Category: Dessert

Cinnamon Swirl Challah Bread Pudding

A Slice of Heaven

Ah, the heavenly aroma of sweet challah baking in the oven.  The cinnamon sugar mixture bubbling on top.  Maybe your challah has raisins or chopped apples, or a cinnamon streusel draped over the braided beauty.  But here’s a thought for you.  When the holidays are over – when your Sukkah is stashed away for the season, what on earth do you do with all that leftover challah?

Sure you could turn it into French Toast.  But that takes too long.  Or maybe dice them up and bake them into croutons.  So, uh, you can have cinnamon challah croutons in your Caesar salad?  Nope, I have a better idea.

Take that French Toast idea and make it into a casserole.  Behold, Cinnamon Swirl Challah Bread Pudding! Here, take this napkin to wipe the drool from your chin. 🙂

Let’s be honest, bread pudding is a carb-o-load to the MAX, so this is definitely not keto-friendly (unless that is, if you’re using a low-carb bread to start with). So one piece is really the serving size here. Trust me, this is not a delicate or light dish (and when I say “trust me”, what I mean by that is I used my husband as the taste-tester for this).

Leftovers to the Rescue!

I got the idea after defrosting a challah from the freezer and well, sadly, it tasted a little like freezer burn.  Clearly that won’t get your taste buds salivating, but I went the lazy-girl’s way.  All you do to make this bread paradise is cube up leftover challah, and make a custard, pour it on top and bake.  Like I said, lazy-girl’s version of French Toast, but in casserole form! Genius, I KNOW! And if you look closely, you can see those perfect cinnamon swirls throughout.  Ah, the perfect bite. No more freezer burn taste here!

One side note – my husband mentioned that this bread pudding would be great with some maple syrup on top – or something to “glaze” it.  I didn’t have a photo to share on this post with the glaze, but it’s simple to make! Just a few tablespoons of powdered sugar added with some almond milk (and add in some vanilla extract too), until it gets thick and gooey. Drizzle on top and there ya have it (detailed instructions are in the recipe below).

But beware!  This bread pudding will make your entire household smell undeniably delicious – with an intoxicating aroma of cinnamon and sugar.  If you’re feeling creative, add in some (dairy-free) chocolate chips, or some diced apples, or some dried apricots.  Not that you need a reason to stuff this bread pudding with anymore sugar, but why not.  It’s kugel, gone wild! Or, as I like to say, “leftovers” that are now “makeovers”!  Enjoy!

Yet again, this holiday season is upon us, so here we go again – Chag Sameach dear readers, from your team at Meat Your Vegetables!

 

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Cinnamon Swirl Challah Bread Pudding
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 cups Almond Milk Or use any dairy-free milk you have around
  • 2 tbsp. Coconut Oil, plus more for greasing the pan
  • 1 tsp. Maple Extract Or use Vanilla!
  • 1/3 cup Swerve Brown Sugar Substitute Or use regular brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 Pinch Salt
  • 1/2 Loaf Sweet challah bread, cut into 2-inch cubes You want to fill the pan but not overcrowd it - this will make about 6 cups
  • 2 Eggs, beaten
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F. and grease a 4-6 cup baking dish with coconut oil

  2. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the almond milk, coconut oil, extract, brown sugar and salt. Continue whisking until coconut oil is mixed in and melted; cool.

  3. The mixture will start to separate while it's cooling - that's okay. While whisking the slightly cooled milk, add in the beaten eggs and whisk until combined (otherwise if you just pour it in and don't whisk, you'll end up with clumpy scrambled eggs)!

  4. Pour the mixture over the cubed bread immediately. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until custard is set but still a little wobbly and edges have slightly browned.

  5. Serve warm or at room temp. You can also serve this with a glaze on top - simply mix a few tablespoons of powdered sugar and add in a few teaspoons at a time of almond milk (and add a splash of vanilla), until you get a thick glaze consistency - pour over top and devour!

