little french fudge cakes

It's been SO chilly here in Dallas this past week, and all I want to do is bundle up with Gilmore Girls on Netflix and one (or two) of these little chocolate cakes.

These miniature cakes are absolutely perfect - not too sweet, a bit dense and decadent, and just the right size. These would be ideal for entertaining, too - just whip up the batter, pour it into the baking tin, and keep in the fridge until it's time for dessert. In 20 minutes you'll have fresh, warm chocolate cakes. You'll be a hero!

Little French Fudge Cakes (from The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper)
makes 6 cupcakes

you'll need:
one (3.5-4 oz.) bittersweet chocolate bar, broken up into small pieces
1 1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, broken up
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs plus 1 yolk
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
half of a 3.5-4 oz. bittersweet chocolate bar, broken up

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 6-cup cupcake tin.

Combine the bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 2-3 minutes at medium-low power.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cinnamon, vanilla, eggs and yolk, sugar, and salt. Add the flour and stir until combined. Add the butter/chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Stir in the extra bittersweet chocolate pieces. Fill the cupcake pan 3/4 full with the batter.

Bake for 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5-10 minutes on a wire rack before serving warm.

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ginger pumpkin bread with walnuts

Hi, hi! I promise I'm still alive over here. The fall has continued to be busy, and I'm not in the kitchen or in this space nearly as often as I'd like to be. But I have managed to squeeze in some fall baking! 

While I'm not one to go pumpkin crazy, nothing quite makes the house smell like fall like fresh pumpkin bread in the oven. I whipped up this ginger-spiked loaf this weekend, and it was lovely. Not too sweet, a little spicy, just so right.

Note: this recipe makes 2 loaves of pumpkin bread... nothing wrong with that!

Ginger Pumpkin Bread with Walnuts (adapted from Martha Stewart)

yields 2 loaves

you'll need:

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

1 15-oz. can pumpkin puree

3 large eggs

2/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour two 9x5 loaf pans and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugars, pumpkin, butter, and eggs. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined.

Divide the batter between the two loaf pans. Top with walnuts. Bake 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully invert to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm!

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blueberry cornmeal butter cake

I KNOW. Pumpkin spice everything is already dominating the food world. But I'm still loving the late summer produce that we're getting from our CSA! Let's hang on to summer for one more recipe, yes?

This quick, easy little cake is perfect for breakfast, a snack, or alongside some vanilla ice cream for an indulgent dessert. It's the perfect sweet-but-not-too-sweet treat. Make this before summer officially ends! Which, despite what Starbucks is telling you, isn't for another week. :)

Blueberry Cornmeal Butter Cake (from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook)

makes one 8x8-inch cake

for the cake, you'll need:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

zest of 1 lemon

1/3 cup sour cream

2 cups blueberries

for the streusel, you'll need:

1/2 cup sugar

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornmeal

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom and an 8x8 pan with parchment, then coat with butter and flour the bottom and sides.

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and lemon zest.

Add a third of the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. Stir in the sour cream. Stir in another third of the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix the rest of the flour with the blueberries. Gently fold in the blueberry-flour mixture into the batter.

Spread the batter into your prepared pan. In a small bowl, combine the streusel ingredients with a fork, then scatter the mixture over the top of the cake.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack before turning out to cool completely. Enjoy!

P.S. Remember these darling tea towels from Sunday Drive Designs? Well, now they're venturing into aprons... and the designs are just too. cute. Check out the Kickstarter campaign to check them out, lend your support, and get the first crack at these adorable aprons!

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one-step no-churn coffee ice cream

I was flipping through this cookbook the other day, trying to figure out something to make for dinner, when this recipe caught my eye. I mean, how could it not? One step? No churn? How had I not seen this before?! That was it -- dinner immediately got put on the back burner and it was time to make ice cream (also a viable dinner option).

This is, without a doubt, the easiest ice cream you will ever make. It was made for Monday. It takes little to no effort, and in the end, you've got a big bowl of ice cream.

