$5.20 Sweets: Docinhos De Abobora, Brazilian Pumpkin Candy

My friend Sue recently embarked on a grand adventure, moving from the Midwest to Brazil.  Many of her friends came together for a Brazilian Bash, a beautiful going away soiree.  It was a lovely evening, filled with fun people, food, dancing and of course, lots of laughter. 

I met Sue a few years back through our mutual friend, Largo. One of the things I've learned from these ladies, both event coordinators, is that it is perfectly okay for special events to have little touch of BIG, of crazy, of totally over the top.  And so, when it was time for Sue's going away party, I wanted to go a little over the top. Well, kinda.  I made six Brazilian desserts.  What?  You'd do that for your friends, too, right?

Because many Brazilian foods are already gluten-free, this wasn't particularly challenging but oh my, was it ever tasty!  Half of what I baked was naturally gluten-free and half I needed to modify.  Even the Brazilian foods that contain gluten have been easy to modify.  And they have all been incredibly delicious.  I'm already planning more Brazilian baking. I am also thinking any additional Brazilian baking may require a research trip, a chance to visit Sue!

I started with a tried-and-true recipe from my own recipe box, Broinhas or corn cookie. Instead of making 10 large cookies as the recipes suggests, I made 24 small cookies.  The smaller size was great for sharing at a party.

Next I made this recipe, Brazilian Jubilee Cookies.  To modify, simply use my favorite gluten-free flour blend and 1 teaspoon of guar gum.  Otherwise, bake as directed in the recipe.  Easy!

Then I made Bolo de Banana, Banana Upside Down Cake.  This, too, was easily modified to gluten-free.  Where the recipe calls for breadcrumbs, use almond meal instead.  I made this in a greased 9 x 13 and then used a 2" round cutter to make little cake circles that I inverted and served in these cute nut cups from Sweet! Well, except for that corner that is cut out.  I put that directly into my mouth.  So good!

Moving on from cookies and cake, I made a variety of Brazilian candies.  These are all super easy to make and would be fun to make with kiddos in the kitchen.

Fourth on my list, Brigadeiros.  These are my favorite Brazilian treat, a slightly chewy chocolate truffle rolled in chocolate sprinkles or chopped nuts or coconut.  Not a single modification necessary here, just make sure the chocolate sprinkles you use are gluten-free. 

The fifth creation from a recipe at In Search of Delicious was Beijinhos de Coco, Brazilian Coconut Candy.  Beijinhos means kisses in Portugese.  If Brazilian kisses are coconut-y, rich, butter-y and sweet, then I must visit!  These are a perfect little treat, even better if you can wait a day to eat them.   Again, not a single modification necessary, already gluten-free!

And last on my list, Docinhos De Abobora, Brazilian Pumpkin Candy.  These are gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free.  They could be vegan if you chose your sugars carefully. 

Docinhos de Abobora, Brazilian Pumpkin Candy
(Makes 25 candies)

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (I use canned)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup finely shredded coconut
1/4 t. ground cloves
non-stick cooking spray
powdered sugar for rolling

Place all of the ingredients except for the cooking spray and powdered sugar into a large, heavy-bottomed pan.  Cook over medium heat while stirring constantly.  Mixture needs to reach 240 degrees and will be very thick.

Once at 240 degrees, turn off burner and remove pan from heat.  Turn out onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet.

Allow to cool until easy to handle.  Spray hands lightly with non-stick cooking spray.  Roll into small balls and then roll in powdered sugar.

Here's the price break-down:
Pumpkin $1.35
Sugar $0.40
Coconut $1.25
Powdered Sugar $0.37
4.6% Sales Tax $0.16
Total:  $3.53 for 25 candies

While I'm going to miss Sue being in the same city, I'm so excited to hear about her adventures in Brazil.  I'm hoping once in awhile she'll share a new recipe with me so I can share even more gluten-free Brazilian treats!  

Chocolate Hazelnut No-Bake Cheesecake, World Nutella Day 2012

Yep, I'm at it again, making more Sweets for World Nutella Day.  Except I'm yet again not using Nutella. I'm using Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter, which is like Nutella, only slightly thicker and with a hint of sea salt.  Good stuff!

