini chocolate chips, divided
  • ¼ cup honey roasted peanuts, finely chopped
  • ⅛ teaspoon coconut oil

Instructions
  1. Combine oats, almonds, chia seeds, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl and stir.
  2. Add peanut butter and almond butter to a small bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir in honey and vanilla extract. Once peanut butter has cooled a bit, pour it over the oat mixture and mix well with a spatula. Once mixture is sticking together, fold in 2 tablespoons chocolate chips.
  3. Roll dough into golf-ball sized balls, then roll on a plate of ground peanuts. Chill in fridge.
  4. Add 2 tablespoons chocolate chips and coconut oil to small bowl. Microwave for 30 second intervals until chocolate melts when stirred. Remove balls from fridge and drizzle with chocolate. Return to fridge and chill for at least 3 hours and serve.

 

 

2 comments categories: Breakfast, Desserts, Vegetarian

Cherry Chocolate Almond Bread

5

18.1.13

I have another great yoga revelation for you all.  This time it’s all about the difficult settings we find our selves facing on a daily basis. From difficult work projects to obnoxious stand-still traffic, we all meet high-stress situations that usually can be solved with a simple change to our frame of mind. Let me start from the beginning –

cherrychocolatebread

I had just finished the second round of camel pose and my emotions were rallying. If you’ve ever practiced Bikram or Summits yoga, you know exactly what I’m referring to. If not, let me clue in. Camel pose is pretty much an intense back bend that opens your chest  and forces your head to go below your heart. Once you come out of the pose, you are greeted by an incredible rush of emotions. Sometimes you feel sick and anxious and other times you feel overwhelmingly happy from a rush of adrenaline. All the while, you’re engulfed in humidity, siting in a really hot room and sweating your face off. Basically, it’s a great test of your patience.

“Calm the mind and the body will follow” were the instructions that caught my attention. I followed the command by quickly clearing my negative thoughts, and reminding myself that like everything, “this too shall pass.” My body promptly recovered from the rush of feelings that had previously left me feeling exhausted. And before I knew it, we were on to the next pose and I was excited as ever to continue with my practice.

The idea that we can solve physiological reactions to tough situations with a quick change in thoughts is really a brilliant one. Imagine the times when you feel anxious, worried and usually sick to your stomach because of the circumstances around you. What if we could choose to simply shift our thoughts and calm our bodies. I just think it may be possible.

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For example, this recipe’s first go around was an epic fail in all categories. Appearance, texture, taste. It was terrible and far from palatable. At first, I was angry and partially embarrassed that I couldn’t nail an easy quick bread recipe. But after a quick overhaul of my thoughts, including a boost of self assurance that I could –if I meticulously followed directions– successfully bake up a beautifully golden loaf of quick bread. I tried again. And guess what? I triumphed.

Adapted from The Family Foodie.

 
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Ingredients
  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • ½ cup plain or honey flavored greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup dried cherries
  • ¼ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup slivered almonds, reserve ~1 tablespoon for topping

Instructions
  1. Place dried cherries in a small bowl. Cover with water and let sit for at least an hour. Set aside.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 5”x10” loaf pan with cooking spray. Place one sheet of parchment paper lengthwise down the sides of the pan and in the bottom. Spray parchment with cooking spray. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, using a hand mixer. Add the extract, greek yogurt and milk. Stir until smooth.
  4. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three additions, stirring just until the dry ingredients have been incorporated. Stir in the drained cherries, chocolate chips and slivered almonds.
  6. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Using a spatula, evenly spread the batter out. Sprinkle with the remaining slivered almonds. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. Let it cool on a baking rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

 

5 comments categories: Breakfast, Desserts, Vegetarian

Blackberry Ricotta Scones

0

19.11.12

I know berries aren’t quite in season. But I found these bad boys for $1 a pint. I couldn’t resist.

Their flavor was surprisingly spot on. Probably the best blackberry I have ever eaten.

Sweet, plump and incredibly juicy.

So naturally, I couldn’t wait to stick them in some kind of recipe.

Scones seemed like the perfect vessel.

But they had to be whole wheat, so I could justify them for breakfast.

And with the addition of ricotta, these little gems still stay super moist.

They are bright purple coming out of the oven. This is one fun dish to make!

Crisp exterior with a moist, airy interior. The smell alone will wake up even your latest sleeper.

