coconut

Caramel-Pecan Chocolate Ripple Ice Cream (Dairy Free)

By in Cool, GF Sweets, Sweets 11 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

caramel pecan chocolate ice cream

A couple weeks ago I celebrated my birthday. My hubby and mom cooked up a steak dinner with all the trimmings and I took care of dessert. My parents are gluten and dairy free so I knew I wanted to make cake and ice cream that they could enjoy along with us. I love dreaming up new ice cream flavours, and making goodies that everyone can enjoy just makes me happy, so it was perfectly suitable for me to make my own birthday cake and ice cream. Plus, they can be made ahead so there was no real work to be done the day of.

I knew I wanted to make a simple chocolate cake. I had found a great looking gluten-free cake that I wanted to try for my mom and dad so it seemed like the perfect time. Since I was going with a simple cake I wanted to make an ice cream that would steal the show, and did it ever!

caramel pecan chocolate ice cream

Instead of making a custard based ice cream and simply swapping out the milk and cream for coconut milk, like I usually do, I decided to just do coconut milk – no eggs – since it’s so creamy on it’s own. You honestly could not tell that this wasn’t a custard based ice cream, which means my dairy-free ice creams just got that much easier. Of course I had to go and complicate things by adding caramelized sugar. But really, who’s going to complain about that?

I got my inspiration from Turtle’s chocolates and made a caramel ice cream with tons of toasted pecans and a swirling of chocolate sauce. Yes, it does taste just as good as it sounds.

Why are you still sitting here? Get on this!

caramel pecan chocolate ice cream

Caramel-Pecan Chocolate Ripple Ice Cream

Caramel Ice Cream
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 cans coconut milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Place sugar in saucepan set over medium heat. As it begins to melt, gently push the melted sugar into the center to help the process along. Allow to cook until a deep amber colour (if you’re unsure you can test a small spoonful on a white plate to check the colour). Keep a close watch because it can burn quickly. Once desired colour is reached, remove from heat and stir in one can of coconut milk, along with salt. Set over low heat and cook until any hardened sugar has melted. Remove from heat and stir in remaining can of coconut milk, along with vanilla. Allow to cool, then refriderage for 8 hours, or until thoroughly chilled.

To Assemble

If using the recipe for chocolate sauce that is linked to, substitute evaporated milk with coconut milk to make it dairy free. Also feel free to substitute dark chocolate for the semi-sweet.

  • 1 recipe caramel ice cream (above)
  • 1.5 cups toasted pecans, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chocolate sauce, chilled

Freeze ice cream according to manufacturers instructions. Once ice cream has reached desired consistency, add pecans. Churn until evenly mixed. Spoon ice cream into a storage container, alternating with spoonfuls of chocolate sauce. Place in the freezer for several hours to firm up.

Almond Joy Butter

By in Condiments, Snacks 8 Comments Tags: , , , , , , ,

almond joy butterLet me open your mind to a brand new world. Forget nutella. You can now have an Almond Joy in nut butter form. It tastes like dessert, but it’s healthy for you.

My mind is reeling with the possibilities of what to all make with this. But I have to admit one of my favourite ways is to simply enjoy it as it is. When I’ve got a sweet craving, you will find me standing in my pantry with my spoon dipped into one of these jars. It satisfies my sweet tooth while also giving me a shot of protein and nutrients to hold me over until the next meal.

You need to keep this stored at room temperature in order to eat it because it solidifies into rock when refrigerated. I like to place it into two smaller jars, keeping one in the pantry and one in the fridge. That way I don’t have to worry so much about it going bad before we eat it all up. Not that, that is really a problem.

If you’re a fan of coconut, chocolate and almonds, and the ever popular Almond Joy candy bar, you will love this. Trust me.

almond joy butter

Almond Joy Butter

  • 2 cups raw almonds
  • 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 2 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1.5 oz. dark chocolate, finely chopped

Place almonds on a baking sheet and bake at 350ºF for 10 minutes, or until toasted and fragrant. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, process coconut in food processor until it’s a fine powder (about 10 min), stopping to scrape down the sides and give your processor a break as needed. Add coconut oil and process for another 5 minutes or until the coconut has turned a buttery, pasty consistency. Scrape into a small bowl and set aside.

