Category Archives: dessert

Coconut Bread

Posted on April 26, 2013 | 1 comment

I love coconut and believe it or not had a whole big bag leftover from Passover holiday. What to do with it? Of course I had  I found this recipe on the Smitten DSCN0004DSCN0006DSCN0009DSCN0012Kitchen website and thought it sounded amazing. You’ll need a 9x5x3 loaf pan and if you’re loaf pan isn’t this size you can pour some of the batter into muffin tins, just don’t fill to the tippy top, it will be a mess, 2/3 to the top is perfect. I made 2 of them and will be freezing one for another time, it should stay in freezer for at least 2 months, cool down completely then wrap with a good plastic wrap and I then put it in a large Ziploc and mark what it is and the date. This bread is not super sweet at all despite the amount of sugar that went into it. I used sweetened coconut and sugar. I ate it plain, and then I ate a slice which I toasted in the oven, and put a little jam on it. It would be awesome with a little butter, or a little honey or just plain. It’s a great bread to serve with breakfast, brunch, lunch , afternoon coffee or tea , or just any time of the day. I am working on a coconut bread with bananas and less sugar, I will keep you posted on that.

Ingredients:

2 large eggs ( at room temperature is always best)

1 1/4 cups milk ( I used whole milk) coconut milk could work well here as well

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon table salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

nonstick cooking spray for baking pan (Pam)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl , whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Add sugar and coconut, and stir to incorporate. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour in the egg mixture, then stir wet and dry ingredients together until just combined. Add melted butter, and stir until just smooth, do not overmix !

I sprayed my loaf pan with Pam Spray. Spread batter in pan and bake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, anywhere from 50 minutes to 1 1/4 hours. It really depends on your oven, my oven was 1 hour cooked through, I think I will cut cooking time to 55 minutes next time I make it.

Serve in thick slices, with butter, jam or honey or just plain.

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Ellen’s Passover Apple Cake

Posted on March 18, 2013 | 1 comment

DSCN2642DSCN2649DSCN2643DSCN2634My friend Ellen who has supplied CWC with some wonderful recipes gave me this recipe last Passover and I baked it and we all totally enjoyed it, but for some reason it never made it on here. I have pictures and everything! . It was light and delicious, and not too difficult at all. Enjoy! and thanks again Ellen for all your support.

Ingredients:

6 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups cake meal ( for Passover)

2 tbs. Potato Starch

salt (a pinch)

Directions:

Beat eggs, add sugar and beat well. Blend oil, cake meal, starch and salt to eggs. Pour 1/2 the batter into greased 13 x 9 pyrex pan. Then add apple mixture on the top of this. See below.

Apple Mixture:

2 pounds apples , (any kind you like) pared and sliced

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 cup sugar

juice of 1/2 lemon or 2 tsp.

Combine ingredients and place on top of batter. Add remaining batter to cover apple mixture ( it will be thick and need spreading)

Topping:

1 cup ground walnuts or pecans, whichever you prefer

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup sugar

combine and sprinkle on top of cake. Bake 350 degrees for 75 minutes.

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Blueberry Crumb Bars

Posted on February 21, 2013 | 1 comment

photo (2)photophoto (3)photo (4)photo (2)I did it again, I bought the large box of blueberries (not even in season) and said I am going to bake something with these. So before said blueberries go bad I better find a recipe and go with it. I combined a few recipes that I had , kept my fingers crossed, made a mess in the kitchen , used too much butter, and here it goes. Sometimes I just don’t feel like using electric mixer even though I seemed to use a lot of different mixing bowls for this one. I had seen another recipe for a blueberry crumble but it called for shortening, so I substituted butter. It’s a lot of butter I know, but how much can be in one piece? My plan is to eat a little of this and freeze the rest for when my family comes out next month. As I was cutting it up to freeze I managed to eat way more than I should have, these were really beautiful and delicious. Just the right amount of sweet. I let them sit in fridge overnight, and they were way easier to cut into right out of the fridge. They are now nestled in to the freezer, except for the few pieces I left out to eat. I would keep unused and unfrozen pieces in the fridge, take out and bring to room temp. when you’re ready to eat them. You can also heat up in microwave if you prefer them warm. Either way, once you taste this buttery fruity combo you’ll be hooked.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar plus 1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 sticks cold unsalted butter I cut it up into small diced pieces. I sliced stick in half, and then cut up into smaller pieces which would be easier to blend in.

