Spicy Thai Coconut Milk "Ice Cream"

We had the most amazing vegan coconut milk gelato while on vacation--creamy, full flavored, and decadent, I knew I had to give it a try at home! I found a couple recipes for coconut milk ice cream online, but I really wanted a no cook recipe so I could eat it a few hours later. I also wanted to try a spicy peanut flavor like I had previously made from the Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home book. I mashed up a couple recipes, threw in some fun ingredients and went for it!

And away we go!!...

Spicy Thai Coconut Milk "Ice Cream"

Ingredients

• 1 15oz can full fat coconut milk
• 1/4 C agave nectar
• 2 tsp Sriracha
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp arrowroot
• 2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter

Method

1. Combine all ingredients except the peanut butter, in a high-speed blender, blending until smooth.
2. Pulse the peanut butter in for a few seconds to blend.
3. Pour into a bowl and chill completely in the refrigerator until ready to use.
4. Pour into an ice cream machine, following the manufacturer's instructions.
5. Freeze for at least a few hours for the ice cream to firm up before serving.

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Broiled Grapefruit with Ginger

Heirloom navel oranges and grapefruits are my favorite winter citruses, in fact, they are the only ones I eat. I'm again behind on the trends, this time it's broiled grapefruit. I tried it for the very first time, making it to accompany oatmeal for a weekday breakfast treat. I love ginger, so I was excited by this pairing with grapefruit. It's dead simple, so I will definitely try this as a light after dinner dessert throughout the season!

Broiled Grapefruit with Ginger

Adapted from The Candle Cafe Cookbook

Ingredients

• 1 grapefruit, halved
• 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1 tsp coconut sugar
• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Preheat oven broiler. Meanwhile, top each grapefruit half with ginger, sugar, and salt, rubbing the mixture evenly around the surface of the fruit.
2. Place the grapefruit, cut half up, on a small baking sheet. Broil for 5-8 minutes, until bubbling.

For a tip on eating this especially messy grapefruit, see this article at TheKitchn for a handy trick! That or eat it over the sink :)

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Korean Brown Sugar Pancakes

I discovered this browsing the internet on my phone and have had the page saved for a month now! I'd been craving something doughy and sweet for several days when I suddenly remembered this hidden gem saved. Simple, sweet, and tasty, I think I'll be making these again.

I tweaked the recipe a bit, using maple cinnamon nuts, vanilla sugar, and vanilla bean seeds in the filling. The subtle cinnamon flavor reminded me of cinnamon rolls!

Korean Brown Sugar Pancakes

Adapted from Notions and Notations of a Novice Cook

Ingredients

• 1 C all-purpose flour
• 1/2 C warm water
• 1 tbsp vanilla sugar
• 1 tsp dry active yeast
• 2 tsp coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 C brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp chopped maple cinnamon nuts, or toasted nuts
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
• Coconut oil, for frying

Method

1. In a bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, yeast, oil, and salt. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast begins to foam up. If this does not happen, dump out and begin again.
2. Stir in the flour to make a wet dough. Cover and let sit in a warm spot to rise for about an hour, until doubled in size. Punch the dough down, cover again, and allow to rest for about a half hour.
3. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, nuts, and vanilla bean seeds. Set aside.
4. Pour dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly, adding flour as needed to keep it from sticking. Cut into four evenly sized balls.
5. Take one ball of dough and flatten it in your hand. Place a heaping tablespoon of the brown sugar filling into the center of the dough, then carefully pinch the sides of the dough to the top to seal the ball. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough.
6. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add enough coconut oil to lightly cover the pan. Place one or two dough balls, seam side down, onto the hot pan.
7. Allow to cook and begin to brown, checking after 30 seconds. Flip, then press down with a spatula to flatten. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the bottom is golden brown. Flip once more, cover, and let cook for a minute to heat the center.
8. Cook the remaining dough following the same method.
9. Serve warm.

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Vegan Sweet Dessert Cream

I mentally tagged this recipe to use up the macadamia nuts I've had on hand in the freezer. Originally called "creme de la creme", this is a very rich and sweet cream, perfect for dipping berries or drizzling over cut fruit.

This recipe is super simple to make in the Vitamix; you'll need a high powered blender to break down the nuts and vanilla bean (if using) into a silky cream.