In a world free of dietary restrictions, food allergies and intolerances, I'd call this Nutella Oreo No-Bake Cheesecake.  But since I plan on eating this, I've eliminated the dairy and gluten.  Know what else?  It's vegan.  It's also free of Brussels Sprouts, because my Nutella fiend husband doesn't like them.  Oh, don't put it past me, I've used them in cupcakes.  Why not cheesecake, too? ;)

This recipe is inspired by the No-Bake Nutella Cheesecake from Jamie at My Baking Addiction .  It's sure making the rounds on Pinterest! Her version looks delicious, beautifully garnished and the photography on the blog post is gorgeous.  Click over there and take a look!

Chocolate Hazelnut No-Bake Cheesecake
Makes 2 generous servings or 4 small servings


6 K-Toos, gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies
1 T. Earth Balance vegan butter-y substitute, melted

1 can coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk (14 oz.), refrigerated overnight
2 T. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

4 oz. Better Than Cream Cheese
1/3 cup Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter
1/2 cup whipped coconut cream

additional whipped coconut cream
cocoa powder for garnish

CRUST:  Crush the K-Too cookies in a small bowl.  Add the melted Earth Balance, stirring to combine.  Pat into the bottom of dishes to make a crust.  (I used two large ramekins, however this would easily make 4 small desserts.)  Refrigerate while preparing filling.

WHIPPED CREAM: Open can of coconut milk or cream.  I've used cream in this recipe as I wanted a slightly heavier consistency than the full-fat milk, however either would work.  Skim the solidified cream off of the top of the liquid in the can.  Set the liquid aside, reserve for use in a smoothie later in the day.  Using a hand mixer, whip the solidified cream until it doubles.  Add in powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste, whipping to combine. 

FILLING:  Combine the Better Than Cream Cheese and the Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter using hand mixer.  Add in 1/2 cup of the whipped coconut cream, mixing to combine.

Spoon this filling on top of the cookie crusts.  Top with a dollop of the remaining whipped coconut cream and a sprinkle of cocoa powder.  Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

Need more World Nutella Day ideas?  Here are a few of my favorite Nutella recipes:

Chocolate Hazelnut Twist Donuts

Johnna's World Nutella Day 2011 Round-Up: Nutella French Toast, Nutella Nachos and Nutella Apple Pizza

Banana Nutella Stuffed French Toast

Nutella Cupcakes


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Chocolate Hazelnut Twist Donuts

It's time to fire up the oven for World Nutella Day!  I've been working on a few chocolate hazelnut recipes to share with you, but first up is a yummy baked donut. A yummy baked donut that is gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, almost vegan, chocolate-y, hazelnut-y...it's just good!
 

Because I'm trying to put a stop to the dairy bender I've been on (yes, that was a pound of cheese on the pizza I ate Tuesday), I'm using non-Nutella products to celebrate World Nutella Day.  I'm know, it's blasphemous, but I gotta get back on track.

For today's project, I've used the one-hundred-times-better-than-Nutella Askinosie Chocolate Hazelnut Spread.  Yes, it's about four times the price of Nutella and worth every penny.  It's really not right to compare it to Nutella, the only similarities being that they both contain chocolate and hazelnuts.  The Askinosie version has a very creamy consistency, yet has noticeable bits of DuChilly hazelnuts throughout and makes a divine fondue.  It is also made with a very rich, single-origin chocolate.  You should just try it. I wouldn't steer you wrong. :-)

Chocolate Hazelnut Twist Donuts
Makes 6 twists or 12 large donuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

1 1/2 cups of my favorite gluten-free flour blend
1/3 cup hazelnut meal/flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. sea salt
1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. guar gum
1/2 cup blonde coconut palm sugar (or regular sugar)
1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey (sub agave to make vegan)
2 T. vanilla bean paste
1/3 cup hot water

Mix all dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.  Add all liquid ingredients except for the hot water.  Mix by hand until well combined.  Slowly add in the hot water.

Lightly oil the donut pan.  Fill each cavity of the donut twist pan with a scant 1/2 cup of batter. Bake at 325 for 18-21 minutes.  Tops will be lightly browned.

Let cool in pan for 5 minutes or so, then invert on cooling rack.

While donuts are still warm, glaze tops with chocolate hazelnut spread.

These were very good warm, but also were good at room temperature.  Enjoy!

cupcakes, cookies & pie, oh, my!: A Book Review

A couple of years ago, I went to a book signing and cupcake decorating demonstration with Karen Tack & Alan Richardson, the amazing duo behind the Hello, Cupcake!  and What's New, Cupcake! cookbooks.  It was such a fun day, packed full of info on making super cute cupcakes.  At the time, I couldn't imagine what they would create beyond cupcakes.

