Tag: vanilla

Categories
Dessert

In July, heat-proof desserts are a ‘pine’ of the times

These pineapples bars feature a buttery, crispy crust on the bottom, topped with a sweet filling, perfect for a hot summer afternoon.
These pineapples bars feature a buttery, crispy crust on the bottom, topped with a sweet filling, perfect for a hot summer afternoon.

I find that the toughest time of year to make desserts is summer.

If it’s a particularly good recipe, I’m willing to heat up my kitchen by using my oven, but my problem is how the dessert will travel with the heat. And if the event I’m taking my dessert to happens to be outdoors, I struggle with finding something that will stay stable in 90-degree weather.

That rules out anything cold.

Or anything that melts.

But with an invitation to a July 4 outdoor gathering, I decided it was time to get busy and find something that looked delicious.

And that’s how I landed on something that, yes, did heat up my kitchen but was absolutely worth it for the pay off of a great summertime treat.

This recipe comes from the blog “Averie Cooks,” authored by Averie Sunshine. You can find her original post at https://www.averiecooks.com/tropical-escape-soft-pineapple-crumble-bars. I added extra vanilla to my version.

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Pineapple Bars

These pineapples bars feature a buttery, crispy crust on the bottom, topped with a sweet filling, perfect for a hot summer afternoon.
Course Dessert
Keyword bars, butter, non-fat Greek yogurt, pineapple, pineapple chunks, summer dessert, tropical dessert, vanilla

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 5.3 ounce cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 20 ounces pineapple chunks in juice drained, but save the juice and use it for something fun

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Prepare an eight-by-eight-inch pan by lining it with foil and then spraying it lightly with cooking spray.
  • For the crust, add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl, and cut it together with a pastry cutter or a couple of forks until everything is well combined and is a bit crumbly.
  • Set aside 3/4 cup of the crust mixture, and press the rest evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan. Bake it for 10 minutes.
  • While the crust bakes, add the egg, sugar, yogurt, vanilla and flour to the same mixing bowl, and beat until it is smooth and creamy. Set it aside.
  • When the crust is done, pull it out of the oven and carefully line the entire bottom with pineapple chunks. Leave just a smidgeon of room between each chunk for the filling to get into.
  • Pour the filling evenly over the top of the pineapple, and then evenly sprinkle the reserved crust mixture over the top.
  • Bake for another 35 minutes or until the edges are set and the top is just starting to brown.
  • Let the bars cool before slicing them and serving them. Store the bars in an airtight container.

These were fabulous.

Actually, I shouldn’t say “these,” since I only actually got to eat one of them myself. The rest were reduced to crumbs in my container before the night was over.

That’s not a complaint. I would rather spread the calories out over many friends than have them all end up with me.

Regardless, the crust on the bottom was buttery and crisp, and the pineapples were sweet and perfect for a summer afternoon.

And these bars did great out in the heat. The only thing I didn’t plan for? A sudden deluge of rain just after we put everything on the dessert table. It was a good thing I had a lid at the ready.

I guess you can’t prepare for everything when it comes to dessert and a Kansas summer.

This piece first appeared in print July 10, 2025.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Cookies Dessert

Earn brownie points with your friends with these awesome cookies

Brownie cookies are soft and chocolaty with a little crunch from mini M&Ms. They’re a great cookie to share with friends.
Brownie cookies are soft and chocolaty with a little crunch from mini M&Ms. They’re a great cookie to share with friends.

Last weekend, our house was the scene of an end-of-season party for Joey’s bowling team.

I always love when that crew comes over. They are a super nice group, and it’s always fun to share a big meal and hear them tell stories and tease each other about their bowling gaffes.

It’s also a great excuse for me to try out a new recipe.

This year, I decided to make a cookie recipe I have had my eye on. The good news: they were awesome. The bad news: there wasn’t one cookie left over at the end of the night.

This recipe comes from the blog “Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt” by Miranda Couse. You can find the original post at https://www.cookiedoughandovenmitt.com/brownie-cookies/. I added extra vanilla in my version.

