Healthy Dessert Recipes - Cookie and Kate

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Kathryne Taylor — Tue, 21 May 2024 18:46:29 +0000

Tart rhubarb balances sweet, jammy strawberry flavor in this irresistible springtime dessert. If you can find rhubarb, you’re in for a treat!

This simple crisp recipe requires only some chopping and stirring and yields delicious results after a 40-minute bake. I’ve modified my original recipe to call for my favorite oat and almond flour-based topping, which happens to be gluten-free.

This flavor combination was inspired by my friend Stephanie. She makes the best strawberry rhubarb pie, and I’m still daydreaming about the pie that inspired this recipe over ten years ago. Stephanie has her flaky pie dough technique down pat and bakes pies for all occasions. Maybe you are lucky enough to have a master pie maker in your life, too.

I am not Stephanie and I do not bake pies. I barely have the foresight or patience to chill pie dough, though I’ve been working on my technique over the years. Crisps are gloriously easy. No waiting. No fuss.

Bring your strawberries and rhubarb home and turn on the oven. This recipe is ready to go! Make it while you can.

What is rhubarb?

Rhubarb is an interesting vegetable in the buckwheat family. It’s in season from mid-spring to early summer. In its raw state, rhubarb is quite sour (the leaves are poisonous, so never eat them or give them to your dog). However, once cooked or baked with a sweetener, it becomes pleasantly tart and irresistible.

I love to sweeten my rhubarb with strawberries and honey, both of which complement the rhubarb. Fortunately, strawberries are in season at the same time as rhubarb. Sweet, red, ripe strawberries and tart rhubarb are a magical combination.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Tips & Notes

This recipe is simple—you’ll find a short video below and the full recipe at the bottom of the post. Before you get started, here are a couple of notes.

Sweetness level

I’ve offered a range of honey so you can adjust the recipe to the sweetness of your strawberries (and your own preferences). You’ll be happy with the lower amount if you generally like tartness and prefer your desserts on the less sweet side. If your strawberries are not particularly flavorful, you may want to use more honey to counter the rhubarb. Remember that adding vanilla ice cream to your bowl will contribute quite a bit of sweetness and temper the tartness, and the crisp will taste sweeter on day two.

Recipe adjustments

This year, I’ve adjusted the recipe to use my almond and oat topping, which is crisp yet tender and just lovely. You’ll find the original crisp topping details in the recipe notes if you have been making this for years and want to stick with the original. I’ve also added a couple of tablespoons of lemon or orange juice to the filling, which ramps up the rhubarb and strawberry flavors. Lastly, I’ve increased the arrowroot starch to make the filling less soupy than shown in these photos, though it was perfectly nice as-is.

Watch How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Rhubarb Recipes to Make Now

Extra rhubarb? Try one of these recipes on Cookie and Kate.

5 More Crisps to Bake

Start with this strawberry rhubarb in late spring, then cook these fruity crisps this summer.

Blueberry Crisp
Dark Cherry Crisp in my cookbook, Love Real Food (page 198)
Mixed Berry Crisp (Gluten Free)
Peach Crisp
Plum Crisp

Please let me know how your dessert turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 8
Diet: Gluten Free

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 43 reviews

This simple crisp recipe is bursting with sweet, juicy strawberries and tart rhubarb. Made with honey, oats and yogurt, this crisp is more healthy than most. That said, please serve it with vanilla ice cream for dessert (or yogurt for breakfast)!

Ingredients

Strawberry-Rhubarb Filling

1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced into small bite-sized pieces
1 pound rhubarb (4 to 6 stalks), cut into ¼ by ½-inch pieces (slice larger stalks in half lengthwise before slicing them into ¼-inch wide pieces)
⅓ to ½ cup honey*
3 tablespoons arrowroot starch or cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice or orange juice

Gluten-free oat and almond topping

1 cup old-fashioned oats (certified gluten-free for a gluten-free crisp)
½ cup packed almond flour
⅓ cup lightly packed coconut sugar or brown sugar
¼ teaspoon fine salt
4 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons plain yogurt (Greek or regular) or additional melted butter

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a 9-inch square baking dish, mix together the strawberries, rhubarb, honey, arrowroot and lemon juice.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the oats, almond flour, sugar and salt. Mix in the butter and yogurt. Stir until all of the flour is incorporated and the mixture is moistened throughout.
Dollop spoonfuls of the oat mixture over the filling and use your fingers to break up the mixture until it is evenly distributed (no need to pack it down).
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the filling is actively bubbling around the edges and the top is lightly golden. Let the crisp rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream (I insist!). Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.

Notes

*Sweetness level note: The sweetness level of this crisp will depend on your fruit. Since rhubarb gets sweeter during the baking process, you can’t really adjust for your desired sweetness before baking. My first crisp was just right with ⅓ cup honey and my second crisp was more tart. If you know you want your crisp to be on the sweet side, go with ½ cup honey. If your baked crisp is sour, keep in mind that serving with ice cream will temper the tartness. Add a drizzle of honey to the finished product if necessary. It will probably taste sweeter the next day.

Make it nut free: Use ¾ cup whole wheat flour and ¾ cup oats instead of the oats and almond meal specified above. It will no longer be gluten free.

Edits: On May 20, 2024, I replaced the topping with my favorite gluten-free topping. See the original provided in the nut-free note above. I also added lemon juice to the filling and increased the amount of arrowroot by one tablespoon.

Wait, what’s arrowroot starch? Arrowroot starch is a great thickener to use in place of corn starch, which is often genetically modified. It’s gluten free, too. Look for it in the baking section of well-stocked grocery stores.

Rhubarb substitute: If you can’t find rhubarb, you can substitute another pound of strawberries (though the flavor is not as interesting). Better yet, make my Mixed Berry Crisp (Gluten Free) or Blueberry Almond Crisp.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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Lemon Posset

Kathryne Taylor — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 19:23:00 +0000

Posset is a rich, creamy, citrusy British dessert. The balanced lemon flavor teeters irresistibly between tangy and sweet. A little goes a long way, so it’s perfect after a big meal. I’m downright obsessed with this recipe. Keep reading and you’ll see why!

Posset is an easy make-ahead dessert to offer at parties in individual servings. It would be lovely at Easter and Mother’s Day celebrations, baby showers, dinner parties, and more.

To make posset, you’ll need just four ingredients—heavy cream, sugar, lemons and vanilla extract—and a few extra hours to chill it in the refrigerator. You can make posset the night before and even freeze the leftovers.

Posset has been consumed in Britain for well over 600 years, though it was originally a hot drink made from sweetened, curdled milk mixed with wine or ale. It was often served to help cure colds or fevers. The modern chilled citrus and cream version came to be in the twentieth century. Since the recipe is British, posset is pronounced like “pocket” but with an s.

I first attempted posset for my cookbook, but I overcomplicated the recipe by trying to serve the posset like cheesecake squares over graham cracker crust. In hindsight, it’s best served simply in small containers, and garnished as desired. Years later, my husband reminded me of posset after he made some on a whim after finding the concept on Instagram.

I pulled out my old notes and tweaked the amounts of cream to use one full pint, used just enough sugar so it’s not too sweet, and specified the exact amounts of lemon zest and lemon juice rather than calling for two or three lemons, which always vary in size. To achieve a consistent consistency, I found a trick from America’s Test Kitchen—we’ll know the mixture is done simmering once it has reduced to two cups. This tested and perfected recipe is ready for your kitchen!

Posset Ingredients

You’ll need just four ingredients to make this amazing treat. Posset can’t be made dairy-free, but it is conveniently gluten-free, egg-free and nut-free. Compared to typical pudding recipes, this posset recipe is downright magical in its simplicity (no gelatin, cornstarch or eggs required).

Heavy Cream

Heavy cream is the only option for posset. It yields a rich, luscious texture. Be sure to reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, because the end result doesn’t taste quite as nice if the cream is overheated. To reach our desired consistency, we’ll keep a glass liquid measuring cup by the stove to measure the cream mixture after cooking for 15 to 20 minutes. Once it has reduced to 2 cups, we’ll move to the next step.

Sugar

Plain granulated sugar lets the lemon flavor shine in this recipe. We’ll gently simmer it in the pot with heavy cream and lemon zest, stirring until it completely dissolves. I love to experiment with natural sweeteners when possible, but honey dominated the flavor when I tried it. (Technically, you can substitute an equal amount of honey or just a portion for the sugar and the recipe will set.)

