Showing posts with label dessert. Show all posts
Chocoflan, or Pastel Imposible, combines two irresistible desserts into one: rich chocolate cake and creamy vanilla-flavored flan.


Best Chocoflan recipe - lacocinadeleslie.com

Happy New Year, friends! This year I've decided against New Year's resolutions. Well, maybe not entirely. I do have one small New Year's resolution, and once you hear what it is, I'm sure you'll agree it's the best New Year's resolution ever. Inspired by the old addage of, "Life is short, eat dessert first!"... My one resolution for 2018 is to bake more desserts. At least once a week.

To kick off my New Year's resolution, I'm sharing this classic Chocoflan, a fun and flavorful dessert that combines the richness of a chocolate cake with the light creaminess of a tradtional flan. This is one of those dessert recipes that is perfect for when you want to impress guests with an elegant dessert that looks like it took hours for you to make, but you won't believe how incredibly easy it is to prepare. If you can make a cake mix cake, then you'll have no problem whipping up a Chocoflan.

Chocoflan is also known as Pastel Imposible, but this cake is pure magic. You start by layering the cake batter and then the flan mixture into a Bundt pan, but during the baking process, the flan mixture seaps through the cake batter to the bottom of the pan, so when you turn your finished Chocoflan onto a serving platter, the flan magically appears on top of the cake. Sounds impossible, but it's not. It's magic!


How to make chocoflan - lacocinadeleslie.com




Yield: 12 servings

Chocoflan (Pastel Imposible)

Chocoflan, or Pastel Imposible, combines two irresistible desserts into one: rich chocolate cake and creamy vanilla-flavored flan.
prep time: 10 MINScook time: 45 MINStotal time: 55 mins

ingredients

For the chocolate cake:
  • 3/4 cups Mexican cajeta or caramel topping 
  • 1 ( box) Betty Crocker Devil's Food cake mix
  • 1-1/4 cups water 
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil 
  • 3 large eggs
For the flan:
  • 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk 
  • 1 (10 oz.) can evaporated milk
  • 3 large eggs 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
  • Boiling water (for the water bath) 

instructions


  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray. Drizzle the Mexican cajeta along the bottom of the Bundt pan, swirling lightly to coat. 
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for about 30 seconds, just until combined. Increase speed to high and beat for about 3 minutes until cake mix is thick and creamy, like a chocolate milkshake. Pour batter into Bundt pan over the cajeta. DO NOT STIR! 
  3. For the flan, puree the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs, and vanilla extract in a blender until smooth. Gently pour the flan mixture into the Bundt pan, over the cake mix. Again, resist the urge to stir. 
  4. Place the Bundt pan inside a larger baking pan. Fill the larger baking pan about halfway with boiling water. Bake the chocoflan at 350° for 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool completely. Turn chocoflan onto a serving platter. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy! 
http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com/2010/03/100th-post-very-special-cake.html
©La Cocina de Leslie
Created using The Recipes Generator


 *Originally posted back in March 2010 to celebrate my 100th recipe here in my cocina. The recipe and instructions remain the same, all I've done is update the photos and added a printable recipe card. 













Chocoflan (Pastel Imposible)

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Arroz con Leche is the ultimate in Mexican comfort food. Creamy and delicious with a hint of cinnamon, this Mexican rice pudding is a warm and comforting hug in a mug.



How to Make Mexican Arroz con Leche - lacocinadeleslie.com

Classic Mexican Arroz con Leche 

Arroz con Leche is another of those traditional Mexican dishes that takes me back to my childhood. I don't think there was a week that Pappy didn't whip up a huge olla (pot) of Arroz con Leche. Pappy was of the belief that Arroz con Leche was the caldo de pollo (chicken soup) of desserts, in that it could cure just about anything. And he was always looking for an excuse to make this creamy deliciousness: birthdays, rainy days, holidays, Tuesdays, sick days, and any day ending in the letters "s" or "o". (The days of the week in Spanish end in either "s" or "o": lunes, martes, miércoles, jueves, viernes, sábado y domingo.)