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Brownie Cookies

Brownie cookies are soft and chocolaty with a little crunch from mini M&Ms. They’re a great cookie to share with friends.
Course Dessert
Keyword brown sugar, chocolate, chocolate chips, cookie exchange, M&Ms, semisweet chocolate chips, soft cookies, vanilla

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 10 ounces mini M&Ms

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set them aside.
  • Add the chocolate chips and butter to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between each heating, until everything is melted. Set it aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat the brown sugar, sugar, eggs and vanilla for a couple minutes until the mixture is light yellow and well combined.
  • Beat in the melted chocolate mixture, baking powder, salt and flour until the dough is smooth, and then fold in the M&Ms.
  • Using a cookie scoop (I used a two-inch scoop), place scoops of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, keeping them about two inches apart.
  • Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the tops and edges of the cookies are set. Let them cool, and then store the cookies in an airtight container.

These were just as advertised: a nice combination of brownie flavor in cookie form. If you wanted to double down on the chocolate flavors, you could easily sub in dark chocolate chips for the semi-sweet or even use mini chocolate chips instead of the M&Ms.

I wish I could tell you these cookies were the most popular thing on the table last weekend, but since Joey smoked a pork shoulder, I came in second. But who can be mad when you’re fighting those odds?

The only unfortunate thing is I guess I’ll have to make these cookies again if I want to eat another one. Such is the burden of greatness—and great friends.

This piece first appeared in print June 5, 2025.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Dessert Uncategorized

Cupcakes the best way to say ‘auf Wiedersehn’ to a good friend

These German chocolate cupcakes feature a from-scratch chocolate cake, topped with a coconut frosting, ganache and a buttercream chocolate frosting, too. They are decadent, delicious and absolutely beautiful.
These German chocolate cupcakes feature a from-scratch chocolate cake, topped with a coconut frosting, ganache and a buttercream chocolate frosting, too. They are decadent, delicious and absolutely beautiful.

Someone told me last week that I don’t really qualify as an amateur baker, since I’ve been writing this column way too long for that, but I still claim the title, especially after taking on a recent huge project.

A dear friend of the newspaper, Debbie Pierce, celebrated her retirement last week, and since we were combining her party with a Press Club event, I volunteered to bring dessert. Her favorite? German chocolate cake. And I found the most decadent German chocolate cupcake recipe I could, which was ambitious enough, since it was made up of four separate components.

But then I decided to quadruple the recipe.

My math skills and my ability to judge just how many ingredients would fit into the bowl of my stand mixer were definitely put to the test on this one, but goodness gracious was the end result worth it.

This comes from the blog “A Monkey on a Cupcake” (how great is that name?). You can find the original post at https://amonkeyonacupcake.com/german-chocolate-cupcakes/. I doubled the vanilla across the board in my version below, and I changed the bake temperature on the cupcakes to get a better rise.

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German Chocolate Cupcakes

These German chocolate cupcakes feature a from-scratch chocolate cake, topped with a coconut frosting, ganache and a buttercream chocolate frosting, too. They are decadent, delicious and absolutely beautiful.
Course Dessert
Keyword baker’s chocolate, buttercream, chocolate, chocolate ganache, cocoa powder, coconut, cupcakes, dark chocolate, decadent dessert, ganache, German chocolate, German frosting, heavy cream, pecans, sour cream, vanilla

Ingredients

Cupcake Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 ounces dark baker’s chocolate I used 55 percent cacao
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup water

Coconut Layer Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 3/4 cup pecan pieces cut small

Frosting Layer Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Ganache Layer Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips I used semisweet
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Cupcake Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Prepare about one and one-half cupcake tins by lining them with cupcake liners (I got about 16 cupcakes out of a batch), and set them aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until it is well combined.
  • Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, heating 30 seconds at a time and stirring in between. Let it cool enough that you can touch it without burning your finger, and mix it into the butter mixture. Beat in the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time.
  • Beat in the oil, vanilla and sour cream until the mixture is smooth, and then add the flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa powder in batches, mixing in between each addition.
  • Finally, beat in the water until the mixture is smooth.
  • Fill the prepared liners about two-thirds full, and then bake for five minutes at 425. Without opening the oven, drop the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
  • Remove the cupcakes from the tin and let them come up to room temperature before assembling.

Coconut Layer Directions

  • Add the evaporated milk, egg yolks, brown sugar and butter to a saucepan, and heat it over medium heat. Stir constantly for about 15 minutes until the mixture thickens. It’ll be like a thick syrup consistency.
  • Remove the mixture from the heat and pour it through a mesh strainer into a bowl to remove any chunks of cooked egg.
  • Stir in the vanilla, coconut and pecans, and set it aside to cool.

