Puerto Rican Style Roast Chicken

I grew up with a Puerto Rican mom who firmly believed that all meat should be marinated before cooking. At least for a few hours, preferably overnight, and sometimes even longer. It produced dishes that were always richly flavorful with juicy, well-seasoned meat. This went for everything from simple chicken breasts to more elaborate large cuts like pork shoulder. Even delicate cuts of fish or shrimp spent a few minutes soaking in something delicious.

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A Simply Orange Brunch Party (Orange Muffins + Orange Rose Mimosas)

Though we do have little pockets of green here and there, New York City has never really been known for its nature. This is especially true during the colder months when hibernation is basically the only sane option, and a proper dose of sunshine requires a seat on a plane headed due south.

I admittedly love any excuse to get out of town, but unfortunately, that isn't always possible.

The next best way to cure a case of urban cabin fever? Finding a way to bring a bit of nature home through the things we eat and drink!

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Minty Grapefruit Vodka Spritzer Punch

A few weeks ago, I was walking my dog Hudson down a narrow sidewalk next to my apartment building when a man came out a door and started shouting at me. "Get out of my backyard!" he said, like something out of an old Dennis the Menace cartoon.

I was, naturally, very confused.

"This is your yard?" I asked, looking around at the very-much-public and very-much-not-a-yard street I stood on. The man shouted again that it was his yard, and so Hudson and I hustled back down to the main street.

That man was obviously nuts, but the thing is that when you live in New York City, you kind of have to take a yard wherever you can get it:

A two-foot fire escape four stories up in the air can be a yard. A front stoop with a tiny portable grill can be a yard. A public park 20 blocks away can be a yard.

And, apparently, a narrow public sidewalk can also be a yard...

All you need is a bit of imagination!

Whatever your backyard looks like, Summer is most definitely the time to get out there and enjoy it. Bring together friends and family for a classic backyard bbq, serve up a big punch bowl of something chilled and soak in that summer goodness.

My latest vodka punch recipe in my ongoing collaboration with Smirnoff this summer is this sweet and tangy Minty Grapefruit Vodka Spritzer Punch.

Made with fresh grapefruit juice, Smirnoff Ruby Red Grapefruit, and fresh mint simple syrup, it's a pretty and refreshing punch to sip on hot summer days.

Grapefruit and mint are a gorgeous combination that I absolutely love together, and find that they're particularly lovely in this cocktail made with Smirnoff Ruby Red Grapefruit. The mint simple syrup takes just minutes to prepare, and can even be made several days in advance.

Serve the punch in a big bowl, with plenty of ice and fresh mint for serving.

For more fun summer cocktail recipes and ideas, follow Smirnoff and the hashtag #Punch4Everybody on Instagram and Facebook, and check out their fun party boards on Pinterest!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Smirnoff for IZEA. All opinions are 100% my own. Please remember to always drink responsibly!

Minty Grapefruit Vodka Spritzer Punch
Serves 12

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 cups fresh mint leaves + more for serving
2 1/4 cups Smirnoff Ruby Red Grapefruit
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
4 cups fresh ruby red grapefruit juice (or a good quality store-bought ruby red grapefruit juice)
1 liter chilled club soda

Directions
Make the mint syrup: Combine sugar, water, and mint leaves in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Immediately lower heat to the lowest setting and let simmer 10 minutes, or until the liquid reduces by 1/4. Remove from heat, strain out leaves, and let cool completely.

To make the punch, whisk together the Smirnoff Ruby Red Grapefruit, lemon juice, and fresh grapefruit juice. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or until serving.

Just before serving, add the club soda and garnish with grapefruit slices. Serve with ice and fresh mint leaves on the side.

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Maialino's Orange Olive Oil Cake

I've been wanting to bake this olive oil cake for a while now. At least a year, if not more, and since January is the month when we do all the things we've been meaning to do, here it finally is!

