Tag Archives: walnut

February 18, 2013 · 5:00 am

Choco-Coco-Walnut Vegan Cookies

Choco-Coco-Walnut Vegan Cookies // Pale Yellow

In the past four days I have had three baking/cooking fails; chocolate vegan cupcakes, coconut chocolate vegan shortbread cookies, and lentil soup.  Trying to bake vegan is ruining my style, I just want some butter.  And eggs.

Choco-Coco-Walnut Vegan // Pale YellowCookies 2

However, these cookies are not a baking fail; they are first and foremost delicious, and second, they don’t require any actual baking.  I found myself going back into the freezer to grab just one or slipping to into my lunch bag.  The chewiness is delightful and they are sweet, nutty, and coconuty.

Choco-Coco-Walnut Vegan // Pale YellowCookies

It is weird calling them cookies because they don’t feel like a cookie, but they are.  Does not make sense?  Probably not.  When I think of a cookie I think of a slightly crunchy exterior that is nicely caramelized.  The middle should be soft, chewy, moist, and tender.  These raw cookies don’t have variety of contrast a true cookie usually has.

Choco-Coco-Walnut Vegan // Pale YellowCookies

Despite not having an appropriate texture, they are really good.  And really easy.  And vegan.  And no one spit them out.  That story will come some day, I promise.  This is a cookie you can actually enjoy eating while enjoying what it’s not doing to your body.  And because they are so “healthy,” eating five in a row is not big deal, it’s health food, right?!?!

Choco-Coco-Walnut Vegan Cookies // Pale Yellow

One Year Ago: Chocolate Cake with Salted Chocolate Buttercream

Print the Recipe!

Choco-Coco-Walnut Vegan Cookies
Adapted from Shutterbean
Yield – 15 cookies (2 tablespoons)

2 cups raw, unsalted walnuts
1 cup unsweetened coconut
2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
1/8 cup maple syrup, grade B
1/8 cup agave syrup
pinch of Kosher salt
2 teaspoons vanilla

  1. Mix all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth with only a few pieces of walnuts.
  2. Portion the dough into 2 tablespoon balls.
  3. Roll the dough into balls and pack tightly together.  Wet your hands with cold water to help ease the process.
  4. Flatten the dough between two pieces of parchment paper.
  5. Store in the freezer between sheets of parchment paper in baggies.  Enjoy!Choco-Coco-Walnut Vegan Cookies // Pale Yellow
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January 4, 2013 · 5:00 am

Chocolate Chip Walnut Blondies

Chocolate Chip Walnut Blondies // Pale Yellow

When your flight is delayed by an hour and you’ve had several bourbons and ginger at the airport bar you are in no condition to make a complicated dessert.  Not that I know from personal experience or anything…

Chocolate Chip Walnut Blondies // Pale Yellow

Cupcakes and mini cheesecakes are out, wwwwwaaaaayyyyy too many steps.  Cookies require too many batches.  What does that leave you with?  Brownies or bars!  What I adore about bar recipes is they usually only require one bowl, can be thrown in the oven, and come together in no time.  Also, now that I know the most important tip in bar baking – letting the bars cool over night in the fridge before cutting – bars and brownies are the easiest.  A brownie just out of the oven may be one of the most delicious treats ever, but pretty looking bars need plenty of cooling time!

Chocolate Chip Walnut Blondies // Pale Yellow

These delicious, yet simple bars were made for the annual Aquinas girl Christmas get together.  Because of expanding families, this year we had a delightful lunch together with friends, husbands, and beautiful baby boys!  I wanted bring a treat and these blondies were the perfect choice for a casual get together.

Chocolate Chip Walnut Blondies // Pale Yellow

There are huge chunks of walnuts and dark chocolate with moist and rich batter in between.  Think of a warm chocolate chip cookie and you have some idea of what these bars tasted like.  I’ve always been on the fence about blondie recipes, something just always tasted off.  These blondies have made up my mind, brownies aren’t the only tasty baked good out there!  Substitute the chocolate chips and walnuts for other mix-ins and you could instantly have an endless array of bars at your finger tips.  It’s time to start baking!

Chocolate Chip Walnut Blondies // Pale Yellow

Print the Recipe!

Chocolate Chip Walnut Blondies
Adapted from Shutterbean
Yield – 24 small bars

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups walnut halves
10 ounce bittersweet chocolate chips, I used Ghiraradelli 60%

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.  Grease the parchment paper with shortening.
  2. In a larger bowl beat together the butter and sugars until well combined and light & creamy.
  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time and then beat in the vanilla and oil.  Scrape the bowl as needed.
  4. Add the flour, salt, and soda to the bowl and mix until just combined.  Fold in the walnuts and the chocolate chips.
  5. Spread into the baking pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until the bars are set.  Do not overbake!
  6. Let cool completely on a wire rack.  I always cool overnight for easier cutting.Chocolate Chip Walnut Blondies // Pale Yellow

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November 5, 2012 · 5:00 am

Apple Pie Cheesecakes

Yummy, yummy!  I saw this recipe the day before I went apple picking and I knew I was going to make it with my freshly picked apples.  Since I had so many apples, I wanted to make my own apple butter.  Making apple butter is super easy!  Just dice some apples, cook them until they are really soft, and then puree.  I had always assumed apple butter was difficult to make and fancy, but I was wrong.

