Azoresgal~Life on an Island

 Social isolation continues, day 35 for us, and the kids have been asking for something sweet! Pudding it is!If you have a sweet tooth and are looking for a simple dessert to make, you should give this one a try. This butterscotch pudding is rich, creamy, and truly delicious. One of the easiest treats to put together with simple ingredients,the hardest part is waiting for it to chill in the refrigerator. For me, it's comfort food at its best, and good Lord knows we can all use a little extra dose of comfort these days. Hope you are all keeping safe, and staying home. 1-1/2 cup Brown Sugar, Light Or Dark Is Fine 1/4 cup Cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon Salt 3 cups Whole Milk 4 whole Large Egg Yolks (discard Or Save Whites For Another Use) 2 Tablespoons Butter  Whipped Cream INSTRUCTIONS Gently whisk together the brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium nonstick pan. In a separate pitcher or bowl, whisk together the milk and egg yolks. Pour it into the pan with ...

This Tangerine cake is a little burst of sunshine in the midst of all the gray weather we are having, and all the doom and gloom of late, being felt world wide. Where ever it is you may find yourself when reading this, I hope you and yours are all well! Ingredients 2 eggs 2 tangerines 1/2 cup vegetable oil (125ml) 1 cup sugar (225g) 2 cups self-rising flour or all-purpose flour + 2 teaspoons baking powder (226g) Instructions Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Grease and flour a flan pan or bundt cake pan. To a blender cup add, eggs, tangerines (cut in half without seeds), oil and sugar. Blend. In a medium bowl add flour and baking powder if using. Pour the tangerine mixture into the flour and mix well. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let it cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. ** Sprinkle with icing sugar or top with a cream cheese frosting Tangerine Cream Cheese frosting 1 cup  cup crea...

These candy cane hearts, are so easy to make, seriously just three ingredients, you have no excuse not to make them! Besides being easy, they are so stinkin' cute and delicious too! I like to make them to serve with hot chocolate, as a topper. They are also a great addition to a cookie platter oe even a sweet little gift for someone!  I hope you give them a try! 24 miniature candy canes 1 cup white chocolate candy melts  holiday sprinkles or crushed candy canes Arrange the candy canes into 12 hearts on a sheet of parchment paper. Melt the candy melts in the microwave in 30 second increments until melted. Stir until smooth. Pour the candy melts into a piping bag or a plastic bag. Snip the tip off the piping bag or plastic bag. Pipe a dollop of chocolate into each heart. Use a toothpick  or spoon to spread the chocolate into the point and curves of the heart. Add sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet. Let sit until firm, then serve. **I like t...

This is my  favorite icing for decorating  my favorite sugar cookies ! It's quick and easy to make, with very simple ingredients. Great for cookies, gingerbread houses, I  have even used it to frost my Christmas fruit cake. The icing dries nice and hard, tastes yummy, and will make your cookies look beautiful. So bake some cookies, and gather up the family to help decorate them. Listen it will be a rather messy event, but I promise it will be fun and you will be creating so yummy food memories!  cookies baked and cooled ( sugar cookie recipe ) 2 cups powdered/icing sugar 2 egg whites (or 1/4 cup liquid egg whites I prefer to use these for food safety) 2 teaspoons lemon juice ( this helps to harden the icing) *food coloring in desired colors *sprinkles  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy. Switch to low speed and gradually sift the sugar into the egg whites until it's comp...

Well here we are again, just a few weeks away from Christmas! Now I know it comes every year, but gosh it just seems like a year goes by faster and faster as I get older. If you are anything like me I am sure you are already making lists, and checking them twice trying to get things done! This month everything  seems to happen all at once, parties, school activites, church activities it's seems never ending. More often than not you will be asked to bring something, or perhaps you want to take a gift for a teacher, or a "secret santa"! Well look no further, these super delicious treats require only 3 ingredients and  about 10 minutes  of your time from start to finish! That's it, when you are finished, you can pour yourself a cocktail for all your hard work! All you need is a bag of Rolo candy, a bag of mini pretzel twists, and a bag of pecan halves. Preheat your oven to  200 C/400F degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper....