Lemon Zest and Juice

The tart lemon juice helps the mixture set, while the lemon zest intensifies the lemon flavor. We’ll simmer the zest in the cream, remove it from the heat, and stir in the lemon juice. After twenty minutes, we’ll strain the zest out of the mixture for a smooth texture.

We’ll need 2 to 3 medium lemons for this recipe (perhaps buy an extra lemon just in case). Since we are using the zest, buying organic citrus is best to avoid pesticide residues. Zest the lemon first, then juice it—it’s impossible to zest a juiced lemon.

Vanilla Extract

While technically optional, a small amount of vanilla extract enhances the flavors of lemon and cream. It offers a light taste of vanilla custard and I recommend it!

Watch How to Make Lemon Posset

Garnish Suggestions

Garnishes are optional but make this pale yellow dessert more eye-catching. For these photos, I garnished the posset with raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and tiny sprigs of mint. You could keep it simple by choosing just one of those. Here’s a full list of garnish options:

Crumbled graham crackers
Crushed pistachios
Fresh mint (use the tiniest sprigs or one small leaf per cup)
Lemon zest or candied lemon peel
Small berries: Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries
Whipped cream

Flavor Variations

Lemon posset is the most common variety, but you can make posset with orange, lime or any other citrus fruit. Consider fun seasonal varieties like Meyer lemon, key lime or Cara Cara orange.

You can substitute other citrus varieties one-for-one in the recipe below. Don’t try to substitute anything else for the citrus juice—the recipe needs the interaction between citrus and heavy cream to set properly.

Serving Cup & Spoon Suggestions

Choose small glasses that can hold at least 2 ounces. I used Crate and Barrel’s Bitty Bite short glasses for these photos. Less expensive options include 2-ounce glass shot glasses or disposable plastic cups (you’ll have plenty for several batches).

You’ll likely need to serve these mini cups with mini spoons, also known as espresso or demitasse spoons. Here’s an inexpensive set of twelve stainless steel spoons. For these photos, I used spoons like these.

How to Freeze Posset

Once chilled, possets can be stored in a carton with a lid or wrapped in plastic wrap. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If frozen, unwrap them and let them thaw in the refrigerator before serving, about 30 minutes. You can also enjoy the posset straight from the frozen or just lightly thawed—it tastes like dense lemon gelato and I love it.

More Sweet Treats to Make

For more miniature treats like this recipe, try these:

For more citrusy sweets, try these:

Please let me know how your posset turns out in the comments! I hope it becomes your new favorite dessert.

Lemon Posset

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes (plus 3 hours chill time)
Yield: 8 to 9 servings
Diet: Gluten Free

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 24 reviews

Lemon posset is a creamy, citrusy dessert—the perfect small treat. It offers a rich texture and balanced lemon flavor that teeters irresistibly between tangy and sweet. Posset is so easy to make! Allow 3 hours for chilling. Recipe yields 8 to 9 small (2-ounce) servings.

Ingredients

1 pint (2 cups) heavy cream
½ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon zest*
⅓ cup lemon juice
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional garnishes: Fresh berries (blackberries, raspberries or blueberries), mint leaves, or crushed graham crackers or pistachios

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Instructions

Combine the cream, sugar and zest in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Place a 2-cup glass liquid measuring cup next to the stove, because you’ll need it to determine when the cream has finished reducing.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar, and reducing the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. (If the mixture begins to boil over, it’s much too hot—briefly remove it from the heat before returning it at a lower temperature). Cook until the mixture is reduced to 2 cups, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and vanilla extract. Let the mixture rest for 20 minutes.
Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl and discard the zest.
Divide the mixture evenly between 8 individual ramekins or serving glasses.
Refrigerate, uncovered, until set, at least 3 hours. Once chilled, possets can be stored in a carton with a lid (or wrapped in plastic wrap) and refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months. Unwrap and let them rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving (if frozen, allow them to defrost for 30 minutes or longer in the refrigerator). Garnish as desired and serve.

Notes

Recipe was created with references to America’s Test Kitchen’s method.

*Lemon note: I typically need 2 to 3 lemons to yield the required zest and juice for this recipe. (Perhaps buy an extra lemon just in case.) When using the zest, buying organic citrus is best to avoid pesticide residues.

Change it up: Substitute another citrus for the lemon. Orange and lime varieties would make delicious posset. The interaction between citrus and heavy cream is key to the posset’s thickened texture (no dairy substitutions will work).

Nutrition

The post Lemon Posset appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Thumbprint Cookies

Kathryne Taylor — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:05:17 +0000

These thumbprint cookies offer classic shortbread flavor with dazzling jam centers. Using almond flour makes them gluten free and extra delicious! They’re tender and buttery with a pop of sweetness in the center. Make these irresistible cookies for any special occasion, or just because.

This thumbprint cookie recipe is honestly so easy to make. You don’t need a mixer. You don’t need to wait for perfectly softened butter. You don’t need to chill the dough before baking. The dough comes together so quickly and rolls so easily that this recipe would be a fun baking project with kids. If you don’t typically bake with almond flour, this recipe is absolutely worth buying the bag.

Thumbprint cookies are particularly fun and versatile because you can change the flavor and the color of the centers by your choice of jam. These treats are perfect for the holidays, like Valentine’s Day (I suggest raspberry or strawberry filling), Easter (try several jams for a fun color mix), Independence Day (perhaps raspberry and blueberry), and Christmas (anything red).

For those with special diet considerations, I’ll point out that this recipe happens to be gluten free and egg free. You can make it dairy free and vegan by substituting coconut oil for the butter (see recipe notes). It’s also partially naturally sweetened with maple syrup. Of course, the recipe is not nut free due to the almond flour, but it might be just the cookie you’ve been searching for.

I’ve been perfecting this recipe over the past couple of months. I’m just so excited to share it with you! I hope it becomes a go-to recipe for you, too.

Almond Flour

Use fine blanched almond flour for this recipe. Bob’s Red Mill, King Arthur and Whole Foods 365 brands yield great results for these cookies. Almond flour or meal made with whole almonds (not blanched/including the skins) will yield a more rustic texture with untraditional flavor. I don’t recommend those types.

To measure your almond flour, use a kitchen scale if you have it! I’ve included gram measurements in the recipe below. I strongly recommend weighing almond flour versus using measuring cups. Even when using the same scooping technique (spooned and leveled), we’ve found big differences between measurements—even more so than with regular wheat flour.

If you don’t have a kitchen scale, whisk your flour in the bag before measuring to smooth out any lumps. Then, use a big spoon to spoon flour into the cups, leveling off the top with a knife.

Butter

We’ll use unsalted butter to maintain full control over the salt level. Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stove, just until it’s melted (not excessively hot).

Maple Syrup

This cookie dough is naturally sweetened with maple syrup, which imparts very subtle maple flavor. Always use real maple syrup, not the artificial kind.

Vanilla Extract & Salt

A little bit of vanilla lends some additional flavor to this cookie recipe. If you want to lean into the almond flavor, you could also add up to 1 teaspoon almond extract. Fine salt enhances all of the flavors.

Sugar

Rolling the dough balls in granulated sugar does two things. First, it offers some light sweetness in each bite. Second, it offers some additional texture, which is especially welcome on days two and three after baking since the cookies soften a bit with time. You can omit the sugar here, but I recommend it for cookies that really taste like a treat! (They are still not too sweet.)

Jam or Preserves

Use jam or preserves of your choice. Any fruity flavor should taste good. Consider that the color of the jam will become slightly darker during baking. I used Bonne Maman’s Raspberry Preserves, which yields amazing flavor and a beautiful color. You could use more than one variety of jam, alternating between cookies, for different colors and flavors within one batch! Here’s a fun Bonne Maman four-pack of jams or cute mini sampler pack—both would leave you with a lot of extra jam.

Here are a few tips and an instructional video!

This recipe is easy to make, especially when you have the right tools. You can bake the full batch of cookies at once on this large baking sheet (affiliate link)—I use these half sheets all the time for roasting vegetables, too. The rim is helpful so the cookies don’t slide off.

