coffee – DessertedPlanet.com

Cinnamon Spiced Espresso Glazed Granola

September 24, 2017 No Comments

I have so many recipes that I’ve done over the last year or so that were the healthy dessert and breakfast type I made for my family but never got around to blogging and I’m so excited to revisit and remake them in order to share with you all! I was OBSESSED with this granola recipe last fall and actually ended up giving out bags of it for Christmas with other homemade goodies such as handsoap, etc.

It was very well received and I plan on doing something similar this year for gifts! You can package it so pretty and this stuff lasts in an airtight container for a very long time! What I really love is how some of my favorite flavors combine in this…you’ve got fall with the cinnamon and nutmeg, a nice kick from the espresso powder and a hint of chocolate from the coffee beans! It’s just soooooo good! My kids LOVE it but for obvious reasons (hello, caffeine!) I limit their intake. 😀 It’s great over yogurt, with my Pumpkin Spice Dessert Dip or just in a bowl with some nice cold, almond milk!

Give it a try! I think you’ll love it. 🙂

Cinnamon Spiced Espresso Glazed Granola

Ingredients

6 c. Regular Rolled Oats
2 c. Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
1 ½ c. Toasted Pecan Halves
1 c. Pistachios
1 ½ c. Raw Pumpkin Seeds/Pepitas
½ c. Wheat Germ (I use ground flaxseed if I don't have wheat germ)
1 c. Fruit Juice Sweetened Dried Cranberries
1 c. Golden Raisins (or use another cup of dried cranberries)
½ c. Coconut Oil, melted
1 ½ c. Agave
3 T. Instant Espresso Powder (feel free to use more for more of the coffee flavor--I actually like about ⅓ cup!)
2 t. Cinnamon
½ t. Nutmeg
2 t. Sea Salt
2 T. Pure Vanilla Extract
1-2 c. Dark Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans (I get grain sweetened ones) or Dark Chocolate Chunks (preferably stevia sweetened, etc)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray two large baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut flakes, pecans, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, wheat germ, cranberries and golden raisins. Toss well.
In another medium bowl, combine melted coconut oil, agave, espresso powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and vanilla. Whisk together until well combined.
Pour the coconut oil mixture over the dry oat mixture and stir to fully combine. I stir for at least 3-5 minutes to ensure everything is well coated.
Divide the granola between the two baking sheets and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes so the granola will get evenly toasted.
Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, spray the bottom of a flat 1 cup measuring cup or a flat bottomed glass with cooking spray. Press the granola into the pan using the bottom of the measure cup so that you have a flat slab of granola.
Let the granola sit for one hour to cool and harden.
After an hour break the granola up into clusters and stir in chocolate covered coffee beans or dark chocolate chunks.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

Candy, Desserts, Holiday, Recipes

Cappuccino Truffles

November 13, 2012 1 Comment

Last week I had the privilege of giving a brief presentation to our local MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group in Springfield, MO. I shared two recipes with them, one healthy and one definitely not healthy. I was a little nervous because I have never tried doing a cooking demonstration AND talking at the same time, but everyone was very nice and made me feel very comfortable!

The first recipe I shared was this one for my No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites (chocolate version). I actually made this one in front of the group with a little help from two lovely assistants. They were passed around so everyone could try them and the general consensus was “yum!”. Everyone seemed to love the fact that these were healthy, easy to make and tasted delicious (I describe them as tasting just like a no-bake cookie!). I was sooo relieved that everyone liked them!

The second goodie I shared were my Cappuccino Truffles. There are a few candy recipes that I have made many times in the past and NEVER shared and this was one o them. When I find recipes that people rave over and are willing to pay me to make, it’s hard for me to let go of them, but it was time! I had these done ahead of time and did a few with coffee bean decor and some with gold luster dust. It was so fun to pass these out and watch while people tasted them…the look of sheer pleasure on their faces was priceless. Yep, they’re good.

