Category: Desserts

Coconut Tres Leches Cake

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Two Tres Leches Cakes on one blog? Yes! This one is quite different from the other. I’ll explain. I was browsing the internet for some Brazilian desserts, and came across one entitled, “Brazilian-style Moist Coconut Cake” from

Allrecipes. Well, I didn’t know this was a Brazilian Cake, but it sure sounded like a great idea. Now, I’ve made it several times, both like the original recipe instructs, and also with some of my own variations. I’ve come to prefer my own variations, I have to admit 🙂 Here’s my version of a Tres Leches, coconut added. Deee-licious. So when you’ve made the other one enough, and need a little variety, I suggest this one.

Coconut Tres Leches Cake

3 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. coconut oil (optional–but I love the flavor it gives the cake. Surprisingly, the cake works fine without any fat added, though)
2 c. white sugar, divided
3 eggs, yolks and whites divided
1 cup milk
Tres Leches:
1 can evaporated milk (1 c. milk works fine, too)
14 oz. coconut milk
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
Topping:
1 c. flaked coconut
1 c. whipping cream
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9×13-inch pan. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks, then continue beating while slowly adding 1 cup of the sugar until stiff peaks have formed.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat coconut oil and the remaining cup of sugar together until blended. Beat in egg yolks until evenly mixed, then incorporate the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the 1 cup milk. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter (it will be a little stiff). Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake cake in preheated oven until the top has turned golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk, coconut milk, and sweetened condensed milk. Set aside.

When the cake is done, remove from the oven, and use a the back of a skewer to poke all over the top of the cake, in 1 inch intervals. Evenly pour the milk mixture over the cake, and let it sit at room temperature for one hour. Meanwhile, spread coconut onto a baking sheet, and toast it in the 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, or until fragrant and browned. Remove and set on a rack to cool. Once the cake has cooled for an hour (the milk mixture should all be absorbed), cover the cake and refrigerate for at least three more hours.

Right before serving, whip cream until soft peaks form, adding the powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread the whipped cream onto the cooled cake, and sprinkle with the toasted coconut. I’m sure you will enjoy it!

Amy’s Granola Bars

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Another great recipe from my friend Amy. I love how quickly these bars come together, and they work perfectly for after-school snacks or lunch sacks or camping (they were all three last week for us!).

Amy’s Granola Bars

 2 1/2 c. rolled or quick oats
1  c. dry roasted peanuts, salted (if using unsalted peanuts, add a bit of salt to the recipe)
1 c. raisins (I substitute sweetened flaked coconut)
1 c. sunflower seeds (I have done this–tastes great–and also sliced almonds–also great)
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 stick butter, melted
Preheat an oven to 325. Line a 15×10 baking sheet (jelly roll pan) with foil and spray (or use a silpat).
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl (oats, peanuts, raisins, seeds, cinnamon, milk, butter). Spread evenly onto the prepared pan and bake for about 45 min., until the edges are a golden brown and look crispy. Remove the baking sheet onto a rack. If you want them cut into bars, use a butter knife to score the bars right out of the oven. Otherwise, wait until they cool, and break into pieces. Enjoy!

Toucinho do Ceu or Heavenly Portuguese Custard Pie

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There were many culinary winners from my trip to Lisbon this summer, but this one was just a wonderful surprise. We had it in a small family restaurant. In order to accommodate me, the waiter was speaking English, and he kept telling me that this pie was made of “prosciutto, onions, and sugar” and that it won some sort of city-wide dessert award. I was so baffled that I ordered it, and my husband laughed when he finally read the name and understood what the waiter meant. The literal translation of this custard pie is “Heavenly Bacon,” only because historically it was made from leftover pork fat, but not anymore. And we think the English word for “almond” somehow got confused for “onion” in the waiter’s vocabulary. Needless to say, this custard pie has nothing to do with onions or bacon, but it is a slice of delightful marzipan-y custard.  I got this recipe from a site called Chef Leticia.

Toucinho do Ceu or Heavenly Portuguese Custard Pie

½ c. water
1¼ c. sugar
1/8 t. salt
1¾ c. (250g) ground almonds, skinless (This is easily done by submerging almonds in water and microwaving for 5 minutes)
4 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the pan
5 egg yolks
2 whole eggs
1 t. almond extract (or Amaretto)
1 t. orange zest, finely grated
powdered sugar, for dusting

One 10-inch round cake mold, with parchment paper on the bottom, buttered and floured.

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

In a big sauce pan, boil together the water, sugar, and salt. As soon as it comes to a boil, add the ground almonds. Using a wooden spoon, keep mixing, over low-medium heat. Stir constantly until it starts to thicken, leaving a trace after the wooden spoon in a way that you should be able to see the bottom of the pan (about 2 minutes). Do not over mix. You are looking for a soft almond paste.

Remove the pan from the heat and add butter cut into pieces. Mix well with a wooden spoon.

In a different bowl, lightly beat together the yolks and eggs. Incorporate the egg mixture into the almond mixture with a spatula. Add the amaretto and the orange zest and pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 30- 35 minutes or until the cake is firm, and the center is not jiggly. The top should turn a medium golden brown. Let it cool inside the mold, then remove it from the mold, peel the parchment paper, and dust with powdered sugar. Cut the cake into wedges and serve at room temperature.

Baked’s Blondies

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So, I know that the cookbook Baked (by Lewis and Poliafito) got quite a lot of attention for its brownies, but I just tried it’s blondies, and I think this is the recipe that really deserves the attention. It’s exactly what I wanted a blondie to be–very perfect.

Baked’s Blondies

2 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 T. malted milk powder
14 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 3/4 c. packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 t.vanilla extract
3/4 c. malted milk balls, coarsely chopped (didn’t use)
3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 c. toasted walnuts, chopped (also didn’t use–substituted with white chocolate chips instead)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 13×9 baking pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on opposite sides to lift the blondies out afterward. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and malted milk powder together in a medium bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in two additions, beating just until incorporated. Mix in the malted milk balls, chocolate chips and walnuts briefly until distributed throughout the batter.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread in an even layer with an offset spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the blondies cool for at least 20 minutes before lifting them out and cutting into squares. Store at room temperature tightly wrapped with plastic wrap.

Amy’s Zucchini Brownies

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This recipe is from my great friend and baker Amy. I always love to hear what she’s up to in her kitchen! Since her husband is an amazing gardener, she gets a fair amount of produce all summer and fall, and this is one way she loves to use her zucchini.  I have to say it helped us get through quite a bit of zucchini this week, too!

Incidentally, I added two eggs on accident the first time I made these, and really liked the results. The eggs gave the brownies a bit more of a lift, which also made them easier to eat. I served them with whipped cream. Great.
Amy’s Zucchini Brownies
 2 c. flour
 1/2 c. cocoa powder
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
 1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs (optional)
 1 1/2 c. sugar
 2 t. vanilla
2 c. shredded zucchini
 1/2 c. chocolate chips  or nuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13 baking pan (or line with aluminum foil and spray with Pam).
In a large bowl, mix oil, sugar, eggs (if using) and vanilla until well blended. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the sugar mixture (the mixture will be quite dry). Fold in the zucchini and mix well–if the batter is still dry, wait a few minutes for the moisture in the zucchini to moisten the batter. Stir in walnuts or chocolate chips and spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes in preheated oven until brownies spring back when touched. Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

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I saw a glowing review of a 2011 cookbook entitled Good to the Grain, so when I saw that the library had it, I snagged it. The first recipe I tried was the 100% whole wheat chocolate chip cookies, deciding that if the author could pull off this recipe, I would know the cookbook was really well tested and tried. Well, she did it. These are great! In fact, I used winter white wheat, and the cookies didn’t even look much different than if I had used all-purpose flour, and honestly, not one of my kids made a comment or thought they “tasted different.” I thought they were delicious (notice, though, that they are not low-sugar or fat), and I am planning a solid future with them 🙂 Incidentally, I have since tried many recipes from Good to the Grain, and if you’re interested in adding more whole grain flours to your baking, this is a really terrific book. Can’t wait till I own a copy!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. kosher salt
1 c. (2 sticks) cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 c. dark brown sugar
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla extract
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into bits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment.

Whisk the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl in which you can use a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugars for 2-3 minutes. Once they are creamy, add the eggs and vanilla. Beat to combine, about 30 seconds.

With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Then, stir in the chopped chocolate.

Scoop 1-2 T. of dough per cookie. Bake for 16-20 minutes, rotating the pans front to back, and top to bottom at 8 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes on the sheet (on a wire rack), then remove to the rack to cool completely cool. Yields about 24.

Henry (my pickiest eater) loving these!

Caramel Pecan Brownies

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This is the most decadent dessert I know how to make. It is divine. I’ve seen that ATK reprints it every now and again as a “best of the best” recipe, and it is. I got it from the 2007 Best of America’s Test Kitchen Annual, where it’s called “Ultimate Turtle Brownies.” I should note that the caramel is a little tricky. With my electric stove (and because I live at high altitude), I start with the stove at medium until the sugar is melted, I then turn the stove to high, until it gets amber-colored, and then turn it down to medium-high, until it reaches 360 degrees (well, 351 for 4500 feet, where I live). But, once you got it right, it works really well. Enjoy this one!
Caramel Pecan Brownies
For the caramel topping
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (I prefer more like 1/2 t.)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the brownies

