I made these once with a friend's amazing slowcooker raspberry jam. This time I had strawberry jam I really wanted to use up, not extra special gifted stuff, so I felt a whole lot better about using it in another cooking process rather than appreciating it for its essential … [Read more...] about Gluten-free, Vegan Strawberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies
Desserts
Green Smoothies 101: Apple, orange, kale, pineapple, soaked dates, and magical(?) spirulina
I had a chat with a green smoothie-lover from Crudessence in Montreal about variations on a green theme. I'm going to say upfront that I'm not a huge fan of green smoothies. Or, I wasn't for a long time. The idea of using a lot of high sugar fruit to mask the flavour of healthy, … [Read more...] about Green Smoothies 101: Apple, orange, kale, pineapple, soaked dates, and magical(?) spirulina
Deconstructed Banana Cream Pie: Layered Vanilla-Almond Custard with Banana Ice Cream and Meringue
You can also make these in individual mason jars for a dinner party, or in one large casserole dish. Either way, you'll need: 1 recipe vanilla-almond custard 2 fresh bananas, sliced 1 recipe banana ice cream 1 recipe meringue Vanilla-Almond Custard 6 tbsp sugar or mild honey … [Read more...] about Deconstructed Banana Cream Pie: Layered Vanilla-Almond Custard with Banana Ice Cream and Meringue
Mazamorra Morada – Purple Corn and Pineapple Pudding
This one is a little tough to make in North America, what with our lack of purple Peruvian corn. In Peru, however, it's one almost every restaurant's dessert menu. It's a thick pudding made from boiled down corn and pineapple husks with tons of dried and fresh fruit, sugar, and … [Read more...] about Mazamorra Morada – Purple Corn and Pineapple Pudding
Flambéed Plantains and Figs with Rum and Cinnamon
I met an Australian surfer in Lima at The House Project. He hit the water morning and evening almost every day for the three weeks or so that I knew him. We never really had a conversation until I saw him carrying a bottle of rum and a lighter. That wasn't so unusual, but then I … [Read more...] about Flambéed Plantains and Figs with Rum and Cinnamon
Peruvian Desserts: Layered dairy-free dos leches (two milks) cake with caramel dulce de leche and coconut whipped cream
This one is a bit tricky. You need a lot of time, patience, and desire, but I think the pay-off is worth it. If you don't like the taste of coconut, make the dulce de leche with all almond milk, but know that it will take much longer to thicken (maybe an extra half hour or 45 … [Read more...] about Peruvian Desserts: Layered dairy-free dos leches (two milks) cake with caramel dulce de leche and coconut whipped cream
Desserts (Photos and Recipes) from the Christmas Fiesta Volk/Watson Extravaganza: Dairy-free Suspiro de Limena
Suspiro de Limena (The sigh of a woman from Lima - caramel mousse with port and Italian meringue): This recipe comes originally from The Art of Peruvian Cuisine, but it had a few surgeries to get it to its dairy-free version for the Fiest-themed Volk/Watson Christmas … [Read more...] about Desserts (Photos and Recipes) from the Christmas Fiesta Volk/Watson Extravaganza: Dairy-free Suspiro de Limena
Going Home Cookies: Gingerbread
The Globe and Mail had a recipe for gingerbread a few weeks ago and it felt like the correct season to give it a try. Also, I was just finishing up my buckwheat cookies that I'd been eating daily with my roasted French chestnuts that my new roommate brought me from Burgundy. His … [Read more...] about Going Home Cookies: Gingerbread
Gumdrop Cookies Without the Gumdrops
These are the second in a series of "without the..." cookies. The first were chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips, and now we have my Grandma's famous gumdrop cookies without the gumdrops. I did not make these gluten-free or dairy-free since I had a chunk of butter … [Read more...] about Gumdrop Cookies Without the Gumdrops
Not So “Flat and Chewy” Chocolate Chip Cookies, and a Better, Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip-less Version
So there are chocolate cookies and there are oatmeal cookies and there are shortbread cookies, but then there are just cookies. I mean, I made cookies without oats, without chocolate chips, but with more ingredients than your average shortbread. So what do I call them? I'd call … [Read more...] about Not So “Flat and Chewy” Chocolate Chip Cookies, and a Better, Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip-less Version