dessert Archives - Life At Casa

Italian Apple Strudel Recipe with Perfect Filling

Serena — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 03:45:34 +0000

Our household has been officially ready for fall. We sure fought the fact that soon we’d be inside and that going outside was going to get harder and harder. But in the end I knew we were ready for fall this week because even though we had a nice sunny few days, we just have been enjoying staying home to read books and relax as a family. With that, even though every year I tell myself I won’t, has come the desire to cook a warm meal and enjoy lots of baking,

We woke up this morning that the kids had to go to gymnastics, for the girls, and basketball for our oldest son Davide. Because it’s also Saturday, we decided that I’d stay behind with our third child Dorian to keep me some company.

The rain was starting to drizzle outside and it wasn’t until 5 minutes into me trying to get started on a few things, that Dorian had decided it was time for a walk in the rain. I remembered our walks in the rain in Italy when we visited Tuscany just a month ago, and even though nothing compares to that, I knew that a good mother and son walk would have been the perfect memory in the books of how I wanted to remember my days of motherhood. I finished sipping my Italian orzo with milk and nibbling on a few cookies, and slipped on my short rain boots so that we could both go outside. Luckily the day wasn’t too cold. I really enjoyed taking the time to enjoy a morning walk way better than the fact that I was about to put work first and start doing laundry and tidying up the whole house.

Lucky or me Dorian was also ready a lot sooner than I thought to come back inside. I love that the minute he opened the front door he mentioned how nice it was to be back into our cozy and warm house. I truly work hard to make it such for them, I loved that he did notice.

Once I tidied up everything and beforeI started picking up on a few projects that I hadn’t even meant to do for the day, I finally got in the kitchen and decided to bake. It’s apple season and there is a recipe that my mom used to make all the time as a kid that I have been thinking about for over a month now, so I looked it up and decided to make it. With my own flair as always.

Well, it came out amazing so here I am immortalizing it on the blog.

Without further a dew here it goes.

Apple Strudel

Ingredients

2 puff pastry sheets
3 apples such o’henry or fuji
60 grams of sugar
60 grams of bread crumbs
50 grams butter
50 grams of raisins
50 grams of cashews
1 spoonful of cinnamon
zest of one lemon

Instructions

Preheat the oven at 380 degrees.
Begin by coring and slicing the apples. I did 16 apple slices for each apple and I did not peel the apples but that can be an option if you prefer it as well.
Soak the raising in a little bit of water in a bowl while getting ready to prepare the rest of the ingredients.
In a small pan melt 2 spoonfuls of butter, and then at a medium low heat, add the bread crumbs and allow them to toast. Stir the bread crumbs occasionally so that they can toast on all sides. Once done, turn off the stove and set aside.
In a bowl add the sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, and the crushed up macadamia nuts.
On a large metal baking sheet, place parchment paper and lay flat the first sheet of puff pastry. Coat with a thin later of butter followed by the bread crumbs. Spread evenly across the whole layer of puff pastry.
Add the raising to the sugar mixture Then add the apples to the bowl with sugar and cinnamon. Mix them around. You’ll want to do this step last so that the sugar won’t start to melt and turn watery.
Layer the apples on the puff pastry. Then sprinkle acrosss the remaining nuts and sugar and raisins.
Top the strudel with the second sheet of puff pastry.
Bake for 40 minutes in the oven making sure that the top and bottom are fully cooked and golden before removing from the oven.
Serve warm. Enjoy over the next few days chilled or reheated if preferred.

Notes

I purchased the puff pastry sheets from the freezer section at Trader Joe’s but regular stores also carry the Pepperidge brand in the freezer by the pies.

For a more flavorful alternative, walnuts are also perfect.

The post Italian Apple Strudel Recipe with Perfect Filling appeared first on Life At Casa.

White Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

Serena — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 03:34:23 +0000

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup or a cube of butter softened or at room temperature
1 egg
1 cup of pumpkin puree
1 tsp. of vanilla
1 tsp. of baking soda
1 tsp. of baking powder
1/2 tsp. of salt
1 tsp. of nutmeg
1 tsp. of cinnamon
2 1/2 cup of flour
1 cup of chocolate or white chocolate chips

Instructions

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine the butter and sugar. With an electrical mixer cream the two together until sugar has no longer any Cristals and they are nice and smooth and light in color.
Add the egg and mix on medium speed until well incorporated.
Continue by adding all the powders and the vanilla. Mix on low for a few seconds until the are completely mixed in.
Finish off by gradually adding all the flower. Mix on low at this point until it’s completely mixed in.
Finish by adding the chocolate chips. Mix them in slowly, just enough so that they are evenly distributed across the batter.
On two large baking sheets, place a layer of parchment paper, add the cookies. We create rows of 4 and evenly spread them out in order for the cookies not to stick together during the baking process since they will grow quite a bit.
Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes. A rule of thumb is to check if cookies are slightly golden at the bottom. Use a fork or a small spatula to raise one of them up to check real quick.
Once ready, Remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack and they are ready. .

Notes

For an added secret and amazing flavor, use half chocolate chips and half white chocolate chips. The white chocolate chips will be an amazing and delicate but perfect pair with the flavor of the pumpkin.

The post White Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies appeared first on Life At Casa.

Featherlike Recipe for Pumpkin Bread

Serena — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 19:38:10 +0000

Some recipes have just become a family staple. They are simple to make and remind us of fall.

I love that food has a way of creating traditions, memories, and cheerful moments in the home.

I am always trying to make sure that not all family moments are made up by desserts or unhealthy treats. But there is something about making those recipes that you only bring out a few times a year, which make them that much more special and make you look forward to the seasons, even if in some parts of the world those seasons bring a breeze of cold crisp air and shorter days.

This recipe I have adapted to have a lot less sugar because I wanted our kids taste buds to not get used to having foods overly sweetened. So to some it may be surprising at first that it’s only lightly sweet., What makes it so special is how irresistibly soft it is.

Enjoy!

Harvest Featherlike Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups of flour1 1/2 cups of sugar (2 cups of sugar if you prefer a sweeter bread)2 teaspoons of salt2 teaspoons of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of nutmeg

1 teaspoon of allspice or pumpkin spice

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

2/3 cup of water

1 cup of vegetable or sunflower oil

16 oz. or one small can of pumpkin puree

4 eggs

Instructions

Preheat the oven at 350 F.
Begin by adding all the dry ingredients to.a large glass bowl. Gently mix them with a fork to make sure all the spices and baking powders are evenly distributed.
Make a well in the center of the powder like a volcano. Add all the wet ingredients to that well. Then using an electrical mixer start by mixing the wet ingredients first, then gently work in circular motion to start mixing in some of the powder. You are going to have to hold the electrical mixer only in the spots where you want it to work and you won’t press it all the way to the bottom of the bowl until you are ready to start incorporating all the dry ingredients.
Keep working your way all the way around.
Remember to scrape the sides naan the bottom as well to avoid leaving behind any flour.
Keep mixing. Once everything has been well mixed, you may raise the speed to medium-high and keep turning around to make sure everything is really well blended together and smooth. You will do so for no longer than 30 seconds. We are not trying to whip the batter, just make sure everything is super smooth and creamy.
Our the batter into 2 low pans. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.

Notes

Makes two loafs. to be baked in a 9X5 loaf pan. Basically the long skinny and deep pans.Check center with a toothpick to make sure its fully cooked before removing pans from the oven. If your oven is old or uneven when baking remember to switch around the two pans half the way through and also rotate them.Remember to scrape gently the sides and remove from the pan 5-10 minutes after it has come out of the oven.

The post Featherlike Recipe for Pumpkin Bread appeared first on Life At Casa.

Cream Puffs Recipe

Serena — Tue, 04 May 2021 00:54:44 +0000

There is something about this dessert.

It’s just so so light and yet so satisfying.

It’s so intimidating, but did you know that all it requires is 4 ingredients?

I’d say the hardest part is to pour it on a baking sheet with pastry bags. But if you act like it’s an art class and make sure all the circles are the same size and you place them in even rows, it will turn out beautiful.

A good thing about the kitchen is that one should not be afraid to make mistakes.

Mistakes don’t mean you are a bad cook, they mean you just need more practice.

The more you make a dish the better you’ll become at it.

I notice that I get rusty in the kitchen all the time if I don’t cook consistently.

Especially after traveling or when I’m tired. It’s ok to have bad kitchen days.

It’s also ok to simplify in the kitchen when the kids are young and life is busy.

Those days when you want to feel like a pro chef, cream puffs are the perfect little challenge.

Don’t be afraid to pop one in the mouth after cooking them and waiting for a few minutes.

Taste the butter and the crispy crust. Savor that salty shell that soon will become a delicious dessert.

A little pro cook tip. Make sure you bake them well.

If you take them out too soon they will get flat on you.

Make sure to also not open the oven during the cooking process.

I’d rather you cook these a little bit too long than too little.

Ideally you want them to be evenly golden. But if you are unsure as to whether they are ready leave them ins. Few mike minutes.

If you oven isn’t cooking then evenly and they start to turn darker on one side, half the way through, you have my permission to open the oven, flip the pan real fast and pop them back in until the end of the timer.

Now on some occasions, let’s say you take them out and they start o sag, you can try and place them back inside. Make sure you do it right away though. It’s not the best case scenario or thing to do, but sometimes they will recover, pop back up, and finish cooking.

Don’t worry if they come out a. It too crunchy, you will fill them with cream which will moisturize them once again

So there are lots of ways to save this desert if you make a mistake along the way.

The only process you have to follow to the tee, is the initial process on the stove.

You won’t be able to save the dough if you overlook the eggs or end up with a lumpy cream.

It’s a simple process don’t worry. It will require just some fast and vigorous mixing on your side.

But it’s a good workout for the arms.

The post Cream Puffs Recipe appeared first on Life At Casa.

Super Moist Cheesecake Pumpkin Bars

Serena — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 06:37:39 +0000

It’s fall! This year I am pretty sure we all have felt it sneak up on us. There is something about going through something as a world wide world that has brought me to realize that this can unify us. While we have experienced the financial and health effects of the pandemic in different ways, one thing we all have had in common is that this has affected everyone’s life.

While I am pretty sure no one has enjoyed the effects of it, one thing for sure it is something we all can relate to it. We all have shared this common trial and have had to make adjustments.

In the midst of being told by news media outlets, and reminded how horrible this year would be, time has gone by one way or another, and with it also are slowly coming back the holidays that we hopefully be looking forward to. So I hope that even if this year has felt more slim for many than usual, that we can keep our hope for a better future bright by looking forward to better days ahead.

One thing that makes me happy is to bake. I love the color of cakes and breads, I love the texture of different desserts, I love adding a bit of chocolate chips, crunchy nuts, or coconut flakes for a tropical flavor to my cakes, and I love the smell of moist cakes, just as much as I love eating a cake fresh out of the oven.

Growing up my life was very simple. Being that my parents raised 5 children in Italy, we didn’t have a lot of things, but one thing we all enjoyed as a family was food.

I can count on one hand how many times we were able to afford eating out at a restaurant. Yet my parents made it a point to never make us feel like we went without.

When it came to food they basically learned to make anything from scratch. They would ask recipes from friends whenever they would try a new dish, and dig up secret italian recipes of even the most delicious desserts from the best local pastry shops.

If there was a fancy meal that we couldn’t afford to buy at a restaurant, they would still make it a point to make it at home. We cooked with fresh eggs from our chickens, meat and milk from my grandfather’s cow, and lots of fruits and vegetables raised in our gardens. We even had a gelato machine to make home made gelato almost daily during the summer time.

One thing I always teach my kids now is that you “will never feel deprived if you can cook anything that you desire from home.” Sure ingredients can at times cost a prohibitive amount of money, but eating at home is a very great way to save money especially when budgets are slim. If you have the power to cook anything, you will not go without a delicious palatable meal and you will eat like a king under the majority of life circumstances.

That ‘s the reason why I have challenged myself over the years to try to make an dish, even more sophisticated ones like SUSHI for example, at home. There is a sense of empowerment when you know you can make something with your own hands. That sense of independence makes you free and independent.

I have learned that in life another way to get through times is to enjoy the little things. And for me right now one little happy thing is to bake. I don’t need a fancy kitchen for that. A few good utensils and gadgets for sure, but a good meal can by whipped from the simplest of items.

Living with faith in life means hoping for a better future and trusting that God has promised that to us, while also to learning to love the good things that we have in the present, even if during hard times they may seem just a few.

I think this year many people have felt more sadness and despair than ever, but I hope you’ll be able to see some light shining through all of this right now.

During the fall season we love as a family to make recipes with Pumpkin. There is nothing more delicious than these moist cheesecake pumpkin bars.

You can print this recipe or pin it on Pinterest for your records. I hope you will enjoy it as much as we did. I adapted it from a popular recipe and reduced the amount of oil and sugar to make lighter and less caloric, without taking away its original fragrance. Enjoy!

Super Moist Cheesecake Pumpkin Bars

Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 10 people
Cost 4

The best and most amazing pumpkin bars

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin spice (allspice is a good alternative)
½ tsp nutmeg (OPTIONAL)
¾ cup brown sugar (dark or light)
⅓ cup raw granulated sugar (regular will work as well)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 15 oz. pumpkin puree
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
3 cups powder sugar
1 tsp. of pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. of pumpkin spice puree
1/4 tsp of salt

Instructions

Preheat over at 350°.
In a medium side bowl begin by combining all dry ingredients in the order listed above.
Make a small whole in the center with a spoon. Kind of like a volcano. Add oil and eggs to the center. Start by breaking the egg yolks and gently mixing the eggs only with the oil. Next begin to gently incorporate also the dry ingredients with an electrical mixer on medium speed. You may do so by hand as well. Mixture will feel still thicky at this point and not easy to blend all together.
Add remaining pumpkin puree, vanilla, and maple syrup. Keep on blending all ingredients until muxture is smooth and no flour remains at the bottom of the bowl.
You may use a 9×11 inch baking dish at this point or a large rectangular baking pan. The only difference will be that if you use the smaller baking dish your baking time will take approximately an extra 10 minutes and pumpkin bars will turn out thicker.
We used a large metal baking pan for these resulting in a thinner pumpkin bar and also more servings per person.
Grease the pan you will choose to use with a little bit of vegetable oil.
Pour all the batter inside your pan of choice.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes depending on your pan of choice. Baking time will vary depending on your own oven’s power and speed. You will know the pumpkin bars are ready when you insert a fork in the center of the batter and the fork comes out completely clean.
Make the frosting. Then refrigerate and chill.
Remove the pumpkin bars from the oven once ready. Allow them to cool until luke warm before coating them with the frosting.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
In a microwave safe bowl warm up cream cheese and butter for about 10 to 15 seconds until they are both soft.
Add vanilla, salt, and pumpkin spice puree and gently fold in ingredients. Gradually add powder sugar. Incorporate all ingredients. Set aside in the refrigerator until completely chilled.
Once the cake is baked and cooled, coat pumpkin bars with frosting by using a spatula, a non serrated knife or a spoon creating S pattern shapes along the plan. Evenly coat all pumpkin bars by using all the frosting.
Serve Right Away.

The post Super Moist Cheesecake Pumpkin Bars appeared first on Life At Casa.