Frosting Directions

  • Beat all the ingredients together until everything is well combined and light and fluffy. Transfer it into a piping bag with a wide tip (like a star), and set it aside.

Ganache Directions

  • Add the chocolate chips and whipping cream to a microwave-safe bowl and heat, 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Assembly Directions

  • Add about one to one and one-half tablespoons of the coconut layer to the top of each cupcake, spreading it into a flat, even, thick layer on each.
  • Using a frosting bag, a spoon or a fork, drizzle ganache across the top of each of the cupcakes (use as much as you want, but note that these are very rich, so proceed cautiously).
  • Finally, pipe a swirl of the chocolate frosting on top. If desired, add some more pecan pieces to the top of each cupcake.
  • Store in an airtight container. These can stay at room temperature, but if it’s especially warm, they may start to melt a bit, so you might want to store them in the refrigerator in that case.

These were insanely decadent, and the combination of textures and flavors just took these over the top. I didn’t have to worry about leftovers after the event, even though I made over 60 cupcakes. They all went home with someone.

And my kitchen is mostly recovered from the war zone I created from ingredients splashing everywhere on my countertops, which is a relief.

It cemented for me that I am nowhere near a professional baker, but I’d say this amateur attempt was a pretty darn good one.

This piece first appeared in print May 29, 2025.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Dessert

Look cool at your next gathering with an icebox cake

Carlota de limon is an icebox cake that is really easy to make with fresh limes and yummy vanilla cookies.
Carlota de limon is an icebox cake that is really easy to make with fresh limes and yummy vanilla cookies.

We attended a high school graduation this past week, and since I only knew one graduate, I had a little time to let my mind wander during the ceremony.

I thought about how making friends has changed for me in the 20-plus years since I was in high school. It used to be so easy: you all went to the same place every day for nine months of the year.

Recently, we had a wonderful dinner at some friends’ house. The only reason it happened? We put it on the calendar almost a month in advance.

It used to be a lot easier to keep up with people when I just saw them in my fifth-hour class every day.

Regardless, I was so excited to be able to break bread with these friends, as we’ve been talking about making plans for about forever and finally managed to make it happen.

Plus, they were making a spread of Mexican food, which is always on my thumbs up list.

I offered up my dessert-making abilities to contribute to the meal and immediately started looking for a new recipe to try.

I landed on an icebox cake from Nancy Lopez at the blog “Mexican Made Meatless.” You can find the original post at https://mexicanmademeatless.com/carlota-de-limon-mexican-lime-icebox-cake/. I added extra vanilla in my version.

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Carlota de Limon

Carlota de limon is an icebox cake that is really easy to make with fresh limes and yummy vanilla cookies.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword evaporated milk, fresh lime, icebox cake, lime juice, lime zest, Maria cookies, summer dessert, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, vanilla wafers

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup lime juice freshly squeezed
  • 12 ounces evaporated milk
  • 12 ounces sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • about 14 ounces Maria cookies or Nilla Wafers
  • fresh lime zest from two or three limes

Instructions

  • Pour the freshly squeezed lime juice through a fine mesh strainer to remove any small particles.
  • Add the strained lime juice, evaporated milk, condensed milk and vanilla to a blender or food processor and blend until the mixture is completely smooth.
  • Pour just enough of the mixture into the bottom of an eight-by-eight-inch baking dish to create a thin layer.
  • Cover the entire bottom of the dish with a single layer of cookies, breaking them to fill in gaps, if you need to.
  • Pour a layer of the milk mixture on top. You want enough to cover the cookies. Spread it out evenly.
  • Repeat with another layer of cookies and then another layer of the milk mixture, continuing until all the mixture is used up. Make sure the final layer is the milk mixture.
  • Sprinkle lime zest, to taste, on top, cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours.
  • Slice the cake and serve it, and make sure to refrigerate the leftovers.

This was delicious, and it was really easy, too. If you’re not familiar with icebox cakes, the cookies basically melt into the filling a bit while in the refrigerator to create a slice-able dessert.

If you’re a fan of key lime pie, you’ll like this, too. It’s a great summer dessert. And if you’ve never tried Maria cookies, they are delicious. They’re basically a very thin vanilla wafer.

And now we need to get busy with our friends to get another dinner on our schedule. If we act quickly, we may get to see them again before the summer is out.

