Category: Fruit

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Cookies

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Dark Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Cookies by Browne Mischief

Since it’s getting close to Valentine’s Day, I created these beautiful, enchanting cookies using flavors which evoke love and romance. Rich, pleasantly bitter dark chocolate and sweet, tart raspberries are a perfectly balanced, elegant combination. I used freeze-dried raspberries in the cookie dough for the most bright, pure raspberry flavor. The raspberries turn the cookie dough a mauve-red color, but if you want a more intense red, you can add a drop or two of red gel good coloring.

 

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Cookies

Beautiful, enchantingly delicious cookies made of rich dark chocolate cookie dough with dark chocolate pieces, swirled together with sweet-tart raspberry cookie dough by Brownie Mischief
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 16 cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 1-1.2 ounces (28-34g) freeze-dried raspberries, divided (or strawberries)
  • 2 cups (255g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (198g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1-2 pea-sized drops red gel food coloring optional
  • 6 tablespoons (35g) dark unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1 3.5-4 ounce (99-113g) dark chocolate bar, chopped into pieces & divided

Instructions
 

  • Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • Set aside 5 freeze-dried raspberries. Process the remaining raspberries into a powder in a small food processor or a clean spice grinder. Pass the powder through a fine sieve to remove the seeds. Coarsely crush the 5 reserved freeze-dried raspberries.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract in three separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined.
  • Transfer 1/3 of the cookie dough (about 275g), to a medium-sized bowl, using a kitchen scale for accuracy. Mix the freeze-dried raspberry powder and the food coloring into the smaller portion of cookie dough. Mix the cocoa powder into the larger portion of cookie dough. Set aside 16 of the larger pieces of chocolate. Mix the remaining pieces of chocolate into the chocolate dough.
  • Divide the raspberry cookie dough into 16 equal portions, about 1 tablespoon each. Divide the chocolate cookie dough into 32 equal portions. Roll all of the cookie dough portions into balls. Divide the dough balls into 16 groups of 1 raspberry dough ball with 2 chocolate dough balls. Place a group of 3 dough balls on the palm of your hand. Place your other palm on the dough balls and roll in a circular motion until the doughs are swirled together. Place the swirled dough balls on the cookie sheet at least 3 inches apart. Top each one with a piece of reserved chocolate. Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
  • Bake the cookies until the tops are set and start to puff, about 10-12 minutes. The cookies will spread a bit. Remove the cookies form the oven. Immediately use a large round cookie cutter to shape the hot cookies by sliding it around each one in a circular motion a couple of times. Work quickly before the cookies set. Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Sprinkle the crushed freeze-dried raspberries onto the melted chocolate on each cookie.

Notes

Make sure to use freeze-dried fruit, not dried fruit. I purchased my freeze-dried raspberries at Trader Joe's. They are also available at large grocery stores or online.
Aluminum cookie sheet pans will give you the most success when baking cookies. We used them in culinary school and many bakeries use them. To find my favorite sheet pan for cookies, click here.
To find the gel food coloring I used, click here.
Keyword chocolate raspberry, cookies

Wild Blueberry & Maple Breakfast Cake

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Wild Blueberry & Maple Breakfast Cake

My personal eating philosophy is to eat everything in moderation. As you may know, I love enjoying desserts on occasion, but in my daily life I try to eat a variety of foods, mostly plants. One of my favorite plant foods, which happen to be loaded with antioxidants, are blueberries. Wild blueberries are especially rich in antioxidants. Wild blueberry season is during the summer, but luckily the frozen ones are available year around. I can happily eat a handful of blueberries, but it’s so much fun to make blueberry recipes too! I reached for my bag of frozen wild blueberries to make this subtly sweet breakfast cake. It reminds me of blueberry muffins or fluffy blueberry pancakes. For this recipe, I topped the cake with whipped cream and homemade Blueberry Maple Syrup, which is perfect for a weekend breakfast or brunch. For a more simple, cozy breakfast, try this cake served warm with butter and maple syrup. So delicious and comforting!

