Apple Cherry Layered Crumb Cake

September 20, 2020April 6, 2020 ~ Marvin ~ Leave a comment

This delicious apple cherry combo cake is adapted from Kosher By Design Entertains. It does not require any electric equipment or cooktop to prep.

Ingredients:

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
½ tbsp. pure vanilla extract
¾ cup grapeseed oil
1 large egg
1 tsp. baking powder
3 large apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 can cherry pie filling

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper sprayed with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, vanilla, oil, egg, and baking powder until coarse crumbs form.

In a separate bowl, combine the diced apples with the cinnamon.

Transfer 1/3 of the coarse crumb mixture to the baking pan.

Arrange the apples on top of the crumbs.

Spread another third of the crumbs over the apple mixture.

Pour the cherry pie filling over the crumbs in the pan.

Spread remaining crumbs over the cherry pie filling. Bake for 50 minutes.

Cranberry Tahini Brownies

May 31, 2020February 16, 2020 ~ Marvin ~ Leave a comment

Adapted from Kitchen Tested, this gluten-free recipe uses fresh/frozen cranberries which I much prefer to dried cranberries.

Ingredients:

1 cups raw tahini paste
1 cup coconut or brown sugar
½ cup pure maple syrup
1 ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1 ½ cups fresh/frozen cranberries, divided
Sea salt flakes to decorate

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9-x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the “s” blade, combine the tahini, sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, eggs, cocoa, baking soda, and salt until smooth.

Add 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup cranberries and fold into batter with a spatula. The batter will be thick.

Transfer the batter to the baking pan and scatter the remaining ½ cup chocolate chips and ½ cup cranberries over the top of the batter.

Bake for 33 minutes. Sprinkle sea salt flakes over the baked brownies. Allow to cool before slicing.

Krispie Peanut Butter Brownies

January 12, 2020October 8, 2019 ~ Marvin ~ Leave a comment

This recipe from Diane Morrisey uses a cake mix “hack.” I almost never use cake mixes but here is a great reason to make an exception…

Ingredients:

2 packages of Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge premium brownie mix
1 ½ cups chunky peanut butter
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cups Rice Krispies

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray. Prepare the brownie mix according to directions on the box (add ½ cup water, ½ cup grapeseed oil and 2 eggs) and bake for 32 minutes.

Remove from oven and immediately spread 1 ½ cups chunky peanut butter over the warm brownie.

In a double boiler, melt together the chocolate chips and creamy peanut butter until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the Rice Krispies.

Spread over the chunky peanut butter layer and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Lemon Bars with Coconut Oil Crust

August 25, 2019July 16, 2019 ~ Marvin ~ Leave a comment

Adapted from Food 52 where this recipe had a saltier olive oil crust, this bar has the perfect ratio of sweet, tart thick lemon curd and shortbread crust made without butter.

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
½ tsp. kosher salt
¾ cup coconut oil, melted

Lemon Curd:

6 large eggs, room temperature
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
7 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
3 lemons, zested
½ tsp. kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325F and line 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, combine the flour, sugar and salt.

Process until well combined. Add the oil and pulse until a lumpy dough forms.

Transfer the dough to the lined pan and use your hands to pat it flat. Use a fork to prick the dough throughout.

Bake for 35-38 minutes until puffed and softly golden-brown.

While the crust is baking, prepare the curd by combining all of the ingredients in the cleaned food processor bowl and process until smooth.

Lower the heat to 300F.

Carefully pour the lemon mixture onto the hot crust and bake for 30-35 minutes until the edges of the lemon bar are slightly puffed and the center barely jiggles.

Transfer to the refrigerator after the bars cool to room temperature which makes them easier to slice.

Vegan Date Squares

December 16, 2018December 5, 2018 ~ Marvin ~ 1 Comment

This adapted Smitten Kitchen recipe is a great way to use dates in a dessert or breakfast square/bar. Dates are very sweet and therefore very little sugar is needed in this vegan recipe.

Ingredients:

Ingredients for the filling:

3 cups pitted dates, chopped
1 ½ cups water
Zest of a mandarin/clementine/orange

Ingredients for the crumbs:

4 tbsp. demerara brown sugar
½ cup raw or turbinado sugar
1 cup olive or coconut oil
1 ½ cups large flake oats
1 ½ cups plus 4 tbsp. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. dried nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. kosher salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray.

In a medium saucepan, combines dates, water and zest over low heat, simmering for 10 minutes, until liquid has absorbed and mixture has thickened.

Set aside while you make the crumbs.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, process the sugar and oil together.

Add the oats, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt and pulse until the mixture forms a coarse rubble.

Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Dollop the date mixture over it and use a small offset spatula to spread the mixture smoothly over the crumbs. Sprinkle remaining crumbs over date layer and press lightly to cover.

Bake bars for 25 minutes, or until light brown at the edges. Cool in pan and then cut into squares. These freeze well.

Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars

July 29, 2018July 1, 2018 ~ Marvin ~ 2 Comments

I adapted these bars in a non-dairy version for my daughter’s bridal shower. Originally from Two Peas and Their Pod, they are easy to make and a nice alternative to the traditional chocolate based bar.

Ingredients:

For the bars:

2 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. kosher salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1 large lemon
1 ½ sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted pareve margarine, at room temperature
¼ cup icing/confectioners sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the lemon “cream cheese” frosting:

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted pareve margarine, at room temperature
8 ounce package Tofutti/pareve cream cheese, at room temperature
Zest of 1 large lemon
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
5 cups icing/confectioners sugar
Assorted sprinkles

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together, flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the margarine, lemon zest and granulated sugar until well combined.

Slowly add the icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add in the eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary.

Slowly add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.

Evenly spread the cookie dough into the prepared pan with a spatula.

Bake for 14 minutes, or until the bars are slightly set in the middle.

Remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely. While the bars are cooling, make the lemon cream cheese frosting.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the margarine and “cream cheese” until smooth.

Add the lemon zest and lemon juice.

Slowly add the icing sugar, 1 cup at a time. Mix until smooth.

Frost the cooled cookie bars and decorate with sprinkles.

Cut the bars into squares and serve. Store the bars in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Science Fact of the Week:

Using toffuti cream cheese allows these bars to be dairy free, but still get that same creamy texture. Toffuti cream cheese is made from tofu yet is similar in texture and flavour to real cream cheese. This makes these bars just as delicious, but more versatile.

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