Gluten Free Banana Muffins

These Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Muffins are moist and absolutely delicious. This is an excellent way to use your ripe bananas and make an excellent dessert that everyone will love.

I substitute all purpose flour by almond flour so they are gluten free! Brown sugar gives a beautiful amber color. A must-try dessert…

Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Muffins

Natalija
I like to use brown sugar, it gives a beautiful color and a caramelized taste but this recipe can by made with white sugar too.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 10 muffins

Ingredients
  

  • 3 eggs
  • 200 g brown sugar
  • 2 pinches salt
  • 3 very ripe bananas
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 50 g unsalted butter melted
  • 280 g almond flour
  • 120 g chocolate chips (60%)
  • 120 g chopped walnuts (or other nuts)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 370 degrees F. Grease muffin cups with butter or line with paper muffin liners.
  • Stir eggs, brown sugar and salt.
  • Mash bananas with a fork and mix them with egg mixture.
  • Stir almond flour and mix until smooth.
  • Add melted butter.
  • Then chopped nuts and chocolate chips. Mix well.
  • Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until golden, 25-30 minutes.
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Ice Cream Cake Iceberg

I don’t mean to brag, but as far as homemade ice cream cake recipes go, this one is the winner. The red berry coulis topping is the perfect balance between sweet and sour. This No-Bake Ice Cream Cake Iceberg is the ideal dessert to serve at your next party on a hot summer day.

Ice Cream Cake Iceberg

Natalija
My suggestion is to pick red sour berries for rich color and a sour taste. Drain the sour cream to avoid liquid.
Prep Time 30 minutes
6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 eggs
  • 100 g granulated sugar (50 + 50)
  • 1-2 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 300 ml sour cream
  • 100 ml heavy whipping cream ( 35%)
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 300 g red berries (blueberry, huckleberry, boysenberry, raspberry…) fresh or frozen
  • Some Fresh berries for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Separate egg yolks from egg whites. Whisk egg yolks with sugar (50 g).
  • When the sugar is dissolved add vanilla extract and mix well.
  • In a mixer bowl, whisk together very cold sour cream and heavy cream together until fluffy. Add sugar and continue whisking until firm (don’t over whip).
  • Using a spatula, combine egg yolks with whipped cream together.
  • In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff.
  • With a spatula, carefully combine egg whites with whipped cream.
  • You should get a nice fluffy cream.
  • Spread the cream evenly into a silicone pan or salad bowl.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
  • Rinse and drain fresh berries and puree until smooth. If you are using a frozen berries, place them in a leak-proof container and set the container in cold water for 10-15 minutes, then puree them.
  • Pass the puree through a fine sieve to remove all tiny seeds. Coulis is ready.
  • Remove it from the silicone pan and return it back to freezer until serving. (If you used a salad bowl, place it into hot water for a couple seconds). Prepare fresh berries for garnish.
  • Right before serving, pour the coulis over the ice cream cake and garnish with fresh berries.
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Mini Pavlova

Pavlova is a dessert, named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who toured Australia and New Zealand in 1926. It is a meringue dessert with crisp crust and soft light inside, topped with cream and fresh berries.

You can make meringue shells ahead of time and freeze them. I usually make the cream the same day I want to serve my Mini Pavlova. And as always this dessert is a perfect mini dessert for my  Cafe Gourmand.

Mini Pavlova dessert

Natalija
I rarely use food coloring when baking. I like my desserts to have their original color. But if you are cooking for Valentine's Day or for a Princess party, you may add some food coloring to your dessert. This time, I used one tiny drop of red coloring to make the cream pink.
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 36 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

Meringue

  • 4 egg whites (room temperature)
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 220 g confectioner’s sugar

Cream

  • 200 ml heavy whipping cream ( 35%) very cold
  • 100 g mascarpone cheese
  • 1,5 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 drop red food coloring (optional)
  • Fresh berries raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries…

Instructions
 

Meringue

  • Using mixer, begin beating your egg whites and salt on a low speed, steadily increasing up to medium high.
  • While beating on a medium speed, slowly add the confectioner’s sugar, about 1-2 Tbsp at a time. Once all the sugar is added, keep beating until the egg whites hold stiff peaks.
  • Preheat oven to 230 degrees F. Draw circles of approximately 4-8 cm diameter (you can use a pint glass as a guide) on each of the parchment lined sheets.
  • Spoon meringue into piping bag, fitted with 3/4 inch tip. Pipe meringue to cover circles on prepared baking sheet. Pipe two more rings of meringues on top of outer edge to form walls of Pavlovas.
  • Bake in center of oven until dry and crisp, about 1 1/2 hours.
  • Turn off the oven and let the meringues completely cool in the oven. Once cooled, you can top them with whipped cream and berries.

