Dessert.
Nanny's Fudge Squares
My grandmother’s fudge square recipe
Dietary Notes: Vegetarian
Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Feeds: 3 people
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup flour
pinch of salt
pinch of baking powder
2 eggs beaten
1 stick butter melted
2oz unsweetened chocolate (my preference is dark)
3/4 cup of halved pecans
1 tsp vanilla
Instructions:
Mix together sugar, flour, salt, baking powder; Add eggs; Add butter and chocolate; Add pecans; Bake at 325F or 162C for 25 minutes in greased (buttered) 8inch square pan
Notes: Enjoy!
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Memphis, TN, USA
Corena Hasselle
OMG # Vegan Carrot Cake!!
Arguably healthy with a drizzle of sin
Dietary Notes: Vegetarian, Vegan, Lactose free
Estimated Time: 45 minutes
Feeds: 4 people
Ingredients:
3.5 cups grated carrots
3.25 cups any flour (I use a combo of all purpose, oat and spelt flour to convince myself it's healthy)
2tsp baking soda
2tsp baking powder
1tsp salt
1.5tsp cinnamon
1/4tsp nutmeg powder
1/4tsp ginger powder
optional sweetener of choice (I use a small pour of maple syrup)
1.5 cups of your favorite plant milk
1tsp of vanilla extract
1/2 cup of applesauce
..for the frosting.. omg so many options...
I whipped powdered sugar with plant-based butter, lemon juice and a tiny bit of plant milk for a buttercream/cream cheese icing flair, but I also recommend whipping the fat of refrigerated coconut milk with powdered sugar for simple, fluffy pleasures!
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350; grease your pan; mix dry and wet ingredients separately; and then combine for a very carroty-looking smoothie. Pour batter into pan and bake for 25-35 minutes. Let cool and add icing depending on desired level of sweetness! Et voilà!
Notes: Top with sprinkles for added cuteness
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Geneva, Switzerland
Julia G.
Strawberry Basil Nice Cream
The most refreshing, guilt-free dessert for sunny days!
Dietary Notes: Vegetarian, Vegan, Lactose free
Estimated Time: 5 minutes
Feeds: 2 people
Ingredients:
2.5 Frozen Bananas
1 handful of strawberries
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp frozen basil (or whatever you're feeling)
splash of plant milk of choice
*optional spoonful (or two) of coconut/soy yogurt for added creaminess
Instructions:
Throw your bananas in the blender with a small amount of milk to get things going. Gradually add strawberries, lemon juice and your optional yogurt. Throw basil in last. Milk to be added as needed for desired texture. Then serve with whatever toppings you desire! I usually go for shredded coconut and sprinkles.
Lastly, if you're patient enough, I would freeze the mixture for 20 minutes or so before serving, but this is only recommended for the strongest of souls. No judgement for consuming immediately.
Notes: Strawberries can be swapped for any fruit combination. The primary "nice cream" ingredients are frozen bananas and plant milk of choice. It's then up to you to get creative!
Geneva, Switzerland
Julia G.
Lemon Pie
This zesty, soft, puffy cake makes for
an amazing breakfast or tea break!
Dietary Notes: Vegetarian, You can make it vegan/lactose free by substituting
butter with seed oil!
Estimated Time: 70 minutes
Feeds: 8 people
Ingredients:
Flour 00 250 g
Sugar 200 g
Eggs (about 3 medium-sized) 170g
Butter 150 g OR 120g seed oil to make it VEGAN/LACTOSE FREE
Lemon juice (untreated) 100 g
Lemon peel (untreated) 2
Yeast powder for cakes 16 g
Salt up to 1 pinch
FOR BUTTERING AND GARNISHING:
Butter or oil (to coat the pan)
Icing sugar (as preferred)
Instructions:
To make the soft lemon pie, first squeeze the juice from 1 lemon: you will need 100 g of juice. Then start mixing the eggs and the sugar with electric whisks in another bowl. When you have obtained a foamy, fluffy mixture, pour in the butter OR oil. Add the grated peel of 2 lemons and the juice you have squeezed before. Mix again with the whips and blend everything together.
In another bowl, sift the flour and add the baking powder; then, one spoon at a time, pour the flour-powder mix into the first bowl. Use the mixer again to evenly incorporate the powders to the liquid. Now butter or dab some oil in a 24cm diameter mould and pour the compound into it. Cook in a preheated static oven for 50 minutes at 170°.
