Dessert – re-modelED

Matcha Bars

May 19, 2019

Lately, I have been on a matcha kick. If you don’t know what matcha is, it is basically very fine green tea powder. For the most part, I have made matcha lattes at home, but this afternoon, I decided to branch out and make a matcha dessert: Matcha Bars. This might be one of my favorite things I’ve ever made.

Here is how to make them:

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 ½ cup of almond flour (You can make your own by grounding unsalted almonds in a food processor)
½ cup of unsweetened shredded coconut
2 TB of coconut oil
3 TB of pure maple syrup
1 tsp. of Himalayan sea salt.

Filling:

1 TB pure matcha powder (My favorite brand is Organic Jade Leaf Matcha)
1 cup of raw cashews
2/3 cup of almond/macadamia milk (Trader Joes has the best)
2 TB of lemon juice
3 TB- ¼ cup of pure maple syrup

Toppings:

Freeze dried raspberries (optional)

Instructions:

Crust:

In a food processor, add all dry ingredients (almond flour and shredded coconut) and blend thoroughly. Then, add coconut oil, maple syrup, and salt. Blend again until well mixed. In a small to medium baking pan (either lined with parchment paper or greased with coconut oil) press the mixture into the pan and along the sides until the bottom is completely covered. Put the crust in the freezer for around an hour.

Filling:

In a food processor, add all of the ingredients for the filling and blend. If the mixture is too thick or grainy, you can add more almond milk. If it is not as sweet as you would like, add more maple syrup. Once blended, spread the mixture on the crust and put back in the freezer for a minimum of one hour. Top with raspberries and viola!

Blog, Dessert, Recipes

Chocolate Cappuccino Cups

January 28, 2019

Happy 2019 everyone! This recipe combines two of my favorite things: Chocolate and Coffee.

Ingredients:

1 bag of dark chocolate
1 cup cashews
2 tb honey
3/4 cup coconut cream
1/4 cup coffee

Recipe:

With a double boiler, melt 1 bag of dark chocolate on medium/low heat. Once the chocolate is melted, use half of the chocolate to coat the inside of the cupcake wrappers. Put the cupcake wrappers in the freezer to harden.

In a food processor, blend the cashews, coconut cream and honey until the consistency is smooth and fluffy. If it is too soupy, add more cashews and if it is too chunky, add more coconut cream. Take half of the cashew mixture and add to the remainder of the melted chocolate. Next, stir in the coffee in the chocolate as well. Scoop a little more than a tablespoon in each of the cupcake wrappers then add a tablespoon of the plain cashew mixture on top. Put the cappuccino cups back in the freezer for at least an hour. Top with coco powder and viola!

Blog, Dessert, Recipes, Snacks

Maple Almond Butter Cookies

September 9, 2018

Fall is just around the corner and what better way to celebrate the beginning of my favorite season than to make a fall inspired sweet treat. Here is the recipe for Maple Almond Butter Cookies:

Ingredients:

1 cup crunchy almond butter
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 eggs
3 tablespoons coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Fancy sea salt for sprinkling on top
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Optional: ½ cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix. Scoop the cookies in about 1 inch circles on a baking sheet for 8-10 minutes. Let them cool, and then they are ready to eat!

Viola!

Blog, Dessert, Recipes

Hong Kong Egg Tarts

March 25, 2017

A few years ago, I lived in Hong Kong for a couple of months while I modeled and I could have stayed there forever. I fell in love with the city and their incredible food. One dessert Hong Kong is famous for is their Egg Tarts. You could buy them anywhere- at the beach, on the mountains, on street carts, and in all of their bakeries. I’ve always wanted to try to make them myself and thanks to a recent obsession with watching The Great British Baking Show on Netflix, I decided to give them a try. Here’s the recipe!

Hong Kong Egg Tarts

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cup butter
1 egg – beaten
½ tsp vanilla extract

For the filling:

2/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups water
9 eggs – beaten
1/2 vanilla extract
1 cup evaporated milk

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375

For the crust:

Mix together the confectioners’ sugar and flour in a medium bowl.

Then, mix in butter with flour and sugar with fork or hands – Make sure the butter is not in large clumps and that it is evenly mixed with the dry ingredients. Next, stir in the beaten egg and vanilla until the mixture turns into dough.

Form the dough into 1 – 1½ inch balls then roll out and press them into mini tart pans (I used jumbo sized cupcake foil cups)

For the filling:

Pour white sugar and water together in a pot on the stove and bring to a boil or cook until the sugar is completely dissolved in the water. Take the pot off heat and let cool until it is at room temperature. It is very important that the water isn’t too hot or else the eggs might curdle. Whisk the 9 beaten eggs into the sugar mixture. Then, stir in the evaporated milk and vanilla. Strain the filling through a sieve (I strained mine twice just to be sure) and fill the tart shells.

Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Stick a toothpick in the tarts to see if the filling comes off on the toothpick. If it does, then they are not done. Let the egg tarts cool before peeling off cupcake foils or taking out of tart tin.

Blog, Dessert, Recipes

Coconut Raspberry Cups

February 14, 2017

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” – Charles M. Schulz

Happy Valentines Day!

I personally love a holiday that gives you a reason to eat chocolate all day. Today, I made Coconut Raspberry cups.

For the chocolate:

1/2 cup of melted coconut oil
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
1/3 cup of honey

For the filling:

1 cup shredded coconut
Organic raspberry preserves

Mix melted coconut oil, cocoa powder, and honey into a bowl and stir until there are no lumps. Place parchment cupcake liners on a baking tray. Then, pour a little bit of the chocolate mixture until it covers the bottom of each cupcake liner. Put cupcake liners in the freezer for 30 min to an hour. Set the remaining chocolate off to the side to use later.

While the chocolate is hardening, pour a cup of shredded coconut in a food processor and mix for 20-30 minutes until the coconut turns into a buttery consistency.

After the chocolate has hardened, put half a teaspoon of the coconut butter and half a teaspoon of the raspberry preserves in the center of each cupcake liner on top of the hardened chocolate. Cover the coconut and raspberries with the remaining melted chocolate and place the coconut cups back in the freezer for an hour.

Blog, Dessert, Recipes

Nut Butter Cookie Bites

June 30, 2015

Ingredients:

½ peanut butter
½ almond butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
⅔ cup oats
1 tsp baking soda
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ cup water

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, mix together the almond butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar for 1 minute with an electric mixer.
Add in the vanilla extract and beat for another 30 seconds.
In a different bowl, mix the dry ingredients together (oats, baking soda, and salt).
As you beat the nut butter mixture, slowly add in the oat flour mixture and beat until a cookie dough forms.
Add in the water and continue to beat until well mixed.
Line a baking sheets with parchment paper or with a cookie sheet.
Roll the dough into balls and drop on parchment paper, and flatten with a fork to form criss-cross patterns.
Bake for 8-10 minutes in the oven (make sure you watch the cookies carefully or they will burn.
Let them cool and enjoy!

Blog, Dessert, Recipes

Lemon π (Pi)

March 14, 2015

Today is National Pi (π) Day! I don’t know a lot about math, so I decided to celebrate with a different kind of pi…Lemon Pie!

Happy Pi Day everyone!

Ingredients:

The crust:

1 cup of raw almonds
1 cup of raw walnuts
1 cup pitted dates
1 tsp vanilla extract
a dash of Himalayan sea salt

The lemon filling:

1 cup pitted dates
1 1/2 cup raw cashews
3/4 cup lemon juice (I used fresh squeezed juice from 4 large lemons)
1/2 cup coconut cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

for the whipped cream and topping:

2 1/2 cups of coconut cream
2 TB of raw cane sugar
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
sliced lemon

Directions:

The crust:

Place all of the ingredients for the crust (except the dates) in a food processor and pulse it until its kind of like flour. Add in the dates and mix until you have dough. Press this firmly into the bottom of a pie or tart pan.

Put aside the 2 1/2 cups of coconut cream for the whipped cream in the fridge.

The lemon filling:

Putt all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until its smooth. Pour the filling in the crust and spread with a spatula. Then, put the pie to the freezer for around 2-3 hours.

The whipped cream:

Take the coconut cream out of the refrigerator and add the sugar and vanilla. Next, with an electric mixer, mix until fluffy and smooth. When you are ready to serve the pie, top it with the whipped cream and sliced lemon.

Viola!

Blog, Dessert, Lunch/Dinner, Recipes

Happy Thanksgiving!

November 27, 2014

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire.

If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something,

for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.

During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations,

because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge,

because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.

They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary,

because it means you’ve made a difference.

It’s easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who

are also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,

and they can become your blessings.

~Author Unknown

Remember the things you are thankful for today! Hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Chocolate Ice Box Tart

For the crust:

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 TB coconut oil, melted
1 1/2 cups almond flour (you can make your own by grinding almonds in a food processor until its the consistency of flour)
2 TB maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt

In a food processor, combine all ingredients and mix until it forms into dough. Press dough into a pie pan and put into the freezer for a min of 30 minutes.

