Posts in Dessert First
Drunken Cherry Dark Chocolate Stracciatella Ice Cream and Pistachio Brownie Sundae

This spumoni inspired Sundae combines ice cream with drunken luxardo soaked cherries and dark chocolate stracciatella with a decadent chewy pistachio brownies. Drizzle the top with some melted dark chocolate, sprinkle of salted pistachio and top with a cherry and you’ve got a summer sundae ready to share with company.

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Grilled Pineapple Pound Cake with Fresh Pineapple and Dark Rum Coconut Caramel

This dessert is perfect for your summer BBQ. You can place the pound cake right on the warm grill after dinner and everything can be made in advance. Pineapple pound cake is grilled then, topped with fresh pineapple, whipped coconut cream, and coconut rum caramel. This dessert brings all the flavors of pineapple upside down cake together even the maraschino cherry for garnish.

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Angel Food Cupcakes

These Red, White and Blue cupcakes are perfect for your 4th of July BBQ but are a great dessert anytime. The light fluffy angel food cake is topped with sweetened vanilla bean whipped cream, fresh berries and crunch meringue kisses. Sprinkle with powdered sugar for a special touch.

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Mini Brown Butter Sweet Cherry Pie Cupcakes

These cupcakes might be mini but they are big on flavor! Brown butter cake is filled with sweet cherry filling, swirled with vanilla bean swiss meringue buttercream, and topped with an almond brown butter crumb. Mixing in some Luxardo cherry liqueur into the filling help to bring out the bitter almond and tart flavors of the cherries and the warmth and spice of the crumb brings it all together.

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Hot Fudge Ice Cream Pie with Salted Peanut Butter Caramel

One of my favorite summer treats is a Drumstick ice cream cone, the salty peanuts, the chocolate shell, the caramel middle surprise checks all the boxes for me. This ice cream pie is inspired by all of those flavors. The pie starts with a crunchy waffle cone crust, then a layer of vanilla ice cream swirled with a decedent salted peanut butter caramel, then, it is all topped with hot fudge and salted peanuts. Finish it off with a few swirls of whipped cream and a healthy drizzle of the caramel and you have one show-stopping no bake dessert.

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Fresh Mint Ice Cream with Salted Watermelon Granita

When the temperature rises, all I want is chilled desserts, frozen desserts, or desserts served a la mode. This sweet treat is a combination of two refreshing frozen favorites, Fresh Mint Ice Cream and Salted Watermelon Granita. Cool and refreshing this duo is a great after dinner treat. Pour over some sparkling rosé and you have an extra special ice cream float cocktail!

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Blueberry Peach Fried Hand Pies with Lavender Sugar

I tried several recipes and tweaks before getting these hand pies right. You need lavender but not too much that things taste like soap. You also need sweetness but not too sweet that you can only taste sugar. The filling needs to be thick enough that it does leak and the dough has to be thin enough that to cooks all the way through when fried. I landed on a crisp pie with a delicately sweetened filling. It has a wonderful floral aroma but is not too overpowering. If lavender isn’t your thing you can just dip in granulated sugar or even add some lemon zest to your sugar before dipping.

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Molten S'mores Brownie Bites

These brownie bites are a decadent rendition of my favorite summer dessert S'mores. Instead of a campfire to make these minis, you will just need your oven (and maybe a kitchen torch). A graham cracker crust is layered with extra dark chocolate brownies and are stuffed with a molten milk chocolate center and to make them even better they are topped with toasted marshmallow fluff.

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Cruller Donut Strawberry Shortcake with Whipped Mascarpone

Store bought mini cruller donuts are used as the base of this easy no-bake strawberry shortcake. Slice some berries and whipped up a light sweetened mascarpone and dessert is ready in 5 minutes. Like the Barefoot Contessa taught us if you don’t have homemade “store bought is fine”.

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Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Blackberry Mascarpone Filling

These cupcakes combine tangy fresh blackberries with ice dark chocolate. Dark chocolate cake is filled with creamy sweet whipped blackberry mascarpone and topped with rich blackberry dark chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream. Sprinkle the whole thing with chocolate curls and top with a fresh blackberry

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Strawberry Coconut Cashew Tart

Just in time for Easter!! This Strawberry Coconut Cashew tart combines fresh flavors with a beautiful presentation. Silky coconut custard is topped with vanilla bean whipped cream and Rum soaked strawberries all brought together by a sweet and salty cashew crust. This updated version of a coconut cream pie should not be missed!

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