Once almonds are cool enough to handle, place in the food processor. Process until finely chopped. Add salt and continue processing until a paste like consistency. Pour coconut back into food processor along with vanilla and maple syrup. Process until evenly combined. Add chocolate and stir just once to mix it in slightly (it will start to melt). Pour into storage containers. Store at room temperature for 1-2 weeks and in the fridge up to 1 month.

Makes approximately: 2 cups

Adapted from Minimalist Baker.

Tip Tuesday: How to Make Dairy-Free Whipped Cream

By in Creamy, How-to's, Sweets 4 Comments Tags: , , ,

coconut whipped cream

Although we’ve already celebrated Thanksgiving over here in Canada, I know a lot of you will be celebrating American Thanksgiving in a couple of days. This year I seem bent on providing you with allergy-free alternatives. It’s been 4 years since I’ve been able to be home for all of these holidays and  since there are a lot of food sensitivities in my family, I like making sure everyone gets to enjoy all of the holiday classics. I already shared a recipe for gluten-free pie crust, to fill with pumpkin and apple to your heart’s content. But now, I’ve got a dairy-free whipped topping for you, so you don’t have to stop by the freezer isle for any more Cool Whip! ;)

I’ve seen this idea quite a few times in the past year and I thought it was absolutely brilliant. If you’re on Pinterest you’ve probably come across the idea a time or two yourself. Well, I’m here to confirm that it works! Chilling a can of coconut milk, scooping off the cream that has formed on top and whipping it until smooth, makes a beautifully silky whipped topping that is perfect for topping pumpkin pies, latte’s, crepes and pretty much anything you would normally want whipped cream on.

The only thing to keep in mind is that it is made from coconut milk, so it will taste like coconut (surprise!), and may not be the perfect accompaniment to every dish. But, I’m a fan of coconut so for me it goes with pretty much anything. You can also change the flavours a bit by stirring in different spices, citrus zest or flavourings, to go with whatever you’ll be serving it with.

Once made, it will stay good for quite a few days in the fridge, so you can make it ahead to serve for a holiday meal or party. It’s always great to have an option for something guests, who have a food intolerance, can also enjoy. And, this is a great, easy, homemade option to replace the dairy-free toppings you get from the store.

Dairy-Free Whipped Cream

  • 1 can chilled coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or sugar or honey)

Scoop off the top layer of thick coconut cream, leaving the liquid behind. Add vanilla and syrup to the cream. Whip until loose and light, adding a bit of the liquid to loosen it up a bit more, if desired. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until serving. (If you add a bit of the liquid it may separate again after sitting in the fridge, just give it a quick whip again before serving.)

Makes approximately: 1.5 cups

Piña Colada Smoothies

By in Beverages, Cold 6 Comments Tags: , , , ,

Piña Colada Smoothies

Our summer snack of choice has definitely got to be smoothies. And, a Piña Colada Smoothie, with the cooling flavour of coconut and the brightness of pineapple – I can”t think of a more refreshing combination. Just what is needed for a cooling boost of energy on a sluggishly hot day.

This is one piña colada that can be shared by all ages. It”s thick, creamy and mildly flavoured. My kids could not get enough. It”s also dairy free, full of fruit and has no sugar added!

These smoothies keep well refrigerated so you can prep them ahead of time. Pack them into mason jars and seal them up for a picnic or pour them into bottles and bring them along to work. Just give them a shake and you”re good to go.

If you”re going to be enjoying them right away, it”s most refreshing if the pineapple and coconut milk are refrigerated beforehand, that way you know the smoothie is going to be nice and cold. It”s definitely not a requirement, but on a hot day it”s nice to have it as cold as you can get it!

