I grew up eating Cozonac every year around the holidays so I figured it’s time for me to master this delicious sweet bread so that one day I can pass along the tradition to my kids. I’m determined to perfect this recipe! Thanks to modern technology I used a bread machine for the kneading, but I definitely have to attempt this recipe by hand like my grandma and great grandma used to do. Either way, the flavor is delicious and it satisfies my Cozonac craving!

Yields Two Loaves

Ingredients

• 1 cup lukewarm milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 oz melted butter cooled
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 6 cups flour
• 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks
• 3/4 cups white sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Zest from one orange
• Zest from half a lemon
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoons yeast

For the filling

• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
• 3 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon rum extract
• Milk (enough to make a paste out of the mixture)

For the glaze

Directions

1. Dissolve sugar in lukewarm milk. Add honey, butter, vegetable oil, lemon juice, orange juice, lemon zest, orange zest, vanilla, and whisked eggs.
2. Place your mixture in the bread machine pan. Next measure out your flour and place on top. Add yeast and salt.
3. Turn your machine to the dough setting.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
5. During the last few minutes make your filling by placing all the ingredients into a bowl and mixing enough milk in to make a paste.
6. Once dough is done, take it out onto a work surface and divide it into two equal pieces. Put some oil on your hands to make the dough easier to work with. Spread dough out into a rectangle the length of your loaf pan and about triple the width. Spread your mixture onto dough. Roll it up and place into a greased loaf pan. If you want a braided Cozonac, do the same process but with three small pieces of dough and then braid them together.
7. Cover the loaf pans with a dish cloth and let dough rest for about 30 minutes to an hour. Right before baking, brush dough with egg yolk.
8. Bake in oven for about 40-50 minutes, testing the dough with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean.
9. Let bread cool completely before cutting.

This sweet bread keeps very fresh and gets more and more moist if you wrap the cooled bread in plastic wrap and store in a plastic bag.

I go through phases when I crave yogurt parfaits like crazy and most of the time I end up having one mid-day as a snack or after dinner as my dessert. I like to make my parfaits with Greek yogurt for added protein and every now and then I switch up the crunchy topping for cookie crumbs (oh yeah, I said cookie crumbs).

Honey Greek Yogurt Parfait

Ingredients

• 1 cup Greek yogurt (I use Fage 2%)
• 2 teaspoons honey (more or less to taste)
• 1/3 cup fresh raspberries
• 1/4 granola

Instructions

1. Sweeten yogurt with honey to taste.
2. Layer yogurt, raspberries, and granola in tall glass.

https://alittlesweetlife.com/honey-greek-yogurt-parfait/

If you’re ever in Old Town Orange and craving a good sandwich and some incredibly addicting chips, Provisions is the place to go. We first stopped by a few months ago and we’ve been hooked ever since. If I’m honest with myself, every time we go it’s because I have a major chip craving and this place doesn’t disappoint. I should probably be talking about how it’s the cutest specialty market that sells beer, cheese, coffee, wine, etc. but guys, I just can’t get over their home made chips!!! The honey mustard ones are to die for! This last time we went they were all out of those so we tried the lightly salted ones and ahhhhhhh…..just as amazing!

It’s been so incredibly humid in Socal and as much as I wanted to be wearing jeans and a cozy sweater, denim skirt and a tee it was. I’ve never been one to wear very short skirts but now that I’m a mom I find myself searching for longer ‘mini’ skirts. I always tell my husband how much I love seeing my fashion choices change over the years. At the end of the day, I just want my little Emma to remember her mommy as being comfortable in her own skin and clothes so that she can be the same. Ever since I had her a year ago, I’ve realized how important it is for me to take care of myself on a daily basis. It’s so easy to get caught up in day to day life and forget that as a woman I deserve to feel beautiful inside and out. Before I had Emma, all I wanted to do was wear my gym clothes all day long, because I had all the time in the world to get dolled up if I wanted to. Now that I have less time and more responsibilities, I take every chance I get! And really for me getting dolled up means not being in frumpy pjs. Ha! 

