Author Archives: tinysweettooth

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

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I haven’t baked a whole cake for a long time. This one turned out pretty good!

  • 1 + 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese at room temperature
  • 2 + 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 + 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 + 1/2 cup cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  1. Preheat oven to 325 ºF
  2. Grease and flour cake or loaf pans
  3. Sift together both flours and salt, set aside
  4. Using and electric mixer with paddle attachment,cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy
  5. Add eggs, one at a time, mix until blended
  6. Add vanilla
  7. Add flour mixture in 2 to 3 portions, mix until well blended, scraping sides of bowl
  8. Pour batter in pan and bake for about 75 to 90 minutes, toothpick should come out clean when inserted into centre (You can cover top slightly with tin foil for the last 15 to 20 minutes if it browns too quickly)
  9. Cool in pan for about 10 to 15 minutes before taking cake out , then on rack until completely cooled

You can serve it with fruits, caramel or chocolate syrups. You can even warm a piece up slightly and put ice cream on top !

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies

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My daughter loves peanut butter. This is especially for her!

Makes about 30 cookies

  • 200 g creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 and 1/4 cup all-purposed flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F
  2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
  3. Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream peanut butter, butter and both sugars until blended
  4. Add vanilla and egg
  5. Add flour mixture in 2 to 3 portions and mix well, scraping sides of bowl
  6. Stir in chocolate chips
  7. Place tablespoonful of dough on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing about 2 inches apart
    (You can shape them by gently rolling them into balls)
  8. Bake for about 13 minutes, rotating baking sheets half way through
  9. Cool on baking sheets for about 5 minutes then transfer to rack to cool completely

Kale Smoothie

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This healthy smoothie is packed with nutrients and taste!

Makes about 3-4 servings

  • 100 g fresh kale leaves
  • 100 g fresh or frozen mangoes
  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup apple juice
  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 3 tablespoons honey

Blend everything in a blender and that’s it !

Chocolate Pudding

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So rich and creamy……I licked my whisk and spatula so clean that they didn’t really need washing  🙂

Makes 4-6 servings

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  1. Mix cocoa powder, sugar, cornstarch and salt together in a non-stick pot or pan
  2. Mix in 1/2 cup of milk, place on low to medium heat
  3. Slowly whisk in remaining milk, stirring constantly
  4. Cook until thickened, do not boil
  5. Add in chocolate chips,  stir until melted
  6. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract
  7. Pour in ramekins or containers of your choice
  8. Serve warm or cold (chilled in fridge )

Mini Cheese Cake

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This is a great dessert.  You can add your favourite toppings or make it into a marble cheesecake. They are so yummy that my daughter ate 3 of them in a day !! 

Makes about 12

For the crust

  • 3/4 cup honey graham crumbs
  • 1 + 1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter,  melted
  1. Line muffin tray with muffin liners
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F
  3. Mix graham crumbs and brown sugar together
  4. Add butter and mix well
  5. Put one heaping tablespoon of mixture into each muffin cups and press firmly
  6. Bake for about 8 minutes, set aside to cool

For the filling

  • 1 package (8 oz) of plain cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg
  1. Reduce oven heat to 325°F
  2. Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment,  beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until light and smooth
  3. Add vanilla,  flour and egg, mix until blended
  4. Put about 2 tablespoons of cream cheese mixture in each muffin cup and bake for about 18-20 minutes until set
  5. Cool in muffin tray,  then on rack
  6. Refrigerate for about 4 hours
  7. Top with your favourite syrups or fruit jams

For the marble cheese cake

  1. Melt about 1 oz of semi-sweet chocolate in a double boiler or microwave
  2. After putting cream cheese mixture in muffin cups, put 1 to 2 drops of melted chocolate in centre (before baking)
  3. Swirl chocolate around with a small knife

Little Palmiers

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This is one of my favourite pastry treat.

