Recipes Archives - Horizon Guest House

Almond Mini Cookies

Posted on March 11, 2023March 14, 2023 by Angus

These mini almond cookies are super easy to make and are the perfect snack to go with your morning coffee. The mix of almond with a dash of Amaretto, and a hint of vanilla, make for a delicious cookie.

Ingredients

5 egg whites
2 cups of powdered sugar
1 tablespoon of corn starch
5 cups of almond flour
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon of Amaretto or Frangelico (or lemon juice instead of alcohol)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon almond essence

Coating

1 cup of powdered sugar
1 tablespoon of corn starch

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 320F (160C). Line 2 trays with baking paper.

In a bowl mix together the first measure of powdered sugar and corn starch.

Using an electric mixer, combine egg whites with the powdered sugar mixture in a large bowl. Whisk until frothy.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix using a wooden spoon.

Cute kitchen moment!

On duty during the making of the cookies, is assistant chef Ele – providing helpful and encouraging feedback via many cute poses. More Cleo and Ele

Measure out approximately one tablespoon of the mixture. Roll into a ball. Do this for the remaining amount of mixture. In a bowl mix together the second measure of powdered sugar and corn starch for the coating.

Roll each of the balls in the powdered sugar mixture, coating the entire surface.

Place the coated balls on the trays. Slightly pinch both sides of each ball and then push down in the center.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow biscuits to cool.

The recipe makes approximately 40 biscuits.

Almond and amaretto make for a great flavor combination. Enjoy!

How did your cookies turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

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Walnut Maple Banana Cake

Posted on January 21, 2023March 11, 2023 by Angus

I enjoyed the combination of maple and banana so much in the muffins I made recently that I decided to try this as a cake, although this recipe does have eggs! The original recipe used a baking dish but I rather liked using the more traditional cake tin (if you do decide to use a baking dish it will bake faster, in about 30-35 minutes).

Ingredients

Cake

1 1/2 stick butter (softened)
1 c pure maple syrup
3 lg eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 3/4 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 c mashed bananas (2 large or 3 med)
3/4 c buttermilk

Frosting

8 oz cream cheese
1/2 c butter (softened)
3 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 c walnuts (chopped)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare a 9-inch cake tin. Line with baking paper, lightly oil.

In the bowl using a hand beater (or using a stand mixer) cream the butter until soft and light. Gradually add the maple syrup and beat on medium speed for about 5 minutes more, or until light. The butter and maple syrup may separate slightly. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Cute kitchen moment!

On duty during the making of the cake, is assistant chef Cleo – providing helpful and encouraging feedback via many cute poses. More Cleo and Ele

Add to the butter mixture along with the milk and mashed bananas.

Note: Buttermilk can be substituted for a mixture of ½ cup of yoghurt and a quarter cup of milk, adding more milk if the mixture is too thick. See photos below.

Beat all ingredients on low speed just until combined.

Bake for approximately 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Wait until the cake is completely cooled. Then in a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter, maple syrup (increasing the amount of maple syrup until the right intensity has been achieved), then add vanilla and beat until smooth.

Frost cake and garnish with walnuts!

Maple is such a great flavor for a cake and is made even better by using it in the cream cheese frosting. Enjoy!

How did your cake turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

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Eggless Maple and Banana Muffins

Posted on January 15, 2023January 22, 2023 by Angus

This recipe combines maple and banana with great success. The muffins are made without using an egg and produce a light fluffy texture. Originally a cake recipe, this has been adapted for muffins.

Ingredients

2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (240 ml) milk (at room temperature)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (180 ml) pure maple syrup
1 ripe banana, mashed (about 90 g)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Using baking spray, generously grease one muffin tray (makes 12 muffins). In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Put aside.

In a mixing bowl or jug, combine milk and vinegar. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. When it is ready, the milk will be slightly thickened. You should be able to see small curdled pieces. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy on medium-high speed. Do this for about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if needed. Next, add maple syrup, mashed banana and vanilla. Beat until combined.

Cute kitchen moment!

On duty during the making of the muffins, is assistant chef Cleo – providing helpful and encouraging feedback via many cute poses. More Cleo and Ele

With the speed on low, add half of the flour mixture. Scrape down the mixing bowl with a spatula and turn the batter over several times to ensure all of the ingredients are well mixed. Add milk mixture – continue beating to mix. Add the remaining flour and beat until just until combined. Do not overmix.