This piece first appeared in print May 15, 2025.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Breakfast Dessert

Every night is date night with this great coffee cake

Walnut date coffee cake has a great combination of flavors, from the hints of stone fruit with the dates to the nuttiness of the walnuts and the sweet bitterness of the coffee.
Walnut date coffee cake has a great combination of flavors, from the hints of stone fruit with the dates to the nuttiness of the walnuts and the sweet bitterness of the coffee.

I’ve struggled over the years with the definition of coffeecake.

Generally speaking, it’s cake that is meant to be enjoyed with coffee and doesn’t actually contain any.

But then I run into a recipe like I made for this week, which is a coffee cake—a cake that includes coffee.

We hosted an event at the office, where I shared it, and I was constantly saying, “It’s a coffee cake. Like, I mean, it has coffee in it, not like a coffeecake.”

I am also often baffled by when something is a cake or a quick bread. The banana breads and pumpkin breads I grew up with are moist and cake-y. I always thought they were called a quick bread because you made them in a loaf pan.

But then here comes this week’s recipe again, where it’s in a loaf pan, but it’s still a cake.

Regardless of the semantics, this week’s recipe is a must-try and turned out to be a real crowd-pleaser at our get-together.

This comes from the blog “Creative Culinary.” You can find the original post at https://creative-culinary.com/date-coffee-cake-walnuts-espresso/. I added extra spices, vanilla and coffee powder in my version.

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Walnut and Date Coffee Cake

Walnut date coffee cake has a great combination of flavors, from the hints of stone fruit with the dates to the nuttiness of the walnuts and the sweet bitterness of the coffee.
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Keyword butter, cinnamon, coffee, dates, espresso, nutmeg, vanilla, walnuts

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

  • 12 ounces dates pitted and diced
  • 1 1/2 cups strong hot coffee or espresso
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 3/4 cup flour
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup walnuts toasted and chopped

Glaze Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons hot water
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee powder
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons butter melted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/2 cup walnuts toasted and chopped

Instructions

Cake Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Prepare a nine-by-five inch loaf pan by greasing it and lining it on the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Set it aside.
  • In a bowl, combine the chopped dates, hot coffee and baking soda, and stir to combine. Set it aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugars for a couple minutes until they are smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
  • Strain the dates, reserving them and the liquid, too.
  • Alternate between beating in part of the liquid and the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until everything is smooth and combined.
  • Fold in the dates and walnuts.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and spread evenly.
  • Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan until it is comfortable to handle, remove it from the pan, and let it cool completely before adding the glaze.

Glaze Directions

  • In a small bowl, combine the hot water and espresso powder, stirring until the powder is dissolved.
  • Add the powdered sugar, melted butter and vanilla, and whisk to get a glaze consistency you’re happy with. If it’s too thick, add just a touch more water until it’s to your liking. If it’s too loose, add just a touch more powdered sugar.
  • Drizzle the glaze evenly over the top of the cake (it will run down the sides, too). Sprinkle the walnuts evenly on top, and let the glaze set up before cutting the cake into slices.
  • Store in an airtight container.

This had great depth of flavor, and if you like coffee, you’ll definitely like this cake. I served mine in slices, but you could also cube it to serve like more traditional cake. And if you’d rather cut down on the sugar, this would be delicious without the glaze, too.

Just be ready to try to explain to anyone enjoying it with you that it’s a coffee cake, not a coffeecake.

That should be easy enough.

This piece first appeared in print April 3, 2025.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Dessert

‘Nut’ing compares to eating dessert for a good cause

There’s no baking involved to make this dark chocolate pistachio tart, but there are plenty of steps, from making a nutty chocolate crust to a creamy pistachio paste and a decadent dark chocolate ganache.
There’s no baking involved to make this dark chocolate pistachio tart, but there are plenty of steps, from making a nutty chocolate crust to a creamy pistachio paste and a decadent dark chocolate ganache.

I love acts of subtle service.

You know, acts that are seemingly so ordinary that, to someone who has never struggled with that particular essential, it’s almost an invisible need in their day-to-day lives.

One subtle act that I really like is an event that takes place every Thursday in Newton, Kansas, called “Laundry Love.”

It’s not flashy. It’s merely an event that gives free laundry service and detergent, along with a meal, for those who attend. Clean clothes is something so many of us take for granted, and I love this amazing service that seems so small but makes such a huge difference.

