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Chocolate Almond Biscotti
I love biscotti. Although I am often tempted to pick up a few at my local bakery when I want something sweet, they are even more delicious when baked fresh at home and once you master the technique, they are easy and quick to bake. There is an almost endless variety of variations and flavors you can choose from, but per usual I am always drawn to anything chocolate. I have made biscotti before with much success (see my Pecan Pie Biscotti), so I didn’t hesitate to give a chocolate one a try. My husband and I cooked a steak dinner this past weekend, so I wanted to bake something light to have as dessert along with an espresso and this was the perfect choice. Most biscotti is made without butter or oil, so it is a healthier choice than
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Easy Pumpkin Rum Bread Pudding
Halloween may be over, but pumpkin desserts are still in full swing. Here is a recipe for Pumpkin Rum Bread Pudding that is surprisingly easy to make and perfect to whip up as a fall desert. The great thing about this recipe is that you can use regular sliced whole wheat bread, something many of us often have on hand at home. The bread pudding comes out hearty and custardy, with plenty of spiciness from the cinnamon and nutmeg, and an extra kick courtesy of 1/4 cup of rum. Serve with a dollop of freshly whipped cream. Delicious!
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Decadent Double Chocolate Cookies
It can take several days, weeks, even years, to find the ultimate chocolate cookie recipe. The kind of cookies I wanted to find are of the shamelessly rich, not-too-sweet, dark chocolate variety. In my search, I came across a recipe from cookbook-author Dorie Greenspan for “Sablés Korova,” which were named after the Paris restaurant where famed pastry chef Pierre Hermé created them. Dorie dubbed her sablés “Word Peace Cookies,” because a friend of hers, upon tasting them, believed that if everyone in the world ate one of these cookies everyday there would be no more violence and only peace in the world. With an introduction like that I had to give these indulgent chocolate cookies a try immediately.
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Pumpkin Cake Doughnuts
I have been on a bit of a doughnut kick lately (see my Frosted Chocolate Cake Doughnuts), so I decided to continue the fun and bake up a batch of baked pumpkin cake doughnuts. Since they are not deep fried, these doughnuts are (a little) healthier and have more of a cupcake-like texture rather than a traditional doughnut texture. The result is very moist and chewy due to the pumpkin in the batter, along with lots of spiciness from pumpkin pie spice and cloves. For this recipe, you’ll need
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Favorite Fall Recipes
Autumn has officially arrived and if you are like me, that means it’s time to get going on some warm and comforting fall recipes. There is nothing better than a hearty soup, succulent roast, or delectable spiced pumpkin cake this time of year, so I thought I’d round up some of my favorite fall recipes from the chic brûlée to share with you all. Just click on the picture for the full recipe. Be sure to give one a try!
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Frosted Chocolate Cake Doughnuts
It’s a tradition every year for me to cook a special dinner for my husband on his birthday, August 28th. This year he mentioned he’d like some homemade chocolate donuts, reminiscent of the irresistible ‘donut shop style’ doughnuts he enjoyed as a kid. This was my first attempt at making *real* doughnuts and I wanted them to be as authentic as possible, so I decided to deep fry them to get that deliciously rich, crispy crust.
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Lightened Up Eton Mess
I’m super excited to share this post with all of my American readers in particular because chances are they have never heard of the dessert “Eton Mess.” Here in the UK, Eton Mess is hugely popular and a fixture on everyone’s summer menus. It’s a shame America hasn’t caught on yet, because Eton Mess is a summer delight in the form of fresh strawberries, cream and
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Creamy Vanilla Rice Pudding
Today I am thrilled to share a simple yet delicious recipe for stove-top Creamy Vanilla Rice Pudding. To make the pudding, I used a vanilla bean, which infused a rich and intense vanilla flavor into the creamy rice pudding, and truly sets this recipe apart from all of the others. You can find vanilla beans at gourmet stores and larger grocery stores like Whole Foods (where I got mine). I chose a Nielsen-Massey Madagascar vanilla bean, which is one of the most popular varieties, known for its buttery, sweet aroma. There is really no comparison to regular vanilla extract and the beans are essential for recipes like this that feature vanilla as the main attraction. I also chose to use medium-grain rice, which provides the most thick and creamy texture. I hope you enjoy this simple and decadent vanilla treat!
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Fudgy Brownie Bites With Ganache
For the ultimate Valentine’s Day indulge this year, I made fudgy brownie bites with dark chocolate ganache. I decorated them in plenty of shades of pink and red, but this recipe can of course be used any time of year for many different occasions that require a fun, bite-sized dessert. I was inspired to make the bites after I came across a box of Duncan Hines Brownie Mix in the form of bites. It’s one of those mini boxes that doesn’t make a full batch, so it’s perfect if you are not serving them for a big group. I decided to dress them up a bit by adding a frosting of shiny, rich ganache. Ganache, made simply of semi-sweet chocolate, whipping cream and butter, is one of those things that sounds scary to make, but is actually quite easy!
The brownie bites came out rich, moist and fudgy, and the extra kick of ganache on top elevated them from a regular brownie into a gourmet dessert. Check out all of the steps below. This recipe is a guaranteed hit for all of the chocolate lovers in your life. Enjoy and Happy Valentine’s Day!! xoxo
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Mini Blueberry Almond Crisps
Yesterday I made a delightful recipe from one of my favorite chefs, Carla Hall, recently featured on The Chew. This is an easy and trimmed-down recipe for a scrumptious blueberry crisp made in six ramekins for fun individual portions. The filling, made with blueberries (fresh or frozen), lemon, sugar, cornstarch and salt, is topped with a crispy and buttery crumble that bakes up to perfection.
