Search Results for: my Favourite Kitchen Tools

Petite Home Baked Kingston Biscuits

Gluten Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free

If you love cookies that offer both chewiness and crunchiness in texture, you are going to love this recipe! These Australian favourites are irresistible chocolate cream filled sandwich cookies. They have not lost their popularity since their 1926 creation by the Arnott Biscuit Company. The cookies are similar to another popular Australian cookie called Anzac Cookies, which have similar ingredients and preparation methods to the Kingston biscuits. These Home Baked Kingston Biscuits adapt very well to gluten-free and dairy-free substitutions. Kingston Biscuits have always been egg-free and nut-free. For the purpose of this post, I am providing the gluten-free and dairy-free version of this recipe.

Kingston Biscuits stacked on a plate | urbnspice.com — Petite-sized Home Baked Kingston Biscuits

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Dairy-Free White Chocolate Eggnog with Cranberry Coulis

By Denise Pare-Watson

The holiday season would not be complete without eggnog. It is typically made with ingredients such as heavy cream, egg yolks, whipped egg whites, spices and, of course, generous amounts of alcohol. I have a love-hate relationship with this holiday drink. Personally, I have always found the off-the-shelf varieties too rich, too sweet, and with too much nutmeg for my taste. The fact that many members of our family are lactose-intolerant also makes this seasonal drink inaccessible. Therefore, my objective for this post is to introduce to you an eggnog that checks all the boxes: dairy-free, nutmeg-free and reduced in sweetness and with a little “something-something” that sets it apart from the rest – namely, Dairy-Free White Chocolate Eggnog with Cranberry Coulis.

Closeup of White Chocolate Eggnog in a Glass | urbnspice.com — Dairy-Free White Chocolate Eggnog with Cranberry Coulis

The addition of white chocolate is not only festive, but it gives a creamy flavour without the cream. I decided to up the game by adding Cranberry Coulis. The thick coulis is drizzled onto the side of the glass and provides a unique look to the drink. Cranberries have a lot of natural pectin so the sauce holds its own on the side of the glass without disappearing or bleeding when you add the eggnog to the glass (see photos). As a bonus, cranberry pairs extremely well with white chocolate. This is a game changer.

Dairy-Free White Chocolate Eggnog with Cranberry Coulis in Bodem Cups | urbnspice.com — Bodum Cups make the perfect vessel for Dairy Free White Chocolate Eggnog

Give this special dairy-free eggnog cocktail a try during the holiday season – you will love it! A sprinkle of nutmeg on top is entirely optional. 🙂

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How to Make the Ultimate Date Oatmeal Squares

By Denise Pare-Watson

Urb’n’Spice Ultimate Recipes Series

In my family, Ultimate Date Oatmeal Squares have a long history. My father-in-law loved these squares and every time we visited, a batch of these squares was always a must-have.

Ultimate Date Oatmeal Squares | urbnspice.com — Ultimate Date Oatmeal Squares

My research indicates that this old-fashioned dessert has been popular for a very long time in Canada, particularly in Western Canada, Quebec and Newfoundland. Date squares are made using layers of oat crumb crust and a date purée filling. These delicious squares are also known as matrimonial cake. I thought that this was an unusual name until I understood the significance of the two layers of oat crumble holding the dates together. Apparently, these layers symbolize the couple courting and then completing that bond in marriage (I suppose it made sense back then).

I have made this recipe for The Ultimate Date Oatmeal Squares for many years. I have always used traditional ingredients such as all-purpose flour, brown sugar and unsalted butter, which always provided a delicious result! In this post, I made modifications to this old fashioned recipe and have adapted it to make a gluten-free and dairy-free version with no loss of flavour, texture or overall appearance. I have provided both recipe versions with the gluten-free and dairy-free ingredients listed first and the traditional ingredients following. Both deliver a great result.

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HOW TO MAKE PAN ROASTED GARLIC PUREE

By Denise Pare-Watson

The Confident Kitchen Series

There are numerous techniques on the Internet and in cookbooks that describe how to roast garlic – almost all of them demonstrate or discuss the traditional oven roasting method. I have prepared roasted garlic this way for many years. However, I always felt that it was a bit wasteful because I could not totally remove all of the sticky, roasted goodness from the heads of garlic. Therefore, knowing How to Make Pan Roasted Garlic Puree is an important skill to learn because it is a simpler process with little or no waste. I will provide you with a step-by-step process which will show you how to peel cloves of garlic in an easy and efficient way, then pan roast the garlic cloves, puree them and then store them. As well, I have provided recipes and ideas regarding how to use the pureed roasted garlic. There are several advantages to this method: one, there is no waste, and two; you end up with a delicious bonus – garlic oil. Let’s get started.