Try picking the cake with a toothpick to decide whether it is well baked. Once out of the oven, let it cool down and remove the mould gently. Let it cool completely, then sprinkle the surface with icing sugar. Your lemon pie is now ready to be served! Hope you enjoy :)
Notes: It is important to use organic/untreated lemons for this recipe: regular lemons have a varnish coating on the peel which is not edible and cannot be washed away.
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Italy
Martina
Healthy Banana
Double Chocolate Bread
Yummiest and healthy dessert
we all need to have
during this quarantine!
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Dietary Notes: Vegetarian
Estimated Time: 60 minutes
Feeds: 6-7 people
Ingredients:
3 medium-to-large very ripe bananas
3/4 cup almond butter
5 dates + 1 teaspoon maple syrup (or honey)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional; I skip it)
1 cup (125 grams) oats (grounded to powder)
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 cup (about 6 ounces or 170 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chunks or chips
1 cup walnuts (optional)
Instructions:
Heat your oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or spray it with a nonstick baking spray.
Purre bananas and dates in processor and pour the mixture in a large bowl. Whisk in almond butter, then honey, egg, and vanilla. Place baking soda, salt, cinnamon (if using), flour and cocoa powder in a sifter or fine-mesh strainer and sift over wet ingredients. (My cocoa is almost always lumpy, so this is essential for me.) Stir dry and wet ingredients with a spoon until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks or chips and walnuts. Add a table spoon of milk, if mixture is too thick
Pour into prepared pan and bake 55 to 65 minutes, until a tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out batter-free. (A melted chocolate chip smear is expected, however.) Cool in pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert it out onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Denver, CO, USA
Riddhika Jain
Smitten Kitchen's Moist Honey Cake
I love Smitten Kitchen's recipes and this cake is always a delight to eat!
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Dietary Notes: Vegetarian, Lactose free, Kosher
Estimated Time: 120 minutes
Feeds: 12 people
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups (440 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 teaspoons (about 8 grams) ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup (235 ml) vegetable oil
1 cup (340 grams) honey
1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (95 grams) brown sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 cup warm (235 ml) coffee or strong tea
1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh orange juice
1/4 cup (60 ml) rye or whiskey (optional)
1/2 cup (45 to 55 grams) slivered or sliced almonds (optional)
Instructions:
Fits in three loaf pans, two 9-inch square or round cake pans, one 9 or 10 inch tube or bundt cake pan, or one 9 by 13 inch sheet cake.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease pan(s) with non-stick cooking spray. For tube or angel food pans, line the bottom with lightly greased parchment paper, cut to fit.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Make a well in the center, and add oil, honey, white sugar, brown sugars, eggs, vanilla, coffee or tea, orange juice and rye or whiskey, if using. (If you measure your oil before the honey, it will be easier to get all of the honey out.)
Using a strong wire whisk or in an electric mixer on slow speed, stir together well to make a thick, well-blended batter, making sure that no ingredients are stuck to the bottom.
Spoon batter into prepared pan(s). Sprinkle top of cake(s) evenly with almonds, if using. Place cake pan(s) on two baking sheets, stacked together (this will ensure the cakes bake properly with the bottom baking faster than the cake interior and top).
Bake until cake tests done, that is, it springs back when you gently touch the cake center. For angel and tube cake pans, this will take 60 to 75 minutes, loaf cakes, about 45 to 55 minutes. For sheet style cakes, baking time is 40 to 45 minutes.
Let cake stand fifteen minutes before removing from pan.
Notes: All credit to Deb Perelman: https://smittenkitchen.com/2008/09/majestic-and-moist-honey-cake/
DC, USA
Jess
Leo's Chocolate Chip Cookies
Easy to make, easier to eat
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Dietary Notes: Vegetarian, Lactose free, Kosher
Estimated Time: 120 minutes
Feeds: 12 people
Dietary Notes:
Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Feeds: 4 people
Ingredients:
144 g flour
0,5 tsp baking soda
0,5 tsp salt
113 g melted butter
145g sugar
3 drops vanilla essence syrup
1 egg
100g chocolate chips
Instructions:
Mix ingredients together. Form into small cookies on a baking sheet. And bake at 200°C for approx 10 minutes.
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France
Claudia
No Bake Tiramisu Cheesecake
No oven required tiramisu cheesecake that will make you want to eat the whole cake!
