Desserts Archives | The Vanilla Bean Blog

Cherry Rhubarb Crisp with White Wine

Sarah Kieffer — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 15:27:37 +0000

Rhubarb is an important plant to all Minnesotans. Not only can it be found in nearly every neighbor’s garden and growing alongside walking paths and trails in local parks, but for those of us living in the North, it is also a symbol of winter’s end. As its green leaves and pink stalks start to peek out of the ground, there is a collective sign of relief among us all. Winter has come and gone. Spring is here at last. I grew up in a neighborhood where neighbors and friends often sent over a rhubarb crisp, and wanted to recreate the nostalgia while also giving this dessert a little update. Sweet cherries were a delicious addition and also added beautiful color (some rhubarb is green and bakes up a disappointing brown), and sweet white wine added flavor while also helping me use up the end of that box of wine. About this recipe Using Wine in a Fruit Crisp I often bake with alcohol; I find the addition of wine or liqueurs adds good flavor and moisture to what I am making. I added sweet white wine here on a whim and loved how the cherries, rhubarb, and wine all […]

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(Almost) No-Bake Cheesecake Bars with Cranberry Red Wine Swirl

Sarah Kieffer — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 18:50:37 +0000

These delicious no-bake cheesecake bars have a graham cracker crust with a cool and creamy filling that sets in the refrigerator, swirled with an amazing cranberry red wine quick jam. I’ve made many variations of these almost no-bake cheesecake bars, but this cranberry red wine swirl variation has become a favorite during the cooler months when fresh cranberries are in season. They’re simmered with red wine (you could substitute with water or cranberry juice if you prefer), cinnamon, and sugar to create a delicious quick jam. The red wine and cranberries compliment each other perfectly, and there is just a hint of cinnamon to add a spicy warmth. The filling is based on the Cherry Red Wine Cheesecake Bars from 100 Cookies, but I went with a no-bake cheesecake in this version to make things simple. The secret to no-bake cheesecake is using a combination of cream cheese and heavy cream, creating a cool and creamy filling that sets easily in the refrigerator. The graham cracker crust only needs to bake a few minutes, just to ensure it’s crisp, and provides a sturdy base for the cheesecake. Best Way to Make Graham Cracker Crumbs: The easiest way to make graham cracker crumbs is to throw […]

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(Almost) No-Bake Cheesecake with Jam Swirl

Sarah Kieffer — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 23:05:52 +0000

I’ve found this almost no-bake cheesecake to be a great substitute for the real deal, especially during the hot summer months when I want to keep my oven use at a minimum. The secret to no-bake cheesecake is using a combination of cream cheese and heavy cream, or Icelandic skyr, to get the filling to set without using an oven! The graham cracker crust only needs to bake a few minutes, just to ensure it’s crisp, and the filling easily sets in the refrigerator. The swirls of raspberry jam add a bit of fruity tartness to the cheesecake that I find delicious, but you could leave it out and top it instead with Chocolate Ganache. More Cheesecake Recipes: White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars Vanilla Cheesecake Cookies Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

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Coffee Blondie Skillet with Whiskey No-Churn Ice Cream

Sarah Kieffer — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 14:48:05 +0000

I’ve always been a big fan of skillet desserts, but since having children they seem to be a more regular occurrence; there is something about a cookie or brownie being baked in cake form that never fails to delight. I usually stick to chocolate chip cookies and brownies, but this time I used my Coffee Blondies recipe and was very happy with the results. To elevate this Blondie Skillet Cookie, I topped it with Irish Whiskey No-Churn Ice Cream (the kids just had vanilla, ha) and homemade caramel shards. The combination of coffee + whisky + caramel was a perfect way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. (Side note: I recently found out I am about 5% Irish, so I’m embracing my roots with this recipe.) I baked this dessert in small skillets and then a larger one, and with and without chocolate. And I loved it all ways. *I have notes below on how to accommodate different ways of baking. More Skillet Dessert Recipes:

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Peanut Butter Marshmallow Swirl Brownies

Sarah Kieffer — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 03:38:00 +0000

Marshmallow Fluff + Peanut Butter + Brownies = Yes, please. And you don’t need any kind of mixer to make these – just a bowl and a whisk! They’re a combination of rich and chewy, chocolatey brownies with marshmallow fluff and a peanut butter filling swirled throughout the top. I have a recipe for peanut butter cups in my Baking for the Holidays cookbook that I love to make, and I realized the filling would probably also taste incredible swirled into chocolate brownies. It did. I then decided to take things one step further and twirl in some marshmallow cream! Notes: This recipe is a variation on My Favorite Brownies recipe, and appears in my 100 Cookies cookbook. This version I actually prefer the day after they’re made, as the marshmallow fluff softens and the chocolate flavor intensifies. More Brownie Recipes:

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Coffee Caramel Ice Cream Pie

Sarah Kieffer — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 15:42:37 +0000