Vegan Sweet Dessert Cream

Adapted from The 30-Minute Vegan

Ingredients

• 1 C macadamia, cashew, and/or brazil nuts
• 1/2 C water
• Pinch salt
• 1/4 vanilla bean, or 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp agave nectar

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth.

Serve as dip for berries, drizzled over desserts, or spooned on oatmeal for breakfast.

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Pumpkin Pie Custard

I've been slacking and not keeping up with this blog. Pure laziness on my part, especially since I've got a small backlog of recipes to get up.

I made pumpkin custards for Thanksgiving dessert; basically crustless pumpkin pie. The filling is, after all, the part that we all scrape out from the crust. So not only is this an easier way to get more of the good stuff we all love, it's a lot easier to whip up not having to worry about a crust. These specifically were a bit hit, not only due to the lack of crust, but the allspice adds an unique flavor to the mix. I'll probably make this again in years to come!

It is crucial you bake these in a water bath in order for them to look nice! I baked one separately as a test; the custard will crack and pull apart from the sides without the water. Tastes just as great, but is definitely not as nice a presentation for your friends and family.

Pumpkin Pie Custard

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 C heavy cream
• 3/4 C milk
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1/3 C brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 6-8 ramekins with oil. Place ramekins in a large oven safe roasting pan with deep sides; this is for a water bath.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy. Add in remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
3. Fill each ramekin about 3/4 to the top. Fill the pan with hot water, then place in the oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the custard is just set. It will jiggle slightly, but this is fine. Let cool completely before serving.

These custards are so quick to make, you might find yourself making multiple batches this season. Enjoy!

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Thanksgiving Snacks and Desserts!

Happy Thanksgiving! I love this time of year because it gives me a chance to try new dessert recipes. Today is no exception.

I wanted to quickly share the desserts and snacks I made this year, most of which made an appearance at my family get together. Some recipes are my own (some yet to appear on this blog), some are adapted, and some are taken straight from other people. All, except the cinnamon cream cheese frosting, are gluten-free!

I have arranged these from most savory to sweetest.

Cranberry Apple Chutney

Vanilla Roasted Walnuts Roasted with Bacon Fat

Sparkling Cranberries

Seckel Pear Jam with Brown Sugar and Cardamom

Sweet Potato Blondies

Pumpkin Pie Custard

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Dark Chocolate Fudge with Toasted Coconut, Dried Cranberries, and Cacao Nibs

Recipes for the Sweet Potato Blondies, Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting, and Dark Chocolate Fudge coming soon!

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Diwali Sweets - Cardamom Rosewater Laddu

I had the chance to try a bunch of new Indian sweets today to celebrate Diwali. So many delicious sweets! I especially loved the cardamom in many of them.

I've had this recipe, made it several times, and really enjoy it. It's got a heavy Indian influence with flavors of cardamom, coconut, and rosewater which can be a very exciting combination if you are not accustomed to the flavors. Originally referred to as a "raw gulab jamun", this is much more like a laddu/ladoo in spices, texture, and sweetness than anything else. I recommend using a VitaMix dry blade to make the flour, otherwise you'll need to purchase the oat and coconut flour and sub in. I also really like the flavor of cardamom and don't mind larger chunks of the seed in with the balls; feel free to use ground cardamom if you want it a little more uniform.

Cardamom Rosewater Laddu

Adapted from Ani Phyo's Raw Gulab Jamun

Ingredients

• 1/2 C oat flour, from 1/2 C ground oat groats
• 3/4 C coconut flour, from 1 C ground coconut flakes
• 1/2 tsp cardamom seeds, or ground cardamom
• 1/2 C almond meal
• 1/2 C agave nectar
• 1 tbsp melted virgin coconut oil
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp rosewater

Method

1. Grind the oat and coconut flours using a VitaMix dry blade.
2. Transfer flours to a food processor, or wet blade VitaMix container. Add the remaining ingredients and slowly pulse mixture until combined. This will form a sticky dough.
3. Remove dough from food processor / blender to a bowl. With clean hands, take about 2 tbsp of dough at a time and roll into a ball. Continue until all dough is used.

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Basil Blondies

I have a coworker who lives on a farm and brings a mini farmer's market to the office every couple weeks. It's a great way to get some produce and try new things! A while back, she brought in several varieties of basil, lemon and cinnamon being some of them. Instantly my mind started spinning with ideas of how to incorporate these unique flavors into sweet treats. This is how the basil blondie came to life.

