Category Archives: Dessert

Watermelon Sherbet Sundae

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Sundae

My favorite dairy filled ice cream was always Ben and Jerry’s. My husband, however, really appreciates sundaes at Friendly’s. When I heard about a vegan sundae contest the first thing that came to my mind was a Watermelon Sundae! Friendly’s makes a “Wattamelon Roll” and I always thought it was so cute. I actually don’t think I have ever tasted it … but I will tell you that when my husband tasted mine he said it was a dead ringer for the real thing (although if you read their ingredient list- “real” isn’t the word that comes to mind).

Watermelon Sorbet

I formed my ice cream watermelon in a bowl, but it was a bit hard to get out. Next time I think I should try forming a log. I played around with the concept of what qualifies as a sundae. Fresh watermelon and peach with maple candy pecans serve as a base for the watermelon sherbet (below). Above, I layered lime sherbet, chocolate chips, watermelon sherbet, candied nuts, and topped with a chocolate dipped dehydrated watermelon slice.

My ice cream colors are not as bright as the commercial version because I don’t use food coloring. In the future I could add a teaspoon of beet juice (give or take) and it would be more pink.

The pink ice cream is watermelon sherbet with chocolate covered dehydrated watermelon chunks (the chunks are outstanding by the way). The green ice cream is a lime sherbet (the green color comes from avocado). Please don’t give up on me here: you might be thinking avocado would be weird, but it is very creamy and delicious. This recipe only takes about 30 minutes of actual work, but each element needs to be prepared at different times so it takes about 2 days to execute (my ice cream tumbler needs 24 hours in between batches).

Lime Sherbet Recipe
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1 cup canned coconut milk (full fat)
1/2 cup agave
1 cup rice milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1 ripe avocado (under-ripe will not be good)
2 limes, zest and juice

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Combine the coconut milk, agave, and rice milk in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil (whisking occasionally as it heats). Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes, whisking frequently. (This heating process is important for the texture of the ice cream.) Set aside to cool in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Puree the coconut milk mixture with the avocado and lime zest and juice (I add a bit of liquid at a time to be sure the avocado isn’t chunky).

Pour into an ice cream maker and use according to the manufactures instructions.

Enjoy now or wait until you make the watermelon flavor too! (If you have left overs in the freezer, just let the ice cream soften a bit before enjoying again.)

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Watermelon Sherbet Recipe
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1 (13-ounce) can coconut milk (full fat)
1/3 cup agave
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups chopped watermelon
1/3 cup chocolate covered dehydrated watermelon* or chocolate chips

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Combine the coconut milk, agave, and vanilla extract in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil (whisking occasionally as it heats). Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes, whisking frequently. (This heating process is important for the texture of the ice cream.) Set aside to cool in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Puree the watermelon chunks and strain out the pulp.

Combine the chilled ice cream mixture and watermelon juice. Pour into an ice cream maker and use according to the manufactures instructions. Add the chocolate chunks at the end.

Enjoy! (If you have left overs in the freezer, just let the ice cream soften a bit before enjoying again.)

* Basically dehydrate 1/3 inch cubes of watermelon in a dehydrator until chewy/crunchy. Then dip in melted chocolate.

I am sharing this recipe on Sweetly Raw, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Wellness Weekend, and Allergy Free Wednesdays

Cherry Ice Cream Pie and The Contest

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Cherry Ice Cream Pie

My husband came home from Whole Foods and let me know they were having a fresh cherry recipe contest.

“I want to win!”, I optimistically replied.

I put some thought into the recipe. The obvious direction felt like chocolate (who doesn’t love chocolate covered cherries?) But I thought about Iron Chef and how they might say the secret ingredient should shine. I felt like the whole thing should be about cherries. Ice cream came to mind next, because I make and eat ice cream often … but cherry pie is my husband’s favorite (he has it every year on his birthday). So I put all three ideas together Ice Cream… chocolate chip… pie. Yes, I thought, I will win.

So I did a few test runs, and let me tell you, I didn’t mind eating the results! Then I wrote up a beautiful recipe to send in (doesn’t it look lovely?) And waited for the results.

Recipe

I got word that I was a finalist. And waited… then, “We had an overwhelming response and would love to make you all winners, but unfortunately we can only select one. While your recipe was fantastic and so well done, we regret that it was not chosen as the winner for this time around.  (It came down to just one vote’s difference between your pie, and the winning recipe though—your ice cream pie was delicious!)”

OK, I know you might be thinking, “Well that’s fantastic. So close, good job.”

I still pouted a tiny bit. After all, I did want to WIN.

(I am just being a bit cheeky with this post. I have a blessed life and do not need to win a contest to be happy.)

This dessert is surprisingly simple to make. Very little cooking technique is needed, but you will need to plan ahead due to the time required for cooling and setting. I recommend starting the pie the day before you plan to serve it.

If you don’t have an ice cream maker you can still enjoy this recipe. Simply purchase vanilla ice cream (vegan or dairy) and mix in the pureed (3/4 cup)cherries and chocolate chips before filling the pie.