Sea Salt Caramel Creme Brulee

Happy Sukkot ya’ll!  I am SO excited to share this new recipe and it’s so easy and so insanely delish, you’ll want to make it ASAP. I got the idea for this Sea Salt Caramel Creme Brulee from non other than Greg, my Lyft driver from a few days ago. Well, sort of. 🙂

Some Backstory first…

Ellie and I flew back from Kansas City on Wednesday after the first days of YomTov and took a Lyft home.  The nicest driver – so sweet and funny and eager to talk about food (my kind of dude)! He mentioned the Instagram handle “Tasty” and how he uses that profile for tons of recipe ideas and proceeded to give me a few pointers along the ride home. Yup, I knew what he was talking about – it’s the BuzzFeed food handle and duh, I was already a follower.  Turns out, he got that idea in my head, so I spent some time (not too long, luckily) scrolling through the feed – and this creme brulee came up.

Now, because I’m fancy AF (or so I pretend to be), creme brulee is one of my all time favorite desserts.  What’s not to love about dipping your spoon into the crispy sugary crust that shatters on top of luscious, creamy custard underneath?  OMG, it’s the best. But how would I made this decadent dessert sugar-free and low-carb? Ah, check out the recipe to see how I put my own spin on it!

But really folks, this recipe is so ridiculously easy, you’ll have everyone fooled. No custard to make from scratch because you have the power of prepared ice cream.  Yup, I said it. Ice cream. I prefer the Halo Top light ice creams that are low-carb and keto-friendly, or Enlightened makes a good ice cream too.

But the best part? You can use dairy-free too to make this oh-so-perfect for your Shabbat or YomTov meal. There are truly not enough words to describe how insanely rich and comforting this dessert it. Believe me, you’ll find every excuse to whip up this showstopper every chance you can get.

Enjoy and Chag Sukkot Sameach everyone!

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Sea Salt Caramel Creme Brulee
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
51 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Servings: 1 serving
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup Ice Cream I used the Sea Salt Caramel Halo Top but honestly, you can use literally ANY type of ice cream and flavor you'd like!
  • 1/4 tsp Maple Extract You can use vanilla extract too - I just like the extra boost of flavor this brigs to this ice cream flavor
  • 1 Egg Yolk Save the whites for making meringue!
  • 1 tbsp Swerve, Sugar substitute Or use regular sugar-in-the-raw, in this case
  • 1 cup Hot water
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 325F

  2. Scoop out the ice cream in a bowl and microwave for about 1 min, until melted

  3. Mix the ice cream until there are no lumps and let it cool for about 5 minutes

  4. Separate the egg white and yolk and whisk in the egg yolk into the ice cream mixture

  5. Pour the mixture into a ramekin and place in a pie dish or other deep pan

  6. Pour the hot (not boiling) water in the pan until it comes up halfway up the side of the ramekin

  7. Bake for 45 minutes until the top is golden brown and the center is no longer jiggly in the middle

  8. Let it cool in the fridge for about 2 hours minimum

  9. After it's cooled, sprinkle the Swerve or sugar-in-the-raw on top and broil for about 6 minutes, being careful not to burn the top

  10. Serve warm, room temp, or cold - would be great with berries and whipped cream too!

  11. Optional: Dust with some powdered sugar on top!

Cocoa Nib Biscotti

My Happy Place

Does reading cookbooks make you happy like it does for me?  I could spend hours flipping through the pages, imagining how I could put my own spin on the recipes.

A few weeks ago, I came across Laura Frankel’s “Jewish Cooking for All Seasons” that was tucked away in my bookshelf.  The recipe that stood out to me was her Cocoa Nib Biscotti – and I decided THIS was one I was going to recreate.

Crunchy Goodness

What the heck are these cocoa nibs exactly?  Well, they’re small pieces of crushed up cocoa beans – think unsweetened chocolate chips. After the cocoa is harvested, they’re fermented then “cracked” into these small pieces, a.k.a. cocoa nibs!

