Coconut

  • Cherry Chew Bars

    Cherry Chew Bars

    December 14th, 2012

      These bars have Christmas written all over them.  And it’s not just because they’re covered in pink frosting (which is a bit festive, I guess- but just as likely to be found at a baby shower or small girl child’s birthday party, if you want to get technical about it). These little buggers are […]

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  • Coconut Chocolate Macaroon Pie Cookie

    Coconut Macaroon Pie

    December 4th, 2012

    This is devastatingly easy to make, and looks fun when served on a half-decent-looking platter at a dinner party.  (I say “devastatingly” because there is clear and present danger that you might make these massive cookies for yourself, often.  All things considered, they aren’t totally evil since they don’t have fat going on in the […]

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  • Coconut Macaroon Fudge Brownies

    August 8th, 2012

    Yes, you are correct- you are seeing a coconut macaroon baked right into the warm, loving arms of The World’s Greatest Fudge Brownie. It’s not a mirage. It’s a dream, a heavenly dream, and you can bake it so your dream can come true.

    (If you’re looking for the dessert that’s the next big hit at your bake sale or dinner party or work function or night alone when you want to binge and feel ill but strangely fulfilled, I insist that you make this dessert. Think about it- macaroons go first at every sweets table [always shocks me, but it’s so true], and brownies are a close second. Why not meld the two together?)

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  • Maraschino Coconut Bars

    Maraschino Coconut Bars

    August 1st, 2012

    Okay, so I didn’t just make these bars because I made homemade maraschino cherries (and therefore have a crapload of them hanging around- let’s face it- how many cocktails with maraschino cherries can a girl take in a two week window?)- I made these bars because any kind of dessert with a shortbread crust and […]

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  • Pineapple Coconut Galette

    July 25th, 2012

    It’s almost too cute to eat. But that would be stupid, to not eat something this good. Here’s how the whole galette thing works (for me, at least): you take the leftover pie dough from a real pie you’re making (like the Decadent Deep Dish Pecan Pie or the Proper Peach Pie) and roll it […]

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  • Pina Colada Bread

    June 6th, 2012

    Pineapple + coconut = yum. And since Malibu rum = fun, why not combine all three ingredients into a simple bread (that is also just as happy to be a muffin, by the way), that’s the life of the party?

    (But for real- where has Malibu Rum been all my life? I have been a devoted Kahlua fan for years, but coconut rum? I overlooked it in my formative ‘learning how to drink’ years. What a shame. So now I’m finding ways to add it to baked goods… lucky you.)

    In case you happen to not love cows, this recipe is dairy-free (but worry not- if you don’t have coconut milk on hand, regular milk will certainly do). This recipe also uses coconut oil (if you have it), adding a even deeper coconut flavor. Naturally coconut itself makes an appearance (in and on the bread)- so you technically have four levels of coconut going on (in the rum, the milk, the oil and the nut). It’s crazy. Only pineapple can compete with that kind of intensity.

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  • Morning Glory Muffins

    Morning Glory Muffins

    May 27th, 2012

    Rise and shine!

    Why not wake up to a muffin full of flavor and just the right amount of sweetness to get you going? Plus, it’s so exciting to bite into something with so many ingredients. It’s like a party for your taste buds… so many textures, so many tastes, and yes, you can bet that they all play nicely together. (Who knew that fruits and veggies could join in unison and create a hit?)

    Like with any muffin, these are pretty easy to make- the only annoyance comes from having to measure out so many ingredients. Oh, and from grating the carrots- but since I started using the grater thingy on my food processor (you know- this disc that you attach to the blade in the middle), life has gotten so very very much easier. Less time grating carrots means more time baking.

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  • Cocodamia Nut White Chocolate Bars

    April 5th, 2012

    I know there’s no such word as ‘cocodamia’, but work with me here. Coconut & macadamia got together and had a love child, who then hooked up with white chocolate. And these bars were born, in the tropics.

    You’re basically going to take the recipe for Coconut Macaroons and stir in the nuts and chocolate. Throw it into a pan, bake it, and call it a day (after eating your share and then some). Another day’s hard work in the kitchen.

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  • Coconut Macaroons… 2 Ways

    March 21st, 2012

    Some desserts surprise me. While I have always had a deep and meaningful affection for macaroons, I understand that not everyone likes the same things that I do. (Case in point- licorice allsorts. You either love them- like me- or hate them with a venomous, candy-licorice-coated passion.) So I am pleasantly surprised when macaroons go like hotcakes- I’m pleased that others like what I like, and pleased that others like a dessert that’s so wonderfully easy to make. Double win.

    I have been making a simple macaroon classic forever, which just happens to be gluten-free (for those of you who care)… and it’s Recipe #1 below. I also added an egg white version- Recipe #2- which just happens to be dairy-free (for the even smaller amount of you who care). FYI- when The Husband (a.k.a. kitchen guinea pig) was forced to choose his preference in a blind macaroon tasting event, he chose the classic (Recipe #1). Sweetened condensed milk is hard to compete with, Mr. and Mrs. Egg White.

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  • Rum Balls 3 Ways: Rum & Raisin, Mango & Coconut, Double Chocolate

    March 17th, 2012

    I have said this before, but I think that the marriage of sweets and alcohol is a wonderful thing.
    Any opportunity to combine two vices seems like a recipe for fun… and in the grand scheme of things, adding rum to a little dessert ball isn’t all that evil. (Eating 35 out of the 40 balls might be bad, but even still- you won’t get drunk off these with only 2 ounces of rum in the whole batch. Sorry to disappoint you, if a rum ball buzz was what you were after.)

    Take your pick of the three variations below… or do what I do- make all three and then figure out what to do with them. (Won’t be a tough problem to solve.)

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  • Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

    January 29th, 2012

    Carrot cake has always held a special place in my heart. (It has also been known to hold a special place on my belly over the years, but that’s another story.)
    When playing the “If You Were on Death Row and Had to Choose Your Last Meal, What Would It Be?” game, carrot cake would make the cut. (Carrot cake or a deep, rich pecan pie. Or something caramelly and chocolatey, oozing together. Sorry- carried away there for a sec.)

    The 4 Keys to a Kick-Ass Carrot Cake:

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  • Magic Gooey Cookie Bars

    January 15th, 2012

    I’m a little bit embarrassed to post this recipe, but screw it.

    Maybe I’m a teeny bit snobby when it comes to desserts (something I don’t work at being, but when you learn the merits of baking things from scratch… it happens?). I was raised on (glorious) birthday cakes that my Mom taught me how to make from an early age. Her inspirations were Betty Crocker & Duncan Hines- so clearly I wasn’t brought up to be a sweets snob. As much as I think the right thing to do these days is to bake a cake with an old-school recipe from a grandmother, let’s be honest- Betty & Duncan have their s*@t together.

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