How to Make Traditional Mexican Arroz con Leche 

Every family has their own unique recipe for Arroz con Leche. Today I'm sharing the classic version, made with just rice, water, milk, cinnamon, sugar, and raisins, if you like them. There are other versions of Arroz con Leche that also include sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk, which I'll be sharing soon, but today it's all about the traditional arroz con leche like our abuelitos (grandparents) and favorite tías (aunts) used to make. 


Traditional Mexican Arroz con Leche recipe - lacocinadeleslie.com


Yield: 8 servings

Arroz con Leche

Arroz con Leche is the ultimate in Mexican comfort food. Creamy and delicious, this Mexican rice pudding is a warm and comforting hug in a mug.+-w
prep time: 5 MINScook time: 60 MINStotal time: 65 mins

ingredients:


  • 1 cup long-grain rice 
  • 4 cups water
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt 
  • 1 (3-inch cinnamon stick) 
  • 4 cups whole milk 
  • 1/2 to 1 cup granulated sugar 
  • 1 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional) 
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch (optional) 
  • 3 tablespoons whole milk (optional) 

instructions


  1. Bring rice, water, salt, and cinnamon to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Cover and reduce heat to low; let simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until the rice is cooked through and almost all of the water has evaporated. (That starchy water that remains after the rice is cooked through is what is going to help make our arroz con leche extra creamy.) 
  2. Stir in the 4 cups of milk. Cover, leaving lid slightly ajar; let simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until milk comes to a boil.
  3. Sweeten with granulated sugar to taste. If adding raisins or dried cranberries, stir them in with the granulated sugar. Cover, leaving lid slightly ajar (to preven milk from spilling over); let simmer for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until rice mixture is thick and creamy. 
  4. Remove from heat. Let cool slightly. Serve warm or let cool completely and refrigerate until ready to serve. Spoon rice pudding into bowl or coffee mugs. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Buen provecho! 
Tips:
  1. To help thicken your arroz con leche, mash the rice lightly with a potato masher.
  2. If your arroz con leche is still not creamy enough for your taste, dissolve the cornstarch in the cold milk. Stir into the rice pudding, and let simmer until desired thickness. 
http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com/2009/07/arroz-con-leche.html
©La Cocina de Leslie
Created using The Recipes Generator














Comfort Food Classics: Arroz con Leche (Mexican Rice Pudding)

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Cool, tart, and refreshing homemade sorbet made with fresh kiwi and lime juice.


Homemade Kiwi Lime Sorbet - lacocinadeleslie.com

K is for kiwi, as in this Kiwi Lime Sorbet.

Kiwi Lime Sorbet #AtoZrecipechallenge

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Pay de Elote is a delicious baked Mexican pie with a creamy sweet corn custard flavored with cinnamon.



Longtime readers of my cocina blog might remember that this blog's tagline used to be "Celebrating food, family, and life in Mexico." Well, the tagline might have disappeared, but my belief that there is always something to celebrate still holds true. And today is no exception because La Cocina de Leslie is celebrating it's 7th blog birthday/anniversary!

Pay de Elote (Sweet Corn Pie)

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It's the first Monday of a new month which means it's time once again for The Secret Recipe Club. This month my assignment is Making Memories with Your Kids, written by Erin, a single mom of two who loves to bake and craft. Erin's blog is a fun family-friendly mix of recipes and crafts for making wonderful memories with kids of all ages.


With so many festive recipes to choose from a few that caught my eye were Bread & Butter Pickles, Bacon Double Cheeseburger Dip, and Twinkie Pie. I ended up choosing Erin's Pumpkin Crumb Coffee Cake because I had some leftover Calabaza en Tacha (Mexican candied pumpkin) sitting in my fridge just waiting to be used. I had seen similar recipes on Pinterest where you simply combine cake mix with pumpkin puree, but the crumb topping is what ultimately won me over. Not only is this cake super easy to whip up, it's also incredibly delicious... like a cross between a pumpkin bread and old-fashioned pumpkin pie. My family and I are completely smitten with this recipe!

