Tag: Dessert

Birthday Season

We are just wrapping up a season of birthdays at my house. My family all takes a turn, within a couple of months, claiming the spotlight and choosing a cake to celebrate their special day…

A white peach grilled, filled with mascarpone cheese and drizzled with honey served on a wooden saucer.

Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone

Filled with creamy mascarpone cheese, these quick and easy grilled peaches make a dessert that is light, juicy and tangy sweet. A drizzle of golden honey adds the perfect sticky sweet finishing touch…there are some things that, no matter where you find yourself, just take you back home again.

Summer Berry Basil Sauce over a peach half topped with whipped cream and basil leaf in a Glass dish on stone

Summer Berry Basil Sauce

Summer Berry Basil Sauce is sweetened with a touch of honey and spiced with warm notes of cinnamon and the soothing summer aroma of fresh basil. This sweet treat takes only a few minutes to prepare and the result is simply fabulous.

Close up of Beat the Heat Microwave Pralines.

Beat the Heat Microwave Pralines

Over the years I have I learned some great ways to beat the heat. Using a microwave oven to make these delicious Buttermilk Pralines, a sweet treat that is traditionally cooked on a stovetop, is a fantastic adaptation when temperatures soar. These candies have a nice sugary snap and robust pecan flavor. Even in milder weather they are my favorite pralines.

Honey Chocolate Cake topped with marzipan bees.

Honey Bees

Another thing I discovered in California was a mild obsession with bees. As I lingered around the pool enjoying the sunshine and pleasant temperatures I couldn’t help but notice..

Chocolate Fire Ice Cream Cupcakes topped with Cocao Nibs and Sprinkled with Cinnamon on a glass plate

Chocolate Fire Ice Cream Cupcakes

To learn how to have fun with ice cream there’s no better place to start than with children. For my cupcake recipe I turned to my vintage “Betty Crocker’s Cookbook for Boys and Girls.” It no longer has a cover or pages 1 through 8…

A side view of a square-cut slice of Bread Pudding drizzled with Bourbon Sauce.

Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

Cream and sugar laced with vanilla and cinnamon wrap around nuts and tangy fruit in the heart of this delicious Bread Pudding. Drizzle Bourbon Sauce over the top for a note of sweet punctuation.

A Slice of Upside Down Lemon Meringue Pie topped with a big dollop of whipped cream and dusted with lemon zest. This photo highlights the crispy crust.

Upside Down Lemon Meringue Pie

This unusual crust puts a layer of crisp meringue on the bottom and turns this Lemon Meringue Pie upside-down. Using meringue for the crust is perfect for those who don’t care for pie pastry or simply prefer something lighter. Here the meringue provides a pleasing crunch while the nuts and crumbs add interest in contrast to the smooth lemon filling.

Vanilla Chile Truffles rolled in cocoa powder and arranged in a glass dish

Vanilla Chile Truffles

I go to Vosges Chocolat and find the inspiration to make truffles laced with the richness of vanilla cream, the exotic depth of cinnamon and the heat of two fiery ground chile peppers. I don’t have time to dip them and I don’t have the perfect garnish to make them individually gorgeous but I have chocolate and I’m making truffles and I know they’ll taste great!

Chocolate Decadence

February simply cries out for chocolate! When the Christmas holidays have become but a pleasant memory and our bodies have forgotten the overindulgence of holiday feasting, when our moods are challenged by a long succession of wet gray January days and the sweet occasion of Valentine’s Day peeps at us […]