Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

I love recipes that use an entire store portion of an ingredient, especially ingredients that I don't use everyday, like sweetened condensed milk and shredded coconut for instance. This recipe ranks high in this regard, and the macaroons are super tasty too. I particularly like how the sweetness of the macaroon is balanced by the bittersweet chocolate dip. You can drizzle the top of each macaroon with a bit of chocolate too, but I guess I was a heavy dipper and barely had enough chocolate to dip all the cookies. Oops... So, I added another 2 ounces of chocolate to the recipe, 6 ounces instead of 4 ounces, if you want to drizzle. 

Grapefruit Campari sorbet - David Lebovitz

My trips home during summer always provide much needed time for relaxation, but also come with a few surprises.  This year, a sweet little deer was born in our back yard 10 feet from our house-

But back to the relaxation part, I don't know about you, but I cook to relax. So when I go home, I cook a lot. A lot a lot a lot. And it's absolute heaven. I have access to a bigger kitchen with a great stove and *gasp* a DISHWASHER!!! Heaven. On this particular visit, I spent a lot of time with the ice cream maker and was only further convinced that if you want great desserts, especially frozen treats, consult David Lebovitz and you won't be disappointed. His recipe for grapefruit Campari sorbet is available on his food blog, but I've since bought his cookbook, The Perfect Scoop. Ginger ice cream, chocolate Guinness ice cream, peach ice cream, melon sorbet, chocolate sorbet, and I'm only getting started. So good.

The grapefruit Campari sorbet is light, fresh, and sweet with just a hint of bitterness to balance everything out. A refreshing dessert that would be a simple and elegant option to serve at your next gathering. If you really want to jazz it up, pour a bit of champagne or prosecco over the sorbet before serving.

Grapefruit Campari sorbet

3 cups freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice (3 to 4 pink grapefruits)

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup Campari

- Warm 1 cup of the grapefuit juice and the sugar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

- Remove the juice/sugar mixture from the stove and stir in the rest of the grapefruit juice and Campari.

- Chill the sorbet base thoroughly (I usually do this overnight) and freeze in your ice cream maker following the manufacturer's instructions. 

Recipe adapted from David Lebovitz

Filled Stout Cupcakes with Baileys Frosting

Vacation always ends before it should, don't you think? My vacation, and the hectic weeks that led up to it, left me sitting here this morning with the realization that it's been more than a month since I last posted. Oopsie. Hopefully this recipe will make it up to you. 

Three kinds of alcohol, chocolate, and more chocolate. You can make these cupcakes without the filling, but why would you ever want to do that? First, you get to eat the centers of all the cupcakes yourself if you fill them and it makes the cupcakes that much more tasty. Totally worth it.

Lemon Ginger Crème Brûlée

Crème Brûlée with a twist. Bad pun? Yes, that's true but the ginger kick makes up for it, I promise. If you have a well stocked kitchen, or workshop for that matter, and have a torch of some sort you now have an excuse to use it. If you're like me and lack a workshop and avoid gadgets, your oven's broiler will do the trick. I've now used three different oven broilers to finish this dessert and all three yielded tasty results. If you can't get the ramekins 'very very' close to the broiler using the oven racks, carefully prop the ramekins up a few extra inches using an upside down 9x13 pyrex dish or muffin tin. Please, please, please be careful- the broiler is unforgivingly hot!!!

Bittersweet Chocolate and Pear Cake

Seasonal, quick, and easy. This cake is a great addition to any dinner party or potluck. Or, make it to enjoy at home. Rich chocolate, sweet pears, and nutty brown butter may seem like a flavor combination stretch, but it works in a marvelous way. And, if you add whipped cream to the picture, you're in for a good time my friends. A cake that defies several laws of physics, the batter starts underneath the chocolate and pears but gracefully rises through and engulfs the fruit and chocolate so that it becomes a cake filling rather than a topping. I think the baking time greatly depends on the pears you use which is why I gave such a large range in the instructions. Just keep checking the cake and it will set up eventually, it's definitely worth the wait.

Tiramisù

 A happy espresso shot waiting to be turned into tiramisù. . .

Have you ever baked a complicated dish for a party that you've never attempted before? I don't recommend it if you like stress-free baking. I'd always been intimidated by tiramisù- over or under soaking the ladyfingers can ruin the dish but the instructions on how to prevent both of these problems are less than straightforward...

