by Kathy Douglas | Jun 8, 2021 | Desserts
This dessert is like a trip to the Islands! Delish mini Pineapple, Banana, and Coconut Cakes filled with vanilla cream cheese icing and topped with toasted coconut.
For the Cakes
INGREDIENTS
Butter, softened for the pan
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 cup Dark Moscovado sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg plus one egg yolk, beaten
¾ cup vegetable oil
¾ teaspoons vanilla extract
4 ounces crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup toasted unsweetened coconut
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour an eight welled mini cake pan.
Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in vanilla, pineapple, bananas, and toasted coconut. Divide batter evenly among the eight mini cake pan.
Place in the oven and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Carefully remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely, about 1 hour.
For the Frosting
INGREDIENTS
8-oz.cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
INSTRUCTIONS
Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Increase speed to medium-high, and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
To Serve:
INGREDIENTS
Toasted coconut pieces (if desired)
INSTRUCTIONS
Slice each cake in half. Use about half the frosting on the bottom of the split cake halves and then place the tops back on the cakes. Add the remaining frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe the remaining frosting on top of the cakes. Add the toasted coconut pieces (if using) and serve.
by Kathy Douglas | May 24, 2021 | Desserts, Holiday
A tasty treat for all, celebrate Memorial Day with these sous vide fruit cups. Fresh fruit and a cookie-like pecan crunchy top plus whipped cream make a fun dessert you can assemble right at the table.
For the fruit:
INGREDIENTS
2 cups ripe strawberries, stemmed, washed, and quartered
2 cups fresh blueberries, stemmed and washed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the sous vide circulator to 180˚F.
Put the berries into a large bowl add the sugar and lemon juice and then toss gently to coat.
Add to a vacuum bag and seal. Submerge the pouch in the water bath and cook for about 30 minutes.
Cool completely and then refrigerate until ready to use. When ready, cut the pouch open and gently pour into a bowl.
For the cookie crumble
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 ounces unsalted butter
1 cup whole pecans, some broken
INSTRUCTIONS
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, dark brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour mixture until small clumps form and all the butter is absorbed. Add the pecans and stir in. Pour onto a parchment lined baking tray and cool.
To Serve:
INGREDIENTS
Whipped cream
Holiday sprinkles
INSTRUCTIONS
Divide the fruit evenly in six bowls. Divide evenly the cookie crumble and sprinkle over the fruit. Top with whipped cream and holiday sprinkles. Serve immediately
by Kathy Douglas | May 18, 2021 | Desserts, Uncategorized
A deliciously sweet, tangy buttermilk and lemon dessert! This Panna Cotta is served in a pool of fresh tart rhubarb sauce and topped with sous vide rhubarb pieces flavored with Grand Marnier.
For the Rhubarb
INGREDIENTS
8 oz. fresh rhubarb
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the sous vide circulator to 190˚F. Wash and cut the rhubarb into slices about 1.5” long. Place the rhubarb in bowl add the sugar and Grand Marnier; toss to coat. Add in an even layer into a vacuum bag and tightly seal under vacuum.
Add the bag to the water bath and cook for 45 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
Refrigerate the bag until cold or overnight.
For the Buttermilk Panna Cotta
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
Nonstick oil spray
1 cup cream
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
Pour 2 tablespoons water into small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. Lightly spray six 1 cup silicone ramekins or custard cups with nonstick spray.
Heat cream, lemon zest, and sugar in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring just to low boil, stirring occasionally. Add gelatin mixture; remove from heat. Stir until gelatin dissolves. Cool mixture to lukewarm, stirring often. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla then divide the mixture evenly among prepared ramekins. Refrigerate panna cotta until set, about 4 hours or overnight. Cover once the surface has set.
To Serve
INGREDIENTS
Mint sprigs
INSTRUCTIONS
Loosen the panna cotta in each cup. Place a plate atop each ramekin and invert, allowing panna cotta to settle onto plate. Open the vacuum bag with the rhubarb and serve the rhubarb with its sauce over the Panna Cotta and the mint sprigs. Serve chilled.
by Kathy Douglas | Apr 19, 2021 | Desserts
These delicious moist individual Bourbon Banana Cakes are topped with a luxurious bourbon toffee sauce and freshly sliced bananas.
Ingredients
Bourbon Sauce
1 cup whipping cream
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup corn syrup
½ stick butter
¼ cup bourbon
Pinch of salt
Banana Cakes
2 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, room temperature plus more for the baking cups
2 /3 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
1 tablespoon bourbon
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Sliced fresh bananas
Instructions
Bourbon Sauce
Bring the cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, bourbon and pinch of salt in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk to boiling and the sugar dissolves completely. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook at gentle simmer until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon thickly. Remove from heat and set aside and cover to keep warm.