Pour the cake mixture into the muffin tray. You may have some batter left over. Be careful not to overfill the muffin tray – this is something I (Angus) did! You can see in the photo below that I’ve overfilled the tray. Make sure each muffin mold is only filled to about 2/3 full. This is a cake recipe so the mixture will rise quite a lot.

Bake until a skewer comes out clean when poked in the center. Baking times may vary but these muffins should take 20-25 minutes. The muffins are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow muffins to cool before serving. (Optional: serve with whipped cream, adding 2/3 tablespoons of maple to the cream!).

My muffins overflowed and ended up flattening out (they were still delicious though). How did your muffins turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

Authored by

French Apple Custard Cake

Posted on October 16, 2022October 31, 2022 by Angus

This apple custard cake is perfect for autumn. The cake itself has a smooth consistency – filled with sliced apples, spiked with brandy (or rum), and with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon. It’s the perfect breakfast treat with morning coffee because it isn’t too sweet.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 8 wedges, and sliced 1/8 inch thick crosswise
1 tablespoon Calvados*
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg plus 2 large yolks
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*If you don’t have Calvados (French apple brandy) any brandy (or even rum) will work.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325F. Spray 9-inch springform and place pan on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil.

Place apple slices into microwave-safe pie plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave until apples are pliable and slightly translucent, about 3 minutes (to make sure they are soft enough for the cake).

Toss apple slices with Calvados, lemon juice and cinnamon and let cool for 15 minutes.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk 1 cup flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a second bowl, whisk the whole egg (not the yolks), oil, milk, and vanilla together until smooth.

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Transfer 1 cup batter to separate bowl and set aside.

Add egg yolks to the remaining batter and whisk to combine. Using spatula, gently fold in the apples. Transfer batter to the pan, using an offset spatula to spread batter evenly to pan edges, gently pressing on apples to create even, compact layer, and smooth surface.

Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons flour into the batter you set aside. Pour over batter in pan and spread batter evenly to pan edges and smooth the surface. Sprinkle remaining tablespoon of sugar evenly over cake.

Cute kitchen moment!

On duty during the making of the apple custard cake, the faithful baking assistants – providing helpful and encouraging feedback via adoring looks. More Cleo and Ele

Bake until center of cake is set, toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, and top is golden brown, about 75 minutes.

Transfer pan to wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of pan and let cool completely, 2 to 3 hours.

Serve alone or with whipped cream!

How did your French apple custard cake turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

Authored by

Fresh Mango Cake

Posted on August 12, 2022August 12, 2022 by Angus

It’s mango season on the Big Island, and what better use of mangos than for making a cake! This recipe for fresh mango cake has been adapted from Ina Garten’s peach cake recipe. Fresh mangos make a great filling for a cake but if you can’t get hold of fresh mangos then fresh peaches (or canned peaches) will work just as well.

Ingredients

1 stick of unsalted butter (1/4 pound)

1 cup of sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 cups of fresh mango, diced

Topping

½ cup sugar

1 tsp of cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F (325F convection). Cream together butter and 1 cup of sugar until fluffy.

Add room temperature eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each.

Add sour cream and vanilla extract, mix until blended.

In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Add the mixture to the creamed ingredients and mix together until just blended.

Cute kitchen moment!

On duty during the making of the mango cake, the faithful baking assistants – providing helpful and encouraging feedback via adoring looks. More Cleo and Ele

Butter a 9×9 baking dish. Pour in half of the batter and smooth out.

Add half of the diced mango, distributing evenly.

Mix second measure of sugar with cinnamon in a separate bowl.

Sprinkle half of the topping mixture onto the mango.

Add the remaining batter and cover with the remaining diced mango.

Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon mixture on top.

Bake at 350F for approximately 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Serve warm! Goes well with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

How did your fresh mango cake turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

Authored by

Easy to make Ginger Banana Bread

Posted on June 30, 2022July 2, 2022 by Angus

This recipe for ginger banana bread is packed full of amazing ginger flavor. By using three types of ginger, and a dash of cranberries, this banana bread makes a great snack.

