I still can’t believe that Easter is in March this year, I always think of March as the month of Women’s day in Italy (8th of March) and it’s a way too early for Easter eggs and bunnies! So I decided to decorate my traditional carrot Easter cake with mimosas (typical flowers women are given on the 8th of March in Italy) to bring together the two celebrations! This cake is extra light and moist and it’s perfect for family parties. The frosting is very simple but blood orange juice pairs really well with the carrots, I also don’t add any butter because I like my frosting light, but you can use your usual cream cheese frosting recipe if you wish to. I used two 6 inch round pans (plus a 7 inches square pan for the extra batter) but I think it can be baked in two 8 inches round … [Read more...]
Lucky Guinness Chocolate Cake Shake
The Irish are not the only ones feeling so very lucky this St. Patrick's Day! "Why,pour" you ask? Well get ready for this four-leaf clover-like surprise. I am sharing a craving-satisfying chocolate cake, immersed in creamy and cool ice cream with a delicious dash of Guinness beer recipe! You will be ready to play the lottery once you see how lucky you are that it is quick to make, too. So, are you ready for some quick and delicious fun to get this cake shake St. Paddy's day party started? Then, let's get our ingredients together and meet after we kiss the blarney stone! First, I am starting out with the chocolate cake recipe so it has time to cool. To save some time and make it extra easy for this amazing holiday, I used ChocolateandCarrots' post that I found here on Blissfully … [Read more...]
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Crunch Recipe
Sick of the same ol' Rice Krispies Treats? Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Crunch will knock your socks off! A base of chocolate and peanut butter rice krispies treat is topped with peanut butter, then finished off with semisweet chocolate. The perfect indulgence for a midnight snack. Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Crunch Makes 16 pieces 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped 2 sticks (8 ounces) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter One 16-ounce jar creamy peanut butter 3 cups crispy rice cereal 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 cups confectioners' sugar 1. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, melt half of the chocolate and 1 tablespoon butter over low heat. Remove from the heat; stir in 1 cup peanut butter, then 2 cups rice cereal. Spread the mixture … [Read more...]
Hazelnut Baci di Dama
Christmas cookies are a must in my family. Every year my mum and I bake tons of cookies for friends, collegues and relatives: we make a variety of Italian and German cookies and back them in cute jars. Unfortunately sometimes there is just no time to bake 5 different varieties of cookies (thank you end of term exams!). Baci di Dama are a perfect solution for a last minute home-made Christmas gift: their are easy to make, delicous and the cutest! They are originally from the region of Piemonte in Northern Italy and are made with almonds ans dark chocolate. However this recipe uses milk chocolate and hazelnut instead (you can swap for any kind of chocolate for fun)! The dough is better when chilled overnight but one hour can be enugh if you are in a hurry! Recipe 1 stick butter … [Read more...]
Mini chocolate & coconut mini eclairs
A few years ago I was working in a pastry shop that mainly sold éclairs. There were about a billion different flavours and 3 sizes: the regular one, the tiny one and the small one, known as "baby" éclair. Needless to say, baby éclairs were my favourite, aside from having the cutest name in the world, they also have the perfect size for snacking and trying different flavours. These baby/mini éclairs are filled with whipped coconut cream and chocolate ganache. They're also dipped into melted chocolate. And sprinkled with flaked coconut. And da-da! the cutest and most delicious French dessert is ready to be devoured! Notes: You can freeze the (piped) choux pastry and bake it when you are ready (no need for defrosting). Choux pastry recipes usually suggest to … [Read more...]
Small Batch Pumpkin Cookie Dough Energy Bites (GF and Vegan)
Hands on those of you who love energy balls but who don't actually need that much energy to fuel their mid-morning coffee breaks! Either because you are sitting at a desk all day (i.e. me) or because you can easily get addicted to those delicious sweet bites (i.e. also me). However, we still energy to fuel our (supposedly) intense intellectual effort, just in smaller quantities. This recipe is my go-to snack for revision time: it comes together in five minutes, it's not excessively sweet and only makes enough bites to fuel your brain correctly! You can also double or tripe the recipe if you are not revising/working alone. Add in any extra ingredient you wish to (seeds and nuts are a good idea) and substitute coconut flour with almond/cashew powder to experiment a … [Read more...]
