dessert

My love affair with Plated.com continues, and today I want to share with you one of the very first dessert recipes I tried.  I’m not much of a baker, but this cake was a cinch to prepare and came out super-moist and delicious! This recipe makes just two servings (which is perfect for Eric and me), but I can’t wait to whip up a larger batch the next time I have company over. INGREDIENTS

• 1 clementine
• 5 tbs butter, divided
• 1 tbs light brown sugar
• 1½ tbs granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup flour
• 1 egg
• 2 small aluminum tins

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Peel clementine, and cut in half.
3. Melt 1 TBS butter and brown sugar in a small pan over medium-high heat.
4. Divide butter/sugar mixture between two ramekins and place clementines cut-side down on top.
5. Melt remaining butter and add to a small bowl with half of 1 beaten egg, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
6. Add in flour, and stir just until incorporated.
7. Pour batter over clementines, place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until cakes are set, about 20 minutes.
8. Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes. Carefully remove cakes from ramekins and serve clementine side up.

Be sure to check out my full review of Plated here, and sign up for 4 free meals of your own here.

If healthy eating was a part of your New Year’s Resolutions, then stop reading now and come back tomorrow for our regularly scheduled daily outfit programming.  Everyone else… keep reading!

Sometimes I get a chocolate craving that’s so intense that only the most sinfully delicious of desserts will satisfy it.  Last weekend was one of those occasions, and I turned to a recipe that’s served me well time-and-time again for the past seven years.  Beware: should you choose to take on this recipe, prepare yourself for a decadent, moist, ooey-gooey, chocolate-y EXPLOSION!

Ingredients

• 6oz dark chocolate bar
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 3 large eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 1.5 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1/2 cup flour

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Grease 6 (6-oz.) porcelain ramekins and set them aside on a baking sheet
3. Heat the chocolate and butter in a large microwaveable bowl at 50% for ~2 min. or until the butter melts.
4. Remove from microwave and stir with a whisk until the chocolate melts completely
5. Mix in 1.5 cups sugar and flour
6. Stir in whole eggs and yolks and beat until well blended
7. Pour the mixture into the prepared ramekins and bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are done, but the middle remains soft and gooey (a toothpick or skewer might come in handy to test for doneness).
8. Allow to stand for 1 minute before running a knife around the edge and removing from ramekins.

I had a major sweet tooth this past weekend and decided to whip up a batch of one of my favorite simple, yet delicious, treats.  The addition of browned butter, sea salt and vanilla extract help take this basic recipe to the next level.  Since I always have trouble cutting my rice krispie treats into those little neat squares, I opt for a muffin tin to make perfectly even portions.

Ingredients

• 6 cups of Rice Krispies cereal
• 10oz bag of marshmallows
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) of unsalted butter
• 1 pinch of coarse sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1. Grease cupcake tin and set aside.
2. Brown the butter in a large pot over medium heat.  Be sure to watch the pot carefully to make sure the butter doesn’t burn.  You’ll know it’s done when the butter turns clear and starts to smell nutty (read: delicious!).
3. Turn heat down to low, and stir in the marshmallows, vanilla extract and a pinch of sea salt until melted completely.
4. Turn off the heat and stir in rice krispies.
5. Scoop mixture evenly into muffin tin and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
6. Remove treats from tin and enjoy!