This is my attempt at the famed citrus olive oil cake from Maialino, a restaurant here in New York City. It's one of those simple, but gorgeous restaurant desserts that people can't help but fall in love with, and then tell everyone about.

It's the kind of thing a celebrity might list as one of her favorite things about New York. She'll say something like "Walking around early on a Sunday morning when everyone is still sleeping and the olive oil cake at Maialino." It's the kind of cake that people will post a picture of on Instagram, and then all their friends will comment "oh I LOVE that cake!"

Dense, almost pudding-like, with a tight, wet crumb, this is exactly the sort of cake I love more than anything else. The top is dark and almost caramelized, while the inside is somewhere between gold and olive.

If you squeeze it, you can feel the oil, but it's not oily. I'm actually amazed by how well this cake holds all that richness.

Fragrant with citrus and a hint of bitterness from the zest, it's beautifully addictive. I spent most of my Saturday slicing myself one very thin slice after another (after, yet another).

At the restaurant, they serve this with whipped mascarpone, but I love it with creamy fresh ricotta. Homemade if you can do it, or buy the good stuff from the gourmet shop.

Unsweetened whipped cream would be nice, too. Maybe even tangy creme fraiche.

I wouldn't do normal whipped cream--this cake needs something with a touch of savoriness to it.

(I haven't tried it yet, but I think strawberries with a drizzle of very old and very sweet balsamic might be incredible on this.)

This cake is easy to make, but here are a few bits of advice to help you turn out a spectacular cake:

• Make sure your pan has high sides. At least 2 inches, definitely. 3" would be better. I think a springform pan makes the whole thing even easier since you can then just release the sides. 

• If you can, choose a Ligurian olive oil for this cake. It's more buttery and lighter than some other extra-virgin olive oils, which is key (this cake calls for a LOT of oil--you don't want something too spicy or overpowering).

• To keep this dense cake from cooking unevenly, I recommend wrapping the cake pan with cake strips.  It's not a requirement, but it will definitely help guarantee success. 

Cake strips are thick strips of fabric that you soak in water and then wrap around the outside of the cake so that it cools down the edges and keeps it at the same temperature as the inside. Basically you want to slow down the speed at which the outside of the cake cooks so that it matches the center. This will keep your cake from doming on top or burning on the edges. You can buy cake strips, but you can also DIY a version with thick wet fabric or paper towels wrapped in foil. 

• Oh, and feel free to play around with the flavors! Swap fresh lemon juice and zest for the orange (or do a bit of both!). Use a different liqueur instead of Grand Marnier (Campari would be fun for a more bitter cake, or perhaps even a limoncello? A ginger liqueur would be amazing, I'm sure!). A tiny bit of almond extract would be fantastic, too.

• Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes before taking it out, and then let it cool completely for a couple hours before serving. I honestly think this one tastes even better the next day. (Leave it covered at cool room temperature--don't refrigerate it!)

FYI that at Maialino, they serve this cake as muffins during breakfast, so you can definitely make this in a cupcake pan. The baking time would be reduced, of course, though I'm not exactly sure how long. (Maybe about 25 minutes?)

Enjoy!

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Loved this recipe? Here are three other simple cakes you might like:

• Cranberry Orange Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake
• Whole Orange Bundt Cake with Chocolate Ganache Glaze
• Blackberry Saffron Almond Cake

And let's connect so you can find out the next time I post! Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates.

Thanks so much for reading! 

Maialino's Citrus Olive Oil Cake Recipe
Adapted very slightly from Food 52

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups granulated white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/3 cups extra-virgin olive oil (preferably a soft and buttery Ligurian olive oil)
1 1/4 cups whole milk
3 large eggs
Zest of 1 whole orange
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup Grand Marnier

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9” springform pan (at least 2” in height) OR a 10” round baking pan (also 2” in height). Line bottom with a circle of parchment (grease the whole pan first as it will help hold the parchment in place).

Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

Whisk together olive oil, milk, eggs, orange zest, orange juice, and Grand Marnier.