  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
  • 25 pecan halves, toasted*, for garnish

To make the caramel: Combine the cream and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

In a medium saucepan with a lid, combine the water and corn syrup. Add the sugar to the center of the saucepan and gently mix to thoroughly moisten the sugar, taking care not to let sugar crystals adhere to the sides of the pan. Cover, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, without stirring, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the liquid is clear. Uncover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, without stirring but gently swirling the pan occasionally, until the liquid is a pale golden color. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 1 to 3 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally, until the caramel is a light amber color and registers about 360 degrees on a candy or instant-read thermometer [On my electric stove, this process is quite different and takes longer. See note above. Also, a candy thermometer is pretty critical here]. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the cream-salt mixture to the center of the pot, making sure that your hand isn’t directly over the pot (the mixture will bubble and steam vigorously). Stir with a whisk or spatula until the bubbling subsides. Add the butter and vanilla extract, stirring to combine. Transfer to a medium microwavable measuring cup or bowl and set aside.

To make the brownies: Adjust an oven rack to the lower middle position and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9-inch-square baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing the extra foil to hang over the edges of the pan. Lightly grease the foil-lined pan with nonstick spray oil.

Combine the flour and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside.

Melt the butter and the bittersweet and unsweetened chocolates in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely bubbling water, stirring occasionally until smooth; set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar, salt and vanilla extract until well combined. Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture. Add the flour mixture and stir until almost combined. Add the chopped pecans and chocolate morsels, and combine.

To assemble: Spread half of the brownie batter in the prepared baking pan. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the caramel over the brownie batter. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining brownie batter over the caramel layer; spread evenly into the corners of the pan. Drizzle an additional 1/4 cup caramel over the top. Using the tip of a knife, swirl the caramel and batter. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack, 1 to 2 hours.

If necessary, heat the remaining caramel (you should have about 3/4 cup) in the microwave on high for 45 to 60 seconds until it is hot and pourable but still thick, stirring once or twice. Pour the caramel over the brownies and use a spatula to spread the caramel evenly. Refrigerate the brownies, uncovered, until they are fully chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Remove from the baking pan by lifting the foil extensions. Cut into 25 evenly sized squares. Press a pecan half onto the surface of each brownie. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Velvety Chocolate Pudding

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My 6-year-old Lucy asks for pudding just about every night after dinner. She typically wants tapioca, but Henry usually complains at this. Tonight, because I wanted to try this new recipe, we had chocolate, and oh my! what a pudding! After the first bite, I thought, “This recipe should definitely have the word ‘velvety’ in its name,” and then I looked back at the recipe to see that it did. So, perhaps that was subliminal, but regardless, this pudding is WONDERFUL. And simple. My two most favorite combinations.

The recipe comes from Lucinda Scala Quinn’s Mad Hungry, a really fun cookbook by Martha’s head food editor. Quinn suggests using this as a basis for a chocolate pie (great idea). The high sugar content works well if you’re using a dark chocolate powder. If using something milkier, you may like less sugar. For my family of six, I doubled it, and had just a little leftover. My kids topped it with marshmallows. It looked perfect.

Velvety Chocolate Pudding

  • 3 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons best-quality cocoa powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • Hefty pinch of coarse salt
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 large egg, well beaten
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Whipped cream, for garnishing (optional)

    Henry was helping me with this awesome texture shot.

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. Press through a sieve into a medium saucepan to eliminate any lumps [I didn’t do this, and had no problem]. Whisk in the milk.
  2. Over medium heat, stir the mixture until thickened, about 2 1/2 minutes. Be sure to get the spoon around the edges of the pan as the mixture thickens. Whisk if needed to combine well. Stir in the butter.
  3. Whisk 1 tablespoon of the hot chocolate mixture into the beaten egg and return to the pudding in the pan. Stir in the vanilla and cook to completely thicken, 2 to 3 more minutes. Strain through a sieve and pour the pudding into four to six 6-ounce pudding cups. Serve warm, or cool first and chill until serving. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent it from forming a skin (unless you like it!). Top with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

    Lucy gets pudding for dessert.

Chocolate Dump-It Cake

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Such a homely name for such a wonderful cake! I tried this cake the other night when everyone was asking for a dessert, and I wanted something I could make

Not the greatest picture, but hopefully it gives you an idea of how dense and moist this great chocolate cake is.

fast. I’m so happy with it! What a wonderful, simple cake. The author, Amanda Hesser, adapted this recipe from her mother, and published it in The Essential New York Times Cookbook. For her family, it was the birthday cake. She calls it “bouncy” and “moist;” I don’t know that I’ve ever heard a cake called bouncy before, but you know, it actually fits! The recipe calls for a frosting, but our family devoured the whole thing before I made the frosting–this is one cake that doesn’t require frosting at all (just a dusting of powdered sugar would be fine), although I can’t wait to try it, too!

