Tag: almond extract
Brownies with Black Beans- For Passover…
- One 15 ½ ounce can black beans- strain and rinse well
- ¼ cup extra light olive oil
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup evaporated cane sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate- grated
Coat an 8 X 8 baking pan with some oil and keep aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Add the beans to a large food processor and add the oil. Process till smooth. Add the eggs, cane sugar, cocoa, vanilla extract. almond extract, baking powder and salt. Process till everything is incorporated and smooth. Take the bowl off the processor and add the grated chocolate and mix with a spatula. Pour the mixture into the pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes till knife comes out clean.
Cherry Almond Duffins
Dessert number 3! Use fresh or frozen cherries for this one… yummy!
- ¾ cup raw sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1½ cups white whole-wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup extra light olive oil
- 1 cup 1% milk
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 cup pitted fresh or frozen cherries, chopped
Topping
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- ½ cup fine raw sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Lightly grease a 12 muffin tin with a bit of oil in each cup.
In a large bowl, beat together sugar and egg till light and fluffy. Pour in vegetable oil, milk, vanilla and almond extracts. Mix to combine.
In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Pour into the egg mixture and stir well. Fold the cherries into the batter and mix to incorporate.
Divide batter evenly into the muffin cups, filling about ½ full.
Bake for 15 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
While duffins are baking, melt butter in a small bowl. Pour ½ cup sugar into a medium bowl.
Once the duffins are done, lightly brush the top with melted butter, remove from the pan and roll in the sugar, coating all parts of the duffin.
Amaretto Cherry Brownies
Delicious brownies for Valentines Day…
This is yet another version of the quick brownies I have made in the past. I don’t make them very often as this treat has two cups of sugar. Even though I use turbinado sugar, it is still a lot.
Once in a while I do get in the mood and make them- they are very sinful. I modified them by using dried, tart cherries. As I was thinking of complementing flavors, amaretto and almonds came to mind. So, I added both to the mix- why not- the more the merrier.
I thought of adding toasted almonds but then I wasn’t sure if anyone who might be eating the brownies is allergic to them- so I avoided them. I do think they will be delicious with the nuts.
While the brownie pan was in the oven, the house smelled divine. My daughter came back from school and her nose lead her to the kitchen and like a little puppy, she sniffed her way to the brownies.
I wasn’t sure if she will like the treat with tart cherries and the almond flavor- but she clearly had no problem . She loved it and so did my husband. I have to say, they were delicious- a bit dangerous to have in the house. I kept munching on them all day and it is especially bad for me since I am in the kitchen practically the whole day- it was not good.
The good news is they are delicious- the bad news is they are delicious and you will eat them all…
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Nectarine Duffins
As I sit here and write about this favorite snack in our house- I am hiding my laptop from my daughter who is sitting right next to me reading her book. You wonder why? Well, she has been asking me to bake some duffins for her for a while now and I just haven’t done it. If she notices the huge picture- I will be in big trouble…
She asked for them again yesterday and I told her we can make them today. So, once I am done with my writing for the day and after I finish cooking dinner- we will be baking some duffins- at least that is what I plan.
These ones are a bit different- I took advantage of all the delicious fruit in the farmers market and stuffed the duffins with chopped nectarines. I placed the delicious fruit in a small bowl and topped it with some vanilla sugar. I let it sit for a while and get juicy.
I then proceeded to use the same recipe for duffins and added the delicious nectarines in the middle. I was a bit hesitant to serve them to my daughter and her friends. Well, actually, my daughter is used to having all kinds of fruit. A lot of her friends are not so keen. To my surprise, everyone loved them…
So, here is another version of duffins- try the nectarine ones- they are delicious…
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Chocolate Rice Pudding with Amaretto Cream
My daughter loves chocolate pudding and I love rice pudding (actually she loves rice pudding as well). I love a generous portion of rice pudding with a sprinkle of a good Vietnamese ground cinnamon on top. It is the most delicious thing ever.
My husband, on the other hand, thinks rice should only be eaten with savory dishes. He does not relish any dessert made out of rice- what- seriously?? I love desserts made out of rice. Rich, creamy and delicious. My daughter, on the other hand, like me, loves all kinds of rice desserts.
I made this dessert combining chocolate and rice puddings together. I used arborio rice and cooked it in milk. I then added chocolate, sugar and vanilla extract. Once the pudding came together, I served it hot but with a twist. I whipped some heavy cream and added amaretto liquor and almond extract with some sugar. I served the dessert with the whipped cream and some toasted, sliced almonds.
It was absolutely out of this world delicious. It can be served cold as well but I prefer it hot. Either way, it makes a fabulous end to any meal- in the winter or the summer.
Try this one- I bet your kids will like it too…
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Duffins- Healthy Donuts
I wrote about these healthy donuts on the New York Times, The Local blog. This is the new favorite in our house. I have made many batches of these muffins/donuts.
I first had them at a bakery, Brownie Points at the Mall at Short hills. They were oblong shaped muffins, covered with sugar. When we tasted them, we were hooked immediately. They tasted fresh and light and not too sweet.
After finding out the bakery was not there anymore I got obsessed with making them at home. It was quite difficult to find the recipe on the Internet but I was able to get something and tweaked it to my taste.
The great thing about this treat is that it is healthy. I have used white whole wheat flour, extra light olive oil and turbinado sugar.
My daughter loves it and has one everyday for a snack after school. She washed it down with a glass of milk and then has some fruit. I have already made duffins with apples as well as jelly filled ones. My husband has one in the morning as well.
Try the duffins- you will love them!
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Healthy Summer Recipe: Chocolate Cinnamon Gelato
I am surrounded with ice cream lovers at home. Both my daughter and husband love it! I, on the other hand like ice cream but don’t love it. Somehow thinking about the ingredients – cream, eggs and sugar- deters me from eating it too much so somehow I have convinced myself that I don’t like it too much. Place a slice of pound cake in front of me and the ingredients don’t matter at all- I devour it!
I do enjoy a scoop or two of gelato- my first time eating it was about 10 years ago in Rome. I still have a vivid memory of a gelateria right next to our hotel. The first day there, we checked in, showered and walked out and noticed the place. We went right in and ordered a cone with two flavors- I can’t remember what I had but can picure the dollop of cream that was placed on the scoops of gelato. Oh, my God- it was amazing! I still think about it.
Years later, gelato is available all over the US. Somehow it doesn’t taste the same- not sure why that is. I still eat it every chance I get but it is quite expensive to buy. So, when I came across a recipe by David Lebovitz that used corn starch to thicken the milk- I was instantly excited. I looked at a few more recipes on line and came up with this one. I used whole milk and corn starch with great cocoa powder and turbinado sugar. It’s all healthy and there isn’t that much sugar in it. I added cinnamon and almond extract to it- the flavor was unbelievable…
It was absolutely delicious! I took it for a dinner party and it was a big hit. I have been experimenting with a few different flavors now- will be posting soon. I am thrilled to be making gelato that is healthy and delicious. My daughter love it!