coconut milk – Wait…are those…cookies?!

April 24, 2021

Pink panna cottas

Hi friends!

Took a week off last week but I’m back with this tart that is big on the visual impact, light on the actual work you have to do. I definitely love involved baking projects, but there is a time and a place for them – sometimes you just want something that is very pretty and very simple to put together.

I think panna cottas can sound intimidating, but they’re really not! Basically, you’re just heating coconut milk and a few flavoring things until they simmer, stirring in gelatin, and then waiting for it to set. Added bonus is that this guy can be (and arguably should be) made the night before, which frees up the next morning for things like swimming in the bay at 8a when it’s still below 50 degrees out, like the crazy that you are.

I didn’t even have coffee before I swam this morning – who am I?! It was cloudy but the water was perfectly still (or as still as the bay ever really gets) which is my favorite combination of swimming conditions. No sea lion friends in the cove today though.

I created some inadvertent latte art with my residually cold hand after I got home – or maybe it’s a coffee Rorschach?

Anyway, back to the tart: this one was the result of me really not wanting to go to the market for more food. I do enjoy grocery shopping but I was NOT in the mood this week, so just wanted to keep it simple with what I had. I’m low on fruit but I did have half a bag of raspberries in the freezer, which work perfectly for this since you end up straining out the solids anyway (so the berries don’t have to be pretty!)

I love poppy seed-anything, so of course the crust is a major win. Plus add something fruity and dark chocolately but still on the lighter side (yay panna cotta) and you have a perfect spring dessert with a maximum visual impact but minimal work.

Happy weekending!

Raspberry, Poppy Seed & Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta

Gluten free, dairy free & refined sugar free. Perfect for that random half bag of raspberries lurking in your freezer – maximum visual impact, minimal work. Yield: 1 9″ tart; serves several. A Wait are those Cookies original.

For the crust:

1.5 c almond flour
1/3 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 c cornmeal
2 tbsp poppy seeds
heaping 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
6 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/3 c dark chocolate chips

In a large bowl, stir together almond flour, shredded coconut, cornmeal, poppy seeds, sea salt, and baking soda. Add in vanilla, almond extract, maple, and melted coconut oil, and stir until completely combined. The dough will look crumbly, but you’ll be able to press it together with your fingers.

Preheat the oven to 350, and lightly grease a 9″ tart pan (w/ removable bottom) with coconut oil. Press the crust into the plate and up the sides with a spoon or your fingers, creating a smooth edge (or not, your call!). Poke the bottom with a fork a few times, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool for a few minutes.

Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler. Spread the melted chocolate over the interior of the crust, and let cool until set. You can also pop the whole thing in the fridge to help it set faster, if needed.

For the panna cotta:

1 c frozen raspberries
1 can full fat coconut milk
1 tbsp maple
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c cold water
1 packet of powdered gelatin

Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan and add the raspberries. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring & mashing the berries occasionally. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup of the cold water. Let stand without stirring until the gelatin is moistened, about 10 minutes.

Strain the berry solids out of the coconut milk. Whisk in maple and vanilla, and bring the milk back up to a simmer. Remove from heat and whisk in the gelatin mixture. Whisk until completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Cool until lukewarm. Pour the panna cotta mixture into the cooled tart shell. Place in the refrigerator until set, approximately 4 hours or preferably overnight.

Top with whatever pretty things your heart desires! I used shredded coconut and strawberries. Store in the fridge until serving. Leftovers keep well up to two days in the fridge, covered.

April 12, 2020

There should always be dessert on Easter

Happy Easter!

This a coincidental Easter-dessert post, but it seems fitting regardless – some normalcy amidst the chaos! I spent a lovely morning with C – we did our usual urban hike loop for a good six miles with lots of elevation.

Normally I’d always make dessert for fam Easter, but since everyone is isolated, this one was eaten by C and I for dessert last night after a zoom board game night with the nieces and nephews, and then for breakfast this morning. Sadly, I didn’t have chocolate with my Easter bfast, but rest assured I’m making up for it now.