Wild Blueberry & Maple Breakfast Cake

Subtly sweet, rustic wild blueberry and maple cake, topped with whipped cream and homemade blueberry maple syrup by Brownie Mischief
Print Recipe
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Servings 9

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • 1 â…” cups (212g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure maple extract or natural maple flavoring
  • ½ cup (118ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • â…“ cup (75g) sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 cup (142g) wild blueberries, fresh or frozen See note below*

Blueberry Maple Syrup

  • 1 cup (142g) wild blueberries, fresh or frozen
  • ¼ cup (60ml) real maple syrup
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt
  • â…“ cup (78ml) plus 1 tablespoon (15ml) water, divided
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Sweetened Whipped Cream

  • ¾ cup (177ml) cold heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons (15g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and maple extract in three additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and sour cream until well blended. Stir the flour mixture into the batter by hand, in two additions, followed by half of the milk mixture after each addition. Mix just until combined. Do not over mix. Gently stir in the blueberries.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. Do not over bake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Blueberry Maple Syrup

  • In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the blueberries, maple syrup, salt and 1/3 cup (78ml) of water until the blueberries are softened, about 3-4 minutes. In a small bowl, create a slurry by whisking together the cornstarch with the remaining 1 tablespoon (15ml) of water. Stir the slurry into the blueberry mixture. Continue cooking and stirring until thickened, about 1-2 more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Sweetened Whipped Cream

  • In a large bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until frothy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Continue whipping, at medium-high speed, until medium peaks form. Do not over whip. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

*If you're using frozen blueberries, there's no need to defrost them first. Just gently pat them dry with paper towels before adding them to your batter. If your blueberries are very icy, rinse them with cold water, then gently pat them dry with paper towels.
Keyword blueberry, cake

Candied Walnut Apple Cookies

Posted on by Mari Vasseur

These buttery, lightly spiced apple cookies with candied walnuts remind me of snacking on fresh walnuts from the tree in my grandma’s garden. Walnuts are delicious right out of the shell but even better toasted and simply irresistible when they’re candied. I always wanted to add my favorite candied walnuts into a cookie, and these apple cookies were the perfect choice. The apples are cooked on the stovetop briefly which adds flavor and helps to prevent soggy spots in the cookies while keeping the crisp edges and soft centers They also make your kitchen smell like the flavors of autumn.

 

Candied Walnut Apple Cookies

Fresh apple cookies with crisp, buttery edges and soft centers, studded with candied walnuts
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 14 cookies

Ingredients
  

Candied Walnuts

  • ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups (165g) walnut halves

Cooked Apples

  • 1 tablespoon (14g) butter
  • 1 cup (113g) chopped apples 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon (13g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Cookies

  • 1 ½ cups (195g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg preferably freshly ground*
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • â…” cup (133g) packed brown sugar
  • â…“ cup (67g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions
 

Candied Walnuts

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium-size non-stick skillet, cook the sugar, water, cinnamon and salt until melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the vanilla and walnuts. Cook until the liquid is evaporated and the walnuts start to caramelize, about 2-4 minutes.
  • Spread the walnuts out in a single layer onto the baking sheet. Allow to cool completely. Coarsely chop enough walnuts to equal 3/4 cup (80g). These will be stirred into the cookie dough. Reserve the remaining walnut halves for the tops of the cookies,

Cooked Apples

  • Melt the butter in small skillet over medium heat. When the butter starts to bubble, add the apples, sugar, cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender, about 3-5 minutes.
  • Remove the apples from heat and let cool completely. Drain any excess liquid from the cooled apples.

Cookies

  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar, with an electric mixer at medium speed, or by hand, until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract, one at a time, until well blended. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined. Stir in the cooled apples and 3/4 cup of the candied walnuts.
  • If your dough is soft, chill it in the refrigerator until it's easier to work with, about 15-20 minutes. Divide the dough into 14 equal golf ball-size portions, about 1 1/2 oz (43g) each. Roll them into balls and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place the dough balls at least 3 inches apart onto the cookies sheets. Top with candied walnut halves.
  • Bake until the tops of the cookies are set and the edges are golden brown, about 12-14 minutes. The cookies will spread a bit. Remove the cookies from the oven. Immediately use a large round cookie cutter to shape the hot cookies by sliding it around each one in a circular motion a couple of times. Cool on the cookie sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Notes

*To find whole nutmeg, click here.
Keyword apple, cookies, walnut

Caramel Apple Crumble Hand Pies

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Caramel Apple Crumble Hand Pies

Fresh apples + flaky pie crust + buttery streusel topping + caramel drizzle = a heavenly combination of autumn flavors, textures and aromas in one handheld treat. These Caramel Apple Crumble Hand Pies are irresistible and even a little addicting. They’re the perfect bake for a crisp autumn day and they go beautifully with all of the warm, cozy fall drinks from lattes to teas.

