Butterscotch Cookies

Just added a butterscotch cookie recipe to my recipe blog. These cookies are so addictive and you can't even tell they are gluten-free.

Find the recipe here: http://lexalexrecipe.blogspot.com

Iced Strawberry Mocha

My latest recipe, Iced Strawberry Mocha, is up on my recipe blog. It's delicious and so simple to make.

Check it out: http://lexalexrecipe/iced-strawberry-mocha.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! Here's a little taste of how my day has gone! :)

Hazelnut Chai Mocha

Most people think mixing tea and coffee would be disastrous. I'm pretty sure this drink proves all the critics wrong. The rich, spicy chai and bitter coffee blend beautifully in this hazelnut chai mocha! If you are lover of coffee AND tea then this is a must-try!

Hazelnut Chai Mocha

1 mug of coffee (about 1 cup)
2 cups of milk
2 T sugar
1 1/2 T cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
pinch of salt
2 T hazelnut chai tea
whipped cream (homemade or store bought)
hazelnut chocolate the shave on top (optional)

 (I used Argo Hazelnut Chai Tea. This tea isn't available online but you can buy other amazing chai teas here: http://mychaidiaries.com )

1) Brew a mug of coffee

2) Heat the coffee and milk in a sauce pan until it steams 

(medium heat)

3) Measure out the chai into a tea infuser

 4) Mix in the sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and salt. Stir until these ingredients dissolve.

5) Put the tea infuser (containing the tea) into the sauce pan. Let it steep in the milk for about five minutes. Strain the mocha mixture into cups/mugs. 

6) Add whipped cream and shave the chocolate on top

Mocha Pomegranate Mousse

One of the desserts I made for Thanksgiving was this lovely Mocha Pomegranate Mousse! It turned out   very pretty and flavorful so I decided to share my recipe. If you aren't a huge pomegranate lover, no worries! You can easily substitute the pomegranate with almost any other fruit/ flavor. For example, you could try this recipe using raspberries, blackberries, lemon, peach, peppermint, or even eggnog! 

Mocha Pomegranate Mousse Recipe

Mocha Mousse Layer

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream 

4 ounces milk chocolate

4 ounces coffee chocolate

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

3 tablespoons water 

2 tablespoons sugar

3 egg yolks, room temperature

1) Melt all the chocolate in a double boiler and set aside to cool

2) Crack three eggs and separate the yolks into a bowl. Set aside

3) Put the water and sugar in a small sauce pan. Stir on medium heat until it starts to bubble and become like syrup

4) Add the simple syrup (while still hot) to the egg yolks while constantly stirring 

5) Add the syrup and yolks to the chocolate and mix all together

6) Whip the heavy cream until peaks form

7) Carefully fold all the chocolate into cream until mixed together 

8) Pipe or spoon the mousse into cups/bowls and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes 

Pomegranate Mousse Layer

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

1/3 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 tablespoon sugar
6 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream 

1) Put the water and gelatin in a bowl and set aside (allow gelatin to bloom)

2) Put the pomegranate juice and sugar in a small sauce pan and stir on medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the juice becomes more concentrated (once the juice starts to bubble, continue to stir on heat for around 5 minutes). 

3) Put the bloomed gelatin in the pomegranate juice and stir

4) mix the chopped white chocolate into the pomegranate juice. The hot juice should melt the chocolate

5) Whip the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. 

6) fold the pomegranate juice into the whipped cream

7) Pipe/spoon the pomegranate mousse onto the chilled mocha mousse

8) Put the mousse back into the fridge for at least and hour

Before Serving

1/2 cup of fresh pomegranate seeds

1/4 cup of chopped/shaved white chocolate 

1) Sprinkle the seeds and chocolate onto the cups of mousse right before serving 

The Liberator: Dark Chocolate Mocha Tea

Today, I made myself a cup of Dark Chocolate Mocha Tea. It was heavenly! If you are interesting in coffee tea, you neeeeed to check out this website: http://javateaco.com 

Java Tea Co. has the coolest website ever and their unique coffee teas are amazing. I got to try The Liberator (what they call their mocha tea) for my tea reviewing job. I loved it. I made it how the Java Tea Co. suggests so I used frothed milk (more like whipped cream) and shaved dark chocolate on top. yum.

The Ultimate Waffles and Ice Cream

So for my brothers 'back to college' breakfast, my Mom and I made waffles and ice cream. My brother decided to take it up a notch though and created this master piece.

Waffles, bacon, ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and berries.

For my Mom and myself, we made gluten-free waffles which turned out great! I'll post the recipe soon.
(Please excuse the bad lighting. There was no time for fancy pictures)

Toasted Coconut Crunch Ice Cream

Last week I made toasted coconut crunch ice cream for a friend. It turned out so delicious and I think it might be my favorite ice cream I've made. Coconut is just so addicting and this cold treat is perfect for summer. 

Toasted Coconut Ice Cream

1 cup dried unsweetened shredded coconut

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup coconut milk

3/4 cup sugar (I would add a little less the next time I make it)

A pinch of salt

5 egg yolks

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 a bar of coconut crunch chocolate (I bought mine at Aldi. If you are unable to find coconut crunch chocolate, you can get just coconut chocolate and add some crushed corn flakes. You could also add some toasted coconut instead) 

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the shredded coconut on a baking sheet. Place the coconut in the oven for about 7 minutes, stirring every minute. Once the coconut is golden brown, remove from the oven and set aside. 

2) Heat the whole milk, the heavy cream, sugar, and salt in a sauce pan on medium heat until it begins to steam. Remove from heat and add the toasted coconut. Stir, place lid on top of the sauce pan, and let it sit for an hour (you can let it sit longer if you like).

3) After an hour, reheat the milk mixture and then strain it. Make sure to get all the liquid out of the shredded coconut. Whisk your egg yolks in a bowl and slowly begin to pour the milk mixture in. Once the yolk and the milk is combined, pour it back into the sauce pan and put on medium heat. Stir continually until the mixture thickens. 

4) Strain the mixture one last time and then add the coconut milk and the vanilla. Place in the fridge either over night or until fully chilled. Once chilled, place in an ice cream machine or freeze. While it is in the ice cream machine, add the chopped chocolate. You could also mix it in before you freeze it or you could just sprinkle it on top before you serve it. 

Iced Nutella Mocha Recipe

Happy Fourth of July! My day has consisted of: picking flowers, making iced Nutella mochas, sitting by a bonfire while reading, baking a cobbler, eating tacos, taking pictures, bike riding, and spending time with family. What have you done for the 4th?

Here's my Iced Nutella Mocha Recipe 

1 1/2 cups iced coffee
2 cups milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 spoonful Nutella
1 to 2 handfuls of ice (depending on how icy you want it!)
1 or two scoops of ice cream (Optional)

1) To start off make coffee ice cubes with 1/2 cup of your coffee (this is optional)

2) Combine the milk, vanilla, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt in a sauce pan. Stir on medium heat until mixture is hot and everything is dissolved in. Let cool and then place in the fridge. (if you're in a hurry, place it in the freezer for a bit to make it chill faster)

3) Once everything is chilled, put the coffee, milk mixture, ice cubes, and Nutella in a blender (leave out coffee ice cubes). Pulse until everything is mixed. If you decided to add ice cream, then pulse this in with everything else. Before you enjoy your mocha, add your coffee ice cubes to keep your drink nice and cool.
                             (This should make enough for about 2 or 3 people.)