Pumpkin Cream Pie w/ a Ginger Cookie Crust
Posted: November 29, 2011 Filed under: Cookies, Dessert, Holiday, The Smart Cookie Cook, Vegetarian | Tags: baking, Christmas, dessert, holiday, pie, pumpkin, sweets, Thanksgiving 8 Comments »
If you’re one of those people who only eats pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, then this post may upset you. I have three words of condolence: get over it! Sorry to be brash, but for me, pumpkin season is from October (possibly September as well) until the end of December. Moreover, there are many folks who enjoy pumpkin pie on both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Pumpkin-palooza is far from over. If I had it my way, we’d be eating pumpkin all year-long! For now, 3-4 months a year will have to do.
Pumpkin pie is good. Is it amazing? Eh, not in my book at least. I love a good slice on Thanksgiving, but it’s not my favorite pumpkin product. And I know there are a lot of folks who don’t like pumpkin pie at all. The texture can be a bit off-putting for some. The possibility that holiday dinner guests may have a distaste for pumpkin leads many people to make multiple pies to please multiple palates. But what if there was a light, fluffy, creamy pumpkin pie to please even the pickiest pumpkin pie haters?
Good news, my little cookies: there is.
Allow me to introduce you to Pumpkin Cream Pie with a Ginger Cookie Crust.
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Nutty Coconut Fudge
Posted: November 8, 2011 Filed under: Candy, Dessert, Snacks, The Smart Cookie Cook | Tags: candy, chocolate, coconut, dessert, food, fudge, gifts, nuts, sweets 16 Comments »
I always though fudge was one of those things that everybody likes. It’s sweet, decadent, chocolatey, and generally unoffensive. Of course, when you have preconceived notions like this, it’s not uncommon that someone comes along and proves you wrong.
Enter: my mother.
As you may have heard when reading about my White Chocolate-Walnut Blondies with Maple Butter Sauce, my mother is not a big fan of sweets. It took those delicious blondies to truly thrill her. And when it comes to fudge, she finds it repulsive. “It’s too sweet,” she says. I say she’s nuts. Nuts like this fudge. (Get it? It’s Nutty Coconut Fudge!…yeah, sorry).
Now, when you come across disagreements such as this, my little cookies, there is good news. So-and-so doesn’t like a food you find to be delicious? That’s totally okay, and I can give you three words that explain why:
More for me.
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White Chocolate-Walnut Blondies w/ Maple Butter Sauce
Posted: November 7, 2011 Filed under: Cookies, Dessert, Ice Cream, Snacks, The Smart Cookie Cook, Vegetarian | Tags: baking, blondies, dessert, food, Ice cream, maple, nuts, snack, sweets, white chocolate 6 Comments »
There are two kinds of people in this world: the ones with an insatiable sweet tooth, and the ones who could care less about dessert. If you’re a dessert junky like myself, then you’ve often pondered how the latter category can exist. How can anyone not be obsessed with sweets??? They’re so delicious and…sweet! But those people are out there, my little cookies, and, chances are, you know a couple of them. You might even be one yourself.
In most cases, it’s not that those people are dessert-haters; it’s just that they can live without it (although, there are some people who really just don’t like sweets, and they are a complete and utter mystery to me). If you’re like me, then you can’t imagine a life without dessert; it’d be like a life without love. But we must be respectful of each other’s eating preferences and, therefore, not force sweets upon those who do not have the sweet tooth.
My sweet tooth took some time to grow in. I would eat dessert from time to time when I was younger, and I would enjoy it, but my ability to go to sleep at night didn’t rely on whether or not I’d eaten dessert. I can’t pinpoint the exact moment at which this changed; all I know is that dessert gets me through the day. And, as much I LOVE cooking, I will always love baking a little bit more.
Ever since my sweet tooth came in, I’ve been participating in an ongoing battle with my mother. You see, she’s one of those people, the kind who doesn’t care much for sweets. She’s just not a dessert person (her words, not mine). It always disappoints me a little when I bake and she doesn’t get as excited as I do. She always loves my sweet treats, don’t get me wrong. But it doesn’t elicit the same reaction as it would’ve if I’d made her a cheeseburger instead.
With the exception of when I made my Soft Pumpkin Cookies, I’ve always found it hard to excite my mother when it came to desserts. I’d pretty much given up on her and just accepted that she would never care for dessert, that is, until I made these blondies.
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Apple Cider Pound Cake w/ Sweet Cinnamon Glaze
Posted: October 17, 2011 Filed under: Dessert, Holiday, Snacks, The Smart Cookie Cook, Vegetarian | Tags: apples, baking, cake, cinnamon, dessert, nuts, pound cake, sweets 22 Comments »
There are many kinds of cakes in this world. I’m not talking about vanilla, chocolate, sponge cake, pound cake, birthday cake and the like; I’m talking about the overall demeanor that a cake possesses: mighty, intimidating, tall, enormous, elegant, petite, dainty, light, dense, sophisticated…you get the picture. It’s that feeling that halos a cake when it’s sitting atop a cake stand, tucked inside its paper lining, or perched upon a dessert plate.
Of all these descriptions, only one is befitting of this Apple Cider Pound Cake w/ Sweet Cinnamon Glaze: glorious. This cake is glorious.
With just one look, a beam of sunlight shines directly onto the cake just as an angelic chorus swells in the background. What can I say? It’s a beautiful cake.
But it’s not just on the outside that this cake shines. There is one reason, and one reason only, that I make this Apple Cider Pound Cake every year around this time: it is darn good. It is so moist and delicious, just as a pound cake should be. Moreover, the apple cider provides a heavenly apple accent that’s subtle, but unmistakably present. The cider is further complimented by a beautiful blend of spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and clove. This creates a warm, sweet, and spicy harmony. The taste of these comforting spices reminds you of Fall time, the holidays, and treats your grandma used to make.
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Healthy Cookie: Classic Creme Brulee (104 calories!)
Posted: September 27, 2011 Filed under: Dessert, Healthy, Low-Cal, The Smart Cookie Cook, Vegetarian | Tags: creme brulee, custard, dessert, diet, food, healthy, low calorie, low fat, Sugar, sweets 6 Comments »
Creme brulee is a sultry, sophisticated dessert. It frequents fancy restaurant menus and romantic dinners for two. It’s creamy and luscious in the middle with a crisp, golden brown sugar topping that offers a satisfying crackle to each bite. Its flavor is not complex, just classic, indulgent vanilla. With that caramelized sugar top, creme brulee is an impressive and divine dessert.
The funny thing about creme brulee is that it’s actually insanely simple to make. You whip up the custard (super easy), bake it until it sets (cake), then top it with the sugar and caramelize it (simple). The best part is, you can make the custards ahead of time then refrigerate until you’re ready to serve! You can choose to wait until serving to top them with the sugar or do it before refrigeration; it doesn’t matter.
Oh wait…I forgot. There’s a major downside to creme brulee: it’s not calorie-friendly.
Or at least, it wasn’t. Thanks to that genius Hungry Girl, we can now enjoy all the creamy, heavenly indulgence of a creme brulee without the guilt. These creme brulees are only 104 calories each! Yes, 104 calories! Try and tell me that’s not insanely awesome. And they’re SO GOOD. They have a perfect creamy texture plus a beautiful crackling sugar topping. If no one told you it was low-cal, you’d never know. It’s as good as any other creme brulee out there. You need this in your life.
