“a rich bread dough that hides delicious treats between its slices”

Nothing goes better on a cold evening than an apple pie pull-apart bread. All the ingredients used for making the bread have this soft autumn vibe to them, which makes you appreciate this sweet treat even more. I’m feeling mellow just thinking of the last time I tasted it, so trust me when I say, the effort is worth it! Of course, you can cut the cooking time significantly by simply buying bread biscuits, but I found that sweet homemade bread dough is so much more delicious and takes this favorite to a whole other level! I’m saying this because I was using biscuits too until I found a recipe on Just A Little Bit Of Bacon, which is where I got the inspiration for my version of the apple pie pull-apart bread!

I used bourbon-soaked cherries and boiled apple slices as the main flavors for the amazing filling that will make this bread incredibly moist. Plus, if you’re a fan of the sweet but potent fragrance of vanilla and nutmeg, you’ll especially enjoy the glaze.

So, without further ado, let’s get cooking!

First, things first, you’ll need three or four mixing bowls, mixer, loaf pan, saucepan, microwave-safe bowl, and around an hour to spare to make this tasty bread, with a total cooking time of two hours. It’s worth mentioning that instead of instant yeast, I used sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and lemon juice, so I didn’t have to wait for the dough to rise. However, if you want to be more traditional and use yeast then go ahead, I’m just here to remind you that in that case, you should let the dough rise for an hour.

What I first like to do is let the cherries soak in the bourbon, so they’re ready by the time I need to use them. Once you put that aside, you can focus on making the bread dough.

Combine the warm milk and sugar in a large mixing bowl. After the sugar dissolves, stir in the eggs, flour, salt, and the soda bicarbonate with lemon juice. Mix the ingredients until they’re completely fused and the batter is smooth. Add the butter and continue to beat it for a minute or two. Then, transfer the dough on a floured surface and knead 8-9 minutes. You can add a little bit of flour so that the batter isn’t sticky. When you’re done, leave the batter to rest in a greased bowl while you make the filling.

To make the filling you’ll need a microwave-safe bowl. If you don’t have a microwave, don’t worry, because you can also use the stove. If the filling needs 2-3 minutes in the microwave, you’ll need around 10 minutes on the stove. Simply multiply the microwave time by 4x for stove-top cooking and you’re all set.

So, combine all of the ingredients for the filling, except for the cherries and bourbon, in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl with a microwave-safe lid and microwave for 2-3 minutes on medium heat (50% power). Check whether the apples are soft and the sugar is completely dissolved. If not, microwave for another minute. Mix the ingredients, then scoop up the apple pieces and set them aside in another bowl or plate. Drain the cherries and add them to the bowl with the apple pieces. Pour the bourbon in the microwave-safe bowl and let the mixture microwave for another two minutes. Finally, you can combine the apples, cherries with the microwaved mixture. Stir well, then set aside.

It’s time to go back to our bread dough. First, take a loaf pan and line in with parchment paper. After this, spray or brush the paper with cooking oil to prepare the loaf for the bread slices. Now is also a good time to preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), so it’s ready when you’re done building the bread. How to do this?

Well, take the bread dough and roll it out on a board. The dough sheet shouldn’t be very thick as it will rise while it bakes. Roll it until it gets to around 5 mm to 1 cm (or about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick) and then cut it in about 20 equal squares. The best way to do this is to make one large rectangle of the dough, cut it in six strips, and then cut the strips into 4 equal squares. This will be enough to fill a 9×5 inch loaf. You can adjust if your loaf is smaller or bigger.

Take a spoon of the filling and spread over each of the dough slices. Then, take slice by slice and place them one against each other in the loaf. Another way to approach this is to add a slice to the loaf, spread filling on the side, and then immediately stick another dough slice until you build the bread. Whichever method works for you better, that’s the right one. Part of the filling will fall either way, so I simply scoop it up and pour it over the bread.

Once the bread is built you can place it in the preheated oven to bake for one hour. However, it’s a good practice to take it out halfway through and cover it with aluminum foil, then let it bake for another 30 minutes. This is because the aluminum foil prevents it from drying out and makes the bread so much moister. Although, if you like it a little more crispy and dry, you can skip this!

Another step you can skip, which I argue against, is the glaze which enhances the sweetness and beautifully contrasts the tart flavor of the apples and cherries. Plus, it’s effortless to make.

Simply, heat the cider over medium heat until it reaches a boiling point. Cook for 10 minutes and let it cool. After this, combine all the other ingredients for the glaze and whisk by hand or use an immersion blender until you get a smooth blend. Finally, add the cider and mix it again – that’s it! I recommend starting this about 15 to 20 minutes before the bread’s baking time is over.