1 egg

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 cup of lemon juice and zest of one whole lemon ( I did use a large lemon)

4 cups fresh blueberries

9 x 13 inch pan , I used a glass Pyrex and it was perfect

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and Spray 9 x 13 pan. I used Pam Baking Spray, there is enough butter in this already.

In a medium size bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Using a fork or pastry cutter blend in the cold butter pieces and egg. Then with clean hands I played with the dough a bit and got a crumbly texture going. I took half the dough and patted it down gently into pan with my hands. I made as clean an edge as I could, but I wouldn’t worry too much about that.

In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently mix into the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble with your clean hands the remaining dough over the berry layer.

Bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until top is slightly browned. I baked for 50 minutes , then checked on them. I baked for another 5 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into squares. I actually cooled in refrigerator over night, and cut up the next day.

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Peanut Butter Cookies with Oats and Chocolate Chips

Posted on February 16, 2013 | Leave a comment

Winter cont'd 028Winter cont'd 030Winter cont'd 034Winter cont'd 039How can anything with these ingredients be bad? I suppose you have to love Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips and the way that rolled oats makes almost any cookie taste better. I actually froze these and ate them right out of the freezer, and they tasted awesome. They of course taste delicious at room temperature, but I made so many and the bag is right there on the door of the freezer that I couldn’t resist. Bit into it frozen and it was so good with a hot cup of tea! Awesome snacking going on here. If you’re so inclined go for this recipe, there are a lot of ingredients but if you’re a cookie baker this one’s worth trying.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

3/4 cup chunky peanut butter

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

3 eggs ( always room temperature )

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups. quick-cooking rolled oats

1 1/2 cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips ( I used chips)

1 1/2 cup peanut butter chips

*now this recipe yields one hell of a lot of cookies so feel free to cut recipe in half. I made full recipe which is why I have so many in my freezer. Why not make whole recipe? then you have cookies in your freezer for whenever you may want them. They do defrost super quickly.photo

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpat sheets.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, until well combined. Set aside.

In another large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3- 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beat well after each egg. Beat in vanilla. Scrape down the side of the bowl.

On low-speed or using a wooden spoon, gradually add flour mixture , beating until just combined (don’t overbeat) gradually stir in oats. By hand, fold in chocolate and peanut butter chips.

Using a cookie scoop or spoons, drop tablespoonfuls of dough about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake one sheet at a time in preheated oven for between 12- 15 minutes or until edges start to turn lightly golden.

I removed cookies to wire cooling rack to cool completely. As I continued to bake other sheets of cookies.

*makes betweenn 4 – 5 dozen cookies, depending on size of cookies you make. They freeze very well .

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Banana Pudding from Magnolia Bakery – One of my Top Ten Desserts that you don’t even bake

Posted on November 26, 2012 | 1 comment

Completely decadent and totally ridiculous in calories and richness, and I love it. It’s so very delicious. My daughter Jennifer has made this dessert numerous times over the last few years. It is actually a subtle taste of bananas, but I wouldn’t make this if I didn’t like bananas. I happen to just adore bananas and I absolutely love love this pudding. I cannot have it in the house because I will continually find an excuse to go into the fridge and eat it till it’s pretty much all gone. Jenn made it for dessert on Thanksgiving, it was one of 3 majorly desserts and it is really over the top. As full as I was and swearing I wasn’t going to eat another thing for at least a week, when I saw this  pudding I knew I was going to eat it.  She left the uneaten portion of it in my house and I couldn’t believe it I had to wake up to that bowl in the fridge. I find it impossible to resist, and I know others who suffer from this same fate. If you’re in the market for a purely decadent rich over the top dessert then this is it for you. Probably up there in my top ten desserts ever. This is from the More from Magnolia Cookbook so how could it be bad?