With this recipe, I’m sharing an idea I use to fill the pies with even more apples, which is cutting the top crusts a bit larger than the bottom crusts. It’s also helpful to arrange the apples on the crusts by hand which helps to avoid any air pockets.

The buttery crumb topping takes these hand pies to another level. You can add as much or as little of the crumb topping as you like. Typically I say to follow measurements strictly when baking, because it’s an exact science, but with this streusel crumb topping, go ahead and measure with your heart when topping your hand pies.

 

Caramel Apple Crumble Hand Pies

Fresh apple hand pies with buttery streusel crumb topping and caramel drizzle
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 6 hand pies

Ingredients
  

Pie Crust

  • 2 â…” cups (340g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup (47g) vegetable shortening
  • ¾ cup (170g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
  • ½ cup (118ml) ice water
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) apple cider vinegar

Apple Filling

  • 3 1/2-4 cups (14 oz or 397g) peeled, sliced apples See notes below*
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) butter
  • 6 tablespoons (75g) packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons (20g) cornstarch
  • ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
  • â…› teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) apple cider or apple juice

Crumb Topping

  • ¾ cup (96g) all purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) packed brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup cold, unsalted butter, cubed

Assembly

  • 1 ½ tablespoons (21g) butter, softened
  • egg wash 1 egg yolk beaten with 2 teaspoons of water
  • caramel sauce store bought or homemade**

Instructions
 

Pie Crust

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar and salt. Work in the shortening with your fingertips until it's evenly dispersed. Work in the butter until flat dime-sized pieces are formed.
  • In a small bowl, combine the ice water and vinegar. Sprinkle the ice water mixture over the flour mixture a little at a time and stir just until the dough comes together. You may not need all of the liquid, depending on your climate. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over onto itself a couple of times. Do not overwork the dough! Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and form the portions into 1/2-inch thick rectangular blocks. Wrap them with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Apple Filling

  • In a small bowl whisk the apple juice together with the cornstarch. Set aside. Toss the apples and lemon juice together in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted and starts to sizzle add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir gently until well combined. Cook until the sugar melts and the mixture starts to bubble. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer until the apples soften a bit, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch mixture. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Transfer the contents of the pan to a bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

Crumb Topping

  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt until well blended. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it looks sandy with no large pieces of butter remaining. Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Assembly

  • Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 6 rectangles measuring 3 by 4 1/2-inches for the bottoms. Cut out 6 rectangles measuring 3 1/4 by 4 3/4-inches for the tops.
  • Chill the cut dough rectangles in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Place the 6 bottom pieces on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Brush the perimeter edges of the dough with egg wash. Top with filling to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Pinch off pieces of the softened butter and dot the tops of the filling. Place on the top pieces of dough and press the edges together to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork. Brush the pies with egg wash. Cut a 1/2-inch ventilation slit in the top of each one. Top with crumb topping, pressing it lightly to adhere.
  • Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Let the pies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Drizzle the warm or room temperature pies with caramel sauce.

Notes

*Slice the apples about 3/8-inch thick, then cut the slices in half
**For my Homemade Caramel Sauce recipe, click here. For my Easy Caramel Sauce recipe, click here. For store bought caramel sauce, click here.
Keyword caramel apple crumble, hand pies, pie

Bakery-Style PB & J Cookies

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Bakery style PB & J cookies by Brownie Mischief

Many of us think of peanut butter & jelly as nostalgic comfort food. It brings back happy memories of childhood. A peanut butter & jelly sandwich in my school lunch box was a welcome favorite in the sandwich rotation. I created my ideal PB & J cookies with those nostalgic flavors in mind. These deluxe jumbo peanut butter cookies are worthy of packing in a grown-up lunch or enjoying as a comforting snack with a tall glass of ice-cold milk or with your favorite coffee drink.

These cookies are a generous 3-inch size, but you can make them smaller if you wish. Keep in mind that the baking time will be shorter for smaller cookies. My favorite way to make these cookies is with blueberry jam and fresh blueberries. The strawberry ones took a few attempts to get right due to the juiciness of the strawberries. The instructions for the strawberry version of these cookies are in the notes below. Feel free to use your favorite jam flavor and have fun experimenting with different fruits or berries.