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Highly recommended to put tea in dessert! Not the first time I’ve done this of course, but it still remains one of my favorite things. Oolong is one of my absolute faves – although I’d actually be hard pressed to pick favorites, since I always have several types each of black, green, oolong, and herbals around here. It seems that anything that is coffee or tea flies with me, ha!

This is also very easy to make – you’re basically making tea with the panna cotta filling before you actually turn it into a panna cotta. Bonus points for being all things out of my pantry (am averaging about 8 days between trips to the market, and trying to keep it that way), and for being gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free. It’s easily grain free too, if you sub the cornmeal for more almond flour.

I hope you’re able to find some quality time today with those you love, whether via an online, streamed thing or in person. I was lucky enough to do both – Easter traditions with the fam, though virtual, and time with C.

Happy Easter! Go eat chocolate :)

Oolong Panna Cotta with a Black Sesame Crust

A Wait are Those Cookies original. Gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free. Yield: 1 9″ tart, serves several. If you don’t have oolong, I think black tea would also be good here with the black sesame – maybe Earl Grey or Chinese Breakfast – anything you’d put milk in.

For the crust:

1/4 c black sesame seeds
1.5 c almond flour
1/3c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3c cornmeal
heaping 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
6 tbsp coconut oil, melted

Using a mortar & pestle, grind up the sesame seeds until they’re a gritty, flour-like consistency. You’ll probably have a few larger pieces in there, which is totally fine.

For the Panna Cotta:
1 package unflavored powdered gelatin
1 can full-fat coconut milk
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
3 oolong tea bags, tea leaves removed
Scant 1/4 cup maple
1/4 c cold water

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup of the cold water. Let stand without stirring until the gelatin is moistened, about 10 minutes.

Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan and add the tea leaves. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring consistently. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 10 minutes.

Strain the coconut milk to remove the tea leaves. Whisk in maple and vanilla, and bring the milk back up to a simmer. Whisk in the gelatin mixture. Stir until completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Cool until lukewarm. Pour the panna cotta mixture into the cooled tart shell. Place in the refrigerator until set, approximately 4 hours or preferably overnight.

Top with whatever pretty things your heart desires! Serve cold out of the fridge. Store any leftovers covered in the fridge as well.

February 16, 2020

Red + Black

Woah, it’s been a minute!

I was SO buried at work for all of January & February up till now – I’ve made a few batches of cookies, but that’s pretty much it. This is the first dessert I’ve really made since my last post! Sheesh. Time flies when you have HELLA deadlines…. insert eyeroll here.

I love all things black sesame, as we already know…. AND all things red bean. So I did what most Chinese bakeries already do so well, and combined them! I walk through Chinatown on my way to work everyday and it is soooo tempting to stop at the bakeries all the time, omg they smell so good.

I decided to make my own red bean paste to keep this dessert in the same refined sugar free ethos as everything else I make – this version is sweetened with maple. Red bean plans really nicely with panna cotta; coconut milk + red bean + black sesame is a winning combination. As per usual, we ate it for breakfast and dessert! Highly recommended either way, though we might be a little biased since both of us are nuts for red bean anything.

In other news, I’ve been doing tons of walking lately – I walk to and from work, and now that the dawn and dusk hours are shifting, I’m getting some beautiful golden hour walks on my way home.

C and I also took a casual 9mi hike today from the end of Ulloa to the Lands End Eagle Point and back. That was a solid hike. Windy but beautiful!

I hope February is treating you right!

Red Bean Panna Cotta Tart with a Black Sesame Crust

Gluten free, dairy free, and refined sugar free! Lightly sweet with a fun, slightly savory twist from a little miso, and the black sesame. Yield: 1 9″ tart, serves several. A Wait are those Cookies original.

