Dessert

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Coffee Cake with Maple Drizzle

October 23, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

This is the fall recipe I’ve been waiting to share, cardamom-spiced pumpkin cream cheese coffee cake! A big slice of spiced pumpkin cake with cream cheese filling in the center, with crunchy brown sugar coffee crumbs on top, drizzled with sweet glaze, paired with a cup of coffee… It’s the perfect way to start a fall day.

What is better than pumpkin and coffee cake, pumpkin coffee cake :). Come Fall, and my obsession for pumpkin and squash dishes reinvigorates. As it should be!!

With all of the pumpkin recipes floating around, there’s one extremely basic pumpkin dessert that I’ve never shared with you before. It’s my favorite pumpkin cake. Simple, straightforward, unadulterated, no strings attached, positively perfect pumpkin cake. It’s for those of us who want pure pumpkin spice flavor with nothing else in the way.

…

Guava Coconut Frangipane Tart

July 24, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

A tropical bakewell tart: this guava coconut frangipane tart is a classic with a twist. The addition of guava paste is a delicious touch to this nutty tart . It’s a great picnic cake, travels well.

Connections are made every day. Sometimes they’re large or life changing. Other times they’re as simple as a smile to a passerby on the street or stopping to observe Spring’s first flowers pushing through the cool, heavy earth. These little connections are made everyday whether you stop to take notice or not.

One connection that continues to intrigue and inspire me is food. It’s amazing to think that one little seed, when loved and cared for, grows into something that nourishes the body and mind. That those little seeds make a meal that I can then share with friends and family, making even further connections, that soon become memories of those meals and times past….

Creamy Peach Pistachio Horchata Popsicles – Gluten Free and Vegan

June 22, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

Summertime means stone fruits, popsicles, and cool drinks. I combined the three in this Peach Horchata Popsicles. A delicious peach jam and strawberry preserve swirled in the horchata mix make this a delicious treat. You will not believe it’s not cream or milk based.

Are you a multitasker?

I consider myself skilled at multitasking. Like many working moms and women, I can get sucked in the Bermuda triangle of the regular routine chores. I can be thinking of one thing, doing one thing, seeing something, and talking on the phone with someone, all at the same time. I know it sounds complicated, but for some, we are wired that way. For instance, I will be talking to my family about planning a vacation and my topic all of a sudden will shift to my little baby bear, as to why he didn’t finish his chores… :). That’s how a mind of a multitasker works, I guess….

Cherry Chocolate Cobbler/ Black Forest Cobbler

June 10, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

This gorgeous black forest cobbler takes less than one hour from start to finish, and is perfect for two people or for a big crowd. Perfect for camp outs too.

Food is not about impressing people, it’s about making them feel comfortable. – Ina Garten

I’m a self proclaimed queen of easy desserts. In fact, my friends often remember my desserts among an array of savory dishes. We love the unique and the experiments, but familiarity whispers coziness and warmth. Something we crave and we love….

Easiest Delicious Kahlua Chocolate Matcha Mousse

June 2, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

An easy and quick summer treat that is great for entertaining or a pick me up on those warm summer afternoons. The chocolate matcha mousse is a no-bake, eggless dessert that’s creamy, fluffy and oh so good.

“Desserts are like a feel-good song, and the best ones make you dance.” – Chef Edward Lee

The windows are open, and a light breeze comes in moving around the papers left on the table. A warm heat touches the side of my elbows. Waffles finally has made his way to a corner of the garden where bougainvilleas are showering him with flowers and shade. He digs a little spot for himself and sits cozily, tucked in for the next few hours, sun bathing. I take my cold coffee outside, sit under the large red umbrella, and turn on my Etta James playlist with a book to scribble on. Gazing into nothing and closing my eyes, I’m dreaming of the next couple of months…. I can feel it slowing down, as the holidays are approaching. Ready to embrace the heat……

Caramel Crunch Raspberry Ice Cream Cake

April 5, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

So happy to partner with Werther’s Original to bring you this easy and delicious Caramel Crunch Raspberry Ice Cream Cake. I absolutely love Werther’s Caramel. It is the only candy I use in my caramel desserts. Here, we have a beautiful caramel crunch raspberry ice cream cake.

Happy Spring!!

I’ve been to two countries, visited different places, witnessed different cultures, and had loads of good food. India treated me well in the last few weeks. I spent some quality time with friends and family. Well, now I’m back home and back in routine just before spring break.

And this happened….

Caramel Cardamom Affogato

February 13, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

Caramel Cardamom Affogato. It’s simple, it’s classy, it’s refined yet unfussy, it requires almost no effort and a mere two or three ingredients, yet it can finish a meal on a note as strong and sexy, as the espresso used to make it.

I run away from pinks and hearts as far as I can. I remember the days, when giddy young girls/friends would wait for a flower or pink balloon or a card and I hid under tables. Valentines was never my thing. Didn’t understand it then, don’t get it now.

But, desserts are my thing. Being a big fan of coffee, affogato is as sexy as it can get. Simple and absolutely non fussy, can be whipped up in no time and hits a spot always….

Bailey’s White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Amaretti Cookies

February 5, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

This white chocolate panna cotta is smooth, silky, and perfect for any occasion. The white chocolate adds a touch of sweetness, the blood orange gelee adds a citrus punch, and the amaretti cookies add a great crunch.

Happy February!!

This dessert was inspired by my love of white chocolate and blood oranges. I think they are a match made in dessert heaven. I tried hard to capture both of their strengths while maintaining their integrity.

I’m generally not a big fan of citrus fruits, but blood oranges are something I wait for, every year. A good glass of fresh juice in its freshest form is such a refresher, but I also love using it desserts like this. This panna cotta is such a sexy and smooth dessert, and I thought, what better day to share it than on Valentine’s Day?…

BEST Coffee-Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramel Mascarpone cream

December 4, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

Get your caffeine fix with these super moist, flavorful, eggless coffee chocolate cupcakes, topped with caramel mascarpone cream. It’s my favorite recipe, and a guaranteed crowd pleaser for the upcoming holiday parties.

Say Hello to the best coffee chocolate cupcakes that I’ve made. The exact recipe that I’ve been making for the last many years, and one of the first recipes I posted on this blog, was this CUPCAKE. The frosting is a beautiful, delicately flavored cream which holds well with a touch of mascarpone. The coffee is pronounced, but not bitter, and will not keep you up :). It’s a coffee lover’s dream….

Easiest Moist German Chocolate Cake with Saffron-Coconut Cashew topping and an Announcement

June 6, 2017 By Asha Shivakumar

A moist easy moist German Chocolate Cake smothered with saffron coconut and cashew, almost like a coconut burfi on top. It’s simple to make and quite an addictive cake.

I wanted to tell you, and then, I’d tell myself, I’ll tell after my next deadline was met. Two weeks ago, at around noon, I heard a knock, I opened the door and was handed a big brown package. I opened it and there was a yellow note which said, “check and return by….”. It was my manuscript for review. It hit me. I am officially going to be a COOKBOOK AUTHOR!!

There, I said it and it feels WONDERFUL. Honestly speaking, one of the things I wanted to do was, to shout out loud and tell you all that someone wants to publish my recipes. I had to wait, and it was, in a way easy for me. I was overwhelmed and nervous with a giddy sort of excitement….