Cherry Ice Cream Pie Recipe
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Cherry Sauce
4 cups sweet black cherries, pitted
and quartered
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/3 cup amaretto
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Ice Cream
1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk (full
fat)
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup hazelnut milk (or other non-
dairy milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cups Cherry Sauce (from recipe
above)
1/2 cup semi-sweet dark chocolate,
shaved (or mini chips)

Crust
2/3 cup almond meal/flour
1/3 cup quinoa flakes
2 1/2 tablespoons buttery spread (I use Earthbalance Soy Free) (or
butter or 1 1/2 T coconut oil might work too)
1/4 cup maple syrup
Tiny pinch salt

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Combine the quartered cherries, 1/4 cup agave, and amaretto in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a simmer, and then lower the heat to sustain a simmer for 10-20 minutes until the cherries soften and just begin to break down (stir occasionally). Taste for sweetness and add more agave if needed. Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water, and then add to the cherries. Bring to a boil, stirring for just a moment, then remove from the heat and set aside 3/4 cup (for the ice cream) and put the rest in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare a deep dish pie pan or 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper on the bottom.

Combine all of the crust ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Spread the sticky batter evenly over the parchment paper (this takes a bit of patience). Bake for 12-16 minutes until the crust is light gold and cooked through but still slightly soft. (Keep your eye on this as nut crusts burn easily.) After it has cooled a bit, place it in the freezer.

In a large saucepan, combine the coconut milk, agave, and hazelnut milk. Heat on medium-high and whisk frequently until it starts to bubble. Reduce heat and simmer for 3–5 minutes.

Add vanilla extract and 3/4 cup Cherry Sauce and chill in the refrigerator for several hours.

Puree the chilled ice cream mixture in a food processor and then pour it into an ice cream maker (use according to the manufacturer’s instructions). Do not over-churn the ice cream; once it is the texture of soft-serve add the chocolate (allow it to mix in), and then transfer it to the prepared crust and chill in the freezer.

Once the pie is firm, serve slices with cherry sauce poured over the top and enjoy!

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I am sharing this recipe on Allergy Free Wednesdays, Wellness Weekend, Whole Food Fridays, and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday

Nutty Seed Bars and a Barn

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For this post I am participating in Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger. I chose to adopt Amber from The Tasty Alternative . She is super friendly and has made my first few weeks as a blogger very fun. In fact she seems fun. (And has a fun font on her blog.) Amber has quite a few recipes that I want to try. I was recently tempted by her Chewy Granola Bars, which I have respectfully renamed Nutty Seed Bars (because my family already has a “Granola Bar” recipe, so I need a different name for the kids).  I made them, and followed the recipe … but I think I should have chopped the nuts a bit smaller. I put a piece of parchment paper over the mixture and tried to “whack it” but that didn’t work so I used a rolling pin- which did the trick! (Also my husband is allergic to walnuts so I subbed in pecans.)

Nutty Seed Bars

Then my daughter and I embarked on a mission to make it cute.

Before I stopped eating sugar I loved decorating ginger bread houses. As soon as I figure out how to make a good “glue” frosting without sugarcane, I will be back to making them at Christmas time. Setting that idea aside for a moment, I decided to try a small Nutty Seed Bar “House”. Then we decided to make it a barn. And my daughter built a fence. And added some animals… She really did a nice job and had a lot of fun.

I reduced honey on the stove-top and mixed that with cashew butter. It made a decent glue. Sort of. It was a hot day and when the sun hit the barn the whole thing collapsed. Just as well because we were going to eat it anyways!

Nutty Seed Barn

As for Amber’s recipe:

The bars taste fantastic. If I made them again I would omit the cranberries. They have a strong flavor and I would rather enjoy the flavor of the apricot and cashew butter. (That’s just me.)

The bars held together well under normal circumstances, but in the heat (we took them on the bike path and it was over 85), they got soft. This happened with the bars I made for my cookbook– but I discovered a solution while testing for the book. Adding a couple tablespoons of coconut sugar to the recipe adds strength and heat resistance. Or, just be happy to eat these delicious bars on a cool house or a bit soft on the bike path (which really is fine!).

Gluten-Free Waffle Cones

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ice cream cones

I always make homemade ice cream and waffle cones for my parties. I think at this point my friends would be disappointed if I didn’t. We just had Strawberry Festival here at my house and the cones were very popular. This is one recipe I must outright brag about. These cones are really great– better than the sugar/gluten version. Really.

I make them small, for the kids, and if the grown-ups want more they can always have seconds. If I have time, it is nice to pour a small bit of melted chocolate into the bottom of a chilled cone. This prevents any leaks out of the bottom and makes the last bite an extra special treat.

Grain-free friends I am working on a recipe for you…

Waffle Cone Recipe
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1 egg (yolk and white)
1 egg white
2 tablespoons oil (I use olive oil)
1/2 cup agave syrup
2/3 cup white rice flour
1.5 tablespoons Namaste Perfect Blend Flour (Other all-purpose gluten-free flours would most likely be the same. Or use 2 tablespoons of rice flour- the cones will be slightly more fragile but not significantly. Alternatively you could add a pinch of arrowroot too.)