When cooking is complete, take the bread out of the oven, pour the glaze over it, and let it cool for 10-15 minutes. After this, serve and enjoy!

Ingredients

For the bread dough:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup warm milk
• ¼ cup of sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter
• ½  tsp bicarbonate of soda mixed with ½ tsp lemon juice
• A pinch of salt

For the filling:

• 3 medium tart apples (peeled and chopped)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• ⅓ cup dried cherries
• ¼ cup bourbon
• ½ cup of sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• A pinch of salt

(Optional) For the glaze:

• 1 cup apple cider
• 4 tbsp heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

• In a small bowl, soak the cherries in bourbon and set them aside.
• Take a large mixing bowl and combine the warm milk and sugar. Stir in the flour, salt, eggs, and the bicarbonate of soda with lemon juice. Stir for a minute or two, then add the butter. Beat until smooth. Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 8-9 minutes. When finished, grease a bowl with butter, place the dough into the bowl. Set it aside.
• Take a microwave-safe bowl and combine the rest of the ingredients for the filling – 3 peeled and chopped apples, unsalted butter, sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Cover the bowl with a microwave-safe lid and place it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes on medium heat (50% power). Check if the apples are soft. Take a slotted spoon and scoop out the apples into a different bowl. Drain the cherries and add the bourbon into the remaining blend. Bring the bowl back to the microwave and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Take a large bowl and combine the apples, cherries, and the microwaved blend together.
• Line your non-stick loaf pan with parchment paper and then spray it with cooking oil.
• Preheat the oven to 180 °C to 350 °F.
• Roll the bread dough on a board and cut it into 20 squares.
• Spoon the filling in the center of each square and spread out.
• Place each slice of bread into the loaf pan, one against each other to build the pull-apart bread. If the filling falls, scoop it with a spoon and pour it over the bread.
• Bake the bread for 1 hour. Take it out after 30 minutes, cover it with aluminum foil, then let it bake for another 30 minutes.
• In the meantime, take a small saucepan and boil the cider. Cook for 10-12 minutes. Let it cool. Take a bowl and whisk or use an immersion blender to mix the rest of the ingredients for the topping. Add the cider and stir until smooth.
• When baking is complete, take out the bread and pour the topping over. Let it cool for 10-15 minutes.

“the breakfast that tastes like summer”

Other than the ultimate breakfast duo, bacon and eggs, this is another famous classic – grilled fresh mozzarella with roasted tomatoes and basil sandwich. There’s no way you haven’t tried, at least some combination of grilled cheese, tomatoes, and basil. In most recipes, the tomatoes and basil are fresh, while the cheese is grilled or fried, however, to get that ultimate smokey flavor and make the sandwich look even more appetizing, we’ll be slightly roasting the tomatoes. You didn’t think a mozzarella cheese sandwich with tomatoes and basil can get any tastier? Wait until you’ve tried this recipe.

In every grilled recipe, choosing the type of cheese you’re going to use it the first important step. You need a cheese that produces a sharp, intense flavor, that also melts easily, hence mozzarella cheese comes up as a winner. To enhance and add flavor, use dried oregano and garlic powder. If you like your sandwich hot and spicy, sprinkle a few chili flakes over the cheese and enjoy it! At the end of the day, seasoning is totally up to your preference, so use my seasoning combination merely as a recommendation.

Let’s get cooking.

All you’ll need for this recipe is a grill pan or an actual grill (even better).

The first step is to heat the grill to medium or place a grill pan over medium heat.

While the grill heats, prepare the ingredients. Cut the french bread into slices – thick or thin, depending on how you like them. Also, slice the tomatoes and mozzarella cheese (if bought as a whole piece).

Once the grill is heated, spray it with cooking oil and sprinkle each bread slice with olive oil, salt, and pepper on each side. Place the bread slices on the grill and cook for two minutes (each side). Once you notice that the bread slices are browned and grill marks appear, remove from heat and set them aside.

Next are the tomato slices. Sprinkle a little bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper on each slice and grill for four minutes (2 minutes each side). Remove tomatoes from the grill and set them aside.

Finally, spray each mozzarella slice with olive oil, salt, pepper, and chili (if you like them spicy). Grill the mozzarella slices only for a few seconds, until they start to soften, then remove from heat and place two slices of mozzarella and tomatoes on one slice of bread.

Lower the heat then return the bread slices with mozzarella ad tomatoes on the grill. Cook until the mozzarella melts over the bread. How much time you’re going to grill, depends on how soft and gooey you like the cheese. For people that like their cheese feeling a little bit solid, grill for a minute, while for people that really like their cheese melty and sticky, grill for at least two to three minutes.

After this, serve each slice of bread with two basil leaves on top. Also, spatter a few drops of olive oil and sprinkle dried oregano and garlic powder. I know I don’t have to say this, but don’t leave the cheese to get cold – eat it while it’s still hot. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 crusty French bread
• 2 cups sliced tomatoes
• 12 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese (~10 oz)
• 12 small basil leaves
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp chili (optional)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

• Heat the grill to medium or place a grill pan over medium heat.
• Spray it with cooking oil.
• Slice the French bread and spatter olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder on each slice. Cook for a minute or two on each side, until it gets a little browned and grill marks appear.
• Set the bread aside and place the tomato slices on the grill. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Grill for two minutes on each side then set aside.
• Finally, add the mozzarella slices on the grill. Spray them with olive oil, salt, and pepper (chili optional) on each side. Cook for a few seconds, just until the mozzarella softens.
• Lower the heat, then return the bread slices on the grill. Place two slices of mozzarella cheese on each slice of bread and cover with two tomato slices. Once the mozzarella melts over the bread, remove from heat.
• Garnish each bread slice with two basil leaves and sprinkle dried oregano.

“the faux cronut that makes all the other cronuts jealous”

Do you know that THE Dominique Ansel, the creator of the original cronut, revealed his recipe? Yep, he did! I mean, why wouldn’t he? When it’s ridiculously demanding, who’s actually going to use it? According to him, it takes an astonishing three days to make the perfect cronut. So, thank you Dominique, but no thank you. If I’m in New York, I will definitely visit his bakery and try this mighty cronut, but in the meantime, my simple 30-minute faux cronut recipe will do just fine!

Actually, I have tried my fair share of cronuts and not to toot my own horn but you will thank me for this one! After Dominique’s, my recipe might just be the next best thing (okay, now I’m tooting my own horn)! What’s so special? Well, they taste like cinnamon, smell like vanilla, and are covered with a sweet and gooey chocolate glaze! What more can you ask of a cronut? Well, how to make it, obviously.

To make this recipe, you’ll need a donut cutter or any other circle pastry cutter with two dimensions, one very large pot, two mixing bowls, and some paper towels for draining the cronuts.

The first step is to heat the oil in the pan over high temperature. In order to fry the cronuts completely covered in oil, you need at least 3 inches (7 cm) of oil in the pan. This also means the pan’s walls must be high to prevent splashing. You’ll notice that you can use a variety of oils. The original cronut is cooked in grapeseed oil, while I like canola. But, feel free to use any oil that you have at your disposal – unless it’s an oil with a very intense smell, it won’t alter the taste very much.

While the oil heats, unfold the pastry sheets and use the circle cutter to cut donut-shape pastries. If you have three sheets, you’ll probably get 9 cronuts (three cronuts from each sheet). However, depending on the size you might end with 12 little cronuts or 6 very big cronuts. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that the cronuts fit into the pan comfortably.

Brush melted butter over the shaped pastry (both sides) and add one-by-one into the heated oil. Fry them separately. You’ll need around 2 minutes for each cronut (1-minute each side), which means no more than 20 minutes for the whole cooking time.

When you’re done frying a cronut, place it on a paper towel so that the oil can drain. This way, by the time you’re done frying, you can immediately begin covering them with cinnamon and chocolate.

Take two mixing bowls (one with wide-opening). In the wider bowl mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla powder. In the other bowl mix together all the ingredients for the chocolate base (powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract).

Take a cronut, dip it in the cinnamon mixture (both sides), place it on a serving plate, and spatter from the chocolate glade over it. Repeat the same process with the rest of the cronuts. The chocolate gaze is optional. If you have a preferred topping, feel free to use it, as I’m sure that it will make the recipe personalized to your taste.

Enjoy and don’t forget to share with your family and friends!

Ingredients

For the cronuts:

• 3 sheets puff pastry (frozen)
• 1l (4 ½ cups) cooking oil (sunflower, olive, canola, grapeseed)
• 120g (1 cup) sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla powder

For the chocolate glaze:

• 120g (1 cup) powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 ½ tbsp milk (optional: plant-based)

Instructions

• Pour the oil in a large pot over medium to high (~200°C) temperature and let it heat.
• While the oil is heating, prepare the faux cronuts. Unfold the puff pastry sheets and brush them with melted butter. Use a donut cutter or any two different circle cutter sizes to create a donut shape (Usually, you’ll get 3 donuts from each pastry sheet).
•  Fry each cronut separately (2 minutes per cronut, 1 minute each side).
• Drain the faux cronuts on a paper towel.
• While the cronuts drain, prepare the chocolate glaze and the sugar-cinnamon mixture.
• Take a small bowl and mix all the ingredients for the chocolate glaze together and whisk until the blend is smooth. In another larger plate mix together the sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.
• Take each cronut, dip in both sides in the sugar-cinnamon mixture and place it on a serving plate. Take a spoon and spatter the chocolate glaze over the cronuts.

