Granola Parfait Recipe (with Jackfruit and Mangosteen)

Granola parfaits are usually made of layers of fruit, a dairy product and granola. The key is to balance the different textures of the various elements. As is true of almost any recipe, the quality of the ingredients plays a huge role in the end product. I got a bag of “Plain Jane” granola from Sarah over at Nuts About Granola (www.nutsaboutgranola.com), and it's incredible, so that part of equation was taken care of.

To contrast the peanut and cinnamon flavored granola, I gave the recipe a tropical Asian twist by using fresh mangosteens and jackfruit. They were naturally sweet so no additional sugar was necessary. Canned fruit would also work fine. I also decided to use fromage blanc in place of the more common yogurt. Fromage blanc literally translates to "white cheese". It's widely available in France and I'm lucky to be able to buy it at my local market. The consistency is similar to soft, healthier cream cheese. I sweetened it with a little stevia and honey.

Whether you want to serve it for breakfast or as a snack, this delicious treat will satisfy your sweet tooth! And if you’re curious to try Plain Jane granola for yourself, Sarah and Pham Fatale have put together a giveaway this week. Just click the like button below and you’re entered in the contest! We’ll pick the winner at random Saturday morning.

The first Nuts About Granola Giveaway has already ended and I will announce the winner later on today. Now you can participate in the second giveaway, ending Thursday, September 8^th. It takes a few seconds and you could win two packs of Granola!

Nuts About Granola Giveaway Entry Form:

Pham Fatale Giveaway Terms and Conditions: No purchase necessary. All prizes are generously donated by the company featured. Winners will be chosen at random, and odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Pham Fatale is not responsible for late, lost, stolen, illegible or incomplete entries which will be disqualified. US Residents only please. Only one entry per person per giveaway. Prizes are not refundable or returnable. Giveaway terms subject to change.

Lemon Tiramisu Recipe

Lemon tiramisu is a great dessert to end a very romantic dinner. Yesterday, I served my Valentine a dinner that is reminiscent of our recent trip to Rome. Instead of the traditional ladyfingers in between the layers of mascarpone cream, I used chocolate chip biscotti instead. I flavored the mascarpone cream with Meyer lemons, which paired wonderfully with theItalian chocolate cookies.

We looked at the photos of our trip to Italy, while feeding each other from the dessert cups. My favorite place was, of course, the Vatican (thanks for the link, Bill!) with its magnificent frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. Oh so romantic!

Chocolate Persimmon Trifle

Chocolate Persimmon Trifle is a unique dessert creation, inspired by my friend Carole's suggestion that I should try using Hachiya persimmons (the soft variety) in puddings and custards. I love Hachiya persimmons and I usually eat them as is, but I'm always up for a challenge. At first, I wanted to play it safe and make a persimmon almondine tart but that would have been too easy. So I made a trifle with layers of basic white cake, persimmon pudding and chocolate.

I usually cook with Fuyu persimmons (the hard variety) but after this decadent dessert, I'm definitely going to test out more recipes using the Hachiya variety.

Grilled Pineapple with Coconut Syrup and Mascarpone Cream Dessert

We hosted a dinner party at home this evening. I wanted to make a "summery" tiramisu parfait, as opposed to the "wintry" coffee tiramisu I made in the past. I found some beautiful sweet Maui Gold pineapple and decided to add a refreshing twist to the classic Italian dessert. I added some fresh mint from the garden, some coconut, mascarpone and crème fraîche.

I served a wide variety of sweet petit fours and other desserts along with the pineapple mascarpone desserts. I know it was a hit because there wasn't a bit left. When everyone went home, I gathered 14 empty parfait glasses. It looked like the guests washed the dishes themselves. I'm definitely going to make this again!

Sweet Mascarpone and Berries with Lemon Ganache

If you're looking for a fast and easy yet elegant dessert recipe, this one is for you. I usually make this dessert to please my little 9-year-old sister-in-law who is allergic to eggs.

The rich cinnamon-flavored mascarpone mixture with the refreshing combination of blackberries and blueberries makes a very festive sweet treat for little kids and big kids as well.

To give more body to the dessert, I sprinkle a layer of coarsely-crumbled Italian puff pastry and top with a layer of lemon ganache. The result is to die for!