"Do not submerge ladyfingers in coffee mixture; entire process should take no longer than 2 to 3 seconds for each cookie." What?

"Dip, but don't dunk each ladyfinger in the coffee." Huh?

Anyway, you get my point. So- I managed to pull this recipe off, using my soon to be trademarked technique- you've got to sing while you prep those lady fingers...

Don't laugh- "row row row your boat-" is the easiest way I can think of to describe the timing I used to dip the ladyfingers in the espresso/rum mixture. Don't dawdle here, you don't want mushy cookies. Pour a bit of the coffee mixture in a soup plate or shallow dish, about 1/2 an inch deep.

Take one cookie, place it in the mix (it should be about 1/2 covered) and instantly start rolling it to the tune of row, row, row your boat and then instantly remove the cookie from the coffee mixture and arrange it in the 9 by 13 dish (remove during or shortly after "your boat"). Repeat with all the ladyfingers, replenishing the coffee mix in the dish as necessary.

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Kahlua

Butter, eggs, chocolate, and booze. Did your heart tighten a little? Mine sure did. Nonetheless, make this dessert for a crowd and everyone can indulge in a tiny sliver or two. I made this cake for a large gathering and it was popular enough that I didn't manage to capture a picture of the finished product. Next time I make it, I'll post a picture but for now just imagine a giant, smooth, velvety truffle. I used a mix of Ghiradelli's bittersweet and semisweet chocolate, but use your favorite baking chocolate brand.

Outrageous Chocolate Cookies

The name says it all. But wait, is it a mini brownie, or is it a cookie? Doesn't matter. Twenty ounces of chocolate for ~20 cookies? Outrageous.

Chocolate and Pistachio Biscotti

I always prefer cookies that compliment my mid-morning latte. Enter biscotti. Bonus points if the biscotti flavors compliment the latte, like chocolate perhaps. I also like how biscotti keeps well in the fridge, you can make a batch and enjoy it for weeks instead of stomaching 2 day old stale cookies. Not every store will sell raw, shelled pistachios, but if you can find them I'd give this recipe a shot.

You can also be extra fancy and make gift worthy biscotti by dipping each cookie with chocolate and sprinkle on a few chopped pistachio pieces.

Chocolate Bark with Cherries, Crystalized Ginger, and Walnuts

In a rush and need to bring a treat to a party? Try this chocolate bark and you'll bring a crowd pleasing dish that also is healthy, well, as healthy as candy can be.

Apple Cranberry Cake

When I saw this recipe I knew I had to make it right away and, I thought I had everything I needed at home but that wasn't the case. To my dismay I only had 3 apples instead of 4- so I decided to add an apple's worth of cranberries to the cake instead. I think the cranberries were a great addition as they added a bit of tang and color. You could definitely make the cake either way, or try adding a pear to the mix instead. You can serve the cake with whipped cream or all by its delicious self.  Oh, and I've already made this cake three times this month which may give you a good idea of how good I think it is...

Creamy Butternut Squash

Welcome to Sage Sprout's first guest post- thank you, Seychelle!

Butternut squash is a versatile winter vegetable that can easily
stand-alone or act as part of a delectable veggie smorgasbord.
Desserts are often laden with processed sugars and fats, which makes
them super tasty but not so healthy. In this simple recipe, butternut
squash becomes a tasty, nutritious dessert requiring little time.

Creamy Butternut Squash

-serves 4-6

1 butternut squash (medium size)
1 Tbsp Olive oil
cinnamon (to taste, 1-2vtsp)
1 ½ tsps vanilla
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1tsp nutmeg (to taste)
½ tsp cloves (to tastel)
½ C walnuts, coarsely chopped and lightly toasted

-Preheat oven to 350˚F.
-Cut butternut squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Rub olive
oil on both halves of the squash innards. Place halves face down on a
cookie sheet.
-Cook in oven for 1hr-1hr 15 min until the flesh becomes very soft.
-Once cooked, scoop flesh into a medium sized bowl. Use a spoon or
food processor to break up the flesh further. For a smoother
consistency use a food processer.
-While stirring add cinnamon, vanilla, and maple syrup. Nutmeg and
cloves can also be added depending on personal preference.
-Serve into pudding cups, sprinkle walnuts on top.

