Blueberry Danishes

When living at my last apartment near the heart of downtown I would often take advantage of an early rise and walk to one of my favorite coffee shops  to snag a blueberry danish and a piping hot coffee. I'd cram a napkin in my pocket, balance the danish in one hand and carefully hold the coffee in the other to avoid spills, and make my water to the water. Now, no matter where I am, when I find myself with an opportunity to snag a fresh danish and a hot coffee I'm instantly transported to memories of the cool, quiet mornings that I spent walking blissfully around the city.

Somehow, after all those mornings spent making my way to various shops to indulge in a pastry and caffeine, I never tried to recreate it in my own kitchen. Now that I live further from those shops, my indulgences are few and far between. I recently hosted a brunch, and realized this was an opportunity to try my own hand at making a blueberry danish, and I'm sure glad I did. I'm almost afraid to tell you how easy it was to do, because once you know the truth you'll be trying to bribe people to come over for brunch every weekend, just so you can make these delights. I mean, you can make them for yourself, but be warned that you'll probably try to eat them all... they're sinful, to say the least.

Makes 12 danishes

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar +  1 tablespoon for sprinkling
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 quart fresh blueberries  (4 cups)
• 1 package puff pastry, thawed  (I used Tenderflake, 397 grams)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Mix the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
3. Dust a flat work surface with flour, then roll out half of the package of puff pastry into a large rectangle, about 10x15". You want the pastry to be about 1/8" thick, like the thickness of a kitchen towel. 
4. Cut the pastry in half lengthwise, then into thirds crosswise to make 6 squares. Pierce each piece with a fork randomly around the surface, about 4-6 times. Fold each corner in to make a diamond shape, no need to be perfect with this part - just fold and go! 
5. Place the pastries evenly apart on one baking sheet. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture in the middle of each pastry, then top with a heaping pile of blueberries (about 1/3 cup each). 
6. Repeat steps 3-5 with the remaining puff pastry and bake them all for 15-20 minutes (mine took the full 20 minutes, but every oven is different so I strongly recommend you peek in at the 15 minute mark. The pastry will be puffed and light golden, and you shouldn't see any exposed raw dough from the top. 
7. Remove the danishes from the oven and let them cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. 

Notes: You can change out the blueberries for whatever is fresh or in season, such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches -- any tender fruit will do. If you use a firm fruit like pears or apples I recommend that you slice and cook them down first (you can saute or roast apples/pears beforehand).

Cookies 'n Cream Ice Cream

This is the first type of ice cream that I made with my ice cream maker last summer, and it's been a go-to ever since. It amazingly easy to put together and requires very little effort - the only thing required for success is preparation and patience. The ice cream base should sit at least 8 hours in your fridge to ensure the sugar dissolves and the mixture is properly chilled, and then for optimal texture I recommend that you plan to leave it in your freezer to set for at least 6 hours (overnight is even better!).  This is a really great dessert item you can bring to a dinner party because it goes great along most baked goodies like brownies or cake, and even works as a standalone dessert because it's so rich.  This ice cream makes people fight over the last spoonfuls straight from the container, and it  will convert anyone who isn't sure if homemade ice cream is da bomb.


Serves 8-10
Ingredients:

• 3 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 20 Oreo cookies

Special equipment:Ice cream maker

Directions:

1. Mix the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for  8-24 hours. 
2. Once the cream base has chilled, place the Oreo cookies in a large ziploc bag, pressing the air out and sealing. Use a mallet or rolling pin to roughly crush the cookies into small pieces, aim to have the pieces no bigger than a quarter.
3. Pour the cream base into your ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions (mine took 30 minutes of churning total). When the ice cream is 5 minutes from being done in the machine add the salt and cookies. 
4. Scoop the ice cream into containers, then place them in the freezer to set up for at least 6 hours (overnight is best!). 
5. Serve immediately after removing from the freezer. The ice cream should keep for 3-5 days. 

Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's been a while since I last shared a recipe, and I hope that this delightful cookie recipe will make up for the wait. I am always intrigued when I find a recipe with a twist on a classic recipe, and when I came across this recipe for Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies from Plain Chicken I knew I had to try it. I love coconut flavors in both savory and sweet foods, and fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your point of view) I had all the ingredients on hand. To those who do not use coconut oil, you're missing out. You can cook with it like other oils, make your own chocolates like these, heck you can even use it as a hair mask. Basically, it's pretty darn handy.

The coconut flavor in these cookies is not overwhelming, but more a subtle hint in these pillowy-chocolate-chippy morsels.

I know you're not supposed to trust people when they say Trust me. But trust me on this one, these will change the way you look at those jars of coconut oil at the grocery store. Seriously.

I halved the recipe and made jumbo-sized cookies (8 total, so I'll give y'all the regular amounts in case you have a party or a bake sale to attend), but other than that I stayed true to the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 c. flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. In a large bowl, mix the coconut oil and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, mix until combined. 
3. Fold in the chocolate chips, then divide the batter into golf ball-sized pieces of dough. This should yield roughly 3 dozen cookies, but if you want to make jumbo cookies, divide the batter into larger pieces so you make 16 large cookies
4. Bake in the center of the oven for 10-12 minutes. For jumbo cookies, the baking time increases to closer to 15-17 minutes.

Cool completely before storing in an air-tight container. Or if you're like me, wait until the chocolate is not molten so you can scarf one down and then regret not savoring the chewy, soft, coconutty flavors, rationalize that you really must experience that taste again and eat another one much slower. Then feel really full and delay making dinner for another 3 hours. 

Double Chocolate Cookies

I always make room in my life for chocolate, and since it's Superbowl Sunday I decided to whip up a batch of cookies to bring along.   Baking is not like cooking, you can't "fake it 'til you make it", so after a bit of searching in my cookbooks and online, I decided to try Martha Stewart's Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies.

Imagine the best chocolate chip cookie and the best brownie you've ever had, combine the two, and that's what these cookies are like. What more can a girl ask for?

These cookies are super rich and indulgent, so prepare to share with others unless you want to go into a chocolate coma.Which, I mean, is totally your choice.

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces semi-sweet bakers chocolate
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips (you can use semi-sweet, milk, or even white chocolate if you prefer)
• 1 stick butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Prepare two baking sheets by lining with parchment paper, set aside. 
2. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. 
3. Melt the butter and chocolate in a double-boiler until smooth. Pour the melted chocolate into a large bowl, then mix in the sugar and eggs until combined. Mix in the dry ingredients you prepared earlier. Fold in the chocolate chips. 
4. Use a tablespoon to scoop golf ball-sized amounts of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the dough about 2 inches apart. Bake in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes. The cookies will look very soft, just slightly beginning to crack when you remove them from the oven. You'll probably even think, no these aren't done! Ignore your reaction, transfer the parchment to a wire rack and let the cookies cool at least 10 minutes before handling. 

Chocolate Pecan Pie

I have been trying a few new pie recipes this year, and yesterday I made a Chocolate Pecan Pie that I will definitely be making again soon. Chocolate is something that I will never tire of, and this pie has only made it easier to love that cocoa goodness. I based this recipe off Martha Stewart's Chocolate Pecan Pie with only a few tweaks (more vanilla and pecans, and I swapped the light corn syrup for golden). To be honest, I was about to make a pie with a hybrid of recipe tips from online, then I found the Martha Stewart pie and it was exactly what I was trying to make, so, thanks Martha!