Filling

  • With mixer, beat together very cold heavy cream and mascarpone cheese, until whipped gradually adding sugar. Add food coloring. Don’t overbeat the cream, or you will end up with butter.
  • Spoon cream into piping bag.
  • Right before serving, pipe frosting on the pavlovas and top with fresh berries.
  • If you have some leftovers cream, you can pipe it into a small glass and garnish with some fresh berries.

Notes

Pease don’t waste your egg yolks, you can always make Creme brûlée.
 
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Walnut Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Once baked, the walnuts get that gooey-caramel and crunchy coating. Your guests will love that Walnut Pineapple Upside-Down Cake.

Walnut Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Irina
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 7 rings pineapple slices drained
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup all purpose flour sifted
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup walnuts chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-10 inch round cake pan. Place pineapple slices on the bottom of the pan.
  • In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla on high speed for about 8 min. Slowly add flour. Using a spatula fold in gently. Continue until all of the flour mixture is incorporated.
  • Add chopped walnuts.
  • Carefully spoon mixture into a pan cake.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • Cool for at list 10 minutes, then turn the pan over onto a serving plate. Wait 30 seconds then lift the pan off.
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Lemon Shells Stuffed With Ice Cream

Refreshing chocolate and lemon treats, served in the natural lemon shells. If you wish to serve them in a la cafe gourmand style, use small lemons, surprise your friends.

Lemon Shells Stuffed With Ice Cream

Natalija
It will be easier to work with lemon sorbet and chocolate ice cream if you remove it from the freezer 3 minutes before.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 6 lemons
  • 1 (300 g) lemon sorbet
  • 1 (300 g) chocolate ice cream

Instructions
 

  • Cut off the top of the lemon. Hollow out each lemon by using a teaspoon. Remove juice and flesh, but be careful not to puncture the lemon skin.
  • Spoon some lemon sorbet into shells and press firmly with teaspoon. Fill the rest of the lemon with chocolate ice cream.
  • Place stuffed lemons in the freezer with the hats on top. You can serve this fancy dessert in as little as one hour, or when the lemon shells are completely frozen.
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Russian Apple Cake Sharlotka

Apple Sharlotka cake is one of the most popular desserts that each Russian kid will remember from their childhood. The recipe is so simple that you don’t even need to write it down. It will be very easy to remember once you’ve made it: 3 apples, 3 eggs, 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of flour. That’s it, enjoy!

Russian Apple Cake Sharlotka

Natalija
If the apples are too sweet, sprinkle with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 3 big apples (sour)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp confectioner’s sugar (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 380 degrees F. Grease and flour a round cake pan or line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
  • Wash, peel and dice apples into 1-inch pieces. Lay out the diced apples on the bottom of the pan.
  • Using a mixer beat eggs with sugar, until its two times in volume. Using a spatula carefully fold in sifted flour. Pour the batter over the apples.
  • Bake for about 45 minutes or until а toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Once the cake cools off a little, transfer to plate.
  • Dust it with powdered sugar before serving.
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Easy Madeleines

Very light, fluffy and tasty French cookies. Classic small sponge cakes shaped like seashell, usually made with lemon zest. I love lemon, but I decided not to add any to my madeleines. I just like them plain.

You can find molds for mini-madeleines. That’s really nice and you can savor them for a cafe gourmand.

French Madeleines

Natalija
To make an authentic madeleine, you will need a madeleine pan. But you can use a muffin pan or any cake pan.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 24 pieces

Ingredients
  

  • 4 eggs
  • 200 g sugar
  • 120 ml milk
  • 200 g all purpose flour sifted
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 120 g unsalted butter melted

Instructions
 

  • In a medium bowl combine eggs and sugar. Whip until light. Add milk and mix well.
  • Carefully fold in the flour, baking powder and pinch of salt.
  • Add melted butter and mix throughly until smooth. Let the batter rest in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter madeleine pan. My pan makes 12 cookies at a time. From this receipe you’ll make 24 cookies.
  • Spoon batter into the prepared molds, filling 3/4 full. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden and the tops spring back. Remove the madeleines from the oven and let cool for 2 minutes.
  • With a knife or fork carefully loosen the madeleines from the pan and then tip the whole pan out to a prepared plate.
  • If you want to make it in a loaf pan, it will take much longer, about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake come out clean.
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Shortcrust pastry

Shortcrust pastry (or pie crust) is very popular when making quiche, pie, tart and tartelettes. You’ll be amazed how easy it is to make this unsweetened pie shell. It turns out light, crumbly, crunchy and deliciously buttery. After trying making this recipe you will never go back to store-bought crust again.

