Carrot cake with white chocolate glaze

Sunday was birthday celebration time and that means baking because I just can't do store-bought for the ones I love. Of course it was frosted chocolate as my guys are true chocoholics. We still needed something for the not-so chocolate lovers and so we went for a super moist, lightly carroty cake, because I can't abide raisins and walnuts in carrot cake. It was totally the girls favorite...

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups patent flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
400 grams grated carrots

1 1/2 fine white sugar

3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

100 grams white chocolate, in pieces

3 tablespoons butter

splash of heavy cream

powdered sugar

roasted almonds pieces

Preheat oven to 180°C. Butter and flour pan with powdered sugar. Combine flour, baking powder, carrots, sugar, eggs, oil ( I used soy), vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a mixer and pulse until incorporated. Pour into pan bake for an hour or until risen and firm to the touch. While cooling, make the glaze. Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave. Add powdered sugar to taste and enough cream until thick but pourable. Skewer the top and sides of the cake and our pour over the glaze while still warm. Sprinkle over the almonds. Cut, drizzle slices with remaining glaze and serve.

Read more

Death by chocolate

I had something completely different in mind for my birthday cake but since Mika's birthday is the same week I figured I'd make his favourite and that is hands down something chocolaty! 

This is chocolate cake with a few twists. There are cherries whipped into the batter for moistness as well as espresso. The glaze is cacao studded with more espresso. Everything gets topped with chunks of berried studded chocolate and rose petals. 

Because if you are going the chocolate route, go all the way, baby! Now to figure out how to chocolate the heck out of his birthday breakfast!

Read more

New Year's tiramisu panettone bake

I had planned on prepping this dish the night before like I did last year but I ended up too lazy..Oh well, it's easy and took little effort to make after a pre-lunch walk. I say lunch, because the laziness continued the next day as well. Luckily because of the liquor, there is no need for soaking to get it going for a great New Year!

Recipe
1 panettone
4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Tiramisu liquor
Powdered sugar

Optional
Creme anglaise
Vanilla sauce

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Cut the panettone roughly into bite-sized chunks. Butter a baking dish and add the panettone pieces. Flatten to ensure an even bake. In a bowl mix the eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla and salt. Add the tiramisu liquor to taste (a generous splash or two..or three). Pour the custard over the panettone and allow to rest for a couple of minutes. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until set. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with chilled creme anglaise and vanilla sauce.

Read more

Butterscotch creme brulee

Christmas is a mash-up of my childhood memories and traditions and my acquired Dutch ones. The second day of Christmas or boxing day in other parts was turkey day (mine) and ragout (his). But the big question remained.. what the heck to serve as dessert? Something everyone would like and simple enough to make because face it Christmas day cooking is stressful enough.

Creme brulee, people. Who doesn't like vanilla, custard and crackling sugar? I made these Christmas night and burnt the sugar the next day before serving. Nothing went faster...

Recipe
2 eggs
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups cream
1 tablespoon vanilla paste
2 tablespoons butterscotch syrup
1 1/2 tablespoon Grand Marnier
Makes 12 servings

Combine eggs, yolks and  sugar. Warm the cream with vanilla bean paste or a split vanilla pod. Slowly add the vanilla cream to the eggs while continuing to mix. Pour in the butterscotch and liqueur, if using. Strain and pour into greased ramekins. Place the ramekins in a baking pan and add boiling water halfway up. 

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, depending on the size of ramekin. Flat ones bake in 28 minutes and taller in about 35. The brulees still have a bit of a jiggle but will firm up more while cooling. Refrigerate until ready to serve. When serving, sprinkle an even layer of sugar over the brulee and caramelize with a torch or under a broiler. Allow to harden before serving. 

Read more

Cinnamon risotto with vin santo, caramel and mascarpone cream

Bless the souls who only crave healthy foods. I am not one of them. I have been whining and complaining every single night as I raid the cupboards for something sweet and satisfying. What can I say? It's getting colder and I have a flippin sweet tooth, people. 

This started off in my mind as sinfully sugary but with my workout fresh in my mind, I toned down the envisioned sugar overload. The caramel is salted brown sugar and just a couple of spoonfuls suffice. The risotto was glazed in brown butter, followed by the wine obviously. Then came a mix of water, cinnamon sticks, ground allspice and sweetened with maple syrup. I added the caramel to the cooked risotto. 

