Raspberry Pistachio Fool (Sweetened with honey!)

A simple dessert such as this one hardly needs a full blog post to go with it — soft folds of whipped cream, fresh raspberries accentuated with just a touch of honey and lemon, bits of slightly salty pistachio. That ingredients list alone will do. 🤤

A “fool” is a British dessert where puréed fruit is layered with custard or whipped cream. This version used whipped cream, which is lighter and pairs well with fresh raspberry, which are sweet and delicate at their peak.

The raspberry bush I planted last year is producing it’s first round of berries right now (a miracle really, because the backyard is basically a jungle of weeds). There are only a few berries and they’re not quite ripe yet, so I used store bought for this recipe. In a pinch, frozen berries would work — just thaw the berries before macerating.

And — I’m all for dessert-for-breakfast, so if you're looking for something you could eat in the morning, you could swamp the whipped cream in this recipe for your favorite Greek yogurt and make a parfait.

Pistachios add a nice crunch to this fool, which is otherwise all fluff and fruit. You could really use any type of nut, but I like the flavor of pistachio with raspberry and whipped cream, and also love the way the color pops!

And now, onwards, because there’s really nothing better than tasting this one for yourself. 

Raspberry Pistachio Fool (Sweetened with honey!)

Published July 3, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 3   |    Active Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

10 ounces fresh raspberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2-3 teaspoons honey, divided

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup crushed pistachios

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine 8 ounces of raspberries with lemon juice and 1 teaspoon honey. Set remaining raspberries aside. Using a fork, mash the 8 ounces of raspberries with the lemon and honey. The mixture should resemble a jam or compote. Set aside.
2. In a second mixing bowl, whip cream to soft peaks using an electric mixer. Add in vanilla and 1-2 teaspoons of honey, depending on your tastes, and continue to whip cream for another minute to incorporate.
3. In three serving glasses or bowls make alternating layers of whipped cream and the raspberry mixture. Place reserved fresh raspberries on top, and sprinkle with crusted pistachios. Serve immediately.

Honey, Lime & Mint Popsicles

Happy summer to you all! 

There is a deep rooted disbelief in my mind, that when I plant a little seed it will sprout (and if it doesn’t sprout in a few days, that disbelief is only confirmed, at least until finally, two weeks later, like baby plants start popping up on the surface of the garden). 

Age old wisdom is that in fact, this is how the world works. Still, Mother Nature never ceases to amaze. Every year, it’s like she has to teach me anew the wonder that is life and it’s circle. (Ehem... most recent lesson was last weeks hail, which completed the circle of life for many of those little plants 🙄).

My wonder and disbelief cause me to spend more hours than needed coddling each vine: peering at new growth, cheering on a new leaf here and there, gawking at each flower. The sun is hot and when I stand from I crouch, my head spins: How long have I been out here? How hot is it? Where is my sun hat? 

Sometimes (ok, a lot of times,) I will run to Oliver and exclaim, “the corn stalks are ten and a half inches tall today!” Or “the squash has five leaves right now!” But how can one not be awed by the power of plants in action? They are our livelihood, as humans, after all. 

I made these popsicles because when it is hot and I have spent too much time under the sun, I crave something tart, cold, and hydrating. The perfect solution for this craving came to me when a friend brought over a pack of lime popsicles, which we devoured. These Honey Lime Mint popsicles are my own rendition, using real lime juice, naturally sweetened with honey, and a touch of plant power (mint!). Each pop tastes like a mojito on a stick, minus the booze, which is just fine by me.

Mint is a very easy plant to grow here in the front range — in fact, it will completely take over if you let it. You have to strategically block it into it’s space, or it will through out shoots and be all over your garden bed in no time. One way to tame it is to pick boat loads of it. And make popsicles! The perfect compliment to mint? Lime, sweetened naturally with honey.

I have learned recently that lime is not everyone’s favorite flavor, but I still don’t really understand. I love lime, I always will. 

Notes:

• I use this popsicle mold, though sometimes we find the popsicles hard to get out of the mold (affiliate link).

• You might try a silicon popsicle mold which would allow you to more easily get the popsicles out (affiliate link).

• I also have a set of tube-style molds which are good if you don't want to deal with a popsicle stick or drips! (Affiliate link).

Looking for something boozy? Try these sangria pops! 

Honey, Lime & Mint Popsicles

Published June 21, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Yields: 7   |    Active Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

2-3 tablespoons honey, depending on your sweet tooth

1/2 cup lime juice

2 cups water

Tiny pinch of salt 

2 tablespoons minced fresh mint, sliced into thin pieces

Directions:

1. Pour honey, lime juice, water, and pinch of salt into a sauce pan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the honey is dissolved.
2. Pour limeade mixture into popsicle molds, and sprinkle mint leaves over top. Place popsicle sticks in molds, and place in freezer overnight or until frozen through.

Chewy Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten-Free & Grain-Free)

If you make any cookie from this blog, let it be this one. I might regret saying that later, but it's how I feel now and what's a blog if not in-the-moment. 

While I've used a lot of nut and seed butters in baking before (like these peanut butter blondies) tahini is something special in a cookie. 

First let me say that I love thin, chewy, fresh-out-of-the-oven-soft cookies. Gooey. Warm. Indulgence. That what makes tahini ideal: its consistency and fat content allows it to spread out into a thin cookie, and even as the cookies cool they never get crispy. They maintain that soft, chewy bite for days. 

Coconut sugar is also necessary here -- it's not something I usually use, opting for maple syrup or honey in most of my baking - but a crystalized sugar helps to glue the cookies together, so that everything doesn't just fall apart when you pick them up. So you can dip your cookie in a shot of espresso, or a glass of milk or cup of tea. 

Chewy Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Published May 17, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 20   |    Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup tahini (stirred well)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla 
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate bar (about 2 ounces)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine coconut sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk briefly.
3. Add tahini, vanilla, and egg to bowl, and use a spatula to stir until a stiff, sticky batter forms. Fold in chopped chocolate.
4. Optional: place bowl of batter in the fridge for 10 minutes to allow dough to stiffen a bit more.
5. Using your hands, roll dough into spheres by the heaping tablespoonful. Place spheres 2 inches apart of a baking sheet lined with a Silpat (affiliate link!) or parchment paper, and flatted slightly with your fingers.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies have spread and are golden. Cookies will still be quite soft when you remove them from the oven. Allow them to cool at least 10 minutes before attempting to move them to a cooling wrack or a plate.