Top, skirt, belt: J.Crew

Sandals: Lucky Brand

Hat: Olive & Pique from Nectar

Bag: Hartwood House

Oh sweet sponge cake how I love you. You’re so light, fluffy, and full of flavor. Thank you for being so good even without butter or oil!

My husband ate this cake in pretty much a matter of 24 hours. My mom and I had one slice each and that was that. He devoured this cake! Like I turned my head to grab something from the fridge and then it was gone. Just like that. Well almost. You know what I mean. He loves sweets, really really loves sweets. He’s never eaten a cake this fast, so I pretty much came to the conclusion that it was because it’s so light and airy. It’s not heavy like butter cakes because it’s made without any added fat, just what’s in the eggs. Needless to say, my husband loved my reasoning as to why he ate the entire cake minus two slices.

And you know what? The best part about this cake is the frosting. Probably the best I’ve ever made! I love lemon zest frosting! I’m hooked.

Sponge Cake with Lemon Zest Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• For the Cake:
• 3/4 all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup vanilla pudding mix (1 box)
• 6 eggs (separated)
• For the Frosting:
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/4 cup softened cream cheese
• 1 jar marshmallow fluff
• Zest from two lemons
• Juice from 1 lemon
• For the Garnish:
• 1 cup raspberries
• 3 thin lemon slices

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9 inch round baking pans. Line with parchment paper. Grease and flour parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl beat 1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon sugar with egg yolks until white and fluffy. Set aside.
3. In another bowl beat egg whites and the remaining sugar until stiff peaks form.
4. Add the pudding powder to flour and mix.
5. Add 1/3 of the egg whites to the egg yolk mixture and fold. Add 1/3 of the flour and fold. Continue to do this another two times. Your mixture should be light and fluffy.
6. Pour into prepared pans. Bake for about 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Remove from oven and invert onto a wire rack. Let cool completely before assembling and frosting.
8. To make frosting cream the butter, cream cheese, marshmallow fluff, lemon zest, and lemon juice until light and fluffy.

https://alittlesweetlife.com/sponge-cake-with-lemon-zest-cream-cheese-frosting/

A few years ago I purchased a dessert cookbook called Baked Explorations, because to be honest, the cover, style, and photography won me over. I am so glad that I did because the desserts in the book are so unique and create such a nostalgic feeling. There is one recipe in particular that really stands out to me, the Orange Olive Oil Bundt Cake. It is full of flavor and perfect with your morning cup of coffee or tea. My husband and I love to sprinkle powdered sugar on top and serve it with a little whipped cream. The only thing I altered was adding in some sour cream to the plain yogurt that is called for in the recipe. This cake does not disappoint!

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 3/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
• freshly grated zest of two oranges
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the inside of a 10 inch bundt pan, dust it with flour, and knock of the excess.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl beat the egg yolks until they are pale and light. Pour in the sugar 1/3 of a cup at a time until it is completely incorporated. Add the yogurt and olive oil and mix until combined. Add the orange zest and vanilla, and mix until incorporated.
4. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in two parts, beating after each addition until just combined. Scrape down the sides and beat again.
5. In another large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Scoop half of the egg whites into the batter. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold them in. Add the remaining egg whites and gently fold until they are almost completely combined.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Turn it onto a platter or serving dish.
7. Just before serving, dust with confectioners’ sugar.
8. The cake can be stored at room temperature, covered tightly, for up to 3 days.

https://alittlesweetlife.com/orange-olive-oil-cake/

White chocolate macadamia cookies have always been my favorite cookie. There’s just something magical that happens when you get a bite of cookie with a macadamia nut and some white chocolate! The flavors are absolutely perfect together. I whipped up a batch of this recipe as well as my Toffee and Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies this weekend so my husband can have some on his work trip. He works out of state in the oil field and is gone for 3 weeks to a month at a time, so I like to send him away with some treats to remind him of home. I think I may have to start mailing him some goodies because from what he tells me they don’t last very long!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (4 oz) softened butter
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup & 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 1 egg at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. (I baked mine in two rounds).
2. In a small bowl sift flour, salt, and baking soda.
3. In a medium bowl mix butter and sugar until incorporated. Add in egg and vanilla extract and mix. Add in flour mixture and using a wooden spoon mix until a dough starts to form. Do not over mix. Add in macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips.
4. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of cookie dough onto parchment paper.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 10-13 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
6. Remove from oven and let cool on tray for about 5 minutes.
7. Transfer to a rack to cool.
8. Store in an airtight container.

