Brownie Affogato Sundaes

I will never understand people who actually like the flavor of coffee. Don’t get me wrong- I can enjoy a blended coffee drink with all the milk and sugar and chocolate. But the actual flavor of coffee itself? Nope!

However, my father is a lover of coffee. He truly finds the flavor itself to be something special.

So, for a dessert that both of us would love, I wanted to find a way to add coffee flavor, but control the amount for each of us. A customized coffee dessert?

Affogato was the answer. What is affogato? It’s a classic Italian treat featuring a layer of gelato with hot espresso poured over it. It’s like the Italian version of a root beer float- but hot!

However, simply buying ice cream and brewing coffee didn’t seem special enough. I wanted to actually put some effort into making dessert!

The answer? A layer of rich, homemade brownies. Honestly, brownies are the answer to nearly everything.

So, this is a dessert with layers of rich ice cream, strong coffee and gooey brownies.

To customize it, I used less coffee than everyone else- Dad got lots of coffee, I got just a sprinkle.

You ready?

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 sticks butter 
• 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped 
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder 
• 2 cups sugar 
• 1 tablespoon vanilla 
• 3  eggs 
• 1 1/4 cup flour 
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 
• four shots of espresso
• your favorite ice cream- I used vanilla swirled with fudge and chocolate chips
• chocolate covered coffee beans

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 9×13 cookie sheet (not a cake pan- they’re really good as thin, crispy brownies in this because they absorb the cream and coffee!)

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt together butter and chocolate.

Once melted, stir in the cocoa powder. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.

Stir the sugar and vanilla into the chocolate mixture. Add the eggs one at a time.

Stir in the flour until half mixed. Add the chocolate chips, finish stirring!

Pour into the pan and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool completely.

To make the sundaes, take three mugs.

Put a layer of crumbled brownie, a scoop of ice cream, another brownie, more ice cream.

Pour hot coffee over the top. Top with chocolate covered coffee beans.

Serve immediately!

 

 

 

 

Peanut Butter Cookie Yogurt

This is barely even a recipe. I did not plan it ahead of time, and I did not intend on blogging it.

I was simply trying to get breakfast in my stomach before class. So how did this end up so delicious?

Well, I happened to have a coincidentally magical trio of ingredients within my immediate vision. The play of events went like so:

7:32am: While getting my coffee creamer, I see a lonely tub of plain Greek yogurt that expired tomorrow.

7:36: I pull out the yogurt thinking I can eat it plain. Unfortunately, plain yogurt tastes like sour cream.

7:37: I look up. Sitting on top of my fridge is a jar of local raw honey. I buy it from a friend who raises bees. It is the most delicious honey I’ve ever had.

7:38: Behind the honey I find a tub of powdered peanut butter. Low-fat, low-sugar, and perfect for stirring into smoothies, milk, and…yogurt

7:40: Pure cookie dough bliss

And thus, a regular Wednesday morning became a thing of wonder. The boring routine of bland breakfast had been broken by an awakening of the spirit.

Want to share in my weekday miracle? Mix 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt with 1-2 tablespoons of honey and 2 tablespoons of powdered peanut butter.

Yes, I wrote all that for a one sentence recipe, and I am not ashamed!

Messy Citrus Ricotta Cake with Cookie Crumble

This is a bit of a hodge podge cake. You know how sometimes you see a recipe that’s like “chocolate coconut cookie dough peanut butter strawberry marshmallow cookies” and you’re like, “Why did anyone create that?” Well, now I know.

Those recipes are clearly created for someone specific in mind, as a means of combining all of their favorite flavors. Someone couldn’t decide what flavor to make for a loved one, because that person never really picks one overall favorite, so they just combined everything. And, naturally, when you spend all of that time developing a recipe, you have to share it, even if it is crazy.

Thus, here I am, sharing a cake that’s a cheesecake layer topped with moist lemon cake topped with whipped orange-vanilla frosting and toasted sugar cookies.  Again, here I am sharing a cake that is so soft and crumbly, I could not get a pretty slice for a picture. Here I am, sharing a recipe that does not fit with my usual POV.

