Tag: Desserts

Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date October 19, 2020

Looking for a delicious snack to satisfy your sweet tooth? Look no further than these decadent chocolate hazelnut truffles. The best part? Dates and a touch of maple syrup add just enough sweetness without adding any refined sugar.

Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles

Quick and easy truffles with no added refined sugar.

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Keyword chocolate, truffles

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 0

Equipment

Food Processor

Ingredients

½ cup raw hazelnuts
12 Medjool dates, pitted
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder, unsweetened
2 Tablespoons coconut flour
1 Tablespoon coconut oil, melted
1 ½ Tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon coarse salt

Optional Coatings

¼ cup hazelnuts or almonds, ground
¼ cup coconut flakes, finely shredded
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

Pre-Preparation

In a small bowl filled with warm water, place pitted dates. Set aside to soak for 10-15 minutes.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with wax paper and set aside.
Pour each selected coating, if using, onto a separate shallow, rimmed plate and set aside.

Preparation

Add hazelnuts to a food processor and process until finely ground.
Remove the softened dates from bowl and drain off any excess water. Add dates and cocoa powder to food processor and blend until smooth, approximately 3-4 minutes. Scrape the sides, as necessary, to ensure mixture is thoroughly combined.
Tip: Add a few drops of water at a time, if necessary, to achieve a smooth consistency, but don’t add too much.
Add coconut flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt to the mixture and process until combined.
Remove the dough from the food processor and divide into 15-18 equal-sized portions. Roll each section of dough into a ball before rolling in the selected coatings.
Once coated, place on prepared baking tray and place in the refrigerator to chill for several minutes before serving.

These truffles are great as is, but why not have fun with them any way? Here are some ideas.

Give them a Halloween twist by using orange, black and purple colored sugar as your coatings. Or, if you’re patient enough, turn theem into little Jack-o-Lanterns by coating then in orange icing and use a stencil to create the face using black sugar crystals or icing.
Dress them up for Thanksgiving by turning them into turkeys! Add a tail and head made of paper and the truffle becomes the body of the turkey.
Dress them up for December holidays by using colored sugar crystals appropriate for the holiday you celebrate.
Experiment with flavors by using almonds, peanuts or pistachios insead of hazelnuts.

By unleashing a little creativity, you can take this simple truffle recipe and make it your own.

Tags Desserts

Creative Cookery Flavor Blending

Brookies and Kitchen Creativity

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date June 15, 2018

This past week I had my first experience with brookies. In case you don’t know, a brookie is part brownie, part cookie. The recipe I used had a layer of brownie topped with a layer of sugar cookie. I add in some mini M&Ms and rainbow sprinkles. People loved them! This experience got me to thinking of all the different kinds of brookies you could make.

The recipe I used is based on cookie mixes, so I’ll start there.

Brookie Layer 1: The Brownie

I used a dark chocolate brownie mix with miniature M&Ms mixed in, but you could use any brownie mix and any mix-ins (or none) you desire. In fact, it could be fun to experiment with blondies or other-than-chocolate-flavored brownies.

Follow the instructions for the brownie mix.
Add mix-ins (see list below for suggestions) if you wish
Spread over the bottom of a 13×9-inch pan that has been coated with cooking spray.

Brookie Layer 2: The Cookie

I used a sugar cookie mix with miniature M&Ms and rainbow sprinkles mixed in, but you could use any cookie mix and any mix-ins (or none) you desire. In fact, see notes below for some other cookie mixes that could be fun.

Follow the instructions for the cookie mix.
Add mix-ins (see list below for suggestions) if you wish
Drop by spoonfuls on top of the brownie batter.

Bake about 40 minutes or until the brownies are set and the exposed cookies are lightly golden brown. Cool for an hour and a half before serving. Cut into five by four rows.

Suggested Mix-Ins

These are just suggestions. Feel free to be as creative as your taste buds will let you be.

Mini M&Ms
Chopped nuts
Shredded coconut
Rainbow sprinkles
Chocolate jimmies
White chocolate chips
Chocolate chips
Peanut butter chips
Butterscotch chips
Toffee bits
Miniature peanut butter cups
Caramel bits
Butterfinger candy bits
Crushed Oreo cookies
Craisins

Suggested Cookie Mixes

I’m listing cookie mixes because that is the easy way to go, but you could just as easily use from scratch brownie and cookie mixes and get even more creative.