One-Step No-Churn Coffee Ice Cream (from Nigellisima)

you'll need:

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

2 tablespoons espresso liqueur

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1x1 pint container (I have these)

Stir together the condensed milk, espresso powder, and liqueur in a bowl. In a separate bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the cream until it reaches soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the espresso-milk mixture. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze at least 6 hours and up to overnight.

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peach dumplings with bourbon sauce

Happy Monday, friends! Hope you all had a wonderful 4th weekend. We're still on our Pacific NW vacation right now and OMGLOVINGIT. I can't wait to tell y'all all about it!

But for now, let's discuss this ah-making, perfectly summery dessert. We wrap a peach in pie dough along with loads of brown sugar. Brush it with an egg for gorgeous brown color. The little dumplings are baked and topped with a creamy, dreamy bourbon sauce right out of the oven. Yes!

These were so good I could barely believe they were real. 

Peach Dumplings with Bourbon Sauce (from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook)
makes 6 dumplings

you'll need:
1 pie dough (I used this recipe)
3 large peaches, cut in half and pitted
1/3 cup brown sugar
pinch of kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces and kept cold
1 large egg, beaten
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon

Roll out the pie crust to a 12x18-inch rectangle, then cut it into six 6-inch squares. Transfer the squares to the freezer to keep them cold while you make the filling.

Mix brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a small bowl. Spoon 1 tablespoon on top of each peach (in the pit indentation). Dot the top with one of the cold butter pieces. Repeat with all the remaining peach halves.

Now you're ready to assemble the dumplings. Grab the pie dough squares from the freezer. Center each peach half, cut side up, on a pie dough square. Bring the corners up to meet each other over the center. Seal the seams together with your fingers. Repeat with the remaining peaches.

Arrange the dumplings into a buttered 13x9-inch baking dish. Transfer to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Brush the beaten egg over the tops and sides of the dumplings. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until each dumping is beginning to bronze on top.

While the dumplings are baking, make the bourbon sauce by combining the softened butter, sugar, and bourbon in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until completely smooth.

When the dumplings come out of the oven, dollop each with a heaping spoonful of the bourbon sauce. Serve warm! Life. changed.

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creamsicle chiffon pie

Happy Monday, friends! Let's kick off the week with a pie that's all about summer. Remember those incredible creamsicles from your childhood summers? Yeah, this is those in pie form... so that's kind of amazing.

I used my beloved Walker's Shortbread to make the crust, and it's a perfect complement to the creamy pie filling. We top that filling with homemade whipped cream with a touch of Grand Marnier and vanilla, and all is right in the world. This pie was made for your summer cookouts!

To get you started on this pie, or simply to satisfy your cookie craving, Walker's is offering all Little Kitchie readers a 20% discount off your entire purchase from their website by using the discount code LKSUMMER2014 at checkout, now through June 28th. 

Creamsicle Chiffon Pie (slightly adapted from First Prize Pies)

makes one 9-inch pie

for the crust, you'll need:

1 1/2 cups crushed Walker's Shortbread cookies

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the filling, you'll need:

4 large eggs, separated

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin

for the topping, you'll need:

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup Grand Marnier

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

zest of 1 orange

Pour the melted butter into a bowl with the shortbread cookie crumbs and use your hands to mix the two until the texture resembles wet sand. Firmly press the crumbs into a 9-inch pie pan. Place it in the freezer. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the pie from the freezer and bake for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Put the egg whites in the fridge to keep them cold. Add the yolks and 1/3 cup sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until light and frothy. Add the orange juice, Grand Marnier, vanilla, and salt and beat until combined.

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/3 cup cold water to allow it to bloom.

In a double boiler or in a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water, whisk the yolk mixture constantly until it's slightly thickened, 8-10 minutes. Remove it from the heat and slowly whisk in the gelatin mixture until it's completely dissolved.

Put the mixture over an ice bath, stirring occasionally, until it reaches room temperature. Clean the bowl for the stand mixer... you'll use it again in a minute.

