Sweets

Coconut Almond Macaroons with Chocolate Ganache

(makes 15 medium-sized macaroons)

1 – 14 ounce bag of sweetened flake coconut

2/3 C flour

½ t salt

2/3 C almond slices, toasted

1 – 14 ounce can of condensed milk

1 t vanilla

Combine coconut, flour and salt in a mixing bowl and mix well with your hands. Break up clumps of coconut. Add almonds and gently mix. Try to keep almonds from breaking. Add condensed milk and vanilla. Pour vanilla over condensed milk. Mix well using a “folding type” motion. Lift from the bottom of the bowl up. Once blended, portion batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet using an ice cream scoop. Don’t pack the scoop. Just use it as a form. (Tip: spray your baking sheet with non-stick baking spray first and then press parchment onto baking sheet. Acts like “glue”.)

Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 15 minutes. Rotate and bake another 15 minutes or so or until golden brown. Careful when opening the oven door as coconut smell can burn your eyes. Remove macaroons to a cooling rack. Before serving, dip the tops of the macaroons into chocolate ganache. These satisfy chocoholics and coco NUTS. The chocolate ganache is always best dipped fresh. Store macaroons without sauce. Then, dip before you serve.

Bourbon Sauce

2 C sugar

2 sticks butter, melted

4 egg yolks

2/3 C bourbon

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add sugar and melted butter. Using the whisk attachment, whisk melted butter and sugar until well combined. With machine running on slow speed, drop in egg yolks one at a time. Whisk well after each addition. With machine on low speed, slowly pour in bourbon. Once it is well incorporated, increase speed and whisk on medium high for several minutes until the mixture is very smooth and has increased in volume. It should be thicker and very smooth. Store sauce in refrigerator. Let sauce come to room temperature before serving. Spoon bourbon sauce over bread pudding and heat in the microwave on full power for 45 seconds. Add whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Recipe can be cut in half.

White Chocolate Apricot Bread Pudding

(makes 16 portions)

12 large croissants, torn into small pieces

1 and 1/3 C sugar

2/3 C flour

2 T baking powder

1 t salt

1 t cinnamon

1 C diced apricots

1 C white chocolate chips

8 eggs

4 t vanilla

2 T brandy

Zest of 1 orange

4 C half and half

2 sticks butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Whisk to combine. Add diced apricots and white chocolate chips. Whisk to combine making sure that apricots are not clumping together. Add croissant pieces to the flour mix and stir to combine. Hands work well here too. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, vanilla, brandy and orange zest. Whisk well. Add half and half to the egg mixture and whisk again to fully blend. Pour egg mixture over the croissant mix. Pour melted butter into the bowl and get your hands dirty – squeezing and mixing the batter really well. Sometimes your impeccably clean hands are the best tools for getting the job done. Press plastic wrap directly on top of the batter and store in the refrigerator for 4 – 5 hours. Preparing the batter a day ahead is best. Portion the batter into soufflé cups that have been sprayed with non-stick baking spray. I used an 8 ounce soufflé cup. Place soufflé cups on a cookie sheet and place into a 350 degree preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes, rotate and bake for an additional 20 -25 minutes more. The tops should be golden brown in color. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow bread pudding to fully cool before removing from the cups. For serving, rewarm in a 250 degree oven for 15 minutes. Spoon warm bourbon sauce over bread pudding and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. For many customers, this is their favorite bread pudding of all!

This recipe can be cut in half.

Chocolate Chunk Pecan Cookies

Get organized!

(makes 20 large cookies)

2 ½ C flour

2 t baking soda

¼ t salt

2 ½ C chocolate chunks

1 ½ C pecan pieces, toasted

2 sticks butter, soft

1 ¾ C brown sugar

¼ C sugar

1 ½ t vanilla

2 eggs

In a bowl, combine flour, soda and salt. Whisk to incorporate. Add chocolate and pecans to the flour mix and evenly coat.

In a stand mixer bowl, add butter and both sugars. Beat well with paddle attachment until lightened and well blended. Combine eggs and vanilla in a pourable container. With machine on low, add eggs and vanilla slowly. Once blended in, adjust speed higher and beat until an “icing like” consistency is achieved. Reduce to lowest speed and spoon in flour mix and blend well. You can finish with a spoonula.

Portion out cookies onto a cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop. Chill. Once chilled, place cookies onto a cookie sheet prepared with baking spray and place into a 350 degree preheated oven. Cook for 15 minutes, rotate pan and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes. After removing cookies from the oven, “thwack” the cookie sheet on the edge of the counter to deflate and create cracks. Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Unused dough portions are good for several days in the fridge or several weeks in the freezer.

KEY LIME TART

(8-10 slices)

1 stick butter, melted

1 ½ C graham cracker crumbs

½ C shredded coconut

¼ C sugar plus 1 T

6 egg yolks

Zest from 1 large lime, or 2 small

¾ C fresh squeezed lime juice

You better love this person.

1 ½ cans sweetened condensed milk

Whipped cream

Raspberries

Spray a 10-inch tart pan with baking spray. In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, coconut and sugar. Add melted butter and mix. Stir well and press crumbs into the tart pan. Spread evenly. Press crumbs up onto the sides. Using a measuring cup, press the crumb mix into the pan. Note pictures. Bake the shell in a preheated 300 degree oven for 10 minutes. Rotate and bake for another 6-8 minutes or until nicely browned. Careful not to burn. Remove from oven and cool.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the yolks and beat on a high speed using the whisk attachment. Once yolks are very smooth and slightly volumized, add zest. Continue to mix to evenly distribute the zest. You will have to remove the whisk once or twice and tap it on the side of the bowl to release the zest. Add lime juice. Slowly blend in. As lime juice incorporates, increase the speed to achieve a smooth mix. Add condensed milk and blend until smooth. Pour batter into prepared crust and return to the preheated 300 degree oven. Bake for 12 minutes, rotate and bake for another 12 minutes. Pie will be set. No middle jiggle! Remove from oven and allow cooling at room temperature. Once thoroughly cooled, place in a storage container and refrigerate until completely chilled. Overnight is best. Definitely can be a day ahead dessert. Cut tart into 10 regular-sized pieces or 8 large. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh raspberries.

Chocolate Ganache

1 C heavy cream

¼ C corn syrup

Pinch of salt

1 C bittersweet chocolate chips

1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 T instant espresso powder

In a microwavable bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir to mix and microwave for 4 minutes on medium power. Some pieces of chocolate may not be completely melted. Residual heat will continue to melt the chocolate as you slowly stir the mix. Continue to stir until a smooth pourable consistency is achieved. Pour over buttermilk chocolate cake. Leftover ganache can be stored in the refrigerator. Reheat slowly over simmering water or on low power for short intervals in the microwave. Also great on ice cream, chocolate dipped shortbread, strawberries and drizzled over orange chocolate chip scones.

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache

2 C flour

2 C sugar

1 t baking soda

2 sticks unsalted butter

¼ C cocoa powder

1 t instant espresso powder

1 C filtered water

2 eggs

½ C buttermilk

1 t vanilla

I call this 2 bowl baking. Super simple. Always moist and delicious. Combine flour, sugar and soda in a bowl and whisk ingredients together. In a microwavable bowl, add butter, cocoa, espresso powder and water. Microwave for 5 minutes on 50% power. Stir mix until butter is completely melted and the mix is well integrated. Add the dry mix to the butter bowl and slowly whisk to incorporate. NO over-mixing. Add the remaining ingredients, one at a time, incorporating after each addition. The batter is pretty loose. Pour mix into a prepared 10 inch by 2 inch cake pan and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Rotate pan and cook for another 20 minutes or until the cake is pulling away from the sides of the pan and the top is just set to the touch. Allow the cake to cool about 20 minutes before removing from the pan. Once completely cooled, drizzle chocolate ganache over the cake.

For pan preparation: Trace the bottom of the pan onto a piece of parchment paper. Cut your circle to the inside of your tracing line. Spray the inside of the cake pan with non-stick spray. Insert the parchment circle and press down completely. Flour the sides lightly shaking off any excess flour.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

(makes 30 medium sized cookies)

1 1/3 C flour

½ t baking powder

1 ½ t baking soda

1 t cinnamon

½ t salt

2 C old fashioned oats

2 C quick cooking oats

¾ C coconut

½ C golden raisins

½ C dried cranberries

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 c light brown sugar

¾ C sugar

2 extra large eggs, room temperature

2 t vanilla

¼ C half & half

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt. Add both oats, coconut, golden raisins and dried cranberries. Break up raisins and cranberries making sure they get coated with flour mix. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter and sugars and cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix in well. Add half and half and mix well. With the mixer on low speed, spoon flour mix into the butter mix. Finish incorporating with a large spoonula. 😉

Using a 1 1/3 ounce ice cream scoop, scoop out batter onto a cookie sheet prepared with non-stick baking spray. Chill cookie balls in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or so. Once the dough has firmed up, place cookies in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 13 minutes. Rotate pan and continue to bake for another 13 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove cookies from oven and place on a cooling rack. I like a crispy exterior with some chewiness in the middle. You can store chilled dough in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer longer. Several weeks. When you have the time, make some dough, portion it, freeze it and then bake it off when you need cookies for a special occasion.