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Dietary Notes: Vegetarian
Estimated Time: 4 hours (with chill time)
Feeds: 10-12 people
Ingredients:
2 packets digestive biscuits (or similar)
1 pack lady fingers
brewed coffee (for lady finger dipping)
coco powder
50g butter, melted
400g cream cheese
200g mascarpone cheese
100g sugar
3 tbsp milk
190ml cream
Instructions:
1. Crush the biscuits roughly. You can either do this by putting them in a plastic food bag and crushing them with a rolling pin, or you can crumble them with your fingers
2. Put the biscuits into a bowl and mix in the melted butter. Divide the mixture between small ramekins. Using the back of a spoon spread it evenly, press it down to form a base. Put the ramekins into the fridge to set for at least 30 minutes
3. Put the cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar and milk into a bowl and mix it well with a wooden spoon
4. Put the cream into a clean bowl and whisk until it is the consistency of thick custard. In the meantime brew coffee and let cool in a bowl
5. Fold cream and cream cheese filling together. Careful to not over mix.
6. Remove the ramekins from the fridge. Spread filling over the biscuit base half way up and spread evenly.
7. Take lady fingers and dip into coffee. Then place soaked lady fingers onto cheese filling. Repeat until entire layer is covered.
8. Use remainder of filling to cover soaked lady fingers. This should fill up the remainder of the mold.
9. Top with coco powder and use string to make pattern on top if desired.
10. Put in fridge for at least for 4 hours until ready to serve (ideally overnight)
Allison Pierok
Crêpes
An easy pick-me-up which I can rustle up quickly but makes me
and my loved ones super happy!!!
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Dietary Notes: Vegetarian
Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Feeds: 4 people
Ingredients:
210g plain flour
4 eggs
600ml milk
2 tbsp melted butter
pinch of salt
the toppings of your choice (e.g. honey, sugar & lemon, chocolate hazelnut paste, jam...)
Instructions:
1. Mix the salt and flour, make a well and gradually mix eggs into flour
2. Incorporate the melted butter
3. Gradually incorporate the milk, mixing as you go
4. It should make a liquidy and smooth batter. If you have time, it’s best to let it rest for 30 minutes, but if you’re in desperate need of crepes you can also go ahead and cook them
5. Heat up a frying pan on medium heat and use some kitchen roll to wipe it with some butter
6. Use a ladle to scoop your batter into the heated pan, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan
7. Flip after about 1 minute when it's starting to become golden, there should be small holes on the top of the crepe
8. Cook the other side for about the same time
9. Continue with the rest of your batter
10. Add your toppings to the crêpes and enjoy!!!!
Notes: These crêpes are super soft and moreish, they disappear in no time!! If you don't have butter you can use a neutral tasting oil.
Geneva, Switzerland
Marine Hermes
Gajar Halwa
A classic Indian sweet with lots
of flavour and love!
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Dietary Notes: Vegetarian
Estimated Time: 120 minutes
Feeds: 4-5 people
Ingredients:
Carrots (8/10)
Milk (2 cups)
Sugar (12 tablespoons)
Condensed milk (1 cup)
Ghee/ unsalted butter (3 large table spoons)
Saffron (for garnishing)
Dry fruits (almonds, cashew, pistachio) for garnishing
Cardamom (as per taste)
Instructions:
1. Peel 8-10 carrots and grate them finely
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of Ghee/ Unsalted Butter and fry the carrots on a low/ medium flame for 30-35 mins
3. Add milk (2-3 cups slowly) and let it simmer for another 30 mins
4. Make sure you continuously stir it with a spoon
5. Add 12 tablespoons of sugar and stir it continuously for another 10 mins
6. Add the dryfruits, saffron, cardamom and garnish it well
7. Enjoy the Halwa! (Can be served hot/ cold)
Notes: Make sure you stand by the stove all the time and stir it well. This takes time and patience but it tastes heavenly! Enjoy!
Mukta Dhere
Geneva, Switzerland
Chocolate Chip Cookies
A ton of chocolate chip cookies that you can keep in the freezer
and bake them as you want!
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Dietary Notes: Vegetarian
Estimated Time: 45 minutes
Feeds: 6 people
Ingredients:
1.5 cups cold unsalted butter
1.25 cups granulated sugar
1.25 packed brown sugar
1.5 tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
24 oz semisweet chocolate chips/chopped chocolate
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions:
Cube butter, and in a large bowl, combine with both sugars, vanilla, and eggs.
In a separate bowl add flour, baking soda, and salt and mix well.
Add flour mixture to the wet mixture in parts, and mix until mostly combined.
Add in chocolate and walnuts and mix until fully combined.
Form dough balls (about 1.5 inches) and set on a baking sheet, filling the entire tray.
Freeze the sheet tray with cookies for 30 minutes (this helps them to not all stick together when storing them - the next step)..