Secret Recipe Club: Pumpkin Crumb Cake

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Learn to make Cocada de Forno, a sweet and irresistible Brazilian delicacy.


Baked Coconut / Brazilian Cocada - lacocinadeleslie.com

Happy February, amigos! Can you believe it's already the second month of the New Year? Not only is today the first day of the month, it's also the first Monday which means it's time once again for The Secret Recipe Club. Yay! My assignment this month is Bewitching Kitchen, written by Sally who aside from being a talented food blogger is also an awesome biochemist. Sally has been sharing her love of food on her blog since 2009 and has an impressive catalogue of recipes to choose from like Feta Cheese Zucchini Loaf, Roast Chicken w/ Clementines, and Cremini Mushroom Meatloaf.  Sally was born and raised in Sao Paolo, Brazil and also shares traditional Brazilian recipes which were what really drew me in. Her Coxinha de Galinha (chicken fritters), Pao de Queijo, and Brigadeiros are all on my "to make" list.

Secret Recipe Club: Baked Coconut (Cocada de Forno)

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Add this delicious piloncillo pudding filled pie topped with whipped cream and Mexican cajeta to your holiday dessert table.



Thanksgiving week is finally here! Bring on the food! Freshly baked bread rolls, roast turkey (or chicken), creamy mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and stuffing galore. And let's not forget the pies.Thanksgiving wouldn't be complete without a couple slices of pie before happily slipping into a food coma. One pie we'll be serving this year is this Piloncillo Cream Pie. I've been making Piloncillo Pudding for years, at first as an alternative to butterscotch pudding as brown sugar wasn't readily available, but because pudding pies are my favorite kind of pie Piloncillo Cream Pie quickly became a family favorite.

Piloncillo Cream Pie

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Another month is upon us, which means it's time for another installment of The Secret Recipe Club. For those of you unfamiliar with the SRC, it's a fun virtual recipe swap with another blogger who has no idea who will be cooking something from their blog. 

My assignment this month was Baking & Creating with Avril, a bright and delightful blog full of baked goodies and family friendly savory recipes. As usual, I didn't have anything specific that I was looking to make, but with the word "baking" in the blog title I was definitely leaning towards something sweet. With so many mouth-watering recipes to choose from Avril's blog did not disappoint. Recipe like Nutella Drop Cookies, Pumpkin Black Bean Soup, and Zucchini Cornbread all caught my eye, but in the end I decided to go with Avril's Honey Bun Cake.

Secret Recipe Club: Honey Bun Cake

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When trying to decide which recipe to make from my Secret Recipe Club assignment this month I had two things in mind: Halloween and candy! Because that's pretty much what the month of October was all about, in addition to celebrating my 20th wedding anniversary, my Hubby's 42nd birthday, and my eldest son's 15th birthday.

My assignment this month was Ilona's Kitchen, written by a wife and mom who loves to travel and cook. Reading Ilona's blog is like reading a letter or email from a trusted friend because she tells you straight up whether a recipe has way too much butter or not enough. The kiddies and I had a hard time narrowing down our choices. I was tempted to get an early start on my holiday baking with her Cranberry Bundt Cake and Cinnamon Apple Pie Cake, but the search was over as soon as my kiddies saw her Caramel Swirled Pretzel M&M Blondies. My kiddies LOVE anything with m&m's and thought this would be the perfect Halloween dessert. And they were SO right!

I did make one small change by substituting Mexican cajeta for the caramel sauce. I also added in more pretzels, that I lucked upon at one of the farmacias here in town, because I love desserts that are the perfect balance between sweet and salty. And the blondies were so soft and tender. Very cake-like, but also kind of fudgy in the middle because of the cajeta. These Cajeta Swirled Pretzel M&M Blondies were a big hit in our house, and I'm sure they'll be a big hit in your's too.