Freezing Roasted Garlic Puree in silicone | urbnspice.com — Puree of Roasted Garlic in silicone trays ready for the freezer

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The Ultimate Caramelized Apple Cake

By Denise Pare-Watson

Urb’n’Spice Ultimate Recipe Series

Homemade apple cake is a favourite any time of the year. What makes it so appealing is the versatility of how these delicious cakes can be served. There is a multitude of apple cake recipes to be found, but I wanted to give you a recipe that kicks up the flavour, texture and versatility up another notch. My Ultimate Caramelized Apple Cake uses a unique technique as well as a distinctive ingredient that is all about building flavour. This special apple cake will be a hit for breakfast, or that next coffee party, or served warm for dessert with softly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You are going to love it as much as we do!

Ultimate Caramelized Apple Cake | urbnspice.com

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How To Make The Best Chili – A Blend and Extend Recipe

By Denise Pare-Watson

Everyones chili preferences are very personal; for example, hot and spicy, meaty, vegetarian – the sky is the limit. Chili maestros will always tell you that they make The Best Chili. Well, I am here to tell you that I make the ‘best chili’ and this is the recipe that will back up that claim! If you have been following my blog, you will know that I have been experimenting with recipes that are ‘Blenditarian’, (also known as ‘Blend-and-Extend’ in Canada). By definition, ground meat recipes are stretched with finely chopped mushrooms. For my version, I add finely chopped vegetables with the mushrooms to create an even more aromatic flavour. This represents a more sustainable and nutritious approach to healthy eating. This all ties in very well with the new Canada Food Guide recommendations of eating less meat and more vegetables. I have created a base called Savoury Meat, Mushroom and Vegetable Blend. This blend (or base) can be used in a wide variety of easy to make recipes.

How to Make the Best Chili | urbnspice.com

In this post, you will learn how to prepare this base blend to utilize it to make a fabulous chili – “The Best Chili”. I make the blend base ahead of time and freeze it in family size portions. Once you have the blend base made, dinner can be on the table in less than ten minutes. Enjoy!

This Meat, Mushroom and Vegetable base can be used to make many dishes such as: Spaghetti Sauce; Sloppy Joes; Taco Salad; Hamburger Soup; Beef, Cheese and Macaroni Casserole; and much more. (Refer to “What Else Can I Do With This Recipe?” Section below to learn more).

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How to Make the Best Waldorf Salad

By Denise Pare-Watson

Food memories provide a vivid sense of fragrances and tastes as well as a clear reminder of the people that we shared them with. I was reminiscing about my Mom the other day. She had a very special gift that involved remembering every visitor’s favourite foods whenever they came over. For example, when Mom received a telephone call from my cousin that she was coming to see her, Mom would busy herself in the kitchen preparing a batch of her favourite coconut tarts. The aromas of the freshly baked tarts filled our home upon her arrival.

How to Make the Best Waldorf Salad | urbnspice.com — Waldorf Salad is a refreshing, flavourful and nutritious salad that generations have enjoyed ever since it was invented in 1896.

My daughters have wonderful food memories of when they visited their grandmother. Mom would always make their favourite – Waldorf Salad. They remember the diced sweet red apple and crunchy celery in a creamy dressing, combined with thinly sliced red grapes and fragrant walnuts that the girls helped crack open with what they considered fascinating tools.

Waldorf Salad has been a family favourite for generations ever since it was first invented by the maître d’ of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City in 1896. You will love the simplicity, flavours and textures of this refreshing salad. I am confident that this easy-to-make tasty and nutritious salad with accessible ingredients will become your family favourite too!

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Feuillette of Chocolate and Strawberry

By Denise Pare-Watson

Feuillette of Chocolate or Strawberry is a unique garnish that can be used for any style of dessert, whether it is a mousse, panna cotta or as in the recipe for A Sweetheart Chocolate Torte with Feuillette, a stunning garnish crown. It has been adapted from recipes utilized in my chef competitions.

This recipe makes just a small amount (a little paste goes a long way); therefore, I find that utilizing a scale (weight in grams or oz.) is the simplest and most accurate method to make the feuillette paste.

Sweetheart Chocolate Torte with Feuillette of Chocolate and Strawberry | urbnspice.com — An eclectic display of Feuillette of Chocolate and Strawberry

The chocolate feuillette paste is made by using cocoa powder for colour and flavour. The garnish’s chocolate flavour is well pronounced in the finished product.