They have a chocolately but slightly bitter flavor. I happen to love mixing them into yogurt, maybe with some almond butter and berries, but if you’re not used to the bitterness, make sure to add some sweetness to balance it out.

The “Rachel” Version

Full disclosure – not all recipes can be easily swapped for almond flour with the regular all-purpose flour.  But I decided to try it out and lo and behold, it worked! It was delicious, but not TOO hard and crunchy. You know when you have to dip your biscotti into hot coffee because you could risk breaking a tooth?  No worries here, because these turned out with the perfect texture.  They would also be delicious with shredded coconut, or swapping the vanilla extract for maple extract! And of course, if you don’t want to hunt for cocoa nibs (I get mine at Whole Foods), use chocolate chips, or sliced almonds instead. 🙂

As the weather starts to get colder (I know, it saddens me that summer is leaving us), these are a great option for a dessert, or maybe for your Rosh Hashanah table, as a nice break from the traditional honey cake.  Or when the weather gets REALLY cold, by all means – dunk those in a big mug of hot chocolate and get cozy.  Hello, comfort food!

And of course, thank you to Laura for the inspiration.  Enjoy!

________________________________________________________________

Check out some more dessert recipes from MYV!

Lemon Coconut Almond Cake

Coffee Coconut Date Balls

Chocolate Avocado Pudding (trust me, it’s GOOD)

Dairy-free Maple Cinnamon Custard

Almond Butter Snickerdoodles

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Cocoa Nib Biscotti
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 cups Almond flour
  • 3/4 cup Sugar (or sugar substitute, like Swerve or Stevia)
  • 1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
  • 3 Large eggs
  • 1 Lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1 cup Cocoa nibs (or just use chocolate chips if you prefer)
  • 1/4 tsp + 1 pinch Ground cinnamon
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

  2. Place all ingredients except the cocoa nibs in a large bowl and mix with either a wooden spoon, or using a hand mixer, blend until dough comes together

  3. Add in the cocoa nibs and mix until combined

  4. Shape into a loaf and score into 1/2 inch thick slices (or as many slices as you prefer)

  5. Bake for 30 minutes until starting to get lightly golden brown

  6. Slice the biscotti and place each slice back on the baking sheet

  7. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top and bake for another 10 minutes until crispy and golden brown

Lemon Coconut Almond Cake

Lemon Coconut Almond Cake!

Happy Sunday and hope you all are enjoying a great Memorial Day weekend! Even though tomorrow is most commonly a day of BBQ’s, beach and a day off, we observe this day to remember and honor the fallen who have served our country so bravely.  Just some food for thought on this holiday weekend… 🙂

No lacking of deliciousness here

And now, back to the food!  I’m always looking to create easy recipes and this Lemon Coconut Almond Cake would be a perfect ending to your picnic or BBQ – maybe even with some dairy-free vanilla ice cream on top!  It’s pretty clear that I LOVE this combination of lemon and coconut (hopefully you’re not sick of it yet)! I love that this cake is dairy-free, gluten-free, and keto-friendly and no special equipment required.  Just a mixing bowl, a pie pan and an oven.  And while it may be hot and sticky where you are (though it’s been chilly and rainy here in Chicago since, uh, March) yes this recipe requires baking, but don’t worry, I have plenty more summer-friendly no-bake recipes coming your way soon!

The “M” word

Now, the only way to really describe how delicious this cake is, is to use the “M” word.  My family is probably laughing hysterically reading this, but you know… that word that starts with “m” as you describe the non-dryness of cake?  Honestly, it’s my least favorite word, but I get it – there’s just no other word that truly describes the inside of the cake (words like “drenched” or “water-logged” are hilariously no-go’s for the description), but here goes nothing.  This cake is moist.  There, I said it!  (ugh shake it off, Rachel, just shake it off…)

Husband approval?

I like to have my husband try out my recipes, especially gluten-free goodies, because he’s definitely not without his opinions.  Usually, gluten-free baked goods can be crumbly and dry, but this is quite the opposite!  It has a sweet, crunchy topping, almost like a glaze because of the caramelized sugar on top and the cake holds together quite nicely – so much so that you can pick it up and eat it with your hands!

