by Kathy Douglas | Oct 26, 2021 | Desserts, Holiday
Slay your Halloween with this fun dessert. While they look ghoulish, these pumpkin and white chocolate mini cheesecakes are quite delicious. We used Wilton Blood Red Syrup and mini Candy Knives to add a spooky finishing touch. This recipe uses a scale to measure in grams for accuracy.
INGREDIENTS
For the Crust
115 g Graham cracker crumbs
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
43 g unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling
114 g white chocolate, chopped, melted
270 g cream cheese
2 eggs
35 g pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
100 g pumpkin purée
1/4 cup sour cream
For the Topping
114 g white chocolate, chopped, melted
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Decorations
Wilton Blood Red Syrup
Wilton Candy Knives and Hatchets Set
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line the bottom of six mini springform pans with parchment. Butter the parchment and the sides of the pans.
To make the crust – Mix all the ingredients of the crust together. Divide the mixture between the mini cheesecake pans and press it into the bottom of the pan to form the crust. Place on a sheet tray in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 325℉.
To make the filling – Using a stand mixer on medium low, cream the cream cheese with the melted white chocolate and then add the eggs one at a time, mixing to combine completelyafter each addition. In a small bowl combine the maple syrup, spices, pumpkin purée and sour cream. Add to the cream cheese mixture and stir until completely combined.
Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Place on a sheet tray in the oven and bake at for 25-30 minutes until set. Remove and set aside, leaving the oven on.
To make the topping – Whisk together all of the topping ingredients and pour an equal amount over the cheesecakes, spreading evenly. Place back in the oven and bake at 325℉ for 10 minutes more to set the topping.
Remove and cool completely in the springform pans. When completely cool, run a knife around the edge of the springform plans to loosen, then refrigerate in the pans covered overnight.
After chilling overnight, remove from the springform pans and decorate with Halloween syrup and candy knives. Refrigerate until 30 minutes before serving.
by Kathy Douglas | Oct 5, 2021 | Desserts, Holiday
The flavors of chocolate and pumpkin taste delicious together. And, we love the Halloween vibe of our dark Chocolate Brownie cups filled with Pumpkin Mousse and topped with a cute little Williams Sonoma marshmallow pumpkin.
You will need a brownie bowl pan and mini pumpkin marshmallows to make this dessert. Both are available at Williams Sonoma. If your brownie pan didn’t come with a recipe, here is a simple one below.
Basic Brownie Bowl Recipe
Makes 6 bowls using special equipment – 6-well pan, Brownie Ice Cream Bowl
INGREDIENTS
Softened butter for brownie pan
2/3 cup Dutch processed cocoa
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon expresso powder
1/2 cup grape seed oil
2 tablespoons water
3 large eggs
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the wells of a brownie bowl pan using softened butter.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugars, salt, flour, and espresso powder.
Mix well the oil, and eggs, add to the dry ingredients mixing until combined. Scoop 2/3 cup of the mixture into each of the wells of the pan. Tap the pan on the counter to remove excess air.
Bake the brownie bowls for 25 to 30 minutes, testing for doneness. Remove the brownies from the oven, cool them in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn them out of the pan on a rack to cool for 1 hour. Store on the counter, covered, until ready to finish.
Pumpkin mousse
INGREDIENTS
½ cup sugar
7-½ ounces (½ can) canned pumpkin
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1½ cups heavy cream
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 marshmallow pumpkins
INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, pumpkin and spices. Stir continuously with wooden spoon over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, just until the sugar melts.
Transfer to a bowl and set the bowl over ice to cool.
Using an electric mixer, whip the cream with the salt and vanilla until soft peaks form.
Very gently stir into the cooled pumpkin mixture, mixing until the white streaks just disappear. Place the mousse in a large piping bag fitted with an open tip. Fill the brownie wells with the mousse and chill until set. Just before serving, top each mousse filled brownie with a marshmallow pumpkin.
by Kathy Douglas | Sep 28, 2021 | Desserts
Seasonal fall fruit makes the best desserts! Yummy fresh baby figs and almonds are combined in these upside-down mini-cakes that are topped with a delicious orange caramel sauce. It’s a delicious way to start fall. For accuracy, this recipe is in grams and requires a kitchen scale.
INGREDIENTS
For the topping
113g unsalted butter; more for the pan
2 small oranges, juiced and zested
264g granulated sugar
Pinch salt
12 very small fresh figs, sliced in half
43g sliced almonds, toasted
For the cakes
57 g sliced almonds, toasted
180 g. unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
113 g. unsalted butter, softened
132 g. granulated sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
227 g. sour cream, at room temperature
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the topping
Butter 6 mini round springform pans. Line the bottoms with parchment and butter the parchment.
Using a rasp grater, finely grate 1 tablespoon zest from 2 oranges, set aside. Halve the oranges and squeeze to yield 1/3 cup juice.
To make a caramel sauce, combine 113g butter, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan and whisk over medium heat, until the sugar melts and the mixture darkens. Carefully add the orange juice, it will bubble and splatter. Whisk until combined and no lumps remain. Remove from the heat. Let the caramel sit to cool slightly.