Cajeta Swirled Pretzel M&M Blondies - lacocinadeleslie.com

Secret Recipe Club: Cajeta Swirled Pretzel M&M Blondies

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Who am I trying to kid? Once I get something stuck in my head, there's just no convincing me otherwise. For the last couple of weeks I have tried not to think about the upcoming fall season. I have really tried to enjoy the last precious few weeks of summer, and not think about fall, but I'm fighting a losing battle. I am ready for fall. To me the beginning of September and Labor Day weekend will always be the unofficial beginning of  the fall season. That's how it was for the first 26 years of my life that I lived in the US, and it's still the same way now that I'm about to turn 40 and have been living in Mexico for almost 14 years. I want apples, pumpkins (I bought my first pumpkin of the season on Friday), rich spices, cooler days and warm bevvies. So, when trying to decide which recipe to make this month for The Secret Recipe Club, I was looking for something fall inspired.

My blog assignment this month was Food Ramblings, written by Elizabeth, who loves to cook, travel, and eat. (A woman after my own heart!) Elizabeth's blog has plenty of fall inspired recipes to choose from like Apple Cinnamon Pancakes, Pumpkin Apple Muffins, and Pumpkin Butter Swirled Blondies (swoon!). Ultimately I ended up choosing to make her Oatmeal Craisin Cookies, because I thought not only would they taste like fall, but they'd also make for a great lunchbox treat for my kiddies. And because Jack, my youngest, absolutely LOVES dried cranberries.

I was not disappointed. I've always loved the combination of oats and cinnamon, and the ruby red dried cranberries added a slight tartness that made these Oatmeal Cranberry Bars hard to resist. My kiddies requested these in their lunch boxes every day last week. And on Saturday, my girls and I whipped up another batch for the coming week, but they disappeared before the end of the day. And I'm pretty sure that

Oatmeal Cranberry Bars - lacocinadeleslie.com


Secret Recipe Club: Oatmeal Cranberry Bars

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Happy June, amigos! It's the beginning of a new month, which means that it's time for The Secret Recipe Club big reveal. I don't know about you, but one of my favorite things about blogging is discovering new blogs to follow and making new friends. This month I was assigned a new-to-me blog called Sweet as Sugar Cookies written by Lisa. True to it's title, Lisa's blog is full of sweet and delicious treats. Some of the recipes that caught my attention were the Baked Pears w/ Feta Cheese Lisa made last month for SRC, Honey Yogurt Bread, Spicy Peach BBQ Chicken, Mango Bread, and Peach Pie Bars. I finally decided to go with the Peach Pie Bars, because they just sounded like the perfect summer dessert.

My only problem was that I couldn't find fresh peaches, and I really didn't want to use canned peaches for this dessert nor did I want to make something else. My heart, mind, and stomach were set on having the Peach Pie Bars. So, I turned to one of my favorite summer fruits and made Mango Pie Bars instead.

Oh my goodness! This just might be my new go-to mango dessert. I still can't get over how amazing they were. They tasted like Peach Pie and Peach Cobbler all rolled into one. Thank you so much for this recipe, Lisa! My Hubby & kiddies thank you too.

Mango Pie Bars - lacocinadeleslie.com

Secret Recipe Club: Mango Pie Bars

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With summer just around the corner, my foodie BFF girlichef and I thought it only fitting that we make paletas for this month's She Made/Ella Hace. Both Heather (girlichef) and I both have a fondness for paletas. I think they are the perfect summer dessert, so cool, sweet, and refreshing. And they look so cute on those little wooden sticks. I don't know about you, but I've always thought foods on a stick just taste better than foods not on a stick.

Again, girlichef and I were on the same wavelength with this month's theme. She made Dulce de Leche Paletas and I made Caramel Pecan Paletas with cajeta (a Mexican caramel sauce). These paletas were inspired by one of my favorite snacks: plain yogurt with a sprinkling of chopped pecans and cajeta drizzled on top. As much as I enjoy my mid-morning snack, I love these Caramel Pecan Paletas even more! The tartness of the yogurt, the sweet creaminess of the cajeta, and the crunchy nutty flavor of the pecans combine together to make the perfect summer dessert.