Add the dry ingredients and whisk until completely smooth and combined.

Pour into prepared pan, and bake 1 hour or until top is golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean (a couple tiny moist crumbs may attach..that’s OK!). Let cool in pan 30 minutes, before running a thin knife or spatula around the sides to loosen, then turning out onto a pan to cool completely at least 2 hours or overnight.

Serve with fresh ricotta or whipped cream.

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5 Cool Things to Do with Ice Pops

I'm not sure if you knew this, but ice pops? Totally not just a summer thing.

In fact, I actually think they're sort of a perfect winter treat. Think about it.

Chilly days usually mean hearty, heavy dishes. Stews. Roasts. Bowls of piping hot mac & cheese. Heavy, filling dishes that are perfect for the season, but which don't often leave a lot of room for a big dessert.

And yet...dessert is important. It's kind of my life philosophy...

Enter ice pops! Light, fresh, and not overwhelmingly sweet. The perfect way to brighten up a cozy winter meal.

Outshine (previously known as Edy's Fruit Bars) recently sent me a couple boxes of their new seasonal winter flavors to try.

I didn't even realize that they did this, but I'm kind of in love with the idea. Each season, Outshine puts out a couple limited-edition flavors inspired by the season.

For winter, it's all about the citrus with their gorgeous Blood Orange and Grapefruit Fruit Bars. Made with real fruit juice and no funky ingredients, they're totally a light dessert that I can get behind.

As delicious as they are on their own, I thought I'd play around and share a few ideas for how you can serve these ice pops to your friends or guests when entertaining this winter.

1. Dip it in Chocolate!

Chocolate and orange is one of my favorite flavor combinations, so as soon as I got these Blood Orange Outshine Fruit Bars, I knew I had to dip them.

To make, combine a cup of chocolate chips (dark, milk, white--choose your favorite!) with 1 rounded teaspoon of coconut oil and melt in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time, until smooth.

Dip the ice pop in the chocolate and place on a plate to set.

It'll harden in just a few seconds, creating a crackling chocolate shell (similar to "magic shell").

These can be prepared a few hours in advance, which is perfect for an easy (and unexpected!) holiday dessert.

2. Add a Little Sparkle

One of my favorite breakfast treats is a half grapefruit sprinkled with raw sugar. I love the way the tart fruit contrasts against the slightly caramel-like flavor of the crunchy sugar crystals.

I used Outshine's other seasonal winter ice pop, Grapefruit, to try to recreate a fun dessert version of this breakfast classic.

To make, I simply dipped the end of the grapefruit popsicle in water and then rolled it around in raw sugar. I popped them back in the freezer for a couple minutes to set, and the results were just like I remembered.

The perfect combination of fresh, tart, citrus fruit with just a hint of caramel. And so sparkly--I think this would be a fun one to serve on New Year's Eve or at a glitter-themed bridal shower.

3. Spice (and spike!) it Up

Margaritas might get all the attention, but my favorite Mexican cocktail is the Paloma (Spanish for "the dove.") It's a tequila-based cocktail made with grapefruit juice or soda, and served with a spicy and salty rim.

I used the Outshine Grapefruit Fruit Bars (which really do taste like fresh grapefruit!) to recreate a grown-up ice pop version of this cocktail.

To make, I dipped the tip of the ice pops in white tequila and then immediately rolled them around in a mix of ground cayenne and salt. (You can also dip in lime juice for a non-alcoholic version, if you prefer.)

If you're not a fan of spice, use chili powder mixed with salt, which adds smokiness without the heat. (Or make some of each!)

Keep these in the freezer until you're ready to serve.

(And this should go without saying, but just in case...these are for grown-ups only, OK?)

4. Add a Little Coconut & Cream

Do you know what's unexpectedly delicious? Fruit ice pops dipped in heavy cream.

I don't know how I discovered this, but I somehow realized that by dipping icy fruit pops into plain heavy cream, it would create an instant creamy shell around the outside.