“turning the s’more snack into creamy and chocolaty breakfast”

Enjoying the warmth of a campfire with friends and family sounds so idyllic. Unfortunately, for me, the opportunity for such a gathering can happen once a year, which means having s’mores in the traditional way would be a rare occasion. However, having s’mores as an afternoon snack, or maybe even turning them into a delicious breakfast is an entirely different matter. I mean, when something is so yummy, you can’t help yourself but find a way to enjoy it more frequently, right?

S’more waffles made with greek yogurt is my sweet discovery. It’s a quick and easy recipe that allows me to have that unique s’more taste, but with a much richer and more pastry-like flavor.

All you need to make this recipe is a waffle iron, a saucepan, a mixing bowl, and all the ingredients listed below. So, if you’re in the mood for making waffles this weekend, you won’t have to invest more than 30 minutes in the kitchen.

Turn your waffle iron on and let it heat while you prepare the waffle mixture. Simply combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl, and then gradually stir in the eggs, greek yogurt, vanilla extract, milk, and butter. Adding the ingredients one by one, while mixing, will be a lot easier for you than of adding them all at once. If you have, you can also use a blender, which will make this whole process a one minute job.

When everything is well combined, pour ⅓ cup of batter into the waffle iron (for a 7-inch round iron) and cook for around five minutes. Usually, waffle irons have an indicator when the waffle is done, so there’s no need to watch the clock.

Once the waffles and done, divide them in three or four serving plates and set them aside.

To prepare the marshmallow creme, take a saucepan and place it over medium to high heat. Once it’s heated, pour the marshmallows and constantly stir until they melt. It will take around five minutes, but you can add two to three tablespoons to aid the melting process. The marshmallows won’t melt completely, and you should expect some lumps, but the mixture will be satisfyingly creamy and gooey. Just don’t forget to stir all the time, or you’ll burn the marshmallows.

After five minutes, remove from heat and fold in the chocolate chips. Since the marshmallow creme will be hot, the chocolate chips will melt a little bit.

Finally, pour the creme over each waffle in the serving plate and decorate with fresh raspberries if you like. Eat them while they’re still warm to fully enjoy that gooey marshmallowy taste.

Ingredients

• 2 cups marshmallows
• 1 cup of chocolate chips
• ⅔ cup of all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• ¼ cup of Greek yogurt
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla powder
• 1 cup of milk
• ¼ cup butter (melted)
• A pinch of salt

Instructions

• Preheat the waffle iron.
• Take a large mixing bowl and whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Gradually stir in the eggs, milk, greek yogurt, vanilla extract, and butter. Continue to mix until the batter is creamy and there are no lumps.
• Pour the batter into the preheated waffle iron and cook each waffle for around 5 minutes.
• In the meantime, take a saucepan and melt the marshmallows over medium to high heat. Add two to three tbsps of plain water to aid the melting process. Stir constantly for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
• Fold in the chocolate chips in the hot marshmallow creme.
• Pour the marshmallow creme over each waffle and sprinkle graham cracker crumbs.
• Decorate with fresh raspberries (optional).

“a delicious childhood memory”

Chocolate for breakfast – yes, please!

We’ve had our fair share of chocolate goodies for breakfast, from pancakes in many different ways to cronuts and lovely chocolaty muffins. Today, we’re making a healthy twist of one of our most memorable childhood breakfasts – cocoa puffs!

We’ll be doing a homemade version that still offers the same amazing taste only without the additives and artificial sweeteners. You can actually make these homemade cocoa puffs for your kids and let them enjoy their beloved breakfast without you having to worry about their health! Will that make you a real supermom? I say, yes!

The cocoa powder combined with the agave syrup (you can use honey as an alternative) gives an intense chocolate taste, while the vanilla enhances the flavor notes of chocolate by making it more sugary and sweet. I personally found that these homemade cocoa puffs taste so much better than the originals, but they’re not crunchy, and instead remind me of brownies – for which I can’t complain. The homemade cocoa puffs are a wonderful way to start your day!

For this recipe, you’ll need a large mixing bowl, parchment paper, baking sheet, and an airtight container to store the cocoa puffs. The whole recipe is really easy-to-follow, and you’ll be done in half an hour, so let’s begin!

The first thing you want to do is preheat the oven to (180°C) 350°F. This way, you won’t have to wait for it to heat later, or cook the cocoa puff longer.

After this, combine all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. If you’re using vanilla powder, add it now and mix it together with the dry ingredients. However, if you’re using vanilla extract, stir it in after the dry ingredients are well combined.

