Fork Knife Swoon

November 26, 2019

Apple Cranberry Crumble

A simple apple cranberry crumble with a sweet and tart fruit filling and buttery brown sugar oat crumb topping. So easy to prepare and perfect for a crowd. Gluten free and vegan friendly.

This apple cranberry crumble is for those of us who sometimes crave a little sour with our sweet. In this case, the natural tartness of ruby red cranberries acts as the perfect complement to sweet brown sugar apples and a crisp and buttery oat crumble topping.

It’s also for those of us who love a last-minute dessert (or have unexpected guests), as this crumble comes together in minutes with simple ingredients nearly always on hand – flour, butter, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and the like.

The fruit changes with the seasons. Blueberries, blackberries, apples or pears, strawberry and rhubarb, peaches, and any number of stone fruit… it’s hard to choose! Sometimes I’ll add nuts to the mix, and always good vanilla, adjusting with lemon juice and more or less brown sugar according to the natural sweetness of the fruit.

By Laura

November 17, 2019

Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake

Ready for the best way to use up leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving? Add it to this cranberry swirl cheesecake, a quick and simple citrus and vanilla cheesecake with ribbons of fresh cranberry sauce and a sweet and spicy gingersnap cookie crust. A delicious and festive holiday dessert! Gluten free friendly.

Do you always have cranberry sauce leftover at Thanksgiving, too?

This cranberry swirl cheesecake is my favorite way to use some of it up, and come away with a a vibrant and festive holiday dessert (that’s a whole lot less work than pie).

Simply set aside a few big spoonfuls of homemade cranberry sauce beforehand. I’m partial to an oh, so easy version with fresh cranberries, orange juice (go for high pulp), aromatic vanilla, and a cinnamon stick. You’ll still have plenty of sauce for the big meal, but you’ll also end up with a dreamy cheesecake topped with pretty ribbons of ruby red, sweet and tart cranberries.

The tangy sauce is a lovely complement to the creamy orange and vanilla infused cheesecake filling, the natural tartness cutting through some of the richness of the cream cheese, especially when paired with a spicy gingersnap crust. Tis’ the season, after all!

By Laura

November 6, 2019

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

This easy one-bowl chocolate chip pumpkin bread is incredibly moist, wonderfully spiced, with lots of pumpkin flavor, and studded with mini chocolate chips. No mixer required and vegan-friendly, it’s a perfect, homemade fall treat!

While pumpkin desserts typically get their start in early-Fall, pumpkin bread has always been a Thanksgiving treat in our family.

My mom makes an incredibly decadent version – that is more cake than bread despite baking in a loaf pan – which I look forward to every year. It’s the perfect treat alongside morning coffee or afternoon tea (or nibbled right out of the fridge).

I wanted Henry to experience this favorite family tradition too, so I updated the original recipe – making it egg free (and easily vegan), with a little bit less sugar and oil, but still super moist, generously spiced, and with lots of pumpkin flavor.

…and I added chocolate, because of course I did.

By Laura