So why do I bring this up? Because I’m sharing a recipe with you that will be featured on the dessert auction at the annual Peace Connections soup supper on Thursday, Feb. 20, and Laundry Love is one of several amazing programs they sponsor in the community.

I decided to go for a complicated dessert, and this one comes from the blog “Addicted to Dates.” You can find the original post at https://addictedtodates.com/dark-chocolate-pistachio-tart/. I simplified a bunch of the measurements, and I added extra vanilla in my version.

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No Bake Dark Chocolate Pistachio Tart

There’s no baking involved to make this dark chocolate pistachio tart, but there are plenty of steps, from making a nutty chocolate crust to a creamy pistachio paste and a decadent dark chocolate ganache.
Course Dessert
Keyword chocolate ganache, cocoa powder, coconut cream, coconut milk, dark chocolate, decadent dessert, maple syrup, matcha, no bake, pistachios, vegan dessert, walnuts

Ingredients

Pistachio Paste Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup shelled pistachios
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon matcha powder as a coloring agent, optional

Crust Ingredients

  • 2 cups pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts or cashews (I used walnuts)
  • 1 scant cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Ganache Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup full-fat canned coconut milk chilled or coconut cream
  • 6 ounces dark chocolate finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup shelled pistachios chopped

Instructions

Pistachio Paste Directions, part one

  • Place the shelled pistachios into a bowl of room temperature water for four hours or into a pot of boiling water (take it off the stove, first) for 30 minutes to let them soak.
  • Rinse and drain the nuts, and then rub as much of the skins off the pistachios as you can. Set them aside for now.

Crust Directions

  • For the crust, prepare a nine-inch tart pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper, and set it aside.
  • Add the walnuts, cocoa powder and salt to a food processor, and process until everything is in fine crumbs. Process in the maple syrup until the mixture starts to stick together. (If it isn’t coming together, add just a little more maple syrup until it does.)
  • Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of your prepared tin. Freeze for 30 minutes or until the crust is firm.

Pistachio Paste Directions, part two

  • Clean out your food processor and add the pistachios you prepared earlier, along with the maple syrup, vanilla and matcha powder. Process until the mixture is extremely smooth. Once the tart crust is firm, spread the pistachio paste evenly into the bottom of the crust, and place the tart in the refrigerator.

Ganache Directions

  • If you are using chilled coconut milk, only scrape off the congealed cream from the top of the can, and leave the milk for a different use (I ended up using the solids from two cans). Add the coconut solids to a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat in order to bring it to a low simmer.
  • Add the dark chocolate to a heat-proof bowl, and when the coconut solids are at a simmer, pour them over the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for five minutes, and then whisk until smooth.
  • Whisk in the maple syrup and salt.
  • Once everything is smooth, remove the tart from the fridge, and pour the ganache on top. Spread it evenly, tapping the tart gently on your countertop to release any air bubbles and help it even out.
  • Chill for at least four hours or overnight.
  • Before serving, sprinkle the 1/3 cup of chopped pistachios around the edges as decoration. Store the tart in an airtight container.

There are a ton of steps in this recipe, but they are so, so worth it. The flavor profile on this is incredible between the nuttiness of the walnuts and pistachios and the deep chocolate flavor of the ganache.

I shared my first attempt at this recipe with friends, and they absolutely raved about it.

If you want to try to win this at the Peace Connections, auction, be sure to come to their event at Newton Nazarene Church, 1000 N Main St, Newton, on Thursday, Feb. 20. The soup supper is by donation and starts at 5:30 p.m. The dessert auction will take place from 6:15 to 7 p.m. You can find more information at peaceconnections.org.

It is certainly a worthy cause, and I think this is a pretty worthy dessert, too.

This piece first appeared in print Feb. 13, 2025.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Cookies Dessert Snack

Overcome old assumptions with something sc‘rum’ptious

These balls can be made with rum or bourbon and feature cocoa, vanilla and chopped nuts, along with a hint of alcohol.
These balls can be made with rum or bourbon and feature cocoa, vanilla and chopped nuts, along with a hint of alcohol.

It must have been sometime when I was in middle school that a family acquaintance gifted us with a basket of homemade goodies during the holidays.