I used lemon basil which, if you've never encountered it, has a very strong lemon perfume especially after rubbing the leaves together. The flavor though is distinctly basil, however. Interestingly enough, these blondies taste like lemon and basil which is unique yet irresistible, however, I leave the recipe open ended for you to use whatever basil you have on hand and/or add lemon zest to get the lemon flavor. I also added optional white chocolate chips to this recipe, as I think it would be a great addition for some extra texture.

Basil Blondies

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 C sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 C AP flour
• 1/4 C basil, finely chopped
• 1 tsp lemon zest, optional
• 1/2 C white chocolate chips, optional

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, spray a 9"x9" glass pan with oil.
2. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter and sugar. Add in the egg, vanilla, and salt, stirring until combined.
3. Add the flour, then fold in the basil and white chocolate, if using.
4. Pour the batter into the pan, then bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and the center is set.
5. Cool on a wire rack and cut when cool.

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Sweet Basil Ice Cream

I love working in an office where people bring in fresh produce from their gardens to share, I get to try things I wouldn't normally buy! This week I got a couple varieties of basil (cinnamon, lemon) and some mint (chocolate) which I decided to incorporate into ice cream! Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams book to the rescue!

I've found Jeni's ice creams to be the best homemade recipes I've had, sweet and creamy and oh so scoopable. I've seriously stopped turning elsewhere and will instead try to adapt other recipes to her general ice cream base. I made a couple tweaks to her Sweet Basil & Honeyed Pine Nut Ice Cream from the book, even making it with chocolate mint instead of basil here. With that said, I think any variety of basil would be lovely to change up the flavor and mint would be equally fantastic.

Sweet Basil Ice Cream

Adapted from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 C milk, 2 tbsp reserved
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 1/2 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 C cream
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1/2 C basil or mint leaves, torn

Method

1. In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp milk with the cornstarch. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and salt.
2. Combine the rest of the milk, cream, corn syrup, and sugar in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a full boil and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add the cornstarch mixture, stirring well.
3. Return to heat, resume boil, and boil for 1 minute, stirring carefully. The mixture will bubble up during this time.
4. Pour the hot mixture over the cream cheese, whisking to incorporate the cream cheese. Add the basil or mint. Pour the mixture into a zip bag and submerge in ice water until cooled completely, about 30 minutes, or cool and refrigerate overnight.
5. Strain out the basil/mint and pour into an ice cream maker, following the manufacturer's instructions.

This ice cream is light and not overly sweet. The flavor of the herb comes through subtly and goes well with the sweet cream flavor, making a great summer dessert.

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Basic Fruit Crumble

I needed to quickly find a recipe to use up over-ripe peaches. Crumbles and buckles are a traditional summer fruit dessert of which are hit or miss for me. Don't get me wrong, I think they're great, it's just that I don't always want to eat sweetened fruit with an oat topping. I love the idea of this recipe because the fruit isn't overly sweetened AND I'm pretty sure it would feel at home on the table for breakfast/brunch or for dessert. It's basically just fruit and nuts so you can't go wrong!

Basic Fruit Crumble

Adapted from Paleo Peach Crumble

Ingredients

For the fruit:

• 4+ C chopped fruit and berries (enough to fill the pan)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp arrowroot powder (or substitute cornstarch or tapioca starch)
• 1 tbsp agave (to taste)

For the crumble topping:

• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 3/8 C golden raisins
• 3/8 C pecans
• 3/8 C almonds
• 1/2 - 1 tbsp agave (to taste)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x9 inch glass pan.
2. Put the fruit in the pan, mixing the different types together for an even distribution, if applicable. Toss the fruit with the agave and cinnamon.
3. In a food processor, combine all the crumble ingredients and process until blended well.
4. Drop the crumble topping in small chunks over the fruit. Bake for about 30 minutes until the topping is lightly browned.

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Summer Berry Shake

There's nothing like fresh summer berries, whether plucked from the vine by hand or purchased at a farmer's market. Raspberries have always been one of my favorite berries and I can never get enough of them. I picked some up at the farmer's market over the weekend and man are they good!

