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Homemade Chocolates

This is a public service announcement to the men of the world. Listen closely, boys, because I’m only going to remind you of this one time. Are you ready? Here it goes:

Next Tuesday, February 14th, is Valentine’s Day. DO. NOT. BLOW IT.

On Valentine’s Day

Back in high school, performance on Valentine’s Day was everything. Giant teddy bear? Check. Heart shaped balloons and bouquets of carnations? Check, check. Brian McKnight/ KC and JoJo mix tapes and folded loves notes shoved through the vent of your locker? Might as well be the boyfriend starter kit.

Once you get to college, things escalate a bit. Dinner dates, rose bouquets, and jewelry are the new gifting norms, although, if you can land a guy who opts for concert tickets and cooking classes, YOU ARE WINNING AT EVERYTHING.

Unfortunately, after college and into adulthood, Valentine’s Day loses a bit of its luster. Babysitters are impossible to book, restaurants are too crowded, and somehow, husbands think items like dustbusters and shower curtain liners qualify as legitimate gift options (they don’t, BTW). It’s no wonder that people get fed up with Valentine’s Day. What’s there to love about overpriced retail gimmicks and packing into movie theaters with a bunch of hormonal, sweaty-palmed middle schoolers whose moms think they’re watching the newest Pixar film with their “friends” (they’re not, BTW).

A Tip to the Guys

Guys, I’m going to break it down for you as plainly as I can. Please, let me make it simple for you. Are you ready?

EVERY GIRL LIKES VALENTINE’S DAY.

Yep. You heard me right. That includes your girlfriend who boycotts Hallmark and laughs at the nervous kid wearing a tie and sport coat to his first date. It includes your wife who claims flowers are a waste of money, but gives you the silent treatment when you come home empty handed. And it evens includes the gal who begs you not to give her a gift and says you celebrate her love every other day of the year.

No matter what they tell you, every woman wants a gesture of love on Valentine’s Day, and I know this will come as a shock to you husbands out there, but it almost always has nothing to do with… *cough* you know what. (Literally, the brains of guys everywhere are spontaneously combusting right now.)

What Women Really Want

You know what we want? We want chocolate. And not just any average heart-shaped, store bought, golden box of chocolates. We want delicious, melt in your mouth homemade chocolates, made by the sweat of your brow and at the expense of your time spent with a remote in your hand. Specifically, we want these bourbon pecan, peanut butter cup, and coconut almond chocolates. There. Now you know. So let’s get to it.

Homemade Chocolates

These homemade chocolates are no bake and are made with just a few basic store bought ingredients. I decided to include a few variations of homemade chocolates so that there’s an option for almost everyone, but primarily so that the overachiever boyfriends can impress their ladies with an assortment of all three. But girls, don’t be afraid to get in there and make these for your man too! If he’s got a sweet tooth like mine does, just a few of these beauties will go a long way and he will be grateful you passed on the conversation hearts and sappy card.

Bourbon Pecan

First up is bourbon pecan. If you’ve ever had the Southern treat of “Bourbon Balls,” you can expect something quite similar here. With a dark chocolate shell, these little bourbon pecan homemade chocolates are filled with powdered sugar, toasted pecans, and premium booze. These are perfect for the bourbon lover in your life, or someone who loves their desserts extra dark and extra sweet.

Peanut Butter Cups

Peanut butter cups take homemade chocolates to the next level. Everyone loves the store-bought variety of peanut butter cups, but have you ever had one literally melt upon impact with your mouth? Prepare for that here. These peanut butter cups are RICH, filled with a fluffy peanut butter cream filling and coated with smooth milk chocolate. A crowd favorite, if you’re ever in doubt, just go in this direction.

Coconut Almond Chocolates

Finally, my favorite of these homemade chocolates, the coconut almond chocolate. Filled with sweetened coconut and a little extra sugar, these little friends are coated in a milk chocolate blend and topped with a single toasted almond. Anyone who knows anything about candy will know what a treat they’re in for when they spy these little friends. For a nut-free option, leave off the almond and top with a few flakes of toasted coconut or a sprinkle of sea salt. Perfection!

