Tag: dessert recipe

My Favorite Dunk: Pumpkin Spice Biscotti!

Coffee and Biscotti…

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Should I mention I brewed some pumpkin coffee? I'm obsessed, I know!
Should I mention I brewed some pumpkin coffee? I’m obsessed, I know!

If you are a coffee addict, chances are you are also a cookie dunker. My favorite dunk? Biscotti, of course! So delicious!

In Italy, biscotti are usually served after dinner with wine and are “dunked” in a wine called Vin Santo. Vino Santo, or holy wine, is a dessert wine usually white, but often made into a rosé when using Sangiovese grapes.

I dunk my anise biscotti in red wine, but I prefer coffee for flavored biscotti.
I dunk my anise biscotti in red wine, but I prefer coffee for flavored biscotti.

Here is the recipe for the pumpkin spice version of my anise biscotti. I also added honey roasted pecans, but you can totally leave them out!

Pumpkin Spice Biscotti
(Makes 24 biscotti)

Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 tbsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice (OR 2tsp. Cinnamon, 2 tsp. ground ginger, 2 tsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. all spice, 1 tsp. ground cloves)
2 eggs
1-1/2 cup pumpkin
1 tbsp. Vanilla
1/3 cup crushed honey roasted pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice in a large mixing bowl and stir.

Using a whisk, combine pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla.

Sometimes I just love a "no mixer required" afternoon of baking! Less cleaning more eating, maybe?
Sometimes I just love a “no mixer required” afternoon of baking! Less cleaning more eating, maybe?

Add wet pumpkin mixture to dry flour mixture.

Note: Mix dry ingredients in a slightly larger mixing bowl! This makes adding the wet ingredients much easier!
Note: Mix dry ingredients in a slightly larger mixing bowl! This makes adding the wet ingredients much easier to combine!

Fold in pecans.

Dough will be dry- No worries! It will be great after kneading.

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Wash hands and knead dough until a beautiful dough forms.

Form a log that will fit on your baking sheet- the length of your baking sheet and 3-4 inches wide.

Bake 25-35 mins. or until center is firm and the bottom is lightly browned.

Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Let log cool for 10 minutes.

Slice into 1 inch wide pieces with a serrated knife.

Slice horizontally in half and then on a diagonal into 1 inch wide cookies.
Slice horizontally in half and then on a diagonal into 1 inch wide cookies.

Lay them cut side up and bake 8 -10 mins. on each side or until crisp!

8 minutes and flip them over!
Dunk!

Enjoy!
Ciao!

Death By Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cake!! Our 7 Year Anniversary Treat!

Chop peanut butter cups into small bits.
Cake with gooey chocolate peanut butter marshmallow bites. Yummy!
Cake with gooey chocolate peanut butter marshmallow bites. Yummy!

Our 7 year anniversary happened to be on a Monday this year …bummer!! I wore my wedding dress first thing in the morning and had a tea party with “wedding doll” my Bella.

Bella was so excited! What a fun morning !
Bella was so excited! What a fun morning !

I wear my wedding dress every anniversary! #1 to feel like a princess AGAIN and #2 to make sure it fits! Ha! I don’t see the point in preserving the dress in a box!

I love to get my wedding dress out and walk around the house!
Monday, I drank coffee and even threw a load of laundry in the washing machine!

Kevin had an evening work meeting, so instead of a special dinner, I created a special dessert we could enjoy at home!

Wow! Amazing!
Wow! Amazing!

Death By Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cake

Ingredients:Cake

1 box Betty Crocker dark chocolate cake
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 cup water
1/4 cup chia seeds

Don't forget the chia seeds!! Tasteless and packed with vitamins and antioxidants, they are the key ingredient for an unhealthy dessert splurge! That's how I justify it!
Don’t forget the chia seeds!! Tasteless and packed with vitamins and antioxidants, they are the key ingredient for an unhealthy dessert splurge! That’s how I justify it!

Ingredients: Lava Filling/icing

1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup mini marshmallows
2 tbsp. coconut milk
1 sleeve king Reese’s peanut butter cups

Chop peanut butter cups into small bits.
Chop peanut butter cups into small bits.

Directions:

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Grease and flour cake pan.

Blend cake as directed by box.

Bake cake for 25-30mins. or until toothpick test is clean.

A toothpick In the cake should come our  clean of batter. 5 more minutes!
A toothpick In the cake should come
our clean of batter. 5 more minutes!

Meanwhile, melt lava ingredients in a small saucepan on low heat, stirring continuously until melted evenly.

Keep a low flame and stir! You don't want it to cook just melt.
Keep a low flame and stir! You don’t want it to
cook just melt.

Take the handle of a wooden spoon and make holes 1-1/2inch deep and 2 inches apart in cake.

Use a wooden spoon handle. Press into cake and fill with lava filling .
Use a wooden spoon handle. Press into cake and fill with lava filling .

Pour lava mixture in holes until full.

I used a teaspoon! I wanted to really fill the holes. You could just spread mixture like icing on top of holes, too!
I used a teaspoon! I wanted to really fill the holes. You could just spread mixture like icing on top of holes, too!

Spread leftover lava mixture for icing.

Top with chopped peanut butter cups.

 

Flavor burst ! Wow!
Flavor burst ! Wow!

 
Serve warm!

Enjoy!
Ciao!