To scoop the cookies, use your smallest cookie scoop or measure about 2 teaspoons’ worth of dough with measuring spoons (that’s two-thirds of one tablespoon). If you make your cookies any larger than specified, your yield will be reduced and the cookies will need a little more time in the oven.

Gently roll the cookies between your palms to minimize any lines or cracks in the dough. Roll them both before and after you roll the dough balls in sugar. This dough is very easy to work with.

Use a small, round measuring spoon or your thumb to slowly press downward and make a well for the jam. Contrary to the name of the cookies, I have better luck with the measuring spoon than my thumb!

Stir your jam well before using. If the jam is too firm to work with, gently warm it in the microwave for a few seconds, just until it’s easy to stir.

Then, fill the well with no more than 1/2 teaspoon jam. Too much, and the jam might seep over the edge during baking. Baking the cookies with the jam in place helps dehydrate the jam a bit, which concentrates the flavor and helps the jam set even further.

Lastly, spend a minute smoothing any cracks around the edges of the cookies before baking, which is quick and easy to do with your finger. The cracks will become more pronounced during baking, so it’s best to minimize them beforehand.

Watch How to Make Thumbprint Cookies

More Cookies & Treats to Try

Gluten-Free Cookies

Here are a few more cookie recipes that just happen to be gluten free.

Almond Flour Treats

If you’re enjoying almond flour like I am, try these almond flour recipes.

Please let me know how your recipe turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

Thumbprint Cookies

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Total Time: 34 minutes
Yield: 24 cookies
Diet: Gluten Free

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 13 reviews

These thumbprint cookies offer classic shortbread flavor with dazzling jam centers. Almond flour makes them gluten free and extra delicious! Recipe yields 22 to 24 small cookies.

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups (191 grams) fine blanched almond flour, spooned and leveled
6 tablespoons (80 grams) unsalted butter, melted but not overly hot
¼ cup (80 grams) maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon fine salt
2 tablespoons sugar, for rolling
6 tablespoons jam or preserves of choice (raspberry recommended), well stirred

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to ensure that the cookies don’t stick to the pan.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir until the dough is uniformly blended and smooth.
Pour the sugar into a small bowl and set it aside. Use a small cookie scoop (size 70 portioner) or scoop 2 teaspoons of the dough with measuring spoons. Gently roll the dough into a ball between your palms. Drop the ball into the bowl of sugar and roll it around until lightly coated all around. Gently roll it into a ball once more and place it on the cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, keeping the balls about 2 inches apart.
To make indentions for the jam, use the rounded back of a teaspoon or your thumb to gently press an indentation in the center of each cookie dough ball. If the dough cracks around the edges, take the time to gently smooth it back together. Fill each indentation with a level ½ teaspoon of jam (no more!). If the jam is too firm to work with, gently warm it in the microwave for a few seconds, just until it’s easy to stir.
Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes, until they start to turn lightly golden around the edges.
Remove the cookies from the oven. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely. Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, ideally in a single layer, for up to 7 days. They become a little more tender as time goes on, so I wouldn’t suggest shipping these.

Notes

Make it dairy free/vegan: Replace the butter with an equal amount of just-melted coconut oil. Unrefined coconut flavor will impart some coconut flavor; use refined coconut oil if you don’t want to taste coconut. If you are following a vegan diet, be sure to choose vegan sugar and jam.

Nutrition

The post Thumbprint Cookies appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Betty’s Pots de Crème

Kathryne Taylor — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 16:47:24 +0000

We served this dessert at our wedding over four years ago, and it’s high time to share the recipe with you! Our family has been calling this recipe “chocolate mousse” for years but it’s much closer to a French recipe called pots de crème, which translates to jars of cream.

These chocolate pots de crème are luscious, creamy, rich, and decadent. They are such fun desserts to offer at a party in individual servings. A little goes a long way, and that’s why I love them. I’d rather have a small portion of incredible dessert than a large portion of so-so dessert.

This miniature dessert comes from my husband’s Great-Aunt Betty. I wonder how many times Betty has whipped up this recipe in her vibrant 97 years. My husband’s mom makes them now, and you’re almost guaranteed to find these little treats in their freezer at any given time. We were thrilled when our wedding bakery agreed to make the family recipe to serve alongside our wedding cake!

This foolproof recipe comes together quickly in the blender—no baking, no straining, no fussing. Blend it up and chill it (you can even freeze these cups for the months ahead). I hope this recipe becomes one of your family traditions, too.

Pots de Crème Ingredients

Chocolate Chips

Chocolate chips make this recipe super easy. I prefer darker chocolate, so I like semi-sweet chocolate chips or darker. If you prefer milk chocolate, choose milk chocolate chips. If you have chocolate bars, you can chop them for this recipe.

Heavy Cream

Betty’s original recipe calls for heavy cream. I haven’t tried half-and-half or anything lighter, but heavy cream will certainly yield the richest, thickest, creamiest texture. It’s decadent, and that’s how we like it!

Sugar

Betty uses good old-fashioned sugar, and it produces ideal results. You know I try to use natural sweeteners like honey when possible, but I don’t recommend them for this recipe. They will dominate the flavor and interfere with the mixture setting.

Liqueur

A splash of liqueur offers subtle, complex flavor—it’s why these pots de crème taste so interesting. You have options.

Betty likes crème de cocao best, which is a sweet chocolate liqueur (you can also use it to make chocolate martinis or grasshopper cocktails). My favorite common liqueur is Kahlua, for a light coffee undertone that ramps up the chocolate flavor (you can also use Kahlua to make White Russians). Amaretto tastes like almonds, which is delicious! For a minty treat, try crème de menthe rather than peppermint schnapps.

You might find another good option in your liquor cabinet, but definitely choose a lower ABV liqueur rather than a full-strength liquor. For example, I tried bourbon, but it dominated the flavor and the strong taste of alcohol was unpleasant.

Looking for an alcohol-free option? Replace it with additional orange juice.

Orange Juice

Orange juice is the second secret ingredient that makes this recipe taste so special! You’ll just need two tablespoons. I don’t usually buy orange juice, so I just buy an orange and squeeze what I need.

Eggs and Egg Yolks

This recipe uses two eggs plus two egg yolks for richness and volume. You’ll have two extra egg whites, which you can keep in the fridge for a day or two and add to your next batch of scrambled eggs.

This recipe uses raw eggs, which has never caused our family harm, but there is always a slight risk of salmonella poisoning with raw eggs (one in 20,000). To mitigate this risk, you can buy pasteurized eggs at the store, or pasteurize your own eggs before making this recipe. Here’s the CDC’s information on egg safety.

Vanilla Extract

Lastly, a splash of vanilla extract lends more complexity to this rich chocolate dessert. Vanilla and chocolate were made for each another.

Watch How to Make Pots de Crème

Serving Cup & Spoon Suggestions

Choose small glasses with some extra room inside (about 2 to 4 ounces each), should you choose to add toppings. I used Crate and Barrel’s Bitty Bite short glasses for these photos. More affordable options include disposable plastic cups (you’ll have plenty for several batches) or reusable glass shot glasses.

You’ll likely need to serve these mini cups with mini spoons, also known as espresso spoons or demitasse spoons. Here’s an inexpensive set of twelve stainless steel spoons. For these photos, I used spoons like these.

Refrigerated vs. Frozen

Both options are absolutely delicious. These photos show the refrigerated texture, which is a glossy, thick mousse that holds its shape. As shown, these cups were refrigerated for the minimum time of one hour, but they firm up a bit more in another hour or two.

The frozen option is especially great because the cups will keep for up to three months. Hosting an impromptu get-together? Dessert is ready to go! I might actually prefer the frozen texture, which is dense, firm and obviously colder. My mother-in-law says it’s easier to add toppings when the cups are cold from the freezer.

To freeze, simply place the portioned cups into a freezer-safe carton with a lid (this is easier and more protective than covering them individually with plastic wrap). Let the cups thaw briefly on the countertop or in the refrigerator while you eat dinner. The length of time will depend on your serving size, but it shouldn’t take longer than 15 to 30 minutes.

