Coconut Brownies

About a month ago I made some black bean brownies as an experiment at home after a coworker had brought some in to work one day. While one of my brothers was horrified that I had tricked him with the brownies, the other was quite intrigued and asked if I could make some sort of dessert using coconut flour.

Shortly after I showed up to work and discovered that another nurse had brought some brownies that were made using coconut oil and flour. I immediately asked her for the recipe and excitedly brought it home. Last week my brother bought me some coconut flour and I finally had the chance to try out the recipe.

Although I tend to prefer fudgy brownies over more cakey ones, such as these, the brownies still tasted good. Both of my brothers enjoyed them and made suggestions of additions I could make next time, such as carob or chocolate chips or some nuts. I decided to leave additions out this time so that they could just taste the natural flavor of the brownie itself, which is quite coconut and almondy due to the coconut oil and almond butter. My one substitution was that I used half maple syrup and half honey because I didn't have the full amount of maple syrup called for in the recipe.

Because the recipe made a large amount I decided to bring some in to work the next morning to share with my colleagues. The brownies were well received and it felt nice to be able to spread a little extra cheer before the weekend. One of the nurses who is actually gluten-free fell in love with them and had three pieces! She raved about the brownies and begged me for the recipe, which I promised her would be posted on my blog.

Coconut Brownies

• 1 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup maple syrup (or 1 cup honey)
• 5 oz (140 g) bittersweet chocolate
• ¼ cup cocoa powder 
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1½ cups almond butter

1. In a small saucepan, combine the coconut oil, maple syrup/honey, and chocolate. Heat until the coconut oil and chocolate has completely melted.
2. Remove from the heat an stir the cocoa powder into the mixture. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, vanilla, and baking soda.
4. Add the almond butter and mix well. Mix in the coconut flour.
5. Add the chocolate mixture and mix until a uniform batter comes together.
6. Pour the batter into a 9"x13" well-greased or parchment-lined pan.
7. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Holiday Treats

For the past few years I have made a habit out of putting together little boxes filled with holiday treats for my family. At first I started off small...a box filled with chocolate truffles. Then the following year I added to it with some chocolate crinkle cookies and berry crumb bars. This year I decided to swap out the truffles and add cranberry bliss bars and almond biscotti.

It was definitely a big undertaking to bake so much in a relatively short time period but I broke it up over two days and it all worked out. I will admit that at one point the kitchen looked quite disastrous with many different mixing bowls, ingredients, measuring cups, and baking trays spread out everywhere. Luckily my mom helped me with the packaging and she also tied up the boxes very nicely for me.

Everyone in my family was quite appreciative of the treats and I received many thanks and compliments. I can honestly say that I love the holiday season and the general joyfulness that can be felt everywhere. Therefore I love to do my part to spread the holiday cheer and brighten everyone's holidays just a touch more. Happy Holidays :)

Almond Biscotti

The idea of making biscotti has truthfully never been quite appealing to me because it seemed like a time consuming process. This, coupled with the fact that most members of my family aren't huge biscotti fans anyway, led me to ignore most biscotti recipes I have seen in the past.

Last summer, however, one of the things I learned to make during my trip to Italy was this biscotti. The recipe was very easy and actually not as time consuming as I thought; although the biscotti had to bake twice each time was only fifteen to twenty minutes. Also because the loaves were sliced while still hot from the first baking they were actually very easy to cut into pieces, unlike my delicious but difficult to slice fruit and nut crisps.

During my trip to Italy I not only picked up some new recipes but I also brought back some ingredients, one of which was Italian baking soda. When I first showed this to my mom she scoffed and questioned my need to buy specific baking soda from Italy. "Isn't ours good enough?" she asked me. Although there is nothing wrong with our baking soda I was fascinated by the fact that the one we used in Italy already had vanilla mixed into it, therefore no additional vanilla extract had to be added to the biscotti.

Up until last week my Italian baking soda had been sitting, unopened, in the kitchen cupboard. Finally I put it to use when I baked these biscotti. I think the person most surprised by the biscotti was my mom; she did not expect the biscotti to still be soft and chewy rather than hard like a rock as is typical of biscotti sold in stores here. Also she enjoyed the fact that each bite held a new "surprise" as she called it with the chunks of chocolate, almonds, hint of cinnamon, orange, and lemon. I was glad she enjoyed it so much, in addition to the rest of the family, and I think I will be baking it again soon for my holiday treat boxes.

