Temptation Thursday

“Ignorance is like a delicate fruit; touch it, and the bloom is gone.”
-Oscar Wilde

Hello! Today I am sharing the recipe for one of my favorite desserts. It his always a go to - especially in summer when you can make it with different types of fruit. It is not hard to make and the results are always impressive! Enjoy!

What is a Clafouti you ask?

1. fruit pastry: a fruit and batter pastry, typically made with cherries
[Late 20th century. < French < dialect clafir "to stuff" + standard French foutre "to stuff"]
Taken from Encarta® World English Dictionary[North American Edition]©


Strawberry Clafouti

Ingredients:

* 1 1/3 cups + 1 Tbsp sugar
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 1 cup egg substitute
* 1 1/2 cups skim milk
* 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
* 2 tsp finely grated orange peel
* 1 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon peel
* 2 pears, peeled, sliced, seeded
* 10 strawberries, stems removed, sliced
* 4 Tbsp confectioners' sugar

Equipment Needed:

* 2 Mixing Bowls
* 8 - 6 ounce oven safe dishes
* Large baking sheet

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 375°.
2.) Butter all 8 baking dishes and set aside.
3.) Combine sugar, flour, and baking powder in mixing bowl.
4.) Lightly beat together eggs, milk, vanilla, & grated peels in another bowl.
5.) Add egg mixture to sugar mixture & stir slightly to combine.
6.) Spoon pears and berries into the 8 buttered dishes.
7.) Pour batter over fruit, filling dishes about three-quarters full.
8.) Place dishes on baking sheet.
9.) Then, put baking sheet with dishes onto center rack of oven.
10.) Bake 30 to 35 min, until golden brown.
11.) Sprinkle with confectioners sugar while still warm.

Thought of the Day:

“Truth is a fruit which should not be plucked until it is ripe.”
-Voltaire

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Tasty Tuesday: Cookies II

"When baking, follow directions. When cooking, go by your own taste."
-Laiko Bahrs

Hello! With the holidays upon us my thoughts ALWAYS turn to cookies. I love to make cookies and give them as gifts - people always appreciate food! The picture below shows three of the 15 types of cookies that I make (cherry, lemon, chocolate). Today I would like to share the recipe for the chocolate cookies. Enjoy!

"Tell me what you eat, I'll tell you who you are."
-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin




Ingredients:

Cookies:

* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1 cup oil
* 1 cup cocoa powder
* 1 Tbsp. baking powder
* 1/2 tsp. baking soda
* 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp. allspice
* 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
* 1 tsp. vanilla extract
* 1 tsp. chocolate extract
* 1 cup milk
* 1 bag of chocolate chips
* Flour (start with 3 cups, and keep more nearby if needed)

Icing:

* 1 cup confectioners sugar
* 2-3 Tbsp warm milk
* 1 tsp. chocolate extract (if you would like)


Equipment Needed:

* Large mixer

Directions:

Cookies:

1.) Preheat oven to 350°.
2.) Beat sugar, eggs and oil together until blended.
3.) Add cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, spices & extracts.
4.) Beat until blended.
5.) Slowly add milk until well mixed.
6.) Mix in chocolate chips.
7.) Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms.
8.) Add more flour if needed. (dough will be soft and a bit sticky)
** DO NOT add too much flour or your cookies will be dry **
9.) Shape dough into small balls, using about 1 Tbsp for each.
10.) Arrange dough balls 1" apart on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
11.) Bake 10 min, until lightly browned.
12.) Do not over-bake - they will become too hard and dry.
13.) Remove from cookie sheets and cool.
14.) Ice when cooled

Icing:

1.) Combine confectioners sugar & milk in small bowl.
2.) Whip lightly with spoon until smooth and slightly thick.
3.) Add chocolate extract and mix well. (if you are using)
4.) Dip tops of cookies into icing.
5.) Let set until icing is dry to the touch.
6.) Store in well sealed container.


Thought of the Day:

“It will be a great day when our schools have all the money they need, and our air force has to have a bake-sale to buy a bomber.”
-Robert Fulghum

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Tasty Tuesday

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
-Theodore Roosevelt

Hello! Today I want to share a recipe using one of my favorite products: Nutella! Those of you who have never tried Nutella are missing out!! It is a wonderful chocolate spread that tastes good with anything (or alone for that matter). When I was growing up you could only get it in Italian specialty stores, but now it is available in most grocery stores. Enjoy!


