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Coconut Risotto

May 31, 2012 By + 42 Comments

“PULL UP A CHAIR.  TAKE A TASTE.  COME JOIN US.  LIFE IS SO ENDLESSLY DELICIOUS.”  Ruth Reichl

Coconut Risotto | From My Sweet Heart

Most days, I think we can all benefit from a little ‘group therapy’.  And my favorite online group to participate in is the  Improv Cooking Challenge.  Kristen, from The Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker, is the wonderful creator and leader of this great group of chefs/bakers/bloggers/food fanatics!  Each month, Kristen gives us two ingredients to toss together in the recipe of our choice.  And my fellow Improvers come up with the most amazing stuff!

Kristen’s blog is all about food and family. And while she cooks full flour for her family; she is gluten free.   Her motto is “delicious doesn’t have to be expensive.” And I couldn’t agree more!   Kristen is running a new feature on her site to introduce her readers to ‘The Improvers’.  And today, I am so happy and grateful to be a guest on Kristen’s blog!  And so I’ve chosen to make. . . . . [Read more...]

Filed Under: Creamy Desserts Tagged With: , , , ,

Triple Chocolate Terrine

May 26, 2012 By + 73 Comments

“UNLESS YOUR NAME ENDS IN BASKIN OR ROBBINS, I REALLY CAN’T FIT YOU INTO MY SCHEDULE RIGHT NOW.”  Uniek Swain

Triple Chocolate Terrine | From My Sweet Heart

 If you are in the mood for a cool, creamy treat; you will not have to run to Baskin-Robbins to get it!  Nor will this fast and easy dessert take any time out of your schedule! This is as creamy as a mousse with the chill of an ice cream.  And if you can whip cream and melt chocolate,  then you have the makings for this elegant and special dessert. . . . . [Read more...]

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Pineapple Coconut Tarts

May 11, 2012 By + 53 Comments

“PARADISE IS OPEN TO ALL KINDS OF HEARTS.”  Pierre Jean de Béranger

Pineapple Coconut Tarts | From My Sweet Heart

Two bites = two words. Tropical. Paradise. 

A sweet tart crust….. filled with luscious coconut pastry cream….. sprinkled with chewy toasted coconut….. and topped with fresh, sweet, juicy pineapples.

Is your heart open? [Read more...]

Filed Under: Tarts Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Pie Fries with Strawberry Ketchup

May 8, 2012 By + 62 Comments

“LEFTOVERS IN THEIR LESS VISIBLE FORM ARE CALLED MEMORIES.  STORED IN THE REFRIGERATOR OF THE MIND AND THE CUPBOARD OF THE HEART.”  Thomas Fuller

Pie Fries with Strawberry Ketchup | From My Sweet Heart

I often find that most food tastes better as leftovers, when it’s had time to sit and let the ingredients and flavors meld.  But what I am really finding, as I bake, is that an ingredient for one recipe often drives the idea for another.  I simply don’t want to waste, an often costly ingredient, and I want to use it up to the extent that I can.  And so this morning I was making a pâte sucrée for some Pineapple Coconut Tarts.  And I decided to turn the scraps into these delicious little cookies to be dipped in the leftover strawberry jam that I made from my Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream. 

Honestly, these were so surprisingly good, I’d consider making sweet pastry crust just for the purpose of making a big batch of these cookies!  Or if you need a quick and easy dessert, you could even buy the pie crust dough, roll it, cut it and toss a little sprinkling sugar before baking for about 15 minutes.  Serve with your favorite jam for dipping.  I’ll never throw out those scraps again!

 

Filed Under: Cookies, Quick & Easy Tagged With: ,

Malted Waffles with Baked Brown Sugar Banana Ice Cream

May 6, 2012 By + 44 Comments

Good Baked Sunday Morning everyone!  And I’m having waffles!

Malted Waffles with Baked Brown Sugar Banana Ice Cream | From My Sweet Heart

Okay.  So I didn’t really have these for breakfast this morning.  Ummm.  I had them for my dinner last night!  A great group of bakers and fanatics for the cookbook, Baked Explorations, by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, have been making these Malted Waffles in some form or another.  Please check out Baked Sunday Mornings to see what my fellow baking explorers did with this recipe.

So in keeping with the theme of my blog, I decided to turn them into dessert waffles!  The batter was particularly light and airy.  And the waffles were more chewy and never crisped up quite the way I am used to.  Another reason why I decided to turn these into dessert waffles was because while the recipe called for malt powder, the only thing I could find in all of the markets in my area was Ovaltine!  And while these waffles were not very sweet at all, I just thought the flavor might be enhanced with some home made Baked Brown Sugar Banana and Walnut Ice Cream!  And to top it off…..a drizzle of Malted Chocolate Sauce.  Let me show you what the ice cream did for these waffles….. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Baked Sunday Mornings, Breakfast/Brunch

Miette

May 3, 2012 By + 17 Comments

Miette | From My Sweet HeartA GREAT KITCHEN READ! 

miette

“recipes from San Francisco’s most charming pastry shop”

by Meg Ray

 

I can spend hours, days even, pouring through cookbooks and magazines, searching for new and interesting recipes to make.  Sometimes it’s the recipe that catches my eye, but usually, it’s the photography that compels me to want to give it a try. 

This time, as strange as it sounds, it was the entire book!  I would love to visit this pretty and quaint little pastry shop one day.  The pictures that I’ve seen of it online are almost magical.  It is the bakery of your dreams!  Glass domes showcase pretty little cakes and pastries.  Tall jars are filled with the candy of your childhood.   Pretty painted tables and shelves offer bags of cookies, marshmallows and confections. All tied up with pretty little ribbons.  And this book was designed in the exact same light.  Scalloped pages in pastel prints offer the secrets to Ms. Ray’s favorite sweets from her beautiful shop. 

This 223 page book is divided into 7 main chapters which contain 100 recipes and 50 of the most gorgeous pictures you will ever feast your eyes upon.  The chapters are Cakes; Afternoon Cakes; Tarts; Cookies-Bars-and Pastries; Candies & Creams; Miette essentials; and a chapter on essential ingredients and tools.

The first chapter, Cakes, comprises most of the book and teaches you how to make the basic recipes for Hot Milk Cake and Butter Cake.  And from these, she offers variations of flavor and decorations.  Among the many cakes you can make are Lemon Debutante Cake, Double Chocolate Cake, and the iconic Tomboy Cake which is featured on the front cover of this lovely book. 

In the chapter, Afternoon Cakes, you may choose from such delightful recipes such as Honey Tea Cake and Banana Bread with Nutty Streusel.

The chapter, Tarts, will have you daydreaming about Lime Meringue Tarts and Pastry Cream and Fresh Fruit Tarts.

In Cookies, Bars, and Pastries you may choose from such delicacies as Chocolate Sables, Parisian Macarons, Brownies, and Eclairs.

Candies and Creams will have you preparing English Toffee, Miette Marshmallows, and Buttermilk Panna Cotta, among others.

And in her Miette Essentials chapter, Ms. Ray will teach you some of her basics, such as Buttercream Icings, Mousse and Pastry Cream.

You will learn what tools you will need and are provided sources where you will find these tools along with some other ingredients you may need. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Great Kitchen Reads, I'm Baking From....., Miette