Now I don't have to imagine, they've got another book!  Cupcakes, cookies, and pie, oh my! includes not just cupcakes but also hand pies, rice krispie creations, cookies and so many clever decorating ideas.  I'm fascinated with the candy clay in this cookbook and can't wait to try it out, along with a gazillion other ideas that are going to make their way into my kitchen soon.

If you've read this far, you're probably asking, "Why is Johnna telling us about a cookbook that isn't gluten-free?"  Well, because almost everything in this cookbook is easily made gluten-free.  Swap out the store-bought pound cake for Amy's Organic Gluten-Free Pound Cake.  Use a gluten-free cake mix in place of a regular one.  When the recipe calls for refrigerated pie crust, whip up a batch of my pie crust.  And the same for the sugar cookies, try this recipe instead.  Pay close attention to the labels on the candies used to decorate (licorice is especially suspect), but know that you can come up with easy substitutions so you can make your own fun gluten-free creations. What I've learned from this series of books is that a stroll down the candy aisle (and a few minutes reading labels and confirming gluten-free status) can result in confectionery creativity with no boundaries!

I made the "Piece of Cake" cake pops and wanted to share them with you.  So fun to make, even though I have a storied history of making cake pops.  While mine didn't turn out as pretty as the ones pictured in the book (boy, this book is rich with photos!), they are pretty darned cute and were quickly gobbled up.

*Please note, the recipe below calls for ingredients that contain gluten.  Below the recipe, I have included the modifications I made to this recipe to make it gluten-free.*

"Piece of Cake" Cake Pops
(makes 15 cake bites)

Sweet party pops look like perfect pieces of cake, and are a piece of cake to make, too.  Mini wedges of pound cake on forks are coated in melted vanilla frosting, with lines of red gel to create the layers. 

1 frozen pound cake (16 ounces; Sara Lee Family Size), thawed*
16 assorted colored plastic forks
Sugar
1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting
1 can (16 ounces) milk chocolate frosting
3 tubes (0.68 or 0.75 ounces each) red decorating gel (Cake Mate)
2 tablespoons mini candy decors (Cake Mate)

1.  Line two cookie sheets with waxed paper.  Place the pound cake on a work surface with one long edge facing you.  Using a serrated knife, cut the cake crosswise into quarters.  Starting from the short end, cut each piece into four 1 1/2-by-2 1/2 inch triangles.  Insert the tines of a plastic fork into the base of each piece of cake to secure, without breaking the cake.  Transfer the pieces to the cookie sheets.  Freeze for 15 minutes.

2.  Fill several wide-mouthed glasses with sugar to help support the cake pieces once they are frosted.

3.  Spoon 1/4 cup of the vanilla frosting into a Ziploc bag.  Spoon the chocolate frosting into 2 separate Ziploc bags.  Press out the excess air and seal the bags.  Spoon the remaining vanilla frosting into a 2-cup glass measuring cup.  Microwave, stopping to stir frequently, until it has the texture of lightly whipped cream, 20 to 30 seconds.

4.  Remove the cake pieces from the freezer.  Holding the fork over the measuring cup, spoon the melted frosting over the 2 long sides of cake to cover, allowing the excess frosting to drip back into the cup.  Insert the base of the forks into the sugar-filled glasses.  Repeat with the remaining cake pieces.  If the melted frosting becomes too thick for dipping, microwave for several seconds and stir.  Refrigerate the frosted cake pieces until set, about 20 minutes.

5.  Use a toothpick to lightly score 2 lines in the frosting on each side of the cakes to mark the layers.  Pipe a thin line of the red gel over each line.

6.  Snip a medium (1/4-inch) corner from the bags with the vanilla and chocolate frostings.  Pipe a thin layer of chocolate frosting on the top and back of the cake pieces.  Use the back of a small spoon to make swirls in the frosting.  Pipe a dollop of vanilla frosting on top and add some candy decors.

7.  Return the cake slices to the sugar-filled wide-mouthed glasses and serve.

"Piece of Cake” Cake Pops from CUPCAKES, COOKIES & PIE, OH, MY! by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson. Copyright © 2012 by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

*I used an Amy's Organic Gluten-Free Pound Cake.  It is smaller than a Sara Lee cake.  Instead of cutting the cake into quarters, I cut it into thirds, creating only 12 cake pops.  I read the labels on the frosting, gel and candy decor that I used carefully to make certain they were gluten-free; you should, too! 