Nutella Souffle with Vanilla Sauce
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

* 1 1/4 cups whole milk
* 1/2 cup sugar, plus extra for coating ramekins
* 2 Tbsp corn starch
* 4 tsp flour
* 3/4 cup Half-and-Half
* 3 large egg yolks
* 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
* Butter for coating ramekins
* 3 Tbsp Nutella
* 5 large egg whites
* 3/4 cup vanilla ice cream, melted

Equipment Needed:

* 6 (6 oz) ramekins
* parchment paper
* mixer
* baking sheet pan

Directions:

A.) Make pastry cream:

1.) Heat milk in small saucepan on medium until simmering.
2.) Whisk 1/2 cup sugar, corn starch, flour, 1/2 & 1/2, egg yolks, & vanilla in bowl.
3.) Add milk, 1/2 cup at a time, to egg mixture, whisking constantly.
4.) Return mixture to saucepan on medium.
5.) Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly.
6.) Cook 2-3 min until pastry cream is very thick.
7.) Transfer to bowl.
8.) Press some parchment paper on surface of pastry cream to keep skin from forming.
9.) Chill 1-2 hours.

B.) Make souffles:

1.) Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2.) Coat inside of souffle dishes with butter, then sugar and set aside.
3.) Arrange dishes together on baking sheet.
4.) Whisk Nutella into pastry cream, then set aside.
5.) Beat egg whites in separate bowl with mixer until soft peaks form.
6.) Whisk 1/3 of egg whites into pastry cream until almost no white streaks remain.
7.) Fold in remaining egg whites until just incorporated.
8.) Fill prepared souffle dishes to top with mixture.
9.) Transfer baking sheet with souffle dishes carefully to lower middle of oven. 10.) Bake 20-24 min until top edges are browned and souffle has risen above rim of dish, and doesn't jiggle when shaken.
11.) Remove souffles from oven.

C.) To serve:

1.) Immediately transfer souffles to serving area.
2.) Create hole in top of souflle with spoon and pour melted ice cream into hole.

D.) Tips:

* Pastry Cream can be made a day ahead and refrigerated until ready.
* For souffles to rise properly, wipe any drips of batter from souffle dish rim and do not open oven to check for at least 20 min.

Thought of the Day:

"You can tell more about a person by what he says about others than you can by what others say about him."
-Leo Aikman

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Temptation Thursday!

Temptation
Noun

1. Desire for something bad: a desire or craving for something, especially something considered wrong "yield to temptation"
2. Incitement of desire: the incitement of desire or craving in somebody
3. Cause of desire: somebody or something that tempts somebody
"too many temptations for me here"


“I deal with temptation by yielding to it”
-Mark Twain


So, without further ado, let me tempt you!! Enjoy!!

Mini Spring Cupcakes from Williams-Sonoma


“I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it”
-Mae West



Summer Fling Coffeecake from Zingerman's


“Temptation is an irresistible force at work on a movable body”
-Henry Louis Mencken


Burnt Caramel Sundae Kit from Recchiuti Confections


“Lead us not into temptation. Just tell us where it is; we'll find it.”
-Sam Levenson


Silly Joke of the Day:

Can it be a mistake that "STRESSED" is "DESSERTS" spelled backwards?


Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Tasty Tuesday!

"A light wind swept over the corn, and all nature laughed in the sunshine."
-Anne Bronte


Hello! Today I have a different, but very tasty dessert recipe to share with you! It is easy to make and uses very few ingredients. The cornbread pudding can be made ahead of time and you can make the pineapple just before serving. Enjoy!

"Up from the meadows rich with corn, Clear in the cool September morn."
-John Greenleaf Whittier



Cornbread Pudding w/ Caramelized Cinnamon Pineapple & Ice Cream

Cornbread Pudding:

Ingredients:

* 1 Box of Jiffy© Corn Bread mix prepared as directed, cooled and cubed
* 2 Cups half and half
* 3 Large Eggs
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
* French Vanilla Ice cream
* Cinnamon

Equipment needed: 2 qt baking dish

1.) Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
2.) Layer cornbread cubes on bottom of baking dish and set aside.
3.) Add half and half, eggs, sugar, and vanilla to large bowl.
4.) Whisk together to blend completely.
5.) Pour mixture over cornbread.
6.) Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until sides puff and center jiggles slightly when shaken.
7.) Let cool about 30 min, until set but still warm.
8.) While cooling make the pineapple.


Cinnamon Pineapple:

Ingredients

* 1 Can of pineapple rings, cut in half
* 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to broil with the rack 6" from heat source.
2.) Arrange pineapple on baking sheet.
3.) Sprinkle both sides of the pineapple with cinnamon.
4.) Broil 7-10 min, watching carefully, until fruit is caramelized and light brown.
5.) Set aside until ready to plate.

