In summer, I tend to gravitate toward desserts that are fruit forward and maybe a little lighter. I am not going to try and claim Peach Bourbon Pound Cake or Blueberry Buttermilk Bread Pudding are diet food, they are just less intense. But I go all out here with a deep, decadent chocolate cake tinged with dusky blackberries and rich red wine. The I top it off with a thick, … [Read more...] about Chocolate Blackberry Cake with Red Wine
chocolate
Hazelnut Toffee Brownies
I really love these brownies. They came about one weekend when I was tasked with bringing a dessert to a dinner. I concocted a rather elaborate idea using a ton of expensive ingredients. It was a total flop, I mean it did not work at all. But I still needed to supply the sweet and I didn’t want to show up with something store-bought. Nor did I want to try something elaborate or … [Read more...] about Hazelnut Toffee Brownies
Ultimate Pecan Brownies
I kind of think of these as the ultimate nut brownies. Nutty browned butter, pecan meal, chopped pecans – and a little dose of bourbon to give them some Southern flair. I am a big fan of nut flours (or meals) that are now so readily available. They add such dimension to simple recipes. Almond flour is a solid standby, but I love experimenting with hazelnut meal (in a fig … [Read more...] about Ultimate Pecan Brownies
Strawberry Chocolate Crumble Bars
Is there a better combination than strawberries and chocolate? And when those strawberries are fresh, in season, local and at peak sweetness, I mean! I’ve made a simple strawberry crumble bar for years, a sugar cookie base with matching crumble. I’ve added herbs and spices to jazz it up, even a little liqueur. But recently, with a punnet of berries on hand a need for a sweet, … [Read more...] about Strawberry Chocolate Crumble Bars
Chai Caramel Swirled Brownies
Make no mistake, these are some decadent brownies, not for the faint of heart. But we could all use a little indulgence when winter sets in. And these are, to me, a sort of winter brownie. A classic, deep fudge-y chocolate with a rich caramel swirl, warmed up with the spices redolent of a cup of chai tea. And it is easy to create that oozing swirl with readily available canned … [Read more...] about Chai Caramel Swirled Brownies