These MERINGUE NEST COOKIES WITH MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM topped with mini chocolate eggs are absolutely necessary for Easter! These darling treats are definitely not just for the kids 😉
Read moreEasy Kimchi Fried Rice + Tips For Perfect Rice!
I love rice and I love kimchi. Like, looooooove. Today I’m sharing this EASY KIMCHI FRIED RICE recipe that’s become a weeknight staple ever since my two girls finally learned to enjoy kimchi! This is one of the quickest dinners you can pull together using fairly basic fridge and pantry staples. You can use homemade kimchi or store-bought kimchi. As easy as this recipe is, there is one thing I want you to pay attention to: perfect fried rice starts with perfectly prepared rice!
Read moreMochi Waffles with Cinnamon Sugar + Lemon { gluten free }
What happens when you cross-breed a Belgian waffle, with Japanese mochi, with a Canadian doughnut aka a ‘Beaver Tail’? The result is like culinary eugenic whereby the best qualities of each are leveraged to create a superior breakfast or anytime treat – these addictively delicious Mochi Waffles with Cinnamon Sugar and Lemon. Don’t be misled by their unpretentious appearance. The texture of the waffles with the cinnamon-sugar-lemon combination is so amazing they need no further adornment. What’s more is, after researching other mochi waffle recipes and testing a handful myself, I streamlined the method so that the batter involves merely whisking dry ingredients and wet ingredients, then combining the two with a spatula. No stand mixer, and no need to first microwave a portion of flour and water separately. Because I’m lazy. And mostly because I didn’t feel the extra step was justified based on the outcome in this particular application. Awesome, right? Wait til you read what’s next!!
Read moreHoney Cardamom Meringue Roulade with Mandarin Curd { gluten-free, dairy-free option }
In my humble opinion, meringues live their best life when tumbled together with barely-sweetened cream and fresh fruits. If you’re feeling extra, a citrus curd adds a rich dimension while conveniently using up orphaned egg yolks from making the meringue. If that’s not delicious serendipity, I dunno what is. In this luxurious Honey Cardamom Meringue Roulade with Mandarin Curd, there is billowy whipped cream kissed with honey and orange blossom water, dribbles of luscious mandarin curd, and fresh juicy mandarin segments. All of it gets rolled up snug as a bug inside a marshmallow-y duvet of cardamom-flavored meringue. More fresh fruit and a smattering of crunchy slivered almonds on top is the perfect touch for a beautiful presentation and for each perfect, textured bite.
Read moreWhole Roasted Duck with Plum Butter Glaze + Slaw
May I interest you in an epic recipe perfect for the holidays? Actually, it is ideal for any dinner party at any time of the year, for that matter. Yes? I’m so glad! Because today I’m sharing this recipe — the second of my six-recipe collaboration with All-Clad Canada — a succulent Whole Roasted Duck with Plum Butter Glaze + Slaw made with All-Clad Canada’s Large Roaster with Rack. This was such a fabulous meal that everyone loved. I highly recommend this recipe if you’re into impressive, delicious, and NOT the same-old-same-old!
Read moreVanilla Layer Cake with Peach-Passionfruit Curd { gluten-free }
Tender and rich. Gorrrgeous in a subtle and unpretentious way. Reliable, yet full of surprise. Ladies, I know it sounds like I’m describing the perfect man but what I’m talking about is even better (read: attainable, real, non-fictitious. Ha. Sorry fellas, I couldn't resist 😉). I’m talking about this cake: gluten-free vanilla cake layers with vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream hiding a luscious, peach-passionfruit curd inside. I’ve declared this Vanilla Layer Cake with Peach-Passionfruit Curd my favourite cake of all time! The recipe for the gluten-free vanilla cake itself is frankly, the only gf vanilla cake recipe you’ll ever need. But the show-stopper here is the peach-passionfruit curd which is simply sublime.
And both of my girls agree. Which is extra, extra important because I made this cake for Elise, for her 6th birthday. The flavour of her birthday cake to-be was the topic of many, many conversations leading up to the actual day. Six year olds take their birthdays very seriously (bless their sweet little hearts). We came up with this flavour together, the day we stumbled upon our beloved passionfruit on sale for half price at Whole Foods and each gleefully grabbed handfuls of them into our shopping cart. They are normally pricey little suckers probably on account of them being tropical, or at least subtropical, fruits that do not grow anywhere near us.
It’s also late summer, so there are loads of peaches on sale as well. Peaches and passionfruit are heavenly together so it is no surprise that this peach-passionfruit curd is to die for. Do try to make it before peach season is over. (And if the season is over, you can puree frozen peaches for the curd).
Remember when I said ‘tender and rich’? I was in fact referring to the gluten-free vanilla cake layers. I make it often as my go-to vanilla cake or cupcakes. Some say it tastes as good as, if not better than, a traditional version made with wheat flour. Yup. It’s really good. The egg (yolks), the butter, and the almond flour are to be credited for its lovely richness. Whipped egg whites folded into the batter at the last step to lighten it up, my trick for gluten-free bakes. This cake is similar to a pound cake in that it has a dense but moist crumb. Do take a moment to read the NOTES below, before starting, as they are there to help you.
NOTES:
Thick batter: The vanilla cake layers in this cake are rich and cakey, rather than light and fluffy. This is by design, as it is more similar to pound cake. The cake batter will seem very thick when spreading into cake pans but don’t worry, they will bake up just as it looks in the photos, with a moist and dense crumb.
Lightly sweet: The cake batter is intentionally sweetened with a light hand (i.e. not a lot of sugar) since it is part of a layer cake, surrounded by Swiss Meringue Buttercream which is very sweet. Together, they are a perfect bite.
Almond Flour: For baked goods, you should always use almond flour that is blanched (no brown bits / skin) and finely-ground. I use either Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Blanched Almond Flour or JK Gourmet Very Fine Ground Almond Flour. I believe Costco also sells a reasonably priced fine almond flour under their Kirkland brand. (not sponsored)
Gluten-Free Flour: Each brand of gluten-free flour blend is not the same. Therefore, using different brands may yield different outcomes. I always use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour because it is very accessible and available in most grocery stores. (not sponsored)
Make in Advance: The cake layers can be baked a day ahead, kept well-wrapped in a cool room or several days ahead but kept frozen (wrap well then frozen inside freezer bag) and defrosted overnight. The Swiss Meringue Buttercream can be made ahead and kept in a cool room for 3-4 days. The Peach-Passionfruit Curd can be stored in tightly-lidded container in the fridge for up to a week.
Tip for Swiss Meringue Buttercream: Make sure the butter is at a “cool” room temp of about 65f. If it curdles at any point, whip the mixture on high speed for as long as it takes to get it smooth again, anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. Quickest way is to also aim a hairdryer perpendicularly at the mixing bowl as it whips. Works like a charm every single time.
Vanilla Layer Cake with Peach-Passionfruit Curd
Recipe makes one 3-layer 6” round cake (pictured in blog post) or one 2-layer 8” round cake.
Yield: 6" cake
Vanilla Layer Cake with Peach-Passionfruit Curd
Ingredients
For the Peach-Passionfruit Curd (makes ~1 cup of curd):
For the Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream (makes ~3 cups which is just enough for naked cake look, as pictured in blog post. Double the recipe for traditional frosted cake).
For the Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake Layers:
Optional for garnish:
Instructions
Prepare the Peach-Passionfruit Curd
- Heat and whisk all the curd ingredients, except the passionfruit pulp, in a small pot over low heat. Once the butter has completely melted, increase the heat to medium-low and cook 7-10 minutes or until tiny bubbles surface, all the while stirring frequently. Keep going until mixture is noticeably thickened, like thin yogurt. A thermometer should read 170f. Strain over a sieve into a bowl and stir in passionfruit pulp. The curd will thicken further as it cools, to the final pudding-like consistency of curd. Refrigerate if not using right away.
Prepare the Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Place both sugar and egg whites into a large bowl. Set the bowl over a double boiler (making sure the bowl bottom does not touch the water in the pot), whisk sugar and egg whites, stirring and moving everything around constantly, until mixture reaches 160f or you can feel between your fingers that the sugar grains are completely dissolved. Pour mixture into the metal bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on high speed until thick, glossy and white (very firm peaks), about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, sift confectioner's sugar. Once the egg whites are done, turn the stand mixer to the lowest speed and add the confectioner's sugar all at once. Let the whisk turn a few times to settle the sugar before increasing mixer speed to medium-high and whisking until everything is evenly incorporated. While the mixer is still running on medium-high, add the room temperature butter in 2-tbsp chunks at a time until all of it is incorporated. Add the vanilla bean paste or extract. Mix until thoroughly combined. Switch to the paddle attachment and blend on medium-low speed until the buttercream is nice and smooth, about a minute. Swiss meringue buttercream can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 days. Tip: if your Swiss meringue buttercream curdles at any point, whip the mixture on high speed for as long as it takes to get it smooth again, anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. Quickest way is to also aim a hairdryer perpendicularly at the mixing bowl as it whips. Works like a charm every single time.
Prepare the Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake Layers:
- Preheat oven to 325f. Lightly grease and/or line with parchment paper, three 6” round cake pans (or two 8” round pans). Whisk the flours, baking powder and salt together and set aside. Place the butter and sugar in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, and cream them at medium speed for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Separate the eggs (whites in a separate vessel). Add the yolks to the butter-sugar mixture and beat a minute more. Add the flour mixture all at once and beat on low until just mixed. Using a hand-whisk, whip egg whites to soft peaks. (Alternatively, you may scoop out cake batter, clean bowl thoroughly, and whisk the whites in the stand mixer on high (8 speed) to soft peaks, about 3 minutes. Fold the whites into the cake batter. Divide batter evenly amongst your prepared cake pans. If you are making three 6” cakes, bake them for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer pierced into the middle emerges clean with just a crumb or two. If you are bake two 8” cakes, bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer emerges clean with just a crumb or two. Since ovens vary widely, it is always a good idea to check doneness earlier to ensure cake does not over-bake. Over-baking will surely result in dry cake. Cool cakes in their pans for 5 minutes on a wire rack, then remove the cakes and cool rest of the way. Make sure cakes are fully cooled before frosting.
Assemble the Cake:
- Scoop some of the buttercream into a piping bag and snip off the end for ¾” opening – you just need to eyeball enough to pipe rings around the edge of the inside layer(s) to encircle the curd. Place bottom cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Scoop about ½ cup of buttercream for 6” cake (more for 8” cake) and spread evenly with spatula. Pipe a ring of buttercream around the edge. Fill center of the ring with fully cooled peach-passionfruit curd, about ¼ cup for a 6” cake layer, more for 8”. Place next cake layer on top, upside down so the flat bottom is facing upward. Repeat one more time for a three-layered cake, placing final cake layer upside down again so the flat cake bottom is facing upward. Frost top and outside of cake with a thin layer of buttercream, filling in the outside in between the layers as needed and smoothing the buttercream with a spatula or icing smoother. This is the crumb coat. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Frost entire cake with remaining buttercream, this time taking more care for a smooth finish. Garnish the cake with fresh peaches, fresh passionfruit curd and flowers or petals if you like. I used Dahlias with the stems wrapped in plastic food wrap since they were not specifically grown to use with food.
Notes
1. Almond Flour: For cakes, baked goods, pancakes etc, you should always use almond flour that is blanched (no brown bits / skin) and finely-ground. I use either Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Blanched Almond Flour or JK Gourmet Very Fine Ground Almond Flour. I believe Costco also sells a reasonably priced fine almond flour under their Kirkland brand. (not sponsored)
2. Gluten-Free Flour: Each brand of gluten-free flour blend is not the same. Therefore, using different brands may yield different outcomes. I always use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour because it is very accessible and available in most grocery stores. (not sponsored)
3. Make in Advance: The cake layers can be baked a day ahead, kept well-wrapped in a cool room or several days ahead but kept frozen (wrap well then frozen inside freezer bag) and defrosted overnight. The Swiss Meringue Buttercream can be made ahead and kept in a cool room for 3-4 days. The Peach-Passionfruit Curd can be stored in tightly-lidded container in the fridge for up to a week.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
1155Fat
90 gSat. Fat
48 gCarbs
96 gFiber
7 gNet carbs
73 gSugar
62 gProtein
15 gSodium
281 mgCholesterol
404 mgDisclaimer: nutritional information is auto-generated and should only be used as an approximation.
Copyright 2024 © saltnpepperhere. All content including images is copyrighted and may not be republished or copied in part or whole without prior written permission and proper credit.
Crab Cakes with Peach Salsa and Tarragon Aioli
Is it just me or are people pretty divisive when it comes to crab versus lobster? I feel like they’re usually in one camp or the other, with few who like them equally. It may be the more pedestrian choice but I’ve always been team lobster since I was a child. My husband, on the other hand, is all about the crab. My lobster bias is due in no small part to sheer laziness and my desire to get large juicy morsels of seafood into my mouth with a minimal amount of work. Large lobster tails = chunks of seafood in my mouth with minimal work. There is no equivalent body part on a crab! Eating crab requires patience and finesse to extract the meat from the claws, legs and body. But ahhhhh…enter: LUMP CRAP MEAT. Fresh picked and already cooked, juicy crab meat can be purchased from any seafood monger or the seafood counter of a well-stocked grocery store. This magical food item is ready to be tossed with a shortlist of simple ingredients to create this decadent yet totally approachable recipe, Crab Cakes with Peach Salsa and Tarragon Aioli. Imagine the warm and juicy crab cakes together with the cool creaminess of tarragon aioli and zippy freshness of the peach salsa! This meal will awaken your taste buds, guaranteed.
Read moreSugar Snap Pea Salad with Green Goddess Dressing, from No Crumbs Left Cookbook { gluten-free, dairy-free, Whole30, pescatarian }
To say the recent arrival of Teri Turner’s wonderful new cookbook No Crumbs Left, Recipes for Everyday Food Made Marvelous was highly anticipated by her legion of loyal fans (she calls her “crumbles”) would be a massive understatement. I have been following Teri’s instagram for years. She approaches cooking with the ease and confidence that inspires so many of us. “Don’t be afraid to fail; it’s just food” is what Teri frequently says. Don’t those words alone empower you to tackle almost anything in your kitchen?
Read moreSpaghetti with Clams and Shishito Peppers, with pancetta-hazelnut topping { gluten-free, dairy-free }
This Spaghetti with Clams and Shishito Peppers with a Pancetta-Hazelnut Topping is one of those dishes you can make rather quickly on any given night for your family but also elevated enough for your most important dinner guests. And everyone will assume you slaved over it all afternoon too 😉
Read moreSpringtime White Lasagna { gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian }
Are you Team White Sauce or Team Red Sauce? Honestly, I have been Team Red all the way, all my life. BUT, this dreamy creamy Springtime White Lasagna almost made me second guess my lifelong allegiance. Plus, I tricked my whole family into eating THREE whole different kinds of green vegetables in ONE meal because of this luscious, roasted garlic cream sauce. I said roasted garlic cream sauce. I just wanted to make sure you read that. 😉 Can you even imagine??! It’s definitely kinda magical.
Read moreGluten-Free Carrot Cake
You may have noticed my love affair with cake. I’m not too selective when it comes to flavour. I have no prejudices and have enough love (and sweet tooth) in me to love them all! Unless they are excessively sweet. If you’ve baked any of my cake or loaf recipes, you may have noticed that my palate prefers just-sweet-enough desserts that don’t ache my teeth or leaves me feeling ill after eating it. Carrot cakes, in particular, seem to be guilty of being cloyingly sweet. Is it the sweetness of the carrots? The cream cheese frosting? Perhaps both. In any case, if you love carrot cakes, you will love this perfectly sweet, perfectly moist, slightly better-for-you Gluten Free Carrot Cake with an amazing tangy, “no-cream-cheese” frosting that might blow your mind like it did mine.
Read moreCreamy Avocado Pesto Pasta with King Crab (or Shrimp) { gluten-free, dairy-free }
This amazing Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta with King Crab (or Shrimp) is a luxurious, creamy pasta dish fit for royalty but is also pretty perfect for a quick meal because it involves minimal cooking and is ready in less than 30 minutes. There is a reason why king crab meat is so beloved by seafood lovers all over the world. Nothing compares to their succulence and sweetness. If you haven’t yet tried, you should find a good excuse to splurge on it to taste for yourself. But for an everyday, less bougie yet still delicious version, shrimp is the way to go in this pasta. The recipe for either option is nearly identical (and I walk you through both in the recipe).
Read moreTuna and Kimchi Onigirazu aka Japanese Rice Sandwich { gluten-free, dairy-free }
Here’s an easy, healthy, minimal-cook meal idea for weeknight dinner, not-a-sad-desk-lunch or kid school lunch. This recipe for TUNA AND KIMCHI ONIGIRAZU is a must try…they are simple to make and so, sooo delicious.
Read moreTahini Cake with Berries { gluten-free }
I’ve baked enough gluten-free cakes to confidently say that despite its bad rap, gluten-free cakes need not to be dry or dense or sandy in texture. They can be moist, light and often times in my opinion, more flavourful than wheat flour cakes depending on the ingredients used. In this case, I use a mix of almond flour (see - flavour boost right there) and gluten-free flour blend. Egg yolks provide richness and egg whites (whipped) provide airiness to lighten the denser nature of gluten-free flours.
Read moreThai Coconut Soup, The Living Kitchen Cookbook { gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, Whole30, vegan, vegetarian }
All it took was a delicious cookie. The kind that is hearty and chunky with all my favourite things like seeds and cacao nibs and cranberries and goji berries and tahini (aka my favourite butter of all time until infinity). The kind that promises to be hearty, healthy AND delicious, and actually delivers on that promise. It’s no wonder that I fell in love with it and have made the recipe more than half a dozen times. And in falling in love with the cookie, I discovered and also fell a little bit in love (not in a creepy stalker way … in a respectful admiration type of way) with its creators, Sarah Grossman and Tamara Green, the duo behind Living Kitchen Wellness blog and now their debut cookbook, The Living Kitchen Cookbook, Healing Recipes to Support Your During Cancer Treatment and Recovery.
Read moreGinger Apricot Chicken
Do you like the sound of juicy chicken with crispy skin, slathered in a zippy sauce? If so, I have this fantastic 6-ingredient, 30 minutes recipe for you. This easy and flavor-packed GINGER APRICOT CHICKEN recipe came about when I craved a tasty dish to appease my bored taste buds shortly after starting my first Whole30 so this recipe provides options for regular preparation or soy-free / gluten-free versions. This recipe has since become one of our family weeknight favourites!
Read moreThai Red Curry Noodle Soup with Shrimp Balls { gluten free, dairy free }
Slurp-worthy rice noodles in a creamy, flavourful broth, this easy THAI RED CURRY NOODLE SOUP WITH SHRIMP BALLS is the kind of tasty and nutritious meal to put into your recipe rotation immediately.
Read moreCauliflower Gnocchi with Morel Mushrooms { gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan }
Any morel lovers out there?! I am so pleased to partner with Green Peace Canada on this blog post to raise awareness about the Boreal forest by way of this wildly delicious Cauliflower Gnocchi with Morel Mushrooms recipe! Easy to make two-ingredient cauliflower gnocchi are tossed simply with sauteed morels, shallots and garlic, and finished with chives and a wee drizzle of nice balsamic vinegar to brighten everything up. This is an elevated dish fit for royalty! Or at least your most favorite dinner guests. The ones who bring very nice wine! ;)
Read morePeppermint Chocolate Mousse with Meringue Kisses
SPOILER ALERT: This dairy-free and vegan chocolate mousse involves NO tofu, NO avocado, NO aquafaba and NO praying that the coconut cream will whip up properly. It is luxuriously rich with that dreamy fluffiness of traditional mousse. It is SUBLIME.
When I set out to make a dairy-free and vegan chocolate mousse, I deep-dived Google and Pinterest and came across a multitude of recipes using one of the four aforementioned ingredients: avocado, silken tofu, aquafaba (brine from canned chickpeas) and whipped up coconut cream. But I really, really wanted to create a version that steered clear of all of them. I wanted a recipe that uses more conventional dessert ingredients AND a fool-proof method, while still achieving a mousse that delivers the same intense chocolate flavor with a billowy texture that slightly melts on the tongue. No compromise.
Read moreBlueberry Swirl Meringue Cookies from Oh Sweet Day! Cookbook { gluten-free, Grain-Free, dairy-free }
When talented baker, mama, and fellow Canadian blogger Fanny sent me a copy of her new debut cookbook Oh Sweet Day! A Celebration Cookbook of Edible Gifts, Party Treats and Festive Desserts to review, I could not have been more delighted! Fanny and I have been following each other on Instagram for a few years. Her IG posts torture me (in the best way hehe) with elegantly executed desserts that inevitably awaken the dessert monster inside me! So much so, I have already made two of Fanny’s recipes, not including this delectable meringue treat (which we will get to in a beat, I promise). One such recipe was her Pecan Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies which was published in the 2017 Holiday issue of the Bake From Scratch Cookie Magazine, an issue full of featured recipes from a handful of the most elite baking bloggers. I made the Pecan Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies to include in my annual holiday cookie boxes for giving away, and hers turned out to be my personal favorite (by far) of the season. I was tempted to keep them all for myself.
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