Passion Fruit Pudding

A few weeks ago I attempted making a passion fruit pudding for the second time. While it was a better effort than my first time (I didn't cook the mixture long enough, so it was more of a cream than a pudding), it wasn't passion fruity enough for me. I used store bought passion fruit juice which is great for drinking, but it felt like a watered down version of passion fruit when using in a recipe. I knew instantly that I needed to use real passion fruit and extract the pulp myself in order to get that pungent tart flavor I wanted in the pudding.

Luckily as I was perusing the aisles at Whole Foods this afternoon, I saw in a small corner a basket full of Passion Fruit! I picked up half a dozen and as soon  as I got home, I made fresh juice! If you've never seen or opened a Passion fruit, its kinda creepy looking. The pulp is gooey and filled with black seeds. Similar to pomegranate, you can eat the seeds too. I first scooped out the pulp and sieved it to allow all fresh juice into a bowl. With the remaining pulp I put in the food processor with the juice of 1 lime and blended for about 30 seconds. Sieve into the bowl to extract all the seeds. Set aside.

Ingredients:
3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
Juice of 6 passion fruit (see above)

In a sauce pan, heat 2 cups of the milk and bring to a boil. While the milk is warming up, in a heat proof bowl mix the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Make sure there are no clumps. Slowly add the remaining cup of milk to the mixture, beating constantly to ensure that you have a smoothe mixture. Add the egg into this mixture. Once the milk comes to a boil, remove from heat and slowly add into the other mixture.

You want to temper the remaining of the milk/cornstarch/egg mixture SLOWLY, so you don't end up "scrambling" the egg. Once you have it all mixed, return to the sauce pan and cook until it simmers. Add the vanilla extract and the fresh Passion Fruit Juice. Turn the heat off and continue mixing until the its got a creamy consistency. Pour into serving dishes and refrigerate for 3-4 hours before consuming.

Polvorones

Polvorones are one of my favorite treats I almost always get when I go to Puerto Rico, particularly during the holidays. The best way to describe them are as crumbly almond cookies, similar to a shortbread cookie but with a sharper nut flavor brought in by the use of almond meal mixed with the butter, flour, powdered sugar and other spices. Almond meal is also gives this cookies their wonderful "crumby" texture.

For those who are unsure as to what almond meal is: its' essentially finely ground almonds. Not to be confused with Almond Flour (which you can get if you sift the meal), nor by grinding the almonds to the point of extracting too many oils from them and creating Almond butter. 

Some of my favorite Polvorones are from Sweet Ann Cakes, a local bakery that sells to many supermarkets and even have small kiosks in the malls. Since I was making holiday cookies in lieu of gifts for my co-workers, I instantly knew I had to include these delectable treats. In all honesty, they were my first time baking them, and will definitely not be my last!

Ingredients:

16 tbsp butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup confectioners sugar, sifted

1 tsp vanilla extract

Zest of 1 orange

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup almond meal

In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter for around 1 minute. Slowly add the confectioners sugar until it is light and fluffy, this will take about 3-5 minutes, depending on the speed of your mixer. Add the vanilla and orange zest.

Sift the flour, and remaining spices and then blend with the almond meal. Add this dry mixture all at once to the butter mixture and gently stir until is fully incorporated into the butter mixture, but be sure not to over mix.

Form a large disc of the dough, and wrap well in plastic to refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Scoop the dough into tablespoons and roll into a ball and place on the cookie sheet, approximately 2 inches apart. Lightly press down on the dough with a spoon dipped in flour to form a 1/2" disk. Bake until the edges are lightly golden about 15 minutes.

As soon as you remove them from the oven and they are still warm, sprinkle generously with sifted confectioners sugar.  

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

One of my all time favorite cookies are Peanut Butter cookies. I always loved making the very traditional crispy yet chewy kinds that have you make the checkered pattern with a fork. I always loved going to parties where they made the classic cookie but topped with a Hershey Kiss. So this year, when I came across Candy Cane flavored Hershey Kisses, that I instantly thought of making these treats, but with a minty twist.

Before I actually got to baking them I decided I must test out the Kisses to make sure they weren't too minty. Actually the taste was a perfect blend of white chocolate with miniature pieces of candy cane inside. The mint taste was subtle enough that I knew they would work as a perfect topping for a classic peanut butter cookie.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 package Hersey Kisses (flavor optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Get you baking sheet ready by lining it with wax paper. In  a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix together and set aside.

In a large bowl mix the room temperature butter with both sugars until fully mixed. Add the milk and vanilla and mix until just incorporated. Add the flour mixture in small batches until all fully blended. Add peanut butter and mix. I used the crunchy kinda which I loved the added texture, but feel free to use smooth.