Easy peasy, lemon cake squeezy!

I found a version of this recipe in a keto cookbook by Warrior Made I have, but I like the addition of the lemon extract, instead of the almond extract (or use vanilla if you have that on hand). As my husband said, “the lemon gives it a nice tartness but not too overpowering”.  Holla, I’ll take that compliment!

Don’t have any extract on hand?  Use fresh lemons instead!  Out of coconut oil?   Use real butter if you have it!  And if you use butter, maybe serve this for Shavuot instead of your BBQ, since the dairy version would be a perfect, lighter ending to your Shavuot meal.  Not that there is anything wrong with ending a meal with cheesecake. 🙂

Enjoy!  And Happy Weekend ya’ll!

PS – want to try some similar recipes? Check out my lemon blueberry crumb cake on my other blog, riskyveggie!

 

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Lemon Coconut Almond Cake
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup Almond flour
  • 1/4 cup Unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/4 tsp Lemon extract
  • 2/3 cup Sugar (or sugar substitute like Swerve)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 4 Eggs
  • 1/2 cup Coconut oil, melted
  • 1/8 cup Brown sugar (or brown sugar substitute, like Swerve)
  • 1/8 cup Sliced almonds
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.

  2. Grease a 9-inch pie pan and line with parchment paper

  3. In a bowl, mix all ingredients except the brown sugar sweetener and sliced almonds and stir until combined and no lumps remain

  4. Pour the batter into the pan

  5. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar sweetener and sliced almonds together and sprinkle on top

  6. Bake for 35-40 min, or until golden brown

  7. Let the cake cool for about 20 minutes, slice and serve. Would be delish with vanilla ice cream!

Lemon Coconut Halva Cookies

Halva – the Rachel way!

There is something so comforting about Halva.  That rich, decadent dessert made with tahini (ground sesame seeds), butter and sugar. Cue the drooling, and welcome to my no-bake creamy, lemon coconut halva cookies!

When I lived in Israel for a year after High School, I remember walking through the Shuk (the market) and seeing rows of halva everywhere – the perfect Shabbat treat.  Just because I’m not in Israel doesn’t mean we can’t have delicious Halva!  And granted, I’m sure you can find it at your local kosher market, but these little cookie balls are inspired by Halva, my way. 🙂

These turn out more of a candy nougat instead of cookies, but they’re no-bake, gluten-free, vegan AND keto-friendly!  Lately I’ve been given you, our dear readers, a lot of no-bake goodies, and why not?  There’s no harm in giving you incredibly easy and approachable recipes that you can really wow your guests with, but they don’t need to know that it took you only 15 minutes to make! Let them think you’re a gourmet chef after all!

My Inspiration!

I have to give kudos to my sister Melissa for part of the inspiration.  She has been into making these sesame seed cookies lately (also gluten-free) and made with no refined sugar.  So this is a nod to your current cookie love, Mel!

Tahini definitely doesn’t get as much love as it should get, in my opinion. There’s definitely more to this roasted sesame seed butter than just adding to homemade hummus, or drizzling on your falafel! It’s a great low-carb seed butter (alternative to nut butter), plus it can be used as a base for both savory and sweet dishes.  Hence, the power of a delicious Halva.

And per my usual rant, feel free to change up the flavors.  I found a keto-friendly recipe online that used butter, so by all means! I personally loved the flavors that the tahini, coconut and that sweet, tangy lemon (ya’ll know how much I love a burst of bright acidity) bring together, but these would be great with some chocolate chips, some chopped pecans, unsweetened shredded coconut or even some blueberries! Have fun with it and go ahead, play with your food!

