Strawberry Yogurt Parfait

 

Sometimes I wish I could make more time for breakfast.  It's one of the meals I happen to "skip" over.  I'm just not hungry in the morning - and by the time I am, it's already time for lunch.

But a few weeks ago, when strawberries were still in full swing, I couldn't help but make these parfaits over and over and over.  I wish I had decided to take pictures of them when we had an abundance of strawberries, but I got around to it when we only had a few (so the layers aren't as pronounced - but it was delicious, nonetheless!).

I just might have to switch over to blueberries since they're the fruit of choice in our CSA right now.  Feel free to improvise with whatever fruits and yogurts you have on hand!



And don't forget to vote in the treat poll - I need something to make for the 4th of July!  There's a little bit of everything, and no matter what gets picked, I'll try to give it a 4th of July twist!



Ingredients:

1 cup strawberry-flavored yogurt (I used Stonyfield Organic Strawberry)
1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
2 strawberry-flavored Nutri-Grain Bars, chopped

In a small bowl, combine the strawberries and sugar.  Let sit for 10 minutes.

In a mason jar (or bowl/cup/container) spoon about 1/3 of the yogurt for the base of the parfait.

Add your chopped strawberries.  Top with another 1/3 of yogurt.

Add chopped Nutri-Grain bar pieces (you could also sub in some granola here, but I had the bars, so that's what I used).  Top with remaining yogurt.

And you've got breakfast in about 10 minutes!  I couldn't stop eating this - I was definitely sad when strawberry season slowed down.  But like I said, I just may have to switch up the flavors and try this with the blueberries!

What's your favorite way to use yogurt and fruit?

Hope you all have a fantastic 4th of July weekend!

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

I would like to thank all of you who left sincere comments on last Friday's post!  It meant a lot to me that you all took the time to read that story, and it was a relief, on my behalf, to get that out.  So thank you guys!  And I promise not to have any sad or depressing stories any time soon! 

I figured I'd start the week off with something different and sweet.  I was so excited to find Hazelnuts (I've never been able to notice them or find them when I need them!) last weekend at Whole Foods, that I decided to splurge and get some!  I mean, they were only $1.99 for a big bag so I couldn't resist! 

I saw this chocolate layer cake, better known as a Dobos Torte or Hungarian cake, floating around the internet and decided to give it a go with my hazelnut spin!

Ingredients:
Adapted from Cafe Nilson's recipe & My Life In Cookieland's recipe

Cake Layers:

1 & 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons sour cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons roasted hazelnuts, grated

Chocolate Kahlua Cream Filling:

4 cups of milk
1/2 cup flour
1 & 1/2 cups sugar 
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks
1/2 cup milk chocolate chunks
1 & 1/2 tablespoons cocoa
1 & 1/2 tablespoons  of kahlua
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Chocolate Glaze:

 1/3 cup dark chocolate chunks
1/4 cup milk chocolate chunks
1/2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons milk


Preheat oven to 350 F.

To make the cake layers:  In a medium bowl, mix the flour and baking powder.  Beat in the butter until soft peaks form, then add sugar, eggs, sour cream and milk.  Fold in grated hazelnuts.  Spread the batter onto a greased small-rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.  Set aside to cool completely.
 
To prepare cream:  Place 3 cups of milk in a medium saucepan over low heat.   In a medium bowl, mix the remaining 1 cup milk, flour, and sugar.  When the milk in saucepan starts to boil, add the flour mixture and stir well until thickened, about 5 minutes or so.  Remove the cream from heat and stir in both chocolates, vanilla, and Kahlua.   Set aside.

To make chocolate glaze:  In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine all of the chocolate glaze ingredients and stir constantly until chocolate is fully melted and you've reached your desired consistency.  Set aside.


 To assemble cake:  Cut the cake into even sections (I made a 4 layer cake because I didn't want anything too big).  Place one cake layer on flat surface and top with an even layer of chocolate cream.  Top cream with another cake layer and top that layer with cream, as well.  Repeat with one final cake and cream layer.  Put final (if you're doing 4 layers) cake layer on and instead of topping with cream, drizzle chocolate glaze over top.  Garnish cake with grated roasted hazelnuts.  Cut cake into cute little squares and serve!

This was definitely a unique type of cake.  The cake layers somewhat resembled the texture of a soft biscuit, but went well with the chocolate cream.  Speaking of the cream, you'll have tons left over, and you could definitely eat that all in it's own (it really tastes like chocolate pudding, so I'm all about saving it!).  Enjoy guys!