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These instructions are specific to the Chef’s Choice Waffle Cone Express. Not because it is the best (although it might be), but because it is the only one I have ever used. Will a Panzanella maker work too? Probably. Will other waffle irons work? No, you need a special flat iron for waffle cones.

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes (very important). Stir.

Preheat the waffle cone iron. Set the heat/browning level to 2.5-3 on the Chef’s Choice (other brands you will need to experiment). Scoop 1 tablespoon of batter onto the center of the iron and gently close the lid. Cook for 2 minutes or until cooked through and golden (waffle irons may vary).

Take the waffle out, shape it with the cone shaper. Press the edge and end tightly to seal the cone. Set it out on a cooling rack.

Repeat 20 times. Yes, this takes almost an hour. I think it is worth the trouble.

Problem solving:

If your cones are too delicate you may need to: rest the batter longer, or add a touch of flour (a teaspoon at a time of all-purpose will usually do the the trick).

Having trouble getting the edges to seal: work faster while they are very hot and use a bit more pressure (be sure to use the shaper or they will collapse).

Shared on Allergy-Free Wednesdays and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday

Blueberry Pound Cupcake and Cookie Monster

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I’m new to the (blogger) neighborhood– sort of. I’ve been around, eating gluten-free for about 6 years, reading gluten-free blogs for about four years, and writing recipes for several years too. But, I never had my own blog … until now. So I’m new. I am introducing myself to my neighbors; joining in the blog hops and online events.

For this post I am participating in Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger. I chose to adopt Shirley from Gluten-Free Easily (her blog is older than mine, but youngsters can adopt in blog-land). I have long admired her blog banner (the alphabet backwards highlighting the gfe- clever right?)  I was also recently inspired by her Coconut Blueberry Pound Cupcakes. So I made them, and followed the recipe exactly …

Pound Cupcake

… then I made it cute. If you type “Cookie Monster Cupcakes” into a search engine you will get about 500 images of similar cupcakes. This is not an originally idea, but it sure is fun! I put my healthy spin on it and used blueberries to color the frosting, apples for the eyes, and raisins for the pupils. I used the batter from the cupcakes to make tiny cookies with cacao nibs (they are a bit fragile). If you have a child with food restrictions, it is really nice to have a recipe like this to turn to.

Cookie Monster

As for Shirley’s recipe:

1) She says the flavor gets better as the cupcakes sit. She is right. Please don’t even bother tasting these for 2 hours. I took a nibble after 20 minutes and was disappointed, then I tried one after a few hours and ended up eating 3. So delicious!

2) They don’t taste like coconut to me. It tastes like pound cake with blueberries, and it is quite sweet.

3) When I make these again I will be adding orange zest and I could see lemon zest being nice another day.

The frosting: sorry no recipe for that; I just pureed coconut butter, coconut shreds, honey, and blueberries (wild frozen berries give the most color) in a food processor. The quantities? I just kept adding stuff until it tasted good. Then I chilled it in the refrigerator to thicken a bit.

Chocolate Leaves

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Chocolate Leaves

I wanted to make chocolate feathers but didn’t have a mold for that. Then, somehow, I got off topic and started daydreaming about making chocolate leaves. It occurred to me that I could use a real leaf as a mold. I got started on the project that afternoon. That’s the kind of person I am- off and running at the first inclining of an art project.

Leaf Close Up

For the plate you see here, I roasted chopped almonds and spread them over the bottom of the plate. Then I poured white chocolate over the nuts. After that set, I poured semi-sweet chocolate over the top. I used chocolate molds from the store for the flowers. I used my recipes for chocolate and white chocolate ( in my cookbook), but you can melt semi-sweet chocolate and use that.

Leaf Close Up

How to Make Chocolate Leaves
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Ingredients:

High Water Content Edible Leaves (I used spinach for this project. I tried strawberry leaves for another project but they did not work so well due to not freezing well)
Melted Chocolate

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Prepare a platter with parchment paper and place the leaves on top. Put the whole thing in the freezer. Give it at least half an hour to freeze.

Dip the frozen leaves carefully in melted (but not hot) chocolate. Only get chocolate on the backside of the leaf. It takes practice. The leaves wilt very quickly so you may want to leave most of them in the freezer and work with one at a time. Place the dipped leaf on the frozen parchment paper (chocolate side up). (I also tried pouring chocolate onto the backside of the leaves, and it worked but was more difficult to control.)

Place the leaves back in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Take them out, let them warm-up for a few minute and the leaves will easily peel off the chocolate.

Some thoughts:

Maybe leaves out of the refrigerator instead of the freezer would work better. I will try that next time.

This is a just for fun activity. If you want a perfect, works every time project, you might not want to play this chocolate leaf game. That being said, these photos are from my first attempt- so it clearly works!

Shared on:

Sweet Tooth Friday