Tag: easy desserts
Apple Crisp- Easy Fall Dessert
I am in the holiday/fall mood and all I want to do is cook with all the ingredients that remind me of cold weather. Apples is one of those ingredients that makes me think of cosy evenings in my house with a cup of hot apple cider or eating a delicious hot apple crisp with some ice cream.
I made this last weekend for a dinner at a friend’s house. I used my favorite apples- honey crisp but any kind of apples can be used-whatever you like.
I used a very typical crisp topping including flour- I used my usual white whole wheat flour and oats. I paired it with walnuts and cinnamon- and butter, of course. You can’t really go wrong with any of these ingredients.
The apples are mixed with orange and lemon zests giving the filling a wonderful citrusy, fresh taste. Everyone enjoyed the dessert. I served it with pumpkin gelato- which I made a few days ago. It came out really well- if I do say so myself.
The whole combination was a very successful one. This is another great idea for Thanksgiving. I will post the gelato recipe soon.
- 2 pounds variety of apples (about 4 – 5 medium), cut into 2 inch pieces
- Zest and juice of one lemon
- Zest and juice of one orange
- 1/3 cup turbinado sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
Mix all the ingredients in a medium sized baking dish. An 8 X 8 square or an oval shaped will be fine.
Topping
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup turbinado sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup toasted and chopped walnuts
- ½ cup toasted oats
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In the bowl of a mixer, add the flour, sugars, and butter. Using the paddle attachment, incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks mealy or crumbly. Stir in the oats and nuts.
Distribute the topping over the apples. Bake for an hour, or until the topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling. Cool slightly and serve warm.
Pineapple and Apricot Compote
My daughter keeps reminding me how I have not baked any dessert recently. She is right… I feel if I bake something.. then I have to eat it and I really don’t want to … so I don’t end up making anything. It is better not to have anything at home to tempt you through the day or after a meal.
So, when some friends were coming over for a cook out, I started thinking of dessert. I thought about just cutting up some watermelon which is really delicious and healthy but I wanted to do something a little different but keep it healthy at the same time. I decided to cook the fruit and make a compote. I had apricots and pineapple in the fridge.. I added some honey, orange juice and cardamom. I love cardamom with fruit.. it gave a delicious floral undertone to the compote. I chilled it and served it with a dollop of creme fraiche. It was a perfect dessert. It satisfied the sweet craving but definitely did not break the calorie bank. A perfect end to a delicious meal….
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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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Mango Raspberry Crumble- A Memorial Day Dessert Recipe
This is a dessert I recently made and think will be perfect for the upcoming long weekend. Next week I will be posting recipes for a burger and some side dishes including a fabulous drink- so stay tuned.
I love to make fruit crumble in the summer with all the gorgeous fruit in season. In this case I had tons of mangoes in my fridge. My daughter loves, loves mangoes and has at least 2 to 3 everyday.
We were going for a barbecue to a friend’s house and I offered to make the dessert. As I mentioned I had lots of mangoes- so that was a natural choice. I also had fresh raspberries and decided to pair them with the mangoes. I added some raspberry liquor which gave the fruit mixture a delicious flavor- yum!
As far as the crumble was concerned, I decided to doctor it up a bit. I had the usual suspects including oats, brown sugar and walnuts- I also added some sweetened, shredded coconut, ground ginger and nutmeg. Since I was using mangoes, I thought of coconut- a tropical theme.
I brought some vanilla ice cream along and the dessert was a big hit. Everyone enjoyed it. I thought the coconut was a great addition and I especially loved the raspberry liquor with the fresh fruit. Overall it was a huge success.
If you are having a big Memorial Day get together- definitely make this dessert- everyone will love it- guaranteed!
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Mango Curd and Pineapple Trifle
I love desserts. I am quite picky about what I will eat, though. I feel if I am going to ingest all those calories, it better be worth my while. Homemade treats are the best or if they are bought from a reputable store or eaten at a fabulous restaurant.
One of my favorite things to eat is trifle. I have made many versions over the years. I grew up with it and eating it invokes lots of good memories of childhood. My Mom made the basic version- cake, plain custard, strawberry jam and mixed fruit- and of course lots of freshly whipped cream. It was absolutely delicious! Somehow I can eat loads of it- I am not a big eater (well, my husband may disagree with that statement…). It is so light with the custard and the cream that it is very easy to keep eating.
I am always thinking of different variations of this yummy treat. I love mangoes and pineapple together- so I decided to pair them in a trifle. As I write – blackberries and mangoes are coming to mind- I think the next one will include the two fruits- yum!
It is deceivingly easy to make. When people look at the trifle bowl, they get very intimidated. The only thing that takes a little while to make is the curd- which can be made the day before. Shortcuts can be taken as well- store bought mango curd can be used – although I have never seen it. You can substitute lemon curd instead. The rest is just layering the ingredients- pineapple, whipped cream and the cake- very simple.
I would definitely make this for a holiday dinner. Absolutely delicious- money back guarantee….
Mango Curd
- 4 large egg yolks
- ¾ cup turbinado sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup mango puree
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon orange zest
In a large saucepan stir sugar, cornstarch, mango puree, butter, lemon juice and orange peel. Cook over medium heat till thickened and bubbly. Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl and add half of the thickened mixture to temper it. Return the egg mixture into the saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Cook, and stir for 2 minutes more. Strain through a fine strainer and cover the surface with plastic wrap and chill. Yields about 2 cups.
- 1 11 oz store bought frozen plain pound cake, sliced thin
- 2 cups whipping cream beaten stiff with 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
- 2 cups crushed pineapple including the juice
- 1 trifle bowl or any deep glass dish
Divide the cake into two portions. Add one portion of the sliced cake at the bottom of the trifle bowl, covering the entire bottom. Next, spread half of the crushed pineapple followed by half of the mango curd. Top the mango curd with half of the whipped cream. Repeat the process and set in the fridge for at least 4-5 hours before serving.