Category Archives: Other desserts and treats

Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

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This can be used as a fruit dip or topping for your pancakes, waffles, pies and crepes.  The cream cheese makes it extra creamy and tasty!

Makes about 3 cups
Total time = 15 minutes

  • 1 cup whipping cream (cold)
  • 100 g cream cheese
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons icing sugar (adjust to your own taste)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  1. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese,  sugar and vanilla until fluffy
  2. Whisk whipping cream until thick and creamy
  3. Gently mix whipped cream and cream cheese until smooth
  4. Keep in refrigerator

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

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There are so many recipes you can do with pumpkins, sweet or savory. They are not only for carving and making jack-o’-lantern ! Freshly made pumpkin puree tastes much better than canned and it costs less.  Use it to make your muffins, pies, cheesecakes, soup, etc.  You can also save the seeds and roast them with olive oil and salt for a healthy treat !

Makes about 2-3 cups puree

  • Two medium-sized pumpkins
  1. Preheat oven to 375ºF
  2. Wash pumpkins, cut stems off, scrape out seeds and fibre
  3. Cut pumpkins into large pieces
  4. Bake on baking sheets lined with parchment paper for about 45 minutes until fork-tender
  5. Remove skin, puree with blender

It can be stored in the fridge for up to one week.

Simple Crepes

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Crepe is actually very easy to make. You can have it anytime of the day. You can serve it with fresh fruits and whipped cream, nutella, even ham and cheese !  It can be quite expensive if you eat it in a restaurant or even just at a food court.  So why not make it fresh at home !

Makes about 6 crepes

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 eggs (beaten)
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1+1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter (melted)
  1. Mix flour, sugar and salt
  2. Whisk in eggs, milk and butter until smooth
  3. On a lightly oiled non-stick pan or skillet,  pour about 1/4 cup of batter gently swirl pan to coat thinly and evenly
  4. Cook until bottom starts to turn brown, about 1 minute
  5. Loosen sides with a spatula, flip crepe over, cook the other side
  6. Serve with fillings of your choice

You can make the batter ahead and keep it in fridge for up to 2 days.

Mango Mousse

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My parents were on a cruise ship last week and they brought back two beautiful shot glasses for me. Then I thought, what can I put in these glasses besides wine…….Mousse was the first thing that came to my mind.  When I was grocery shopping yesterday, I found some nice mangoes, so here it is ! A creamy mousse with a refreshing flavour.

Makes about 6 servings

  • 200 gram fresh mango puree
  • 4 tablespoons granulated sugar (adjust to your own taste)
  • 1 cup whipping cream (cold)
  1. Put a stainless steel bowl in freezer for about 15 minutes
  2. Heat mango puree and sugar in a non-stick pot over low heat until sugar dissolved, let cool
  3. Using an electric or hand-held mixer, whisk cream in cold bowl until thick and creamy
  4. Gently mix mango puree and whipped cream until smooth
  5. Chill and serve

Tiramisu in a Glass

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This is a quick and simplified version of tiramisu.  You can put it in a nice wine glass and I am sure your dinner guests will be impressed !

  • 1 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 1/4 cup icing sugar
  • 1 tablespoon instant coffee
  • 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar if desire
  • 6-8 lady fingers
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  1. Dissolve coffee in about 2 tablespoons of hot water, add a teaspoon of granulated sugar to sweeten slightly if desire, place coffee in a shallow plate
  2. Cut lady fingers in smaller pieces to fit in glass
  3. Beat cheese and sugar together for about 3 minutes until creamy and smooth
  4. Dip lady fingers into coffee
  5. Layer cheese, lady fingers, cocoa powder in glass

If you cannot find mascarpone cheese, you can substitute it with cream cheese. You can dip the lady fingers for a longer time in the coffee if you want a stronger coffee taste.  

Chocolate Truffles

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I am a big chocoholic, and I do mean BIG! One thing my house never runs out of is chocolate. Whether I am in a good or bad mood, I have to eat it!  Maybe that’s not a very good thing……but it makes me happy!  That’s all that matters!

Makes about 16 -20 truffles

  • 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder or coatings of choice (e.g. shredded coconut, crushed nuts, sprinkles)
  1. Pour whipping cream in a non-stick pot over medium heat until simmering 
  2. Pour hot cream over chocolate, let sit for one minute, add vanilla
  3. Stir until chocolate melted and smooth
  4. Cool, then put in fridge for about 2 hours
  5. With the help of a melon scooper or a teaspoon, roughly shape about 2 teaspoons each into balls
  6. Put them back in the fridge for another 2 hours or overnight
  7. Shape into round balls with hands, then roll over unsweetened cocoa powder or other coatings of choice
  8. Keep in fridge

If the chocolate doesn’t melt completely with the hot cream, you can put it over a pan of simmering water for a few minutes

Easy Apple Chips

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School is starting soon, this is an easy homemade snack that the kids can bring to school. It’s very healthy and you don’t need to worry about nut allergies. You can just bake the apples plain or flavour them lightly with sugar and cinnamon. They store well, so you can make a big batch and keep them in an airtight container.

  • 2-3 apples, any kind
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, if desired
  • 4 teaspoons granulated sugar, if desired
  1. Preheat oven to 200 ºF
  2. Mix cinnamon and sugar
  3. Wash, core and cut apples into thin slices
  4. Place slices on baking sheets lined with parchment paper
  5. Sprinkle top lightly with cinnamon sugar, if preferred
  6. Bake for about 1 hour, flip them over, sprinkle other side with cinnamon sugar, then bake for another 1 to 1+1/2 hour
  7. Cool completely and store in airtight container

Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream (without an ice cream maker)

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Can’t believe summer is almost over ! So I thought I would treat my kids and myself with some homemade ice cream.  With a few rejected tubs still sitting in my freezer, I finally got the right taste !  Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Makes about 1 L

  • 2 cups whipping cream
  • 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
  • 1/4 unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  1. Put a stainless steel or glass mixing bowl in freezer for about 15 minutes
  2. Put chocolate, condensed milk and cocoa powder in a bowl over a pot of simmering water
  3. Stir until chocolate melted and smooth, cool slightly
  4. Whisk cream in cold mixing bowl using an electric mixer at medium speed until frothy, add in vanilla
  5. Increase speed to high and beat until creamy and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes
  6. Gently whisk in 1/2 cup of cream into chocolate mixture, then the remaining in 2 to 3 portions, mix well, texture should look like melted ice cream
  7. Pour into container and freeze until set

No Bake Granola Bites

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A quick, easy and healthy snack. You can use any dried fruits or nuts that you like.  If you don’t want to use peanut butter, you can substitute it with almond or sunflower butter.

Makes about 16 bites

  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 to 6 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup quick oats
  • 1/2 cup crisp rice cereal
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
  1. Mix melted butter, peanut butter, honey and vanilla extract
  2. Mix oats, rice cereal, chocolate chips, cranberries and flaxseed
  3. Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until blended
  4. Roll into small balls, place on parchment paper
  5. Keep in refrigerator for up to 1 week

Blueberry Flaxseed Smoothie

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I love blueberries !  They are so tasty and healthy.  You can eat them fresh or put them in muffins, pies, smoothies, jam, etc.  I also like to freeze some at  the end of summer, so I can still enjoy them during the winter months.  I have added some ground flaxseed in this recipe.  Flaxseed is an excellent source of omega fatty acids and fibre.  It makes a great nutritious drink after my workout. 

Makes 2-3 servings

  • 200 g fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup vanilla flavour Greek yoghurt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds

Blend all ingredients together,  serve immediately