These homemade chocolates require some special equipment like a mini muffin tin and little waxed paper cups for the candies, but the assembly is quite simple. In a pinch, you can used paper mini muffin liners, although, beware that some stickage can happen. And if you’re not a fan of dark or milk chocolate, feel free to swap up the top used in the recipes! I like each chocolate as the recipe is written, but certainly you can switch it up if desired.Any man friend that takes the time to muster these up for his lady is worth his weight in ~~gold~~ chocolate and has certainly outdone himself on Valentine’s Day. You should give these homemade chocolates a try for your significant other, friends, co-workers, or secret admirer- they’re sure to overflow with heart eyes and appreciation.

On the off chance that your special someone doesn’t like chocolate, let me encourage you to just let them know they’re loved in a special way. You probably already know what types of things make their heart skip a beat, so I’d challenge you to go the extra mile to make someone feel like a million bucks next Tuesday. Happy weekend, Happy Valentine’s Day, Happy #monthofchocolate, and as always, cheers to you!

Bourbon Pecan Chocolates

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These homemade chocolates includes peanut butter cups, bourbon pecan candy balls, and coconut almond candies. No bake, easy to assemble, simple gift option!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 28

Ingredients

1 cup bittersweet chocolate
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1–1/2 cups powdered sugar
1–1/2 tablespoons bourbon
½ cup pecans, finely chopped, divided

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Instructions

In a double boiler or heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water on medium-low heat, melt the chocolate chips and shortening together. Stir frequently to ensure that the chocolate does not get too hot. If you allow the chocolate to become too hot, it could seize up, so be sure to keep the water on medium-low heat. Once melted, set off to the side while you prepare your filling.
In the meantime, cream together the butter, powdered sugar, and bourbon in a medium sized bowl. Once fluffy and smooth, stir in ¼ cup of pecans. Set in the fridge to chill briefly.
Line a mini muffin pan with waxed paper candy cups. Fill a plastic sandwich bag (or a piping bag fitted with a small round tip) with approximately half of the melted chocolate and snip the tip of it off, being sure to not cut too large of a hole or allow all of the chocolate to drip out immediately. Squeeze 1 teaspoon of chocolate in to the bottom of each of the paper candy cups and then set the plastic bag aside. Use a small instrument (I use a small clean paint brush or the end of a chopstick) to paint the chocolate up the sides of the paper candy cup, coating up at least half of the height of the paper. This prevents the filling from showing out the sides of the chocolate once the candies are assembled. If you don’t care if the filling shows, you can skip this step. Once covered, place the pan in the fridge or freezer to chill for about 5 minutes.
Once firmed up, scoop teaspoon sized rounds of the bourbon pecan filling into the bottom of each cup. You can lightly wet your finger and gently smooth out the top of the filling to make a flatter mound.
Add more chocolate to your plastic bag and then top the filling with an additional teaspoon of chocolate. Use your paint brush to smooth out the chocolate and cover the filling completely, and then gently rap your pan on the counter to smooth and settle all three layers of the candy. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining pecans. Allow them to rest in the mini muffin tin in the fridge or freezer for at least 30 minutes. Store candies in the fridge for up to two weeks. The candies may form a white film on the chocolate if stored at room temperature for extended periods of time.

Peanut Butter Cups

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These homemade chocolates includes peanut butter cups, bourbon pecan candy balls, and coconut almond candies. No bake, easy to assemble, simple gift option!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 24

Ingredients

1–1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
1–1/2 tablespoons shortening
½ cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
pinch of salt
½ cup powdered sugar

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Instructions

In a double boiler or heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water on medium-low heat, melt the chocolate chips and shortening together. Stir frequently to ensure that the chocolate does not get too hot. If you allow the chocolate to become too hot, it could seize up, so be sure to keep the water on medium-low heat. Once melted, set off to the side while you prepare your filling.
In the meantime, cream together the peanut butter and butter in a medium sized bowl. Add the salt and powdered sugar and continue to beat until smooth and fluffy. Set in the fridge to chill briefly.
Line a mini muffin pan with waxed paper candy cups. Fill a plastic sandwich bag (or a piping bag fitted with a small round tip) with approximately half of the melted chocolate and snip the tip of it off, being sure to not cut too large of a hole or allow all of the chocolate to drip out immediately. Squeeze 1 teaspoon of chocolate in to the bottom of each of the 24 paper candy cups and then set the plastic bag aside. Use a small instrument (I use a small clean paint brush or the end of a chopstick) to paint the chocolate up the sides of the paper candy cup, coating up at least half of the height of the paper. This prevents the filling from showing out the sides of the chocolate once the candies are assembled. If you don’t care if the filling shows, you can skip this step. Once covered, place the pan in the fridge or freezer to chill for about 5 minutes.
Once firmed up, scoop teaspoon sized rounds of the peanut butter filling into the bottom of each cup. You can lightly wet your finger and gently smooth out the top of the peanut butter to make a flatter mound of filling.
Add more chocolate to your plastic bag and then top each peanut butter mound with an additional teaspoon of chocolate. Use your paint brush to smooth out the chocolate and cover the peanut butter completely, and then gently rap your pan on the counter to smooth and settle all three layers of the candy. Allow them to rest in the mini muffin tin in the fridge or freezer for at least 30 minutes. Store candies in the fridge for up to two weeks. The candies may form a white film on the chocolate if stored at room temperature for extended periods of time.

