Archives for 2014

Lemonade Round-Up

Tart, sweet and full of flavor, this Lemonade Round-Up will have your mouth watering!
I am enjoying my time at the beach with family and loving all the tropical drinks so far. Here are some kid-friendly and adult-only lemonades that are sure to please. Don’t forget to check out my other #SanibelBeachWeek drinks and round-ups: Cocktail Round-Up 1, Cocktail Round-Up 2, Mint Simple Syrup, Guava Mojito and {Spiked} Blueberry Lemon Iced Tea.

Homemade Blueberry Vodka and Lemonade Cocktail – Nutmeg Nanny

Lavender Infused Lemonade – Sweet Remedy
Frozen Cherry Lemonade – Jen’s Favorite Cookies
Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade – I Love My Disorganized Life
Blueberry Lemonade Spritzer – Katie’s Cucina
Roasted Cherry Sage Lemonade Cocktail – Nutmeg Nanny
Pomegranate Lemonade Spritzer – Sarcastic Cooking
Key Lime Whipped Lemonade – Real Housemoms
Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

{Spiked} Blueberry Lemon Iced Tea

Blueberry Lemon Iced Tea is the perfect drink to cool off in the afternoon. Add some vodka to make this a great happy hour drink!

I am a Southern Girl at heart and sweet tea always hits the spot. If I had a wrap-around porch, you might find me out there in a chair with a tall glass of ice cold sweet tea – especially with the weather we have been having. Pumpkin recipes are popping up all over the internet and the northerners are wishing for more Summer, while here in the South we can’t wait for sweater and boot weather. Just to clarify, in Florida, we break out the sweaters and boots when it gets below 70. 
I love plain sweet tea, which is my usual, but sometimes it is fun to try new flavors. I saw this recipe online and thought it would be perfect for #SanibelBeachWeek. Blueberries and Lemon are a great combination and it was perfect with the tea. You can make it as is for the kiddies or make an adult only beverage by adding in some vodka, chilled and straight from the freezer, of course. I hope you get a chance to experiment with some flavored tea as you soak up the last few days of Summer. Enjoy!

{Spiked} Blueberry Lemon Iced Tea
adapted from Southern Living
Click here for a printable recipe

{Spiked} Blueberry Lemon Iced Tea Ingredients:
– 16 ounces frozen Blueberries
– 1/2 cup freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
– 4 cups Water
– 2 family-size Tea Bags
– 1 cup extra-fine granulated Sugar
– 4 cups of Ice
– Vodka (optional)
{Spiked} Blueberry Lemon Iced Tea Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, bring the Blueberries and Lemon Juice to a boil. Once boiling, cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until blueberries have softened, broken down, and released their juice.
2. Strain the blueberry mixture through a fine mesh strainer, or sieve, into a pitcher. Discard the solid leftover blueberry skins. Clean the pot and use it to make the tea.
3. In a medium saucepan, boil the 4 cups of Water. Remove from heat and let the Tea Bags steep for 5 minutes. Discard the tea bags and then stir in the 1 cup Sugar until it is dissolved. Add the tea into the pitcher and stir the liquids together.
4. Add in 4 cups of Ice and let the mixture chill in the refrigerator. Serve over ice with a lemon wedge.
(If you want to make this an adult beverage, place the amount of vodka you desire into serving glasses with ice and pour the iced tea over it.) Please drink responsibly.
Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!
Don’t forget to check out my other #SanibelBeachWeek recipes and round-ups
Cocktail Round-Up 1
Cocktail Round-Up 2
Mint Simple Syrup
Guava Mojito

Guava Mojito

A Guava Mojito is the perfect way to enjoy a relaxing day on the beach or by the pool. Sand, sun and a tropical drink in hand is the best way to spend a day.