Banana Cakes
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 6-nonstick silcone baking cups. Place them on a baking tray.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in small bowl. Using an electric mixer fitted with the beater blade, beat the butter and sugar until fluffly. Beat in the eggs one at a time then beat in the mashed bananas, bourbon, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients in three additions, beating just to blend after each addition. Spread the batter evenly in prepared baking cups filling them about 2/3-3/4 full.
Place in the oven and bake the cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 25 to 33 minutes. Spread one tablespoon of the toffee sauce evenly over each cake and cool in the cups on a rack 30 minutes. Remove from the cups and trim the tops evenly to make a flat surface. Place cut side down on each plate. Top with fresh banana slices. Whisk the bourbon sauce and pour over the banana to serve. Makes six servings.
by Kathy Douglas | Apr 12, 2021 | Desserts
The yummy combination of chocolate and coconut is the real star in these deep chocolate brownies topped with a chewy coconut layer.
INGREDIENTS
Brownie layer
¾ cup unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
3 large eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon instant espresso granules
¾ cup flour
¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Coconut Layer
3 large egg whites
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups unsweetened finely shredded coconut
INSTRUCTIONS
Line a 8 x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all sides. Lightly grease the parchment with butter. Set a small metal bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water and add the chopped dark chocolate and butter to bowl. Melt together, whisking occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, vanilla, salt, and espresso granules until smooth. Slowly, in three batches, add in the warm chocolate mixture whisking each time until smooth. Add the flour and fold in until just combined. Then add the chocolate chips mixing until just combined. Spread the batter in the prepared pan to an even layer. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until frothy, about 1 minute. With mixer running on medium speed, slowly add granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt. Increasing speed to high, and beat until stiff peaks form.
Add the coconut and combine on low speed until just mixed in. Carefully spread coconut mixture evenly over the cold brownie batter. Smooth the top.
Bake in preheated oven until brownies are just set and top is golden brown, about 45-50 minutes. Remove and let cool completely on a wire rack. Remove from pan and parchment, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. When ready to serve, set out for 15-20 minutes then cut into 16 brownies. Serve at room temperature.
by Kathy Douglas | Mar 30, 2021 | Desserts, Holiday
These cute individual trifles are perfect for your upcoming holiday dessert. We used cinnamon and sugar phyllo dough strips for the “nest” and Williams-Sonoma seasonal candy eggs over a lemon cheesecake filling with a shortbread cookie base. Need to cut some time? Simply use high-quality store-purchased shortbread cookies instead of baking your own.
Phyllo Dough Nest
INGREDIENTS:
6 sheets of phyllo dough
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet tray. Cut 6 sheets of phyllo dough in half to make 12 shorter sheets. Roll together tightly and very thinly slice into long thin pieces then transfer to a baking sheet carefully separating the layers.
Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle with butter, then with cinnamon sugar. Bake until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and cool completely. Best used on the day they are made, but you can store in an air-tight container overnight. Re-crisp if needed in the oven for on 300˚F for 10 minutes, cool to room temp before using.
Shortbread Crumbs
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for the pan
½ cup plus two tablespoons granulated sugar
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon vanilla
6 glass serving cups
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter an 8×8” pan. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes. Fold in flour and vanilla and blend until a soft dough forms. Press into the 8” x 8” pan and bake until light brown, about 40 minutes; remove and cool completely. Crumble then divide equally among the cups and press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the cups. Or store in an air tight container over night and add the cups when ready to use.
Lemon Cream Cheese Layers
INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
¾ cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
2½ cups cold heavy cream
1 cup homemade or store-bought lemon curd
INSTRUCTIONS:
Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat mascarpone, powdered sugar, and lemon zest in a large bowl until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the cream. When combined, increase the speed to medium and beat until medium peaks form.
Transfer half of mascarpone mixture to another bowl. Add the lemon curd to the remaining half and beat in until combined.
Dividing the mixtures evenly, layer the lemon curd mixture over the shortbread crumbs in each cup followed by the plain mascarpone /cream mixture. Smooth the top, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least two hours and up until 24.
When ready to serve
INGREDIENTS:
Candy bird eggs
INSTRUCTIONS:
Form a nest in the top of each cup using the shorter pieces of cinnamon phyllo in the center and longer on the outside. Add the candy eggs into the center of the nest and serve immediately.
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