Topping Suggestions

These pots de crème don’t need toppings, but it’s fun to dress them up! Generally speaking, they’re lovely with tiny sprigs of mint, raspberries, whipped cream, shaved chocolate, candied orange, or a few fun sprinkles. Here are a few holiday suggestions:

For Christmas, try crushed candy canes, holly sprinkles or snowflake sprinkles, or tiny sprigs of mint with or without raspberries.
For Valentine’s Day, do raspberries or a few pink heart sprinkles.
For Easter, try a candy-coated almond or miniature chocolate egg candy.
For the Fourth of July, try whipped cream with a raspberry and blueberry.

More Chocolate Treats to Enjoy

Craving more chocolate? Me, too—always. Here are a few more easy chocolate recipes on the blog.

Please let me know how Betty’s recipe turns out for you in the comments! I love hearing from you.

Betty’s Pots de Crème

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes (plus 1-hour chill time)
Yield: 18 servings
Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 11 reviews

This foolproof pots de crème recipe comes together quickly in the blender and tastes amazing. Make it for dessert, and freeze the extra! Yields 36 ounces, enough for anywhere between 36 tiny 1-ounce servings and 9 generous 4-ounce servings.

Ingredients

2 eggs
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup sugar
16 ounces heavy cream
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips*
¼ cup Kahlua or Crème de Cocao or Amaretto or orange juice
2 tablespoons orange juice

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Instructions

In a blender, combine the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla and sugar. Pour in the cream. Securely attach the lid and blend for 30 seconds, until the mixture is uniformly pale yellow.
Next, melt the chocolate, Kahlua and orange juice in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over very low heat, stirring every minute or two. Once the chocolate chips are about 90% melted, about 4 to 6 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and stir until the mixture is silky smooth.
Add the melted chocolate to the blender. Blend on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides halfway through.
Divide the mixture evenly between small glasses or small ramekins/serving bowls. Either place the servings in a container with a lid or cover the tops with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until serving time (at least 1 hour, ideally 2+) or freeze for later. Refrigerated mousse will keep well for up to 5 days; frozen mousse will keep well for up to 3 months (allow the mousse to rest for at least 15 minutes at room temperature before serving).

Notes

*Chocolate note: Choose your chocolate chips based on your preferred level of chocolate intensity. I love darker chocolate and enjoyed these cups made with 54% cacao content semi-sweet chocolate chips (Whole Foods 365 brand).

Make it alcohol-free: Replace the liqueur with additional orange juice.

Nutrition

The post Betty’s Pots de Crème appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Peach Crisp (Gluten-Free)

Kathryne Taylor — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 21:40:33 +0000

This luscious peach crisp recipe is full of warm, gooey, lightly cinnamon-y summer peaches. It’s finished with a crisp-but-tender oat and almond topping. Add a scoop of melty vanilla ice cream for the perfect late summer dessert.

Like my other crisp recipes, the recipe just-so-happens to be gluten free, so you can share it with more of your friends. Please don’t dismiss this recipe if you’re not gluten free (I’m not). It’s simply the best peach crisp I’ve ever had!

As a bonus, this crisp is a healthier option than most others. I replaced half of the butter with yogurt, which gives it an awesome, faint tang. It also has less sugar in it than most, because ripe, juicy peaches are plenty sweet as is. Frozen peaches are not nearly as nice.

Peach season is in full swing, so load up the cart with fresh peaches while you still can. Enjoy the leftovers for breakfast with Greek yogurt. You can’t beat that!

How to Make Peach Crisp

Confession: This peach crisp recipe was supposed to be a cobbler. I tried four times to get that cobbler just right, but during each attempt, I found myself wondering why I wasn’t making a crisp instead.

Crisps are so easy to make. They’re perfect every time. Tastier, too, if you ask me. I’d order a crisp over a cobbler any day. Over pie, too! I’m a crisp girl, through and through.

You’ll find the full recipe below, but here’s a brief rundown:

In a baking dish, you’ll mix together sliced peaches, honey, arrowroot or cornstarch, vanilla extract and cinnamon.
In a mixing bowl, you’ll stir together oats, almond meal, sliced almonds, coconut or brown sugar, ginger and salt.
Mix in the melted butter and yogurt until it’s all evenly moistened, then dollop the topping over the fruit.
Bake until it’s bubbling around the edges and your kitchen smells amazing, about 30 minutes.

Watch How to Make Peach Crisp

Extra Peaches?

Try these peachy recipes on Cookie and Kate:

More Crisps to Make

Apple Crisp
Blueberry Crisp
Dark Cherry Crisp in my cookbook, Love Real Food (page 198)
Mixed Berry Crisp
Plum Crisp

Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments! I’m always so eager to hear from you.

Peach Crisp (Gluten-Free)

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Diet: Gluten Free

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 104 reviews

This healthier peach crisp features juicy summer peaches and a delicious oat and almond topping, which happens to be gluten free. See recipe notes for special diet adjustments. Recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.

Ingredients

Peach Filling

2 ¼ pounds ripe peaches, peeled and thinly sliced (about 5 to 6 peaches)
⅓ cup honey
2 tablespoons arrowroot starch or cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Crisp topping

1 cup old-fashioned oats (certified gluten free if necessary)
½ cup almond meal or almond flour, lightly packed
⅓ cup sliced almonds
⅓ cup packed coconut sugar or brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
4 tablespoons butter, melted
3 to 4 tablespoons plain yogurt (regular or Greek)

Don’t forget vanilla ice cream!

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
To prepare the filling: In a 9 by 9-inch baking dish, mix together the sliced peaches, honey, arrowroot starch, vanilla and cinnamon.
To prepare the topping: In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the oats, almond meal, sliced almonds, coconut sugar, ginger and salt. Mix in the melted butter and yogurt. Stir until the mixture is moistened throughout, adding up to 1 more tablespoon of yogurt if it seems dry.
Dollop spoonfuls of the oat mixture over the filling and use your fingers to break up the mixture until it is evenly distributed (no need to pack it down). Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling around the edges and the top is lightly golden.
Let the crisp rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or plain yogurt.

Notes

Recipe adapted from my plum crisp with pistachios.

Make it vegan: I believe you could use melted coconut oil or olive oil in place of the butter and yogurt (use 4 tablespoons oil and add up to 3 more, until the topping mixture is moistened throughout) and maple syrup instead of the honey.

Make it nut free: Omit the sliced almonds and use ¾ cup whole wheat flour and ¾ cup oats instead of the almond meal and oats specified above. It will no longer be gluten free. If you want to keep it gluten free, I suspect that you could replace the almond meal with oat flour or more oats (haven’t tried that, please comment if you do!).

Storage suggestions: Store this crisp in the refrigerator, covered. It will be good for 4 days or so.

Change it up: Substitute any variety of stone fruit or berries for the peaches, by weight. Cherries, plums, sliced strawberries, blackberries or blueberries would be lovely.

Nutrition

The post Peach Crisp (Gluten-Free) appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Crêpes

Kathryne Taylor — Thu, 11 May 2023 21:48:52 +0000

This recipe is coming from a longtime crepe enthusiast. I’m so pleased to share my tried-and-true crepe recipe today. You might assume that crepes are difficult to make or require special equipment, but fortunately, it’s not true! In fact, these crepes are a cinch to whip together in a blender. From start to finish, they come together in under 30 minutes.

This recipe is easy to make in a regular skillet. These crepes are a more manageable size to make at home than the large traditional crepes you’ll find at a real creperie. This recipe is quite versatile, too. Use it to make sweet crepes or savory crepes, with regular flour or buckwheat flour. You’ll find all of my tips below, plus a short video that shows the cooking method.

Crepes are similar to pancakes, but thinner and much lighter. You could say that they’re more sophisticated. They are indisputably lower in carbohydrates. And they’re definitely a lovely option for Mother’s Day brunch or any weekend breakfast or lunch.

As an American, my first taste of crepes took place in high school, when Madame Gordy showed us how to make them in French class. During my college semester in France, I sampled crepes across Bordeaux and Paris, with one particularly memorable experience by a fountain in the Latin Quarter.

These days, I satisfy my crepe cravings at one of our favorite local restaurants, French Market, or I make them at home with this recipe! Our toddler loves crepes with Greek yogurt and sliced banana. I hope you enjoy these crepes as much as we do.

Crêpe Ingredients

These classic crepes are made with just five basic ingredients, not counting salt and optional vanilla extract. Here’s what you’ll need:

1) Flour (3 options)

This crepe recipe works equally well with any of these flours, or any combination of them.