Almond Coconut Chocolates

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These homemade chocolates includes peanut butter cups, bourbon pecan candy balls, and coconut almond candies. No bake, easy to assemble, simple gift option!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 30

Ingredients

2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
1–1/2 tablespoons melted butter
1–1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
3 tablespoons corn syrup
¾ cup powdered sugar
30 whole almonds, toasted

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Instructions

In a double boiler or heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water on medium-low heat, melt the chocolate chips and shortening together. Stir frequently to ensure that the chocolate does not get too hot. If you allow the chocolate to become too hot, it could seize up, so be sure to keep the water on medium-low heat. Once melted, set off to the side while you prepare your filling.
In the meantime, beat together the butter, coconut, corn syrup, and powdered sugar in a medium sized bowl. If you wish for a smoother, less clumpy filling, feel free to whiz the mixture in a food chopped briefly. Set the filling in the fridge to chill briefly.
Line a mini muffin pan with waxed paper candy cups. Fill a plastic sandwich bag (or a piping bag fitted with a small round tip) with approximately half of the melted chocolate and snip the tip of it off, being sure to not cut too large of a hole or allow all of the chocolate to drip out immediately. Squeeze 1 teaspoon of chocolate in to the bottom of each of the paper candy cups and then set the plastic bag aside. Use a small instrument (I use a small clean paint brush or the end of a chopstick) to paint the chocolate up the sides of the paper candy cup, coating up at least half of the height of the paper. This prevents the filling from showing out the sides of the chocolate once the candies are assembled. If you don’t care if the filling shows, you can skip this step. Once covered, place the pan in the fridge or freezer to chill for about 5 minutes.
Once firmed up, scoop teaspoon sized rounds of the filling into the bottom of each cup. I like to roll teaspoon sized balls in the palm of my hand and then flatten slightly to make flat round disks that fit inside the paper liners.
Add more chocolate to your plastic bag and then top the filling with an additional teaspoon of chocolate. Use your paint brush to smooth out the chocolate and cover the filling completely, and then gently rap your pan on the counter to smooth and settle all three layers of the candy. Place a single toasted almond on top of each candy. Allow them to rest in the mini muffin tin in the fridge or freezer for at least 30 minutes. Store candies in the fridge for up to two weeks. The candies may form a white film on the chocolate if stored at room temperature for extended periods of time.

No Churn Honey Salted Almond Ice Cream

8 Comments / Frozen Desserts

Are you sick of ice cream recipes yet? If your answer to that question is yes, my bet is that you’re either lactose intolerant or worse, not an ice cream lover. Either way, you may want to slowly back away from your computer screen because it’s about to get all creamy up in here. Today we’re talking no churn honey salted almond ice cream.

It’s hard to believe that up until one year ago I had never made ice cream. At the time, it seemed scary (all that churning business), unnecessary (because Blue Bell and Talenti, duh), and really challenging. Until last year, I was perfectly content chomping on Ben and Jerry’s and scooping up melty puddles of Mayfield. Such was life for me until a good friend gifted me her ice cream machine. This machine changed my kitchen ‘tude and brought me out of darkness and into the light. I found my new love.

If you have an ice cream maker that you use on a semi-regular basis then you already know what I mean. Homemade ice is so delicious and incredibly rewarding. But if you fall into the “no ice cream machine” or “no space in my kitchen cabinets for one more appliance I’ll never use” category, then look no further. Today’s recipe is for you. Ya welcome.