Caramel Pecan Paletas - lacocinadeleslie.com

Paletas de Cajeta y Nuez (Caramel-Pecan Paletas) {She Made/Ella Hace}

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I have a confession to make... As much as I love empanadas, there is a certain empanada that I rarely ever make - Empanadas de Piña (Pineapple Empanadas). Not because I don't love them (which I totally do), but because there are the only two kinds of empanadas sold at most panaderías (bakeries) in my small town: pineapple and vanilla. Usually when I make empanadas at home, it's because I'm craving a kind that I just can't find here in Small Town, Mexico. But pineapple empanadas are so sweet and delicious, that every once in a while, I just HAVE to make them at home, because homemade pineapple empanadas are that good.

Homemade Pineapple Empanadas - lacocinadeleslie.com


Empanadas de Piña (Pineapple Empanadas) #SundaySupper

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One of my favorite things about the world of food blogging are the various groups I've joined over the years. There is always much fun to be had discovering new blogs, trying new recipes, and making new friends. Some of my closest friends are friends I've made through bloggging. Well, I've gone and joined another group called The Secret Recipe Club (SRC). It's like a virtual recipe swap with another blogger, except I'll be assigned a different food blog each month, and the participants have no idea who is cooking something from their blog until reveal day. Sounds fun, right? I think so. The blog I was given this month was Things I Make (for Dinner) written by Sarah.

After reading through Sarah's blog about the recipes she prepares for herself and her hubby, I had a list of recipes I wanted to try: Shirley Temple Cupcakes, Pineapple Sangria, Peanut Butter Crunch Cake, Pecan Pie Muffins, Monkey Muffins, Pork Fried Rice, and Chicken Gyros. I was leaning heavily towards the Chicken Gyros because I haven't had one in like 15+ years, but I decided to ask Hubby and kiddies for their opinions as to what I should make. As soon as I said the words "peanut butter" they were sold. So, Peanut Butter Crunch Cake it was! But those Chicken Gyros are high on my list of things to make.

Oh, where do I start with this cake? I've always loved peanut butter, but it's been way too long since I've made (and eaten) a peanut butter dessert. I had forgotten how much I love peanut butter desserts. This snack cake reminded me of one of my favorite cookies, Nutter Butters, that I haven't had since I moved to Mexico 13 years ago. I couldn't stop tasting the cake batter, it was that good.

I did have to make one change to this cake. The original recipe calls for chocolate chips and peanut butter chips, but since I don't have access to those I decided to substitute plain m&m candies. The result was a major hit with my family. Jack, my youngest, has already requested I make this cake again for El Día del Niño (Children's Day) in April, and Hope and Nick, my teenagers, have both requested this cake for their birthdays. Thank you, Sarah, for sharing this recipe!

Peanut Butter Fun Snack Cake - lacocinadeleslie.com

Secret Recipe Club: Peanut Butter Fun Snack Cake

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When I think of Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday my mind immediately wanders to all the rich, decadent foods I want to enjoy before the seriousness of Cuaresma (Lent) starts the very next day. Here in Mexico we take Cuaresma very seriously. Most people, myself included, give up eating meat on Miercoles de Ceniza (Ash Wednesday) and every Friday until Easter Sunday. Martes de Carnaval (Fat Tuesday) is my last day to indulge in the rich and sinfully delicious foods I might be giving up for the 40+ day Lenten period. Not that I've decided to give anything up this year, but in years past I've given up Mexican Coca-Cola (which I no longer drink) and coffee (which I promised to never give up again).

Aside from coffee, my one guilty pleasure that I could never give up is chocolate, Mexican Chocolate to be exact. It can be used for so much more than just Mexican Hot Chocolate and Mole Dulce. One of my new favorite ways to enjoy sweet, cinnamon scented Mexican chocolate is in this Mexican Chocolate Coffee Cake. The cake is tender, and melt-in-your-mouth buttery delicious.