All-purpose flour yields the most “standard” crepe. These crepes are tender and custard-like—you can taste the egg in the absence of a flavorful flour.
Whole wheat flour is unconventional but I love the lightly nutty flavor. To me, these crepes taste a little more interesting, and they are slightly more nutritious. Note that whole wheat flour should never taste bitter. If it smells off or tastes bitter, your flour is old and should be replaced.
Buckwheat crepes are often called Breton gallettes in France, due to their popularity in the Brittany region. Buckwheat flour offers robust, nutty flavor that traditionally favors savory fillings. I personally love buckwheat crepes for both savory and sweet crepes, and request buckwheat crepes whenever possible. As a bonus, crepes made with 100 percent buckwheat flour are gluten free.

2) A tiny bit of sugar

A small amount of sugar offers a faint sweetness, but more importantly, it helps prevent the crepes from burning against the skillet. For savory crepes (or versatile crepes that can go sweet or savory depending on the toppings), start with the lower amount offered in the recipe. If you’d prefer your crepes to be on the sweeter side, use the full amount. Either way, it’s not much sugar.

3) Milk of choice

This recipe will work well with any variety of milk. I tested these crepes with whole milk and cashew milk, and both variations turned out beautifully.

4) Eggs

Eggs provide the characteristic custard flavor that you’ll find in classic crepes. They also help bind the ingredients together, especially in regard to the buckwheat crepes.

5) Butter

Melted butter offers some fat that helps the crepes stay nice and tender. We’ll use a little more to grease the pan between each crepe.

Watch How to Make Crepes

Crêpe Tips

You’ll find my simple recipe below. Here are a few tips before you get started:

Use a blender, if you have one.

The blender is ideal because it introduces tiny bubbles into the batter, and the bubbles make crepes more fun to eat in my professional opinion. For buckwheat crepes, using a blender or food processor will really help distribute the flour more evenly through the batter.

Use a stainless steel skillet or non-stick skillet.

The trick to making beautiful crepes in a stainless steel skillet is to let the skillet get nice and warm before you get started. Non-stick skillets also work well. The electric crepe makers used in France have cast iron tops, but cast iron skillets are very heavy, so they’re difficult to lift and swirl with one hand.

Lightly butter the skillet between each crepe.

Without enough butter, your crepes won’t develop any bubbles. Too much butter, and the crepe won’t gain traction. You are using too much butter if the crepe slides all around the pan.

Constantly monitor your temperature.

When you get into a rhythm of making the crepes, you’ll begin to notice when the pan is getting too hot or cold. I always start at about medium heat and continuously tweak the temperature as I go (usually lower). You want the temperature warm enough that the crepes turn lightly golden in spots and produce bubbles as they cook.

How do you know if your pan is the right temperature? The crepe should begin to cook as it hits the pan. Your pan is too hot if you can’t give it a proper swirl before the crepe solidifies (runners shooting off the side of your crepes is a sign that the pan is too hot). If the butter is sizzling and smoking upon impact, your pan is definitely too hot and you need to give it a rest.

Crêpe Topping Suggestions

Sweet toppings

Sweet crepes are typically enjoyed during breakfast or as dessert. They’re also a fun afternoon treat.

Butter or honey butter
Fruit: Sliced apple, pears, peaches, strawberries and other berries, bananas
Chocolate: Finely grated or melted chocolate sauce
Coconut (shredded) or coconut butter
Jam, preserves, applesauce or compote
Honey, maple syrup or powdered sugar
Lemon curd or a squeeze of lemon juice
Nuts, including sliced almonds or chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
Nut butters, like peanut or almond butter
Nutella (hazelnut chocolate spread)
Whipped cream, Greek yogurt or custard

Savory toppings

Savory crepes are typically served for breakfast or lunch. For savory crepes, you might prefer to top the crepes while they are still in the warm pan. This gives cheese time to melt. Simply start to top the crepe as it turns more matte than shiny (skip the flipping step). Slide the completed crepe onto a plate, then roll or fold it into quarters.

Arugula or fresh herbs, including chives, parsley or basil
Cheese: Gruyère, cheddar, Emmental, goat, Swiss
Scrambled or fried eggs
Pesto
Ratatouille
Vegetables: artichoke, roasted asparagus, sautéed mushrooms, fresh or roasted tomatoes

Please let me know how your crepes turn out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

Crêpes

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 8 crêpes
Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 13 reviews

Learn how to make crêpes at home with this foolproof crêpe recipe! Crêpes are easier to make than you might think. This versatile recipe works with several kinds of flour: all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour or buckwheat flour. Make them sweeter by using the full amount of sugar, or keep them more savory on the lower end. Recipe yields 8 crêpes.

Ingredients

¾ cup all-purpose, whole wheat or buckwheat flour
2 teaspoons sugar (up to 1 ½ tablespoons for sweeter crepes)
Optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for sweet crepes)
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk of choice
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted (plus more butter for greasing the pan)

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Instructions

In a blender, food processor or big bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Blend, process or whisk by hand until the mixture is completely smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides at least once. Once you are certain that there are no big lumps of flour, set the bowl aside.
Heat a medium-sized skillet, either stainless steel or non-stick, over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add a small pat of butter. Use a clean rag or paper towel to quickly spread the butter into an even, very light layer.
Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to ladle batter into the pan. Tilt the pan to about 45 degrees toward you as you pour in the batter, then immediately swirl the batter around in so it evenly covers the entire surface of the base.
Cook the crepe until the top surface has turned from shiny to matte and the bottom is speckled with brown spots, less than 1 minute. Loosen the edges and flip the crepe to cook on the other side (I used a large silicone spatula for this step). Once the crepe is lightly speckled on the other side, slide it onto a plate.
Repeat until you have no more batter, adding a small pat of butter and wiping the skillet between each one. To serve, top one crepe at a time as desired, and either roll it up or fold it into quarters. Enjoy! Leftover crepes will keep well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, stacked and covered (add toppings just before serving). Or freeze them for up to 3 months, with parchment paper layered between the crepes to prevent them from freezing together.

Notes

Recipe adapted from my Buckwheat and Spelt Crepes.

Make it gluten free: Use certified gluten-free buckwheat flour.

Make it dairy free: Use non-dairy milk and vegan butter or coconut oil instead of butter.

Nutrition

The post Crêpes appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Foolproof Basque Cheesecake

Kathryne Taylor — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 22:34:19 +0000

Behold, my favorite luscious dessert! This cheesecake recipe hails from the Basque region of Spain—specifically, from a restaurant called La Viña, where fresh cheesecakes line the walls and smell like heaven.

Honestly, I’m not sure why this cheesecake (tarta de queso in Spanish) is called Basque cheesecake over here. We should call it La Viña cheesecake or Santiago Rivera’s cheesecake to give full credit to the man who created the concept in 1990.

We enjoyed the real deal on our honeymoon in San Sebastián in 2019. We spent the evening wandering through the old part of town, sampling pintxos and sipping marvelous inexpensive white wine everywhere we went, as you do in San Sebastián. I insisted that we make room for the magical, mythical cheesecake at La Viña, so we followed our noses around the corner until we found it.

Fast-forward a few years, and we’re sleep-deprived with a baby at home. My husband brought home a surprise Basque cheesecake from a local shop. We’ve been obsessively recreating it at home ever since, trying different methods and proportions. I’m super excited to share the perfected recipe with you today.

6 Reasons to Love Basque Cheesecake

Before we get to the recipe, here’s why you’ll love Basque cheesecake. It’s an experience!

Basque cheesecake is remarkably delicious. It’s creamy, rich, and tangy with a deeply caramelized crust on top that offers tons of flavor.
Basque cheesecake is the easiest of homemade cheesecakes. If you have the ingredients, you could make it on a whim for any occasion—for Valentine’s Day, a celebratory dinner, a potluck with friends, or just as a fun weekend project. Just keep in mind that it will need about an hour to cool, and it’s a great recipe to make a day ahead if that timing works for you.
No water bath required for Basque cheesecake. Indeed, we want the top to crack. Embrace it!
There’s no crust to fuss with. Again, embrace the experience. With the amount of flavor in the caramelized top, you won’t miss it.
It’s not too sweet. Traditional cheesecake can be way too sweet, and Basque cheesecake is not overwhelming in that way. The recipe below offers a range for sugar content so you can make it suit your taste buds.
Basque cheesecake freezes well. Store any leftover cheesecake in the freezer for several months, or bake an extra to have on hand for your next celebratory occasion. You can cut the cheesecake even when it’s frozen, so you can pull out a slice any time you’d like.

