Think Fresh: Pavlova

pavlova with vanilla whipped cream and berries

Pavlova is such a beautiful, colorful dessert. It is light and airy and completely versatile. It seems like the ultimate springtime dessert. I made a couple of pavlovas for Easter Dinner this year. It just seemed right with the sun finally out, and the slightest hue of green starting to emerge.

I wouldn’t exactly call pavlova healthy, as it has a fair bit of sugar in it. However it is low in fat and sweet enough that a little goes a long way.

Follow the basic pavlova recipe below and then add any toppings you like. I like it with vanilla whipped cream and fresh berries on top, or you can top it with whipped cream and any fruit! Another favorite is to make lemon meringue pie filling, and fold in some whipped cream, layer that on top of the pavlova for a lemon meringue type dessert. You can also add a bit of cocoa to the basic recipe and top the chocolate meringe with whipped cream and chopped hazelnuts. mmm, so many options! Let me know if you try a great combination!

I’m going to give some credit to Martha Stewart for this basic pavlova recipe. It’s the recipe I use from my head for pavlova but I’m pretty sure that a million years ago when I first made it, I probably got it from Martha.

Vanilla Pavlova

1 serves about 8

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 200. In a standing mixer, beat 4 egg whites, 1 tsp white vinegar, 1/2 tsp cornstarch and a pinch of salt. Mix on medium until very frothy. Very slowly add 1/2 cup superfine sugar. Beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and very slowly add 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar. Beat on medium-high until very stiff glossy peaks form, 5 more minutes. Beat in 1 tsp vanilla. Using a spatula, plop meringue onto parchment and form into about a 9 inch circle, making a bit of a divot in the middle for the filling. Bake for 2hrs. Meringue should be marshmallowy in the centre but dry to touch and easily lift off parchment. Turn off oven and crack door open. Let cool in the oven. Whip cream and add toppings right before serving(or up to 1 hr ahead). Enjoy!

Recipe: Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits

cheddar buttermilk biscuits

What is better than warm biscuits straight out of the oven? Not many things. I had my beautiful friend’s beautiful 1 year old for the morning today and she was perfectly angelic and lovely. My two Cyclones, however, were in full force pushing each others buttons, screaming at each other, yet too in love to play separately. So it felt like a long morning. One that should end in comfort food. I also had some buttermilk to use up. This recipe is very easy, the biscuits were ready in 15 minutes and all three of the girls loved them. Enjoy!

Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits

Makes about 10

1/4 cup of butter, melted

2 cups of spelt flour, plus more for dusting counter

1 tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp coarse sea salt

1 1/4 cups of buttermilk

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar(the sharper the better)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 425. Sift together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Toss in buttermilk and cheese and stir until dough forms. Turn out onto floured counter and press into a disk about 1 inch thick. Cut with a round glass, about 4 inches in diameter. Place on baking sheet. Brush generously with melted butter. Bake for about 15 minutes until turning golden. Serve warm!

Baking: Caramel Fudge Macadamia Squares

Caramel Fudge Macadamia Squares

In case the title of the dessert didn’t give it away: these are not healthy squares. These are a special treat. We have some friends coming over tonight and we’ve placed a ridiculously enormous sushi order in from our favorite place here in Calgary. I’ve managed to not have to cook hardly at all this week so I thought I should bake a little something, just so I don’t forget how! It was all a little bit of an experiment, and after sampling one or two(or five) of these squares, I can assure you…delish. Totally over the top, totally decadent, perfect for cutting into little pieces.

Caramel Fudge Macadamia Squares

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 can eagle brand sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1 tbs cocoa powder

2 tbs unsalted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup whipping cream

handful or two each of macadamia nuts and shredded coconut

Directions: Preheat oven to 375. Butter a 8×8 glass baking dish. In a food processor, combine first 3 ingredients. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press into pan and bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile in a small saucepan, over medium heat, stir eagle brand, chocolate chips and cocoa powder until melted and smooth, just a couple of minutes. Set aside. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine butter and sugar. Stir until smooth and combined and then let simmer until the whole top of the caramel is frothy with bubbles(3 minutes of boiling or so). Remove from heat and stir in cream. Pour chocolate ganache mixture over the crust, sprinkle coconut and nuts over the chocolate and drizzle caramel over the top. Bake for about 20 minutes more. Remove from heat and cool completely until set. Cut into squares and serve!

Brown Sugar Caramel

Cookbook Preview: Toasted Coconut Cookies

toasted coconut cookies

Thought I’d break out a little cookbook recipe to share with you all this week! I love this beautiful picture Kristy-Anne took. Something about the light makes me hopeful for spring. Enjoy!

Toasted Coconut Cookies

makes approx 3 dozen

1 cup coconut flour

1 cup spelt flour

1 cup dried unsweetened flaked coconut

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup honey

1 egg

large handful of chocolate chips

 

Preheat oven to 350

Whisk dry ingredients together.

