Category Archives: sweets

Brownie in a Mug from celebrating sweets.com

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3 tablespoons granulated sugar
 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch salt
 2 tablespoons chocolate chips, plus more for topping
 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil, melted coconut oil or melted butter
3 tablespoons milk
 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
 Ice cream, whipped cream, powdered sugar, berries for garnish
Instructions
Place sugar, flour, cocoa powder and salt in a mug. Use a small whisk or fork, and stir until combined, and free of lumps. Stir in chocolate chips. Add oil, milk and vanilla, stir with a spoon or small rubber spatula until just combined (try not to over mix it). 

Sprinkle a few additional chocolate chips over the top and cook in the microwave for about 90 seconds (microwave times may vary). Eat immediately with ice cream, whipped cream, powdered sugar, or berries.

Notes
I have a used a 12oz and 16oz mug for this recipe.
Although this is a single serving dessert, you can easily split this between 2 adults.

Peach Tart from Amanda Hesser

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  • 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2-3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar-depnding on sweetness of fruit
  • 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil or coconut
  • 1/4 cup mild olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (opt)
  • 2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
  • 3 small ripe peaches (up to 5), pitted and thickly sliced (about 1/2-inch wide)
  • Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stirring enables the salt and sugar to sift the flour, so you don’t need to sift it in advance. In a small bowl, whisk together the oils, milk and almond extract. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and mix gently with a fork, just enough to dampen; do not over work it. Then, transfer the dough to an 11-inch tart pan (you can use a smaller one if needed), and use your hands to pat out the dough so it covers the bottom of the pan, pushing it up the sides to meet the edge. This will work if you pat firmly and confidently, but not if you curl your fingertips into the dough. It should be about 1/ 8-inch thick all around; trim and discard excess dough.
  • In a bowl, combine 1/2 -3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the butter. (If your peaches are especially juicy, add 1 tablespoon additional flour.) Using your fingers, pinch the butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly, with a mixture of fine granules and tiny pebbles. 
  • Starting on the outside, arrange the peaches overlapping in a concentric circle over the pastry; fill in the center in whatever pattern makes sense. The peaches should fit snugly. Sprinkle the pebbly butter mixture over top (it will seem like a lot). Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until shiny, thick bubbles begin enveloping the fruit and the crust is slightly brown. Cool on a rack. Serve warm or room temperature, preferably with generous dollops of whipped cream.

notes: first time I made it with too many peaches as in too much juice and used spring form pan. It’s better made in 10” pie pan. Based on sweetness of fruit adjusted sugar.

blueberry buckle from yankee

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  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup whole milk
  • 2 cups wild Maine blueberries

Preheat oven to 375° and butter a 9×9-inch baking pan. In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. Add the egg and combine.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk, until well combined. Add the blueberries and fold a few times with a rubber spatula until just combined. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. 

For the topping:

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add the butter and combine until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the top of the batter.

Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. 

morning glory breakfast cake, smitten kitchen

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  • 1 cup (145 grams) grated apple (from 1 7-ounce/medium-large apple)
  • 1 cup (115 grams) grated carrot (from 1 thick carrot)
  • 1/2 cup (80 grams) very well-drained crushed pineapple or chopped fresh pineapple
  • 1/3 cup (30 grams) shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 1/4 cup raisins or another dried fruit (optional)
  • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 2/3 cup (130 grams) raw or granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup (155 ml) neutral oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/4 cups (160 grams) all-purpose or whole-wheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons toasted, salted pepitas (optional)

Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 8-inch square baking pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment and let it extend up two sides of the pan. 

In a large bowl, combine apple, carrot, pineapple, coconut, dried fruit, if using, lemon zest, sugar, and oil. Add eggs, and whisk to combine. Sprinkle spices, salt, baking powder, and baking soda over the batter and stir very well to combine. Add flour, and stir just until it disappears.

Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle pepitas over cake, if using. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out batter-free. Let cool in pan then carefully cut into squares with a serrated knife. 

The cake is very moist and a little crumbly. I find that it keeps best in the fridge. The cake will keep for 5 to 6 days, chilled.

Cider Doughnut Muffins from Yankee magazine

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  • 2 cups sweet apple cider
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon table salt

Preheat your oven to 375° and set a rack to the middle position. Lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin pan and set aside.

Put the apple cider in a large saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer until the liquid is reduced to 1 cup. Set aside to cool.

Using a standing or handheld mixer, cream the butter with the sugar in a large bowl at medium speed until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, blending well after each. Add the vanilla extract and blend.

In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add a third of this mixture to the butter mixture and beat just to combine. Add half the reduced cider and beat to combine. Repeat with another third of the flour mixture, then the rest of the cider, then the remaining flour mixture. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups and transfer to the oven. Bake until tops are firm and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes. 