Basque Cheesecake Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this wonderful cheesecake:

Cream Cheese

Like other cheesecakes, this Basque cheesecake relies on cream cheese for its heft, creaminess and tang. You’ll need two pounds for this recipe, which is four eight-ounce blocks of cream cheese. Do not substitute “cream cheese spread” or whipped cream cheese for this recipe.

Sugar

Plain old sugar is best here. I tried making the recipe with honey, and it simply wasn’t as good or as creamy. For a lightly sweet cheesecake that still tastes like a treat, use one and one-fourth cups sugar. For more traditional sweetness, add another one-fourth cup. Sweetness is subjective, but we found the sweetness cloying when we used closer to two cups.

Heavy Cream

Heavy cream thins out the cream cheese mixture without watering it down. We’ll need one pint of heavy cream for this recipe. We’ll use a portion of it upfront with the cream cheese to help mix it, then we’ll add the rest later.

Eggs

Cheesecake relies on eggs for structure. A half-dozen eggs is just right; seven eggs tastes distractingly eggy.

Vanilla Extract

While technically optional, a light splash of vanilla ramps up the flavor a bit.

Flour

A small amount of flour absorbs excess moisture, which becomes more apparent the next day. You have several options. All-purpose flour works well, as does sifted whole wheat flour (unsifted will leave little flecks of bran in your cheesecake). To make the cheesecake gluten free, we successfully used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.

Watch How to Make Foolproof Basque Cheesecake

Basque Cheesecake Tips

Let Basque cheesecake be.

I tried several variations of Basque cheesecake—with added orange zest, honey instead of sugar, Greek yogurt instead of cream cheese, macerated strawberries on top, and so on. Basque cheesecake is truly best served plain. With the caramelized top, it is not boring in any way. It’s a delight! If you want to add some presentation value, try serving with a ripe red strawberry on the side.

Use a food processor or mix on low.

For the best texture, avoid whipping air into the batter or over-mixing the batter. This is key! Use a large food processor if you have it (minimum 12 cups capacity) or a mixer on low speed. The low mixing speed might take a few extra minutes, but it’s worth the wait.

Know when it’s done.

Bake until the cheesecake is deeply golden brown on top and still very jiggly in the center, about 60 to 65 minutes. Once cooled, the center will solidify well enough to slice, and the top will deflate and turn darker and more shiny.

Recommended Equipment

If you bake somewhat regularly, you’ll probably have everything you need for this recipe. You really do need these items to bake Basque cheesecake at home (the links are affiliate links):

Large food processor or mixer

Use a large food processor (minimum 12 cups—I used my Vitamix food processor attachment), or a stand mixer (good deals on KitchenAid at Target right now!), or a hand mixer with a large mixing bowl (I’m partial to this 7-speed mixer). I tried making this cheesecake by hand and it was so difficult that I gave up.

Parchment paper

You’ll need parchment paper for lining the pan. Without parchment paper, your cheesecake will overflow into the oven!

Springform pan

Lastly, you’ll need a 9-inch springform pan for baking the cheesecake. The springform pan is the ideal height and also allows you to easily remove the sides before serving.

If you only have a 10-inch springform pan, that will likely work. Your cheesecake might be done a bit sooner, so keep an eye on it as the time approaches and follow the visual cues provided. I don’t recommend substituting a cake pan for this recipe, as the sides are probably too short.

How to Serve Basque Cheesecake

Basque cheesecake, like most baked goods, tastes even better the next day. The flavors become more complex and well developed. Make the cheesecake in advance if you have the time.

Some suggest serving Basque cheesecake at room temperature. I like this cheesecake served anywhere from lightly warm to straight-out-of-the-refrigerator chilled. I even like it straight out of the freezer. In other words, I’m not picky about the temperature.

If you’d like to liven up the plate, simply serve your slices with a red strawberry on the side.

At La Viña, they often serve the cheesecake with a glass of sweet Pedro Jimenez sherry. I love this cheesecake with a glass of dry white wine, like an Albariño or Sauvignon Blanc, or a dry rosé. You could also try a dry, funky cider like you’ll find in San Sebastián. We love ANXO cider.

More Dessert Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this cheesecake recipe, try these as well:

Please let me know how your Basque cheesecake turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

Basque Cheesecake

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 12 slices
Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 30 reviews

This Basque cheesecake is rich, creamy and utterly foolproof. It’s also very easy to make, as far as cheesecakes go! Recipe yields 12 slices.

Ingredients

2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups sugar, depending on desired level of sweetness
2 cups heavy cream, divided
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon fine salt
⅓ cup all-purpose flour

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Instructions

Place a rack in the middle of the oven, with no rack above it so the cheesecake has plenty of space to rise. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Tear off two generous sheets of parchment paper. Cross one on top of the other and press them into the base of a 9-inch springform pan. Roughly pleat the sides of the parchment against the pan to help make room for the cheesecake. Ideally, the paper will rise at least 2 inches all the way around the pan.
In a large food processor (minimum 12-cup capacity), stand mixer or large mixing bowl (with a hand mixer), combine the cream cheese, sugar, and about ½ cup of the cream. Process (or mix on low speed) until the mixture is very smooth and the sugar has dissolved, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary, about 2 minutes.
In the meantime, crack the eggs into a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. While blending, pour in all of the eggs at once and blend until smooth. Reserve the measuring cup.
Pause and scrape down the sides if necessary. Pour in the remaining cream, plus the vanilla and salt. Process until combined, about 30 seconds (this will take a little longer if using a mixer).
Pour 1 cup of the mixture into the measuring cup. Whisk the flour into the mixture until smooth (this prevents the flour from flying everywhere when mixed). Pour the contents of the cup back into the food processor and blend until smooth, about 10 to 20 seconds.
Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Gently jiggle the pan to distribute the batter evenly. Take a moment to crease the folds of the paper more sharply so they rest against the side of the pan. Bake until the cheesecake is deeply golden brown on top and still very jiggly in the center, about 60 to 65 minutes.
Place the cheesecake on a cooling rack (it will fall dramatically as it cools). Let it cool for about an hour before serving it or refrigerating it for later, covered.
To serve, release the outer piece of the pan and peel away the parchment from the sides of the cheesecake. Slice the cheesecake into wedges and enjoy. The cheesecake will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months (the cheesecake is sliceable even when frozen, so you can thaw individual slices if preferred).

Notes

Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit, Taste Cooking and King Arthur Flour.

Make it gluten free: Substitute all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. We successfully used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.

Nutrition

The post Foolproof Basque Cheesecake appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Coconut Macaroons

Kathryne Taylor — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 22:16:11 +0000

You’re going to love these coconut macaroons. I just know it. These chocolate-dipped macaroons are my favorite holiday cookie, ten years in the running!

Coconut macaroons (two o’s) are often confused with macarons (one o), the colorful and delicate layered French cookies. Both call for egg whites, but that’s about where their similarities end.

These macaroons feature rich coconut flavor and texture with subtle hints of honey (or maple syrup) and cinnamon. While you don’t have to dip them in chocolate, I strongly suggest that you do. They are the perfect little treat—satisfying and sweet, but not cloying.

These coconut beauties have a lot going for them in the preparation department. They look impressive with their high-contrast exteriors, but they’re easy to whip together. You can cram them all on one cookie sheet without consequence. Plus, they don’t require any artistic skills to decorate. Just dunk them in chocolate and be done. Can I get an amen?

These flourless cookies are naturally gluten free. They both freeze well and ship well, if you’re interested in mailing some homemade goodies to your loved ones. You’ll find the full recipe, plus step-by-step photos and a video below.

Coconut Macaroon Ingredients

Note that this recipe doesn’t call for sweetened condensed milk. You just might have all of the ingredients in your pantry already!

Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

Unlike most macaroon recipes, this one calls for unsweetened shredded coconut. This gives us full control over the level of sweetness and spares us from some unnecessary preservatives.

