Desserts

Dark Cherry Crumb Cake

June 28, 2018

I love cake. I love cherries. And now, in the height of cherry season, I can often be found lurking around the refrigerator and pulling out several handfuls of those dark red gems to stuff in my mouth when nobody is looking. The dilemma became this – is there a way to enjoy both cake and cherries without losing any of that fresh cherry goodness? I think this may just do it. The cake base resembles a pound cake (we need something heavy duty to hold up all those cherries), and for some added personality there is shredded coconut, vanilla, and almond extract. This I could eat all on its’ own and be quite happy. However, we can’t forget the cherries! The little extra work of pitting and slicing beautiful dark red cherries in half is well worth the effort. No sugar added to this layer – those berries are sweet enough all on their own. To top it off, the crumb layer has a generous amount of ground almonds that will keep you coming back for one more bite….at least I do.

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Strawberries Stuffed with Greek Yogurt & Strawberry Jam

May 31, 2018

I must say that there are some things I can eat until I cannot move. This is one of them. Sweet, tart Hood Strawberries, filled with a Greek Yogurt Cheese & Strawberry Jam. Three ingredients and a little piece of heaven. How about we make some?

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Rhubarb Crumb Bars

May 17, 2018

They say good things come to those who wait, and I think we’ve all waited long enough for Rhubarb Crumb Bars. Truth be told, these guys are really more like crumb cakes than any resemblance to a cookie-type bar. The bottom layer is a whole lot like a pound cake batter, which makes it tender, rich, and quite buttery I’m not afraid to say. Add a layer of ruby red rhubarb for a nice, tart center, and top the whole works with a brown sugary crumb topping. They are sturdy, pack and travel well, but also are right at home at a bridal shower or graduation party. The recipe comes together in three phases, so let’s get going!

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Winter Citrus Bars with Tangelo & Blood Orange

February 22, 2018

I’ve always loved Lemon Bars, but lately could not get the concept of creating an Orange Bar out of my mind. I was determined to try my hand at them while citrus season is still in full swing, but the concept in my head took some trial, and many errors, before it was fit to print. I knew my first attempt didn’t quite hit the mark, but sent several over to my 87 years young mom, Neeners, who snorted, “Do not spend any more time on those. Move on to something else – they were horrible and I threw them out”. Does this paint the same picture of parental nurturing and support in your mind, as it does to mine? Neeners’ quite accurate review just made me all the more determined, and after another attempt or two, now think these bars are well worth making – a crispy shortbread crust, topped with a creamy, slightly tangy orange layer that has been brightened with the flavors of both tangelos and a colorful blood orange. Neeners has declared these bars as ‘Sumptuous’, which is what she calls everything she likes, but nevertheless it’s a far cry better than her first review.

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Dark Chocolate Frozen Mousse with Marionberry Liquor Sauce

February 13, 2018

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and that spells chocolate in my book. Here’s a dessert from my blogging partner Tricia that will make your loved ones swoon and as an added plus, offers many opportunities to lick the bowl at various stages of production. Here we have a frozen dark chocolate mousse that is complimented by a sweet, tart and boozy marionberry liquor sauce. And that’s not all – we top it with whipped cream that has been spiked with a splash more of the liquor. We realize that some people like to say “less is more”, but we prefer “more is more”, so decided to grab a bar of chocolate and make big dark chocolate curls just for fun. Yes, that’s a lot – but it comes together surprisingly fast. And believe me, it’s worth every minute of time. And speaking of time, everything can be made in advance which allows more time for, well, whatever it is you happen to be doing….

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Halloween Chocolate & Coffee Cupcakes with Chocolate Bourbon Ganache Filling

October 18, 2017

Hey, who says Halloween is just for kids? I think it’s about time we carved out some special treats just for us grownups. This is not to say that I wouldn’t snatch a couple of mini-Snickers bars out of my niece’s or nephew’s Halloween loot, you understand. But just for fun, let me show you these Triple Threat Cupcakes. We start with a rich chocolate & coffee cupcake, then filled with a rich chocolate ganache laced with Bourbon. Sound good? Not done yet! We top this creation with a buttercream frosting that has been liberally laced with While Chocolate Liquor. Yes, it’s a booze bomb, and I’m not apologizing.

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Blackberry & Peach Crisp

August 17, 2017

Here we have the ultimate summer dessert. The one where you hide pieces of it in various places around the house, then excuse yourself for some lame reason, seek it out and go dig in. There are currently two pieces in our refrigerator and they will soon mysteriously disappear. That’s just the way it is with this dessert. You take a bite. Then another. Then add a scoop of ice cream. And when all that eating is done you might get amnesia because you got sensory overload and your mind short circuited due to food joy. With that warning in place, I say let’s get moving on making some just for you.

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Easy Lime Bars with Toasted Coconut Shortbread Crust

July 21, 2017

I made up this recipe in my head for the most part, and knew that it would have to pass muster with Tricia, my blogger partner, before we would publish. I was nervous….cut her a bar…and waited…. Finally she pronounced “These bars are so good I would eat them until I threw up”. High praise, so that tale regarding bodily functions you probably could have lived without hearing leads us to where we find ourselves today: sharing this recipe with you. These bars are tart, sweet, and addictive. Add a crispy shortbread crust with tons of toasted coconut and they are irresistible. To top that all off, they are super easy to make. The crust and filling can both be put together in your food processor if you happen to have one laying around. The Candied Limes are just something fun to horse around with, and are certainly optional for this recipe. Sprinkle these guys with powdered sugar right before serving and you’re home free….unless you are like me and then you will grab the whipped cream and smother the top of the bar with it. The creamy sweetness of it just kind of makes the world a better place, if you know what I mean. …

Easy Pavlova with Raspberries & Raspberry Cream

July 12, 2017

I will be the first to admit that I was quite skeptical when my blogging partner Tricia mentioned she wanted post a Pavlova recipe on the blog. I’d seen photos of them before, but they looked pretty fancy and just not my thing. She mentioned that a friend of hers was raving about them, and that was good enough for her. I was noncommittal, and just attempted to ignore her when she brought it up. When I showed up at her house to do the photo shoot for this week’s posts, what did I see but a big old Pavlova sitting on her kitchen counter. I had been duped! I was expecting Raspberry Hand Pies. As usual, she had completely ignored me and did what she felt like (this is typical), and I’m glad she did. One bite of this dessert had me hoarding the plate and not willing to give it up. It’s completely addictive, with a crisp, sweet crust and a creamy, almost marshmallowy interior. Then comes the whipped cream, and a ton of fresh berries in a gorgeous glaze. You can make these large or small, and each one is a show stopper. Besides, it’s totally easy to make. And as the song goes, “Oh, what a beautiful mess you are!” Let’s jump right on over to the blog and you can see for yourself…….

Strawberry Tarts with Shortbread Cookie Crust

June 29, 2017

I just had to throw one more strawberry recipe in before the season ends, and what better time to do it than the Forth of July? These tarts can either be all fancy and scooped into tart shells, or another more rustic route (and easier) is to crumble the crust into crumbs and pat into the bottom of a small Mason jar. Your call – either way is delicious. The only trick is: you can make all the parts in advance, but it’s not a great idea to assemble until right before you serve. The crust has a tendency to soak up all that strawberry goodness, so you can lose the crunch factor if you aren’t careful. That being said, it’s a cool breeze to make, so let’s get going!

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