Prep time: 10 min. Cooking time: ~1hour Total time: 1.25-1.5 hrs

Crostata Invertita with Rhubarb

Rhubarb is delicious- and you can even enjoy it in other ways besides a strawberry rhubarb pie. Nevertheless, this inverted cake is somewhat similar to pie as it combines tender cake, which is similar to pound cake, with sweet and tart rhubarb that you marinate overnight in sugar.

Although you can bake this cake in a metal cake pan, I recommend a glass pie dish since you can easily monitor the fruit cake during baking and the sloped pan sides create a pretty inverted cake.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sometimes you just need chocolate chip cookies. Bad. And, you need a simple recipe that is conveniently located on the bag of the chocolate chips... There are so many cliché things I could say here. "Don't fix it if it ain't broke." "Why reinvent the wheel?" In this case, the wheel was fine-tuned with whole wheat flour. Have your cookie and eat it too! I'm going to stop before this gets worse.

Panna Cotta with Mango Purée

After a visit to my favorite Thai restaurant where I enjoyed their panna cotta with mango purée, I decided to recreate the dessert at home. Light, creamy, and slightly sweet you could serve this panna cotta with many toppings besides a fruit purée- fresh fruit, chocolate, caramel, mint, syrups, etc. If you don't have ceramic ramekins don't despair. I made this batch, pictured below, with small juice glasses. Granted, I'm sure the ramekins are easier to use and probably release the panna cotta more easily before serving, but a bowl of hot water and some shaking encouragement also does the trick.

Panna Cotta with Mango Purée

-Panna Cotta
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 cups whipping cream
1 1/4 cups plain whole-milk yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar

-In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over the few tablespoons of water and let it sit for ~10 minutes.
-In a medium bowl combine 1 cup of the whipping cream with the yogurt and vanilla
-Heat remaining cream and sugar in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar until the cream just begins to simmer. Remove the saucepan from heat and add the gelatin mixture and stir until it dissolves. Mix hot cream-gelatin mixture into yogurt mixture in bowl. Divide mixture among six 3/4-cup ramekins, using about 1/2 cup for each. Refrigerate desserts uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
-To serve invert ramekin onto a plate to release the panna cotta. If the panna cotta does not release easily, briefly soak the ramekin in hot water and try again.

-Mango Purée
2 small mangoes (I used Manila mangoes)
granulated sugar (to taste)
water
~1 tablespoon lemon juice

-Peel and cube the mango. Blend only adding enough water to allow a smooth purée to form.
-Add lemon juice and sugar to taste, depending on the sweetness of the mangoes.

Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

I'm not a fan of dry baked goods and I think this draws me to recipes that promise chewy cookies, moist cake, and fudgy brownies.  This cookie recipe stands up to its promise, but be sure to pull them from the oven when only the edges of the cookie are golden brown. You can omit the nuts and cranberries or substitute them for raisins if you'd like.

Cranberry Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

-Makes about 30 cookies

1 1/2 cups flour (I used 1 cup all purpose and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 sticks room temperature unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups rolled oats
1-1 1/2 cups cranberries
3/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

-Set oven to 350° F and line two cookies sheets with parchment paper.
-Combine flour, baking powder, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
-Cream butter until creamy, add sugars and beat until creamy, and add eggs one at a time.
-Stir dry ingredients into the butter mixture using a wooden spoon or spatula. Stir in oats, cranberries, and nuts.
-Spoon generous 1 tablespoon balls of dough on to each cookie sheet. Lightly flatten each ball if you'd like a flatter cookie, as these cookies maintain their shape during baking.
-Bake until the cookie edges are golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Rotate cookies sheets halfway through cooking time to ensure even baking.

Adapted from The Best Recipe, Cook's Illustrated

Mocha Cream Cheese Frosting

Sweet, tart, creamy, chocolaty, velvety, and delicious. My go to frosting, it's very convenient that it freezes so beautifully. Try it on cupcakes, brownies, cakes, or as a cookie filling. I prefer my cream cheese frosting to not be overly sweet, so depending on your tastes you may want to add more powdered sugar than I listed below.

