white chocolate + bourbon cocktail

 
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who else is ready to start mixing up some holiday cocktails for those thanksgiving & christmas parties!?! this might be one of my favourite cocktails to date. it is like dessert in a cup finished off with sweet white chocolate in the drink, in the whipped cream & shaved on top! if you don't know by now i LOVE (am obsessed with) white chocolate. i was so excited when green & black's organic asked me to partner with them & create a cocktail incorporating their chocolate (of course i picked white chocolate). green & black's make some of the best chocolate i have ever had. the organic white chocolate is made with madagascan vanilla, madagascan vanilla beans & raw cane sugar. all the good stuff that i love to use in my baked goods.

have you ever incorporated chocolate into a cocktail before? i found what works best is to shake the half & half with the melted white chocolate before adding the ice. this helps dispurse the white chocolate evenly throughout the milk! then add all the other ingredients & shake, shake, shake. if you want to keep it simple, feel free to skip the addition of the white chocolate whipped cream. i just figured when it is the holiday's, calories don't count:)

ingredients

for the white chocolate whipped cream

  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 2 ounces green & black's white chocolate with madagascar vanilla bean, melted & cooled
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

for the white chocolate + bourbon cocktail

  • 2 ounces bourbon
  • 4 ounces half & half
  • 2 teaspoons fine sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1 ounce green & black's white chocolate with madagascar vanilla bean, melted
  • white chocolate whipped cream, for topping
  • shaved white chocolate, for topping

directions

for the white chocolate whipped cream

  • in a mixing bowl whisk whipped cream until soft peaks are formed. add white chocolate, sugar & vanilla. continue to whisk until stiff peaks form.
  • refrigerate until ready to use.

for the white chocolate + bourbon cocktail

  • fill cocktail shaker with half & half + white chocolate. shake until smooth.
  • add ice & pour in bourbon, fine sugar, vanilla & nutmeg. shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
  • strain cocktail into a glass over ice.
  • top with white chocolate whipped cream & sprinkle with nutmeg + shaved chocolate.

this post was created in partnership with green & black's organic. they make some of the best organic chocolate EVER. i can't stop snacking on this white chocolate & the sea salt milk chocolate. thank you for supporting the brands that keep me doing what i love! xo

coconut + dark chocolate cake

 

this. cake. oh my god, this cake was good. i wanted to say my mom said it was the best cake i have ever made, but i am starting to think she says that every single time i have her taste test my newest recipes so maybe it is time to pick a new taste tester. what can i say though, mom's are always going to be our number one fans! she had a point though... this cake is FULL of coconut & turned out so moist. seriously, if you are a coconut lover you need to make this right now. it contains grace's coconut chips, shredded coconut, coconut oil, coconut milk in the cake itself & is topped with a creamy coconut glaze. not to mention some dark chocolate chunks to tie it all together. baking with coconut sugar is a healthier alternative to using regular white sugar. i often rotate between this & raw sugar in all my baking.

i think it makes for quite the presentation if you are bringing or serving a dessert at a holiday party! much less stressful then trying to frost a perfect layer cake & i love putting a fancy glaze over top. i used all of grace foods organic coconut products in this recipe, which you can easily find in the international section of your local grocer! they are my go to brand for when i buy coconut milk, it is high quality & affordable. my only real suggestion is to buy extra coconut chips for the topping because good luck not eating them while you bake. they are addicting & i couldn't stop. now get to it!

ingredients

for the cake

for the glaze

directions

for the cake

  • preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • in a large mixing bowl sift flour, baking powder & sea salt.
  • in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the sugar, butter & coconut oil until smooth.
  • add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
  • alternate between adding the coconut milk & flour mixture. beat until smooth.
  • fold in the flaked coconut & half of the chocolate chunks.
  • pour into a greased 8-inch round cake pan & top with remaining chocolate chunks & coconut chips.
  • bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top centre bounces back to touch.
  • let cool completely before removing from pan & glazing.

for the glaze

  • mix ingredients in a bowl until the desired consistency is formed.
  • if the glaze is to thin, add more powdered sugar. if the glaze is to thick, add more coconut milk.

this post was created in partnership with grace. they make just about every coconut product you can think of... sugar, oil, chips, milk & so on. i couldn't help but make the ultimate coconut cake using ALL of these delicious coconut ingredients! thank you for supporting the brands that keep me doing what i love. 

sweet + simple cheeseboard ft. castello

 

do you want to know what my favourite part of the many holiday gatherings are (hint: it isn't the desserts).. the cheeseboards!!!! oh how much i LOVE the cheeseboards. i could literally eat it as the main course & call it a day. my family being the italians we are is all about putting several different cheesy appetizer platters together over the christmas season. i think my sister wins when it comes to who eats the most cheese off the platters.. if she could put the whole brick of cheese on her plate she most definitely would. anyways, i am so excited to be teaming up with Castello this season to share two of my own cheeseboard pairings with you! one sweet & one savoury. this is my sweet & simple cheeseboard. it is made with mild, softer Castello cheeses & paired with different fruits + nuts.

the first thing i decide on when putting together the platter is the assortment of cheese i will include of course! for this board i went with Castello's brie cheese & Castello's extra creamy danish blue. brie is a softer mild white cheese. i don't think i have ever met a single person who doesn't love brie cheese, so this is always a must. brie pairs well with honey, jam, grapes & dried apricots. i provided a variety of toppings for the cheeseboard so my guests can explore different flavour combinations & textures. the extra creamy danish blue is a milder blue cheese that contains extra fresh cream. this richer (but milder) blue cheese is an ideal accompaniment for the fruits + nuts. i also included almonds & candied walnuts that i make myself, they make the best snack and compliment this cheeseboard perfectly!

i hope you enjoy my sweet & simple cheeseboard! below is the ingredient list for this board, including the recipe for my candied walnuts. check back in a few weeks when i share my savoury bold & blue cheeseboard platter, you won't want to miss it!

ingredients

for the cheeseboard

for the candied nuts

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 pinch of cinnamon
  • 1 cup whole walnuts or whole pecans (or a mix of both)

directions

for the cheeseboard

  • place the brie & blue cheese onto desired cheeseboard. arranged all other ingredients around it & garnish with fresh sage if desired.

for the candied nuts

  • preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • in a sauce pan over medium-low heat add sugar, honey, water, salt & cinnamon. bring to a boil & cook for a couple minutes to ensure the sugar has dissolved.
  • remove from heat & stir in walnuts & pecans. transfer nuts to a lined cookie sheet & bake for 10-15 minutes, tossing in between.
  • remove from heat & let cool to room temperature. store left over in a sealed jar.

this post was created in partnership with Castello cheese! thank you for supporting the brands that keep me doing what i love. xo