 

Bakery-Style PB & J Cookies

Jumbo bakery-style peanut butter cookies filled with jam & fresh fruit
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 3-inch cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup (128g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • ½ cup (57g) cake flour, sifted
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¾ cup (191g) creamy peanut butter
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar, divided
  • ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup (76g) blueberry jam or preserves
  • 35-45 fresh blueberries

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter together, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until smooth. Place 2 tablespoons (25g) of the granulated sugar in a small, shallow bowl and set aside. Beat the remaining granulated sugar and the brown sugar into the butter mixture until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then the vanilla extract until well incorporated. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture just until combined.
  • Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator, just until easier to work with, about 15 minutes. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, (about 60g each). Form the portions into balls, then roll them in the reserved granulated sugar. Place them about 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Make indentations in each ball using a 1-inch pastry tamper or use your thumbs. Fill each indentation with about a teaspoon of jam, then top with blueberries.
  • Bake the cookies until the edges start to turn golden brown and the jam begins to bubble, about 14-15 minutes. (The cookies will spread, but if your cookies spread too much, you can shape the hot cookies when they come out of the oven by immediately placing a large round cookie cutter onto the cookie sheet over each cookie and slide it around in a circular motion a couple of times. (Or you can refrigerate the dough balls until firm prior to baking to help reduce spreading.) Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheets for 1 minute, then transfer them to a cooling rack.

Notes

To make the strawberry version of these cookies, replace the blueberry jam with strawberry jam. Optional: Cut out 12 strawberry hearts (as shown in the photo). Place the strawberries in a small bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sugar and let macerate for 20-30 minutes to draw out the excess juices. If you skip this step, the juice from the strawberries may make the centers of your cookies soggy. Drain the strawberries, pat dry, then place them on the cookies with the jam before baking.
Keyword cookies, jam, peanut butter

Chocolate Chip Strawberry Shortcakes

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Chocolate Chip Strawberry Shortcakes

Did you know that classic strawberry shortcakes have a tender biscuit-like texture? If you like vintage-style strawberry shortcake, you’ll love my grandma’s Chocolate Chip Strawberry Shortcakes. The addition of chocolate chips makes them extra delicious! Top them with a cloud of fresh homemade whipped cream and you’ll have the most delightful dessert to share with family and friends. They’re perfect for a spring or summer brunch and they make a delightful, refreshing dessert.

 

Chocolate Chip Strawberry Shortcakes

by Mari Vasseur
Soft, tender chocolate chip shortcakes topped with fresh sweetened strawberries and homemade whipped cream.
Print Recipe
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 6 shortcakes

Ingredients
  

Macerated Strawberries

  • 4 cups (567g) strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

Chocolate Chip Shortcakes

  • 1 ¾ cups (223g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons (38g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 6 tablespoons (85g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
  • ¾ cup (177ml) cold buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (85g) mini semisweet chocolate chips
  • Heavy cream or buttermilk for the tops of the shortcakes
  • Coarse sugar for the tops of the shortcakes

Whipped Cream

  • 1 cup (237ml) cold heavy whipping cream
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons (15g) powdered sugar

Instructions
 

Macerated Strawberries

  • In a medium-sized bowl, stir the strawberries and sugar together. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to a few hours.

Chocolate Chip Shortcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together until well blended. Work the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or with your fingertips until small pea-size pieces are formed. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
  • In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and vanilla extract together. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients just until a shaggy dough forms.
  • Turn the dough out into a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over into itself a few times. Do not overwork the dough. Form the dough into a 1-inch thick, 6-inch diameter round. Cut out 6 rounds with a 2 3/4-inch floured biscuit cutter. Place them about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. (It’s important to keep the dough cold. If your kitchen is warm, freeze the rounds for 5-10 min. before baking.)
  • Brush the shortcakes with heavy cream & sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until golden, about 17-22 minutes. Immediately transfer the shortcakes to a cooling rack. Split the cooled shortcakes and top with strawberries and whipped cream.

