Marisa's Italian Kitchen

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Raspberry Crumb Muffins

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These delightful Raspberry Crumb Muffins are a cross between a very good crumb cake and a delicious muffin!

Raspberry Crumb Muffins

This muffin recipe has all the characteristics of a very good cake, but with a lovely crumb topping instead of the frosting. Its moist, crumbly and quite able to stand up on it’s own but throw in some fresh raspberries and my goodness…you get a burst of sweetness in every bite.

They make perfect individual sized cakes to pack for those rush and go mornings, but I love savoring these treats with a steaming cup of afternoon tea!

I also love that they’re typically fuss free to bake so you can really whip up some of these sweets on a whim!

You can mix and match different kinds of fruits, whether they’re seasonally fresh or frozen.

Raspberry Crumb Muffins

I have baked plenty of muffins while my kids were in grade school. It was our absolute favorite Friday evening treat. We’d curl up on the couch with milk and muffins watching our favorite shows on T.V. such as “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”, “Boy Meets World” and “Family Matters”. It was our special time while waiting for daddy to come home from work. Oh, how I miss those days!

Raspberry Crumb Muffins

I’ve tweaked this recipe ever so slightly, which is adapted from The Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook. I’ve substituted the blueberries from the original recipe, for raspberries. I also added some grated lemon zest to both the crumb top mixture and the muffin batter simply for personnel preference.

Raspberry Crumb Muffins

I find that the lemon zest adds a some extra flavor to the muffins and gives them a little more zing!

Its totally optional but so worth it!

Raspberry Crumb Muffins

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

Raspberry Crumb Muffins
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Raspberry Crumb Muffins

These delightful Raspberry Crumb Muffins are a cross between a very good crumb cake and a delicious muffin!
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Servings 10
Author Marisa

Ingredients

  • FOR THE CRUMB MIXTURE
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • a half teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed
  • FOR THE MUFFIN MIXTURE
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • a teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
  • 10 tablespoons Crumb Mix

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, mix together all the CRUMB MIXTURE ingredients by hand or with a food processor, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  2. Refrigerate the crumb mixture until your ready to use it.
  3. This crumb mixture makes 1 1/2 cups, enough for two batches of muffins.
  4. You can also make it ahead of time. It keeps very well for up to two weeks in the fridge or a month in the freezer
  5. Preheat the oven to 350* F.
  6. Line a muffin pan with 10 paper muffin cups.
  7. Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla.
  8. Add the egg and the lemon zest to the mixture and blend until combined.
  9. Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda into a bowl.
  10. Mix in 1/4 cup of the sour cream to the butter mixture, then half of the flour mixture and repeat with the rest of the sour cream and flour mixture. Do not over mix!
  11. Gently fold in the raspberries with a rubber spatula until evenly distributed.
  12. Scoop the batter into the muffin cups and top each muffin with 1 tablespoon of the Crumb Mix and a raspberry.
  13. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, on a middle rack, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
  14. Cool and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

These Raspberry Crumb Muffins were adapted from Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook, a restaurant based in New York. I've substituted the blueberries from the original recipe, for raspberries. I also added some grated lemon zest to both the crumb top mixture and the muffin batter

 

Sweet Crispy Easter Pasta Nests

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Turn fresh egg pasta into irresistible Sweet Crispy Easter Pasta Nests which are deep fried till golden brown and drizzled with honey and then topped with candy coated chocolate Easter eggs.

Sweet Crispy Easter Pasta Nests

Pasta not only makes a comforting first course meal but also can be transformed into a rather playful dessert.

Italians have been making various types of pasta desserts for centuries and this comes as no surprise considering the love we all share for the ever popular noodle.

You can actually give your children permission to play with their food by involving them in shaping these pasta nests. These fun treats are incredibly easy to put together however you may want to keep the young ones away from the hot oil.

I used fresh egg fettuccine pasta to make this sweet treat however any other fresh long strand of pasta would work as well. It’s almost a non recipe as there is no mixing, beating or kneading involved here. You simply take 3 fresh strands of pasta noodles, twirl it around your index and middle fingers to shape the nests.

Sweet Crispy Easter Pasta Nests

You’ll want to have all your pasta nests readily shaped before you start dunking them in the hot oil. This allows you to fully concentrate on frying them once they are all assembled. All that’s left to do afterwards is a simple drizzle of your favorite honey and then top with the candy coated Easter eggs. Pretty simple and straight forward right?

Sweet Crispy Easter Pasta Nests

Some of my pasta nests turned out to look a little bit like an alien gone mad but I assure you it was quite a delicious docile alien…lol!

Sweet Crispy Easter Pasta Nests

While other’s were perfect little nests simply waiting to cradle the candy coated Easter eggs.

Sweet Crispy Easter Pasta Nests

Although the chocolate Easter eggs adds a festive appeal to the pasta nests, chopped pistachios or any other favorite nut would also work here. In addition you can infuse the honey with brandy however as a result this would make them strictly adult-friendly.

Plain honey is delicious enough on its own but since I had a jar of lemon honey in my pantry that is what I used.

