Where I grew up in Panama, rice pudding was celebratory. When a baby got their first tooth, the grandmother would make a huge batch of it. Next, it was packaged into small bottles to hand out to family and friends. The kicker is that this rice pudding wasn’t really for the baby. Nope! We soaked...
Desserts & Sweets Recipes
Desserts, one of my favorite food groups. I don't know anyone who doesn't like dessert. Where do those people even live? Well for those of you who do love dessert here's a nice smattering for you to drool on.
This page contains a collection of some of my favorite dessert recipes. They run the gamut from the easiest dessert recipes to a bit more involved. I have some awesome French dessert recipes as well as some American favorites like lemon tart. I have also included some family recipes like Aunt Lou's $200 cake recipe.
Some of the desserts like my mini lemon tarts take a short cut. Yes, I cheat by buying the mini tart shells. Oh, confession is indeed good for the soul.
I also have some tropical treats like creamy mango lime bars. These are sweet and tangy at the same time, and they are great for a party, or a summer picnic. Can you tell that I'm a fan of fruit desserts? I am going to be taking a batch to my next family dinner party.
Go ahead and make one of these. Or make them all, why not?
Kheer: Indian Rice Pudding
Rice pudding is one dish that stands the test of time and spans cultures. There are dozens of cultural variations of rice pudding, but Indian kheer is truly a standout. Creamy and aromatic, kheer is delicious, easy to make, and a staple treat in Indian cuisine. Flavored with cardamom and rosewater, there really isn’t another...
Melomakarona: Greek Christmas Cookies
The Greek Church in my town hosts an annual Greek Festival during the first week of July. It’s always baking hot, but no one minds! Sometimes the traffic is backed up a mile away. Really, we take this one seriously. The grounds are packed with thousands of people eating delicious Greek food, drinking ouzo, dancing...
Pastelitos de Guava
Pastelitos de Guava (Guava pastries) are a typical Latin American/Caribbean dessert made with cream cheese and guava paste encased in puff pastry and baked to golden perfection. In the US they are extremely popular in Southern Florida and other areas with large Hispanic populations. These sweet pastelitos de guava are a close cousin to the savory...
Traditional Tres Leches Cake
Tres Leches was my first poke cake and still my go to after all these years. This cake is sure to please a crowd with its sweet, moist and creamy texture. [feast_advanced_jump_to] Tres leches cake background A traditional tres leches cake has to be one of my all time favorite desserts. I have loved...
Aunt Lou's Old Fashioned Hermit Cookies Recipe
Hermit cookies are a scratch cookies recipe that is easy to make and dates back well over 100+ years. This spice cookie is part of American history and baking in the North Eastern states. Grab a piece of history and try this bake and you won't be disappointed. This is a classic recipe from the...
Coconut Flan Recipe
Coconut flan recipe is a great addition to any recipe box/binder. The preparation can be a bit tricky since it requires a certain amount of babysitting. Nevertheless, it's not difficult to make. Take your time and you'll end with with an impressive and delicious dessert. [feast_advanced_jump_to] Flan de coco - or coconut flan with little...
Aunt Lou's Chocolate Drop Cookies
Aunt Lou's Chocolate Drop Cookies are on the list today! This one was a challenge as well as an exercise in guesswork. Well, for starters, there were no instructions, just a list of ingredients like I find with many old-fashioned recipes. Another element of guesswork: a nondescript measurement and ingredient-"½ s. milk". [feast_advanced_jump_to] Now,...
Tusenbladstarta - Thousand Leaves Torte
Tusenbladstårta, translated means thousand leaves torte or in English spelled as Tusenbladstarta. It is a delicious Swedish dessert that looks very impressive, but it is really easy to make; your guests will think you spent hours and hours cooking. Okay, so it doesn't have a thousand layers, how about 6! Nevertheless it is very good...
Cinnamon Snaps - A Cinnamon Lovers Cookie
Cinnamon snaps are for more than just Christmas. In this post I am offering another installment from my Aunt Lou Archives series - Cinnamon Snaps - a close cousin to the ubiquitous Ginger Snaps cookies. It's a cinnamon dessert that won't disappoint. [feast_advanced_jump_to] Spice cookie history At first, I was somewhat skeptical about cinnamon...
Pistachio Rosewater Cookies
Pistachios are a huge favorite of mine. I must confess, I always buy them whole because I love breaking the shell. For a long time now I had been wanting to make cookies with pistachios. I also wanted to incorporate rose water into the recipe. Yes, rosewater, an often overlooked culinary ingredient. Although hardly visible...
Creamy Mango Lime Bars
Visions and scents of tropical islands are right at your fingertips when you bake a batch of these delicious creamy mango lime bars. They are kind of like lemon bars, same baking process, just different fruit. I think I have mentioned before that mangoes are one of my favorite fruits. I eat them every day....
Lemon Tartlets - How to Make Fresh Lemon Curd
Have you tried lemon tartlets? Aah, the flavor of fresh lemons! I love lemon anything: Lemon tartlets, lemon pie, lemonade, lemon candy. Okay, you get the picture, if it tastes like lemon I am game. This lemon tartlet recipe I have here for you will be the hit at your next party. The lemon curd recipe...
Strawberry Tart with Vanilla Custard
Strawberry Tart is one of my favorite desserts. The simplicity of the shortbread crust combined with the delicious sweetness of vanilla custard and fresh juicy strawberries is the absolute highlight of my summer. European Patisseries are famous for their colorful not to mention mouthwatering displays of fruit tarts. Strawberry, blueberries, raspberries and apple, are among...
Blueberry Crostata - A Fruit Tart For Any Occasion
A crostata or galette is a rustic dessert. It's pie dough wrapped around fresh fruit and baked to delicious goodness. I consider blueberry crostata a "healthy" dessert, since it is mostly fruit, right? [feast_advanced_jump_to] I love making blueberry crostata. Without being a good baker I was successful the very first time! YAY. Even my husband,...