In a 2 cup measuring cup, stir together coconut oil, honey, and egg. Pour into dry ingredients and stir together. Add chocolate and stir. Drop teaspoons full of batter onto parchment lined baking sheets. Lightly pat down. The cookies will not spread hardly at all. Bake for 15 minutes until toasted looking.

 

Thoughts On: Valentine’s Day

Happy Valentine’s Day! To everyone in love: may it only grow, may it ever change to properly embody you, may the sacrifices it requires be worth it every time. To everyone who longs to love: may you and love find each other, may the light of hope never dim, may your time from now until then be filled with lessons and experiences that need to be held alone. To everyone happily single: may there be rich friendships in your life, may there be chocolate and red wine.

I’m neither particularly jaded, nor particularly commercial about the whole thing. Each year, we take it as we come. Some years, Vday is a big deal, others, not so much. I am so blessed to  be married to someone who is thoughtful and romantic every day. Sexy Husband and I were away for work this weekend, the Girlies stayed with Grandma. So we ate some delicious food, saw some fabulous friends, and it was fun.

Valentine’s Day is, however, such a fun thing to celebrate with our little girls. We never turn down an opportunity to do things pink and lovey. We started the day with toast, cut into gingerbread men shapes and hearts. Always a hit. Then Picky Princess had her preschool Valentine’s Day party. Then we came home for a treasure hunt that involved following a pink Smartie trail around the house to find a treasure! Finally, we made some cookies(pink Smarties to use up!).

following a Smartie trail

the treasure: hand knit hearts with their names embroidered. These were made by Delilah & Co. They have the sweetest stuff, check them out at http://facebook.com/delilahtoys

If you would like to make these Oatmeal Smartie Heart Cookies, here’s how:

cookie dough

1. Make the dough from the Chewy Oatmeal Cookie recipe. Omit chocolate chips/pecans/coconut. Add Smarties.

2. Roll into a log in wax paper, about 3 inches in diameter. Freeze for at least 30 mins.

cookie dough log

3. Preheat oven to 350 and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut dough into 1 inch rounds. Squish into the shape of hearts. Bake for about 10 mins.

squished into hearts

For some reason my camera doesn’t seem to be working. So you get a photo tour of our day courtesy of Hipstamatic on my iPhone!

my little Valentines

Recipe: Blueberry Turnovers

blueberry turnovers

Don’t be fooled. Just because there’s a new (and delicious) recipe up here, does NOT mean my cooking mojo has returned(as you can tell from my weekly updates instead of daily). But I believe that such an occasion calls for “faking-it until making-it.” So this is what I do. Baked my little people a nice little treat today. This is a healthy(ish) take on turnovers. They are quick and easy and yummy. The cream cheese in the dough makes the pastry taste more like a cookie than flake pastry. The sweetness of the berries need little help from other sweeteners.

Sexy Husband and I threw ourselves a little party the other day, to celebrate the end of January. It was just the two of us and involved a particularly great cappuccino and a sunny window. I’m hoping it will be the beginning of a bit of a lifting of the winter blues. Weather is warming up. Spring always comes.

This was moving and inspiring to me today(thank you Sarah):

Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis, all moments are key moments. And life itself is grace. Frederick Buechner

Blueberry Turnovers

makes 12-14

2 cups whole wheat flour(or spelt)

1/2 cup butter, cut into 1 inch chunks

1/2  brick of cream cheese, cut into small pieces

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tbs heavy cream

2 tbs raw sugar

2 tsp lemon juice

pinch of salt

Frozen or fresh blueberries(or any berry for that matter)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. In a food processor, combine all ingredients except berries and pulse until dough starts to stick together and clump. Turn out onto lightly floured countertop or wax paper lined counter top. Pat into a 8 inch round, and then roll out to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into circles with the rim of a glass, about 5 inches in diameter. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Press centre of the circle down a little bit with fingertips. Put a tsp of berries(4-6 berries) in the centre and then pinch edges of circle closed. Bake for about 25 minutes until turning a bit golden. Enjoy!

Recipe: Cheddar Scones

cheddar scones dough

The deep freeze, the closed Farmer’s Market, the grey of January: All factors that have contributed to a dramatic LOW in my cooking inspiration! I’m embarrassed to admit we’ve been eating a LOT of cheese quesadillas, steamed broccoli, and sliced apples. But you know what? Spring always comes. A Truth I cling to. Anyway, this freezing Monday morning brought a teensy bit of inspiration so here is a new and yummy recipe for you to try. This took about 5 minutes to prep, 15 minutes to bake, so easy easy easy! Enjoy!