Almond Biscotti
Note: Although I used my special Italian baking soda I was provided with a recipe that uses regular baking soda and vanilla, which is reflected below.

• 1 cup whole almonds, lightly toasted
• 4 oz (112 g) chocolate, roughly cut into chunks
• 1 orange, zested
• 1 lemon, zested
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar + extra for sprinkling
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp almond extract (can be substituted with almond liquor)
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• 2¾ cups flour
• 1 egg white

1. In a large bowl combine the melted butter, sugar, orange and lemon zests. Add the vanilla and almond extract (or liquor).
2. Mix in the beaten eggs and almonds.
3. In a separate bowl sift together the flour with the cinnamon, salt. If working with liquor add the baking soda last to the dough, right before the chocolate, otherwise sift with the other dry ingredients.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix together until a dough forms. Using your hands, work in the chunks of chocolate into the dough.
5. Split the dough in half and form into two long logs about 3" wide. Lay the logs onto a large baking sheet covered in parchment or wax paper. Make sure to leave space between the logs as they will widen as they bake.
6. Pat down the logs so they have a flat surface and use a pastry brush to spread the egg white over top. Generously sprinkle sugar over the surface.
7. Bake the biscotti for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit or until the tops of the logs start to crack and become a light golden color. 
8. Remove from the oven and cut diagonally into long pieces while still warm. The best way to do this is to cut straight down rather than use a sawing motion. 
9. Lay the cut pieces, cut side facing up, back on the tray and return to the turned off but still warm oven for 15-20 minutes. If you like the biscotti softer take them out sooner, if you like them crunchier leave them in for longer.

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

This salad is nothing new. In fact I have been making it for quite sometime but I never thought to blog about it because it seemed so simple. However after serving it repeatedly at multiple parties and always receiving rave reviews I decided it's time I include it on the blog.

This past weekend we had a big soiree at our house to celebrate my mom's birthday. In addition to this salad I also prepared stuffed mushrooms, poached pears, and two chocolate mousse cakes (there were a lot of people so I made two of the same cake). The party was a great success and everyone was truly appreciative of all the effort that went into creating such a fabulous spread.

The beauty of the salad I made is how easy and simple it is, yet also very versatile. I love how roasting the beets brings out their inherently sweet flavor which is then complemented by the tanginess of the goat cheese. Then to top it all off there's the crunch provided by the toasted almonds. I will admit that at times I have substituted feta cheese in the past, which is also nice, though I prefer the goat cheese. Also I alternate between using baby spinach and arugula, or sometimes even both, depending on what I find at the grocery store. In any case, the star of the salad is definitely the beet; so long as it's there everything else falls into place.

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
Note: The salad can be made in small or large portions, therefore I have listed the ingredients and steps but left quantities out.

• Medium sized beets
• Goat cheese
• Baby arugula or spinach leaves
• Sliced almonds
• Lemon
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

1. Prepare the beets by wrapping tightly in aluminum foil and arranging on a baking pan. Depending on the size, roast them for 45 minutes-1 hour. They are finished once a knife can easily slice through them.
2. Allow the beets to cool then proceed to peel and slice them. I prefer slicing them into thin rounds, about ½ cm thick, then in half.
3. While the beets are cooling, toast the almonds in a pan over low heat. Keep in mind it is easy to burn them therefore continuously stir them and remove from the heat as soon as you see them start to brown. Set aside in a separate bowl.
4. Toss the greens with some lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Adjust the seasoning to taste but take care not to over mix as the greens will start to wilt if you work them too much. 
5. Toss in the sliced beets and almonds and gently mix in. Use your hands to break off small chunks of goat cheese and sprinkle on top. Don't worry about mixing it in so long as there is enough to scooped up while serving.

Gluten Free Almond Cookies

After much talk and anticipation I finally went over to Victoria on Vancouver Island this past weekend to see where one of my good friends grew up. It was a great weekend spent at her parent's condo and touring the city. Even though I had been to Victoria before the last time was for a school field trip ten years ago so I really didn't remember too much. My friend took me out on her boat on Saturday and then showed me downtown Victoria on Sunday. I even tried water skiing...though I was not very successful.