Piña Colada Smoothies

  • 3 cups chopped pineapple

  • 1 cup coconut milk

  • 1 banana

  • 2 teaspoons rum extract

  • 2 tablespoons honey

  • 4 ice cubes

Put all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes: 4 servings

Adapted from Paula Deen.

Strawberry & Lime Layer Cake

By in Cakes, Easter, Sweets 16 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

strawberry lime cake

I can’t believe it’s already been a year since I first posted about our brand new baby girl. Ahhhh! *tears* She’s growing up too fast! I love the baby stage. Just look at those cute baby cheeks (below) and tell me you don’t want to squish them all day long. I know there’s a lot of wonderful times ahead and I’m looking forward to it all so much. But, it’s ok for me to be a little sad that my baby girl is taking one more step to adulthood right?

I wanted to give her a simple but girly birthday party so I decided to go with the theme of Strawberry & Lime. I know that at this age she really couldn’t care less about her birthday so I tried to keep everything simple and stress-free. After-all I wanted to spend lot’s of time with the birthday girl.

The main star to the show (besides the sweet baby) was the Strawberry & Lime Layer Cake – a white cake sandwiched with coconut lime curd and smothered in whipped strawberry frosting. Fruity, refreshing and girly.

The decoration was extremely easy to do and the result was so precious. Perfect for a little girl’s birthday party. I followed a tutorial from Sockerru, where you pipe big dots of frosting and smooth them out with a spoon (I used the Ateco tip# 808 to pipe on the dots). Seriously, it was so simple and quick, anyone could do it. The key is to make the crumb coat as smooth and flat as possible so that everything looks even (I follow this method to smooth my frosting). The only thing I couldn’t figure out was how to finish it up in the back where the pattern met. The solution I came up with? Put the seam in the back where no one can see it. :D

Happy Birthday to my favourite baby girl!

Strawberry & Lime Layer Cake

White Cake
  • 3 cups cake flour*
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 1/4 cups sugar, divided
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup milk
  • 8 large egg whites, room temperature (save the yolks for the curd below)

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Beat butter and 2 cups sugar for several minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Mixing on low-speed, add flour in 3 additions, alternating with milk, starting and ending with flour. Beat just until combined.

In a clean bowl, beat egg whites on low until foamy. Add 1/4 cup sugar and beat on high just until stiff, glossy peaks form when beater is lifted.

Gently fold 1/3 egg whites into butter/flour mixture to loosen batter. Fold in remaining whites.

Divide batter between 2 9-inch round cake pans lined with parchment paper rounds and spayed with cooking spray; smooth tops. Bake at 350ºF for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool 20 minutes before removing from pans and peeling off parchment. Cool completely on wire wracks before wrapping in plastic wrap to store.

*To make your own cake flour place 2 tablespoons cornstarch into a 1 cup measuring cup, spoon in enough all-purpose flour to fill. Sift several times to combine. This makes 1 cup cake flour.

Coconut Lime Curd
  • 1 (15 oz) can coconut milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup lime juice
  • 6 eggs yolk
  • green food colouring, if desired

Place 1 cup coconut milk and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Mix together the remaining coconut milk and the cornstarch. Pour into the saucepan, stirring to combine. Lower heat to medium, add butter and whisk until melted together. Whisk in lime juice and egg yolks. Cook, stirring often, until thick and it coats the back of a spoon. Do not overcook or eggs will start to scramble. Stir in food colouring, if desired. Allow the mixture to cool slightly and then pour into a heat-proof bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd to stop condensation. Allow to cool completely before refrigerating. Beat, to loosen, before spreading on cake layers.

Whipped Strawberry Frosting
  • 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cups icing sugar, sifted
  • 1/4 cup strawberry puree (from frozen, thawed berries is fine)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a stand mixer, beat butter for 6 minutes, until pale and creamy. Add remaining ingredients and beat for an additional 6 minutes, until light and creamy.

If not using all of it right away beat by hand with a spatula, to remove any air bubbles, before using.

