Aquafaba Chocolate Mousse

I’ve heard about the wonders of aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas) for years but have never tried it. Why, oh why not? This recipe is airy chocolate perfection and perfect for vegan friends or those allergic to eggs. I watched this being made on America’s Test Kitchen and knew I had to try it. You should too!

Recipe

1/4 c. olive oil
1-1/2 ounces (43 grams) bittersweet chocolate (finely chopped or use bittersweet chocolate chips)
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. aquafaba (from one 15-oz can chickpeas)
1/3 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
pinch of Kosher salt

In a large heatproof bowl, add the olive oil and bittersweet chocolate chips and set over a pan of simmering water, being sure to not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water. Once melted whisk until thoroughly incorporated. Take off the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Set aside.

While the chocolate mixture cools, get out your stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Add the aquafaba, sugar, cream of tartar and salt to your mixer’s bowl and beat over medium-high speed for 7 minutes until slightly glossy soft peaks form.

Take one-third of the whipped aquafaba and fold into the chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula until fully combined. Add the rest of the whipped aquafaba and fold gently until well incorporated and no streaks remain. Spoon into four serving dishes. Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight (can be refrigerated up to 24 hours). Top with whipped cream, shaved chocolate, berries and/or chopped nuts.

Pumpkin Espresso Bundt Cake

Ever since I got a KitchenAid it’s been a breeze to bake delicious concoctions, and this recipe is no exception. Full of pumpkin-y goodness with sweet swirl of espresso running through it – perfect with a hot cup of tea or coffee on a lazy Fall afternoon!

Recipe

1 can pumpkin purée
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 c. olive oil
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. King Arthur Measure-For-Measure gluten free flour (or AP flour)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt

Filling:
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 T. espresso powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease and flour your 10-cup bundt pan.

With the paddle attachment, beat together the pumpkin, eggs, oil, sugars, and vanilla until well blended.

In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and mix/stir until smooth.

Spoon one-third of the batter into the bottom of the bundt pan; smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle half of the filling on top. Spoon another third of the batter on top, spreading smooth with a spatula; then sprinkle with the remaining filling. Spread the remaining batter on top, smoothing with a spatula.

Bake for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert on a rack and cool completely. Before I inverted the pan, I leveled the cake by cutting it even with the bottom of the pan as it had risen a little bit above it – more delicious bits to munch on!

– inspired by a King Arthur Flour recipe

Gingerbread Bundt Cake

This is a wonderful cake to serve with your morning coffee or tea. It’s strongly flavored with typical gingerbread spices. Great for the holidays! To make it extra special, top with a sprinkling of powdered sugar, or a rum glaze — for the rum glaze, stir together 1/3 cup rum, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp. ginger and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. Brush the cake with the glaze while still warm.

Recipe

2-1/2 c. King Arthur Gluten Free Measure-for-Measure Flour, or all-purpose flour
2-1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
12 T. unsalted butter, room temperature
1-1/2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. molasses
1 c. water

Preheat oven to 350-degrees and grease a 10-12 c. bundt pan.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, spices, salt, baking soda, baking powder.

In another large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Stir in the molasses.

Add the flour mixture in three additions alternately with the water, starting with the flour. Mix just until smooth.

Pour the batter into the bundt mold, smoothing the top. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

— based on a King Arthur Flour Recipe

Greek Dinner Menu

What a perfect meal! I had to post each of the recipes so you can also enjoy this delicious menu. A homey, warming dish, the cinnamon chicken is a good choice for a casual supper and definitely tasty enough for company. I served it over gluten free chickpea macaroni noodles accompanied by a tossed Greek salad. Mini baklava bites with a scoop of your favorite ice cream round out the meal. Serves 4-6.

Chicken Kapama

with a subtle cinnamon flavor

Recipe

2 chicken breasts + 4 thighs, bone in, skin on (or a 2-1/2 to 3 lb. chicken cut into 8 pieces)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (I used Penzys Vietnamese cinnamon)
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
5 cloves garlic (3 minced, the other 2 left whole)
2 T. olive oil
4 c. yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 c. dry white wine
2 c. water
6-oz. can tomato paste
2 whole cinnamon sticks
1/2 c. Myzithra cheese, grated
Noodles, pasta, or rice for serving

Pat chicken dry with paper towels. In a small bowl mix the ground cinnamon, salt and pepper, then rub all over the chicken pieces. Heat 2 T. oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side. You may have to do this in two batches. Don’t crowd the chicken or it will steam instead of getting a good sear. When browned, remove from pan and set aside.