Shortcrust pastry

Natalija
Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, then freeze. It can last up to 3 months.
This is also called pie crust pastry.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 240 g all purpose flour
  • 2-3 pinches of salt
  • 125 g softened unsalted butter
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2-3 Tbsp water

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl or on the clean table surface combine salt and flour together. Add chunks of softened butter.
  • Use finger to combine until crumbly.
  • Add egg yolks and start to knead the dough, only add as much water as dough needs. Do not over-knead.
  • Shape into a ball.
  • Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least for 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 380°F. Unwrap dough and roll into a thin circle between two pieces of parchment paper.
  • Fit dough into a tart pan, press firmly on bottom and sides. Trim any extra dough. Pick all over with a fork.
  • Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until pie shell is lightly golden.
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Three Layer Chocolate Mousse

Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate… Each layer has different taste and texture. You can use any size glasses you desire. And of course, as always, I choose mini portions. Ideal for a Cafe Gourmand.

Three layer chocolate mousse

Natalija
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 35 minutes
Servings 6 serving

Ingredients
  

Dark chocolate ganache

  • 120 ml heavy whipping cream
  • 100 g dark chocolate

Milk chocolate mousse

  • 100 g milk chocolate
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 pinch salt

White chocolate mousse

  • 150 ml heavy whipping cream
  • 100 g white chocolate

For garnishing

  • 6-8 fresh raspberries

Instructions
 

Dark chocolate ganache

  • In a small pan, boil the heavy whipping cream. Pour the boiling cream over the dark chocolate. Wait for one minute and mix it until the mixture is smooth.
  • Divide dark chocolate ganache among six glasses. Refrigerate for one hour.

Milk chocolate mousse

  • Separate egg yolks from the egg whites.
  • Melt milk chocolate in microwave until the chocolate is completely melted. Add egg yolks in melted chocolate and mix well.
  • Whisk egg whites with salt until stiff.
  • Carefully fold in the egg whites into chocolate.
  • Remove glasses from the fridge, spoon the mousse over the chocolate gonache and chill for another hour.

White chocolate mousse

  • Bring the heavy whipping cream to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate. Wait 1-2 minutes until white chocolate melts.
  • Whisk until smooth. Place white chocolate in the fridge for about 45 minutes. Chocolate should chill completely but at the same time still liquid.
  • Beat the chilled chocolate until soft foam.
  • Using piping bag or small spoon, spread the mousse into the glasses.
  • Refrigerate your dessert for 4-6 hours.
  • Before serving, garnish each glass with fresh berries. If the portion is mini, you can cut raspberries into 2 pieces.
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Lemon Cake

I’ve always had a sweet tooth. Whether it be a plain piece of dark chocolate or a decadent caramel cheesecake, I can’t remember the last time I turned down dessert. My mouth  waters every time I see or think of this Lemon Cake. Each time I’m at Starbucks, I know what I will be ordering. I can’t guarantee  this Lemon loaf tastes exactly like Starbucks, I personally think it’s better. You tell me. 🙂

Lemon Cake

Irina
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 1 tsp lemon extract
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup yogurt (I use Greek yogurt)
  • 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour sifted
  • 2 tsp baking powder

Icing

  • 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a loaf pan.
  • Combine eggs and sugar.
  • Add lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract.
  • Add vegetable oil and mix.
  • Gradually add greek yogurt and mix until combined.
  • Stir in baking powder.
  • Slowly add flour. Blend until smooth.
  • Pour the batter into the baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and quickly cover the pan with aluminum foil, and return to the oven, for the last 10 minutes, to prevent excess browning.
  • Cool the loaf in a pan for 15 minutes. Remove from pan to wire racks to cool completely.
  • Whisk confectioners’ sugar with lemon juice until smooth. Spoon evenly over the loaf and let sit for about 30 minutes.
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