It's a delicious foil to tart citrus flavors, and works especially well with these blood orange popsicles. I then like to take it even further by dipping it in ground coconut. (Yup!)

It's the most perfect tropical combination of flavors and will make you forget that it's cold and wintery out there.

To make, simply prepare a shallow dish with finely ground coconut (I used the unsweetened kind), and fill a glass with heavy cream.

Dip about two inches of the ice pop into the cream and shake off the excess, letting it set for a few seconds, before pressing it into the coconut.

Place on a wax-lined plate and freeze for 5 minutes, or until set.

5. Bring on the Bubbly!

I love a good champagne cocktail, and this is really as good (and easy!) as it gets.

Arrange ice pops in cocktail or wine glasses, and top off with your favorite champagne or sparkling wine.

I used a mix of the blood orange and grapefruit Outshine bars, since it created a nice mix of colors (and both work beautifully with the bubbly!).

The wine will dissolve the ice pop and you'll end up with a glass of the most delicious, chilly, sweet and tangy beverage ever! Seriously...you'll never want to waste your time with a mimosa again.



This post is sponsored by Outshine. Thank you for supporting great companies like Outshine. that make it possible for me to keep creating fun new content for you to enjoy. All photos, opinions, and recipes are (of course!) my own.  

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Love Always Order Dessert? Let's connect! Follow me on Twitter or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates. And if you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, please don't hesitate to e-mail me. Thanks for reading!   

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Dark Chocolate Lime Truffles

Just before my birthday, a PR company sent me a package that included a bar of dark chocolate from Chocolat Moderne studded with bits of lime-infused toffee. I'm not usually a fan of dark chocolate bars (yes--I prefer milk chocolate. How plebeian of me.), but the combination sounded incredible, and so I saved it for after dinner, when I broke off a small piece to taste.

I was surprised. It was wonderful!

Deep, slightly fruity chocolate with tiny bursts of bright, tropical lime throughout. In a rare bout of restraint, I savored the bar for weeks, indulging in just one tiny square each night before bed.

Once I was down to my last bite, I decided I needed to recreate these flavors at home. I figured a truffle would be the easiest way, and so I began by infusing heavy cream with fresh lime peel.

I then stirred this into bittersweet chocolate chips until they melted into a thick, luscious ganache.

I wanted more even lime flavor and so I shaved in a couple more tablespoons of fresh zest, stopping to admire the gorgeous contrast of bright green on the dark silky brown.

Once cool, I scooped the ganache into balls that I rolled in various toppings--shredded toasted coconut, cocoa powder, and dark chocolate with a tiny sprinkle of ginger-infused salt.

The truffles were delicious as is, but I found that my favorite way to eat them was as hot chocolate. I'd drop one or two into my hot chocolate pot along with some steamed almond or coconut milk, and mix until frothy and thick. Topped with a few tiny marshmallows, I sipped it nightly for most of this frigid month.

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Loved this recipe? Here are three other homemade truffle recipes you might like: 

• Cocoa Espresso Truffles
• Peanut Butter Coconut Truffles
• Boozy Rum Cake Truffles

And let's connect so you can find out the next time I post! Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates.

Thanks so much for reading!

Dark Chocolate Lime Truffles
Makes about 45 truffles

Ingredients
2 cups Heavy Cream
Peel from 2 limes, cut into strips
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
16 ounces bittersweet chocolate between 60 and 70 percent cacao (or chips), chopped
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lime zest
Unsweetened cocoa powder, shredded coconut, chopped nuts, etc. for toppings

Directions
Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl and set aside.

In a medium size saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, lime peels (not the grated zest), and salt until it just starts to steam and bubble slightly on the edges. (Do not let it boil). Remove from the heat immediately and let steep for one hour.


Remove the peel then reheat cream just until it starts to bubble again.

Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the chocolate is incorporated into the cream into a thick mixture. Stir in the grated lime zest.