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Lemon Coconut Halva Cookies
Prep Time
15 mins
Freeze
1 hr
Total Time
2 hrs
 
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Tahini Make sure the oil hasn't separated; if it does, just mix it thoroughly. I love using the Whole Foods 365 brand since there is less oil that's separated, and easier to mix.
  • 1/2 cup *Confectioners Swerve (sugar alternative) Or use regular powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup Coconut oil, softened
  • 2 tbsp Lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp Lemon extract, optional
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp White sesame seeds Toasted, optional
  • 3 tbsp Black sesame seeds Optional
Instructions

  1. Add the tahini, coconut oil, lemon juice, extract (if using), Swerve, salt and cinnamon into a large bowl and mix until fully combined.

  2. Using your hands or a mini ice cream scoop, measure about 3 tbsp of dough and flatten using your hands, to form a "cookie" (or you can leave in a "ball" shape).  

  3. Totally optional, but if you'd like, take the white sesame seeds and toast in a dry skillet on medium heat for about 1 minute - make sure not to burn them.

  4. Sprinkle the black and white sesame seeds on top of the cookies and freeze until solid. You might have to "pat" them into the cookies so they stick better! These would also be great with finely ground unsweetened coconut on top too!

  5. Because these cookies have coconut oil, they will soften/melt once they get to room temp (depending on the temperature), so make sure they are frozen or chilled in the fridge before serving.  

*This post contains affiliate links. We at MYV (Meat Your Vegetables) earn a small commission if you purchase an item through one of those links, which allows us to continue bringing you great tasting food!  Cheers to that!

Gingerbread Hamantashen With Pumpkin Pie Filling

Gingerbread Pumpkin Pie HamantashenThe holiday of Purim will be here soon and that means one thing around here, hamantashen.  Hamantashen are triangular cookies usually filled with jam or jelly. They are meant to resemble the ear or hat of the antagonist from the Purim story, Haman. As I have stated in the past, I am not a baker.  Ask me to roast a big honking piece of meat, no problem, saute some vegetables, I can do that, but cookies and cakes are just not my speed. I usually leave the baking to my lovely wife, Ronit. Don’t get me wrong, I love eating baked goods of all sorts, but making them is just not my thing. That being said Purim wouldn’t be the same without hamantashen, so I stepped out of my comfort zone and gave it a shot.

As much as I love a good sugar cookie style hamantashen with a jam filling, for this recipe I wanted a hamantashen that was a little different.  I also wanted something with contrast and a pop of color. It’s still pretty cold in Chicago, so I was drawn to the warmer flavors of ginger and cinnamon and winter squash. Gingerbread seemed like an obvious choice with its dark color and strong flavor.  A pumpkin pie filling gives these hamantashen textural and chromatic contrast. The idea was also inspired by the fact that my kids are going through a Harry Potter phase which is the theme for our costumes and mishloach manot. Pumpkin seems to a recurring culinary theme in the wizarding world so I figured why not. Let us know what your favorite flavor hamantashen is in the comment.

Gingerbread Pumpkin Pie Hamantashen Recipe

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Gingerbread Pumpkin Pie Hamantashen
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Gingerbread Hamantashen With Pumpkin Pie Filling
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Resting Time
1 hr
Total Time
30 mins
 

A little something different than your average jelly filled hamantashen. The darker colored dough with the bright orange filling gives these some great visual appeal and the the warm flavor profile of the ginger and cinnamon really makes them pop in the flavor department.

Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Holiday, Jewish
Keyword: Hamantashen
Servings: 36 Pieces
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Dough
  • 5 Cups Flour
  • 1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
  • 4 Large Eggs
  • 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Cup Molasses
  • 2 tbsp Ground Ginger
  • 1 tbsp Ground Clove
  • 2 tbsp Cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp Nutmeg
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 cup Water
Filling
  • 1 Large Butternut Squash
  • 1/4 tbsp Real Maple Syrup Not pancake syrup
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Ground Ginger
  • 1 tbsp Nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp Cinnamon
Special Equipment
  • 3" Round Pastry Ring or Cookie Cutter
  • Stand Mixer With whisk and dough hook attachments
  • Cookie Sheet
  • Parchment Paper
  • Aluminum Foil
Instructions
Dough

  1. Using your stand mixer with the whisk attached beat together the eggs, vanilla, molasses, oil, and brown sugar until thoroughly combined

  2. Switch to the dough hook and add the flour, salt, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Mix on low until the dough starts to come together. It should look like small pebbles at this point.