No churn ice cream is my new boo. It’s quick, simple, and easily made with equipment and ingredients that most home cooks have access to. If you have a can of sweetened condensed milk and a pint of whipping cream, CONGRATS, you’re halfway there! For a basic no churn vanilla ice cream, simply whip together the cream, milk, and a smidge of vanilla or liquor until stiff peaks form. That’s it! All done. Then it’s just some waiting on the clock while the fluffy vanilla goodness sets up in the freezer.

From there, the possibilities are endless. Mix in your favorite toppings (think brownie pieces like in this mocha brownie ice cream or cookie chunks like in this oatmeal cookie ice cream) for a super satisfying, homemade treat, or take it a step further by swirling in caramel, fruit syrups, or fudge. Just be careful to not add too much water via fruit juice or other liquids, as the ice cream can become too icy.

If you’ve got 15 minutes and a can opener, this no churn honey salted almond ice cream recipe is the perfect way to chill out. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

No Churn Honey Salted Almond Ice Cream

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This no churn honey salted almond ice cream is rich and the perfect blend of salty and sweet. It comes together easily and quickly!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the salty almonds

2/3 cup almonds (or another nut, if preferred)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the ice cream

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup honey
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

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Instructions

To prepare the nuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Stir the nuts, melted butter, and salt together in a small bowl to combine. Spread out on a sheet pan and bake in the oven, stirring occasionally, until toasted, about 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn. Allow to cool to room temperature.

To prepare the ice cream

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the whipping cream, honey, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla, and whip until stiff peaks form.
Fold in the nuts until evenly dispersed. Spread mixture out into a loaf pan or another freezer safe container. Cover and allow to freeze until solid, about 6 hours.

Notes

You can use any type of nut you prefer! I really like almonds, but walnuts, pecans, or even pistachios would taste brilliant here!
Use good quality honey. The honey really needs to shine here so use a variety that you enjoy the taste of.

Coconut Almond Chocolate Cookies

7 Comments / Cookies and Bars

This is a public service announcement to all readers of this blog: I am no longer cool. Though I’m not sure when it happened, I can confidently express to you, with little qualm or uncertainty, that I have officially lost the cool factor.

One could argue here that I never really was cool, and to be honest, this is entirely possible. After all, how cool could my former bench-warming, unibrow-having, choreographed-dancing self actually have been? Regardless, I am 100% positive that I am officially out of the loop.

I gauge most of my coolness against my sister. At 15 years old (that makes me 13 years her senior?!?), my sister, Cheney, dances circles around whatever level of awesome I once thought I had. What she lacks in years she makes up for in a kindness, wit, and strong will that suggests her world view and degree of wisdom is not limited by her numerical age.Within the past few months, Cheney has taught me how to use Snapchat, kept me posted on the Tayvin/Caylor ship, explained to me what “shipping” even is, and helped me navigate the murky waters of shoulderless shirts. On top of that, this chick is well versed in Star Wars trivia, knows every lyric to the “Grease” soundtrack, and has a collection of Kate Spade handbags that this mama is jealous of daily. She’s just so cool.

These days, teenagers are growing up in an age full of vegan, paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, and everything-in-between food products. My sister can eat gourmet popcorn and avocado toast with the best of them, and she has definitely taste tested her fair share of kombucha and acai bowls. Me? I grew up on tub margarine and Yoo-Hoo, and had to Google the spelling of kombucha just a second ago, so that’s pretty much the level I’m at.

A few months ago, Cheney came to me professing to have found the best paleo chocolate chip cookies, and I was pretty interested. Not because I’m anywhere close to being a clean eater (I wouldn’t know a good paleo cookie if it sat on my face), but because I strictly adhere to the “No Cookie Left Behind” mantra. So we baked.

The results were surprisingly delicious. My husband, even less educated in the food realm than I, said that they “didn’t taste like a healthy cookie” which is code for “these cookies are awesome!” I’ve since made the paleo chocolate chip cookies for some of my foodie friends and they all had similar responses.

The recipe I’m sharing today, coconut almond chocolate cookies, is a spin off of that recipe. You can certainly modify the ingredients slightly to meet your dietary restrictions, but I feel pretty good about eating these bad boys even if they’re not perfectly paleo. The chopped almonds and shredded coconut add an incredible amount of texture to every bite of this sweet and rich chocolate cookie. The coconut oil and unique blend of flours keep these cookies moist and almost cake-like for days after baking, and because the ingredients are less processed than most, I feel pretty good about downing one or two with my morning coffee at breakfast.

