Pumpkin Pie Spiced Walnut Macaroons

If you don’t have any pumpkin on hand, but are craving classic pie spices, these Pumpkin Pie Spiced Walnut Macaroons will do the trick. The recipe is adapted from a deliciously written food blog I recently stumbled upon: Lemon Tree Dwelling. 

I swapped the pecans for walnuts and toasted them in the oven until fragrant. I loved the way their toasty aroma complimented the flavors of the spices, white chocolate, and coconut. This recipe is definitely a keeper.

Ingredients

1 recipe (14 ounces) Coconut Macaroon cookie dough (makes 12 macaroons)

1 cup (6 ounces) white chocolate chips

3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/3 cup toasted chopped walnuts

12 toasted walnut halves

Directions

1. Bake cookies according to instructions. Cool completely.

2. Melt white chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring between 15-20 second intervals. Add pumpkin pie spice and stir to combine.

3. Dip bases of cooled macaroons into spiced white chocolate approx. halfway, then dip in ground walnuts.

4. Top each cookie with a dollop of the white chocolate mixture and a walnut half.

Thanks to Lemon Tree Dwelling for the inspiration!

Almond Board Media Tour

Image courtesy of the Almond Board of California

Go ahead. Ask me about my favorite nut. Since last week I've been on the road praising the delicious virtues of almonds. On April 17, the Almond Board of California kicked off a multi-city media tour at The Drake Hotel in Toronto's Queens West neighborhood. Joined by fellow Almond Innovators, Chef Anthony Rose, formerly of The Drake, and Mixologist Matthew Biancaniello, of The Library Bar in Los Angeles, we demonstrated just how versatile almonds can be.

Anthony started the event with a tasty spin on the classic pot sticker. His version featured almond butter, giving the appetizer a subtle nuttiness to compliment the mushrooms inside. He followed that up with a halibut dish that sung the flavors of spring, adorned with toasted chopped almonds. Matthew mixed up two innovative almond cocktails: Lost in Laos, a kaffir lime-infused gin drink with almond milk, and the Nutty Monk, perfect proportions of Benedictine, almond oil and lemon juice, topped with cocoa nibs.

Image courtesy of the Almond Board of California

I made almond milk panna cotta with almond brittle and strawberry-rhubarb preserves. I demonstrated just how easy it is to make brittle. Panna cotta is one of my all-time favorite desserts and it's equally simple. Steeping almond milk with a combination of roasted almonds, almond paste and almond extract enhanced the rich almond flavor. I chose to pair my panna cotta with a strawberry-rhubarb preserves, but you could swap that out for any other seasonal fruit you prefer.

Image courtesy of the Almond Board of California

You can find the recipe for my almond milk panna cotta here. 

Last Minute Valentine's Day Dessert

We all know Valentine's Day is a Hallmark holiday. But it's also a great excuse to indulge in a sweet treat, so why not celebrate? If you get in the Valentine's mood at the eleventh hour, here's a last-minute dessert idea that is just special enough to impress your sweetheart.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

First, bake up some sugar cookies (there's a great recipe here). Cut the dough using a heart-shaped cookie cutter. Or, if you're short on time, buy medium to large-sized round cookies, such as peanut butter or chocolate chip. Pair the cookie with an appropriate ice cream, or go wild and come up with a crazy combination (peanut butter and Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey?). Scoop a large round of ice cream in the middle of a cookie then place a second cookie on top to make a sandwich. Wrap each ice cream sandwich with parchment paper and store in the freezer until you're ready for dessert.

Happy Valentine's Day!