Let the ganache cool to room temperature and then place in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours until it is completely cold and firm.

Use a melon baller or small ice cream scoop to scoop 1 tablespoon sized balls of ganache. Use your hands (dusted with cocoa powder first) to quickly shape them. Don't worry if they aren't perfect; they're supposed to look a little rustic. Set these on a lined baking sheet until you use up all the ganache. If it starts to soften a bit, just pop it into the fridge for 5 minutes before continuing.

Roll each truffle in cocoa powder (chopped nuts, shredded coconut, and confectioner's sugar also work!). 

Serve immediately or store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

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Low Carb Flourless Clementine Almond Cake

The day after making this cake, I forced myself to cut what was left into slices, wrap them individually and hide them in the back of the freezer. At which point I promptly pulled one slice back out of the freezer and ate it.

Because it is good!

This whole clementine cake is a classic Sicilian recipe, which I learned about by way of the incredible Nigella Lawson. Much like my whole orange bundt cake, this cake is made using whole clementines that have been boiled until tender and slumpy, then pureed into a smooth, intoxicatingly flavored paste.

Eggs, ground almonds, baking powder, and (in the original) sugar are added, then the whole thing bakes up into a moist, slightly spongy, and incredibly fragrant cake.

I think I mentioned earlier that I've been sticking to a fairly-strict low-carb diet in preparation for some upcoming on camera projects I have next month. The lack of sugar also helps me with my focus. (I have ADHD and the less refined sugar I consume, the better my brain works.)

Noting the lack of flour in this cake, I figured I could easily adjust it to be low-carb by replacing the sugar with a mix of erythritol and granulated Splenda. Erythritol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol with a scale of 0 on the glycemic index (my favorite brand is Zero by Wholesome Sweeteners); this means it has the equivalent of no effect on your blood sugar levels. Wonderful for baking, it's best when paired with another sweetener in order to create a synergistic effect that is most pleasant in the final dish. (If you already have a preferred sweetener alternative you use for baking, feel free to use that instead--I'm sure it would be lovely with sucanat or coconut palm sugar, too; this is a very forgiving recipe as long as the volume stays about the same.)

Apart from the sugar swap, I also played with the recipe by adding a touch of kosher salt and a couple teaspoons of almond extract to play against the bitterness of the clementines.

While the cake baked, the aroma of citrus and almonds wafted out of the oven and filled our apartment like some kind of delicious, intoxicating room perfume. I spent the last few minutes of baking time dancing around in front of the oven as I impatiently waited for the timer to buzz.

The results were even better than I'd imagined. (Hence my aforementioned disciplinary measure.)

Spongy, not-too-sweet, and just a touch bitter in the absolute most perfect way possible. Eugene tasted it and pronounced it "a very sophisticated cake."

I absolutely agree.

This is a lovely everyday cake, best eaten straight out of hand while cuddled on the couch with a mug of something hot. And it is a stunning cake to serve company--particularly if you know your guests prefer subtle sweets.

I think it would also be a perfectly acceptable breakfast cake. As it contains no flour, it is also a lovely gluten-free cake recipe.

If you're not watching your sugar, you can of course stick to the original recipe; I share both options below.

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New to Always Order Dessert? Consider subscribing to my RSS feed, follow me on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates by filling in your address in the box on the right. And if you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, please don't hesitate to e-mail me. Thanks for reading!

Flourless Clementine Almond Cake Recipe
Adapted from a recipe by Nigella Lawson
Serves 10

Ingredients
4 clementines (about 13 oz)
6 large eggs
1/2 cup erythritol + 1/2 cup granulated Splenda OR 1 cup Swerve sweetener OR for a regular not-low-carb version, you can also use 1 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 cups of ground almond meal (or 9oz of almonds finely ground)
2 teaspoons pure almond extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder

Directions
Place the clementines in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and let simmer 1 1/2 hours, until very tender. Remove from water, then chop and remove seeds. Add the remaining boiled clementine (everything but the pits) to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and line a springform baking pan (this is a sticky cake; you NEED a springform pan).