Chocolate chip cookie mix
Double chocolate chip cookie mix
Oatmeal cookie mix
Snicker Doodle cookie mix
Gingerbread cookie mix
Lemon cookie mix
Chocolate crinkle cookie mix
Peanut butter cookie mix
White chip macadamia nut cookie mix
Molasses cookie mix
Salted caramel

Unleash Your Kitchen Creativity

Not only can you get creative with your brownie and cookie base, as well as your mix-ins, you can get creative with how you form these brookies. Traditionally, they are a sheet cookie. But you could layer them in muffin or mini-muffin tins, as well.

The possibilities are mind-boggling. I’m definitely going to give some of these ideas a try! How about you?

Tags brownies, Cookies, Desserts

Cookbook Reviews

Cookbook Review: Decadent Shakes

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date December 14, 2016

My husband and I love to go to old-fashioned 1950s diners and indulge in a decadent shake. Rich chocolate, occasionally with peanut butter or Oreos thrown in, have delighted our taste buds many a warm, lazy afternoon.

But we had no idea that these simple indulgences could be even more decadent than our wildest dreams! Just reading the table of contents for Decadent Shakes: Milkshakes with More left me drooling and ready to try out one or two — diet be damned! As the back cover promises, “These treat-laden milkshakes, dripping in excess chocolate and sweets, evoke a sense of delicious indulgence.”

NOTE: I received a free copy of this book for review, however I am under no obligation to write about it positively or otherwise.

Summary of Decadent Shakes

Who knew making milkshakes could be an art form? Apparently, Matthew, Sara and Brendan Aouad do! Their book Decadent Shakes takes the old dessert-as-beverage standby and gives it some pizzazz and flair. (And probably a bit of sugar shock thrown in!) This beautifully photographed book provides more than 35 recipes for over-the-top, not-your-malt-shop shakes. It also includes decoration (aka presentation) tips and a glossary.

What Worked for Me

The photography is mouthwatering. The presentation of each shake is creative and artful. This is a beautifully put together book with very readable instructions and easy-to-use design. The recipes are clearly divided between what goes into the shake and what is used for the presentation, so you can just make the shake and consume, if that is your preference.

What Didn’t Work for Me

I have a bias for cookbooks with easy to use bindings, which is why I prefer them to be either spiral or binder bound. This is a typical hardback book, so you may have a challenge keeping the pages open without breaking the binding, especially with recipes near the front and back of the book.

Recommendation

This book can make an excellent gift for those “arm-chair chefs” on your list. You know the type … they actually read cookbooks, but rarely use them. Also, people who love milkshakes or creative food presentation will enjoy this feast for the eyes. And, of course, anyone who wants to expand their milkshake-making expertise, can’t go wrong here.

Rating for Decadent Shakes

Specs

Format: Hardcover, 7.2 x 0.6 x 9.4 inches, 120 pages
Publisher: New Holland Publishers (September 19, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1742578691
ISBN-13: 978-1742578699

Pick up your copy on Amazon.com here.

Tags Desserts, milkshakes, shakes

Healthy Living Special Occasions

Fun with Fruit Pizza

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date August 5, 2015

A few weeks ago, my boyfriend and I stayed at friend of his home and for a treat Saturday morning they served us Fruit Pizza.

The smell of the crust reminded me of going to a State Fair and the resulting dish, as you can see above, was beautiful. I asked for the recipe and she delightedly told me was Diabetic Friendly. Here’s a version of that recipe followed by some ideas I’ve had for when I make it not to far in the future.

INGREDIENTS

CRUST:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup cold butter

SAUCE:
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

TOPPINGS:
2 cups halved fresh strawberries
1 cup halved fresh kiwi fruit
1 cup fresh blueberries

“CHEESE”:
5 teaspoons cornstarch
1-1/4 cups unsweetened orange juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

CRUST
In a large bowl, combine flour and powdered sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press into an un-greased 12-inch pizza pan. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until very lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

PIZZA SAUCE
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over cooled crust.

TOPPINGS
Arrange the strawberries, kiwis and blueberries on top.

“CHEESE”
In a small saucepan, combine the cornstarch, orange juice and lemon juice until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for two minutes, until thickened. Cool slightly. Drizzle over fruit.

Refrigerate until chilled.

Yield: 16 servings.