I love mojitos and this Guava Mojito is definitely one on the top of my list. I grew up in Miami where the Cuban coffee flowed freely and the guayaba pastelitos were everywhere. I absolutely love them and that is where my love of guava stems from. Going through the grocery aisle, one day, I found a can of guava nectar and knew instantly I was going to make a mojito with it. Guava reminds me of all the flavors of Miami that I miss.
 The sweet guava juice paired with the lime, mint and rum is heavenly. I hope you are able to find guava nectar in your grocery store’s ethnic aisle, because you do not want to pass this drink up. I made a Mint Simple Syrup because I don’t like having bits of mint floating around in my drink. 
Guava Mojito
a Love and Confection original
Click here for a printable recipe
Guava Mojito Ingredients:
– 1 can Guava Nectar
– 1/2 cup Mint Simple Syrup
– 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed Lime Juice
– 1/2 cup Light Rum
– 1/2 cup Club Soda (or Lemon-Lime Soda if you prefer)
– Ice
– Mint Sprigs for garnish
Guava Mojito Directions:
1. In a pitcher, combine the Guava Nectar (make sure you shake the can so there are no bits that settle on the bottom), Mint Simple Syrup, Lime Juice, Light Rum and Club Soda. Stir to combine.
2. Place Ice into glasses and divide the Mojito between the glasses. Garnish with Mint. Enjoy!
Until next time, 
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!
Don’t forget to check out my other #SanibelBeachWeek recipes and round-ups
Cocktail Round-Up 1
Cocktail Round-Up 2
Mint Simple Syrup

Mint Simple Syrup

Mint Simple Syrup is a great sweetener for cocktail or cocktails. With little time and effort you can create a great tasting simple syrup too.

I absolutely love mojitos. I am definitely a rum kinda girl. Growing up in Miami, I was highly influenced by all the different cultures around me. I absolutely LOVE Cuban food and there were usually mojitos at all the parties I went to. 
I am, however, not a fan of the muddled mojitos with mint leaves. I just don’t like drinking or sipping through a straw and ending up eating mint. I would rather have the flavor than the actual leaves. I love a good classic mojito, but adding different tropical flavors make them even better. Pineapple and Strawberry are my go-to add-ins, and I love creating new mojito recipes
Tomorrow I have a fabulous Guava Mojito on the blog that uses this Mint Simple Syrup, so don’t forget to come back for the recipe. It is definitely going to be a regular in the mojito rotation. Soak up those last Summer rays and enjoy some Mint Simple Syrup in your next cocktail!
Mint Simple Syrup
a Love and Confection original
Mint Simple Syrup Ingredients:
– 16 ounces Water
– 16 ounces Granulated Sugar
– 10-15 sprigs Mint, washed and dried

Mint Simple Syrup Directions:
1. Heat Water and Sugar in a medium sauce pan until the sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally.
2. Take the pan off the heat and add in the Mint and with a spoon, submerge it into the syrup. Cover with a lid and let it steep until the syrup comes to room temperature.
3. Discard Mint and store the Mint Simple Syrup in mason jar(s) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy!
Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Don’t forget to check out my other #SanibelBeachWeek recipes and round-ups

Cocktail Round-Up 2

It’s Beach Week on Love and Confections! I hope you have a great holiday weekend, and to help you enjoy it is a cocktail round-up from some of my blogger friends!

I am enjoying a beach week with my family and Baby L&C. Throughout the next few days, I will be sharing some of my favorite beach-worthy recipes and of course many Instagram pics of Baby L&C at the beach!

1. Nutmeg Nanny – Raspberry Acai Frozen Margarita
2. Nutmeg Nanny – Frangelico Colada
3. Nutmeg Nanny – Cherry Shine Summer Sipper
5. Sweet Remedy – Strawberry Basil Rum Smash
6. Sweet Remedy – Spumante Watermelon Cooler
7. Big Bears Wife – Tropical Coconut Daiquiri
8. Big Bears Wife – Vanilla Whipped Creamsicle Cocktail
9. Real Housemoms – Grapefruit Margarita
10. Real Housemoms – Pina Rita Pina Colada Margarita Mash
11. Real Housemoms – Peach Mango Rum Splash
Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Cocktail Round-Up 1

It’s Beach Week on Love and Confections! I am enjoying a week on the west coast of 
Florida with my family and Baby L&C. 

It’s her first trip to the beach and we are so excited (and have so much stuff packed). Throughout the next few days, I will be sharing some of my favorite beach-worthy recipes and of course many Instagram pics of Baby L&C at the beach!