To summarize this blog post, I will say the following: I am not cool, my sister is rad, and coconut almond chocolate cookies are pretty much manna from heaven. I’ve got a long way to go in becoming even an ounce as awesome as my worldly little sis, but I’ll work my way there one cookie at a time if I have to. Give these little treats a try and let me know how you like them!

PS, can we talk about Aimee’s chubby little arms and knee rolls!? Drool.

Coconut Almond Chocolate Cookies

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Coconut almond chocolate cookies are moist cookies that can easily be adapted to meet a range of dietary preferences.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 30
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/3 cup dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons coconut oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
6 tablespoons almond butter
1–1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 egg
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (use dairy free chips, if desired)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup of almonds, chopped

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, combine the flours, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the coconut oil and sugar on medium speed until smooth and combined, about 2 minutes. Add the almond butter and beat for another minute. Add the extracts and egg and beat for one minute, scraping the bowl as needed. On low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix only until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and almonds.
Scoop out 2 tablespoon sized balls of dough on to a parchment or baking mat lined sheet pan. Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies no longer appear wet in the middle. Allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Recipe Adapted From: Texanerin

Berry Almond Streusel Pie

7 Comments / Pies and Tarts

Friday, you sweet son of a gun, am I glad to see you or what?!

Have you all had some bright spots this week? I really hope so. Over here, the days feel long when they’re spent attached to a 5 week old while running after an almost two year old but thank goodness and hallelujah that summer + maternity leave = weekends at the lake. My parents have a little spot on the water at Lake Martin, so during the summer, they spend a couple months in these parts and I have a location for weekend retreats. And, to be clear, by “retreats” I mean no makeup, extra hands to help with chi’rens, and all the grilled chili dogs and burgers my post-natal body can handle. PRAISE!

I’m excited to be able to share with you all twice this week. Ever since we talked about pie crust earlier this week, I’ve been trying to determine which recipe I was going to post today. I have a few pies up my sleeve but, you know, I can’t show you all my cards at once so let’s settle for one recipe at time, okay? In preparation for today, I did a little more research (read: made and consumed way too many pies) to make sure I gave you the most appropriate of appropriate pie recipes today. After much deliberation and several scoops of ice cream to make my pie tests “a la mode”, I’ve decided on a summer staple: mixed berry pie. Well, berry almond streusel pie, to be precise.

Me and the berries get along real well in the summer on account of all the farm stands and pick-your-own berry fields that have popped up here in central Alabama. Also, is there anyone who doesn’t like at least one variety of berry? I don’t think so.

I decided on a mix of blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries for this pie, but the beauty of this recipe is that you can go any direction. Use whatever you have on hand, whatever is growing in your backyard, or whatever is BOGO at the supermarket. Once you have made the ultra-critical decision of picking your flavors, and given that you read my last post and know how to make stellar pie crust, the hardest part of making this pie is waiting for it to cool to room temperature and set up completely. No judgement here if you dive in spoon first the second it’s cool enough to shovel in to your mouth. Been there, done that.

The crumb topping on this berry almond streusel pie comes together easily and is a terrific alternative to making a double-crusted pie. I’ve included a photo of a double crusted pie I fixed earlier this year when I was testing dough braiding. Let’s just say that whole braiding thing is easier said than done. With two babies on the hip this summer, I’m going to stick with streusel toppings for now.

This recipe for berry almond streusel pie will fill a standard 9″ pie plate. If you’d prefer to use a deep-dish pan, increase the filling by 1/3 and cook a bit longer. I’ve even halved this recipe and prepared pies in mini 6″ dishes that turn out great and make for a terrific pie for two! My favorite though is the standard 9″ pie because it’s great for sharing manageable-sized slices with friends.

Let’s embrace the weekend and the onset of summer by making this berry almond streusel pie and let me know how you love it! Cheers to the weekend and to summer baking!

Mixed Berry Pie

For my favorite double pie crust recipe, click here!