I make mine with bittersweet chocolate ganache that has a hint of cinnamon and coffee and has been enrobed in a yummy white chocolate. They are absolutely divine. If you are looking at candy recipes for this holiday season and just don’t know which one to choose (there are MANY out there) I would highly encourage you to make this one! They will be gone in seconds wherever you take them.

Needless to say, I had a fantastic time with the MOPS group of girls. They were so fun and had lots of questions which I actually really enjoyed answering! I’m definitely thinking I might be ready for my own cooking show….

Enjoy!

Cappuccino Truffles

Ingredients

1 lb. Bittersweet or Dark Chocolate, finely chopped (I prefer Ghirardelli 60% Bittersweet Bars)
1½ c. Heavy Whipping Cream
2 T. Instant Coffee Granules (or espresso powder)
½ t. Ground Cinnamon
1.25 lbs White Chocolate Candy Coating
60 Coffee Beans, for decoration

Instructions

Place the bittersweet/dark chocolate in a large bowl. Place the instant coffee in a small bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the heavy whipping cream to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and stir 3 tablespoons into the instant coffee, to dissolve the granules, then blend this mixture back into the rest of the cream. Stir in the cinnamon, then pour the cream into the bowl with the bittersweet chocolate. Let the mixture stand for one minute, then stir together until thoroughly blended and smooth. Let cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until thick but not stiff, about 2 hours.
Line a large cookie sheet with foil. With a melon baler, scoop out about 1” balls onto the foil-lined pan. Place in the freezer for 1 hour. Remove from freezer and roll into balls with the palm of your hands. Place back in the refrigerator while you melt the white chocolate.*
Melt the white chocolate candy coating in the microwave at 20 second intervals, stirring between each until completely melted and smooth. Dip each truffle in the white chocolate and place on foil. Top immediately with a coffee bean.

Notes

Makes 60, 1" truffles. *Be sure your truffles are not frozen or too cold. If they are very cold, it will cause the white chocolate to crack after you dip them.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

Chocolate, Desserts, Healthy, Recipes

Java Mocha Protein Balls

January 20, 2012 No Comments

I spied these dark chocolatey little bites of protein on Pinterest (where else?) the other day and knew right away I’d like them. (See original recipe here.) These are full of good fats and protein from the almonds, wheat germ, flax seed and protein powder and are lightly sweetened with dates and agave. Oh and how could I forget the ground coffee. Yes, it gets mixed right in with everything else for one powerhouse of a snack! Forget the Snickers when you are feeling that afternoon slump…eat a couple of these for some REAL energy and nutrition.

Enjoy!

P.S. This recipe makes ALOT and my food processor wasn’t quite big enough so I had to split it into two batches. Just FYI.

Java Mocha Protein Balls

Ingredients

⅓ c. Ground Coffee
4-5 T. Cocoa Powder
2 c. Raw Almonds
¼ c. Ground Flax Seed
¼ c. Wheat Germ
3 Scoops Plant-Based Chocolate Protein Powder (I prefer Garden of Life Chocolate Protein and Greens)
2 T. Pure Vanilla
1 c. Dates, finely chopped
¼ c. Agave
½-3/4 c. Warm Water
Chopped Bittersweet Chocolate (Prefer Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Chunks), Cocoa Powder or Coffee Beans (for rolling/decor)

Instructions

Place all the ingredients excluding the agave and water into your food processor. Blend until smooth.
Add the agave and then slowly add the water, pulsing as the consistency thickens like dough. Form dough into a ball and wrap with plastic wrap. Place in an air-tight container and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight. Remove from fridge, form into 1-inch balls and roll in chopped bittersweet chocolate, cocoa powder or garnish with a coffee bean.

Notes

Makes 50.