Transfer frozen cookies into a freezer-safe storage container and freeze.
Bake as desired for ~14 minutes (rotate pan midway through if necessary in your oven) on a greased baking sheet at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Enjoy!
Notes: Recipe should yield ~60 cookies and the dough keeps in the freezer for a while.
If working with cold butter is too frustrating you can let the butter warm to room temperature and use that to make the recipe. It may be easier to then refrigerate the dough before shaping into balls, as the dough will be very sticky. All else remains the same.
Michelle G.
New York, USA
Icelandic Crepes
A very special treat that we turn to
and a traditional dish from our
homeland that heals every division
and satisfies every craving!
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Dietary Notes: Vegetarian
Feeds: 3-4 people
Ingredients:
2 eggs
500 ml milk
250 ml unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
50 g melted butter
Instructions:
In a bowl, whisk the eggs and add the milk and vanilla extract. Stir well.
Add the flour, baking powder, salt and at last the melted butter.
Have the skillet well heated. For each crepe, pour about 3 tbsp (45 ml) of batter in the centre of the skillet. Tilt the skillet to spread the batter evenly until it covers the bottom of the skillet. When the edge peels off easily and begins to brown, it's time to flip the crepe with a spatula. Continue cooking for 10 seconds, until cooked through, and remove from the skillet.
This recipe makes about 12 crepes. A simple way to enjoy Icelandic crepes is to put sugar on and then wrap it up in a thin roll. When we want to treat us really good we whip 250 ml of whole cream and serve with it, over a good tsp of rhubarb jam for each crepe! Fold the crepe over the jam and the cream and stuff it in your mouth with pleasure.
Here’s how you make the rhubarb jam:
500 gr rhubarb
300 gr sugar
1 dl water
Cut the rhubarb into half a cm bits, put it into a casserole, put the suger on top, pour the water over, let it cook on low heat for ca 2 hours, stirring frequently. It should be semi-thick and not too runny.
Notes: The dish is simple and in the Icelandic version it is always sweet – not savory. The Icelandic crêpe is not fluffy and thick, but very thin and elegant. The best way to enjoy an Icelandic crêpe is with a homemade rhubarb jam and whipped whole cream.
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Kristín Þórunn Tómasdóttir
Geneva, Switzerland
Triple Chocolate Chip
Brown Butter Toffee Cookies
An elevated classic that blends different
chocolate styles, has a magical nutty
flavoring, and has the potential surprise
of a toffee crunch with every bite.
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Dietary Notes: Vegetarian
Estimated Time: 120 minutes
Feeds: However many people can eat 20 cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks; 227 g) unsalted butter
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (packed; 215 g) dark brown sugar
â…“ cup (73 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1.4-oz. (80 g total) chocolate toffee bars (preferably Skor or Heath), chopped into ¼-inch pieces... add more for more crunch
Three types of chocolate: Milk chocolate, Dark, White Chocolate...
*1 cups (216 g) chocolate wafers (disks, pistoles, fèves; preferably 72% cacao)
*1/2 cup dark chocolate (specialty bar that has been broken into small bits)
*1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Flaky sea salt
Instructions:
Cook butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, then browns, 5–8 minutes. Scrape into a large bowl and let cool slightly., about 10 minutes (an instant-read thermometer should register 125°).
Meanwhile, whisk flour, baking soda, and kosher salt in a medium bowl.
Add brown sugar and granulated sugar to browned butter. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add eggs and vanilla, increase mixer speed to medium-high, and beat until mixture lightens and begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Reduce mixer speed to low; add dry ingredients and beat just to combine.
Mix in toffee pieces and chocolates with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Let dough sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes to allow flour to hydrate. Dough will look very loose at first, but will thicken as it sits.
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°. Using a 1-oz. ice cream scoop, portion out balls of dough and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 3"" apart (you can also form dough into ping pong–sized balls with your hands). Do not flatten; cookies will spread as they bake. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Bake cookies until edges are golden brown and firm but centers are still soft, 9–11 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough and a fresh parchment-lined cooled baking sheet.
Do Ahead: Cookie dough can be made 3 days ahead; cover and chill. Let dough come to room temperature before baking.
For high altitude cooking (e.g. Colorado): If you get dark cookies consider trying again adding add about 1/2 or more flour.
Notes: This recipe received high praise and was the winner of a bake-off judged by chef Rick Billings of ThinkFood Group who is number 3 chef in Jose Andreas' organization and was trained as a pastry chef.