As soon as I found out we were going to be staying with my friend's parents I immediately knew that I wanted to bake something and bring it over as a sign of my appreciation for their hospitality. My friend's father has celiac disease, meaning he cannot eat foods containing gluten. Unfortunately that also means that he cannot eat anything that contains wheat, such as pasta, bread, and cookies. There are of course special flours that can be used, such as rice or amaranth flour, but since I don't own any and didn't want to specially purchase it I decided to stick with ingredients already in my pantry. Nut flours are relatively easy to make and use and therefore I focused on recipes calling for nut flours using almonds or walnuts.

I actually found several recipes for gluten-free almond cookies, some even with chocolate or peanut butter, but I decided to pick this one because I needed cookies that could withstand a hot day in my car prior to the trip over to the island. I'm glad to say these cookies did not disappoint; they held up to the heat and transported well and retained a nice softness and moisture. My friend's family thoroughly enjoyed the cookies and her dad ate several during the weekend. In fact her mother even asked me for the recipe which made me feel quite happy. I promised her that I would write a post about the cookies and past it on. Overall I had a great weekend and I'm so glad to have been welcomed in such a friendly manner. Hopefully I will visit again and maybe next time I'll be able to get up on the water skis!

Gluten Free Almond Cookies
Makes about 25 small cookies.

• 2 cups ground almonds
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• Whole almonds (for decorating)

1. Combine the ground almonds and powdered sugar and set aside.
2. In a medium-sized bowl whip the egg white and almond extract until frothy and starts to form soft peaks. Do not beat into stiff peaks.
3. Gradually beat the egg mixture into the nut/sugar mix until a stiff paste forms.
4. Roll into balls about 2" in size and place about an inch apart on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten the cookies slightly and press a whole almond into the center of each cookie.
5. Bake for 11-13 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until the bottoms become golden. They will still look pale but do not over bake otherwise they will not stay soft. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking pan and become firm before transferring to a plate.

Nutty Granola

It's no secret that I'm crazy about granola. Every single weekday morning I have the exact same thing for breakfast...two hard boiled eggs and Greek yogurt mixed with granola. The variation comes from the flavor of the yogurt or the granola, but it's generally the same and I rotate through different combinations. On the weekends, when I have more time, I like to make some sort of an omelet but I still eat the yogurt with granola at some point during the day.

Ever since the new year I have really gotten into making my own granola. Back in February I posted about fruit, yogurt, and granola parfaits and in it I included a great granola recipe. Since then I have tried to come up with a few different variations but that recipe is still the one I make most frequently. Usually my new flavor combinations come from pre-existing granolas that I see on grocery store aisles. Often times I will buy one box to sample and see if I like the flavor; if I do I then try to recreate it at home. One of the combinations that I have come to love most is the maple/almond combo and honey/peanut. I find that both have a nice flavor that goes well with any variety of yogurt I choose, be it fruit flavored, coffee, plain, etc.

Even though I came up with a few good flavor combos, I was still having problems with the texture. Part of the reason I love granola so much is because of the great crunch it has. I've said it before and I'll say it again...I'm a texture snob, so obviously eating something that stays crunchy even when mixed with liquidy yogurt really appeals to me. That being said you can only imagine my frustration when my homemade granola was failing to achieve the same great crunch of the store-bought variety.

Well I am happy to report that I have finally solved the puzzle and made super crunchy, flavorful granola. The key to my success was to use the biggest sheet pan possible (I think it was 17" x 13" but that's just my rough measurements with a ruler) so that I could spread out the granola in a thin layer. That way it was able to properly dry out in the oven and become nice and crispy.

The recipe posted below can be used as a base and have different substitutions added to it in order to make it how you want it. I recently bought a box of hazelnut and chocolate granola and I liked how it tasted, so I may try making that next. Another popular combo is mocha/almond or mocha/chocolate, but I have yet to try it. One time I made a sort of dessert-type granola with honey roasted peanuts, dried bananas, and mini chocolate chips. Really the possibilities are endless so I suggest getting creative and seeing what you come up with.

Nutty Granola

• 4 cups rolled oats (not instant)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup nut butter (peanut, almond, hazelnut...)
• 1/2 cup chopped or sliced nuts (any variety)
• 1/4 cup honey (increase to 1/2 cup if making honey flavored)
• 1/4 cup flavored syrup (maple, fruit syrup, agave nectar....)