Decoratively arrange, cut side down, four of the mini fig halves on the bottom parchment for each cake. Crush the almonds and sprinkle between the figs. Using half of the caramel sauce, evenly pour over the figs and almonds in the six cakes. Set the other half of the caramel aside.
Make the cake
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325°F.
Add the toasted almonds to a food processor. Pulse until finely ground. Add to a medium bowl and combine with the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the orange zest and the almond extract, and mix until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour in 3 additions and the sour cream in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until just combined after each addition.
Evenly scoop the batter into the prepared cake pans without disturbing the topping. Smooth the surface. Tap the pans firmly against the counter once or twice to remove any air bubbles.
Bake 25 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool the cakes on a rack for 10 minutes then run a knife around the edge of each cake torelease them from side of the pan. Remove the springform ring on each cake. Invert the cake onto rack. Remove the bottom and parchment, and rearrange any fig or nuts that have stuck to the parchment. Cool completely.
When serving, reheat the remaining caramel sauce. Brush lightly over the top of the cakes and serve with any extra caramel sauce on the side.
by Kathy Douglas | Sep 20, 2021 | Desserts
The combination of apples and cinnamon baking together is one of Fall’s greatest fragrance. Perfect to get you in the mood for fall or as a way to stay warm on a crisp fall day. We think it’s best served with a side of vanilla ice cream or gelato.
For the Apples
INGREDIENTS
3 fuji apples – peeled, cored, and sliced
3 granny smith green apples – peeled, cored, and sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS
Toss apples, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl until coated. Pour into a 9-inch square baking dish.
For the Crumble
INGREDIENTS
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup old-fashioned oats
½ cup flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ cup cold butter cut into tablespoons
Vanilla Ice Cream or Gelato
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix brown sugar, oats, flour, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a separate bowl. Use a pastry cutter, cut the cold butter into the oat mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs; spread evenly over the apples to the edges of the baking dish.
Place in the preheated oven and bake until golden brown and sides are bubbling, about 40 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve in bowls with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or gelato.
by Kathy Douglas | Aug 31, 2021 | Desserts
Our shaved ice treat is made with all-natural fresh fruit syrups and is perfect for cooling off during the hot Labor Day weekend. We used seasonal favorites – strawberry and blue-raspberry, giving this treat a patriotic vibe. Don’t have an ice shaver? Try our blender version below.
Blue Raspberry
INGREDIENTS
½ cup blueberries
½ cup raspberries
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Place the berries, water and sugar into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and blend with an immersion blender or place in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain with a fine mesh strainer into a squeeze bottle. Chill until very cold.
Strawberry
INGREDIENTS
1 cup strawberries
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Place the strawberries, water and sugar into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and blend with an immersion blender or place in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain with a fine mesh strainer into a squeeze bottle. Chill until very cold.
Blender Ice
Blend 2 cups crushed ice in a blender for 30 seconds.
by Kathy Douglas | Aug 23, 2021 | Desserts
For the chocolate lovers, these white chocolate Banana Blondies have a flavor kick with both white and dark chocolate. Layered in is a mix of caramel, dark chocolate chips then topped with a smooth layer of dark chocolate ganache. Try them served in a pool of caramel!
INGREDIENTS
12 tablespoons (175g) unsalted butter
¾ cup (125g) white chocolate, chopped
4 ripe medium bananas, (about 400g peeled weight)
3 large eggs, beaten
1½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (175g) light brown sugar
1-1/2 cups (175g) flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup (85g) large chocolate chunks or chips
¼ cup homemade or quality store-purchased caramel sauce, plus more for serving
Chocolate ganache icing – recipe follows
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line the base and sides of a 8” square pan with parchment paper.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan then let it bubble for a minute or two. Put the white chocolate in a large heatproof mixing bowl and pour in the hot butter over the chocolate to cover it. Rest for about 5 minutes, stir until the chocolate has completely melted then set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mash the bananas to a soft pulp in another bowl. Add in the eggs, vanilla and sugar, mixing until combined.
When the chocolate mixture has cool slightly, slowly add in the banana mixture in three batches. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Fold together into the banana chocolate mixture until just mixed. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Add the salted caramel in random dollops then gently marble the caramel into the mixture.
Bake for 35-45 minutes until set on top, and a toothpick comes out with a few baked bits stuck to it.
Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan. When cooled, make the ganache icing and spread evenly over the top. Cool completely, then refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into squares and serve on a plate with a drizzle of more caramel.
Chocolate Ganache icing
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (255 g) Semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons (29 g) unsalted butter
INSTRUCTIONS
Place the chocolate in a larger bowl. Add the cream and butter to a small sauce pan and place over medium heat. Whisk until the butter is melted and the mixture is combined and heated through. Pour over the chocolate in the bowl covering it. Rest 5 minutes, then whisk to combine. Let the ganache cool slightly then pour over cooled brownies, smoothing the top. Refrigerate before cutting.
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