Once the dry ingredients are mixed, stir in the egg, milk, agave syrup, and melted butter, one-by-one, to have better control over the batter. Whisk for a minute or two until you have a solid dough-like batter. The batter will be a little drier than a typical pastry dough, but that’s good.

Let the dough rest while you prepare the baking sheet. Cover it with parchment paper and spray it with cooking oil or melted butter. After this, you can start making the cocoa puffs and sorting them into the baking sheet. To do this, simply pinch a little bit of the dough and roll it in your hands until you make a marble-size ball. Repeat the same procedure until you run out of dough.

Finally, sprinkle a little bit of cocoa powder over the cocoa puffs. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

When they’re done baking, let the cocoa puffs chill at room temperature for 15 minutes before you store them in an airtight container. The cocoa puffs can be stored for around a week, so you can eat them anytime you want during that period. Of course, you can also make them for a family breakfast and eat them immediately afterward! Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup of cocoa powder
• 1 egg white
• ¼ cup milk (alternative: almond milk)
• ¼ cup agave syrup
• ¼ cup butter (melted)
• 1 tsp vanilla powder or extract
• ½ tsp salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to (180°C) 350°F.
• Take a large mixing bowl and combine all of the dry ingredients – the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla powder (if using extract, stir it in with the other wet ingredients).
• Stir in the egg white, milk, agave syrup, and melted butter.
• Whisk all the ingredients until you have a solid dough-like batter (it might be a little drier).
• Pinch off a little bit from the batter and roll it into a marble-sized ball. Repeat the same procedure until you’ve used up all your batter.
• Take a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper, then spray it with cooking oil.
• Place the balls on the baking sheet and sprinkle some cocoa powder over them.
• Bake for 15 minutes.
• When the baking process is complete, take out the baking sheet and let the cocoa puffs cool at room temperature for at least 15-20 minutes.
• After this, serve immediately or store them in an airtight container.

“a puffy raspberry pastry turns your stomach growls into pleasures”

If you’re a sucker for sweet pastries, this little raspberry delight is going to knock your socks off. The recipe itself is very easy-to-follow, and before the hour is gone, your kitchen will smell like sweet heaven.

Whether you have guests coming or you want to treat your close ones, the raspberry turnovers are a little heart-warming snack that will put everyone in a good mood.

The pastry itself is puffy and has a very light texture, while the raspberry filling is thick and has a very intense flavor. I found that apple juice is a wonderful addition that really enhances that tarty quality for which we all know and love the raspberries. The powdered sugar on top gives an extra sweet feeling before the juiciness kicks in, which is quite a powerful contrast, which I especially adore!

Everything that you’ll need for this recipe is one saucepan, baking sheet, parchment paper, and of course, the ingredients listed below.

The first step is to preheat the oven to around 180°C (350°F). While the oven is heating, you’ll make the raspberry filling and prepare the pastry turnovers for baking.

Start by adding the sugar and half of the raspberries in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir well until the sugar dissolves completely, and the raspberries soften became juicy, which is around 5 minutes.

Once the sugar is dissolved, stir in the apple juice, cornstarch, and the remaining raspberries. Mix everything well until all the ingredients fuse together, and all of the raspberries are melted. Make sure there are no lumps from the sugar.

You’ll begin to notice as you stir that the juice becomes thicker, so be careful not to overdo it. It actually depends on how you prefer the filling, so continue to cook for a couple of minutes and when it gets to a consistency you’re okay with, turn the stove off and set it aside to cool. I personally like it thinner, because it makes the pastry moister. However, if you like them drier, cook it for a minute or two longer.

Leave the filling aside while you unfold and cut the pastry into four equal squares. Usually, one packaging has two sheets of puff pastry inside, which means you’ll get eight raspberry turnovers. Brush the squares with melted butter and spoon the raspberry filling in the center of each square. Then, take one corner of each square and fold it diagonally to make triangles. Don’t forget to press the edges with a fork to seal the raspberry filling inside the pastry.

Finally, take a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Place all of your raspberry turnovers in the baking sheet and brush them again with melted butter, then sprinkle powdered sugar on top. This extra step will give them a very nice golden-brown shine and make them even sweeter. However, if you want your pastry lighter, you can simply skip this step.

Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven and let them cook for 20 minutes. When cooking is complete, let the goodies cool for at least 5-10 minutes at room temperature before serving. It will be hard, but don’t fall for the temptation as I don’t think a burned tongue can feel anything.