This recipe is based on one I discovered a couple years ago, the origins of which I cannot remember. I always used frozen strawberries to make it, but adapted it to use fresh (non-frozen) fruit and of course, raspberries. Feel free to use whatever berries you like and/or have on hand. If using frozen, replace the ice with an equal part of water. It makes an excellent light snack or dessert.

Summer Berry Shake

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb berries (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, etc)
• 3-4 pitted dates
• Pinch salt
• 1 C water
• 1 C ice
• 1/4 vanilla bean or 1/4 tsp vanilla, optional

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend at highest speed until smooth.
2. Taste and adjust for sweetness (dates) and consistency (water/ice).

Makes 2 servings.

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Strawberry Black Pepper Dessert Sauce

I saw mention of a strawberry black pepper jam in ice cream last week which lead me to make it into a dessert sauce, perfect for spooning over vanilla ice cream. I originally had the idea of swirling it into the ice cream before freezing, but honestly I think I like the idea of a separate sauce better. Much more versatile for spooning over ice cream, yogurt, cakes, etc.

Strawberry Black Pepper Dessert Sauce

Strawberry Black Pepper Dessert Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 C strawberry jam
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• 1/4 C water
• Optional, splash of balsamic vinegar

Method

1. Bring all ingredients to a boil over medium heat.
2. If sauce is too thin at this point, reduce heat and simmer until desired consistency is reached.
3. Serve warm.

Makes 1/2 cup.

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Jeni's Splendid Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Is it just me or does "artisan" ice cream seem to be one of the next big things? It's nearly summer, so it only makes sense that people are starting out their old machines to try a new recipe or taking a trip to a local scoop shop.

I'm on the bandwagon now too...after hearing such great things about Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home cookbook and scoop shops in Ohio, I had to check it out. I got the cookbook from the library, gathered the ingredients, and set out to make a simple vanilla bean ice cream, a true litmus test for any ice cream recipe.

Let me make something very clear: it doesn't matter if you're on a diet or a diehard Breyer's fan or whatever the excuse may be. You must try this ice cream! It is hands down, the best ice cream I've ever had. It's super creamy and rich, full of flavor (the cream, the vanilla, the sweetness), and simply heaven in scoop form!

Jeni's Ugandan Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Find a scoop shop or where to buy in your area: Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

Buy the book: Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home

Try some recipes (click through): How to Make Ice Cream Like an Artisan

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Vietnamese Coconut Tapioca "Soup" Pudding

I never seem to remember how much I love tapioca puddings. I think it's the texture that makes it so appealing for me personally. A local Vietnamese sandwich shop frequently has a delicious coconut tapioca pudding with bananas, only it's not firm like the tapioca puddings I'm used to; it's much more loose/watery. I finally got around to making my own tonight!

Coconut Tapioca "Soup" Pudding

Coconut Tapioca "Soup" Pudding (Che Chuoi)

Adapted from myRecipes and Food Network

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 C water
• 1 14oz can coconut milk
• 6 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 C small tapioca pearls
• 2 large bananas

Method

1. In a medium sized saucepan, combine the water and coconut milk and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add in sugar, salt, and tapioca pearls, stirring to prevent the tapioca from clumping.
2. Turn heat down to low and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up tapioca pearls.
3. Halve each banana and cut into small 1/4" pieces. Add banana to the pan. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes.

Serve tapioca warm or chill in fridge and serve cold.

I cut down on the sugar, but I think next time I will try with even less sugar, using perhaps 1/4 cup in total. I think this would also be divine served hot with a float of coconut cream over the top.
Update: As this chills, it gets pretty thick and is no longer "soup" like. So if you'd like a more loose pudding when cool, use half the amount of tapioca.

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Banana Cake

When I heard Momofuku had released a baking cookbook (momofuku milk bar), I had to check it out from the library. I love Momofuku for their compost cookie recipe and was curious to try out something new. Of all their recipes, Banana Cake seemed most accessible, plus I had super ripe bananas ready to be used! I made the recipe by weight, not wanting to dirty several measuring cups and spoons along the way. I also made a couple substitutions, my version below.