This just might be a perfect summer dessert: a chocolate cookie crust, no-churn (and so easy!) coffee ice cream, with a topping of caramel whipped cream and candied cacao nibs. The crust and ice cream base can be put together a day or two in advance, which also comes in handy. If you aren’t into the candied cacao nibs, crushed chocolate covered espresso beans would also be delicious here. A few things: *The Coffee-Caramel combination on my ice cream cake is inspired by this Ice Box Cake over on ZoeBakes. *My summer reading has been fluctuating between Wodehouse (the Jeeves series) and the French Revolution, which has been an odd but interesting combination. I’m currently in the middle of the Twelve Who Ruled, which is a fascinating look at the Committee of Public Safety and their role in the Reign of Terror. *We recently splurged on an outdoor projector, so we could take our family movie nights outside this summer. We’ve just been projecting it onto our garage door, which works just fine! We’ve been showing our kids a bunch of our favorite movies from the late 80’s/early 90’s, and we’ve made it through Goonies, UHF, Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, […]

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(almost) no bake white chocolate cheesecake with sour cherry swirl

Sarah Kieffer — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 04:45:50 +0000

I love cheesecake, and often in the summer I turn to the no-bake variety. On blazing hot days it’s nice to keep the oven off, and while the texture of a no-bake cheesecake isn’t completely authentic, it’s still so dang good. This white chocolate cheesecake is from Nigella Lawson’s latest book, At My Table. I’m happy to report it’s delicious. I added a sour cherry swirl and love how the white chocolate and cherry compliment each other here. ********************************************** There’s something in baking that plays into our desire for transformation, because it is much more alchemical, and that’s a beautiful thing. I think also, that no one needs a cake. But that’s what makes it special and wonderful and a treat. – Nigella Lawson I first discovered Nigella Lawson at the library. I had just started baking at Bordertown Coffee, and was working solo in the kitchen, 50-60 hours a week. I had some experience under my belt, but was now in charge of it all: opening the kitchen, baking everything we sold for the day, washing all the dishes I used plus anything the counter staff couldn’t get to, jumping in on the counter when it got crazy busy, and keeping […]

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Peach Apple Cherry Pie

Sarah Kieffer — Mon, 11 Jun 2018 22:02:37 +0000

‘Have you been online yet?’ my husband asks from the couch. It’s 8:45 am, and I am searching the kitchen for breakfast. Most mornings, upon waking, I reach for my phone next to me on my nightstand, and check all the icons chirping at me like hungry baby birds. Email, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, usually in that order. I despise the impulse, but I’m too tired to stop my arm from reaching, and its become a daily habit. Summer vacation is upon us, however, and I’ve set new goals for myself. Wear a small gray arm band to record my daily steps. Read books at night before bed instead of falling asleep to the internet. Eat a healthy breakfast, then go ahead and see what the world brings. So I hadn’t heard the news. ‘No,’ I replied. ‘Something bad?’ He handed me his phone with a stony face, and I knew instantly. Another shooting. I felt the pit in my stomach, the one that has been there since Columbine, that grew into something fierce after Sandy Hook. The one that triggered my anxiety the last day of school, just two days ago, the one that made me whisper as my kids […]

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Pastry Cream

Sarah Kieffer — Sun, 22 Apr 2018 20:51:33 +0000

The first time I made pastry cream, I was working with Zoë François on a chaotic but incredibly fun photoshoot. I was back in the kitchen baking loaves of bread and brioche, trying to stay ahead of schedule and have everything ready for the next photo. Pastry cream was needed, and I pretended I knew what I was doing when Zoë handed me the recipe and told me to make it quick. Somehow I pulled it off – there before me in the pan was a thick, yellow custard. I took the pan off the heat to show her how pretty it was. She took it from my hands and placed it back on the stovetop. “Cook out the starch!” she insisted. “Whisk it until it’s glossy and smooth, or you’ll have a grainy mess.” I meekly obeyed and ended up with the most beautiful, smooth pastry cream. Making pastry cream now, I always remember her directions. Cooking the custard for a few extra minutes helps cook out the starch and keeps the cream from separating. These days, I start my pastry cream in a stand mixer, beating the eggs and sugar until thick and pale, then slowly add warm […]

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream

Sarah Kieffer — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 14:31:11 +0000

My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears, And true plain hearts do in the faces rest; Where can we find two better hemispheres, Without sharp North, without declining West? Whatever dies was not mixed equally; If our two loves be one, or thou and I Love so alike that none do slacken, none can die. -John Donne, The Good-Morrow This past week I found volumes A-F of the Norton Anthology of English Literature (affiliate link) at my local thrift store, and I gleefully tucked them into my cart and took them home to read. I had a gigantic hardcover anthology that I carried around all through college, but since graduating the books have been updated tremendously (YAY), and I’m happy to find better translations, women authors, and helpful commentary. I’m a sucker for sixteenth century literature; I fell in love with Shakespeare in high school and enjoy reading the poetry from that time period (as you can see in the above poem). However, I’m starting at the Middle Ages and working my way through. It’s always a good sign when you pick up a book before an iphone; I haven’t enjoyed reading this much in quite awhile. I also […]

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