Makes about 30

  • 1 box store-bought puff pastry
    (Two 10 inch x 10 inch sheets ), thawed
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F
  2. Sprinkle some sugar evenly on a work surface
  3. Place 1 sheet of pastry on top of sugar, press gently
  4. Sprinkle with more sugar on top
  5. Fold 2 opposite sides to meet in the middle, press gently, fold each side towards centre again, then fold 2 sides together, it will form a log.  Repeat with other sheet of pastry
  6. With a sharp knife, cut dough crosswise into 1/2 ” thick pieces
  7. Dip the cut side of each piece in sugar
  8. Place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart (no sugar side down)
  9. Bake for about 15 minutes or until slightly golden
  10. Cool on baking sheets for about 5 minutes then transfer to racks until completely cooled

If dough is too soft to cut after roll up, wrap and put in freezer for about 30 minutes before cutting

 

Strawberry Yoghurt Parfait

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This can be breakfast, snack, dessert….whenever you want.  It’s easy, healthy and tasty !

Makes 2 to 3 servings

  • 1/2 cup granola
  • 1 cup vanilla flavour Greek yoghurt
  • 1 cup fresh strawberries, cut
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons honey
  1. Coat strawberries with honey
  2. Layer ingredients in glass, enjoy!

You can use any fruits you like, blueberries, banana, peaches, etc.

Savory Phyllo Wraps

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This is not a sweet treat, but I got approval from the tiniest sweet tooth in my house (my daughter) to post it. You can actually put any fillings in them, salty or sweet.

Makes about 8

  • 4 sheet phyllo pastry, thawed
  • 1 large baking potato
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon garlic and herb cream cheese spread
  • 4 tablespoons milk
  • 4 to 6 strips of bacon, cut into small pieces
  • Seasoning salt, to your taste
  1. Cook bacon in non-stick pan over low to medium heat until crispy, put on paper towel to drain
  2. Peel, cut potato into big chunks and put in boiling water, cook until tender, about 20 minutes
  3. Drain and mash potato, add 1 tablespoon of butter, milk, cream cheese and seasoning salt, mix well
  4. Add bacon into mashed potato
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F
  6. Place 1 sheet of phyllo sheet flat, brush lightly with remaining melted butter, put a second sheet on top and brush again with butter. Repeat with 2 more sheets of phyllo
  7. Cut phyllo stack into 8 squares, (about 6 inch x 6 inch each), place each piece into a muffin cup, spoon filling into cup, fold edges over and press gently
  8. Brush top with butter
  9. Bake for about 20 minutes or until slightly golden brown

When cooking the bacon, you can save the bacon fat and mix it into the mashed potato instead of the butter.

Fruit Juice Jello

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I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like jello, even my dad likes them !  You can enjoy them without adding any artificial colours or flavours.

  • 4 cups pure fruit juice (mango, grape, apple, etc)
  • 4 envelopes or tablespoons of unflavoured gelatin powder
  • Honey or sugar to sweeten if needed
  1. In a large bowl, sprinkle gelatin powder over 1 cup of fruit juice, let sit for a few minutes
  2. Heat the other 3 cups of juice over medium heat until boil
  3. Pour boiled juice into gelatin mixture and stir until gelatin completely dissolved
  4. Add honey or sugar according to your taste if needed
  5. Pour into molds or small cups and put in fridge until set, overnight or about 3 hours, enjoy!

Try to use sweeter juices like mango or pear, so you don’t even need to add sugar.  Dip bottom of molds in warm water for a few seconds for easy removal.

 

No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

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These cookies are not the most good-looking ones, but they are surely chewy and tasty!

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 and 1/2 cup quick oats
  1. Melt butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat
  2. Add milk, sugar and cocoa powder, stirring constantly until smooth
  3. Heat until boil for 1 minute
  4. Remove from heat, mix in vanilla extract
  5. Stir in oats
  6. Place tablespoonfuls on baking sheets or trays lined with waxed or parchment paper
  7. Cool in fridge until hardened, about 1 hour, enjoy! 

The cookies are best kept in the fridge.