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

Brownie, Cake, Candy, Cheesecake, Chocolate, Cookie, Cupcakes, Desserts, Holiday, Ice Cream, Inspiration, Pie

New Year’s Eve Party Mini Desserts

December 27, 2011 1 Comment

I have been in love with mini desserts for years. They are just so darn cute and the fact that you don’t have to pick just ONE dessert but can in fact try several, due to their tiny size, is just awesome to me. I love them so much that I actually used to cater desserts and only did miniature sizes. It was so much fun and sometimes I really miss planning dessert tables for weddings or parties with loads of colorful, bite-size desserts! Thank goodness for the holidays when I can unleash my creative baking skills (obsession?) on all my family and friends!

So, I thought what would be better for a New Year’s Eve party than mini sweets?! Finger foods are VERY popular for New Year’s Eve parties and these desserts stay right with that theme. Some of these are super easy (2-3 ingredients), which is great since you have no doubt been in the kitchen waaaayyyy too much between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Also, another way to make easy miniatures is to bake up a normal 9×13 pan of brownies, blondies, cake, etc. and cut them small with a knife or fun-shaped, small cookie cutters or take any regular ‘ole cookie recipe and just make smaller than normal cookies (be sure to cook them for less time!). Ok, let’s check out some other awesome tiny goodies from around the blogosphere:

First up, Mini S’mores Cakes. How cute are these?! Get a lot more mini ideas from Delish here.

I LOVE baklava. Love it. It was the one thing I was looking most forward to indulging in over the Christmas holiday. I’ve actually made Baklava Cups before and they are super good and MUCH less labor intensive than the traditional way. See more ideas from Women’s Day here.

Mini Oreos. Yum.

Mini Ice Cream Cookie Pops. How fun! However, if you’re afraid of the ice cream melting before people can scarf them down, try it with buttercream frosting.

I love these Mini Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats. Rice Krispie treats are sooo classic and just plain good.

Banana Split Bites. Delicious and gorgeous.

Vanilla Bean Baby Doughnuts. Perfect after a night of imbibing.

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake. One of my favorites.

Poptarts on a stick. Totally awesome. AND easy.

These Chocolate Salted-Caramel Mini Cupcakes look soooo rich and decadent. Pure bliss.

Cut these yummy Red Velvet Brownies super small for bite-size treats.

These Lindt Mini Chocolate Trifles are adorable. Use some larger shot glasses for the cups and think about switching up ingredients…caramel sauce for the fudge, brownies for the cookies, etc.

I have been making Brownie Tassies forever. The only thing I do differently is top them with coffee buttercream and toasted, slivered almonds. People will go nuts over these.

Ummm, excuse me but this Chocolate Covered Bacon Caramel Popcorn is dangerous. Dangerous I tell you!! And I am SO going to make it.

These Mini Cherry Pies are just down right pretty. And begging to be eaten.

I love the playfulness of this Gumdrop Fudge. Very festive and party appropriate. Not to mention easy. We like easy!

Well, hopefully this gives you some inspiration for whatever crazy New Year’s party you may be hosting or attending. Tomorrow I’ll have my own recipe for Mini Doughnut Muffins!

Drinks, Holiday

Festive Holiday Punch Recipes

December 21, 2011 No Comments

Here are some great punch recipes that would be appropriate for either Christmas OR New Year’s. Any of these would be a nice change from the same old mug of cider or glass of champagne you’d normally serve. The coffee punch is soooo good…I will never forget the first time I had it at a bridal shower and thought “what IS this?!” I immediately obtained the recipe (as I’m sure everyone else at the shower did) and occasionally get the urge to make it for myself. Yes, just for me, no special occasion or party or whatever. But I haven’t done that…yet.

Hope you find one you love!

Ultimate Eggnog Punch

Coffee Punch

Christmas Cinnamon Punch

Peppermint Eggnog Punch

Milk Punch

Citrus Champagne Punch

Mocha Nog Punch

Candy, Chocolate, Desserts, Holiday

Homemade Christmas Candy

December 13, 2011 No Comments

This past weekend I made homemade candy, which is probably my favorite thing to make in the kitchen. I tried a couple of old recipes and a couple of new ones. One of the new ones was out of a candy book that I have and unfortunately it was a total disaster. It was supposed to be similar to a 3 Musketeers but was more like chocolate taffy. The taste was great because I used my super delicious Mexican cocoa powder but the texture was way off. I was soooo disappointed in the recipe but I’m not going to give up! I think that is what I like about candy making, it can be a challenge and it’s fun to figure out why recipes went wrong and what to do right or change the next time.