The mascarpone was simply whipped with a little vanilla bean paste and maple syrup. Made the way I do most of my cooking..sans measurements and absolutely to taste.. my taste. A perfect balance of autumn flavours for a perfect balance to my need for sweet.

Read more

Sticky chocolate coffee cakes

I had a rich and creamy mousse planned for dinner but my guy came back from grocery shopping with a can of pre-whipped cream. The shock and horror. Being too lazy meant a scrambled dash through the kitchen cupboards for a replacement dessert. 

I decided to take the idea of mousse and make it firmer. With a good hint of coffee for a bit of adult fun. Still super chocolaty but without any dairy. I paired it with cherries baked in rum, balsamic, cinnamon and black pepper and honeyed ricotta to balance the richness.

Molten chocolate coffee cake

200 grams pure chocolate

3 tablespoon cacao

150 grams butter

3 tablespoons ground coffee

3 eggs

3 yolks

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons self-rising flour

Preheat the oven to 200 celsius. Butter and flour (cocoa or icing sugar) 8 ramekins. Melt the chocolate, cacao and butter and mix in the coffee, while mixture is warm, till dissolved. Allow to cool slightly. Beat the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, salt and vanilla in a mixer. Temper the egg mixture with and the chocolate and slowly add the rest while mixing on low speed. Gently pulse in the flour. Pour into prepared ramekins. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until  lightly firm. Let cool but these are best served warmed. Flip onto a plate and serve with cherries, cream and drizzled in syrup. These babies taste just as good with a 15 second reheat in the microwave which is perfect for less dinner party stress.

Read more

Chocolate brandy buttermilk cups

My guys are big on chocolate and so birthday desserts need to be oh-so chocolaty. I was leaning towards a mousse but decided to go with a bit more bite. This is dense, full-on, chocolate flavour. Omitting the brandy, still doesn't make it a kids treat. The buttermilk and brandy round of the intense flavour of the chocolate. I dare you to eat two servings...

Recipe

• 1 cup (soy) heavy cream
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 140 grams 85% cacao dark chocolate
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• brandy, to taste
• powder sugar

Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Warm cream and buttermilk over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate. Whisk brown sugar, yolks and brandy (I added about two tablespoons). Temper the egg mixture with a bit of the warm chocolate mix and continue stiring while adding. 

Divide among individual baking dishes and place in a large baking pan. Fill pan with hot water, about a third to half way up the dishes. Grate any remaining chocolate in a thin layer over the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool and then sprinkle with powder sugar before refrigerating till chilled.. If you can wait that long, as they are pretty darn tasty warm. The grated chocolate and powder sugar add a nice crunch, similar to a creme brulee.

Read more

34

My guy opted to spend his birthday at home. Just the four of us, nothing too fancy, just dinner. We had a roasted garlic soup and chocolate brandy cups for dessert..with a glass or two. Cheers to 34, my love!

Read more

Spiced coconut tarts

Recently I was discussing the foods I miss from my youth and a coconut tart my dad made sprung to mind. I remember him grating fresh coconuts by hand. On one of those old-fashioned steel plates that were painful just to look at. They were made with a sweet, bread-like dough and the filling was basically just grated coconut, sweetened and fragrant. Warm and fresh and yummy to eat. I figured why not try and recreate it? But with a little twist of my own, by way of spices and rum. Heck, I am an island girl at heart!

Crust

2 cups flour
1/2 cup almond meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 butter
1 egg
¼ cup milk

Filling

3 cups grated coconut
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg

2 teaspoons allspice
pinch of salt
2 tablespoon dark rum

Preheat oven to 175 Celsius. Make the filling. Bring coconut, sugar, water, vanilla, nutmeg, allspice, salt and cinnamon to a boil over moderate heat. Simmer on low heat till mixture thickens and reduces. Add the rum. Let cool.

Combine flour, meal, baking powder, salt and sugar in a mixer. Cut the chilled butter into knobs and add to the dry ingredients in pulses. Add the egg and milk and and mix until a sticky dough forms. Knead the dough and divide into individual portions about the size of a golf ball. Roll out the balls and add a spoonful of filling. Fold shut and seal the sides with a fork. Brush with beaten egg or milk and sprinkle with grated coconut and sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks. Serve warm.

Read more

Triple chocolate almond granola bars

Okay, so I've started curbing the bad eating habits that started to creep back in. It's an uphill battle because I loathe breakfast and desperately want something sinful at the end of the day. So I figured my first post summer treat should start somewhere in between.

