LuxeGetaways Magazine – Fall/Winter 2017 | You simply cannot walk by Danielle’s Desserts without a beaming smile to welcome you into this local gem. The display cases are filled with an array of “home-baked” Southern-style desserts including cakes, pies, cookies, cupcakes and other specialties.

Danielle Poux is the founder and owner of Danielle’s Desserts, a dessert café located in McLean, Virginia. Since April of 2010, shoppers in the Tysons Galleria Mall have been drawn to this bright and cozy corner bakery by the sweet aroma of freshly baked goods. When you taste the first bite of a dessert by Danielle, you get it.

As a young adult, Danielle held professional positions, but she soon found her passion as a baker. She created a loyal following by baking desserts for caterers, area restaurants and some lucky individuals. The rest is simply history.

Boasting more than 57 flavors of desserts that she has been perfecting since the early 1980’s, these are just two of the sweet selections that you can savor this season. What could be better than home baked comfort food to share with your loved ones as the weather turns cooler?

Danielle’s Desserts has now officially expanded with the opening of a second shop located in Washington D.C.’s business district. The new site at 1130 Connecticut Avenue, NW is significantly larger than the original, which allows Danielle to showcase more daily delights for walk-in guests looking for whole cakes, pies and other treats. Enjoy baking these desserts for your loved ones this season. 

Learn More: http://luxegetaways.info/danielles-desserts


Death-by-Chocolate Pie Recipe (gluten-free)

  • 2 sticks of butter, softened
  • 18 oz of chocolate chips
  • ½ cup water
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees.

Cream softened butter in a mixing bowl. Add vanilla. Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or gradually in a microwave-safe glass container until smooth and fully melted.

Add warm melted chocolate to creamed butter, scrape bowl, and let continue to mix at a low speed. Meanwhile, combine water, salt, and sugar and bring to a boil. Stir until salt and sugar are totally dissolved. Add to chocolate and butter mixture. Add eggs, two at a time, and mix until well blended.

Spray a 10-inch pie pan with a vegetable spray (select a spray with no flour). Place pie pan into a 9-inch cake pan that is half filled with water. Pour mixture into pie pan, and gently place the pie pan on top of the cake pan containing the water. Carefully lift the cake pan and place it into the oven on a middle rack. Let it bake for approximately 45 minutes.

Let set and cool in refrigerator before slicing. Wet knife before slicing, and carefully lift slice out of pan.

“The Death by Chocolate Pie is a dense, rich, flourless chocolate treasure. The process of developing this recipe was extensive to successfully bake a flour-free cake, and it was discovered the water bath was necessary here to keep the flour-free filling from exploding in the oven. Whether you have a gluten allergy or not, this is one of the best bites in town.” –Danielle Poux 


Apple Caramel Pie Recipe

  • 1 10-inch pie crust
  • ¼ cup caramel sauce

Filling

  • 6 McIntosh applies, peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg

Crumb Topping

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 stick butter, slightly softened

Place pie crust in pie dish.

Prepare filling: Combine sliced apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Place apple mixture in pie crust.

Prepare crumb topping: In mixer bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Dice butter and add to dry mixture while mixer is on. Let blend until mixture reaches desired crumb consistency. Do not overmix. Spread crumb mixture over apples.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. When cool, drizzle with caramel sauce.

Serving suggestion: Warm pie slice and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and additional caramel sauce, or a dollop of whipped cream.

“The Apple Caramel Pie is a perfect choice to enjoy during the holiday season. This version of an all-American favorite features a flaky crust, a spicy apple filling, and a rich butter crumb topping. The caramel drizzle just makes the pie that much more sumptuous!” –Danielle Poux



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