You need not look any further then your own pantry for some easy and truly yummy pasta treats. My family thoroughly enjoyed these sweet crispy Easter pasta nests and devoured them in no time at all. They will most certainly be making a reappearance for Easter Sunday.

Sweet Crispy Easter Pasta Nests
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Sweet Crispy Easter Pasta Nests

Turn fresh egg pasta into irresistible Sweet Crispy Easter Pasta Nests which are deep fried till golden brown and drizzled with honey and then topped with candy coated chocolate Easter eggs.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Servings 24
Author Marisa

Ingredients

  • 200 grams fresh egg fettuccine or tagliatelle
  • Canola oil for frying
  • 1 cup of warm honey I used organic lemon honey
  • Mini candy coated chocolate Easter eggs I used 3 per pasta nest

Instructions

  1. Have 2 baking sheets nearby.
  2. Using 3 strands of pasta at a time, twirl between your index and middle fingers shaping into a nest.
  3. Carefully place the pasta nest onto the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining fresh pasta.
  4. In a sauce pot, heat about 1 inch of oil to 375 degrees. (use a thermometer)
  5. Carefully drop in the pasta nests, frying 3 at a time until they are light golden brown in color.
  6. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a tray lined with paper towels to drain.
  7. Continue frying the remaining pasta nests.
  8. Arrange the fried pasta nests on a serving platter and drizzle them with warm honey.
  9. Place 3 candy coated chocolate Easter eggs onto each nest.
  10. Keep the pasta nests covered with plastic wrap until ready to serve.

 

Pear Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake

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This simple and deliciously moist Pear Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake is a fall inspired dessert that is just perfect for any day of the week.

The earthy flavor of rosemary lends itself well in combination with the sweet pears and honey. There is just a small amount of this woodsy herb…enough to awaken your taste buds to its’ subtle fragrance.

pear honey rosemary bundt cake

Papa’s pear tree stands proudly in his garden and continues to thrive. It has been 7 months now since his passing and one of the things I miss the most besides his absence…is his garden.

The rows upon rows of plump red juicy tomatoes, sweet bell peppers and glossy purple eggplants…

There were also fig trees with their luscious sweet fruits…

A variety of lettuces and fine herbs…

pear honey rosemary bundt cake

When my sister gave me bag fulls of these ripe pears from papa’s tree, I immediately realized that I had more then we could possible consume in a week. I then came across this Pear Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake from the Bake from scratch magazine and was immediately intrigued as I had never baked with rosemary before.

We start with a buttery pear compote infused with the chopped rosemary which is then cooled and stirred into the cake batter and baked to a golden brown perfection.

pear honey rosemary bundt cake

This Pear Rosemary Honey Bundt Cake is slightly dense in texture and oh so moist! You will find that it actually tastes better the next day, making it a perfect make ahead dessert, something to consider when planning a large family gathering and freeing up some much needed oven space.

pear honey rosemary bundt cake

All that is needed before serving is a dusting of icing sugar for a little extra love!

pear honey rosemary bundt cake

If you love herbs in sweet baked goods then this Pear Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake is definitely for you!

pear honey rosemary bundt cake

Not a fan of herbs, then you may like this heavenly Chocolate and Pear Crostata.

Happy Fall everyone!

 

pear honey rosemary bundt cake
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Pear Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake

A deliciously moist pear Bundt cake, scented with honey and rosemary.
Course Bundt Cake
Servings 12
Author Marisa

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened and divided
  • 2 cups peeled and chopped pear
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt I used fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • Icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Grease and flour a 10 cup Bundt pan and set aside.
  3. In a medium sized sauce pot, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
  4. Add in the chopped pear, rosemary and cook for a few minutes till the pears are soft, stirring occasionally.
  5. Remove the pear and rosemary mixture from the heat and let it cool completely.
  6. In a large bowl using a stand mixer or hand held mixer, beat the remaining 1 cup of butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla at medium speed till fluffy. About 4 minutes.
  7. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  8. In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and the salt.
  9. In another smaller bowl combine the milk and honey together and whisk well.
  10. Slowly add in the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk mixture. Start and end with flour mixture, beating just until combined.
  11. Stir in the pear and rosemary mixture.
  12. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
  13. Bake for about 1 hour or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  14. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
  15. Slightly loosen the cake around the edges with a knife or offset spatula and invert onto a wire rack.
  16. Let the cake cool completely and dust with icing sugar just before serving.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from Bake from scratch Magazine

 

 

Mini Baked Alaska

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mini-baked-alaska

If you are into easy make ahead desserts then these Mini Baked Alaska treats are for you. With simply a little bit of time invested, you will reap huge results that will have your guests thinking you slaved in the kitchen.

They are somewhat of a throwback dessert and a classic one at that when sponge cakes topped with ice-cream, enveloped with meringue and toasted till golden perfection were all the rage.

mini-baked-alaska

Just last weekend I had the pleasure of baking a batch of these Triple Chocolate Cookies for my niece, whom I have to thank for her patience as she has waited quite awhile for them… 🙂

Seeing that it was also my anniversary weekend, I kept a dozen aside to reinvent them into these pretty mini baked Alaska desserts which are also reminiscent of the baked Alaska cakes my husband and I had at our wedding.