A simple, no-bake pie that is perfect for the butterfinger lover in your family! This creamy butterfinger pie comes together in a snap with just a few simple ingredients.  Peanut butter, cream cheese and a butter finger filling poured into a delicious cookie crust, make this pie a winner! Ingredients 1 9 oz prepared graham cracker crust ( I made a cookie crust see below) 1 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1 cup powdered sugar 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 2 8 oz tubs Cool Whip thawed, ( I used 2 cups cream, whipped) 3 full size Butterfinger candy bars, crushed (I used 4) Using an electric mixer, whip together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until fully combined. Fold in containers of thawed cool whip and crushed candy bars into the filling by hand. Reserve 1/3 cup of crushed candy bars for the top. Spread into the crust. Top with the remaining crushed candy bars. Chill for ...

  A rich and fudgy, easy to make, chocolate chip banana bread!  Made super quick with the use of a boxed cake mix, and made in one bowl!  Oh and please trust me,it tastes just as good as it looks! INGREDIENTS 3 Bananas Ripe, Mashed ( about 6 small island bananas) 1/3 cup Oil 3 Eggs Large 1 box Chocolate cake mix Or Devil’s Food cake 1 cup Chocolate chips Regular or mini 1/2 cup  chocolate chips for topping (optional) INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven 180C/350F In a large mixing bowl, mix together mashed bananas, oil and eggs until smooth. Add cake mix, chocolate chips and mix until just combined. Don’t over-mix! Pour batter into two greased/floured loaf pans (Dimensions: 8×4). Sprinkle extra chocolate chips and  on top. Bake 45- 50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick in the center comes out clean. *Don’t replace oil with butter because butter makes this bread too dense. *Make sure to use the ripest bananas you can find because ...

This banana pudding recipe is super easy to make and is always a crowd pleaser.  It's rich, creamy, and indulgent. The combination of  condensed milk, pudding, whipped cream, bananas and vanilla wafers makes it a delicious dessert.  Did I mention it is also no-bake?? I love making it for our summer parties and get-togethers! Ingredients 1  can  Sweetened Condensed Milk 1 1/2 cups cold water 1  package instant vanilla pudding mix 3 cups whipping cream, whipped  vanilla wafers ( I used mini Maria cookies) 3 medium bananas,  thinly sliced ( I use about 7 ) Caramel topping (optional) Directions In large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and water. Add pudding mix; beat until well blended. Chill 10 minutes. Fold in whipped cream.  Into a trifle dish or other clear container, spoon in enough of the pudding mixture to cover the bottom. Top with a layer of vanilla wafers and a layer of banana slices and then cover with a ...

This easy gingerbread bundt cake has a soft delicate crumb infused with a warm combination of spices, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, & clove.  I love the way this cake looks when made with a bundt pan, but you can also bake it in a 9-inch x 13-inch pan. The butter sauce is optional, you truly don’t need it; the cake is delicious without it. But in my house, everything is better with a butter sauce. CAKE 2 1/2 cups  All-Purpose Flour 2 tablespoons gingerbread spice; (or 2 1/2 teaspoons ginger, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon allspice) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed 2 large eggs 1/2 cup molasses 1 cup water INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 350°F/180C. Lightly grease a 10- to 12-cup bundt-style pan. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, gingerbread spice, salt, baking soda, a...

These bars are in a word...amazing!  They are a  combination of a blondie base packed with white chocolate & cranberries,  topped with a cream cheese frosting then sprinkled with a few more bits of  cranberry for good measure and white chocolate drizzled over the entire thing. Oh my, just describing them makes me want to eat one or two!They are super rich, so you may want  to cut them into small pieces. Smaller pieces just means you can have more than one.  Enjoy! Ingredients Bars: 1 cup  butter, melted 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon orange extract ( I used orange zest) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups all purpose flour 1 cup white chocolate chips 3/4 cup dried cranberries Frosting and Topping: 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon orange extract ( I used orange zest) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/3...