1. In a large bowl combine the oats, salt, ground flax seed, cinnamon (if using), and the chopped nuts. Note: if adding any "dry" flavors, such as espresso powder, nutmeg, etc do so at this step.
2. In a separate bowl combine the applesauce, nut butter, honey, and syrup. Mix well so that it becomes a homogenous liquid.
3. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly until the oats are evenly coated.
4. Spread the oats onto a large (very large) baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-40 minutes, or until the oats become golden and crispy. Stir the oats every 10-15 minutes so that they do not become burned.
5. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the baking sheet. Once cool store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Macarons

 
A long time ago, when I first started this blog, I set a personal goal for myself to have at least four posts a month. Most months I do end up having more but I told myself that four is the minimum. Well, this past weekend I was scrambling trying to figure out a recipe I could make, take pictures, and write about within a very short time frame. The challenge was made even more difficult by the fact that my parents went away for the weekend and borrowed my camera. Fortunately, they returned on Sunday in time for me to meet my month's end deadline and photograph the macarons I made.

Now about those macarons...let's just say I gave it my best effort, twice. It was my friend's birthday on Sunday and, as per usual, I wanted to bake something for her. I decided to make macarons because 1) I knew she loved them and would enjoy them 2) I had been wanting to try making them for quite some time and 3) she knows they are difficult to make and would appreciate the effort.

Macarons, not to be confused with macaroons (little fluffy coconut cookies) are the latest food trend along with cake pops. They come in a variety of flavors with and can be paired with virtually and filling. The challenge is to bake the shells with pristine tops and the coveted little "feet" at the bottom. I knew from reading many online blogs that macarons were no easy feat and that they can frustrate even the most accomplished of bakers. However I was determined to at least try it once, if only to be able to say I've done it.

I downloaded an excellent tutorial which is available for free here. The blogger wrote out a wonderful pdf, complete with step-by-step pictures, that explains how to make macarons. She also has a section devoted to troubleshooting, also with pictures of common problems, and then goes into detail on how to alter the basic macaron recipe to produce different types and flavors. I highly recommend downloading the document because it is very detailed and by far the best tutorial I have seen out there.

One of my few perfect macarons, complete with little "feet"

The first attempt I made was with the basic macaron recipe. Although the shells turned out with "feet", some of them were hollow inside. According to the tutorial this was a sign of over-mixing my batter. Normally it's hard to tell whether the macarons will turn out right until you bake them, but I had a feeling they weren't quite right because my batter was quite liquidy. My second attempt was with chocolate shells, but this one wasn't perfect either because only a few of the shells ended up with "feet" and most of them had cracked tops, also a sign of over-mixing.

Although my shells did not turn out perfect, I don't regret the experience or the results. I ended up filling the regular macarons with lemon curd and the chocolate ones with nutella. Both tasted good, though I preferred the regular ones because the almond taste was more noticeable in the shells compared to the strong chocolate taste of the other ones.

When my friend came over I presented her a nicely decorated box filled with both types as well as her other birthday gifts. I could tell she really enjoyed the macarons because she said they were delicious and she ate about three of each type while we sat and chatted. My parents and brother also tried them and agreed that they tasted great. Even though I want to eventually one day make perfect macarons, for now I will settle for less-than-perfect yet still yummy ones instead.

Macarons
Note: This is the recipe on how to make basic shells. I highly recommend downloading the document described above as it gives great instructions and also variations. This recipe makes about 100 shells, or 50 filled macarons.

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3  large egg whites
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

1. In a large bowl, sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar and set aside.
2. Using a whisk or hand-held electric mixer, whip the egg whites on low speed.
3. Once the egg whites start to become frothy and meringue-like, add the granulated sugar.
4. Continue to whisk/beat until stiff peaks form.
5. Carefully take half of the dry ingredients and gently, slowly fold into the egg whites until mostly mixed in. It's important to do this slowly so as not to deflate the egg whites too much.
6. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the remaining dry ingredients and gently fold in until evenly incorporated and no dry specks are left. Try to do this with minimal mixing as that can result in a too-liquid batter.
7. Once done, fill a pastry bag, or large ziploc bag with the tip cut off, and pipe nickel-sized rounds onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The batter will continue to spread after piping so make sure to leave about half an inch between each round.
8. Depending on the moisture in the environment, it will take between 30-90 minutes for the shells to develop a "skin" before they can be baked. The shells are ready if you can touch your finger to them and have no batter stick to it.
9. Once the "skins" have developed, bake the shells for 15-17 minutes, depending on how large they are, at 280 degrees Fahrenheit. You should see them puff up and form little "feet" on the bottom.
10. Remove from the oven and allow the shells to cool completely before carefully peeling them off the paper. 
11. Pipe any filling of your choice onto half of the shells and match with a similar sized shell to create a macaron.