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces of dark chocolate
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups golden/dark con syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
• 1 recipe of basic pie crust for 9" pie plate (see links below for recipes)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Place the rack on the lowest shelf in the oven.
2. In a double boiler melt the chocolate until smooth, then set aside. How do you do that? Place a heat-proof bowl over a smaller pot of water (the bowl should not touch the water, simply sit above it), put the chocolate in the bowl, then turn on the heat to simmer the water in the pot. The heat will melt the chocolate slowly so you don't have to worry about burnt chocolate.
3. In a large bowl add the eggs and beat them lightly. Mix in the corn syrup, vanilla, and salt. Then slowly fold in the melted chocolate. 
4. Pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared pie crust, then place the pecans on top. They will remain floating on the top layer, so feel free to get artsy with this part! 
5. Place the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet, then transfer the sheet and pie into the oven. Bake for 60 minutes, or until the filling jiggles only slightly when the pie plate is nudged. (Martha Stewart's recipe quoted 50-60 min, but I found mine took closer to 65, so keep an eye on your pie).

Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 4 hours. Serve room temperature or chilled with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Pie crust recipes:
Martha Stewart's Basic Pie Crust
Pioneer Woman's Perfect Pie Crust

Classic Oatmeal and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ah, the humble oatmeal cookie -- not the most glamorous baked good, but oh so irresistibly delicious and easy to make. They are made up of staple pantry items so they require little to no prep work, and they take less than 30 minutes from start to finish. I mean, what else do I need to tell ya? These are dang good and dang easy.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large bowl, mix the sugars, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Add the egg and whisk in until combined.
2. Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl, then slowly incorporate with the wet mix. The add the oats, mix until just combined, and then finally add the chocolate chips.
3. Drop spoonfuls on an ungreased baking sheet about 2 inches apart, and bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cocoa Brownies (recipe from Bon Appetit)

I love trying out new recipes, and while I usually play around with new recipes when I'm cooking, baking is an entirely different story. My rule is that the recipe should be followed precisely the first time when baking, and then after that you can fiddle and fix all you want.

In the December 2012 Bon Appetit issue they had a recipe for Cocoa Brownies that looked divine, and it boasted being easy peasy so of course I had to give it a whirl. Also, I don't know about you but I'm more likely to have cocoa powder in my cupboard than squares of baker's chocolate, so this recipe was enticing because it didn't force me to put on pants on my day off. It's the little things in life that make me happy.

The Verdict: These are chocolate squares of heaven.


This recipe is essentially the same as the original, except I added in my notes about what I did and what I would do next time.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Line a 8x8x2 glass baking dish with foil and grease it (next time I will use parchment paper because that's just my preference for lining dishes for bars). 
2. Melt the butter in a small bowl and set aside (I put the full block in a bowl in the microwave for 60 seconds). Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, then slowly whisk in the butter. Add the vanilla (I usually triple the amount suggested), then one egg at a time, whisking as you go. Add the flour and fold into batter (I switched from whisk to large spoon at this stage to keep the fuss minimal) -- be careful not to over mix. 
3. Pour the batter and spread evenly into the prepared dish, then bake for 25-30 minutes -- test by inserting a knife - should come out clean or with a few crumbs (I baked mine in the middle of the oven for almost 35 minutes, so keep an eye on your brownies!). Cool on a wire rack before cutting (at this point you could even dust them with cocoa powder or powdered sugar).

Here is the original recipe. Trust me, this is worth the click.

Key Lime Pie

For Easter I decided to make a key lime pie, committed to bringing it to the BF's family dinner, and instantly realized that I've never made it before. I usually like to play around with new recipes, but this time I decided to pick a recipe and stick to it to avoid a disaster.
I chose Martha Stewart's Key Lime Pie, and it is beautiful! Tomorrow we will eat it, so I'll get feedback that I can add in later. I was really happy with how easy this recipe is, and I think it will be a perfect Easter dessert!

The recipe was pretty straight forward and I didn't have a hard time finding any of the ingredients which was nice. I knew that I could use regular limes if I didn't come across any Key limes, but I got lucky and stumbled upon a bag of Key limes in a nearby grocery store. For a "first time" recipe, I am so glad I chose to follow this one!

Tips and Suggestions:
I baked the pie crust then reduced the oven temperature before prepping the filling to ensure enough time for the crust to cool. 
Get yourself organized before you start! Locate the zester, the juicer, the whisk, the wire rack! Melt your butter! Make sure you have graham cracker crumbs on hand! 
Make this well ahead of serving time! I baked my pie a full day ahead.