Mexican Chocolate Coffee Cake - lacocinadeleslie.com

Mexican Chocolate Coffee Cake #SundaySupper

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I know it's been a couple of months since I last baked with my friends from The Cake Slice Bakers, let's just say work & life took precedence, but the important thing is that I'm back this month with our latest cake. And oh what a delicious cake it was!

This month's cake selection from the Great Cakes cookbook by Carole Walter was Lemon Velvet Squares, but since lemons aren't easy to come by in my small town, I turned these into Lime Velvet Squares. I really don't know what kind of cake I was expecting, but the end result was way better than I could have hoped for. It was velvety smooth, buttery, and mildly citrusy without being too tart. Within minutes of removing this cake from the oven, it completely disappeared. I take that as a very good sign and will be adding this cake to our regular dessert rotation.

This would be great spring/summer dessert served with whipped cream and sliced strawberries.

Lime Velvet Squares - lacocinadeleslie.com

Cake Slice Bakers: Lime Velvet Squares

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This month for She Made/Ella Hace, girlichef & I decided to feature a special ingredient that is synonymous with Valentine's Day...Chocolate! We didn't specify any particular kind of chocolate, so we could've used dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate. The possibilities were endless. But we both ended up using the same kind of chocolate, one that we both hold near and dear to our hearts...Mexican Chocolate! (Proving once again that great minds think alike.) 

The first chocolate dessert that came to mind when thinking of what to make was Mexican Chocolate Arroz con Leche (Rice Pudding), because it's one of those simple desserts I that my Hubby and kiddies LOVE. I make classic Arroz con Leche 3 or 4 times a month, and the kiddies all insist that I make this yummy chocolatey version at least one of those times.

There are so many things I love about this Mexican Chocolate Arroz con Leche. It's super easy to make and it doesn't require a lot of ingredients. I LOVE the flavor combination of chocolate and cinnamon! But what I love most about this chocolate rice pudding is that it reminds me of my abuelito (grandpa), who used to make for me when I was a kid. And now that I'm all grown-up I get to share it with my kiddies and share stories with them about their bisabuelo (great-grandfather).

Mexican Chocolate Arroz con Leche - lacocinadeleslie.com

Mexican Chocolate Arroz con Leche (Rice Pudding) {She Made/Ella Hace}

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A couple of months ago, I can't remember if it was late August or early September, my Hubby and kiddies all came to me with one complaint, "You haven't baked us a cake in FOREVER! What kind of food blogger are you??? We want cake!"  At first I was a little taken aback because they've had a steady supply of all kinds of baked goodies: cookies... brownies... pies... empanadas...  But the more I thought about it I realized they were right. I couldn't even remember the last time I had baked them an actual cake. So I headed straight into the kitchen and whipped them up a quick and easy Mexican Chocolate Coffee Cake (recipe to come very soon) and made a mental note to bake my Hubby and kiddies a cake at least once a month, because they all LOVE cake, and I love them.

It was around that time that The Cake Slice Bakers announced they were accepting new members and were getting ready to start baking from a new book. For those of you unfamiliar with The Cake Slice Bakers, it is a group of bloggers from all over the globe who get together once a month to bake a different cake from one cookbook for an entire year.  The Cake Slice Bakers was the first food blogger group I ever joined in the early days of this blog. I always had so much fun baking with them, and I loved that I got to try cake recipes that I might not have tried otherwise.  My favorite cake cookbook to this day is still the Southern Cakes cookbook I bought during my first year with The Cake Slice Bakers.

To make a long story short, I got to thinking that re-joining The Cake Slice Bakers would the perfect way to help me stick to my plan of baking my family a cake once a month. I emailed Paloma (the group's leader and a good friend of mine) asking if I could join the group again and was immediately welcomed to the group with open arms.  So from now on, you can expect a new cake recipe here in my Cocina on (or around) the 20th of each month.

This year The Cake Slice Baker's are baking from the Great Cakes cookbook by Carole Walter.  The book is HUGE and has over 250 recipes.  It doesn't have very many photographs, but after reading through a few pages I'm already very excited to bake from this newest addition to my cookbook collection.