https://alittlesweetlife.com/white-chocolate-macadamia-nut-cookies/

My husband loves pie and we both love cheesecake, so when I started thinking of this recipe I knew I wanted to combine the two. Really this dessert is more of a cheesecake in pie form but I still like calling it cheesecake pie to put a smile on my husband’s face. 4th of July is tomorrow and cherries are such a great summer treat and to me they scream all American. I love to snack on cherries throughout the day, they are so refreshing in the summer heat and this time of year we always have plenty on hand for baking. What I especially love about this recipe is the fresh tart flavor that the lemon and cherries give and the almond topping compliments the flavors so well. If you have any extra time just before the 4th of July festivities, try this recipe out, it’s a winner! If not, you have all summer to try it out!

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 sugar
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• Filling:
• 24 ounces softened cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• Lemon juice from 2 lemons
• Grated lemon zest from 2 lemons
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 2 cups cherries without pits
• Topping:
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• Pinch salt
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into cubes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Use a food processor to make fine crumbs out of the graham crackers. Place in a bowl, add sugar and melted butter and mix. Place in a 9 in pie dish and lightly press onto the bottom and sides. Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes.
3. While the graham cracker crust is baking make your filling. Mix cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until creamy. Add lemon juice, zest, almond extract and mix. Beat in eggs until combined.
4. Once the crust is done pour your filling into crust and lay the cherries on top of the filling.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
6. While the cheesecake pie is baking make your topping. Stir the brown sugar, flour, and almonds. Cut in the butter with two forks or use your hands. Do this until little crumbles form.
7. After 30 minutes take the cheesecake pie out of the oven and sprinkle with topping.
8. Place back in over and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
9. Remove cheesecake pie from oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before you refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.

https://alittlesweetlife.com/cherry-cheesecake-pie/

I know I’ve been going a little crazy with Tiramisu recipes but I just can’t get enough. There are so many desserts and cakes out there that are just way too sweet and overpowering. Tiramisu is just the opposite. It’s delicate, perfectly sweet, and so incredibly light. I made this cake for my sister’s birthday bash and everyone raved about it! I’ll be making this year after year for special occasions.

Ingredients

• For the Cake:
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 eggs (separated)
• For the Cream Filling:
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 egg white
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• For the Coffee:
• 8 oz strong coffee (I used 2 Nespresso long espresso shots)
• 1 tablespoon rum liqueur (I used Vana Tallinn Estonian Liqueur)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• For the Whipped Cream Frosting:
• 8 oz heavy whipping cream
• 1 packet vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and sugar to taste
• For the Garnish:
• 24 ladyfingers
• 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup chocolate covered espresso beans

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9 inch round baking pans. Line with parchment paper. Grease and flour parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup sugar with egg yolks until white and fluffy. Set aside.
3. In another bowl beat egg whites and 1/2 cup sugar until stiff peaks form.
4. Add 1/3 of the egg whites to the egg yolk mixture and fold. Add 1/3 of the flour and fold. Continue to do this another two times. Your mixture should be light and fluffy.
5. Pour into prepared pans. Bake for about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Remove from oven and invert onto a wire rack.
7. Brew your coffee and add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of rum liqueur.
8. Poke holes all over the cakes using a toothpick. Spoon coffee over both cakes and let soak in.
9. Place whipping cream in a bowl and whip until it forms stiff peaks. Slowly add your vanilla sugar or add vanilla extract and sugar to your liking. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator.
10. For the filling: In a mixing bowl, beat together 2 egg yolks with 5 tablespoons of sugar until mixture is white and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set aside. In another mixing bowl, beat the egg white with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Slowly add 1.5 tablespoons sugar. Fold this mixture into the above cream cheese mixture. (Folding the egg whites in will keep the composition light and fluffy!)
11. To assemble place one layer on a plate or cake stand. Spoon half of the cream mixture on top and spread. Place the second layer on top. Spoon the other half of the cream mixture and cover the top and sides of the cake. Gently spread your whipped cream on top of the cream mixture.
12. Arrange your lady fingers around the cake.
13. Dust with cocoa powder and garnish with chocolate covered espresso beans.
14. Cover and refrigerate.