1. Real Housemoms – Strawberry Lime Moscato Punch
2. Real Housemoms – Blended Raspberry Margarita
3. Real Housemoms – Classic Tequila Sunrise
4. Real Housemoms – Cucumber Margarita

5. Katie’s Cucina – Tropical Dream Drink
6. Katie’s Cucina – Cranberry Basil Margarita
7. Katie’s Cucina – Pineapple Lime Cooler
8. Poet in the Pantry – Strawberry Mint Smash Tequila
9. Kiran Tarun – Strawberry Pina Colada
10. Aggie’s Kitchen – Red Wine Spritzer
11. Sarcastic Cooking – Watermelon Caipirinha

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

#IceCreamWeek Round-Up

#IceCreamWeek is an annual event hosted by Kim from Cravings of a Lunatic and Susan from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen. I love events like this and with so many great bloggers participating there were tons of ice cream recipes shared. 


I created 5 recipes for the week, S’mores Ice Cream Pie, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Chocolate Cookies ‘n Cream Milkshake, Lemon Meringue Pie Ice Cream and a Key Lime Pie Milkshake. Please take a look at all the drool-worthy ice cream creations below! Don’t forget, there is still time to enter the Rafflecopter to win the amazing Ice Cream Week Prize Pack!
Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Ice Cream, Gelato & Frozen Yogurt



No-Churn Ice Cream



Ice Cream Pies & Cakes



Milkshakes & Floats



Ice Cream Cookies, Bars & Sandwiches, Etc.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Key Lime Pie Milkshake

Key Lime Pie Milkshake is Summer in a glass. Drink up these last few weeks of Summer sun with this tart and sweet ice cream treat!

Welcome to Day 6, the final day of Ice Cream Week 2014! This year the event is hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Susan of The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen. We have teamed up with 25 amazing bloggers to bring you ice cream treats all week long. I hope you all threw out the scales this week. Better not to look!

I love all things key lime. I’m a Florida girl and growing up in South Miami, there was an abundance of citrus, including key limes. This is one of my all-time favorite flavors and I love creating new recipes using key limes. I recently did a Key Lime Pie Cheesecake for National Cheesecake Day and man was it good!

This milkshake is all the goodness of my beloved key lime pie, but in a drink. Ice cream makes everything better, so there was only one way to make key lime pie better and that is by turning it into Key Lime Pie Ice Cream. It is the perfect amount of tart and sweet for a milkshake and I love the crunchy bits graham cracker crumbs throughout the shake.



Key Lime Pie Milkshake

a Love and Confections original
Serves 2

Key Lime Pie Milkshake Ingredients:
– 2 scoops Key Lime Pie Ice Cream*
– 2 scoops Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (homemade or store bought)
– Whole Milk (amount depends on desired consistency)
– Whipped Cream (optional garnish)
– Graham Cracker Crumbs (optional garnish)
– Sprinkles (optional garnish

Key Lime Pie Milkshake Directions:
1. Place Key Lime Pie Ice Cream, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Whole Milk in a blender and mix until combined. Pour into glasses and garnish with Whipped Cream, Graham Cracker Crumbs and Sprinkles. Enjoy!
* An alternate version, if you do not want to make Key Lime Pie Ice Cream, is to use all Vanilla Ice Cream and add in 1/2-1 cup of Key Lime Curd (homemade or store bought)

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Be sure to visit all of today’s Ice Cream Week Participants:


Our sponsors for the event have provided us with some great prizes. A huge thanks to Cake Boss, Anolon, Microplane, WÜSTHOF, Page Street Publishing and Quarry Spoon. Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Susan of The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen have tossed in a bonus prize of a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker because they think everyone should own one!

Image 1 Image 2

Here’s what is up for grabs, One Winner Takes All:

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Disclaimer: I did not receive any product for participating in this event. The #IceCreamWeek Giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada residents only. ONE winner will receive ALL the prizes listed. Giveaway ends at midnight on August 31st.

Lemon Meringue Pie Ice Cream

In these last few weeks of Summer, this Lemon Meringue Pie Ice Cream is sure to cool you down and brighten up your day.

