Photo used with permission from DHD Multimedia Gallery

With the cold weather quickly coming upon us, especially here in Upstate NY, we love to find great ways of warming ourselves up after dinner and before bed. Though ice creams and cakes are always a welcome dessert, in the chillier times, it’s the hot cocoas and warm pies that are a perfect fit.

The thing is, that though cocoas are warm and smooth, creamy and downright delicious, the cocoa itself has awesome health benefits! The flavinoids that are found in cocoa have great antioxidant qualities and act as a “cellular band-aid” for the body! Cocoa has even been proven to lower blood pressure and improve the flow of blood!

Of course, with all things as delicious as chocolate and cocoa, there are the pluses and minuses and must be consumed in moderation. But no worries, no need to get stuck in a bland cocoa rut…

There are so many ways that you can spice up your cocoa, get your antioxidants and warm yourself up on these chilly nights. Why not try adding a splash of Chambord to your cocoa? An easy addition that I picked up while bartending that makes hot cocoa taste just like one of those sinful Godiva real raspberry filled chocolate bars. There are endless non-alcoholic options as well, like an awesome orange hot cocoa that is so simple to make and droolworthy, at the same time.

Orange Hot Cocoa
4.5 cups milk
Zest from 4 oranges
8 oz. chocolate chips, or chopped milk or semisweet chocolate
Combine milk and orange zest in a saucepan until milk is hot, remove from heat and allow to sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Strain the milk to remove the orange zest. Place milk back over medium heat and whisk in the chocolate until it is deliciously creamy.

Berries cream and flowers courtesy of Elle Moss

Chocolate caramel swirl mousse or double chocolate fudge cheesecake may sound delicious but, at the end of the meal, these desserts leave you with heavy bellies and droopy eyelids effectively dampening your hot summer nights. The sweet summer months deserve a different sort of dessert, one that entices you to reconcile body and mind with the miracles of mother nature, leaving you feeling healthy and light on your feet.

The succulent taste of nature’s fruits are unparalleled, not to mention the potentially immense health benefits that are hidden within the beautifully colored skins and juices of blueberries, cranberries, blackberries and pomegranates. I have yet to taste anything created by man that can rival the the sour, sweet, salty, and bitter flavors than can be found in even the smallest sized nature-made edibles. It’s time we appreciate these tiny miracles and enjoy them in their pure and natural form.

Try taking fresh blueberries (or other fresh fruit of your choice) and dropping them into a saucer of real cream. Eat them slowly with a spoon, and savor the sweet and sour of the blueberries mixing in with the sweet cream. The flavor burst is unbelievable and the texture is smooth. An added bonus is that children will go nuts for a simple dessert such as this, and you can feel good about offering your child an all natural dessert in two minutes flat.

Sometimes, it is the simplest of combinations that make the most delicious explosions in your mouth. For a sweet summer dessert that fulfills both your desire for sweet richness and your inevitable need to be able to get up and walk away from the table, try fresh blueberries and cream. Nothing beats pure and natural, so succumb to mother nature and taste the magic for yourself.

Espresso Vivace. Photo courtesy of Laughing Squid

At the end of a deeply satisfying meal, people around the social dinner table often become antsy and begin squirming in their seats. The conversation may be going strong, but the stomachs around the table are feeling stretched. People peer around the room wondering where dessert is, and if it will be tasty enough to warrant unbuttoning at the waist. The wine drinkers at the table are loud, and the non-drinkers are getting sleepy. How do we save this social situation and bring everyone to a place of comfort?

Easy. Coffee! Not just any coffee though, it must be a very special coffee. A coffee that will compliment any dessert yet not detract from the experience of the warm and wonderful meal just consumed. A coffee that will awaken the sleepers, satisfy the drinkers, and allow for that special moment of bonding that only occurs over a comforting cup o’ joe. Fitting this enormous billing perfectly is a teeny, tiny cupful of coffee… The Italian tradition of a good, creamy, strong shot of espresso.

Espresso Gradient. Photo courtesy of Doozzle

A good espresso will be thicker than normal coffee and very creamy. A tiny bit of foam should adorn the surface, giving the drinker a hint of the wonderful texture and flavor to come. The quality of the foam is a good indicator of the quality of the coffee beans used to make the espresso. It takes both a good bean and the proper process to make a quality cup of espresso. At home, you may choose to use a professional style electric espresso maker (such as those they sell at Macy’s), or you can make it in the traditional way by using an aluminum stove-top espresso maker (such as the Moka Express from Bialetti).

Condiments are according to taste. Adding sugar is common. I prefer to use one teaspoonful of raw sugar, and you can always add milk or cream or a tasty after-dinner liqueur (FYI: once you add milk it is technically no longer an espresso, it has become a macchiatto). If you’re after a true Italian espresso, I recommend using LavAzza or Illy, both well-known Italian espresso coffee brands. Make sure you read the package and purchase the correct grind for your type of espresso maker.

Italy is renowned for knowing how to throw a good dinner party, and no respectable meal is ever considered complete without offering the guests “un cafe”, a cup of espresso. Pair your espresso with a tasty dessert, and you will leave the dinner table feeling full… and delightfully satisfied.

So Sweet, So Simple, So Italian

Busy, busy, busy seems to be my life’s theme these days. After working hard all day, it’s all I can do to make dinner at night, let alone dessert. At the end of my evening meal, however, I still crave something sweet, something yummy, something… let’s face it… decadent. Also, I like to surprise my other half with tasty treats.

While briefly living in Italy, I managed to develop quite a taste for the Italian desserts. Unfortunately, those of us whose pastry and baking skills are not quite up to par with our palates, are often left searching for that perfect decadent dessert from an outside source, such as a bakery or grocery store. Unfortunately, we all know that just because a dessert comes from a bakery, there’s no guarantee that it’s of epicurean quality. If you are as busy as I am, you know that most dessert lovers simply do not have the time (or money) to traverse the entire city and sample every bakery (although, I’d love to try).

Blueberry & Peach Topping

Luckily for all of us, Trader Joe’s offers dessert lovers something sweet and simple… Trader Joe’s Peach & Blueberry Panna Cotta. Panna Cotta, which literally means “cooked cream” in Italian, is a sweet, creamy, silky tantalizing taste of Italy. Similar in form and texture to Creme Brulee, each bite of Panna Cotta will melt in your mouth and leave you wanting more.

Trader Joe’s has paired their delightfully decadent Panna Cotta with a deliciously sweet and slightly sour fruit compote topping with blueberry on one half and peach on the other. Each box has two perfectly sized servings, and preparation is fantastically simple and quick. Originally frozen, they will thaw in your refridgerator in 3-4 hours. I’ve even taken them out of the freezer in the morning before leaving for work. That way, after dinner, I can simply go to the fridge, take out a Panna Cotta, and enjoy the mouth-watering flavor of Italy in the time-saving comfort of my own kitchen. Unless, of course, my sweetie has already discovered it… and devoured it right up!