Karen and Alan are soon embarking on a book tour.  You can find the schedule here.  For my local readers, there are TWO appearances in Kansas City on February 8th and 9th, both hosted by Rainy Day Books.  Look me up, I'll be there!

Disclosure:  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt provided a review copy of the book to me.  No compensation was received and the opinions expressed are my own.

$5.20 Sweets: Rice Krispie Cupcakes

I'm all about Valentine's Day right now.  If it's pink and red, I've stuck it to the wall, used it to decorate the kitchen table and cooked with it.  Not even a container of pink frosting could evade me.

I made these adorable rice krispie treat cupcakes and topped them with ready-made (gasp!) frosting.  I spent most of an afternoon exclaiming aloud to anyone who would listen, "Have you had FROSTING on top of a Rice Krispie Treat?!?  You HAVE to try this!"  Sure, a sugar coma will follow but since this recipe only makes 6, you don't get to indulge in many of them anyway.  Moderation, right? ;) 

While I could have made these for even less moolah with a jar of fluff from the store, I chose to make homemade marshmallow fluff.  I based the fluff on this recipe from Jasmin at 1FineCookie.  Remember when I made those S'more Stuffed Strawberries?  It's the same delicious marshmallow fluff.  Once you try this, you'll be hooked.  It's sticky, ooey-gooey and makes the best rice krispie treats I've ever had.  Thanks, Jasmin, for creating one of my very favorite sweets.  Love this marshmallow goodness!

Marshmallow Fluff
1 egg white, room temperature
1/8 t. cream of tartar
1/4 c. corn syrup
1/4 t. vanilla extract
2 T. Sugar and 1 1/2 t. sugar (separate)
1 T. plus 1 t. water

In bowl of stand mixer with whip attachment, white egg white and cream of tartar until soft peaks begin to form.  Slowly incorporate 1 1/2 t. sugar.  Whip only to incorporate, you don't need stiff peaks.  Let rest in bowl while you do the next step.

In a tiny sauce pan, combine 2 T. sugar, water and corn syrup.  Over medium heat, cook until it reached 250 degrees, hard ball stage, on your candy thermometer.  Remove immediately from heat.

Return to your mixer.  Turn it on low and slowly drizzle in the molten sugar mixture.  Once all is added, turn the mixer on high and whip for 4 minutes.  Turn off, add vanilla extract and whip for two more minutes.  That's it! 

Rice Krispie Treat Cupcakes (makes 6)
2 T. Earth Balance vegan butter-y stick
1 cup marshmallow fluff (the recipe above makes just about 1 cup)
2 cups gluten-free Rice Krispies

Prepare 6 cavities of either a silicone cupcake pan or a regular cupcake pan sprayed with non-stick spray.

In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt the Earth Balance butter in microwave.  Remove and stir in the marshmallow fluff.  Stir to completely incorporate.  If it is still too thick to incorporate the cereal, pop into microwave for no longer than 30 seconds.  Stir in the rice krispies, mixing until well combined.

Place mixture into each of 6 cupcake cavities.  You may allow these to set up at room temperature or if you are in a hurry, place them in the refrigerator or freezer. 

I topped these with 1/2 of a can of Pillsbury frosting.  I had a good coupon, it's labeled gluten-free, so I thought I'd give it a go.  It's pretty good!  I usually make my own frosting, but I would use this again.  It only took about half a container of whipped frosting for 6 of the rice krispie treats.

Here's the cost breakdown:
$1.52 for corn syrup
$.72 for rice krispies (I based this on $4 for a large box, but with cereal sales, you can do better!)
$.25 for egg
$.05 for sugar
$.04 for vanilla extract
$1.89 for frosting (watch for coupons on this, too.  I got frosting for next to nothing.)
$4.47 plus tax of $.21 = $4.68 total

$5.20 Sweets: Chocomole

Happy 2012! 

Instead of creating 52 Sweet recipes this year, I'm going to focus on Sweets that can be made for $5.20 or so.  My goal is to create something that includes at least 4 servings and, as always, is gluten- and dairy-free. 