*this recipe really needs time , so you must start the day before to let initial pudding set, and then you’ll need at least 4 more hours minimum before serving. So you must factor time into your preparing of this awesome pudding.

Ingredients:

1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 1 /2 cups ice-cold water

1 3.4 ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix ( preferably Jell-O brand)is there another brand?

3 cups heavy cream

1 12 ounce box Nabisco Nilla Wafers ( no substitutions) is there another brand?

4 cups sliced ripe banana

Directions:

In a small bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together the sweetened condensed milk and cold water until well combined, about 1 minute. Add the pudding mix and beat well, about 2 minutes more.* Cover and refrigerate for 3 – 4 hours or overnight, before continuing. It is very important to allow the proper amount of time for the pudding mixture to set.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer , whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the pudding mixture into the whipped cream until well blended and no streaks of pudding remains.

To assemble the dessert, select a large, wide bowl ( preferably glass) with a 4 – 5 quart capacity. Arrange one-third of the wafers to cover the bottom of the bowl, over-lapping if necessary, then one-third of the bananas and one-third of the pudding. Repeat the layering twice more, garnishing with additional wafers or wafer crumbs on the top layer of the pudding . ( Just crush up a few remainder cookies in food processor) Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator for *4 hours–or up to 8 hours, but no longer! Serve and behold the love! My camera broke on Thanksgiving and I took these pictures with my Iphone, sorry I don’t have more.

Serves anywhere from 12- 15

It’s a large dessert and a substantial one. It stands alone beautifully!

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Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Posted on November 13, 2012 | Leave a comment

Most delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake. Made it for the first time last year on Thanksgiving and will make it forever on. It’s awesome.

cookingwithcandi's avatarCooking with Candi

This cheesecake is a bit of a twist on the traditional pumpkin pie. The combination works quite well–the pumpkin adds a velvety smooth texture and delicious flavor even if you’re not a pumpkin pie fan and the caramel topping goes well with the pumpkin cheese filling. It’s a bit of work with a lot of moving parts so if you’re feeling ambitious this could work for you.  The gingersnap crust is also a departure from the traditional graham cracker crust. If you don’t like gingersnaps you can always substitute graham cracker crumbs. You’ll also need a 9-inch springform pan. I love Sur La Table and Williams Sonoma for their pans.

Happy Thanksgiving from our house to yours.

Enjoy and keep on cooking with Candi.

Ingredients: 

Crust:

About 40 gingersnap wafers (about 2 cups cookie crumbs)

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Filling:

4…

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Posted in Baked Goods, Dairy, dessert, Holiday, Holiday Recipes, Holiday/ Thanksgiving Recipes

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Hurricane Sandy Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

Posted on November 5, 2012 | 1 comment

Continuing on my Hurricane Sandy bender. Sitting in the house gives me an opportunity to get to some recipes that I haven’t had time to get to. I already purchased ingredients in the hopes to make them and there is no time like the present, especially while you’re being pummelled by a hurricane. I am just hoping to get through the baking process without losing power, dicey at best. So far so good though and I only have 20 minutes left on the timer. This recipe has been sitting in my recipe file since last fall. I combined a few recipes and came up with this bread. I used fresh cranberries since I had them, I prepared them in 1/4 cup water with 1/4 cup sugar brought them to a boil and simmered for 10 minutes. Cooled them off and drained off excess liquid before folding into the batter. This is going into my freezer and it will be retitled Sandy Pumpkin Cranberry Bread.

*just a little note, this bread was made right before we lost our electricity, we were sitting down to watch Homeland and out went the lights! We did however enjoy this bread as did everyone who ate it. Great with afternoon coffee or tea. I was planning on saving for Thanksgiving but it came in handy the night the lights went out.

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or 2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg.

1 teaspoon baking powder ( check expiration date or this bread will not work)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

6 tablespoons ( 3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

2 large eggs ( always room temperature)

1 cup canned pure pumpkin

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup buttermilk

1 cup fresh cranberries ( or 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries) * see note above on preparing cranberries

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. You’ll need a loaf pan ( 9 x 4.3 inches) I sprayed with baking spray and sprinkled flour and shook out excess flour. You can also use parchment paper. In a large bowl whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, salt and baking powder to blend.

Using electric mixer, beat butter until fluffy ( with paddle attachment) Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating until blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in pumpkin, then vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients, alternating with buttermilk in 2 additions each. Fold in drained cranberries and walnuts. Transfer batter to pan. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake bread until tester into center comes out clean, about 1 hour ten minutes. Cool bread in pan on rack. Cut around bread at short ends to loosen from pan. Turn bread out onto rack, cool bread completely. When completely cool you can wrap and store at room temperature for a few days. I plan on freezing it for my Thanksgiving Table.

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Shelly’s Pumpkin Ginger Muffins – I love Pumpkin

Posted on October 14, 2012 | 1 comment

My friend Shelly who is an excellent cook and baker gave this recipe to me back in 2012.  I wanted to try them because I love all things Pumpkin and ’tis the season. I was leaving Colorado for the season and  planned on freezing these delicious beauties so they would be here when we return. Shelly said that she freezes them, then takes them out for breakfast individually by putting the frozen muffin in the microwave  or toaster oven. A little butter and jam don’t hurt either. The list of ingredients may seem daunting. I had to shop for a few of the items, but don’t let this stop you because these are fairly healthy and a perfect brunch/breakfast item, or good for just mid-afternoon tea. They contain fiber and aren’t cloyingly sweet. I love ginger and I love pumpkin. If you don’t like the ginger spice you can cut down or eliminate the crystallized ginger. Wow, pumpkin and ginger. What more can I say? Thanks so much Shelly for your contribution.

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 1/2 cups wheat bran

approx. 1/3 cup of crystallized ginger (very small pieces), available in Whole Foods and most supermarkets

2 tsp. baking soda

4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups packed brown sugar

1 15 ounce can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling- be careful)

2/3 cup buttermilk

2/3 cup canola oil

1/2 cup molasses

2 tsp. vanilla extract

4 large eggs (room temperature please)

raw sugar to sprinkle on top

Muffin cups (the paper kind are perfect)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees .

Combine flour, whole wheat flour, wheat bran, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, ginger powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir well to combine, then make a well in the center.

Combine brown sugar, canned pumpkin, buttermilk, canola oil, molasses, vanilla and eggs, and whisk it all together until well combined. Add this mixture into the flour mixture and stir well until moist. Mix in the crystallized ginger.

Coat muffin tins with baking spray. I use a 12 muffin tin. Spoon mixture into cups. I used a large tablespoon and just dropped in. (See picture.) Sprinkle raw sugar on  top of muffins before baking (use as much or as little as you like).

Bake for about 16 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Mine baked for 17 minutes. Let cool down and remove from pan onto wire rack. If you have no wire rack just a baking sheet will do.

Enjoy! These are delicious and pretty nutritious. Serving size should make about 24 muffins.

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Posted in Baked Goods, breakfast, muffins

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake – I love Pumpkin

Posted on October 8, 2012 | Leave a comment

It’s pumpkin time again! and I am clearly obsessed  with pumpkins. This is a pretty easy  to make bundt cake. Perfect for Thanksgiving or any time. You can make it ahead of time and freeze for another, or make two. While you’re making the mess anyway, you might as well bake two, and freeze one. Got this one from Gourmet Magazine. Just saying while I’m not a big raw cookie dough person I am a very big batter person and this batter was pretty delicious right out of the bowl!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing bundt pan (or spray with Pam) I buttered this time

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting the pan

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15 ounce can; not pie filling)

3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs (room temp. is always best for baking)

Icing:

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons well shaken buttermilk

1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

You will need a 10-inch nonstick bundt pan (3 quart)

Directions:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter/spray bundt pan generously then dust with flour and knockout excess flour.