Ingredients

•  1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup key lime juice
• 1 tablespoon lime zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix the butter, crumbs, and sugar with a fork in a medium sized bowl. Press the mixture into a 9" pie plate (I use glass pie plates!) and bake for 12 minutes. Cool the crust on a wire rack -- cool it completely before filling it!
2. Decrease the heat of the oven to 325 F. Whisk the milk, yolks, lime juice, and zest in a medium bowl, then pour into the crust. Bake for 15-17 minutes (I baked it for the full 17 minutes) and then cool completely on a wire rack. 
3. Let the pie sit in the fridge for at least 8 hours before serving for optimal flavor, and serve with whipped cream! 

Upside-Down Chocolate Pudding Cake

I grew up on all sorts of variations of this yummy and easy dessert, and each one has been delicious... In May I went to the Times Colonist book fare in Victoria, and I nabbed quite a few old-school cookbooks.

One of these was a 1972 Betty Crocker cookbook, and in the middle of the pudding section I came across yet another variation of the pudding cake I love, titled "Hot Fudge Pudding Cake". This version had less cocoa than I was used to and it asked for shortening instead of butter... oh, the good old days of shortening-only baking and cooking. I can't remember the last time I saw something on a modern food blog or cookbook from the last ten years that called for shortening and didn't add a blurb to justify it or offer a substitution... After poking around online, I found an updated Betty Crocker version of the recipe that is almost identical to the one I have written down in my recipe binder. Of course. My secret family recipe is actually Betty Crocker. That's always a fun realization.

This upside-down pudding cake is glorious because as it bakes, it becomes 2 layers of chocolaty  goodness: pudding and cake. And it's extremely easy to prepare. And extremely easy to devour in one sitting.



Ingredients:

Cake

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Pudding

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/3 cup boiling water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a bowl mix all of the dry cake ingredients, then add the butter, vanilla, and milk. Mix until combined and spread into a 8x8 or 9x9 pan. 
2. In a separate bowl, mix the first two pudding ingredients. Sprinkle the sugar mix over the batter in the pan, then pour the boiling water on top. Bake immediately for 40-50 minutes, until cake is set and not jiggly. Serve hot. 

Enjoy! 

PS - You can serve this pudding cake with ice cream or, my favorite, a few spoonfuls of dulce de leche!

Fried Bananas and Whipped Cream

When I was 6, my family took off to Central America for six months. At the time, I was under the impression that months and years were the same thing so I was a bit nervous at the prospect of leaving home for 6 years.... but after learning the difference between months and years and experiencing the pure joy of travel, let's just say I love my parents for deciding it was a good idea to quit their jobs, rent out their house, and move to a place we'd never been before. Not to mention the whole Spanish language thing.

Anyway, I can remember eating fried plantains with whipped cream, and later that week someone in the house was a genius and decided to use bananas to recreate that dish... I have never been a fan of plantains unless they are smothered in green chili and beans, so putting them into a sweet dessert didn't hit the spot. Bananas fried in butter, however, are pure magic.

This is probably the simplest dessert you can imagine, and if you buy a can of whipped cream rather make your own it is even easier to whip up. Ha. Ha. Whip up. 

Ingredients:

• 1 banana - you want this more on the green/yellow side than deep yellow
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Whipping cream - pint
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Pour the whipping cream into a large bowl.  Blend on high until it becomes fluffly but peaks do not form. Add the sugar and vanilla, then continue to whip until soft peaks form. Be careful not to over-beat because you will make butter if you go to far :)
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Slice the banana lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick strips. Add the butter to the pan, and coat the bottom. Add the banana slices and cook until browned, then carefully flip over and brown the other side. 
3. Serve hot with a plop of whipped cream on top.

Enjoy!