Most of the items were run-of-the-mill, well-done treats, but there was one none of us could identify initially. Upon further inspection, we discovered a sweet that none of us liked: the rum ball.

In our fabulous, pre-teen humor, my sister and I deemed these as “baby poop balls.” Of course, as an adult, I realize we (A) probably shouldn’t have been eating mildly alcoholic candies and (B) there has to be a better way to make this classic treat that doesn’t induce gagging.

So, with a gathering coming up, I decided it was time to find a recipe and redeem the “baby poop balls” once and for all.

The recipe I settled on comes from the website “Food.com.” You can find the original post at https://www.food.com/recipe/christmas-rum-balls-or-bourbon-balls-13214. I added vanilla to my version.

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Rum or Bourbon Balls

These balls can be made with rum or bourbon and feature cocoa, vanilla and chopped nuts, along with a hint of alcohol.
Course Dessert
Keyword boozy candy, bourbon, bourbon ball, cocoa powder, light corn syrup, no-bake dessert, pecans, powdered sugar, rum ball, spiced rum, vanilla, vanilla wafers, walnuts

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon cocoa
  • 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar divided
  • 11 ounces vanilla wafer cookies finely crushed
  • 1 cup pecans or walnuts chopped
  • 1/2 cup spiced rum or bourbon
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  • Process the wafers in a food processor until they are fine crumbs. Pulse in the chopped nuts.
  • In a small bowl, stir the rum or bourbon with the corn syrup until the corn syrup is totally incorporated.
  • Add the alcohol mixture, along with the vanilla, to the processor and process until the mixture looks like wet sand.
  • Finally, sift the cocoa and one cup of the powdered sugar into the processor and process until the mixture is well combined.
  • (All of these steps can, alternatively, be done in a mixing bowl.)
  • Once the mixture is done, place the rest of the powdered sugar into a small bowl.
  • Roll the mixture into about one-inch balls, and then roll them in the sugar. Store the finished rum balls in an airtight container.

I liked these. I’m sure part of that is that I don’t mind the taste of a little spiced rum, and the texture in this particular recipe was very nice.

Rolling them into one-inch balls instead of the approximately three-inch behemoths I tried long, long ago also allowed the added vanilla, along with the powdered sugar on the outside, to help mellow the rum flavor a bit, which I appreciated. I’m interested to see what the bourbon version would taste like, too.

And, since these do contain some booze, I will caution that they should probably be for adult-only enjoyment, despite the fact that I think you’d have to eat quite a few of these before the rum had any effect on you.

With this recipe in the books, I feel like I have redeemed rum balls in my culinary memory, which also feels nice. Now I’ll just have to make another batch to convince the rest of the family that we can lay the “baby poop balls” to rest.

This piece first appeared in print Jan. 16, 2025.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Dessert

Be a chip off the old block and bake a family pie

Chocolate chip pie takes the flavors of a good chocolate chip cookie and puts it into pie form, featuring little pockets of chocolate throughout every bite and a nice, thick layer of whipped topping to cap it off.
Chocolate chip pie takes the flavors of a good chocolate chip cookie and puts it into pie form, featuring little pockets of chocolate throughout every bite and a nice, thick layer of whipped topping to cap it off.

One of my favorite parts of December this year has been the honor of being able to try out four different reader-submitted recipes—one for each week.

I have often said that I think sharing food—whether in physical or recipe form—is a kind of love we show to each other. I think that’s especially true of the foods we make year after year to share with family and friends.

I had to laugh at the note Deb Preheim of Hesston included with her chocolate chip pie recipe.

“My grandmother and mother were famous for this pie at holidays,” she said. “They always wanted to make different desserts, but our families insisted on chocolate chip pie.”

I’m feeling fairly certain every family has at least one of these recipes. For my mom, it was always deviled eggs, which, ironically, has become the most requested side dish for me at Young family gatherings, as well.

The tradition continues.

As for this chocolate chip pie, I can definitely see why it’s popular with Deb’s family. It’s really yummy, and despite the steps initially seeming just a little intimidating, I can confidently tell you that it’s actually pretty easy to do.

“I make this for my family, as well,” Deb wrote. “Maybe it will become a tradition for you, too!”

