Mocha cake with espresso frosting, Mama Ía blog

February 14, 2022

Mocha cake with Espresso cream cheese frosting —and my Valentine’s

Natacha Sanz Caballero Desserts and Sweets celebration, cross-country skiing, dessert, Fox Island Park, layer cake, original recipe, tarta de moca, valentines

When thinking of what special treat I’d make for Valentine’s Day I knew I had to find something with coffee. Dave has a sweet tooth AND he loves coffee. So mocha, the combination of chocolate and coffee, was a good option.

I didn’t know, however, exactly what to make or how to make it, and I ended up going through recipe books and doing Google searches. Finally, taking a bit from here and a bit from there and then adding my own ideas, I ended up with this cake: mocha cake with espresso cream cheese frosting.

I have to say I don’t like calling myself a recipe developer. I am not one, and I don’t intend to be one. I am not a professionally trained cook, so I do not (more…)

September 28, 2020

Turrón ice cream —and Summer 2020 in Santa Barbara

Natacha Sanz Caballero Desserts and Sweets, Events & Travel Christmas treat, dessert, helado, Jijona, Mediterranean cuisine, Santa Barbara, Spanish cuisine, summer, summer 2020

It happens every year: Summer dwindles away and I hold onto it for dear life. It’s easy to think that way, when I look through my window and the sun is shining, and I go outside and sit on the patio and I don’t even need a light jacket. I scroll down through Instagram and all the beautiful, talented people I follow are praising the coming of fall and embracing it with open arms.

I, in the other hand, hope for the Indian summer, the “veranillo de San Miguel”, as we call it in Spain. And for (more…)

September 2, 2020

Zucchini Layer Cake –and building a Vegetable Garden (Part 2)

Natacha Sanz Caballero Desserts and Sweets celebrations, dessert, huerto, orchard, postres, tarta de calabacín, tartas, vegetable garden

Print RecipeIf you like carrot cake, you’re going to love zucchini layer cake. The first time I made zucchini loaf bread I couldn’t even imagine you could put zucchini into a dessert. Yet, the result was outstanding. Less known than its cousin the banana nut loaf bread, zucchini bread is one to discover.

For Spaniards, carrot cake is a late discovery, and zucchini loaf bread is a complete unknown. So needless to say, this cake is not a Spanish recipe. You know Mama Ía blog is the place for Spanish cooking in America. But as I say in (more…)

Triple cheesecake with amaretti crust, Mama ía blog

June 5, 2020

Triple cheesecake with Amaretti crust and Caramelized Blood Oranges ––a glimpse into confinement

Natacha Sanz Caballero Desserts and Sweets almond cookie crust, cakes, confinement, dessert, postre, tarta, tarta de queso, tarts

Have you noticed something different in this post? Okay, you will have to scroll all the way down to the recipe. Which by the way, you’re going to love. It’s a triple cheesecake with amaretti crust and caramelized blood oranges. What a combination of flavors! One bite and you’ll realize how they were made to be together. For the amaretti crust —or almond cookie crust—, you’ll be able to use the recipe of my previous post. Those almond cookies are good on their own and they are outstanding for this crust.

Birthday party favors

Confined basketball

But I’m digressing. Let’s go back to my first sentence: if you scroll down, you will see the look of the recipe has changed. I’ve incorporated a new format that will make it easier for you to (more…)

May 7, 2020

Almond Cookies (amaretti-like), and a trip to Perugia

Natacha Sanz Caballero Desserts and Sweets, Events & Travel Ben Paterson, coffeetime, dessert, galletas, Italy, merienda, Perugia, postre, teatime, Umbria, Umbria Jazz Festival

Almond cookies, amaretti-like, to sweeten up this very odd situation. It’s hard to believe what’s happening right now in the world. When I remember the times, not that long ago, when we could travel, I can’t help but think that we are living in a dystopian movie, and that, like in the movies, it will have a happy ending.

Temple of Sant’Angelo

The 13th century Acqueduct

My mom at Roca Paolina

My flight to Spain this summer has been canceled by the airline due to the pandemic and the closing of borders in many parts of the world (certainly the borders of Spain). I can now only travel in (more…)

October 19, 2015

White Sweet Potato Preserve Turnovers, Empanadillas de Dulce de Boniato, A Winter Delicacy on a Fall Day

Natacha Sanz Caballero Breads, Desserts and Sweets boniato, dessert, empanadillas, empanadillas de boniato, sweet potato turnovers, turnovers, white sweet potato, white sweet potato preserve, white sweet potato turnovers, winter delicacy

I find it interesting to see how this blog thing is working out. Take this week, for instance. I had a few ideas in my head as to what to make for this week’s post. I could choose from a number of recipes that included Fall vegetables —the beautiful pumpkins, or butternut squash, sweet potatoes, delicata or acorn squash. I hadn’t made up my mind yet, waiting to see what peaked my interest. (more…)

October 5, 2015

Coffee Meringues, a melt-in-your-mouth sweet treat

Natacha Sanz Caballero Desserts and Sweets coffe meringue, coffee, dessert, egg whites, meringue

Making paella always wakes up my senses, every one of them. I’m sure it is because of all the sentiments it evokes, and the memories attached to the dish. Growing up in Spain, we used to have paella mostly on Sundays, when the after-meal time could linger for hours and well into the early evening. In the summer, the after-meal time (more…)

February 2, 2015

Churros, a Spanish staple

Natacha Sanz Caballero Breads, Desserts and Sweets breakfast, churros, churros con chocolate, dessert, Fallas, Spanish staple, winter

Growing up in Spain —where it was years before I ever saw snow for the first time—, makes me ever excited to see the first winter snowflakes fall in Fort Wayne. For my children, the sight means the anticipation of a school cancellation the next day. For me, it’s a reminder that the time of year has come to live more indoors than out, that the homey cooking season has arrived, the time of stews. Of churros for breakfast on Sunday mornings. (more…)