Berry Almond Streusel Pie

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

This berry almond streusel pie is stuffed with juicy, mixed berries and topped with a buttery, almond specked crumb topping.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 90
Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

For the streusel

1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, cold and diced
1/2 cup sliced almonds

For the pie

1/2 recipe of double pie crust (see link above)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
2 pounds of mixed berries, stemmed and cut into similar sized pieces
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

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Instructions

To prepare the streusel

Combine the flour, oats, sugar, and salt in a medium sized bowl and stir to combine. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter until it comes together in pea-sized clumps. Toss in the sliced almonds. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To prepare the pie

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Toss the berries, lemon juice, and extracts together in a large bowl. In a separate, smaller bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the berries bowl and toss to combine. Allow to sit for 20 minutes while you prepare your pie plate.
Roll your pie dough to 1/8-1/4″ thick and place in a 9″ standard pie plate. Trim excess dough from the edges and crimp your crust as desired.
Spoon the berries into the prepared pie plate and drain off any excess juices. Top the pie evenly with the crumble topping.
Whisk together the egg and water to create an egg wash. Brush evenly over all of the pie crust edges.
Place pie in the preheated oven and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an addition 1 or 1-1/2 hours, or until the filling bubbles thickly around the outside of the pie.
Once done, cool on a cooling rack until room temperature, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Notes

Keep your pie crust and streusel cold until it is placed in the oven. Cold crust and streusel is easier to work with and will perform best in the oven.
Keep in mind that this recipe works best in a standard 9″ pie plate and is not intended for a deep-dish pie plate. Increase filling ingredients by 1/3 in order to fill a deep-dish plate.
Use another 1/2 recipe of pie dough to top the pie if you prefer a double crust pie. Be sure to brush all of the crust with the egg wash. This will help the crust to brown beautifully.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 9
Calories: 387
Sugar: 32
Sodium: 266
Fat: 17
Saturated Fat: 6
Unsaturated Fat: 9
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 56
Protein: 6
Cholesterol: 41

Lemon Almond Poppyseed Bundt Cake

20 Comments / Cakes

We have officially survived one whole week at home with two children under two. I’m thrilled to announce that last Saturday, after a very long feeling 10 days, we were able to bring baby George home from the NICU. Pulling into the driveway with our little guy in the backseat felt surreal, and I was relieved to have my baby home, healthy, and unplugged from all the machines and wires he was connected to during his stay in the hospital.

Once home, our first order of business was to introduce George to his big sister, Aimee. I’ll be sure to share photos of that exchange later because it was really just so sweet. Aimee has been a dream with George, and while she sometimes has the tendency to love him a little too hard (read: squish/ smother/ trample him in every way possible), her affection for him is an answer to prayer and I couldn’t be more grateful.

Lemon Almond Poppyseed Bundt Cake Recipe

Can I tell you one of my favorite parts about bringing a baby home… and please don’t judge me?

I really like the food. Yes, the food.

I’m not sure if bringing a meal is a thing people do everywhere or if it’s just another one of the awesome ways that Southerners dominate in the field of hospitality, but where we live, if you have a baby people will bring you meals. It’s an excellent deal for us, if you ask me.

Let me be clear: I would not survive without the carbs and generosity from our friends here in Selma. What’s that saying about, “Man cannot live on bread alone?” Well, we probably wouldn’t even have bread in the house by now if it weren’t for all the croissants and Sister Shubert rolls that people have been dropping by our house. It’s magical.

Since this is our second go-around with the having a baby thing, I’m starting to develop a mental list of recipes I’d like to keep in my arsenal to potentially share with friends when they have babies. The recipe for this lemon almond poppyseed bundt cake is definitely one that I am mentally bookmarking. Bundt cakes, in my opinion, are terrific because they easily pass as a dessert, but also make a convincing argument in the breakfast department too. This lemon almond poppyseed bundt is no exception. It’s sweet, light, and fluffy like you would expect of any respectable cake, but its fragrant lemon and almond aromas and the little speckles of poppyseeds somehow remind me of a breakfast loaf that you might enjoy with a strong cup of coffee early in the morning. And because we all know that new parents operate on adrenaline and caffeine, this cake is a shoo-in gift for new parents.

A while back, my friend Lauren asked me to work on a lemon poppyseed cake recipe and after several tries and errors, this cake was the ultimate product. I have baked this batter in round cake pans and I’m pleased to announce that it works just as splendidly. While I haven’t tried this recipe in a 9″x13″ pan, I feel confident that it would bake up well and would be terrific with the almondy glaze poured right over top of the warm cake.

If you don’t know any new parents that you can share this lemon almond poppyseed bundt cake with, let me recommend weekend brunch, housewarming parties, bridal luncheons, church picnics, and whatever other events your social calendar has to boast as the perfect opportunity to test out this recipe. Bundt cakes are versatile and almost always appropriate to bring as a special treat for sharing.

