Healthy Pistachio and Cranberry Dark Chocolate Bars

Since I am always on the quest for new recipes to try, I was lucky enough to come across a wonderful food blog: Confessions of a Bright-Eyed Baker. While browsing this very pretty blog I encountered the recipe you are now reading about: pistachios, dried cranberries and dark chocolate all combined together in one healthy dessert or snack. As you may or may not know, pistachios and cranberries are good for you because they are very high in antioxidants. Hopefully by now you are also aware of the fact that a small amount of dark chocolate can be very good for you, health-wise. Hence, I had no choice but to make these delicious looking bars, you know.... for my health. They literally take 5 minutes to make and they are very good. They make for a healthy snack comparing to those greasy nachos or double chocolate cake, so go ahead and try them out! 

Ingredients:

6 oz. (170 g) dark chocolate

1/4 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped

Directions:

1. Place the dark chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and melt in 30 second intervals, stirring between each period of time to ensure the chocolate doesn't burn. Continue until the chocolate has completely melted.

2. Meanwhile, prepare a 9-inch square baking pan by buttering in and lining it with parchment paper. 

3. Pour the melted chocolate into the prepared pan and shake the pan back and forth to ensure that the chocolate is spread in an even layer in the pan.

4. Sprinkle on the chopped pistachios and dried cranberries to cover the whole pan. 

5. Place in the fridge to harden for at least 30 minutes. Remove from the fridge, peel from the parchment paper and break the chocolate bars into pieces. 

6. Enjoy!

Pistachio Macarons

One exquisite French delicacy that I have always wanted to try to make myself are macarons, these crunchy on the outside yet soft on the inside delicious treats. It is well known that making perfect macarons takes practice, and I quickly realized how true that statement was. My first attempt at making macarons was not so successful and took a lot of time. However, on the second try I was happily surprised with the outcome. I made pistachio macarons from a cute little recipe book entitled  Macarons, by Marie-Laure Tombini.

Ingredients for macarons:

2-3 eggs whites (80 g)
60 g sugar
120 g icing sugar
80 g almond powder *
1 pinch salt
green food coloring

Ingredients for pistachio cream filling:

100 ml milk, warm
1 egg yolk
25 g sugar
12 g corn starch
25 g pistachios, finely chopped

* If you cannot find almond powder, you can simply take blanched almonds and grind them finely in a food processor. 

Directions:

1. In a food processor, combine the almond powder and icing sugar to ensure a homogenous mixture. Sift this mixture in a bowl and discard the larger grains.
2. Beat the egg whites (I use a hand mixer with no problem) to obtain a meringue. At the last moment, add in the salt. This step should take about 5 minutes.


Hint: The first time I tried to make macarons, I took me 30 minutes to beat the egg whites into a meringue! Most likely there was a bit of egg yolk in my egg whites, so make sure to take your time while separating the egg yolks and whites. For optimal results, separate the egg whites from the yolks 24 hours prior to making the macarons and leave them at room temperature until needed for the recipe.


3. Add in the sugar and food coloring while continuously mixing. Whisk until the meringue is shiny.
4. Incorporate the almond mixture to the meringue a small amount at a time. Combine gently by folding in the meringue with a spatula. Do this until all the almond mixture is incorporated, but make sure to not overwork the meringue.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently transfer the meringue to a piping bag with a large round tip. Form small rounds on the baking pan lined with parchment paper by keeping the tip as close to the pan as possible, lifting the tip at the last moment.
6. Tap the baking sheet on a flat surface to remove any air bubbles. Don't hesitate to smack it hard. Let these rest for 30-45 minutes, until dry to the touch.
7. Preheat oven to 300°F and bake for 12-14 minutes. Let the shells cool down completely before forming the macarons.

8. For the pistachio cream filling, mix the sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. Add the egg yolk and warm milk and whisk vigorously until well combined. Transfer this mixture to a pot and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens. Add in the chopped pistachios. Transfer the cream to a bowl and cover with a plastic film until cooled down to room temperature.
9. When the macarons have cooled, garnish one shell with the pistachio cream filling using a piping bag with a round tip, and cover with another shell. Assemble all macarons as such, making sure that similar-sized  shells form a macaron. 

Yield: 15-20 small macarons

To make these macarons I also relied heavily on Food Nouveau's blog about making the perfect macarons for tips. It was of great help, because it's not easy to make macarons! It's takes practice.

Coconut Shake and Bake and Pasta Salad with Green Onion Dressing

What I love to do regarding food, apart from cooking and eating it, is to watch the Food Network. I don't have it at home, so when I visit my parents I enjoy watching it. Last Fall I came across two delicious recipes by Roger Mooking for coconut chicken and pasta salad with green onion dressing, and it looked so good that I just had to try it out. It is very different from what I usually make, but since I am determined to be more open-minded vis-à-vis such recipes I tried it. Fortunately I was not disappointed, quite the opposite in fact. This meal is delicious, but at the same time feels light and summery, so enjoy! 

Ingredients for shake and bake:

8-10 chicken drumsticks
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 cup panko (or coarse bread crumbs)
3/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
salt and pepper 


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. 

2. Place the chicken in a bowl. Add the vegetable oil and mix well to ensure the chicken drumsticks are evenly coated. 

3. Season with cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well. Don't hesitate to get dirty and use your (clean) hands!

4. In a large resealable bag, place the panko and coconut. Shake the bag to combine the ingredients. 

5. Place 2-3 chicken drumsticks at a time in the bag, then close it making sure it is sealed, and shake to coat the chicken with the bread crumbs and coconut mixture. 

6. Remove chicken from the bag and place on the baking sheet. 

7. Repeat steps 5-6 until no chicken remains. 

8. Cook for 45-50 minutes, until chicken is golden brown. 

Ingredients for pasta salad:

340 g bow-tie pasta, cooked
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 red onion, cut into 1/4 inch thick rings
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 orange pepper, diced
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted

Green onion dressing

chopped parsley (optional)

Ingredients for green onion dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil
1 bunch green onion (white bottoms and green tops separated)
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. For green onion dressing: Cook the white parts of the green onions in a bit of olive oil. In a food processor, combine both parts of the green onions, olive oil, garlic clove, white wine vinegar and dijon mustard. Mix until mixture is homogenous. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve for pasta salad.
2. While the pasta is cooking, cover the red onion slices with vegetable oil, season with salt and pepper and grill for about 10 minutes, turning once.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta with the vegetable oil.
4. Chop the grilled red onions and add these, as well as the peppers, to the pasta.
5. Add the green onion dressing to the pasta salad and combine all ingredients.
6. Garnish with coconut and parsley.
7. Enjoy!


Yield: 4 

White Chocolate and Moka Cupcakes

Although it is apparently not "real" chocolate (my brain still refuses to believe such reports), I do love white chocolate. Consequently, for the upcoming visit of my younger sisters I made some white chocolate and moka cupcakes. The recipe, as one might suspect, is derived from Cupcakes (Collection Cuistot). I dare say these were my favorite cupcakes I have made thus far, and I have made plenty! I found them to be quite delicious. I believe upon tasting them I said it was like Le Cirque du Soleil in my tastebuds!

Ingredients for moka cupcakes:

125 g butter, RT

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1/2 cup milk

100 g white chocolate, grated

2 teaspoons instant coffee

Ingredients for buttercream frosting:

2 1/4 cups icing sugar

185 g butter, RT

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Place muffin liners in cupcake pan.

2. Lightly beat the eggs, and add in the butter and sugar. Mix until mixture is light and fluffy.

3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and instant coffee. Whisk together ingredients to combine.

4. Add the dry ingredients and the white chocolate to the butter preparation. Mix well.

5. Add the milk and combine until an homogeneous mixture is obtained.

6. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and bake for 18-21 minutes.

7. For the frosting, beat together the butter and icing sugar until mixture is unctuous. If the frosting is too liquid or too difficult to manage, gradually add some more icing sugar or milk, respectively. Add in gel food coloring at this point, if so desired.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Moka Cupcakes

I was in a mood to make cupcakes again, which is pretty much any time I actually have the time to bake. I made these cute moka cupcakes from my book Cupcakes (Collection Cuistot). I gave a go at new icing techniques and this is what I obtained. I was pretty happy with myself and found them really cute, but my friends and coworkers seemed to think it was a bit too much frosting. Too much frosting! I didn't even know that was possible. In my mind, I don't eat a cupcake to be healthy, so when I do eat one I want to enjoy it. Either way, I liked the way they tasted.

Ingredients for moka cupcakes:

80 g butter, RT

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon instant coffee

Ingredients for buttercream frosting:

2 cups icing sugar

160 g butter, RT

2 teaspoons instant coffee

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Place muffin liners in cupcake pan.

2. Lightly beat the egg, and add in the butter and sugar. Mix until mixture is light and fluffy.

3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder and coffee. Whisk together ingredients to combine.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the butter preparation. Mix well.

5. Add the milk and combine until an homogeneous mixture is obtained.

6. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and bake for 20-23 minutes.

7. For the frosting, beat together the butter, icing sugar and instant coffee until mixture is unctuous. If the frosting is too liquid or too difficult to manage, gradually add some more icing sugar or milk, respectively. Add in gel food coloring at this point, if so desired.

Yield: 9 cupcakes