Original recipe by Smitten Kitchen

Blackberry Ricotta Scones
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Breakfast Pastry
Serves: 9-12

Ingredients
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder, preferably aluminum-free
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
  • 1 cup fresh blackberries
  • ¾ cup whole milk ricotta
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
  • ½ tablespoon lemon zest

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In the bottom of a large, whisk flours, baking powder, sugar and salt together.
  3. If using a pastry blender, add the butter whole and use the blender to both cut the butter into the flour mixture until the biggest pieces are the size of small peas. Toss in raspberries and use the blender again to break them into halves and quarter berry sized chunks.
  4. if you don’t have a pastry blender, cut the butter into small pieces with a knife and work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Roughly chop the raspberries on a cutting board and stir them into the butter-flour mixture.
  5. Add the ricotta, heavy cream and lemon zest into the mixture and stir them in to form a dough with a flexible spatula.Using your hands, gently knead dough into an even mass, right in the bottom of the bowl.
  6. Transfer the dough to a well-floured counter, flour the top of the dough and pat it into a 7-inch square about 1-inch tall. With a large knife, divide the dough into 9-12 even scone shapes (I made triangles). Transfer the scones to prepared baking sheet with a spatula. Bake the scones for about 15 minutes or until lightly golden at the edges. Cool in pan for a minute, then transfer to a cooling rack. It’s best to cool them about halfway before eating them to allow them to set.

 

 

0 comments categories: Breakfast, Desserts, Vegetarian

Plum Buttermilk Breakfast Cake

0

09.11.12

Isn’t it funny how we spend the first part of our lives thinking our parents are the coolest people on earth.

Then suddenly, we’re teenagers and we hate them.

Because all we want to do is hang with older boys and stay out till the sun rises.

They just don’t get it.

But really, they totally do.

I mean technically, they were teenagers once. They aren’t oblivious to what can come when older boys mix with late nights.

That never dawned on me though. Which I am sure is true for most. Because as a self-centered teen, my only focus was all the fun I’d be missing. Which always feels like the end of the world to an adolescent.

Then abruptly, you’re turning into an adult and wisdom comes sprinkling in.

You realize you’re parents are actually really awesome. They are the only ones who have been there from the start and will see you to the end. Their love has always been boundless, but you were just too self-absorbed to notice.

I mean you had parties to attend people!

You start to see their incredible wisdom and realize they give some pretty great advice. Some you could really use now that you have bills to pay, insurance plans to pick and life decisions to ponder.

And the cool part is they’ve been there. They totally get everything you’re going through. Just like they always have.

It just took a couple decades for you to see that as well.

The circle completes itself and as an adult, you finally see that you’re parents really are the coolest people on earth.

In other news, I made this awesome cake that you can totally justify for breakfast.

This cake is super airy on the inside with a delightful crunch on the outside. The buttermilk makes it feel appropriate for breakfast while the spiced plums bring enough sweetness to make it suitable for dessert.

Adapted from Alexandria’s Kitchen

Plum Buttermilk Breakfast Cake
 
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Incredibly light buttermilk cake bakes around lightly spiced plums.
Author:
Recipe type: Breakfast/Dessert
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients
  • 2 cups flour, divided
  • 2 cups plums (~3 plums), sliced in twelfths
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • zest from 1 large lemon
  • ¾ cup sugar + 1 tablespoon sugar for topping
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup buttermilk

Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In another small bowl, toss plums with ¼ cup flour and cinnamon. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream butter, lemon zest and ¾ cup of sugar until light in color and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add the flour mixture to the batter in fourths, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix until just combined.
  4. Grease a 8-inch square baking pan with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. Using clean hands, slide plum slices into dough. I like to make lines up and down the cake. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 40 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. (Mine baked for almost 45 minutes) Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

 

0 comments categories: Breakfast, Desserts, Vegetarian

Caramel Apple Crumb Bars

2

17.10.12

There is something so alluring about the flavor combonation caramel apple.

I’m not sure if it’s the childhood nostalgia or the fact that it’s delicious.

Regardless, I am a huge fan. As a kid, my favorite vessel for this chewy treat was sucker form.

A sweet apple hard candy wrapped in chewy, creamy caramel. My favorite thing to do was warm the caramel with my hands (in the wrapper of course) so it was just slightly gooey. Man, these things were good.

Which is why I was so excited when I found a recipe that could fill my fix for these old school treats.

Meet Caramel Apple Crumb Bars

Two Peas & Their Pod came up with this recipe, and I have to say it’s a stroke of genius. The bars start with a buttery crust that wraps around perfectly spiced baked apples. The cherry on top is a salted caramel drizzle.

I think I just died and went to heaven.

Find the recipe here <—-

Enjoy!

*The only adaption I made to the recipe was adding 2 teaspoons of lemon zest to the apple mixture.

 

2 comments categories: Desserts

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