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Chocolate Chip Pie

Chocolate chip pie takes the flavors of a good chocolate chip cookie and puts it into pie form, featuring little pockets of chocolate throughout every bite and a nice, thick layer of whipped topping to cap it off.
Course Dessert
Keyword brown sugar, chocolate, chocolate chips, Cool Whip, vanilla, whipped topping

Ingredients

  • 2 cups scalded milk
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips I use milk chocolate
  • Extra chocolate chips for topping
  • Cool Whip
  • Baked pie shell

Instructions

  • Combine sugars, salt, flour and well-beaten eggs in a saucepan.
  • Add scalded milk slowly, stirring constantly. Add butter. Heat until thick and smooth, stirring constantly.
  • Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
  • Allow to cool until just warm. Add chocolate chips and stir. The chocolate chips should remain intact with just a hint of a swirl.
  • Pour into a baked pie shell and refrigerate until chilled. Top with Cool Whip and sprinkle more chocolate chips on top. You’ve created a masterpiece!

Not only was this a pretty pie, but I thought it had the perfect balance in its sweetness. I was worried it would be way too rich, but it was just a very pleasant, tasty dessert. It’s a good one to pair with a cup of coffee.

Thank you to all of you who shared recipes with me during the holidays this year and to those who sometimes surprise me with them throughout the year, too.

May your 2025 be a year full of love, laughter and of course, wonderful food.

This piece first appeared in print on Dec. 26, 2024.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Side Dish

This is a really ‘yammy’ way to eat sweet potatoes

This sweet potato souffle has all the hallmarks of traditional holiday sweet potatoes—the delicious flavors of brown sugar and pecans—but without the heaviness and drippiness of syrup and marshmallows.
This sweet potato souffle has all the hallmarks of traditional holiday sweet potatoes—the delicious flavors of brown sugar and pecans—but without the heaviness and drippiness of syrup and marshmallows.

When I was a teacher, I often said that I wished I could have a day or so to audit my colleagues’ classes, just to get a feel for their style and methods.

I had a bucket list of people I would have loved to sit in on to learn some tricks of the trade.

One of those people is Mindy Barter, the contributor of this week’s recipe and a former colleague of mine at Haven High School.

It’s no surprise to me that she chose a recipe for sweet potatoes that has just the right amount of sugar and is a little different from the way everyone else makes them. I think that’s kind of her style in life, too.

Mindy, who is from Newton, said, “This is from my mother in law. This has been a favorite of my family’s for a long, long time.”

After making this and sharing it with some friends, I can tell you I totally understand why.

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Sweet Potato Soufflé

This sweet potato souffle has all the hallmarks of traditional holiday sweet potatoes—the delicious flavors of brown sugar and pecans—but without the heaviness and drippiness of syrup and marshmallows.
Course Side Dish
Keyword brown sugar, butter, Christmas side, holiday side, pecans, potluck dish, souffle, sweet potatoes, Thanksgiving side, vanilla, yams

Ingredients

Topping Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/3 cup butter melted

Soufflé Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs well beaten,
  • 1/2 cup butter 1 stick, melted

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a medium-size casserole dish with nonstick spray.
  • For the topping, combine brown sugar, flour, nuts and butter in mixing bowl. Chill in the fridge until ready to use. This helps the crumble maintain its form and not melt into the sweet potatoes.
  • For the soufflé, combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs and butter in a large mixing bowl in the order listed. Beat thoroughly with a hand mixer for about three to four minutes to increase the fluffiness of the sweet potato mixture. Add a splash of milk, if needed, and mix.
  • Pour mixture into the baking dish (I use around a two-quart dish). Bake for 25 minutes. At this point, the dish can be covered and refrigerated for a couple of days, if making ahead of time.
  • (If you refrigerated ahead of time, make sure to reheat the potatoes again before adding the topping—around 10 to 20 minutes.)
  • Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with the topping mixture and return to oven for 10 to 20 minutes or until crumble is browned. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving.
  • The brown sugar and pecan crust should be slightly browned and crunchy. Makes 10 servings.

We really, really liked this. Beating the sweet potato mixture made it nice and light, which was a great contrast to the caramelized, crunchy topping. This one will have to go into my recipe box for future gatherings.

And, after trying out this recipe, I’m not only disappointed I didn’t get to sit in on any of Mindy’s classes, but now I’m pretty sure I need to try to observe her in the kitchen, too. Maybe one day.

This piece first appeared in print on Dec. 19, 2024.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

Categories
Dessert

Oh, my ‘ganache.’ This pie is absolutely incredible!