Jimmy Pappadeas
Washington, DC, USA
Le Gâteau à la Banane de Maman
This banana cake is my mother's recipe,
it has an indulgent twist, is super moist
and delicious!
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Dietary Notes: Vegetarian
Estimated Time: 90 minutes
Feeds: 6 people
Ingredients:
60g Dark Chocolate/Chocolate Chips
2 Bananas (the riper the better!)
30g Walnuts or Almonds
100g Plain Yogurt
110g Soft Butter (+ Extra for the pan)
100g Sugar
150g Flour
2 Eggs
1 and 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 190C
2. Cut your chocolate into small pieces and mix it with the baking powder and flour
3. In another bowl mix butter and sugar until you obtain a pale mixture, then add the two eggs
4. Add the flour, chocolate, and baking powder to the egg, butter, sugar mixture and mix
5. Chop the walnuts or almonds into small pieces, smush the bananas with a fork, and combine the walnuts, banana, and yogurt.
6. Combine the banana mixture and the butter mixture and mix well
7. Butter a loaf or cake tin, and pour the mixture in
8. Put in the oven at 190C for 15 minutes, then wrap and cover in baking parchment and return to the oven for 40 minutes at 170C (This is to keep the top from burning)
9. Leave to cool and enjoy!!
Notes: The overall prep-cooking time is long, but most of it is baking time (55 mins), so it's actually an easy recipe to make!
Marine Hermes
Geneva, Switzerland
Germknödel
Sweet Austrian Dumplings
Germknödel consists of yummy sweet
yeast dough, filled with plum butter,
and are served with vanilla sauce.
Typically, they are eaten as
a sweet main dish.
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Dietary Notes: Vegetarian
Estimated Time: 60 minutes + resting time
Feeds: 4-6 people
Ingredients:
Yeast dough:
- 500 g flour
- 1 cube fresh yeast
- 1/8 l milk
- 70 g sugar
- 2 eggs
- Some lemon zest
- 100 g butter
- A pinch of salt
- Plum butter
For the pan:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup of milk
Toppings:
- Poppy seeds
- Vanilla sauce
My family picked up the following recipe from a kind Austrian lady we met over lunch during a skiing holiday. The ingredients serve 4-6 people as a main dish. If sweet main dishes are not your thing, you could also do it as a desert. Germknödel are traditionally filled with plum butter, Povidl in Austrian German. My dad used to make Povidl during Autumn; unfortunately, it always caramelized in the process and became hard as stone once filled into jars. I’m sure we must have broken a knife at some point to get it out of the jars. If you cannot get plum butter, normal jam will do as well - although it might not be just as yummy. The dish is not too complicated to prepare, but plan in enough time to let the yeast rise.
Instructions:
Form a yeast dough* with the ingredients and let it rise. Once ready to process, divide the dough into chunks the size of a small fist. Form small disks, put 2 tsp of plum butter into the middle, and wrap the dough around it. Kneed the edges of where the dough comes together to seal the seams, they tend to open up again while steaming.
In a big pan, heat up the butter, the sugar and the milk. Arrange the balls of dough. Put the lid on and steam on low heat for 25 minutes. The milk should bubble just lightly. Before taking them out, check whether the yeast dough is well-done.
Serve hot with poppy seeds and ¾ - 1 l of vanilla sauce.
*How to make a yeast dough
If you are familiar making yeast doughs, use your normal method. Personally, I heat up the milk, the butter, a pinch of salt and a tbsp or so of sugar in a skillet until warm. If the temperature is too hot for you to comfortably stick in a finger, it is also too hot for the yeast. Take the skillet from the stove and dissolve the yeast. Add the other ingredients into a big bowl, add the yeast, and knead well. The dough should be pliable and moist without sticking to your hands. Cover and let rise for 20-30 minutes at a warm place (oven preheated to 50 °C works). Knead and let it rise once more.
Notes: Cooking time is a little hard with this one. I estimate it takes an hour of work + time for the yeast dough to rise, but if I write 120 minutes of preparation time, that just sounds insane.
Ruben
Coconut Biscuits
Simple, quick and delicious!
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Dietary Notes: Vegetarian
Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Feeds: 4 people
Ingredients:
- 250 g of sugar
- pinch of salt
- 2 eggs
- 10g of vanilla sugar
- 250 g of butter/margarile
- 250 g of coconut flour
Instructions:
Beat the sugar, eggs, salt and margarine/butter until the sugar dissolves. Then carefully stir in the flour and coconut. Using a spoon, scoop out the dough (lumps) from the dough and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 15 minutes at 200 C.
Spela Slamberger
Slovenia