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Category: Dessert
Here is one of the recipes I am asked about regularly when I mention ‘smoked cherries’. The process is simple – wash, stem and pit the cherries, heat up the barbeque or smoker, make a simple syrup, and squeeze a lemon for the fresh juice. Smoke the cherries and combine them with the simple syrup, lemon juice, and brandy. Then transfer the cherries and brandy mixture into mason jars and cool thoroughly before topping the jars. Refrigerate the jars for 4 to 6 weeks before using in cocktails or adding to desserts. That last step is the toughest part of the whole recipe – the waiting to enjoy these smoky, sweet gems in your Manhattan or other cocktails or in a thickened fruit topping for cheesecake…
I think it is about time to do another dessert – and this time it is an easy no bake cheesecake. This cheesecake has a twist, it’s made with coconut cream and includes toasted coconut flakes in the crust. I like the no bake aspect of this dessert, just be warned you do have to plan this treat a minimum of the morning of the day you plan to serve it. The addition of toasted coconut flakes into the crust is pure genius for tying the coconut flavor throughout this dessert. Of course, I had to tweak that crust – using a split of ginger snaps and graham crackers. Ginger and coconut go together well so it was a natural addition. All that is left is…
Last year I baked a Simple Stollen for Christmas. This year, I just had to try my hand at baking a traditional Italian Christmas bread – panettone. This delicious fruit studded sweet bread is perfect for Christmas morning with coffee or tea (or whatever you prefer). Researching this bread was a bit of work as there are so many different recipes with so many differing steps, but I finally settled on using the King Arthur Flour Overnight Panettone recipe. Of course, I made a few minor changes. First, I used different dried fruits – golden raisins, zante currants, cranberries, and pineapple. Second, I did soak the dried fruits overnight but did not include the soaking liquid in the dough per their suggestion. Third, I used candied peel instead…
So here we are, down to the last few days before Christmas and you have not baked any cookies yet. Do not fear, because here is a quick and easy way to bake up a dozen or two cookies in fast fashion. Simply use a cake mix and adjust the ingredients added to create a quick cookie dough. Once you have the dough, the possibilities are nearly endless with add-ins and toppings to suit your heart’s desire. What, you think this is cheating? Popping cookies out of a roll onto a baking sheet is cheating (in my opinion!), I simply consider this effort as just being clever and taking advantage of a major time saver. Also, did I mention the results are great? Well, they…
Today’s cookie just screams Christmas to me. These delightful powdered sugar coated or glazed spicy gems are fun to bake and perfect for sharing with family and friends. Pfeffernüsse are a Dutch/German/Danish treat typically associated with the St. Nicholas celebration of bringing gifts to children on December 5th/6th. As you can imagine, St. Nicholas or Sinterklaas is partially the basis for Santa Claus and the association of this cookie with Christmas. With a plethora of spices, including black and white pepper, it is believed this cookie also demonstrated the wealth of the household that could bake celebratory desserts with such luxuries. Thankfully, we have easy access to these spices and they are generally quite affordable. That means we can all enjoy this…
Recently, a friend invited me over for dinner and I planned to bring dessert. I thought what would be better than cheesecake, especially since his wife missed out on the Cheesecake with Smoked Cherries I made this past summer. With a busy day planned before dinner, I knew I needed something that would come together quickly (thereby counting out a full cheesecake!), but I did not want to sacrifice having homemade quality. So, I relied on a 6 pack of Graham Cracker mini-pie crusts to simplify and individualize this simple dessert. The whole process (except for allowing the cream cheese to get to room temperature) took less than 30 minutes. Yes, I said start to finish under 30 minutes. Now to consider how to accent these tiny…
Nothing says Christmas like the smell and taste of lebkuchen. As a child, I remember my mom baking lebkuchen in November before placing them in a tin in a closet for us to enjoy in December. She always said these cookies are so much better once they have been stored a while. Well, my mom’s lebkuchen recipe was lost quite a while ago… so I went online to find a new recipe to fulfill my Lebkuchen desire. Wow, was I ever surprised at the plethora of recipes! So I bookmarked several to try and possibly adapt/combine into a Cooking-4-One recipe. This recipe is primarily based on the recipe from GoodToKnow.co.uk with some aspects added from the Serious Eats recipe. The…
This week, instead of posting a weekly menu, how about I post several cookie and dessert recipes? Building on the few recipes I posted around the holidays last year, let’s start this year’s cookie baking with a favorite – the chewy oatmeal cookie. I have made these cookies many times before with varying inclusions – raisins, chocolate chips, dried cranberries, etc and they are always a hit. These cookies are warmly spiced and subtly sweet, perfect for any time of the year. When paired with a cup of coffee or tea, it is a wonderful way to give yourself (or a guest) a tasty homemade treat. I like them and I believe you will like them too! Save Print Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies Prep time…
Recently I received a a teaser for this recipe via the New York Times Cooking section and I just had to try it. Of course, that means I needed to rework the recipe for one or two servings so I would not be eating an 8 to 12 serving kuchen by myself! So I went to work and the results were simply amazing. So amazing in fact, I just had to share them with you. This kuchen is wonderfully flavored with lemon, honey, ginger… and naturally apple. This recipe is easy to prepare as well; the toughest part is waiting for the kuchen to cool so you can enjoy it! Save Print Apple Kuchen Prep time: 45 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: …
How about another cheesecake recipe, this time perfect for any Fall celebration? Here is a versatile and surprisingly easy cheesecake recipe that will definitely delight your friends and guests. The versatility of this recipe is in the construction – you can layer the pumpkin filling or swirl it throughout if you are feeling especially creative for the marbled effect. As for the ease in preparation, it is as simple as turning on the mixer. Well… sort of. I like this cheesecake recipe for it’s lightness and subtle sweetness. If the recipe looks familiar it is because I based it on the Cheesecake with Smoked Cherries I prepared in August. This base cheesecake combined with pumpkin creates a unique dessert that is slightly sweet and warmly…