With the lights dimmed down low at just about midnight, a dozen waiters came out and encircled us on the dance floor. Each bearing one baked Alaska ignited with cake sparkles. Let me say that it garnered a lot of oohs and aahs and it was just a truly magical moment!

triple-chocolate-cookes

A wonderful thing about this recipe is that you don’t have to bake cookies from scratch. In a pinch, store bought cookies work just fine.

mini-baked-alaska

You can customize the mini baked Alaska to your tastes with just about any flavored cookie and ice-cream of your choice.

mini-baked-alaska

I chose a Neapolitan flavor with the trifecta of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry which is really quite fun as it gives an element of surprise when cutting into the stunning little individual dessert.

Make the mini baked Alaskas this weekend and create your own memorable moment.

Ciao for now!

 

mini-baked-alaska
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Mini Baked Alaska

A scoop of Neapolitan ice-cream is placed over a triple chocolate cookie and topped with meringue to form Mini Baked Alaskas
Course Dessert
Servings 12
Author Marisa

Ingredients

  • 12 cookies I used triple chocolate cookies
  • 12 scoops of ice-cream I used Neapolitan flavor, chocolate, vanilla and strawberry
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

  1. Place the 12 cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
  2. Place one scoop of ice-cream onto each cookie and transfer the tray to the freezer while you prepare the meringue.
  3. Using a stand mixer or hand held mixer, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice, cream of tartar and salt until soft peaks have formed.
  4. While beating constantly, add sugar one tablespoon at a time until stiff peaks have formed.
  5. Remove the tray with cookie topped ice-cream from the freezer.
  6. Using the back of a spoon, spread the meringue all over the cookies and ice-cream.
  7. Freeze the mini Alaskas for at least 8 hours, until they are solid.
  8. When ready, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake for 5 to 6 mins until the meringue turns golden in color.
  9. Alternately you may use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue. (as I did)
  10. Serve immediately or return to freezer till ready to serve.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from Bake Fest recipe booklet.

 

Mini Strawberry Grapefruit Cheesecakes

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strawberry grapefruit cheesecake

These mini strawberry and grapefruit cheesecakes, showcases one of Quebec’s more delectable fruits. They are wonderfully sweet and pair perfectly with the juicy pink grapefruit segments. Both fruits are macerated together and then nestled atop the mini cheesecakes to provide a truly refreshing and stunning appearance.

You will love the ease with which this recipe comes together. It is fairly simple to prepare and the cheesecakes can be baked ahead of time! As an added bonus, they are sure to impress!

mini-strawberry-grapefruit-cheesecakes

Once baked the mini cheesecakes need to be properly chilled for at least 4 hours, so do plan ahead.

mini-strawberry-grapefruit-cheesecakes

If using the more delicate sweet strawberries I would not recommend preparing the fruit ahead of time as it renders the strawberries with a lackluster appearance. For ultimate freshness, I prepared my fruit mixture just before serving.

mini-strawberry-grapefruit-cheesecakes

With the red and white colors of the Canadian flag, these mini strawberry grapefruit cheesecakes make a delicious celebratory dessert for Canada Day or just about anytime one is craving a sweet little morsel!

Have a safe and fun filled Canada day everyone!

mini-strawberry-grapefruit-cheesecakes
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Mini Strawberry Grapefruit Cheesecakes

These mini strawberry grapefruit cheesecakes are delectable, creamy little morsels crowned with a mixture of sweet and bittersweet fruits
Course Dessert
Servings 12
Author Marisa

Ingredients

  • CRUST
  • 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • CHEESECAKES
  • 2 packages cream cheese softened (250 grams each)
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • TOPPING
  • 2 cups sliced strawberries
  • 2 grapefruits peeled and skin removed cut into small pieces
  • 2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

  1. For the Crust
  2. Preheat the oven to 350* F (180 *C)
  3. Place paper liners in 12 cup muffin tin.
  4. For the crust, combine the graham crackers, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 2 tablespoons of melted butter in a small bowl.
  5. Divide equally into the 12 cup muffin tin, pressing the mixture down into each muffin cup.
  6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes (on middle oven rack) until light golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.
  7. Meanwhile, lower the oven temperature to 325*F (170*C).
  8. For the Cheesecakes
  9. In a food processor blend together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
  10. Add the sour cream, eggs and vanilla extract and process until the mixture is creamy.
  11. You will need to scrape down the sides a few times to get the mixture blended well.
  12. Divide the mixture equally over the prepared crust.
  13. Bake for about 25 minutes or just until the cheesecakes are firm to the touch. Do not over bake the mini cheesecakes.
  14. Let the cheesecakes cool and then refrigerate them for 4 hours or until they are well chilled.
  15. Top with strawberry, grapefruit mixture just before serving.
  16. Strawberry Grapefruit Mixture
  17. In a medium size bowl, combine the sliced strawberries, grapefruit and sugar.
  18. Set the mixture aside for 5 minutes to macerate and then drain.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from Ricardo Magazine

 

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