This rich and creamy cheesecake is all sorts of decadent,all the flavors of pumpkin pie, in a cheesecake.The texture is absolutely perfect – creamy, thick, smooth and it slices beautifully. Don’t let the idea of making a cheesecake scare you, it is simple to make, just be sure to make it a day before you need it! A delicious sweet treat for just about any occasion, I hope you love it as much as we did! Ingredients Crust 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup to 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted ( 3/4 cup for a moist and dense crust) 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 1/2 tsp. salt, divided Pumpkin Cheesecake 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar 2 lb (four 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, softened (900 gr.) 1/4 cup sour cream/Greek yogurt, room temperature 1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin 6 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 tbsp. vanilla extract 2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. ground ginger 1/4 tsp. ground cloves Whipped cream Chopped pecans, optional Crust Preheat oven to...

I had some ricotta sitting in the fridge for a little while, that was going to expire soon. So I thought I would search for a sweet recipe that would help me use it up. I found this simple cake, it’s so moist, rich in flavor, and just plain delicious! The ricotta makes it light and delicate, it has a melt-in-your-mouth texture, you will not be able to stop at one slice. Dusted with icing sugar just before serving, it is absolutely beautiful. My family loved it, and I am sure your family will love it too. 8 tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 3 large eggs 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 pinch salt 1 cup fresh ricotta (250 grams) zest of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 large apple, peeled and grated (should yield about 1 cup) confectioners sugar for serving Heat the oven to 180C/ 350F˚. Butter and flour a 9 or 10-inch springform pan.(I like to line the pan with parchment paper) Cream the butter and sugar in a sta...

Panna cotta is Italian for “cooked cream.” It is exactly that, a cooked mixture of cream, sugar and gelatin and it's a very easy dessert to make. The flavors for panna cotta are endless, spices,tea even herbs can be steeped in the cream to infuse flavor. Panna cotta is velvety sweet, creamy, decadent  and is great on its own, but even better topped with fresh fruits or a sauce.  I hope you give it a try, it's perfect for any occasion, and your family and friends will love it! 4 cups (1-quart) heavy cream 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped* 2 1/4 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin 3 tablespoons water Strawberry Coulis for serving (recipe below) Instructions In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds. Bring the mixture just to a simmer over medium heat. (when it starts to steam) Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and steep for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small b...

Who says you can't have your margarita and eat it too? Can you think of a better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, than with a Margarita Cupcake?!  These  yummy lime cupcakes are topped with a tequila lime buttercream frosting packed with flavor and they are perfect for your fiesta! You can have your drink and your dessert all in one! Ingredients For the cupcakes: 1 box white cake mix 3 egg whites 2 Tbs vegetable oil 1.5 oz triple sec 2 oz tequila of your choosing 7 oz lime juice zest of 1 lime For the frosting: 1  1/2 sticks butter (12 Tbs) 4-5 cups confectioners sugar 1 Tbs tequila 1 Tbs lime juice zest of one lime lime slices for garnish (optional) Preheat oven to 180/350 degrees.  Line cupcake tins with cupcake papers. In a large bowl, prepare batter according to package directions substituting the 1 1/3 cup water with triple sec, tequila and lime juice.  Add lime zest.  Mix well.  Pour into cupcake tins, filling about ...

This is one of my favorite desserts, a classic my mother and my aunts always made. At all of our celebrations, this lovely coconut custard with its billowy meringue topping and chocolate sauce, always made an appearance! Every spoonful is a bite of nostalgia from my childhood! 500 grams sugar 200 grams unsweetened coconut (fine) 5 tablespoons of flour (heaping) 8 eggs (yolks and whites separated) 500 mL milk for the meringue 8 tablespoons of sugar + the 8 egg whites Preheat oven 180/350 In a large bowl, mix the sugar and the egg yolks with a  hand mixer. Next add the coconut, the flour and the milk, mix well. Pour the mixture into a butter greased glass baking dish (13x9). Bake 30 minutes or just until almost set, (it will continue to cook after you add the meringue) For the meringue, beat the egg whites and the 8 tablespoons of sugar, until stiff peaks form. Remove the custard from the oven, and top with the meringue, swirl it with a spoon to form peaks. ...

