Mocha Mud Pie

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Summer is winding down to a close here in our little beach town. We’ve been out and about in the boat and on the beach quite a bit this summer. So, there hasn’t been a ton of time for blogging. But, with the changing of the seasons I find myself wanting to be in the kitchen more. My pantry is seriously depleted, I’ll no doubt be taking a trip to the big city to restock soon. Winter is coming!

Perry’s Ice Cream reached out to me earlier this summer, about teaming up to spread the word that their ice cream is now available in Virginia Wegman’s locations – which, is always one of my favorite locations to stock the pantry…

I’ve had this frozen Mocha Mud Pie in my head for a long time, an homage to the dessert found at TGI Friday’s in the 90’s. When I tried their Cold Brew Coffee & Cream variety, I knew it would be the perfect fit for this cool & creamy dessert!

So many of the recipes I’d come across used instant pudding mixes and Cool Whip, and you guys know homey don’t play that. So, I kinda did my own thing. I went with an Oreo crust, then the coffee ice cream, and sealed the deal with a layer of mocha mousse. A quick refreeze, slice, and top with hot fudge and sliced almonds – for a little crunch.

Little squares of Heaven, I tell ya…the perfect sweet treat to send off summer!

Mocha Mud Pie

For the mocha mousse:
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tsp instant espresso powder
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

For the pie:
18 Oreo cookies, pulsed in food processor until crumbs
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1.5 quarts coffee ice cream (softened)
hot fudge sauce, for topping
sliced almonds, for topping

Line a 11×7 glass pan with aluminum foil, and a layer of non-stick spray. Combine cookie crumbs and butter in food processor until combined. Press evenly into the bottom of the baking dish to form the crust. Set aside.

To make the mousse, beat egg yolks in small bowl with electric mixer on high speed until thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in sugar.

Heat 1 cup whipping cream in small saucepan over medium heat until hot. Gradually pour half of the hot cream into egg yolk mixture, whisking well; stir back into hot cream in saucepan. Cook over low heat about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens (do not boil).

Combine espresso powder with 1 tablespoon hot tap water and add to mixture, as well as the chocolate chips, stirring until melted. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until chilled but still soft. Towards the end of the cooling, take out our ice cream to let it get soft and easily spreadable.

Finish up the mousse by 1 1/2 cups whipping cream in bowl of electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Add 1/3 of whipped cream to the chilled chocolate mixture, whisking to combine and lighten. Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until combined.

Assemble the pie by spreading a thick ice cream layer evenly over the crust, then topping with the mousse mixture and spreading evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 2 hours before serving.

To serve, slice into squares (using a hot knife helps), and top with a generous portion of hot fudge and sliced almonds.

Makes around 16 squares.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by the good folks at Perry’s Ice Cream. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Blueberry-Lemon Yogurt Loaf

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While I’m no stranger to sharing various recipes for loaf cakes on my blog, I’d not yet shared the recipe for my favorite loaf to date – Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Bread. And, loving you guys the way I do…I figured that was a situation that needed to be remedied immediately.

A tender moist loaf cake, studded with sweet juicy blueberries and bright sunny flecks of lemon zest. It’s the perfect accompaniment with tea or coffee in the morning. Or, for a little something sweet in the evening – chances are it won’t make it that long, though.

Yogurt and sour cream add a good dose of moisture and density, as do the blueberries. I like to use fresh berries when they’re in season, but I’ve used frozen many times too. Just add them in right from the freezer, no need to thaw them.

After baking, a sweet lemon glaze is poured onto the warm cake – allowing it to seep in, and really solidify that tart lemon flavor. It really makes the cake, ya’ll. And, this recipe is guaranteed to take the cake when it comes to loaf breads! Try it soon.

Blueberry-Lemon Yogurt Loaf

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus additional for tossing blueberries)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon extract
1 lemon, zested
1 1/4 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
butter or spray, for greasing pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×4 inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchement paper and set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium size bowl. Whisk to combine.

In a large bowl combine yogurt, sour cream, sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla and lemon extracts. Whisk to combine. Pour in the flour mixture, and fold in using a rubber spatula until almost combined.

Toss the blueberries with 1 Tbsp flour, and add that to the batter – as well as the lemon zest. Carefully fold a few more times to combine. If there are a few clumps of flour left in the batter – that’s a good thing!

Pour into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes, or until golden brown. While the cake bakes, whip up the glaze.

Combine the confectioners sugar and the juice of the lemon. Whisk to combine. Pour over cake after removing from oven, while cake is still warm.