The first Sweet this year is one you might remember from last year:  Chocomole.  This perfectly sweet mousse is made from avocado, dates, chocolate, agave nectar, coconut oil and a little vanilla.  I've modified the recipe from this version I shared last year to make it a bit more economical. 

Here's a little tip for serving chocomole.  If you serve it in avocado shells, less adventurous eaters might choose to pass on this one.  But if you put it in a pretty dessert dish, they may be none the wiser to the ingredients.  It tastes nothing like guacamole with chocolate sprinkled on top.

Chocomole (Makes 4 servings)
2 ripe avocados
1 T. coconut oil
20 dates
2 T. cocoa powder
2 T. agave nectar
1 t. vanilla bean paste

In food processor, place 20 dates and process until finely chopped.  They will turn into a mooshy ball in the food processor.

Slice the avocados in half carefully.  Remove the pit and spoon out the fruit.  Place the fruit into the bowl of the food processor.  If you carefully clean out the shells, you can hang on to them and use them as serving bowls for the chocomole.

Add the cocoa powder, coconut oil, agave nectar and vanilla bean paste to the food processor.  Process until smooth, at least a few minutes.

Spoon into avocado shells or other serving bowls and refrigerate.  I piped the filling this time and really like how it looks.  Refrigerate this for at least a couple of hours before eating. Enjoy!

Ingredient Cost
My ingredients were purchased at the local grocer and Trader Joe's.  Here's the breakdown:

Two avocados on sale at Price Chopper:  $0.69 each, $1.38 total
2/3 of a bag of Dole dates ($2.29 per bag)  $1.53
Coconut Oil $0.37
Trader Joe's cocoa powder $0.08
Agave Nectar $0.34
Vanilla Bean Paste $0.50 (WOW! I knew it was pricey, but the per teaspoon price really got me on this one.)

Total:  $4.20 plus $0.19 sales tax (I live in Missouri and pay 4.6% sales tax on food), $4.39 for four servings!

Sweet of the Week #52, Kale Kolada

Well, here it is, the end of another 52 Journey for me.  And wouldn't you know it, my final ingredient is one I have chosen not to bake into a Sweet.  Instead, I'm putting it into the blender.

You see, this is the end of three years of blogging about one Sweet every week.  I've tried hard to limit my Sweet intake to only one thing a week, with exceptions for a few holidays and my birthday.  And President's Day, every third Wednesday, Thursdays when the temperature is above 40 and the barometric pressure is climbing...

In all seriousness, what I have found is that I no longer have an issue limiting how many Sweets I eat.  Some weeks there are plenty of them, there's an occasion to celebrate or a project that requires me to bake 9 or 10 recipes in just a couple of days.  Sometimes I momentarily lose control, but I always get back on track.  And then there are times when I am so tired of Sweets it becomes a task for me to create a recipe, to blog about a Sweet. 

That's how I reached this place I'm at today, blogging about a green smoothie to wrap up this year's 52 Journey.  Right now, today, I don't want to bake a Sweet.  I'm okay without a piece of chocolate cake or a hand pie packed full of caramel-drenched apples. Instead, I'm having a green smoothie.  Next week, I'll probably need a dessert to share at a friend's potluck or I'll be elbow-deep in sugar working on a recipe development project.  But today, it's a smoothie.

And hey, real quick, a note about where I'm headed.  Next year's 52 Journey is going to be much different.  After three years of blogging about a Sweet every week, I'm done with weekly Sweets.  I've got a really fun 52 Project going on over at Johnna52 (where you can find my non-baking adventures) and here at 52 Sweets, I'll be sharing an occasional Sweet, just not one every week. What I will be sharing has a great new twist...

I'll be blogging in 2012 about gluten-free Sweets that can be made for $5.20 or less.  Get it?  It's like 52, $5.20.  Gluten-free baking can be so incredibly pricey, so I wanted to make some inexpensive Sweets, simple desserts, with a minimum of four servings that can be made for $5 or so.  I hope you'll stick around for the Journey.

And now...here's the green smoothie you've been dying to read about!

Kale Kolada
(Makes two generous servings)

3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
3/4 cup coconut water
6 oz. cultured coconut milk yogurt (you could use almond yogurt or Greek yogurt, I was going with the coconut theme here)
1 1/2 cups coconut tidbits, frozen
1 bunch kale, stems removed (I used 5 large stems of kale in this)

Blend on high speed until well combined.  Super easy...and Sweet!

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2012!