One raspberry turnover goes perfectly with a cup of coffee or a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 package puff pastry
• 350g (3 cups) of raspberries
• 3 tbsp cornstarch (in 2 tbsp of water)
• 2 tbsp brown sugar (optional: regular sugar)
• 2 tbsp butter (melted)
• 3 tbsp apple juice
• Powdered sugar (optional, to sprinkle on top

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Place half of the raspberries in a saucepan over medium heat and add 2tbsp of apple juice and the sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the raspberries soften (around 5 minutes).
• Add the remaining raspberries, cornstarch, and apple juice. Continue to cook until the juice begins to thicken. Stop when you reach your desired consistency.
• Set the raspberry filling aside.
• Unfold the puff pastry sheets and cut them into 4 equal squares. Brush each square with butter. Spoon the raspberry jam in the center of each square.
• Take one corner of each square and fold over to make triangles. Press gently on the edges to seal the pastry packets.
• Brush the raspberry turnovers with the remaining butter and sprinkle some powdered sugar (optional).
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the raspberry turnovers on it.
• Bake for 20 minutes until the pastries turn golden brown.
• Cool for 5-10 minutes at room temperature before serving.

“crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy from the inside”

Have you ever thought about eating chocolate brownies for breakfast? Most people would agree that although it sounds delightful, it would be very unhealthy. Brownies are the ultimate guilty pleasure we get to enjoy in moderation as a dessert snack or over an afternoon coffee. So, can we really enjoy guilt-free brownies for breakfast? Brownies, no, but a brownie batter waffles, hell yeah! With this tasty recipe, you’re getting that sweet, fudge-y, and chocolate-y brownie taste with a much lighter and airy waffle-like texture.

Best of all, you’ll only spend around 30 minutes making this delicious brownie batter waffles with strawberry syrup – works as a breakfast option or an afternoon snack! You’ll need a waffle iron, a saucepan (for the strawberry syrup), two mixing bowls, and a blender (optional). The blender helps smooth out the strawberry puree, but you can totally skip that step if you don’t have one.

Let’s cook those brownie waffles!

You can turn on the waffle iron right from the start so you don’t wait for it to heat after you’ve made the batter.

And, while the waffle iron heats, prepare the waffle batter by mixing together the flour, baking, powder, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and ground almonds in a large mixing bowl.

After this, gradually stir in the eggs, then the vanilla extract, butter, and milk. Stir until smooth and creamy. Once the butter and sugar are completely melted, you can start cooking the waffles.

Use ⅓ cup of the batter for each waffle if you have a 7-inch round waffle iron or similar.  Usually, you need to cook each waffle for around 5 minutes, but most waffle irons have a cooking progress indicator, so cook them as you would every other waffle.

Once the waffles are cooked, place them on a serving plate, and set them aside.

It’s time to prepare the strawberry sauce. Simply, take a medium-size saucepan and place it over medium to high heat. First, add the strawberries – make sure they’re well washed and chopped. After this, add the lemon juice, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir all the time because you can easily burn the ingredients.

If the sauce is too thick, add a little bit of water. Cook the strawberry mixture for around 10 minutes. When you notice that the strawberries are softened and start to break down, remove the saucepan from heat.

You have two options here. The first option is to transfer the mixture into a blender and pulse until smooth. The other option is to use a potato masher so you can easily mash the strawberries, then beat the mixture until smooth. Once you get the desired texture and consistency, simply pour over the served waffles and decorate with fresh strawberries. Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the brownie batter:

• ½ cup of all-purpose  flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup of cocoa powder
• ¼ cup of brown sugar
• ½ cup of ground almonds
• ¼ cup unsalted butter (cubed)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup of milk
• A pinch of salt

For the strawberry sauce:

• 2 cups strawberries
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• Take a large mixing bowl and whisk together the flour, baking, powder, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and ground almonds. Mix well the dry ingredients until fully combined.
• Gradually stir in the eggs, butter, vanilla extract, and milk.
• Beat the batter until smooth and creamy.
• Turn the waffle iron on and brush with vegetable oil.
• Pour ⅓ cup of the batter in the heated waffle iron and cook until done.
• Repeat the procedure for the remaining batter.
• Wash and chop the strawberries.
• Place a saucepan over medium to high heat, then add the strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir constantly.
• After 10 minutes, when the strawberries start to break down and the sugar is completely dissolved, remove from heat.
• Transfer the sauce into a blender and pulse in completely smooth (optional).
• Pour the strawberry syrup over the warm waffles and serve.

“the perfect company for every tv show, movie, or video game”

There are many ways you can make Doritos at home, but there are only a handful of recipes that can make homemade Doritos taste as good or even better than the real deal. I’ll toot my own horn and say that my homemade Doritos recipe is one of the crunchiest recipes out there with one-of-a-kind seasoning combination – which makes these Doritos practically irresistible.

I know I’m not the only one here when I say I don’t have control over myself when I’m eating chips. I just can’t stop, but then when I see the bag empty, I feel guilty! The additives, the number of calories… Oh, I’m getting a headache just thinking about it. So, making baked Doritos at home is one way to compensate for our control issues.