The strawberry feuillette paste is made from dried strawberries. I used my food dehydrator to dry thinly sliced strawberries. This process took about 2 hours to achieve a crisp result. The dried strawberries are then pulverized in a spice grinder.

The strawberry paste made from this powder is delightfully tasty, with just enough texture to create a translucence appearance! My grandchildren say they look like fairy wings, as you can see from the video.

A Feuillet of Strawberry

It is important not to over bake the strawberry feuillette, as they will lose their delicate pink hue. I did not use any food colouring in my feuillette paste recipe; however, you can add a drop or two of pink or red food colouring to achieve the desired colour.

Strawberry Feuillette Paste | urbnspice.com — Feuillette of Strawberry

Feuillet of Strawberry | urbnspice.com — The feuillet of strawberry reminds me of fairy wings – ethereal and translucent

Chocolate Feuillette Paste | urbnspice.com — Feuillette of Chocolate

Feuillette of Chocolate and Strawberry

Yield: approximately 20 feuillette garnish

CHEF TALK:

INGREDIENTS:

21 g all-purpose flour
77 g icing sugar
12 g cocoa powder or strawberry powder
20 ml water
32 g butter, unsalted, melted

METHOD:

Sift the dry ingredients together.
Gradually add the water, then the melted butter. Stir to combine into a smooth paste.
Spread the paste in a thin layer on Silpat baking mats using an off set spatula. Start from the bottom of the feuillet and spread upwards. The bottom will be slightly thicker spreading to a thin imprecise ‘schmear’ (pastry chef slang).
Bake in a 350^oF (325^oF Convection) for 5 – 6 minutes. The feuillette will look bubbly and will not show any moist spots. They will crisp up as they cool.
Allow the feuillette to come to room temperature. Using an off set spatula, slide it under the thickest edge of each feuillet, and slide upwards to lift it gently from the Silpat baking sheet. Line all the feuillette on a cookie rack until you are ready to decorate the torte.

CHEF TIP: These garnishes are very fragile, light and almost see-through delicate. Make as many as you need at a time (make a few extra to allow for breakage). Store any unused paste in a covered container in the refrigerator. Bring the paste to room temperature before using. Store any extra baked feuillette in an airtight container at room temperature. They are excellent crumbled on ice cream, crème brûlée, panna cotta or simply nibble on them.

LEARNING TIPS:

Please CLICK the link above to access my Urb’n’Spice LEARNING TIPS, which are listed alphabetically on the Learning Tips blog post under the following subheadings:

Favourite Kitchen Tools: Spatula
Oven Temperature Accuracy
__________

You Might Also Enjoy these Urb’n’Spice recipes:

A Sweetheart Chocolate Torte with Feuillette

Citrus Sand Cookies

Ricciarelli – An Italian Almond Cookie

Malteser White Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes

How to Make Raspberry Mini Cheesecakes

If you try my recipe for Feuillette of Chocolate and Strawberry dessert garnish, please leave me a comment below with your feedback. Don’t forget to pin this recipe for later!

Denise Paré-Watson

The Urb’n’Spice Chef

Follow me on Social Media

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Did you Make my Recipe?

Tag me @urbnspice on Instagram and hashtag #urbnspice

Caramelized Pineapple with Pistachios, Lime and Coconut

By Denise Pare-Watson

This recipe for Caramelized Pineapple with Pistachios, Lime and Coconut is delightfully flavourful and simple to make. I have made many desserts that include the caramelization of apples, however; caramelizing pineapple is something that I have just started to do and I am very pleased with the result. It emphasizes the flavour of the pineapple! I have used coconut oil (also known as coconut butter), which caramelizes faster than butter and provides the added bonus of being dairy free. This recipe is a wonderful way to use a bit of leftover pineapple (or after making Pineapple Tepache) to make something uniquely delicious for breakfast or brunch or even as a healthy dessert option.

Caramelized Pineapple with Pistachios | urbnspice.com — Caramelized Pineapple with Pistachios, Lime and Coconut

Caramelized Pineapple with Pistachios, Lime and Coconut

Yield: 2 – 4 servings

CHEF TALK: Use fresh or frozen pineapple for this recipe. I had several spears of frozen pineapple to use up. The technique in this recipe worked very well for the frozen fruit. You will note that I used coconut butter and coconut sugar in the recipe, but feel free to substitute butter, cane sugar or brown sugar. I have not tried canned (well drained) pineapple tidbits, however, I think that it would also work well. If you try canned pineapple tidbits, please let me know about your result. Alternatively, diced apple can be substituted for the pineapple if you use an apple that keeps its shape when cooked such as Granny Smith or Honey Crisp. This recipe is gluten free and dairy free – for refined sugar free, substitute maple syrup or honey for the coconut sugar.