Once the yolk mixture is at room temperature, make the meringue. Beat the egg whites in the bowl of your stand mixer until soft peaks form. Slowly add the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold the meringue into the yolk mixture in 3-4 batches, until it's incorporated. Pour the mixture into the pie shell and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Just before serving, make the topping: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream, sugar, Grand Marnier, and vanilla together until stiff peaks form. Dollop or pipe the whipped cream onto the pie surface. Garnish with orange zest or orange slices and serve!

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chocolate chip shortbread banana boats

Happy Memorial Day weekend, y'all! Hope you're having a great, relaxing one. We spent the weekend celebrating two of our best friends who got married last night, and it was so wonderful and sweet. Now I'm planning on spending the rest of the weekend resting, baking, and gearing up for my LAST week of school!

Now about these crazy banana boats...

My shipment from Walker's this month included their delicious chocolate chip shortbread (my husband's absolute favorite). Even though these little cookies are so great on their own, when I saw this post from Shanna, I knew I wanted to incorporate the two together. OMG. So good! The "ice cream" of just a blended frozen banana and cookies tastes like a cookies & cream banana split. On top of that roasted banana... I mean, just stop.

This is the perfect Memorial Day weekend treat. Make this now!

*Walker's is happy to offer all Little Kitchie readers a discount starting today through May 30! Use the code LKDESSERT2014 to receive 20% off your entire purchase at http://us.walkersshortbread.com.

Chocolate Chip Shortbread Banana Boats (adapted from Food Loves Writing)
serves 1 (easily multiplied for however many you'd like!)

you'll need:
1 large peeled, frozen banana
1 large unpeeled, room-temperature banana
2-4 Walker's Chocolate Chip Shortbread cookies (plus 1 or 2 more for serving)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put frozen banana in a blender and puree until smooth. Place cookies in the blender and pulse a few times to distribute cookie crumbs. Scoop out the mixture into a bowl and transfer to the freezer.

Put the unpeeled banana on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and slice down the middle vertically. Push the sides open to make a little "bowl" for the ice cream.

Scoop the frozen banana-cookie mixture on top of the banana and top with more cookie crumbs. Enjoy!

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salty dark chocolate & pistachio cookies

Those cookies up there? New favorite, hands down.

It's hard to beat a good, classic chocolate chip cookie. But then you swap out the chocolate chips for chunks of dark chocolate. I'm listening.

Throw in some chopped pistachios for flavor and texture. You know I can't resist pistachios. I will pick every single one out of the mixed nuts can you have at your house, and I won't be sorry.

Then you sprinkle the top with salt and it's game over. Just give me those cookies!

I made these for Sarah Elizabeth at The Self-Trained Chef as part of this month's Leftovers Club. She sent me some red velvet biscotti... um, yes. please.

Now, let's make cookies!

Salty Dark Chocolate & Pistachio Cookies (slightly adapted from Joy the Baker)
yields 2 dozen cookies

you'll need:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup dark chocolate chunks
1 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
flaky sea salt (like Maldon)

Beat the butter and sugars together in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for 1 minute.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl. Add it to the butter mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks and pistachios.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours and up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Scoop cookie dough (about 2 tablespoons) onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Sprinkle with a flake or two of sea salt.

Bake cookies for 18-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

An InLinkz Link-up

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baked banana doughnuts with nutella glaze

Back to the doughnut pan! Since I went pretty basic and classic my first time around making doughnuts, I decided that this was the time to go over the top. It was a good call, I believe.

The cake part of these doughnuts is really great! But with that Nutella glaze on top...woah. The rainbow sprinkles are optional/totally not optional.

Let's make doughnuts again!

Baked Banana Doughnuts with Nutella Glaze (from i am a food blog)

makes 6 doughnuts

you'll need:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1 banana, mashed

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup Nutella

3 tablespoons heavy cream

sprinkles (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease your doughnut pan and set aside.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, egg, banana, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and stir until just combined.

Transfer the batter to a piping bag (or, if you're like me, a plastic bag with the corner snipped off) and pipe batter into the doughnut pan, filling each one about 3/4 full. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow doughnuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze, whisk together the Nutella and heavy cream, adding more heavy cream if necessary to thin it out. Dip the doughnuts into the glaze and top with sprinkles!