CARMA’S TWEAKS, TIPS & SUGGESTIONS
Note, some of these tweaks and tips may reduce the “diabetic friendliness” of this dish.

Crust Ideas: Use sugar cookie mix for a similar crust. Want to get more creative? Try different cookie mixes for the crust. Gingersnap mix will spice it up. Snickerdoodle mix will give it a touch of zesty cinnamon flavor. Fruit-flavored cookie mixes will up the fruitiness.

Sauce Ideas: If you want this to be more like a dessert, use vanilla frosting instead. For a creamier sauce, add in half an 8-oz tub of Cool Whip and reduce the sugar to 1/4 cup. Want a lighter frosting (and only if the dish will be served and consumed quickly)? Use unsweetened whipped cream. Want to be bold and different? Experiment with adding chocolate to any of these suggestions!

Topping Ideas: Use different fruits for the topping. I’m not partial to kiwi, so I’d probably substitute with Mandarin oranges, papaya (red or regular), baked apple, banana, cherries or any other favorite fruit du jour.

“Cheese” Ideas: I found the glaze that mimics the cheese to be too tart for my taste. So I’m going to experiment with other juices such as pineapple, apple, white grape and perhaps even guava.

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Take Charge of Your Health!

Changing your eating habits can be tough. But it doesn’t have to be if you take a little time to think it out and create a plan.

This Healthy Eating Worksheet will walk you through the process of creating a healthy eating plan. All you need to do is print it out, set aside some time to complete it, and then fill it out. Then you can create your plan, knowing that you have addressed potential obstacles and came up with some creative ways to handle them.

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Tags blueberries, Cookies, Desserts, Experimentation, Fruit, Healthy Cooking, kiwi, strawberries

Cooking Techniques

Bundt Cake Baking Tips

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date October 10, 2007

Ideenkoch via Photoxpress.com

Guest Writer: Leona H

Bundt cake recipes are cake recipes that use a “bundt” cake pan or a round baking pan that with a hole in the middle and ridged, decorated sides. Bundt cake recipes use a dense cake such as a butter or pound cake recipe. These cakes are sturdy and last well. Recipes often call for a simple glaze or fruit topping. The name Bundt comes from the German word bund, which means “a gathering of people.”

Bundt cake recipes have grown in popularity since 1966 when a “Tunnel of Fudge” cake recipe used a bundt pan to win second place at a Pillsbury sponsored baking contest. Bundt cake recipes have since been quite popular and bundt cake pan sales have increased.

Because bundt cakes are baked in these intricate pans, there can be mishaps when turning the pan upside down and separating the cake from the pan, ruining a wonderful cake. These mishaps can be avoided by following a few simple steps.

Amazon.com Widgets

Tags baking, Bundt cake, Desserts

Cooking Techniques

Cutting Layers of a Cake

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date September 5, 2007

Antonio Oquias via Photoxpress.com

Most of the time, when you find advice on cutting a layer cake horizontally to increase the number of layers, you’ll be told that you need a long serrated knife. And, it is always good to have one around. However, I’ve found that it is really hard to get a nice even slice through the cake that way.

Maybe it’s because I use too many strokes with the knife. The Food Network says that the fewer strokes you use, the smoother your layers will be. And suggests using toothpicks to help guide your cutting. Bon Apetit even suggests using a ruler as your guide!

However, I found a bit of advice that has worked like a charm and doesn’t require an elaborate set up of toothpicks. All you do is get some dental floss — yep, I said dental floss — and use it to slice through the cake. I recommend using one of the unflavored varieties, preferably unwaxed, so that you don’t add in extra, unwanted flavors to your cake.

How To Use Dental Floss to Slice a Cake Layer

Usually, I’ll create a guideline with a knife, maybe even start the cutting a bit in a few places. Then I’ll cut off a piece of dental floss that is long enough to wrap around the edge of the cake layer and a bit more to hold on to. I wrap the floss around the cake, making sure it fits nicely into the guide grooves I created, cross the ends and slowly pull it through. It’s kind of like you’re tying a knot and pulling it tight. This pulls the dental floss through the cake, cutting it into two layers.

Then all you have to do is separate the layers so you can add the filling. But that’s another post.

Want to see this idea in action? You can watch a demo of this technqiue on YouTube courtesy of Food & Wine.

Tags cake, Desserts, techniques