Whipped Cream

  • In a large bowl, mix the heavy cream and vanilla, with an electric mixer on low speed. Sift the powdered sugar into the heavy cream and mix until combined. Turn the speed up to medium-high and beat until medium peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Keyword chocolate chip, shortcakes, strawberry

Double Chocolate Banana Bread with Maple Espresso Icing

Posted on by Mari Vasseur

Double Chocolate Banana Bread with Maple Espresso Icing

Tender, moist chocolate banana bread loaded with mini chocolate chips, topped with maple espresso icing by Brownie Mischief
Print Recipe
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients
  

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

  • 1 ¼ cups (160g) all purpose flour, sifted plus 1 teaspoon for the mini chocolate chips
  • â…“ cup (30g) Dutch process unsweetened dark cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (75g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (115m) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • â…“ cup (78ml) buttermilk
  • â…” cup (160g) mashed very ripe bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
  • ½ cup (85g) mini semisweet chocolate chips

Maple Espresso Icing

  • 1 ½ tablespoons (23ml) maple syrup
  • 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder
  • ½ teaspoon pure maple extract
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions
 

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8 x 4-inch or 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the inside of the baking pan with a mixture of equal parts flour and cocoa powder.
  • In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon until well combined.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together, by hand or with an electric mixer, the brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk until smooth and well blended. Stir in the mashed bananas. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined. In a small bowl, toss the mini chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of flour, then stir them into the batter.
  • Transfer the batter to the loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 45-55 minutes. If you hit melted chocolate chips, insert another toothpick in a different spot. You can also use an instant read thermometer to check for doneness. The internal temperature should be approximately 200ºF (95ºC). Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack.

Maple Espresso Icing

  • In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of cream, the espresso powder and maple extract, until the espresso powder is dissolved. Gradually whisk in the powdered sugar and continue whisking until well combined. Add additional cream until the desired consistency is reached. whisk until smooth. Spread the icing over the top of the cooled loaf.

Notes

To find the loaf pan I used, click here.
Keyword banana, chocolate, loaf

Blueberry Crumb Cake Cookies

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Blueberry Crumb Cake Cookies

Over the holidays, my Cranberry Orange Crumb Cake Cookies went viral, so I thought it was time to introduce a spring version of the popular cookies. Blueberry Crumb Cake Cookies have homemade blueberry filling with crumble topping and a touch of lemon zest in the dough to brighten them up. The sweet-tart lemon icing gives them the perfect balance. These delightful blueberry cookies are perfect alongside a cup of tea or a glass of lemonade.

 

Blueberry Crumb Cake Cookies

Vanilla cookies with a touch of lemon zest, topped blueberry filling, crumble topping and lemon icing by Brownie Mischief
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 14 cookies

Ingredients
  

Blueberry Filling

  • 6 ounces (170g) blueberries, divided about 1 1/4 cups
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Crumb Topping

  • ¾ cup (96g) all purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons (38g) packed brown sugar
  • â…› teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 4 ½ tablespoons (64g) cold, unsalted butter, cubed

Cookies

  • 2 cups (255g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
  • Zest of 1 medium lemon
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (85g) white chocolate chips optional

Icing

  • â…” cup (80g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 small dash fine sea salt
  • 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) lemon juice

Instructions
 

Blueberry Filling

  • Set aside 1/4 cup (34g) of blueberries. Combine the remaining blueberries with the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice in a small saucepan.
  • Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries are softened and the sauce is a thick jam consistency, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the reserved 1/4 cup (34g) of blueberries and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.

Crumb Topping

  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt until well blended. Work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it looks sandy with no large pieces of butter remaining. Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator while you make the cookie dough.

Cookies

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 large cookies sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and lemon zest, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and egg yolk in two separate additions, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla extract. On low speed, beat the flour mixture into the batter, just until combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips, if using.
  • Form the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon size balls. Place them about 3 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Press a 1-inch wide indentation into each cookie using your thumb or a pastry tamper. Fill each indentation with a generous teaspoon of the blueberry filling. Top each one generously with the crumb topping. Gently press the topping onto the cookies.
  • Bake until the topping and the edges start to turn light golden, about 11-13 minutes. (Be careful not to over bake to avoid drying out your cookies.) Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer them to a cooling rack.

Icing

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, salt, and 2 tablespoons (30ml) of lemon juice until well combined. Add additional lemon juice as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies.
Keyword blueberry, cookies

Blueberry Carrot Cake

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Blueberry Carrot Cake

Spring is here and it’s the season to eat carrot cake! Many people have strong opinions about which add-ins are best to use in carrot cake. Some popular ones, besides the carrots themselves, include nuts, pineapple, raisins, and even coconut. My Blueberry Carrot Cake came about when I was thinking about making a breakfast carrot cake. I replaced the typical add-ins with blueberries and the results were so delicious. I originally made this cake with a maple-butter glaze which was perfect for a breakfast cake. For Easter brunch, I opted to dress up the cake with Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting, fresh blueberries and lilacs. This combination is magical.