Fruit, Yogurt, and Granola Parfaits

Lately I've been really into granola. I start off pretty much every day with some fruity yogurt mixed with granola and some eggs, be it hard boiled, scrambled, or an omelet if I have the time. Since my family regularly shops at Costco, and they frequently stock the same items, I usually end up alternating between the same two varieties of granola. One day I decided that I wanted to try and make my own granola but somehow this idea got postponed for a really long time, partially due to the fact that I was too lazy to go and buy old-fashioned rolled oats.

After finally going to the grocery store and picking up a bag of oats I no longer had any excuses and set upon making the granola. There are so many different "recipes" although after looking through them I realized a recipe is not really needed. Basically you just need to mix the oats with some sort of binder, be it honey or peanut butter or maple syrup, and add in any mix-ins, such as coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, nuts, etc. After it's done baking you can add in any dried fruits as well. The only annoying part is that while its baking, the granola needs to be stirred periodically which means that you can't just stick it in the oven and pull it out once a timer goes off.

I still ended up following a recipe I found on my favorite blog Annie's Eats for a healthy omega-3 granola. Of course I didn't have all of the ingredients so I kind of took some liberties with it. Since the recipe called for sunflower seeds and canola oil, but I didn't have it, I substituted pumpkin seeds and sunflower oil. In the end the sunflower taste was a little too strong for my liking, making it a very savory granola, but my whole family loved it, especially my brothers. Both said that the savory taste was great and different compared to the usual granola from the store. Next time I think I will try sticking to a neutral oil and see if that lets the sweetness of the honey come through more.

As for the parfaits, I've been making those quite frequently for my family as they continue to request them over and over. The concept is very simple: I layer fruits with Greek yogurt and then sprinkle granola on top. I know that some people put a layer of granola in the middle as well but unless the parfait is eaten right away the granola gets soggy and I can't stand that. I usually make six or seven of these parfaits (leaving out the granola) and leave them, covered, in the fridge. Then once someone wants to eat it, for breakfast or dessert, they take one out and put the granola topping on themselves. Everyone in my family loves them because they're a sweet little treat but also healthy.

Fruit, Yogurt, and Granola Parfaits

For the parfaits:
Note: These are all rough measurements in order to make 6-7 parfaits in 4 oz. ramekins.

• 3-4 cups fresh or frozen fruit (thawed if frozen)
• 1 large container (650-750 mL) Greek yogurt (I used honey flavored but plain or vanilla works too)
• Granola

To assemble: Put a layer of fruit in the bottom of each ramekin so that it is completely covered. Spoon enough yogurt over top to cover the surface of the fruit. Repeat the layering process with the fruit and yogurt then top with granola. Optional: Put a layer of granola on top of first yogurt layer before repeating fruit layer.

For the Omega-3 Granola:

• 1/3 cup slivered almonds
• 1/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped 
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup raisins (I used 1/4 cup raisins, 1/4 cups dried cranberries)

1. Toast the almonds and walnuts in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and beginning to darken, about 3 minutes.
2. Stir in the oats and oil and continue to toast, stirring often, until the oats begin to turn golden, about 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the sunflower and sesame seeds and continue to toast until the mixture turns golden, about 2 minutes.
4. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the honey, flaxseeds, and salt until evenly combined.
5. Spread the granola over a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring every 3 minutes, for 15 minutes until the granola is a light golden brown.
6. Stir in the raisins (or whatever other variety of dried fruit) and use a spatula to gently push the granola to one side and press into a slab about 1/2" thick.
7. Allow the granola to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, then use your hands to gently break it into small clusters. 

Note: The granola can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Fruit and Nut Crisps

I made these crisps over the weekend and was planning on bringing them with me to a "wine and cheese" social but they took longer to make than I anticipated so I made cinnamon rolls instead and saved these for home. My mom was quite ecstatic actually when she found out that we would be keeping the crisps for ourselves. She looked at me in disbelief as she said "We get to keep them, all of them?...You're not taking them anywhere?" She was skeptical because lately I have been on a baking streak but all of the baked goods were made for various functions I was attending, and therefore not for my family to eat.