The first cake we've chosen to make is an Applesauce Spice Cake, a perfect cake choice for fall.  Normally, I'm really good about following directions and sticking pretty closely to what the recipe says, but that wasn't the case with this cake.  For starters, even though I did have a batch of freshly made applesauce in my fridge, I also had some homemade pumpkin puree that needed to be used, so I turned this month's cake into a Pumpkin Apple Cake.  And I left out a couple of ingredients, like the vegetable shortening because all I had on hand was butter, and also the allspice and nutmeg, because neither of those spices are easy to find in my small town.

Even with the changes I made, the cake was incredibly moist and delicious.  I loved the combination of pumpkin and apple.  And the Lime Cream Cheese Glaze on top was the perfect way to finish off this cake.  I think this Pumpkin Apple Cake would be a wonderful morning treat on Thanksgiving or Christmas day.

lacocinadeleslie.com

Applesauce Spice Cake
(Recipe adapted from Great Cakes by Carole Walter)



 Ingredients:
  • 2-1/4 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
  • 2/3 cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup chopped apple (I used apples from Chihuahua)
  • 1 cup homemade pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
Lime Cream Cheese Glaze:
  • 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • Fresh lime juice

Directions:
Generously grease and flour 2 (6 cup) Bundt pans. (DO grease the pans very generously with butter, as some bloggers had problems with the cake sticking to the pan.) Preheat oven to 350°F.

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon in a medium bowl.  Stir in the chopped pecans and set aside.

Cream the butter and lime zest with an electric mixer on high speed for about a minute.  Add the sugar, one cup at a time, continuing to beat on high speed until well incorporated, about 2 minutes with each addition.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed until completely incorporated. Stir in fresh apple and vanilla.

Reduce mixer to low.  Stir in 1/3 of the flour mixture alternately with 1/2 of the pumpkin puree until completely dissolved.  Repeat with remaining flour and pumpkin, ending with the flour.

Divide batter evenly between the two pans.  Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Remove cakes from oven and let cool in pans for 5 to 10 minutes.  Unmold and invert cakes onto serving platters.

To prepare the Cream Cheese Glaze, stir the powdered sugar into the softened cream cheese. Add fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.  Drizzle over cooled cakes.  Enjoy!


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Cake Slice Bakers: Pumpkin Apple Cake

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Will Smith (famous actor/rapper) once said, "It's summer, summer, summertime!  Time to sit back and unwind."  Well, I can't think of  better way to unwind (with the kiddies) on a hot summer afternoon than with a cool and refreshing icy treat .   My good friend and partner-in-crime Girlichef couldn't agree more, because she chose Nieves as our theme for this month's edition of She Made/Ella Hace.  

Heather (girlichef) made us a grown-up treat...a Lemon Drop Granita made with vodka!  But whenever I think of summer and icy treats, I think of the summers I spent when I was 4, 5, and 6 years old in San Luis, Sonora and Nieves Raspadas (snow cones), also known as Raspados.  I don't remember eating much else, besides my beloved Huevos con Chorizo, all summer long.  I must've eaten at least 3 nieves raspadas a day.  And who could blame me?  Nieves Raspadas are sweet, cool, and refreshing, and they were just the thing to help a little kid beat the glaring heat of the Sonoran desert.

Back then my favorite almíbares (syrups) for nieves raspadas were strawberry and tamarindo.  To this day, I still love those two flavors, but now that I'm all grown up I have a new favorite...Almíbar de Jamaica (Hibiscus Flower syrup).  It's sweet and kind of tart, with subtle floral undertones.  And it's such a pretty shade of bright magenta.

I love Nieves Raspadas SO much, I'm going to be dedicating a full week to them on the blog starting this Monday, June 24th.


Almíbar de Jamaica para Nieve Raspada
(Hibiscus Flower Syrup)

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 cups sugar

Directions:
Combine the dried hibiscus flowers with the water and sugar in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to low and let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.  Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of syrup over a cup of shaved or crushed ice.  Enjoy!!! 