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chai banana cake

Friends! How was your Easter?? We had the best time yesterday celebrating with our families at our house, though I have to admit that I am tiiiiirrrreeeed today.

Okay, you guys, this cake. I'm a sucker for all things chai, and all those yummy spices work so well with the banana. Plus, this cake is ridiculously moist, and truly gets better day by day. That is, if you can resist it long enough...

This can be served with vanilla ice cream for dessert or on its own with a cup of coffee for breakfast. Cake for breakfast!

Chai Banana Cake (from Spoon Fork Bacon)

yields one 8x8 cake

you'll need:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon chai

3 medium over-ripe bananas

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg together in a mixing bowl.

Pour milk and chai into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and steep for 20 minutes. Discard the used chai, then transfer to a bowl. Add the mashed bananas and mix together.

Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and banana mixture and stir until just combined. Stop the mixer, add the flour mixture all at once, and stir until just combined.

Grease an 8x8 baking dish and pour in cake batter.

Bake for 80-90 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!

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ruby red grapefruit cookies

Okay, these cookies. I wish you could taste one right now! I know they look like regular old sugar cookies, but these are so lovely. We've been getting the best grapefruits in our CSA box lately, so when I found this recipe I thought I'd give it a try to use some of them up. I had no idea how good these would turn out! They have a slightly crispy exterior, the most tender, chewy interior, and a perfect hint of grapefruit goodness.

These are delicate, pretty little things. I'd make them for a ladies' brunch or a wedding shower. Or for anyone you'd like to convince that you are the best cookie baker in all the land.

Ruby Red Grapefruit Cookies (from Homesick Texan)

yields 2 dozen cookies

you'll need:

1 1/2 cups sugar, plus more for dipping

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons Ruby Red grapefruit juice

1 tablespoon Ruby Red grapefruit zest

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

pinch of ground ginger

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Beat the sugar and butter in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Stir in the egg, vanilla, grapefruit juice, and zest until well-combined. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and ginger. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and stir until a soft dough is formed.

Pour some sugar into a bowl. Form the dough into tablespoon-sized balls. Dip each ball into the sugar and place on the baking sheet at least 2-inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely, or until you can't resist stealing one away.

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salty caramel chocolate shortbread ice cream sandwiches

Hi there, friends! We're enjoying a warm, sunny weekend here in Dallas, and if that's not an excuse to celebrate with ice cream sandwiches, I don't know what is. These little treats are so tasty - chocolatey and caramely and salty. But what put them over the top for me is how dang cute they are.

My shipment from Walker's this month included these adorable little scottie dog cookies, and I immediately knew I wanted to use them. They're fantastic chocolate shortbread with little chunks of chocolate throughout... YUM.

The richness of the cookies along with the salty caramel ice cream of top is just heavenly. It's time for ice cream sandwiches, people!

And! To get you started with these treats, Walker's is offering all Little Kitchie readers 20% off your entire purchase at www.us.walkersshortbread.com with the code LKCHOCOLATE2014 through February 28th.

Salty Caramel Chocolate Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
makes 8 sandwiches

you'll need:
2 packages Walker's Chocolate Scottie Dogs Shortbread
1 pint caramel gelato or ice cream
coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

Arrange half of the cookies, bottom side up, on a cookie sheet. Place a small scoop of ice cream (about 1 tablespoon) into the center of the cookies. Top each scoop of ice cream with 1 or 2 sea salt flakes. Press remaining cookies onto the ice cream. Place in freezer for at least 2 hours before serving.

Sandwiches can be wrapped individually in plastic wrap and kept for up to a week.

Disclaimer: I received free products from Walker's as part of their Blogger Ambassador program. All opinions are my own.

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marcona almond + chocolate chip blondies

Oh my dear, these were so delicious. Blondies are always a favorite, and you can never go wrong adding chocolate chips to anything, but it's the Marcona almonds that really send these over the edge. These creamy, salty little guys are absolute perfection, and I can't believe I've never thought of baking with them before?! That's going to change from here on out though. My baking future is bright.

I sent these to lovely Joanne for The Leftovers Club this month, and I hope she enjoyed them as much as we did! This was my first time participating in the club in months, and it was so much fun to be back!