Despite not bringing the crisps to the social everyone greatly appreciated the cinnamon rolls and they turned out to be the only dessert item at the event. The next day I finished baking the crisps and I am so pleased with how they turned out. These crisps are exactly like the fancy crackers that people splurge on at $7-$8 a box containing about only twenty total. In fact when my friend came over and tried one she commented that they tasted even better than the store-bought variety.

The great thing about making these yourself is that you are in complete control of the flavors and ingredients. The base recipe can be added upon using any combination of fruits, nuts, and seeds. As pictured above, I made two different varieties: dried cherry, cranberry, pistachio (left) and almond, raisin, rosemary, pumpkin seed (right). Both sets turned out very crunchy (and obviously crispy) but the rosemary one was more popular. Even so, the crisps were eaten quite fast as my brother noted that they were kind of addictive...it was hard to stop after just one.

Fruit and Nut Crisps
Makes about five dozen.

Base Recipe

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds

Suggested Add-Ins

• 1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios, pecans....
• 1/2 cup raisins, dried cherries, cranberries, apricots, figs, dates....
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, mint, basil....

Pick any combination to add focusing on at least one nut and fruit addition (though more is also good)

1. In a large bowl combine all of the base ingredients until a batter forms. 
2. If making two different varieties, split the batter in half and mix the desired add-ins into each half.
3. Pour out the batters into two 8" x 4" greased loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes, or at until the loaves are golden and springy to the touch.
4. Remove the loaves from the pans and cool on a wire rack. Once significantly cool, wrap each loaf in plastic wrap and stick into the freezer.
5. After several hours or even the next day, remove the loaves from the freezer and slice as thinly as possible. Place the slices in a single layer on an ungreased baking tray and bake for 15 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Flip each slice over and return to the oven for another 10 minutes, or until crisp and deeply golden.

Note: The loaves are much, much easier to slice if they are cold therefore I suggest preparing the loaves well in advance and keeping them in the freezer until ready to bake the second time. If tightly wrapped, the loaves can stay in the freezer for up to two months. Simply partially thaw them on the counter before beginning to slice and bake.

Chocolate Almond Florentines

Almost everyone has New Years resolutions and a very common one is weight loss. I myself have included this as one of my resolutions this year, but I'd like to think that I'm coming at it from a practical standpoint. Let's face it: I like to bake. I know myself and I know that I cannot eliminate baking, and therefore consuming baked goods, completely from my life because it is very intrinsic and important part of who I am. However, in light of this and my acknowledgement of such, I know that I can take certain steps to maintain my goal of weight loss and still enjoy baking.

I'm not going to lie and say that these cookies are good for you...they're cookies therefore they contain sugar therefore they are most definitely not healthy. Still, the amount of sugar contained in these cookies is quite minimal compared to many other cookie recipes and that definitely helps. Also, the key is to remember that everything is good in moderation. For example, rather than bake so often I try to release my creative juices through more cooking and less baking, all the while focusing on healthy recipes. In addition, I look for outlets for my baking such as meetings or gatherings I know I will attend where my baked goods will be welcomed. This allows me to fulfill my desire to bake while not being tempted to consume more than I should.

In all honesty, I came across this recipe for florentines prior to the New Year but I hadn't had a chance to make them, despite buying all of the ingredients. Once the New Year hit, I realized that this recipe fit the bill for my new approach to baking and so I decided to bake them last weekend. I must say they are absolutely delicious! The smoky flavor of the almonds is well complemented by the orange and lemon zests. Different family members preferred the plain vs. chocolate dipped variations. I personally enjoyed the plain florentine because the citrus flavor really stood out however my mother and brother, both chocoholics, liked the chocolate florentines better. I found that by dipping only half of the florentine in chocolate the cookie encompassed the best of both worlds.

If you are like me and wanting to lose some weight but can't entirely give up the baked goods I would highly recommend making these florentines. They were easy to make, required few ingredients, and left me with a slightly less guilty feeling after eating them compared to many other cookies.