https://alittlesweetlife.com/tiramisu-cake/

I absolutely love making a big loaf of sweet bread and knowing that I have it all week to enjoy with my morning cup of coffee. I wanted to make this bread just sweet enough, not like your usual over the top cinnamon swirl breads. It came out so delicious, the perfect amount of sweetness. It smelled like a cinnamon roll when it was baking so I’m surprised I was able to wait for it too cool down to try! If you love sweet breads make sure to also try my Romanian Cozonac recipe!

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

1. 1 cup lukewarm milk
2. 4 oz butter melted
3. 2 eggs
4. 2/3 cup sugar
5. 5 and 3/4 cup all purpose flour
6. 1 tablespoon yeast
7. 1 teaspoon salt

1. 1/4 cup sugar
2. 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

1. Place all your bread ingredients in the bread machine pan with liquids on the bottom and dry ingredients on top.
2. Turn your machine to the dough setting.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Once dough is done, take it out onto a work surface. Spread dough out into a rectangle the length of your loaf pan and about triple the width. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together and spread onto dough. Roll it up and place into a greased loaf pan.
5. Cover the loaf pan with a dish cloth and let dough rest for about 30 minutes to an hour. Right before baking, brush dough with milk and egg yolk mixture.
6. Bake in oven for about 40-50 minutes, testing the dough with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean.
7. Let bread cool completely before cutting.

A Little Sweet Life https://alittlesweetlife.com/

There’s a full moon tonight which means adventure time for the Wells family! We figured since there are so many beautiful spots to explore around us, why not make a trip out of the full moon tonight. We love star gazing and teaching Emma about space and the stars so we are so excited to hopefully get a glimpse at the moon tonight if mother nature is on our side and doesn’t give us too many clouds. 

A few days ago we took a little stroll at Fossil Creek Reservoir just around the corner from our house and the moon was so big and bright, we got such great photos so I wanted to share those today and 10 things I love about Fort Collins so far.

1. The scenery. Miles and miles of green hills, lush trees, and rocky mountain tops.
2. The sunsets. Pastel gorgeousness almost every single night, it’s magical!
3. The energy. Not quite sure how to explain this one, but the energy is just so positive around here.
4. The sounds. It’s summertime now so we go to bed every night with the sound of crickets and I absolutely love it! I fall asleep instantly! I also love the sound of the wind in the trees, the rain, and the flowing water in the endless streams around here.
5. Cost of housing. We moved from California so all my California peeps, you know what I’m taking about, California house prices are nuts!
6. Opportunity. There is so much opportunity for entrepreneurs and that makes my husband and I so so so excited!
7. Ease of getting around and out of town. Once again, California traffic…ughhhh! Everything is so close around here and traffic is amazing! And whenever we want to go on an adventure, it takes us about 10 to 15 minutes to get out into nature.
8. Old Town. Old Town Fort Collins is just perfect. Great restaurants, shops, breweries, and the cutest streets to explore. Fun fact: Main Street Disneyland was modeled after Old Town Fort Collins…I mean…perfection!
9. The weather. I am so happy to be in a place with four seasons again. Growing up in Romania I got to experience cold winters and hot summers, with spring and autumn in between to ease the transitions.
10. The people. People are so friendly and helpful and our neighbors are lovely!

As I’m writing this I’m thinking of so many more things that I love about Fort Collins so I’m thinking I’ll have to keep doing posts to add to the ever growing list!