Food Diary

Blueberries are delicious when they are in season, jammy with a deep sweetness that you don’t always find in other berries. The most-baked blueberry treats are Blueberry Muffins , hands down. And while I love a great blueberry muffin, there are so many more blueberry treats to try than that breakfast favorite. This Blueberries and Cream Bread Pudding is delicious and summery blueberry dessert option that you can add to your repertoire! Like most bread puddings, this Blueberries and Cream Bread Pudding starts with lots of cubed bread. You can use a white sandwich bread or a richer bread, such as challah or brioche. The richer breads make an even more indulgent pudding, but most breads will work. The bread doesn’t need to be stale to make a good pudding, even though this is a great use of an older loaf of bread. You will need 1/2 – 2/3 of an average-size loaf. The bread is combined with heavy cream, milk, eggs, sugar and both vanilla and almond extracts. The combination of heavy crea...

These Buttermilk Coconut Waffles are easy to make and loaded with shredded coconut, giving them not only a nice coconut flavor, but a little extra texture because you’ll get some in every bite. As a coconut fan, I’m always happy to start my morning with a little taste of the tropics. If you have a good waffle iron, waffles are a surprisingly easy way to start your day. Like pancakes, the batter for this recipe can be mixed up in just a couple of minutes. Unlike pancakes, however, there is no need to stand over the stove because the iron does all the work for you while you do other morning tasks, such as brewing up some fresh coffee to go with those waffles. The point that I am trying to make here is that, while waffles are a wonderful weekend food, they are a fantastic way to get an average weekday off to a great start and don’t take that much more effort than making toast. I used sweetened coconut in these waffles and highly recommend that you do the same. This is primarily becaus...

These Vanilla Pistachio and Strawberry Mini Loaf Cakes are a great choice for entertaining. The easy to make cakes have a buttermilk and vanilla base, and they are studded with chopped pistachios and strawberries. I used freeze dried strawberries in these cakes, which give nice pops of both color and strawberry flavor without weighing down the crumb or making it soggy. While I typically prefer to use toasted nuts in my recipes, I opted for raw pistachios in this one. Raw pistachios have a nice sweetness to them and a vibrant green color, both of which I wanted to capture here to contrast with the strawberries. Mini loaf cakes are a little bit cuter than their full-size counterparts, but they offer a few other advantages, as well. For instance, they bake a little bit more quickly, saving you time in the kitchen, and can be better for sharing. Even though the quantity of batter is the same in a batch of mini loaf cakes as it is in a full sized cake, the mini size allows you to get mo...

These Irish Coffee Chocolate Pudding Cakes are inspired by Irish coffee, a classic coffee drink made with whipped cream and Irish whiskey. The coffee drink will warm you up on a cold night and this dessert, served warm, will do the same. Chocolate pudding cakes are wonderful desserts that are perfect for treating yourself on a lazy night in. They’re delicious and easy to make, with a two-part batter that bakes into a separate cake and sauce in one dish in the oven. Pudding cakes are often baked in large casserole dishes and are simply spooned out to serve. This casual presentation means that, while they’re certainly indulgent, they’re rarely anyone’s top choice for an elegant dinner party dessert. One way to give your pudding cakes a visual upgrade is to bake them in ramekins and turn one large casserole into decadent individual portions. The Irish Coffee Chocolate Pudding Cakes start with a chocolate batter that uses cocoa powder for a deep, bittersweet chocolate flavor and a gener...

Peanut butter and chocolate are a great combination in any format. In many desserts, chocolate takes center stage and peanut butter adds a salty, supporting element. In these Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies with Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache, peanut butter is the star. The cookies are crisp, peanut butter cookies that are sandwiched together with a chocolate and peanut butter ganache. The result is a cookie that is reminiscent of a peanut butter cup, but with even more peanut butter flavor! I’ve long been a fan of sandwich cookies, from the first time that I dunked an Oreo in a glass of milk (an experience that, I’m guessing, that many of us had as kids) to now. I like soft, frosting-filled whoopie pies and crisp wafer cookies filled with sweet creme. These Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies with Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache are in the latter camp. The recipe actually starts off with a cookie that I first made some years back , though it has been a favorite ever since. The cookies ...