Chocolate Almond Florentines

• 1 large egg white, room temperature
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 3/4 cup sliced almonds
• Pinch of flaky sea salt
• Zest of 1/2 an orange
• Zest of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

1. Combine all of the ingredients except for the chocolate in a large bowl.
2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and brush very lightly with neutral oil, or spray with cooking spray.
3. Place heaping tablespoon-sized mounds of the almond mixture onto the baking sheet about 2-3" apart. It helps to dip your hands or the spoon, if using, into cold water so that the almonds don't stick.
4. Use a fork, dipped in the cold water, to flatten the mounds as much as possible, avoiding gaps in between the almonds.
5. Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies. The cookies should be golden brown across the top and will start to give off a smoky smell. 
6. Cool the cookies for a minute on the baking tray before transferring them to a metal rack to finish cooling and become crispy.
7. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in the microwave at 30 second intervals until smooth, mixing in between. 
8. Once the cookies are crisp, dip half or the entire cookie into the chocolate and return to the wire rack so that the chocolate can harden.

Almond Meringues

There are certain food memories that stand out from my childhood, and meringues are definitely one of them. I remember my mom making these "beze" as we call them in Russian either on their own or to top off a delicious apple cake. Although I had watched her make them many times, I knew that they were quite a challenging dessert because of the timing when whipping the egg whites. The whites had to be beaten to stiff peaks but not overbeaten otherwise the meringues wouldn't puff up properly in the oven.

After using only yolks in my fruit tart with vanilla pastry cream I had a bunch of egg whites left over and I decided to try and make these meringues on my own. Unfortunately my mom was out of town and she could only offer me advice over the phone, and not visually. The challenge was even greater because I wanted to use my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer to make the meringues. Although the Kitchen Aid itself was easy to handle, and definitely less labor intensive, I have only used it a couple of times so far and am still getting used to it. This made me extra nervous because I didn't want to risk overbeating the eggs.

I made sure to follow all of my mom's directions precisely and carefully watched over the mixer like a hawk. The moment I thought the sugar was fully incorporated and I saw the telltale signs of glossy, white, stiff peaks I immediately turned off the mixer. The problem with meringues is that you can't know if you have overbeaten the eggs until its too late; luckily for me, my meringues puffed up very nicely in the oven.

Despite their pretty appearance, I knew I couldn't consider the meringues a success until my mom saw and tasted them. When she came home on Sunday I happily presented her with my creation and watched her bite in. She gave my meringues her seal of approval, claiming that they had the perfect crunchy outside yet soft and airy inside. I was so glad that she enjoyed them and was proud to have finally gotten over my fear of meringues.

Almond Meringues
Note: It is very important that the egg whites are at room temperature. Many sources recommend leaving the egg whites out on the counter for a few hours or even overnight so that they may age and whip as best as possible.

• 5 egg whites, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups blanched slivered almonds

1. In a small skillet, toast the almonds in a little bit of olive oil over low heat until they are fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Pour into a separate bowl and set aside to cool.
2. Start to beat the egg whites on low speed until they become frothy, about 1 minute.
3. Increase the speed to medium and then gradually to high. Continue to beat until peaks start to form, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Once you see peaks, gradually add the sugar and continue to beat for another 2-3 minutes until the egg whites are white and glossy and form stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted.
5. Gently fold the almonds into the egg whites, handling the mixture as little as possible.
6. Scoop out spoonfuls of the meringue onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper and sprinkled with a little bit of cornstarch.
7. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes, or just until the tops of the meringues become slightly golden. Keep a close eye out because the color can drastically change in a minute. If using multiple baking trays make sure to rotate them halfway through. 
8. Once slightly golden, turn off the oven and and keep the meringues inside the closed oven for an additional hour. Afterward, remove from the oven and carefully transfer to a plate to serve.

French Pear Tart with Almond Cream

While searching for recipes to make the fruit tart with vanilla pastry cream for my friend's birthday, I mistakenly came across a recipe for an almond cream tart instead. When I described the tart to my friend she seemed quite enthused by the idea and so, even though I did eventually find the correct recipe, I decided to make her mini pear tarts to go along with the bigger fruit tart.

Although I had not originally intended to bake so much I'm glad that I did because this tart turned out fabulously! In fact, my friend and I both agreed that we actually preferred the taste of the mini pear tarts to that of the fruit tart. Due to the fact that the tart shell was first partially baked on its own and then filled with the almond cream and baked again it gave the crust a great crunch. The center, however, remained soft with the creamy filling and was topped with the sweetness of the poached pears. Since I only made four mini tarts but had enough filling and dough for six, I used the extras the next day to bake some for my family and I'm glad to report that it was well received.