For this recipe to work, you must choose your coconut carefully. Do not make this recipe with sweetened shredded coconut; it will introduce a lot of excess moisture and the recipe will not turn out well. Do not make this recipe with reduced-fat shredded coconut; the mixture will be too dry. Do not try to make your own shredded coconut from fresh coconut; it simply will not work. Only regular unsweetened coconut will do! I typically use the Let’s Do Organic brand.

Sugar

Fine cane sugar is the way to go here. You know that I try to use natural sweeteners when I can, but sweetening these cookies entirely with honey or maple syrup would overwhelm the flavor, tint the cookies brown and impart too much moisture.

Ground cinnamon

Cinnamon offers a subtle warming flavor that plays nicely with the coconut and chocolate. Cinnamon is technically optional, so skip it if you’d rather.

Egg whites

Egg whites are absolutely essential. They provide structure and loft to these cookies. Save the yolks and add them to your scrambled eggs or omelets in the morning.

Honey or maple syrup

Choose your favorite! Either one offers some lovely flavor that you don’t usually find in macaroons, making this recipe extra irresistible.

Vanilla extract

Vanilla is a natural fit with coconut and chocolate.

Salt

As always, salt enhances all of the other flavors. These macaroons wouldn’t taste quite as exciting without it.

Semisweet or dark chocolate chips

While you don’t have to dip these macaroons in chocolate, they are truly next level if you do. Chocolate and coconut were meant for each other.

Watch How to Make Macaroons

Macaroon Notes & Tips

This recipe is a revised and improved variation of my ten-year-old Dark-Chocolate Dipped Macaroons recipe. Here’s what has changed and why:

How you combine the ingredients matters. Combining the egg whites with the honey, vanilla and salt is key. Otherwise, the honey clumps up in the coconut. While this is less of a problem with maple syrup, which is more runny, this method also ensures even distribution of those key flavorings.

Whip the egg whites for superior results. Whip the egg whites (with the honey, vanilla and salt) until they reach stiff peaks. This step infuses the egg whites with teeny-tiny air bubbles that provide extra loft to the cookies.

But if you don’t have a mixer, don’t worry. I’ve been very pleased by these macaroons even when I mixed the ingredients together by hand without vigorous mixing. The end result looks more rustic (slightly less domed, with craggier edges) but still tastes fantastic.

Stand mixers whip faster than hand mixers, but they’re both relatively quick. My hand mixer took eight minutes to yield stiff peaks, while my stand mixer (affiliate links) took just a few minutes. I still prefer my hand mixer because it’s easier to pull out of the cabinet.

Use a cookie scoop for professional-looking results. If you have a one-tablespoon cookie scoop, use it! It’s the perfect vessel for producing evenly-sized mounds of macaroons. You can lightly compress the mixture in the process, but don’t intentionally pack it down or your cookies will be dense.

To harden the chocolate in a hurry: Simply place the chocolate-dipped cookies on a tray that will fit into your fridge, and let the cookies chill for about ten minutes. Don’t leave the cookies in the refrigerator indefinitely; they can develop tiny condensation droplets that will leave marks as they evaporate.

More Cookies to Enjoy

Here are a few more holiday-worthy cookie recipes to try:

Please let me know how your macaroons turn out in the comments. I love hearing from you.

Coconut Macaroons

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 34 cookies
Diet: Gluten Free

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.5 from 21 reviews

These coconut macaroons are the perfect sweet treat. They’re gluten free and subtly flavored with honey or maple syrup. Dip them in chocolate if you wish (I recommend it)! Recipe yields nearly 3 dozen small cookies (34 cookies, by my count).

Ingredients

8 ounces (3 cups) unsweetened shredded coconut*
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large egg whites
3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon fine salt
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet or dark chocolate chips

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the macaroons from sticking to the pan.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the coconut, sugar, and cinnamon, and stir to combine. Set aside.
Combine the egg whites, honey, vanilla and salt in a separate mixing bowl (if you intend to use a hand mixer) or in the bowl of your stand mixer using the whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites on high until stiff peaks form (if baking at an altitude above 3,000 feet, whip only until soft peaks form).
Using a silicone spatula, transfer the egg whites to the bowl of coconut. Gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture until combined (don’t overdo it or the egg whites will deflate).
Using a cookie dough scoop or your hands, scoop out about 1 tablespoon of the coconut mix at a time and gently scrunch it into a round-ish shape (try not to pack the mixture down much if you can help it). Place each macaroon onto the prepared baking sheet. These cookies don’t expand much, so you can arrange them pretty closely together. Clean up any ragged edges by gently pushing stray bits of coconut back into the mounds.
Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 14 to 15 minutes, until they are turning lightly golden brown on top. Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Once the cookies have cooled completely, melt the chocolate chips. I find it’s easiest to melt the chocolate in the microwave at 20 to 30 second intervals, stirring between each. You can also melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in a glass bowl over gently simmering water. Stir the chocolate chips until they have completely melted, and remove from heat.
Lay out a new piece of parchment paper. Dip each macaroon sideways into the melted chocolate, about half way. Lay on the parchment for chocolate to harden. You can speed up the process by placing the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 10 minutes; don’t leave the cookies in there for much longer, or the chocolate may develop some condensation.
Leftover cookies keep well, covered at room temperature, for up to 4 days, or freeze for several months.

Notes

Recipe adapted from these Dark Chocolate-Dipped Macaroons.

Make it gluten free: This recipe is naturally gluten free as written. Be sure that your ingredients are certified gluten-free if need be.

*Shredded coconut note: Please double-check that you are using unsweetened shredded coconut, not the more common sweetened shredded coconut. This recipe only works with unsweetened. I have successfully used the Enjoy Life brand of unsweetened shredded coconut.

Nutrition

The post Coconut Macaroons appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Perfect Baked Apples

Kathryne Taylor — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 13:48:16 +0000

Craving something sweet? These baked apples are a delightful dessert featuring seasonal fruit. They taste like an apple crisp but look much cuter.

This baked apple recipe is all in the technique, but it’s not complicated. I’ll walk you through it below.

You’ll need a short list of ingredients to make this recipe—apples, oats, coconut or brown sugar, optional pecans or walnuts, and butter. We’ll add a little bit of cinnamon and salt to take the flavor over the top.

Serve these wholesome baked apples with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or creamy yogurt. They’re sweet enough to taste like a treat, but wholesome at the same time. Serve your baked apples as a special dessert, or make them as a fun weekend project!

Watch How to Make Baked Apples

How to Make Baked Apples

This recipe is actually a fully reworked version of one of my oldest desserts: Individual Pear and Apple Crisps. You’ll find the full recipe below, but are some key elements that make this recipe work:

Choose your apples wisely.

Honeycrisp and Gala apples worked best in my recipe tests (I also tried Granny Smith and Fuji). If I had to choose, I’d pick Honeycrisp, as shown in these photos. They are substantial in size, full of flavor and vibrant even after baking.

Prepare the apples carefully.

This baked apple recipe yields beautiful and delicious results, in large part because of how we slice the apples (a trick I found in my trusty America’s Test Kitchen cookbook).

Slicing off the tops of the apples gives us easier access to the insides for scooping and provides greater surface area for steam to escape from the apple flesh, reducing the likelihood that the skin will split open. The tops create a micro-environment that helps the apple bake evenly throughout and prevents the filling from becoming too golden. All that, and the apple tops are cute!

Add water.

Once you’ve nestled the prepared apples into a square baking dish, pour some water into the dish. The water will help steam and soften the apples while they bake, preventing them from drying out.

More Apples Recipes to Enjoy

It’s apple season! Here are a few more apple recipes on Cookie and Kate:

Perfect Baked Apples

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Diet: Gluten Free

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 12 reviews

These delightful baked apples turn out perfectly, every time! This baked apple recipe features tender apples stuffed with a buttery oat filling. It’s easy to make gluten free, dairy free/vegan and nut free—see the recipe notes for details. Recipe yields 4 baked apples.