Easy, crunchy, and oh-so-chocolatey!This recipe is an all time favorite for kids (adults too), perfect for  birthday parties, or for those moments you want something sweet! Made from simple cupboard ingredients, and in case you were wondering, no meat, it's just meant to look like a salame! Oh and even better no baking required. Ingredients 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped dark chocolate 1/2 cup granulated sugar 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 tablespoons brewed coffee 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 2 cups roughly chopped Maria biscuits/ cookies 1/2 cup roughly chopped pistachios 1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar *string/twine if you wish to tie them Directions Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and heat in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until completely melted and smooth, about 3 minutes. In another medium bowl, cream together the granulated sugar and butter with an electric han...

This peanut butter tart, is heaven on a plate! It's decadent, sweet, creamy, and easy to make. It is love at first bite, in fact it's so delicious you will be tempted to eat the whole pie...I won´t judge you if you do! Crust 2 cups cookie crumbs ( I like digestive cookies, but Marie cookies work also) 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted ( more if needed, and I like salted butter) Filling 1 cup cream cheese, softened 4 tablespoons butter, softened 2/3 cup  powdered  sugar 1 cup creamy peanut butter 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Topping 1 cup ( or 170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips A pinch of salt 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream Flaky sea salt, to finish (optional) Make the crust: Heat oven to 350°F (180C). Place a 9-inch round tart pan (ideally with a removable bottom) on a rimmed baking sheet. Finely grind cookies with sugar and salt in a food processor. Add me...

Areias take their name from the Portuguese word areia which translates to sand.The perfect name, for these delicate, crumbly, melt-in-the-mouth cookies.  They are very much  like a shortbread, made with three ingredients, and no rising agent. When you mix up the dough, it should be almost like a wet sand, hence the name. They are the perfect sweet treat to share with your family, and they’re delightful paired with a cup  of  tea. Ingredients 300g All Purpose flour (sifted) 200g Butter/ Margarine (room temperature) 100g  Sugar Rind from 1 lemon/ orange 1/2 cup sugar+ 1 tsp. cinnamon for dusting Preheat oven to 180C/ 350F Sift flour & sugar into a large bowl. Using your finger tips, gently rub in  cubed butter and lemon rind, until mixture is crumbly and  resembles sand, but when you squeeze some in your hand it comes together. Roll together about a tablespoon of  the cookie mix and place on a lined cookie sheet. You ca...

This is one of our favorite cakes here at home. I usually bake it on Saturday afternoon, and by Monday it is gone. If that isn't an indicator of how good it is, then I don't know what is! It's pretty simple and not too fiddly to make. Requires very basic ingredients, but results in a tall, fluffy, beautiful cake. 1/4 cup cocoa 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 cup hot water 2 cups flour 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup oil (I use 1 cup) 7 eggs separated 3/4 cup water ( I use 1/4 cup) 2 teaspoons vanilla Preheat oven to 180/350. In a small bowl, mix cocoa and baking soda in the 1/4 cup hot water until it is a thick paste. Reserve. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Reserve. In the work bowl of stand mixer, pour oil, egg yolks, the 3/4 cup water, and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix until smooth. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until white and fluffy, and soft ...

This is an old-fashioned cake recipe, made with a surprise ingredient...a can of fruit cocktail. I bet you have a can forgotten somewhere in your pantry, right now. When I was growing up,  my mom would  sometimes serve fruit cocktail for dessert. I always tried to scoop out extra cherries into my bowl. Sadly, there were never enough of those bright red cherries in the can..I wonder why? Anywho... by adding a whole can of fruit into the batter, the syrup too, you do not add any fat to the mix.   Now there may not be any fat in the cake,  but the scrumptious butter sauce is another story!  This cake is so delicious and easy to make!I promise you, this will become a family favorite. 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups sugar ( I like brown sugar) 2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1  can fruit cocktail with juice (840g) 2 cups flour Sauce 1 cup sugar 1 cup milk/ cream/ evaporated milk 1 tablespoon butter 1 tsp. vanilla Instructions To make cake: Be...