Who's Behind the Apron?

I’ve had several people ask me recently who’s behind Delectably Different Kitchen….Well here I am and if you click (here) you can learn a little more about me!

 I truly appreciate all the support everyone has shown for all my recipes and creations. I hope you can keep enjoying.

Coconut Sugar Peach Pastry

 Before we begin with this lovely recipe, I'll start with a suggestion for how to serve them.  I’ve found the best way to serve these is in a bowl while they are still warm with some cream poured on top or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.  Peaches N' Cream in its most classic form!  These pastries have a great flavor on their own, but when I put this recipe together, I envisioned the cream component included to round out the flavors.  Leave a comment and let us know if you find another amazing way to serve these!

The best thing about this recipe?  It uses no refined sugar!  It calls for mostly coconut palm sugar and a very small amount of xylitol.  So let's get started...

What you'll need for the Pastry:

¼  oz (1 Packet) Yeast                     

1 tsp Salt

½ Cup Warm Water                 

¼ Cup + 1/2 tsp Coconut Sugar

1 Large Egg                                              

4 Cups Flour

½ Cup Milk, scalded                                  

1 tsp Almond Extract

1/3 Coconut Oil, melted                            

1 tsp Vanilla Extract 

1  tsp Cinnamon

      In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water (no hotter than 110 degrees).  Add ½ teaspoon of coconut sugar to the yeast.  Set aside until the mixture becomes foamy and expands to almost double the original size.  This should take about 10-15 minutes.

      While you’re waiting for the yeast to foam, it’s time to scald some milk!

     In a saucepan on medium-low heat, stir milk constantly until small bubbles start to form along the sides of the pan, but don’t allow mixture to boil.  Remove from heat.

       In a mixing bowl combine the milk, cinnamon, coconut sugar, coconut oil, salt, vanilla, and egg.  Mix well.

       So, off subject for a moment here, with a quick, funny story that is a good reminder to always pay attention while you’re cooking!  The last time I made a batch of these, I was also in the middle of helping to make another dessert.  So I may have forgotten to add the egg into the above mixture.  Hence, this picture shows you what the liquid mixture will look like if you don’t have an egg in it.

      I didn’t realize I hadn't added it in until I had already poured the yeast and the flour into the liquids.  So then I had a “Make it work!” moment!  I figured the worst that could happen would be that I would have to start from scratch.  I cracked open an egg and carefully kneaded it by hand into the dough.  It was super sticky and difficult to fully mix in, but with a firm grip and a lot of patience I succeeded!  

I did have to add about an extra ¼ cup flour at the end to compensate for the extra stickiness that had formed. 

Soooo, the moral of this story is to always double-check that you have included every ingredient before moving onto the next step!

       Back to the recipe!

        Add in two cups of flour to the milk mixture and continue mixing until it has a smooth texture.  Pour the yeast into the dough and mix until fully combined.  Add the remaining flour and mix until the dough is easy to handle.  Knead dough for 5 to 10 minutes to be sure that the flour is completely mixed in.

       Place dough in a large greased bowl, cover, and let rise for one hour.  It should almost double in size.  When the dough has about a half hour left on the rising time, we can start making the peach filling.  You’ll need the following...

 

 Peach Filling

3 Cups Diced Fresh Peaches

2 tsp Coconut Sugar

1 tsp Xylitol

1 tbsp Whipping Cream

½  tsp Salt

½  tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Almond Extract

1 tsp Maple Syrup

½ Cup Sliced Toasted Almonds

      Peel and dice peaches until they measure three cups (this should take about 3 -4 large peaches).  Place in a saucepan with coconut sugar, xylitol, heavy cream, almond extract, salt, maple syrup, and cinnamon.  Let the ingredients simmer over low heat to allow the flavors to combine.

       If you don’t have toasted almonds, you can easily make them yourself.  Just  toss some raw sliced almonds in a skillet and stir them over low heat until they turn golden brown.

       Once the dough has risen, then you can prepare it for the filling. On a clean and lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it’s about the size of a 9x13 pan.

       Preheat oven to 350°F.  Prepare a muffin tin by greasing each cup. 

       Cut out pieces of dough that are few inches square.  They should be big enough to press down into a muffin cup with a little extra dough over the top.  Fill each cup with spoonful of peach filling then add about six sliced almonds and a sprinkle of coconut sugar.  Fold over the dough flaps so you have a semi-sealed pastry.  Repeat this process until you have used up all of the dough.

       Bake for about 20 – 25 minutes.  Keep checking them after the first 20 minutes so you can be sure to pull them out of the oven just as they are turning a nice golden brown on top.