Whisk together flour ( 2 1/4 cups) , baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, 3/4 cup buttermilk and vanilla in another bowl.

Beat butter ( 1 1/2 sticks) and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 – 5 minutes, then add eggs and beat another minute. Reduce speed to low and add flour and pumpkin mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until batter is just smooth.

Spoon batter into pan, smoothing top, then bake until a cake tester or wooden pick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 45 – 50 minutes. Cool cake on a rack for about 30 minutes, then invert cake , mine slid right out onto rack. I completely cooled cake for a few hours before I iced it. You can ice while cake is still warm however. I would let it sit for at least 1 hour before I iced though. It came out perfectly. Icing will get hard on the cake and be very white, it’s a beautiful presentation.

Icing:

While the cake is cooling, whisk together buttermilk and confectioner’s sugar until smooth. Drizzle icing over warm cake, then cool cake completely. Icing will harden slightly.

Cake can be made 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container, I would ice it when I planned on serving it.

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Cookie Dough with Nutella and Peanut Butter

Posted on October 5, 2012 | 1 comment

Fall is in the air , there is that little bit of crispness in the morning and for some unknown reason I feel like baking cookies.  This is a great cookie dough which is easy to prepare and contains  Nutella and Peanut Butter, so really how bad can this be? anything with Nutella and Peanut butter has to be good in my book. As I said I was in  a bit of a mood for baking cookies and made this recipe, baked up some of the dough and left the rest in freezer. Luckily I am not a cookie dough eater because this dough is pretty good. You can make this dough and leave it in the freezer for when you’re ready to use it.  Original recipe is from The Pioneer Woman. I left out the M&M’s but will add when I make for the kids. This is just simply a great little cookie. Perfect Halloween cookie, and the beauty of this is that whenever I feel the urge to bake up some cookies, I take out the dough and slice off what I need and return the dough to freezer! I love it! 🙂 Make them as small or large as you like. M&M’s make them more festive. Should store in freezer for a few months. (wrapped tightly)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup ( 2 sticks ) Salted Butter, softened at room temperature

1 1/4 cup Packed Brown Sugar ( I used light brown sugar)

1/4 cup Granulated Sugar

2 whole eggs (room temperature)

1 tablespoon Vanilla

2 Tablespoons Creamy Peanut Butter

2 Tablespoons Nutella

*1/2 cups very finely chopped Pecans

*3/4 cups M&M’s roughly chopped or mini M&M’s which would not require chopping

Directions:

Combine flour, instant coffee, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Stir together and set aside.

Cream together the butter with the sugars, scraping the bowl once down while mixing. Add eggs, mixing in one at a time, and add vanilla. Add peanut butter and Nutella and mix. Add in dry ingredients in stages, mixing gently after each addition. Scrape the bowl once and mix again. (Don’t overmix)

Add chopped pecans and M&M’s if you’re using them and mix gently with spatula (rubber) to combine.

Spoon dough on a long piece ( or 2 shorter pieces) of waxed paper or plastic wrap. Carefully roll the dough inside the wrap, pressing gently to get it to form into a firm cylinder. Refrigerate for at least 3 to 4 hours or place into the freezer for 20 – 30 minutes.

To bake the cookies:

when you are ready to bake preheat the oven to 375 degrees . Slice off as many cookies as you’d like and lay the slices on a baking sheet, I love the silicone mats. Thicker slices will need to be placed further apart. The cookies will bake up flat. Bake for 10 minutes, or until nice and golden brown. I sliced off rather thin slices and only baked for about 7 minutes, you’ll have to check depending on how thick you slice dough. These are just such nice cookies to serve made delicious by the chocolate/peanut butter flavor. How awesome to  have the dough in your freezer to slice off whenever you’re in the mood for a home baked cookie?

Enjoy!

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