French Pear Tart with Almond Cream
Note: This recipe is enough for one 9'' or 10'' tart or six 4.5'' tarts.

For the tart shell:

The recipe is the same as the tart shell of the fruit tart with vanilla pastry cream. If baking mini tarts, alter the baking times to 10 minutes with weight and 8-10 minutes uncovered.

For the cream:

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup ground blanched almonds
• 2 tsp flour
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Beat together the butter and sugar until smooth.
2. Beat in the ground almonds and then add the flour, cornstarch, and cinnamon.
3. Add the egg and continue to beat until the mixture is homogenous. Add the vanilla and beat just until incorporated.
4. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap so that the plastic is directly touching the surface of the cream and refrigerate until completely chilled.

For the poached pears:

• 1 medium firm pear
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

1. Combine the water, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and heat until boiling.
2. Peel the pear and then lower into the boiling liquid. Reduce the heat to low and allow the pear to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until it is easily poked through with a fork.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the pear cool down in the poaching liquid.

To assemble and bake:

1. Spread the almond cream into the tart shell.
2. Remove the pear from the poaching liquid and pat dry. Slice and core the pear and arrange the slices on the surface of the cream.
3. Place the tart on a baking tray and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50-60 minutes, or until the almond cream puffs up and browns. For the mini tarts, reduce the baking time to 20-25 minutes. To serve, sprinkle with some icing sugar.

Hanukkah Rugelach

The holiday season has come upon us which means two things: lots of holiday baking and studying for exams. Thankfully, the exams will be over soon but unfortunately the intense studying has taken a toll on my baking. I actually made these rugelach at the beginning of Hanukkah, when my brother and I went to go visit our old neighbors in Seattle. We spent the weekend having a great time playing with their kids and making Hanukkah goodies. Together we made latkes, little potato pancakes, and also these rugelach.

When I told my mom about the rugelach, she insisted that I not call them that. She said that when she grew up, her mom always called them "ragaliki" which translates into "little horns". I suppose since they are rolled up into the crescent shape they could resemble little horns. It was a little time consuming to make the rugelach, especially since the dough had to be chilled for a bit, but I loved the fact that there are a variety of fillings that can go inside.

The weekend was extremely fun and exactly what I needed before gearing up for exams. On a side note...the XBOX 360 kinect gaming system is so cool! We played it at their house and I must say I am extremely impressed. The sensors are so accurate and have facial recognition. The games are quite interactive and involve a lot of movement...definitely a great source of exercise. My only regret while making the rugelach was questioning why I picked a somewhat time consuming (although delicious) dessert, as it took away from my playing time with the kids. Still, everyone loved the rugelach and I had fun making them.

Hanukkah Rugelach
Note: The recipe makes enough dough for 64 little rugelach. I suggest trying a different filling for each batch of 16.

• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 block (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1. Sift together the flour and salt and set aside.
2. Using a mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese together for about 2 minutes.
3. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until a dough comes together.
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
5. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out until it is about 1" thick all over. Fold the dough into thirds, wrap it back up and chill it for at least another hour, though you can leave it in the fridge for up to 24 hours at this point.

Raspberry Chocolate Pecan Filling
Note: This is both fillings for enough for one batch of 16 rugelach.

• 1/2 cup raspberry jam (I used seedless)
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (I used mini chocolate chips)
• 3/4 cup pecans, toasted 

Combine the pecans and chocolate chips in a food processor and pulse repeatedly until the pieces stick together. Empty into a separate bowl and stir in the jam.

Cinnamon Sugar Pecan Filling

• 1/2 cup pecans, toasted
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Chop the pecans finely using a food processor and then mix together with sugar and cinnamon.

To assemble rugelach:

1.  Divide the dough in quarters. Put three quarters back into the fridge while rolling out the fourth quarter into about a 10" circle.

2.  Spread the filling over the dough and then cover with wax or parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to go over it and get the filling spread in an even layer.

3.  Cut the circle into 16 wedges and roll up each wedge, starting at the wide end.

4.  Place rolled up rugelach onto a baking sheet and brush with the egg wash.

5.  If you want you can sprinkle a little bit of sugar on top, or just leave them plain.

6.  Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 22-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

7.  Cool for 5-10 minutes before plating and serving.

Note: There are lots of different fillings that can be made. Some ideas include:

• Walnuts
• Hazelnuts
• Different fruit jams
• Nutella
• Cinnamon Sugar (without the nuts)