Roll dough into 1" balls and set about 2" apart. (You can coat with extra sugar but I opted not to). Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Top with a Hershey Kiss about 1 minute after its been out of the oven. Careful, since the chocolates tend to melt! I've had to replace the chocolates many times as I eagerly put the Kiss way too early!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

They say to never judge a book by its cover. How about judging a food by its name? I may be crazy to have listened to my mother, as I did by not eating a Sloppy Joe until a few years ago, and in this case not eating Whoopie Pie's until last year! In all fairness, I had only tried 2 or 3 flavors prior to baking these, but as soon as I tried them I was instantly smitten. For those of you out there, who like my mother are put off by certain words you may have a bias against, such as whoopie (possibly by associating this word with these);  and have never tried one of these delicious treats; a whoopie pie is the perfect mixture of a soft cookie sandwich, but with a cake consistency- so lets' just say its a cupcake-cookie sandwich. 

With fall swiftly approaching, I had been itching to bake something pumpkin flavored. I eventually stumbled upon this recipe, and knew it was the perfect recipe to satisfy my pumpkin craving. Even though they turned out great, I'll definitely be purchasing this mold before I make my next batch.

Cake Mixture:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cardamon
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
Pumpkin seeds, as garnish

 Pre-heat oven to 350 F. In a medium to large bowl sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix well and set aside. In a large mixing bowl blend the softened butter with both sugars. Then add the egg, vanilla and pumpkin (I measured out of a 15 oz can). Mix for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Slowly add the dry blend at a low speed until all is fully mixed.

To get similar sizes for each layer, use an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon (measure spoon) onto parchment paper. Make sure to leave enough space between each for them to expand as they are baking. If you want to add the pumpkin seed garnish, put 3-4 over the top. Bake for about 15 minutes. Let cool.

Filling:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup whipped cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar-sifted
1/2 tsp maple syrup

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Once the butter is at room temperature, beat the butter with the cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar and blend well. If its too dry add a tsp sugar. Add maple syrup vanilla and cinnamon and beat for 1 minute.

Quick & Easy Chocolate Mousse

For a few weeks I've been craving chocolate pudding, so I've been reading up several recipes and I couldn't decide which one to try out. Finally I ended up seeing this recipe for chocolate mousse, but it seemed so easy that I couldn't resist but to try it out immediately. 

While the flavor was good, I didn't like the texture I ended up with, at all. Partly may have been that I used good quality bar chocolate versus chocolate chips, but I the blender didn't get me that silky and creamy texture I was yearning for, but I enjoy the flavor. So I gave the recipe another go, but this time decided to spend an extra 5-10 minutes melting the chocolate over a double boiler. If you don't have an actual double boiler, which I don't, simply put a little water into a small saucepan and put a bowl over it, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Once the chocolate was fully melted and smooth I transferred to the blender and proceeded with the original recipe. The result once they set in the fridge for a couple hours, simply amazing. 

The other thing I did differently was use a blend of chocolate. As much as I love dark chocolate, I don't always want that rich taste. So I used about 6 oz milk chocolate and 1 oz dark chocolate with mint! The result: Amazing! The mixture was generously chocolaty flavored, but fresh and crisp from the mint. Better yet it was light and smooth, but also gave me the sense of a perfect hybrid between a mousse and pudding, which is exactly what I wanted in the first place!

Ingredients:

7 oz chocolate

1/4 cup boiling water

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 egg



Melt the chocolate over a double boiler. Once fully melted pour into a blender. Add the boiling water and blend for 10-15 seconds. Add remaining ingredients and blend for another 15 seconds. Pour into dessert dishes and refrigerate until they are set, usually around 2-3 hours. If you're patient enough, they are even better the next day.

Chocolate Brownies

I've always loved easy to grab desserts such as cookies and brownies. What's not to love about them? I've been pretty consistent at making pretty great cookies for most of my life (as its noted in my profile!), but I've always had issues with brownies.

I have tried several brownie recipes from scratch and either came up with overly gooey brownies that looked more like fudge, or other recipes that yielded dry, crumbly cakey brownies. All this failure making brownies constantly had me turn into the boxed versions to get the consistency that I always yearned for. That is until I came accross this recipe. I had seen several other blogs comment on this Bon Appetite recipe for what may of them called "The Best" brownies ever. 

So I tried them, and I most definitely agree, these are THE BEST brownies I've ever made! I followed most of the recipe, the only difference is I didn't add any walnuts. I also added some course kosher salt sprinkled on top prior to baking. I highly encourage you to try this recipe out, I've made them 3 times, and they NEVER last more than a few hours! They are everything you want in a brownie too, they are soft inside, slighly chewey and most importantly heavenly chocolatey!

Ingredients:

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

10 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, chilled

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour

Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 325°F. Line 8x8 or 7x11  inch metal baking pan with foil, pressing foil firmly against pan sides and leaving 2-inch overhang. Coat foil with nonstick spray. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at bottom of pan, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; immediately add sugar, cocoa, 2 teaspoons water, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt. Stir to blend.

Let cool 5 minutes (mixture will still be hot). Add eggs to hot mixture 1 at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition. When mixture looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended. Beat vigorously 60 strokes. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Sprinkle a little coarse kosher salt over the mixture. Bake for 25 minutes. Make sure to let cool for several hours before cutting into squares.

Limber de Coco (Coconut Cream Popsicles)

One of my favorite things to eat while we visited my grandmother every summer in Puerto Rico, were her next- door neighbors limbers. A limber, is essentially a flavored ice pop, but my favorite has always been coconut. Traditionally they are not poured in actual ice pop molds, but made in either ice cube molds or it dixie cups. These popsicles are different to most, as they are a little creamy, with little bits of coconut texture without being overwhelmed by the coconut flakes. They also include cinnamon which should almost always go hand in had with anything coconut flavored.

Ingredients:

1 can evaporated milk
1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup shredded coconut flakes

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

Place all ingredients into a blender. Don't add any ice, these are NOT daiquiris' as we'll be freezing them over night. Blend on medium for about 3 minutes. Make sure that the coconut flakes have broken down, this helps get a creamier texture. Pour thru a sieve, to have a smooth but creamy texture and pour into Popsicle molds. (Feel free to use plastic dixie cups or ice cubes too!)

If you want an "adult" version of these you could always add a tbsp of rum as a decadent treat! And if you're concerned about the waistline, feel free to use fat free or low fat options for the evaporated milk and coconut milk.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

It wasn't until Memorial Day weekend last year that I had any idea what a Rhubarb was. I had frequently read various recipes for deserts that showcased the ingredient but just had no idea whatsoever what it was. I had no clue as to its color, taste or texture, until an aunt made a similar crisp while we spent a weekend visiting. For those of you who are as clueless as I was, a rhubarb basically looks like celery, but red! Its natrually very tart, which is why its often paired with strawberries, and a healthy dose of sugar (otherwise, very hard to eat).

Below is my own adaptation of this easy and perfectly suitable desert for any spring or summertime gathering. Let's face it, crumbles are not necesarily the "prettiest" looking desserts, but they are so easy to make, and make as many variations as you please. Once you try this recipe,believe me you'll be craving it year round!

Filling:

1 1/2" cups rhubarb cut into 1" pieces
3 cups strawberries cut same to same size
1/3 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 tspn of cinnamon and nutmeg
1 Tspn cornstarch

1 tbsn Triple Sec

First you want to cut the rhubarb and strawberries into equal sizes, preferably bite sized so 1/2" to 1" tops. Set aside. In medium bowl add the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and cornstarch and Triple Sec (organge based liquor). Mix well and add the fruit mixture. Mix gently until the fruit becomes well coated in the mixture. Place in 9" pie dish or in small rammekins if you prefer to do individual portions.
 

Topping:
1/3 cup flour
3/4 cup oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 tbsp melted butter
1/2 tspn cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg

I mix the dry ingredients, then add the melted butter and mix all together. Place over fruit filling mixture.

Bake in oven at 350 for approximately 35-45 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Serve warm or to room temperature with your favorite vanilla ice cream.

Blueberry Crumb Bars

I love blueberries. I eat them with breakfast several times a week and love making any type of desserts with them. Last summer was all about the crumbles and the crisps as easy toppings for fruit based desserts, but that was before I found this recipe which I made almost immediately and have made it several times. I love that when baked it forms the perfect base for the bars and you still get some of the crumbly texture on top.

At my weekly "cooking club" class this week we decided to make these bars, but instead of making in a pan we decided to use a Cupcake Pan for the perfect individual portion. These make great desserts and are equally as satisfying in the morning!

Ingredients:
Crumb Mixture

1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks or 8 ounces)
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Blueberry Mixture

Zest and juice of one lemon
4 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9×13 inch pan or cupcake pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl or food processor, stir together cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg.( I prefer to use a food processor. Makes the dough in a minute!) The dough will be light and crumbly. Try to separate the dough in two equal parts.Pat half of dough somewhat tightly into the pans, as this will serve as the base of your bars.

In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown.  Cool completely before cutting into squares or removing from individual molds.

Banana Bread

One of my favorite meals has always been breakfast. I rarely ever skip this meal, and when I do, trust me...steer clear! Whenever we have large groups of people staying over for a weekend, its inevitable that people wake up at the exact same time for brunch. Muffing and breads are a great way for the early birds to "hold over" prior to the main meal. I had every intention of doing this recipe this past weekend when we had 18 people over! (But I too, didn't wake early enough to have it done...next time!)

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup butter

2 eggs
1Cup white sugar
1 Tsp. vanilla extract
1 Cup ripe mashed bananas
1 Tsp. cinnamon
1 Tsp. baking soda
1/2 Tsp. salt
1/2 Cup Creme Fraiche
1 1/2 Cup sifted flour
1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts & or 1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips


Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl mix together the butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla in a bowl and mix until creamy. Add mashed bananas, cinnamon and mix well. (Try not to over mash the banana's, they add great texture). Next add the baking soda, salt, creme fraiche and sifted flour until all smooth. Stir in walnuts or chocolate chips if you are using (a combination of the 2 is also great!).

Grease a loaf pan. I like to slightly coat the pan with a sugar and cinnamon mixture so it creates a nice crust to the edges of each slice. Pour into the pan and bake at 350 F for 1 hour or until you insert a tooth pick/skewer and it comes out clean.

I've made several recipes for banana bread, and this version with the creme fraiche (you can also substitute sour cream) is the best. Its moist and simply delicious; or should i say... Zelicious!