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ tablespoons coconut butter or unsalted butter
2 cups diced pineapple (1/2 inch or smaller dice)
2 tablespoons coconut sugar or cane sugar
1/3 cup old-fashioned (whole) oats
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
2 tablespoons coconut shavings
2 tablespoons chopped toasted pistachios

METHOD:

Using a large frying pan, melt the coconut butter over medium heat. Add the diced pineapple, coconut sugar and oats. Toss the mixture together to coat with the coconut butter.
Stir the mixture until the pineapple and oats turn a golden colour (caramelize). Drizzle the mixture with lime juice and lime zest and allow the mixture to cool.
To serve, sprinkle with coconut shavings and chopped toasted pistachios. Caramelized pineapple is delicious served with yogurt for breakfast, or try serving it on top of pannacotta for a delicious gluten-free dessert.

Caramelizing Pineapple | urbnspice.com — Caramelizing the Pineapple

LEARNING TIPS:

Please CLICK the link above to access my Urb’n’Spice LEARNING TIPS, which are listed alphabetically on the Learning Tips blog post under the following subheadings:

Favourite Kitchen Tools: Spatula
Caramelization
__________

You Might Also Enjoy these Urb’n’Spice recipes:

Caramelized Prune Plum Frangipane Galette

Dark Cherry Vanilla Dairy Free Ice Cream

Watermelon Gelée

Greek Yogurt Lemon and Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta

How to Make a Sour (Tart) Cherry Pie

If you try my recipe for Caramelized Pineapple with Pistachios, Lime and Coconut, please leave me a comment with your feedback. Don’t forget to pin this recipe for later!

Denise Paré-Watson

The Urb’n’Spice Chef

Follow me on Social Media

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Did you Make my Recipe?

Tag me @urbnspice on Instagram and hashtag #urbnspice

A Sweetheart Chocolate Torte with Feuillette

By Denise Pare-Watson

My absolutely most favourite holiday is coming up – Valentine’s Day. I am simply an incurable romantic. Valentine’s Day gives me all kinds of reasons to get creative with desserts for two. This year, I have developed a rather whimsical Sweetheart Chocolate Torte with Feuillette of Chocolate and Strawberry. The torte has a deliciously chocolate flavour because it uses both bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate to create a rich and dense dessert that can only be described as memorable. This little torte would also be an excellent choice for an anniversary celebration or for a chocoholic’s birthday.

To take this little torte over the top, I made a tasty garnish that is like edible paper. I often made this garnish when competing in dessert competitions because it is somewhat unusual. It is easy to make and delicious to nibble on. It is a very delicate yet striking garnish. For this torte, the feuillette garnish is constructed on the topping while the ganache is still soft. As the ganache sets up, it secures the edible paper in place, creating a crown of sorts. Try this Sweetheart Chocolate Torte together with the Feuillette of Chocolate or Strawberry – it is unforgettable.

The torte is not difficult to make but does require three distinct steps: the chocolate pastry; the bittersweet chocolate filling and finally, the shiny semi-sweet chocolate ganache topping. The torte is lovely with just the shiny ganache topping but can be gorgeous with a simple baby rose or two on top, or you can make the feuillette of chocolate or strawberry (the recipe is included below).

A Sweetheart Chocolate Torte with Feuillette of Chocolate and Strawberry

Yield: one 5 – 6-inch torte

INGREDIENTS:

The Chocolate Pastry:

½ cup (62 g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (30 g) sugar
1 ½ tablespoons (10 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons (26 g) unsalted butter
1 egg

The Chocolate Filling:

8 oz. (226 g) bittersweet chocolate
½ cup (125 ml) heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 tablespoon (15 ml) brandy

The Chocolate Ganache Glaze:

8 oz. (226 g) semisweet chocolate
½ cup (125 ml) heavy whipping cream

METHOD:

For the Chocolate Pastry:

Preheat the oven to 350^oF. Set the rack in the middle of the oven.
Prepare the 5 or 6-inch springform pan by greasing the bottom and the sides. Cut a circle of parchment for the bottom and strips of parchment for the sides of the springform pan.
Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Work in the butter.
Beat the egg with a fork and work into the mixture. Press the mixture into the prepared spring form pan.
Bake for 10 minutes or until the pastry is set. Cool the pastry in the pan while you are preparing the filling. The filling is placed on top of the cooled chocolate pastry crust.

