Tag Archives: Valentine’s Day recipe

Bananas for this Banana Dessert!

It’s almost Valentine’s Day and I’m sure you have seem every chocolate recipe imaginable! But what do you do if your favorite loved one doesn’t like chocolate! I say go bananas with this double dose of banana cookery from two of my favorite chefs! I decided to double my banana game for dessert one evening by making Dominique Ansel’s banana bread. This is the perfect recipe! It is rich, delicious, moist  and easy. Seriously this recipe is perfection. The bread stays moist for days if wrapped well. Next up is the banana jam, just imagine a caramel and a banana joined together and that is what this jam is ! It’s great on toast, biscuits and yes this banana bread. If you want to kick the whole thing up an notch serve a slice of banana bread topped with a scoop of vanilla or caramel ice cream and then drizzle the top with banana jam!  It’s heaven! Each recipe stands perfectly on its own but in honor of Valentine’s Day it’s about the union . This is a union you will want to experience.

From by the bay wishing you, top banana food memories!

Maryann

Dominique Ansel’s Banana Bread

As featured on Tasting Table courtesy of Dominique Ansel

Preparation Time 1 hour and 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 eggs
  • 4 overripe bananas, mashed
  • 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing pan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 10″ x 5″ x 3 ½” loaf pan and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and combine with the mashed bananas. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix together until just combined. Stir in the melted butter until fully incorporated. Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before slicing.

Biscuit Love Banana Jam

Yields 4 cups    Preparation Time 40 minutes

As featured on the Food Network Courtesy of Karl Worley of Biscuit Love Nashville

 

Directions

Mix the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a heavy-bottomed large saucepan. Heat the sugar mixture on high heat until the mixture caramelizes; the water will need to evaporate before the sugar will caramelize. Once the caramel reaches a deep brown color, turn the heat to low and carefully add the bananas. Stir with a wooden or heat-resistant spoon until the bananas begin to break down, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the salt and remove from the heat. Stir in the lime juice and vanilla.

Serve with warm biscuits. The jam will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

 

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

blog caramel bits

I’m obsessed with caramel baking bits. Gone are the days of having to unwrap little caramels out of the plastic and chopping them to bake. I’ve added these little bits to my favorite chocolate chip recipe along with some sea salt and the results are wonderful. If you don’t want caramel in your cookie feel free to replace the caramel with more chocolate chips for a delicious chocolate chip cookie. Either way you will love these cookies. It’s the perfect Valentine to your family all year long!

From by the bay, wishing you salted caramel food memories!

Maryann

blog caramel tray

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus two tablespoons
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened ( 1 stick)
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
  • 1/2 cup caramel baking bits
  • coarse sea salt such as Maldon to sprinkle on top of the cookie.

Directions
Preheat over to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl add the butter using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment beat until pale yellow. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add both sugars and beat until fluffy and smooth. Scrape down sides of the bowl.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined about 15 seconds. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the butter mixture slowly and mix at a low speed. Next add the chocolate and caramel bits and combine. Drop in rounded teaspoons of dough onto silpat or parchment lined baking sheets. Sprinkle each cookie with coarse sea salt. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, until slightly brown on bottom. Remove and cool on wire racks. Store in air tight containers.
blog caramel cookies

Chocolate Bourbon Kiss

There are all kind of kisses , the universal symbol of love. Every kiss, they say,  is the talk of the soul. These little bites of chocolate and bourbon are a perfect kiss for your Valentine !

From by the bay, wishing you little chocolate kiss food memories!

Maryann

blog bourbon kiss

 

Chocolate Bourbon Kiss
Makes approximately 30 cookies

Cookies
3 cups vanilla wafers
6 ounces chocolate chips
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup ground pecans
1/3 cup bourbon
coarse sanding sugar for rolling or granulated sugar

Directions

In a food processor, process wafers until finely ground. In a large pot over low heat melt chocolate chips stirring to help melt. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, syrup and bourbon until smooth. Add the ground wafers and pecans and mix well. Shape into 1 inch balls. Roll in sugar and let dry . Store in a airtight container for up to 1 week.

White Chocolate with Pink Peppercorns

blog white peppercorn choco
I love homemade Valentine’s, I’ve beem making them since I was a little girl. There is nothing like taking the time to make something yourself to show you care. I thought making a flavored chocolate this year would be fun. I did a little research and testing and came up with this white chocolate base mixed with touch of lemon zest for tang and some ground pink peppercorns to give a little of heat. The two ingredients offer the perfect harmonious taste when mixed with the white chocolate. What better way to say , ” I love you”!From by the bay, wishing you sweet food memories and a Happy Valentine’s Day!
Maryann
blog white choco 2
White Chocolate with Pink Peppercorns
Ingredients
16 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
2 teaspoons pink peppercorns, ground
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
Directions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chocolate in a glass bowl and place in microwave at high for 30 seconds. Remove bowl and stir chocolate with a spatula. Repeat again by placing into microwave for another 30 seconds, remove and stir. Repeat this process until chocolate is melted, which varies althought ususally in total it is 2 -3 times. Stir chocolate until it is completely smooth. Once chocolate is melted add the lemon zest and ground pink peppercorns. Stir well. Pour melted chocolate onto the parchment paper and spread into a rectangle shape. You can top with some additional pieces of pink peppercorn if you like. Place into the refrigerator to cool. Once cool, break the chocolate into large pieces.

 

Spicy Chocolate Truffles

What would Valentine’s Day be without chocolate? It’s a example of a perfect union. For this Valentine’s Day I wanted to experiment with making my own truffles. There are a lot of truffle recipes around so I wanted to make mine a little unique in taste. I opened my spice rack and experimented with mixing cocoa powder with a variety of different spices and landed on my favorite pairing which I’m sharing with you here today.  


From by the bay wishing you the sweetest Valentine’s Day and food memories!
Maryann
blog choc truffle
Spicy Chocolate Truffles
Makes approximately 32 pieces
Ingredients
2/3 cup heavy cream
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
zest of 1 orange
1 cinnamon stick
4 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon chili powder or chinese five spice or cinnamon – optional
Directions
On medium heat place in a sauce pan the cream, rind, cinnamon, honey and butter. Melt the butter and bring to a simmer. Strain the mixture and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let stand a minute and then whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth, with no air bubbles. Cover with cling wrap directly on top of the chocolate. Let set on the counter for at least 4 hours. Shape using a teaspoon the chocolate into small balls. Place on a baking sheet and put into the freezer for 15 minutes. Sift cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon of the spice of your choice onto a plate. Roll the chocolate truffle in the cocoa powder until completely covered. Set on a plate and serve.

Speculoos Cookie Dough Truffles

Wondering what you can make for your special someone this Valentine’s Day? Look no further than this cookie dough truffle recipe. Making your own truffles is a wonderful way to say ” I love you”. This truffle uses speculoos cookie dough, which is easy to find – thank you Amazon grocery!
I used bittersweet chocolate to coat the little cookie dough truffles, I love the depth of flavor from the bittersweet chocolate, especially when set off with a little sea salt!From by the bay wishing you cookie dough food memories!
Maryann
blog cookie dough truffle 2
Speculoos Cookie Dough Truffles
yield 1 1/2-2 dozen truffles
2 tbs unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup TJ’s Speculoos Cookie Butter (or Biscoff spread, or any other Speculoos spread you prefer)
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup ground shortbread cookies
2/3 cup dark chocolate, melted
optional toppings: fleur de sel, cinnamon chips, white chocolate
Directions:
In a medium bowl, beat together butter, cookie butter, vanilla and ground cookies until well combined.  Cover and chill for 30min-1 hour.
Roll dough into 1/2 tbs sized balls, and use a fork to dip and fully coat in melted chocolate. Set on parchment paper, and repeat with remaining dough.  Freeze for 1 hour to set, then keep in freezer or refrigerator.
blog cookie dough truffle 1