 

     Allow to cool in the muffin tin for about three minutes before removing to a cooling rack.  Let cool slightly.

      While the pastries are still warm, top them with some cream or ice cream and enjoy!

Berries N’ Cream Cupcakes

 

        For our healthy treat on Monday, we had a light and delicious Berry N'Honey Cupcake.  It's summer, so let's keep the fresh berry theme going.  Since it's Friday, we'll have a more decadent version to enjoy as we get ready for the weekend!

       So, um, I would like to start this recipe out with a tip.  This is an, ahem, especially helpful point to remember for all of you food bloggers out there.  

       Plan A: When photographing step-by-step pictures as you are making your recipe, make sure that you have enough battery power to actually get a photo of the finished product as well. 

       Plan B: And while you're at it, don't forget to charge your backup battery in case you forgot to enact Plan A. 

       It's not like I'm speaking from experience about this...no, no, it's just a friendly reminder.  The lack of a picture of a frosted cupcake for this post is purely coincidence.  I'm just trying something new and I want you to have your own artistic freedom in decorating this cupcake.  (Are you buying any of this???  No?)  Well, anyway, I will follow my own advice for the next post!  For now, let's get baking...

 

You'll need: 

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp butter flavor

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted

1/2 tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk  

Makes 12 Muffins 

       Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line a muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.

        In a medium bowl using an electric mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy.  Add in the sugar and extracts then continue whipping until fully creamed.

     Gradually add the eggs one at a time and mix well between each addition.

        In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.  Then stir into the creamed mixture a little at a time, alternating with the milk.

        Pour batter into lined muffin tins, filling them 3/4 full.  Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from the center and the tops are a light golden brown.

        Allow to cool in the muffin tin for five minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

 

       Once your cupcakes have cooled, it’s time to core out the center.  Don't worry, with the proper tool this task is much easier than you might think! 

 

     If you don’t have a coring tool then I would suggest using a butter knife to cut out a circle about the size of a quarter in the center of the cupcake, going down about 1 1/2" deep.

        Once the cupcakes are cored, chop five berries of your choice (I used blackberries).  Stuff these into the centers of the cupcakes.

 

Berry Cream Butter Cream

1 cup butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

1 ½ tbs heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

12 blackberries, diced (or berry of your choice)

       In a medium bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy.  Next, add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, blending well between each addition.  Add in heavy cream, vanilla, and berries then continue to whip until everything is fully combined.

        Scoop the frosting into an icing bag fitted with a large tip or fill a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, then cut one of the corners.  Pipe the butter cream into the center of a cupcake until the core is filled, then continue and frost the top of the cupcake as well.  Repeat this process until you’ve filled and iced all of the cupcakes.

       Serve and enjoy!  (And take a picture before you eat them all.)

Quick Pickling Tips!

Berry N’ Honey Cupcakes

 

       Who doesn't like a classic vanilla cupcake?  Who wouldn't also be happy to have an option that is a little healthier and has the same amount of deliciousness?  Well, I believe this recipe is the answer!  This cupcake isn't just dairy-free but it also doesn't use any traditional processed sugar.  As a healthier alternative to frosting, I topped these with a berry infused honey that is refreshingly light and delicious.  I hope you enjoy!

 Heres what you'll need...

½  cup Coconut Oil

3/4 cup Xylitol

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 tsp Coconut Extract

2 Eggs

1 1/2 cups Cake Flour, sifted

1/2 tbs Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 cup Coconut Milk

Makes 12 cupcakes

       Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line a muffin tin with cupcake wrappers.

        In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer with a whipping attachment, cream together xylitol and coconut oil until well combined and fluffy. 

 

        Next, add in the coconut extract and eggs.  Mix until fully combined.

        In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Mix dry ingredients a little at a time into the creamed xylitol, alternating with the coconut milk.

        Pour batter into lined muffin tins, filling them about 3/4 of the way full.

       Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes or until firm in the center and a tooth pick comes out clean.

       Remove from oven and allow to cool for five minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

 

 Honey N’ Berry Topping

   For this topping, you can use your favorite berry!  I used organic, locally-grown blackberries when I made them and it was delicious.  But blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or even cranberries would be a great option as well.  Get creative and experiment to find what you like best!

 

½ cup Honey

12 Berries, roughly chopped

       In a small bowl, briskly whisk together the honey and berries.

        Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, spread the top of each with a tablespoon of Honey N’ Berry topping.  Serve and enjoy!

Piña Colada Cake

 

       Earlier this week I posted a recipe for a delicious, gluten-free Tropical Coconut Cream Cake.  Let's continue with that theme and start the weekend out right with a little slice of tropical heaven: Piña Colada Cake with a Pineapple Rum Frosting.  It's like a party in your mouth!  

 

Leave us a comment and let us know what you think.

 You'll need:

1 Cup Softened Butter

1 ¾ Cup Sugar

1 Cup Coconut Cream*

4 Eggs

1 Cup Buttermilk

1 tbsp Pineapple Juice

2 tsp Coconut Extract

2 ½ Cups Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

½ tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Salt, divided

2/3 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

 *Here is a simple and effective way to get the coconut cream. With this method, you will need to have a can of coconut milk that has been refrigerated for at least 24 hours. 

I personally like to use the Thai brand coconut milk when I'm needing a thick cream for a recipe.

 Step 1. Take your can of coconut milk from the refrigerator and turn it upside down.

 Step 2. Now you will need to use a can opener to open it up on the bottom of the can, which is now on top.

.

Step 3. Next you'll need to drain off the watery part of the coconut milk that is on top of the coconut cream.  I recommend using the coconut milk in a smoothie because it gives it such a good taste.  But there are many ways you can use the coconut milk, just don't waste it!  Be creative!

 Step 4. Now that the milk has been drained off, you have easy access to the coconut cream and can measure it out.

   

This is an easy and useful technique to use the next time you are making a recipe that calls for coconut cream!

     

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease and flour two 9" round pans.

       Separate the eggs into two medium mixing bowls.  Set aside the egg whites.

        In the other mixing bowl, whip together butter, sugar, coconut cream, and egg yolks until fluffy.  In a small bowl, combine buttermilk, pineapple juice, and coconut extract then set aside.

        In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

 Next, add the dry ingredients alternately with the liquids to the coconut cream mixture using a mixer on low speed.

       Beat egg whites with ½ teaspoon salt until stiff peaks form.  Fold the egg whites into the batter then gently fold in the shredded coconut, mixing until just combined.

        Bake for 30 minutes then check to see if a toothpick comes out clean.  If not, continue baking, checking every few minutes to make sure it doesn't over bake. 

        Once your cake is done, allow to cool in the pans for about five minutes at room temperature, then place in the refrigerator for about two hours before removing from pans and frosting.  

 

Pineapple Rum Butter Cream Frosting

 

1 Cup Softened Butter

3 Cups Powdered Sugar

1 Cup Powdered Xylitol

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 tsp Rum Flavor

1 tsp Salt

2 tbs Pineapple Juice

1/2 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut (optional)

Cream butter until smooth and fluffy.  Whip in powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating well between each addition.  Next add in pineapple juice and whip until fully incorporated.  Then add powdered xylitol and the extracts and continue beating until all the ingredients are fully combined.

 

 Frost the cake and garnish with about a ½ cup of shredded coconut, if desired.  Serve and enjoy!

Real Men Bake

I found this shirt online today and as a man who bakes I believe this motto to be true. REAL MEN BAKE!

 

bake on…

http://skreened.com/glamfoxx/real-men-bake

Gluten-Free Tropical Coconut Cream Cake

Summertime means relaxing on the beach with your toes in the sand and an ocean breeze blowing your hair.  It also means we tend to crave those bright, tropical flavors that make summer, well...so summery.  So today I have for you a gluten-free and sugar-free coconut cake.  Enjoy the refreshing and exotic flavors as they transport you to a beachside vacation...sunscreen is optional.

8 Eggs
2 tsp Cream of Tartar
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
6 tbsp Honey
1/2 Cup Coconut Flour
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 tsp Coconut Extract

2 tsp Orange Extract

2 tbsp Coconut Shreds
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Himalayan Salt

        Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease one round 9 inch pan.

        Separate eggs, putting all the yolks in a small bowl and all the egg whites in a large bowl.  To the egg whites, add the cream of tartar then whip together until stiff peaks form.  

        In a separate bowl, cream together honey and coconut oil.  Then add the egg yolks to the creamed mixture and mix well.

       To the creamed ingredients, add the coconut flour, extracts, baking soda, and salt.Mix until fully combined. 

  Gently fold the batter a little at a time into the egg whites. Continue this process until they are completely mixed together.

        Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan.

   Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Coconut Chunk Whipped Frosting

1 Cup Whipping Cream

½ Cup CoconutButter or Manna

1  Cup Powdered Xylitol

         In a bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Next add in coconut butter/manna and continue blending until well combine it won't be smooth because the manna stays in chunks. Add powdered xylitol a half cup at a time, mixing well between each addition.

    Frost cake after it has completely cooled. Serve and enjoy the taste of summer!