But I am sharing it, because it was delicious, and I made it for my mother. I took all of her favorites and combined them, and we all ate way too much of it. So, for anyone out there that can’t decide between 4 different desserts, here’s a start.

Also, it has riccotta, marscapone, butter, cookies, pudding, and cool whip. So why not share this masterpiece?

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 standard sized lemon cake mix, plus ingredients to mix it up
• 30 oz ricotta cheese
• 6 oz marscapone cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 8 oz whipped topping
• 1 4oz vanilla pudding mix
• 8 oz canned mandarin oranges (don’t drain)
• 1.5 cups crumbled sugar cookies
• 2 tablespoons butter

Preheat the oven to 350

Prepare lemon cake mix according to package directions, and pour into a well-greased 13×9 cake pan

With a whisk, beat together the ricotta, marscapone, and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, and gently pour mixture over lemon cake mix and spread into an even layer

Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the lemon cake layer has risen about the cheese layer.

While it’s baking, you can make the cookie crumble. Melt the butter in a skillet. Break up the cookies into course crumbs, and add to the butter. Toss around for about 5 minutes, until it smells like cookies. Spread onto a baking sheet or paper plate to cool.

When the cake is room temp, pop it into the fridge for 20 minutes and get it chilled while you make the frosting.

Combine pudding mix and juice from the mandarin oranges in a large bowl, and whisk until smooth. Gently fold in the whipped topping and oranges until combined.

Spread over the cool cake- use all of it! I promise, you want to. Then, sprinkle on the cooled cookies.

It’s a weird one, but oh my it’s delicious. Enjoy!

Tender Thumbprint Cookies

Confession: I do not use my thumb to make the thumbprint in these cookies. My thumb is really small (I have abnormally teeny hands) and all it does is get cookie dough under my nail.

What do I do? I use my middle finger. I debated calling this post “middle finger cookies” for humor, but that seemed a little less than family friendly.

But these cookies? Totally family friendly! I love them because I can make a variety with several different jams, jellies, nuts, or other fillings. So, your fruity child can get his or her fix, while your chocolate lover can get their’s! Or, if you’re me, you opt for the ones you leave plain, with just a sprinkle of sugar on top.

And you serve them with rich hot chocolate covered in whipped cream, to cut the sweetness. 😉

These cookies only bake for ten minutes, but they do require 15 minutes in the fridge to chill. Don’t skip that step! You want all of the butter to harden up so that you get a nice, creamy cookie.

I served these to a friend who was born in the United Kingdom, where shortbread is the most popular cookie, so you know I had faith in these. He ate four, so I think we’re okay!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 egg yolk (save the white for breakfast tomorrow!)
• 1 heaping tablespoon heavy whipping cream
• 1 heaping teaspoon vanilla (don’t measure this, just go for it)
• 2 sticks salted butter (or unsalted with some salt)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 cups flour
• Fillings: Apple jam and a sprinkle of cinnamon, pineapple jam, strawberry jam, chocolate spread, a walnut, or nothing!

TO PREPARE:

Preheat the oven to 375, and line two baking sheets with parchment (no need to grease- these cookies don’t stick)

In a small bowl, beat the cream, egg, and vanilla with a fork.

Beat together the butter and sugar until super creamy. Like, 3-4 minutes creamy. Add in the egg mixture. Beat in the flour until combined.

If the dough looks crumbly, add a dash more cream. I swear some days I need it, some I don’t. It’s like the moon cycle determines how crumbly my flour is.

Scoop heaping tablespoons onto the baking sheet. Using your thumb, a small spoon, or your middle finger, create a small indention in the cookies.

After you’ve given all of your cookies the finger, spoon in about half a teaspoon of filling. Don’t overdo it- I know it’s tempting, but save your drippy jelly for your pb&j.

Chill the dough in the fridge for about 15 minutes, until it feels like store-bought cookie dough!

Bake for ten minutes, or until the sides of the cookie are brown. You should be able to poke the jam in the middle and your finger come back clean.

Cheerio!