GIVEAWAY + fresh VANILLA blackberry ice cream crepes

 

oh monday & the last of my blackberries (sad face). i figured making a dessert crepe was the best way to use what is left of the summer berries! i would be lying if i said i wasn't looking forward to baking with fall flavours again though... pumpkin, apples, pears & cinnamon everything. i actually went to a barbecue last weekend & brought a pumpkin pineapple cake for dessert! is that a weird flavour to bring to an outdoor summer party? probably, but everyone loved it & i figured if i added some pineapples to the mix it would pass as a summer dessert.

ANYWAYS, i am teaming up with zwilling canada today to give you the chance to WIN (yay!!!) a staub crepe pan over on my instagram so you too can make crepes like a boss. it seriously makes crepe making so much easier & i feel like i am a seasoned pro using the little wood wand & flipper that it comes with. there was this crepe restaurant right in downtown toronto on queen street where the cooks would make crepes in the window all day long. as a daily passerby i would just stare it awe because i never understood how they made them so damn perfect every. single. time. but alas, a few more batches to go with my staub pan & maybe i'll be making them in the window too. so head on over to my instagram HERE to enter for a chance to win & get the recipe below to make fresh blackberry ice cream crepes!

ingredients

for the blackberry sauce

  • 2 cups fresh blackberries
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons water

for the crepes

  • 1 cup all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted & cooled
  • 1 pint of vanilla ice cream

directions

for the blackberry sauce

  • in a saucepan add the blackberries, sugar, lemon juice, corn starch & water. toss to coat.
  • cook on medium low heat until the blackberries begin to melt & burst open. i used a fork to smash them up a bit.
  • let simmer for 5 minutes & remove from heat.
  • set aside while you prepare the crepes.

for the crepes

  • using a blender or food processor add the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, milk, eggs & butter. blend until a smooth batter is formed. let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
  • once batter has rested, heat crepe pan over medium heat. adding a touch of butter per crepe, scoop 1/3 cup of batter into the pan & swirl around until a very thin pancake has formed. cook for 1-2 minutes per side. repeat until no batter remains.
  • add a scoop of ice cream to each crepe & roll tightly. the ice cream will dispurse throughout the crepe as you roll.
  • place in the freezer for 15 minutes to allow the ice cream to firm back up.
  • top with blackberry sauce, powdered sugar & whipped cream.

like what you see?  get it here. crepe pan | bowl | mug | linens | sweet gum scoop | plate | flatware | copper pan | copper kettle

grilled pineapple + coconut muesli parfait

 

happy friday (YAY)!!!! today i am teaming up with my favourite muesli maker hannah from seven sundays to bring you this dairy free breakfast parfait! because the muesli is made with wholesome, natural ingredients i wanted to create a recipe that was equally healthy. if you are reading this thinking, wait.. what is this muesli?! it is a mixture of whole grains, nuts, seeds, dried fruits & spices. it is similar to granola, but is less sweet, unbaked & oil free. while you can enjoy it on its own hot or cold, i decided to add some grilled pineapples & coconut whipped cream to the mix! because summer is quickly coming to an end, i thought we needed one more reason to fire up the grill.

grilling the pineapple brings out it's natural sugars & softens the flesh ever so slightly, so no need to add any additional sugar to the mix! i sprinkled it with a touch of cinnamon because everything is better with cinnamon, right? for the coconut whipped cream, i sweetened it with a touch of raw sugar & a splash of pure vanilla. the flavours go hand in hand with seven sundays cocoa + coconut muesli blend. be very careful not to shake or tip the can of coconut milk once you are ready to open & separate it. refrigerating it over night is a MUST to allow the coconut cream & water to separate. anyways, have a great weekend! i got a few photoshoots in line so it is going to be a busy one:) at least i got a few parfaits left to get me through the mornings! xo

ingredients

  • 2 cans of full fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
  • 1/4 cup honey or agave syrup
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 pineapple, cut into 1/2 inch slices
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 cups seven sundays cocoa & coconut muesli

directions

  • for the coconut cream: once you have chilled the cans overnight, carefully remove the thickened coconut cream from the can & discard the liquid. in a chilled mixing bowl add the coconut cream, honey & vanilla. beat until smooth & creamy. set aside while you prepare the grilled pineapple.

  • for the grilled pineapple: sprinkle slices of pineapple with cinnamon & place on the grill over medium heat. let cook on each side for 1-2 minutes, allowing the pineapple begins to soften. if the pineapple is not fully ripe, add a touch of brown sugar to the slices before you grill them! let cool & chop into bite size chunks.

  • for assembly: when your coconut cream & grilled pineapple is chilled, assemble the parfaits! begin with a layer of cream, followed by pineapple slices, followed by a generous scoop of the seven sunday's cocoa + coconut muesli. repeat layers until you reach the top of the jar.

this post was created in partnership with seven sundays. they make the MOST delicious flavours of muesli & muesli squares i've ever tasted! you can find the cocoa + coconut muesli that i used here & all the other fun flavours here. xo.

blackberry marshmallows

 

i cannot tell you how much i enjoy having a garden this summer! i do NOT miss my little concrete patio where every herb i tried to grow would die within a week. we are currently in the heart of tomato + blackberry season & each morning i run outside to pick the juicy ripe ones. there are a TON of blackberries on the verge of ripeness that i planned to turn into a jam to last till fall, but i wanted to make something special with them first for the blog. i fell in love with making homemade marshmallows when i whipped up the classic fluffy vanilla ones back in the spring. i can't explain how much better homemade marshmallows are then those nasty store bought ones. i thought it was time to experiment with some fun flavours & blackberries seemed like the perfect start. they give a hint of tartness & turn them into a gorgeous purple pink hue.

to whip these up i used KitchenAid's new Artisan® Mini Mixer! marshmallows are sure to test out your mixer, as you have to whip them for a long time to get the right consistency (i wouldn't want to whip these by hand!). as you can see, the Mini Mixer held up just as perfectly as its iconic sibling, the KitchenAid® Stand Mixer & is the perfect size to make a batch of marshmallows. the best part is pouring in the boiled sugar mixture & watching it turn from a liquid to a fluffy white right before your eyes!

p.s. you can roast these marshmallows over the campfire & pair them with creamy white chocolate + graham cracker for a fancy pant s'more!
ingredients

  • 1/2 cup blackberry puree (2 cups fresh blackberries)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3/4 ounces gelatin
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 2/3 cup white corn syrup
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup corn starch
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

directions

  • using a blender, puree the blackberries. strain mixture twice to remove any pulp or seeds. set aside 1/2 cup of the strained puree mixture.
  • line a 13x9 baking dish with parchment paper & grease with oil.
  • add 1/2 cup blackberry puree & gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer. let stand until the gelatin softens, about 10 minutes.
  • add water into a sauce pan over medium heat. add sugar, corn syrup & salt. stir until sugar dissolves.
  • increase heat to high & boil (do not stir) until temperature reaches 230-250 degrees, about 6-8 minutes.
  • using the whisk attachment, turn on mixer to low speed & slowly pour in boiling hot syrup.
  • once syrup is mixed evenly with the gelatin, add vanilla & increase speed to high. beat until mixture is thick & fluffy, about 15 minutes.
    pour into baking dish immediately & let stand at room temperature until firm, about 2-3 hours.
  • sift corn starch & powdered sugar over mixture before slicing. toss each slice in the powdered mixture as well.

this post was created in partnership with KitchenAid® in celebration of the new KitchenAid® Artisan® Mini Mixer available now! tag all your mini creations with #minimoments.