These Meyer Lemon & White Chocolate Blondies are a bright, fresh twist on a classic blondie recipe for an easy-to-make treat that citrus-lovers will love. Blondies are bar cookies that are similar in texture to brownies – dense and chewy – but don’t use cocoa powder or chocolate in the same way that brownies do. In fact, many of them don’t use chocolate at all. These Meyer Lemon & White Chocolate Blondies do use chocolate and come so close to the texture of traditional brownies that I was tempted to call them a white chocolate brownie, even though “blondie” is a bit more accurate here. Lemon and white chocolate are an excellent flavor combination. White chocolate is rich and buttery, sweeter than other chocolates. In good quality white chocolate – meaning white chocolate that is made with real cocoa butter and not other vegetable solids – you should taste flavors of milk and vanilla, as well as getting a smooth and creamy finish. The flavors in white chocolate go well with le...

Nutella is a delicious chocolate and hazelnut spread that I regularly use in baking. The spread is rich and creamy, with a flavor that translates very well to a variety of different desserts. These Nutella Raspberries Cupcakes are brownie-like cupcakes made with Nutella that have a couple of raspberries inside and are topped with a dollop of creamy hazelnut spread. The batter is easy to make and contains a generous amount of Nutella. There is cocoa powder in the mix, but only enough to accent the chocolate in the Nutella and not so much that it overpowers the nutty flavor of the hazelnut spread itself. The Nutella in the batter is what helps to give these cupcakes a dense and brownie-like texture, although they are a bit cakier than most traditional brownies recipes would be. I put two whole raspberries inside of each cupcake before baking, giving them a nice pop of raspberry flavor to contrast with the chocolate and hazelnut when you take a bite. In addition to the raspberries ins...

I say it all the time, but I am a huge coconut fan and enjoy it in just about every form it comes in, from coconut cream pie to pina coladas. Coconut is also an excellent addition to cookies, where it can add both flavor and texture to an otherwise ordinary cookie recipe. Coconut macaroons are one cookie that probably comes straight to mind when you think of a coconut baked good, but one taste of these Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies and you just might have a new favorite. The cookies have a perfectly crisp, buttery edge and a chewy center – made chewier by the presence of plenty of shredded coconut. You can taste the butter, the brown sugar, the coconut and the chocolate in every bite – and that is a delicious combination. I use sweetened, shredded coconut in these cookies for maximum flavor and chewiness. The little bit of extra sweetness helps the coconut flavor to pop. If you only have  toasted coconut  at home, it can be substituted and will give the cookies a nice...

Brown sugar is a staple ingredient in my pantry, but there are times when I find myself running out of it and needing a replacement in a pinch. Usually, I would zip over to the store and buy some brown sugar, but you can also make brown sugar easily at home. This basic recipe will produce a brown sugar that is similar in color and flavor to the “golden brown” brown sugar that you can buy at most grocery stores, a great all purpose brown sugar that can be used in any recipe . How to Make Homemade Brown Sugar Combine 1 cup of white sugar with 1 tablespoon of molasses. Mix until completely combined and uniform in color. You can mix the molasses in by using a fork or, believe it or not, by using your fingers to “rub” the molasses in the exact same way you might rub butter into a pie crust. That said, the process goes much more quickly if you combine everything in a food processor and whizz it a few times. I only pull out my food processor if I’m doing a large batch, however, and genera...

I am a huge fan of banana bread variations, adding a wide variety of mix-ins and other flavors to my recipes. But when you’re focusing on mix-ins like chocolate chips and coconut, you tend to forget about the fact that you can also make healthier changes, such as switching out all purpose flour for whole wheat flour. This is exactly how to make this delicious Whole Wheat Banana Bread, an easy quick bread that is loaded with sweet bananas and more whole grains than your usual recipe has! Switching to a whole wheat flour not only helps you get more whole grains in your diet – because I’m not going to be the one to tell you to cut back on banana bread – and eating more whole grains is always a good thing. The whole wheat flour gives it a slightly nutty flavor that makes the bread feel a bit less sweet than some traditional banana breads. The recipe starts with three medium bananas, which give the bread a great banana flavor and a very moist base. The exact quantity of banana puree can ...

A cannele is a classic French pastry that is completely unique in both its flavor and texture. Sometimes described as a handheld creme brulee, they have a crisp and darkly caramelized exterior, yet have a surprisingly dense and custardy interior. Canneles are typically flavored with vanilla and rum, both of which are a good match for any custardy dessert. These Cinnamon Canneles do include vanilla, but cinnamon is the primary flavoring, adding a delicious aroma and warm spice to this classic French favorite. For me, the cinnamon adds a nod to one of my other favorite pastries – a churro – which also has a wonderful combination of crisp exterior, tender interior and lots of cinnamon! The recipe is very straight forward and it should only take you a few minutes to whip it up, so there is very little hands-on time with this recipe. The batter for canneles isn’t difficult to make, however it does need to be prepared well in advance and rested for at least 24 hours – and up to 48 hours, ...

Peppermint and chocolate is a wonderful combination, whether you are eating a chocolate-dipped peppermint candy or stirring a candy cane into a mug of hot cocoa. Peppermint doesn’t get paired quite as often with vanilla, but I believe that the two flavors just might be an even better combination – especially when you are combining them in a recipe like this Vanilla Bean Peppermint Bundt Cake. The soft, tender cake is perfect for the holidays, when you want something with lots of seasonal flavor that isn’t so heavy it will prevent you from indulging in other cakes, cookies and candies that might have been set out to snack on. The cake has a tight crumb that is similar to pound cake, though the overall texture of the cake is slightly lighter than that of a traditional pound cake. I used both vanilla bean and vanilla extract in this cake – both from Rodelle – to get the maximum amount of vanilla flavor. The vanilla bean has a sweeter, more exotic aroma to it that does translate well ...

Peppermint shows up in lots of holiday treats, and baked goods are no exception. The bright, cool flavor of peppermint seems to fit the season – especially when it is combined with chocolate in a peppermint mocha or chocolate and peppermint layer cake . The combination is now so common that adding peppermint to any chocolate goodie is going to transform it from an everyday treat to one that seems just right for the holiday season. These Peppermint Cacao Nib Chocolate Chip Cookies are a simple twist on a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe, yet they instantly make you think of chilly nights, warm blankets and holiday lights. The buttery cookies use brown sugar, white sugar and vanilla extract, just like many chocolate chip cookie recipes. They also include crushed peppermint candies and that changes the whole look and flavor of the cookies. You can crush up your own candy canes or buy pre-crushed peppermint candy (available at many baking/craft stores). The crushed peppermints melt...

The crust is the foundation of most pie recipes and many of those recipes call for the crusts to be blind baked . Blind baking is when you partially bake (or sometimes fully bake) the crust before adding the filling, which helps ensure that the finished pie and crust combination will both be completely cooked through. Most pastry doughs have layers of butter or other fats that are intended to make the baked pastries tender and flaky. They also tend to puff up during baking if they aren’t weighed down – so bakers tend to use pie weights to keep the crust in place while its in the oven. You can buy pie weights at most baking stores, but dried beans are a commonly recommended substitute. But what if you don’t have beans to use as pie weights? Learn how to use rice as a pie weight instead! Rice is extremely easy to use as a pie weight and it is my go-to when it comes to baking pie crusts. You will need 1-2 cups of uncooked rice to weight down your pastry for an average 9-inch pie. To ...

Pumpkin pie gets more time in the spotlight than any other pumpkin dessert, but there are many delicious pumpkin options out there and this Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust is an excellent one! It is perfect for any fall or holiday baking occasion when you want pumpkin, but want something different than a traditional pie  – or if you’re simply a cheesecake lover that wants a fall option. The cheesecake combines the natural sweetness of pumpkin puree with the addictive tang of cream cheese, yielding a dessert that has a nice balance between the two. It has just the right touch of pumpkin spice  in the filling and plenty of ginger in the crust. The cheesecake is particularly easy to make for two reasons. First, the filling is added to the crust while the crust is still hot from baking, which really cuts down on prep time for this dessert. Second, the cheesecake does not require a water bath , yet yields a light and silky cheesecake. Both the filling and crust fo...