  3. Slowly start adding the water a little bit at a time until the dough starts to come together. It should take about a 1/4 cup but you may need a little more or less. Once it comes together, stop adding water and let it mix a little longer until it forms a smooth ball.

  4. Wrap in plastic and rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Filling

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Using a heavy serrated knife cut the squash in half the long way and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle on the maple syrup and then sprinkle on the salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

  2. Put the two halves back together and wrap in foil.  Bake until soft, about 90 minutes.

  3. Allow the squash to cool and the scoop out the flesh from the skin using a large metal spoon. Using a fork or a potato masher, mash until you achieve the desired consistency.  If the mixture seems a bit wet feel free to drain out some of the liquid.

Final Assembly and Baking

  1. Roll out your dough about 1/4" thick and cut 3" rounds. Place a 1 teaspoon of your filling in the middle and fold the edges up in to a triangle.

  2. Place the hamantashen on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake until they start to brown on the edges, about 10 minutes. Allow the hamantashen to cool and serve or wrap and freeze.

Ok now that the baking is done I am going to go smoke a brisket.  While I do that don’t forget to check out Rachel’s latest hamantaschen recipe: Blackberry Cheesecake Hamantashen! or some of our other hamantaschen recipes:

Purim: Texas Chili With Cowboy Candy Hamantaschen

Not one, but TWO healthy Hamantaschen!

Barbecue Chicken Hamantaschen

Low carb lemon poppyseed coconut hamantaschen

Happy Tu BiShvat! Coffee Coconut Date Balls

Happy Tu BiShvat, a.k.a. Rosh Hashanah for the trees!  In honor of this special New Year, why not challenge Daniel to an ingredient showdown and feature one of the 7 species – the humble date!  No, I’m not talking about a romantic walk on the beach or a candlelight dinner with your boo, but rather the sweet and sticky dessert-like treat that is native to Israel (sorry, I couldn’t help it)!  Dates are so versatile and they can be used in both savory and sweet treats!

So while Daniel may be whipping up something deliciously decadent and laden with meat (obviously), I’m going old school.  This was one of the first recipes I developed for my other (food and fashion) blog riskyveggie.com.  It’s been such a favorite among my readers and fellow food-eaters that I’ve done different versions of it over the years as well (mocha chocolate chip date balls, poppy-seed vanilla date balls – you name it)!  But time and time again, I always come back to this classic.

This is the dessert treat that I’m known to make for a family with a new baby – since it’s the perfect bite for nursing mothers!  My friend Joy had a baby a few years ago and of course I made her and her family a feast of a dinner and included a batch of these date balls.  She emailed me immediately and said it was the perfect middle-of-the-night bite when she needed some sustenance as she nurses her newborn at 3 a.m.  Granted, you can always omit the coffee, though it’s not a lot in the whole batch but if you are sensitive to it, just don’t include it!  What’s great too is that this recipe is so versatile and a great base for making it your own.  Sometimes I add cinnamon or maybe a scoop of vanilla protein powder or vanilla extract.  Sometimes I mix up the different coffee flavors!  And I might even add a few tablespoons of raw cocoa powder to amp up the richness of these bites of heaven.

My favorite part is how little time it takes to whip up a batch.  Add your ingredients into a food processor, roll them into balls, dust with coconut, freeze or refrigerate on wax paper until firm.  That’s it.  No oven to pre-heat or dough to make, or waiting for the dough to rise, or even a gazillion steps or ingredients.  But probably my FAV part about making these?  Even my picky-eating husband is a fan.