Ingredients

Bananas – approximately 1-2 pounds or 6-10 ripe bananas

Dry ingredients

4 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 TB cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp mace

Wet ingredients

4 large eggs

2 cups Canola oil

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped crystallized ginger (or non-crystallized)

1-2 TB chopped fresh ginger

1 cup cranberries (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 6 loaf pans or 4 bread loaf pans.

Peel bananas and place in a bowl or stand mixer.

Mix on low to thoroughly mash.

Add the remaining wet ingredients and combine.

We’ve discovered non-crystallized ginger chunks and we love them! Highly recommended. Without the added sugar but just as flavorful.

Cute kitchen moment!

On duty during the making of the ginger banana bread, the faithful baking assistants – providing helpful and encouraging feedback via adoring looks. More Cleo and Ele

The cranberries are optional but do add a nice extra flavor.

In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients together.

Then add to the wet mixture (after you stop the mixer). Mix together, gently at first, to combine.

Pour into greased loaf pans and bake at 350F for 35 minutes (or up to 1 hour if you are using four bread loaf pans).

Cool loaves on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

How did your ginger banana bread turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

Authored by

Almond Flour Lemon Muffins

Posted on March 25, 2022March 25, 2022 by Angus

These almond flour lemon muffins are easy to make and delicious. The almond flour creates a soft chewy texture, while the crumbly topping adds that extra flavor hit!

Ingredients

3 cups almond flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup white sugar
2 large eggs
½ cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest

Crumble Topping:

½ cup almond flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 10 muffin cups with paper liners.

Sift almond flour, baking powder, and baking soda together into a bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix sugar, eggs, Greek yogurt, butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.

Add flour mixture into the wet ingredients and mix until well combined – be careful not to overmix.

Cute kitchen moment!

On duty during the making of these muffins was Cleo, my faithful baking assistant – providing helpful and encouraging feedback via adoring looks. More Cleo

Spoon the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups, filling the cups all the way to the top.

Make the topping by mixing almond flour, brown sugar, and butter together until crumbly.

Bake muffins in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, then remove from the oven and sprinkle crumble mixture over the top.

Continue baking for another 3-5 minutes until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean.

Cool muffins in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

How did your almond flour lemon muffins turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

Authored by

Dark Chocolate Cherry Muffins

Posted on December 22, 2021December 23, 2021 by Angus

Dark chocolate and dried cherry muffins made with a healthy serving of oats, peanut butter, and yogurt! Perfect for the holidays, these muffins are made with canola oil and a reduced amount of sugar. A generous amount of Greek yoghurt also gives them a unique flavor.

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup rolled oats
½ cup of brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 ½ cups plain Greek yoghurt
¼ cup peanut butter
½ cup canola oil
½ cup dried red cherries, chopped
1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups. In a large bowl stir together all-purpose flour, oats, the brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In another bowl whisk together eggs, yogurt, peanut butter, and oil.

Add yogurt mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir until just moistened.

Fold in cherries and chocolate.

Spoon batter into muffin cups.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden. Cool in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 12 muffins.

How did your dark chocolate cherry muffins turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

Authored by

Microwave Rocky Road Fudge

Posted on December 15, 2021December 22, 2021 by Angus

Delicious chocolate fudge packed with peanuts and marshmallows to make a chewy, crunchy, salty & sweet Rocky Road Fudge! This recipe is quick and super easy to make in the microwave.

Ingredients

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 cup salted peanuts (or use a mix of walnuts, almonds or other nuts)

Instructions

Combine the milk, the chocolate, and the butter in a medium size glass bowl and heat in the microwave for 90 seconds (or melt the chocolate, milk and butter in a double boiler on the stove top).

Stir to combine and heat another 15 seconds if needed. Add the vanilla extract and stir until smooth.

Stir in the peanuts (or substitute with walnuts or almonds, or a mix of all three) and marshmallows – you may need to transfer the mixture to a larger bowl.

Scoop the mixture onto a parchment lined tray. Spread with a spatula to approximately 1-inch thickness.

Chill until ready to serve. Slice into squares and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

You can also store this in the freezer! How did your rocky road turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

Authored by

Pumpkin and apple muffins

Posted on October 30, 2021November 10, 2021 by Angus

Perfect for this time of year, pumpkin and apple muffins make a great alternative to the pumpkin pie. This recipe is quick and easy! Add a pecan and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar for that something extra.

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp pumpkin spice
1 30 oz can pumpkin puree
6 eggs
1 1/2 cup oil
1 cup brown sugar
3 medium sized apples, chopped (Granny smith work best. Use an apple peeler/corer/slicer device to make it easier).

Optional

24 pecans
A sprinkle of cinnamon sugar

Instructions

In a bowl place flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin spice. Whisk and set aside.

In another bowl blend pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, brown sugar and chopped apples.

Stir dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture being careful not to over mix, small lumps are ok.

Use an ice cream scoop to spoon the mixture into greased muffin molds (I used silicon, but you can also use paper cups to line the muffin molds instead of greasing).

Optional – place one pecan on top of each muffin and sprinkle lightly with a pinch of cinnamon sugar.

Bake muffins at 350F for 25-30 minutes, or until they spring back when lightly touched.

How did your muffins turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

Authored by

These mini almond cookies are super easy to make and are the perfect snack to go with your morning coffee. The mix of almond with a dash of Amaretto, and a hint of vanilla, make for a delicious cookie.

Ingredients

Instructions

Cute kitchen moment!

How did your cookies turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

Ingredients

Instructions

Cute kitchen moment!

How did your cake turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

This recipe combines maple and banana with great success. The muffins are made without using an egg and produce a light fluffy texture. Originally a cake recipe, this has been adapted for muffins.

Ingredients

Instructions

Cute kitchen moment!

My muffins overflowed and ended up flattening out (they were still delicious though). How did your muffins turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

This apple custard cake is perfect for autumn. The cake itself has a smooth consistency – filled with sliced apples, spiked with brandy (or rum), and with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon. It’s the perfect breakfast treat with morning coffee because it isn’t too sweet.

Ingredients

Instructions

Cute kitchen moment!

How did your French apple custard cake turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

Ingredients

Instructions

Cute kitchen moment!

How did your fresh mango cake turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

This recipe for ginger banana bread is packed full of amazing ginger flavor. By using three types of ginger, and a dash of cranberries, this banana bread makes a great snack.

Ingredients

Instructions

Cute kitchen moment!

How did your ginger banana bread turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

These almond flour lemon muffins are easy to make and delicious. The almond flour creates a soft chewy texture, while the crumbly topping adds that extra flavor hit!

Ingredients

Instructions

Cute kitchen moment!

How did your almond flour lemon muffins turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

Dark chocolate and dried cherry muffins made with a healthy serving of oats, peanut butter, and yogurt! Perfect for the holidays, these muffins are made with canola oil and a reduced amount of sugar. A generous amount of Greek yoghurt also gives them a unique flavor.

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup rolled oats

½ cup of brown sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 ½ cups plain Greek yoghurt

¼ cup peanut butter

½ cup canola oil

½ cup dried red cherries, chopped

1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate

Instructions

How did your dark chocolate cherry muffins turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

Delicious chocolate fudge packed with peanuts and marshmallows to make a chewy, crunchy, salty & sweet Rocky Road Fudge! This recipe is quick and super easy to make in the microwave.

Ingredients

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk• 1/4 cup butter• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract• 2 cups miniature marshmallows• 1 cup salted peanuts (or use a mix of walnuts, almonds or other nuts)

Instructions

You can also store this in the freezer! How did your rocky road turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

Perfect for this time of year, pumpkin and apple muffins make a great alternative to the pumpkin pie. This recipe is quick and easy! Add a pecan and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar for that something extra.

Ingredients

3 cups flour1 tbsp baking soda1 tsp baking powder1 tsp salt2 tbsp pumpkin spice1 30 oz can pumpkin puree6 eggs1 1/2 cup oil 1 cup brown sugar3 medium sized apples, chopped (Granny smith work best. Use an apple peeler/corer/slicer device to make it easier).

Optional

24 pecansA sprinkle of cinnamon sugar

Instructions

How did your muffins turn out? Let us know in the comments below.

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 cup salted peanuts (or use a mix of walnuts, almonds or other nuts)

3 cups flour
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp pumpkin spice
1 30 oz can pumpkin puree
6 eggs
1 1/2 cup oil
1 cup brown sugar
3 medium sized apples, chopped (Granny smith work best. Use an apple peeler/corer/slicer device to make it easier).

24 pecans
A sprinkle of cinnamon sugar