Ingredients

4 medium Honeycrisp or Gala apples
½ cup old-fashioned oats
¼ cup lightly packed coconut sugar or brown sugar
¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional but recommended)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of fine salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup water
Optional serving suggestions: Scoop of vanilla ice cream or plain Greek yogurt

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the oats, sugar, pecans, cinnamon and salt. Mix in the melted butter. Stir until the mixture is well combined and moistened throughout. Set aside.
Slice off the top of the apples below the stem line (about ¾ to 1-inch down the apple), reserving the tops. Then use a small spoon (a grapefruit spoon is ideal, otherwise be extra careful) to scoop out the centers, leaving ½-inch around the edges and along the bottom. Just make sure you don’t core through the bottom of the apple.
Place the apples upright into a medium-sized baking dish (large enough to accommodate the apples without them touching each other or the sides of the pan). If the apples wobble at all, slice off a small piece on the base to make them more flat and stable.
Divide the filling between the apples, then pile any remaining filling around the top of the holes before placing the apple tops back on.
Pour the water into the base of the dish to surround the apples. Bake the apples for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a skewer or small paring knife inserted through the side and down to the base meets only mild resistance. If you prefer softer apples, try baking them for the full 55 minutes.
Let the apples cool a bit before carefully transferring each to an individual plate. Serve as desired.

Notes

Make it gluten free: Use certified gluten-free oats.

Make it nut free: Skip the nuts.

Make it dairy free/vegan: Substitute vegan butter, such as Miyoko’s Creamery. I haven’t tested this, but it should work well.

Nutrition

The post Perfect Baked Apples appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Simple Blueberry Cake

Kathryne Taylor — Thu, 01 Jul 2021 20:58:25 +0000

This blueberry cake is my official summertime dessert. I hope it becomes yours, too. It’s tender, fully loaded with blueberries, and simple to make—no mixer required. It’s a dream!

This blueberry cake recipe is naturally sweetened with maple syrup, which makes it extra delicious. Thanks to the blueberries and maple syrup, it’s nicely sweet but not over the top. Some cakes are so sweet that they give me a stomachache, but this one is just right.

This cake will absolutely be a hit at your Fourth of July festivities. Serve it as a “snacking cake” or make it celebration-worthy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. I’ve even enjoyed a slice with yogurt for breakfast.

Blueberry Cake Recipe Development

To create this cake, I started with my Healthy Blueberry Muffins and adjusted the recipe until I arrived at a perfectly sweet cake. Since we started from a recipe that I know like the back of my hand, I’m able to offer adjustments to make this cake gluten free, dairy free or vegan. Check the recipe notes for those details.

To make the recipe taste like a true cake, I substituted melted butter for the coconut oil or olive oil. I also traded buttermilk for the Greek yogurt for a fluffier texture with the same nice tang.

I managed to triple the blueberries, too. You’ll need 3 cups (1 1/2 pints) total. I trust that you can polish off the leftover blueberries on your own!

Watch How to Make Simple Blueberry Cake

Blueberry Cake Tips

Pan options: This cake bakes beautifully in a standard 9-inch springform pan. You could also use a 9-inch cake pan. I imagine that you could bake the cake in an 8-inch square baker. Any time you’re changing the baking pan size suggested in a baked good recipe, keep an eye on the oven and pay more attention to the visual cues provided for doneness than the actual timing (your cake could be done a few minutes sooner or later than specified).

This recipe works with a variety of flours. My favorite is white whole wheat flour, which is a variety of whole wheat with a very mild flavor closer to all-purpose. Use regular whole wheat flour for a faintly nutty flavor and a slightly rustic texture. Otherwise, all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose blends work, too.

You can make this cake with fresh or frozen blueberries. Do not defrost frozen blueberries before using.

Toss the blueberries with a small amount of flour so they don’t sink to the bottom of the cake. The extra teaspoon of flour in the ingredients list is there for good reason.

Sprinkle raw sugar on top. Raw sugar, also known as turbinado sugar, makes the blueberries sparkle and adds a lightly crackly burst of sweetness on top. You can buy raw sugar in the sugar aisle of most grocery stores these days. Or, just grab a few extra raw sugar packets from your go-to coffee shop (I won’t tell).

More Berry Desserts to Enjoy

Just a few of many recipes with blueberries, strawberries and raspberries:

Please let me know how your cake turns out in the comments! I’m so eager to hear how you like it.

Simple Blueberry Cake

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 1 cake
Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.7 from 78 reviews

Make this simple blueberry cake recipe! This blueberry cake is tender and delicious, loaded with blueberries, and not too sweet. It’s naturally sweetened and whole grain as written, too (check recipe notes for more flour options). Recipe yields one 9-inch round cake, enough for 8 slices.

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups plus 1 teaspoon white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup maple syrup or honey
6 tablespoons melted butter
2 eggs, preferably at room temperature
⅔ cup buttermilk*
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups blueberries, fresh (1 ½ pints) or frozen, divided
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (also called raw sugar), for sprinkling on top
Optional serving suggestions: Vanilla ice cream, Greek yogurt or whipped cream

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the base of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper cut to fit inside. Butter the sides of the pan to prevent the cake from sticking.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 ¾ cups of the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir them together with a whisk.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the maple syrup and butter and beat together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then add the buttermilk and vanilla. Mix well. (If the butter solidifies in contact with cold ingredients, gently warm the mixture in the microwave in 30 second bursts, then stir again.)
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a big spoon, just until combined (a few lumps are ok). In a small bowl, toss 2 cups of the blueberries with the remaining 1 teaspoon flour (this helps prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom). Gently fold the blueberries into the batter. The mixture will be thick, but don’t worry.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Distribute the remaining blueberries on top, focusing them more toward the center of the cake. Sprinkle the top of the blueberries with the turbinado sugar.
Bake for 34 to 38 minutes, until the cake is golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (blueberry bits aside). Place the cake on a cooling rack to cool. Before releasing the springform sides, you might need to run a butter knife along the outer edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan.
Serve as desired. Store leftover cake covered, at room temperature for 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or, freeze leftover cake for up to 3 months.

Notes

Recipe adapted from my Healthy Blueberry Muffins.

*How to make buttermilk: Combine 2 teaspoons vinegar with ⅔ cup milk of choice (any milk will do). Let the mixture rest for 5 to 10 minutes before adding it to the other liquid ingredients.

Flour options: All-purpose flour and gluten-free all-purpose blends also work well here. I bet that you could use 2 ½ cups oat flour instead, but haven’t tried to be sure.

Change it up: Know that the cinnamon and turbinado sugar are technically optional. You could try this cake with raspberries or sliced strawberries in place of the blueberries. Instead of buttermilk, you could use 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream. For lemony cake, whisk the zest of 1 medium lemon (about ½ teaspoon), preferably organic, into the liquid ingredients.

Make it dairy free: Make your own buttermilk from your non-dairy milk of choice. Replace the butter with ⅓ cup melted coconut oil or mildly flavored extra-virgin olive oil, like California Olive Ranch.

Make it vegan: Follow dairy-free guidance above and substitute flax eggs for the regular eggs.

Make it egg free: Substitute flax eggs for the regular eggs.

Make it gluten-free: Substitute an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend for the whole wheat flour. Bob’s Red Mill makes a gluten-free blend that works well.

Nutrition

The post Simple Blueberry Cake appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Healthy Dessert Recipes - Cookie and Kate

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

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Watch How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Rhubarb Recipes to Make Now

5 More Crisps to Bake

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

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Strawberry-Rhubarb Filling

Gluten-free oat and almond topping

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Lemon Posset

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Sugar

Lemon Zest and Juice

Vanilla Extract

Watch How to Make Lemon Posset

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Lemon Posset

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Thumbprint Cookies

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Almond Flour

Butter

Maple Syrup

Vanilla Extract & Salt

Sugar

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Watch How to Make Thumbprint Cookies

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Gluten-Free Cookies

Almond Flour Treats

Thumbprint Cookies

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Betty’s Pots de Crème

Pots de Crème Ingredients

Chocolate Chips

Heavy Cream

Sugar

Liqueur

Orange Juice

Eggs and Egg Yolks

Vanilla Extract

Watch How to Make Pots de Crème

Serving Cup & Spoon Suggestions

Refrigerated vs. Frozen

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Peach Crisp (Gluten-Free)

How to Make Peach Crisp

Watch How to Make Peach Crisp

Extra Peaches?

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Peach Crisp (Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

Peach Filling

Crisp topping

Don’t forget vanilla ice cream!

Nutrition

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Nutrition

Nutrition

Nutrition

Nutrition