To Assemble

Trim tops of cakes flat. Carefully cut each cake in half to make 4 layers of cake (here’s a great video to show you how). Place one cake layer on serving platter, spread with some of the coconut lime curd. Place another cake layer on top and spread with more coconut lime curd. Repeat one more time and then top with the last cake layer (you will have leftover curd). Crumb coat the cake to glue the crumbs to the cake and to make sure none of the curd shows through the frosting. Refrigerate 10 minutes to set. Frost as desired. Refrigerate until serving.

White Cake adapted from Martha Stewart. Coconut Lime Curd adapted from Donna Hay Dec/Jan 2012.

Kids in the Kitchen: No-Bake Granola Bars

By in GF Sweets, Gluten Free, Kids, Snacks 47 Comments Tags: , , , , , , ,

Kids in the Kitchen: No-Bake Granola Bars

Remember how I told you I like to scarf down granola bars in the middle of the night but since I haven”t been able to find any here yet I”ve been eating spoonfuls of peanut butter instead? Well, it was just too much for me to bear so I decided to create my own. I may have a problem. Not that I mind because these granola bars are even better then the ones at the store and they are so simple to make. Simple is key these days.

Life has been hectic here lately and I”m starting to realize that my once quick and simple recipes aren”t so quick and simple when you have a baby on the breast and a toddler clinging to your leg. (These two things do happen simultaneously but not while I”m cooking. I am no wonder mommy!) For the next couple of months my time in the kitchen is going to have to simplify even more. That”s when I”m thankful for recipes like this.

These No-Bake Granola Bars are fast and easy enough that I can have a half decent snack lying around without getting stressed out in the process. I know this phase will go by quickly and in no time Alli will be having proper naps and I”ll better be able to plan my time. But for now, I”ll stick to the simple things and enjoy the little people while I have them.

The fact that these are no bake makes them perfect to make with kids because it eliminates any guess work. Most homemade granola bars I”ve had end up dry and crumbly. With these you don”t need to wonder whether they”re under or over baked. You just put them in the fridge for half and hour and then slice and serve. They”re also great for kids with short attention spans since they”re whipped up in jiffy. :)

If you have a teenager in the house they could even tackle this recipe on there own. It would be a great “first” recipe to try.

Kids Can

  • measure ingredients

  • stir toasting nuts

  • toss mixture together

  • line pan with plastic wrap

  • press mixture into pan

  • wrap individual bars

They”re packed full of toasted oats, nuts, coconut and raisins and have a nice chewy texture. The cinnamon and molasses add a great depth of flavour and make them very addicting. Don”t say I didn”t warn you!

One Year Ago: Thin Crust Pizza Dough and a Simple Sauce

No-Bake Granola Bars

  • 2 .5 cups rolled oats

  • 1.5 cups nuts (I used walnuts and pecans)

  • 1/4 cup shredded coconut

  • 1/2 cup raisins

  • 6 tablespoons salted butter

  • 1 cup brown sugar

  • 1.5 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 6 tablespoons honey

  • 2 tablespoon molasses

  1. Toast oats, nuts and coconut in a large skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, stirring often. Remove to a large bowl and toss with raisins.

  2. Place butter, sugar, cinnamon, honey and molasses in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir into oat mixture until evenly coated. Let sit just until cool enough to handle.

  3. In the meantime, line a 7×11 inch pan with plastic wrap. Spoon mixture into pan, pressing down to compact. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up. Remove from pan, peel away plastic wrap and slice into 16 bars (half lengthwise and then into 8). Wrap individually in plastic wrap or parchment paper, if desired. Store covered at room temperature.

Makes: 16 servings

* If making gluten free make sure that the oats are gluten free

Print Recipe

On another note I am honored to say that I”ve been included in Babble”s Top 100 Mom Food Bloggers. Ranking #8 for Best Recipes. I”m tickled pink and hope that I can live up to the “title”. If you have time time I”d appreciate a click through and a like on facebook or a tweet on flickr. You can see my profile here. Thanks guys. Your the best! :)

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