In a mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs for 5 minutes until very light and frothy. Add the sweetener or sugar, clementine puree, ground almonds, almond extract, salt, and baking powder and beat again for 5 more minutes until very light. Pour into the prepared baking pan and bake 50 minutes to 1 hour or until set. Let cool in the pan, then unmold and serve.  I sprinkled it with some powdered sugar before serving, but it's also lovely plain.

Nutritional Info:
Calories: 220
Fat: 16.3g
Protein: 10.4g
Carbs (using Swerve): 10g (total) and 6g (net)
Carbs (using Splenda): 13g (total) and 9g (net)
Fiber: 4g

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Gin & Honey-Soaked Mandarin Champagne Cocktails

I'd like to introduce you to my new favorite thing to drink.

It's essentially a twist on my previous favorite thing to drink--the French 75. To make, I just soaked mandarin orange segments (I bought canned ones soaked in water--these by Roland are my favorite), then rinsed them and placed them in a large jar or container. I top them off with a simple honey syrup (equal parts good honey and water, simmered), a few cups of gin, lemon slices, and a vanilla bean.

And then I let them sit and macerate for a couple days; as they soak, the gorgeous little bathing beauties drink up that honey and gin, and amazing things start to happen.

And THEN, I drop a few mandarins and a few tablespoons of the honey-gin in a champagne glass and topped it off with bubbly.

Amazing! We drank these New Year's Eve and then I made dozens of them to serve at the party last weekend. 

And it is so, so simple!

To be honest, the gin-soaked mandarins alone would make a wonderful dessert, but I'm not one to ever turn down a little bubbly.

(If you prefer, you can swap out raspberries for the mandarins, though I really do prefer the citrus-gin combo.)

Gin & Honey-Soaked Mandarin Champagne Cocktails
Makes enough oranges for about 12 cocktails
  
Ingredients
2 14oz cans mandarin orange slices in water (Not light syrup)
2 cups gin
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup water
1/2  lemon, sliced
1 vanilla bean, split

Champagne or sparkling white wine, to serve

Directions
Drain and rinse the mandarin oranges under cool running water. Place in a medium storage container with a lid. Add the gin and set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the honey and water and stir, heating just until the honey is completely dissolved. Add the lemon slices and vanilla beans, and then pour over the oranges and gin. Stir to combine, cover, and place in the refrigerator to chill and soak for at least 6 hours, but preferably 24-48 hours.

To serve, add a few soaked orange segments and a few tablespoons of the gin soaking liquid in a glass and top off with champagne or sparkling white wine and serve immediately.

Oranges will keep well in the refrigerator for about 1 week.

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Brown Sugar Passion Fruit Ice Pops

It is no secret that I'm a little bit in love with all things passion fruit. There is just something about the flavor that screams summer and vacation and Puerto Rico and the beach and all those wonderful things to me. Over the years on this blog I've made passion fruit sorbet and cocktails and lemonade and souffle and even passion fruit candy! I've also done many more things with it that I haven't even mentioned (I'm sorry!), but which were all just as good.

A couple weeks ago, while doing the shopping for one of my cooking classes, I found a bunch of my favorite frozen passion fruit puree on sale at the grocery store. I snapped up a couple packages of it (OK...more than a couple. Like maybe five.) and brought them home--the icey bag hitting my bare legs as I lugged the packages back to my apartment.

I've really been into the idea of making ice pops lately, but besides my mocha fudge pops, I've actually not had much success creating anything super exciting. I did have one spectacular disaster involving pineapple, cilantro, and lime that caused a bit of a ruckus, but not in a good way.

But I figured that passion fruit is pretty tough to mess up as long as you stay simple, so that's what I did.

I decided to combine the passion fruit puree with turbinado sugar (aka "Sugar in the Raw"), which has been my favorite lately due to its gorgeous crunchy crystals and that delicate taste of molasses. Some water, a little squeeze of lime, and a LOT of patience, and voila! Brown Sugar Passion Fruit Ice Pops!

