Recipes

Grandma's Applesauce Fruitcake

This recipe has been in our family for decades. The base of this Applesauce Cake is extremely versatile and can be modified to any taste. We decided to add candied orange, dried cherries and Gingerbread Spice. This will have any fruitcake-hater second guessing themselves. We've seen it happen many times at the dinner table! This fruitcake is a staple in our household during the holiday season and sporadically throughout the year. Half the fun of cooking and baking is getting creative, so make a few tweaks where wanted and have fun with it!

Saffron Pumpkin Crème Brûlée

10 min

There's no shortage of pumpkin pairings these days, and the beloved spicing tends to be loud and proud. But why not switch it up? Winter is long and there are pumpkins aplenty. For a mellow change of pace, we explored a pivot to the sweet side with saffron and vanilla in this decadent pumpkin dessert. Inspired by our friends at Leite's Culinaria and their recipe for Pumpkin Pots de Crème, we set to it. The result? Amazing!!! These individual desserts are both stunning and sublime. The saffron boosts the color of this crème brûlée and the spicing elevates the flavor of the pumpkin rather than overpowering it. We opted for a tidy shortcut with the blender and allowed the flavors to bloom overnight before cooking. The results were delicious. Flecked with saffron and vanilla, the spicing brought out the buttery base of pumpkin in the most delightful way. The technique also makes it easy to whip these up well before a gathering and finish them at the last minute. If you're a planner you can make this impressive recipe days before and no one will ever know.

Gingerbread Pumpkin Butter

15 min

Two holiday favorites were combined into one treat with this recipe and it's easy to make and keep on hand for the whole season. If you're like me, you want any excuse to snack on holiday flavors so we spiced this pumpkin butter with our Gingerbread Spice. It contains all the holiday heavy hitters and is packed with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and, of course, spicy clove and ginger! Once made, you'll find yourself adding this spread to everything from toast, waffles and oatmeal. We created a big batch with this recipe so there will be plenty to go around.

Galaxy Pops

While ice pops are a classic, summertime staple; these are simply out of this world. They naturally get their starry night color from Butterfly Pea Flowers. This recipe was inspired by our Butterfly Pea Flower Horchata. Horchata is a Mexican rice milk beverage that is traditionally flavored with cinnamon. We made these pops a little richer using sweetened condensed milk to add creaminess. Additionally, we took some of the rice pudding base and pureed butterfly pea flowers that have a slight green tea flavor. A galaxy-like effect was created by pouring the creamy white horchata mix on top of the beautiful, deep blue, butterfly base. These pops easily freeze in Dixie cups as a mold. For the green Martian pops, we used some basil and lime juice. Treat yourself to one of each! They're sure to be the star of your hot summer day.To make this a completely vegan/dairy-free recipe, substitute cream of coconut for the sweetened condensed milk in the horchata mix.

Mayan Cocoa Frozen Custard

Frozen custard is luscious, silky, and decadent. When it melts, its creamy richness cools you off as you enjoy the explosion of chocolate flavor. In this recipe, we used our Mayan Cocoa which not only makes a tasty drinking chocolate but also a seasoned custard with warm spices like true cinnamon, allspice and ancho chile flake for a kick. To transport us to a chocoholic's paradise, we melted dark chocolate and swirled cherries into the custard to give brightness. Making ice cream is an experience, and this one will make you guilty of constantly taste testing. Give this base a quick spin in an ice cream machine and enjoy it with a sprinkle of toasted White Sesame Seed.

Floral Chia Seed Pudding

This go-to summer breakfast has infinite possibilities. We used chia seeds which are full of protein, antioxidants and fiber. Once they soak overnight in liquid, they plump up and have a tapioca-like texture that is both filling and easy to build on other flavors. Here we brewed some Floral Sonnets tea, adding a touch of honey and some Beet Powder, resulting in the beautiful magenta layer for this parfait. For the royal blue-colored pudding, we used Butterfly Pea Flower with almond milk. The next day build your parfait with the layers by adding seasonal berries and yogurt. This parfait cup will taste of chamomile, ginger and cinnamon, which bring warmth to the tangy yogurt. It's both festive and a great way to start any breakfast!

Pink Pepper Cardamom Bars

Rhubarb is a perfect flavor combination with strawberries. To jazz it up, we added spices! Piney Cardamom Seed and lime zest accent and elevate the fruit base. Crunchy walnuts add texture and to the oat crumb topping and Pink Peppercorn give a tingly pop of flavor. These fragrant bars are citrusy and have fruity sour layers, and the spices really bring something new to the table.Rhubarb and strawberries are delightful in these bars, but you can try other fruits and berries too, like raspberries, blackberries or blueberries. The recipe is endlessly adaptable. If you're feeling decadent, top the bars with whipped cream!

Grandma's Lemon Wedges

You can never have too many lemon bar recipes, but this one is the only one that you need. This was my Grandma's recipe, and the stains on the recipe card are a testament to how often it's been made. Most lemon bars are made too sweet to cut the tartness of the lemon, but the addition of the glaze in this recipe balances out the sweet and tart lemon flavor perfectly. Sometimes I add poppy seeds to the shortbread crust or sprinkle sumac on top just for fun. These can be made in a square pan and cut into bars, but look pretty cut in wedges too. Make these and I'm sure that they will disappear as quickly as they always did in our home.

Raspberry Pearl Sherbet and Cava Float

Jasmine Pearl tea is hand-picked and rolled green tea leaves. After harvest, the tea is laid out and covered with jasmine blossoms before being rolled. The resulting brew releases the light, heady scent of jasmine into your cup. Here we have combined the tea with tart raspberries and honey to compliment the floral aspects in Jasmine Pearl and created an elegant sherbet. With just a splash of vodka to preserve the flavor and consistency and after a quick spin in the ice-cream machine, voila! The flavors are sensational. While incredible on its own, this sherbet shines when added to a flute of brut cava or champagne. Garnish with a few fresh raspberries and you have the perfect drink to kick off patio season.