Don't forget to visit Girlichef's blog to check out her Lemon Drop Granita.  And be sure to tune into my Cocina next week, as I'll be sharing more recipes for Nieves Raspadas.



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Almíbar de Jamaica (Hibiscus Flower Syrup) for Raspados {She Made/Ella Hace}

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Happy Mother's Day!  I celebrated a few days earlier because here in Mexico El Dia de las Madres (Mother's Day) is always celebrated on May 10th, no matter what day of the week it falls on.

I spent the better part of the day locked in my bedroom hiding from the dust from the debris the construction workers working on my house were clearing out.  While I was in there I painted a few walls, rearranged the furniture, purged our old clothes and shoes, and then painted some of the furniture.  I know it doesn't sound like a great way to spend Mother's Day, but believe me it couldn't have been a better day.  It was actually one of the best Mother's Day I've ever had.

Of course, Hubby and the kiddies spoiled me rotten!  First they serenaded me with Las Mañanitas (a traditional celebration song sung at birthdays and holidays like Mother's Day).  Then they gave me breakfast in bed and showered me with hugs, kisses, flowers, handmade gifts, cards, drawings, and even more hugs and kisses.  Later in the day my suegro (father-in-law) bought lunch so I didn't have to cook.  Then the 7 of us went for a walk at la presa (our town's reservoir).  We visited Hubby's grandmother and an aunt who is visiting from the States.  And then Hubby and I had a romantic dinner together.  I definitely felt the Mother's Day love.

My favorite gift of the day, aside from the bedroom makeover, was a reversible wooden tabletop Hubby made for my food pics.  (Sigh!)  It's absolutely gorgeous! It's a lovely shade of coral-pink on one side, and natural wood on the other.  I couldn't have asked for a more perfect gift.  And the fact that Hubby made it for me, without me so much as hinting at it, is just icing on the cake whipped cream on the pie.

So to thank Hubby and the kiddies for giving me such a wonderful Mother's Day, and to try out my new tabletop, I whipped them up a sweet treat...Mini Coconut Pies.  Hubby and the kiddies aren't crazy about coconut as a garnish on cakes and pies, or anything else for that matter, but they do love Pay de Coco, because it's soft and creamy and tastes like Cocada (a traditional Mexican coconut candy).

It's a really easy pie to put together.  All you need for the filling is 3 ingredients: eggs, sweetened condensed milk, and shredded coconut.   If you don't want to bake a bunch of individual mini pies, you can bake it in a regular 9-inch pie plate.  I used Galletas Maria's for my cookie crumb pie crust, but you can use graham crackers, or you can use a ready made graham cracker crust.

If you like coconut macaroons, then you are going to LOVE these Mini Pays de Coco!


Pay de Coco 
(Coconut Pie)

Ingredients:

  • 1 packet Maria's cookies
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
  • 2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
  • 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 3 eggs 


 Directions:
In a blender or food processor, grind the Maria's Cookies until very fine.  Or place the cookies in a large plastic baggie and flatten with a rolling pin until very fine.  Combine the cookie crumbs in a bowl with the melted butter; stir until well combined. 


Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cookie mixture into each of the mini-pie molds. (You'll get about 4 to 8 mini-pies depending on the size of your mini-pie molds.)  Press the cookie crumb mixture along the bottom and sides of the molds.  Refrigerate until ready to use.  


Puree 1 cup of the coconut with the sweetened condensed milk and the eggs, until smooth and creamy.  (About 2 minutes.)  Pour the puree into a medium bowl and stir in the remaining cup of shredded coconut.  Ladle the coconut mixture into prepared mini-pie molds.


Arrange on the mini-pie molds on a baking sheet.  Bake at 350°F for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the tops of the pie turn a light golden brown and the pie centers no longer jiggle when lightly shaken.  Let cool to room temperature.  Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream.


Enjoy!!!   



Receta en español 

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Mini Pays de Coco (Coconut Pie)

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