Dessert » Simple Recipes

BEST CHOCOLATE CHIPS COOKIES EVER...AND HAPPY LABOR DAY!

Sep 062010

Like most of the recipes for chocolate chips cookies this one is simple and easy.
I’ve tried many recipes and after adjusting for this and that I came up with the one that I like the most…it is soft and slightly chewy, but if you care for a crunchy and crispy style you can bake a little longer and still have a great cookie.

Ingredients:
½ cup (1 stick) softened butter
2 tablespoon granulated sugar (if you prefer less sugar omit this)
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped walnut

Method:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
In a bowl, mix together the flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
In another large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer cream together the butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla.
Combine dry ingredients to the creamed butter. Stir in the chocolate chips and the walnut.
With the help of two spoons, spoon the dough on to a wax paper cover cookie sheet, 1 inch apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or just until edges are slightly brown.

Makes two dozen cookies.

LIME PUDDING CAKE

Dessert 98 Responses »

Aug 092010

This is an easy and simple recipe adapted from Desserts Magazine…I had lots of lime from my brother’s lime tree so I made some changes from the original recipe which uses lemon and is served with raspberry sauce. It is so good that you will not miss the raspberry sauce, I could not even wait, so as soon as the lime pudding cake cooled down I dig my spoon in it…trust me it is delicious, you will find a layer of cake and a layer of pudding… anyway, for the original recipe please visit Desserts Magazine, and if you haven’t seen this virtual magazine you HAVE to check it out, it is absolutely amazing.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
~~3/4~~ 2/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for ramekins
1 tablespoon of grated ~~lemon~~ lime zests
3 large eggs, separated
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup ~~whole~~ fat free milk
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed ~~lemon~~ lime juice
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Method:
Heat oven to 350F. Butter 4 small pirex ramekins and coat with sugar. Place a folded dish towel in bottom of 13 x 9-inches pan, set aside. Boil water for the water bath.

In a bowl mix sugar, salt and flour. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the butter until well blended.

Whisk in the milk, lemon juice and zest until well blended. Whisk the flour mixture into the lemon mixture until incorporated; the batter will be very liquid.
Beat egg whites until stiff. Whisk gently the egg whites in egg-yolk mixture until there are no large lumps.

Immediately pour into custard cups; place in prepared baking pan; fill pan halfway with hot water. Bake until they are puffy and golden on top or when you insert a clean knife inserted in the center of lemon pudding cake and the knife comes out clean; the cake is done, about 30-35 minutes. Cool puddings on a wire rack, 30 minutes. Sprinkle confectioner’s sugar before serving.

Did you know that lime is denser that lemon? Lemon contains more oil than lime. Lime is more acid than lemon, therefore is more sour.

BLACK FOREST CAKE, THIS IS FOR YOU NICK!

Cake, Dessert 86 Responses »

Jul 262010

For the longest time I wanted to bake a black forest cake like we used to have in Brazil. Black forest cake is a chocolate cake filled with cherries and whipped cream. After seeing the recipe for chocolate cake using mayonnaise from Louise at Month of Edible Celebrations which uses mayonnaise, I could not wait anymore…I found a really simple recipe for chocolate cake!

I cut in half the chocolate cake recipe with small changes. Instead of layering with cherries and whipped cream, I covered the cake with the mix of cherries and whipped cream, since there were no layers in the cake.

Most of the black forest cake contain some sort of liquor like rum…since my little niece and nephew were going to eat the cake I had the feeling that my sister would not be very happy if the kids suddenly started to behave kind of weird, so I left the liquor aside and only added some of the cherry syrup from the cherries. But if you have the opportunity, moist the cake with a small amount of rum before topping with the cream, it is amazing. Nevertheless, even without the rum, the cake turned out to be delicious, moist and rich in flavor.

By the way, I want to dedicate this post to my little nephew Nicholas…why? Nicholas loves, really loves chocolate and cherries…so this is for you Nick!

Ingredients:

Cake
1 cup all purpose flour
5 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup water

Whip Cream Frosting
1 8oz whipping cream
4 table spoon of ultra fine sugar or confectionary sugar

1 small jar of cherries, drain and chopped. Reserve the syrup

Grated semi sweet chocolate, approximately 1/3 cup

Method:

Cake
Mix all the dry ingredients together, except the sugar.
In a bowl add the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract, beat in high speed until light and fluffy. Change to a lower speed and add the mayonnaise. Add the flour mix alternating with the water in 4 parts by finishing with the flour. Pour the batter into a 9 inch pan. Bake in a pre-heated oven for approximately 30~35 minutes at 350F. Once the cake is done (checked my inserting a toothpick and comes out clean), remove from the oven and let is cool completely in a rack before topping with the whip cream.

Whip Cream Frosting
Place the whipping cream into a bowl (metal preferably to keep it cold) and have it in a ice/water bath. Whip the whipping cream starting wih a low speed, until start to thicken, then increase the speed to a medium~high speed, slowly add the sugar and continue to whisk until stiff peaks forms. Gently fold in the cherries.

Assembly
Sprinkle the cake with small amount of the cherry syrup. Cover the cake with the cherry/whip cream mix, top it with the grated chocolate and decorate with cherries. Place the cake in the refrigerator until time to serve.

LEMON CHIFFON CAKE

Cake, Dessert 90 Responses »

Jun 142010

I love everything that contains lemon…this lemon chiffon cake is very easy and simple to make. The cake is very light and can be served with cream, jam or just like that.

Ingredients:
5 eggs, separated
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup sugar
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon balking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 tablespoon grated lemon grind

Method:
Preheat oven to 325F. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl. Separate the eggs carefully. Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites and mix using a clean and dry beater until stiff, add the other half sugar and continue to beat until flip upside down it does not fall.
Add the oil to the egg yolk and beat until the color is a pale yellow, add the other half sugar and continue to beat. Add the milk, lemon extract and the grated lemon grind, beat until well mixed. Add the dry ingredients and beat for more approximately 2 minutes.
Gently fold the egg whites to the batter using a spatula, make sure that you mix very gently. Pour the batter to the cake pan for 20 to 25 minutes.

Did you know that cream of tartar or potassium bitartrate is used in egg whites to increase heat tolerance and volume?

CINNAMON CHIPS

Dessert, Snack, Vegetarian 89 Responses »

Apr 122010

This little treats are very simple and easy to make, it is low in fat but I have to confess…contain sugar. On the other hand it is loaded of cinnamon which is known to contain high amounts antioxidants. These chips can be served with ice cream, especially vanilla, or eaten just like that…but I must advise you…it is addictive, very addictive!

Ingredients:
Lavash bread
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Method:
In a plate or pyrex mix the sugar with the cinnamon. Cut the lavash bread so it will fit into the plate or pyrex containing the sugar and cinnamon mix. Spray the lavash with water and patch on the sugar mix. Repeat the procedure on the other side of the lavash. Cut into a smaller strips. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 275F. Let if cool and serve.
I usually make a bunch of it and store in a sealed container.

Did you know that cinnamon contain antioxidant activity? Moreover, it has been reported that cinnamon has a therapeutic effect in treating type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance.