Tag: raw sugar
Chocolate Raspberry Brownie Swirl
I can use just one word to describe this dessert- delicious!
My daughter and were going to a friend’s house for dinner. I was quite tired from a hectic week but wanted to take a dessert with us. I wasn’t in the mood to buy anything from a store- I wanted something homemade. I started to think of something that will be quick and easy yet perfectly suitable for an after dinner treat.
Brownies came to mind. I don’t make them that often- I am not a big chocolate person. I usually look for desserts with fruit or caramel. Flan, according to me is the be all end all dessert… I love it.
Anyway, so while I was trying to come up with a dessert, I thought of making brownies- but a bit differently. I looked in my fridge and found raspberry jam- perfect! I made the brownies like I normally do, but this time I used extra light olive oil instead of butter- so they are even healthier. I poured the batter into the prepared pan and then swirled some melted raspberry jam.
I also drizzled some white chocolate ganache on top once the brownies cooled down a bit- it’s completely optional since I didn’t notice a big difference with the ganache on top. I did notice the raspberry swirl inside the treat though. It was absolutely delicious. The brownies were light yet had a dense chocolate taste. The raspberry flavor goes so well with chocolate- a match made in heaven.
My daughter thought they were the best brownies she had ever had. I toasted some for my husband topped with some french vanilla ice cream.
I have to say- this one was a big success. Perfect to make for the busy holiday season!
- 2 cups evaporated cane juice
- 1 cup extra light olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 1½ cups white whole-wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup seedless raspberry jam, melted
Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
Butter an 8X8-baking pan.
In a large bowl, blend the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla extract well. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. Slowly add the dry ingredients mixing well in between. Pour the batter into the pan. Pour the raspberry jam all over the top and spread it through the cake with a butter knife. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes if you like gooey brownies- a few minutes more if you like them more cake-like.
Blueberry and Orange Duffins
Here is my latest version of our favorite sweet snack. My daughter loves duffins and can’t get enough of them. She is always reminding me to make more.
Honestly- I keep forgetting or get too busy- and then remind myself how quick they are to make. I am usually done mixing them before my oven gets to the right temperature.
So, I finally decided to make them as I got back from Trader Joes. I bought dried wild blueberries and planned on adding them to the duffins. I paired the blueberries with some orange zest. I added half the amount of the milk in the original and substituted orange juice for the other half. The combination of the zest and the juice imparted wonderful flavor to the duffins.
I tasted one as they came out of the oven and really liked it but was a bit afraid my daughter may not enjoy the flavor. I gave one to her later in the afternoon and she claimed they were the best duffins I have ever made.
So, there you go- try the blueberry and orange ones- they are really good.
read more …
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…
read more …
Apple Orange Duffins
Here is another version of one of our favorite treats in our house. My daughter can’t get enough of these and asks me to make them all the time. Her favorite are the jelly filled ones but she will eat any kind I make.
For these particular ones, I decided to do a yummy filling in the middle with apples and oranges. It is amazing how well the two flavors complement each other. I zested and juiced a navel orange and used the zest for the actual batter and the juice for the filling. I cut up my favorite apples- pink lady into chunks and added some sugar, cinnamon and lemon zest. I let the mixture sit for a while for the flavors to marinate.
I then made the usual batter and added just a bit of the filling in the middle of each duffin. Of course I coated them with the yummy sugar mixture and they were a hit. My daughter loved them.
Try the apple orange duffins- they are delicious.
read more …
Jelly Filled Duffins
If I could, I would make sure I have these on hand all the time. These treats are always so delicious and the fact that they are healthy, makes me love them even more.
Most of all, my daughter thinks these are the best things she has ever eaten. I do love making them as well, especially because they are so easy to make.
My daughter has been reminding me everyday to make these jelly filled duffins- and finally I did. I made them while she was skiing with her Daddy and was gone all day. When she came back, she sniffed her way into the kitchen and discovered these on the counter. Although she was extremely tired, she still found the energy to eat her dinner and devour a duffin.
I used raspberry jam but of course any flavor will be fabulous as a filling. The key is to make sure the filling is added in the middle of the duffin mixture. I added about two tablespoons of the mixture and then added a teaspoon of filling before covering the filling with the rest of the mixture.
A duffin is perfect snack to give your kids, especially with a tall, cold glass of milk. My daughter has it as a snack after school with some fruit on the side. It is keeps her going until dinner and I feel good about giving her something homemade and not processed.
Make these treats for your kids..
read more …
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!
read more …