Welcome to Day 5 of Ice Cream Week 2014! This year the event is hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Susan of The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen. We have teamed up with 25 amazing bloggers to share some amazing ice cream recipes with you. I hope you belong to a gym. We’ll all need it by the end of the week!

Anytime I make anything lemon I think of my Mom. She loves Lemon Meringue Pie. Everyone in our family has a specific dessert we request for our birthday dinner and lemon meringue was usually my mom’s request. My grandmother used to be the one to make it for her before she passed away, and since I live a few states away, I have not been able to celebrate my mom’s birthday with her for a few years now, otherwise I would be making the pie for her. 

I am a fan of a graham cracker crust as opposed to a pastry dough crust, but that is just a personal preference. I love the tart lemon flavor the curd gives this recipe. In the bakery I used to work in, I made lemon curd often and it is still one of my favorite things to make at home. (Nerd Alert) Custards and curds are so awesome to work with because of how eggs react and change with heat and different ingredients. 

Since meringue does not freeze well (it can get grainy) I decided not to use it in this recipe. Feel free to whip up a batch, dollop it on top and torch it, once you are ready to serve the ice cream. You can even buy those pre-made meringue cookies to crush over the ice cream instead of the normal sprinkles.

Lemon Meringue Pie Ice Cream
a Love and Confections original
Click here for a printable recipe

Lemon Meringue Pie Ice Cream Ingredients:
 – 350 grams Whole Milk
 – 120 grams Heavy Cream
 – 100 grams Egg Yolks
 – 140 grams Granulated Sugar
 – 400 grams prepared Lemon Curd, or store bought
 – 50 grams Sweetened Condensed Milk
 – 50 grams toasted & cooled Graham Cracker Crumbs

Lemon Meringue Pie Ice Cream Directions:
Day 1 (Ice Cream Base)
– Place ice cream attachment/bowl in the freezer at least 24 hours before churning.
1. Bring Milk and Heavy Cream to a slight simmer in a small sauce pan, careful not to boil it. While Milk & Heavy Cream are heating, crack Eggs into medium bowl (bowl needs to be big enough to contain the egg and milk/heavy cream mixture). Once the milk is almost ready, add Sugar to the Eggs and whisk together.
2. Temper* the warm milk & cream into the yolks
3. Return the whole mixture to the sauce pan and heat until it thickens but does not boil, also known as nappe**
4. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. If some egg bits get through the strainer, you can either use an immersion blender to make the mix come together again before cooling.
5. Once cooled to room temperature, store in the fridge, with a lid, for up to 2 days.

Day 2:
 1. Whisk together the Ice Cream Base, Lemon Curd and Sweetened Condensed Milk. Churn according to your ice cream maker manufacture instructions
 2. Layer the Ice Cream and Graham Cracker Crumbs in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Store no longer than a week (but I’m sure you will devour it before then)

* – Tempering (in this case with eggs) is increasing the temperature of a certain ingredient by gradually adding and constantly whisking a warm/hot item into it. Be careful not to add too much at one time and curdle/scramble the eggs.
** – Coat the back of a wooden spoon in the mixture and run a finger down the middle, if the mixture stays separated and doesn’t run, then you should be good. Be careful not to overcook it and curdle/scramble the eggs.


Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Be sure to visit all of today’s Ice Cream Week Participants: 

Our sponsors for the event have provided us with some great prizes. A huge thanks to Cake Boss, Anolon, Microplane, WÜSTHOF, Page Street Publishing and Quarry Spoon. Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Susan of The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen have tossed in a bonus prize of a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker because they think everyone should own one!

    Image 1 Image 2

Here’s what is up for grabs, One Winner Takes All:
1 Cuisinart Ice Cream Machine in White
One Cake Boss Mechanical Ice Cream Scoop with Red Silicone grips
One Cake Boss 4Pc Ice Cream Bowl Set, Icing Pattern
One Anolon Advanced Bronze 2 Qt Covered Straining Saucepan with Pour Spout
One Microplane Herb and Salad Chopper
One Microplane Premium Classic Grater in White
One WUSTHOF CLASSIC 9-inch Double Serrated Bread Knife
One Copy of the Cookbook Making Artisan Gelato by Torrance Kopfer
One Copy of the Cookbook Everything Goes with Ice Cream by Koralee Teichroeb
One Copy of the Cookbook Vegan Scoop by Wheeler del Torro
One Copy of the Cookbook The Great Vegan Bean Book by Kathy Hester
One Copy of the Cookbook Eat More Dessert by Jenny Kellar
One Copy of the Cookbook The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz
One Copy of the Cookbook Scoop Adventures by Lindsay Clendaniel