Cheddar Scones

makes 12

2 cups multigrain flour (you can use whole wheat or spelt)

1 tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp coarse sea salt

generous pinch of chili flakes

1 cup shredded old cheddar

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup cream

1 egg

Directions: Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together all the dry ingredients, including cheddar. Drizzle olive oil over the flour mixture. In a measuring cup, whisk together the cream and the egg. Add the cream and egg to the flour mixture and stir with a fork until just combined. Turn out onto wax or parchment paper and pat into an 8 inch round circle. Cut into 12 pieces and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for about 15 mins.

voila

Recipe: Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

oatmeal chocolate chip dough

The house is very very quiet. Picky Princess got new skates for Christmas from Grandma and Grandpa, so she and Sexy Husband are out in the chill skating. Foodie Baby is sleeping upstairs. The peacefulness brought a deep sense of….cookies. They were begging to be made!

My Little Family has been overwhelmingly gracious about being back to a life full of healthy food. I’ve barely heard a peep this week about meals featuring lentil salad, roasted kale, and bok choy. I know the peace will end soon; with pink cheeks begging for hot chocolate, giggling girls, piano practicing and the singing from the Studio that NEVER ends.

And I will greet the madness with…cookies.

chewy and easy

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

makes 3 dozen

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup coarse raw sugar(demerara) use brown sugar if you prefer

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup spelt flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup oats

handful each of shredded coconut, pecans, chocolate chips (measure carefully

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with silpat or parchment paper. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until combined. Drop by teaspoon full onto baking sheets. Bake for about 12 minutes. They will be slightly golden on the bottom, and chewy in the middle.

How’s that for easy?

Foodie Baby approves

Recipe: Pear Pecan Muffins

pear pecan muffins

We have had a real actual honest to goodness week off! It has been amazing. Sexy Husband closed the Studio. I’ve barely cooked or done a thing. We’ve played in the snow, gone out for coffee, and celebrated 2 new babies to join our circle of friends(the Village). Honestly, it’s been amazing.

Today, however, it felt like a muffin day. So Picky Princess and I whipped up this little recipe. The muffins turned out perfectly. The pecans and pears tasted nutty and wintery. If it’s a muffin day for you…try them out!

Pear Pecan Muffins

Makes 12 large muffins plus 6 mini muffins

1.5 cups spelt flour

1/2 cup oats

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup almond oil(I’m sure you could substitute with olive oil. My mom gave me this almond oil for Christmas and it smells amazing!)

1 egg

1 pear coarsely shredded

1/2 cup chopped pecans

brown sugar for sprinkling.

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients together with a whisk. Set aside. Mix wet ingredients together, including pear. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until not quite combined. Add pecans and stir just a few turns more. Scoop into paper or silicone muffin cups. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes (about 15 for mini muffins). Serve warm!

"don't take my picture mommy, I'm concentrating!"

Recipe: White Chocolate Cranberry Cheesecake

White Chocolate Cranberry Cheesecake

I’m not really sure how it happened, but cheesecake has become a deep Christmas tradition in my house. I think it’s actually become my favorite Christmas tradition. Maybe not the cheesecake itself(although what’s not to love about cheesecake?), but the event the cheesecake is for.  Christmas Eve, after the church service, which Sexy Husband produces and sings at, we come home for soup and cheesecake. Every year we invite our friends who don’t have family around to join us. Each year it’s a slightly different group of people, usually some old friends, usually some new friends. It’s always special, always wonderful. Soup is the perfect meal because I just make a giant giant pot. If it gets eaten great, if not, then we have it for the week. And cheesecake is great because a little goes a long way, serving lots of people. No work for anyone.

I have made a lot of cheesecake in my life and this recipe is SO versatile. The basic formula of 2 bricks of cream cheese + 1 cup of sugar + 3 eggs, works with almost any flavor. You can add cocoa or melted chocolate to make chocolate cheesecake, you can add a bit of egg nog and a pinch of nutmeg to make egg nog cheesecake. For this I decreased the sugar and added some melted white chocolate. Right now I’m baking cinnamon cheesecake, using brown sugar instead of white and adding a couple of tbs of cinnamon. Be creative!

White Chocolate Cranberry Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 350. In a food processor, process about 32 gingersnap cookies, with 1/4 cup melted butter. I used gingersnap for a festive taste but you can swap for chocolate cookie crumbs or graham crumbs. Press into the bottom of a spring form pan and bake for 10 minutes, until starting to turn golden. Remove from oven and decrease temperature to 325.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 2 bricks of cream cheese with about 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Decrease the sugar if you are using sweet additions like melted chocolate or caramel. Add in 3 eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition and scraping down the bowl. In this recipe I added 1/2 bag of melted white chocolate chips. Pour into pan and bake for about 45 minutes until the top is set but still slightly wobbly. If you overcook it will crack a bit, which is not really that big of a deal because you’re going to top it.

In a small saucepan, heat 3 cups of cranberries with 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup water. Simmer until it is thickened and reduced and bubbly. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Pour on top of the cheesecake and serve! This is yummy with the cranberry sauce warm, or chilled.