Marcona Almond and Chocolate Chip Blondies (from Food and Wine via Joy the Baker)

makes 9 blondies

you'll need:

1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter

1 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

1/4 cup almond butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups AP flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup marcona almonds

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 8x8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

In a medium saucepan, cook the butter over medium heat until golden brown. Remove from heat and transfer the melted butter to a large bowl. Cool completely before proceeding.

Add the sugar, eggs and yolk, almond butter, vanila, salt, and cinnamon to the bowl with the butter. Whisk until completely smooth. Add the flour and baking powder and stir until just combined. Fold in 3/4 cup of the almonds and 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips.

Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan. Top with the remaining almonds and chocolate chips. Bake for 30-40 minutes*, until cooked through and golden brown. Insert a toothpick into the center to test the doneness. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. Slice into squares, and enjoy!

*A note about the baking time: The original recipe calls for baking time of 25-30 minutes, but mine took much longer, about 40 minutes. I would just check on the blondies starting at 25 minutes and use your judgment/keep testing until they are done to your liking. They will taste delicious no matter what!

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toasted marshmallow nutella pie

Time for pie because Monday.

I'm super excited to share this post with y'all, not only for obvious reasons, but also because this is the first recipe I've created for my partnership with Walker's Shortbread! I'm so happy to be be working with this amazing family-owned (since 1898!) company over the next few months. Real talk: most packaged cookies are not that great and have a ton of weirdo ingredients on the label. Which is why Walker's is so great: their shortbread is made from butter, flour, sugar, and salt. That's it. LOVE that.

So earlier this month, Walker's sent me a giganto box of their mini shortbread fingers, mini shortbread rounds, mini chocolate chip shortbread, and mini crunchy oatmeal cookies. I decided to use the shortbread fingers to create an easy crust for this pie. Y'all. SO good. This is the easiest pie crust you will ever make.

The pie itself is also just fabulous. The Nutella and shortbread work so well together, and the toasted marshmallows put it over the top just like you knew it would.

Toasted Marshmallow Nutella Pie and Walker's Shortbread. Let's get into it.

*Happily, Walker's is offering a discount for all you lovely Little Kitchie readers through January 31! Use the code LKMINI2014 to receive 20% off your entire purchase at http://us.walkersshortbread.com. 

Toasted Marshmallow Nutella Pie

you'll need:

2 (4.4 oz) packages of Walker's Mini Shortbread Fingers

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup heavy cream

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup Nutella

1 cup powdered sugar

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

10-12 marshmallows, cut in half

Preheat your broiler.

Add the shortbread cookies to a food processor or blender and pulse until finely crumbled. Reserve and set aside about a tablespoon of cookie crumbles for pie topping. Add the melted butter and pulse to combine (you may have to transfer it to a bowl and use a fork to mix it well). Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Transfer to the refrigerator.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat 1 cup heavy cream on medium high until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to another bowl and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Add the cream cheese and Nutella into the bowl of the electric mixer and switch to the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the powdered sugar. Add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the ingredients are all well-combined and completely smooth.

Add 1/3 of the whipped cream to the bowl and stir in on the lowest speed. Add the remaining whipped cream and mix on the lowest speed until the filling is completely smooth.

Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Top with marshmallow halves. Place pie in the oven and broil just until the marshmallows turn light brown on top. Watch it carefully so they don't burn! I didn't even close the oven door to do this. Sprinkle with reserved shortbread cookie crumbles.

Refrigerate pie for at least 6 hours or overnight. Enjoy!!

Disclaimer: I received free products from Walker's as part of their Blogger Ambassador program. All opinions are my own.

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dr. pepper float cupcakes

Happy Monday, y'all! Last week, my dear friend Cara and her husband Josh welcomed their sweet baby girl into the world. Her name is Mary Kate (how cute is that?!) and I couldn't be happier she's here. She's my new BFF. She just doesn't realize it yet.

In honor of her birthday, I baked these cupcakes, which I think are totally perfect for her. Her mama and I first became friends during our time at Baylor, where one of the traditions is a "Dr. Pepper Hour" once a week where they serve free Dr. Pepper ice cream floats on campus (best tradition, right?). And while it'll be a while till she's attending those, there's no reason to miss out on the goodness in cupcake form. :)

Welcome to the world, MK! I love you to pieces already!

Dr. Pepper Float Cupcakes
makes 24 cupcakes

you'll need:
1 box chocolate cake mix (I used Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate Fudge)
1 1/4 cups Dr. Pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two muffin tins with cupcake liners, or spray with cooking spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add cake mix, Dr. Pepper. oil, and eggs. Beat for 30 seconds on low. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes.

Fill each muffin tin cup 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

To make whipped cream, whisk cream and sugar together in a stand mixer until stiff peaks form. Top cupcakes with fresh whipped cream and serve immediately.

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blackberry ricotta pound cake

It's here! Today is the first official day of school! The past two weeks I've been up at the school prepping for my new class, so I'm thrilled to finally have them today. It's hard to believe that I'm starting my sixth year teaching... what?! I'm officially old.

Since the first day of school is always a little hectic, I'll be brief and just tell you to make. this. cake. I loved this. The ricotta lends a great tang and texture, and it's the most moist pound cake I've ever made. I'm in love with the summery flavors from the lemon zest and blackberry. Dust it with some powdered sugar and have it for dessert, or do what we did and eat it for breakfast until it disappears (and that won't take long at all).

Enjoy! xo

Blackberry Ricotta Pound Cake
yields one 9x5-inch cake

you'll need:
1 3/4 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of 2 lemons
1 cup blackberries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9x5-inch pan with cooking spray.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

Add butter, ricotta, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on high for 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium until completely incorporated before adding the next egg. Add the vanilla and lemon zest.

Set mixer to the lowest setting and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the blackberries.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 70-75 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges to gently separate it from the pan, then carefully remove the cake from the pan onto a wire rack to cool completely.

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no-bake biscoff pie

I try not to complain about the heat of our Texas summers, because there's really no point. It's HOT. It will keep being HOT until, like, November. Can't fight it. Just embrace it.

So right now, when it feels like someone shoved Dallas into an oven and shut the door, no-bake desserts are ideal. And since I'm head over heels for all things Biscoff, this pie is even more than ideal. With a glorious Biscoff cookie and butter crust, a dreamy creamy filling, and perfect homemade whipped cream on top, this pie is a necessity.

No-Bake Biscoff Pie (adapted from Gimme Some Oven)
makes one 9-inch pie

for the crust, you'll need:
1 (8.8 oz) package of Biscoff cookies
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the filling, you'll need:
1 cup heavy cream
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup Biscoff spread
1 cup powdered sugar
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

for the topping, you'll need:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Biscoff cookies, finely crumbled

Add the Biscoff cookies (reserving 2 for the topping) to a food processor or blender and pulse until finely crumbled. Add the melted butter and pulse to combine (you may have to transfer it to a bowl and use a fork to mix it well). Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Transfer to refrigerator.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat 1 cup heavy cream on medium high until stiff peaks form (mine took about 90 seconds). Transfer the whipped cream to another bowl and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Add the cream cheese and Biscoff spread into the bowl of the electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the powdered sugar. Add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the ingredients are all well-combined and completely smooth. Try a spoonful of the mixer because you can't resist. Almost faint. Continue.

Add about 1/3 of the whipped cream to the bowl and stir in on the lowest speed. Add the remaining whipped and mix on the lowest speed until filling is a light, beautiful color and is completely smooth.

Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours.

Just before serving, make the topping. Add 1 cup heavy cream to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, then add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat for 30-45 seconds more, or until stiff peaks form. Transfer the cream to a piping bag fitted with the star tip and pipe onto the pie (you can also simply spread the whipped cream on top!). Sprinkle with Biscoff cookie crumbs.

Enjoy! And save me a slice.