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Disclaimer: I did not receive any product for participating in this event. The #IceCreamWeek Giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada residents only. ONE winner will receive ALL the prizes listed. Giveaway ends at midnight on August 31st.

Honey Almond Bundt Cake

Honey Almond Bundt Cake is perfect for an afternoon tea. The honey and almond flavors go well together and the cake is not too sweet.

Honey and I have a love-hate relationship. I love honey, but I hate bees. You need bees to make honey, so if I want honey, bees are a necessary evil. I don’t like any stinging insects really, but that is because I was stung as a child. Back to the cake…

This cake is so full of honey. It has both honey and honey powder inside the cake, as well as being soaked in a honey glaze. It isn’t too sweet or overpowering, in my opinion, and works really well with the almond extract and almond flour.

I bought a small packet of honey powder during a day trip to the west coast. I didn’t know what I was going to use it for, but it just drew me in – you really don’t see honey powder every day. I read that it is great in cakes, cookies and other baked goods, because you get that great honey taste without altering the moisture content of the product. Baking is a science, so measurements and ratios really do matter. The honey powder is not necessary for the cake and the original recipe does not use it, so it can be left out.

One trick I learned while in culinary school was about working with honey or any other sticky ingredient, like molasses. Use cooking spray to coat the liquid measuring cup, then measure out the amount you need. The sticky ingredient will slide out when poured.



Honey Almond Bundt Cake
adapted from Williams-Sonoma
Click here for a printable recipe

Honey Almond Bundt Cake Ingredients:
– 4 large Eggs
– 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
– 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
– 2 & 3/4 cups Cake Flour
– 1 & 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
– 1/4 teaspoon Salt
– 2 tablespoons Honey Powder
– 1 cup Unsalted Butter (2 sticks)
– 1/2 cup packed Light Brown Sugar
– 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
– 1/2 cup Honey
– 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
– 3/4 cup Water
– 3/4 cup Almond Meal or Almond Flour
– Powdered Sugar for dusting (optional)
– Honey for drizzling (optional)

Honey Almond Glaze Ingredients:
– 3 tablespoons packed Light Brown Sugar
– 2 tablespoons Water
– 1/4 cup Honey
– 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
– 1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract
– Pinch of Salt

Honey Almond Bundt Cake and Glaze Directions:
1. Heat oven to 325°F and prepare a bundt pan with either baking spray or shortening and flour.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the Eggs, Vanilla Extract and Almond Extract and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift the Cake Flour, Baking Powder, Salt and Honey Powder and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the Butter on medium-high until light and fluffy. Add in the Light Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar and beat until fluffy and lighter in color, scraping down the sides of the bowl after. Add in the Honey and Vegetable Oil and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl after incorporating.
4. On medium-low, slowly add in the Egg mixture and mix until just combined.
5. While on low, add in the Flour mix and Water in 3 additions, alternating between the two and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until incorporated and scrape down the sides of the bowl after mixing.
6. With a spatula, fold in the Almond Meal. Pour into prepared bundt pan. Tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles, then bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Poke holes is the bottom of the bundt with a toothpick and place on a wire rack while preparing the glaze.
7. In a small saucepan, combine the Light Brown Sugar, Water, Honey, Vanilla Extract, Almond Extract and Salt until the sugar and honey have dissolved or combined into a warm mixture. Slowly pour the glaze all over the cake (still in the pan) and let it sit until cool. Turn out onto a cake plate and dust with Powdered Sugar and drizzle with Honey. Enjoy!

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

BundtBakers

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme.  Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on the BundtBakers home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Thank you Laura, from Baking in Pyjamas for hosting this month.

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.

Don’t forget to check out the other amazing bundt cakes for this month’s #BundtBakers: