Tag Archives: dessert

Toasted Coconut Marshmallows

October 16, 2012 By in Dessert, Snacks Tags: , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment
Toasted Coconut Marshmallows

Toasted Coconut Marshmallows

Yum! Yum! Yum! That’s about all I have to say about these Toasted Coconut Marshmallows. Well…almost all I have to say about them. I purchased a new stand mixer a while back and was searching for the perfect first stand mixer recipe. After all, you have to break a good piece of equipment in properly, right? I was also searching for a finger food dessert for a party I was attending. After some thought and a serious sugar craving, I knew Toasted Coconut Marshmallows would be a hit at the party. I was right! These little babies were flying off the platter and received raving reviews!

With the season turning to candies and desserts for all those parties and family gatherings you will be attending, you will want to make up a batch of these delicious marshmallows. They are sweet, pillowy and irresistable. They also can be stored for a few weeks in an airtight container – so make some now!

Toasted Coconut Marshmallows Recipe Continue reading →

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Meyer Lemon Bars

January 5, 2012 By in Dessert, Snacks Tags: , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

Meyer Lemon Bars

There simply is nothing like a lemon bar. You have the tart lemon surrounded by that mildly sweet flavor that is truly addictive. The sprinkling of powdered sugar makes them so attractive too. Do you want to try an even sweeter version of the much craved lemon bar…go with Meyer Lemon Bars.

Now is the time of year when you can find meyer lemons at specialty food stores and farmer’s markets. When you find them, grab them immediately! Grab extra too! They are well worth it just to have the experience of the perfect lemon bar. These Meyer Lemon Bars have an addictive shortbread crust, an almost but not quite cakey texture, and that oh so sweet and slightly tart lemon filling. If you are unable to find meyer lemons (sigh), you can use this recipe for the standard lemon bars. They will just be more tart and will miss that unique orange flavor that is the hallmark of the meyer lemon. Either way, you are going to love it!

Meyer Lemon Bars Recipe Continue reading →

Simple Yet Elegant: Moscato Poached Pears with Vanilla Whipped Cream

December 23, 2011 By in Dessert Tags: , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Moscato Poached Pears with Vanilla Whipped Cream

I decided to do a little shopping during my lunch yesterday…MISTAKE! I had scheduled 45 minutes for this trip, which turned into about an hour and a half. And that’s without the actual lunch! Unless you have to do it, shopping should not be part of your plans right now. The traffic, the lines, the frantic search for that one last gift…it is all driving people a little crazy.

Given all this craziness, I think a simple dessert that screams pure elegance is just what is needed for our family meals this weekend. This dessert has everything one could wish for ~ the freshness of pears, the wintry spiciness of cinnamon, the delicate flavors of Moscato wine, and the sweet creaminess of vanilla whipped cream. After a heavy meal, Moscato Poached Pears with Vanilla Whipped Cream is simply perfect.

Moscato Poached Pears with Vanilla Whipped Cream Recipe Continue reading →

Pumpkin Week! Day Five – Pumpkin Orange Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

November 4, 2011 By in Dessert Tags: , , , , , , , 4 Comments

Pumpkin Orange Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Today is the final day of Pumpkin Week! And today I highlight my favorite recipe of all – Pumpkin Orange Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. I have to tell you, these cupcakes are quite delicious. They are mild in pumpkin flavor with some great orange background. They are moist and addictive! But then you add the cream cheese frosting and they become heavenly.

I made one batch in the regular sized muffin tin. When I frosted these cupcakes, I pushed the frosting tip down into the middle of the cupcake and stuffed the cupcake with the frosting. One word…WOW! Then I made the rest in a mini-muffin tin.The mini-cupcakes were so easy to scarf down…just walk through the kitchen and grab a mini. When a cupcake is that small, it has no calories…right?

Pumpkin Orange Cupcake stuffed with Cream Cheese Frosting

I hope you enjoyed Pumpkin Week! My goal was to create recipes that rose above the familiar pumpkin pie (nothing wrong with a pumpkin pie…I just wanted more out of a pumpkin). I found pumpkin was perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and then of course dessert. I hope you enjoy every pumpkin recipe we explored this week. I would love to hear how you use pumpkin! What unique pumpkin recipes would you recommend?

Pumpkin Orange Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe Continue reading →

Pumpkin Week! Day Two – Pumpkin Whoopee Pies with Maple Cream Filling

November 1, 2011 By in Dessert, Snacks Tags: , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

Pumpkin Whoopee Pies with Maple Cream Filling

It is day two of my pumpkin exploration! My one and only objective is…No Pumpkin Pie! Today’s dessert not only gives me a new way to use pumpkin, but it also gives me an excuse to eat a creamy filling. It could be whipped cream, mousse, or in this case a Maple Cream Filling, but if it’s creamy I am all over it. My brain tells me to run the other way in an effort to protect my naturally curvy (such a nice way to say it!) hips while my heart and taste buds beat down my brain in a fight club style epic event. My brain rarely wins.

These Pumpkin Whoopee Pies with Maple Cream Filling have all of the aspects of a delicious dessert without any fuss. There is a cake-like cookie, the pumpkin taste that is so seasonal and comforting, and then the creamy, maple filling. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Whoopee Pies with Maple Cream Filling Recipe Continue reading →

Orange White Chocolate Chip Cookies

September 29, 2011 By in Dessert, Snacks Tags: , , , , , 1 Comment

Orange White Chocolate Chip Cookies

For reasons I will not bore you with, I can no longer eat chocolate. Yes, I know…a travesty! So these days I am always looking for some kind of chocolate substitute. I haven’t found the perfect alternative yet but I will always be looking. Until then, these Orange White Chocolate Chip Cookies are simply delicious! They are buttery and creamy with sweet white chocolate and a background flavor of citrusy orange. Kind of shortbready (we will all just pretend that shortbready is a word). I really enjoy them and think you will too! Give them a try this week and let me know what you think!

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Indulgence at its Best: White Chocolate Raspberry Croissant Bread Pudding

September 16, 2011 By in Dessert Tags: , , , 3 Comments

White Chocolate Raspberry Croissant Bread Pudding

Some flavors seem to combine naturally. A perfect example of this is white chocolate and raspberry. For some reason the sweet and tart flavors of a seasonal raspberry combined with the creaminess of white chocolate just gel somehow. You see this flavor combination in cheesecakes, muffins, quick breads and even ice creams. What could top these desserts? White Chocolate Raspberry Croissant Bread Pudding.

There is something about using Croissants in your bread pudding that elevates it to decadent. Add those raspberries and white chocolate and you have amazing! This White Chocolate Raspberry Croissant Bread Pudding is creamy, sweet and has just that hint of tart when you bite into a raspberry. Give this indulgent dessert a try this weekend. You will end any meal with a bang!

White Chocolate Raspberry Croissant Bread Pudding Recipe Continue reading →

Easy and Sneaky: Almond Puff Pastries

September 3, 2011 By in Breakfast/Brunch, Dessert Tags: , , , , , , 1 Comment

Some days you want a beautiful looking breakfast that doesn’t take much time to make beautiful. This Almond Puff Pastry is just that…pretty while being easy. No one will know that didn’t slave over the stove in your kitchen with this recipe. Pretty sneaky, eh?

This will take you about 10 minutes or so to make, 17 minutes to bake, and no time at all to serve and eat. You say you don’t like almond filling (personally, that sounds a bit like crazy talk to me!), then fill this with another pie filling. Make it your favorite by switching up the flavors.  This one is really easy – I can’t wait to hear what you did with it!

Almond Puff Pastry Recipe Continue reading →

A Serious Sweet Tooth: Banana Caramel Cupcakes

August 29, 2011 By in Dessert Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

Some days just require a sweet dessert that is simply decadent. This cupcake does the job. A seriously moist banana cupcake with a caramel candy melted into the cake. It’s then frosted with the thickest, creamiest, sweetest caramel frosting. Need I say more? Well….yes. 

Here’s what I absolutely LOVE about these cupcakes. First, they are easy to make from scratch. Second, the cupcake is amazingly soft and almost gooey without falling apart. Third, the caramel frosting is on the verge of too sweet without crossing the line…you know what I mean. Fourth, these cupcakes are unique and just plain delicious! And finally, in case you couldn’t tell, YUMMY! Take about an hour this weekend and try these Banana Caramel Cupcakes!

Banana Caramel Cupcakes Recipe Continue reading →

A Taste of Miami: Guava and Cheese Tarts

July 21, 2011 By in Breakfast/Brunch, Dessert Tags: , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

Over the past two years, I have spent quite a bit of time in the Miami area on business. Although it is a four hour drive from my home, there were times when I couldn’t wait to get back to Miami so I could try new foods that I just couldn’t find locally. Plantains that melt in your mouth, Cuban coffee that would keep me jittery for hours, cheesy Yuquitas, and my absolute favorite…Guava Tarts.  These delectable treats are basically guava filled pastries. My favorites included a sweet cream cheese filling.

Now that I am not spending much time in the Miami area, I have been seriously craving some Guava and Cheese Tarts. I started checking out the shelves of my favorite grocery store for the required guava paste and found nothing. I tried a different store this weekend and surprise, surprise – guava paste! In my haste to get home and try my personal recipe, I forgot to pick up the puff pastry so I turned right back around. Yes, I wanted these that badly.

Here’s the thing about this recipe – it is so forgiving. Put too much guava paste in? Not a problem if you love guava. Too much sweet cream cheese? Is there ever really too much sweet cream cheese? I even forgot to use the egg wash to hold the two ends of the tart together. As you can see by the picture below, this batch of tarts doesn’t look bakery ready but they were still delicious. Don’t make that mistake!

Guava and Cheese Tart - The Oops Batch

Give it a shot and have a taste of Miami today! This recipe is quick, easy and delicious. Try it out and let me know if you are hooked!

Ingredients

1 Sheet Puff pastry

6 Slices Guava paste

2 Tbsp Powdered sugar

4 oz Cream cheese (1/2 block)

1 Egg

1 Tbsp Water

Directions

  1. Roll out puff pastry slightly. Cut into 6 similarly  sized rectangles.
  2. Mix powdered sugar and cream cheese.
  3. Spoon approximately 1 tbls of cream cheese mixture on one side of the puff pastry, leaving at least 1/2 inch on the side.
  4. Place one slice of guava paste on other side of puff pastry, leaving approximately 1/2 inch on other side and slightly overlapping the cream cheese (see photo below).
  5. Mix egg and water in small bowl. Dot top right corner and bottom left corner with egg wash. Connect these corners in center (see photo below). Brush all exposed pastry with egg wash.
  6. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned.

Guava and Cheese Tarts Before Baking