L’chaim to that! 🙂

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Coffee Coconut Date Balls
Prep Time
20 mins
Freez
2 hrs
Total Time
22 mins
 
Servings: 20 Date Balls
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Dates I like Deglet Noor - they're softer and they come pitted in a big container from Costco (make your prep so much easier)
  • 2/3 cup Nuts Any type you have on hand is good - I like to mix it up between pecans, almonds, walnuts and cashews
  • 2 tbsp Ground Coffee I don't mind using ground coffee in this recipe but you could always add some cold brew or cooled coffee
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup Unsweetened Dairy-Free milk I like using almond milk
  • 1 cup, divided into 1/2 cups Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
  • 1 pinch Sea salt
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract Optional (or you could do maple extract which would be delish)
Instructions

  1. Add the nuts into the bowl of a food processor and grind until finely ground (don't over-process or you'll end up with nut butter).

  2. Add the dates, 1/2 cup of coconut coconut, nut milk, cinnamon, coffee, vanilla (if using) and salt.

  3. Pulse until the mixture comes together kind of like a sticky dough.  Check the consistency to make sure it's dry enough to roll into a ball but not too sticky where it won't form.  

  4. Using a mini ice cream scoop, form the mixture into small balls and roll in the other 1/2 cup of shredded coconut.

  5. Place on a sheet of wax paper and freeze for 2 hours until firm or you can set them in the fridge.  If it's warm outside, it'll take a bit longer to set up, but they'll still be firm enough to eat.  I like mine frozen so I keep some there, anytime I need to deliver a batch of these date balls!

Don’t forget to check out Daniel’s Tu BiShvat date recipe: Mergez Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Beef Bacon

 

Dairy-free Maple Cinnamon Custard

I have to give credit where it’s due, so I found this original recipe in “Easy Dairy-Free Ketogenic Recipes” by Maria Emmerich – it was so easy to follow, I just tweaked it a tiny bit to make it my own.  I adjusted the flavors a bit and the cooking time and temp and I’m happy with how these turn out.  And I love that you can adjust the flavors as you like!  You could add in lemon zest and juice for a lemon custard topped with a fresh lemon slice for a pretty presentation, or add in some fresh blueberries Dairy-free maple cinnamon custardor raspberries for a fresh springtime berry custard.  YASSS!

So thank you Maria for the original recipe, I’m obsessed!  SO obsessed in fact that I made a batch last Shabbos as a “last minute” dessert (I mean, it’s just my husband and me, who exactly am I trying to impress here?).

Needless to say, if you’re a big dairy or cheesecake fanatic, Shavuot is always the holiday for you! And being a pescetarian, it’s nice to opt out of a heavy meat meal.  But when you want a break from too much dairy, and want to opt for something a big lighter – and something that won’t spike your blood sugar, check out these custards!  And I just love the presentation with the ramekins (you can always pick some up at the Dollar Store I’m sure, or you may be able to find disposable foil ramekins too).

Wishing you all a Chag Sameach!

xoxo

Rachel

PS – how adorable is this vintage-style bird serving tray? I got it years ago at Macy’s and I love it so much!! It’s such a cute presentation for a Shavuos meal!

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dairy-free maple cinnamon custard
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 


Servings: 4 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups dairy-free milk, such as almond milk I like the brand Califia Farms
  • 1/2 cup Swerve granulated style you can use regular sugar if you prefer
  • 1 tbsp maple extract I like the brand Fronteir - you can find it at Whole Foods or on Amazon
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tbsp (plus more) Swerve, confectioners style
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.  Spray 4 ramekins with coconut oil spray or coat the ramekins with a little bit of coconut oil using your hands (just so it doesn't stick as much) and place on a baking sheet.

  2. Add all ingredients except the Swerve powdered sugar to a blender and blend for 10-15 seconds until fully mixed.

  3. Pour in the custard into each ramekin and carefully place in the oven.

  4. Bake for 20 minutes or until the center is no longer jiggly in the middle.

  5. Wait until cool enough to handle (about 20 minutes) and dust with the powdered Swerve. 

  6. Serve, warm or cool.  And try it topped with whipped cream or whipped coconut cream!

Don’t forget to check out Daniel’s Shavuot recipe: Cream of Potato Zucchini Soup