To make this recipe you’ll need half an hour, although your job in the kitchen is no more than 10 minutes. It’s a really easy-to-follow recipe that anyone can master.

You’ll need a baking dish, a mixing bowl, a saucepan, and all the ingredients listed below. Keep in mind that when it comes to seasoning, you can always add or remove some of the ingredients to better suit your taste.

To start, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

While the oven heats, take a large mixing bowl and combine the tomato powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Stir until all of the ingredients are well mixed. Set it aside.

After this, take a baking sheet, line it with parchment paper, and grease it with cooking oil. Set it aside.

Take the tortilla wraps and stack them in a pile. Using a big knife or a pizza cutter, cut the tortillas into three strips, then use zig-zag movements to cut each strip into small triangles.

Now that everything is ready, take a tortilla triangle, brush it with vegetable oil on both sides, then toss it into the bowl with seasonings until fully covered. After this, place it in the baking sheet.

Repeat the same process with the rest of the tortilla triangles. Once you get the hang of it, it’s a really fast process. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that the triangles shouldn’t overlap in the baking sheet, so they can bake completely and end up really crunchy.

When you’re done, simply place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Keep an eye on your Doritos, as you don’t want to burn them.

When they’re baked, take the tortilla chips out of the oven and leave them at room temperature so they can cool completely.

To resist the temptation to eat them while still hot, keep yourself busy with the cheesy dip that goes hand in hand with Doritos.

To make it, take a saucepan, place it over medium heat and stir in the half-and-half and corn starch. After a few minutes, when the mixture gets smooth, reduce the heat and fold in the cheese. Stir for a minute or two and remove from heat when the cheese melts.

Transfer the dip into a serving bowl and serve together with the cooled Doritos.

Enjoy them over your favorite TV show or a small gathering with your close friends and family!

Ingredients

• 5-6 corn tortillas
• Vegetable oil
• 1 cup half-and-half (half milk/half cream)
• 1 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 2 tsp dried tomato powder
• 1 ½ tsp chili powder
• 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Take a large mixing bowl and combine the tomato powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Stir well, until all of the ingredients are well combined. Set aside.
• Stack the tortilla wraps in a pile and cut them into four stripes. After this cut each stripe into triangles using zig-zag movements.
• Take a baking sheet, line it with parchment paper, and spray with cooking oil.
• Brush a triangle with vegetable oil on both sides, then toss and turn into the bowl with mixed seasonings until fully covered. Finally, place it on the baking sheet.
• Repeat the same procedure with each tortilla triangle. Be careful not to overlap the triangles in the baking sheet.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
• Check the chips every five minutes – make sure they don’t burn.
• After baking, let the tortilla chips cool at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the cheese dip.
• Take a saucepan and stir in the half-and-half with the corn starch.
• Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the mixture boils.
• Once the mixture is smooth (4-5 minutes), reduce the heat and stir in the cheese.
• Cook for a minute or two until the cheese melts completely.
• Transfer the cheese dip into a small serving bowl and serve together with the freshly made Doritos.

“a crispy chocolate bite that melts in your mouth”

It’s well known that chocolate chip cookies are the most popular and loved sweet snack in the world. So, it doesn’t come as a surprise that there are many recipes and variations to the traditional formula that all claim to be the best chocolate chip cookies recipe.

However, I believe it all comes down to personal preference. For example, just when I thought I’d tried every recipe out there, I found yet another way to make mouthwatering chocolate chip cookies using greek yogurt. Have you ever cooked cookie dough with greek yogurt? Trust me, it makes super soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies. Best of all, the yogurt makes the cookie formula healthier.

Greek yogurt is sometimes used as a substitute for butter (like in this recipe) in order to reduce fat, while still keeping the cookie moist and soft. It will add a rich tangy flavor, plus all the health benefits that come with it. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that too much yogurt and too little flour can result in soggy cookies, so don’t be shy on the flour. Also, don’t beat the dough too much! Mixing too much can make the cookies rise and then sink in the oven, and we don’t want that!

To make this Greek yogurt chocolate chip cookies recipe, you’ll need a baking sheet, parchment paper, and two mixing bowls. The preparation and baking time are 10 minutes each, which means in 20 minutes, you’ll have fresh-out-of-the-oven delicious treats. So, let’s see just how ridiculously easy this recipe is.

The first step is to preheat the oven to (180°C) 350°F.

After this, take a large mixing bowl and combine the brown sugar, butter, shortening, and eggs. Next, stir in the vanilla extract and Greek yogurt. Be careful not to overmix the batter. Stir slightly, just until the ingredients are combined.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in another mixing bowl and gradually stir it in the batter. Beat very lightly just until the dough gets a little dense. If it’s too sticky, add a little bit of flour.