For the Chocolate Filling:

Cut the bittersweet chocolate into small pieces and place them into a medium-size bowl.
Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to melt before stirring with a spatula until smooth.
Cover and leave at room temperature until the mixture starts to set (it should be about the consistency of toothpaste). This will take about 30 minutes, depending on the room temperature.
Using a mixer with a paddle or a whisk attachment, beat the chocolate mixture on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the brandy and beat to incorporate.
Spread the filling over the cooled chocolate pastry. Using an offset spatula, level the top of the filling. Refrigerate the torte for at least one hour. Remove from the refrigerator when you are ready to prepare the glaze.
Remove the cake from the springform pan, peeling the parchment paper from the sides and bottom of the torte. Place the torte on a cookie rack over a baking sheet. Prepare the glaze.

For the Chocolate Ganache Glaze:

Cut the semi-sweet chocolate finely and place it in a medium size bowl.
Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to melt before stirring with a spatula until smooth.
Pour the glaze over the torte; making sure that the entire cake is covered.

The Feuillette of Chocolate and Strawberry

While it is not essential to garnish the cake with the feuillette, I think that you would enjoy the experience of making this unique garnish. You will need a scale to make the paste. The chocolate feuillette paste is made using cocoa powder. I made the strawberry feuillette paste using a powder made from pulverizing dried strawberries in my coffee grinder (I used my food dehydrator to dry thinly sliced strawberries, which took about two hours to dry to a crisp in my dehydrator). The subsequent strawberry paste made from this powder is delightfully tasty! Take care not to over bake the strawberry feuillette as they will lose their delicate pink hue. I did not use any food colouring in my paste recipe, however, you can add a drop or two of pink or red food colouring to achieve the desired colour.

A closeup of the feuillet of strawberry

INGREDIENTS:

21 g all-purpose flour
77 g icing sugar
12 g cocoa powder or strawberry powder
20 ml water
32 g butter, unsalted, melted

METHOD:

Sift the dry ingredients together.
Gradually add the water, then the melted butter. Stir to combine into a smooth paste.
Spread the paste in a thin layer on Silpat baking mats using an offset spatula. Start from the bottom of the feuillet and spread upwards. The bottom will be slightly thicker spreading to a thin imprecise ‘schmear’ (pastry chef slang).
Bake in a 350^oF (325^oF Convection) for 5 – 6 minutes. The feuillette will look bubbly and will not have any moist spots. They will crisp up as they cool.
Allow the feuillette to come to room temperature. Using an offset spatula, slide it under the thickest edge of each feuillet, and slide upwards to lift it gently from the Silpat baking sheet. Place the feuillette gently on a cookie rack until you are ready to decorate the torte. CHEF TIP: These garnishes are very fragile, light and almost see-through delicate. Make as many as you need at a time (make a few extra to allow for breakage). Store any unused paste in a covered container in the refrigerator. Bring the paste to room temperature before using.
To Decorate: Decorate the torte with feuillette while the glaze is still moist. Place the feuillette randomly on top, alternating between the chocolate and the strawberry feuillette, setting the next feuillet to hold up the previous one. If you have a few dried strawberries remaining, decorate the sides of the cake, if desired. Allow the ganache topping to set at room temperature. CHEF TIP: The chocolate torte (and any chocolate cake) is best served room temperature. The feuillette are best used the day that you make them. They will remain crisp and papery when decorated close to the time that you serve the cake.
Refrigerate any leftovers.

LEARNING TIPS:

Please CLICK the link above to access my Urb’n’Spice LEARNING TIPS, which are listed alphabetically on the Learning Tips blog post under the following subheadings:

Parchment Paper
Favourite Kitchen Tools: Spatula
Extracts: Vanilla Extract
Cutting Tarts and Cakes
Oven Temperature Accuracy
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You Might Also Enjoy these Urb’n’Spice recipes:

An Irresistible Valentine

Silky Strawberry Balsamic Soup with Yogurt Drizzle

Decadent Dark Chocolate Tarte

Raspberry Mini Cheesecakes

A Unique Cheesecake: Double Chocolate Raspberry Torte Cheesecake with Chocolate Pecan Crust

White Chocolate Vanilla Bean Mini Cheesecakes with Gluten Free Crust

Lavender Rose Mini Cheesecakes

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

If you try my recipe for Sweetheart Chocolate Torte with Feuillette of Chocolate and Strawberry, please leave me a comment below with your feedback. Tag me @urbnspice on Instagram and hashtag #urbnspice Don’t forget to pin this recipe for later!

Denise Paré-Watson

The Urb’n’Spice Chef

Follow me on Social Media

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

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