For the ganache:

1/2 cup canned coconut milk
6 oz. of dark chocolate (min 70% cocao)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Finely chop the dark chocolate and place in a bowl. Bring coconut milk to a boil in a saucepan then pour hot coconut milk in the bowl with the chocolate and let stand for one minute without stirring. Then stir until smooth and creamy and add vanilla. Once the dough is done freezing, pour ganache on the crust and spread until its even on all sides. Put it back in the freezer for 45 min.

For the pumpkin:

3 frozen bananas
1/3 cup of canned pumpkin
3 TB almond butter
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice.

In a food processor, combine all ingredients until it is the consistency of ice cream. Take the pie pan again out of the freezer and pour the pumpkin mixture on top. Top with leftover ganache and coconut chips. Put back in the freezer one last time for around an hour.

Store in freezer.

Sweet Potato Casserole

For the Sweet Potatoes

3lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and cube the sweet potatoes and put them on a sheet pan. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes and stir midway through cooking. Once they are done cooking, put them in a food processor. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F and add the melted coconut oil, coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla, spices, and salt. Mix until smooth then pour sweet potato mixture into the bottom of a baking dish (spread until smooth and even in the dish).

For the Topping

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup coconut flakes
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1/2 cup pecan pieces
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons maple syrup
zest of one orange
pinch of salt

Combine rolled oats, coconut flakes, walnuts, pecans, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and the zest of one orange into your food processor. Mix until well combined. Crumble the topping on the sweet potato mixture and make sure its spread evenly on top. Bake casserole for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Blog, Dessert, Recipes

Dark Chocolate, Coconut, Macadamia Nut Tart

December 9, 2013

This is one of my new favorite desserts and I’m definitely going to be making this again for Christmas.

Here is the recipe

For the crust:

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 TB coconut oil, melted
1 1/2 cups almond flour (you can make your own by grinding almonds in a food processor until its the consistency of flour)
2 TB maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt

For the ganache:

1 cup canned coconut milk
12 oz. of dark chocolate (min 70% cocao)
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the top:

1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
A sprinkle of pink Himalayan sea salt

How to make the crust:

Turn oven to 350 degrees. Blend almond flour, salt and shredded coconut in food processor until ground. Melt the coconut oil, and then add along with the maple syrup to almond flour and coconut mixture. Blend until it turns into dough.

Spread the dough in a greased tart pan with a removable bottom. Make sure the dough is even in the pan (you can use your fingers or something like a measuring cup to flatten it)

Bake in the center of the oven for about 12-16 minutes then let it cool for at least an hour.

How to make the ganache:

How to make the toppings:

You can either roast the macadamia nuts and coconut in the oven on a baking sheet for 3-5 min or roast on top of the stove until golden brown (be careful because they burn very easily)

Pour chocolate mixture in the cooled crust. Then sprinkle toasted macadamia nuts and toasted coconut on top with a little Himalayan sea salt. Chill for at least one hour in the refrigerator to let it set before eating.

Blog, Dessert, Recipes

Pumpkin Trifle

December 1, 2013

My family always goes all out on holidays. We always end up making enough food to feed an army and our leftovers usually last us at least a few days. This year I made a pumpkin pie from Chocolate Covered Katie (http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/) and it was delicious! For almost every special occasion, my grandmother makes chocolate trifle which is a family favorite. She layers brownies, whipped cream, chocolate pudding or custard, and either crumbled heath bars or nuts in a beautiful dish. This year, we had a lot of leftovers, so I thought why not make a trifle with the pumpkin pie we had left! This recipe is delicious and so easy to make 🙂

Here is the recipe

I didn’t use the crust in the pumpkin pie just the pie filling 🙂

For the pie filling:

1 can organic pumpkin
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 can full-fat coconut milk
2 tbsp ground flax
½ cup coconut sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

Turn on oven to 400 degrees. Blend all ingredients together (I used my blender) then pour into greased pie pan and bake 25-30 minute then let cool. Put in refrigerator for several hours to let the pie set.

For the whipped coconut cream:

1 cup of coconut cream or full fat coconut milk

3 TB of coconut sugar

Put the can of coconut cream in the refrigerator overnight until it hardens, then put the solid coconut cream in a bowl.Don’t use the liquids at the bottom of the can, but would be great to drink (coconut water). Add coconut sugar to creamed coconut and blend together with an electric mixer until its whipped like whipped cream. Keep in refrigerator. You can use the leftover whipped cream in smoothies or eat with fruit 🙂

For the candied pecans:

Toss 1 cup of pecans with 1 TB melted coconut oil and 3 TB coconut sugar. Put in a pan and cook on low-medium heat stirring for around 5 minutes (these can burn very easily).

Layer the pumpkin pie and whipped coconut cream in a dish then top with the candied pecans and sprinkle coconut sugar on top.

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving 🙂

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