Mocha Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes about 2 cups

8 ounces cream cheese, chilled
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
~1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
5 ounces semisweet chocolate
3 tablespoons espresso

-Melt the chocolate in the microwave or a double boiler. When the chocolate has just melted, add the espresso and let the mixture cool to lukewarm, but do not allow the chocolate to harden.
-Blend the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add the powdered sugar a half cup at a time to taste and until the frosting is smooth. Blend in melted chocolate mixture. Do not over mix.
-Keeps refrigerated for ~1 week or freezes well for 3 months. Thaw completely and remix before using.

Adapted from the Joy of Cooking, Irma S. Rombauer

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

I posted this recipe in anticipation of zucchini season. Otherwise known as, "what on earth am I going to do with all this zucchini season?", this recipe is a great way to enjoy a bountiful zucchini harvest. The coconut oil adds additional richness to the cupcakes, but if you aren't a huge coconut fan I suggest you use only vegetable oil instead.

I found this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs, 101 Cookbooks. I haven't changed the recipe much, but do be careful about cupcake baking time. The zucchini makes these cupcakes moist and fluffy, but over baking leads to a drier result. I found that I could make 24 cupcakes from one batch (instead of 20 listed in the recipe) but that also meant that I pulled cupcakes much sooner than listed (20 minutes instead of 35). Keep in mind that you should try to slightly under bake these cupcakes as they will continue to cook when you pull them from the oven.

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes
Makes about 24 cupcakes

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/4 cup vegetable oil and 1/2 cup coconut oil)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups grated zucchini (after grating I squeeze some of the excess moisture out of the zucchini with my hands)
1 cup chocolate chips
2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup cocoa, sifted
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp allspice
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

-Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Lightly grease large muffin pans and line with muffin cups. (I've also baked these without muffin cups).

-Mix sugar, butter, and oil in a medium bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time until well incorporated. Stir in vanilla, buttermilk, zucchini, and chocolate chips.

-In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Spoon batter into muffin pans. Bake about 18-25 minutes (depending on cupcake size). Check cupcakes with a toothpick and pull them from the oven just before they're finished so they don't over bake.

-Can be served with or without frosting. I used Mocha Cream Cheese Frosting.

Torta al Vino - White Wine and Berry Cake

Light, moist, and fresh- this cake requires few ingredients and has become one of my go-to recipes when I need a dessert to share. I've only baked this cake with blueberries, I find the smaller wild blueberries work best, but you could also use grapes. The smaller grape varieties found locally during the summer months would be best but don't feel that you need to wait for berry season to enjoy this cake. Since February is far from blueberry season in our hemisphere, I used frozen wild blueberries when I made the cake photographed below and they worked beautifully.

Update: I've noticed that it's really important to dry the berries as much as possible before tossing them with a bit of flour. Fresh berries are easier to thoroughly dry so they'll sit a bit high in the baked cake, but both work very well as it's mainly the appearance of the finished product that varies.

 

  

Red Velvet Cake

Food colorings and additives are bad news, but  I made an exception and baked a red velvet cake. I'm still conflicted about pouring an entire bottle of food coloring into a cake, but you eat with your eyes first and the warmth from the maroon color of this cake is unbeatable. An especially festive birthday cake, I love how the brilliantly colored, moist cake is tucked inside a veil of snowy cream cheese frosting. I baked this particular cake for a birthday and used Ghirardelli chocolate chips to trim the cake.

I chose the following recipe for the following reasons.
1- It was one of the few recipes that only used one bottle of red food coloring. One bottle is more than enough to color the cake and cover your kitchen with red batter splatters.
2- It calls for the most cocoa. Now, this cake is supposed to be a chocolate cake with a red hue, not the other way around. The other recipes I considered only required a few tablespoons of cocoa and that is not nearly enough cocoa for a chocolate cake by any stretch of the imagniation. The combination of more cocoa and less food coloring imparts this cake with a deeper red hue than the neon red glow seen otherwise.

I made the following adjustments. First, I used three 8 inch cake pans which shortened the baking time to 28-29 minutes. Additionally, I used my own cream cheese frosting recipe since I prefer a less sweet frosting that allows you to enjoy a bit of cream cheese tang.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 8 ounce package of cream cheese (chilled)
1 stick of butter (room temperature)
~1/2 a box of powdered sugar (to taste)

Beat the butter and cream cheese together until fully mixed and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar to taste.