This past weekend I had a Christmas party at my place and I wanted to make a dessert that was festive and easy for people to grab and eat. These adorable brownie trees are perfect for placing on a platter. The brownies are rich and fudgy, with chocolate chips and miniature marshmallows to take them to a 10 out of 10. The green swirl is created using candy melts, sprinkles are the trees decorations, and the candy cane serves as the trees trunk.
Recipes
Spiked Eggnog Cake with Rum Glaze
A cake that not only has rum in it, but rum in the glaze also? Yes please! Plus eggnog? Sign me up! I’m a huge eggnog fan. Which wasn’t always the case, as you can’t buy it in New Zealand, and I never knew anyone who made their own. Now that I’m living in New York, I’ve really gotten a taste for eggnog during the holidays, and I like to have it as a treat after dinner. Or whenever I want something sweet. I was very surprised when buying the eggnog at my local supermarket, that 5 out of 6 varieties contained high-fructose corn syrup. This is a nasty replacement for sugar, but it’s cheap so that’s why companies use it. I had to pay a bit extra to get the natural eggnog that has real sugar & no artificial ingredients, but at least I feel better about drinking it. The brand I got is called Organic Valley, and I can highly recommend it as one of the best tasting eggnogs I’ve tried. Of course, one of these days I’ll have to make my own.
Apple Crumble
Apple crumble (aka apple crisp) is a dessert that has always been close to my heart. My mother would often prepare one to have after a roast dinner. There was nothing more satisfying on a cold night than to relax with a plate of warm apple crumble and whipped cream. I like to make mine with granny smith apples so the apples have a tartness to them which pairs perfectly with the sweet crumble. This recipe is highly adaptable: use a sweeter apple if you prefer, and maybe include walnuts in the crumble topping. If cooking for a larger group, you can double the recipe to fit a 13×9 inch pan.
Pecan Pie
Pecan Pie. I first tried this special dessert when I came to New York a few years ago. I fell in love with the strong flavor of the toasted nuts, mixed with the deliciously rich, sweet, chewy filling. But let me tell you: I am no expert when it comes to making pies! Pies and cakes are two totally different animals. But for anyone out there who, like me, is more accustomed to making cakes than pies, this pie crust recipe is great for beginners. It contains cream cheese, which gives the crust a slightly tangy flavor and rolls out quickly and smoothly. I think this pie is best made with a mixture of chopped pecans for the filling and halved pecans for the top of the pie. It is even more decadent served with a side of whipped cream or ice cream. You can also add maple syrup (1 & 1/2 tablespoons) to your whipped cream for a taste sensation. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!
Raspberry & Chocolate Energy Balls
When I was last back home in New Zealand I was introduced to a product called ‘Frooze Balls’, a healthy snack that is made up of fruits and nuts, and nothing else. They are also known as ‘Bliss Balls’ at some cafes. I was going to the gym regularly during this time, and would often…
Fudgy Halloween Cookies
Happy Halloween everyone! I love Halloween. Over the years I’ve always had a lot of fun dressing up in different costumes and baking Halloween treats. This year is going to be a bit more subdued: no costume party but a pumpkin carving party instead. I’ve actually never carved a pumpkin in my life, so it…
Chewy Chocolate Chunk Cookies
I recently got my work visa (after a lot of hard work and determination), and I’m now back in New York City. It feels fantastic to be back after such a long absence (1.5 years!), although slightly strange too. For the first week back, I felt like I was in a dream. Now, after a…
Triple Layer Carrot Cake
I’ve been making carrot cakes for years, it’s my Mum’s favourite cake and it’s one of mine. I say ‘one’ because nothing can come between me and my chocolate cake. Since I’ve made so many carrot cakes over the years, I’ve experimented with different ingredients and quantities, and in this recipe I believe I’ve nailed…
Easter Macaroon Nests
Happy Easter everyone! This year I really wanted to make some macaroon nests and fill them with chocolate eggs. They just look so cute and I love pretty much anything with coconut! I experimented with the egg whites. The first batch was a runny disaster, as I didn’t beat the egg whites enough and added…
Southern Caramel Cake
I have been wanting to try my hand at making a caramel cake for quite some time, and after some research I decided to go with this recipe from Grandbaby Cakes. It’s an authentic, true Southern recipe and everything is done from scratch with no shortcuts, including the caramel. So you definitely don’t want to…