On individual serving plates, arrange two pieces of the cinnamon pineapple, cornbread pudding and a scoop of ice cream. Garnish with cinnamon and serve.


“I had always thought that once you grew up you could do anything you wanted -- stay up all night or eat ice-cream straight out of the container.”
-Bill Bryson


Bad Joke of the day:

What was the snack bar next door to an atom smasher called?
...The Fission Chip!


Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Temptation Thursday!

"A new British survey has revealed that 9 out of 10 people like Chocolate. The tenth lies."
-Robert Paul


Hello! I hope you are having a wonderful week. I am in the middle of preparing for a houseful of guests for Easter Dinner! I cannot wait! Serving a houseful of guests a home-cooked meal is one of my favorite things to do!

What would a great meal be without the dessert? I have some wonderful desserts to share with you today! I can personally vouch for ALL of them! They are all wonderful in their own special way, you will not be disappointed! Enjoy!




Cheesecake Dippers by Eli's Cheesecake


What is the meaning of life? All evidence to date suggests it's chocolate.



Cinnful Cinnamon Rolls by Zingerman's


A chocolate in the mouth is worth two on the plate.




Frosted Egg Cutouts by Cheryl and Co.


Anything is good and useful if it's made of chocolate.



Jumbo Wicked Whoopie by Wicked Whoopies


"There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with chocolate."
-Linda Grayson


Halva Bomb Cake by Dean and Deluca


Joke of the Day:

The problem: How to get 2 pounds of chocolate home from the store in a hot car.
The solution: Eat it in the parking lot.



Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Temptation Thursday!

"When fate hands you a lemon, make lemonade."
-Dale Carnegie


Hello! We have wonderful weather here in CNY, so instead of being on the computer I opt to go outside! I hope all of you can do the same. That being said, I leave you with a short and sweet Temptation Thursday! Enjoy!



Lemon Squares:
(adapted from William-Sonoma)

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

Crust:

* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/3 cup granulated sugar
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
* 8 Tbs. cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Filling:

* 3/4 cup fine sugar
* 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
* Pinch of salt
* 2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
* 3 eggs, at room temperature
* 1/2 cup lemon juice
* 3 Tbs. heavy cream
* Confectioners’ sugar for dusting


Directions:

Crust:

1.) Preheat an oven to 350°F.
2.) Lightly grease an 8-inch square, glass baking dish.
3.) In a food processor, combine the flour, granulated sugar, salt and cinnamon.
4.) Pulse briefly until blended.
5.) Add the butter pieces.
6.) Mix until dough forms moist crumbs and sticks together when pinched, 1 min.
6.) There should be no trace of dryness.
7.) Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides (1") of baking dish.
8.) Bake the crust until lightly golden, 20 to 22 minutes.
9.) Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the crust cool completely.
10.) Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.


Filling:

1.) In a bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, salt and lemon zest.
2.) Add the eggs, lemon juice and cream, then whisk until just blended.
3.) Slowly pour the mixture over the baked crust.
4.) Bake until the filling has set but still jiggles a bit when the dish is gently shaken, about 20 minutes.
5.) Transfer the pan to the wire rack and let cool for about 30 minutes.
6.) Run the tip of a paring knife along the inside of the baking dish to loosen the crust from the sides.
7.) Let cool completely.
8.) Cut into 12 pieces.
9.) With a spatula, carefully remove the bars from the dish.
10.) Prior to serving serving, sift confectioners sugar over the bars.


Joke of the Day:

Knock Knock.
Who's there?
Lemon!
Lemon who?
Lemon me give you a kiss!


Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Wordless Wednesday!

Wordless Wednesday!

Sweet Sunday

Hello and Welcome!

Today I have some luscious sweets to share with you! Enjoy!

I want to have a good body, but not as much as I want dessert.
-Jason Love


Cupcakes Gourmet: Red Velvet Cupcakes


One dozen of this Southern classics. Southern chocolate cake with cream cheese butter-cream frosting.


Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.
-Ernestine Ulmer


Dragonfly Cakes: Sweethearts Petit Fours


Tiny handmade marzipan hearts adorn this collection.


Inside some of us is a thin person struggling to get out, but they can usually be sedated with a few pieces of chocolate cake.
-Author Unknown


We Take the Cake: Key Lime Bundt Cake


A tropical treat blending rich, sweet pound cake with the tangy zing of Key lime.


Have a great day!

Until Tomorrow: Go Ahead & Indulge!