So give this lemon almond poppyseed bundt cake a try and bless someone this week with the gift of food. Everyone loves a thoughtful friend, and friends who bring food are always invited back. And to all of our friends and family who have dropped by to share a meal: YOU ARE ANGELS. My thighs won’t thank you later, but our family is grateful for your love and generosity.

Lemon Almond Poppyseed Bundt Cake

Print Recipe

A light, sweet, and fluffy bundt cake scented with almonds, lemon, and little speckles of poppyseeds. This is the perfect cake to share or gift your friends and family!

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 60
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the cake

2–1/4 cups cake flour
1–3/4 cups sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1–1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, but not warm
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon extract
Juice of one lemon
3 egg whites, room temperature
2 whole eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)
2 tablespoons poppyseeds

For the glaze

Juice and zest of two lemons
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons of melted butter
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 tablespoons of milk milk

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Instructions

To prepare cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a bundt pan with baking spray or grease lightly.
Combine dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on low speed for one minute until thoroughly mixed. While stirring on low speed, add small cubes of butter, one at a time, until all 1-1/2 sticks have been added. Continue to mix on low speed for another 1-2 minutes until butter is uniformly dispersed in the dry ingredients.
Meanwhile, combine the buttermilk, extracts, and lemon juice in a measuring cup and pour this into the stand mixer bowl, reserving 1/3 cup of the mixture. Beat on medium speed for two minutes until smooth and uniform. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the remaining milk mixture while mixing on low speed. Slowly pour in the egg whites and eggs, increasing the speed back to medium. Beat for another two minutes, scraping the bowl as needed to ensure that all of the batter is uniform. Add the lemon zest and poppyseeds and mix on low until combined, about thirty seconds.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes or until the center of the cake is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan on a cooling rack.

To prepare the glaze

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk. If the consistency is too thin, allow to set out briefly or add additional powdered sugar. Add additional milk if the glaze is too thick. Drizzle over the top of the cooled cake.

Lemon Almond Tart

4 Comments / Pies and Tarts

“If at first you don’t succeed: try, try again.” I’m not sure where that quote originated, but whoever it came from clearly has never tried to create the perfect lemon tart. I can almost see those people pointing and probably laughing at me as I taste tested another round of lemon tarts with utter disappointment. Well, this time, I get the last laugh, because I am happy to report that after many tries, I nailed it. Today, I get to share with you the recipe for the best, most perfect lemon almond tart – a light and nutty almond crust filled with a creamy, tart lemon filling. (Drool)

This all started with a giant bag of lemons and an afternoon peruse through Thomas Keller’s “Bouchon” cookbook. I ran across his recipe for lemon tart (or as Keller and the French call it, “Tart au Citron”), and I thought it may be worth a stab. I had all of the needed ingredients, with exception of those needed for the pine nut crust, but thanks to a lone wolf bag of almond meal left in the netherparts of my pantry, I decided to proceed.

Attempt number one was eggy- and so, so tart. Everything Thomas Keller does is is perfect, so I confess that my lack of skills and palate were likely to blame. Unfortunately, as my husband pushed the tart around on his plate, I knew it wasn’t a winner.

Attempt number two yielded a perfect almond crust but with a filling that was still kind of eggy. I researched and discovered a few things about cooking with lemon and eggs (see notes!), so attempt number three left me with a perfectly tart/sweet lemon filling. Unfortunately, I torched the shell this time around and failed to cook the filling for quite long enough so it still wasn’t right. #humblingkitchenmoments

Attempt number four, as baby bear would say, was juuusssst right. Lemony, sweet, and with an incredibly creamy mouth feel, this was a tart sexy enough to call it by its French name. This was a tarte au citron.

I often receive complements from friends and family about how lovely all my food looks from the 2×4” screen of an iPhone, but what most people don’t know is that behind every photo is usually a failed attempt, a frosting that’s too stiff, a curdled filling, a sink full of dishes, or a scorched mess on the bottom of my oven. Those things aren’t as fun to write about or as pretty to photograph, but they’re apart of the process. If this is ringing any bells right now, take heart, because redemption is almost always just around the corner. This week, we’re calling redemption lemon almond tart.

