So I’m finally back on the mainland, and ready for an extremely exciting weekend. Not only is it Valentine’s Day, which means lots of sweets and baking (or in this case, not) but it is also the opening weekend of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics!

I’m actually more excited than I thought I would be, seeing as how it’s all happening right in our backyard! Hopefully I’ll be able to get downtown and see everything that’s going on!

This valentine’s day there wasn’t much time to bake after I got back home for our reading break, so I thought I would whip up a few things that didn’t take any baking at all!

I hope you all have a sweet valentine’s day =)

Chocolate Covered Strawberries:

• 1-2 pkg Strawberries
• 1 cup Melting Chocolate (dark or milk)
• 1/2 cup White Melting Chocolate
• 1/2 cup medium shredded coconut (optional)

Directions:

1. Place dark chocolate into a double broiler, and simmer on low. Allow the chocolate to melt completely and transfer to a glass bowl. Allow to cool slightly. ( I always place a glass mixing bowl over the pot, and then transfer the bowl to a hot plate)
2. Do the same with the white chocolate. Then pour the white chocolate into a piping bag, and snip off a tiny bit. You can also reserve some white chocolate to dip the strawberries into as well.
3. Was the strawberries and dry them completely. You’ll want them slightly cool, to help cool the chocolate faster. Dip them one by one into the melted chocolate and place onto a tray, lined in parchment paper or saran wrap. Once you’ve finished all of them place the tray into the fridge to harden the chocolate. I placed them into the fridge one by one onto the tray so they would cool faster and harden while I made the others.
4. You can if you like also dip them/roll them/or sprinkle them with coconut after you have dipped them into the chocolate.
5. Once they have set, using the white chocolate piping bag, drizzle the white chocolate over the dark and place back into the fridge.
6. Once they have set completely, you can package them up and give them to someone special! Not without trying a couple yourself of course.

You can keep the little container that the strawberries come in as well, they make a cute little box to deliver your sweets in!

Have a very sweet valentines!

xo Alicia

Now that it’s been over a two weeks since i’ve tempted you with the sticky toffee butterscotch sauce, it’s time for the rest of the recipe!

This has become a definite favorite of mine since I tried it for the first time last year! I didn’t really know what it was, but after trying it at a restaurant a couple time I just had to try it!

It’s the perfect holiday cake to serve this year. It’s warm, gooey-sticky sweet and tastes even better with whipped cream. I made it for Christmas last year and I’m debating on whether or not making it again this year. I made it last week for a family dinner we went to, but this time instead of using a regular cake pan I used a bundt pan and I added a little spice to it! Otherwise, it doesn’t call for any spices and it was just missing that hint of flavor.

If you’ve never eaten sticky toffee pudding, or have been meaning to bake it, do it now. Now! It is so so so so good. I serve it warm with whipped cream on top. Mmm… I wish it were last week all over again!

I’ve also finally found a place to live in Victoria while I’m at school, and lucky me! I even basically get my own little kitchen on the bottom of the house, as most of the roommates don’t use it. I’m just happy I can bring over my baking dishes!! (more…)

Tir-A-Mi-Su. Tiramisu. It means ‘pick me up’ in Italian and is a classic Italian dessert. Being Italian, I grew up with delicious Italian cooking from my dad and Nonna. Though I didn’t acquire a taste for Tiramisu until I was older. I remember having tried it at family dinners when I was younger, but I didn’t care much for the strong espresso taste, and if often had alcohol in it. I usually opted for a big piece of French bread with lots of Nutella for my dessert.

But over the years I have learned to Love Tiramisu! It’s a really simple dessert to make that has that wow factor of tasting like it’s difficult! I have never particularly liked marscapone cheese, and don’t use it when I make the cheese layers for the dessert. It’s the yummiest no-bake dessert!

Definitely a great Italian dessert to try!

Ingredients:

• 1-2 Packages Lady Finger Cookies
• 1 Tub Light Cool Whip - thawed
• 1 Package Light Cream Cheese – room temperature
• 1 Cup Strong Brewed Coffee or Espresso, cold or room temperature
• Cocoa For Dusting
• Chocolate Shavings
• 1 Tsp. Sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Vanilla
• 1/4 Cup Baileys (or other Coffee Liquor)

Directions:

1. Place a single layer of lady fingers in a shallow square/rectangular glass baking dish. The size of the dish will depend on how much you want to make, and how many packages of lady fingers you have.
2. Mix Coffee with Baileys (you can opt-out of the liquor if you don’t like the taste)
3. Using a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese until soft. Add in vanilla. Using a spoon, gradually add the cool whip to the mixture. Continue on low until it is all combined. It will be slightly thick, but you want to be able to run a spoon through it. Stir in the sugar.
4. Put the cream cheese mixture to the side.
5. Pour, using a ladle or spoon a small amount at a time the coffee or espresso over top of the lady fingers. You don’t want them to be soaking in coffee, but enough to dampen them, as they will expand. Alternatively, you can quickly dip them into a small bowl of coffee. Either way, you don’t want them to be soggy and falling apart.
6. Using a spatula, place a large amount of cream cheese mixture on top of the lady fingers. You want enough to evenly cover the tops of the cookies. Using a spatula or back of a spoon, smooth the top of the cream cheese.
7. Next, using a mesh sieve dust top of the cream cheese layer with the cocoa. Sprinkle with a small amount of chocolate shavings.
8. Continue the layers, again beginning with a layer of lady finers, then cream cheese and cocoa until you run out of ingredients. You want the last layer on top to be cream cheese.
9. Dust the final layer with more cocoa and chocolate shavings.
10. Place, covered, in the fridge for at least 2 hours for the ingredients to set. You can make it a day before and refrigerate it overnight as well.

Serve small pieces cold, with extra cocoa sifted onto the plate.

Mmmm.. look at all those delicious layers!

Enjoy!