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compost cookies

I'm totally aware that anything I say here will be completely ignored because of the insanely delicious photo above. But, if you can peel your eyes away from that goodness, let me just say that I'm so happy to have Jen from Milk and Honey in this space today. Not only is Jen a super talented cook, baker, and photographer, she's also just a gem of a person. Oh, and did I mention she's coming to you all the way from Australia? Oh, you want me to stop talking now so you can focus on cookies? Fine...

I’m stoked that Marie has asked me to guest post on her fabulous blog. When she kindly invited me, I immediately started to think about what I might cook for you.  My mind raced from something virtuous like a light salad or something elegant like a pastry treat. But my evil twin took over and found these Compost Cookies in Gourmet Traveller and MADE ME DO IT. 

Call them Compost Cookies, or Kitchen Sink Cookies, or Everything Goes Cookies, or Fairground Cookies, or What Dreams Are Made of Cookies, or I-Just-Worked-Out,-Don’t look-At-Me-Like-That Cookies, or I’m-Having-A-Bad-Day-And-I-NEED-A-Cookie Cookies. But, seeing as how they have oats and coffee in them, I actually like to call them Breakfast Cookies… *wink*.

Thanks Marie, for the chance to show-off in your blog-space and for the excuse to make these over-the-top cookies.

Compost Cookies (from Gourmet Traveller)

yields 20 cookies

225g (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature

200g (1 cup) caster sugar (super fine sugar)

150g (3/4 cup) light brown sugar

50g (1/4 cup) liquid glucose

1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

225g (1 cup) bread flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

150g (3/4 cup) mini chocolate chips

100g (1/2 cup) mini butterscotch chips

40g (1/4 cup) rolled oats

2½ teaspoons ground coffee

50g (1/4 cup) each potato chips and mini pretzels

Graham crust

80g (2/3 cup) crushed digestive biscuits (Graham cracker crumbs)

10g (5 teaspoons) milk powder

15g (2 tablespoons) caster sugar (super fine sugar)

15g (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, melted

30ml (1 oz.) cream

For the graham crust, toss cracker crumbs, milk powder, sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt with your hands in a bowl to evenly distribute your dry ingredients. Whisk butter and cream in a small bowl to combine, add to dry ingredients, toss until small clusters form and set aside.

Beat butter, sugars and liquid glucose in an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes, scrape down sides of bowl, add egg and vanilla and beat until very pale and fluffy (7-8 minutes). Reduce speed to low and add the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes. Mix just until the dough comes together, no longer than 1 minute (don’t overmix). Mixing on low speed, add the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, Graham crust, oats and coffee and mix just until incorporated (30 seconds). Add chips and pretzels and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix or break too many of the pretzels or potato crisps. Don’t, whatever you do, at this stage, taste any of the batter. Because if you do, and happened to get a potato chip and a chocolate chip in the same sample batch, you will end up eating cookie dough for lunch (not that I know anything about that.)

Scoop portions of cookie dough with an ice-cream scoop onto trays lined with baking paper. Pat tops of cookie dough domes flat. Top each cookie with a piece of pretzel and chip and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to a week. Do not bake your cookies from room temperature – they will not bake properly.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F). Arrange the portions of chilled dough on oven trays lined with baking paper and bake until faintly browned on the edges yet still bright yellow in the center (18 minutes). The cookies will puff, crackle and spread. Cool completely on trays. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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oreo parfait

Today's guest post comes from one of the sweetest bloggers I know, Colleen from Souffle Bombay, whose site is full of amazing recipes that she (and her kiddos!) cook up. Colleen also happens to be one of my husband's favorite food bloggers as well, ever since she sent us a jar of her Sweet & Spicy Pecans, which he LOVED. Thank you so much, Colleen, for sharing this delicious treat over here today! xoxo

Hi I'm Colleen from Souffle Bombay!  I was thrilled when Marie, who I was lucky enough to meet through the food blogging world, asked me to do a guest post for her while she is on vacation and I thought a fun, cool & refreshing dessert that kids 2-102 can enjoy this summer would be just the thing! 

I think this dessert is almost as cute as Marie...almost!

Did you know that last year both the Oreo & my grandmom turned 100?  Yup it's true!  Now, they are both a very young & spry 101!  

My grandmom has an edge over the Oreo - her birthday is on Leap Day...so technically she is only 25 and she will stay that way until 2015!  THAT right there must be the secret to the incredible health she has had her whole life (she says she's never even had a cold).  That and the fact she pretty much grew a lot of what she ate (my Babci did as well).  She never really eats what many of us probably have in our pantries right this moment unless it was at a party or something like that, I don't know if she ever even tasted soda other than ginger ale.  She's cut from a different cloth, she just always made everything, reused everything as thought about anything she would buy before she did it.  I swear she has never paid money for a trash bag - ever.  She says why would you pay money for something then throw it away??   Funny how "today" the way she lived has become the way many are beginning to strive to live.

When it comes to food she tastes everything at parties and gatherings - she loves to taste new things, but she has always been a simple, natural eater.  Many times my gift to her on Christmas has been a basket full of oysters, a lobster tail, fillet mignon, shrimp, and high end dried fruits - things she adores but won't necessarily buy just for herself.  One thing I will always remember about her is her love of good food.

At the "100"party that 5 grandkids put together, one of my brothers included in the decorations packs of Oreo's.  He's smart like that - he scattered around the rooms any products he could find that were her age! Loved that! I thought to myself throughout the day...I wonder if she ever ate an Oreo?? I had totally planned on getting her to take a bite of one to see what she thought, but time got away from me, so instead I am bringing her a couple of these next week. 

I thought I want to make her something fun with Oreo's and I want to put it in a jar for easy travel (she's an 1 1/2 hours from me).  I did a test run a little over a week ago and bought 3 dozen 4 oz and 8 oz mason jars full to a  BBQ I went tt and they went SO fast that I didn't even get to taste one!  I don't know who was worse...all the dad's or the kids, scarfing them down...I guess they were good!  This is all that was left, scattered about the home we were at - almost no trace of what was once in those jars!

Treats like these are spectacular on a hot day - they go down easy and are incredibly refreshing since they are served cold and hey, if you have a bunch of mason jar's sitting around - fill 'em up!! 

Oreo Parfait

1 1/2 packages of Double Stuffed Oreo's

1 large 5.9 oz  package of Jello Chocolate Pudding

3 1/4 cups milk

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

2 - 8 oz containers of Cool Whip

Crush your Oreo's in your food processor in 2 batches, place crumbs in a bowl and reserve.  In your mixer, combine the box of pudding mix and the milk and mix until for 2-3 minutes or until it thickens up.  Place the pudding into a large "Ziploc" baggie and place in the refrigerator for at 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, clean your mixer then use it again to combine the cream cheese, 8 oz of Cool Whip and the powdered sugar.  Mix for 2 minutes on medium-high until the mixture is completely incorporated.  Place mixture in a large "Ziplock" bag.  Place that bag in your refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the jars.

Line you jars up, using a tablespoon, cover the bottom of each 4 or 8 oz jar with crumbs - about 1/8 of the jars worth (depends on the size jar you use).  Next, grab your cream cheese mixture, snip off a corner and gently squeeze filling into each jar.  Use a small spoon - or better yet a muddler if you have one - to pat down the filling.  Next grab your pudding bag, snip off one corner and repeat the process.  Scrape your second container of Cool Whip in another "Ziploc" bag and repeat the process.  Cover the top of each jar with your remaining Oreo crumbs, screw on the lids and store in the fridge until you use them.

Colleen's Notes: If you don't have a food processor, smash the Oreo's up in a double lined resealable baggie using a rolling pin or rubber mallet.  You also do not have to use mason jars for this - you can make one big one instead - a see through bowl would be best. For easy transport, place your jars in a box, a few shoe boxes or a big shallow container with a lid.  I like to keep these cold until serving - if refrigerator space is an is an issue where you are going, bring a big bowl or rectangular container, fill it with ice and plunk these bad-boys in it!  

I like to use Double Stuffed Oreo's and Cool Whip Extra Creamy for this - Hey...if your gonna do it...do it!  That's where the 4 oz jars come in for portion control, lol!

Thanks for letting me take over your blog for a day Marie - I hope everyone enjoys this! 

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