For the crust:

In a small sauté pan over medium-low heat, toast black sesame seeds, shaking the pan occasionally, until you hear the first one pop. Remove from heat. Using a mortar & pestle, grind up the seeds until they’re a gritty, flour-like consistency. You’ll probably have a few larger pieces in there, which is totally fine.

In a large bowl, stir together sesame seeds, almond flour, shredded coconut, cornmeal, sea salt, and baking soda. Add in vanilla, maple, and melted coconut oil, and stir until completely combined. The dough will look crumbly, but you’ll be able to press it together with your fingers.
Preheat the oven to 350, and lightly grease a 9″ tart pan (w/ removable bottom) with coconut oil. Press the crust into the plate and up the sides with a spoon or your fingers, creating a smooth edge (or not, your call!). Poke the bottom with a fork a few times, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool for a few minutes.

For the red bean paste:

1 c dried adzuki beans, soaked overnight, then drained and rinsed
1/4 c maple syrup
pinch of sea salt
1 tbsp miso (I used brown rice – medium)
1 tsp vanilla

Bring the soaked adzuki beans and 3 cups of water to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook, covered, until you can easily mash beans with a fork – about 1 hour. Once the beans are cooked, drain off any residual water, and stir in maple, salt, miso, and vanilla. Let cool completely. Once cool, take it for a spin in a food processor or high powered blender until smooth (you can leave some chunky too if you like – it’s good either way!). You won’t use all of it for this recipe, so either refrigerate the rest and use within 3-4 days, or freeze it; it keeps for about 3 months in the freezer.

For the panna cotta:

1 package unflavored powdered gelatin
1/4 c water, cold
1.75 c full-fat coconut milk
3/4 c red bean paste
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp vanilla
pinch of sea salt

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup of the cold water. Let stand without stirring until the gelatin is moistened, about 10 minutes.

Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan. Add red bean paste, maple, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring consistently. Stir in vanilla. Remove from heat, strain through a fine mesh sieve, and whisk in the gelatin mixture. Stir until completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Cool until lukewarm. Pour the panna cotta mixture into the cooled tart shell. Place in the refrigerator until set, approximately 4 hours or preferably overnight.

Top with sesame seeds and coconut. Keeps well in the fridge overnight – serve with ice cream or more red bean paste or both!

December 31, 2019December 31, 2019

The Twenties have returned!

Happy New Year, blog friends!

I’m excited that the 20’s are back – can we also bring back the fashions, please? I’m all about the flapper style.

Here’s hoping that 2020 will be a better year for everyone, no matter what kind of year you had last year. Sending love from my kitchen to yours! I bring you a light and bright tart, in hopes that light and bright follow you into 2020 and beyond. It’s such a nice round number for a year, and a fresh start for a new decade!

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In my fam, it’s tradition to take the tree down and get all the decorations put away before the new year, to have a fresh start. I did that yesterday, and also opened up all my windows and let the fresh (slightly chilly) air in and it felt AMAZING.

My walk home from work was brisk and beautiful yesterday – this city has such great vistas.

On another note, my bookshelf plants (Kuzco and Kronk) are going ape, and I love it. Kuzco especially seems very happy in his sunny new home – my apartment is west-facing, and boy do my plants (and I) love it.

I’m ready for 2020. Time for some new exciting things!

In the meantime, I finished out 2019 baking and eating tart, so what else is new. This one is very lightly sweet, to balance out all the eating of sweet things I’m sure we’ve all been doing for the last week. It’s even a little earthy with the rosemary happening in there. Besides all that, it’s gluten and dairy free (not to mention refined sugar free of course) because lord only knows I’ve been eating a ridiculous amount of cheese lately and I should probably eat at least SOMETHING that is dairy free. You know, so I can eat more cheese and balance it out. HA.

Happy New Year! May there be peace, joy and light in your upcoming year, and beyond.

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Lemon Panna Cotta on a Rosemary Almond Crust

A Wait are those Cookies original! Gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free. Yield: 1 9″ tart, serves several or enough for a small New Year’s party :) Only lightly sweet to balance out all the eating we’ve all done over the last week. Mildly tart filling plays nicely with the slightly earthy notes from the rosemary in the crust, which is present but not overbearing.

For the crust:

1.5 c almond flour
1/3c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3c cornmeal
heaping 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
6 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 heaping tbsp rosemary, very finely chopped

1/4 c chocolate, melted

In a large bowl, stir together almond flour, shredded coconut, cornmeal, sea salt, baking soda and chopped rosemary. Add in vanilla extract, maple, and melted coconut oil, and stir until completely combined. The dough will look crumbly, but you’ll be able to press it together with your fingers.

With a pastry brush or a spoon, coat the bottom the crust with an even layer of melted chocolate. Refrigerate until chocolate sets, about 10 minutes.

Panna Cotta:
1 package unflavored powdered gelatin
1.75 cup full-fat coconut milk
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
zest of 1 lemon
Scant 1/4 cup maple
Scant 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 c lemon juice, cold

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup of the cold lemon juice. Let stand without stirring until the gelatin is moistened, about 10 minutes.

Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan. Add lemon zest, maple, vanilla, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring consistently. Remove from heat, strain to remove lemon zest pieces, and whisk in the gelatin mixture. Stir until completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Cool until lukewarm. Pour the panna cotta mixture into the cooled tart shell. Place in the refrigerator until set, approximately 4 hours or preferably overnight.

Top with whatever pretty things your heart desires! Serve cold out of the fridge. Store any leftovers covered in the fridge as well.

November 30, 2019

Penultimate Purple

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Happy belated Thanksgiving, internet friends!

Mine was great; full of several groups of awesome fam/peeps. It’s not even over – I have a Friendsgiving in a few hours with another group of awesome peeps! I love my peeps.

For Turkalurk Day proper, I did this sweet potato tart and my usual cookies (of course) – there might have been some minor rioting if there hadn’t been cookies, at least from the fave human who loves them! That being said, he loved the tart as well so everyone is happy.

I LOVE the color of the sweet potatoes – no photo enhancement necessary! Mother Nature has such a way with color.

C made some delicious beets and parsnips for Thanksgiving, so bfast the next morning was especially colorful – and filling, thankfully, as we’d just come back from a very hilly hike to Mt Davidson, and I was ravenous.

This tart is really, really easy to throw together – the filling comes together in the food processor, and the crust is a press in, no need to muck around with rolling. It’s also gluten free, refined sugar free and dairy free! Perfect when you’re baking for a crowd and in need a dessert that suits all comers. It can easily be grain free as well – swap out the cornmeal in the crust for more almond flour, and use almond flour in the pie instead of oat flour. It’s lightly spicy from the cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice – fallish without being in your face FALL. The purple color is obviously eye catching too, and the black sesame gives it a fun, nutty twist.

I hope you’re having a great holiday weekend! There’s still weekend left, if the urge to bake is still hanging around ;)

Purple Sweet Potato Tart with a Black Sesame Almond Crust

A Wait are those Cookies original. Gluten free, dairy free & refined sugar free. Yield: 1 9″ tart, serves several.

For the crust:

1/4 c black sesame seeds
1.5 c almond flour
1/3 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 c cornmeal
heaping 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
6 tbsp coconut oil, melted

For the filling:

2.5 cups (approx. 2 large) mashed purple sweet potatoes
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 eggs
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp oat flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor, add the mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, maple, melted coconut oil, vanilla, oat flour, coconut milk, spices, and sea salt. Pulse until evenly mixed.

Pour the filling into the prepared crust and smooth out with a spoon. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the center is set – it should hardly jiggle at all when shaken. Once set, remove the pie from the oven and cool completely on a rack before serving. Store in the fridge If not serving immediately (and even if you are; I feel like it benefits from some chill time); any leftovers should keep well covered in the fridge, but you may not have any!

October 28, 2019October 28, 2019

Yuzu & black sesame = made for each other

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Hi friends,

It’s so hard to be upbeat about dessert and life when my beautiful state is on fire, out of power, and struggling so hard. I’m going to try my best to keep it positive in my little corner of the internet, if only to give us something pretty to look at in the midst of all this.

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Today, I have a yuzu and black sesame panna cotta tart for you – I made it over the weekend and it was much loved by all! I’m pretty obsessed with everything black sesame at the moment so rest assured you’ll be seeing more of it here in future posts.

Also, I needed to use (yuz-u… ha see what I did there) up the last of my yuzu juice so this was a great way to do so.

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This was (emphasis on was – it’s long gone, and not only because I’m late in posting, ha!) a great combination of tart, nutty, and creamy all at the same time. The citrusy tartness of the yuzu pairs so well with black sesame – they’re made for each other.

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As per usual – great for breakfast, dessert, snacks: all of the above.

A couple shots of Fort Funston since I headed out that way this weekend and it was as beautiful as always.

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Short and sweet today: love your peeps. Make them tart!

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Yuzu and Black Sesame Panna Cotta

Gluten free, dairy free & refined sugar free! A nice balance of tartness and creaminess and nuttiness. Yield: 1 9″ tart, serves several. A Wait are Those Cookies original.

For the crust:

Panna Cotta:
1 package unflavored powdered gelatin
1.75 cup full-fat coconut milk
1 tbsp vanilla
Scant 1/4 cup maple
1/4 c yuzu juice
Scant 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 c water, cold

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup of the cold water. Let stand without stirring until the gelatin is moistened, about 10 minutes.

Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan. Add maple and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring consistently. Stir in yuzu juice and vanilla. Remove from heat, and whisk in the gelatin mixture. Stir until completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Cool until lukewarm. Pour the panna cotta mixture into the cooled tart shell. Place in the refrigerator until set, approximately 4 hours or preferably overnight.

Top with sliced citrus, figs, etc.

Store in the fridge – keeps well overnight for breakfast or snacks the next day.

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August 18, 2019August 19, 2019

Foods for Fogust

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Hi blog friends! (autcorrect somehow tried to change that to bog friends – no, not quite what I was going for…)

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I have another panna cotta for you today – I know, I know, you’re shocked.

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But this one has black sesame in it! Otherwise known as my new favorite ingredient. It’s a fascinating flavor; I actually like it so much more than tahini, which is rather odd given that they’re essentially the same thing. Anyway, I bought this giant thing of black sesame a while back and then my summer exploded with moving, job change, etc, and I just never got around to using them till now. C and I both loved this – I brought this (and the fave cookies, ofc) to a family event of his, and it was a big hit.

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The nuttiness of the toasted sesame plays really well against vanilla and coconut (okay, what DOESN’T play well with vanilla and coconut?!). You can bet you’ll be seeing at least one other black sesame thing on here in a few weeks – I have an idea that I’m dying to try; I wonder if I can make it come out like it currently looks in my head? We shall see.

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I can’t believe it’s getting close to the end of August. My summer FLEW by… between getting a new job, moving and camp, it’s hard to believe it’s nearly Labor Day. I love fall though, so I’m not upset about it. Despite a heat wave last week, we’ve also been graced with some typical Fogust weather, which I adore – I love how ephemeral and Tolkienesque the fog looks, especially on the beach. This was taken down at Fort Funston on a foggy Saturday morning, probably around 10:30a or so. Foggy beach walks are one of my absolute favorite things.

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I keep buying myself these absurdly large gladiolus bouquets at the market because they’re only $5 and they last for a week… and bring me such joy! I am a huge advocate of buying flowers for yourself. I’m sure it’s quite comical watching me walk home with these bobbing way over my head, while I shlep a giant bag of groceries… but you know what? I’m worth it :)

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Happy Sunday! I hope your week ahead is smooth sailing.

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Vanilla Bean & Coconut Panna Cotta Tart on a Black Sesame Crust

Gluten free, refined sugar free, and dairy free! A Wait are those Cookies original. Black sesame and vanilla pair very well together. This tart is lightly sweet, just like everything I make. I fed it to a crowd tonight & everyone went back for more, so it seems to be a hit across varied palettes! Yield: 1 9″ tart, serves several.

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For the crust:

Panna Cotta:
1 package unflavored powdered gelatin
1.75 cup full-fat coconut milk
2 tbsp vanilla bean paste
Scant 1/4 cup maple
Scant 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 c water, cold

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup of the cold water. Let stand without stirring until the gelatin is moistened, about 10 minutes.

Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan. Add maple, vanilla, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring consistently. Remove from heat, and whisk in the gelatin mixture. Stir until completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Cool until lukewarm. Pour the panna cotta mixture into the cooled tart shell. Place in the refrigerator until set, approximately 4 hours or preferably overnight.

Top with strawberries, etc.

Store in the fridge – keeps well overnight for breakfast the next morning :)

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July 28, 2019August 5, 2019

15 mi, 4000′ & 680 stairs: I’ve earned some tart

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Hi friends!

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Holy cow, C and I hiked 15 miles yesterday with over 4000′ of elevation gain! We did out and back on the Dipsea trail in less than 3 hours both ways (this may or may not have been dubbed the ‘Hayley Scott Beast Mode” speed, NOT by me hahaha sorry not sorry) – had lunch in Stinson & then dinner in Mill Valley when we got back. Never have nachos tasted so good!

You can see the teeny tiny skyline in this one, and Sutro tower!

Gettin’ after some lunch:

It goes without saying that I feel quite accomplished and also tired. I did arms at the gym today and left squats out of it, haha! According to a quick google, the Dipsea has 680 stairs. My quads and glutes believe it!

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Anyway – it was extremely satisfying to come back home to this tart! We both loved it – arguably I think this is one of my favorite things that I’ve made in the last six months or so. Maybe even 9 months. I LOVE fennel. I’m currently sitting here munching on sliced raw fennel as I type… it makes a great snack with cheese (Humboldt fog, yesss)

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It’s lightly sweet, like everything I make – we had it with ice cream for dessert (delicious) and on its own for breakfast (also delicious). It’s also a great make-ahead, since it’s best when it sets up in the fridge overnight.

Definitely fennelicious, as C put it! Not for the faint of fennel-loving heart, that is for sure. If you love munching on raw fennel, this is totally for you. Fennel and almond are a match made in heaven – the crust is nicely textured with cornmeal & very almondy.

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Happy trails! I hope you had a wonderful weekend.

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Fennel Panna Cotta on an Almond Cornmeal Crust

Gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free. Fennelicious! This is a tart for those who LOOOOVE fennel & almond. Lightly sweet; perfect for dessert with ice cream or breakfast on its own. Yield: 1 9″ tart, serves several. A Wait are those Cookies original.

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For the crust:

1.5 c almond flour
1/3c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3c cornmeal
heaping 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
6 tbsp coconut oil, melted

In a large bowl, stir together almond flour, shredded coconut, cornmeal, sea salt, and baking soda. Add in vanilla, almond extract, maple, and melted coconut oil, and stir until completely combined. The dough will look crumbly, but you’ll be able to press it together with your fingers.
Preheat the oven to 350, and lightly grease a 9″ tart pan (w/ removable bottom) with coconut oil. Press the crust into the plate and up the sides with a spoon or your fingers, creating a smooth edge (or not, your call!). Poke the bottom with a fork a few times, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool for a few minutes.

Panna Cotta:
1 package unflavored powdered gelatin
1.75 cup full-fat coconut milk
2 tbsp fennel seeds, toasted*
4ish 1” pieces of fresh fennel bulb
zest of one lemon
juice of half a lemon
1.5 tbsp vanilla bean paste
Scant 1/4 cup maple
Scant 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 c water, cold

*toast until fragrant – I did it in a small sauté pan

Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan. Add fennel (seeds + fresh), maple, lemon zest, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring consistently. Remove from the heat and cover to steep for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup of the cold water. Let stand without stirring until the gelatin is moistened, about 10 minutes.

Strain the coconut milk mixture. Pour it back into the saucepan and add lemon juice. Bring it back to a simmer. Remove from heat, and whisk in the gelatin mixture. Stir until completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Cool until lukewarm. Pour the panna cotta mixture into the cooled tart shell. Place in the refrigerator until set, approximately 4 hours or preferably overnight.

Top with strawberries, etc.

Store in the fridge – keeps well overnight for breakfast the next morning :)

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May 27, 2019August 5, 2019

A match-a made in heaven

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Tea! I love green things.

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This tart technically has *two* teas in it – or rather one tea and one herb that is dried to make a tisane. New info to me, but apparently steeped herbs, flowers, spices or fruit is actually considered a tisane, not tea (‘tea’ proper refers to leaves from the Camellia Sinensis plant, ie black tea). Tisane translates to ‘herbal infusion’ in French. Yay for trivia! But still – delicious either way.

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Both flavor are earthy, grassy and so fresh – they just go wonderfully together. Lightly sweet as all my stuff is – this works extremely well with ice cream for dessert, or by itself for a fun breakfast.

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Busy busy lately… I have one piece of news I can share publicly now – I have a new job! I will be starting June 10, but first flying to Dallas for onboarding and training. My official start in the SF office will be that Friday. YAY! I’m equal parts excited and terrified. I’ll be working as the marketing coordinator for a big architectural firm – they’re based out of Houston originally but I’ll be the marketing person for SF. Wheeee!

That being said, desserts might take a slight hiatus for a few weeks, since I already know the next two weekends are going to be insanity. Hopefully I can squeeze something in, but no promises!

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I know there’s been a huge run of panna cotta tarts lately over here, but we both love them and they’re so convenient to make ahead when I’m working! Also, I’ve had my eye on this flavor combination for AGES so I was jonesing to make it before I didn’t have time to bake properly for awhile.

I hope you have a great holiday weekend!

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Matcha & Verbena Panna Cotta Tart

Earthy, grassy, and delicious. This is a sure bet for anyone who loves tea – since both matcha and verbena are such great fresh flavors, they go really well together. Lightly sweet, as always – great for dessert with ice cream or a special breakfast. Gluten free, dairy free & refined sugar free. Yield: 1 9″ tart, serves several. A Wait are Those Cookies original!

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For the crust:

1.5 c almond flour
1/3 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 c cornmeal
heaping 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
6 tbsp coconut oil, melted

In a large bowl, stir together almond flour, shredded coconut, cornmeal, sea salt, and baking soda. Add in vanilla, maple, and melted coconut oil, and stir until completely combined. The dough will look crumbly, but you’ll be able to press it together with your fingers.
Preheat the oven to 350, and lightly grease a 9″ tart pan (w/ removable bottom) with coconut oil. Press the crust into the plate and up the sides with a spoon or your fingers, creating a smooth edge (or not, your call!). Poke the bottom with a fork a few times, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool for a few minutes.

Panna Cotta:
1 package unflavored powdered gelatin
1.75 cup full-fat coconut milk
1/4 c dried lemon verbena
1.5 tbsp vanilla bean paste
Scant 1/4 cup maple
Scant 1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp matcha powder
1/4 c lemon verbena tea, cold*

*I use loose leaf dried verbena; I steep a small handful in 10oz of freshly boiling water for ~5min to make tea

Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan. Add lemon verbena, maple, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring consistently. Remove from the heat and cover to steep for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup of the cold lemon verbena tea. Let stand without stirring until the gelatin is moistened, about 10 minutes.

Strain the verbena out of the coconut mixture. Pour it back into the saucepan and add matcha (blend if necessary with an immersion blender if you have a few matcha blobs), then bring it back to a simmer. Remove from heat, and whisk in the gelatin mixture. Stir until completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Cool until lukewarm. Pour the panna cotta mixture into the cooled tart shell. Place in the refrigerator until set, approximately 4 hours.

Store in the fridge – keeps well overnight for breakfast the next morning :)

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May 20, 2019

Purple desserts & rain

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Hi friends!

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Slightly delayed post from the weekend, since I was busy busy and didn’t have time to get this out earlier.

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C and I almost completely annihilated this thing in two sittings, haha! It was GOOD. I love the cinnamon crust – it’s reminiscent of cinnamon graham crackers, which which I had a phase when I was a kid. I’ve always loved graham crackers, and anything that reminds me of them (and by association, my gram – who always fed them to me at her house) is totally welcome in my book.

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Such a great weekend surrounded by fave human & friends – I wish it hadn’t flown by so fast! We’ve been having some unseasonably rainy weather (accounting for the slightly funky lighting in these photos… the foliage + overcast wasn’t cooperating with me), which I’m LOVING, despite everyone else wanting sun, hahaa. I just love the rain!

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We ate this tart while board gaming on Saturday night, and then came back for a second round over a late brunch on Sunday. It’s a winner in both contexts – I love it with vanilla ice cream, but it’s also great on its own. It’s not nearly as tart as some of my other desserts, so if you’re baking for a crowd or with kids, I’d suggest this one. Besides, purple is broadly appealing :)

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Have a great week!

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Blackberry Panna Cotta on a Cinnamon Crust

Gluten free, dairy free & refined sugar free! A Wait are those Cookies original. Yield: 1 9″ tart; serves several. The cinnamon play so well against the berries – this works for a special breakfast or a delicious dessert with ice cream. Or both! :) Crust is easily grain free – just swap out the cornmeal for an equal amount of almond flour.

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For the crust:

1.5 c almond flour
1/3 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 c cornmeal
1 tsp cinnamon
heaping 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
6 tbsp coconut oil, melted

In a large bowl, stir together almond flour, shredded coconut, cornmeal, cinnamon, sea salt, and baking soda. Add in vanilla, maple, and melted coconut oil, and stir until completely combined. The dough will look crumbly, but you’ll be able to press it together with your fingers.
Preheat the oven to 350, and lightly grease a 9″ tart pan (w/ removable bottom) with coconut oil. Press the crust into the plate and up the sides with a spoon or your fingers, creating a smooth edge (or not, your call!). Poke the bottom with a fork a few times, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool for a few minutes.

For the panna cotta:

2 cups (approx. 1/3 lb.) blackberries — frozen is fine!
1/2 c wild blueberries (frozen is just fine)
2 tsp water
2 tbsp maple
2 cups coconut milk, full fat (one can)
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 packet of powdered gelatin
1/4 c cold water

Make the panna cotta filling:
In a small saucepan, combine the blackberries, blueberries, 2 teaspoons of water, and maple. Cover and simmer over low heat until the berries break down. Taste it – we love it tart, but bump up the maple a little if it’s too tart for your taste.

Add the coconut milk to the berries, and re-heat the berry-coconut mixture over low heat until it just reaches a simmer. Remove from the heat, and allow the mixture to steep for 30 minutes.

Toward the end of the 30 minute steep time, place the 1/4 c cold water in something large, like a mixing bowl or a large pyrex measuring cup (mine is 4c). Sprinkle the powdered gelatin over the cold water.

Return the berry-coconut mixture to the stove, and re-heat again until just barely simmering, and stir in the vanilla.

Place a fine mesh strainer over the pyrex or bowl with the softened gelatin, and strain the berry-cream mixture through the sieve, using a spatula to stir and press berry-y coconut milk to extract every last bit. Once all liquid has been extracted, thoroughly whisk the berry-coconut mixture into the softened gelatin.

Carefully pour the filling into the tart shell, then leave the tart in the refrigerator to at least four hours or overnight. Keeps well in the fridge; serve leftovers for breakfast ;)

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