For a decadent, delicious twist on the classic, this pumpkin caramel pie is a must-try. It takes a lot of extra time and steps, but the flavor combination is worth all the effort.
For a decadent, delicious twist on the classic, this pumpkin caramel pie is a must-try. It takes a lot of extra time and steps, but the flavor combination is worth all the effort.

It’s Friendsgiving season for Joey and me, so that means I’m playing around with some new pie recipes. Our poor friends never know what to expect when I show up, but being the troopers they are, I haven’t heard too many complaints, either.

This comes from the Milk Bar website. You can find the original at https://milkbarstore.com/blogs/recipes/hillys-pumpkin-caramel-pie. I added extra spices in my version below.

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Pumpkin Caramel Pie

For a decadent, delicious twist on the classic, this pumpkin caramel pie is a must-try. It takes a lot of extra time and steps, but the flavor combination is worth all the effort.
Course Dessert
Keyword allspice, brown sugar, caramel, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, decadent dessert, ginger, heavy cream, Milk Bar, pumpkin, quick oats, roasted pumpkin, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving dessert, vanilla, white chocolate, white chocolate chips

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1 deep dish pie crust pre-baked and cooled completely
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Pumpkin Ganache Ingredients

  • 2 15- ounce cans pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup light corn syrup
  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 16 ounces white chocolate chips
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon clove
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Caramel Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Streusel Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup rolled or quick oats
  • 6 tablespoons butter room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Overall Directions

  • There will be a lot of waiting between steps on this pie, but you can easily make all the components ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator over the course of a couple days before assembling it at the end. You will want to use a deep pie dish for this recipe.

Pumpkin Ganache Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Spread all of the pumpkin out on the paper and roast for 20 to 30 minutes or until it is a deep orange color and is reduced down to about two cups.
  • Remove it from the oven and set it aside to cool.
  • Place the chocolate chips in a large, heat-safe bowl and set aside.
  • In a small pot, bring the cream, corn syrup and butter to a boil, stirring regularly.
  • As soon as it’s at a boil, remove it from the heat and pour the mixture evenly over the chocolate chips. You don’t need to stir. Just set it aside for one minute.
  • Add the pumpkin and seasonings, and stir. Using an immersion blender (or a normal one), blend until everything is completely smooth. Place the ganache in the refrigerator to completely cool.

Caramel Directions

  • Have the heavy cream, butter (cut into tablespoons), vanilla and salt measured out and ready. Set them aside.
  • In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the sugar, water and corn syrup. Heat it over medium heat, stirring to make sure the ingredients are totally incorporated. Keep stirring until the sugar dissolves. Once the mixture is clear and bubbling, do not stir any more. Just swirl the pot every few minutes, watching it closely. You’ll cook it until it reaches a golden brown color. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s a deep brown and there are just small bits of smoke coming up from the mixture. This could take as long as 10 minutes.
  • As soon as it’s to the point, remove it from the heat immediately and instantly toss in a tablespoon of butter, whisking vigorously. As soon as that pad is almost melted, follow suit with another, continuing until all of the butter is incorporated.
  • Now, drizzle in the cream, continuing to whisk.
  • Whisk in the vanilla and salt, and then pour the caramel into a heat-safe container. Let the caramel cool on the counter before placing the container in the refrigerator to cool completely.

Streusel Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper, and set it aside.
  • Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and cut together with a fork or pastry cutter until everything is well incorporated and resembles large crumbs.
  • Dump the mixture into an even layer on the baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring every five, until the mixture is browned.
  • Remove from the oven, and let the mixture cool completely.

Assembly Directions

  • In a mixing bowl, beat the whipped cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. If the whipped cream isn’t sweet enough, add a bit more powdered sugar until it’s to your liking. Set it aside.
  • Spread the caramel evenly into the bottom of the pie crust.
  • Next, carefully spread the ganache over the caramel layer. Top that with the prepared whipped cream, and sprinkle the streusel on top just before serving. Store the finished pie or any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

This was fabulous. It was an elevated version of the old classic—plenty of pumpkin-y goodness with lots of extra flavors and textures included.

It was also a big hit at Friendsgiving. Unfortunately, they’ll all have to make this themselves if they want it again, though. I’m afraid they’re stuck being guinea pigs for the foreseeable future.

This piece first appeared in print Nov. 28, 2024.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.

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