Place on a cooling rack and let cool for at least 2 hours before removing from loaf pan.

Slice and serve. Store in airtight container, or wrapped in aluminum foil.

Source: adapted from Barefoot At Home by Ina Garten

Honey Lavender Shortbread Cookies

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Lavender. I’ve always been a fan. Sure, it’s always been around in the bath salts and body lotions. And, you’d have to be living under a rock if you haven’t heard about it’s aromatherapy benefits. But lately I’ve noticed it popping in all kinds of culinary applications – of both sweet and savory varieties. This wickedly good lavender lemonade has been a favorite for a while now, but  have found myself wanting more…

I’ve been adding dried lavender to my tea ball that’s filled with my favorite Earl Grey blend, which creates an awesome cup of tea for afternoon sipping on the front porch. Naturally, since I’m always thinking about food,  I found myself daydreaming about a light tea cookie that mimicked the flavors in my cup.

And I got to thinking about shortbreads. A personal favorite of mine because they’re so easy. The dough is easy to bring together, it’s easy to make ahead and come back to later – as it requires a bit of chilling time, and it’s easy to have fun and play with the flavor combinations. So, I went with that. And, it was a winner!

To this batch I added a dose of local honey and dried lavender flowers. They baked up beautifully, with just enough lavender flavor. It’s easy to go overboard with it, trust me! The specks of lavender were visible in the cookies once baked, which I really loved. And the aroma…just heavenly. Next time around I might try adding a touch of lemon zest for a little zing!

Honey Lavender Shortbread Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
pinch of salt
2 tsp dried lavender (chopped)

In a large bowl of the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, honey, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Carefully add the flour, salt, and lavender and mix until just combined.

Place two sheets of plastic wrap on the counter and divide the dough in half between the sheets. Shape the dough into 2 logs that are approximately 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until firm.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment of a silicone mat. Set aside.

Remove the dough from the fridge or freezer and slice into around 1/3 inch slices. Place on prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart.

Bake around 18 minutes, or until starting to brown on the edges. Remove and let cool. Store in airtight storage container.

Dough logs can also be wrapped in aluminum foil and frozen for up to 6 months.

Source: adapted from The Baker Upstairs

Cherry Almond Cupcakes

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My mom’s dad died when I was fairly young. We often talked about him as I was growing up…telling stories, and such. One thing that always stuck with me was his cake of choice for birthdays – a cherry nut cake. Very popular in the 50’s and 60’s. I’ve made the pink cake studded with cherries before, and always thought it would translate well to cupcake form. But you guys know me…I never got around to it.

When cleaning out the refrigerator this weekend, I happened upon about four jars or maraschino cherries lurking in the back of the shelves.  What to do with them? I had a local event that I was on the hook to donate some baked goods for…so the stars aligned in my kitchen, and I whipped up these delightful cupcakes!

I took my favorite vanilla cupcake recipe, adding almond extract and finely chopped maraschinos (used the food processor and pulsed a few times). I thought about adding some of the cherry syrup, but wanted to really showcase the cherry flecks. Plus, the vanilla cake really makes the pink frosting “pop” all the more…

And, the frosting. Oh my Heavens. Again, I used my basic buttercream recipe – and added the juice from the cherry jar, as well as a little almond extract for that almondy kick.

Topped with a cherry and a few sliced almonds for garnish, they’re positively perfect for spring or Easter celebrations! I think old “Grendad” would approve.

Cherry Almond Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
3 cups cake flour (or 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
16 Tbsp. salted butter, at room temperature (2 sticks)
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
1 cup maraschino cherries, finely chopped
whole cherries, for garnish
sliced almonds, for garnish

For the frosting:
1 cup salted butter, room temperature
4 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
3 Tbsp maraschino juice (from jar)
1 tsp almond extract

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together and set aside. Add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes, until light and creamy in color. Add in the sugar, and beat for 2 minutes more. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for one more minute.

Mix in the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Combine the buttermilk, vanilla and almond extract in a liquid measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds longer. Fold in the chopped cherries with a rubber spatula.

Divide the batter between the prepared paper liners, filling each about 2/3 of the way full (you will likely have batter left over after filling 24 wells.) Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Replace paper liners and bake remaining batter if desired.

For the frosting, cream butter on medium-high speed using a mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low, and add the powdered sugar, and mix until thoroughly combined. Add the cherry juice and almond extract, and increase speed on mixer to medium. Beat for 1 minute. Frost cupcakes as desired.