Apple pie and pumpkin pie are staples in the fall, but they’re not the only fruit pies worth putting on your dessert table! This Double Crust Pear Pie takes advantage of in-season pears and showcases them in this lovely double crust pie as an alternative to – or an addition to! – your usual holiday pie line up. The filling for this pie calls for a lot of pears. Pears are absolutely delicious and underappreciated when it comes to baked goods. Many of us eat pears as-is or serve them as part of a cheese platter or salad. But they make a fantastic addition to baked goods of all kinds! I like the honeyed sweetness of Bartlett pears, which maintain a nice texture after baking. D’anjou pears can also be used, but they tend to be a bit smaller, so you may need more of them. There are many varieties of pears out there – which you may not see at a grocery store, but will definitely see at farmers markets in your area – and you can always experiment with different types, as long as they are c...

Thanksgiving is a holiday that celebrates food and there are some flavors that are a bit more prominent than others. Turkey is a staple, of course, but I’m actually talking about pumpkins and apples! Pumpkin pie is a classic that should always be included, but you can get creative with apples! Here are 10 Thanksgiving Apple Recipes You’ll Want To Try this year. Let me know how many you make it through at your Thanksgiving! These Buttermilk Apple Cobbler Bars deliver all the same flavors you’ll find in classic apple pie, in an easy to make and easy to transport form that make them the ideal dessert when you’re baking it to take on the road to dinner at someone else’s home! You can never go wrong with classic apple pie, though, and this Cinnamon Apple Pie with Crumb Topping is one of my all time most popular apple recipes. The pie is just bursting with fresh apples and is finished with a crumb topping that is sweet, crunchy and downright addictive. Serve it with ice cream or whipped...

The next time that you’re in the mood for a very chocolatey cookie, look no further than this recipe for Double Chocolate Chunk Pecan Cookies. These cookies have a intensely chocolate base that is studded generously with chunks of chocolate and toasted pecans. The result is a rich cookie that delivers a double dose of chocolate in every bite, plus a nutty crunch that is the perfect contrast to the tender cookie. The dough for these cookies is made with quite a lot of cocoa powder, which gives them an intense and bittersweet flavor. While it might seem like there is a lot of sugar in the dough, keep in mind that all that cocoa powder is unsweetened, so you need a fair amount of sugar to balance it out. The finished cookies will not be too sweet – in fact, you’ll still have a wonderfully intense cocoa flavor. The dough is quite thick, so you’ll need a little muscle to stir in the mix-ins, though the cookies spread quite a bit when they bake. This recipe makes a fairly large batch ...

Chess pie is an easy to make custard pie that is a Southern classic and a favorite in my home. Not only is the pie delicious, but it happens to be exceptionally easy to make. For me, that means I can whip one up on relatively short notice and easily play around with different flavors in my pies. This particular pie is an Orange Pecan Chess Pie, a variation on both a chess pie and a pecan pie that I think is a wonderful holiday dessert. The filling of this pie is made with sugar, eggs, cornmeal and milk, with both vanilla extract and fresh orange zest added in for flavor. The cornmeal may seem like an unexpected ingredient in a pie filling, but it helps to thicken up the custard and gives the filling a little bit of extra body. The orange zest is the star of the custard because the fresh zest – and you’ll only need the zest from 1 whole orange – brings a bright, citrus flavor to the pie and really pairs exceptionally well with the pecans. Orange extract is not a good substitute h...

Apple pie is always a favorite dessert in my kitchen, but I’ll admit that I don’t always have a basket full of apples on hand ready to bake with. These Brown Sugar Apple Cupcakes with Candied Ginger are an excellent choice for times when you want an apple dessert, but only have a single apple on hand. Anyone who has baked a pie knows that you’ll need at least a few apples to create the filling, and it’s nice to know that there are some options out there for times when you have only one apple waiting to be put to good use! These Brown Sugar Apple Cupcakes with Candied Ginger are a wonderful option for fall and winter baking. The base is a buttermilk and brown sugar batter that is spiced with ground ginger, nutmeg and vanilla. They’re packed with bits of diced apple and candied ginger. They have a tight, but very soft crumb, and the flavor of the apple and spices comes through really well. They’re downright addictive – and very satisfying if you’re in the mood for an apple dessert. ...