I went for bars instead of cereal because sometimes (when I painfully slow) I kind of have to eat in the car and a bowl of milk is a definite no-no. This I can nibble and get on with it. Pretty much what I need on a Monday!

2 cups oats
1 cup almonds
1/3 cup dark (78%) chocolate
1/3 cup white chocolate
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup nutella
1 cup maple syrup

I roasted the almonds in a pan with some leftover vanilla caramel. Let cool and blitz into pieces. Blitz the chocolate. Mix together the dry ingredients (oats, almonds, chocolate, cinnamon and salt). Blend the peanut butter, nutella and maple syrup. Pour over the oats and toss to coat. Pack tightly into prepared baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes in a moderate oven (180 Celsius) so the chocolate bits can melt throughout. Allow to cool.  I store them in the fridge because of the chocolate. I eat them as it or crumble with milk when I can have breakfast while not in motion..

Read more

Rum-moist pineapple cake with frozen mascarpone cream

My eating habits are the worst. Infrequent, skipping and then loading up. Plus the never-ending sugar addiction. Eating better has been on my list for like ever. And to be honest not anywhere near there yet. Baby steps. In this cake a curbed-back dessert that didn't need a whole pack of refined sugar. You could even swap out the brown sugar for honey or coconut syrup. Skip the cream (had a tub in the fridge..) and it's closer to guilt-free but still super tasty.

Moist pineapple cake
500 grams pineapple
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste
3 tablespoons dark rum
250 grams almond flour
100 grams oatmeal
50 brown sugar
1 packet yeast
pinch of salt
2 eggs
3 tablespoons coconut oil
Coconut flakes

Mascarpone cream
500 grams mascarpone
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pineapple juice

Toss the pineapple in the tablespoon of brown sugar, vanilla and rum. Let sit till ready, mine sat for two days in the fridge for maximum effect. Mix the mascarpone, vanilla and a spoonful at a time of the pineapple juice till smooth. Pour into a freezer-proof container and freeze until set.

Preheat oven to 180 Celsius. Grease a container with coconut oil and sprinkle the bottom with coconut flakes if desired. Blitz the oatmeal in a food processor. Add the flour, sugar, salt and yeast and mix to incorporate. Add the eggs and melted coconut oil.

Drain the pineapple. Blitz in a food processor till pureed as I don't like chunks of fruit in my cake. Mix the puree into the batter. Pour the batter into the greased container. Bake until browned and fragrant, about 40-45 minutes.

Serve with a scoop of the softened cream.. if it's cheat day!

Read more

Vanilla, strawberry and streusel coffee cake

More oft than not, I total weird science. Let's try this, add a pinch of that, mix that in..
Sometimes I just can't figure out what I'm actually craving. This was just such a case. In the mood for pound cake on the one hand and strawberries and crumble on the other. When you can't decide you make both, right?

Th top layer is a brown sugar streusel mix. Sandwiched together with old-fashioned vanilla cake by a layer of roasted strawberries. The strawberries were oven-roasted in strawberry infused liquer. Three quick pulses with a food processor, as I didn't want to completely break up the fruit. The reserved roasting liquid got poured over the top to finish.

P.S. I've already got some tweaks going to make this even better..and that includes ice cream!

Read more

Feeling blue(berry)

It was a beautiful Sunday. Sun streaming in, kids on the trampoline, us snuggled together like bugs a rug. I want to keep the good vibes going as long as possible. So nothing fancy or difficult. A wild blueberry and buttermilk stack with poached, spiced blueberries and rum-laced syrup. Too stuffed for dessert, is a good thing, right? 

Have a great week!

Read more

Branches, tulips and eggs

I can't resist a reason to do a bit of fun decor and Easter is hands down the cutest of the bunch! I was planning something a but punchier but apparently post moves slower before a long weekend. But how I love this pared-back look. Instead of going upright in a vase branches and a mixed bunch of tulips are individually placed. Mixed in are the ubiquitous eggs. Albeit it concrete and marble eggs.

Dinner was also a mix of simple favorites with fries and bacon wrapped beans and honey and parmesan stuffed breast with honeyed port sauce. Dessert was sour cream pound cake mini eggs with buttercream frosting. Actually these are made from the left-over cake bits of a giant Easter egg cake!

Read more