Add the onions and minced garlic to the pan and cook about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until onions are softened and golden brown. Add the wine and stir to get up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. When the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes, stir in the tomato paste until mixed, then add the water, 2 whole garlic cloves, and the 2 whole cinnamon sticks. Return the chicken to the pan; the liquid should cover about three-quarters of the chicken. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Taste and add more kosher salt or pepper if needed. Serve over noodles or rice, sprinkled with plenty of grated Myzithra cheese.

Freeze any leftover sauce, or use it to top pasta or chicken for lunch the next day.

– inspired by Chef Cat Cora’s Kota Kapama

Greek Salad

using green beans instead of cucumber

Recipe

1/2 lb. green beans, ends trimmed, cut in half crosswise
1 lb. grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
1/4 lb. feta cheese
3 T. red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove
1 small shallot, chopped
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. dried Greek oregano
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme
2 large basil leaves
1/4 c. olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook the beans in a pot of boiling salted water for 4 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. In a blender or mini processor, combine the red wine vinegar, garlic clove, shallot, mustard, oregano, thyme, and basil and puree until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the blanched green beans, tomato halves, red onion. and crumbled feta. Toss with the vinaigrette and serve immediately.

– inspired by Chef Michael Psilakis’ Chopped Greek Salad

Baklava Bites

find phyllo shells in frozen foods section of your grocery store

Recipe

1/2 c. pistachios
1/2 c. walnuts
1/2 c. almonds
1 lemon, zested
1/4 c. plus 3 T. sugar
2 T. butter, melted
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 boxes mini phyllo shells, 15 shells each
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. honey

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Put the pistachios, walnuts, and almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly and add to a food processor with the lemon zest, 3 T. sugar, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and melted butter. Pulse to combine.

Take the frozen phyllo shells and place in a mini cupcake pan. If you don’t have a mini cupcake pan, place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Add 1 tsp. of the nut mixture into each shell. Bake at 350-degrees for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, add the water and honey and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until reduced and slightly thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Pour 1 tsp. syrup into each phyllo cup and allow it to soak in. Repeat with another 1 tsp. Refrigerate at least 5 hours or overnight. Serve at room temperature. Keep the phyllo cup packaging to store any leftover baklava bites. Makes 30.

– Sunny Anderson, Food Network

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

I first served this deliciously creamy cake for brunch, but it also makes for a great dessert. Not too sweet and with a consistency somewhere between cake and cheesecake. It’s good warm, but even better after refrigerating overnight.

Recipe

3 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
6 T. melted butter
1 c. part-skim ricotta
1 c. nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Gluten Free flour (or AP flour)
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/4 tsp. baking powder
1-1/2 c. blueberries

Preheat oven to 350-degrees and grease an 8” or 9” springform pan with a tablespoon of butter. In a large bowl beat together the eggs and sugar with a hand mixer until smooth. Add the melted butter, ricotta, yogurt, and vanilla and beat until well combined. Stir in the flour, salt and baking powder to combine.

Pour the batter into pan and sprinkle the top with blueberries. Bake 50 minutes until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. It will still be slightly jiggly; let rest for 30 minutes before serving. Store in the refrigerator covered in plastic wrap — it’s even better the next day!

* For a prettier look, use round or square biscuit cutters to cut individual servings — best to do this the next day though after it’s been refrigerated overnight.

– inspired by a King Arthur Flour recipe

Fig, Yogurt & Almond Cake

You can tell Fall has begun in the Northwest - fig trees are loaded with delicious fruit - and what better way to celebrate these little gems than in a cake! Another fabulous recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi doesn't disappoint. This moist, dense and sweet cake is perfect for afternoon tea.

Recipe

13 T. butter
1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
3/4 c. ground almonds
1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
Scraped seeds of 1/2 vanilla pod
1 tsp ground star anise
1/2 c. Greek yogurt
9 figs

Heat oven to 400-degrees. Butter and flour a 9" springform pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and pale. Beat the eggs lightly and add gradually to the butter/sugar mixture, mixing well after each addition. In another bowl mix together the almonds, flour, salt, vanilla and anise and fold into the batter. Mix until smooth, then stir in the yogurt.

Pour batter into the springform pan and level with a palette knife or spoon. Cut each fig vertically into four wedges and arrange on top of the batter, skin side down, pressing lightly. Put in the oven with a baking tray underneath to catch any drips and bake for 15 minutes; then reduce the heat to 350-degrees and bake another 30-35 minutes.

– Yotam Ottolenghi