Chocolate Dump-It Cake

2 c. sugar
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 c. unsalted butter (1 stick), plus more for greasing the pan
1 c. water
2 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
2 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 c. milk (whole is best)
1 t. cider vinegar [gives the cake such a beautiful hue!]
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract

For the Frosting
1 1/2 cups Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups sour cream, at room temperature

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and place a baking sheet on the lowest rack, to catch any drips when the cake bakes. Put the sugar, unsweetened chocolate, butter and 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Place over medium heat and stir occasionally until all of the ingredients are melted and blended. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, stir together the milk and vinegar (it’s okay if it curdles). Grease and flour a 9-inch tube or bundt pan. (If you prefer, you can grease it, line it with parchment and then grease and flour it. This is not necessary, but parchment does make getting the cake out easier.)

3. When the chocolate in the pan has cooled a bit, whisk in the milk mixture and eggs. In several additions and without overmixing, whisk in the dry ingredients. When the mixture is smooth, add the vanilla and whisk once or twice, to blend. “Dump” the batter into the tube pan and bake on the middle rack until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool on a rack. (This can be tricky, so if someone is around, enlist them to help. Place a ring of wax paper on top of the cake so you have something to grab onto when turning it out–it may break in half.) Let cool completely.

4. Meanwhile, for the frosting, melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler, then let cool to room temperature. It is very important that the chocolate and sour cream be the same temperature, otherwise the icing will be lumpy or grainy. (Test it by stirring a little of the sour cream and chocolate together in a bowl; if it mixes smoothly, it’s ready.) Stir in the sour cream, 1/ 4 cup at a time, until the mixture is smooth. Taste some! It’s good.

5. When the cake is cool, you may frost it as is or cut it in half so that you have two layers (when I do this, I use 2 cups chocolate chips and 2 cups sour cream). My mother uses any leftover icing to make flowers on top. She dabs small rosettes, or buttons, on top, then uses toasted almond slices as the petals, pushing them in around the base of the rosette.

Makes 10 servings. (My mother kept it in the fridge, and it is sublime even when cold.)

The Flour Bakery’s Granola Bars

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flour-granola-bar
I got a new cookbook with this recipe, and since I’ve been in granola-bar mode, I thought I’d give it a whirl. I’m totally impressed with the result. The ingredients sound like a health food shop on their own, but incredibly, their sum is so, so delicious, and no one flavor overwhelms the taste at all. In fact, my kids inhaled these like any other cookie/bar I’ve made, so I am really happy. I thought for sure they’d turn their noses up at the seeds, but they didn’t. It’s a treat, but has lots of good stuff, too; a happy medium, and perfect for a lunch box.

The recipe’s a little on the cumbersome side, in terms of time, but definitely worth trying. You need a couple of hours (not consistent work, of course), and you probably can’t count on them for the same day unless you start cooking early in the day. The author says the bar tastes better after 2-3 days, but at our house, I don’t think they’ll last that long. Incidentally, the Flour Bakery is located in (just outside?) Boston.

Granola Bars with Cranberry Jam and Seeds

1 c. dried apples
1 c. dried cranberries
1 c. dried apricots
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 c. water

1 c. walnut halves [I prefer pecans]
1 3/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. old-fashioned (not quick) oats
2/3 c. packed light brown sugar
2/3 c. sweetened shredded coconut
1 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 8 pieces
6 T. honey
3 T. flaxseeds
3 T. sunflower seeds
3 T. millet

TO MAKE JAM
In a medium saucepan, combine the apples, cranberries, apricots, granulated sugar, and water and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and let sit for about 1 hour. Transfer to a food processor and pulse 8-10 times or until a chunky jam forms. (The jam can be made and refrigerated for 5 days or frozen for up to a month.)

TO MAKE BARS
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes, or until fragrant. Transfer to a plate and let cool, but leave the oven on at 350.

Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper. In a food processor, combine the nuts, flour, oats, sugar, coconut, salt, cinnamon, and butter, and pulse about 15 times or until the mixture is combined. Turn the mixture out into a bowl and drizzle the honey on top. Work in the honey until the mixture comes together, then spread 2/3 of the mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until light brown. Work the millet, flaxseeds, and sunflower seeds into the remaining 1/3 oat mixture. Cover it with plastic and refrigerate.

After the crust has baked, remove it from the oven and spread the jam evenly on top. Then, crumble the seed/oat mixture on top, breaking it with your fingers. Return the pan to the oven to bake for an additional 50-60 minutes. Let cool on a rack for 2-3 hours before cutting.

The bars can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for a week.

The recipe yield says 12, but those would be huge! We’re going to get about 20 or more out of it.