For the topping:

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted

Now, prepare the topping: In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon. As soon as the muffins are cool enough to handle, brush their tops and sides with butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Chocolate Zucchini cake/bread from twopeasandtheirpod.com

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  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  •  1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa or unsweetened cocoa 
  •  1 teaspoon baking soda
  •  1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  •  2 large eggs, at room temperature
  •  1/4 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
  •  1/4 cup canola, vegetable oil, or melted coconut oil
  •  3/4 cup  packed light brown sugar
  •  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  •  1 1/2 cups packed shredded zucchini
  •  1 cup  semisweet chocolate chips, divided
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, add the eggs, melted butter, oil, vanilla extract, and brown sugar. Stir until smooth. You might have a few small brown sugar clumps and that is fine.
  4. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, don’t overmix. Stir in the shredded zucchini until just combined. Stir in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips.
  5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips over the top of the bread. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out mostly clean, you might have some melted chocolate chips on the toothpick and that is fine. You just don’t want a lot of gooey batter.
  6. Remove the pan from the oven and set on a wire cooling rack. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the bread and carefully remove from the pan. Let the bread cool on the wire cooling rack until slightly warm. Cut into slices and serve.
  7. Note-if you use coconut oil, make sure it is melted and slightly cooled. The bread will keep on the counter, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 4 days. This bread also freezes well. To freeze, cool the bread completely and wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost before slicing

Strawberry Drop Biscuits NYTimes

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  • 1 ½ cups/190 grams all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup/50 grams granulated sugar
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 6 tablespoons/85 grams cold salted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 4 medium strawberries, cut into small 1/4-inch or 1/2-inch pieces (about 2/3 cup/100 grams), or whole blueberries, raspberries or other diced stone fruit
  • 6 tablespoons heavy cream, plus more if needed
  • ¼ cup/30 grams unsifted confectioners’ sugar
  1. Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Set aside.
  2. Whisk the flour, granulated sugar and baking powder together in a large mixing bowl. Toss the pieces of butter into the flour mixture to coat. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, work the butter into the flour until the mixture is mealy and small pieces of pea-size butter remain.
  3. Add the diced strawberries and toss with a fork to combine. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add 4 tablespoons of the heavy cream and 1/4 cup water. Continue tossing with the fork until the dough is just evenly damp and shaggy, being careful not to overwork the dough too much. Add 1 to 3 teaspoons more water, as needed, if the dough is still too dry to work with.
  4. Drop 6 mounds of dough (each a generous 1/3 cup) onto the baking sheet, leaving at least 1 1/2 inches of space between each mound and gently padding any stray bits of dough back into place as you work. Lightly brush the tops with 1 tablespoon heavy cream and bake until deep golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.
  5. Add the confectioners’ sugar to a small bowl, and whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon heavy cream, adding more if needed to make a thick icing that is just thin enough to drizzle. Spoon over the warm biscuits; serve warm or at room temperature.

Strawberry Spoon Cake from NYT

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  • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted, plus more for greasing
  • 5 ounces frozen and thawed or fresh, hulled strawberries (about 1 cup)
  • ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup whole milk, at room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  •  Vanilla ice cream, for serving
  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8-inch (square or round) baking dish with butter. Set aside.
  2. Using your hands or the back of a fork, mash the berries to release all their juices, and stir in 1/3 cup of the brown sugar. Set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar, milk and salt, then add the flour and baking powder and continue whisking just until the batter is smooth. Transfer the batter (it’s not much) to the greased baking dish, and spread evenly into corners.
  4. Spoon the strawberries and all their juices over the top of the cake batter. Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or just when a toothpick comes out clean in the center. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3 to 5 minutes before spooning into bowls. Serve warm with ice cream.

chocolate lava cake for two from NYTimes.com

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  • 3 ounces/85 grams bittersweet chocolate, 70 to 74 percent cacao (not chips), chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus more for the ramekin
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus more for the ramekin
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  •  Confectioners’ sugar, to serve (optional)
  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees and butter a 10-ounce ramekin. Dust the buttered ramekin with granulated sugar.
  2. Combine the chocolate and 3 tablespoons butter in a heat-safe bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. (Alternatively, combine in a bowl and microwave in 30-second blasts, stirring in between, until melted and smooth, about 1 minute.) Remove from the heat and set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the 3 tablespoons sugar, egg, egg yolk, vanilla and salt. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is thick, foamy and pale, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour until smooth.
  4. Using a spatula, add the chocolate to the egg mixture and stir gently until combined.
  5. Pour the mixture into the ramekin. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until the edges are set and puffed, but the center is still soft when lightly pressed. (You can also cover and refrigerate the batter up to a day in advance. Add an additional minute or 2 to baking time if you are baking the cake directly from the refrigerator.)
  6. Use an offset spatula or small knife to loosen the edges of the cake from the ramekin. Place a plate over the ramekin and carefully invert the warm cake. Use an oven mitt or clean kitchen towel to remove the ramekin, dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar and serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

chocolate pudding from allrecipes.com

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  • 2 3/4 cups milk
  • heaping 1/8 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp room temp butter
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

In a saucepan, stir together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. Place over medium heat, and stir in milk. Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla. Let cool briefly, and serve warm, or chill in refrigerator until serving.