Set the dough aside while you prepare the baking sheet. Line parchment paper over the baking sheet and grease it with cooking oil or melted butter.

After this, take a tablespoon and scoop from the dough, then drop it in one corner of the baking sheet. Repeat the same procedure and spread cookie dough drops all over the baking sheet. Just keep in mind that the dough is going to rise and spread while baking, so don’t place them too close to one another.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Pull the rack a bit and check whether the cookies are done. Touch the edges just slightly with a spatula or your finger. If the cookies are firm and stay in place, then they’re done. If the edges still feel a little soft on the touch, then let them bake for 3-5 minutes more.

Once the cookies are done baking, let them cool on a rack for about 20 minutes, or until they reach room temperature. I know it will be hard to resist the temptation, but the waiting is worth it! Never store warm cookies, as you’ll lose the crunchiness. The cookies will go soft and will feel gooey while eating.

Keep yourself busy while the cookies cool, then serve and enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 2 cups of chocolate chips
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup of plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup of shortening
• 1 ½ cup of brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to (180°C) 350°F.
• Cream together the brown sugar, butter, shortening, and eggs in a large mixing bowl.
• Stir in the greek yogurt and vanilla extract. Mix lightly until just combined. Don’t beat the batter too much.
• Take another small mixing bowl and mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the batter while stirring. Once you add the flour beat very lightly.
• Finally, fold in the chocolate chips and set aside.
• Take a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Grease with cooking oil.
• Use a tablespoon to scoop up from the dough and drop it on the baking sheet.
• Leave enough space between the drops of cookie dough because they’ll grow while baking.
• Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Place the cookies on wire racks to let them cool completely. It usually takes around 20 minutes at room temperature.
• Serve and enjoy.

“an extremely fudgy bite that simply melts in your mouth”

I know how frustrating it can be to see all these amazing chocolate brownie recipes and not be able to try them because of your diet. Gluten is the major protein in flour, which means it can be hard for people that are on a gluten-free diet. Whatever your reason is for avoiding flour, this flourless dark chocolate brownie recipe is here to show you that everything is okay, and you can still enjoy the same delicious food like everyone else – only healthier and if you let me argue, even tastier.

It’s a simple recipe that produces around 8 to 10 extremely fudgy and soft chocolaty brownies that melt in your mouth. I used raw cocoa powder as a topping, but if you don’t like the bitter touch of raw cocoa, you can skip it or make a hot chocolate fudge to pour over each brownie.

Yes, the baking process takes around 40 minutes, but your job is done in five minutes tops.

Start by preheating the oven to 180°C (350°F). After this, take a large microwave-safe bowl and mix together the chocolate chips and butter. Microwave them for 2 minutes. Be careful when taking the bowl out of the microwave, because it will be hot. Stir again and check if the chocolate chips are fully melted. There should be no lumps.

Slowly and gradually stir in the eggs, then the sugar, vanilla powder, and only half of the cocoa powder. Beat the batter until you get a smooth but dense consistency. Set the bowl aside.

Prepare the baking sheet by lining a parchment paper and greasing it with cooking oil or melted butter. Then, simply fill it with the batter you’ve just made. Make sure the batter spreads evenly in the baking sheet.

Let it bake for around 30 to 35 minutes.

Once the brownies are baked, take the baking sheet out of the oven and let it chill at room temperature. Spatter the remaining cocoa powder over the brownie dough in a thin layer.

Don’t cut the brownies while they’re still hot or warm. First, let them cool completely. You’ll know they’re ready for cutting and serving when you stick a toothpick in the dough, and it comes out clean. Usually, it takes around 10 to 15 minutes.

Finally, carefully cut the brownies into equal pieces and serve two pieces in one serving plate. Decorate with fresh fruit or a scoop of ice-cream. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 cup of dark chocolate chips
• ½ unsalted butter
• 3 eggs
• ½  cup of brown sugar
• 1 cup of cocoa powder
• 2 tsp vanilla powder
• A pinch of salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Take a microwave-safe bowl and combine the butter with the chocolate chips. Microwave for 2 minutes. Stir well once you remove the bowl from the microwave.
• Gradually stir in the eggs, then the sugar, vanilla powder, and half of the cocoa powder. Mix until the batter is smooth and there are no lumps.
• Take an 8×8-inch baking dish, line it with parchment paper, and spray it with cooking oil.
• Pour the batter into the baking sheet until it has filled the sheet evenly.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
• Once the brownies are baked, remove them from the oven and let them cool at room temperature for at least 10 to 15 minutes.
• Use the rest of the cocoa powder to sprinkle it over the freshly baked brownies.
• Carefully cut the brownies into squares and serve.