Banana Cake

Ingredients

• 85 g butter, softened
• 200 g sugar
• 1 egg
• 110 g buttermilk
• 20 g coconut oil, melted
• 2 g vanilla
• 225 g (about 2) ripe bananas
• 225 g all purpose flour
• 3 g baking powder
• 3 g baking soda
• 2 g salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a baking pan (approx. 9" x 11" works).
2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy and light in color. Add the egg and mix completely.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, then slowly add to mixer. Mix at medium speed for about 5 minutes, until fluffy and fully incorporated.
4. Add banana at low speed.
5. Add remaining ingredients on low until just incorporated.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing out the surface and tapping on counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until cake is puffy and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool before slicing.

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zucchini brownies

It's zucchini time again. This year I've been over run with them from my CSA, definitely something I wasn't expecting. I was out-zucchini'd week one when I tried them lightly marinated in a vinaigrette which was too reminiscent of recipes I've had for several years. And then I saw a link to a recipe for zucchini brownies! Being a chocoholic, I couldn't resist.

I took my favorite parts from two recipes and made a couple of my own additions and they turned out great! Moist and a tad bit chewy, just how I like them :) These things are highly addicting, I basically ate a third of a pan in the span of an afternoon. Beware!

Zucchini Brownies

1/2 C vegetable oil

1 1/2 C sugar

1 tbsp vanilla

1/4 C cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp fresh ground cardamom

2 C grated zucchini

1 C almond flour

1 C AP flour

1 1/2 C chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large glass baking dish with oil and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except the flours and chocolate chips until well blended.
3. Fold in flours, then chocolate chips.
4. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Next time I make these, I will try using all almond flour, as this gave it a nice density and texture. This would make it egg and gluten free, and just a couple tweaks away from being vegan!

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Avocado Chocolate Pudding

You know those recipes that you aren't entirely sure of, but you go against your gut instinct and make it anyway, hoping you'll be proven wrong? Well, as a general rule, I used to think avocado should never go near anything sweet or dessert like until this raspberry ganache fudge cake came into my life. So I gave a vanilla pudding recipe, made from avocado, a shot and that was a big mistake. But I turned it into a pretty yummy chocolate pudding recipe.


Avocado Chocolate Pudding

1 medium avocado
3+ tbsp carob or cacao powder, to taste
1 tbsp vanilla
3 tbsp agave nectar
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 C cold water

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth.


The avocado makes this pudding rich and decadent and the blending makes it nice and light!

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my fudge is better than yours.

Ahh, the Christmas season is upon us. Technically, I suppose it has been for a while now. And with it comes all the cookies, cakes, and candies with which to stuff ourselves and then go back for round two.

A while back I saw this recipe for candied bacon fudge and I knew I just had to make it. While bacon desserts are not normally something I tend to cover, I have made bacon cookies as well as chocolate covered bacon (not too different from this fudge, I realize). This stuff is delicious. Life altering. Sweet. Salty. Satisfying. Just generally awesome.

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an unintentional hiatus

I've been meaning to post something in the past two months, I promise. I'd like to think that things got crazy, but really I got lazy. I've got a growing stack of recipes, but my latest cooking expedition is what really got me on here. If you read the 101 Cookbooks blog, no doubt you saw these chocolate puddle cookies inspired by Nuvrei bakery in Portland's Pearl District.

I just made a half batch of them...and wow. I can't tell if the cookies are overly sweet or not. It's honestly hard to tell. The outside has a slight crunch and inside is a delicious, chocolatey cookie studded with walnuts. A bit rich on their own, pair them with a glass of milk and you'll go back for at least one more. I know I did.

The cookies are really easy to make, though you might not have all the ingredients on hand (who has three cups of walnuts or a pound of powdered sugar laying around?), but I think its worth planning for. And the best part? This is the first cookie recipe I've made in a while that came out perfectly in the first batch! I'll definitely be making these again :)

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chocolate covered marshmallows

Another post about David Lebovitz...I think I mentioned his marshmallows last winter as well. If you've never had homemade marshmallows, you seriously need to try them. They are so much better than those rubbery store bought ones (though those little guys toast up very nicely), and a breeze to make in an afternoon.

For an added twist, I did some chocolate covered marshmallows as well this year! My first attempt at tempering chocolate wasn't a total disaster, though I admit it wasn't a total success either. Tempering chocolate is a pretty exact science, here are some resources:

Cooking for Engineers
David Lebovitz (of course)

Once I tempered my chocolate, I dunked the marshmallows in a few at a time until well coated, then put them on a rack to fully dry. These sure make a nice gift!

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