Mini Blackberry Pies

Blackberries were on sale at the grocery store down the street, and after a few days of regret because I passed them up, I scurried back to the store and bought 3 pints. And before I could eve begin to heat the pan I had eaten 1 of the pints... I must say that berries are quite a delight.

Anywho, it was the BF's mom's birthday this week and I wanted to whip up something snack-ish for her, and also something dessert-y. So when I was looking for puff pastry I came across mini pie shells and all my dreams came true! I know, I know. Homemade pastry is great. If it works. And lately I've been botching my pastry dough so I figured store-bought was the best thing for everyone.

These little treats are not too sweet - I didn't add any sugar because my blackberries were especially ripe and juicy, but if yours are on the tart side add sugar as needed. But trust me -- not much is needed. Especially when you top a little pie with a lot of ice cream. Just an idea...

Here goes!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups blackberries
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons butter (I used olive oil butter)
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 12 mini tart/pie shells
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. Beat the egg in a small bowl and brush over the unbaked pie shells. Place the shells on a baking sheet and bake according to package instructions. Once they are done baking, let them cool to room temperature.
2. While the shells begin baking, put a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the blackberries, butter, and flour once the pan is hot and stir to dissolve any lumps of flour. Stir constantly as it comes to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium low. Let this cook for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the heat. The consistency should be thick and lumpy, so don't worry if some blackberries disintegrate and others stay large and in charge. 
3. Mix the cinnamon into the blackberries and pour the berries into the pie shells. Let the filling cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then transfer to a covered platter in the fridge. These will last 4 days refrigerated!

Enjoy!

Chewy, Soft, Yummy Brownies.

If I didn't like vegetables and cheese so much, I think I could survive on brownies, cupcakes and coffee for the rest of my life. Such satisfying treats that I am always in the mood for, but unfortunately not always in the mood to create.

I have a go-to recipe for brownies (Alton Brown's Cocoa Brownies), which call for more cocoa than flour so basically they are amazing. I love that they are more cake-like in their texture than a fudge-style brownie, and they don't get tough after a few days or anything. They are little squares of perfection.

Of course, I'm telling you all of this and my point is that I tried a new recipe, and I really like it. It won't replace my favorite brownies (didn't you hear me? I love Alton's brownies!) but they are the perfect substitute when I only have 2 eggs and need to bake something yummy for my generous hosts (I'm going away for the weekend!). Plus, not everyone prefers cakey brownies like I do.

I found this recipe on All Recipes, and since it had over 100 positive reviews I decided to give it a go. My roommate declared that our place smells like a chocolate factory now and that I need to take all of the brownies with me on my trip otherwise she'd eat all of them, and I can't blame her. Their smell matches the flavor: pure chocolate-y delight.

Chewy Cocoa Brownies (modified from this recipe)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup melted butter (I used Olive Oil "butter")
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla (homemade with vanilla beans and rum, and that's what it tastes like)
• 1 1/3 cup flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa (heaping)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 13x9 baking pan, and flour it. I used cocoa powder to flour it - it prevents the finished product from having that weird looking layer of whiteness (flour) on it. 
2. I don't believe in separating dry/wet ingredients for cookies or brownies, so just throw all the ingredients except butterscotch chips in a bowl and mix as you add each thing in. Fold in the chips at the last minute so you don't pulverize them with your overeager mixing. 
3. Pour into the prepared pan, and bake for about 20 minutes. Check with a toothpick (Insert, check: Clean? good to go. Dirty? put 'em back in the oven) to make sure the brownies are done before letting them cool completely. And I mean completely. Like, an hour. Then tip the brownies onto a cutting board and slice into squares. Store them in an airtight container for who knows how long. They shouldn't last more than two days if anyone else smells your yummy kitchen.

Verdict: I like them enough to save the recipe on my computer and give them as a hostess gift, but I am still a die-hard cakey brownie fan.
EXTRA: I left for 4 days and when I returned, the brownies were still as fresh as ever in a sealed container in the fridge. They get a few bonus points for that. 

Enjoy!