Blueberry Carrot Cake

Moist, subtly spiced carrot cake studded with blueberries and topped with blueberry cream cheese icing by Brownie Mischief
Print Recipe
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

Blueberry Carrot Cake

  • 1 ¼ cups (159g) all purpose flour, sifted plus 1 teaspoon for the blueberries
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
  • â…” cup (148ml) avocado oil or neutral oil of your choice
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (80g) finely shredded carrots
  • 1 cup (142g) blueberries plus extra for the top of the cake

Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 3 ounces (85g) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 ¼ cups (150g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons (14g) frozen defrosted blueberries, with the liquid To use fresh blueberries instead of frozen, see notes below.
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) whole milk or half & half, room temperature
  • Food-safe or edible pesticide free flowers optional

Instructions
 

Blueberry Carrot Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil together until well blended. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and well incorporated. Stir in the carrots. Add the flour mixture and stir just until combined.
  • In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 teaspoon of flour. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Transfer the batter to the cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 37-43 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a cooling rack.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Smash the blueberries with a fork and press through a sieve into a small bowl.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, stir the cream cheese with a spatula until smooth. Add the butter and beat, with an electric mixer on low speed, until smooth.
  • Gradually mix in the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla, salt and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the smashed blueberries and beat until smooth. Add milk, if needed, until the desired consistency is reached. Stir with a spatula to smooth out any bubbles.

Notes

To use fresh blueberries for the frosting, place the blueberries in a small saucepan with a teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice or water. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is dissolved and the blueberries start to soften. Smash the blueberries with a potato masher. Press this mixture through a sieve into a small bowl and let cool to room temperature.
Keyword blueberry, cake, carrot

Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

If you search loaf cakes on the internet, you’ll find an abundance of “copycat” recipes. For some reason, everyone is trying to copy a loaf cake from a popular coffee shop. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m not a fan of the rubbery neon slice. I’d rather have a slice of soft, fluffy cake with a burst of fresh citrus flavor and buttery frosting. If that sounds good to you too, you’ll love this recipe. I used the reverse creaming method to make this cake, which produces a soft, velvety crumb. Brushing the cake with orange simple syrup keeps it moist and flavorful. This recipe is for an orange-vanilla bean cake but it can also be made into a lemon version. See the notes below for instructions to make the lemon cake. To keep the soft, fluffy texture of this cake, I don’t recommend add-ins.

Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

by Mari Vasseur
Soft, fluffy vanilla bean and orange scented loaf cake topped with silky vanilla cream cheese frosting by Brownie Mischief
Print Recipe
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

Orange Simple Syrup

  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

  • 1 â…“ cups (170g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (175g) granulated sugar
  • Zest of 2 medium oranges
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter cubed, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (57g) sour cream, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (59ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • ½ teaspoon pure orange extract

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2 tablespoons (28g) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups (180g) powered sugar, sifted
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1-3 tablespoons (15-45ml) whole milk or half & half, room temperature

Instructions
 

Orange Simple Syrup

  • Combine the orange juice, lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.

Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, mix the sugar and orange zest, with an electric mixer or by hand, until incorporated. Add the flour mixture and beat until well combined. On low speed, beat in the butter until the mixture looks sandy.
  • In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla bean paste and orange extract together until smooth and creamy. On low speed, gradually beat this mixture into the sugar mixture until incorporated. Beat at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Do not over mix.
  • Transfer the batter to the loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes. Do not over bake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a cooling rack. Brush the warm cake all over with orange simple syrup. Let the cake cool completely, then frost with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting.

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In a medium-sized bowl, stir the cream cheese with a spatula until smooth. Add the butter and beat, with an electric mixer on low speed, until smooth.
  • Gradually mix in the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla bean paste, salt and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of milk and beat until smooth. Add additional milk, if needed, until the desired consistency is reached. Stir with a spatula to smooth out any bubbles.

Notes

To find an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan, click here
 
To make a lemon version of this cake, replace the orange zest with the zest of 3 medium lemons or 2 large lemons. Replace the vanilla bean paste with 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and replace the orange extract with 1 teaspoon of pure lemon extract. For the simple syrup, replace the orange juice with lemon juice.
Keyword cake, orange

Blackberry Dark Chocolate Blondies

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Blackberry Dark Chocolate Blondies

This past January and February were rough months. I insist that March will be much better. I’m starting this month off on a strong positive note by sharing my incredible, Blackberry Dark Chocolate Blondie recipe with you. This is one of the most uniquely delicious, perfectly balanced blondie recipes I’ve ever tasted. These rich, golden blondies are made with brown butter which makes the best blondies. The extra step of browning the butter is so worth it! And, rather than tossing a few blackberries into the batter, a quick homemade blackberry jam intensifies and elevates the blackberry flavor to another level. The fresh blackberry jam swirls together in the oven with pools of melted dark chocolate, creating a wildly delicious flavor experience.

Blackberry Dark Chocolate Blondies

by Mari Vasseur
Rich golden blondies made with brown butter, swirled with a quick homemade blackberry jam and pools of melted dark chocolate
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 9 blondies

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ¾ cups (240g) blackberries, divided
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 ½ cups (192g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 ¼ cups (250g) packed brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3 ounces (85g) dark chocolate, broken into bite size pieces

Instructions
 

  • Set aside 3/4 cup (100g) of blackberries. Combine the remaining 1 cup (140g) of blackberries with the granulated sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Turn the heat down to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the blackberries soften and break down, about 6-8 minutes. Smash the blackberries with the back of a spoon as they cook. Pass the blackberries through a sieve or a food mill to remove the seeds. Stir in the reserved blackberries and set aside to cool to room temperature.
  • In a medium-sized light-colored saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook until it's deep golden and fragrant. When brown specks start to appear, remove it from the heat and immediately transfer the butter with the brown specks to a large bowl. Set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 325ºF. (165ºC). Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder until well blended.
  • Add the brown sugar to the browned butter. Whisk until smooth. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and well blended. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined.
  • Set aside a few of the larger chocolate pieces for the top of the blondies. Stir the remaining chocolate pieces into the batter. Spread half of the batter into the baking pan. Spoon generous 2 tablespoon-size portions of batter into the pan, distributing them all over the surface. Spoon the blackberry mixture in between the batter portions. Top with the reserved chocolate pieces.
  • Bake until the top of the batter is set and light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bars comes out with a few moist crumbs on it, about 25-30 minutes.

Notes

Feel free to use frozen blackberries if fresh blackberries are unavailable.
Keyword bars, blackberry, blondies

Sunshine Picnic Cake

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Sunshine Picnic Cake by Mari Vasseur

Out here in Southern California we have picnic weather in the middle of winter. Even if it’s snowing where you live, you might be craving something deliciously bright, like this Sunshine Picnic Cake made with fresh orange juice and orange zest. The soft, moist cake is topped with a subtly tart citrus icing. It’s perfect for a spring or summer picnic, a tea party, weekend brunch or even an anytime snack. This recipe is so versatile that you can easily switch it up to make it a lemon cake if you wish.*

Sunshine Picnic Cake

by Mari Vasseur
Soft, plush, moist orange scented cake with citrus icing
Print Recipe
Course Brunch, Dessert
Servings 9

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • 1 ½ cups (192g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • Zest of 1 large orange
  • ½ cup (111ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • ¼ cup (59ml) orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon pure orange extract**
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (170g) sour cream room temperature

Icing

  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
  • 1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) orange juice
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the sugar, orange zest, oil and eggs with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and creamy. Add the orange juice and the extracts and beat until blended. With the mixer on low speed or by hand, beat in the flour mixture in two additions followed by half of the sour cream after each addition. Mix just until smooth and combined.
  • Transfer the batter to the baking pan. Bake until the top looks golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Do not over bake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack. Alternately, if you want to transport the cake in the pan, you can let it cool in the pan.

Icing

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon (15ml) of orange juice and the salt until well blended. Add additional orange juice as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Spread the icing on the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides.

Notes

*To make a lemon version of this cake, replace the orange juice with lemon juice. Replace the orange zest with the lemon zest of two medium lemons. Replace the orange extract with pure lemon extract. Reduce the vanilla extract to 1/2 teaspoon.
**To find pure orange extract, click here.
Keyword cake, orange