Here is what we have loved about it so far. The smell and fragrance it adds to any meal. Not saying it can be added to any meal though. But the ones I have made with it, I did notice that It changed the flavor by quite a bit.

Here is what is different about almond flour, it is not sure fine like wheat, neither does it knead and rise like wheat. Almond flour adds almost an element of crunchiness to any meal. Hence why I decided to make my waffle recipe with half regular flour and half almond flour. I did try it with the almond flour only at first, and I noticed that it kept sticking to the pan and it was a bit too dry for our taste. But when mixed in with flour, it was the perfect amount of crunchiness and flavor that made it where no one noticed at home, but I came winning with the added flavor and nutrition of my new pantry ingredient discovery.

If you need more ideas as to what to make with your bag of almond flour you’ll love my other recipe of Beet Brownies made strictly with almond flour.

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.

Oh the memories of tiramisu. I grew up eating it so much. Tiramisu is such a sophisticated dessert, yet so simple to make. The trick is really to follow a few rules to the T, and you will always get it right.

I remember that we often would double the recipe growing up whenever we would make it, yet I could never eat enough of it.

Tiramisu DOES have raw eggs.

I make mine with BARLEY powder or CHOCOLATE COCOA, but not coffee. I find the barley powder in the latin food section of supermarkets. One good brand is called PERO. It’s toasted barley, crushed into powder. It’s very flavorful, and one of the closest tastes to coffee without being coffee. A lot of italian often drink it as a coffee substitute. I prefer this to the cocoa powder because it’s a little bitter, which balances out well with the sweetness of the cream.

My recipe does NOT have whipping cream. Whipping cream can make it extra creamy. When adding whipping cream to the original recipe you will end up with more cream, even in between the laters. Some people love the extra creamy texture. But keep in mind that it can also kind of give it that too much cream taste that can make you feel a bit queasy after a few bites. I also find that the reason why tiramisu tastes so good is because is made with MASCARPONE CHEESE. This kind of cheese is similar to cream cheese in texture, but has a much richer taste. In fact it does not have any of that sour cream taste from cheese that cream cheese still has. Mascarpone cheese has a much more delicate taste almost like confectioned sugar.

I have found that when adding whipping cream to this more thicker and delicate tasting cheese, the overall tiramisu ends up tasting a bit less flavorful. Like a watered down lemonade, that’s what whipping cream does when mixed with mascarpone cheese.

An Italian classic that can be enjoyed as a breakfast cake, an afternoon snack, or served when guests come over. The coffee cake of Italy can often also be found at corner and grocery stores in prepackaged form or as a cake mix. 

The crostata is  sister to the French tarte. When served in pastry shops, the tarte is usually covered by a clear glaze that is made with gelatin. 

I have so many fond memories of coming home to this dish. Perfect for both summers and winters. We often made this cake whenever we had mature fruit that we didn’t want to spoil.

Often filled with jam, nutella, or a combination of jelly and fruit. 

The most popular fillings are definitely nutella, peach jelly perhaps filled with sliced up apples, or with a chunky homemade fig jam. There are also many versions filled with apricots, wild berries, strawberries, and even chestnut jam.  When choosing jams alone, the crostata turns out at its best with confitures that have lots of bits of softened fruit on the inside. Homemade jams are preferred. I have seen them with fresh plums over a thin layer of jam as well. 

A good rule of thumb when filling them with jam is to pair the jam flavor with the fruit being used. Other times, a contrast can be a winner as well. Take orange jam with apples for example. The sweetness of the apples combined with the citrusy flavors of the orange are a feast in your mouth. 

Feel free to have fun and create your own desired toppings for this dessert at home. 

A lot of the Italian home made cousine, consists of basic recipes where some of the components can be adapted in order to put seasonal ingredients to good use, as well as what may be considered leftover food that one doesn’t want to go to waste. Many dishes in Italy have a slight variation from one region to another because in the past people adapted them depending on what horticulture grew better in their area, together with what the majority of the people could afford to buy for food at the time. So feel free to also create your own variation with the fillings. 

For this recipe I crated my own variation for example and I chose to do a custard filling topped with berries.