I also found out that the leftover juice makes a delicious juice. And cocktail mixer. Add a little bit of rum to the mix, pop on a big hat, and you're ready for summer.

If you're into passion fruit, I definitely recommend giving these ice pops a shot. Note that the turbinado sugar turns the mix a little bit of a deep orange-y brown, which I found quite lovely. It reminded me of that Crayola crayon color, Burnt Sienna. Gorgeous!

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Brown Sugar Passion Fruit Ice Pops
The yield depends on the size of your molds. This made about 6 standard ice pops.

Print this Recipe

Ingredients
2 cups frozen passion fruit pulp, defrosted (that's about 1 standard package)
1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar ("sugar in the raw")
2 cups water
Juice of 1 lime

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar is full dissolved. Let cool completely at room temperature. Once cool, whisk a few times to remove any separation, and then pour into ice pop molds.

Let freeze for at least 4 hours before unmolding.

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Strawberry Thyme Limeade

Summer time is strawberry thyme! And, also apparently, cheesy pun time.

But I think you'll forgive me once you taste this bright and tart limeade. Made with fresh in-season strawberries, thyme, and a whole bunch of freshly juiced limes, it's the perfect drink to take on a picnic or enjoy on the back porch on a sunny summer afternoon. (I also know for a fact that it's just as lovely sitting inside a small, sunny New York City apartment pretending you're sitting on a back porch.)

The strawberry flavor (and gorgeous natural bright pink color) come from fresh strawberries which are simmered for just a few minutes along with sugar and water then pureed until smooth and passed through a sieve to catch any little seeds or other funny bits. The resulting flavor is fresh and bright, enhanced by the subtle herbal quality of the thyme. You can also substitute other herbs here; basil, for example, is particularly lovely with strawberries. Mint would also be great.

And because I know someone is going to ask; yes this would make a fantastic cocktail! Vodka would be a natural addition, but I also think gin would add something a little fun and play well with the herby thyme flavor. Let me know if you try it out!

Note that the ratio in this recipe is purposely meant to produce a strong limeade. That's so you can pour it over ice cubes and not lose out on any flavor when they start to melt. If you want to drink it straight or just prefer something a little less strong, you dilute it; just add another cup or two of cold water to taste.

For a sparkling option, replace the cold water with cold seltzer and serve it up nice and fizzy!

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New to Always Order Dessert? Consider subscribing to my RSS feed, follow me on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates by filling in your address in the box on the right. I also offer custom menu planning services and offer a variety of culinary workshops in the NYC area. Click here to find out more!

And if you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, please don't hesitate to e-mail me.
Thanks for reading!

Strawberry Thyme Limeade
Serves about 6, can be doubled or tripled as desired

Print this Recipe

Ingredients
1 cup maple syrup OR turbinado sugar OR granulated sugar (I used half maple syrup/half turbinado sugar which added a lovely touch of molasses to the lemonade)
1 cup water
1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries, sliced
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 cup fresh lime juice (you can use equivalent fresh lemon juice for a lemonade version; I don't recommend using bottled juice)
4 cups cold water
Sliced limes, thyme sprigs, for garnish

Directions
In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine 1 cup sugar (or whichever sweetener you choose), 1 cup water, 1 cup sliced strawberries, and 3 sprigs thyme. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring until sugar dissolves and strawberries soften. Let cool for 5 minutes. Remove thyme stems and pour into blender or food processor (or use stick blender) to puree until smooth.

Place a sieve over a large bowl or pitcher and pour puree into pitcher through sieve. Discard anything caught int he sieve. To the pitcher add the cup of fresh lime juice and 4 cups of cold water. Stir and chill for at least 1 hour.

Serve over ice garnished with sliced limes and fresh sprigs of thyme. Will keep in refrigerator for 3 days, or can be frozen.

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