Read through the recipe, and the notes in particular, prior to getting started. There’s no need for y’all to make the mistakes I’ve already trudged through. I like my lemon tart the exact way I take my ice cream sundaes- with a giant dollop of whipped cream. If you’re anything like me, you’ll want to be sure to whip some of that up as well.

Lemon Almond Tart

Print Recipe

A light and nutty almond crust filled with a creamy, tart lemon filling. I prefer this tart served with a generous dollop of sweetened whipped cream and lemon almond crumbs.

Author: Kate Wood
Prep Time: 45
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the crust

4 ounces (About 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon) of almond meal
7.5 ounces (About 1–1/2 cups) flour
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) of sugar
1 stick (4 ounces) butter, room temperature
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

For the filling

1 teaspoon butter, softened
2 tablespoons of flour
2 whole eggs, cold
2 egg yolks, cold
1 cup of sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice (juice of about 2–1/2 lemons)
2 teaspoons of packed lemon zest
10 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the lemon crumbs (if desired)

About 1 cup of reserved, uncooked almond crust crumbs
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon of sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon of melted butter

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Instructions

To prepare the crust

In a bowl, combine almond meal, flour, and sugar. Using a pastry cutter or the back of a large fork, cut in the stick of butter until dough is uniformly pea-sized crumbles.
Lightly whisk the egg and extracts together in a separate bowl, and, using the pastry cutter again, combine the wet and dry ingredients. Only manipulate the dough as much as you have to to make it uniform. Overworking your dough will cause it to toughen when baked.
Place dough in the refrigerator for about ten minutes while you prepare your tart pan. Dough can also be left covered in the fridge at this point for up to one day.

When ready to prepare the tart

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using your hands, butter a 9″ tart pan with a removable bottom with 1 teaspoon of softened butter. Lightly dust the bottom and sides of pan with flour.
Using your fingers, press the almond meal crust into the bottom and sides of the tart pan. You will likely use all but 3/4-1 cup of the dough. Trim any excess off the top.
Bake crust for 20-25 minutes, rotating halfway through, until edges are almost turning golden and the center crust is set. Allow to cool while you prepare your filling. Alternatively, the crust can be made one day in advance and set aside covered.
Bring a small-medium saucepan filled with an inch of water to a simmer over medium-low heat.
In a bowl just barely larger than the saucepan, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar.
Once water is boiling, place the bowl of eggs on top of the saucepan and whisk until mixture becomes paler and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and zest, continuing to whisk all the while. Occasionally turn your bowl to ensure you don’t cook the eggs. Continue whisking consistently until mixture is thickened, about the consistency of a very loose pudding. Your whisk should be leaving a momentary trail behind it as it moves through the bowl and the mixture should generously coat the back of a spoon. The entire cooking process will have taken about 10-12 minutes.
Turn the heat off, but with the pan still on the burner, add the cold butter, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, whisking until piece is combined before adding another piece. Stir in the vanilla.
Pour your filling into the tart crust. Place a piece of saran wrap directly on top of the filling and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Tart is complete at this point, but lemon crumbs can be added as a garnish if desired.

To prepare lemon crumbs

Preheat oven to 350.
In a bowl, combine about 3/4 cup of reserved, uncooked almond tart crumbs with lemon zest and sugar. Drizzle in the melted butter and stir until small clumps form.
Spread out on a sheet pan and break up larger clumps to smaller, pea-sized pieces. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until golden, shaking pan intermittently. Allow to cool. Sprinkle on top of tart or on top of each piece along with a generous dollop of sweetened whipped cream.

Notes

Crust dough will be crumbly, but be sure to cover the sides and bottom of your pan thoroughly and evenly. It may crack in the oven, but that’s ok.
When zesting your lemons, avoid the pith (the white part below the yellow exterior of the lemon). Zesting the whites can cause your tart to taste bitter.
Cooking time of the filling may differ depending on the type of saucepan you’re using and how large your bowl is on top of the pan. If your bowl is too large, it will take longer to cook the eggs.
Cooking your filling in some materials can cause your tart to taste metallic or eggy. After trial and error myself, I recommend using a glass bowl and a silicone whisk.
If you prefer a much more tart filling, add another packed teaspoon of zest to the filling.
If you like to serve your tart with whipped cream (don’t we all?), whip 1 cup of cold, heavy whipping cream until frothy, then slowly add 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar. When nearly to stiff peaks, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Yum!

Recipe Adapted From: Thomas Keller

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