This post was supposed to go out on Friday, but somehow it just didn’t seem right.  This whole blogging thing seems trivial and I could be doing so many more useful things with my time then typing up recipes, taking pictures, and writing about them.  It’s a shame because this amazingly delicious recipe is being overshadowed by the dark cloud over my heart.

People don’t have heat, electricity, warm food, or clean water, and I’m writing about apple cheesecakes.  It all seems inappropriate.  Hurricane (Post-Tropical Storm) Sandy has left us, yet the devastation left in her wake is still being uncovered.  Saturday I made the decision to push forward and find some degree of normalcy.  Time has not stopped, life is pushing forward and I need to move with it.

I’ve been out of work for a week and I have used that time to volunteer, gather what supplies I can for those who need it, and reach out to those I care about.  Eventually I will find the balance I need to help those in need and do the things that bring me joy.  If you want to know what you can do to help, please email me – palyellowbakes@gmail.com.  Thank you!

These mini apple cheesecakes really are wonderful!  They have a crunchy, cinnamon-filled crust and a simple, sweet, no-bake cheesecake filling.  The apple-walnut compote on top adds the extra burst of appleness this recipe needs.  This dessert was well received by the roommates and co-workers.  I believe this would make an excellent addition to any Thanksgiving dinner!

And this seems so silly, but I’m in love with the pictures I took!  I struggle with my photography so much!  Nothing is straight, almost all the pictures are blurry, and I just don’t have great natural light spots.  These pictures were taken in the early evening out on the back porch.  Everything just works.  It’s a rare moment I’m impressed by my own photography, this is one of those occasions!

Print the Recipe!

Apple Pie Cheesecakes
Adapted from Shutterbean
Yield – 12 individual cheesecakes

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup walnuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces 1/3-fat cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup apple butter, see recipe below
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium apple
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 F and make the apple butter if you’re making it from scratch.  If you have store bought, use it!
  2. Pulverize the graham crackers and then measure 1 1/4 cups into a small bowl.  Pulverize the walnuts as well and add to the graham crackers.
  3. Melt the butter and add it along with the salt and cinnamon to the walnut/graham cracker mix.  Stir until everything is moistened.
  4. Spray silicone cupcake molds with cooking spray and press 2 tablespoons of the crust mixture into each cupcake mold.  Use your fingers to press the crust into the bottom and up the sides.
  5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the crusts are brown.  Let cool completely befroe filling.
  6. Beat the cream cheese for 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy.  Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and apple butter.
  7. In another bowl beat the heavy cream on high until stiff peak form.  Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese.
  8. Use a standard size ice scoop to portion the cream cheese mixture into each crust.  Smooth the tops with a spatula.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
  9. To make the apple-walnut topping melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan.  Chop up one apple into small pieces and add it to the butter.
  10. Add in the walnuts that are coarsely chopped and the cinnamon.  Sprinkle in a pinch of salt.  Stir and heat until the apples are soft and a nice sauce has formed.  Set aside to cool.
  11. Place about 1 tablespoon of the mixture on top of each cheesecake.

Apple Butter
Adapted from Chef in You
Yield ~ 3 cups

2 pounds chopped apples
2 tablespoons apple cider
splash of water

  1. Add the chopped apples to a medium sized sauce pan with the apple cider.  Stir and cover with a lid.
  2. Cook until the apple are easily mashed with a wooden spoon.  If the mixture becomes too dry, add in a splash of water.
  3. Use an immersion blender to puree into a smooth mixture.
  4. Store the mixture in the fridge in an airtight container.

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September 3, 2012 · 5:00 am

Walnut Kahlua Muffins

I have seen numerous posts around the blog-o-sphere for back to school; apples, school supply cakes, gifts for teachers, etc.  Lovely, all of it, lovely ideas.  But lets have some real talk from the point of view of the teacher – back to school stinks.  I know parents around the world rejoice because their children are out of the house and back in school all day.  Vacation is over, I now have to get out of bed before six am everyday and I no longer have the luxury of lazy days.

By no means do I wish to imply that I dislike my job, I love being a teacher, to be perfectly honest it’s an exciting time of the year.  I love buying new school supplies and picking out the perfect first day of school outfit!  But, and this is a large but, not working trumps working.  And I want a few days to mourn the end of vacation.

Andddddddddd, it’s not like teachers spend all of their vacation on the beach or sleeping in or watching crap TV, we learn, we plan, and most importantly we are professionally developed.  If you’ve never sat in a room with a bunch of teacher who are supposed to be paying attention, you’re missing out!  We teachers, at least my staff, know how to have fun!  After two days of complicated instructions on a new computer program we are rolling out this fall, I knew our team needed a boozy breakfast treat for the last day of professional development.

These muffins are going to kick off my back-to-school series of foods teachers want to eat!  Apples are lovely, booze is better.

New roommate Andrea called these cupcakes.  “Andrea,” I said, “These are not cupcakes, these are muffins.  Cupcakes have frosting, these have glaze.”  I don’t mean to sound like a brat, but you can’t eat cupcakes for breakfast, so we really must call them muffins, don’t you understand?  These muffins are marvelous!  Usually a nut cake/muffin/bread is dry, but not these babies.  The walnuts are really pronounced in flavor and texture.  And best of all, the muffins are super moist.  The glaze is amazing!  It’s sticky and sweet and has the perfect hint of coffee from the Kahlua, it’s like all of your breakfast foods in one bite.  If you or your colleagues need a pick-up in the morning, make so yourself some boozy muffins!

Print the recipe!

Walnut Kahlua Muffins
Adapted from The Boozy Baker by Lucy Baker, page 26
Yield – 19 muffins

2 cups finely ground walnuts
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup whole milk

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Grind or finely chop the walnuts.  You want them powdery, but some small chunks worked fine.
  3. Whisk together the walnuts, flour, powder, and salt.
  4. Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until pale yellow using the paddle attachment.
  5. Separate the eggs and place the whites in another mixing bowl.  Beat in the egg yolks one at a time.  Beat in the vanilla.
  6. On low speed add in the dry ingredients in 3 batches with the milk in between.  Scrape the bowl as needed.  Remove the bowl from the mixer and set aside.
  7. Using a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.  Fold in half of the egg whites into the batter and then fold in the second half of the egg whites.
  8. Use a standard size ice cream scoop to distribute the batter between 19 lined muffin cups.
  9. Bake for 18-20 minutes and then allow to cool on a wire rack.  Poke 7 holes in the top of each muffin with a toothpick.

Glaze
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup, grade B
1/3 cup Kahlua
2 tablespoons water
19 walnut halves or pieces

  1. Add the sugar, syrup, Kahlua, and water to a small sauce pan.  Allow to heat and boil for about 5 minutes.  The glaze should thicken into a syrup like consistency.
  2. Let cool slightly and then apply to the muffins.
  3. Use a pastry brush to coat the muffins 3 times and then place a walnut half on each.  Apply 2-3 more coats of glaze.

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August 20, 2012 · 5:00 am

Banana Nut Waffles

My parents bought a cottage in Northern Michigan this past spring.  I grew up going up there and staying at my uncle’s cabin, and needless to say, my parents are are thrilled to have their own cottage just down the road.  Now, I used to be an outdoorsy type girl – swimming in lakes, building fires, and running through the woods with my cousins.  I’m kind of a city girl now and I haven’t been up there in at least 10 years.  My mom was persistent that I come up and see the cottage and all of the hard work they had put in.

So I went.  I forgot about all the trees and how the dark the sky gets at night, you can actually see the stars!!!  When up north you do up north things like drink cheap beer at the local joint, build fires, burn sticks in said fire, shoot the old Red Rider BB gun, make s’mores, and cook waffle.  Obviously, you cook waffles!

My parents were given a Belgian waffle maker for the cottage and I couldn’t wait to use it!  I’ve always wanted a waffle maker but it always seemed like an extraneous purchase.  As soon as I heard about the waffle maker I started to look up recipes.   My mom suggested a plain waffle recipe, and I was like, “Do you even know me?  Plain waffles?  I don’t think so!”

I settled on banana nut waffles because they sound moist and delicious and not plain at all!  Because of the limitations of cooking in a cottage I mixed all of the dry ingredients together at my parent’s house.  I also used ingredients I don’t normally use like pancake syrup *gasp* and I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter *gasp, gasp*.  These were still some pretty wonderful waffles!

Because of the bananas, they were nice and moist!  The chocolate chips and nuts added texture and flavor.  These waffles needed a little bit more cooking time because of the bananas, so if you wanted a drier, but not so brown waffle, place them in a warm oven for a few minutes.  Waffles are kind of a lot of work, but a fantastic treat on a lazy, sunny, Sunday!

Print the recipe!

Banana Nut Waffles
Adapted from Shutterbean
Yield 5-6 large Belgian waffles

1 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
2 bananas
2 cups (1 pint) buttermilk
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons syrup
Cooking spray
Bananas, walnuts, chocolate chips, and syrup for garnish

  1. Chop the walnuts nice and small.
  2. In a large plastic bag, add the flour, soda, powder, salt, and cinnamon.
  3. Add the chocolate chips and walnuts.  Shake and mix the dry ingredients until well combined.  Seal up the bag and save for waffle making!
  4. Preheat your waffle iron.  Mash the bananas well.
  5. Add in the buttermilk, melted butter, and syrup and mix until well combined.
  6. Add your dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined.
  7. Liberally spray your waffle maker with cooking spray.  Pour in enough batter to cover most of the bottom of the waffle maker.  Cook for 5-6 minutes or whatever is necessary for your waffle maker.
  8. Remove from the waffle maker and garnish as desired.
  9. Repeat until you are out of batter. You can keep the cooked waffles in a warm oven until all or made.  Or just eat them as they come off the waffle iron!

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