Here is a small collection of candy recipes that I’d love to try this Christmas, from simple to a little bit more complicated. The homemade Snickers bar and Coffee Toffee are totally calling my name…actually they ALL look good! Which one would you like to try??

Chubby Hubby Truffles

Gumdrops

Coffee Toffee

Honey Vanilla Bean Marshmallows

Cherry Cordials

Pumpkin Spice Truffles

Peanut Brittle

Eggnog Fudge with White Chocolate and Walnuts

Chocolate Cheesecake Truffles

Chocolate Dipped Caramels

Candy Cane Marshmallows

Salt Water Taffy

Chocolate Covered Coffee Crackle Crunch

Desserts, Inspiration

Christmas Food Gifts

December 9, 2011 No Comments

Happy Friday! In case you’ve been thinking about what you’re going to give to that hard-to-buy for friend or family member for Christmas, why not give them food?? Everyone loves food. Seriously, everyone. What I like about these food gifts is that they are not your typical fudge or baked good that will probably get a little stale before you can recover from all the holiday eating. These can be stored away for a cold winter night (or day) and made or used whenever the urge strikes.

Enjoy!

Minty Hot Cocoa Mix

Personalized Coffee Blend

Vanilla Sea Salt

White Chocolate Cinnamon Pretzels

Peppermint Marshmallow Sauce

Cancun Eats

October 28, 2011 No Comments

Just one week ago I was digging my toes into soft, white sand, reading non-stop on my Kindle under a palm tree and eating waaaaayyyyyy too much food. It was a good five days in Cancun.

Here are some photos of the most important part of our trip…dessert! (Forgive the photo quality..taken with a phone…bad lighting..etc etc etc)

These are some of the gorgeous dessert buffets. I honestly can’t tell you what 1/4 of the stuff is and there wasn’t much that I liked, believe it or not. Oh, but I tried it ALL. Most of the choices were either way too sugary sweet coconut candy type things or bland. And the “cake”-like options were very dry. I did find a chocolate cheesecake wrapped in a chocolate purse-type shell (in first pic below, bottom right) that was good and another plain vanilla cheesecake thing (at least I THINK that’s what it was..hard to tell because the top half was green and it was shaped like an oval) that I liked also. I did find these little chocolate cube-like things that I LOVED and I actually found them in the shop at the resort. Turns out they were made of toasted amaranth and chocolate. Yep, totally going to try making them.

There were two little gems that I found on our shopping day. One is an amazing chocolate shop called Ah Cacao. They sold all kinds of chocolate, coffee, every form of vanilla, cookies and some of THE BEST brownies I have ever had. Oh and their chocolate covered espresso beans…AH-MAZING. They were dipped in dark chocolate and then had a crunchy outer shell, like an M&M. I wish I had bought more than one package.

This was a lovely little gelato place called Aldo’s. There’s actually alot of gelato places in Cancun, which surprised me. They pretty much started shoveling gelato samples into our mouthes the minute we walked up to the counter. But I’m not complaining! It was delicious! I ended up getting a waffle cone with Almond gelato–heaven!

And this is us on our last day of living like beach bums, soaking up the sun. Let me tell you, it was SWEET.

Life

St. Louis and Cheesecake

September 18, 2011 No Comments

This weekend I went to the Joyce Meyer conference in St. Louis with a few other lovely ladies. I’ve been several times before and it’s always a wonderful time of awesome music and challenging teaching. It’s also a great time to sneak in some shopping and splurge on some good eating out! On Friday, our sessions were at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. so during that gap me, my sister Hannah and friend Nicole high-tailed it to the Galleria for a marathon shopping session.

One of our stops was Urban Outfitters where I found these Kitty Cat Measuring Cups. I am a HUGE cat person, so I pretty much died when I saw them. I still regret not getting them.

I also came across this toothpaste at Urban Outfitters. As much as I love cupcakes, I’m not sure I want to brush my teeth with them. That just seems…wrong.

After the last session on Saturday, we went back to the Galleria for the Cheesecake Factory. I know, I know it’s a chain and all but I’m sorry, I love the place. We had some awesome salads and then left.

Just kidding! Well, we did have salads but we most certainly ordered cheesecake too! And no, we didn’t share a piece, we each got our own piece. That’s right. Total gluttony. And it was sooooo worth it. Here is a picture of all three of them taken with my crappy cell phone.

And here are some beautiful stock photos of what we got. Much better.

My sister Hannah got Craig’s Crazy Carrot Cake Cheesecake. It. Is. So. Good. Layers of carrot cake, vanilla cheesecake, cream cheese frosting and toasted pecans. Amazing.

I got the Lemon Raspberry Cream Cheesecake which consisted of Raspberry-Vanilla Cake, Creamy Lemon Cheesecake, Raspberry Lady Fingers and Lemon Mousse. It didn’t have the lady fingers and didn’t quite look like this photo and wasn’t really my favorite, BUT it was good. Just not my favorite.

What was my favorite? My friend Nicole’s choice, the Kahlua Cocoa Coffee Cheesecake. OMG. I know that phrase is overused but seriously, OMG. It was so, so, so good…a yummy brownie crust with a hint of coffee in the uber-creamy cheesecake filling and some seriously rich chocolate mousse and ganache on top. I was *this close* to choosing the Kahlua cheesecake and I was KICKING myself for changing my mind at the last minute. However, Nicole couldn’t quite finish all of her piece so like the good friend I am, I volunteered to help her out.

I had such a great weekend and was so sad to see it end but I’m thankful for the girl time and most importantly, God time. And now, I’m gonna shut down my computer on this dreary, rainy Sunday afternoon and hold my husband’s hand as he rides the emotional rollercoaster that is fantasy football. Hope everyone has a lovely Sunday evening.

Breakfast, Desserts, Recipes

Maple Walnut Scones

September 12, 2011 No Comments

I saw this recipe for Maple Sugar Scones over on Good Life Eats and immediately printed it off. Ever since I learned that scones weren’t that difficult (these Raspberry and Dark Chocolate Chip Scones, for instance) to make and were, in fact, quite delicious, I’ve been looking for another opportunity to make them and this recipe was perfect for the start of fall baking.

I didn’t have the maple sugar that the recipe calls for so instead I used Pure Grade A Maple Syrup (do NOT use the maple syrup sold in the cereal aisle of your store…it’s not real maple syrup) and adjusted the amount of dry ingredients. They turned out so delicious! The dough itself was more biscuit like with a hint of maple and toasted walnuts, but the syrup and sugar on top gave it a nice bit of added sweetness. Perfect warm out of the oven with a cup of coffee on a nice, chilly day.

Enjoy!

Maple Walnut Scones

Ingredients

4 c. AP Flour
1½ t. Baking Powder
½ t. Baking Soda
½ t. Salt
1 c. Chopped, Toasted Walnuts
½ c. (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, very cold and cubed
⅔ c. Heavy Whipping Cream
⅔ c., plus 2 T. Pure Grade A Maple Syrup, plus a little extra for glazing
1 Large Egg
2 t. Pure Vanilla Extract
Raw Sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and walnuts. Using your hands or fork, work the very cold butter into the dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
In a separate bowl (I used a large measuring cup) whisk together the heavy cream, maple syrup, egg and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to butter/flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. With your hands, form dough into a large disc, roughly 7" round. Place on a lightly floured surface and cut into 8 wedges (the wedges were a little large so I think I'll cut it into 10 next time). Place on cookie sheet and brush with maple syrup. Sprinkle with raw sugar.
Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of one scone comes out clean.

Notes

Serves 8-10

Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe