coconut oil – Wait…are those…cookies?!

February 28, 2021

Cake for breakfast

Cake!

It feels like I hardly ever make cake anymore, but boy am I glad I broke that streak.

I was intrigued by the idea of an upside-down cake, but I’ve never liked them that much since they are always SO full of sugar and way overly sweet. I liked the idea in theory but I was curious to see if I could pull it off with just a bit of fruit-only jam & coconut sugar. Turns out, it works marvelously! This guy is gluten & dairy free + refined sugar free; could probably be pretty easily vegan too with an egg replacement.

It’s citrusy and sunny with a satisfying crunch from the poppyseeds; the texture is great with a combination of almond flour & cornmeal. It’s not really dense exactly, but more like a cake/quick bread hybrid.

We both love poppyseed anything, so it was an easy sell. Both of us really enjoyed the cake aspect of it too, so I might put cake back in the rotation more frequently. This one is arguably best for breakfast; we ate it both for dessert and for breakfast per usual, but it reminds me quite a bit of a muffin (in a good way.)

Took a nice long walk on the beach at Fort Funston today; it’s been dry out here and my autoimmune stuff HATES low humidity so I’ve been in the bay or next to the ocean literally every day – and sometimes both.

March already, almost! That’s hard to believe. Definitely wishing I had another day of weekend. Hopefully yours were full of outside time and good food! :)

Grapefruit Poppyseed Upside-down Cake

Free of gluten, dairy and refined sugar. MUCH less sweet than a standard upside-down cake, which always contain scary amounts of sugar. This one makes an amazing breakfast cake, so highly recommend saving a bit for the next morning. Yield: 1 8″ cake, serves several. A Wait are those Cookies original.

1.5 c almond flour
1/3 c cornmeal
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
heaping 1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp poppy seeds
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 c maple syrup
1/3 c coconut oil, melted
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
zest of 2 grapefruits
juice of 1 lemon
Two grapefruits, peeled & sliced
1 tbsp apricot jam (mine is fruit sweetened only)
2 tsp coconut sugar

Preheat oven to 325. Lightly grease an 8″ cake pan with coconut oil and line the bottom with parchment paper – I flip it over, trace the outline & then cut, to get a perfectly sized circle. Spread the apricot jam evenly over the parchment, then drop the grapefruit slices into the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle with coconut sugar.

In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt & poppy seeds. Add in eggs, honey, coconut oil, vanilla & almond extract extract, grapefruit zest and lemon juice, and stir until all ingredients are just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan – it’s thick batter! That’s normal – just even out the top with a spatula. Bake for 35-38 minutes, until the top of the cake is lightly browned, firm, and a tester in the center comes out clean. You can cover the cake with foil during the last 10 minutes of baking if the cake is browning too fast – though mine was done at 37 minutes, and I didn’t need the foil trick. Remove and let cool for a few minutes in the pan before flipping it out onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely before slicing and serving. Stores well overnight in the fridge, and is arguably even better for breakfast.

October 21, 2018

A figgin’ awesome tart (and some bad puns)

Hello and happy weekend!

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We’re having beautiful fall weather over here today – it’s starting to cool down during the days (which I love) and the nights have been appropriately chilly. As such, I wanted to get on the last of fig season before they’re gone from the markets!

See fig. 1:

…

hahah see what I did there!! Figs?! Fig. 1?! Bahaha. Alright, I’ll stop torturing you… moving on.

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This tart is basically breakfast disguised as dessert. It has barely any added sweetener (maple) and it’s made of yogurt and eggs! C and I both LOVED the crust – I mean, we’re suckers for anything cornmeal anyway, but the combination of cornmeal and rosemary is just perfectly savory against the yogurt custard. I have a thing for rosemary in desserts anyway, so that was a given for me!

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We had it both for dessert and breakfast (of course) – I loved it with ice cream, but it is equally delicious alongside eggs and kale for breakfast.

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A few photos, just because they’re pretty, and I like to keep my little corner of the internet as visually appealing as possible! There is a lot out there these days – let’s keep this little spot happy.

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I can’t wait to get into the fall produce! I have some late season peaches that I froze and I feel I need to use, but apples and pumpkin are calling my name… we’ll see what sounds good by the time next weekend rolls around. In the meantime, I highly suggest you make this! It’s a very lowkey dessert – the filling comes together in about three minutes, and the whole thing (from crust to finish) takes just over 30 minutes in the oven.

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I love this time of year – the shorter days, earlier nights, and crispy air make me want to curl up at home with a good book and something in the oven.

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Yogurt Custard Tart on a Rosemary Cornmeal Crust

Lightly sweet – this is basically breakfast! The filling is made of greek yogurt and eggs with a bit of vanilla and almond extracts. The crust is wonderfully savory, with the cornmeal and rosemary – a perfect compliment to the custardy filling. It only requires just over 30 minutes in the oven, so it’s ideal for those times when you need a quick dessert – just make sure to let it set before slicing. Yield: 1 9″ tart. Serves: up to 8. The crust is a Wait are Those Cookies original; the filling is adapted from Food52, here.

For the crust:

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

In a large bowl, stir together almond flour, shredded coconut, cornmeal, sea salt, and baking soda. Add in vanilla, maple, melted coconut oil, and rosemary, 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 pie plate 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 filling:
3 eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 tbsp maple syrup
1.5 c (340 grams/12 ounces) plain full fat Greek yogurt
1 egg yolk, whisked with a tiny pinch of salt

In a medium bowl whisk the eggs and vanilla. Whisk in the yogurt. (The order in which the ingredients are mixed makes a difference in the smoothness of the filling, so it’s yogurt into eggs rather than eggs into yogurt!) When the crust is ready, remove it from the oven and turn the temperature down to 300°F. Brush the bottom of the crust with just enough of the beaten egg yolk to make a thin (moisture-proofing) coating. Return the crust to the oven for 1 minute to set the yolk. Remove the crust from the oven again. Scrape the filling into the hot crust and spread it evenly. Return the tart to the oven and bake until the filling is set around the edges but, when the pan is nudged, quivers like soft Jell-O in the center, 20-25 minutes. Check often in the last few minutes, as over-baking isn’t fun.

Cool the tart completely, in the pan, on a rack. Refrigerate if not serving within 3 hours. Top with figs, pomegranates, candied ginger, rosemary springs – anything that suits your fancy!

Store leftovers covered in plastic wrap in the fridge; keeps well overnight.

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Behold, fave human’s vision of the tart’s perfect angle:

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June 30, 2018

Birthdays are the best excuse for dessert

Omg. This is GOOD.

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I know in polite society you’re not really supposed to say the stuff you made is really bomb but…. I’m going to break that rule.

Because – this tart. is. so. DELICIOUS!

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We both loved it – I made it for C’s birthday after he requested something with chocolate and berries and cream. Fave human’s birthday = great excuse to bake! Not as if I ever need one…

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Cream and chocolate complement each other so nicely – the filling of this one is light but rich, and the crust is chewy with a slight hint of salt (gotta love salted chocolate!). Add in whatever summer fruit you have on hand – for me, it was raspberries, blueberries and cherries – and you’re set for a perfect summer dessert.

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It makes amazing dessert and of course, breakfast. We did eat it with a bit of vanilla ice cream last night – no complaints there, and it made an awesome addition to breakfast this morning (by now this really shouldn’t surprise you!) post Twin Peaks 4.5 mile hike (1000′ elevation gain, not too shabby)!

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It really comes together quickly too – the crust is an easy press-in; no rolling required! This is a perfect dessert for the hot days we’re having too, since the crust only bakes for about 15 minutes, and the filling just sets up in the refrigerator. I made the crust the night before, while my apartment was cool, and then put the filling together early the next morning so it could chill all day.

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I definitely will make this again. I make a practice of not posting anything we don’t like, so of course I’d make the others on here too…. but… this one…. I want to make it again SOON! I leave for camp on Friday though so I suspect there will be no baking again until after I come back – stay tuned for cherries! I have a bunch frozen after I saw them on sale in the market a few times.

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Happy baking! See ya on the flip side when I get back from my mountainous camp sojourn in mid-July!

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Yogurt Panna Cotta Cream Tart with Summer Fruit on a Chocolate Almond Crust

A Wait are Those Cookies original! I riffed on this one and this one and came up with this. Refined sugar free, gluten free and grain free. Yield: 1 9″ tart.

For the crust:

1.75 c almond flour
1/3 c unsweetened cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
1/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut
heaping 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
4 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/4 c dark chocolate, melted

In a large bowl, stir together almond flour, cacao powder, coconut, 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 pie plate 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.

With a pastry brush, 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
1.5 cup heavy cream, divided
1 tbsp vanilla
Scant 1/4 cup maple
Scant 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup plain greek whole-milk yogurt
more melted chocolate, for drizzling (just a few tbsp needed – use more for serving if desired)

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

Pour the remaining 1.25 cups of cream into a small saucepan. Add vanilla, maple and salt into the cream. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring consistently. Remove from the heat. Add the gelatin mixture and stir until completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Cool until lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the yogurt until well blended. Pour the panna cotta mixture into the cooled tart shell. Place in the refrigerator until set, approximately 4 hours.

Decorate with berries and drizzle with melted chocolate (I just melt chips in the microwave) and top with berries for serving! Store in the fridge – keeps well overnight for breakfast the next morning :)

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June 3, 2018June 21, 2022

Wait, is this actually a cookie recipe?

Cookies!

Though this blog is named after them, I find that I rarely post them on here…. which is silly, given that I make this particular recipe at least several times a month – they are perennial favorites of all parties.

I realized after I made them for C &I this weekend (they happen to be both of our favorite cookies) that I had never actually posted this recipe on the blog so – I am fixing this now! They are so easy, just mix dry, stir in liquidy stuff, mix, bake, BOOM! Cookies. I think my record to make them is 17 minutes start to finish, including bake time (then again, I do sort of bake a lot so perhaps I am not the best metric ;)

We ate these for dessert with ice cream (of course! can recommend mint and vanilla with high marks) and alongside a late brunch/lunch after a very sweaty hike. Of course, they are also excellent alongside a tall glass of milk (whole, if you please).

There was some haze in the sky today but we still had a great hike/walk up to Bernal – here are some snaps:

And a few from when I stopped at the beach on the way back from camp training to say hello to the ocean, always a worthwhile activity:

So anyway – tomorrow is Monday, ew – do yourself a favor and take 15 minutes to whip up some cookies. The beginning half of your week will thank you!

Oaty Coconut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

My favorite cookies – I make these more than anything else, at least a few times a month! C & I love them, fam loves them, etc etc. Whole grain, refined sugar free, dairy free & a gluten free option (just use 1/2 c brown rice flour instead of 1 c of whole wheat). Cakey, dense, chewy cookies that are great for hiking or snacks or whatever else. A Wait are Those Cookies original. Yield – somewhere 12-16.

1/2 c almond flour (packed)
1/2 c rolled oats
1/2 c shredded coconut
1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour (or 1/2 oat flour, or 1/2 c brown rice flour for gf)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water)
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 c melted coconut oil
1/4 c maple
Chopped dark chocolate (or chocolate chips, your call)

flaky salt for finishing (I like Maldon)

Preheat the oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make the flax egg and let it sit for at least 5 minutes. Mix dry, toss in melted coconut oil, flax/egg, vanilla, maple, chopped chocolate; mix – these are not finicky cookies! Roll into balls and place on lined baking sheet, flattening them slightly. Top with flaky salt. Bake for 10-12 on parchment at 350 if using whole wheat flour; bake for 12-16 if using brown rice flour.

Let cool a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. I like to store mine in the fridge – they get extra dense and chewy that way. They do best wrapped in foil on the counter or in a slightly less than airtight container on the counter (I prefer plastic over glass since glass can make them go soft).

A few variations:

add a tbsp of chopped rosemary
add a tbsp of instant espresso granules
omit chocolate and instead add 1tsp cinnamon and a handful of chopped walnuts

March 25, 2018

Nature’s ombré: blood oranges!

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Happy spring! I really can’t believe it’s almost April.

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Aside from my car blowing a tire on the bridge in the pouring rain (why is it that car trouble always comes in multiples?), things are pretty spring-like over here, especially today – the weather is cool, sunny and beautiful.

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We got in a great ridge hike yesterday, despite some really aggressive ridge top wind; the clouds were beautiful and we only got hit with a bit of light drizzle. The colors of everything were so gorgeous – not sure my photos do it justice!

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What a great weekend – quality time with fave human, hiking & healthy dessert! And pizza. Because, well, because pizza! Ha. Everything in moderation, including moderation.

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In other news, the skies have been beautiful lately.

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I have a very spring-y dessert for you today – our consensus was that this is a light, spring-like, mellow-in-a-good-way dessert – it certainly disappeared quickly over here!

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The panna cotta is very lightly citrusy, which plays nicely against the cornmeal & meyer lemon crust. Cornmeal is an easy sell with both of us, so no complaints there (except for some extra flossing). We ended up serving this with extra sliced citrus – both of us are really into tart things, but it’s also great on its own. I’d say that I like it with ice cream (because we know I love ice cream in general), but it’s not absolutely necessary, and could easily overwhelm the delicate panna cotta – in which case I’d say to skip it, just this once.

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This is a dessert that sounds complicated but comes together super quickly and requires minimal baking time. The only consideration is allowing enough time to let the gelatin set, but that’s just a small bit of planning ahead – I like to make this the night before and let it set overnight.

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Happy spring baking! Get on those blood oranges before they disappear!

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Citrus Panna Cotta Tart on a Cornmeal Lemon Coconut Crust

Gluten free and refined sugar free. Definitely could be done with coconut milk and dairy free yogurt for a df version! To me, this has the flavor essence of a creamsicle or a 50/50 bar, only lightyears better and not full of processed nastiness. Despite sounding complicated, this comes together quickly & easily, and can be made the night before. Yield: 1 9″ tart, serves several! A Wait are those Cookies original.

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For the crust:

1.5 c almond flour
1/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 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
zest of 2 small meyer lemons (or 1 large)

In a large bowl, stir together almond flour, shredded coconut, cornmeal, sea salt, and baking soda. Add in vanilla, maple, melted coconut oil, and lemon zest, 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 pie plate 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
3/4 cups whole milk, divided
2 tsp vanilla
Scant 1/4 cup maple
zest of two oranges
zest of 1 meyer lemon
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

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

Pour the remaining 1/2 cup milk into a small saucepan. Add vanilla, maple & zest into the milk. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring consistently. Remove from the heat. Add the gelatin mixture and stir until completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Strain into a large bowl to remove the citrus zest and cool until lukewarm, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the yogurt until well blended. Pour the panna cotta mixture into the cooled tart shell. Place in the refrigerator until set, approximately 4 hours or, better yet, overnight.

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March 10, 2018

Bellissimo Blood Oranges

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What to do when your blood orange bars crack something fierce and turn out a weird, strange color but somehow are still so delicious?

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Cover them with more blood oranges and chocolate drizzle!

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Shhh. You know nothing.

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Seriously though… these bars were delicious but omg the filling turned out the most bizarre color. I can’t explain it…. I am mystified. They also cracked like crazy (are they trying to emulate the fault lines on top of which I very nearly live? I would hope not) – I might have cooled them too fast – outside, at 6am – but… I had to go to work. Desperate times.

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BUT, all’s well that ends well, since they’re delicious and I somehow juiced all the blood oranges without getting blood orange splatter all over my kitchen walls. I did get some on myself that I didn’t discover until I got to work, but that’s neither here nor there and no one noticed…

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Thank heavens it’s the weekend! This has been a long couple of weeks (month? ugh).

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This weekend though – no complaints! It’s been lovely so far, and it’s only Saturday. I took a long, coffee-fueled hike/walk in Golden Gate Park today, which was just perfect as it’s been a long time since I doodled around over there.

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Here again we have a dessert-breakfast-breakfast-dessert situation that does duty for whatever time of day in which it finds itself.

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We ate it with ice cream for dessert (it was bomb) and then again alongside eggs & caponata for breakfast (yes, it’s blurry – it’s not you!)

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However you slice it, these bars are delicious, odd color notwithstanding. Blood orange season is short, so grab them while you can! Thinly sliced, I think they look like stained glass – they are one of my favorites.

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Happy Saturday!

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Blood Orange Bars on a Chocolate Coconut Crust

Gluten & grain free, refined sugar free, dairy free, pretty much paleo. Tart but sweet – it’s hard to argue with the iconic combination of orange and chocolate. Blood oranges take it up a notch, and are so beautiful! A Wait are Those Cookies original. Yield: 1 9″ pie dish; serves 2-8.

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For the crust:

1.75 c almond flour
1/3 c unsweetened cacao powder
1/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut
heaping 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
3.5 tbsp coconut oil, melted

Preheat the oven to 350, and lightly grease a 9″, deep pie plate with coconut oil. Alternatively, you could use a tart ring with a removable bottom – I needed to transport mine so opted for just keeping it in a less fussy dish.

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 17 minutes.

For the filling:

4 eggs
1/4 c pure maple syrup
zest of 3 blood oranges, roughly chopped
1/2 c fresh blood orange juice
pinch of sea salt
4 tbsp coconut flour
2 tsp vanilla extract

For the topping:
1 blood orange, thinly sliced
3 tbsp extra dark chocolate, chopped
1 tsp coconut oil

While the crust is baking, make the filling! In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, maple, orange zest and juice, sea salt, coconut flour (sifted if lumpy) and vanilla until smooth. Pour the filling into the par-baked crust.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. The top should be mostly firm and the filling set, with just a small amount of wiggle (it’ll firm up as it cools). Let cool completely and eat immediately or chill in the fridge for later (I like them cold!). Once cool, top with a thinly sliced blood orange. Combine the dark chocolate and coconut oil in a bowl and microwave on 30 second intervals until melted, stirring between intervals. Drizzle over finished tart.

Serve with vanilla ice cream :) Store any leftovers in the fridge.

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March 4, 2018

{Citrus} Zest for life

I do love California’s winter citrus season.

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Doesn’t seem to matter which kind of citrus – though I think grapefruit and meyer lemon are tied for first for me. Especially when it’s grey out (which really doesn’t bother me in the slightest), I love baking with citrus: it smells like sunshine!

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I’ve done a grapefruit tart on the blog before (several times, actually!) but never paired it with hazelnut, which I’m finding is an excellent combination.

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As per usual, this tart does double duty for dessert paired with ice cream or for breakfast alongside the usual fare, and coffee, obviously.

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I like versatile baked things! Life is more fun when you can eat them for breakfast, preferably in good company on a lazy weekend morning.

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Let’s see, life things lately…

My car needed a new distributor (you may recall my interesting adventure with a freeway onramp from my last post), but I have it back now, so that’s all fine and dandy. The sky has been doing some crazy things lately, but I’ve been loving the rainy weather, and heaven knows we need it! Maybe maybe I can squeeze in at least one ski day before the end of the season… fingers crossed.

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In the meantime, I shall eat tart in the company of my fave human and be content, because that is what weekends are for.

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Go find yourself some citrus and join me! You won’t be sorry, promise :)

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Grapefruit Curd and Ginger Tart on a Hazelnut Coconut Crust

Tart but sweet, creamy and a perfect winter dessert when citrus really shines. Grain free, gluten free, refined sugar free, dairy free, pretty much paleo! A Wait are Those Cookies original. Yield: 1 9″ tart, serves 2-6!

For the crust:

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

In a large bowl, stir together hazelnut meal, shredded coconut, 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 press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9″ pie plate. Poke the bottom a few times with a fork, and bake for 10 minutes.

Maple Grapefruit Curd:

2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1/3 c grapefruit juice
zest of 2 grapefruits
pinch of sea salt
2 tbsp maple syrup
3.5 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla

I use a double boiler for this curd, which literally is a game changer. Highly recommended! Heat water in the bottom of the double boiler until it’s at a high simmer. In the top of the double boiler, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, grapefruit zest and juice, sea salt, and maple syrup. Add in the coconut oil one tbsp at a time, whisking continuously, not adding the next tbsp until the first is completely melted. Whisk in vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly, until the curd thickens and will coat the back of a spoon (or your whisk leaves tracks) – usually around 5 to 8 minutes. It’s a noticeable change when it happens, so just watch the cooking magic! Remove from heat and strain through a mesh strainer into your glass/pyrex storage container. Keep in the fridge until ready to use – curd keeps for about a week.

Assembly:
1 packet gelatin (pref. grass fed)**
1/4 c meyer lemon or grapefruit juice, *cold (refrigerated)
1 grapefruit, sliced
shredded coconut, candied ginger, hazelnuts, etc for topping

I stabilized the curd for this tart with gelatin, since I was a little suspicious of its structural integrity. To do so, since I’d already made the curd ahead of time, I needed to bring it back to a warm enough temperature to dissolve the gelatin. The following is what I did – if you’re making it all at once, no need to do as I did, just stir the softened gelatin into the already warm curd once it thickens.

In a small bowl, sprinkle 1 packet of gelatin over 1/4 c cold meyer lemon or grapefruit juice. Stir until incorporated and let sit for a minute. Once softened, stir into the warm curd, stirring until the gelatin is dissolved completely (give it 1-2 minutes of stirring). Pour the curd into the baked crust shell, and let cool for a few minutes on the counter before transferring to the fridge to cool completely – preferably overnight but at least 4 hours.

**If you prefer not to use gelatin, you could also set the curd by pouring it into the baked tart shell, and baking the whole thing at 350 for 8-10 minutes, then letting cool completely and refrigerating for at least 4 hours before serving. I prefer the gelatin method with this curd since it will set completely – the baked version might have more wobble / lose some structural integrity when sliced, but it’s a pretty solid second option.

Top with sliced grapefruit, hazelnuts, shredded coconut and candied ginger if desired. I prefer to chill mine in the fridge for at least two hours before serving.

Keeps well in the fridge covered overnight, though it’s best eaten in 2-3 days.

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February 24, 2018

When life hands you lemons… make curd, of course!

Hello hello!

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My car died on a freeway on-ramp today, isn’t that special? So thankful nothing worse happened – no one rear ended me, and it didn’t happen on the bridge. Could have been so much worse! Whew.

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But before that happened, at least I had cake with brunch! Poppy seed cake with Meyer lemon curd, to be exact. So so delicious & so awesome for brunch and dessert.

I believe this cake is actually old world Austrian in origin (actually – I had to look it up! It’s an Austrian-Northern Italian Alps hybrid beauty), but it happens to be naturally grain and gluten free. Interestingly, it also contains no added fats like butter or oil, but is leavened with whipped egg whites. I adapted it to be much less sweet and refined sugar free, making it pretty much paleo. It’s also dairy free, as is the lemon curd – which is appropriately tart, as per our joint penchant for tart things!

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We loved this cake both with ice cream for dessert and alongside eggs and kale for breakfast – it really shines both ways. Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s a super rich layer cake – it’s actually airy, light and refreshing. I made extra lemon curd for drizzle because our general motto is that you can never have too much curd! Ha.

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In other news, I’ve been doing a lot of ridgeline hiking to take my mind off some persistent and uncomfortable health issues. The views are awesome and it’s great to get outside (and outside my head). More on that later, maybe or maybe not – I try to keep this space light. It’s just not been my best month, and I and I’d rather not pretend everything is rosy when it isn’t.

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I can make cake though, and eat it with my favorite human. That makes life so much brighter, and I always find solace in baking and in the company of loved ones.

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Bake, eat, love; surround yourself with those who make you feel loved and safe, and feed them. To me, this is one life’s best gifts.

Happy weekend!

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Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Meyer Lemon Curd

Grain and gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free, pretty much paleo. Lightly sweet and plenty tart, in the best way! Prepare to floss excessively – this is for those who love poppy seeds! Yield: 2 8” cake layers or one 10” cake. Serves 6-8 (or two, for two meals with leftovers ;) cake adapted from Food52, here; the lemon curd is one I’ve made a zillion times; you’ll find it elsewhere on the blog and it is my current reigning favorite.

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For the cake

1 Meyer lemon
heaping 1/4 c maple sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp vanilla extract
large pinch of salt
5 eggs, separated
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled & grated
7 oz almond flour (~2c but weighing is better!)
7 oz poppy seeds
1.5 tsp baking powder

Heat oven to 350. Grease 2 8” cake pans (or one 10” pan) and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Zest the lemon and place the zest along with the maple sugar in a large bowl. Rub the sugar and the zest together until the sugar is damp and fragrant. Separate the eggs and add the yolks to the bowl with the sugar and zest, and the whites to another large bowl. Beat the yolks with the zest and sugar until light in color and creamy. Juice the lemon and stir juice through the grated apple, then add to the bowl of yolks/sugar/zest along with maple syrup, vanilla, salt, almond flour, poppy seeds, and baking powder. Stir to combine – the batter will be thick. Wash the beaters thoroughly, and beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the rest of the batter, then pour it into the prepared pans.

Bake for 30 minutes (for 8” cakes; 40 minutes for a 10”), until the top is springy and golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes, then turn out onto cooling racks to cool completely.

Once cool, layer with lemon curd and store in the fridge until serving or serve immediately. Keeps well covered in the fridge for about 2-3 days.

For the Meyer lemon curd

2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1/3 c Meyer lemon juice
zest of 4 Meyer lemons
pinch of sea salt
2 tbsp maple syrup
3.5 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla

I use a double boiler for this lemon curd, which definitely is a game changer. Highly recommended! Heat water in the bottom of the double boiler until it’s at a high simmer. In the top of the double boiler, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest and juice, sea salt, and maple syrup. Add in the coconut oil one tbsp at a time, whisking continuously, not adding the next tbsp until the first is completely melted. Whisk in vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly, until the lemon curd thickens and will coat the back of a spoon (or your whisk leaves tracks) – usually around 5 to 8 minutes. It’s a noticeable change when it happens, so just watch the cooking magic! Remove from heat, strain to remove any solids (ie lemon zest) – I use a metal mesh strainer over my storage jar of choice – and store in a glass container in the fridge until ready for use. Keeps for a week in an airtight jar, and freezes well for later use.

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October 19, 2017

Aggressively Green Things

I know, I know – could this cake look any swampier? I promise it’s delicious though. This is why matcha does so well in a tart – the pure green shows through so much better!

This gets a little muddied with the almond flour and whatnot and kind of looks like it belongs on Dagoba in the middle of Yoda’s table, but whatever – it’s delicious, I swear! Some desserts are just prettier than others…

I went out on a baking limb with this one a bit, but knowing I was feeding it to an adventurous one who has very similar tastes to mine (and likewise thinks overly sweet things and sugar are the devil), I knew I could a) go really tart on the lemon curd and b) make a really assertively green cake.

FYI on the lemon curd situation – after consideration, we decided that the cake is really awesome on its own, no lemon curd needed. Obvs though we both love lemon curd, so we like that too, but it slightly overpowers the cake if the ratio isn’t quite right. So…. you do you! Both ways are tasty and lemon and matcha are a nice pairing, so it’s up to you how much tartness you want with your cake.

In other life things, there have been very pretty skies lately!

Happy almost weekend, blog friends!

Matcha Almond Cake with Lemon Curd and Maple Hazelnuts

Grain free, gluten free, refined sugar free, dairy free, paleoish. Lightly sweet, definitely matcha-y, and assertively green! A word to the wise on this – we decided that the cake was great on its own, so I’m including the lemon curd recipe for thoroughness, but feel free to serve without. The lemon is pretty strong so if you want a more matcha-forward dessert, skip it. Perfect for dessert with a bit of ice cream, or breakfast alongside eggs & veg. Adapted from the almond honey cake I made, here. Yield: 1 8″ skillet or 8″ cake, depending on what pan you use. Serves 2 with leftovers ;)

For the cake:

1.5 c almond flour (not meal), firmly packed
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 + 1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 + 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
1.5 tbsp culinary grade matcha powder
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 c maple syrup
1/8 + 1/16 c melted coconut oil
1.5 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325, and lightly grease cast iron skillet or pan of choice with coconut oil. Toss a little almond flour in the bottom to finely coat. In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and matcha. In a smaller bowl, whisk together beaten eggs, maple, melted coconut oil, and vanilla. Pour wet into dry, and stir until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan, and bake on the center rack of the oven for about 38-40 minutes. I checked mine at 30 and put it back in for 8; it was perfect at 39. The top should be golden brown and firm to the touch, and the center shouldn’t jiggle when lightly shaken. Remove from the oven and let cool before topping and serving.

Maple Lemon Curd:

2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1/3 c lemon juice
zest of 4 lemons
pinch of sea salt
2.5 tbsp maple syrup
3.5 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla

I used a double boiler for this lemon curd, which literally is a game changer. Highly recommended! Heat water in the bottom of the double boiler until it’s at a high simmer. In the top of the double boiler, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest and juice, sea salt, and maple syrup. Add in the coconut oil one tbsp at a time, whisking continuously, not adding the next tbsp until the first is completely melted. Whisk in vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly, until the lemon curd thickens and will coat the back of a spoon (or your whisk leaves tracks) – usually around 5 to 8 minutes. It’s a noticeable change when it happens, so just watch the cooking magic! Remove from heat and store in a glass container in the fridge until ready for use.

Maple Glazed Hazelnuts:

1/4 c pure maple syrup
1 c roasted hazelnuts
sprinkle of sea salt

Remove most of the skins from the hazelnuts by rubbing them together; it doesn’t matter if there are skins left, but I try to get rid of the majority. Heat an empty saute pan (not nonstick) over medium heat; once heated, add maple (it will bubble and fizz) and hazelnuts. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring continuously until the maple has caramelized. The nuts will feel a little soft, which is fine. Spread parchment paper on a baking sheet, pour out the nuts and spread them out a bit. They will harden as they cool. Store in an airtight jar at room temp for as long as they last which is realistically about five minutes.

Serve the cake with lemon curd, or not – your choice! Definitely with hazelnuts though, and quite possibly with ice cream. Store leftover cake in the fridge; covered with foil in the original pan is just fine. I’m here to attest that this cake is fabulous the next morning for breakfast!

October 5, 2017

Eat, drink, and be even MORE rosemary!

Despite the name of this blog, it’s been awhile since I’ve posted a cookie recipe on here – it’s high time I think.

Additionally, I should note – the light was not playing nice with me the several times I photographed these little guys so apologies for the inconsistencies in the photos! (I am nitpicky about this kind of thing and therefore have to point it out… just in case you might have overlooked it. Ha!)

These are probably my most frequently made cookies – not even probably, they ARE my most frequently made cookies, so they really should be on here!

They’re so easy to put together – the flour is really adaptable & I’ve never had a bad batch, even with many substitutions. This is my favorite version of the recipe though; as I said a few posts ago – you’ve been warned against the excess of rosemary & herby desserts upcoming!

More rosemary! I just can’t get enough these days in a dessert setting. It is just so good – subtle and not overpowering, but just perfectly there to remind you that you’re eating something out of the ordinary. Besides, it pairs unbelievably well with dark chocolate and coconut.

Let’s see, what else besides cookies lately?

Another opera trip on a beautiful evening! Three times in one week, that has to be a record even for me.

I’m behind on drawing, I need to get back on that boat but I’ve just been too busy or distracted with one thing or another (might have something to do with the large pile of new books I just acquired).

So! Cookies. Make yourself some rosemary goodness – these come together in just about 10 minutes; the most time consuming thing is chopping the rosemary and even that doesn’t take long. Instant cookie gratification in about 20 minutes – not too shabby! Also, you’ll end up smelling like a heavenly combination of rosemary and chocolate, and I really can’t think of anything better.

Happy baking!

Rosemary Coconut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Why stick to standard chocolate chip cookies when you could have rosemary in them?? It’s not overwhelming, just there in the background livening up your cookie experience. Chewy, thick cookies – these are perfect hiking snacks (or anytime snacks, really). Refined sugar free, dairy free, vegan (depends on your chocolate). Probably very easily adaptable to gluten free – a blend or oat flour would work nicely here I think! Yield: somewhere between 16-20, depending on how outrageously large you make them ;) A Wait are Those Cookies original!

1 c whole wheat pastry flour (whole spelt works nicely here too)
1 c almond flour
1 c rolled oats
1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water)*
1/3 coconut oil, melted and cooled
1/3 c maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 c extra dark chocolate, chopped (I use chunks and then chop them further so that I have a variety of chunk sizes & chocolate shavings)

*these are also great with an egg, if that’s your jam – I’ve made them both ways numerous times!

Preheat the oven to 350, and line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper. I usually shoot for 16 cookies and squash them all onto one baking sheet, because I can be lazy sometimes…

In a small bowl, combine flaxseed and water to make the flax egg, and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, almond flour, oats, coconut, baking powder & soda, and salt. Chop the rosemary VERY finely and add it into the dry ingredients (large flecks of rosemary are slightly undesirable here). In a smaller bowl, whisk together melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients, including flax egg, into dry and stir to combine. Stir in chocolate chunks until fully combined. Drop by the large tablespoon onto the prepared cookie sheets – I roll mine so they’re vaguely ball-shaped and then smash them down with the heel of my hand so they flatten a bit.

Bake for 11-12 minutes, until the top is nearly firm when you touch it. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 5ish minutes, until cool enough to handle, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely (these aren’t super fragile, but just be aware when moving them to the cooling rack).

I like these cold out of the fridge, but they’re great at room temp too. You do you! Happy snacking :)